Chapter 18: We do this together

"I'd rather break you in half."

Everyone in Naoe Holdings Tower, at the Kawakami Temple, and at the Kawakami Castle were not prepared when Yamato gave that threatening response.

In the Kawakami Castle, Marple gave an annoyed sigh, she spoke to the radio in her hand, "Naoe Yamato, quite the youthful rebel." She then said, "Seems taking Naoe Tower has failed. As did the bounty on your head, even with the price. What happened to Bing Si?"

"The same thing that will happen to you. Only worse." Yamato snarled through the radio.

"How deplorable. No matter. Whatever you attempt to do Naoe Yamato does nothing to hinder us."

Ageha then spoke, "Marple, enough of this already. Just surrender."

Just when Marple was about to answer that, Xiang Yu cut in, "Hah! You insolent wretch, calling for a surrender?! Come and try me! I'll be sure to put you in your place!"

The rest of the opposing forces were of the same sentiment.

Hyumu, the giant blonde butler, chipped in, "Negotiations has failed then." He adjusted his collar, "Then your battle begins with us immediately you babies."

Kawakami Kazuko gasped. She along with the rest of the Kazama Family shot back from Hyumu. The butler huffed, "Heh. How pointless. I could take care of every one of you here in a minute."

He turned to his target, "No, perhaps there are exceptions. Isn't that right, Kawakami Momoyo?"

Momoyo frowned at Hyumu, "Me?"

"Who else is there for me to fight except you?" Hyumu pitched his voice up a little.

"You want to battle with me." Momoyo said with her arms crossed.

"You have nothing else to worry about anymore. You can have the battle you have always longed for. The one battle where you can go all out, where you can fight to your heart's content." Hyumu had a gaming smirk.

"Oh?" Momoyo raised a brow, "That sounds fun…"

"Then let us go to have match in a place free of any interference." Hyumu declared, "Follow me. I shall us somewhere we can wreak havoc without constraint. You can finally let out all of your strength." Hyumu tempted her.

In Momoyo's head, however, a memory flashed into her mind. She remembered her desire for a battle cost her dearly on that rainy night. Her battle with who she loved, and those red eyes. She remembered Ageha's words, harsh but true. And she remembered her promise to Yamato. Momoyo turned her head back to Ageha. Seeing the wisdom in Momoyo's eyes, Ageha nodded at her.

Momoyo said to Hyumu with a firm voice. "I am not going anywhere with you."

"Hm?" Hyumu did not expect Momoyo's refusal.

"Do you really expect me to follow you into a trap?"

"I can promise you it is no trap. We can have a battle like you've never had before." Hyumu said, "That's where you desire to be isn't it? In the fight, all about the fight."

Momoyo shifted over to stand as a guardian in front of the rest. Her voice steeled with clarity. "I will stand where I belong. With my friends."

(I am staying, with Yamato.) She declared in her mind.

Ageha held Momoyo's shoulder in support and approval. "Well done Momoyo."

Hyumu chuckled, "I am both disappointed and intrigued. Something has changed in you. But you still will not succeed. I will take my leave then."

Marple huffed in addition, "We will be waiting then, bearers of the samurai blood. Meet your prosperity or meet your defeat."

Before Marple could cut the signal, Ageha stepped forward once more and pointed at the screen demandingly, "Hang on Marple! Answer me this!"

The Library of the Stars shook her head with a disappointed sigh, "Good grief, how deplorable. The youth acting so hasty. But very well Ageha-sama. Your question?"

"Where does Naoe Kagekiyo's and Saki's deaths fit in all of this?!" Ageha finally brought in the mystery.

Everyone was stilled by the question. In Naoe Holdings, Yamato leaned over and stared into the television screen.

Marple raised an eyebrow, "Why Ageha-sama? Why would you bring the dead into this? Surely this is not-"

"Don't try to blow up any smokescreen on this!" Ageha raised her voice, "I was at the police station. I saw the report. The rounds that were used," Ageha's tone dripped with venom, "made from Kuki steel. And you are the one overseeing materials over in Kuki."

