Teito lived a simple life. He did chores around his house and played with his little sister. He supported his parents by selling food at the market, but lately, Teito's life has been going downhill. The samurai in Teito's village have been enforcing heavy taxes and some speculate they've been taking some for themselves. Teito thought that it would continue like this until Teito and his family couldn't eat anymore. The samurai returned to Teito's small house one day to collect their tax.

"You know what to do, Mr and Mrs Tanaka," the lead samurai said with a sneer, "pay us our money." Teito's parents looked at each other. "W-we can't pay that tax," Teito's dad said, fear thick in his voice. The samurai's expression turned into a dangerous frown.

"You know the consequences of unpaid taxes," the samurai said hand on his sword. 

Teito's mom swallowed.

"Sir samurai, since your band has come to our village you've raised the taxes to higher than the ones issued by the daimyo." The samurai stepped up to Teito's mom. They were strong muscular men and wearing armor and helmets that exposed the middle part of their face.

"So? We are now the authority in this town. The daimyo sent us here to issue this new law." Everybody in Teito's village knew this was a lie, but nobody was strong enough to oppose them. They seemed to be a ronin band to Teito.

"What is it going to be?" the lead samurai said impatiently. 

Teito was sick of it all. Sick of the taxes. Sick of the pain it caused to their family. Most of all, he was sick of these samurai.

"Shut up!" Teito yelled without thinking. The samurai and Teito's parents immediately focused on him. Teito's parents eyes seemed to be begging him to stop but he couldn't anymore.

"You've come to this village to terrozie us!" Teito said through tears, "We know your just some ronin outlaws, stop lying!" Teito clenched his fists.

"Please, just leave this village alone. I can't bear to see mommy and daddy cry again." Everybody was silent for a moment until Teito could hear a sword being drawn. There was a blade to his throat immediately. It was a katana of average length and very dull. Not the ones you see on real samurai.

"What was that kid?" It was the lead samurai and he was furious. Veins were popping out of his head. The lead samurai looked up at Teito's parents.

"For this clear disrespect to the daimyo's men, we will execute this boy this instant!" Teito's parents immediately put their heads down to the ground.

"I beg you! Take my life instead! Spare my son, he meant no disrespect by it," Teito's dad cried. The lead samurai smiled a devilish grin. He lifted his katana up and swung down for Teito's throat.

Clang!

Teito looked up to see a real katana in front of him. One made of tamahagane, the "jewel steel."

"I'll pay their taxes," the voice was calm but weirdly childlike. Teito looked to see where the voice was coming from. He was a man easily over 6 shaku, towering over Teito and the samurai. He wore a white kimono with a small space open in the middle of his chest. Matched with a knee-length hakama, with a triangle shaped bamboo straw hat on top. He had long black hair and had white skin. Teito noticed the two sheathed swords at his waist.

"Sir samurai, I wonder why you have attacked this young boy?" The man asked. The lead samurai kissed his teeth.

"This boy has disrespected us, and you dare stop us?!" Teito was regretting what he did so much he could die. He had caused this situation and now they could all die. Teito looked back at the man bowing and he was..grinning. 

That didn't make the samurai happy.

"Are you.." the lead samurai started, "laughing at us?" The samurai seemed to be in disbelief. So was Teito. In this situation he couldn't imagine smiling. The lead samurai let out a nasty laugh. Suddenly, he lunged at the other man with killing intent.

"Die!" The lead samurai cried. Teito could barely follow the lead samurai's sword swing.

Whiff.

The lead samurai had missed. Badly. 

"What?" The samurai was looking down at the spot the man had been. We were all wondering the same thing.

How'd he dodge that?

The lead samurai looked up at the man. A cocky smile replaced his surprised one.

"I clearly missed," the lead samurai said, "let's see that happen again." The lead samurai swung and swung, but each time the man dodged. He swung everywhere, left, right, straight through and for the head. The samurai dodged them casually. Teito could see the frustration building up in samurai's face.

"Aargh!" The lead samurai swung down at the mans legs but the man jumped in the air. The samurai swung his sword unnaturally quickly into the man before he could land.

NO! Teito thought. The man, smiling now, brought out his sword and blocked it.

All in the air.

Teito landed on his butt.

How are they able to move this quickly? He thought.

The lead samurai backed up. His expression wasn't furious anymore. It seemed to focus entirely on the man.

"You can use enlightenment too huh?" The samurai asked with the faintest hint of fear.

The man, still smiling, lifted up his katana and pointed it at the lead samurai. He held onto the black hilt tightly.

"Are you willing to stake your life?" The man asked. The lead samurai put on a confused expression.

"Do you think I don't mean to kill you?" the lead samurai said as he tightened the grip on his katana.

"Don't mess with me!" The lead samurai said as he dashed superhumanly quickly at the man. Teito blinked and then he saw the man walk past the lead samurai.

"Surasshu Mu Kachi," the man said as he sheathed his sword.

The lead samurai looked back.

"Come back her-" Suddenly, a huge gash appeared across the lead samurai body and  blood erupted. The other samurai were screaming as the lead samurai dropped to the ground and stopped moving.

Teito couldn't breathe.

He-he killed him!

The man looked at the other samurai and unsheathed one of his swords.

"Are you ready to stake your lives?" The man asked, smiling again. The rest of the samurai quickly left the town. The man turned to Teito.

"Are you frustrated?" With a closer look, Keito could tell this was no man. Maybe a boy of sixteen or seventeen years? Teito swallowed. He didn't know what this boy would do, but he decided that ignoring him wasn't the best option.

"I-I.." the thing is, Teito was actually frustrated. He was frustrated at the samurai but also at himself.

"I don't want anyone else to mess with the village," Teito said as he looked up, clenching his fist. The swordsman studied him. He then smiled a soft smile.

"Hold that frustration, and reach enlightenment." Teito had a million questions. What was enlightenment? How can this swordsman move that fast? But one question was more pressing.

"How?" He turned to go, but looked back and grinned.

"I would help you, but I've got my own journey to continue." He fully turned around and started walking. He lifted a fist.

"Find your own answer, boy. But remember, hold what is close to you, before somebody else takes it." Teito looked at his parents and then got up. He smiled a big grin.

"Thank you! And I will!" Teito clenched his fist.

Never again.

A poster flew into Teito's face. He took it and read it slowly. It was a wanted poster and the bounty was considerably high. Teito dropped in shock. It was the swordsman's exact face.

It read "Junichi, The Demon."

Junichi

Junichi The Demon, huh? I thought, sighing. I didn't mind the epithet, but just because I killed some samurai doesn't mean I'm a demon. They were all willing to risk their lives. 

Or at least they said so.

Sighing once again, I kept the wanted poster with me as I searched for prey.

Human or beast. It didn't matter to me really. I was walking to the next village as I studied the terrain around me. It was bland and swampy, with ponds and a general greenish-brown colour of the ground. There were no people nor buildings but then again, it didn't surprise me. It was like this between villages.

Bloop.

I immediately drew most of my ki into my ear. I had to know where that sound was. I poured some ki into my eyes scanning the area, until I found a "kappa." It was swimming in the pond. It looked like the kappa Master had shown me in story books when I was younger. Except it was bigger and there were veins all over it. I smiled wickedly.

Prey!

I had to wait for it to attack. Some Reiju were nice. Others were bloodthirsty creatures.

Those are my favourite kind.

The kappa lowered it's head and shot out a stream of water at me. I dodged to the right side. It charged me while firing another stream of water from it's head.

At my current enlightenment, this'll be easy, I thought. I rushed in carelessly. The most fun battles are the ones where you can push your wills against each other, not dawdle and think. I pulled out my blades and went for a slash, but before it could land the kappa turned around and blocked my two blades. Then it jumped backwards, blasting me back. I crashed into a tree hard. I was breathing heavily, a big grin on my face.

Tough shell huh?

I tried standing up and immediately felt pain. I spread some ki through my body trying to find the cause of the pain. I found two broken ribs. I concentrated and healed them with my ki. I looked at the kappa who was rushing towards me. My ki was running low.

It's time to end this.

I charged up all my ki into my arms and swung like for the neck this time.

"Screee!" The kappa screeched.

"Shut up!" I said smiling wildly. The blades hit the kappa's neck and cut skin.

Not enough.

The kappa lifted up a fist.

Crap, I was too reckless!

The kappa lowered the fist rapidly towards my head.

Think, think, thin-

The fist came down. Time seemed to slow.

Ah, I thought I would go much farther. Sorry Master, I couldn't go any farther.

Right before the kappa smashed me, a katar stabbed through it's heart.

"ARGH!" It cried out in pain. Then it fell forward, towards me. I pulled my katana out its neck and jumped backwards. I looked forward to a girl, who was dressed in black armor with spikes that jutted out at the shoulders matched with dark long purple hair and dark purple lips. She was white seemed to be my age. She studied me with a frown.

"What are you waiting for?" She said moving her hair back, "your in the presence of Keito Meisei, of the Meisei family." I just stared.

"Bow," she said.

"No." There was deadly silence after that.

Keito

Who is this boy? I thought. Usually people bow immediately when they see me. Yet this boy continues to stand in my presence.

"You understand I can ruin your life?" I continued, "I am the daughter of a feudal lord, I ca-"

"Blah, blah, blah!" The man said with a defiant expression. Then he grinned.

"If you want to bow, make me." He lifted his katana. I studied him.

He clearly is in no condition to fight, I thought. He's giving off no ki energy, meaning he's going to be using his natural strength. I poured ki into my arms.

"Bow, or face the consequences." I threatened. I know this man can see my ki energy. Enlightened people can see other enlightened.

He got into a fighting pose and focused, retaining his same grin.

"Come." What a stupid answer. He will clearly lose this, and yet he continues to fight.

Interesting.

I rush at him pouring my ki into my legs, a grin spreading across my face. I get in close and aim for his heart.

Whirr.

The sound of metal moving through the air. I look to where the swing is coming from. Surprise spreads across my face for a split second, but I quickly block the katana swing. I thrust my other hand to stab him, but I see the glint of metal in my peripheral vision.

He's swinging the other sword! It's coming from the left this time. I ducked it, then hit him over the head with my katars. He staggered bit, then eventually fell down, unmoving. I studied him.

Did he track my movement without any ki? I thought. No, he swung before I moved. He predicted when I would make a move, then he swung again immediately when I blocked his first move. He predicted that entire altercation. His intuition and predictive ability is impressive. I smirked.

Perfect.

I carry him over my shoulder.

Junichi

Where am I?  I had woken up in a very comfortable bed. There was a red candle on the right and left to me, and I could see many…extravagances. There was a gold-painted kitsune on the wall to the right of me, while there was a gold-incrusted mirror on the left to me. The bed itself was gold-encrusted and I could see a gold-encrusted door in front of me, a small distance from the bed. I thought about running, but I banished that idea.

She probably has guards lining the house, I thought. Feudal lords always had some, at least all the ones I killed did.

None of those guards had even touched enlightenment.

That girl had reached enlightenment I thought, searching for my katana. Master had said it was rare and he was right. Few I had clashed with had reached it, and usually, they had just stepped on the plane.

This girl though…

Pat-pat.

Footsteps! I thought, panic spreading through me. I searched desperately for my katana but couldn’t find them.

Pat-pat. The sound got closer. I got off the bed and scanned the room for any weapon I could remotely use.

Pat-pat. They were right outside the door and I waited quietly for them to open it. As soon as I heard the door move I threw a candle at the person and then dashed in for a punch. I heard a crunch and before I could land a punch they had thrown the candle remains in my eyes. I threw a punch but missed as the person got behind me and pulled on my arms.

“Ow!” I said as I dropped to my knees. That was a ki-enhanced hold.

