Chiaki tut-tutted as he looked at Takaya. Once his soul was struck with ghosts of suspicion, it was not easy to curb its multiplying effects. With Naoe having snatched away the seat of the general and the order for his erasure seemingly from Kenshin, Kagetora had lost the foundation for his 'standing'.
This is stupid!
Neither of them knew who was going to attack first. They braced themselves for battle and less than a second later, they both made their move. Thus the battle began. Takaya bent his knees like a wild lion. With his fingers on the ground, he lowered his back and the power of his entire body was concentrated in his abdomen. Chiaki knew that he was amassing a huge amount of power whenever he assumed this posture.
He was coming at full strength! --Chiaki did not waver despite perceiving how dangerous the situation was and released a Wave right in front of him...! Then Takaya's tensed muscles propelled his body into the air!
"What...!"
Takaya charged forward at almost the same time that Chiaki shot his incantations at him. He scattered the incantations, which were like an assassin's bullets, one after another as he dashed forward without looking to his left or right.
"Ch!"
Chiaki immediately created a thick wall. Then something profoundly heavy hit him. Chiaki turned pale. He had never experienced this before. Takaya was not attacking using incantations. But what was this unusual pressure pushing him from the front!
His fighting spirit has changed into pressure!
He had never encountered such a phenomenon until now...!
"Damn it!"
Creak. The former leader cracked his defense. His barrier could not hold and was smashed to pieces. This power level was certainly not that of an ordinary onshou ...!
"Ohhh....!"
In the face of Takaya's incantation, which hit him like an avalanche of earth and rocks, Chiaki endured by curving his body. It was like a bomb blast. With strenuous effort, he put up a Goshinha and screamed,
"Like hell I'd let you....!"
He pushed back as he shouted while Takaya firmly planted both his legs on the ground. It was now a contest of brute strength. Chiaki did not finish his sentence and concentrated on pressuring Takaya's lungs. Takaya was in agony as he could not breathe. At this rate, Takaya could end up suffocating to death but Chiaki did not loosen his grip. No, he could not afford to relax his power. If he were to retreat a little, Takaya's incantation would burst through and Chiaki's flesh and bones would be shredded to pieces.
"Ch!"
With a muffled groan, Takaya mustered his strength and glared back with ferocious eyes. Chiaki's mouth opened suddenly.
"!"
His throat was obstructed. Hard blocks of air were stuffed in from his mouth to his esophagus. The area below his stomach was being tightened as air continued to be crammed in to the point of possibly rupturing his inner organs...!
It can't be...!
He felt the relentlessly increasing danger from this sensation of bloatedness. Even if he wanted to stop him, there was no way to do so!
"Ga... arrgh!"
Drip. Takaya's left ear began to bleed. Chiaki barely managed to counterattack. He wanted to destroy his semicircular canals to take away his attacking strength but Takaya was not so naive to allow that. Just by looking at him, he flung Chiaki's body backwards.
"Urgh!"
Chiaki hit a stone monument. Takaya hammered his incantations at his rebounding body. However, Chiaki's real body was not there. He had stealthily substituted it with an illusion. Chiaki was actually standing beside Takaya. He attacked as Takaya turned in surprise...!
The concrete ground between them shattered violently. Takaya's incantation collided directly against Chiaki's attack. A shockwave shook through the surrounding area, the ground shattering to pieces in concentric ripples. Chiaki protected his body from the rebounding shockwave but Takaya sprung back into action.
What!
A shockwave now twice the size of the first struck Chiaki's body.
"Ohhh!"
He protected his body with all the power that he had. Takaya relentlessly created incantations with both of his fists. They were heavy, dense incantation bombs. A kanshousha could not be exorcised if his physical body was still alive. Should he sustain a direct hit, there was no doubt this body would be ripped into pieces of flesh...!
Takaya launched an attack. He aimed at Chiaki and dealt a finishing blow.
A thunderous roar shook the outer rim of the crater. Earth and sand were blown up and a huge crevice appeared in Daikanbou. Severed arms and legs dropped before Takaya's eyes. Although Takaya was covered with a rain of earth and sand together with blood and pieces of flesh, he was not fooled by it.
He turned around and shot an incantation. Another incantation collided with it, creating a bomb blast.
"Ch!"
As one would expect, Takaya was trying his hardest to endure this fight. The cloud of dust began to clear and Takaya saw on the far opposite side that Chiaki Shuuhei was down on one knee, glaring at him. His arms and legs were clearly still attached. Chiaki had created an illusion in an attempt to make him think that he had been ripped to pieces.