Silence returned to the whole broadcast. All the attention was on Marple. In the Kawakami Castle, everyone was eyeing the Library of the Stars. Even the clones were giving an unsure look on their faces. Xiang Yu too was unsettled, along with Hyumu and Claudio. The Kazama Family had dread in all of them. The adults were horrified.

"What have you done Marple?" Ageha asked through her teeth. It was just too appalling.

Marple had a sombre look, her eyes drifted to the side before facing the screen once more, "It is truly a terrible thing. One thing you must understand about me Ageha-sama. I do not hate the sinner, I hate the sin."

Marple continued with a sigh, "And the Naoe line's sin, however tragic it may be, is simply existing."

The hearts in everyone were tightening like a vice. Marple said, "The Naoe Bloodline's power, no matter how much the truth hurts, is the most dangerous thing in Samurai history. It is a bloodline too dangerous and the Samurai World today must not suffer from it. Once we have learned more, we knew how much danger the bloodline possessed. Every other clan's power serves to propel everyone to prosperous heights. The Naoe Bloodline is the only one whose power serves solely to destroy and demolish. Imagine how much damage the Naoe Line could bring to any bloodline of today. How much harm the Naoe Clan could bring to the Kuki line? Our clones, my children? To our heroes, anyone who bears the samurai blood? Not even the Kawakami Clan would be able to stop the power of the Naoe Line. The Naoe Bloodline is just too much of a threat."

No one could conceive what Marple was implying, what she was hinting at.

"It is with the deepest of sympathies, but Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki made a terrible mistake in attempting to revive that power. The return of the Naoe Power, the demon line, must not come to pass."

Everyone was mortified, Yamato's eyes were red, shaded by the fringe. Every muscle in his limb was trembling in a dark pulsation.

In the Kawakami Temple, everyone was up in outrage. Ageha stormed closer to the screen, Hyumu held his ground while he held the laptop. Ageha exclaimed, "You've gone completely mad!" the horror and anger in Ageha's voice were taking hold of the situation. "You were the one behind it all! This all started with you!"

Momoyo's eyes had beads of tear welling, she shouted as well, "It was you?! You killed Yamato's parents?! Murderer!" the Kazama Family was in an uproar together with her.

"Direct your anger elsewhere, I didn't do it." Marple looked back at Ageha, "Ageha-sama, you've seen the records. You know how dangerous the bloodline is to anyone today. We cannot have such a dreadful power pose a threat to everyone in the samurai world. Especially to the Kuki Corporation, to the clones, my children."

Ageha's scrunched up. Something, however, did not add up. Ageha pointed her finger at Marple, "If that's what you've concluded, then why didn't you kill Naoe Yamato?"

The Kazama Family gave their glares at the screen. Marple gave another sigh, "Do you truly see me as such a heartless monster? That I would commit such an act against a mere boy?"

Ageha exclaimed in complete disbelief. "Marple, keep your answers vague all you want, you're not fooling anyone anymore. Your twisted logic got a boy orphaned!"

"As I have told you already, the Naoe Bloodline is just too devastating for anyone alive today." Marple said.

"So you thought leaving Naoe Yamato alive would stop you from being the lowest you could be?"Ageha shook her head, "Well I've got news for you; your fear has doomed you. The power in the Naoe Bloodline is alive. It lives in Yamato for him to wield."

Marple instantly frowned, "Impossible. It may be dormant in him but he could not have known how to wield it or revive it."

"You're even more myopic than ever." Ageha spat, "I'll educate you then." Everyone was listening and Ageha continued, "The Naoe Bloodline's power was extremely rare throughout history in the Samurai World. And only now it came back. What do you think happened to Yamato that caused it to return in him?"

It took a few seconds, but it finally clicked onto everyone including Yamato himself. Ageha said to them all, "You get it now? The most dangerous power in the Samurai World is attained from the ultimate sacrifice. It's formed from the most traumatic pain anyone could have suffered."

It was barely visible but in the corner of Marple's eye, there was a twitch of doubt.

Ageha then said, "Yamato, if you're hearing this, we both know now. You want your pound of flesh, you know the direction. And Marple," She addressed the Library of the Stars, "you brought retribution upon yourself. Wrath is coming for you."

The broadcast was finally cut. The Kazama Family, Tsubame, the maids, and Ageha turned their attention back to Hyumu.