“Keito?” I said, curious. 

“Oh, so you know who it is?” She replied. I could basically feel the smirk. She increased the force of her pull.

“Would you like to lose an arm?” her tone suddenly dangerous. A trickle of sweat ran down my face.

Would she really? I thought. I won’t take any chances.

“..No,” I replied.

“Then next time, don’t attack people randomly,” she replied, a hint of annoyance in her voice. A spark of annoyance hit me.

Like she’s one to talk, I thought. She loosened her grip.

“I am going to release you from this hold. Don’t attack. It’s pointless anyway.” She released me right after saying that and I got up quickly to take a look at her. She was wearing a white bathrobe and she had ditched the purplish-black makeup. Her hair seemed to be naturally black. She put her hands on her hips and frowned.

“If I wanted to kill you, you would have been already dead,” she said, “so don’t ask why you’re still alive. I have a proposal for you.” I stiffened.

A proposal? I thought. I don’t like the sound of that. I was going to ask what for but the question died on my lips at a glance from her.

Don’t think that’s the best option, I thought. I followed her out of the room into a small, narrow hallway that had many paintings.

I was too curious to care.

What is this proposal? I thought. Is she bluffing? She was talking about how she could punish me and instead of listening I attacked her. I wasn’t afraid. That was one of the first lessons Master taught me. By letting fear control me, I would be giving power to the problem. And I’m certainly not afraid of this girl. We went to the second level of the structure and this was where the sitting room was. There was two white coloured sofas across from each other. I scanned the room.

“Why no guards?” I said.

“No need,” she said while not looking back, “I do have guards just not here.” I took offense to that statement. She beats me up at my weakest and decides she’s enough to take me on alone? I cannot wait until I recharge my ki.

I just need time and a place to meditate and charge the natural ki, but she won’t let me, I thought sitting down on one of the two sofas. She sit down on the other one, crossing her legs.

“First, what is your name?” She said, with a calm expression.

“Junichi,” I said returning her calm expression.

“Oh, so your Junichi “The Demon ?” I nodded my head.

“Interesting. But, could you state your full name?” I stiffened for a moment. I hadn’t told anyone my full name in a while. Master had named me anyway. It wasn’t one given by my useless parents.

“...Junichi!” Keito said, snapping me back to the conversation. She cleared her voice.

“Can you please state you full name?” She said.

“Junichi..Kankei Kachi,” I said with some hesistation. She smiled. That made me uncomfortable. She leaned forward and clasped her hands.

“I’ll get straight to the point,  join me.” I waited a moment.

“Can you elaborate?” I said, expectant.

“I want to become a daimyo,” she said. I wasn’t suprised or enticed. Just confused.

“Aren’t all feudal lords daimyo?” I asked. 

“Yes,” she replied, “but not the best kind.” She seemed to scan my face for understanding. When she found none she continued.

“There are four special daimyo. These are the ones closest to the emperor, and they have the strongest warrior bands, including themselves. We call these daimyo the  “Heavenly Daimyo.”

So she wants to become one of those four. Not that surprising.

“Is that all?” I asked unsurprised. Many daimyo reached for more power. If she thought that I would help her become a daimyo just because she aske-

“I want to kill the emperor, and then take his place.” I choked on spit.

“What?” I blurted out.

“You heard me. I’m going to kill that man and take his place.” A grin spread on my face.

Well she’s ambitious, I thought.

“Why?” I replied. I remember master's words, a person's life is very precious. Once you swing that sword, that strike to take a life must be right and true.

“He killed my parents. In cold blood. Apparently, they had an aritifact he had wanted and when they refused to give it to him, he ordered assasins to kill them.” I felt something bubbling up inside me. It was destructive and venomous. I could only describe it as bloody anger.

Over something that petty? That insignificant? I thought. I calmed myself down. She could be lying, I mean why tell me all this personal info anyway?

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked. She relaxed her elbows on the sofa.

“I really want you on my side. Also, you don’t seem to be doing much.” She was right on that part. All I’ve been doing is wandering, defeating opponents and spirit beasts, taking their ki. I’ve been aimless, but that’s how I like it. I wanted to be like Master. But this proposal is something different. A new goal. With the strongest enemies to date. I don’t think I can trust this girl, but I have no care for the emperor, and I really want to see what these Heavenly Daimyo are made of. I reached out my hand. She clasped it.

“Welcome to have you on board. I’m Keito Meisei, female and age seventeen.” I felt obliged to reply.

“Junichi Kachi, male, age seventeen.”

I had forgotten to ask a simple question.

How did she plan on being emperor? I thought. It was a tall task to say the least. I mulled on this thought while eating breakfast. I had seen the compound area and I had to say it was nice. It had many houses and one big house surrounding this beautiful stream with a bridge, with a gate at the front of the compound. Keito had shown me the area to make sure I knew it in case something happened.

That girl..is so careful, I thought.

What am I going to do? Plant a trap? I thought. I could, but I'm not one for that. No fun if I can't battle blade on blade.

"Junichi," Keito said walking into the kitchen. I turned around wearing a fake irritated expression. She returned it.

"Finish your food later, I need to brief you on some plans," she said, shooing away my food. I reluctantly left my food to join her. We walked around the compound while talking. Explaining her parents' kindness and greatness. I got bored, but I listened not to be disrespectful. So I let her ramble on, responding with simple answers like "yes", "no" and "I can't believe they fought a dragon."

Wait.

"A dragon?" I asked snapping back to the conversation. "They exist?" Keito stopped in her tracks. Her face was filled with surprise.

"You didn't know dragons existed?" I shook my head slowly.

"Well," she said, continuing walking again, "there are a lot of Reiju you don't know about." I didn't join her walk. 

What else might be out there? I thought. I had always assumed that other spirit beasts might be out there, but dragons? This is just getting better and better.

"You coming?" Keito asked, looking back at me expectantly. I got back to walking beside her. 

".....the real reason I wanted to walk with you, is to inform you of the upcoming adversary." At the word adversary I started paying much more attention.

Prey, I thought. I started shaking.

"Are they strong? Where are they? When do we fig-"

"Calm down," she said calmly. She looked to my hands and seemed to notice me shaking.

"Are you scared? Do you fear for your life?" I focused on her and smiled.

"Fear? Never. They are simply stronger prey. I shake not from fear but excitement." She smiled back.

"Perfect. Now unto the plans."

Keito

"So..where is the opponent?" Junichi said walking beside me. I looked back at him, annoyed. He was wearing a white kimono with a small space open in the middle of his chest, matched with a knee-length hakama. He had ditched his straw hat, and instead tied his hair.. I offered him better clothes and a disguise, since he was known and had a bounty on his head. He had stated he had "no need" for it and that "he would fight anyone willing to claim it."  So annoying, I thought. We don't need random detours and fights. We need to stay focused yet he invites danger. If he wasn't so valuable…

"Keito," Junichi said, snapping me back to the conversation. I looked sharply at him.

"When did we get on a first name basis? Show some respect, your talking to a feudal lor-"

"This again?" He said, sounding unintrested.

"I don't really care what I call you," he said looking around the town, "I just keep forgetting." I closed my eyes and let out a breath.

"Have you no respect?" I said, anger crawling into my voice. He kept his nonchalant attitude.

"Of course I do, I just reserve it for certain things." I studied him and then kept walking.

He has no respect for status, I thought, then what does he respect? We continued walking down the streets of Hajimari. I remembered reading in a book, that a legendary warrior had begun his journey in this town and I believed it. I really did like this town, the big gate at the beginning, the marketplace filled with different lights and even the houses behind the market. All of it. I looked beside me and found Junichi staring at me.

"...what?" I said slowly. He took a moment to answer.

"Why are you wearing a kimono bespeckled with diamonds?" I looked down at my dress. I was wearing one of my favourite sashes, light purple in color, with the rest of my dress being black.

"I added those diamonds as a sign of status and riches." He scoffed. I focused on him.

"You don't respect status or riches?" I said, "Then what do you respect?" He looked to me, a surprisingly serious expression.

"I respect people with values, strong relationships and merit." He looked me up and down.

"I do not respect things of no value." You see all this? It means nothing. You are what matters to me, I remembered my mom saying.

"...good luck in this world," I said, coldly walking along. He didn't say anything. After a while I said, "We are here to show you the daimyo we are to fight." He looked to me excited but contained. He unsheathed part of one of his sword.

“We fighting?” Their was a gleam in his eyes when he said that. 

“No,” I said calmly. “The plan is to beat the daimyo and take their men and their territory, adding to your status.”

“Climbing up to the Heavenly Ones in the process,” he said, finishing my thought.  I looked at him and smiled.

“We aim to travel to the smaller daimyo's towns first." Junichi put his finger to his chin.

"Why walk in the town then?" He said. "Shouldn't we be heading to that town?"

"Because," I said stopping in front of a big bar, "the ones we are to target next, are here." I said walking in, Junichi following. 

"We need to scout the enemy's level," I said looking around for them at the bar, "I want to see their level compared to my squad."

My spies said they would be in this bar, but maybe they were-

"Hahaha!" A voice shouted, breaking my train of thought. I looked in the direction of the voice and found a drunken man.

"You challenge me to an arm wrestle eh?" The man said pulling up his sleeve. He was a round man, with a mustache, and he was bald. He wasn't a young man, but not elderly either. He had a large, plump stomach.

Middle age then. Exactly how my spies and scouts described him, I thought.

"Where is he?" Junichi said, with enthusiasm. I could tell he was on the brink of excitement, but he wanted to gauge the daimyo's level first. I smirked. I was curious too. I walked up to the man.

"Biru Yoppa, right?" He looked up from his arm wrestling.

"And *burp* Who are you supposed to be?" I extended my right arm.

"Keito Meisei and this right here," I said pointing to Junichi, "is my commander of some sorts. I heard you were in town for a drink?" He gave out a great laugh.

"My castle," he began, "is only around a few markets, and they don't sell sake this good."

"Of course. This town is know-" Junichi walked up to Biru Yoppa, looking down on him.

"Are you a daimyo?" Biru Yoppa's smile turned into a frown for a second.

"And if *burp* say yess?" Junichi had a hand on his sword, slowly unsheathing it. Junichi smiled with all teeth showing. I could feel his ki rising. I put my hand to my forehead.

I need to diffuse this situation, I thought. Junichi lifted up his sword.

"Are you read-"

"Junichi!" I called, breaking up his sentence. I walked up to him and lowered his sword.

"Sorry for that, Sir Biru." I gave Junichi a glance then looked back to Biru.

"He can get…rowdy." I glared at Junichi. He seemed to get the message as he sheathed his sword and turned off his ki. Biru Yoppa let out a laugh, and then chugged more sake.

"It's okay! It's okay!" Biru said. His expression suddenly turned serious, with the same smile.

"I've come to challenge you to a match anyway." Biru then stood up, who seemed to be eight feet, loomed over us. My expression turned serious too.

"..why attack us?"

"You know why," Biru stated, "don't act as if you don't." He flexed his ki and a single strand of sweat ran down my face.

He's stron- Before I could finish my thought Junichi had already brought out both katanas and had clashed with Biru's hammer. It was an otsuchi with a black and white colour, standing eight feet tall and large. Biru himself was wearing a dark blue kimono.

"I recognize you now," Biru said, seemingly sober now.

"Your Junichi "The Demon."  They stepped back from each other, weapons still out.

"I intend to beat you," Biru continued, "and climb up to Heavenly Daimyo." Junichi had kept his smiling expression all this time as if it was all a game to him. Some of the people at the bar revealed their weapons.

Biru's warriors, I thought. Biru got into a relaxed position. He was smiling at Junichi.

"You've got some heart kid and I respect that, but I'm not here to fight today." Biru turned to me.

