Book 18 Chapter 26 沈黙の鎌

He was infected with an evil virus.
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...

Kaizaki Makoto also mentioned this but with a different meaning. He referred to it as a 'nightmare' and said that he was a 'fake'. Takaya had yet to honestly and calmly think about why they had all said the same thing despite having different interests.

"Naoe wasn't killed."

"Right. Because you ran away from that."

"But you all... can't be trusted..."

"Right. You don't trust us. Because in your current state, everyone is the enemy so you don't trust anyone. But are the words of people you don't trust all lies? Did my words not ring a bell somewhere? Can you honestly say it absolutely didn't!"

He could not. Takaya could not deny it. It was true he could not completely trace back his memories. His memories were different from the past. His memories were warped. Kagetora had once erased the past. 'Naoe's death' . 'A miracle happened'. Motoharu did not just make up a story to put his mind at ease. What if he had tried very hard to tell him the truth?

"If you think I'm the enemy then this will be my final show of kindness to you. An insane guy isn’t qualified to suspect others!"

"I... didn't go... insane..."

"Then prove it. Prove to me that you didn't go insane!"

Takaya desperately shut his eyes and pulled the memories of that incident. But this time there was confusion as he did not know what was what. Which was certain? Which was the truth? Gradually, he did not even know where he was. Takaya pressed against his temples with all his strength.

"I don't know... I don't know..."

"If you don't know, I'll help you. If you want to know where your construction of this reality starts and ends, I'll help you! I'll dig into your head with my hand, pull out all of your memories with my power!"

Takaya screamed. Chiaki's thought incantation started to reach into his spirit. He thrust his finger into Takaya's soul against his will with a type of power that if used seriously could transform a person’s personality.

"...!"

The feeling of pressure choked his breath. It was like thrusting one's arm into the womb of a cattle in order to grab onto the legs of the cub and pull it out. No, more than that, Takaya was in a state of violent, intense confusion. 

"I'll take out this pus that has grown in you and let you see it!"

"...Ahhhh!"

His soul was being wrenched open and the images that had been tucked away gushed out from his heart’s receptacle like the flow of soil and stone. He was unhinged by the tender, exposed sensation of being ransacked by a foreign object that finally, even his emotions were in turmoil. He was crying out in a ragged voice. All of a sudden...

"!"

Chiaki eased on his power in response. He had touched something so unnaturally fragile at the center that he was shocked. No, he had come so dangerously close that had he gone a little further he would have crushed it.

What was that...

It felt like rotten fruit. Upon touching it, Chiaki had immediately relaxed his power, He thought that Takaya's heart had stopped because the latter's body had jolted and started to convulse.

"You... what was that..."

Takaya was limp and did not move.

"What are you hiding? What happened to you? Don't tell me the reason your powers are going berserk is because..."

Had he done something drastic?

Sensing something out of the ordinary behind him, Chiaki sharply turned around. A large shadow jumped out of the darkness, covering the moon as it flew over him, as if concealing it. 

"What!"

It was a huge leap, its sharp claws just barely missing him. Chiaki's eyes widened. A silver creature had appeared. It landed lithely right beside Takaya and let out a thunderous roar. It was a huge beast. Its entire body seemed to radiate the light of the moon. It was a large tiger.

A reijiuu! ...Is Kotarou here!

The silver tiger stood before Takaya as if protecting him. With a powerful launch, it charged at Chiaki once again. 

"Ch!"

The sharp claws of its powerful forelegs glinted. There was no doubt that Kotarou had released this being to protect Takaya but he had never seen a silver reijuu before. Chiaki instantly shot an incantation at it. However, the tiger defiantly bared its teeth and aimed for his windpipe. He put up a goshinha but could not stop the momentum of the tiger coming at him head on. He was thrown backwards, his back slamming against a stone monument with immense impact. He collapsed groaning.

"Kage... tora..."

Takaya was crouching and holding his head. His eyes were wide open with tears welling in them, his blue lips trembling like a madman as he went on muttering about something. As the reijuu howled at Chiaki like he was the threat, it moved closer to Takaya's side. Then it burrowed its head under Takaya's body, lifted him up and eagerly rubbed itself against his body. Stimulated by that touch, an awareness returned to Takaya's eyes.