He was breathing hard. His bleeding eyes were proof that both were serious in this fight. Chiaki had taken substantial damage and could not create another illusion. Takaya also had unhealed wounds on his body that were considerably painful and his face had turned pale.
"Your incantations are really like the axe of the devil."
Chiaki told him through disordered breathing. He honestly did not think that it would be this terrifying. The situation was different than what he initially expected. This was the first time Chiaki experienced how frightening it was to be seen by him as the enemy.
I've never seen all of his potential as an opponent.
No, to begin with it was not something he would be able to see. His [Kagetora] power grew according to how strong his enemy was. If he were to fight against a god, he would definitely exhibit god-like powers. The thought of that made him tremble. It must be infinite. In truth, he would never have known this sort of fear if not for this fight against him.
"After these 400 years, I finally know your true character. Kagetora. Your power is the sickle of the death god. The guys you've defeated are not killed. Their heads are laid at the mercy of your sickle, right?"
There was pain somewhere in Takaya's eyes but he remained quiet. Chiaki began to detest this beast from the bottom of his heart. Although wounded, he did not seem to know the limits of his fighting strength. Only murderous power, like the instinct of a flesh-eating beast, remained. It was the type of power source that gave rise to the most dangerous of 'slaughters'. He was driven by the impulse that he had to seriously defeat this man at all costs.
"...I will smash that death god's sickle."
His voice trembled a little at the end of his sentence. He filled his body up with power once again.
"If I do that, you'll also be at ease, won't you!"
He energized his will power and attacked with incantations. Takaya deflected all of his attacks with multiple times the power.
Damn it...!
Chiaki did not have enough power to counter all of the incantations. Eventually, he took a direct hit and was thrown backwards. Despite that, Takaya braced himself with more power. But the moment he wanted to attack...
"!"
What...
Takaya's face stiffened unnaturally. The abnormality in him had reared its head. Immediately, the surrounding concrete began to burst in disorderly fashion like living things. It was like planted mines exploding at random.
"Kagetora...?!"
"Ahhhh...!!"
The incantations were not directed at Chiaki but were going out of control as Takaya was pressing his temples with his hands. It was a strange scene of chaos. Tiles and stones were mysteriously bursting, crumbling, intensely colliding in mid-air and innumerable sparks scattered about in the darkness. He could not control his incantations. Right in the center of this, Takaya crouched down without screaming.
His powers are going berserk!
Thinking in this way, Chiaki fiercely kicked the earth and ran towards Takaya through the chaotic debris. Chiaki took an aim at Takaya, who had a startled face, and seemed about to attack with an incantation but did not do so. He swung his fist instead.
Punched in the stomach, Takaya collapsed. At the same time, the tiles and stones dropped to the ground in a clattering chorus. Chiaki pinned Takaya down.
Takaya, while gasping for breath, looked up at Chiaki bent over him.
"...You're not going to kill me?"
"You still can't really control your powers."
Kagetora frowned in pain.
"There's absolutely nothing to be proud of beating a guy who isn't in top form. There's no meaning in it for me."
"..."
"You came here to die, didn't you?"
Takaya's eyes widened suddenly. But soon after, he smiled.
"That's absurd..."
"I'll not play this game of assisting in someone's suicide. If you want a real match though, I'll be all up for it."
Chiaki pushed away Takaya, who was still stiff with caution, and said,
"Your face says that I'm a traitor. If you want to think that way, go ahead and think as you please. It's of no concern to me. I don't care either way. It has nothing to do with me, what Kenshin is going to do, what you'll turn out to. ...If you don't believe me, that's fine. Considering how much of a brat you are, with your delusional persecutions, you won't listen no matter I say anyway, right? I've no problem just leaving you here right here. I can just disappear if you like. But your habit of forcing yourself into delusions all the time to carry on like some spoiled child is the one thing I can't tolerate."
Takaya recoiled and his eyes grew more intense. However, Chiaki ignored him.
"You said you heard about the new Uesugi from Takemata. Did he say anything about Kaizaki?"
"Kaizaki..."
The name of the man that he did not want to come into contact with was mentioned. Takaya panicked and an even greater look of repulsion and caution appeared on his face.
"Why do you mention... him..."
"You haven't heard?"
Takaya's eyes widened.
He realized that he had never really thought of the position occupied by that man called Kaizaki Makoto.
Kaizaki is someone who is dependent on the Ootomo.
