Chapter 14: <12th Fight: Advent Of A Deadly Storm>
-XOXOXOX-
Progress!
I was able to find some of the herbs that Mother wrote down in her journal and honestly, I feel a little bit giddy about this, in fact, I'm glad I have this journal right next to me.
So far, among the multitude of herbs I gathered, I came across three main ones that I can use as of the date that I'm writing this…
And what date was that…? June? September? I don't know, the year 2001..? I guess…
The first is a herb called 'Gobo/ Greater Burdock'. You could find it in places around North America, Europe, and Asia. It usually treats sore throat and skin issues such as boils, rashes, acne, and is said to even help in healing wounds.
Secondly is a root called 'Makino', which sounds awfully familiar to a character of one of my comic books about the journey of a quirky pirate, but hey who knows. This one grows throughout places like Japan and the eastern side of North America, and the roots are used as a traditional treatment for burns and ulcers and also for wound closure.
Pretty nifty, I gotta say.
Lastly, for now, I have the 'Three-Seven-Root'. Now this one's a herb that's commonly found all over China and is used to stop bleeding, reduce bruising, and reduce pain.
Don't get me wrong though, I'm aware that it's not magic by any means, it won't do shit if someone blasts you in your freaking head, but they've been proven to work in the correct means that they can be used in, which is nothing but good news to me.
With this, I'm sure that I can even help save people, provided that their injuries aren't severe.
Anyway, I should stop acting like some nerd over a bunch of plants because even Shintarou who can get drunk at will is looking at me as if I'm strange, though he thinks that I can't see him.
Speaking of Shintarou, sooner or later I'll get strong enough to defeat him, and I'm gonna do it by using his own style at that.
He likes to say that I'm closer to defeating him using my cooking as a weapon versus my fists, acting as if my cooking is bad or anything, but I'll soon show that drunkard my true strength…
But that's in the future, though. As of now…
I have to partake in grooming and men's care.
That's right, I have to trim my toenails and cut my hair low, and take long herbal baths.
I've got nothing against long hair, but it's just not for me.
Besides, it would be disastrous for a handsome lad like me to end up looking sloppy.
After all, it's good hygiene to remain clean.
Though if I'm being honest, I think I'll keep that part of my routine a secret from others.
What I need to do now, is to cultivate my cool and cold image to the max.
After all, the 'Maou/ Demon King' can't be found out to be doing stuff like that…
Wait, or can he…?"
-Myoujou Kurogami's Journal Entry #3 (Excerpt), 2002
-XOXOXOX-
-
-XOXOXOX-
-THUD!-
Dust rose to the air as the body of a martial artist belonging to the Kuremisago clan dropped to the ground unconscious after being sent flying by a vicious kick.
'As expected of a clan like this…' Myoujou eased his legs downwards as he reviewed the fight's progress. 'This man... He should be around the level of a 'High-Class Disciple' or maybe even higher...'
'I took too long when applying certain moves which hampered my speed, though not by too much… And once again I need more on-site practice with grappling …'
It was a brief fight lasting no more than one minute, but in this short time span, Myoujou not only defeated his foes that he faced along the way, but was also able to grow exponentially as a martial artist as well by assessing his weak points and fixing them via live practice, making him truly glad that he came on this mission in the first place.
"Haaa… Haaa… That seems to be all." Dusting the grime off his hands, he looked towards the rest of his group as he awaited further orders. 'This guy here... No, all of these Kuremisago fellas... They're the real deal...'
"Gather around, everyone!" The Kuremisago clansman that was appointed the 'Team Leader' shouted. "Let's find a place to turn in for the night, we're finished here!"
It truly was quite a long week.
After the events that occurred a few days prior, the atmosphere and mood within the Kuremisago compound took a sharp decline, and the seed of doubt was thus placed within the hearts of many of those who were present.
In fact, this situation only led to the further bolstering of the isolationist views the Kuremisago stubbornly held against 'Outsiders'.
Were it not for the clan's leader Senzui, Myoujou was sure that the clansmen and the mercenaries would've started a bloodbath right then and there.
Now that he looked at the situation as best as he could, he realized that there seemed to be much more at play in espionage and trickery than he would've preferred, being slightly miffed at the idea of having to deal with inner politics and the likes of lawn snakes.
And he didn't know why exactly, but for some reason the Kuremisago Clan detested outsiders.
'Maybe it's one of those twisted senses of superiority because they're a hidden clan and all…'
-But if that was the case, then Myoujou had a couple of questions.
'Why on earth would that Senzui guy hire mercenaries if his clan is against outsiders? What even was the point? A tax write-off? And who's gonna go to the 'Battle-born' clan and demand payment for taxes? Someone suicidal? Or maybe it was to become cannon fodder for his other plans? Something clearly doesn't add up here…' Shifting into the infamous 'thinker's pose', Myoujou seated himself on top of a tree stump nearby the bloody and tattered forest surroundings.
Now to Myoujou, in the beginning, he couldn't care less (or more accurately; couldn't care at all) about whether or not the Kuremisago would like his presence since they were the ones that hired Shintarou, and the only reason he was brought along here was to gain combat experience, but what he did find annoying was the messy implications of further troubles down the road that would arise with each passing day.
But nevertheless, the hired help that stayed behind only did so because of mainly two reasons; One, they enjoyed a good fight, and two; the sheer amount of pay they were receiving.
And now on to current events, the group had just finished a raid on one of the Kuremisago Mainland bases that went along swimmingly; both on paper and in execution.
You see the Kuremisago had quite the simple means of settling their inner discourse with each other.
Simply put, they engaged one another in battle, or in other words; Fighting.
They would dispatch clansmen from different groups across the world and have them fight it out to see which side was in the right.
-After all, the opposition can't 'oppose' the other side if they are weak.
-And if the opposition were weak, then not only are they dead, but the cause in which they were fighting surely must be wrong since they have been defeated.
This in turn was the 'infallible genius' behind the methods the Kuremisago clan used to settle internal disputes.
'Basically, they would drop their members across different areas around the world and simply have them beat the shit out of each other to see who gets to be 'the right one', hence why we're here today.' Myoujou summarized the 'fine print' of the Kuremisago's methods of action.
And today would be one of those days in which they would readily use this plan to quell their internal drama.
Over the course of a few days, Myoujou was constantly traveling with a group of nearly two dozen or so mercenaries and Kuremisago clansmen together as they fought with various other groups within other areas hidden away in Japan. Sometimes he would have to fight alongside Shintarou, participating in one of his all too familiar 'on-the-go lessons', and other times it would be just him joined by some random strangers.
At the start, many clansmen and mercenaries that held ill will towards Shintarou wanted to make an example out of him, the giant of a man's disciple, and while he wasn't around they would make sure that they do just that.
So they decided that once they had an opening or chance, they would attack.
But in this life, hardly anything goes exactly as planned one hundred percent of the time.
They had planned to attack Myoujou, and attack they did, though this was more to the benefit of Shintarou as he not only wanted Myoujou to gain more experience in fighting multiple opponents at once, but to experience being ambushed as well.
-However he couldn't just let them catch him off guard, could he?
-'Normally in the 'public' martial arts, ya ain't s'posed to be fighting a bunch 'a people at once, but over here there ain't no such rules! Do your worst kiddo, because I doubt that they'll fire us so soon…'
"If you say so." And with these words, he would now routinely get hot and sweaty as he fought with a bunch of old men.
But the truth is, whilst multiple numbers versus one may be a bad idea to teach someone in practice, the style that eventually birthed Shintarou's Tenrai-Shikyou-ken was a mixed martial art style crafted within the slums of The Inside that was tailor-made for constant battles in both opportune and inopportune places and times, and could be used even when the practitioner may be injured and unable to perform at peak performance.
And even less may know that the style that preceded it was once known to be a martial art under the branch of Jujitsu that was tailored to cowards with its deceptive nature and sneak attacks during the warring eras.
In other words, a style like that was one in which ambushes and sneak attacks were expected, awaited, and then guarded against.
Whether it be when Myoujou would take a trip to relieve himself, when he had minor injuries after a battle, or even late at night, and even though he wasn't able to soundly destroy every single person in his path, he had managed to hold his own against them no matter the situation, and eventually, such thoughts had gradually begun to subside after much consideration from his 'opponents'.
Though for some reason, Myoujou had to fend off other 'ne'er-do-well'ers' that tried to 'fight' him in a… A particularly different sense of the word….
Though after Myoujou was done with them... Well, there are better ways to die, aren't there?