"You..." he said with a hoarse voice, "Didn't you die at Hagi city?"

It seemed like Takaya had confused the tiger with the thing that had protected him at Hagi. He remembered the drizzle at Toukouji on that morning where he was also holding a tiger. The tiger's body was warm. He buried his face into its fur and his unease began to seep away. He remained still like this for a while.

"That was... a different tiger..."

Takaya trembled slightly at the sound of Chiaki's voice.

"Kotarou... protected you... The one who protected you all this time was not Naoe... not Naoe..."

Takaya closed his eyes in pain and continued to bury his face in its fur. --But the one who has been by my side all this while is certainly Naoe. His voice, his form. It has always been Naoe.

"Saying that he isn't Naoe... I can't... believe that..."

"Right now, that's the one thing you can't accept."

"But you all can't be trusted..."

Takaya knotted his brow in anguish. He could not believe in others. He had no support for himself either. The fact was... --There was only one truth and he found it. This was the only one. Takaya was left with only one truth...

"Naoe is just not by my side right now..."

Chiaki's reply remained in his throat. Looking at Chiaki, Takaya's eyes narrowed. He slowly stood up as if protecting an injury.

"...You too... I don't need you with me anymore."

"Ka...getora..."

Takaya narrowed his eyes painfully and murmured, "Goodbye, Chiaki."

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 himself was exhausted.

I will tell Naoe when I see him, Takaya said in a haggard voice.

"If you want to kill me, come and do it yourself."

"Where do you intend to go... all by yourself, Kagetora..."

Gathering his strength, Chiaki shouted.

"Narita has come to Kumamoto right now. Narita has come, okay, to Kojou High."

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.

"Remember. Do not let him take any action. Even if you use the chains make sure he is really detained."

Hakkai instructed his subordinates and got into the car. The full-out battle atmosphere at Daikanbou could be sensed at Saiganden temple. Daikanbou was not that far away. Even if it was, they would still be able to sense that intense clash of powers. Moreover, as members of the Uesugi, they knew perfectly well the identities of the fighters.

"I shall go verify the situation. If you see him [Naoe] trying to act recklessly again, stop him even if you have to use your body. He must not leave this place. It could influence the outcome of the war."

In actual fact, he [Naoe] was in no condition to move. Considering that it was now night, his efforts would probably be in vain. He had collapsed from a high fever after the discussion with Aso Koremitsu and now his condition was such that just getting up was difficult. Even so, his anxiety over Kagetora's situation had made him impulsive and Hakkai had no choice but to shoot him with tranquilizers to knock him out. Now he was under watch, asleep in the center of his residence.

"I will leave it to you, Hakkai-dono."

Sending him off at the entrance of the temple was the Uesugi commander by the name of Yoshie Kagesuke. He had been dispatched to Kyushu together with Takemata and under Naoe's orders, he had joined forces with Aso Koremitsu. Hakkai nodded,

"Once we find Kagetora-sama, we will turn him over to the custody of our Nokizaru."

"Indeed. Right now, he should concentrate on accomplishing the 'Taika Rinhou'. As the new general of the Uesugi, there are many things he must do."

The current alliance with the Ootomo was not only important for the new Uesugi... but for Naoe himself as well. Hakkai knew that. The ability of the new general was being questioned. They were concerned about whether Naoe Nobutsuna can be the man responsible for the new Uesugi.

That person's leadership ability is being put to the test.

Naoe was more sensitive to judgment than any one else. His pride was immense and his avarice, stronger than most others. Although he disliked openly showing off because of his stoic personality, one could tell he was quietly burning with ambition in response to the current situation.

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.

If that were the case, he understood very well what Kagetora had done up till now. When one with leadership traits clashed with another of similar ilk, one of them would definitely have to concede. The one who gave way was Naoe. It was only natural since he was the retainer however back then, Kagetora's leadership ability was probably higher than Naoe's. If Naoe was to succeed him, the state of the organization would subtly change. The Uesugi was Kagetora's one man team. No, it was also a way for Kagetora to make Naoe surrender to him, sometimes more than necessary. Hit by someone of similar ability, it seemed that Naoe was defeated.

Naoe was under Kagetora's authority for 400 years, choking himself in order to continue on. 

