The final part of the battle!
Admittedly, I've been rather excitable lately after binge-watching all 3 Heaven's Feel movies, since the latest one has recently come out around where I'm in. Shout-out to the latest member of this story's patronage, KaleidoMirror, who matches old loyal customers with their daily review, and also reminded me of old FSN BGMs. Very opportune of them!
This chapter took quite a while, since I'm swamped yet again with beta work. Check out AidsNinja's A Hunter's Hearth (DanMachi X Bloodborne) for my latest beta work! I'm also beta-ing a HXH fanfic with another author, but can't say anything more yet because it's still not posted. Give them some love!
Uuu... Today's mailbag is thin...
Royal Freshness12345: Thank you. I wonder what I should do to get 10/10... I don't think Kakashi vs. Obito suited both of their skillsets, TBH. That's a very well-done piece of anime action choreography (to me, Naruto's best ever), but I don't plan on drawing on it for every fight scene. The Camelot movie doesn't have the outstanding visuals you expected. Only the Mordred vs Bedivere fight is worth watching, really. Most of the stand-out scenes are drama ones.
N.B.: Check out the Glossary Updates below! Also, look forward to a Character Sheet addition soon!
It was a stupidly fast punch.
The first Kōtarō literally heard his bone creaking to perform the manoeuvre required to dodge the hit aimed at the back of his head right at the blind spot around the base of his neck – and this was with him fully transformed and accustomed to this form. Taking a cue from his successor's previous evasion, he twisted his body into a handless cartwheel to follow the intense, sudden dodge. However, with his tail equipped with a sharp scythe, enough to carve the very ground they're standing on easily, he could instantly counterattack from this position instead of simply buying time.
In the next instant, the punch's noise tearing through the air popped into his head, signifying his assailant had all but matched his sound-barrier-breaking speed… and perhaps had exceeded it in this instant, because the fist curved around unnaturally and tracked his movement while also gently palming his counterattack easily.
"Guh!"
He crossed his talons across his neck and cheek to block the attack, but had his entire body bent and smashed into the ground as a result. His strength was completely unable to neutralize even a part of the hit, and he felt his sharp claws crack right after.
Through the dull pain, he saw Danzō's enchanting face judging him with absolute neutrality, as if she's determining which bag should this trash go into during sorting. He widened his eyes in shock when, with one hand till palming his tail-scythe to the point of immobilization, the fist which had just landed opened into a palm like a blooming flower… from where an energy ball had just finished charging.
"You little-!"
His curse was cut off when his entire being was engulfed in the blast.
Casually, Muramasa let out one hand and erected a Bounded Field made of interlinked pink flowers, ensuring the pressure wave didn't damage any part of his restaurant and his surroundings. He and Mitsuhide were here to make money, after all – they didn't want to get an earful from their beloved lord if there's any additional reparation cost.
"Senpai, should I assist Danzō-san?" The young girl, already clad in her battle garb after quick-changing earlier, asked loud enough for the younger Kōtarō to hear. "I'm sure I have some skills that guy has never seen before, so…"
"We'll wait and see. I think Danzō is very competent by herself, no?" He smiled at the girl, though Kōtarō felt as if the rhetorical question was aimed sarcastically at him. "Besides, you're not the only eager ones… I may partake first before you; you never know."
"Senpai, you're mean!" She giggled, as if the life-and death battle occurring in front of them was nothing but a casual staged performance. "Well, Kagetora-sama, shall we take a seat?"
The exertion from earlier – including the sudden stop and reel-back – made the Echigo Princess General rather flushed. When questioned by the pretty waitress who'd been attentively serving her group since before the fight began, her already-flustered heart skipped a beat, before she stammered, "Er… W-We might as well! R-Right, guys?!"
Unfortunately, her retainers were, at the time the Bounded Field was set up, outside of its range due to their training making them reflexively form a perimeter to guard their lord… in front of the restaurant. Thus, her words fell upon rubble and people comically stuck in strange postures in it, limbs and heads randomly visible from the dust and gravel around them.
The confused Kagetora – more about how weak her people were than their frankly unnecessary defensive posture – was dragged to one side, slightly uncomfortable when pressed up against Mitsuhide's armoured torso, leaving a clear sight for her senpai and the other redhead. While doing so, the black-haired girl observed the shinobi's facial expression, having known the basics of his relationship with Danzō, eager to search for a weakness to be presented to Nobunaga later.
Meanwhile, the half-Kamaitachi Kōtarō bounced about, relaxing his body while dedicating his now-massive reserves to Reinforcing his outermost skin, letting his newfound flexibility absorb some of the clearly-fatal impact. Pushing off the still-glowing crater away from the dust cloud, he readied his mind for Danzō's speed – clearly a step above what he'd been facing before.
Thing was… she didn't look or perform much different than what he remembered when they were still in their primes. Did his new body handicapped him more than he thought? He assumed once he'd gotten used to his transformation, that'd cover most of his more apparent weaknesses.
