I remember this review on chapter 6, asking if I was venting when I first wrote this story. Admittedly yeah, let's just say, in that particular time when I wrote the first chapter, my time in the army kinda set the emotion to vent out through this story.

Anyway onto this chapter, why tilted 'Inner Demon'? Well apart from what the title is going to imply for the chapter, the name is based on the music track with the same name from the game Arkham Knight, have a listen while reading. 'Iner Demon' by Nick Arundel.

Enjoy


Chapter 10: Inner Demon

While Yamato turned away from his battle to carry on to school, Momoyo was still processing what had transpired. Naoe Yamato had been challenged into a battle by Saburou Ishida, and he won. He was victorious for the second time. It left her, along with the rest of the Kazama Family, wondering how he was able to do that. Momoyo watched as Yamato went ahead on his own, his back facing her. He was walking away, instead of tending to her like always.

"Yamato won a fight again?" Takuya broke the silence in the Kazama Family. "For the second time."

"Where was he hiding that strength of his?" Gakuto added.

Hearing that got Momoyo impulsive, she sped past them and got Yamato from behind. "What was that?!" She clung to him.

Yamato stopped in his tracks, he jerked his head towards her suddenly. "What the hell?!"

Momoyo got a close-up look at Yamato's gritted teeth and his tensed-up eyes. Yamato quickly simmered when he realized who was on clinging onto him from behind. His face calmed down and he asked, "What is it?"

"How did you beat Ishida?" Momoyo pressed.

"I got lucky." Yamato lamely answered.

"Tell me~" Momoyo chirped and leaned on Yamato even more, her enthusiasm was on high after witnessing a battle. "When did you start winning battles huh?"

Yamato sedately took her hand off him like he was tired of her antics. "Let's go already."

The day in Kawakami Academy was expectedly lively. After Matsunaga Tsubame debuted herself during the Kawakami War battle, she along with several other students have transferred over to the school. Musashibou Benkei, Minamoto Yoshitsune Minamoto, Nasuno Yoichi, and Hazakura Seiso.

Turned out they were from the Kuki Corporation under the Bushido Plan, they were actual clones of historical heroes. It was such a surprise and it was all so surreal.

Yamato, however, stayed in his seat in class 2-F for most of the day. Tending to his studies, for most of the day. And during the times he had to be in the corridors, he was met with weary eyes from the student body. And he could hear the murmurs from the first-year students, how he had battled and beaten Saburou Ishida the same way he defeated Hideo. That Yamato was like a hooligan, like a savage brute. For the most part of his day in school, he kept to himself.


In the Kuki Corporation East Tower, Kuki Ageha was in her office. She was sifting through a file regarding the Bushido Plan. The Kuki Corporation thought it would be a good time now to let their clones in Kawakami Academy. Ageha, however, was apprehensive considering the case behind Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki.

Her personal butler, Takeda Kojurou, entered the room. He said to her while presenting a phone, "Ageha-sama. For you."

"Thank you Kojurou." Ageha took the phone, "Who is it?"

"It's a detective Uchida Etsudo from the police department."

"Ok," Ageha said and addressed the caller, "This is Kuki Ageha."

Kojurou stood by the side while Ageha continued her phone call. Ageha then said, "Thank you. I'll be right over there. In thirty minutes." Ageha sighed and got up from her seat to leave.

"Ageha-sama?" Kojurou voiced out.

"Kojurou," Ageha turned to him, "Make sure no one knows where about this. No one knows where I'm going. You say nothing understand?"

"Understood Ageha-sama." Kojurou nodded and Ageha left.

In the police station, Kuki Ageha was in an interview room with Detective Uchida Etsudo. The detective was a woman in her early thirties, dressed in black office slack and a white shirt. Her dark brown hair was tied in a ponytail. Over the week since Yamato's parents were murdered, Ageha had been in touch with the police. Working with them in whatever possible.

"Kuki-san," Etsudo said. "We need you to look at this."

She opened a file and held up a couple of small zip lock bags. One had pieces of metallic shrapnel. The other had a sleek chrome-colored bullet round.

"These were taken from the autopsy of Naoe Kagekiyo and Saki, along with the taxi driver Daisuke Tatsumi. Forensics has confirmed that these are custom-made sniper rounds." Etsudo explained. "We've ran a trace on the metal with these shrapnels. The steel has the exact same composition as Kuki Steel."

Kuki Ageha's heart went up to her throat but she kept her face composed. Detective Etsudo put the evidence but into the file and placed it to the side. She said, "Is there anything you would like to tell me about this before this goes any further?"

