Plot Overview

## Fire Empire Escape Arc

After getting beaten up, Kaen informs Gijutsu of his plan to escape. Unwilling to never see his friend again, Gijutsu reluctantly agrees. Kaen tells Gijutsu of his plan, which revolves around his enhanced powers due to the Rune week. After finding the best wall to cross, Kaen starts climbing it, and is quickly attacked by guards. While the duo quickly defeat them, a messenger spots them and goes to the emperor. Gijutsu gets worried that they'll be found, and Kaen promises that when they are, he'll beat up the emperor.

As they cross the wall, Gijutsu stops Kaen. He explains that there's tripwire all over the place, and stepping on it will activate landmines underground. Kaen uses his fire to fly over the wire, but the expelled heat causes the mines to anyway explode. Gijutsu uses his prototype Hex-Shield to protect them both, but by that point the exhausted duo are taken in by soldiers.

The two then find themselves trapped in a cage, awaiting execution. Kaen tries to use his Fuer rune, but it doesn't do anything. Gijutsu explains that the bars are made of runestone, which can withstand the power of most elemental runes. He then uses his Delta-Knife to slash the metal open and escape. However, they are quickly stopped by the emperor's son, Hitsu. Gijutsu tells Kaen the emperor and escape, and Hitsu lets him leave, thinking he won't stand a chance. After Kaen leaves, Hitsu then reveals that he is also a wielder of Fuer.

Kaen barges into the emperor's room, determined to defeat him once and for all. Once he arrives, the emperor, Jigoku, tells his guards to stand down, and that anyone with the nerve to escape from prison deserves to die by his hand. Kaen tries to shoot out a blast of fire at Jigoku, but it's deflected off him and sent flying at Kaen. Jigoku reveals that he's covered in Runestone Armor, and Kaen's rune will do nothing to him.

Meanwhile, Gijutsu unveils a Cyber-Sword, but Hitsu blocks it with his Fuer-enhanced sword. The duo duel, but Gijutsu gets hit on the arm. He thinks that it's a minor injury, but starts to suffer from severe burns. Hitsu tries to go in for the fatal blow, but Gijutsu blocks it with his Hex-Shield. Gijutsu then launches his Rocket Fury attack at Hitsu, which temporarily knocks him out. Gijutsu escapes in the chaos, and tries to find Kaen.

Kaen coats his body in fire and dives at Jigoku, which does nothing. Jigoku then pulls out his spiked club, but it's blocked by the arriving Gijutsu. Kaen thanks Gijutsu, but says that this is a fight he wants to win on his own.

Kaen then sends out a blast of fire. Jigoku is confused, as Kaen knows that his armor will absorb it. However, while he's distracted, Kaen lands a fire-enhanced punch on Jigoku. While he absorbs the fire, the enhanced punch still goes through and breaks the armor, as well as hurting Jigoku. Jigoku asks Kaen if he will kill him, and he says that he doesn't believe in killing. He instead throws Jigoku in prison, and blasts the roof open, causing debris to surround him and making him impossible to find.

In the chaos, Kaen and Gijutsu easily defeat the guards and escape. However, they realize that Hitsu will be coming after them. Gijutsu asks if they could pay a visit to the armory before they leave.

### Important Events

* Kaen and Gijutsu, the two main characters, are introduced, as well as their home, the fire empire
* The Fuer rune is first introduced and explained
* Kaen and Gijutsu escape from the Fire Empire, which later causes them to get their first bounties
* Hitsu vows to get revenge on Kaen, and tries to go after him in many later arcs

