The name froze everyone in their tracks. Surata furrowed his brow in confusion as he pondered the name "Heartless Demon?" It sounded familiar, as if he heard it before, but the memory slipped through his grasp like sand.
Yorui lifted her head and spoke through the returning pain. “What’s he… talking about?”
“Oh, sorry kids, guess you didn’t know. Hehe.” Majuro laughed at their surprised expression. “This Koroki has a nickname, isn’t that, right?”
Koroki chose to ignore Majuro's accusation and refused to be provoked by his words. Because of the intense battle, Koroki’s top fabric tore from the slashes. As he stood on his feet, his top gradually fell off his left shoulder, exposing his chest.
Upon his chest, which was covered in scars, there appeared to be a black marking directly over his heart. Majuro focused his vision, seeing as the marking became clearer.
The mark on Koroki’s chest represented the kanji symbol:
“臓”
His eyes widened as he grinned excitedly, grasping his stomach. “The Heartless Demon. A manslayer who fought during the War of the Fallen. Rumors say that he vanished from the battlefield, not leaving a single trace.”
Majuro inspected Koroki’s unique characteristics. “Pink hair… Soulless eyes… and a Noye placed above their heart.” Majuro’s eyes shined with amazement like someone betting on the green in roulette and winning. “There’s no mistake! Hehe. I thought I remembered your face from somewhere, Demon. I just thought you died somewhere alone.”
“The War of the Fallen? What’s he talking about?” Surata’s brain could not comprehend anything that Majuro said. “There’s no way! Koroki can’t be the Heartless Demon. He’s too lazy for that.” He doubted Majuro for a moment, then thought of the possibility. “But… then again, I really don’t know anything about him.”
Koroki responded, showing no sign of emotion. “You talk too much for someone who specializes in killing.”
Suddenly, Koroki’s narrowed, focused eyes lit up, and his pulse rapidly sped up. His surrounding aura spread, turning into sparks. He wanted to stop stalling and let out his true power. Despite hearing Majuro’s claims, his supposedly red Noye turned pink.
The hair on Surata’s arm stiffed up as if Koroki’s aura emanated electricity.
“Pink?!” Majuro’s voice expressed disappointment at Koroki’s power but excitement at the sudden trump card. “Hehe. Maybe you aren’t him then.”
Surata’s eyes flashed with shock. “A pink Noye!? Since when did he have a Noye!?”
Throughout Surata’s time with Koroki, ever since he moved in, Surata strongly believed that Koroki didn’t have a Noye. He knew about Koroki’s strong fighting ability, but this shocked him. It was expected since he never saw it.
Some days while training, he asked Koroki about his Noye. But every time he asked, Koroki always denied it or ignored it. Surata never thought much of his comments since that was how Koroki responded to most things. Maybe he really didn’t have it. Maybe Koroki was just like Surata: Noyeless.
That’s what Surata thought. Finding someone like him and seeing their strength strongly encouraged Surata to train more, refining his determination. Seeing Koroki in that moment completely altered Surata's perception of who Koroki truly was.
Yorui's body shivered from Koroki’s intense aura. “Such… powerful aura.” The coldness of the aura brushed her skin, giving her goosebumps. “It’s cold. But... it’s also kind of warm.”
Koroki gazed down at the glowing mark on his chest. Instinctively, he firmly gripped his scabbard and aimed it into his chest as if he were sheathing it.
Surata’s curiosity reacted to Koroki’s unusual behavior. “Why’s he aiming his weapon at his chest? What’s he doing?”
Instead of sheathing it to his side, Koroki surprisingly forced it inside his Noye mark. Koroki’s face showed no grunting or any pain. The mark consumed his scabbard like a mouth as he pushed it deeper inside. After his body consumed only half of the scabbard, the weapon stopped moving, frozen in place.
Koroki carefully pulled out the scabbard like a surgeon performing surgery. This time, it looked longer than before, as if it had grown. It now looked too long to be holstered on his side since it would scrap the floor behind him.
However, towards the end of the scabbard, Surata discovered a handle that magically appeared. “A sword handle!?”
Koroki gripped the mysterious handle and slowly unsheathed it. A dull blade, longer than most katanas, escaped his sheath. Its edge was highlighted in a curvy, dark red design, and its glare reflected the beaming moonlight. The smell of rust lingered around the sword. The blade appeared weathered, like it had seen its fair share of battle.
Yorui and Surata stood frozen in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock and anticipation as they waited to see what would happen next.
“A nodachi with a katana sheath? Didn’t know that was possible.” Majuro laughed at Koroki’s weapon. “Hehe. Nice weapon. Let’s see what you're made of… Demon!”
