CHAPTER 33
You Don't Search For Redemption, You Gotta Earn It!
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As Sub and Tom's battle came to an end, by utterly overwhelming Tom.
And now, Tom lies on the sands with his own pool of bloods as his breathing were getting heavy and slower by seconds.
「...」
For Sub himself; he was still standing like a statue, as the black flame that engulfed him was getting hotter and more dense.
•••
••
•
And about a kilometer or two away from them; was Jyoti, Num and Kitsune, looking on.
「*Sigh* Now then, let's begin!」< Jyoti >
At Jyoti's word; she herself along with Num just disappears from the scene, leaving Kitsune behind.
「...」
Without a word, Kitsune soon unfolds her folding fan and swipes it towards Sub's direction.
*Rumble* *Rumble*
To which; the whole ground in front of her just shattered into million of pieces, as it soon turns into a giant tsunami of sands, approaching at Sub with rapid speed.
And when it was about make a contact with him, a barrage of countless pitch-black chains form into a giant wall, preventing the tsunami from coming any closer.
「...」
Meanwhile, Num's weapon/staff was heading towards him like a spear, from the opposite direction.
In response; dozens of pitch-black chains materialized from the thin air and grabs the weapon/staff itself, killing its momentum.
*Bam*
But the staff itself was so heavy that it took down those chains with it onto the sands, leaving Sub open for just a millisecond.
*Woosh*
And that was enough for Num to close his distance towards his Master.
「Hope you'll forgive me for this.」< Num >
With a serious look, Num punched his Master across his face, sending him flying through the battlefield.
When Sub was about to land with an impact; his follower Jyoti, patiently waits for her Master on the landing spot, while giving a side looks.
「...」
And when Sub just few meters away from her; Jyoti instantly grabs the hilt of her Katana and launches an attack of her own.
「《Moonlit Blossom》!」
With monotone voice; Jyoti elegantly unsheathes her Katana, unleashing a powerful and yet swift slash, before quickly putting back into the scabbard.
And the result was; a strip line of bright light coming at Sub in full speed. But before it could've make its contact---dozens of pitch-black chains materialized yet again, forming into a shield, protecting him from the attack.
*Clink*
「...」
But the sheer force of this attack was so intense; that it directly starts to send Sub upwards the blue skies. While the attack itself cuts through the clouds, making the sky more visible.
And while at it; Jyoti, Num and Kitsune begins to chant their magic for their next attack.
「《Pure Art---》」< Jyoti >
「《Sage Art---》」< Num >
「《Spirit Art---》」< Kitsune >
As they chants their magic, there different magic circle starts to form around Sub.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
「《Light Prison》!」
「《One Finger Seal》!」
「《Eternity》!」
To their words; each magic circle corresponds instantly. As the first one, traps Sub in a light prison.
The second one soon produces a large kanji character, as it says '海豹(Seal)'. As it adds another layer barrier around Sub, while buffing up the light prison as well.
And the third one produces an endless barrage of gigantic thorns, wrapping Sub's whole body.
「...」
However---
*Glitch*
In just a split second; Sub and his surroundings got glitched out for a moment, as those three magic circle were now nowhere to be found. As for the light prison and all that was entrapping him was soon got absorb into his engulfed body.
And for Sub himself, he was now levitating through the air, motionless.
「...」
*Woosh*
Just then---like a breeze; Jyoti, Num and Kitsune instantly appears and surrounds their Master.
「...」
Without a word; Kitsune quickly unfolds the folding fan and was about to strike---
「?!」
When all of sudden; she saw her attack got grab by a single chain. And before, she could've done something, the chain starts to swings her around and throws her away from the scene.
「Haa--?」
Soon enough, Num clenched his right-hand and launches an attack. But before his fist could reach Sub, dozens of pitch-black chains hits him from sideways like a truck.
Now, only Jyoti remains near Sub. But instead of attacking, she was tightly gripping her right hand as if holding something precious.
「Master...」
Jyoti softly whispers as she directly looks at her Master, whose body was engulfed by the black flames.
「...」
Suddenly, a single chain pierce through her from behind. But her whole appearance soon sizzle out into the winds. And reappears in front of her Master.
「I'm here...to return what rightfully yours......」< Jyoti >
Jyoti mutters as she slowly opens her right hand, to reveal a small sphere; which was projecting Sub himself in various scenarios.
*Bam*
In an instant, Jyoti slaps the sphere right into Sub's chest.
「...」
Upon its contact, the sphere itself quickly got inside Sub.
「Master, please come back! I'm sorry for hiding this from you!!」< Jyoti >
Jyoti pleads to her Master to come back to his senses, as she soon hugs him tightly. Despite, getting damage from those black flames that engulfed Sub's entire body.
「I had my rea---?」< Jyoti >
「Jyoti.」
Suddenly; the whole black flames dissipates into thin air---while Sub softly calls out Jyoti, being butt naked.
「Mas---?」
To her surprise, Sub did came back to his senses. And when Jyoti tries to speak---Sub gently puts his index finger between her lips.
「If you have your reasons then, that's fine.」< Sub >
Sub added as he quickly closes his eyelids and falls into her arms, as if trusting her to take care of him.
「..Master...you......」
Which made Jyoti to reminisce about the exact day from five years ago, when Sub had said the same thing after forming a 'Contract' with her.
While reminiscing; Jyoti gently catches her Master, and takes out a blanket from the 'Storage Pouch' and covers his whole body with it. As she soon starts to descend to the ground, near Tom.
◆◆◆
「Hah...Hah...」
With a heavy huff; Tom lies on the sands with his own pool of bloods, while the smell and taste of irons were filling him up.
