For the moment… well, just enjoy the chapter
…..
Chapter 17: The fire will temple
Terry tried to talk to his brother and convince him that everything that Ryoma told to him were just lies, but to no avail, the next day in the afternoon, not only him, but the entire group from South town were leaving, of course with Mai's exception, she had to dismiss them all and while doing that, Riho was giving her some documents
-Hopefully this will help, you need to arrange a meeting on a laboratory to make some blood tests.
-Thank You Riho, hopefully things with Joe will turn for the best.
Riho hugged her back and then Terry talked to Mai -You sure that you don't want to come with us? That will help you to be far from that idiot called Ryoma.
-I know Terry, but he promised that while Genzo trains me, he will not bother anyone, that's why I have to stay here.
Terry looked to his brother, he was just waiting for the airplane
-Don't worry, I will convince him that he's an idiot, but even with that you count with us, if things start to get difficult, we will fly back here to help you.
She hugged him because of that answer -Thanks for all Terry, hopefully your situation in South Town gets better also.
Moments later she watched how all of her friends left the city on the next airplane going to the United States, she sighed, somehow, she had to get some revenge from Ryoma Suzuki but after being beaten by him with one blow, and even if she was angry with Genzo, he was right on something and now she witnessed more of his power on the beatdown that Andy suffered, thinking of fighting him again was ridiculous now
On this moment, Genzo was trying to appeal the buying of the dojo coming from that unknown family, so she had to walk to Kana's apartment, probably her mother will be helping on the store as a way to thanks that old lady all her help, not so much to do as she sighed once more, then a video call
-King?- she answered the call -Hey King, how are you?
-Mai, for a moment I guessed that you were still angry to me.
-Not enough to call you for your real name yet- she smiled a little -But I talked to Yuri some days ago, I supposed that she told you something.
-Well she told me to call you back, I tried some days ago but nobody answered me, was something wrong?
-A lot, trust me, I'm looking for our meeting as soon as possible.
-We're trying- King said -Yuri just obtained a job on a restaurant as a waitress and I'm trying my best to sell as much as I can on the bar, Kyoto should be a really nice city to know.
-Yes, kinda…- Mai received another call, it was her mother -Sorry King, is my mom, I need to answer.
-What, your mom? You didn't tell us that you have a mother! – King answered, totally surprised of hearing that
-I know, I just met her days ago, is something crazy- then she smiled a little more -So, see you as soon as possible.
-See you later Mai.
Mai changed of conversation -What's happening mom?
-Genzo returned, has news for us.
When she heard about it, Mai took a taxi as fast as she could
…
Moments later and on the store, Genzo, Shina and Mai started to talk
-Hopefully you're not as angry with me as yesterday- Genzo said
-Kinda, is not an easy situation you know.
-I know it, right now things are advancing pretty bad with the judges, as apparently some received money from Ryoma, to buy some documents the very first day that we were out.
Those were already bad news, it meant that Ryoma had enough time to sell the Dojo to anyone
-And of course, he sold the dojo on a relatively low price.
-Looks like Ryoma just wanted to make damage- Shina said -Horrible.
-The next audience will be on some days, hopefully everything will be easier until then- Genzo then looked at Mai -I'm trying as hard as I can, trust me.
-I want to believe- Mai said seriously -Now, what are we going to do?
Silence for a moment, Shina just started to look to a necklace she was wearing on that moment, Genzo then asked
-I haven't noticed your necklace before.
-Oh, a gift from Makoto before the trip to Brazil.
-Makoto…- some images were coming to his mind, about his past -I have an idea, Shina, have you gone to the Fire Will Temple?
Something that also caught Mai off guard, Shina negated it -Both me and Makoto were never on a place like that.
-Of course, as the Shiranui said, the Fire Will Temple is a place that can only be visited by ones with a warrior spirit, in the beliefs of the Shiranui clan, it means that only the masters could access there without having problems.
-Problems? - Mai asked
-Well, The Fire Will temple is haunted- Genzo smiles
Mai started to feel a little afraid of that idea, but Shina took her left hand -Worry not daughter, we're coming together.