"I will announce it one of these days," he said. He told his soldiers to relax as he went back to drinking. I and Junichi left the bar in silence.

Junichi

I woke up early, in one of the small living houses on the Meisei family compound. The house was a fairly small place, with one floor but I liked it. After eating breakfast, I left in the morning and found Keito meditating near her house. She opened her eyes as she saw me walk up.

"Do you have any idea who we are up against?" I yawned and rubbed my belly.

"That Biru guy right?" I said sitting beside her.

"Biru Yoppa, The Drunken Rogue," she said.

"He's known for his horrible taxes on his town people, which he uses to fund his parties."

"Why would he need that much money for parties?" I replied.

"He has to give a piece of his taxes to the emperor. Therefore, he needs more tax money to both give to the emperor and….are you listening?" I was already meditating after she had said: "he."

"Of course," I lied. She seemed to notice the lie and go back to meditation. I focused on my ki and how it travelled throughout my body. I guided it, into my core like a stream.

Keep it flowing, I remember my master saying. I built up my core's energy bit by bit expanding it, an-

"You felt his ki right?" Keito said, breaking my cycle and my concentration. I frowned and opened my eyes

"So?” Keito put her hand to her head in frustration.

“Biru Yoppa has been rising to Heavenly Daimyo and he currently has thirty capable fighters under him. We have twenty.”

“Ooooh, the horror!” I replied.

“You’ve seen how strong Biru himself is, where is your cautio-”

“I don’t have any caution,” I said lying down, “caution is boring. I don’t have some boring goal like yours. All I want to do is test myself against strong opponents and get stronger.” Keito chuckled a bit and then started laughing harder.

“Being emperor of all of Otskuni? Of an entire country and you find that boring?” I found myself smiling a little bit.

First time I’d heard her laugh like that.

“Tell me,” she said, grin still on her lips. “Why do you find being a king boring?” I put my arms behind my head.

“I’m a free spirit, I don’t want that responsibility,” I said closing my eyes, “I’m just trying to do my own thing.” Keito studied me for a moment and then lay down. We were both looking at the bright sun.

“.....how I wish it could be that simple,” Keito whispered. I had the urge to ask why but I had a feeling she wouldn't answer. The mood mellowed out, and I got bored. I pulled out my katanas, stood up and started swinging.

"What are you doing?" Keito said. I swung one of my swords at Keito, the tip pointing at her.

"Fight me." She revealed her kantars and jabbed at me. I raised my sword and blocked.

"Fine, but try to win this time."

"That time doesn't count," I said getting into a fighting position.

Seni

"Why wait Biru?" I looked up at Seni.

"You are stronger than them. You could've fought them right now and won." I took a swig of my sake.

This bar's sake is so dull. The one in that girl's town was so good.

Seni sighed.

"Biru, I'm your most trusted man. We've fought in wars together. Attack them now." I took a swig of my sake.

"Seni, what do you think life is for?" Seni put a hand on his head.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Enjoyment." I let out a burp and grinned.

"What fun would it be to crush them now? Let it be a fight, a struggle. Life is about the fun to be had and you know, I'd do anything for it." Seni studied me and sat down. He ordered a bottle of sake and took a swig. He smiled softly.

"Of course I know, you old bastard."

Keito

Junichi swung his two swords at the side of my head but I ducked them. Another swing from the left came right after but I was already at his face by then, katar bared. I glanced at the blades at my face. He sighed.

"Tie again?" I said. We had been going for hours sharpening our battle skills and instincts. Whenever it was a stalemate we took a break to meditate and gain more ki. I sat down and got into position.

"Man you make sparring so boring!" Junichi said, sitting down beside me.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You never clash earnestly, always evading. Just like Master.."

"Your Master is a smart person." He raised his eyebrow at me. I raised one finger into the air.

"My goal of the battle is to win. I enjoy sure, but I also enjoy not getting hurt." He crossed his arms. I took a long look at him.

"You and that Biru guy would be friends. You love to have fun, even at the cost of your safety." He put his finger on his chin.

"Maybe." We let that thought hang in the air as we continued meditating.

Junichi

I was sporting my usual white kimono, but with a less baggy hakama and hair in a ponytail. I had woken up and was meditating. It had been three days since we had started training for the fight. I had grown to learn a decent bit about Keito Meisei.

Perceptive, smart, strong, cautious, I thought. The most glaring thing was her distrust. I had noticed spies had been ordered to periodically watch me, which I found to be odd. If I wanted to truly leave, I would've and if she worries that much, she could just let me leave, but I guess it makes sense. I am just a stranger to her and a deadly one at that.

"Junichi?" I looked up to find Keito in a purple and black battle gown.

"He's made the announcement," Keito said, determination written all over her face. I grinned, and stood up.

"Let's go!"

We walked up to them purposefully without rushing. I saw Biru in black armor with many designs throughout it. He had a dragon-face helmet, revealing his grinning face. He matched this with a black dragon design running through his armor with gold lines stopping and starting randomly through it. He took his otsuchi lifted it up and then slammed it down.

"Ready?" Biru called. I looked around at the terrain. It was the barren space between the towns. It was patchy with grass and contained small ponds here and there.

I wonder if there are any kappa here, I thought. I wanted to at least spot one, since spirit beasts don't usually go to places with large packs of humans. I looked at their fighters and compared them to ours.

Their ki is around the same level.

Their equipment was much like ours too. Some sported armor but it was never full like Biru while others simply sported garments. Their weapons were varied, which excited me. I loved the challenge. I spotted Keito walk slightly ahead of our group and get her katars ready.

"Of course," she replied. The two groups suddenly rushed at each other. One of the men with a metal spear swung at me. I ducked and moved past him. A confused expression passed his face.

I've got far bigger fish to fry, I thought. I locked eyes with Biru as he got his hammer ready. I gripped my two swords as hard as I could and jumped into the air. Biru brought his hammer to the side for a swing. I then swung down as hard as I could. 

"Āsusuraisu!" I shouted. Our weapons clashed and the sound reverberated through the air. I landed in front of him and then got up slowly, giving him a grin he returned.

"Get ready kid," Biru said, "this fight won't be easy." I lifted both my swords at him.

"That's the point," I replied. He looked surprised for a second, then let out a big laugh.

"You're like me kid. You would do anything, even risk your life for some fun." He reached his hand in front of him.

"Come join my men and we shall have the greatest fun this land has ever seen!" I looked at his hand then put my hand on my chin.

"Naw." He looked puzzled. I shrugged.

"I don't believe overtaxing your citizens is much fun", I replied.

He grinned as he got into a battle position.

"Suit yourself. That mindset of your kid, is going to get you into a lot of trouble. This world isn't one for caring about strangers' problems."

He swung hard and surprisingly quick. I had no time to dodge.

Shit!

I lifted up my two swords to block and then spread most of my ki into my blocking muscles. 

I'll just tank thi-

Suddenly, my feet left the ground and I flew into a tree nearby. 

Wh-what was that? The force, I thought. I looked to my hands and they were shaking. I immediately started healing some of my I injuries, but not fully.

Don't want to use all of it.

I saw Biru rush up and prepare for another swing, but I rushed in before the swing. I spread some ki to my slashing muscles and went for a quick slash.

No damage.

I ducked under the hammer swing and backed off, but Biru pursued and was swinging faster and faster.

His armor, how did it withstand my attack? My sword slashes can break armor, so how? A hammer swing came in and I barely dodged.

"Will you continue to run? I assumed you loved to clash blades but I guess you were lying, coward," Biru said, smiling. I stopped in my tracks.

Coward? Me?

When did I start running?

I spread most of my ki into my swords and he did the same with his hammer. I ran at him with a determined expression and no smile. Our weapons clashed and big wave of air spread from the clash.

This is what a battle is about! Clashing! Fighting! Winnin-

I heard some of my arms' bones breaking, as I was blown back through some trees and into a pond. I felt my consciousness fading as I fell further into the pond.

I lost, I thought as I looked at the sky. I tried to leave the pond but my strength was gone. I kept falling further into the pond.

..am I going to die?

Keito

I kicked a spear user in the head, knocking him out. I looked for Junichi.

How was his fight going?

All I saw was Biru approaching the group fight.

This is bad, very bad.

We had gotten the number of fighters to be even, knocking out more of them then us. But now that Biru was joining, that number was going to tilt in their favor.

Unless someone stopped him.

I dashed to him aiming to quickly stab him. I dodged his hammer swing then stabbed him. I was expecting my katars to tear the armor apart but it bounced off it.

Huh?

I immediately backed off.

How is his armor that tough? What material is that? The only way to strengthen things is to use ki but that only applies to people….right?

"You seem to have figured it out, unlike that idiot Junichi," Biru said, hammer over his shoulder and chuckling.

"All it took was a bit of taunting and I got him to clash with me. He's either knocked out, dead or ran away." I was silent.

"No response? Are you overcome with grief or you just don't care? I wonder." I laughed out loud which seemed to catch Biru off guard.

"What's so funny?" Biru asked.

"Do you truly believe that Junichi has been defeated? He will defeat you." Biru suddenly attacked and swung his hammer.

"And what makes you think that?" Biru replied.

We aren't ready, I remember saying.

Why not? Junichi had replied.

Biru is an experienced fighter and is further down enlightenment than us.

Not by much, Junichi had replied. I was lying down looking at the sky.

My dream, it feels unattainable, especially against such a big opponent. I find it hard to believe and trust in my ability. Junichi had put his finger on his chin and then he squatted down beside me.

Then Keito, believe and trust in me, I will beat that guy down.

Biru was getting closer and closer to hitting me.

He can go faster? I thought.

"How can you believe a weakling like that? He couldn't even dent my armor. He's done." Biru said.

He was right. I had no reason to believe in Junichi but I did. Since my parents left this world, I had found it hard to put my trust in people. But just for this time, just this once…

"Shut up," I replied. Biru stopped swinging.

"Junichi will come back and together we will beat you." Biru paused then started laughing.

"Try it."

Junichi

I remembered master's voice.

Junichi, stop rushing in. One day, that won't work. You have to study your opponent and be cautious. And please don't fall to taunts.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I looked around me dazed and saw dark water.

Why aren't I dead yet?

Oh, I'm holding my breath. Didn't even notice.

..who was I fighting again? Biro? Biri? Bi..Biru Yoppa. Yeah. He's very strong I heard. I wonder why I was fighting him…I thought I was just a wandering ronin. No friends, no family. So why was I fighting him? Because I wanted to have fun? Yeah but there's another reason. What was it? The sky kept getting farther away. A memory of my master popped in my head.

Junichi, remember, keep your word.

Why sensei? I remember his expression as he looked up to the sky thoughtfully.

Values guide our lives, he had said.

I want you to decide your own but if you are my student, please take on some of my teachings. Once you give your word, no matter how it takes, do it. For your honor but also for the friends you'll make.

Why that memory? Did I promise someone something. Well I failed, too bad for them…

I want to run this country better than that trashbag.

Who had said that? Kei..Keito. Yeah.

I dream of a secure and fair Otskuni. I remember the sparkle in her eyes. Yeah, she had said this when we were training. But…what had I promised her?

Believe in me and trust me, I will beat that guy.

My eyes opened fully suddenly.

Yeah I remember I made a promise.

And I plan on keeping it.

Keito

"Where's your hero? Your saviour?" Biru taunted. I was running low on gas, as my ki was low too. I didn't feel scared or nervous. Junichi will come and together we will win. Biru came in for another swing and I barely escaped this one.

"Attack you pest! Stop running!" I studied his armor and hammer.

He moves his ki around his armor and weapons. Like a…veil or coat. But he also leaves himself open as his body is vulnerable.

Biru swung dashed in and swung. I jumped up but then his speed shot up.