The two Noye users stared intensely at each other, each panting heavily. Their tension intensified, and their immense and powerful energies clashed like competitors in an intense tug-of-war, each refusing to give an inch.
Koroki’s pain faded from his mind. His face looked emotionless, fixated on Majuro. After a brief moment, the tension forcefully broke.
A gust of mighty wind blew from Koroki as he quickly vanished into the wind.
“Where’d he go?” Majuro’s eyes scurried around for Koroki... but he disappeared from his sight. His nerves were twitching with an overwhelming amount of fear, yet he couldn't help but feel a thrilling sense of excitement building within him.
Hearing the stories of that “demon” and now seeing this “demon” in action smeared a smile on his face. A manslayer versus a demon. It is an anticipated fight to remember for Majuro.
After a split second, in one swift attack, Koroki reappeared out of thin air, and his blade pounded Majuro, delivering a thunderous blow to his chest.
“Wh-” Majuro got the wind knocked out of him. He felt his ribs cracking as he coughed up blood. The piercing ache from the wound felt as sharp as a fresh blade. If Koroki's dull blade had been any sharper, Majuro would have been cleanly sliced in half.
Majuro's body crumpled to the lush, green ground, his hands clutching his stomach in agony. Koroki strode purposefully toward him, looming over his fallen opponent with eyes filled with an intimidating ferocity.
“I may have been that heartless in the past, but I have the heart to let you live… for her sake,” Koroki stated, hinting at Yorui with a subtle, sympathetic tone in his voice.
Dwelling in pain, Majuro’s mind cleared up from his thoughts as he had just been free from his own torture. His heart rate and blood pressure decreased as his pulsating Noye shut down. After fighting against two talented opponents, Majuro laid on the floor on his back, staring at the night sky, defeated.
Koroki steadily sheathed his blade and deactivated his powerful Noye. As the pink energy emanating from him faded away, the sword that was sheathed also dissipated into nothingness. The blade faded away, but the long scabbard remained, reverting to its original size.
Koroki turned around and strolled away casually, leaning against his clasped hands behind his back, signaling that the fight had finished.
Despite her injuries, Yorui allowed her overwhelming emotions to guide her as she ran towards her father with glowing green eyes. At that moment, not even the intense pain could hold her back.
With clear sound returning to his ears, Majuro heard footsteps approaching him. The steps glided across the ground, carrying sadness and worries. Majuro tilted his head towards the footsteps.
“Dad!” Life reverted to his eyes as Yorui ran towards him, dragging herself from her injuries. Majuro’s eyes clouded with memories. The sight of his own saddened daughter brought him back to that dreadful day.
___
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Before becoming a manslayer, Majuro worked as a shikari in the Ikari country. His love for fighting on the battlefield was like no other. Battle and overcoming his opponents became almost an obsession. His strength and feats made him a powerful threat to other nations. With his brutal and questionable tactics, Majuro’s skills placed him at the top of his military.
He would get sent to carry out solo missions, single-handled killing every enemy spotted, even whole armies, granting him the title “Majuro the Manslayer”. As his excitement for fighting grew, his Noye began consuming him. During missions, his Noye would take over his body. He would lose control and be blinded by his love for fighting, slashing anything in his way, even allies.
Because Majuro occasionally lost control of himself, his fellow Shikaris grew fearful of him, and even his leaders saw him as a future threat to his country. After a unanimous decision, they sought to eliminate Majuro.
On a clear, sunny day, Majuro rested in the comfort of his home with his family. He tucked into his sheets, recovering his energy after successfully completing another solo mission. A young, lively Yorui played cheerfully in her spacious backyard, alone, with a ball and a bright smile on her face. Her mom sat across the outside walkway, observing and smiling at her daughter.
While off duty, Majuro lost his obsession with fighting and focused his attention on loving his family. To him, his home was the only place where he could be without fighting or using his Noye until...
Shatter!
Trying to recover his body from his missions peacefully, Majuro suddenly heard glass shattering inside the house. He recalled hearing his wife and daughter cheerfully enjoying themselves outside, so something must have fallen. Majuro got up from dozing and decided to go check on the noise.
As Majuro curiously strolled to the kitchen, he sensed multiple unfamiliar auras around the house. “Who’s here?”
The doors responded by violently bursting open, with the deafening sound of windows in the living room shattering into thousands of pieces. In an instant, Majuro found himself encircled by a group of imposing figures, all dressed in sleek black attire, hiding their identities with masks.