Anyways, it was of no surprise to him that people would be picking fights with him, expecting many troubles that would fly his way the moment he realized that many of the people present didn't seem to get along well with Shintarou…
Though he did find it slightly odd that whenever he would 'softly' bruise a few of them in retaliation, even some of the Kuremisago clansmen, no one would even bat an eye. Only later did he find out that, to be honest, the clansmen couldn't care less, seeing fighting as a sacred art from which emotions themselves should be removed from, and that losing was a pitiful action of the weak.
-'In the world of the strong, those who are weak are utterly beneath notice...' Myoujou mulled over some of the words of some of the clansmen.
'Then again, what really got me surprised was that they didn't use excuses like 'I'm too young' or 'I'll hold them back' so they can try to take me out the expedition- In fact, they didn't even care!' Nevertheless, Myoujou continued to further accustom himself even more to the dark underside of the world than he thought possible.
Moving from one location to another and the endless fighting that followed with it, Myoujou saw the constant change of scenery all around him.
From lush forests, to dry plains, to even run-down slums, the activities carried out in those locations were all the same.
The sprinkles of an up-and-coming snowy season lightly fell throughout each nook and crevice of the land as a pre-wintery wind followed it, and due to his current job of thinly-veiled political violence and bloodshed, despite the festive season of merriness and glad tidings associated with the winter; namely Christmas, all he felt was the foreboding storm that was steadily approaching.
Putting aside his cautiousness of those around him, Myoujou was sure that after a long day of work, he'd immediately go lights out and drift off into dreamland the moment his head hits a soft pillow.
What could he do? The Kuremisago (A name that seems uncannily like a different clan name only with a few letters added to it) were a strength-exteremist shinobi clan, but boy oh boy did they have the softest futons around.
And as he gazed at the injured, but alive members of the group he fought with, he thought that luckily, since it was only the beginning of the conflict there didn't seem to be many casualties, but everyone was certain…
-That when things heated up and as the tension grew, then so will the body count eventually.
And when that happens, they would be ready for it. After all, they knew what they were getting into, and they were prepared.
"Yosh! Easy-Peasy!"Shouts and chants of mercenaries could be heard loud and clear.
"I expected more from this place! This is easy!"
"If it keeps up like this, then this job will be a quick buck in my wallet, hahaha!"
"I haven't even gotten started yet!"
"Don't get too cocky. We're still not done yet." The Team Leader said, admonishing the celebration going on in front of him.
They were currently returning from one of the 'battlegrounds' stationed in one of the many forests in Tokyo far away from not only their base, but to civilians that may accidentally stumble by, and it seemed that things may have been looking up for them a tad bit.
The Team Leader dusted the dirt off of his shoulders as he looked towards his fellow clansmen. "How many casualties do we currently have?"
"Out of the twenty or so men we brought, we have so far; three casualties, sir. Two mercenaries and one of our own. None injured, however."
"Is that so?" The 'Team Leader' blandly muttered, as if the news was either of no surprise or was completely uninteresting. 'That's quite a low number… Maybe we might emerge from this feud as the victors?'
"Come to think of it, what happened with that brat- The one that was with 'The Phantom Titan'?" One of the mercenaries asked.
Looking around another mercenary shrugged. "That kid? Somewhere over there."
"Really? I thought he'd be with 'The Phantom Titan'."
"Don't worry about that kid. I thought he might need a babysitter, but he doing fine on his own…"
"Ain't that so..."
-mutter, mutter-
"Hyuup-!" Jumping from his position Myoujou regrouped with his team, brushing what dirt he could from his blood-stained red jacket. "-I'm right here fellas."
"?"
"Huh? So that brat ain't dead yet?"
"Rude." Myoujou perked his eyebrows upwards as he scoffed. "When you say it like that… It sounds like you guys were wishing I were dead."
Voices of the group could be heard clamoring as they remained surprised at Myoujou's progress on this continued expedition. Most knew about how Shintarou or 'The Phantom Titan' was viewed around these parts and knew what the others were planning, though they wouldn't say or do anything.
They weren't heroes and they wouldn't start being one anytime soon, so seeing the still-young boy fend them off was surprising, to say the least.
-Sure they had seen the kid fight pretty well, but geniuses in this world were a dime-a-dozen, even more for the number of so-called geniuses that would either lose their shine or their life, so to them, it seemed as if they needed one more push before they could truly believe it.
-And with Myoujou still up kicking, it seemed that he wasn't too bad after all…
And although he spoke and acted in a casual tone, Myoujou remained vigilant as he kept his guard up around these men.
Well yes, they were his 'allies' alright, but this 'alliance' was only a temporary one.
-There wasn't anything special like 'teamwork' and 'team spirit', or the power of 'friendship'… It was just business.
-And if the events of the week past are anything to judge by… Then this alliance seemed to be a shaky one at the very least.
However, as he stretched his muscles in the spot he landed on, Myoujou's thoughts had also landed on a different avenue entirely. 'Haaa… I have to say, seeing all these people refer to Shintarou with such a 'childish' name makes me wanna laugh…'
'Like whoever the guy is that gives out these nicknames like a vending machine needs to be reminded to not quit his day job- Because with a naming sense like that… He'll really need it.'
'Though, I'd be lying if I didn't say it suited a freak of nature like him… That name fits like a kid's glove on an adult..'
'-Too well in fact, and so tight that it hurts.'
-'The Phantom Titan'.
-A name given to Shintarou because of his supposed overwhelming speed and elusiveness despite being nearly over seven feet tall and built with the muscle to boot.
'Or maybe it was because he disappears whenever he needs to buy milk, cigarettes, and alcohol… Wouldn't count it out since I've literally seen it happen before…' Myoujou mused.
Soon enough, the sun began to set as it illuminated the world in a vibrant orange-red hue. A cool breeze swept through the land as Myoujou pulled back the red jacket's hood and let it blow through his wavy maroon black curls.
'Haaa- So once again, we're not giving chase, I see.' Myoujou thought as he stared at the orange sky.
'But even so… These guys are strong… Very strong.'
'Stronger than I'd thought I'd ever face…'
'It's almost like a test of strength every time I fight them.' He wondered just what was it that made up the training regime for the Kuremisago Clansmen that made them so strong, fast, and durable.
'It's said that they 'forego whatever shackles them down' such as emotions for even more power… though I'm sure that isn't all to it, of course…'
'But Saiga Furinji…' Myoujou reminisced of that rowdy night a week ago when he and Shintarou first touched down in the Kuremisago Compound. 'That old man is like a lost hero type of character in this dirty business, I mean, who would've thought that one of the poster boys of the 'Love-And-Peace Squad', aka 'Katsujinken/ Life Saving Fist' would be in cahoots with the secret 'born-n'-bred-for-bloodshed' clan here.'
'Though, if I were to fall in love with a lady like that; I can sorta see why he'd fight to protect them.' Myoujou slowly started to think that the stories often told by a somewhat inebriated Shintarou of Big Bad Men changing when getting hitched by lovely ladies were true.
'But I gotta wonder… will 'my' heart go 'Doki-Doki' when I met that special someone?'
'Because if so, I hope I fall for someone that's sane and not messed up in the head.' In all honesty, he didn't actually think that he would meet someone that didn't possess some weird personality quirks, but he wished for the best nonetheless.
-CAW!, CAW!-
And as Myoujou was lost in his thoughts, an eagle soaring in the air swiftly flew past.
"?"
'That's…. a golden eagle!' Finding something that was in his opinion noteworthy, a bright twinkle shone in Myoujou's bright hazel brown eyes on his otherwise calm face.
It was a dark brown eagle that soared gracefully, with lighter golden-brown plumage on its nape and white markings on its tail and wings befitting of young and immature age.
'It looks so peaceful…' Myoujou mused as he found himself lost in thought staring at the avian creature. 'If I had wings, I would like to fly like that as well…'
Seconds went by as he watched it soar into the distance until he soon lost sight of it, but he still couldn't stop staring in the direction in which it left.
'-But wait, aren't they kinda rare or maybe endangered or something? To see one of them around here… Must be migration season or something…'
"Oi kid, we gotta go! Don't wanna get left behind do you?" A man from Myoujou's team interrupted his musings as they headed to find a place to turn in for the night.
"Gotcha old man, I'll be right there, so don't sweat it." Myoujou nodded.
'O-Old man?' The man recoiled. 'This kid… Do I really look that old to you?'
If he had really asked Myoujou, the answer would most likely be…
-Yes.
Plus as he spent more time with his medical and herbal training, Myoujou gained more insight into using the gifts he was born with, now being able to make somewhat accurate guesses on just how old a person was and their bodily condition…
-So to Myoujou's warped ideas of age, everyone over the age of twenty-one was pretty much considered one of the elderly to him by default, no matter how young they looked.