Shi-

He got me from the side but instead of flying away, I dropped from the air stunned.

C-can't breathe.

I tried and tried but couldn't get anything in. I saw Biru walk up and lift up his hammer.

"Die." He swung down and time seemed to slow.

Well, this is how it ends huh? Father, mother, I wish I could've avenged you but I've failed.

The hammer got closer and closer.

This is what I get for believing in people. He's probably gone and deserted the fight.

I closed my eyes.

This is my fate. He was simply stronger.

As I thought this, there was a voice in the back of my head. A tiny one.

Not like this.

Huh?

NOT LIKE THIS!

I pooled my ki in a desperate attempt to block.

One second the hammer was right in front of my face, the other second I was looking into someone's eyes. His clothes were soaked but he was grinning.

"..Junichi?" I said.

"Of course. Who else did you expect?" I was starting to stabilize.

Biru looked at Junichi in surprise.

"Still alive huh?" Biru said, lifting up his hammer. He seemed to be waiting for us.

"Before I send you two to your graves, please, give me your best." Junichi gave him a glance then looked back at me.

"I thought..you were dead or that you had abandoned me," I said. Junichi stood up, determination all over his face.

"I made a promise, and I keep those," he replied. I got up slowly. I could tell he was low on ki and his injuries were easy to tell.

"I lied a bit," he said, smile still on. I looked to him.

"I won't defeat him, we will," Junichi said. I let out a laugh. I got my katars ready as he drew his two swords.

"Ready?" He asked.

I'm glad I believed in you.

"As I'll ever be." At that, we rushed at Biru.

Biru

These impetunt fools. If they knew the real world, they would have done away with relationships. If they truly knew what power and fear the people at the top control, they would have given up on kindness and trust. I got angrier and angrier.

"Who do you think you are? Have you ever encountered the Heavenly Daimyo? Do you understand the wall your about to run int-"

"Shut up!" Keito called out.

"We don't wanna hear it!" Junichi said as he got in close. I scoffed as I swung my hammer at Junichi.

I'll take this one out first.

He dodged as predicted.

"Stop dodging kid! You scared? Attack me!" He seemed to start going in but that's when I noticed Keito getting close.

Whatever. None of them can pierce my 

armor.

All I have to do is swing an-

Keito took a strike at where my heart is, and pierced my armor. The katar's tip had gone all the way to my skin and had drawn blood. I looked down in surprise as Keito jumped back.

She figured out how to coat her katars?

I looked at them. Their eyes devoid of the fear and the reality.

..these brats..injured me? Biru Yoppa? Impossible!!

I put my ki into overdrive using it up continuously and having it run out faster in exchange for a boost of power. A technique of great power used on some brats.

"I will show you the difference in our abilities, you pests!" I rushed at Keito with blinding speed and swung at her but Junichi predicted it and put up his swords for a block.

"I'm going to blow you away brat!" I screamed, bloodlust leaking out of my voice. My hammer and his sword clashed. To my surprise, he didn't blow away immediately, giving Keito a chance to strike me in the same place as before, making the cut deeper. Junichi flew backwards but not as far as I predicted. He didn't even go to the ground. Keito backed up, as Junichi got ready to attack again. 

Why isn't that boy dead?

I focused on his sword and saw it.

He figured out how to coat his sword? How?

"We told you," Junichi said, breaking me out of my thoughts 

"We will beat you!" Keito called out. I felt not anger nor fear. But..another feeling. Thrpugh sheer tenacity they had sustained wave from wave from me, survived from the brink of death and grown in ability in this fight. I let out a big laugh which seemed to surprise them.

"I commend you tenacity but we are entering the final bout!" I said smile on my face, as I lifted my hammer in front of me.

"Come! Fight against reality and win!" They looked at each other as smiles grew on their faces.

"Of course!" They said in unison.

Junichi

While we put on a brave face, we were running dangerously low on ki while Biru's seemed to have grown in power even though he was depleting quickly. I looked at Keito and she gave me a determined nod. We rushed at Biru for one final encounter. He started to use his hammer in a piercing motion, allowing for faster movement. We blocked some as we moved out of the way, but we couldn't get in close. Keito glanced at me giving me a look. The look said, "I'm up to something." Suddenly she runs towards the hammer getting hit straight on.

"Kei-" but then I understood her plan as she grabbed onto it. I focused on Biru immediately. He pulled back his hammer as Keito grabbed onto it. I rushed towards Biru charging all my ki into one arm for one last piercing attack.

Keito

I'm glad Junichi understood my plan but if I don't know if I can still take any hits.

I held onto the hammer as Biru pulled it in, I jumped at him putting the rest of my ki into my right arm and katar, as I stabbed Biru, drawing up more blood but not reaching the heart.

"Is this all your ambition was worth, Keito Mesei?!” Biru used one hand curled up into a fist and punched my back, knocking me out cold. As I lost consciousness, a single sentence floated into my mind.

Go Junichi.

Junichi

Keito went down just as I got within piercing range. Biru tried to quickly swing his hammer but it was too late. I gave a quick glance to Keito on the ground as I strengthened my resolve.

"Junichi Kachi doesn't go back on his word!!" I shouted as I pierced the place Keito had previously.

"AHHHHHHH!!" I shouted as I pushed my katana further in, piercing his heart. 

Biru

I had never imagined I'd lose.

I felt the katana through my heart as I looked at the man who had put it there. Bloodied broken and beaten, yet still with that determined look in his eyes. I staggered and then he pulled the katana out of my heart. I fell to the ground as I looked at the sky.

I tried to close my heart with the ki I had left, but I couldn't stop bleeding, only slow it. I am only prolonging the inevitable.

Junichi fell to his knees, and I could tell he was exhausted. No ki left, with his body messed up.

I wonder how that kid can still stand?

And then I saw him look at Keito. I chuckled a bit to myself.

I've always known why.

I heard footsteps as I saw Seni protect my body. He was in bad shape. I could tell he had a few broken bones, some blood wounds and was running low on ki. It didn't matter as Junichi had no energy to fight and was about to pass out. Still, Junichi shakily raised his katana. He said no words, no taunts but kept his determined face. I looked at Seni.

"...why did you come for me Seni?" Seni didn't look at me.

"Why do you think you're a fool?" He looked back to me and smiled.

"We're friends," Seni said. At that moment I remembered Seni and fighting in wars together. Drinking together. Playing shogi. The times I had saved him and vice versa. I smiled.

"You old fool," I said smiling. Seni was getting ready to attack as I said, "stand down." He looked back at me like I was crazy.

"What?" Seni said. "They're right there and one can't move while the other can barely move. This is our chance to achieve your dream." I coughed up some blood and Seni immediately knelt down beside me.

"I..don't have much time left, old friend," I said weakly.

"Please don't attack those kids."

"Bu-but Biru! We can achieve your dream!"

"I know but it wasn't our dream." Seni went silent and his head drooped. A moment went by.

"Seni." 

"Yeah Biru?"

“Thank you.”

"For what?"

"For being the friend of a bastard like me."

"Always."

"..."

"Biru?" 

"..Biru?" Seni went silent as he stood and enhanced his voice with ki to reach all the remaining fighters.

"Everyone! This fight is over! Keito's band has won!" He announced. Biru's band were confused until they rushed over to Biru. Most openly cried, while some tried to be strong and hold it in. Seni glanced at Junichi. What he saw there wasn't an expression of superiority nor one of hate. It was one of sadness and sympathy, for the one who had pushed him to his very limits.

Junichi

I woke up slowly looking around. I looked at my body and saw that I had been bandaged up. It seems I was in one of the one-story wooden houses on the Meisei compound.

Guess this one is used for recovery.

I tried getting up and moving but pain immediately flared up everywhere.

Ouch! Where's the doctor?

I laid on my bed again and looked up at the wooden ceiling.

Biru…

He was a bad guy for sure. I had heard about the extra unfair taxing of his people to fund his parties. Yet his party could cry and weep for him…

The door opened and the doctor came in. She went and sat down on a chair beside my big bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, with a piece of paper out.

I guess she's writing down my condition.

"I can get up but not without much pain so I suspect my injuries are healing but still severe," I said to her. She scribbled down some things, then she looked up at me.

"Any other problems?"

"No," I replied. She quickly got up to go and started walking out.

"Wait!" I said. She looked back at me in confusion.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah! Is…" I swallowed, "is Keito alright?"

Her expression turned worried immediately.

"Young Master is…in critical condition. She hasn't woken up since Seni's and her band came back." My heart dropped immediately but I forced myself to be strong.

You idiot! Keito wouldn't die from this!

A question floated into my mind.

Wait, so what if Keito dies?

She's basically a stranger to me but for some reason, I don't want her to die. She feels like someone I can lean on weirdly enough. Something my master had told me floated into my mind.

Keito, you'll eventually find friends that you'll care for. Cherish them.

I gritted my teeth and put on a determined expression. I got up quickly as the pain flared but I didn't care. I got onto my feet and I was breathing heavily with sweat running down my head. I put my hands on my knees and then looked at the doctor dead in the eye.

"Where. Is. Keito?" I forced out.

"You need more rest," the doctor replied with a worried expression. I stood as straight as I could as I slowly walked past her. She put a hand in front of me.

"As your doctor, I have a responsibility to make sure your okay. You need to rest." I studied her for a moment.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm okay." I walked past her as she stood there.

Keito

Where am I?

I had woken up in my usual bedroom but something immediately felt off. I felt…different. I got off my bed but my feet were dangling off my bed.

That's…strange.

I took a look at my hand and gawked.

Why's it so small?

I ran into a mirror in my room and looked at my reflection.

Why am I younger?

I couldn't tell exactly how much younger I was, all I know was that the change was significant.

"Keito Honey! Come and eat breakfast!" A familiar voice called. My whole body stilled and I couldn't think. I started breathing heavily as before I could think, I dashed towards the door.

"Mom!" I ran as fast as I could but the door seemed to get farther and farther.

"Dad!" I ran faster and faster when I noticed blood trickling from the door and my bedroom had become bigger with white walls and ceilings. I didn't care. I couldn't care. Beyond that wall was everything I had ever wanted. 

I finally caught up to the door and then I opened it.

"Mom, da-" my voice had died in my throat. There were two corpses at my feet and they looked awfully familiar. I slowly knelt down beside the bodies to inspect them.

No…

I wanted to look away, scream and cry at the same time but I couldn't. It was just like before.

Mom and Dad dead at my feet. Tears streamed down my face as I slumped down.

No, no, not again

My vision started to blur, as all I could focus on was the corpses.

I'm all alone. They've left me again.

I remember now. This is when I found out, this world is cruel.

 I don't need them…I don't need anyone.

All I need….is myself….

I felt two arms around me hug me gently, but firm. I wanted to move the embrace, but I couldn't. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted someone by my side.

"...don't leave me too…" I said.

"I won't." It was a man's voice and I instinctively knew who he was.

Junichi.

Junichi

"Her body seems to have stabilized properly," the doctor said, "your presence seemed to have changed something." 

I focused on Keito's body as I took a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness.

The doctor left the room and I stretched my body out.

I need some sleep.

I had stayed by her side overnight, just to make sure she woke up, and even if doc said she was fine, I want to be here to make sure.

I stood up and walked around the room she was in, which was fairly simple. It was small with one door and no decorations. The doctor had laid her on a big bed and had fixed her injuries. I went to the one window in the room and watched the sun come up.

Night into day…

"....how long were you here?" I immediately looked back at Keito, who had opened her eyes and was grinning. I grinned back at her.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied as I sat down beside her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. She didn't reply for a moment, then she looked at me.

"..warm," she said.

"That's good," I replied, yawning and stretching.