The Ootomo was an ally of the new Uesugi. Where Naoe was concerned, this fact was not a coincidence. In the first place, there was no reason a modern person who 'wanted to break away from onshou' had to be exiled from the Ootomo. Not to mention that the Ootomo have allied themselves with the new Uesugi which was rather unusual.
What if Kaizaki is a member of the new Uesugi?
He had betrayed the Satomi but what if he was already with the new Uesugi at that point? What if he had already secretly joined forces with Naoe? Kaizaki wanted to destroy the Satomi from the very beginning. Under Naoe's instructions, he helped to wipe out the Satomi. Of course, there was no proof for this. But Naoe must have instructed him to save Takaya. What if it was Naoe's planning in the background that settled that incident?
...If that's the case
What if Kaizaki Makoto was also a part of Naoe's scheme...
Ha, Takaya laughed. Suddenly, he had a careless look in his eyes.
"So that's what it was all about..."
"What?"
"I finally understand it. Naoe ordered that man to get close to me, didn't he? To cunningly soothe me, manipulate me and use whatever that can be used of me. And after he's exposed, he would've erased me, wouldn't he? That's why he said and did all that. To take advantage of my weakness. By saying those incomprehensible things, throwing me into desperate confusion...!"
"Did something happen between you and Kaizaki?"
"Is that the reason he's so similar to Naoe? Saying things that only Naoe would say. Naoe has exposed my weakness and everything about me to Kaizaki. They're conspiring with each other. Naoe has seen through everything. Like how to attack me so that I'll lose my confidence, how to placate me so that I'll be trusting, how to handle me in any situation, he knows everything. It's like he's saying that in the past men had sex with me because I invited it, because I tempted men I didn't know by opening my heart and body to them, by being naked and shamelessly crying out in pleasure, he must have seen this somewhere and is laughing at me. Exposing my old wounds to make me lose my pride, my confidence, by making me play the woman, he wants to show me just how dirty of a person I am, doesn't he...! He took advantage of my fragile points, said incomprehensible things to confuse me, in order to have his revenge on me, in order to thoroughly exploit me!"
"Kagetora!"
"In order to torment to death the one who has made him suffer all this while!"
Takaya could not endure it and shook his head violently.
"No, I've never believed in that sort of man. The lies, saying things like his place in life is to be by my side. It's shallow sympathy. I'm not such a fool to believe that. All that talk about his place in life being here, always and forever. That I am his life. That no matter how many times he changes bodies, I am his only life. Does he want to kill me! Light words. I've never believed them from the start. He'll find his next precious life after he changes, right, just like how kanshou works. Because people are all like kanshousha. Something which you assume to be the one and only one can so easily be replaced with another!"
"Calm down, Kagetora."
"Even though he said that I'm the only one! ...He still... still did this to me. That narcissist with a persecution complex! I almost fell into his trap. I was almost deceived. It's fine that he has left! It's fine that he and everyone else have left! I don't need anyone. I won't fall into that man's trap! Completely deny me as much as you want. That man is the only one I'll never forgive. I will deny that man! That man is the only one I will not lose to in this world. Just that man alone. I definitely won't, not a second time, not ever!"
"You're the one not making any sense! Kagetora!"
Yelling, Chiaki clutched onto Takaya's wrist as if he was going to tear it off.
"I don't know if you're complaining or being paranoid but I really can't follow you. Is what Kaizaki said and did so similar to Naoe? If that's the case, you already knew at that point!"
Takaya was startled and looked frightened. Chiaki continued with feelings of desperation.
"If you don't get it, I'll tell you what is actually going on. You've realized Kaizaki's true identity despite your condition. Do you remember the strange thing you blurted out after meeting Kaizaki? You said Naoe didn't die, you said that he's alive. Even though you negated Naoe's 'death', at that moment, you understood!"
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
"Enough with this and wake up already! Now that we've come to this point, there's no need to cling onto your hypnotism. I'm really fed up with you. I've had enough of putting up with your degree of stupidity. If you want to accuse people so badly, come back to reality and do it!"
Chiaki grabbed Takaya's collar.
"You still not get it, do you? You've been running away all this time. You've been running away from your inability to deal with the loss of Naoe. The gods must also be exasperated. Because you're so beyond rescue that they just let you be. Yes, Naoe still exists right now. He's still around because of you. The situation has changed. So stop with this meaningless monkey show already! ... Ever since Hagi, the one you believed to be Naoe is Fuuma Kotarou. You went mad! Naoe was killed. In losing him, you exploded and went mad with your escape!"