## Armory Arc

The two decide to dress up like two of the Fire Soldiers to avoid attention from the rest of the Fire Empire royalty. Gijutsu realizes that there’s an entrance to the library from the outside, and that it’ll be safer to go through there. On the way outside, they encounter a Fire Guard, and due to their disguises, he asks them if they’re going for border patrol. They say that they are, and he tells them that two new bounties came in for Kaen and Gijutsu, the former being a level 4 and the latter being a level 5. Gijutsu accidentally asks about it, and the guard assumes that they’re newbies. He explains that the lowest rank is level seven, which generally consists of petty thieves and low-danger criminals. Level six is when they actually start to have the potential to harm you, but they’re only around average human strength. Level five consists of above average humans that can start being dangerous and have the potential to kill you if you’re not careful. Level four is moderately dangerous criminals that have the ability to kill trained people, royalty, and nobles. At and above this level, most of them have rune abilities. Level three is where all the super strong criminals are. At this level, they start to become international threats, and almost always have to worry about bounty hunters. Level two is made up of seriously powerful and dangerous threats, and even one could destroy the entire fire empire by themselves. Level one is composed of almost unstoppable people that can be an immediate threat to everyone around them. Finally, level zero criminals contain almost godly power, and they could probably defeat everyone in the world at once. He then explains that if Kaen had killed the emperor, he would’ve been a level three or possibly even two threat. After the Guard walks away, Gijutsu tells Kaen that they’re now wanted men.

The two leave through a secret, manned door to the outside. Kaen is surprised to see that outside of the hustle and bustle, it’s all meadows and wildlife. Kaen then sees a butterfly and gets distracted, but Gijutsu tells him that they have to get to the armory. They arrive there, and Gijutsu enters the password to open the door. Inside is a factory where metal is being made and mended, and swords, armor, and shields are lined up. Kaen sees a really nice sword, but Gijutsu tells him not to touch it, as it’s guarded by laser security. Gijutsu sees a sword lying on the ground. He picks it up, noticing that it’s only a “Grade C” and not nearly as good as the swords on display. However, it won’t set the alarms off. He tells Kaen that it’s a Renegade 2x 5.5, which is easy to use but lacks skill or strength.

However, Kaen is distracted looking at a weird rock. Gijutsu tells him that it’s The Mind of the Tech, a special life-force said to inhabit all S-Grade swords.

Kaen then accidentally steps on a platform that causes the entire floor to vanish, revealing a deep pit below. The two fall in, and see an army of robotic guards around them. Gijutsu uses his Cyber Sword and Kaen uses his fire to easily dispatch them, but more keep coming. Eventually they manage to defeat all of them, but are so tired they can’t even move. A mysterious person picks them up and takes them to a gorge filled with narrow paths. He then puts the two on one of the narrow walkways and attempts to stab Kaen.

Gijutsu wakes up and blocks the sword with his Renegade. The person then lights his sword on fire, and burns the front of Gijutsu’s armor clean off. Gijutsu realizes that it’s Hitsu, who says that he’s here to get revenge for what they did to his father. Hitsu kicks Gijutsu to the edge of the walkway, causing the rest of the armor to fall off. Kaen then wakes up and uses Fuer: Punch, though Hitsu blocks it with his Fuer-enhanced sword. The two are both surprised that the other has Fuer powers, and Gijutsu bashes his Hex-Shield into the sword user, throwing him off the path. However, Hitsu uses Fuer to fly, and attempts to slash Kaen’s stomach. However, Kaen grabs the sword and kicks Hitsu in the face, sending him flying to the bottom. While he doesn’t die, he has trouble getting back up. Kaen decides to use that opportunity to leave with Gijutsu, much to Hitsu’s annoyance. They decide to leave the armory immediately to avoid the royals. Outside, they find a fire horse, and leave on it. They plan on getting as far away from the empire as possible, but they are unsure of exactly where to go.

### Important Events

* Kaen and Gijutsu learn about bounties, and find out about theirs
* Gijutsu gets his first sword, the Renegade 2x 5.5, though it is soon replaced
* The Mind of the Tech is briefly introduced
* Hitsu appears again, where he tries but fails to kill the two
* Kaen and Gijutsu get their mount, Pyro, though he isn't named until the next arc