"Little babies and their gas to burst." Hyumu hummed, "Show off your unfounded bravado all you want. Even if the Big Four are here, Ageha, you're not in any condition to keep up the fight. And the fact remains is that you're still outnumbered and you cannot overpower us when your last defence, the Kawakami Temple, has fallen."

Hyumu took his leave, "But I am curious to see what you will try and pull. Be seeing you."

Back at Naoe Holdings Tower, Yamato's core was completely still. His fists were clenched and his fringe shaded his eyes. The air in the building turned chilled and the adults could feel it.

Kawakami Gore voiced out, "We should head back now, back to the temple."

Hisanobu was the first to head off to the carpark, he wanted to get away from the knocked-out Kuki Servants. The others, however, were keeping their eyes on Yamato who was staring at the ground. They were worried for him.

"Yamato?" Kawakami Momoko took his shoulder. He turned to her, the woman flinched and stepped back by the sight of those red eyes in the dark. A young man turned into a monster. Yamato did not want to scare her, he focused and his eyes went back to normal.

"I'm ok." Yamato nodded at her, "Matsunaga-san." Yamato then said to the bodyguard. "Can we get Bing Si into the trunk? He can tell Kuki Ageha and the rest what he knows."

"Alright," Misago nodded, "Let's do it."

The drive to Kawakami Temple was silent, up in the clouds, thunder boomed across the night sky. In the front passenger seat, Yamato glared out the window as the streets passed through his periphery. The adults in the car had no clue on what the youth was thinking in that dark mind of his. There was no outburst or a breakdown, he just kept staring out the window.

Some moments of time later, in the Kawakami Temple, the Kazama Family could hear the sound of a car engine. The Audi SUV pulled over by the entrance. The survivors of 'Order 66' were heading over to the car. Hisanobu put on the foot brake, set the car to park, and turned off the engine. The second Kawakama Momoko saw her daughters, she exited the car and hurried over to them. Kawakami Gore, Matsunaga Misago, and Hisanobu also got out to reunite with their children.

Yamato remained in the car, he watched as Kawakami Momoko got into a tight embrace with Kawakami Momoyo, along with Gore and Kazuko. Misago and Hisanobu got into a reunion with their own daughter too, Tsubame. The image of such a warm moment got his mind to wander into dark areas. It reminded him of what he could no longer have. The lifeless eyes in his parents flashed in his head and Yamato let out a hoarse growl. His red aura radiated in his core. Once Yamato caught sight of Momoyo's face, however, his tense muscles softened. Momoyo's relief with her parents' safety made him remember, he saved them. A voice called to him in his core, he said to him, (You know what you are…)

"Uh…" he heard the groan from Bing Si in the back of the car. Yamato's eyes flashed a glimmer of dark red for a second and he hissed in anger.

With Momoyo, she continued to hold her in a tight nuzzle with her mother Momoko.

"Momo-chan," Momoko cooed, "are you ok?" she also turned to her second daughter, "Kazuko-chan? You are unharmed?"

"We're ok mom." Momoyo nodded, she was fighting the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Mom." Kazuko was struggling to control herself as well. "Y-You're ok. M-Marple said terrible things on the television. T-That you and dad…"

"It's ok, Kazuko." Gore patted Kazuko's head, "Matsunaga Misago and Hisanobu. They got us out of the airport."

Tsubame, Misago, and Hisanobu turned to him. Hisanobu then said, "Naoe-san as well. He deserves some credit for this."

"Right of course." Gore nodded, "Kagekiyo's son."

Misago added, "He was the one who discovered the whole plot. If he didn't, we wouldn't know about the conspiracy and you two would have been captured by the Kuki Corporation. You guys really owe him."

"Yamato?" Momoyo whispered, she pulled herself from her mother's hug. Momoko too turned around to see Saki's boy exiting the car and heading to the car's trunk. The Kazama Family managed to catch sight of him as well.

"Oi Yamato!" Shouichi called him.

"Yamato." Miyako added.

The Demon did not answer them. He opened the trunk, and Bing Si was curled up in there. Before Bing Si could fully wake up from his unconsciousness, Yamato grabbed his collar and yanked him out. The Liangshan Yi cryomencer could not register it when Yamato threw him onto the ground.

