The 13 Immortals
Disclaimer:
UQ Holder! is owned by Ken Akamatsu and J. C. Staff
Hello and welcome to my another experimental fanfic of UQ Holder, in which an inspiration popped into my head in an unexpected way. I sort heard of this anime a few years back but ignored it as I was focused on other anime, and I may have ignored further until the anime, UQ Holder! was aired on Animax-Asia (in Japanese audio with English subtitles) last February 7, and there I get to watch it for the first time.
There I find myself intrigued as I watched the first few episodes, where I was quite surprised to find out that this series served as a spin-off/sequel to Ken Akamatsu's previous series, Negima! Magister Negi Magi, due to Negi Springfield making a cameo appearance at the beginning of UQ Holder episode 1, and this quite piqued my interest and decided to watch it to see where the story goes.
After downloading the episodes, I find myself intrigued and decided to come up with an experimental story that focuses on the main character…which he is portrayed as energetic and optimistic, but also to show that despite the traits and being immortal, he would at times have a vulnerable side.
And after over a week I watched all the episodes of the anime, but felt that it was not enough, and through research I found a site where the manga of UQ Holder is posted, and upon reading it, I realized that most of the manga chapters have not been adapted on the anime, leaving a few (or rather many) of the important arcs out.
However, this inspired me to try out an experiment and make a story that is a stark contrast to the setting of UQ Holder, in which I'll be making a retelling of sorts on how Touta Konoe gained immortality through a different means.
Another basis in making this fic is based on an 80's and 90's franchise that also involves immortals, wherein each are intending to kill one another until only one is left…that inspiration came from Highlander The Series, (aired from 1992-1998) as well it is also inspired from another series, Fate/Stay Night.
Another basis is a Japanese live-action show which aired in 2002-2003, in which that show has similar premise, which 13 individuals are fighting each other only one is left with the winner gaining a prize. These are enough reasons to get me started and decided to see if this would attract readers and find out if it is well-received or a failure…
Well then, read on and enjoy!
Ch. 1: Funsai sa reta tsūjō no seikatsu
Japan.
The country that is located within South East Asia, quite near different Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and the Philippines, is seen and that country is ruled by the Diet, and are handled by the Emperor and the Prime Minister. After their defeat at World War II, the country began to change for the better, and for several decades Japan vastly improved, mostly in the technological department yet their culture and values remained the same, as most Japanese citizens remained hospitable to visitors, residents and tourists alike.
The scene then zoomed further and you can see that the scene shows that the place being shown is Tokyo, which is bustling with people who are walking the busy streets, some riding vehicles, and others riding on bicycles. There are several types of people seen on the streets; adults, children, and even infants being carried by their parents. Businessmen, businesswomen, students, policemen, all kinds of persons are seen, and they were doing their usual activities as if they do not mind it.
Shops are open and the merchants are selling their merchandise and are enticing people to buy them in hopes of earning money. It was a typical day and it seems that people today are lively and felt that their lives are full of blessings and couldn't ask for anything more, as some are happy with stable jobs, students studying in the best schools, and more, and some even chatted with one another feeling that today is a good day.
"Hey there..."
"Today's a good day..."
"Ah...life is so good..."
"Let's have lunch...?"
"Will you be my girlfriend...?"
"Let's get married..."
"Stop right there!"
"EEEP! COPS!"
-x-
The scene later shifts to a residential area somewhere in Tokyo, and there you can see that it is a subdivision where a group of houses are there, which appeared to be ordinary, as it is not posh or extravagant, simply a simple area where the residents there are living normally yet happily, and the subdivision is not quite big, yet it can be improved if the area is under construction where the land developers can put up a huge high-rise residential area such as condominiums and hotels that can cater the rich and financially powerful.
But for now, the said area is occupied by ordinary residents living there. The scene zoomed closer, where you can see a teenage boy, aged 12, where he is seen travelling with his parents as they are travelling via a car as they are on their way to a family affair (such as the boy and his parents going to Tokyo Tower for a tour), which the boy is looking forward to.
