Capítulo 17: To Protect our Children, We Parents gave our Everything
Back at the entrance, amidst the chaos, a miracle occurred as Akihiko reacted just in time to evade Kyosuke's incoming strike. With lightning reflexes, he countered with a powerful elbow to the face.
"Gwaak?!"
The fox noble staggered backward, disoriented by the unexpected turn of events, unable to comprehend how his attack had been thwarted.
"Lord Sanjourno?! What's the meaning of this? Why resort to violence?"
Akihiko's question hung in the air as he and Ayato stepped away from the fox noble holding a knife. Soon, Kyosuke snapped out of his perplexity and sneered scornfully as he spat out his response with disdain.
"Why, you ask? Do not forget how you and your clan humiliated me by winning the goddess's favor, forcing me to take action that jeopardized my daughter's future and wounded my pride as a noble. For that, you all must perish!"
Hearing the fox noble's contemptuous reason, Akihiko realized the weight of responsibility resting upon him to put an end to this madness. He glanced back at his son once more and made a request.
"Ayato, I want you to continue finding the weak point without me."
"But father, what about you?"
"Don't worry about me, just do what I say."
"But..."
"Just go, now!"
Without any choice, Ayato complied with his father's command and continued investigating the barrier. Akihiko then returns his attention to the deranged fox noble who is brandishing his knife maliciously.
With resolve, he widened his stance and clenched both of his fists. Noticing this, Kyosuke couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Kukuku, you're planning to defend yourself without any weapon? How pathetic."
"My fists will speak for themselves, Lord Sanjourno... No, Kyosuke. Now, let's settle this like warriors we were."
"Very well, let's see who will bleed out first."
With those words, the two clan leaders squared off, ready to confront each other head-on in a battle of strength and willpower, each has their reason to fight.
--------------------------------------------
While Akihiko intended to fight Kyosuke, elsewhere Hanzo continued to approach Fubuki and Ayaka. With his victory guaranteed, he chuckled mockingly, seemingly enjoying the suffering of the defeated frail woman.
"Oh, Fubuki, how pitiful you've become. So weak that you'd rather protect someone other than yourself. It's a shame, considering you were never like this before."
Fubuki's expression hardened at Hanzo's words, her resolve unyielding despite the pain and discomfort coursing through her. She glared and retorted with his remark.
"Times change, Hanzo... And so do people... But you... you remain as vile as ever."
Ayaka, confused and alarmed by the exchange, clung to her mother's side, her eyes darting between Fubuki and the masked man before her.
Trying to piece the given information together, she concluded that these two individuals shared a very complicated history, one that she was unaware of.
"That is much as expected. You have only been like this since that human spared your life a long time ago. You've betrayed us, Fubuki, and now you will pay the price."
Hanzo's ominous words lingered, tension thickening as he created a katana from his shadow, preparing to strike Fubuki. However, before he could, a small figure stood between them. It was Ayaka, spreading her arms wide to shield her mother.
"Leave my mother alone, you big bully!"
The young girl's bold defiance surprised both her mother and Hanzo. Although momentarily taken aback, it didn't take long before the masked man burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha, how adorable. You've raised a fine descendant, Fubuki. But it won't change the inevitable. Now step aside, little one, and let me finish what I started."
"Never!"
Ayaka's unwavering perseverance sparked a flicker of emotion in Fubuki's eyes while Hanzo's amusement shifted to a sinister grin.
"You know what, I might as well take you..."
With those words, Hanzo seized Ayaka by the neck, causing her to choke violently.
"Urk..."
Her choked cries have driven Fubuki into panic, trying her best to stand up. However, she kept on falling over, coughing blood in the process.
"Ayaka! Release her, you fiend!"
"With pleasure."
Upon hearing Fubuki's plea, Hanzo flung Ayaka so forcefully towards the stone wall that she collapsed to the ground, tumbling unconsciously.
"No! Damn you!"
Upon seeing her daughter injured, Fubuki became furious, placing both hands on the floor, and began chanting quietly.
