“Sasaki, you have never seen the world outside of this valley, outside of this continent…” Hadeon trailed off, “There is war brewing, and the cause of it, the very source of the conflict, are the Hykings. They need to be eradicated!”

“Hadeon…Answer me this…” Sasaki hesitated, then made up her mind, “Was it you? Did you report Terumi to the Oriol Clan?”

“...” Hadeon’s demeanor changed suddenly, he stood straight and narrowed his blood-red eyes covered by the blackness around them, “When did you find out?”

“I didn’t want to believe it… You were too kind, too selfless to do that…”

“Sasaki, can’t you see? It is all to prevent the birth of Hykings! I was sent here to investigate the clan, took drastic measures to infiltrate it, but I grew too attached! I couldn’t bear to do it… But then you introduced me to that man… that dreadful man and his sister! I immediately recognized her, the one I came here for. I hesitated at first, I really did, but then she got betrothed to Hachi, I had no choice! If… If they had…”

“...”

Sasaki clenched her fists as Hadeon fell to his knees in despair.

“I had to stop it… I had to keep the Absolute Law!” He mumbled uncontrollably, then collapsed into tears while holding his head, “But then I broke it! Me! I broke the Absolute Law myself, committed the gravest of sins!”

“A sin…?” Sasaki asked as her pupils suddenly constricted, “That’s what it was to you?”

“Forgive me…” Hadeon began to murmur, “I loved you, I still do! With all my heart…”

Hadeon began to stand up, a red mist covering him.

“Forgive me… my love.”

“I simply cannot let that child be born.”

“Even if I have to commit a sin beyond forgiveness…”

“A sin that cannot be forgiven even after a thousand years…”

“...” Sasaki put one hand on her stomach, sensing the life being created within.

The memories of her last few years flashed through her mind.

The good, the bad, the happy, the awful.

Death was a natural outcome for anyone, but…

“I won’t let you or anyone steal his chance at experiencing this life!” She raised her head and flashed her light brown eyes with renewed vigor.

“Forgive me, Sasaki…” Hadeon began to murmur repeatedly, “Forgive me…”

“Don’t feel too bad, Hadeon.” Sasaki smiled, taking Hadeon by surprise, “This too, is part of life after all. Part of our life.”

She paused for a second as a tear silently strolled down her face.

“At least, it wasn’t boring!”

Just as her tear hit the ground, she kicked off the ground.

With that, a battle ensued that no one would ever know about.

A battle with no glory.

At the end of that battle, the once rascal girl met her end, and a proud mother was born.

She had managed to protect her unborn son, while defeating the man she had loved.

“No…You purposely didn’t hit me near my stomach…” Sasaki said as she held the body of her dying love, “What was all this for then? Why did you do this…?”

Hadeon slowly reached for her wounded face, realizing the scar that would remain.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Forgive me…” He murmured, “In the end, I could not do it… I’m a failure to my cause…”

“Enough of that! Be a father then! Heal yourself!” Sasaki shouted at him, “You can have my blood, just heal yourself and we’ll forget about this!”

“Haha… Didn’t you say… you wouldn’t offer me your precious blood?”

“That doesn’t matter now, just do it! You’ll die if you don’t!”

“That’s fine, isn't it?” Hadeon smiled, “Death is just another part of life… One day… You’ll be in my position too…”

“Hey! Stay awake!”

“I just hope… that somehow in this… messed up world… you two can still… live a long life together… filled with happiness… and protected from the Hykings’ Curse…”

“Hadeon!”

“I wish… I could’ve seen the mother… you would become…my love…”

“Hey!! Don’t do it!” Sasaki shouted, but to no avail, “Don’t die on me!”

With that, Hadeon was never seen again. Sasaki returned to the clan, saying she had changed her mind about leaving.

Since Hadeon lied and established he was Signless, most doubts about their unborn child had already been thwarted.

And for those who still harbored suspicion…

Hideyoshi took care of it, either with trickery or by other means.

However, to protect his standings, Hideyoshi revealed to the clan who Hadeon really was. An infiltrator who reported Terumi to the ones who sent him and instigated the entire invasion by the Oriol Clan.

For bringing him in, Sasaki bore the brunt of that blow. She was exiled just days after she had given birth.

She had considered taking her infant with her, to protect him, but the chances of him surviving in Tartarus alone with her were too slim.

He was barely a few days old, and even seemed too frail and thin.

And so, without any goodbyes, she left the Kage Clan, never to return.

