I leave the arena and walk into the main hall. So many victims on all sides! And the only winner is Hunter.

But Katsumi is right.

(Why did I really think I had a chance without rhime? I never came close to beating Hunter. How can I guarantee that I would survive in this line of work?)

I walk past the yakuza members and head to the medical room.

Kon! Kon!

Someone at the door leading to the karaoke business knocks rapidly. I reluctantly walk over to the door and open it.

To see Vorn and many other dwarves, bringing the other poisoned victims.

The instant Vorn sees my face...

BA!

He slugs me across the face with his gauntlet, knocking me into the wall behind me.

BATAN!

"You idiot!" he exclaims. "What were you thinking!?"

I remain silent and continue towards the medical room.

"Come back here! I'm not done talking to you!"

I make it to the room and see Saiya at Yamiso's bedside, holding his hand. While her face still looks emotionless, she has tears in her eyes. I look down the room. Hiromu. Claire. Sigka. Tamashi. Yamiso. All of them risked their lives for me, and I couldn't do anything but play the damsel in distress.

And, at the farthest end of the room...is Mydrea. I advance towards her bed, Vorn continuing to lecture me about teamwork. When I get to Mydrea's bedside...

I take out the vial of antitoxin, still intact in spite of all my abuse.

"Huh?" Vorn raises his eyebrows. "Oren, what's that?"

I ignore him and continue to look at the unconscious Mydrea.

"Mydrea," I start. "I'm...sorry for everything. If I didn't cause you so much trouble in Terraz, you wouldn't be like this. I hated you for so long, thinking that your actions were selfish and cruel. But now, I can see that I'm no different. No, you're actually the better of us two. You're actually strong enough to uphold your ideals, while all I ever did was slow everyone down. I finally realize the burdens you carry, and I have no right to judge you. Being a Keisetsu member takes more than strength. If nothing else, thank you...for giving me the chance I didn't deserve."

I take her hands...and put the vial between them.

"May you succeed where I have not."

"Oren?" Vorn asks. "What is that vial?"

I walk over to Vorn...

And remove Clarent from my waist, holding it out to him.

"Vorn, please...take it."

"Wh...What!?"

"I...insist."

"But, isn't that...!?"

"It may be important to me, yes, but honestly, all it carries for me are dreams I cannot fulfill. The least I can do...is fulfill your dream."

"Oren, I know you're upset, but I can't...!"

"I have no use for a weapon that I can never wield at its fullest. Or rather, I have no right."

Vorn hesitates...

But eventually takes Clarent from me.

(Hisashi, I'm sorry that I can't meet your expectations.)

I turn and head out of the room.

"Use the money to build the best forge in Orageru. One that will surpass even the forges of the Third Age. But please, before that, use the money...to reproduce my gift to Mydrea. It's...all I've been good for."

"Oren..."

I walk out of the room and head towards the exit, ready to leave with Sueka. While I take my final steps out of the Keisetsu's hideout, the place I had called home for only a week, Vorn goes over to one of the dwarves in his company.

"Get this medicine analyzed, NOW!" he orders.

Sueka and I leave Tokiport and head inland. The two of us walk along the rugged roads for about half an hour before hitchhiking on a wagon of straw. It's nice to see some people are still willing to help us.

"Hey, Oren?" Sueka asks. "Where are we going?"

"I heard there are openings for farmers in Nera. Hope you don't mind working with more First Age Asian vegetables. I think we have enough to make it there."

"I'm happy, so long as I'm with you."

This brings a faint smile to my face.

"Although...I think I'll miss everybody." Sueka continues. "I came to like everyone there."

...

"Yeah..." I say. "Me too."

"Wish I didn't make them hate me after what I did."

"They still seemed to care about you, sis. Truth be told, I made far bigger blunders."

Sueka looks up at the cloudy sky.

"I still don't understand why you wanted to join in the first place. You may be strong, but you never struck me as the 'mercenary' type."

I look to Sueka, then put her left hand between mine.

"If I wasn't strong...would you still care about me?"

Sueka pauses in confusion...

But eventually smiles and kisses me on the forehead.

"Is that a good enough answer?" she asks.

I put my hand over the spot where she kissed, and blush.

"Let me guess," she continues. "You overheard me in New Vegas."

I nod.

"I just told that guy that to make him leave me alone. You should know by now, I don't have that 'survival of the fittest' mindset. I may want someone who won't be overly dependent on me, but I'm not asking for Keisetsu strength. Besides, you're strong in a lot of ways!"

"Wish I could agree with you, but thanks."