However, an unfortunate incident took place, as a van with a trailer went wayward in a haphazard speed and ended up crashing the car head-on, resulting in the car getting mangled in wrecked metal, which promptly killed the boy's parents, and the boy became critically wounded, to the point which his memory have been blocked which would last for about several months.
As ambulances and medics are getting the injured boy out of the wrecked car, everyone are wondering what caused the accident, as the investigators are facing a blank wall when they checked the wrecked van, which the front portion was wrecked, but find that the driver's seat empty, yet the keys to the ignition is still attached, as well as the fact that the doors are locked, thus there is no way that the driver could have escaped.
"What the heck…?"
"How…?"
"What kind of trick is this?"
"There's no way that the driver could've escape…"
"I'm betting that…"
"Enough! I don't want to hear about supernatural stuff!"
"But…"
"Shut it!"
Amid the scene, a blonde-haired woman is seen watching, and she somewhat had an idea on what just happened, and she boarded a taxi and ordered the driver to follow the ambulance that is taking the injured boy to a hospital.
-x-
In the days that followed, the boy miraculously recovered, which astonished the doctors and nurses, yet they did not questioned it as all that mattered is that the boy survived, and soon the blond-haired woman came and talked to the social welfare department, offering to adopt the boy after his parents died at the accident and that there are no relatives who came to adopt him, which the officials accepted seeing that the boy has nowhere else to go.
The boy is identified as Touta Konoe, aged 12, and he is somewhat depressed by the fact that he became an orphan and that no other relatives came to visit him. The woman, identified only as Yukihime, managed to get the paperwork done, and thus became Touta's OFFICIAL guardian, and she at first tried to cheer the boy up, but he doesn't appeared to be receptive towards her.
This is due to the depression he is experiencing, like losing his parents and some of his memories, but Yukihime appeared to be patient and endured the COLD SHOULDERS that Touta gave her, but as the months passed, Touta gradually warmed up to her and came to regard her as his surrogate guardian, and the two began living together at a rural village, which appeared to be very peaceful.
Several months have passed since then and Touta would go to the site of the accident, carrying a bouquet of flowers to mark the first death anniversary of his parents, and as he knelt down and offered a silent prayer, Yukihime quietly approached him and let him do his thing, watching him silently as she felt that she could relate to him over losing someone important to him.
By then Touta is finished and is rather surprised to see her here, and there Yukihime asked if he is okay now, which the orphaned boy nodded, assuring to her that he is fine now and no longer depressed.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm okay now."
"I see. Still, if you…"
"Thanks, Yukihime. I appreciate it."
"Touta-kun…"
"I'm going to be okay now."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
After that, Yukihime tells Touta that they would be going home now, and the two leaves the area to head back to the village that they are currently staying. As the two walked, Yukihime decided to pass by at a convenient store to buy something, and as she went inside, Touta waited outside, only to blink his eyes when a small house, located in front of the store, is seen with the door left open.
Driven by curiosity, Touta decided to go inside the house, where he noticed that the place appeared to be abandoned, as there are no traces of anyone living here though the belongings are still there, like clothes and gadgets, but the place does not appeared to be cleaned for a week or so, which made Touta wonder if the place has been abandoned or if the owner left and forgot to lock the door.
As he looked around, he found what appeared to be a palm-sized object, black-colored and it appeared to be a case that contained cards, which Touta curiously checked it, which the object appeared to be plain-looking, and when he checked the contents, he found that it has two cards, which resembled TAROT CARDS, and upon closer inspection, the boy blinked in bafflement upon seeing what the two cards contained, which are:
- SEAL
- CONTRACT
As Touta puts the one of the cards back he pondered on what to do next, when he vaguely heard something, which he felt that something is approaching, but he could not tell where it came from, until something MATERIALIZED right in front of him, and the boy stared wide-eyed at what he is seeing, which was a huge creature, colored red, and it resembled like a MECHANICAL Japanese dragon.
Touta was startled and fell on his rear, terrified and confused, and as the dragon-looking monster is poised to devour the boy, Touta unknowingly raised his hand that has the card, which is the SEAL card, and the card glowed which somewhat shook the dragon and backed away, yet the dragon is attempting on making another try.
The boy screamed at the monster to go away, but all it did is roar aloud.