Mai was starting to think about it, and then just said -When are we going?
-Tomorrow early.
-Like always- Mai then left the store -I will do some exercise, see you later.
When she left, Genzo then talked to Shina -During her fight with Terry, I noticed that Mai used a strange technique, what was she doing?
-Nature Manipulation- Shina said -Started to train with Guerreiro, I want to train her on that, probably helps with pyrokinesis.
-Of course, … I want to know also- Genzo said surprising Shina -We can be a really good team and yeah, I'm old, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to become better.
Shina smiled -Fine for me.
…..
5 am in the morning as both Shiranui ladies and Genzo were taking a bus in front of the store, the trip was a silent one, as Mai and Shine were sleeping, Genzo was just trying to remember
-The Fire Will Temple…
Flashback
On a little arena, both father and his student were practicing, manipulating the fire with their hands, suddenly both heard the door being knocked, after opening it they found a little kid with his mother, which was badly hurt
-Please… I don't know you… but save my little Genzo…- after that the woman felt to the floor, without a life breath on her body
Then they witnessed it, as the little boy was crying for his mom, both father and son looked in front of them the guilty, it was a tall man with a knife on his hand…
Moments later the kid was talking with his saviors, specifically the father
-Now you will be part of this family, we will train you like a Shiranui will do, understood?
The kid just said yes with his head
….
After some hours of travelling, Genzo looked through the window, the bus was passing near to a forest, he tried to guess their exact location
-We're close…- then he looked at it, some bamboo trees -Very close, ladies wake up.
Genzo moved Mai's shoulder, waking her up and then she moved Shina, seconds later both left the bus and looked at one side of the road, a bamboo forest
-It is here? - Mai asked as Genzo nodded -I see, hopefully we can find something interesting here?
-You will find it, for sure, now we need to enter into the forest and walk some minutes.
Both Genzo and the ladies went to the forest and entered, walking on a path that was surrounded not only by the bamboo, but also any type of different plants and trees
-Reminds me of Amazonas, kind of- Shina said
-Yes, hopefully without wild tribes and animals- Mai joked a little, then the group felt how the wind was getting stronger -And that?
-I told you that the place was haunted- Genzo laughed a little
-We thought that you were just kidding- Shina said
-Don't worry, I believe that the ghosts here will not consider you harmful as long as you act calmed.
Then the cold wind surrounded them all, frightening Mai and Shina a little
-Would that mean that we're getting close? - Mai asked
-It was never that far from the road- Genzo said, and just after a pair of minutes, the group arrived -Look, there it is.
Compared to the Shiranui's dojo, the temple looked pretty small, and without any enclosure, on that moment it also looked like no people were living on that place on years
-Well, here we are, now I don't know what we are going to do- Mai said crossing her arms
-What else? We are going to enter.
After what Genzo said, both Mai and Shina looked to each other -You sure? - Shina asked
-Of course, you both don't know it, but here is where Hanzo and myself were giving our first steps to train into the Shiranui ninja and fighting style.
-What, here? -Mai then looked on the inside -It is another testament of the Shiranui clan?
-Yes, as you may know, the Shiranui were a really small clan since years ago, I met your grandpa and his father when I was a child- he pointed to the walls -Look the black parts, burnings of our multiple trainings on pyrokinesis.
-Who is here?
The voice was heard by the 3, that scared them
-Mom, did you hear that? - Mai asked approaching to Shina
-I wanted to ask the same…
-Leave this place now, you're not worthy!
After hearing that, Genzo realized something -Ghosts, the spirits of the Shiranui Clan.
-What?!- Mai asked immediately
Genzo then yelled -We are worthy, I'm Genzo Suzuki, adoptive son of Kazuma Shiranui and adoptive brother of Hanzo Shiranui, here with me are the last Shiranui of your clan, Shina Shiranui and her daughter Mai Shiranui, let us in!
After hearing that coming from Genzo, Mai was surprised -Did he said that he is my grandpa's adoptive brother?