"Agh! Ahhhh!" Bing Si cried out, his whole body was burning with a feverish ache. Everyone had the displeasure of Yamato's violent act. The girls in the Kazama Family gasped in shock, the guys were stunned. Yamato's aura leaked out of him, causing pain in Bing Si. The Demon's brows were knitted tight, his eyes narrowed and trained on the frightened Liangshan Yi warrior.

Kuki Ageha stepped forward from the crowd, she tried to call him to stop, "Yamato!"

Yamato, however, focused his attention on Bing Si crawling away from him. The Demon stalked towards him. Every footstep from Yamato created a tremor of fear in Bing Si. With Yamato getting closer, Bing Si had hysteria in his head.

"Get away from me!" Bing Si panicked, "Get away you fucking freak!"

Yamato lashed out with an arm, grabbing Bing Si's neck and lifting him up to his feet, forcing Bing Si to look at Yamato up close.

"Tell us what we need to know and I might not break your face." Yamato hissed.

Bing Si panted from his pain, "I told you who already knew. I swear I told you-"

"I want to know who else is up in the castle." Yamato demanded with a gripping voice, "Who is up against us in that castle?"

But the cryomencer still had some defiance in him, "You fucking freak! You are in way over your head! You're not going-" Bing Si was cut off when Yamato tightened his hold on the throat. Aura pulsed inside Yamato, Bing Si had agony coursing through him. His throat choked out painful coughs. Yamato struck Bing Si's face with a fist, then a backhand, and punch to the nose.

"Ahh! Ahhhh god!" Bing Si cried out, his nose stung sharply in pain and blood rolled down from his nostrils.

Yamato's voice went deeper, "Tell. Me. Now."

Fear gripped Bing Si tight, "Ok! Ok! I'll…I'll tell you!"

"Yamato!" Ageha called to him louder, he turned his head to her.

"That's enough." She said, "Release him. He's not going anywhere. And he can't tell us anything if you turn him into a vegetable."

Yamato's darkened look did not let up, his hand was still clutching Bing Si's throat. He glanced around seeing the Kazama Family, Tsubame, and the Kuki Maids. Then to the parents present in the scene. They all had horrified looks, the sight of a violent and dark Yamato was too scary. Yamato's sights then drifted over to Momoyo. Her gaze on him got him to pause. The two locked eyes for, what felt like an hour, a brief few seconds. Yamato released his grip. Bing Si fell back and his head struck the ground. Yamato stepped away from the fallen Liangshan Yi warrior.

"Fine," Yamato said to Ageha, "play it your way." Azumi, Lee, and Stacy came forward to have Bing Si detained.

Soon after, in the Kawakami Temple dojo, the remaining 'heroes' have assembled. The Kazama Family lined up with Matsunaga Tsubame, Momoyo stood in front of them while Yamato was leaning against the wall with arms crossed. On the other side of the dojo, the parents were watching children planning out their attack. Kuki Ageha took centre stage.

"First, let me apologize." Ageha dipped her head down, "The Kuki Corporation has failed Kawakami City by letting this rebellion rise. It resulted in pain and misery so many people are experiencing here and in that castle." The Kazama Family exchanged unsure glances. "This disgrace has even claimed lives." Yamato looked away which Momoyo noticed. "The Bushido Plan was supposed to be a celebration, it turned into damnation."

Ageha took in a deep breath, "I have to fix this, put a stop to this Bushido Plan and Marple along with those siding her." She took in the sights from the Kazama Family and Tsubame, "But I cannot do this alone."

Christiane was the first to be at her side, "Ageha-sama, I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. And stopping those that threaten Kawakami City falls under our duty."

The Kazama Family and Tsubame nodded and voiced their agreements. Yamato on the side remained silent though.

Ageha said, "Thanks to Yamato's uhh…persuasions, Bing Si spilled his guts. We know who is in that castle of theirs. Now Azumi, Lee, and Stacy will detain him along with the rebel Kuki servants Yamato took down in Naoe Holdings Tower. Those maids will keep those crooks in a barracks facility from the Kuki Corporation." She continued, "Now, we need to lay out our opponents. There are four Liangshan Yi fighters, Lin Chong, Shi Jin, Yang Zhi, and Wu Song."