"What I can tell you is that I had no clue, and I intend to get to the bottom of this. And I will find out who." Ageha said, "I will not under any circumstances allow this to tarnish my integrity. Whoever is responsible will be caught."

Uchida Etsudo, however, ran a hand through her hair. She said, "Look Kuki-san. Just so we understand each other. I know you have a lot of pull over the higher-ups in the police department, the government, and all that. Because of the Kuki Corporation of course. But your proclamation to solve this case to 'maintain your integrity' does not really impress, well not me at least. This does not mean you are in the clear."

The weight of Etsudo's words sunk in. Ageha said, "I completely understand."

"Good, thank you." Etsudo politely nodded, "The Kuki Corporation can only influence the department for so long. Now with this new piece of information, I am sure you have a lot of cleaning up to do on your end."

"And I plan to be very, very thorough," Ageha assured.


Naoe Yamato came back to the Kawakami Temple without waiting for Kazuko or Momoyo. He took a quick shower and stayed in his room. He sat by the corner in his room and pulled out his phone. Checking back to the email he had received from Noah Shultz, he began to compose a return email to Noah to maintain his connection over the German branch of Naoe Holdings.

Soon after, there was a knock on his door.

"Yamato? Are you inside?" He heard Assistant Master Lu Yi from the other side. "Yamato?"

"I'm here." Yamato opened the door.

"Are you free right now?" Lu asked. "Master Tesshin would like to see you at the dojo."

Though reluctant, Yamato had to go along out of courtesy. Lu led him outside, Yamato got to observe the temple monks training in their katas by the temple. The two went to the dojo and entered. Kawakami Tesshin was waiting, sitting at the center. There were candles around giving small illuminations. Kazuko's Naginata was placed on a rack at the back, along with a couple of bo-staves.

"Principal." Yamato greeted.

"Ah Yamato. Good, sit down please." Tesshin gestured in front of him.

Lu bowed and left them. Yamato took a moment of apprehension before he stepped forward and sat down on the tatami, cross-legged in front of Tesshin. The grandmaster stroked his beard while he gave a scrutinizing eye on Yamato.

"So Yamato," Tesshin said, "How are you holding up here so far?"

"It's not even a full day." Yamato said impassively.

"Hmm," Tesshin raised an eyebrow. Then he said, "Alright Yamato, I want you to do something for me."

"Yes?"

"Close your eyes."

"What?" Yamato got a little cautious.

"Close your eyes, and breathe in deep." Tesshin instructed him.

Yamato gave a look of apprehension before he sighed. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

"Breathe out." Tesshin said after a couple of seconds and Yamato dragged out his exhale.

"Kuki Hideo is doing ok, in case you were wondering," Tesshin added. Yamato did not answer, he just kept on breathing. "And Kuki Ageha-san has told me about your bloodline power," Tesshin said.

A hint of irritation was apparent on Yamato's face and his eyes opened again. His lips twitched with a scorn, "Is privacy out of the window for me now?"

"Close your eyes and breathe in deep Yamato," Tesshin instructed, not answering the question. Yamato pursed his lips, but he complied. He shut his eyes again and sucked in a lungful of air. "And out." Tesshin said and Yamato exhaled. Silence came between them while Tesshin instructed him to breathe in and out. Yamato's eyes remained closed. The scent from the candles filled his nose.

"This is to help you ok Yamato?" Tesshin said.

"Ok," Yamato muttered. He then felt a finger tapping on his forehead from Tesshin, his spirit energy started to circulate through his system.

"I would like to talk to you about this week. How are you Yamato?" Tesshin got onto the topic. Yamato instantly frowned. Tesshin then said, "You suffered something terrible and you have my deepest condolences for that."

Yamato did not answer and kept on the breathing exercise as Tesshin instructed. The grandmaster then said, "How do you feel Yamato?"

"I assume as anyone else would in my situation," Yamato said.

Tesshin ignored the smart answer and continued, "I sense something deeper than that Yamato. You have something in you. Kuki Ageha already told you. Told us."

Yamato took a moment before he answered, "I guess." The young man could feel the ki swirling in him. It was cold and almost abyssal.

"Do you trust me Yamato?" Tesshin asked.

Yamato made a small nod. (Don't really have a choice do I?)

"Tell me what is on your mind now?" The grandmaster asked. "Can you tell me what is in your heart and what your mind is telling you? Just let it all out." Tesshin received no answer from Yamato for a while, but he could feel the ki from the young man.

Yamato started sinking inside him. He was standing on the highway again, his vision in his head had a haze of red. The night sky above him had thick reddish clouds. He stood on the empty road, looking all around him. The skyscrapers all around, the lampposts lit up the highway, and the winds breezing through.