As he increased his pace to catch up with his group many questions flooded his mind, mainly about what was the real reason that they were hired in the first place since this was no longer something he could lay back and say 'As long as I get paid.' while he went about his business.
'Analyze the situation and make a further judgment from there…' Myoujou sternly reminded himself. 'Because based on what I know, there's a lot of behind-the-scenes play at work.'
'But there's something so off about it that my senses are going off like crazy, especially what happened before.' His mind then wandered to the events that happened a week ago. 'It's said that behind every major event in Japan's history, the Kuremisago had a hand in it…. So with that being said…'
'Just what is the true goal behind this inner clan feud anyway?'
-XOXOXOX-
-
-A WEEK AGO.-
-A CERTAIN KUREMISAGO REBEL BASE-
-
-XOXOXOX-
Following the noise and chaos that erupted due to the news of several of the Kuremisago clansmen being found dead, they ran straight towards this room to see just what exactly the matter was.
"Huh? What are you doing here?" Myoujou exclaimed when he entered the meeting hall alongside a confused Saiga.
"Yo, Myoujou-!" Shintarou waved, signaling him to take a seat next to him and listen up.
'I guess this is where he ran off to…' Making himself comfortable, Myoujou sat next to Shintarou whilst remembering the bitter consecutive losses of poker he suffered earlier. "So, why are you even here?"
The meeting room was filled with disgruntled mercenaries and clansmen alike, whose tempers seemed a few degrees away from reaching boiling point, only held in place by Senzui's leadership.
"I wanted to wander around a bit after suffering from success..." Shintarou smirked as he saw a tick mark form in Myoujou's head before continuing, sighing in what could be considered 'righteous indignation', "And some rookies from this clan tried picking fights with me, kid."
" -And as soon as I was about to knock some sense into them, it just so as happened that some serious shit was about to go down, so before any additional terms and conditions get ushered in, I wanted to get my payment in advance."
"Hahaha… I apologize for that." Senzui smiled wryly. "They're quite the rambunctious bunch as you can see..."
"Wait… What's the meaning of this? Of all of this nonsense I've been hearing?" Saiga piped up, his voice laced with utter confusion.
"That's what I would like to know as well, Saiga." Senzui nodded along with the other clan members.
The clamoring and chattering of the group before them came to a halt as one of the clansmen questioned Saiga. "Hey Saiga, did you kill them?"
Saiga frowned upon hearing this. "What? No, I didn't."
"Don't play dumb! You took them away from us!" One after the other, angry shouts emerged from within the group of clansmen.
Apparently, they had found a group of their own clansmen dead in the forest.
'Seems like a set-up' Myoujou thought. He didn't know why he felt this, but he just did.
"I don't even know who they are." Saiga tried to explain in an attempt to diffuse the situation, but his choice of words only served to further enrage the clansmen.
"He probably did do it… I mean, he is an 'Outsider' after all…" One of the clansmen spoke but was quickly rebutted by someone close to him.
"Don't be stupid! Saiga is a comrade that's been with us for years! Why would he do such a thing?"
"And? What about it? Our very own clansmen have been with us since birth, and we're 'still' fighting them to the death now!"
"Why you-!"
"Besides, it's not like he 'hasn't' killed one of them before…"
"Yeah, but they weren't on our side! Besides, so did we! Are you saying it's different only when we do it?"
Murmurs from several clansmen were heard as the hall erupted into a heated discussion.
"No, that isn't it." Saiga said. "Believe me when I say this, but I didn't kill our comrades."
'Ahhhh- This 'Outsider' thing again. If they hate outsiders so much, then why on earth did they invite the mercenaries in the first place?' Myoujou sighed inwardly as he heard the same phrase used as a derogatory insult for the umpteenth time.
"However doesn't that mean that anyone from this compound could've done it?"
"Then if it wasn't Saiga… Then maybe it's one of these mercenaries here…" A doubtful clansman muttered.
Hearing this some of the mercenaries' faces contorted into a frown. "Don't be a dumbass; we just got here a few days ago!" One mercenary yelled.
And as the discourse grew louder it was suddenly silenced by Senzui who simply spoke these three words.
"I believe you."
"!"
"Though, I can't speak for them all." Calmly saying this, he swept his gaze past his fellow clansmen.
The clansmen wanted to protest, but as Senzui looked at each and every one of them all thoughts of arguing had ceased.
It was an instinctual warning telling them that although he accepted their opinion and allowed them to freely share it….
-Overstepping their boundaries was not a wise choice.
Seeing this, even the mercenaries decided to quit arguing with them altogether, as they too started to ponder on the true reason they were invited here.
The Kuremisao clan never really dealt with 'Outsiders' unless it involved fighting against them, so this 'special' hiring did bring some surprises… alongside a fair share of concerns.
They began to wonder if acting as a buffer force for the clan members in this secret war was their true purpose for why they were originally called here.
With an amicable smile, Senzui continued speaking. "You don't need to tell me, but you need to tell them…"
"-Just where were you yesterday, Saiga?"
"I was with Shizuha and Miu as usual…"
Looking towards Senzui with a frantic gaze a clansman did a double-take before questioning Saiga in a much more civil tone. "Is that so? How do we know that you're not lying?"
"Because-"
-SLIDE!-
"!"
Suddenly barging into the room with great force that rocked the hinges of the wooden door, a tall fair-skinned woman of great beauty possessing a sizeable bust who wore a long floral kimono entered. She had grey eyes and waist-length dark-colored hair as her bangs were cut in a short fringe that reached her cheek as she wore two red hairclips in her hair.
This woman was none other than Furinji Shizuha; The 'princess' of the Kuremisago clan, and Saiga's wife.
"Shizuha!" Saiga's eyes widened in surprise. "How's Miu doing?"
"She's doing fine. She just went to sleep." Shizuha said with a soft smile. It was a captivating serene smile that slowly started to fade as she looked at the arguing happening within the meeting hall.
"So this is the so-called 'Kuremisago Princess'…" Myoujou muttered as he took a glance at Saiga and then at the clansmen within the hall. 'She seems to have a lot of influence around here as well… Seeing as she shut these guys up rather quickly…'
'Well, I can see why he'd fight a clan for her. If I were to use Shintarou's words right now… It would be that she's a 'looker' alright.' Myoujou thought as he took a glance at the woman at the door. 'But I can see it even from here… She's strong as well.'
'Definitely in the realm of a 'Master', or even higher…'
"You lot." Shizuha entered as she leveled a cold glare at the doubting clansmen. "I heard what you said. Are you saying that Saiga is lying and that he killed our fellow clansmen?"
Sweating slightly under her glare, one of the doubting clansmen stuttered. "Wha- No, I meant…"
"Go on. Speak." Shizuha said, her tone frosty as she took a seat next to Saiga.
Calming his wife, Saiga tried to de-escalate the situation. "Easy now, Shizuha. I'm sure that this is just some huge misunderstanding that we're all having right now."
Watching quietly, Myoujou was weighing the options of things escalating to a full-on fight and just how wise it would be to get out while things are still somewhat tame. "Oi Shintarou, this job you took up here… It's got a boatload of red flags, you know that right?"
"I can see that. But let me say this, whoever it is that's making these moves, they've really done their homework." Shintarou said. "Divide and conquer huh, the ol' reliable. A sure-fire tactic that's so simple, yet so effective."
'Battlefield Tactics, huh…' Myoujou frowned.
'It's almost disgusting how easy it was to pull off.'
Staring at the group gathered in the hall Shizuha sighed. "So, isn't it simple that it's not Saiga? Someone else must've definitely framed him." Shizuha explained as she tried to keep her cool. Surely anyone with half a brain cell could tell that this was a setup, so why couldn't they?
She wanted to massage her temples at the 'genius' that her group was displaying at this moment.
Wasn't it too suspicious that in their bid to open up the Kuremisago Clan from its isolationist views, this event happened right as they were preparing for a big counterattack on the main branch?
Though unfortunately, there were some points that could be made.
Well, there were some concerns over the fact of her husband slowly sinking into the ways of the 'Satsujinken/Killing Fist' lately… But with the unshakable faith she had in her husband, she was sure that he would never end up falling into such an undesirable path.
She had even sent a letter to her father-in-law; the man known in the martial arts world as the 'Invincible Superman' Hayato Furinji, whose rivals could be counted on one hand was sure to make a visit someday concerning this matter.
"There must be someone else behind this… Anyone could see that." Shizuha bit her lip in worry as she held Saiga's hand. "The timing of this whole incident was suspicious."
"Impeccably suspicious, in fact."
Senzui stared at Shizuha for quite some time as he began to take in her answer. And eventually, so did most of those who were arguing with the meeting hall.