Takaya gasped, as if he had woken up from a daydream, and widened his eyes.
"Fuuma Kotarou..."
"You don't have any memory of Naoe dying, do you? Of course you don't, because you've warped them. Haruie and the others went along with your ruse so that you wouldn't be reminded of the truth, because it'll be bad if you were to die from madness. For two years...!"
Takaya's eyes remained wide open. He was listening without moving in the slightest. Kikkawa Motoharu had also said something similar. Although Kousaka had said it was a 'consolatory lie', just a little while back when they parted, Motoharu had also said the same thing. --That he thought Takaya continued with this in order to find solace...
Did his fear and doubt run that deep? No, even if Chiaki were an ally, Takaya had already decided to go on alone. Did he feel that he could not accept anyone's help? Did he feel that he had to settle this by himself?
Takaya's shoulders jumped in surprise. Hearing about Yuzuru should have made Takaya stay. But contrary to his expectation that Takaya would turn around in shock, he only replied, "I see," and nodded.
"Naoe might have summoned him."
What...
Chiaki did not know that Yuzuru was the reincarnation of Kagekatsu. Takaya quietly stroked the head of the reijuu then slowly walked in the direction of the valley, descending through the grass.
"Don't be impulsive, Kagetora! Not everything has been decided. There are still people in the Uesugi who are on your side! Those who have followed you up till now won't just abandon you!"
He tried to chase after him but his body hurt so badly that he could not. Takaya continued on. Chiaki's voice was drowned by the strong wind. The two shadows descended into the valley and before long, dissolved into the darkness. Chiaki eventually managed to stand even though he was still weak.
That guy...
"Kagetora-sama...! Kagetora-sama!!"
Chiaki turned around upon hearing the voice behind him. A man came running along the long gravelly road leading from the car-park. The moonlight illuminated the man's face. Chiaki was surprised. The man was also surprised by the sight of Chiaki.
"You are Ya... Yasuda-sama."
The one who appeared was Takemata Yoshitsuna. He should have remained at Kokuzou shrine but, concerned about Kagetora, he had slipped past the watchguards and managed to chase him all the way here.
"You!"
Chiaki directed his anger at Takemata. Takemata also knew from Hakkai that Chiaki was not included in the new Uesugi yet.
"I... I... Yasuda-sama."
"You've come at just the right time. Takemata Yoshitsuna."
Chiaki compelled him with a demonic expression as Takemata drew back.
"What Kenshin has done and is doing, explain all of it to me starting from the very beginning."
***
At the same time, at Saiganden temple in Asobouchuu, Hakkai and the others were busy with operations.
Did Naoe not realize this or was he pretending not to realize this?
He looked like he had some feelings of guilt, having defeated Kagetora by becoming the general.
"I accepted this position because it can't be helped.” This was the stance he adopted but (were those his true feelings?) within this one year, the approach he took to work was definitely not the sort of half-heartedness usually associated with the attitude of “it can't be helped".
If Kagetora was the type of leader who drew people in with his power, Naoe was the type who boosted and mustered the organization. He was the kind of leader who obtained the trust of his subordinates by showing his passion for his work.
In Hakkai's eyes, he appeared more at ease than during the time when he was Kagetora's right hand man although he could not specify when this started to become obvious. There was no sign at all that he was playing the role of acting leader.
Perhaps, from the start, he was more suited to be the 'king of the castle'. It was not readily apparent because his restraint was so effective but he somehow knew the viewpoint of those who always stood above him and the things that these people thought about.
The Tamamori of every generation heard their ancient ancestor's wrath and prayed. Please forgive us, they said. They understood the pain but they could not just change the way they lived.
The descendants were born bearing their ancestor's crime of having betrayed Kihachi. It was difficult to escape from this sin, much like the original sin.
But there was no Holy Mother to grant them forgiveness.
-- We want to be forgiven...
How had Haruya felt when he tried to kill Hokage? At that time, Tetsuya noticed he had tracks of tears on his cheeks when he lifted Haruya in his arms.
He felt like his chest was being torn to pieces. There was nothing but regret. There was more regret than resentment. He had let his father die and now he had let Hokage almost die because of this blood in him. This blood conspired to kill the people who were important to him. It took them away from him. And yet, this blood was also the reason he was alive this very moment.
However, they did not know that their mother had divorced their father when they were still children. Tetsuya was five years old when he saw his mother get into the car of a man he did not know. He had not seen her since then so he had even forgotten her face. He heard from someone that his father's uncle had said that the young lady that was his mother could not get used to the customs of this family.