"[Hyōketsu...]"
"Now then, where was I? Ah, yes. It's time to... What the...?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Hanzo's feet began freezing from the ground up, the icy grip climbing upward, enveloping his entire body. Startled, he shifted his gaze to Fubuki, who was still chanting, holding her fan up high.
Soon, the snow accumulated at the center of the scene, and with a flick of her wrist, Fubuki completed her incantation.
"Kamisato art... [Soumetsu!]"
Suddenly, a massive sphere of ice and snow hurtled toward Hanzo, intending to swallow him whole within the frozen hell.
"No! This can't be happening! I will not allow it!"
Desperate to save his own life, the masked man mustered the strength to gather every single shadow in the area, creating a barrier to intercept the incoming blizzard.
"[Kagenokabe!]"
A tremendous wall of darkness materialized and clashed with the sphere of frost, setting the stage for a cataclysmic confrontation between two powerful forces. Both Fubuki and Hanzo struggled for supremacy, each with their own reasons to prevail.
"You think you can beat me, Fubuki?! Not only that you're sick, but you're also weak."
"That's what you always think, Hanzo, but I never give up. Do you want to know why?"
Fubuki glanced at her unconscious daughter lying in the distance. She knew it might be the last time she would see her, so she poured all of her energy into her attack.
"Because I'll do everything to protect my children!!"
Waving her fan one last time, Fubuki manifested another surge of snow, giving the sphere of frost the force it needed to break through Hanzo's defenses.
crack...
"What?! Impossible! How did you-"
Shatter!
"NOOOOO!!!"
Ultimately, the sphere of frost obliterated the wall of shadow, freezing Hanzo into a statue of ice, his defiant cry still echoing through the chilling air.
"Ah... It's... finally... over..."
With the intense battle finished, Fubuki couldn't help but collapse due to exhaustion. It was clear that she had won, but at what cost?
----------------------------------------------
[Ayato's POV]
I am worried.
My concern extended beyond my own predicament to the safety of those I held dear.
Father was presently engaging in fierce combat with Lord Sanjourno, while Miss Shinobu valiantly confronted the counterfeit Raiden to protect our family.
However, my worst concern of all was the mysterious masked individual, who had breached the barrier. What sinister deeds could they be plotting against my sister and mother?
No, this isn't the time for pondering about these worries. I should be focusing on locating the weak point, so we can finally break free and rescue them just in time.
From my understanding, barriers form when the user allocates a portion of their mind across a designated area. However, it was said that the flow of magic wasn't always evenly spread, leaving weak spots where the barrier could be breached even without the user's consent.
With this knowledge in mind, I investigated the barrier's surface, both my hands scouring for any irregularities or fluctuations that might indicate a point of weakness.
As my fingertips traced the invisible boundary, I felt what I could describe as a patch of soft fabric attached to a hole in a wall. Touching the spot allows me to bend the barrier to some extent, and with enough force applied, it could break.
"I found it..."
Feeling relieved at the discovery, I turned to inform my father about my findings, but what I saw next shocked me. My father was in a terrible state, his body was filled with multiple stab wounds. Lord Sanjourno, on the other hand, bore only a couple of bruises and a black eye.
This is bad. I should do something to help him. However, if I leave now, I might forget about the weak point I just found. What should I do?
Shifting to the other side, it seemed that Shinobu was seriously focused on clashing with the counterfeit Raiden, leaving no room for a breather or taking orders from me.
That being said, I suppose there was no choice but to break the weak point myself. Taking a deep breath, I clench my fist and aim at the weak point.
"Hah!"
With all the strength I could muster, I struck the barrier at its most vulnerable point, pouring every ounce of my will into the blow.
crack...
Good, it is working. The barrier is breaking slightly. I wound up my fist once more and aimed at the weakened spot.
"Hah!"
crack...
Not enough...
"Hah!!"
crack...
Almost there...
"Hah!!!"
Crack...