These threatening men stared at Majuro with murderous intent, weapons in hand, their eyes beaming dark red.
Majuro refused to question the invasion and adapted to the situation. “Trying to mess with me while it’s my day off. Hehe.” Majuro stood still, cracking his neck and stretching his muscles. “Guess you don’t know who I am.”
Majuro, feeling a surge of adrenaline, swiftly activated his Noye and stuck his hand in his mark to fetch his sickle. With a firm grip on his sickle, he prepared himself to confront whatever adversary lay ahead.
His mission earlier exhausted him, but he had no room to complain. His voice deepened with focused eyes, “Let me show you.”
The men ambushed him, giving him no time to think. Majuro tried to stay clear-headed, but his exhaustion grew, making it difficult to focus during the fight.
As Majuro struggled to defend himself, his natural instincts took over his body. His heart paced, and his Noye pulsated.
He swung wildly, attacking like a cornered beast. Slash after slash, men quickly dropped to the wooden floor. The once clean kitchen got bloodstained, like paint splattering on a black canvas.
___
During Majuro’s rampage, his wife heard sounds of glass shattering and screaming. “Honey, what’s with all the noise?” She rose from her seat, a look of worry crossing her face as the noise and activity caught her attention. She kindly faced Yorui and gestured, “Hey, Yorui, give me a second. I’ll be right back.”
Yorui nodded joyfully as she continued to frolic and play in the spacious yard, filled with colorful flowers and lush green grass.
Yorui’s mom curiously paced to the kitchen. As she entered through the patio doorway, red shards of glass blocked her path. She wore no shoes, so she carefully tiptoed through the dangerous floor. Blood flowed across the floor, staining her white socks. She slowly approached the kitchen and noticed piles of black figures across the room.
In the distance, her eyes locked at Majuro delivering the final blow on the last round of enemies.
Majuro victoriously stood amongst the bodies standing away from her. His breathing felt increasingly labored. His eyes gazed at the dark ceiling, still pulsating orange, and his strained face revealed the pain from exhaustion.
She tottered towards Majuro, walking past dead bodies scattered on the floor.
Majuro's consciousness briefly faded, and he felt another presence behind him.
She slowly extended her hand to him. “Honey, are you ok...”
Slash!
___
With all the ruckus inside, Yorui headed inside the house. She got bored playing alone, so she wanted to find her mom to play tea party. She strolled towards the kitchen and stumbled upon the dead bodies and blood in the house.
Amongst the dead bodies, Yorui’s eyes froze, staring at her mother lying on the floor. Her eyes were lifeless, and a puddle of blood leaked from her body as her father chucked above the body.
She mumbled, her voice shaking. “Mom...my?”
Majuro dropped his head, gazing at the young Yorui. The expression Yorui wore that day was seared into his memory, an unforgettable sight.
Yorui’s face back then resembled the same exact face she wore in the present.
The memory faded away with Yorui’s face, and Majuro returned to the real world.
___
“Why? Why? It’s your fault! Why did you leave me, Yorui?” urged Majuro as he stared at Yorui.
His words tugged at Yorui’s heart. She froze in place, feeling like she had been shot in the chest.
“I didn’t leave you!” She cried out, hoping her father would trust her words.
Majuro ignored her cry and attempted to recover himself, grunting through the pain. “First Izumi, now you! Why does everyone want to leave me!? Ugh, I can’t… be defeated!” Somehow, Majuro's sheer willpower and frustration gathered enough energy to stand up and reactivate his powerful Noye. “I won’t… won’t lose!”
Koroki smacked his lips, acknowledging Majuro’s futile attempt to fight. “Tsk, he still has the strength to get up.” Koroki lowered his clasped arms and turned around. “Guess I should’ve killed him after all…” He casually took his stance, his scabbard in hand.
Koroki refused to give Majuro time to prepare and lunged towards Majuro. Majuro screamed in agony, dragging his weak limbs to attack. Koroki’s Noye pulsated again as he charged his attack.
Before the situation escalated, a familiar, gentle voice interrupted their moment, piercing the air. “That’s not what we’re going to do!”
Just as the voice spoke, Koroki’s body rapidly slammed into the ground, carving a comedic hole. The fight absorbed everyone’s attention, and they never noticed the mysterious presence. They all turned their attention to the voice behind Koroki.
Surata’s face lit up again, sitting inside, feeling ecstatic and at rest. “Father! Where were you?”
Ishio vaguely responded in a cheerful voice. “Oh. I was just doing a quick errand. I see you took care of Majuro for me.” Ishio turned his face to Surata, observing his injuries, exposing a sincere smile of gratitude. “Thank you.”
