Chapter 24 Part 2: Shadow Oath

"Ah, so you remember my name." Tsukuyomi's laughter reverberated through the darkness, sending shivers down Kazuki's spine. The god leaned closer, and Kazuki recoiled from the stench of his breath, a putrid mix of death and decay.

"Wh-what do you want from me!?" Kazuki stammered, trying to find some semblance of courage within himself. "You look nothing like you were back in prison."

"Appearances can be deceiving," Tsukuyomi replied, his voice dripping with malevolence. "I am but a reflection of your own darkness, Kazuki."

Kazuki struggled to process this revelation, his heart pounding in his chest as fear threatened to overwhelm him. He searched for an escape, desperately needing to distance himself from this monstrous entity born from his own emotions.

"Please," Kazuki whispered, barely able to choke out the word. "Let me go. I don't want to be here anymore."

But Tsukuyomi only laughed, his sinister chuckle echoing in the void. "You still do not understand, Kazuki. This is where you have always belonged. Your darkness, your rage, your thirst for vengeance—these are the ties that bind you to me."

"Then help me!" Kazuki cried, terror giving way to desperation. "Show me how to break free, how to find peace!"

"Peace? That is not what you seek, Kazuki. You yearn for power, for retribution against those who wronged you. Don't you? Embrace your darkness, and I will grant you the strength to see it through."

As Tsukuyomi's words washed over him, Kazuki felt a glimmer of truth in the god's insidious promises. But he also sensed the danger, the allure of losing himself to the shadows. He had to resist, to find another way.

"Never," Kazuki whispered, his voice trembling with resolve. "I won't give in to you any longer."

"Very well," Tsukuyomi said, his tone cold and unforgiving. "But know this, Kazuki—you cannot escape your own darkness. It is a part of you, as I am a part of you. And when you are ready to accept that, I will be waiting."

With that final chilling statement, Tsukuyomi vanished into the shadows, leaving Kazuki alone once more in the void. The darkness began to recede, replaced by the familiar sounds of the waterfall and the soft rustle of leaves overhead as reality returned.

Kazuki opened his eyes, feeling the cold sweat on his brow and the heavy weight of fear still clenching his heart. He knew now that his journey was far from over, and that the greatest battle he would face would not be against any external enemy, but within the depths of his own soul.

Kazuki sat motionless for a long time, staring into the rippling waters of the waterfall as his mind raced. How had he allowed himself to sink so low, consumed by hatred and vengeance, that his own darkness had manifested into a sinister entity?

He thought back to his days as a revered samurai official guard, upholding justice and protecting the weak. That seemed a lifetime ago. Now here he was, a disgraced ronin with blood on his hands, seeking revenge against those who had wronged him.

No wonder Tsukuyomi had gained such power and form. Kazuki had been feeding him, nourishing him with his rage and bitterness.

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A single tear rolled down Kazuki's cheek as the full weight of his mistakes came crashing down. He knew then what he had to do—to atone for his past, he needed to abandon his anger, discard his desire for revenge, and focus on protecting those in need. This was his only way to regain his lost honor.

It would not be easy. The thirst for vengeance was difficult to quench, a fire that had raged inside him for so long. But Kazuki steeled his resolve. If he was to defeat Tsukuyomi, if he was to reclaim his soul, he had to start by defeating the darkness within.

With a heavy sigh, Kazuki rose to his feet and turned away from the waterfall. The path ahead was long, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope. His quest for revenge had led him to the brink of despair, but now he saw a chance for salvation. A chance to become the man he once was, and rise above the shadows that threatened to consume him.

As nightfall advanced, he allowed his mind to wander, revisiting the vision of himself as a twelve-year-old boy. His skin bronzed by the unforgiving sun of Osaka, clothes worn and ragged, deserted by his own parents who couldn't sustain the burden of another mouth to feed.

He had felt inconsequential and neglected, a vacant vessel devoid of purpose, devoid of value.

Then arrived that memorable day, an indelible mark on his memory like a meticulously crafted masterpiece.

Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, an embodiment of vigor and tranquility, his golden kimono glinting under the sunlight, his bamboo hat casting a shielding shadow over his empathetic cerulean eyes.

He had a distinct aura about him, a dominating presence that served as a soothing salve to his broken spirit. Kazuki vividly recalled the calming voice that extricated him from his misery, the smile that ignited a flicker of hope in his desolate existence.

"What's weighing you down, young man?" Ieyasu had queried, his tone lighthearted, an effort to dissipate the gloom.

"I-I possess nothing. I was forsaken because my family couldn't manage to feed me," Kazuki had barely articulated, his voice almost inaudible.

Ieyasu's visage had softened, his sympathy emanating. "That's a formidable load for one so young."

Kazuki had simply nodded, too overwhelmed to utter. He had not anticipated this man, this influential Shogun, to attend to his woes, much less empathize.

However, Ieyasu had laughed softly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "It seems destiny has a peculiar sense of humor, young man. I am in search of courageous hearts. Hearts that have endured life's hardships and yet continue to pulsate strongly."

Kazuki's countenance, streaked with tears, had shown bewilderment. "But you... you don't even know my name."

"Why don't you enlighten me then?" Ieyasu had proposed, his tone jovial yet comforting. "What's your name, young man?"

Kazuki had taken a deep breath before responding. "It's...Unmei."

The Shogun had pondered for a moment, stroking his beard pensively. "Unmei, interesting... that translates to 'unlucky' in our language," he had said, examining Kazuki closely.

Then, in an assertive tone that brooked no argument, Ieyasu had proclaimed, "You know what? Henceforth, your name will be Kazuki. It means 'hope of peace'."

Upon hearing these words, Kazuki had experienced a wave of emotion so powerful it had flooded over him. Tears had welled up in his eyes, but not from sadness, instead from intense elation.

"Th-thank you," he had stuttered, the tears unimpededly streaming down his face. "I...I will honor this name."

And honor it he did. From a forsaken child on the streets of Osaka to an esteemed member of the Shogun's personal guard, Kazuki had discovered his calling.

The memory of Ieyasu's benevolence, joviality, and compassion induced a smile on his face. His life had been salvaged, and irreversibly transformed, by this extraordinary man – his mentor, his guide, his Shogun – Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Now, peering into the deep night, Kazuki could sense the influence of those teachings steering him. The night appeared less menacing now, its shadows less intimidating.