Everyone motioned closer to listen. Cookie 4 added, "The Liangshan Yi warriors are fighters from China. They are all descendants from legendary heroes of history throughout China."

"Right." Ageha said, "Shi Jin is a bojutsu master. Lin Chong, the one leading the Liangshan Yi fighters, is a sojutsu master with monstrous strength that could match our tier. Then there are the two power users, Yang Zhi and Wu Song. Yang Zhi is a dual sword user but her main power is mimicry. Her ability is to copy abilities from others, that's how she beat Lu Yi. Wu Song is the pyromencer, aside from fire powers she was strong enough to take down Margit."

"And then there's the Itagaki Siblings." Ageha added. "Angel, Ami, Tatsuko, and Ryuhei."

"I know of them," Momoyo said, "I've seen them around the streets. They are dropouts, must be under a payroll if they're joining up with Marple."

"And the clones," Ageha crossed her arms, "Yoshitune, Yoichi, Benkei, and Seiso or Xiang Yu now."

Tsubame then added, "Also the rebel servants. Claudio, Koi, Marple, and Hyumu of all people."

"They'll all heavy hitters." Miyako said, her hand holding her bow firm.

"Heavy hitters?!" Gakuto gawked, "They're all too powerful! They've got powerhouses, ranged fighters, and weapon specialists!"

"Don't worry!" Shouichi cheered, "We can handle it. We got this!"

"How…" Takuya trembled, "Those are some fierce combatants. And I am not really a fighter myself in case anyone forgot. What do we have?"

"Us." Ageha answered, everyone gave glances to each other.

"We have us. All of us. Don't undervalue yourself, all of you have talents that can help. And you all have the courage to refuse Marple's demands. Your wit and your will. That's what we have."

"Those fighters dared to hurt Maru-san. I will take them on!" Christiane then huffed with a proud pose, "Don't go fretting now Moro. We're more than capable too.

The girls in the dojo bunched up together to show their strength. Kazuko then shot a fist up. "Yeah, we are strong enough too! We even have the Big Four! Onee-sama! Tsubame-senpai! Mayucchi! Ageha-sama! They can all take them down!"

Momoyo cracked her knuckles, "Yeah, you know it."

Tsubame had a finger on her smirking lip, "Fufu, if I defeat those inside that castle, my family name will definitely skyrocket."

Yukie stepped forward and straightened herself, "I will do my best."

The rest were starting to get confident with their own powerhouses. Yukie then held up the horse toy strap, Matsukaze, "Let's go! We're the big guns! We can take them on!"

Ageha crossed her arms, she let out an exhale, "True, this will be the first where we will fight together. The Big Four fighting alongside each other will be quite the force."

However, Ageha then added, "But we are not enough."

Everyone recoiled. Momoyo had to blink a couple of times. She asked, "What are you talking about?"

Ageha said to her, "Think carefully. If you are so focused on their strongest opponents, you can't watch your back if the rest of your foes flank you." She addressed Tsubame and Yukie, "Same goes for all of us. Despite our combined strength, we're up against the Hegemon. And Hyumu did a number on me already." She rubbed her arm. "The four of us won't cut it. We need someone else."

"Hm? Someone else?" Tsubame had a curious look.

"We need our fifth member." Ageha answered, "It's not the Big Four anymore. It's the Big Five."

Yukie and Momoyo were getting confused, as with the rest present in the dojo.

"Who is it?" Momoyo asked.

Ageha turned to the cold and dark presence at the side of the dojo. Everyone followed her gaze to look at boy in the black hoodie.

"Naoe Yamato." Ageha said. "You are our fifth member."

Yamato was still was a moment, "…what?"

"Eh?!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Yamato is our fifth member?" Momoyo asked Ageha.

"Yamato-san will be fighting alongside us?" Yukie was caught off-guard.

"Wait. A dude in our group? What's up with that?" Matsukaze blurted.

Tsubame chimed in, "I thought this group is devas only. Like as in girls only."

