Chapter 3 Part 3: Outcast And The Shadow Deity
As the the last hour passed, Kazuki's aura of vengeance grew stronger, filling the cell with a palpable tension. Even his fellow prisoners could sense the change in him, as they began to avoid eye contact and huddle in the corners of their shared confinement.
"Something's different about you," one prisoner whispered to another, his voice quivering with unease.
"Stay away from him," the other replied, eyes locked on Kazuki's back. "He's like a tiger waiting to pounce."
Kazuki's mind was consumed by images of Kuroyama Endō and the corrupt advisors who had condemned him. He visualized their smug faces, the arrogance dripping from their every word, and the way they reveled in his predicament. As he replayed these scenes, the shadows around him seemed to take notice, pulsing with his growing rage.
"Your time has come, Kazuki," a guard announced, pulling him out of his vengeful reverie. Blindfolded and shackled, Kazuki was led through the prison corridors toward his impending execution. The guards couldn't help but notice the unsettling grin that remained plastered on his face. Despite this apparent bravado, Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest, and the shadow magic within him writhed in anticipation.
The execution grounds were packed with onlookers, eager to witness the demise of the once-revered samurai. Among them, Kazuki sensed the presence of Kuroyama and his conspirators, their foul auras unmistakable. He heard their voices, laced with cruelty and disdain, as they conversed with one another.
"Finally, we can put an end to this nuisance," one advisor sneered.
"His death will stand as a stark warning to those bold enough to threaten the life of the new and current Shogun, the Son of Shogun Tokugawa, Shogun Hidetada!," Kuroyama Endō interjected, his voice saturated with a menacing undertone.
"Indeed," another advisor agreed. "Let's make this quick."
As Kazuki was forced to kneel in the center of the execution area, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought that soon, his enemies would pay for their crimes. The once-honorable samurai now found himself consumed by a relentless desire for retribution, and with the power of the shadows coursing through his veins, nothing would stand in his way.
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"Any last words?" the executioner asked, his voice cold and unwavering.
Kazuki tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear. "The shadows have spoken," he whispered, an unnerving smile on his lips. "And they demand vengeance."
The executioner raised his sword, the sun glinting off the blade as it hung high in the air. Kazuki's heart pounded, and he felt the shadow magic within him grow restless like a caged beast. He focused on the whispers of the shadows and sensed the positions of Kuroyama and his advisors.
"Death comes for us all," Kazuki murmured as the executioner's blade began its descent. In that split second, he tapped into the shadow magic, vanishing in a cloud of darkness just as the sword should have made contact with his neck.
Panic erupted among the crowd, confusion spreading like wildfire. Taking advantage of the chaos, Kazuki teleported near the advisors, their faces twisted with fear. With a sinister grin, he pulled the sharpened rock from his pants and imbued it with shadow magic, transforming it into a lethal weapon.
"Your judgment has arrived," he snarled, lunging forward to slash at the exposed throats of the corrupt men before him. The shadow-infused rock cut through flesh effortlessly, and the advisors fell one by one, their blood staining the ground.
Kuroyama's eyes widened, and he screamed for everyone to flee. "Kaze Minamoto, stop him!" he yelled.
"Your time has come, Kuroyama Endō," Kazuki spat, teleporting in front of the treacherous advisor Kuroyama and Shogun Hidetada. He stole one of the dead advisors sword and raised it to deliver the final blow to Kuroyama. However, a sudden gust of wind knocked him off balance.
"Enough!" shouted Kaze, one of the Minamoto warriors, brandishing his staff. With a swift motion, Kaze channeled his wind magic through the staff, sending a powerful blast towards Kazuki.
Caught off guard, Kazuki was unable to teleport in time and was sent hurtling through the air, far away from the castle. The wind magic dissipated, and he found himself sprawled on the ground in an unfamiliar forest.
"Damn you," he cursed under his breath, tasting blood in his mouth as he struggled to regain his bearings. As he glanced down at his hands, now slick with a mix of his own and his enemies' blood, he felt the shadow magic within him surge like a torrent.
"Kuroyama!," he growled, clenching his fists. "I will not rest until I see you destroyed."
The once-honorable samurai had been consumed by revenge, the shadows whispering dark promises into his very soul. But even as the darkness threatened to swallow him whole, Kazuki embraced it, knowing that this newfound power would be his key to avenging the injustice he had suffered.
"The Minamoto Clan, you too shall fall," he vowed, standing tall amidst the trees in the forest, his eyes burning with resolve.
For the first time in his life, Kazuki truly understood the depths of his own potential. He knew that he had become something more than just a man seeking revenge – he had become an unstoppable force, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.