Meeting The Dark Ronin

Chapter 1 : The Origin Of Test

The soft caress of a cool breeze sent shivers coursing through my bare back, teasing every sensitive inch of my skin. It was the only gentle touch I had felt in what seemed like an eternity. Slowly, I tilted my head back, exposing my dry, parched lips as if seeking solace in the sky. As I opened my eyes, a sudden rush of awareness washed over me, jolting my brain back to the harsh reality of my predicament. I remained bound to this tree, the rough marks around my wrists serving as cruel reminders of my captivity.

Anxiety gnawed at me each time I glanced upwards at the towering tree that held me captive. My knees had dug a small trench in the dirt, a testament to the prolonged time I had spent confined in this wretched place. From a distance, one might mistake me for a devotee in prayer, but the truth was far from it. My hands were fatigued, wrists painfully constricted by ropes that bound me from each side.

"I want to leave," the words escaped my lips like a mantra, the mantra I repeated every single day. The longing for freedom, for escape, echoed in my heart. Each morning brought the same fervent hope, only to be met with crushing disappointment as dusk fell and the moon came.

The tree loomed above me, its branches stretching wide like a sentinel, its leaves whispering secrets of freedom. Swaying freely as the gentle breezed sang. My desire to be free just like the branches and leaves on this tree was the only thing that mattered. I yearned for the day when I would break free from this cruel grasp and the breeze would be nothing more than a gentle caress not a taunting reminder of my captivity. Until then, I would persevere, my spirit unwavering, my will undying. I would leave, one way or another, and reclaim the freedom that had been unjustly taken from me.

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In the midst of my thoughts, I hadn't realized I had dozed off due to exhaustion until a sudden jolt of agony seared through me. Piercing needles of cold, hard water rudely awaken me from the small peace I think I have, leaving me gasping for air. My eyes darted to the familiar sight of a solitary brown tree, an old companion who had silently witnessed countless memories by my side. Mai! They called out, their voices echoing as though they had been calling  for me for awhile. Maybe trying to wake me. The sound of my name, once a cherished identity, now grated against my senses, arousing an overwhelming hatred. I despised hearing it; it had become a reminder of my captivity and vulnerability. I hated it.. I hated hearing my name...

"Wake up!" one of the men barked, sending shivers of fear down my spine. Where's my anger? Why had it vanished, because it was consumed by the dreadful realization of why they were here. I knew their sinister intentions. My mind struggled to grasp their motives as I overheard faint mumblings and one of them addressing me. I couldn't be certain of their exact number, and that uncertainty only deepened the terror within me. "We need you awake for this, baby," he said with a sinister grin, his words nauseating me to my core.

My heart pounded in my chest as I fought back the rush of panic. I was their captive, stripped of my identity, trapped in this nightmarish ordeal. My mind raced, searching for any glimmer of hope or escape, but the darkness seemed to close in, suffocating me further. In this grim moment, my tree companion felt like my sole confidant, a symbol of strength and endurance against the horrors that had befallen me. I braced myself for what awaited me, unsure of what they had planned, but one thing was certain - I would not surrender my spirit, my will to survive, no matter how bleak the circumstances.

With a trembling heart, I drew in a deep breath, my gaze fixated on the man who had called my name. He interpreted my breath as a sign of consciousness and used it as a cue to assert his dominance. Grabbing my hair with a forceful yank, he pulled my neck back, sending a sharp ache through me. I mustered all my strength to stifle the whimper that begged to escape, concealing the pain from my tormentors.

Another man chimed in, his voice dripping with cruel satisfaction, "Your skin is worth a fortune of yen, my dear. The Akuma will profit greatly from you—the devil's prized possession. We need at least three plates of your skin for their vile dealings. For jewelry, clothes—whatever they desire—will give us more fortune than we have before. So, don't resist, keep still, and please don't inconvenience me. I'd hate to extract a precious tooth from that beautiful mouth of yours for every trouble you cause."

