Chapter 11: The Path to Zarkhan, Doku

String's POV

"Whoo! Man that was a big one." I said right after I killed this large fiend in some underground aquaduct of some kind.

I was finally back outside after like an hour of running around, fighting fiends, fighting big hollow bugs, fighting ghost fish, and even fighting giant worms. At least I got a pretty cool new ninpo scroll out of that last one. Now I can shoot lightning at everybody.

Whatever. Back to what's going on, I made my way back outside and was standing near the moats when I saw him. As I looked up, there he was standing on top of building looking straight at me. He was wearing a dark cloak and was pretty damn tall and slightly menacing in my opinion. I may not know who that is, but something tells me I'll find out sooner or later.

After I saw him, my focus went back to getting out of here. There were more fish in the water this time and they were massive. Lucky for me I still have a lot of arrows. I killed them and swam down to find an opening in a gate that had a bow on the floor. In it was a gold medallion with some weird markings on it. I grabbed that then swam back through the gate and up to catch my breath. When I looked back down there was a tunnel that looked like it's going to lead me closer to why I'm here.

General POV

String swam down and into the tunnel. About halfway through there was a large opening that had a dead body in it. String examined it and saw the numbers 0971 on a piece of paper that was attached to the ninja. After reading that, String had to quickly swim out of the tunnel before he would drown. He made his way out and caught his breath again. When he did, he noticed flying turrents and more of those giant fish in the water.

"Oh come on." String said as soon as he saw them.

He was able to dodge them and continued through another tunnel. This tunnel had a door with dials on it. Despite the darkness within the tunnel, String could vaguely read it. Instead of trying to he left through the other side and found himself in another open area with a dead body at the bottom. String went to him and found a glowing object in the dead ninja's hand. He took it and saw that it was an Owl's Eye. String examined it for a bit before swimming back up to catch his breath.

"Okay," he started to himself. "I can do this. Swimming was never that difficult. Here we go."

He then took a deep breath and went back down and into the tunnel. With the help of the eye he was able to see the dials clearly and enter the 0971 code. The door opened and he swam through. String found himself at another area to catch his breath, but this time he saw another of Muramasu's statues there and waiting for him.

"Awesome." String said as he got out of the water and approached the statue.

String touched it and felt the surge of energy flow through him once more, empowering him to an extreme degree.

"Oh. Yeah." String said as he went back into the water.

He swam through the tunnel ahead and was in front of a door. He decided to avoid it and went through another tunnel instead. This lead him to another cave opening. String got out of the water and went in a room where black ninja ambushed him. (I Know I'm Getting Directions Wrong. To Tired To Change. Oh Well :) )

"Great." String started as he unsheathed his sword. "I was wondering when I could test myself out."

He cut through the ninja with minimal effort and was astounded by his new power. He sheathed his blade and went to an altar where two pedestals were. One of gold and the other of silver. It was at that moment that String remembered that he had a gold medallion that was in the exact same shape as the pedestal. He placed it in and could tell it was linked to the door beforehand. String went back out and into the water again. There was yet another tunnel and it lead to a massive open area. After he caught his breath and looked around a bit, he noticed the fish and a ship on the other side of the gate. That was his first stop.

String swam till he was at the boat. More of the flying robots were there but he was able to avoid them and head down to the bottom of the boat. There he found a hand crank that goes to whats on top of the boat.

After dealing with the robots and taking care of the crank, String went back into the boat to get an oxygen cylinder. Now that he can swim indefinitely, String made his way out of the boat and into a maze of some sorts. At the end was a chest with the silver medallion in it. String grabbed it, made his way back to the pedestal, then went through the new open area. He made his way through and found an opening for him to go in. A quick swim down later, he found himself back in the tombs from earlier. He swam past where the coffin was into the flooded hallway and into the area the elevator was. Instead of going in the elevator though, something was calling him down another tunnel.

String looked at the opening almost in a daze. He couldn't explain it, but he had to go through. Another swim later, String saw a platform that had a strange flow of energy surrounding it. He got on it and the platform took him up. As he was moving, he could feel some very familiar presences above him. Once the platform was at the top, String went through and was in a large open area. He looked up and saw that the sky was covered in a dark energy. It was coming from wherever the Vigoor Emperor was being awakened, and String knew they didn't have much time left. Suddenly the gate behind him shut down and he looked ahead to see the fiend he wanted to kill. Doku.

He had Rachel in his arm and dropped her. String wanted to help her out and save her, but Rachel didn't want that. Doku walked over and the gate fell behind him.

"Aw, the failed protector of the Dark Dragon Blade." He said as he unsheathed his sword and threw the scabbard. "Must I take you life yet again?"

String drew his sword and prepared himself to take his revenge on the fiend who slaughter the Hayabusa villagers. String rushed him and clashed blades with Doku. They were at a perfect standstill for several seconds before Doku pushed him off and threw his sword. String dodged it and saw that it came right back to Doku.

"Cool, but cheap." String said aloud.

He went in and started to attack. Doku was blocking his moves but thanks to the last Muramasu statue, String was keeping Doku off balance. Eventually, he was able to get close to Doku and land fatal blows to him. Unfortunately those weren't enough to bring the Lord of the Greater Fiends down. String backed up and assessed the situation for a brief moment before realizing that Unohana and her group were high above watching the entire fight. He looked at her with a confused look on his face, but he shook it off and continued to fight Doku.

"Does he usually fight this recklessly?" Soifon asked Unohana.

"Yes." She answered. "He really has changed since I last saw him. He has gotten stronger and more deadly than before."

"Exactly how deadly was he before?" Yoruichi asked her.

Unohana looked at her with a smile and said. "He is only one of three people to ever leave me a scar on my body. If he were to fight me now, I would probably have more."

The others were shocked at what Unohana had told them. If String could do that as a child, then how powerful has he become now?

After a short time, Doku finally fell. String was nearly exhausted when he finally defeated him. He had never been so focused on killing someone this badly before. He looked up at Unohana and saw her smile as she and her allies left the area.

"Okay you purple mist dickhead," String started. "Where is the Dark Dragon?"

"It is in the hands of the holy Vigoor Emperor. Your true master." Doku said.

"Say what?" String was baffled and angry at the same time.

"You see, young abomination, you truly are not so different from us. Those of the Dragon Lineage such as those villagers, draw their blood from the same ancient deities as the fiends. Hollows are also no different."

String was starting to realize just what Doku was saying. Rachel made her way to him.

"You most of all should know that your true place is at the emperors side." Doku rose up slightly. "My hatred will not so easily defeated. I will bring about the, Awakening." He started to glow and rise from the ground. "Pitiful woman. Your sister must be quite precious to you."

With that, Doku was gone, leaving both String and Rachel in a frozen-like state. String for realizing that he is just the same as the Vigoor Emperor, and Rachel for the Awakening.

"The Fiendish," Rachel started. "Awakening."

She left and used her grappling line before String could say anything. He wouldn't even know what to say if given the chance. He sheathed his sword and was ready to head out.

In the stands above in that Colosseum, Gamov was looking down on String.

Finally Finished This Chapter.

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Stay Sexy Out There, PEACE!