"This might be too soon," I said, "but who are we fighting next?" Silence filled the room as she didn't respond nor look at me. She was looking straight up at the ceiling.

"What do you want, Junichi?" Keito asked, still focused on the ceiling.

"To fight," I said immediately and without much thought. Her eyes then floated over to me.

"Why?" I frowned at her.

"Because it's fun." Her eyes were fixed on me, and I knew what answer she was expecting. I threw my hands in the air.

"And so you can become the emperor." Keito shuffled out her bed so she could sit on it facing me.

"Come here," she said as she held out her hand. She then stood up to me with her hand still held out. 

"Together, we'll change this nation," she said. I sighed.

"Didn't know you were one to state the obvious," I said as I clasped her hand.

Damn this kid!

I rushed him with my sword for one of my quickest strikes and he easily dodged it.

He hadn't attacked me yet.

I smelt the sweat and blood in the air as my strike missed again. I was tired.

Dead tired.

I knew that they would come for me, the Keito band. They've been expanding their territory for the last six months. I looked around as my men fell one by one.

“Oi” I looked at him. The Demon they call him. “Who do you think you’re looking away from?” When I heard they were growing their influence, I had ignored it. I thought they would eventually get crushed. But they just kept growing and growing. I was confused how but now I know. I grinded my teeth in desperation. It’s all because of this man! “You're not going to attack?” he said as he got his two katana ready. I looked up to the ceiling. Everything I’ve built. Destroyed at the hands of him. No, I refuse. Not to him. I took my sword and flooded it with all the ki I have.

“Di-” I felt a prickle as I looked down at the tip of the sword pointed at my heart.

“H-how?” I said.

“How? Hmmm. That’s a good question.” He sheathed his sword back.

“The answer’s simple though. I was stronger.” I knelt down as I took in my defeat. I would remember his name.

Junichi Kachi. The Demon.

Junichi

“Oi Keito!” I said walking into the palace. Well, that's what we called it these days. Apparently, to show power and authority and to strike fear into our enemies. I told Keito the idea was stupid. If she wanted to strike fear into enemies, she could just fight them. Oh Keito, I thought. Always making things more difficult. I walked into the meeting room at the top, a new part of the building constructed a few months ago. I looked around and found Keito talking to her top fighters and tacticians. I walked towards Keito ignoring the looks they gave me. Keito spotted me and frowned.

"Here to interrupt another meeting?" She said.

"Am I that obvious?" I said, grinning. She sighed and dismissed her commanders and then sat down in a chair, clearly exhausted. She closed her eyes.

"Did you win? Did he yield?" She asked. I looked at the plans and maps they had laid out.

"What do you think?" I said. She rolled her eyes.

"That means yes, in Junichi language." I winked at her. She stared at me wordlessly.

"You really need to loosen up," I said. I put my hand on chin.

"You know what we should do?" I said.

"Nap?" She replied.

"No you bore, let's go out today," I said.

"I have no time for that," she replied, getting up and stretching. "I'm changing a nation y'know?"

"You can't always do that," I said. I walked up to her. 

"You know you want to," I said, poking her cheek.

"Stop that," she said sternly.

"Only if you come with me." She stood there taking it until she eventually caved in.

"Okay fine. I needed the break anyway."

"Alright! Onto the night!" I put my arm around Keito. These days she felt more distant than ever, it's been a while since me and her just talked and had fun.

I walked out with a dark blue kimono with blue cloud patterns all over it. I breathed in and out, taking in the sounds, smells and the entire atmosphere. Man, this place is lively, I thought. Many people were out and about, shopping, playing games and whatever else they could find.

"Why are we here again?" I looked at Keito as she looked around. She wasn't making a bad expression, but the way she looked at the people…I couldn't read it. Not now, not in the past months. Something was off, I just didn't know what.

"To have fun," I said, spreading my hands wide in front of me. "And finally," I said looking at her outfit, a dark purple kimono with purple clouds all over it, "you stopped with that dumb kimono?" She looked at me as if I had said something incomprehensible.

"The gold one?" I nodded slowly.

"That's my best one!"

"I would have to disagree."

"How? It's fabulous, bright and sparkly! It shows my status perfectly."

"That's exactly why it sucks," I said. I pulled at my kimono. "See this looks good, but isn't so over the top. You have to find a balance," I said.

"For sure," she said in an over-sarcastic tone. She walked past me to some of the games. There was a stand with a cup tied to a string that was tied to the top of the stand. The top was showing and I spotted a red ball close to the person in the stand. The vendor was explaining the rules to Keito as she gave the ball to her.

"Hmph, this is too easy," she said.

"Oho, getting cocky I see?" She looked at me with an overconfident smile.

"I'll do this with one eye closed and from a farther distance," she said. She stepped, got herself ready, and then threw it at the cup with speed. It hit the cup dead center but didn't go in. Keito was frozen in place as I watched her eyes follow the ball as it fell. She looked as if somebody had burned down her entire house.

“Im-impossible!” she said. She pointed to the cup frantically. “There has to be a trick of some kind, I demand that my throw be counted!” I put my hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s calm down and look at the possibilities,” I said, putting a finger on my chin, “maybe you're just…bad?” I could see Keito’s frustration growing as I giggled a bit. I took the ball from where it landed and walked to where Keito had thrown the ball. I grinned at her while putting my hand on my mouth.

“You missed from this measly distance? Watch a pro at work.” I stepped back a few steps. I took aim and threw it. Bullseye! I thought. It hit the cup and fell down depressingly. Or… not? I thought. I looked at Keito as a smirk had replaced her frustration.

“I guess even the pros can’t make this shot, isn’t that right?” She said. I was more confused than mad. We had already paid the man twice, and while we had money to be paying for a while, I had thought that the first try would be enough.

“Junichi, let’s just go on to the next one.” I walked up to the ball and inspected the cup.

“..Junichi?” I smiled and took the ball, then stepped back even further than before.

“Did you figure out a trick?” Keito asked.

“Nope. No need.” I coated the ball in ki.

“All I need to do is get the ball in the cup right?” I said, getting my throw ready.

“Why are you coating the ball with ki? Are you planning to…break the cup?” I focused on my target and took a deep breath.

“Exactly.” I threw the ball as it effortlessly broke straight through the cup, with the stand owner just ducking in time.

“Yo-you broke my cup!” He said.

“You never said I couldn’t. I had to get the ball in the cup and it was in there before it broke.” He was about to object but thought better of it. He knew I was Junichi “The Demon” and that Keito was the ruler of this land. He gave me a stuffed kitsune as we walked off.

“Ha! Junichi wins in the end,” I said, smug in my superiority. I expected a retort of some sort but silence followed. I looked at Keito as I saw a fire burn in her eyes and a smile followed.

“Enjoy it. For it will be your last today.”

“Man you really suck at games eh?” I said as Keito buried her face in her hands. We were sitting on a small hill out of the town and the marketplace. We could see the bustling place, with the sounds of the people and lights all over the town.

“...I know.” She said. We tried many games, from rock-paper-scissors to the card game president. She had lost every one of them miserably.

“It’s okay. Not everyone can be as good as me,” I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. One of her eyes poked out from her hands and I can tell she was frowning.

“Okay, okay,” I said, putting up my hands. “To be honest though, you tend to overthink these simple games. Sometimes you’ve got to go with the flow and just relax. Y’know?” The one eye that I could see was looking down. I looked at the marketplace again, as we sat there in silence. The marketplace seemed to be alive. The sounds of talking, steps, and the bright lights. It created an atmosphere I wasn’t used to. One with people and life. I liked it, I liked it a lot.

“I don’t trust them,” Keito said softly. I looked at her, surprised that she had spoken.

“Who?”

“The people that live in this town.”

“All of them?” She had brought her knees up to her face and was looking straight at the marketplace.

“People are…,” she seemed to be remembering something. “Untrustworthy. Power hungry.”

“Correction: Some are,” I said. “I mean look at me,” I said pointing at me. “I’m trustworthy.”

“You're the exception,” she said. “I’ve known for a while the true nature of people but over these past months, I’ve been thoroughly convinced.” I laid back and crossed my arms behind my head.

“Well, with this new understanding, what do you even plan to do?”

“There’s only one thing to do,” she said. She put her hand into a fist. “I have to rule with an iron fist. I have to make them fear me, so none may even think of rising up against me.” I let her words float through the air.

“I don’t know about you,” I said, “but that sounds really boring.” Keito loosened her hand.

“What do you mean?” Keito replied. 

“I mean, you want to go through all this work of making the people fear you which I find to be tedious. If an enemy pops up, I’m going to squash them.”

“What if it’s a surprise attack? What if the opponent is too strong? What i-” 

“Keito, listen to me.” She looked in my direction as I sat up.

“You trust me right?” I asked.

“Sure.”

“Then you should know,” I said, knocking my fist on her head, “that I won’t lose.”

“.....you don’t know that,” she replied. 

“I gave you my word. Believe in that.” She smiled softly. She turned towards me and it hit me how beautiful she really was. It was truly a random thought, and I had never given it much thought. I had no reason to, and I didn’t really care. Until now. I wanted to look around as an unfamiliar feeling arose in me, one I couldn’t quite pinpoint. My eyes were drawn to her in a way I couldn’t explain, and my eyes seemed to exclusively focus on her lips. It felt like the world slowed down as she slowly moved towards me and my heart beat faster and faster. Why does it feel like I’m about to die? I thought. My hands turned sweaty and her lips approached mine. I knew what this would be, Master had told me about it many times. I hadn’t understood why people voluntarily shared germs but I instinctively knew at this moment. I hurriedly got ready to accept the kiss as I closed my eyes to embrace her. We moved closer and closer until I felt a flick on my forehead. It made me recoil back as if someone had scared me. My eyes burst open as I watched Keito giggling a bit behind her hand.

“Can’t believe you fell for that trick,” Keito said. I couldn’t think and I couldn’t focus. All I could feel was embarrassment and my body suddenly felt very hot. My head tilted down in defeat. I could hear footsteps as Keito walked in front of me and then squatted down in front of me. She then kissed me on the forehead. It took a long moment to realize I had been kissed. I looked up at her and there was the brightest smile I had ever seen.

“Let’s play tag to the palace! Surely Junichi the Demon couldn’t lose?” She said, a smile spreading throughout my face as I jumped up.

“You bet.” She raced towards the marketplace which was ahead of our palace. I raced towards her wishing we could be like this forever. Two people striving towards a great dream and intertwined by choice. I don’t know where I would be without her.

“Better run faster than that!” I raced after her as we approached the marketplace of life and as the stars danced in the air.

I didn’t sleep well at all. I couldn’t get it out of my head. That kiss.. I slapped the sides of my head. I wasn’t one to care much about romance at all. I had felt nothing for Keito and I could still tell myself I didn’t. But…. I put my hand over my heart as I heard it beat. I got out of bed deep into the morning. I moved sleepily as I yawned and got ready for my day. Once I had put on my white kimono and black hakama I did some morning training. Some sword swings in the compound and some run and ki meditation for advancement. I couldn’t truly focus through any of it. I had gotten some good practice in, no doubt. But it all felt lukewarm. And I know exactly why I thought. I didn’t want to keep training and frankly, I don’t think I could’ve made much progress. I moved to where I thought Keito would be, the tactics room. The meeting should’ve been ending about now. I walked up the stairs looking around at the decorations. It held many paintings and supposed parts of famous beasts and monsters. I had heard stories of their defeats and the heroes that had caused them. I had felt that the journey to take over Ootsukuni would have been like that and so far it hasn’t disappointed me. I put my arms behind my head. The heroes always win eh? I thought. With how our progress had been going, it felt destined that we complete this journey of ours. I took one last glance at a kitsune mask as I got in front of the room. As soon as I got there people flooded the room, having different conversations. I let them have their way as I spotted Keito talking to one of the tacticians in the room. She looked…normal. Not in appearance as she was extravagant as always but in demeanour. I hadn’t expected her to be flustered and all that, but it doesn’t even look like she remembered what happened yesterday. The person she was talking to walked away as she spotted me. I walked to her and tried to make some small talk.