"Stay back!"
"RROOAAARRR!"
"Go away!"
"RROOAAARRR!"
"I mean it!"
"RROOAAARRR!"
"No!"
"RROOAAARRR!"
However, Yukihime came in and grabbed Touta by his collar and pushed him out of the room, telling him to go outside and run as fast as he could, but Touta asked what was that thing, yet all she said is that he must get away from here as much as possible, and promised that she will catch up with him.
"Just run, Touta!"
"But…!"
"I'll be okay!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Just go!"
"Yukihime!"
"Trust me, Touta-kun!"
"Damn…"
Reluctantly, Touta did as told, and he ran off as fast as he could, but Yukihime, now that Touta is out of sight, can freely use her magic to ward off the dragon, which appeared difficult at first, as the dragon was persistent, yet Yukihime persisted and somewhat managed to scare it away, and the dragon dissipated into nothingness, though she can tell that the dragon would come back, and she became somewhat alarmed that something like this has been happening for quite some time, and she leaves the abandoned house to check on Touta to see if he is okay and to make sure that he is not being trailed by any magical creature.
Minutes later, Yukihime and Touta are walking together as they are heading back to the rural village that they are currently staying, and there the young boy asked her what was that thing, which she said that it appeared to be a KAPPA of sorts, and told him not to venture out of the village at this time, citing that something like this would happen, and Touta nodded.
He is tempted to ask her about the cards he found, yet he opted not to and instead asked why he shouldn't leave the village like other people do, which Yukihme can only give a vague reply, as for some reason she is doing this out of the younger boy's own protection.
"Can't say."
"Huh?"
"That's that."
"Why?"
"I'll tell you when the time is right."
"But…"
"That's that, and it's final."
"Geez…"
As the two walked away, they did not noticed that someone is watching them, and the scene shows that the watcher is a young man, who appeared to be in his late teens, about 19 years old. He is wearing black pants, a black shirt and a black trench coat. He appeared to be rather aloof yet having a serious demeanor, and for a reason he seemed to be glancing at either Touta or Yukihime.
As the minutes passed, both Yukihime and Touta are out of sight, and the young man is considering in following the two, but then he heard a scream from nearby, which he can hear it from a short distance as he boarded his motorcycle and head towards the source of the screaming, as the young man can tell that something is definitely up.
The scene shifts near an alley where you can hear a victim screaming as he is being assaulted, and he is screaming for help yet no one can hear him since it is already nightfall, and the only one who can hear him scream is what appeared to be an unseen creature, who is ready to devour him.
"NO!"
"RRR…"
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"RRR…"
"SOMEONE HELP!"
"RRR…"
"AAAAIIIEEE!"
"RRR…"
The young man who is watching Yukihime and Touta earlier arrived, but is too late as the victim is screaming as the creature began consuming him, which slowly died down as the creature is finishing its meal, and as the young man entered the alley, he can be heard speaking to the unseen attacker, yet he said that it doesn't matter as he will put the unseen attacker out of his misery.
"Looks like I'm too late."
"RRR…"
"Well then…"
"RRR…"
"I'm going to put you out of your misery."
"RRR…"
"Get ready."
"RRR…"
The scene shows the silhouette and shadows at the alley, where the unseen attacker is poised to attack, and the young man is ready to fight, where the shadows of what appeared to be that of a huge bat appeared, and sounds of fighting began to commence.
To Be Continued...
Hope you liked this chapter, as it served as an alternate retelling of UQ Holder, and while this chapter somewhat retains some of its origin, it diverges a bit, as Touta encountered a MAGICAL CREATURE of sorts, and managed to scare it away with what appeared to be a tarot card…and yet he is forbidden to leave the rural village…
A man appeared to be watching/observing either Touta or Yukihime, but he seemed to have his fair share of encounters with some magical creatures, just like he fought one a while ago, though off-screen. He will play a role in the upcoming chapters…
Preview:
The next chapter starts the story where Touta gets into danger…as the magical creature is targeting him once again, whilst Yukihime is also in danger herself, until an unexpected situation plays a role that would change Touta's life…
See you in late April…
Reviews are welcomed, but needed…