Stopping for a bit to think they started to see just how absurd the situation looked her thoughts did have some merit, however, this didn't mean that all of their suspicions were immediately cleared.
Myoujou muttered, his voice laced with sarcasm as he took exaggerated glances across the meeting hall. "Well, it looks like you were right Shintarou, this job you hooked us on really is a big fish..."
"---In fact, it even smells fishy too."
"Tch! Damn right it smells fishy. This job was merely to be a fighting power for the group but it looks like this might be a bit more complicated than we've expected." Shintarou spat. "Though, with the kinda life I lead, it ain't like I was expecting anything else anyways."
The mercenaries upon realizing that greater stakes were involved wasted no time expressing their disconcertment with the progress of events.
Things were getting more and more complicated, and it wasn't a sight that the mercenaries liked to see.
"You got to be shitting me." A mercenary spoke.
"If that's how it's gonna go, then I'm done with this!"
"How about a revamp on our deal."
More mercenaries began raising complaints, not wanting to take risks for that won't pay off, especially for a group that looks to be eating themselves out from the inside
-'You mean to tell me that not only are they splitting into two to fight each other, but there's also even more splitting up and espionage involved as well?'
-What was this, some sick roleplay of cell division?
They were used to missions going awry, but this was setting up to be a disaster…
-One that they didn't want to be around when it happens.
And as expected, the reaction of the clansmen was less than pleased.
"What! So spineless!" A clansman roared.
"So you act tough to people weaker than you, but now that there's trouble you're scared?"
"I knew we shouldn't have gotten outsiders to help us!"
"That's exactly why, you dumbass! It's clear that you guys have some serious issues! Can't even trust the help you've brought on, and you expect us to stay?" A frustrated mercenary piped up. "Fat fucking chance in hell that'll happen."
"What you say?" As the yelling got even louder it seemed that it was only a matter of time until fights would break out between what was supposed to be team members.
Shifting his lazy gaze towards Senzui, Shintarou suddenly spoke up as he gained the attention of them all. "I agree with them as well."
Hearing this Senzui merely raised an eyebrow, as if asking Shintarou to continue.
"The Phantom Titan?"
"Oh, that name? Yeah, that's me." Digging his ears as if he were looking for gold, Shintarou yawned lazily. "Now I don't care about your history with your clan or whatever 'cause that's your own business… And I ain't concerned about why such a lame attempt of framing has been done- But what I am concerned about, is just who exactly could've killed those three?"
"I mean, if you guys don't have your shit together then I'm not down for it."
"Do you think it's the mainland Kuremisago?" Senzui quizzically asked.
"Maybe… Though… If it ain't a spy from the Kuremisago Mainland…" Shintarou trailed off. "-Then who's to say that it ain't from your very own group?"
"!"
If one really thought about it, then they would wonder; 'If it wasn't some spy from the mainland; the very force they were against that had done it and colluded to pin it on Saiga, then who's to say that it wasn't one of their very own?'
There were many variables to look at, but narrowing them down Shintarou had easily reached his own conclusion after giving it some thought.
"Are you suggesting that it was someone from my own Kuremisago Faction, 'Phantom Titan'… No, Shintarou?" Senzui asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he remained calm at the 'implications' that Shintarou made.
"Not just that… But that it could very well be a double agent at play! After all, I'm sure that this ain't the first case of this happening, eh?" Shintarou calmly replied amidst the frowns he was receiving from the various clansmen. "-I just find the timing to be a bit too spot-on, don't ya' think?"
"Besides, you guys…. The 'Liberationists'…. Aren't you guys technically the rebel group in this whole shabizz? Maybe some guy in the shadows wants to end the war by having you guys take yourselves out."
"Could it really be from our side…?" Shizuha muttered worriedly beside a frowning Saiga.
"Now I don't know the full reasons on why it was done, but the rough outlines seem to be quite simple to me actually." Calmly continuing, Shintarou spoke what came to his mind freely.
"Weren't those three fellas 'Masters' at martial arts? Whoever it is that offed them and left 'em with… What was it? A hole in their chest? -Definitely ain't no pushover."
"To me, it looks like someone was acting smart and wanted to hit ya' where it hurts. So in that case we should check everyone and everything within the premises before making a plan to strike back."
Senzui nodded as Shintarou informed them on what he thought and the surroundings gradually became noisier as they weighed the possibility of there actually being a traitor in their midst.
"This- This can't be!"
"Do we really have a traitor among us?"
"Looks like the Kuremisago really has snakes in their own lawn, huh…" Myoujou sighed as he knew that the trouble has yet to start, much less end. "Good grief, What a drag…"
Shintarou yawned again as he rustled Myoujou's head. "Of course they do. A clan that's been around as long as they do 'got' to have some black sheep in their ranks after all."
"On another topic..." Senzui gained the attention of the room once more as the meeting hall quieted down.
No longer continuing that certain branch of the topic, there was something else that had caught Senzui's interest, it mainly being a certain addition to this little plight of his when he looked at the list of those who would be arriving amongst the hired hands.
It wasn't a combatant in the strictest sense but more of an add-on.
An additional guest if you will.
It was the disciple of the problem-causing, toe-steeping, beer-chugging giant of a man named Shintarou Satou(a name he was definitely sure wasn't his real name) who went by the alias of 'The Phantom Titan'.
-'Kurogami Myoujou'.
"You're Shintarou's first disciple aren't you? From what I hear about him, I never would've thought that a guy like him would've gotten a disciple. It's a surprise, to be honest." Senzui smiled.
"Awww, stop it. You're making me blush~" Shintarou laughed as he scratched his cheek.
'That wasn't a compliment…' Was the thought that went through most of the heads of those present…
-Including Myoujou.
'The topic's on me now? What for? I can't imagine why he'd have any time to foster an interest in me when he's so busy about a literal traitor that's murdering their allies in his ranks.' Myoujou inwardly frowned. He didn't really trust Senzui as his senses were screaming at him that something was off every time he was in close proximity to the man.
'Who knows? Maybe it could've been him all along! And there would be the end of one of the worst episodes of a detective show ever.'
He at first chalked it up to it just being his danger senses ringing when in front of a strong person, but something was telling him that it wasn't just that…
His senses weren't anything like a lie detector or the likes of it, but it was good enough that could tell whether someone was trustworthy or not.
And right now, it was the same senses that alerted him when he ran into those kinds of people when he went on jobs with Shintarou, and now once again, it had just told him that this 'certain someone' before him was capable of doing some pretty messed up things at any given moment.
He wondered if Shintarou must've understood what he was thinking or even came to his own conclusion as Shintarou only nodded with a knowing look whilst patting him on the shoulder.
"I heard you were able to contest with one of the guards sent to pick you up? And he had done so with quite the interesting move as well." Senzui inspected Myoujou as he sat in the crowd. "Hmmn… A disciple of the 'Phantom Titan'- What may your name be?" Senzui asked. Though he already knew the name of the boy, he still asked for confirmation purposes.
"My name?" Myoujou asked.
"It's Myoujou. Kurogami Myoujou."
Frowning slightly as he nodded, Senzui quickly schooled his expression, though this didn't go unnoticed by Myoujou.
"Kurogami Myoujou… It's a nice name." Senzui said. 'And a familiar one too…'
Hearing this Saiga seemed a bit surprised, though it was more at him contesting one of the guards rather than his name. "Really? What a strong kid." He smiled.
'Kurogami? This boy…' Shizuha's eyes narrowed as she took a good look at Myoujou. 'Could it be…? His eyes even look familiar….'
'What was that?' Myoujou mused seeing the reaction of the three. 'Scanning me… or my strength?'
'Or did they hear about me from somewhere? Or did they meet someone else with that family name?'
'Mother didn't pass by here before, right?' Although this area and the sleeping quarters felt quite familiar Myoujou didn't think much of it. After all, when he thought back to his mother, she never was the one suited for strenuous physical activity like Martial Arts due to her being so sickly, though he did find out about her love for traveling the world.
'Or did they just meet that bastard of a father of mine and he ticked them off… Knowing him, I wouldn't put it behind him to do something like that.' Myoujou grimaced internally. 'Just like the old times… I have a feeling that being related to that man is gonna get me into a whole lot of trouble…'
"Besides Shintarou, I heard that even on your jobs he's done well?" Senzui said.
"Yeah, but he's got a long way to go, since he's still green and all; being a total rookie you know." Shintarou said proudly, patting himself on the back.
"Is that so…" Senzui muttered.
"How curious… In that case, I would like to hear his thoughts on what he would do in such a situation."
This made Myoujou and Shintarou raise an eyebrow. 'Thoughts on what 'I/ The kid' should do? What is this, some kind of test or what?'