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"No, seriously! You are strong! You're a capable fighter, no matter what others say! Not to mention you're smarter than most people I know. And intelligence is a strength! And even if others call your actions 'reckless', I see many of them as 'courageous'! Courage is also an important strength! So you see? You ARE strong!"

I pause and reflect on her words. Eventually, I turn back to her and smile.

"Thanks...I needed that."

After riding for about an hour, we get off at a small teahouse similar to First Age ones. Looking around, we see the fields around us are nothing but rice fields. Seems we're heading in the right direction.

Sueka and I enter the teahouse to get something to eat. Honestly, I haven't eaten anything since I was "traded", so I'm actually quite hungry. Sure, the atmosphere seems a little strange, mostly because of the customers, but I'm hungry, so I don't care. And like Sueka said, I'm strong...enough, and I doubt anybody would try anything on Sueka.

"What would you like?" the waitress asks.

"Green tea, mochi, and dango, please." I say.

"Make that two!" Sueka states.

While we wait, I look at the other customers. A handsome, laid-back archer in the corner, putting his boots up on his table. A woman wearing casual city attire with the exception of a sandogasa on hwe head. Strange combination, but whatever. The others here all look like rice field workers, though I could be mistaken. Many of them are talking casually to one another, but I choose not to eavesdrop.

I look out at the cloudy sky. The waitress comes over with our food.

"Here you go." she says sweetly.

"Excuse me," I say, "but do you know of any nearby places to stay the night? Or at least until the weather clears?"

"There's a hotel within walking distance to the south."

"Thank you."

Sueka and I pick up our teacups.

Gubi. Gubi. Gubi.

Batan!

After taking a few sips...Sueka passes out!

"Hey! Hey, sis! You okay!?"

"She'll be alright." the woman in the sandogasa says as she walks over to me.

As she gets closer, I get a better look at her face.

!

Hunter-sama!?

I scoop up Sueka and jump back.

"What're you doing here!?!?" I yell.

"Calm down! Calm down! I don't mean any harm!"

"You think I...!!"

"Just...hear me out."

...

Something in her tone of voice, she doesn't seem her "usual" self.

"May I ask who it is I'm talking to?" I ask.

"Riva du Perlé. Not the other person."

I stop and think.

(...Guess I don't have much of a choice. Without a blade, I cannot win. Well...my chances of victory are low regardless. And I doubt I can flee from her, as she seems to keep on finding me.)

I carry Sueka over my shoulders and follow Hunter-sama, who wants me to talk with her at the hotel.

"Will Sueka be alright?" I ask.

"I used enough sleeping powder to knock out the average animal tone, and nothing more. She'll wake up in a few hours."

"Can you guarantee that you won't hurt her for that long?"

"I...can't."

I stop.

"Don't misunderstand." Hunter-sama states. "If I were in control, nothing you've endured would have happened. But I cannot guarantee that I'll remain in control during our talk. The only reason I can do this now is because Ripperu's words helped me fight back."

...

I continue walking in silence. Again, it's not like I have a choice.

After a few minutes of silence, save for the occasional thunder, we arrive at the hotel. It's modeled after First Age western ranch homes, which honestly feels out of place when surrounded by a more First Age Asian atmosphere, but I digress. Hunter-sama books us a room on the second floor and, when we enter, it's a well furnished room with nearly everything carved of wood. The First Age Indian carvings are also a nice touch. I put Sueka down on the bed, then go over to one of the chairs opposite of Hunter-sama around the western table.

"Okay," I start, "you found me. Now what do you want?"

Hunter-sama takes out a pouch and hands it over to me. I look inside.

!

Mesures! Lots and lots of mesures!

"Huh? What's this for?"

"Take it as an apology."

My feelings...are rather mixed. I am grateful, but also enraged. An apology doesn't come close to amending everything that has happened! But...I know that this 'side' of Hunter is sincere, and I can't entirely hate this Hunter-sama for the misdeeds of the other.

"I can't." I say, holding out the pouch.

"Please, I insist. It...makes me feel better. Besides, I want your new life to have a good start."

"I can't accept blood money."

Hunter looks away, guilty, then slowly takes the pouch back.

"I...can't argue." she says.

The sound of rain against the window is all that we can hear. Fitting, as Hunter-sama starts to cry.

"I'm sorry. For everything." she says.

"While I cannot forgive you, I can at least understand."

"No. No you don't. You could never understand the feeling of having your freedom taken away, forcing you to watch as everything you ever worked for is torn apart! To have someone else that you hate always with you in a place you can never be rid of them! That voice in your head that is the conscience you never wanted!"

(Honestly...I can sort of relate to that last part.)

She tries to calm down as she wipes away her tears.