Losers who share his nature usually become bitter. Extremely possessive people tend to become severe when suppressed. --That was for 400 years. 400 years. (By the way, the Yashashuu's 400 years differed from the 400 years experienced by Hakkai and the others. They could 'sleep' during times of peace but the Yashashuu must 'live' throughout the entire period. )

Kagetora and Naoe's relationship probably took a turn for the worse because Naoe had reached his limits of being suppressed, or at least that was what Irobe had said.

--By becoming the leader of this new organization, Naoe will be freed from this.

However, he knew what was going to happen from now on. Naoe was not going to get away with being compared against Kagetora even if he does not want it. The real test began now. "Perhaps it is because of the turn over of power but he is nervous about what others think of him," said Irobe. He obviously felt pressure except that now he seemed to be hiding a whole host of other feelings but...

--It would be better if he wasn't so bothered by what other people think. 

Still, this might be more suitable for him than being suppressed.

Either way, someday Naoe-sama will have to... Kagetora-sama...

Hakkai spoke to Yoshie with a deliberately calm tone of voice to shake off the feeling of sorrow that came into him.

"I will search for Kagetora-sama. I shall leave the place in your charge."

After leaving some final instructions to his subordinates, he stepped on the accelerator and headed towards Daikanbou.

Somehow, I have taken an interest in you, Naoe-sama.

On an emotional level, Hakkai was, even now, on Kagetora's side. To be perfectly honest, he had no interest in the fact that Naoe was more than just a guardian to Kagetora. When he first heard that Naoe was to replace Kagetora as the general, he had felt extreme repulsion. He initially thought he was not competent enough.

I have no choice but to show support considering that this is my job but

Even now, he still did not feel that he was better than Kagetora.

So why am I devoting all of my energy for your sake, sometimes even more than is necessary...

This was slightly different than loyalty but--

Regardless of what would become of Kagetora in the end, right now he was focused on securing the person in question.

If he is in Akechi's hands, I must take him back even if I have to use my full power.

It was 1AM, in the deep of the night at Aso valley, when Hakkai solemnly made his way towards Daikanbou. 

***

What on earth happened to Kumamoto?

Tetsuya was sitting on his scooter in a state of shock as he surveyed the situation.

Miike Tetsuya had returned to the city after speeding back on his scooter and was now at the disaster scene near Musashizuka. Prior to reaching the place, Tetsuya was puzzled by the massive traffic jam but managed to make his way through by slipping past the sides of the vehicles. He ended up in a place where numerous vehicles were stacked on top of each other. Tetsuya gulped without thinking.

What on earth is this?

The vehicles were like mini cars piled on top of one another with apparent ease and were obstructing the road. Also bizarre was that further in, all of the street lamps were cleanly sliced through the center. The asphalt road was lined with cracks, parts of it coarsely smashed. The ambulance had yet to arrive so the injured and the people nursing them loitered anxiously about the vehicles damaged by the accidents.

"That's!"

Right in front of him, a female high school student was being helped out of the drivers seat of a car which had crashed into the guardrail. She was wearing the Kojou High sailor-styled uniform.

Inaba...

Inaba Akemi!

Tetsuya was surprised. He immediately rushed over.

"Inaba! Hey, Inaba!"

Wading through the crowd of people, Tetsuya hurried to Akemi's side. It seemed like she had taken a wrong turn and crashed the car.

"You know her?"

"Inaba, why are you here! Weren't you taken hostage!"

Chiaki had planned to rescue this girl.

It seemed like Akemi was unconscious but when her name was called, her eyes opened slightly. She recognized Tetsuya. 

"...Tet-chan?"

"Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?"

The airbag worked so there were no serious, external injuries. Due to the impact of the collision, she was instantly freed from the jyako's hypnotism. 

"I was... taken at Nanbashi..."

Akemi did not remember driving the car. Tetsuya looked around at the cars that had crashed. He never expected to find Inaba in one of these overturned cars.

Tetsuya looked down the road. There was a power blackout inside the city. He could hear a roar but assumed it was the howl of the wind. If that came from humans, it would be the eeriest thing he ever heard. 

"Uncle, please take her to the hospital."

"Huh, where are you going?"

Tetsuya got onto his scooter and rode down the uneven road towards the city center.