Hitting the weak spot continuously seems to strain the vulnerable spot. It's not only because I was trying my best to strike it, but it's also because of the blessing of the Thunder goddess, which is the Falna. I received it from Her Excellency a year ago, and she promised to do the same for my sister after the war was over.
"One more for good measure..."
With all my strength, I wind my fist back and ready myself to strike the weak spot once more, hoping it would be enough to shatter the obstacle and end our ordeal.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"!!"
As I was about to strike the barrier, I heard a voice from behind me that made my blood run cold. When I turned around, I was terrified to see both Lord Sanjourno and the counterfeit Raiden standing there, while my father and Miss Shinobu lying motionless on the ground.
"No, how could this be..."
While I was frozen in fear, the third individual, responsible for controlling the fake goddess, approached me and huffed defiantly.
"You thought you'd be slick enough to try breaking the barrier, but it won't work. We won't let you get away."
With those words, the puppeteer flexed his finger, causing the counterfeit Raiden to raise her Naginata overhead, ready to strike me down. My life flashes before my eyes as I close them, bracing for the inevitable.
Shatter!
Just then, I heard the sound of the barrier shattering, compelling me to open my eyes and know what was going on. And there, a ray of hope has finally arrived to save the day.
"Your Excellency!"
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[Ayaka's POV]
Cold... I feel genuinely cold... My skin tingles with the chill, and my head throbs with pain.
What happened? Why does everything hurt?
The cold sensation permeates my senses, seeping into my bones. I try to remember what occurred, but my thoughts are clouded, obscured by a foggy haze.
Was there a battle? Did something go wrong? Several questions swirl in my mind, each one accompanied by a throbbing ache in my head.
As I struggled to piece together fragments of memory, I slowly opened my eyes, only to see a bunch of snow falling from the sky.
Why is it snowing? What's going on?
Confusion grips me as I try to make sense of my surroundings, the cold numbing my mind as I search for answers amidst the swirling flakes.
Mother... Where is she?
With a sense of urgency, I scour the whole snowy landscape, desperately seeking any sign of my mother. Eventually, I found her, lying on the ground, motionless and bloodied.
"Mother!"
Rushing toward her side, my heart was filled with fear and worry as I quickly assessed her condition. Her whole body was pale and white as if she was on the verge of death.
"Wake up, Mother! Wake up!"
"...."
She doesn't move, her silence unsettling. Panic claws at my chest as I frantically attempt to rouse her, hoping for any sign of life.
"Come on, wake up! Don't leave me like this, Mother! Wake up!"
"Urgh..."
Miraculously, my mother's eyes flutter open, her breath feeble yet steady. She gazes at me, her expression a mix of pain and relief.
"Ayaka... You're... okay..."
"Mother! Thank goodness, you're awake. I thought I'd lost you."
Hearing my anxious words, she sickly raised her arm to reach my face, her fingers felt cold against my cheek.
"Thank you... for... being... here... with me."
Her words, though weak, fill me with gratitude and warmth. Despite the cold that surrounds us, the bond between us is a comforting flame in the darkness.
"Yes, Mother, I am here. Please stay strong, okay? I will call for help right away."
As I attempted to stand up and find assistance, my arm was suddenly yanked, preventing me from doing so. Looking back, I saw my mother holding on to me, her expression tinged with solemnity as she spoke.
"Please... Stay... I have... Something... to tell... you..."
My heart sinks at the seriousness in her tone, at the weight of the words she's about to say. However, I nodded, swallowing back the fear that threatened to consume me.
"What is it, Mother? Tell me."
Breathing wearily, my mother opened her mouth and uttered something that truly broke me.
"Please, live a happy and wonderful life, my dear. Just remember... I ... always... love... you..."
With those words, the light in her eyes vanished, and her breathing ultimately stopped.
"...."
Why?
Why is this happening?
Why can't I live a normal and happy life?
"...."
Tears stream down my face as I hold her cold hand, mourning the loss of the woman who meant everything to me.
Suddenly, my body began to shiver uncontrollably, and my mind went blank.
And before I knew it, I screamed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
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