"I...originally just wanted to collect the minimal amount of funds for my master through honest work, but my other side has always had this superiority complex about everything and believed that everything should revolve around them. When it came to economics, this other side always gave in to greed, wanting everything as soon as possible. Perhaps, this side of me is human instinct giving in to 'survival of the fittest', where the strong and ambitious overcome their obstacles to continue on, even at the cost of those 'weaker' than them."

"And you believe that?"

Hunter-sama shakes her head.

"I may have been greedy in the past, but I wouldn't abandon those I cared about to get what I wanted."

"I see."

"Please, I beg of you, help me! I don't want to live like this any longer! I don't want to die, but I don't want others to die because of me! Tell me, how should I fight back!?"

"What makes you think I have the answer?"

"It's because of your actions! I know you've lost so much because of me, yet you still continue to press on, no matter the odds! I can tell that you're not motivated solely by vengeance. You have a strong will! Tell me, what makes you continue on?"

(Strong will? Hardly. But even so...)

"I cannot help you overcome your personal struggles, but I can say this. Instead of focusing on what cannot be undone, try to do what you can to atone for your actions."

"Like what? All I do is kill when I try!"

"Like Sueka told me, there are many ways to be strong. By that logic, there are many ways to atone."

"Please be more specific!"

"Hhhmmm... You say you have excess mesures, correct?"

!

"I...you're right! I think I'll...AAAAAAAA!!!!!"

Hunter-sama grabs her head and starts shaking it violently in agony.

"Don't interfere!" she says.

"No, YOU don't!" she says again, this time in her colder tone. "Do you really wish to undo everything I've done!?"

"I cannot undo the crimes you've committed, but I can at least do this!"

Hunter-sama takes out a knife and stabs herself in the back of her hand.

"AAAAAAAAA!!!!!" her colder tone screams.

"Oren! Get out of here!" Hunter-sama yells.

As I head over to Sueka, something dawns on me. If we share unwanted second consciences...

"Wait!" I yell. "At least tell me who your other side is!"

"He is a curse! An unwanted side effect of becoming an outcross!"

(He!?)

"What is an outcross!?" I ask.

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hunter-sama yells...

As snakes disperse from her arms in all directions. I pick up Sueka and jump towards the window.

GASHAN!!

Breaking through it just before one of the snakes bites me. As I land on the ground, I look back at the hotel. The sound of people screaming is drowned out by the hissing of snakes and the crumbling of the structure. A thick layer of mist covers the floor of the room I left, then moves to ground level. As soon as it "lands", the mist solidifies into a hydra of smaller size than the one in Terraz, but with an equal number of heads.

"DAMN YOU!!!" the golden headed snake, Hunter-sama's "dominant" side, yells. "Why must the two of you always get in my way!? Why won't she give in!? Why would you die!? Eveything I do gets hindered by the two of you!!! DIE!!!!!"

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With nowhere to run, all I can do is shield Sueka from the assault. Running won't do any good, as I not only haven't fully recovered from the mission, I know Hunter will continue to pursue me until I am depleted of all usable rhime. And I don't have time to dodge this many heads.

(It's...over. Sueka...I'm sorry.)

Bababababababababababababababababababababababa!!!!!

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

Before the first snake gets close, a rain of arrows descends on the snakes, each shot hitting the spot that easily reaches each snake's brain, as those closing in all die from a single arrow. The shots aimed at the golden snake are blocked by other snakes used as shields.

"What the!?" Hunter-sama hisses. "Now what!?"

Hunter-sama quickly reverts back to a gaseous state, then rushes in the direction of the arrow, flying over me. To my surprise, the archer is nowhere in sight.

Wait...

(Nomohe?)

Bababababababababa!!

More arrows are shot at the mist cloud, but this time...

GGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When the arrows penetrate the cloud, small "holes" appear and begin to suck up the mist. What isn't absorbed quickly retreats back towards the hotel, solidying back into Hunter-sama, who is now out of breath. Behind her, those in the hotel that she destoyed start to emerge, emmitting large quantities of rhime with agitated expressions. Hunter-sama holds their head in agony, swaying back and forth.

"STOP INTERFERING!!!!!" she yells.

"Leave them alone!" she says again.

Hunter-sama growls in rage.

"You got lucky!" she yells. "But know this; after I finish with the Keisetsu, you're next!!!"

(Que!?)

Hunter-sama reverts back to a mist, then flies off. Some of the angry people from the hotel chase after her, while others turn to me.

"What's the big idea!?" a woman asks. "You know the rules; using rhime aggressively within this hotel is prohibited!"

"I am sorry, I didn't...!"

"You better be able to pay for this!" the man I previously assumed to be the manager asks.

"Well, I..."