Tears welled up in my eyes, warm streaks coursing down my cheeks, blurring my vision as my breath hitched in fear and pain. A desperate urge to beg, to plead, to find a glimmer of humanity in him. As he released my hair, pushing me toward a tree, his disapproving murmur cut through me like a jagged blade, branding me as "pathetic."

The other men exchanged words amongst themselves, leaving me alone to brace for the torment that awaited. I yearned to resist, to scream, to escape this nightmarish reality. Yet, I felt powerless, trapped in a dark abyss of despair, where my cries would fall on deaf ears. The weight of their malevolence bore down on me, and I grappled with the urge to fight back, to reclaim my dignity, to break free from the clutches of these heartless fiends.

WARNING~~

My heart pounded in my chest as one of the men brandished a glinting blade. I couldn't tell if that wicked instrument of a sword was once my companion, now forced to despise me, or an entirely evil enemy.  Amidst the relentless barrage of senseless questions that taunted my desperate search for answers, a chilling and painful sound of words hit my ears, "Let's get this over with." The ominous words heralded the inevitable torment that loomed before me.

A muted, yet piercing tearing sound echoed, and I flinched as the blade met my skin, a searing pain shooting through the bottom left of my back. I could feel the warmth of my own blood trickling down the left side of my body, a testament to my agony. With every ounce of willpower, I bit down on my lip, its flesh yielding to the pressure of my fear-stricken jaws, mingling the taste of copper from the blood on my lips with the salty tears that welled in my eyes. A headache, fierce and relentless, pulsed behind my eyes, an unwelcome reminder of the relentless pain inflicted upon me.

The ache grew unbearable, and my body, racked with torment, could take no more. My senses betrayed me as my vision blurred, and a violent wave of nausea surged through me, compelling me to vomit. As the world around me swirled into chaos, a new sensation met the exposed back, the chilly air prickling my raw wound. My ears rang with a deafening tone, drowning out all else, and for a fleeting moment, my surroundings lost all meaning, becoming a hazy blur of nightmarish images.

A faint voice pierced through the chaos, uttering, "Oh shit," an eerie echo of my own thoughts before everything faded into an abyss of darkness. My consciousness succumbed, slipping away into a void where pain and torment could no longer reach me.

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I woke up, almost abruptly. It wasn't the cold water being thrown on me or the soothing breeze, but rather an agonizing pain searing through my back. It was relentless, tormenting me to tears, a torrent of suffering I couldn't contain. I looked around, half-expecting the those evil  demons of men who had encircled and mocked me to still linger. Yet, they were gone. He had mentioned needing me awake, and in that moment, I realized that passing out from pain was my only escape. Anger surged within me, fueling my determination to escape this hellish nightmare.

I glanced down at my bruised wrists, the ropes cutting into my skin, a reminder to the years I had spent futilely attempting to break free. Sliding my arms back and forth against the rough bark of the tree that had become my only friend, I tried to wear down the unforgiving bonds. It felt like days, endless days of relentless struggle, but I never gave up. With each chance I got, I pulled the ropes, left to right, hoping for the sound of victory when the ropes finally gave in.

But the men said nothing indicating they didn't see any damage to the rope. Which made my hope drop, feeling as though all my efforts in days or years or however long I've been here, the ropes weren't breaking. Yet, deep within me, an unyielding fire burned, refusing to be extinguished. I tried again, disregarding the pain that felt almost like an old, familiar companion. "Please, Evergreen, help me," I spoke to the tree, my voice barely a whisper.

A sudden snap echoed through the air almost immediately after begging for the tree for help, and I couldn't believe my ears. Could it be? Impossible! My eyes widened at the improbable possibility—the rope had finally given in to my relentless determination. I pulled my hands in front of me, gazing at them in disbelief. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I had wrested control of my own hands, liberated from the cruel constraints that had held me captive.