Chapter 2

Haru walked slowly through the dark stone halls of Akuji manor, the sheer size and scope of the high, dark corridor still gave him a sense of inadequacy every time he walked through it. He passed paintings of famous pirates, the straw-hats, the white-beards and black-beards, past shichibukai and yonkou, and even some high ranking revolutionaries. Asmodeus certainly enjoyed history.
He opened a massive round-topped wooden door, and entered into his master's study, a spacious room with high, Gothic ceilings, ornately decorated with several exquisite pieces of furniture that Asmodeus had acquired over his many years. His master sat in his favorite chair, a wooden throne with plush dark red velvet cushions, reading an ancient novel written in some forgotten language. "Come closer Haru, we must speak." Haru did as his master commanded, taking of his flat topped hat (Fidel as he called it. No one knew why) as he stood before him, they were nearly level, despite the fact that Asmodeus was sitting down. Haru looked around nervously, not knowing why his master called him in.
"What is it master Akuji?" He asked in a low voice.
"It seems that you guarded my house from some thieves..." Akuji opened his eyes wider, and looked deep into his student's eyes. Only twice before had he ever done this, the first time Haru was nearly paralyzed with fear, the second, they were training and nearly killed each-other- Haru hated looking into his master's eyes, his yellow, hellish eyes. "You must not be so cruel to your opponents Haru..."
"He asked for a fight-"
"A fight he thought they could win, he would not have attacked so willingly had he known how strong you were." Haru lowered his eyelids and glared, in anger and frustration, Asmodeus had lectured him about this many times, and he never believed him. "Need I remind you of the nature of your combat style?"
"NO!... I...I'm sorry Master I didn't mean to yell." he hung his head. There was silence for a moment.
"I have heard about that boy from his mother, I see her around here from time to time. That boy… lost his father not long ago...Haru... I know that their is little I can teach you about peace, for I have never had it...But I can teach you much about anger. It will destroy you Haru, you and those you love." Haru tightly gripped Fidel, empathizing with Koru's loss .
"I...don't love anyone." he said coldly, trying to hold back emotion.
"You will Haru. Life will give even the most apathetic people in this world someone to love. But, we must talk of other things..." Asmodeus said, closing his eyes. "It is time for you to leave Haru." Haru looked up, shocked.
"What? But what about training? I'm not even close to mastering all the styles."
"Heh heh...Neither am I Haru." Haru looked at his master, confused. Asmodeus gestured with one of his dark, satiny fingers to a desk near the front of the room. "You will find in their the scroll passed down from master to master of *Raion-jin Musha, it is yours now," Haru was about to protest when Asmodeus offered him such a priceless treasure, but Asmodeus continued, "you will also find a very useful tool, and perhaps a way of earning yourself some income." Haru walked to the chest, and opened the front drawer, revealing a box bearing the symbol for Raion-jin Musha, a tiger and dragon encircling each-other forming a Yin-yang. Beside it he found a pair of black fingerless gloves and a yellowed piece of paper. Lifting the gloves, he was surprised by their heft; they were probably about 40 pounds each! He could handle the weight, but it would interfere with his punches. He put them on anyway, trusting his master. Picking up the piece of paper he noticed that it was a bounty. It was an old, grizzled man, well past his prime, missing half of his teeth at least, holding up a gauntlet adorned right hand.
Ryug "Iron-hand" Rusu
Pirate
Wanted for 6,000,000
"What is this for?" Haru asked, showing Asmodeus the paper.
"That man has entrenched himself in caves on the other side of this islands mountains, the marines have been halfheartedly pursuing him for months now, but he has taken hostages and their pious but incompetent captain has done nothing to deal with him... There is a secret entrance to the mine that he is inside; it should lead you to where he is keeping his prisoners. Make sure they are safe, than defeat him and the dozen or so men that he still manages to keep with him. They should be no problem, but be careful when you fight him. The map to where you must go is inside that drawer as well." Haru took it, and quickly looked at it, before folding it up and putting it in his pocket. "...Good luck Haru, I would not have entrusted you with this task if I did not have the utmost confidence in your abilities."
"Thank you Master, I won't disappoint you." He said, bowing.
He could not have possibly realized how important this mission was.

Haru's journal

Master told me more about that Koru boy. I guess we have a bit in common. I wonder if I would have been like that if it weren't for master Akuji. I don't think so, but, I don't really know what to think. It's still hard to cope with now.

Well, I guess a journal isn't so bad.

Haru.