"Don't get me wrong it's not like I'm putting this all on his shoulder now..." Looking at the two alongside the curious yet confused faces of the group around him, Senzui calmly explained.
"To tell you the truth, I'm merely curious, that's all… So feel free to speak all you want."
'Just what does this guy want...?' Myoujou wondered. This Senzui guy in front of him was way too slippery and mysteriously off for his liking. 'If this guy was a villain, he'd definitely be the mustache-twirling kind that wants everyone to understand their plans.'
"…"
"…"
"..."
Staring at Senzui in silence for a few seconds Myoujou had finally decided to speak. 'Anyway, it won't hurt to answer, so I'll keep it short and sweet.'
"Well, since you asked me…" Myoujou began. "-I'd suggest…"
-XOXOXOX-
-
-One Week Later-
-A Certain Japanese Forest.-
-
-XOXOXOX-
'But is that really how it will be…' Myoujou mused whilst looking back on the events that transpired the week prior.
'The timing on the mercenary's hiring and the sudden deaths of whom were speculated to be three clansmen that were 'Masters' at Martial Arts….'
Now evening, the group found a relatively peaceful enclosure to which they set up for the night before tending to the injured.
'Plus, I've heard that Saiga managed to kill many Kuremisago clansmen during their skirmishes, which 'would' make him a prime target after all.'
'Though I have to agree with the lady on this one… The timing was too impeccable.' Myoujou raked his brains over this topic. It was something he always fell victim to doing ever since he was young; not seeing the forest for the trees, and in order words, overthinking everything to its minute details.
He understood that not everything in one's life can be perfectly controlled, but being in the dark about something potentially life-threatening only served to irk him beyond belief. 'And not many are gonna be fact-checking every single detail in a place as reclusive and isolated like this…'
'But enough pondering, I gotta get ready for our next excursion tomorrow.' Following the group he was with, Myoujou eventually settled down with a tent of his own and turned in for the night, but not before his usual routine of noting down a new entry within his journal.
And as he lay within his tent, he slept with one eye closed and the other one eye open; just the way he was used to years ago. Doing so like a stray animal might be uncomfortable for most, but to someone like Myoujou, it was only natural.
Hours passed by as he drifted off into slumber and soon enough the sun rose as it shone its light over the land, alerting the group that it was time to return to their base.
-This time it was one of the many areas that Senzui and his faction made into their base of operations in their battle against the mainland Kuremisago.
Although they used a different pathway in order not to give away any potential information to those who may be following them, Myoujou and the others saw the same plains and green scenery time and time again on their way back, they came across another group of mainland Kuremisago clansmen who seemed just as eager to fight.
"Huh! It's these liberationist bastards!" A rival mainland clansman yelled, veins threatening to burst from his head as he was covered with blood.
The group of nearly a dozen and a half that stood before them seemed Incensed. But even that sounded too tame to fully describe the sheer wrath and anger that emanated from their very being.
"They've even got outsiders with them, they've really fallen low!"
"Those bastards! They've even sided with that monster Saiga! Quickly take them down!"
Seeing the enraged clansmen in bloody, tattered clothes the group was on their guard as they readied themselves for what would be another routine confrontation
The Team Leader furrowed his eyebrows as he yelled. "You! Why were you all returning from that direction!?" Seeing what appears to be their enemy returning from the very area their base was situated was enough to raise a few red flags in everyone's mind including his, and fearing the worst the Team Leader began questioning his fellow clansmen as he went on guard. 'And why are you all injured!? Speak up!"
"Like hell, I'd tell you, damned traitor-!" Though unfortunately, this was the best response that he would ever get.
"After we get rid of you lot, well kill that bastard Saiga as well-!"
"These guys…. They've lost it…" A mercenary frowned as he stared at the rival clansmen glaring at them with blood-red eyes.
"Oh, Great Buddha and his sandals..." Myoujou muttered exasperatedly. 'Are 'all' of you stuck-up clansmen fucked in the head or what?'
To an outsider watching this, it would most definitely seem as if sitting down and talking it out wasn't a fond pastime of the Kuremisago Clan, which would probably explain why things like this play out the way they do.
However, there was something else that was also amiss.
Taking a good look in the general direction of their base they could see pillars of smoke that rose into the air, spreading its suffocating atmosphere as it made its presence known to the two sides currently about to be engaged in conflict.
Now most people in the Martial Arts world weren't notably academic geniuses and the likes of it, but they immediately recognized the source of the smoke that was present within the air.
-It was a fire. A brutal, vicious one. And something is surely burning down.
"Wait… The direction that they're coming from… And that smoke… Isn't this near our base?" Myoujou towards the front as he asked the Team Leader. "And these guys… Granted this is a different group, But even the ones we fought before didn't seem so deranged and pissed off…"
'But these guys saw something… If so, then what the hell happened back there…' Myoujou wondered as he tore his gaze from the Team Leader towards the direction of both the mainland group and the smoke within the air.
"Everyone-!" The Team Leader shouted as he seemingly realized the same. "After we deal with them, regroup at the base-!"
"Roger-!"
And thus another battle over the fate of the future of the Kuremisago went underway.
-XOXOXOX-
-FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER-
-XOXOXOX-
-cough, cough-
Amidst the smoke and dust, Myoujou stood still as he gazed at his surroundings. "Is… Is that it?" Some bodies laid still, unmoving as the others that were alive retreated or were on their last legs.
Though he was used to this scenario due to living in The Inside, he still found it off. These people, they were fighting for a reason, no matter how silly it may seem to others.
Right?
Myoujou snarled as he took a good look at his surroundings. "Damn, even more of us are gone…" He muttered. The casualties had been even higher in this battle with even more of their comrades ending up critically injured or even dying.
Realizing that they couldn't win, the remains of the enemy group not even reaching more than three men showered them with curses and profanities as they made a hasty retreat.
"How's the number looking like now?" The Team Leader asked, to no one in particular.
"We have about a dozen of us left, sir. The casualties… have increased even more…"
"Tch…" Signaling what was left of his group, the Team Leader didn't spare a single glance to the deceased as he marched in the direction of their base. "We're low on time! Don't bother burying them and let's move out! The base isn't too far ahead!"
Wasting no time on burying the deceased, the group ran towards the base which was an hour away and although they were slightly exhausted due to the strenuous fighting they partook in, they still trod on as if it was of no concern.
Myoujou gave a short prayer as he did per usual for those who lost their lives in these altercations before joining the group as they headed back, but as they neared their destination, a strange scent nearly invaded Myoujou's nostrils in all its foul ungodliness.
It was the strong scent of copper and metal wafting in the air as Myoujou could see a line of death that followed it.
"!"
'This smell-!' Myoujou's face warped into a grimace as he suddenly halted, bumping into a nearby mercenary. 'This is bad… Did those guys really…?'
"Huh, what's wrong? Did you get scared?" Taking a glance at the frozen Myoujou, a mercenary quipped in an attempt at easing the rather dreary mood amongst them. "Not that there's anything against it, I mean you are a kid after all…"
This scent was a familiar one alright, and it was a scent that was usually brought up as a result of violence, and even though they had just finished getting involved in violence, the scent back then couldn't even compare to what he smelled at this moment.
It was an odious stench that he had grown all too familiar with, even before he took his first steps on the path he walked on today, and no matter how masked it was, or how different the situation was, he'd always be able to tell exactly what was it with pinpoint accuracy.
-This scent was none other than the scent of blood.
-Fresh. Blood.
"Blood."
"It's blood. Fresh blood at that. Can't you all smell that?" Displeased at the unfortunate implications of what the scent of blood would likely mean, Myoujou shot the mercenary an exasperated look. "Who knows if everyone in there is still alive?"
"Smell what? None of us smell, you know… Oh… Oh shit…"
"What, It can't be-!?" Realizing what Myoujou was trying to say, the Team Leader gnashed his teeth as he roared. "Quickly, get to the base-!"
-It seemed as of today, a tragedy would simply be unavoidable.
In time they had eventually reached the base. Though unfortunately, there wasn't any positive reception waiting for them as they expected.
"What the… What the hell even happened here?" A clansman muttered.
The base they once stayed at now lay in ruins, with shattered wood and unmoving bodies lying about within the dying fire that had already climbed throughout the building. Sizzling as the fire stayed put, it appeared as if the fire was finally satisfied after devouring portions of the manor within its hungry flames.
'It's like a storm went through here…' Myoujou stood still as he stared at the fiery blazes, his mind going a million miles a second as he tried to decide his next course of action from here. 'Shintarou and the rest haven't reached around here yet… And I can't smell nor sense the presence of those inside at all... So what happened?'
'No. I know what happened- A bloody massacre happened, that's what.'