"Every time I close my eyes," Yamato said to Tesshin, "I see the highway."

"Hmm." Tesshin hummed, the ki and aura circulating inside Yamato quickened in its pace.

Yamato, standing on the highway, had two bodies on the road before him. He said, "I keep seeing their faces." Yamato saw the faces of Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki, their skin pale and their lifeless eyes kept staring at him. "I met them at the airport, we were on the highway, and then they got killed. Yet I'm here, alive and breathing…"

Tesshin discerned him as he stroked his beard again, "You are feeling guilty for being alive?"

Yamato did not answer, he started to scrape his own fingers together. "I keep seeing the blood in my hands."

Tesshin saw the ki and aura in Yamato, they were cold. Yamato's breathing was started to get heavy. Yamato said under his breath, "I keep seeing their names on the grave." In his mind, he was kneeling down by his parents' gravestones.

"Yamato," Tesshin softly said, "Listen to me. Look to the light inside you."

"What?" Yamato asked, his eye were still closed.

"The good things you still have," Tesshin said.

"What things?"

"Well you still have me for starters, dear boy, I'm here to help you." Tesshin said, "And you still have your life ahead of you. You have school, your classmates. Think about your friends, the people who care for you." Yamato did not say anything but his breathing was starting to leak out a growl.

Tesshin then added, "Ah and of course, you still got Momoyo."

Yamato's ki and aura were suddenly flaring violently and Tesshin took a double-take. There was a chill in the air and the candles surrounding the two went out. Tesshin asked, "Yamato?"

Yamato, in his head, was in a dark void. His eyes darted everywhere, but there was nothing. (Yamato…) he heard someone in the void calling out to him. He turned around but there was no one. (Yamato…) he heard the voice again.

Tesshin called him again, "Yamato?"

But he was not listening, his aura was seeping out of him. Tesshin could sense it, dark and red. It was not a sinister or evil aura, but it was unsettling, nerve-wracking, raging. Yamato, in the void, turned and finally saw who called him, himself. Yamato was looking at himself, but his fists were clenched, his teeth gritted, his eyes were pure red.

He growled out to Yamato. (You know what you are.)

Tesshin got closer to Yamato who was already trembling in his trance. Tesshin tried to reach him, "Yamato, listen to me. Think of the light, think of the good things you have now!" Yamato's eyes were still closed but he bared his teeth and was snarling.

(You know what you are!)

"Yamato, focus! Get a grip!" The aura around him was building along with the chill in the air. Yamato's fist balled up and his nails dug into his skin. The feverish rage in Yamato finally broke through, Tesshin stepped in shock. "Yamato!"

The young man's eyes opened and revealed their pure redness. Tesshin froze in shock, Naoe Yamato shot up to his feet and bellowed with his ki and aura bursting out in a pulse. "Reeeaaaaaarrgghh!"


Kawakami Momoyo and Kazuko, crossing the bridge on the way home, felt the chill in the air. It gave a tingle to the skin.

"Uwaahh!" Kazuko yelped as she rubbed her arm.

"Did you feel that Wanko?" Momoyo bit her lip. "Something is up."


In the Kawakami Temple, the monks along with Lu felt the cold. In the dojo, it all went quiet. Tesshin watched Yamato who standing in the center of the dojo, breathing heavily with his fists clenched. His red eyes emphasized the latent rage in him. They quickly disappeared and his eyes returned to normal.

Tesshin inched closer to Yamato, "Boy?" Yamato turned to the grandmaster, he panted and his heart hammered.

"This…does not…help me." Yamato seethed behind his teeth. He dipped his head and left the dojo.

For Tesshin the images of the dark redness were so prominent. He sighed and shook his head, "Oh dear, what to do with you boy? That is quite the power you possess Yamato, an ancient hidden power. Very dangerous, tsk tsk tsk."

Then Tesshin noticed a peculiarity. The trigger behind Yamato's ki to darken. Tesshin raised an eyebrow, "Momoyo huh?"

The Kawakami sisters reached the temple entrance in time to catch a glimpse of Yamato staggering across the courtyard. Beads of sweat rolled down Yamato's forehead as he dragged his feet. He got to the house's front door, tiredly drew it open, and stumbled in.

Before either of them could go after Yamato, Kawakami Tesshin stepped out of the dojo and called for his granddaughter.

"Momoyo, over here please."


Ok, next few chapters onwards I'm going to try to pick up the pace to lead up to Yamato and Momoyo's strained bond. Can't say for sure when but I'll try what I can.

Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, hope to see you in the next one.