By uttering that phrase of contempt aloud, Kato's goal was to involve all the present warriors. The laughter of his comrades echoed through the walls of the arena and even those who did not know the subject of his accusation realized that it was a clear provocation to the Nightblades.
The blood in Yoichi's veins boiled with rage as the blue-haired warrior slowed his pace more and more until he stopped a few feet far from his back.
"What a bunch of losers," the girl next to Kato puffed, also a member of the Emperor's guild.
Takamori interrupted his speech, and Rinji relaxed the muscles in his abdomen, turning his gaze to whoever was disturbing their morning training. Kato's words attracted all five Nightblades warriors, besides their guild leader.
However, even those who did not know well Yoichi's affairs realized that that provocation was explicitly aimed at him. Most of them knew that Enatsu was a close comrade of his and that they had arrived together from Bronzeforest, later asking to join the guild.
"Let's go, guys. This place is teeming with fear and weakness. We're just wasting our time," Kato repeated, turning away and starting to walk towards the fountain behind the Dojo again.
"Yoichi, don't give in to his taunts! He's doing this on purpose!" Shioko whispered, resting a hand on her partner's shoulder, whose angry gaze was turned downward.
"How dare he make fun of Enatsu? The damn guy doesn't even know that my friend almost died saving one of his guildmates.... Kato doesn't know what honor is, and he's outraging a sacred place," Yoichi growled in a low voice. "If Ryutaro-Sensei had been here, he would never have allowed him to do that", he added.
Takamori, Yoichi's only master still on the loose, unexpectedly approached his student. "Hey," he spoke, drawing his gaze to himself. When their eyes met, the little moustachioed man could sense his inner anger, curbed by a great sense of self-control.
"What would you like to do, boy?" he inquired. A few feet away from them, Nobunaga watched the scene with interest, touching his purple hair moved by the weak morning wind.
"I would like to teach that dumb ass a lesson, Sensei. I know it's not the right thing to do, and I would dishonour the guild in that way, but..."
"Who ever said that?" Takamori interrupted, leaving Yoichi speechless.
"What? But... master..." he stammered, confused by a thousand conflicting feelings.
"The first time you faced Kato... do you remember it?" Takamori asked - Yoichi nodded, "Good. It was right then that I decided that you would be part of my guild. I could feel it in my bones. At that moment, I saw in you the grit that every one of my warriors should have. It's not good to hold back anger, boy. You just can't do that forever," he continued, speaking against all odds.
Yoichi closed his mouth and tried to think about those words. Was Takamori really giving him the green light to face Kato again in front of all those warriors?
"If you focus on that, you can manage to feel the positive energy of all the people around us. Everyone in this place hates the Emperor's Heralds, but they are so feared that no one dares to challenge them. I taught their guild leader a lesson many years ago. Maybe the time for another lesson is come," Takamori Sada affirmed, pointing his sly eyes at Kato and his thugs, who were strolling on the stone tatami.
While Shioko and Toshi marveled at the words of their master, always dutiful and rule-abiding, Nobunaga chuckled inside, appreciating that veiled vindictiveness.
Yoichi relaxed his hands and loosened his fists, straightening his back and continuing to look at his guild leader. "I can't use my power in front of all these people, master. And without it, I'm not sure I can defeat him," Yoichi admitted, trying to self-analyze his current level of strength and compare it to his opponent's.
Takamori shook his head, communicating his disagreement and chuckling as Nobunaga did. He brought his face closer to his student and repeated, "That is your biggest problem. You can do amazing things, and yet, you still can't believe in yourself."
Yoichi was struck by that statement so much that he stood still as a stockfish for about ten seconds. Takamori was right: in a world where demon tamers fought to make a name for themselves and increase their fame in society, why would he act in the shadows? Why wasn't a warrior with his potential free to express himself as he saw fit, even if it meant going against the Emperor?
Right in front of his eyes, there were people identical to him. His guildmates were all warriors expelled from guilds, with criminal records or other problems with the law. All of them silently harbored a strong hatred for the Emperor of Tentochu, and under the orders of their mentor Takamori, they had managed over the years to turn that hatred into fortitude and stability.
In this respect, Takamori and Ryutaro were very similar to each other. Both advocated unconditional peace and quiet living, but they recognized war as the key to changing things. If no one ever stopped the Heralds' bullies, they would continue with violence and bullying forever.
It was time to say 'no' to the conspiracy of silence and indifference. Anyone who wanted to change things would have to step up.
"Hey, haircut!" Yoichi yelled, taking courage and turning towards Kato. All of his comrades gasped, amused by what was going to happen but intimidated at the same time.
Even Shioko, who usually had a rather grumpy personality, stepped aside, leaving the way clear for her companion.
Yoichi's call reached the ears of Kato and his companions and, like the annoying buzzing of a fly, forced him to turn in his direction. The gaze of the long-haired blue warrior was mad with rage.
For the second time, that unknown warrior from the Bronzeforest countryside rebelled against Kato's outsized ego and planned to make him look bad in front of everyone.
Blocking the advance of his companions with one hand, Kato took a step forward, stopping about ten meters away from Yoichi. The tension between the two of them was so intense that it heated the air in the arena.
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