"Hey, it's dangerous over there! Hey you!"

What the hell! What's happening here!

He could not stand it. He did not want to think that all of this was Hokage's fault but if it was, he had to get her back. 

The road was a complete disaster. Many times the scooter's tires got stuck causing him to fall over but Tetsuya persevered.

I won't lose to this!

Hokage had flown away... 

Tetsuya remembered the old tale he heard from his grandmother when he was a child. It was a story about the people who lived in Aso a long time ago. 

--In ancient times, the Himuka clan members flew freely in the sky.

His grandmother told the Miike about the Himuka people by way of an ancient fairy tale. Tetsuya and Hokage had enjoyed listening to their grandmother tell them this story by their bedside every night. 

All those who had the Himuka blood could fly in the sky. In doing so, they fought diligently against evil people. Both of you also have the Himuka blood flowing through your veins so you might one day be able to fly in the sky. 

Taking the words of his grandmother, who always told this story with a smile on her face, for the truth, he jumped off a cliff once and was badly injured. At that time, he had labeled his grandmother a liar, blaming her for causing him such pain but...

Was it the truth? Grandma

--The so-called 'Flying Bird' technique...

Haruya had revealed this--

Nobody told him anything about Asara because he was still not a fully fledged Hafuriko. The adult Hafuriko, who knew something about Asara, appeared to think of her emergence as something joyous and auspicious. His grandmother had happily said, "With Asara's emergence, as long as Hokage lives, we will not suffer any losses due to the cold weather." The Hafuriko were probably told that she was the 'Guardian Deity of the Frost'. However, only the Tamamori knew the real reason why there should be cause for joy. 

Like a criminal...

During the festival, the Tamamori did not even smile once. He had a pale face throughout, his brow knitted in pain and his cheeks, stiff. It was such a huge contrast to the Hafuriko that Tetsuya found it strange.

They shouldered the sin, committed by their ancestors, of going against Asara's wishes and this matter was definitely part of the prayers. In fact, it took up nearly the entire duration of the Shinto ritual. The Tamamori did not just inherit Asara and Kihachi's long cherished desire. The sinful cross of letting 'Asara' die was carried by the Tamamori of every generation. 

Please forgive us, they said. 

They had betrayed their purpose for being born. Despite that, they wanted to live for themselves. They did not want any conflict. They just wanted to carry on with the livelihood they desired. That was why they let Asara die. They did not wish to beckon the Asara god who brought carnage. 

Have you forgotten the grudge stemming from having been killed by the people of Yamato? Have you discarded the intense chagrin and hatred that could almost burn a hole through one's chest? Who do you think you have to thank for being alive today?

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. 

Damn it...! Damn it!

Gripping the throttle harder, he shouted in frustration. 

He had been brought up in tradition since young. The Tamamori and Hafuriko were natural aspects of his life. He thought it was normal for the world to have such things.

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.

Since young, he had been taught to treat his 'blood' as important. He was not allowed to donate blood under any circumstance. He was told it was not something that could simply be given to anyone.

Then came his father's appointment as the Tamamori and subsequent death. Following that, his relatives treated them coldly like they were some tumorous existence. It was as if they had done something bad. But after that Shinto bonfire rite, only Hokage's personality changed. Hokage had been touched by the gods. Tetsuya was repulsed by the sense of incongruity and started to have doubts about this family's way of life once she left junior high school. 

-- Why, Father...

Tetsuya and Hokage were not even allowed to see his body. The Hafuriko who had stopped them, everyone in fact, appeared like huge demons to the two children. All of the Tamamori were buried when they died except for his father, who did not get a proper funeral and was cremated. All the events of the past now flashed in his mind one after the other. 

They said that he was killed. They said that he was killed... 

This blood is bad for everyone.

He did not mind if he got punished but he wanted to put this matter to an end. He did not care if it was a 1000 or 2000 year-old issue. He had already lost his father so he did not want to lose Hokage as well. Someone had to do this. They had to be set free. He would not stop until everyone was liberated from this blood!

We are alive.

Tetsuya clenched his teeth and mustered his spirit. 

We'll continue to live on!

As if stitching together the completely shattered asphalt, the scooter weaved in and out towards the central part of the city.