“How was your day?” I asked stiffly. 

“Busy,” she said as she sighed and dropped down into a chair. “We’re planning a raid on one of the Four Heavenly Daimyo. We are big enough that they see us as a threat and we need to either make defenses for when they approach us or make the first move.” She started tapping the table while looking out a nearby window.

“Coooool,” I said lazily. I didn’t really worry about the Heavenly Daimyo. They were a stronger opponent and that’s all. A mere stepping stone at this point. I looked at Keito lying back in her chair. Keito seems so…normal, I thought. I hadn’t expected her to be a new person after yesterday, but it feels like it didn’t happen when I talk to her.

“Junichi, are you scared?” Keito asked. It was a random question but I answered honestly.

“Of what?” 

“The Heavenly Daim-,” Keito started.

“It was a rhetorical question. You of all people should know I fear nothing.”

“I know.” She looked at her finger as she tapped it on the table and I could feel her anxiety and nervousness about the whole thing.

“We’ve made staggering progress but the way people talk about the Daimyo…” Keito said.

“So? People overrate these fighters all the time. We’ve beaten many opponents over the past few months, and I can tell you that people talked big about them.”

“The Daimy-”

“Are another point in the story,” I said, “the one we are creating together.” Keito stopped talking and seemed to only focus on the tapping of her finger. I walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“How about we go out again?” I suggested. “To get your mind off the upcoming battles. Let’s be serious, you clearly need it.”

“...Sure.” She then got up from her seat and tapped my shoulder. 

“See you then,” she said.

“You too.” I watched her walk out of the room as I felt there was something off about her. I had always questioned Keito’s values. Her fixation on the status and the power that came with it. There was something else brewing though and I couldn’t put my finger on it, and I think it has something to do with her parents. I sat down and sighed. I leaned forward and clasped my hands.

If only I had the confidence to ask her, I thought.

Keito

I have to avenge my parents. It’s a thought I’ve had often. One that’s followed me, haunted me and tormented me. It’s one I can’t let go of. I took in the bright lights in the marketplace as I walked with Junichi. I looked at the people’s expressions, as I walked past them. What were they planning?

“Keito, what do you want to do?” What did those eyes hide? What were the devious plans brewing behind those smiles and waves?

“Oi Keito.” I should crush them now. Before they can betray m-

I felt a snap as I whipped my head to look where it came from. Junichi pulled back his hand from in front of my ear.

“Are you alright? Better question, what are you thinking about?” Junichi asked. I could hear the worry in his voice, and I wanted to tell him. A voice bubbled up deep from within my soul, one that was all too familiar. He’ll betray you too. Don’t tell him now, or you’ll end up like them. I wanted to ignore the voice but I knew the truth of it. I wanted to believe in him but he would let me down too….right?

“I’m..fine,” I replied. I knew that Junichi sensed something was wrong. It was all over his expression, and I knew he wanted to ask but he seemed to hesitate whenever he was about to.

“Keito, let’s go to the hill we were at before,” Junichi said. He said it with his trademark grin but I knew that he was going to ask. What had happened to me before and what was happening in this head of mine. The walk to the hill was quiet, only the sounds of the marketplace's population in my ears. It wasn’t a tense mood, yet it was the most damper silence I had ever been in with Junichi around. We got to the hill and I opted to lie down on my side.

“Alright, I’m going to cut to the chase, something is off about you,” he started, “is something wrong? Something bothering you that I don’t know about?”

Just lie

“Nothing’s bothering m-”

“Stop lying!” Junichi exclaimed. I was shocked as I froze. Junichi had been angry around me many times. This anger felt different somehow, more alive. I slowly looked to Junichi as his pained expression pierced me more than any blow could.

“I-I was confused for a long while when it came to you Keito Meisei. I truly was.” I noticed that his hands were curled into fists and were shaking. “I hadn’t cared for you in the beginning, that’s the truth and only the truth. Yet, after battle after battle, struggle after struggle I grew closer to you.” His head drooped down. “It was unfamiliar to me yet not unknown. I had a master that cared for me like my rotten parents could never. I had loved him like a father but he too left me on his own journey as a warrior, as he had warned me so.” He looked up at the stars, as if looking for his master. “So I set upon my own path of a warrior. It was great!" He spread his hands to the side. "It was everything I thought! Training, battles and glory. I had traveled through a vast part of Ootsukuni. And then I met you." He lowered his hands to the side and then met my eyes. He was angry.

"I had thought of you as maybe another battle. Another way to get stronger. Yet, the more I stayed with you the more I cared. For your dream, for your well being. For you." He knelt down on one knee and then put two hands on my shoulders softly. I noticed that his eyes were getting wet.

He was crying. Junichi. Was. Crying. It was so unexpected I couldn't fully comprehend it. No matter who we had lost over these six months, no matter what injury he had sustained. I hadn't seen him shed a single tear.

"That's when I realized," he continued, "that you were my first ever friend. You had filled a hole in my heart, I never knew I had." My eyes started to get watery. Am I crying?

"It hurts. You're in pain and I can't help." He got my hand and put it to his heart.

"Let me help. Rely on me."

The voice bubbled up as it had always done but I didn't even acknowledge it. My only focus was on Junichi. The truth is, he had also filled a void that I had known I had. I didn't want him to. I was scared of what would come with it. But it wasn't time to be scared anymore. Junichi is my friend, and he deserves to know.

"Junichi, I-" suddenly a flaming arrow flew towards us. I could barely tell as it was sliced up by Junichi immediately. I looked at him and his expression felt alien to what it was just a few seconds. I saw no sadness, only irritation and anger.

“Who’s there?” Junichi said. His only answer was more flaming arrows. A vein grew on his face.

“Pointless,” Junichi said as he dodged them and then dashed to where the attacker was hiding in the bushes. I heard a thunk and the sound of a person falling. I then saw Junichi carrying the attacker visibly confused.

“An assassin?” Junichi asked.

“Probably,” I said, getting up to inspect the corpse. We had gotten many assassins over the last few months but none ever this…well pathetic. They had at least put up more of a fight. I spotted some of the arrows and inspected them. They had been flaming and I was looking for oil that had been spread on them. I couldn’t find anything at first glance so I picked it up for a deeper inspection. A part of my heart twisted but I quickly pushed it down. 

There’s no oil, I thought. I had to think rationally about this.

“Oi, Keito he has no other weapons besides the arrows, but I can’t find his source of oil. It’s on the arrows right?” I gave him a small shake of the head.

“Then how were the flames produced?” Junichi said. “I mean it can’t have been magi-ohhhhhh.” I see that he’d come to the same conclusion as me. It had to be a supernatural aspect, like ki. One that I’d never seen before.

“At least you have common sense.” I and Junichi immediately reacted to the voice, bearing our weapons. A woman stepped out of the shadow. She was wearing a casual japanese dress, something a kunoichi would wear. It was white with golden lines that formed a pattern. She had earrings of a golden kitsune on both ears while her hair was a deep black that was tied up with a golden hairpin. 

“It’s good to know my competition isn’t a bunch of morons and idiots. Trust me, I’ve killed enough to tell me what one is.” Junichi sighed and put his hand to his head while shaking it.

“Another joker eh? Tell me, do you know who I am?” The woman let out a laugh.

“I should be asking you the same thing, boy.” It was Junichi’s turn to let out a laugh.

“Do you see this Keito?” I wish I could be as carefree as Junichi, but unfortunately, I knew who this lady was

“I presume you know who I am, Keito Meisei?”

“Asa, The Avenger, one of the Four Holy Daimyo and an Enforcer,” I replied, still on guard.

“You flatter me too much, no need for the whole introduction.”

“Of course Madam. But if I may ask, why are you here?” I replied. I glanced at Junichi who had that gleam in his eyes. If that was anything to go by, I knew I had to diffuse this quickly.

“Let’s say,” Asa said analyzing Junichi, “I’ve come to test you both. To see if you are the real deal.”

I could hear Junichi unsheathing his two swords as I felt the tension in the air heat up.

“I think we should jus-” I was too late with my words as Junichi attacked her with both of his swords. I rushed towards the confrontation, already predicting that Junichi’s strike would be blocked. Asa now had golden cones on her fingertips, and was using three of them on her right hand to block Junichi. I brandished my katars as I went for a stab. I had expected her to block this attack too but she backed up, as if giving us a chance to beat her. My suspicion was confirmed when she bent her finger towards herself in a “Come Here” gesture. I hesitated for a second as sweat dripped down my face. I didn’t want to fight her, but I instinctively knew that we would have to. Could we win? No, I thought. We would have to.

“Ready?” Junichi said.

“As I’ll ever be.” At my response, we rushed her together. I threw a jab that she shrugged off by having it graze her cones. She immediately attempted a kick but Junichi was there with a sword strike. She dodged easily then hopped in the air a bit, then immediately placed both hands to the ground so she could kick in both directions. I put up my guard without ki, but the kick was heavier then I expected, pushing both me and Junichi back. Asa pressed Junichi with a grin that matched Junichi’s. I rushed to help as Junichi was barely fending her off. When I was just in her range she suddenly jumped and pushed off Junichi’s swords towards me. I put my katars up to block but she didn’t attack and simply landed behind me.

Shi- I thought, but by then it was simply too late as she stabbed me in the back. My ki softened the blow, but I couldn’t enhance my back enough in time. Junichi was already there, trying to slash her, but she again dodged, this time by ducking. From that position, she somehow jumped into a flying kick as her kick connected with Junichi’s face. He didn’t budge though and attacked her in the air, pushing her away from the both of us. She flew and hit a tree. A part of me hoped that was the end but I banished the thought. No easy outs, I thought. 

“Her ki control is elite, she has it flowing constantly through her body,” I noted.

“It’s why she can move like that. She’s constantly enhancing herself, and she can make certain parts of herself stronger instantly.” I healed my back as I spotted Asa waking up from the broken tree, not even scratched. We couldn’t keep enhancing ourselves throughout like Asa, and could only attribute ki at certain moments, like before an attack. We still pushed her back, even if it was for a bit.

“She is more skilled than I thought, but we can beat her,” Junichi said as he gave me a hand to get up.

“C’mon, I don’t have all day,” Asa said, hands on her hips. The bleeding coming from my back had finally stopped as me and Junichi focused forward.

“Let’s not keep her waiting. Junichi?” I said. We rushed at her but right before we got there, we spread to the sides, and attacked her at the same time. She jumped up into the air but this was expected. After all the battles me and Junchi had faced together, we had gained an almost psychic understanding of each other’s intentions. The second Asa was in the air, I ran to Junchi and jumped on top of his hands, then enhancing his arms, legs and my legs, he threw me in the air towards Asa. The force of our ki’s working together knocked her away from us, still in the air. Junichi immediately ran towards where she would land, with me joining right after I landed. I saw Junichi up ahead as he reached where Asa had landed. 

“Don’t let her breathe!” I shouted. Junichi didn’t miss a beat and immediately attacked her. A clang rang through the air as Asa blocked it. I got there before she could move and stabbed her, funneling a lot of ki into the attack. The attack penetrated flesh, prompting Asa to stomp the ground and fly back across the ground. We pursued her but she had stopped and got up already. We had gotten to her when I saw a blur pass in front of my face. A gash had opened on the cheeks on our faces. 