Before he could figure out the answer, however, Danzō was already on him in one step. Lashing out with a straight kick to the face, she continued without pause with a series of hooks and knees once she got in range without waiting whether her blows landed or not. He curled up and protected his vitals with his elongated limbs and tail, seeing her pretty face was just as emotionless as usual.
Well, that's because he designed her that way, wasn't it?
He didn't even have time to make any barbed remark or converse in any way due to her onslaught, which was curiously accurate to the point it interrupted every single one of his attempted block, parry, or dodge.
It's only obvious when he thought of it for several seconds – if his namesake and successor could predict his techniques and counter them that well earlier, then what about the person who was literally always by his side, observing him and Kashin Koji, when he was alive? It's for certain she'd be able to read him like an open book, especially when he's limited to basic ninjutsu in this state regardless of his different body.
When facing an opponent who could do so, the safest thing to do was execute an unblockable and unavoidable attack to overcome every foresight performed on one. It's useless to know what's coming if they couldn't deal with it, after all. However, Kōtarō's new body meant he had no access to all of that.
The oni skills he never taught his descendants… The younger him was impressive enough to activate the bloodline in the first place, but he's limited by his youth and inexperience, only able to execute the basest inhuman skills and abilities as a result. It's potentially even more powerful now in this era which allowed full-on Apotheosis without too much penalty unlike the Heian Period he lived in, when the Outside and Reverse Side were constantly at odds with each other and negatively penalized anything from the other dimension.
This body had gained a Guardian Spirit and Apotheosis ability to compensate for that loss, but it didn't mean Kōtarō had no regrets about it. If only he could combine these two abilities… It's not as if a person having more than one Living Weapon form didn't exist; it's simply a matter of talent and luck, he believed.
Fortunately, there's still some non-bloodline skills he could showcase, and one his younger counterpart hadn't seemed to master.
It's a series of technique good enough to be their clan's Sorcery Trait – going by Nanban nomenclature here – but unfortunately its inheritors were actually fighting each other right now, as his direct successors were unable to fully assume its 'soul'.
Looking for a chance to unleash it, he was surprised when Danzō paused his assault.
Now freed from afterimages of limbs, fists, and elemental ninjutsus, he could finally notice the differences between her current self and the Danzō he remembered. "You've… also gained a new body? Who made you that, Danzō-chan? Looks very well-crafted…" he slowly observed, feigning calm while frantically gathering more magic energy secretly to recover his focus. "Do you still remember who I am?"
Back then, with limited materials and time, the best they could do was a doll in a human shape – perfectly proportioned, of course, but a doll nonetheless – with visible artificial joints and other mechanical parts. Now, the woman in front of him looked indistinguishable from the other humans he'd seen – heck, she fit in better than the younger Kōtarō in both mannerisms and appearances. There's nothing inhuman in the way she walked and breathed – by the gods, she's breathing! – strangely resulting in an even better physical and magical performance beyond the original specs he and Kashin Koji had built into her.
"Well enough," she replied with a clipped tone, looking rather displeased at failing to finish him off with the first and second surprise volleys. "Certainly to the point I can tell you don't belong here, Shodaime-sama."
Her words inspired him when he overlapped her current state with the younger Kōtarō's. "You sound like that boy. Don't tell me… You've fought him already? And you're still on this plane of existence?" He sneered, his fang-filled teeth making him look more feral. "Are you two not the biggest hypocrite I've seen!?"
"Then, allow me to ask you a question," she calmly answered, walking right back into attacking range for both of them, "What are you aiming to do in this era, now you've been gifted with this chance?"
"Oh, spare me the goody-two-shoes speech, Danzō-chan," he shot her down before she could expound upon her trapped question. "Are you saying we have to be slaves to the people of this era? To fight their wars, to finish their work, to help their needy? We're nothing more than walking corpses; do you think it's fair to insist upon me – and everyone else like us – sympathizing with their cause?" With each word, his rapidly-recovering magic energy swelled intensely.
Surprisingly though, what came back was a disappointed sigh, followed by a condescending look peeking through that emotionless façade. "I assume you've met with Kashin Koji-sama. Was he the reason of your current existence? If so, then the equation resulting in your current opinion works out," she dryly explained the calculation she'd been doing in her mind, trying to figure him out just as much he'd been doing for her. "I also think the hypocrite, in this case, is you, Shodaime-sama, for rejecting what you've established when you created me as well as the Fūma Clan."
"That makes both of us, then, because you're here, and the boy's over there." Eyeing the two individuals back-and-forth – as well as the ensemble around them at the still-pristine restaurant – he delivered his verdict. "Don't pretend like you're defending him and taking over the fight for him. You're here for just as selfish a reason as I… am I correct?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "Selfish enough to dirty my hands with my father's own blood."
"Hey, you."