"Who told you that?" Ageha retorted at Tsubame. "Being a girl or a guy doesn't matter. Yamato earned his place." Ageha faced Momoyo, "Yamato is our big gun now."

"Huh?" Momoyo tilted her head.

"Whether you like or not Momoyo, the fact remains that he beat you in battle." Ageha reminded them all, but this was the first time Momoyo's parents heard of this.

"Momo-chan?" Momoko got up to her side placing a hand on her shoulder, "Yamato battled you?"

"And you beat her?" Gore turned to the guy leaning on the wall. Yamato could sense the fatherly protectiveness in Gore.

"Gore-sama," Yamato dipped his head, "I did not want-"

"It was my fault father," Momoyo cut in stepping in front of Gore. "I wanted to fight him. And I uh lost." Gore was not completely satisfied, but he backed down on Momoyo's wishes.

Ageha added, "Yes. Momoyo and Yamato battled. And he won, while he was holding back."

Ageha then said to Yamato, "You've taken down a high-ranking member of the Kuki servant in the airport. Defeated an entire platoon that was attacking Naoe Holdings Tower. And already taken out one of the Liangshan Yi elites, Bing Si. Imagine what you can do if you're not pulling your punches."

Tsubame on the side was a little annoyed, her lips twitched a pout. She sulked in her mind. (I was supposed to come to Kawakami City to fight Momoyo and beat her to gain fame for my family. But then Yamato-kun beat her before I could enact my plan. And he was holding back when he beat her? How? Just how?) She then shrugged her shoulders, (Oh well, I can still fight alongside them, defeat the rogue Kuki people and gain fame that way.)

Yamato hated that everyone was watching him closely. Ageha said to him, "We need you to fight with us. Your powers can give us the advantage. We do this together."

The air in the dojo had a chill in it. Yamato's stoic presence was darkening the room.

"Mm." He nodded with a grunt, his eyes glimmered red for a brief second. "So long as I get Marple…and the one behind the gun."

No one wanted to voice it out, but Yamato's stance was just morbidly frightening.

"Very well." Ageha said.

"And do you have a plan?" Yamato asked.

"With your input, we will."

Yamato's eyes narrowed, his mind began to formulate an attack.

Some time passed and a plan of attack was made.

"Yosh!" Shoucihi cheered. The maids, the guys and girls in the Kazama Family, Cookie 4, and the Big Five were pumped up for their fight. Ageha, taking the lead, took centre stage again.

"Alright we all have our roles in this strategy," Ageha said. "Take this night to rest up and gear up. We mobilize tomorrow at daylight."

Ageha turned to the Demon by the side, "Yamato you need-" but he was not there. She looked around, Yamato was not in the dojo. He had slipped out without anyone noticing.

"Yamato?" Momoyo blinked in surprise.

"Eh? Where'd he go?" Kazuko whined.

Outside the dojo, Yamato was trudging towards the temple exit with his hands in his pockets. The night was thick with clouds, there was a distant rumble of thunder in the sky. Momoyo got out of the dojo and she spotted him.

"Yamato!" Momoyo rushed over to him and he turned to her. "Where are you going?"

Ageha, Momoko, and Gore got out of the dojo and saw the two.

Back at the two, Yamato said to Momoyo, "It's a private thing."

"Yamato," Momoyo stood in front of him, stopping his tracks, "tell me please."

It took a long moment, Yamato's eyes drifted to the side with trepidation. But then his eyes locked back onto Momoyo's. The two gazed into each other under the night, in the same courtyard they have battled. Yamato gave in.

"I need to say goodbye again."

Momoyo caught on, her lips parted and her eyes widened. She nodded at him understandingly. "Let me come with you. I don't want you to be alone."

Yamato sighed, he uttered tiredly, "Alright." He carried on his way.

Momoyo looked back at her parents standing by the dojo. They nodded at her in approval, and Momoyo joined up with Yamato. The Goddess and the Demon headed for their destination.

Some time had passed, another thunder in the distance rumbled up above. The two had arrived. A chilled wind breezed through the cemetery. Momoyo stood close next to Yamato while he gazed downwards, he stared at the gravestones.

Naoe Kagekiyo and Naoe Saki.