-He is, but I thought that he told you- Shina nodded
Genzo then turned his head in Mai's direction -I arrived to this temple when I was 7 years old, your grandfather was 11 years, he and mister Kazuma saved my life from a dysfunctional family… That's why I have an eternal debt with all of you.
The voice reappeared before any of the ladies could reply -If you're worthy, prove it, enter in the temple but prepare for anything that comes against you.
-Fine- the cold winds stopped for a moment -I suppose that this is our moment to enter.
While walking to the insides, Mai wanted to ask once more, but this time to her mother
-And you were not on this temple before?
-No, as far as I know, father and mr Genzo left this place when mr Kazuma died, in order to create their own dojos.
-And my grandfather left Japan in order to arrive to South Town to put another one there- Mai sighed -But why?
Before Genzo could answer, the group arrived to the same room in which the first mentioned was training on his youth, at the other side of the room was a little statue, looking like a buddha but less decorated
-Agh, so many memories.
The place was a total mess, dirt and fungus all over the place and the wood were on a terrible state, even with that, Mai was amazed of watching another piece of the legacy of her clan here
-I wonder how important where the Shiranui in the past.
The voice reappeared -We were, 1800 years ago, in Japan the story of the 8 guardian families in Japan, when the Yamata no Orochi attacked the very first time, most of our families were not on our peak with the exception of the Yata, Yasakani and Kusanagi, the other 4 clans were on the responsibility to create the weapons that would serve in order to seal that monsters, so the other 3 would be able to use them.
-Wait, our family had an active participation on the first defeat of Orochi, why we didn't know about it? - Mai asked immediately
-For you to realize how important are not only you, but all the people that you know, and how it is important for all of them to follow their families legacies, alongside the 3 important, the Shiranui, Asamiya, Sakazaki, and Garou, fought against the rebellion of the Hakkeshu clan in order for the other 3 to seal Orochi, it is a reason to be really proud of what you are, of why is important to keep the family legacy.
On that moment images were coming to her mind, if she had to guess as easily as she could about who could be the heir and heiress of their clans, Athena for the Asamiya's, Ryo and Yuri for the Sakazaki… but the Garou were a total mistery, maybe something for the future, and of course she has to be the one from the Shiranui
-How do you know all of that? - Mai asked to the voice
-Because that how Shina's father told me and her the story, that's how his father told him the story, and that's how I'm telling you the story.
On that moment, Shina's necklace started to glow a little, as the woman took the jewel, the group then watched how the cold wind re-appeared on the center of the scenario forming a little tornado, when that one disappeared, a figure surrounded by a green aura was visible, it was a young man, using a red suit similar to the one that Mai used on her fights against Yamazaki and Terry, but of course using pants as a variable
-A Shiranui master?- Mai asked, but she looked to Genzo and Shina, they were speechless -No way…
Then the man spoke -Here on the Fire Will Temple is where the souls of the Shiranui clan rests, so that's why I'm able to appear once more, even if it is just for some moments…daughter.
Mai was also silent but surprised on that moment, little tears started to appear on her face
-Dad?
He nodded -Makoto Shiranui, yes, I am- Mai tried to hug him but he stopped her -But I'm not here for formalities and feelings, that's why I didn't do the same for my beloved wife.
Shina was crying a little for seeing him once more -Sorry, I just want to hug you so much.
-I know, but my time is limited and I don't know for how much, that's why I have to use all of it to test you, my daughter, my blood, to check how strong you are right now, since you arrived here and I watched you, I knew that I had to do this.
-So, you want me to fight you? - Mai gulped but then she got serious -That's the weirdest hello that I have ever received.
-I know, but we have to take advantage of every second that we have.
-Fine, then just give me some seconds- with a high jump, Mai used those seconds to get rid of her casual clothes and, as fast as she is, to appear on her battle suit, the one that she was getting used to once more, since her travel in Brazil -Ready for the fight!
Both adopted the Shiranui classic fighting pose, both the spirit of the father and the daughter will start a fight inside the strange temple, who will win?