"Don't talk so rudely to Senpai! Who do you think is holding your life in his hands?!" Mitsuhide immediately scolded the younger Kōtarō from all the way to the side – the corner she's currently staying to placate Kagetora's more… dangerous proclivities. "Use honorifics! Have Danzō-san taught you nothing?! Shameful!"
Usually, these kinds of words wouldn't have an effect on the redheaded shinobi – he's trained to ignore it, after all. However, tying it with his mother figure was just plainly unfair, as visible from his reddening face. "Sengo, what's exactly your relationship with Mother?" His original plan was to inject as much venom as possible into that question, but it came out meek instead under Mitsuhide's harsh words and his fellow redhead's display of Magecraft mastery… as well as a strange sense of priority. "Are you controlling her against her will?"
The blacksmith-cum-restaurateur eyed him calmly, taking a few seconds to check back on the now-verbal battle between the two combatants – looking like enjoying a show rather than worrying about win or lose – before answering, "Is that something you have to be concerned with?"
"Is that- She's my mother! Don't act as if I have no business in this!" Finally, he couldn't hold back and raised his voice, despite feeling Mitsuhide's intense glare towards the back of his head. With some time to rest, his transformation and magic energy level had stabilized back near their peak, making for a menacing figure… in his mind. "Release her from your control! Now!"
"Why would I do that?" He still portrayed that annoyingly calm expression and tone under the shinobi's verbal heat. "She's a powerful individual too valuable to not have by my side. With me, she can be used to her fullest potential, and not wasted teaching untalented brats like you."
"You dare!"
"Regardless, if I went and did that, what will you do?" He cut Kōtarō off, before stumping him with the following question, "What if she decides not to spend her new life with you – which I assume you wish for dearly – but pursues something else? Are you not just afraid of being abandoned for the second time?"
The shinobi's mind went blank. The rage he'd been suppressing to utilize his oni bloodline most effectively against his predecessor, his Great Ancestor the first Fūma Kōtarō, finally consumed him as he launched himself at Muramasa in a blur of crimson light.
- Srrt!
However, in what appeared to be the running theme of the day, a flexible force bounded his limbs and body mid-leap – this one's invisible – before he felt the kisses of multiple steel weapons touching various parts of his body, bringing a level of clarity to his anger. "After all that talk, you won't even engage me personally?! My mother's chosen a poor master!"
"Well, unlike you, I don't particularly care for such accusations," he gently observed, continuing, "I choose to put my focus on what Danzō truly wants to do, instead of what appears on the surface. My… 'control' over her – as you pointed out – solely exists to support her in areas she lacks." Kneeling down slightly, since the invisible force and blades had pinned him closer to the ground, he added, "You, meanwhile, have nothing to give her. So stop running your mouth. A girl will gut you one of these days."
He remarked as such because the things holding him down weren't of his own Projection. Instead, they're held by both Mitsuhide and Kagetora, both with different expression. The younger black-haired girl was predictably furious at Kōtarō who had attack the man who just made love to her the other day and the second person she'd dedicated her life to, using her smaller frame to sneak underneath the shinobi's right side and pointing an unsheathed katana diagonally upwards at the kneeling redhead. With her multi-weapon mastery, Kagetora had formed a sharp cage around him – one pole weapon in each hand restraining his joints with their length, while holding different-shaped sabres with the rest of those hands' fingers to scissor the back of his neck.
Somehow, neither of them managed to disturb the invisible force coiling around him, while he could barely move despite his rage-fuelled and transformed additional strength. It felt like… giant reptiles wrapping around him? From the low temperature to the muscle texture to the polished scales… so, snakes?
He didn't stop his angry expression aimed at the annoyingly serene blacksmith, but his eyes' corners caught a slender figure standing inconspicuously on a nearby rooftop with a casual one-handed sign in front of their chest. Regardless of the distance, he shouuld've been able to gleam this person's detailed appearance, especially in this state – however, it seemed they're using some kind of genjutsu to obscure any prying eyes, resulting in a rather ambiguous silhouette.
Still, Muramasa casually and deliberately carelessly revealed the identity of this person. "I'd appreciate it if you stop eyeing my wife like that, Fūma-kun." Straightening up, he remarked to the two girls, "It's fine. Thank you for your concern, but he was never a threat. Jūbei, do back down."
Surprisingly, Kagetora rebuffed his words rather unflatteringly. "That was unbecoming of you, Sengo-dono. Your words went beyond a warrior's limit." Her eyes were quite scathing, refusing to budge even though Mitsuhide had followed her senpai's words and backed off. "There was no sign of your greatness displayed against me in Okehazama."
He shrugged. "Like I said before, I don't particularly care for such things, Nagao-dono. If it offends you and other people, then so be it. Perhaps… the man you see on the battlefield that day was simply a coincidence. I am usually no different than the person standing in front of you right now."
