Keitsu thought that meant he would let him live so he could grow up to become stronger. The man took out a large cleaver from his back and sliced a larger wound into his arm. His blood moved out of the man's hand and transformed into a cannon. The blood solidified so his blood would actually become a cannon.
The man was very strong. Keitsu saw six men needed to lift cannon, but he did it with one." In all parts of our globe, fanatics have cut each other's throats, publicly burnt each other, committed without a scruple and even as a duty, the greatest crimes, and shed torrents of blood . . ."
Raiko appeared behind the man and slammed his mace in his head. His mace crushed his eyes. The cannon dropped and fired...hitting nothing. The cannon ball dissolved into dry blood after being indulged inside the water.
Raiko felt a powerful force pushing against his mace. Tentacles rippled from the strangers neck and coiled around Raiko. Raiko lost his mace. The strangers head grew and reformed. The stranger failed. Keitsu left the island and moved to his journey.
" Putrid human."
The strangers tentacles threw Raiko to the ground. Raiko got back up and tried to fight the stranger with his bare hands. Suddenly Raiko was trapped inside a cage made entirely out of the strangers blood.
" You have a strong heart and a powerful soul." The stranger smiled evilly at Raiko. " I find that very...interesting. Hahahaha!"
XXX
Keitsu could only hope Raiko was okay. Hope was what kept him strong. Hope was what helped Keitsu sleep. At least, Keitsu tried to sleep, but his brain wouldn't let him.
Keitsu no longer feared the water. The water was dark and opaque. There wasn't a star in the sky. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.
" I'm not a hero. I'm nothing."
Keitsu smashed his fists against the sea. Again and again. When Keitsu was angry he'd scream in the forest so he'd could be as loud as he wanted and nobody could hear him. Keitsu did the same on that small raft, which Raiko risked his life to let him leave on, hoping Raiko would show up and save him. Nothing.
Why did Raiko stay behind? Why didn't he come with Keitsu? Raiko used to say things like "We'll be friends forever" and " The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." Where was his friends? Who was helping him?
Keitsu promised Raiko that he would never tell anyone his deepest, darkest secret. Raiko...has a girlfriend. Raiko tried to keep it a secret from Keitsu, but Keitsu found out in the letters she wrote to him.