The capital of the Land of Iron stood frozen in the wake of Tenshō's confession. The halls that once echoed with celebration now bristled with uncertainty and rumor. The betrayal had fractured more than trust—it had shaken the foundations of power.
The rumors reached all parts of the capital before nightfall, the people, all those who were touched by the silver world, believed the words of the Silver Lady, the High Priestess of the Moon Cult as if they were sacred, even without knowing why, something inside them made them trust the actions of this mythical figure, every time she appeared she helped the land of iron, and the work of her priestesses were beginning to make waves that made rumors about good deeds circulate throughout the land.
In the void left by Tenshō's fall, a new figure rose among the remnants of his faction: Araki Gin, a renowned samurai whose mastery of the Fire Breathing Style was considered among the purest in the Gin bloodline. Some whispered he rivaled Mifune in swordsmanship. Araki, a cousin to both Takama and Tenshō, had supported the latter's rise. Now, with Tenshō imprisoned in the Silver World, Araki positioned himself as the rightful successor.
Within the closed walls, Araki met with his closest allies.
"The Silver Lady? An illusion. Nothing more than Genjutsu spun by one of Mifune's allies," one of his commanders claimed.
Araki nodded slowly but did not echo the claim. "Whatever she was, her presence has turned the hearts of many. This… Silver Lady and her moon cult have infected the spirit of this land. But fire purifies. If we hold fast, we can emerge stronger."
One samurai spoke with concern. "And Kaede? We found him unconscious in a corridor of the palace after the Judgment. He still hasn't woken up."
Araki grimaced. "No tricks. Poison, perhaps. A ninja ploy. But this is no time for hesitation. We rally. I will lead this nation with the discipline our ancestors bled for."
<<<< o >>>>
Meanwhile, in a guarded hall lit by amber lanterns, Mifune and Takama Gin met privately.
"I believe it was real," Mifune said, arms crossed. "Tenshō confessed not because he wanted to, but because he could not lie. That, I believe, is power we cannot dismiss."
Takama exhaled through his nose. "It is a heavy burden... Only Araki and I remain of our bloodline. He is ambitious, and this opens the path he long sought. If he demands a duel, I will answer."
Mifune nodded grimly. "He is formidable. Perhaps stronger than you once were—before the Silver Lady, and the moon realm."
<<<< o >>>>
Elsewhere, in the private courtyard of the Gin compound, Hinata sat in stillness, her back straight beneath the falling twilight. Kuro and Mitsue flanked her, guardians in shadow and silver.
But in her mind—in the Silver World—she sat alone at the peak of the Crystal Tower, in the heart of the moon temple. There, she was not divine. She was simply a girl burdened by choices beyond her years.
Michel approached silently and settled beside her.
"You heard?" Hinata asked.
"Hard not to. The samurai pour into the Silver World. Most don't speak, but their anger bleeds into the wind. You made a spectacle."
"You always said a Silver Lady should be dramatic."
Michel chuckled. "You do have a gift for it."
Hinata's voice wavered. "I... I couldn't take it anymore... he was getting what he wanted, he was winning, no matter the bodies falling at his feet... Renga and Sayaka had a future, one that was prevented by the pride, greed, and avarice of someone who didn't truly understand himself. If I had acted sooner, if I had confronted Tenshō sooner when every bone in my body knew he was responsible after the attack on the Jashin Cult... after Kaito's death." Tears began to flow from little Hinata's eyes, even so she remained upright looking out over the lands of the Silver World.
Michel placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You acted when you were ready. That's all anyone can do."
Hinata looked out over the gleaming realm. "It's not over. Takigakure moves in the shadows, and Jiren is still pulling strings. Shikashi hides behind it all. If I don't act now, others will. Jiren or... My Father, my recent actions cleared his path. He wants revenge for his son. I think he wants war."
Michel frowned. "You're not suggesting...?"
Hinata nodded slowly. "I've trained for months in silence—by night in the Silver World, by day with the natural world's white threads. My body and soul are more aligned now. It has given a substantial increase in my abilities. If the Silver Lady, the High Priestess strikes first—if I sever Shikashi from this world—maybe war can be avoided."
Michel sighed, torn. "You realize you're proposing to besiege a secret village you know little about. You ask much of yourself."
"That's why I need you," Hinata said. "Kaede knows more. I want to compel the truth. But I lack your refinement. Will you help?"
Few times his little granddaughter asked him for a favor… and he couldn't refuse.
The old guardian hesitated, then smiled gently. "You know I can't say no to you."
Hinata could only smile as she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her kimono.
<<<< o >>>>
Elsewhere, Kaede stumbled blindly through a realm of endless white. He still couldn't understand how he ended up here.
He clearly remembers, he tried to flee after the Silver Lady appearance, slipping through side corridors unnoticed—until he had an encounter with a small girl, familiar yet terrifying—Hinata Gin, clad in the silver robes of the priestesses he had once dismissed. She vanished with an incomprehensible speed and a precise blow to the back of his head sent him on a one-way ticket to this white space.
A plain of nothing. No sky. No horizon. Just light and silence.
He walked. Hours? Days? He couldn't tell. Until finally, two figures emerged.
Hinata, clad in the silver robes of the priestesses he had once dismissed. And beside her, a white-bearded man whose presence felt as old as the mountain.
Hinata tilted her head gently.
"Good afternoon, Kaede," she said. "I hope you didn't think the Silver Lady forgot about you. We have much to discuss."