Sighing, she tossed her weapons back, showcasing her martial skill by neatly landing them back in their sheaths back where she was sitting earlier. "I refuse to believe that man was nothing but an illusion. My eyes tell me you are no liar… perhaps except to yourself." Giving a beautiful, feline smile, she finished, "I shall wait until that person decides to show up and fight me again. Meanwhile, as you wish, I shall watch and not partake in this matter."
"Thank you for the understanding. However, I don't want you to misunderstand something," he pointed out, "just now simply wasn't the optimal point when you can interfere. Later on, there should be plenty of opportunities if you can't help yourself." Lightly smirking, he added, "But like I said before, I may go first."
She retreated under the gentle wave of his hand, along with the invisible restrains around Kōtarō's body. "Do you understand now, Fūma-kun? To be frank, of course there's more between Danzō and I – you're simply not qualified to know." Somehow, despite saying that with as kind a tone as possible, the shinobi's rage continued to build up, though he just barely managed to suppress it before it overflowed. "If Danzō personally don't see the point of explaining things to you, then neither will I."
"Then let me go there and ask! Don't decide things arbitrarily for me!" He growled, his transformation settling down into a condensed, ready state. "I don't want to hear an argument from someone who doesn't care about her!"
Unexpectedly, Muramasa chuckled. Faced by Kōtarō's puzzled expression, he remarked, "You… really don't know a thing despite being a Kage, do you?"
The first Fūma Kōtarō's ears were sensitive enough in this state – with his furry beast-like protrusions – to partially listen in on the conversation going on near the restaurant. The snippets he overheard completed the jigsaw in his mind, concluding, "At the very least, you fulfilled the last task I gave you, Danzō-chan. Truly, it makes me feel proud and nostalgic."
Dryly, she shot back, "You've always been a terrible liar, Shodaime-sama."
"Ooohhh… That cold look is still the same as ever," he sarcastically complimented, complete with a shiver repulsive enough the buxom kunoichi actually visibly shivered. "Does your new master enjoy that proclivity? I have to say, your emotional quotient output's upgrade has clearly been worth it. I and Kashin Koji can never achieve that back then."
"And your new self clearly can't be honest while battling," she criticized. "Why the need to buy more time by talking? You've always taught me never to let a chance go."
He shrugged, his scythe-tail swinging lazily behind him. indeed, his wounds were already healing, though nowhere near as rapidly as it was earlier due to the Conceptual Weight of this new Danzō's attack. "Oh, I wasn't buying time. I know full well this body won't hold out against all of your new tricks. I'm merely thinking about how disappointed I am you didn't pass down our ultimate technique to at least that boy, because he never showed me an inkling he knew of it."
He punctuated that statement with an exaggerated sigh.
One of her sparkling eyes twitched – made artificially so to incite protective tendencies in male and female targets – before she explained, "The body you gave me failed before I could achieve that target. If that is worthy of criticism, then I must apologize."
"My, my, trying to guilt-trip me just as much? Though… for you to survive all these generations is already an achievement. I'd like to pat myself in the back, though it's clear you pushed through due to your feelings for the boy, no?" His oh-so-familiar eyes stared deep into her, trying to pick up on the most minute cues by force of habit. However, fortunately, whoever revived and recreated her seemed to have reprogrammed her closer to an actual human being – i.e. much more emotionally obvious – so it didn't take long for a few to appear. "Did you die well?"
She smiled, one prettier than he'd ever seen her did when they were both still in their first lives. "I awakened even better as well. Dying… was full of regrets."
Suddenly, her magic energy spiked.
"Regrets I'm about to set right now."
Passionate Tulip
~ Black Arts Decapitation Method ~
The first Kōtarō wasn't one to be beaten off the line, however.
Melting Amaryllis
~ Black Arts Decapitation Method ~
'Fūma-ryū, Ōgi.'
'Fūma-ryū, Ōgi.'
Both of them broke the speed of sound at the same time, flattening the already-cratered ground even further. Predictably, none was trying to gain an angle and flit about, using the remaining buildings around them as footholds – both were contesting their strength head-on, being the only way to truly convey their current beliefs and confirm their new lives.
The current Kōtarō was too shaken to properly listen in on their conversation – which revealed the information he wanted to hear the most – but he still thought their figures were gallant, regardless of who's in the right or wrong. The two people he looked up to the most were now battling, and it's up to him to pick apart their techniques and behaviours and learn from them, especially since these skills they're using were unknown to him.
There was a great part of his sadness in Okehazama made from the knowledge Danzō hadn't taught him everything, directly denying what he believed. Instantly, back then, he felt inadequate and useless, thinking it's solely because he had none of the talent required, and Danzō was already deteriorating beyond repair to expend more energy on a fruitless endeavour. It's a feeling shared by his closest confidants, assuming the same thing since none of them even had a glimpse of pieces of this Ōgi. They knew of their starting motion, yes, but absolutely nothing else.