Ishio stood behind the grounded Koroki with his calm and gentle demeanor. The impact of his hand colliding with Koroki emitted steam from his knuckles like a steamer.
Koroki fixed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his head. “Ouch! Stupid old man, are you trying to kill me?!”
Instead of supporting Koroki, Ishio sneered at him. Ishio crossed his arms, glancing at him from the corner of his eye, and responded with a smirky comment. “For someone who doesn’t like fighting, you sure know how to play with your food.”
Koroki comedically grinded his teeth at Ishio’s teasing.
Majuro’s energy depleted after attempting to sustain his Noye. In response to his physical condition, his Noye shut off while his body collapsed to the ground. His face turned pale as his consciousness slowly faded.
Behind Surata, he could hear handcuffs clanking and heavy walking approaching the scene. Police officers swarmed the backyard, making their way to the downed Majuro, holstering their weapons.
“You are under arrest, Majuro.” Ishio declared, showing his authority. His calmness turned sterner, glaring at Majuro. “Don’t try to fight back, or I will be the one to put you down.”
The cops turned Majuro on his stomach, cuffed him, and then lifted his dead weight. Before being dragged away from the officers, Majuro momentarily regained consciousness. He exhaustedly chuckled, “You’re a killer, Koroki. A killer just like me.”
Koroki’s emotionless expression refused to respond to Majuro, but his grip on his sheath tightened, refusing to expose his feelings.
Majuro then dragged his eyes toward Yorui for one final glance. The sight of his upset daughter exposed a slight smile on Majuro’s face. His smile lingered as the officers escorted him out of the house while his upset daughter watched him walk away, accepting his defeat.
As Majuro took his last step out of the house, the long and grueling battle that had been raging finally ended.
___
The tension withered away, and the air around them felt lighter. The silence lingered for a moment as they processed their victory.
Yorui’s adrenaline dissipated as her exhaustion and injuries caught up with her, collapsing on her butt, and her glowing eyes reverted to normal. She gasped with a face full of relief. “It’s… over. It’s finally over.”
“Yorui!” Surata shouted, panicking, realizing her condition.
Accessing the situation, Ishio rushed over to Yorui, analyzing her injuries.
“I’m fine,” she explained while Ishio raised her upper body. As he touched her back, Yorui felt a spiking pain from her back. “ju-jUST a little tired.”
“You’re not okay. These injuries are bad! We should treat them!” Ishio turned his attention to Surata.
Though Ishio suggested providing treatment, he was not a professional. His medical skills were mediocre compared to those of an actual doctor like Nurse Hapi, but he did know basic first aid and how to bandage wounds.
“Surata, can you still move?” Ishio asked, his voice filled with authority.
Several minutes had flown by, and Surata gathered enough energy to move around. “Yes… Father.” He answered while standing up.
“Alright, take her to my room so I can treat you both.”
“Yes, Father.” Without hesitation, Surata limped his way over to Yorui, holding his injured arm. Using his other arm, he rested Yorui’s arm over his shoulder and carried her in a human crutch position back inside for treatment.
While they headed inside, Ishio walked over to Koroki, who stood lazily with his dead eyes. “Thank you for taking care of the situation, Koroki. Now our mission is complete.”
“I really didn’t have a choice.” He shrugged his shoulders, feeling forced to fight. “This wasn’t my fight, but he made it my fight.”
Koroki never liked getting involved in other families’ issues. Only family members could be involved in family issues, so other people's problems never concerned him. That’s just his philosophy. But when Majuro involved Surata, Majuro involved Koroki.
Also, as emotionless as he looked, Koroki could never hide his true intentions from Ishio. Despite Koroki’s calm and lazy personality, Ishio knew deep down Koroki wanted to help Yorui. Understanding his true character, Ishio could not help but put on a genuine smile as he stared proudly at Koroki.
“What?” Koroki annoyingly asked, irritated by the heartfelt smile.
“You’re a good kid, Koroki. Just remember, you aren’t the Heartless Demon anymore. You’re just Koroki.”
Koroki subtly looked down as his eyes reminisced about his past. “I know,” he said softly.
Afterward, Koroki lifted his head up and calmly strolled upstairs with his weapon leaned against his shoulders. Ishio followed him, avoiding the damaged furniture and mess created by the fight.
As everyone gathered in Ishio’s room, Ishio tended to their injuries as a phase of victory and recovery got underway. The recent news caused Surata and Yorui to dwell on Koroki’s identity, but they focused on their injuries first, waiting for their recovery.