(Do I have enough for that? And if so, what about Sueka and me?)

"If you won't pay this way..." one man starts...

Before emitting fire rhime around himself, cracking his knuckles.

"You'll pay another way!"

(Just my luck...)

The remaining hotel attendees charge at me...

GGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before one final arrow is shot between us, creating a larger black hole than before. Everyone else retreats, but I remain still, trying to maintain my footing to prevent myself from getting sucked in. In that instant, my grip on Sueka weakens, forcing me to grab her closest arm with both hands.

"Sis! Sis! Wake up!!!"

My feet begin to drag towards the void, and the force is making it harder to maintain my grip!

"WAKE UP AND HOLD ON!!!!"

Right before I lose my footing...

Another man, who anchors himself down by digging his bow into the ground, grabs my cloak, then clings his way up to my shoulders. By the time he's got a good grip around my waist, the void dissipates, allowing me to relax.

"I..." I start to say, trying to find the right words. "Um...thank you."

BATAN!

The man punches me in the gut! As my consiousness fades, the man says...

"You're quite the handful, aren't you, Oren?"

...

......

"Mmmmmm...." I groan.

I try to get up, but fall back onto what I'm lying on when I feel a sudden bump.

BATAN!

Causing me to hit my head.

"OW!! JEEZ!!!"

"Morning, sleeping beauty." someone says.

Shaking off the pain, I look around to see where I am. Seems I'm in someone's wagon, going in the opposite direction from earlier. I try to look at the driver, but I can only see his back. He's around 200 centimeters in height, pale skin, a lean figure, and short black hair. Wait...is this that guy at the teahouse?

I try to get up and move towards the front of the wagon, but the bumpy road and my lack of balance prevent me from doing so.

"I swear, you have the devil's luck. And I mean that in both a good and bad way."

The man turns back towards me. The lamp at the front of the wagon doesn't give me enough light to see his face.

"I must say, you never make things easy."

"You're...Nomohe-sama, right?"

"Bingo."

"Um...thanks again, though that punch wasn't... Wait a minute!! SUE-!?"

"Quiet down, she's fine."

I stop talking and look around frantically. I look down and find Sueka on my left, unharmed and drooling. Guess the sleeping drug is still in effect. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Trust me, I know what's important to you." Nomohe-sama says.

"Okay...that sounds kind of invasive."

"What can I say, it's my job."

"Well, it isn't anymore. You should know by now, I was fired."

"So?"

"So? So!? I've got nothing to do with the Keisetsu anymore! I just want to get to Nera and start over! Speaking of which, where are we going?"

"Where do you think?"

I pause, but already know where.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't go back. I don't belong there. All I ever do is create more complications. You said so yourself."

"So...you're just going to abandon them like that?"

I turn away.

"They're better off without me."

"And Tarran? Sutoria?"

"If I could help them, I would. But look what my 'help' has gotten them into!"

"All the more reason why you should set things right."

I sigh.

"If you know so much about me, then why don't you realize that I'll only make things worse?"

Nomohe-sama stops the horses pulling the wagon.

"Are you done?" he asks.

"With the Keisetsu? Yes, I a..."

"I meant complaining."

"Que?"

"I've been watching you for some time. Not because of my orders, but out of curiousity. Giving up isn't you. I can tell. You want to help, even though you're afraid."

"Well...I..."

"You're not the only one who's made mistakes. Word of advice, don't run from your problems. They only come back to haunt you. Trust me, I've learned the hard way."

Nomohe-sama starts the horses up again, making the wagon jump when we immediately hit a bump. I try to regain my balance.

"You know that Ken Wave is going to be assassinated, right?" Nomohe-sama says.

"What!?'

"It's all part of that Hunter bitch's plan. Hold a surprise concert, have Ken give a speech, then have one of her yakuza lackeys assassinate him out in the open, giving her true control over the company while also clearing suspicion."

"How do you know this!?"

"I've been monitoring Hunter on my own time. Her dueling personalities arguing make it easy to hear what she's thinking."

"And what's the Keisetsu's plan!?"

"Nothing...yet."

"What do you mean?"

"I wanted to tell you first."

"What? But why me?"

Nomohe-sama chuckles.

"Don't you have debts to repay and a score to settle?" he asks.

...

"If you are who I think you are," Nomohe-sama continues, "then you've got what it takes. If you want me to inform Hisao, I'll do so. Either way, I won't let the assassination succeed, but are you really going to just run away, despite knowing your friend's family is in danger?"

...

"Pity. Whatever happened to that reckless determination of yours?"

BATAN!

He lets go of the reins, turns around quickly, then punches me in the gut again.

"I think you need some time to think." he says.

"Not...again...."