Therefore, as the rest of the group caught up and finished gawking at yet another appearance of their beloved mother, the fact there's already two new skills being displayed was incredibly precious for their growth. How different were these to their mother's Moonflower in Okehazama? How many specific moves were there in the Black Arts Decapitation Method manual? What aspect would be impossible for them to perform – and thus, confirming the pessimistic reason which had been gnawing their minds for the better part of last year.
Danzō's earlier energy output around her arm formed a comically gigantic version of her fists, though still blazing as intense as that earlier handheld bomb which torched Kōtarō's whole body. Weightless, this obscenely large pair travelled at unnatural speeds according to her much lither frame, and the mere invocation of Black Arts Decapitation Method seemed to have also boosted her physical parameters. This was the bloodline art granted to her for the sole purpose of guarding the Fūma Clan's secrets, ensuring she survived to pass on their techniques.
Of course, this was a boon unavailable to Kōtarō who'd been revived into a new body. Kashin Koji's inadvertent mistake meant it's solely a vessel most suitable for his soul, but failed to confirm whether it had any blood relation to him whatsoever, relying on spiritual artifacts as catalysts to ensure the proper spirit was summoned. Still, it's not as if he didn't have other tools to compensate – mainly, his fully-transformed and -adapted body to brute-force his way past any limitation. He chose the technique most suitable for this new body, which granted him the ability to enhance his flexibility to the level of a liquid.
Melting into a puddle on the ground to avoid a fast sweep, he gelatinized his body to take advantage of the aftershock and rolled to the side, before lashing out with his talons like a porcupine once he's in one of Danzō's lower blind spots. She lifted her foot, covering it with yet another gigantic anthropomorphism of said limb, and stomped down like he's nothing but a bug, destroying the ground under it further.
The blast punted the goo-ish Kōtarō a fair distance away, since the impact crater itself was even larger than what her first energy blast created, but she's already onto him before he could recompose himself and crossed the newly-created distance in a flash.
'That was…!' The younger Kōtarō, still smarting over what Muramasa had said, noticed something in her movement.
She rushed at the Fūma Clan's founder with the same taijutsu strikes and footwork he performed earlier – only much, much faster and stronger.
While not the most complex among the Black Arts Decapitation Method, it's the most practical due to its simplicity and figurative flexibility. If one had a large enough magical reserves, then it's also the most durable because it only demanded a steadily large supply of Od. Compared to Melting Amaryllis, which required constant maintenance regarding the user's shape, texture, movement, and viscosity, Passionate Tulip was clearly more efficient in its processes.
Which, in turn, enabled Danzō to simply go to her top speed and forget about those complex calculations, despite her new processing capability being able to handle the most difficult technique in that manual.
Especially when her opponent was now in the shape of a glorified punching bag. One with sharp spikes all over it, yes, but having lost his humanoid shape until he cancelled his technique, it's apparent his ultimate reach and power had dipped in exchange of agility and survivability.
Already going through a building with one step, she dodged a surprise talon shot by merely tilting her head, before lifting her left arm over a straight, sharp punch and wrapping around it, locking it in place with her giant energy fist. Unhesitatingly, Kōtarō chopped that limb off, while rolling to let his tail gain an angle to slash at her upwards straight off the ground. It was parried to the side by her knee, before that giant foot from earlier reformed around her calf and kicked downwards.
Kōtarō swayed, his body deforming into a thinner, elongated shape and scooted along the surface of the phantom leg… only to come face-to-face with a similarly-large palm slapping him down. Danzō was careful to resort to blunt forces instead of sharp cuts because Melting Amaryllis could easily regenerate thin wounds, even decapitations, in an instant. A pulverizing force, meanwhile, was far more a hassle to come back from.
'Knowing this, why did he choose this technique after seeing mine?' Danzō questioned, not liking the various scenarios her simulation came up with. 'Still, focus. Shirō-sama is watching.'
She could care less if her 'children' stole her techniques right after this battle. She intentionally limited this fight to her old skills, intent on cutting the nostalgia knot right here and now. Besides, if they're competent enough to do so, then she wouldn't have anything to worry about, no? They'd grow strong and prosperous.
If they were unable to, then she would create a world where they wouldn't be put in constant danger, fighting their loved ones 'for the sake of the mission'. Therefore, fulfilling 'Tenka Fubu' was more crucial than rebuilding long-lost relationship or maintaining their familial façade.
She was their teacher. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, they served different masters, and had to be professionals. She understood this state – unfortunately, it seemed they, led by the little Kōtarō's delusional loneliness and yearning, did not. She was capable of separating her emotions with what must be done.
She could only hope these children was also capable of that.
- …
When she came to, the entire outer urban area of Harima had been flattened by palm- and foot-shaped craters. The sensations of battle were muted – none of the sound, sight, sensation, and feeling was conveyed to her innermost processor, where she was mulling her place in this era as an answer to her creator's various jibes and barbs. Her form-fitting clothes were torn in certain parts, but nothing got through the semi-synthetic skin her current lord loved to caress so much. A slight breeze told her part of her hair had been cut, but again, no bodily fluid was shed.
