Freeing himself from Yozo’s arm, Takamori continued to walk forward. Just as he was about to walk down the steps of the tatami, three great warriors from the Emperor’s Heralds blocked his way.

“Aaah… you always do this, Takamori. When someone provokes you, you run away like a rabbit. How do you call yourself a guild master?” Yozo belted, chuckling and looking at Yoichi and his companions. Takamori’s three warriors had remained a few feet behind their master. ​​

The wind, which had so far blown calmly, increased its intensity. The branches of peach trees were shaken by its strength, releasing the pink petals of their lovely flowers.

Like soldiers in a peacekeeping army, the petals rested gently in the corners of the tatami, continuing to twirl under the action of the morning wind.

Takamori Sada clenched his fists and closed his eyes. Above his shoulder, his mantis demon was watching the orange-eyed man.

“Perhaps your warriors do not know that, in the past, you too wanted to become a member of the guild that now is under my command. Why don’t you tell them how it went, Takamori-kun?” Yozo repeated, with his hands down his hips. The Heralds guild chief turned to his interlocutor.

“What’s your problem, Yozo? My warriors have no interest in knowing stories from the past. What they see now is an arrogant and overbearing man who does not let them get off the arena”, Takamori answered. With the three enemy warriors behind him, he turned to Yozo and looked at him with fierce eyes.

“Overbearing? Ahahaha! That’s a good one! So that’s how you call who’s stronger than you, right?” after those words, Yozo approached the Nightblades guild master. “Look at you… you look like an old wino. You had the opportunity to become very famous and respected, but you chose to live in the shadows and remorse because of your innate stupidity,” the man in the red armour commented.

Yozo came closer and closer to Takamori, defiantly. When their faces were a few inches away, he stopped. In their eyes, the flame of hatred burned ardently.

“What is it? Can’t you even talk now? Are you afraid, Takamori-kun?” he whispered, chuckling. As he made fun of him, the scars on his face bent, tracing his every expression.

“I remind you that I voluntarily chose not to follow the Emperor anymore. If I hadn’t made that choice, I’d be in your place now. Fear? I will never be afraid of you, poor Yozo. You are and will always be the Emperor’s second choice,” Takamori remarked.

When his usual mocking smile appeared on his face, the tip of his moustache was pointed upwards. As he used to do whenever he treated someone superficially, the Sensei of the Nightblades also smiled with his eyes, narrowing them.

After that bold statement, Yoichi, Enatsu and Rinji followed the scene very closely. Afraid of the possible reaction of that arrogant guild leader, they feared that Takamori’s careless way of doing things could trigger Yozo’s fury.

As expected, in fact, when the moustached man’s response came out of his mouth, Yozo’s arms began to tremble with anger. What Takamori had just told aloud must have touched a still open wound in the Heralds leader’s soul.

“Let me and my warriors leave this place. You can train in peace, and we will return to our headquarter. Order your men to back off, please,” Takamori continued pretentiously.

When he walked another step towards the tatami stairs, the three warriors blocking the way had become six.

“I’d love to teach you a lesson, Takamori-kun, but I’m not going to embarrass you in front of everyone. Despite everything, I still have deep esteem for you,” Yozo spoke, coming up with an excuse. “You’re right. We shouldn’t bore our warriors with stories too old to remember. If I came here a few minutes earlier than scheduled, it’s because I was hoping to meet you.”

Yozo’s sentence raised suspicions in Yoichi. Taking a deep breath, the young tamer tried to keep calm. Although the Heralds guild leader was an arrogant bully, his guild was protected by the Emperor’s untouchable hand.

Yoichi realized that any action against them was equivalent to an insult to the imperial family. In that feudal society based on the rank and demons strength, the Emperor’s Heralds seemed to be the most influential congregation.

“Tell me, then. So then we can leave this place. We have important things to do,” Takamori urged. Crossing his arms, he invited his interlocutor to cut right to the chase.

“What’s that expression? The student makes the teacher… right? Do I remember correctly?” Yozo asked, pumping up his own tyres in front of his warriors. “So, that’s why I came here today. Kato! Step forward!” he yelled.

Yoichi’s fear materialized in those words. Enatsu’s suggestions, telling him to think about the consequences of his gesture, suddenly accumulated in the corner of his mind. When in Ambershire, the young merchant repeatedly suggested that he should not challenge Kato, knowing that he was linked to that renowed guild.

Obeying the call of his Sensei, the blue-haired warrior moved forward. His companions made room for him, letting him on the tatami. Within seconds, he stopped next to Yozo, in front of Takamori and his students.

“Who did it?” his guild master angrily inquired. With a slow movement of his hand, Kato pointed his finger at Yoichi. In the Heralds warrior’s gaze, the shame he was feeling was palpable.

“Who? He?!” Yozo astonishedly shouted. He looked at Kato, then Yoichi. Then Kato, then Yoichi again. “That gracile little boy in the second row? The one with the blonde hair? I hope that’s a joke!”

“No, Sensei. No jokes, it’s him” – Kato’s voice was full of resentment. Like a child resorting to his father’s help, the blue-haired warrior had told Yozo about his defeat before the news came to him from the outside.

Kato’s hand lowered, and the expression on his face became increasingly angrier. Yoichi kept his composure, knowing that whatever he did or said could only make the situation worse.