Walking throughout the manor that now rested in disarray, they witnessed many things, the hinges of the doors were pulled off, walls were torn down and sizeable crater-like holes were common on the ground really unnerved them to no end.
No, that wasn't quite right, now was it?
What had unnerved them wasn't the result of violence but the needless brutality of it.
The Kuremisago clan was a clan that prided itself on having no attachments when it came to performing their jobs and the mercenaries had seen some stuff growing up but still-
What kind of grudge did the perpetrator have to do this?
"H-How could they do this-!"
"Those bastards! They've completely blindsided us!"
Shouts of the clansmen rang out as they tried to get a better grasp on what they were seeing as the mercenaries quietly looked around.
'A hole through the chest, crushed skulls, and broken limbs… What strength….' Surveying his immediate area Myoujou frowned, not liking the familiar sights he was currently seeing.
How strong was the perpetrator to pierce through someone's chest?
It took intense training and great muscle control to even begin to think of trying to pull it off, but this went straight through as if there wasn't any resistance in the first place!
'Damn, this is really something else, eh? What, was the anatomy of a trained martial artist no different than butter to this guy?' Inspecting the now deceased that lay in front of him, Myoujou felt strange, staring through the fist-sized holes perfectly punctured throughout the bodies. 'I've seen some crazy shit, but this is something else…'
'Many can do it but to this level… Which means, that this clearly the work of a 'Master'…'
"Search the perimeters now! Look for any survivors you can find!" The Team leader yelled. "Get the flare, light it up and send a message to Master Senzui and the other groups!"
"In fifteen minutes we'll regroup together in this exact place and rejoin the other groups, get it?"
After lighting a flare and calling for reinforcements, Myoujou and the others went forth with renewed caution as they inspected the compound looking for any survivors in this unfortunate event. It would take about half an hour for reinforcements to arrive, and hopefully, they would arrive in time in case of any other potential events or threats.
-creak…., creak…., creak…-
Unfortunately, though they searched each and every room, meeting area, and even obscure places thought to be hidden away within the manor, the search would prove unsuccessful as the more they reached into the other rooms, the more deceased people they met.
-A total 'Clean House', as some would say. It was a term that was only brought about by the complete annihilation of all the lives that lived within the manor; the guards, the maids, and everyone else alike.
However, if that wasn't morbid enough their very own group, too, would meet similar tragedies.
After a brief fifteen minutes passed, they returned to the outside of the manor in which they had originally arrived to discuss their findings.
-Casualties within the manor were at an all-time high, as there were no survivors.
And as clamors increased in volume as the clansmen discussed potentially moving to another base of operations, they came across a 'familiar' blond man wearing a striped suit that emerged from within the wreckage.
"!"
"Hold up…"
"Isn't that…"
Completely smearing the gauntlets he wore, blood dripped down the man's figure as he continued walking. And as the man slowly turned to face the group, he gave off an ominous presence even with the dull expression that was plastered onto his face.
'You gotta be kidding me… So it 'was' true after all?' Raising his eyebrows, Myoujou and the rest went on guard as they saw the bloodied man that looked all too familiar to most.
This man, who stood in the midst of corpses that lay around… Was this man truly Furinji Saiga?
If so….
-Then why?
"I-Is that… Saiga-?"
"It can't be-!? Why would he do this-?"
'Was he in fact, the reason why they were already injured?' Myoujou wondered. 'And if so, then did he also kill those people from earlier?'
It didn't take a genius to guess what was on the mind of the bloodied blonde, and he was sure that the others next to him knew that as well.
Mutters were heard as mercenaries and clansmen alike were trying to decipher just why he was there.
But eventually, in due time… they understood the message.
Saiga had killed these guys, and the other Kuremisago clansmen were running from them.
-And they were next.
And as expected, the bloodied man's next choice of action was-
"!"
"Shit! He's coming straight at us!" A mercenary cursed as he saw the bloody Saiga suddenly vanish from his sight.
"Don't falter! Surround him and fight him off!" Trying to keep order, the Team Leader sternly reminded his men. "Don't freak out! It's just one of him versus at least a dozen of us!" In this instance, it was imperative to maintain calmness and stop him as their lives would be in danger.
"He can't possibly defea-" The team leader even couldn't finish his words as soon enough; a vicious blow was lodged through his chest with frightening speed and accuracy.
'It couldn't be… right?' Myoujou frowned as he surveyed the situation before him. He knew damn well that he did not see a man that appeared to be somewhat stronger than the average around these areas be picked off like fodder for a Saturday Morning Tokusatsu show. 'These guys aren't your standard martial artist by any stretch of the imagination…'
'So why are they getting picked off by this man so easily?'
It all unnerved Myoujou, not only as to how easily the men before him had their lives snuffed out, but to how different this 'Saiga' in front of him was as he fought; being truly precise and vicious.
It was as if whenever the man sent out a blow he carried a wave of death alongside it, willing those struck by it to fall with each strike.
And seeing the man turn in his direction specifically, Myoujou knew what he had to do.
"Haaaa-!" Wasting no time, Myoujou flung his leg upwards with incredible force and spring that was generated from his ankle, knee, and then back.
-And its direction?
-The face of Saiga.
Seeing this Saiga crossed his arms to block it, however, this was exactly what Myoujou wanted.
Using his leg as a way of 'checking' the distance between the two, Myoujou used his opponent's crossed arms as a means of propulsion as he kicked off, leaping backwards as he created more distance between them.
And as the two stood motionless in the wreckage of the clan manor staring at each other, Graupel, or soft hail particles of snow began to fall, seating themselves throughout the mountain range they were currently situated at.
-flicker, flicker-
The last embers of the fire finally died out as darkness started to slowly overtake the two figures, slightly obscuring the vision of the two in the manor.
'You've got to be kidding me…' Myoujou inwardly frowned. 'He actually killed them all.'
It was a thorough job all right, but Myoujou found another thing odd with its execution.
'You've been deliberately avoiding landing killing blows aren't you?' Lowering his position a bit, Myoujou continued to stare at the silent man. 'You haven't tried to pierce my chest with that blow of yours yet, now have you…?'
'You're waiting for something…. You want to see more…. And after that… You want to counter my attack…'
It was merely a brief exchange, yet Myoujou was able to see that far into his opponent's mindset. To do so Myoujou had used everything that he was given, the man's strength, agility, fighting style, and most specifically what observable habits he saw.
It was an application of Precognition, and though he was nowhere near to being a master at it, it was a talent that Myoujou was becoming increasingly talented at.
'But I won't be swept up by your flow, so you can try all you want…' Myoujou went through his battle plan before dashing at Saiga, letting out a series of blows with nearly unpredictable trajectories. "So… What's your end goal-?" He shouted, prying for more information.
To say that Myoujou was curious about the motives behind the civil unrest within the Kuremisago Clan would be a gross understatement, as when it pertained to the likes of hidden secrets and historical clans, he would more often than not find it very difficult to not be nosey and would greedily devour any details and information that came his way. In fact, he could remember it being the same as the other clan that carried a similar name to the Kuremisago.
'In fact, the clan that Shintarou said that he got a friend that hails from a clan kinda similar to this... What was itname, Kure?'
He had heard from word of mouth that when Saiga first came to this place he wasn't too liked by the clansmen who would often start fights with him, so Myoujou could see why there'd be 'bad blood', plus when it came to Kuremisago casualties; Saiga had a pretty sizeable body count as well…
-But to do it so openly? Now, this was something else.
"So, is that Senzui guy also behind this-?" Myoujou prodded for more info. 'Or, like what Shintarou said… You're actually a phony that was sent to cause some clan drama…'
'Because now that I get a peek of your face, you look less and less than that Saiga guy…'
But no matter what he said, 'Saiga' before him stayed silent.
Unpeturbed, Myoujou continued. "I don't know much about you, and you're virtually a stranger to me, so this doesn't really affect me- But a good chunk of those guys seemed to really look up to you," Myoujou planned a move to catch the blonde man off guard.
But all of a sudden...
"!"
'He- He moved!'
Blocking a strike aimed at his throat, Myoujou was pushed back a few inches as steam emanated from the now bruised forearm that had taken all of the strike's impact.
'Holly hell. If I took that full-on... My throat would be crushed...'
"Ha...haha... Not the talking type, I see… But what I'm curious about is… For what reason? Judging by what I heard you were like, it doesn't seem like the kinda thing you'd do…"
"…"
-'Not the kinda thing you'd do?' It was a shameful bluff, especially coming by a kid that didn't even know the man personally, but it was a bluff that Myoujou had no issues using as it fit the situation quite well.
But once more, Myoujou received no response. Instead, the blonde just stared at him in silence.