There were minute traces of the other techniques in Black Arts Decapitation Method used around her, though she wasn't sure who was responsible for each one because both of their magical signatures were too mixed up around the area. Perhaps Muramasa could tell them apart and sort them chronologically, but Danzō currently couldn't spare any processing capability to switch to investigative mode due to the circumstances.
All she could sense was the ever-weaker Od leaking out of Kōtarō's figure, speedily dashing away from her despite his injuries.
Predicting where he'd go and the real reason of the first Melting Amaryllis usage after all… this, she let out a small smile.
"What a fool."
Indeed, Kōtarō hadn't just received the beating of his life for nothing.
He had to admit, even at his peak, he wouldn't be able to defeat this new Danzō. Clearly, this slapdash body Kashin Koji automatically stuffed him into was inferior to whoever crafted that human lookalike, before transferring Danzō over from her broken-up state she admitted earlier. It's a much more delicate and complex operation, but enabled her to not only retain every bit of her old skill, but also improve upon them from the angles they'd missed when first designing her. Additionally, like it or not, she's much older and had a lot more battle experience than him post his canonical death – meaning his earlier advantage against his young successor instantly reversed around, with him being led by his nose.
It's rather frustrating when she's even ablet o do so offensively, instead of playing around defending his strikes like most adults would do to children. Rather, it's a more ferocious version of a cat playing with a mouse, slowly cornering and draining his stamina precisely when and where she wanted. Not giving him much time to breathe or formulate strategy – a fighting style designed to contain Apotheosis users just like him, and preventing any sort of Yōkai Realm to be set up. The opening created when erecting it would be enough to finish him off, he instinctively knew.
Wait, no – there was one chance. But he spent it on mocking and belittling Danzō, eager to elicit a usable reaction out of her. The result? A few interesting emotional expressions, sure, but he got a sinking feeling in his stomach – especially after that organ was repeatedly pounded by her attacks – he only saw things she wanted him to. There was no hesitation in her strikes no matter what verbal and mental attack he tried; no genjutsu was enough to shake her at all, especially with the incredibly small amount of time she granted him. Even those small openings weren't enough to initiate a Yōkai Zone, regardless whether it'd help his stamina or not – he needed the physical boost and negative effect to both strengthen him and weaken Danzō to put them on an equal playing field.
It was so fast none of the Fūma shinobi present was able to find an opening to assist, knowing full well one strike from their 'mother' would've been enough to kill them with even more certainty than her rampage in Okehazama.
What he wanted to know was external weaknesses – was there a target he could drag in which would make her hesitate?
One person immediately came to mind: that redheaded restaurant owner whom his younger counterpart was busy yelling at. From their conversation, he gleamed Danzō's relationship with that man, and began to formulate a plan to create an opening he could use to take that man hostage.
What's troublesome was her surprising mastery over what essentially was his true 'child', the Black Arts Decapitation Method, to the point he's beginning to question his creation and structuring of this manual. In essence, she's even better than he was. Not the him now, but the first Fūma Kōtarō when he was still alive. Of course, he had the excuse of only having one lifetime versus her original body which could accumulate experience and improvements over time.
Still, it didn't mean he could easily accept it. So what if she's better than him? it didn't make a difference regarding the goals he wanted to achieve with this new life, and certainly not conforming to what Danzō had decided for herself.
So, he took on all of her physical and emotional output, pulling out every trick in his pocket in a vain attempt to do what he denied earlier: buy time.
Now, finally, he had his second chance when she seemed to be distracted by her own thoughts, putting herself into advanced autopilot, and having just realized it now. The momentary pause was all he needed – going back to Melting Amaryllis, the fastest Black Arts Decapitation Method, after switching back-and-forth between different techniques to survive her onslaught, it'd only take a few steps before he-
'Oh. You brat!'
He clicked his tongue when instead of continuing their argument, the current Kōtarō's naïve disposition made him reflexively met his Great Ancestor halfway, protecting the man he's literally threatening to kill earlier. Both of their movements were too fast for either to change course… but no matter. Because the boy never mastered any of the Black Arts Decapitation Method, there's little chance he'd be a trouble. The most he could buy was a split second-
- Step!
The younger Kōtarō had coated his body with a compound [Earth] and [Wind] ninjutsu, turning the rubble around him into finer pellets and further into stone bullets. These pieces rotated fiercely in a cyclone, eager to grind any opponent upon contact.
It's a poor choice to go against Melting Amaryllis, as the furry Kōtarō casually used the remnant [Wind] to spin to the side, before getting fully past him with one more step.
"Crap!" He heard his successor yelp from behind him.