She’s faster!? I thought. She then jumped forward and kicked us both. We flew through trees and hit rocks. I had barely gotten up when she was already about to attack me, when Junchi blocked her. An even bigger clang rang through the air.

“Her ki flow has grown and is flowing even fast-” Junichi’s body crashed into mine before I could finish and we crashed into a part of the forest that was bare of trees. We got up as quickly as we could but Asa was in no rush. She was walking and sat on a rock, with a playful smile on her face.

“What do you suppose you do now?” Asa asked.

“Wha-” Junichi started.

“I mean, how do you intend to beat me? I have better ki control, more ki and more battle experience. You can’t win. Yet you’ll continue to fight.”

“Together we stand a chance,” I said, hopeful.

Asa crossed her legs and looked up to the sky, chuckling.

“Of course, the power of friendship. I should’ve known.” Asa laughed and laughed, her laughter the main sound in the air. I was tense because she wasn’t. Why would she laugh and what would she do next? Finally, her laughter died down and she looked at us with that same playful smile.

Then it disappeared.

In an instant she had stabbed both of us.

“You fail,” Asa said, devoid of warmth. We fell hopelessly to the floor. I watched as her playful smile returned but it was different. Dangerous, sinister. Evil.

“You know why you lost? Because you couldn’t beat me by yourself. The second you had relied on each other, is the second you lost.” I coughed up some blood, as my anger rose slightly.

“You rely on others too,” I said. She looked at me with a cold expression. A smirk then spread across her face.

“You have people you bring into battle when facing another large force, how is that not relying on others?” I was mad. Officially, she couldn’t attack us until she issued a challenge but who was going to stop her? Usually people of higher power would challenge officially so they could take the leaders and army of the defeated. Was she so threatened by our progress, she would snuff us out here?

“I won’t kill you, if that’s what you're thinking. It just irritates me when I hear of you. You're supposed to be an avenger too, Keito Meisei.” 

“What do you mea-”

“Shhh,” She said, putting her finger to my lips. She crouched to speak to me.

“I know all about you, little Keito. Of your parents' betrayal and your birthright.” My blood ran cold, and everything around me seemed to stop moving but her lips. She knew? I thought. The only one alive who should know is me. A mixture of fear, anger and sadness coursed through my veins.

“I thought you were like me,” Asa continued, “but you're half-baked.” Asa pulled me up by the neck as she stood and it was almost like her eyes went completely black.

“You don’t have that darkness, do you? You still trust, you still believe, you still hope. But that’s not what an avenger is. An avenger consumes, an avenger takes, and avenger is inevitable.” She dropped me to the ground, as I slumped down only focusing on the ground. I heard her steps as she walked away.

“You lost today, because you alone weren’t enough to win, because you winning was only a chance.” I didn’t want to believe her, but she was right. I had to stop believing in people, to stop trusting them. I had to be absolut-

“Oi, who are you walking away from?” I looked up and found Junichi holding onto Asa’s leg. Her expression said she was unimpressed. Junichi got up and looked her right in the eye. Then he suddenly attacked her, with her immediately blocking it. I had expected Asa to blow Junichi away but they stood their equal, clashing weapons.

"I didn't take you for a slacker Keito!" I awoke from my shock and joined in the attack. Our united attack pushed her back. She simply skid across the ground as if unbothered. I saw the flow of Junichi's and it was flowing like Asa's.

“You’ve figured out the technique?” Asa said.

“You tell me,” Junichi said, smiling and getting ready to engage. I felt hope rising from the depths of my heart and a smile crept across my lips. I stood beside Junichi and got ready to engage Asa. 

“The insects crowd around each other for protection,” Asa said, confident as ever.

“Asa, I know you're nervous,” Junichi called.

“Ner..vous?” Asa said. I wouldn’t have called Asa’s expression nervous. Nonchalant, uncaring was more accurate.

“You seem to think that you two have a chance?” Asa said. The way she said it was so final. It was as if the very thought of us having hope offended her. Asa’s head drooped and she giggled a little.

“I’ll show you, that it doesn’t matter what you insects do. Bugs will be bugs.” Suddenly there was a shift in the air, one that made me sweat. The air noticeably darkened as if it was foretelling our doom. Even Junichi was noticeably more tensed up, nervous sweat breaking out all over his face. The surrounding area seemed to get darker, and  more lifeless. The flowers and grass that were on the ground wilted and died. The trees seemed to have aged one hundred years in an instant. There was black energy surrounding Asa, getting closer as if to strangle. My nervousness turned into outright fear as the dark energy engulfed Asa until a circle of a monsterish ki blast from all the directions around her. I guarded against the wave and was surprised to see it harmlessly pass through me, and then more surprised when the energy radiating from that wave terrified me.

“No matter how much you try and struggle, you, can, not, win.” Asa voice hadn’t changed noticeably but her appearance definitely had. She had grown two black fox ears on the two sides of her head, and a thick black fox tail connecting to her bottom. It was an outrageous appearance, one that I let my guard down for a second until she pointed her finger into the air. The energy was sucked from the surroundings into the top of her finger. Then she pointed it at us.

“Boom.” The dark ball of energy shot towards the ground with speed and blew up at our feet. We were launched into the air backwards with speed. As the wind rushed past my ears, I noticed more spheres of energy following us. We crashed into a different part of the forest, the spheres immediately attacking us before we could get up. Pain was burning throughout my entire body and I could barely think when Asa showed up in front of us charging up another sphere of energy.

“Do you still hope?” Asa asked. Junichi slowly got up, blood and wounds all over his body. He was shaking as he got onto his knees then fully stood up. He walked up to Asa and looked her in the eyes. I waited for the usual defiant face and words. Before he could say anything, he simply fell down and passed out. Asa looked at me, a thoughtful expression written all over her face. She turned around and walked away, her transformation disappearing.

Junichi

I letdown Asa.

That was my presiding thought the second I woke up and throughout the entire day. I had told her to believe in me, to rely on me. It felt like I was betraying her trust but against that opponent, what could I do? Only thing to do is to get stronger. It was the middle of the day as I was cycling my ki, progressively building more in my body when I really started to think about the battle yesterday. I had done some snooping on Asa in the town, and she was as big of a deal as she claimed to be. She was an Enforcer, someone who works under the Guruei, which is the world government. She also seems to be worth one billion gi's though I don't know what that refers too. I had done more information gathering then I ever had, but I had to. Her face, power and voice. Everything had been scarred into my memory. I couldn't forget and I wouldn't.

"Let go of me!" I opened my eyes as I saw some of our soldiers bring in a woman, who I had seen in one of the food stands. Why was she being taken in? It was certainly an odd sight. I got up and walked towards them putting my hand on one of the soldiers.

They looked to me in surprise.

"C-commander Kachi!” The soldier forced out.

“What do you plan to do that lady, soldier?”

“Ms Meisei has ordered for all the people of this town to be called up for questioning. She suspects a traitor.”

Traitor? I thought. It was a possibility, but an unlikely one. I hadn’t spotted any suspicious behavior from the townspeople. Besides, any threat would be easy to handle. Except people like Asa, which I doubted anybody in the town was. After that defeat yesterday though, I knew she’d freak out.

“I’m going to go talk to her,” I announced. I turned around and started to walk out when one of the soldiers placed their hand on my shoulder.

“I-I wouldn’t go to her now,” the soldier said. “She’s in a pretty foul mood.” I thought about it for about a second, then I continued to walk.

“I’ll go have a chat with her anyways,” I said. As I went up I passed the painting of the kitsune on the wall and I shivered a little. How did she obtain those powers? She seemed like a Reiju. I opened up the door without knocking when Keito looked up from the papers she was inspecting.

“Oh Commander Junichi, what is your business here?” The title surprised me as when it was just me and her, she had never referred to me as commander. It was so formal and too stiff.

“Keito I-” Keito slammed her hand on the table and a silence fell over the room.

“You will refer to me as Ms Meisei or Madam Meisei.” There was an edge to her voice. One that made me uncomfortable, so I ignored it.

“Kei…Madam Meisei, why do you have one of the women from the market?” Keito sat down and focused back on her papers.

“She’s a suspect.” Suspect? 

"I never heard of any major criminal cases in this town."

“There is no case. I simply said she’s a suspect.”

“A suspect in what?” I replied, confused at her reply.

“In something.” She was being evasive on purpose, and I could tell. 

“Madam Meisei, is it possible that there is no reason for you to have her as a suspect.” Keito shot up from her seat and looked me in the eyes, as if she intended the stare to hurt me.

“Do you question my judgement?” There was a venom to her voice that surprised me and I definitely noticed the threat but I wouldn’t back down on this.

“Yes.” She walked around her desk and walked straight up to me, the distance between us minimal.

“It doesn’t matter if you question my judgement if I say they are suspects then they are.”

“No it doesn’t. I bet you don’t even have any evidence.”

“So what if I don’t!” she said, placing a finger on my chest. “I have no reason to trust them either.

The suspicion that had been prowling around in my mind, suddenly came to light. The way she had looked at the market people should have been a dead giveaway, yet I couldn’t piece it all together. Now, I heard the final piece of the puzzle from Asa.

“Mada…,” I took in a deep breath, “Keito, what happened in your past concerning your parents? What was Asa talking about?” Keito’s eyes grow big at that question before quickly reverting back. Keito turned her back to me and walked to a nearby window.

“Nobody needs to know that and certainly not you,” she said, an edge of fear to her voice. Her words hurt as the more she said the more she distanced herself from me. I could feel the bond we once shared cracking.

“Please, Keito. Trust me once more,” I said, basically pleading. Whatever happened in her past, I wanted to know, and I wanted to help. She had to trust me just one more time. 

“I……,” She started, “I can’t. Not anymore.” I wanted to ask again, to forever ask until she told me but her tone said it all. I left the room, thoughts flooding my mind and one being supremely dominant.

How do I fix this?

I was awoken by a large commotion in the marketplace. I put on my regular outfit and rushed up to see what was happening. I saw guards forcibly taking in more townsfolk, probably as “suspects.” I have no reason to trust them either, remembering Keito’s words. Her trust issues were turning into paranoia. I made a move to them as they seemed to immediately spot me. I got close and a soldier stepped out and put a hand out to stop me. I had the urge to slap it away but I calmed myself. I wanted to resolve this peacefully and logically.

“Commander Kachi, we were informed by Madam Meisei to stop you if you tried to stop us.”

“Think with your head soldier!” I said, snapping, “do you think that this is right? Do you think that Madam Meisei would ever do something like this? Something is clearly wrong with her judgement!”

“That’s not ours or your place to say. We are soldiers, we follow what she says.” I went around him to save the lady when two other guards who were taking her, bare their swords at me. I easily knocked the swords out of their hands with my one sword. I gave them a threatening stare and they backed off. As I walked past the two guards, the one I had talked to gave a piercing gaze.

“She won’t let this go. You already know how she currently is. When she hears about this she’ll do something and we both know it’ll be drastic.” They walked away as I helped her to her feet. I know that already, I thought. I could tell her paranoia problems were getting worse and this may just be the tipping point.

I took a nap instead of training mostly due to the mental exhaustion of the day and I was again awoken by a large commotion. When I awoke a feeling of dread came over me, one that I promptly ignored as I quickly got ready and left. I got to the marketplace and what I saw there was simply deplorable beyond belief. There was a man blindfolded and crying with one of the soldiers behind him. He was kneeling down while the crowd around watched, terrified, scared and bewildered. A primal anger sparked in me. Keito, you’re going too far! I thought. I rushed past the crowd in a desperate attempt to save the man but soldiers got in my way. I tried to go around them but these were some of the capable ones I knew.

“This man is convicted of betrayal against the Meisei house!” The guard thundered, behind the blindfolded man. I beat one away but more and more came.