It was not much of a response at all… But Myoujou once more got the point.
However, time for talking has ceased once more and he dashed at Myoujou with increased speed.
Barely dodging swift yet heavy blows while enduring the occasional cuts, Myoujou felt blood trickle down the small cuts and scrapes on his face gained from dodging the attacks aimed at his head and face as he was being pushed back bit by bit- his mouth sucking in the cool winter air as he noticed a rather bitter fact about this little 'confrontation' he was currently involved in.
-Everyone else but Myoujou in his group had bitten the dust leaving him alone as he faced this man.
-And if this kept up, he would be swept away by the man's momentum.
Tensing the muscles in his legs, he launched himself towards 'Saiga' aiming for an attack, but as he neared him, he suddenly tensed his arm muscles, being pushed back slightly after guarding against a tackle as the blonde had dashed forward into his guard before trying to pierce Myoujou's chest.
Narrowly escaping with a mere cut that tore through his red jacket and black shirt, blood slowly trickled down from the small wound on his chest. 'This guy… He wanted to counter the move I was going to use…'
He couldn't think for long as 'Saiga' launched towards him with another spear hand ready that nearly skewered him, and while he dodged it, the blow tore his clothes even more.
'Whew… I almost got skewered once more, but that's fine…' Myoujou realized that the man before him either was a master at prediction or he heard of the move he used against the guard and had now planned to use at this moment. However, now that he knew that his opponent was aware of one of his techniques, he planned to play right into his hands.
'Because as crazy as it sounds….' Myoujou readied himself as he tensed his muscles. '-Now that I know that you're after that move that I'll use…'
'-I'll counter your attempts to counter my counter-!'
As they both ran at each other Myoujou went through the motions 'SNAKE-BIND', the same move he used against the guard when he first arrived at the manor, and 'Saiga', who seemed to know of this technique prepared to combat it; however, Myoujou had a different idea in mind.
The technique he truly planned to use was specifically centered around movement and positioning, giving the user incredible speed and agility along with swift and precise attacks.
'It's clear to me that you're not going all out; otherwise, this would've played out differently… But I won't be insulted…'
'Gotcha-!' Myoujou smirked inwardly as 'Saiga' repeated his previous actions by dashing into his guard before thrusting forth with a spear hand. 'I'll use your kindness well for my sake.'
'After all, all you're doing now is giving me a chance to live to see tomorrow.'
-[WATER MIRROR : OVERFLOW]-
Reaching for the spear hand the Saiga used, Myoujou clasped onto his forearm, waiting until he exerted his utmost before altering the trajectory of their opponent's attack by redirecting his flow of power.
And with that, 'Saiga' was sent flying upside down.
"!"
-THUD!-
"Gryaaaah-!"
Not waiting until the blonde regained his balance, Myoujou delivered a vicious swift kick aimed at the man's head, though it was blocked by the blonde's arms in the nick of time.
'Huh? Did I just see it move? I think I did…' Myoujou thought. The man's hair and face moved unnaturally before settling down once more. 'Was that, a wig… And a mask?
'This guy… wearing a mask and wig like that- He's not really Saiga, is he…'
Though, it looks like the man had realized that Myoujou had seen it, as he seemed more incensed to finally finish him off. 'But enough of that, this guy is still getting up… And here he comes-!'
"!"
But as the man once more sprinted towards Myoujou, he felt that something was off.
The stride the man took… It wasn't a stride filled with purpose as the one before it. It was an odd stride for someone that had a bit too much on their mind to deal with at the same time. 'Now he's planning something else, I just know it.' Myoujou thought as he studied his opponent's actions before him.
'In that case, the reinforcements should be arriving soon, so I can't let you go-' Now going on the offensive he wanted to perform a feint before attempting to strike him down, but before he could do that…
'Huh?'
Dodging Myoujou's checking strike as Myoujou stepped forward, 'Saiga' made space, retreating backwards instead of attacking him, striking down on the wooden floor beneath them on the very same spot he previously stood at.
-SHATTER!-
'Huh? Am I…. Falling?' Myoujou thought, feeling the absence of weight beneath his feet.
'You can't be serious.'
"Nnnggh-!" Falling through the floorboards down to the area that would be considered the cellar, if not the basement, Myoujou maneuvered and nimbly landed on his feet as if he were a cat, before looking around cautiously.
However as he gazed upwards, the man he was fighting was nowhere to be found.
And all that was left was the ruins and Myoujou all by himself.
"Huh… He's gone…?" Myoujou craned his neck looking around. "Shit. He really got away."
'But man...' Myoujou thought as he gripped his shaking hands. 'That guy was something else... Even when I pulled off that counter it didn't seem to even faze him one bit...'
He didn't believe he could fully defeat a 'Master' in a frontal fight just yet, that belief now being evident as he realized his foe was going easy on him, only trying to see what he would do, but he did believe that he could at least hold him off until reinforcements arrived. So he raked his head for proper analysis and tips on what he could use to potentially improve his performance in the future.
Funnily enough, it was one of his shortcomings that he gained in his quest to eliminate all of his shortcomings that not only irritated him but also a free spirit type guy like his master Shintarou.
Fighting was something that was methodical but needed a lot of instinct too. Hence the reason why the first year was spent on Myoujou learning how to fight without thinking too much
In a way, his problem was akin to a smart student not getting full marks, not because they lacked the intelligence, but because they thought too much about everything but the basics.
Myoujou winced as he looked at the damage around him. 'Man, even more things were destroyed in this fight…'
'They won't deduct this from Shintarou's pay, now will they?' Myoujou sighed after chuckling at his attempt at a joke. 'The world might end if he isn't able to drink cheap beer, you know...'
-creak…, creak…, creak…-
The floors creaked under the weight of Myoujou as he looked around the rut he fell into. 'Damnit, never mind that! I should at least look for survivors while I'm at it.'
Deciding to once more perform a search around the premises, Myoujou started with a search down within the very same cellars he fell in. "Hello! Is anyone even alive here?"
"Hello-?"
After a not-so-long search, he eventually came across a bloodied woman with a gash in her chest that was buried underneath a pile of people.
"Urggghh…"
"Young Master Senzui… Saiga-dono…" she muttered coughing up bursts of blood.
'Ah, no wonder they didn't see her when they checked! Her breathing and everything… It's so faint…' Myoujou questioned the woman as he tried to treat her.
"You… You're the maid, right? What the hell happened here? Are there any more survivors?"
"I…" she tried to mutter but was losing consciousness.
"Hey! Keep it together lady," Myoujou said, trying to get info "-Just hold on, keep your eyes opened, I'll do my best to help you-"
"…"
Rumbling through the small pouch he kept in his person he tried to help the survivor by patching up her wounds.
"…"
Trying to staunch the bleeding proved futile as blood was pouring throughout the heart as it was severally damaged, and the woman looked as if she was already beyond the point of no return.
"…"
In the end, despite his best intentions and improved abilities and knowledge, the severity of the damage and situation had prevailed as Myoujou realized that he couldn't do much except close her eyes and give a small prayer.
"…"
Looking at the woman he couldn't help but frown. He thought that they wouldn't kill their own so what the hell was this? He knew that this was one of the cruel truths of the world and that it wouldn't be the last time atrocities like this would happen again, but it didn't make it any more appealing.
"…"
'Shit.' Myoujou let out a curse as he drove his fist into one of the walls around him, splintering it into pieces. 'Calm down, Myoujou. This is the real underworld, and there's nothing you can do about as you are now.'
'Breathe in, breathe out, and focus on what to do next.'
Myuojou exhaled a large sigh.
'Everyone except me is dead and this place is destroyed. Simple.'
'They're really is foul play going on here… 'Saiga', or what looks to be someone disguised as Saiga has attacked us… His wife and child are nowhere to be found in this manor…'
'Or…' A dark thought surfaced in his mind.
Walking out of the compound he came across Shintarou with dirty apparel that was stained with both blood and dirt (which was a familiar sight to Myoujou by the way), who was about to enter the ruined manor.
"Oi Myoujou!" Shintarou asked looking at the minor wounds Myoujou had racked up. "You look like shit! Which is also a familiar sight… But still! You alright kid?"
'Thanks for your concern, old man…" Myoujou soothed his forehead to ease the tick mark that was rising. "Things went south… What looks to be someone disguised as 'Saiga' just came in. and things ended up looking like this…"
"Saiga? You mean he came here?" Shintarou frowned. "That can't be the case, I was just with the blondie a while ago-"
"Wait…" Shintarou suddenly stopped himself before allowing himself a while to think. "You said, 'what looks to be'?"
"I see… So it's like that now…" He mumbled.