Of course, the path wouldn't be so simple. There's still the humongous floral pink Bounded Field in his way, covering his entire field of vision. Beyond, his overly-calm target stood watching his every move, eerily able to follow his speed, right behind this barrier.
Moonflower
~ Black Arts Decapitation Method ~
He dissipated his liquid body into black powder – Danzō signature technique and one she mastered first under his tutelage – diffusing himself past the barrier and right within striking range of this smug bastard's smirking face. In theory, it's not as if he's physically seeping through impermeable surfaces. Moonflower granted him the ability to enter the [Time] and [Space] of one's opponent, making it the perfect tool for assassination.
Katō Danzō's signature killing technique, the 'Blood Kite'.
Reappearing right behind the unusually tall restaurateur, his tail slashed down with all its might and sharpness-
- Ping.
'You're fuckin' kidding me.'
His target raised one finger… and that's all it took to stop his scythe right at its tip with a strong metallic sound.
Worse of all, the rebound was so strong his tail went temporarily numb, the shock travelling down his spine and onto his upper torso, halting his movement for more than one second. With everything going in slow motion – even more than usual due to the surprise – he could only widen his eyes when he felt the air beside him pushed aside… in the form of a giant invisible snake, detectable solely due to the rush of wind filling in the vacuum it left behind in its wake.
And his entire body was right in its jaws' path, wide open to swallow him hole.
"Shi-!"
"Chiyome-sama, he's mine."
- Bam! Crack!
Instead of feeling the fangs pierce through his flesh and the snake's flexible mandible constrict to crush him whole, he instead felt a powerful hit to his side, instantly pulverizing most of the bones on that part of his body and fracturing the rest, sending him rocketing sideways right into the pink floral Bounded Field's edge where he bounced back as a comical version of the Kōtarō using Melting Amaryllis – that was, a misshaped puddle of organic matter.
A sweet, young female voice replied to Danzō's quietly urgent plea, "Apologies, Danzō-san. That's too fast for me to stop."
"No worries," the buxom kunoichi replied back to the simmering mirage standing on the nearby rooftop – a figure the first Kōtarō clearly dismissed as just an observer, not realizing the fact mass-scale evacuation of the surrounding area would've been impossible for his successor's group alone. "So long as he's alive, he'll bounce back. Such is the annoying stubbornness he's ingrained in me, as you've seen and will see soon." Turning lightly towards the tall, redheaded man, she smiled gently and sweetly. "Shirō-sama, please enjoy yourself. Watch me well."
"Of course. I expect nothing but the best from you," he confidently remarked, returning her demure demeanour, contrasting the sudden brash side he revealed to both Kōtarōs earlier. "We'll assist you whenever you want, not when you need."
A strange sentence structure, the opposite of what's usually said. But it spoke volumes regarding the trust existing between them – clearly beyond anything either Kōtarō had with the current her.
Hearing that, the half-Kamaitachi Kōtarō growled lowly, a part of him irked they saw him as no threat at all. He felt since he passed Harima's borders, he'd been playing along on the palms of their hands, now sure this seemingly-harmless restaurateur was the chief maker of his downfall, compared to how well he's doing against his successor's group earlier in the outskirts.
Right now, there existed two new opponents on his level, other than Danzō.
Their words didn't mean anything to him performance-wise. Heeding one's pledge of inaction was akin to trusting his back to the enemy. He'd still fight while wary of any interference from either the tall man or the silhouette standing by on the rooftop – 'A Kōga master?', he just realized, recognizing the form of the animal summoning which blasted him to the side earlier – while also fighting Danzō at the same time.
A tremendous ordeal, yes, but not one he'd shy away from. If he'd give up with just this much, then he wouldn't have come to Nihon in the first place after abandoning his birthland.
Without even waiting for them to regain their focus, he'd already launched himself towards the weakest member present he could perceive: his own successor. While the two women, one black-haired and one white-haired, waiting by the side were an unknown – and might have even been amateurs in combat – he'd rather go with the demon he knew… literally. Using all of his might, he could land a one-hit kill debilitating enough Danzō and the others were distracted, giving him further opportunities.
He'd long abandoned his desire to escape, 'teach a lesson', or fight honourably. In this situation, there's no place for his previous nostalgia.
Before he could fully release the tension in his body to attain the highest acceleration burst possible, Danzō casually remarked, "What are you all waiting for? Do join in. Shirō-sama, please undo the barrier. I shall endeavour your beloved diner won't be damaged at all."
She gestured towards the waiting younger generation of Fūma shinobi, before addressing the man he concluded was her current master. Said redhead replied, "No need. I'll just change the defences so all of you can participate."
On cue, the floral barrier shattered into minute petals, showering their surroundings with a hanami-like atmosphere. The older Kōtarō was under no illusion of these things' sharpness, though, because they disintegrated the more dangerous rubble instantly whenever they landed until nothing but combat-suitable smooth gravel remained. The air stilled, indicating yet another Bounded Field had already been set up to replace it simultaneously, but it's the trigger-type which would remain invisible until he crossed a certain parameter.