And amidst of his struggles, Tom could hear loud bangs of metal clashing.
「Uhhh...」
Tom groans in pain, while slowly moving his head to see towards the source.
Just to see; Sub peacefully sleeping on Jyoti's arms, while Jyoti herself descends from the sky, near him.
「...Hah...Hah...」
To which, Tom painfully rolls over to face the blue skies with a heavy breather.
「Seems like...Hah...Hah....Sub-kun is....really lucky to have you....Hah...Hah....Ms. Jyoti......」< Tom >
Tom softly said as he gasps for air.
「Tomoki...it's not Master whose lucky. It's me.」< Jyoti >
In response, Jyoti denies Tom's remark, while she gently glances at her Master.
「I see... Then......make sure to protect him...Hah...Hah...at all cost....Hah.....unlike me......」< Tom >
Tom murmurs while he looks at the skies with regretful eyes, as if remembering his own failure to save his love(Maria).
「Tomoki...I---」
To which; Jyoti tries to say something, when she suddenly got interrupted by Tom.
「Y'know... In the name of 'Justice', I had acted on my vengeance. Just to take lives of innocents...... And for that, I wanted to give my life away as a form of redemption........ But my fate had other things in mind......」< Tom >
Tom briefly looks at his blood soaked hands and continues---
「Cause the next thing I knew... I was just a pawn of my enemy......but maybe...it was just a punishment for me...to remind me all those horrible things I did........」< Tom >
「...」
Tom continues to rant on, while Jyoti patiently listens to him.
「In search of 'Redemption'...I've travelled around the world for more than a millennia......to make others safe...... And during my travels, I had seen families whose lives was happy... Whereas, I've also seen families, who will just struggle to put foods on their table......but the one thing will always remain...and that is 'Love'......」< Tom >
Tom softly mutters as he continues to watch the skies with regret.
「But no matter what... Whenever I see a family......I just couldn't help but to feel happy...and yet envious towards them...... Cause I also wanted a family, y'know......I don't wanna die feeling all alone........」< Tom >
To which, Jyoti finally breaks her silent by saying---
「Well, in search of redemption. You now have a family of your own, Tomoki. Look over there.」< Jyoti >
Jyoti moves aside from his view; revealing Ino, Kira and Mark desperately running towards his direction.
「Tomoki-sama!!!」
「Aniki!!!」
「Mister Tomoki!!!」
While they were making their way, Jyoti continues to speak.
「So, don't you think, talking with them might ease-up your mind, rather than ranting about your past to me? After all, isn't that what family's for?」< Jyoti >
Jyoti added as she quickly turns around to leave the scene, while holding onto her Master.
「Ms. Jyoti...」
When Tom suddenly calls her one last time to say.
「Seems like...Sub-kun is bigger idiot than you are, huh......」< Tom >
「Heh~ I know.」
In response, Jyoti gave a soft smirk and teleports herself along with her Master entirely from the battlefield.
Leaving Tom behind; as he gently raises his left-hand up towards Ino and others, while thinking---
(..I was so blindfolded by my guilt for all these times...that I seem to forgotten about them.....) < Tom >
「Tomoki-sama!」
「「...」」
All while, Ino quickly takes the 'Seiza Position' and gently puts Tom's head on her lap. While Kira and Mark sits beside him, respectively.
「I'm sorry, kids...seems like, I don't have much time left... So, I'm sorry......I'm sorry for not letting you go.......to enjoy your normal lives...I'm sorry being so selfish......」< Tom >
With his last remaining breathes; Tom softly said as he gave a awkward smile, while showing remorse.
「..what are you saying, Tomoki-sama..? I never asked you for a normal life... All I ever wanted was and will always be to spend time with you...... So, I should be the one, who should be apologizing, not you.....」< Ino >
In an apologetic manner, Ino said and looks at Tom directly with her tearful eyes.
Soon after Ino, Kira spoke up---
「After getting the fame and fortune. Everybody wanted to be my friends, just because I was rich. But...after my mother passing, her last message was the only thing that kept me going......and when my father passed away...you were there for me, Aniki. To look after me like a 'Brother'. And now, you and these guys are the only ones who makes me feel like, I'm at 'Home'.」< Kira >
Kira gently said as he glance at Tom and his companions with thankful gaze.
And soon after Kira, Mark soon speak his mind---
「From the day I was born, I never got to experience a father's love. And when my mother passed away, I felt a huge gaping hole inside me that I thought could never recover. But...you changed that, you looked after me like a son. You taught me about life. You gave me the warmth I needed...and for that, I'm really grateful, Mister Tomoki......」< Mark >
Mark said as he bits his lip in frustration.
『So now...it's our turn to give you the warmth you need...』
Soon; Ino, Kira and Mark said in unison, and gently sticks their head together while hugging and looks at Tom with their watery eyes.
(...I'm about to die...and yet, I feel happy...and free......) < Tom >
And after listening to them; Tom felt a sense of relief as he muster up his last energy and says---
「...you kids......have grown so well........」< Tom >
Tom softly mutter as he slowly closes his eyelids with a gentle smile, leaving this world in peace.
『Yes... *Sob* *Sob* *Sob*!』
At Tom's last words; all of them nodded in unison, as tears starts to flow from their eyes, uncontrollably.
『*Sob* *Sob* *Sob*』
Without a single word; Ino, Kira and Makr continues to cry as they couldn't hold back their tears, any longer.
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I hope you enjoy it and sorry for my bad grammar and I hope it's understandable.
I'm trying my best to improve and if you find some mistakes or anything like that, then let me know on the comments.
Peace:)