After making a name for herself as an adventurer, she eventually came across a mercenary band with the same goal and dream Munisai had. Whether for that reason or another, she ended up joining them.

Years later, they began taking in children of war, and although things did not go as smoothly, she still loved and cared for them as if they were her own children.

However, just as Hadeon had said, Sasaki eventually found herself in the same situation as him. Lying on the ground with a boy she loved as much as her own son, begging her to stay alive.

She had sacrificed herself to protect him, practically burnt most of her back.

She knew that would be her end.

But the boy wouldn’t give up on her.

He continuously picked her up, carrying her on his small back.

“I’m not leaving without you! Everyone else is gone…” He said, struggling with every step, “but I still have you!”

“You idiot… Just go…” A self-deprecating smile formed on her face, “I won’t survive the night…”

“You will!”

He agonized with every step, his lungs burnt as they filled with smoke and ash. Amidst all that chaos around them, the boy stumbled again, tumbling down along with the dying woman on his back.

“Sasaki! Hold on!” He shouted, extending his arm toward her again.

She took it, the same usual grin still on her face.

“Leave me be…. I don’t mind dying… I’ve been ready for it since I…” She coughed up blood, her eyes quickly losing color, “Ah, my son… I’m sorry… I hope you were able to grow up… strong and kind…”

“Sasaki! Stay awake!”

“A mother like me ... Who’d want that…?”

“Sasaki! Please… get up!” The boy pleaded through tears.

“Don’t cry… little Law… Just keep smiling… death is just another part… of life…”

Amidst the blazing flames around them, Sasaki’s fire was extinguished as she let go of her grip on the boy’s arm, her hand falling limp.

In her last moments, she heard the boy’s screams.

The things he would need to do after on his own broke her heart, but in the end, whatever he would choose, she would be proud of him.

She couldn’t achieve things no one else could as she wanted in her teenage years, but in the end, protecting him…

That… was enough.

He was her Glory.

That was the end of the Rascal Girl, the Shadow Valley’s Queen of Fury.

The end of a rebellious daughter, a caring friend, a loving feisty woman.

The end of Sasaki Kage.

**👑**

And that was the news Munisai had just delivered to her son, Kojiro. He hadn’t mentioned everything, simply cut it all down to the recent news of her passing.

He had naturally informed Hideyoshi, her father, but he wanted to personally make sure that her son was on the path of healing.

After all, he was one of his students too.

However…

“Sensei, thank you for checking up on me.” Kojiro said, keeping a slow pace next to his teacher, “But I’m sorry to say that I feel no sadness, no compassion for a mother I never knew.”

“...” Munisai stopped his crutch and stood waiting.

“I had resolved myself to the fact that I would never meet her.” Kojiro came to a halt as well, then turned to his teacher, “If she had died in the past, or in the future, that doesn’t change my feelings about her.”

“...I see, it seems you have naturally given this enough thought.” Munisai said, his eyes narrowing slightly, “I wish you could have met her, kid. She loved you more than anyone.”

“...”

“Go on, I won’t keep you any longer.” Munisai said, resuming his path, “Go back and have breakfast with the other kids.”

“Yes, sensei!” Kojiro quickly bowed, “I’ll make sure they behave in your absence!”

“Kojiro.”

“?”

Munisai looked back over his shoulder at his student and put on a firm expression.

“If there is any time that you need to talk about her, I’ll be happy to listen.”

“... I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Sensei!”

“I’m not sure what sprung this change in you, but I’m glad you are voicing your thoughts more now.” Munisai walked on, “Keep that up, you should show more assertiveness… just like she had.”

That feistiness, that burning fire within her… It was something I could never have. The old man reminisced inwardly.

“...” Kojiro watched his teacher with his hidden eyes, before turning back and walking in the opposite direction.

Despite the past, Munisai did not hold anything against the boy. He was a harmless and innocent kid.

As a teacher, he was glad that the boy was maturing. He guessed it probably was related to the new student in the Dojo, perhaps a healthy rivalry was blossoming.

He assumed the news about his mother had been more impactful on Kojiro than he admitted. Even though he had said otherwise, that wasn’t something anyone could just hide.

Not even him.

Munisai walked on, reminiscing about his late colleague.

“Sasaki, rest assured. Your son will be someone you can be proud of.”

Whether his words would come true or not…

That remained to be seen.

----------------------------------------

image [https://i.imgur.com/KQmIY8F.png]