The 'audience' bristled, being addressed directly by their 'mother' for the first time in decades. Immediately, their resolve crumbled despite having steeled themselves after being on the receiving end of her iron fist – literally – at Okehazama.
Once again, the sole enemy cursed his indecision. He'd missed his opportunity again, now that his younger namesake had dumbly moved towards Danzō, bewitched by the slim chance of his hidden wish coming true. Whether the buxom woman realized she's doing this or not, it didn't really matter.
Now, it's solely depended on his own grit and determination alone.
- Boom!
Finally decisively stepping in, he ignored the swarm of shinobi converging on his location, focusing on taking out any one of his most troublesome opponents. He's not too far from them in the first place owing to the previous Bounded Field's span area, and easily crossed the distance in half a step. However, unlike before, his opponents weren't caught off-guard, despite their focus not yet fully on him.
Under the instant pressure, Danzō carelessly continued, "Let's begin with Immortal Chaos Brigade."
What was immediately apparent to the sprinting Kōtarō was the increased gusto the lower-ranked shinobis were moving with. Admittedly, his younger counterpart did bring a good crew – all chūnin and up – but they simply didn't have the firepower to trouble him at all. Their failure in being at least some distraction amidst the two Kōtarōs' duel earlier was what resulted in the older one's advantage – one which was eroded to near zero right now.
The other change was the fulcrum of this formation. In contrast to the naïve yet talented younger Kōtarō, this was his ultimate creation who'd accumulated skills and experience worth several lifetimes before she received this upgraded body.
He could see traces of his teachings in this Immortal Chaos Brigade – a culmination of weaker beings' effort to triumph via numbers and teamwork than individual might. When performed by the current generation of Fūma shinobi, it's more than adequate for 'normal' opponents and targets… but clearly, facing a singularly powerful enemy like him or Danzō who could bypass numerical advantage directly, it's clear the formation's ultimate output actually lowered efficacy, because they should be a touch above his physical specifications before he was transformed… and yet here he was, able to push back and escape to this hellish trap.
- Psht!
'I knew it!'
The sudden spike of pain in his abdomen was prove enough all those romantic and sweet declarations between Danzō and her current master were all a ruse. Behind the wall of shinobi – his younger counterpart included – he glimpsed the redheaded restaurateur had pressed his index and middle finger together to mimic a pistol and shot a thin hole through his body.
"Tch!"
No pained expression must be allowed to show through. The wound was infinitesimally small, yet the Conceptual Weight packed into it was so dense it nearly tore the soul away from his new body. It's also quite clear it had a [Counter] attribute which affected causality, since it managed to outrun his reaction speed as well as Immortal Chaos Brigade's charging tempo.
With blood leaking out of the corners of his lips, his vision was soon filled with rows upon rows of bronze-tinged bodies – a Reinforcement side-effect of the formation, it seemed – but his ears soon heard Danzō's attractive voice amidst the cacophony.
"Fūma-ryū, Ōgi."
Black Blossom
~ Black Arts Decapitation Method ~
Without even being able to see the face of the person who killed him for the second time in his life, Fūma Kōtarō was returned to the Root where he belonged.
Glossary Update!
B
Black Arts Decapitation Method – Yin-Yang Manual
Rank: A+ (EX)
Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Army
Range: 1~50
Max. Targets: 50
A series of assassination techniques Danzō compiled through her life and death. It centred around the most public, gruesome methods of killing to dissuade enemies, born among a culture which rewarded such methods to end bloody wars as soon as possible. Achieved through mastery of human and yōkai anatomy, and only able to be performed with an inhuman body to its fullest. Its original rank increased due to the skill Synthetic Existence.
A list of Fūma Clan's secret and ultimate techniques, made forbidden because how taxing they were to perform with normal human bodies and how much they interfered with the Outside World's natural laws and concepts. Named after floral elements, they each have different focus depending on the situation. Alphabetically, the currently known techniques were named Black Blossom, Blizzard Pitcher, Imperial Honeypot, Melting Amaryllis, Moonflower, Passionate Tulip, and Pure Violet.
Black Blossom reversed the entire [Existence]. Blizzard Pitcher embodied and absorbs [Affection]. Imperial Honeypot represented boundless [Yearning]. Melting Amaryllis was as fleeting as [Pleasure]. Moonflower internalized [Kindness]. Passionate Tulip deliberately clashed opposites of [Love] and [Hate]. Pure Violet restored [Purity]. Each and every one had different effects for the practitioner and their enemy, using vastly different Elements and additional Origins according to skill, talent, and preferences.
Due to Danzō's gentle nature, she had sealed this Noble Phantasm unless absolutely necessary. A Master who forced her to activate this through a Command Seal would find her affinity points dropping to the negative instantly.