“Stop! Stop right now!” I shouted desperately.

“As such he will be punished for this heinous crime!” The guard continued. The soldiers started to surround me, some of them grabbing me. I tried with all my might to get past them but to no avail. Keito, you’re about to cross a line that you can’t come back from!

“To you all, let this serve as an example that traitors will be punished.” The guard swung the sword all the way back, and then made the slash. At that moment, that man’s fire went out and his head rolled. My body went weak, as I stood there staring at the scene. The crying marketplace peoples, the bloodied sword, and the rain that had started to pour on the scene. Keito,

how…could…you? Then everything turned red, and I acted before I could think. Keito, how could you?! How dare you!? I drew my swords and I slashed everybody around me. I controlled my slashes enough not to fatally kill anyone. I dashed towards the guard with the corpse, with enough bloodlust to kill an army. I got in front of the guard and he tried to draw his weapon. I slashed his chest before he had even touched his weapon. He dropped to his knee, blood spurting everywhere and onto my kimono. It dyed my white kimmo, becoming blood red. At this point the marketplace people had already scrammed and the rain was pouring. 

“...bring…her..out” I mumbled. I could barely process my thoughts through the swirl of emotion, yet It felt like I could only think of one thing. The guard looked up at me in confusion and in fear.

“...uhh who might you be referrin-”

“BRING HER OUT!” I thundered, “Don’t make me repeat myself!” The guard scurried off back to the palace. I looked up at the rain, as it continued to soak me and my clothing, yet the blood covering my kimono wouldn't disappear. Somehow, I wanted the rain to wash away everything and make everything how it was but I knew it was not to be. I knew that this would be decisive. I got lost in the rhythmic pitter patter of the rain as I waited. I saw my life in those rain droplets, bits and pieces, as they came and faded out. I wish I could hold onto them, keep them close but those are of the past. I looked at my blades as the blood on them wouldn't wash away. I heard steps and I knew when they got louder and louder, I'd have a decision to make. I turned and looked at Keito straight in the eyes. There was a few meters between us, and there was a silence that stretched throughout the air.

"...Why?" I said, breaking the silence.

"He had committed treason, he is an enemy of mine," she replied, calm and collected. Her voice didn't break and there was no hesitation in her words. Even her body language portrayed someone in control.

"....Stop lying," I replied.

"About what?" She replied, feigning confusion.

"You did it because you were scared," I said, letting the venom seep into my voice. "You think because you take this life, you can control the people through fear."

"So? Fear and power shall be my weapons, and you act as if these make me weak."

"You are a coward. You cower behind your status, behind your paranoia, behind your perceived control. You control nothing." At that, silence once again ruled the space as the words floated into the air. I watched as Keito's expression turned darker and darker.

"I will control everything. I am absolute," she finally said, her calm voice cracking slightly.

"And you shall have nothing left. All that's on this path is darkness. What do you want? Was that why we fought all these battles?! And split all this blood!?" For a moment, a moment so quick you could blink and miss it, I saw. The Keito Meisei that I knew. Her eyes, her expression was showing remorse, was showing pain.

"I…" Keito said, voice breaking. Then she seemed to die. A darkness taking over her, destroying the life she had shown a second ago.

"I won't go back, and I can't. I've made my decision and it's time to make yours," she said. She got in a battle stance and got her katars.

"You join me or you stop me," Keito said. There it was. The decisive question. My head drooped down and I stared at the floor. I had never been the most morally right person, yet she had crossed a line that nobody should. I grit myself, grinded my teeth and looked Keito dead in her eyes, getting my swords ready.

"I stop you."

There was a moment of stillness between us. Nobody seemed to want to attack first but as the tension ran deeper, the closer the fight was to exploding.

Then it happened. Keito dashed at me with a bloodlust that I had expected, yet it hurt. I matched her energy and we clashed weapons. We locked eyes and it was hard to keep focused. Whenever I looked at her the experiences we had shared dominated my mind and my muscles relaxed. It's almost as if my body was confused as to why I was fighting her. In my moment of ease, she broke the lock and kicked me in the stomach. It didn't hurt too much, but she immediately followed it up with a kick to the head that sent me flying a few meters back, towards the forest. I didn't fall down as I skid across the ground.

"You'll die, if you don't come at me to kill. But you already know that don't you?" Keito said, feelings erased from her voice. I looked up at her, but this time I didn't think of the good times. I thought of the man's corpse, his head rolling. I thought of the fear throughout the crowd and the heartbreak of his family. My anger rose again, this time controlled and calculated. I wasn't facing a friend. I was facing an enemy. Keito got back into battle position as I poured my ki into my feet and bursted forward. My speed was blinding as I delivered a blow which Keito took, but blew her back all the way to the forest. I didn't let up, letting my ki flow naturally all around my body like Asa and pursuing Keito into the forest. The raindrops started to appear less and less as the rain started to seize up. Keito landed into a tree and I got there moments after ready to end the fight. I was almost within striking distance when a white slash and a white katar shaped projectile flew towards me. It caught me off guard as I ducked the slash right into the katar projectile. It stabbed me for a moment and then disappeared. It didn't cut too deep, as I had my ki flowing throughout my body. Even so, I staggered a bit at the pain. I saw Keito emerge from the broken tree with only a few scratches and cuts. The more I live in this world, the more I question it, I thought. Did she turn into a Reiju like Asa? Yet she looked no different from before. I brushed off my surprise and got up. Keito's katars started to charge up with ki and she slashed across, left to right. The ki slash flew towards me. This time I hit it out of the air as this time a katar shaped ki projectile came towards me. She was bombarding me with projectiles and she slowly got closer for a strike. She's somehow forming her ki into strikes, and detaching it from her body? I thought. I ran through the ki projectiles, gashes and scratches forming throughout my body. Keito had jumped into the sky and continued shooting projectiles towards me. She was trying to land behind me from the trajectory of her jump. I couldn't turn and block at the same time, so I rushed it taking yet more injuries but getting visual on Keito now sprinting towards me. The projectiles just wouldn't stop as she rushed towards me. I continued to block them as my injuries had started to pile up. Instead of playing cat and mouse I would end it here. Her strike wouldn't be deep enough to put me down but mine would. She got within striking range and I charged up most of my ki into my sword and my muscles used for striking. The projectiles finally stopped as she got into close. My memories of her flashed through my mind as the end was nearing. I swung my sword down as she prepared to strike.

Goodbye.

I heard a spark as I noticed Keito's katars clang together. Suddenly, her katars caught on fire, radiating danger. The fires were large on her katars as she threw them into my chest. They stabbed me in the chest but I kept my cool. My sword connected with her back, with a crouching sound. Instead of crumpling to the floor, she only went to her knees, still fully conscious and slightly recovering. That's when I started to panic. She focused all her ki into the part of her back I was to attack! Keito had predicted where I would strike and the tactic I would use. I tried to calm myself as I had faced and defeated many people who had used a similar technique of lighting their weapons. The difference here, I had always defeated them through a contrast in skill or being prepared in bringing water to put the fires out. I immediately funneled all my ki into healing and into the durability of my body as the fire continued to spread until I was engulfed into flames. I had to first protect my body with ki, heal a bit and then look for a water source. As I turned to find one, I felt a blast on my back and I stumbled. I glanced back as Keito got up with a new pair of katars. I tried to get up but she again shot me down with more projectiles. Fear started to creep in. I'm going to die, I thought. All the experience and calm I had built in situations like this seemed to wash away as the fire got worse and worse and my ki ran lower. I could feel Keito's footsteps as she kept pelting me with projectiles from behind. I couldn't focus as the fear messed with my thoughts as I remembered there were no rivers or lakes close to where I was. Did Keito predict that too? Her footsteps crept closer and closer. Run! Run! Run! It was all I thought and wanted to do yet my body refused. I tried again and again my body refusing each and every time. My life flashed before my eyes yet it wasn't of my entire life. It was of the battles I had fought over these four months, it was of the battle against Asa and the battle against Biru. I looked at my hands, rough and calloused. I glanced over my scars, remembering the battles I had struggled and won. All these times I had faced death and survived. 

What exactly was I afraid of now? Death? Hurting Keito? Fear had never controlled me nor beat me and I was going to let it control me now? I got up and turned around. I faced Keito, ki low, no kimono, and fire burning bright. The fire had spread a bit around me, catching on the grass and the trees. I got my two swords and walked towards her. She was clearly surprised at my advance as she slowly moved back, still a bit injured from my attack earlier.

"These aren't flames of fear like you intended, these aren't flames of control like you wanted. These are flames of courage, bravery and the strength to make a change." Keito, recovering more, tried to move back quickly. I stopped pouring any of my ki into healing or defense and poured all of it into my final attack.

"Owari Yasumi," I whispered. I burst forward with my two swords and slashed Keito diagonally both ways. The fire didn't catch on her due to the speed of my attack. She fell to the floor, blood gushing out. She crumpled onto the floor, unmoving. I analyzed her, one last time, thinking once more of the days we could've had, the future we could've shared. Suddenly, the ground was rushing at me as I fell fast to the floor. Maybe it was the fatigue or the pain but I was slowly losing consciousness. I rolled over so I could look at the sky, dark clouds looming. The world burned bright, as my own fire dimmed. The world turned to black as a familiar patter landed on my nose.

I woke up, rain falling on my body. For a moment, I was confused. Then I looked around and found Keito on the ground near me. I had lived. It was a happy thought that I cherished, yet I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be. I had been prepared to die so it felt like I had cheated by living. I slowly got up as I got soaked in the rain. What now? I could go back to rule over the town or I could leave.

"...get back…here." The voice felt hollow, as if it had no more to give. I could never forget that voice and recognized it instantly. I turned around to look upon Keito Meisei, on her last legs. She looked halfway to the grave, but also tired, as if she was sick of just being there. She raised her katars and I cringed.

"...Keit-" Then she dropped her katars, steadied herself and raised her fists. I looked upon Keito, the one with all the jewelry, fancy clothes and status. I looked upon her now, clothes ripped, scratches and cuts all over her body yet with determined and resolute eyes.

She had never looked more beautiful to me. I had no ki left while her ki was basically gone. We both breathed in and then rushed at each other. We got right in each other's faces and both threw a punch. The sound of the rain in the background seemed to lessen, as the sound of the blows from our fists seemed to fill the space. She threw a punch and it connected with my face, turning my head back. I recovered and gave her an uppercut to the chin. We went back and forth, time seeming to still. I remembered the sparring match we'd had and our very first battle. I couldn't help but smile as a smile spread across her face too. I punched her stomach and she coughed up a bit of blood, going to one knee. She regained her breath and got back to fighting. It was a dance of death, beautiful and final. Keito threw a punch to the gut, making me grimace for a bit. I threw a punch to her stomach, with her staggering and once again going to her knees. This time it was on both and I could tell our dance was nearing its end. She got up and we rushed each other, our dance reaching its climax. She punched me in the face as I punched her in the chest. Unexpectedly, she fell into my arms and I caught her.

"...thank you..from freeing me…" she said, growing weaker.

"...your were…my only…friend." Keito Meisei's life went out, right then and there. I kneeled down as I held her. It felt like the rain was raining down harder, as more raindrops streaked down my face, yet the consistent rhythm of the rain never changed. I solemnly stared at her smiling face. I had wanted to ask her what I freed her from, but I had already known for a long time. I could've taken her back to rest in a fancy coffin, met by scorn by the people. Instead, I laid her to rest in the forest, digging a hole for her. I got up looking at the town and then at the forest, two paths, two lives. I went deeper into the forest, bringing only the clothing I was wearing, my two swords and a piece of Keito Meisei's jewelry.

"That's when I realized you were my first-ever friend. You had filled a hole in my heart, I never knew I had." 

The End