"Yeah, and the rest of my group got wiped out by this same person." Myoujou continued. "Hey Shintarou, don't you think that it's kinda funny? I mean why would they even try to do any of this? It's like both sides are trying to force each other to self-destruct!"
Shintarou nodded. 'If news of this were to get out it would make for quite the story. I'd fail to see Saiga getting out of this unscathed...
'Wait!' Shintarou's expression darkened briefly before smiling wryly.
In the time he went off with Saiga and some of the mercenaries that seemed to have bad blood with him, a total catastrophe had occurred with his disciple caught up right in the middle of it.
"So what now? Mind enlightening your disciple in these hard times, Sensei" Myoujou asked.
Looking at Myoujou he spoke. "I see… So not only did the Senzui, the Kuremisago Princess, and her child have gone missing, but also Saiga disappeared somewhere as well…"
"Huh? You mean…" Myoujou trailed off. "They're all gone…?"
'No way…' He thought whilst staring at the bodies within the manor. 'Did they all vanish? Or are they all in it?'
'Did the lady and her kid...'
He stopped his thoughts before they went bad. He didn't know the woman but he could tell she was strong, so he doubted that the perpetrator could've easily killed her off with his spear hand, even if he was disguised as her husband.
-Though the possibility of it happening really irked him to no end.
It wasn't the act of killing itself, as he grew accustomed to such climates in his adventures into the outside world…
But it was the thought of even thinking of targeting a woman and her child.
It was a soft spot of his that he didn't like being poked whatsoever, and although it wasn't any of his business, the implications present within the air were something that he did indeed find frown-worthy. And though he was able to control himself from acting impulsively even when he came across situations similar to it time and time again, he still would never be able to get used to it.
In essence, he disliked it before, during, and after he came across such scenarios.
Thoughts resurfaced as one of the main reasons he not only wanted to gain strength but also gain medical knowledge of herbs and their effects.
-All to heal and save a certain someone.
"I don't like this, Shintarou…" Myoujou said as his brows knitted in displeasure before regaining their usual calmness. "I'm not liking the sound of this one bit."
"Yeah Myoujou, I know." Shintarou sighed as he took a look at Myoujou as he scratched his head, knowing somewhat on why his disciple's mood had briefly darkened somewhat. "It looks like things are just getting even more complicated then."
"So… I guess it's time to bow out, huh…" Myoujou quietly asked as they began to exit the ruined premises.
"Most likely, since this job turned out to be a bust." Shintarou said.
"Makes sense." As upsetting as this was, it wasn't anything too surprising at all. "I mean, these guys aren't the friendliest of folks out here… Plus their family drama won't bring anything good if we continue to get involved."
"Though there's still one minor issue before we leave though…" Shintarou pointed at a group of clan members entering the compounds in a hurry. "You see, there are these guys that are out there…"
"They should be in here!"
"Quickly get in there and kill those outsiders along with those traitors!"
"Leave none of them alive!"
Shouts from angry clan members that were out for blood entered the ears of the duo.
"- And they don't seem to be so keen on letting us out either."
"There they are!"
The two had tried to explain their situation to the group, but their claims were met with deaf ears and eager hands that also held onto weapons.
"Quickly get rid of them and move on! The sooner we find that bastard Saiga the better!"
"These guys, they really aren't listening, aren't they? It's like it goes in one ear and comes out the next…. Hey, Shintarou. If we knock some sense into them, do you think to come back to bite us in the ass?" Myoujou spat. "Or do we have to send them to King Yama?"
"'Cause this right here… It's gonna make big news in the Underworld, now won't it?"
"Yep." Shintarou muttered. "Y'know kiddo, it's said that the Kuremisago clan doesn't really go with outsiders, but when they make big moves, everyone on the outside knows, but something like this… I'm sure that the world would know about it…
A group of 'mercs' got brutally wiped out on an excursion by 'Golden Boy' Saiga?
Big news that is.
"You Kuremisago clan fellas are horrible hosts, you know that?" Myoujou sighed as he alternated between looking at the sky, his teacher Shintarou, the furious clansmen, and then the sky once more. "Poor reception and service, and the workers are even trying to fight the guests…"
"Shintarou." Myoujou looked back to the sky. "Do you believe in 'Karma', or 'Luck?"
Shintarou took an incredulous look at his pupil. "Hahaha! What are you even asking at this point in time? Don't you see what's happening?" He couldn't believe his ears. "Besides, look on the bright side! You and yours truly, your cherished Master right next to you get to go 'Tag-Team' battle with some idiots! Ain't you aware of how wonderful this is, kiddo?"
"Back to back, and shoulder to shoulder boyo-!"
"I'm well aware actually…" Myoujou said as he cracked his knuckles, gazing at the clansmen surrounding him. Even at this moment, he didn't forget to retort to his teacher's senseless humor, even as all he had on his mind was a foreboding feeling that this incident would follow him for quite some time. "That not only are we currently knee-deep in some serious shit..."
"-But that instead of getting out after this, we'll be even deeper in it for a long time afterwards…" Myoujou spat, humoring Shintarou with the same brand of humor that he seemed so fond of. "In fact, we'll be stuck so deep in it, that even after months worth of showers you can still smell the stench..."
"I'm betting a Hundred Million Yen…" Shintarou chuckled grimly. "I'm betting that this really is gonna be a pain in the ass for us in the future."
"Trouble or not though, I plan to do great things in the future, so I can't die here, old man… And neither should you." Standing next to Shintarou, Myoujou assumed a fighting position as he prepared himself to fight along with his Teacher.
"And also, while I try to be a calm, collected cool guy, don't expect me to be nice to you all." Myoujou snarled as he looked at the encirclement of irate clansmen. "Especially since you're all out for blood!"
Shintarou was with him, yes. But he wasn't the type to coddle him whatsoever; meaning that he expected Myoujou to hold his own, and that was fine with him.
He studied the crowd of a dozen or so people, barehanded whilst others wielding weapons readied themselves to attack the duo of Master and Disciple, going over many methods of fighting within his mind.
-Positions.
-Movement.
-Weapons.
-Breathing.
-Body Type.
All of these were recorded within his head. And so he formulated a method of battle.
"So let me say this, fellas…" Myoujou muttered at the attacking group as they leapt at the two, ready to enact their personal 'justice' and 'vengeance'.
"-There's nothing more I hate in this world than losing."
-XOXOXOX-
-
<12th Fight: Advent Of A Deadly Storm> END
-
-XOXOXOX-
And So, The Plot Thickens Even More!
Apparently, The Kuremisago Clan Has Some Real Vicious Snakes In Their Lawn.
Finally, A Master-Disciple Team Up Coming, The Fruits Of Myoujou's Labor(Martial Arts), Shall Be Unveiled!
I Wonder If I Did A Good Job In Laying Down Hints On What The Style Myoujou Uses Was Created/ Inspired From In-Universe.
Now That I Think Of It, The Whole Plot Of The Kuremisago Clan Is Really Reminiscent Of The Drama And Fights Of Early Japan When They Were A Closed Nation And Didn't Want To Mingle With The 'Foreigners'.
I'll Be In The Process Of Moving And Personal Issues, So Chapter Will Be Released On a Weekly/ Bi-Weekly If Not On A Monthly Basis.
Hope You All Understand.
Once Again Thanks For Your Continued Support For This Fanfic Which Is Total Amateur Hour Over Here Haha---
(WARNING! 100% BULLSHIT ANIME SCIENCE AT WORK.)
(ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE HEALING PROPERTIES IN REAL LIFE, THEY ARENT MAGICAL!)
(DON'T TRY THIS UNSUPERVISED AT HOME!)
Herb Names And What They're Known To Do:
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Gobo/ Greater Burdock/ Arctium Lappa:
A Widely Cultivated Perennial Herb Used In North America, Europe, And Asia To Treat Sore Throat And Skin Pathologies Such As Boils, Rashes, Acne, And Is Also Known To Be A Key Regulator Of Wound Healing.
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Makino/ Ampelopsis Japonica:
Growing Throughout Eastern Asia And Eastern North America, The Roots Of Ampelopsis Japonica Are Used As A Traditional Treatment For Burns And Ulcers, Amongst Other Indications Of Wound Closure
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Three-Seven-Root/ Panax Notoginseng:
Panax Notoginseng, Not To Be Confused With Panax Ginseng And Other Ginsengs, Is A Herb Commonly Found In Asia And Is Used To Stop Bleeding, Reduce Oedema, Reduce Bruising, And Reduce Pain.
(Info Abridged For Easy Reading. It'll Pop Around Sooner Or Later.)
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-XOXOXOX-
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
WingsOfPhantasy
WingsOfPhantasy 12th Chapter Out!
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