Emergence: Another Story

Based on Metamorphosis by ShindoL

Chapter 3:

*distant crying*

"HEY! Stop crying. You've been like this since you were born, would you want to be this way forever?" a soft voice was speaking.

"No, I just hate being so weak."

"Then why not train to become stronger?" the soft voice continued.

"But how? How do I become stronger?"

"Put that thought inside your heart, and soon, you will be able to know the answer." The soft voice disappeared after its parting words.

*Cicada's noise*

"HEY JUN, keep up! You're going to be the last one out if you don't catch us!" a kid called out to me.

"Yeah! I'll be there, wait up! You guys are so going to regret it once I beat all of you!" I came running down the steep hill as I voice out my claim.

But once I voiced out my claim, all of it came crashing down.

News Reporter: Two Children were hit by a fast moving truck this afternoon, as of now, their bodies are mutilated and are unidentifiable, as the man who's driving this said fast moving truck has now been arrested due to drunk driving and having a case of schizophrenia.

Further details will be disclosed very soon.

As I went straight home, I was shaken to my very core.

That life is ever a fleeting moment, that life can be taken at a moment's notice, this event changed me and made me aware that life is real.

But life was very bitter, so tragic that to the point it becomes unbearable.

My father killed my mother in cold blood, as I saw my father's fist bathed with her blood, as her body was lying lifeless on the floor.

My father looked at me with his dark, hollow eyes as he tried to approach me, speaking with his hoarse yet deep voice.

"Junsui, c-c-come h-he-here"

My father turned into something I can never begin to describe. It was like being possessed by some demonic being but more satanic.

My first instinct was to run, RUN FAR AWAY AS I CAN AND NEVER LOOK BACK.

I ran away from the house as fast as possible, leaving all my personal belongings, except a lighter that I found on the table whilst running away.

I came back to the house an hour later, with gasoline on hand, and set the house on fire.

I stood there, as the flames swallow the house whole, burning everything in its way.

The neighbors beside our house called the fire department, but before they were able to call them, I told them to not to, explaining the reason as "putting to rest".

The neighbors understood what I have told them and began to go back inside their homes.

The firemen still came a few hours later, and put the fire out, trying to find traces of remains or belongings of the house, but all of it disintegrated and burned to ashes. They also found two burned corpses in the living room with their faces all burned into a crisp.

I stood at the very back of the burnt house, as I watch the firemen clean up the place, putting ashes into sacks and the burned furniture in the trash.

As the deed was done, I decided to head off. And at the age of 8, I have already burned both of my parents along with the house I grew up in.

The house was filled with dark memories of abuse, seeing my father beat my mother every night, her screams echoing in the dead of the night, I was unable to sleep, and the ordinary life I ever wished for was void.

Wishing for a happy life is no longer possible for me, I have thought, but what that soft voice said kept me going. "Put that thought inside your heart, and soon, you will be able to know the answer" and with that, I decided to find a new life, a new beginning.

A Few Years Have Passed since then.

I have reached the age of 17, with a new family and a new name. Junsui Keshin. Keshin derived from the leader of the Yakuza Family, Ouroboros Keshin or simply known as the man who mastered the Snake Arts. The Snake Clan was our official name.

My co-family calls me Jun now, to not bring up memories of my old past, I told them it will be not a problem, but to this day, they are still quite cautious and careful, and that makes me happy.

I am in high school now, as the fresh Sakura bloom as it is spring.

The Yakuza nowadays are more on the peace and quiet side of society, as they are no longer seen as enemies of the law but more considered as the allies and antiheroes of the place.

The current head of the family called in a meeting to discuss on who will be called to be the next head and hopes to lead the family into a more wonderful, and hope-oriented atmosphere as compared to the previous head who decided to put the past members to literal hell, masking it as "making the weak, strong" and wants to prove that Yakuza are an ally to the good and the masses and an enemy to the evil-doers.

And so everyone was called to hold a voting ballot on who they think should be the next head. Everyone had the same idea and voted me.

I was stunned to see that every member of the family voted for me. I then asked the current head

"Why me?! I was just adopted into this family just a few years ago, right? You wouldn't just give the head position to someone you just adopted right?" I asked at the top of my voice.

The current head nodded his head and gave a smile "It is not how long you have stayed here makes you a part of the family but rather how much time you have spent time with the members of the said family, and how you are a part of theirs. All of them believe in you, Jun. I also think of you as the best candidate for head of the family, the Don to be exact."

My happiness was immeasurable after what the current head has said. I couldn't be more obliged to lead the family to a brighter future, I had my hopes high, and my new found purpose has strengthened my desire to protect this family, with my life.

But with hopes too high, the amount of despair is just as high.

The current head died a month later with a heart attack, the morning we saw him, he was just smiling on his death bed, telling us that all will be okay, as long I was around, he then gave a parting gift to me, as a symbol of his leadership, the snake necklace that was passed around for thousands of generations, and now has been passed down to me.

The members of the family buried him to a place where he frequently visited, which was the Garden of Solitude beside the main hall; it was beautiful and full of life, just like he was when he was alive.

A Year has passed as I am finally 18, the members of the family greeted me a happy birthday and even offered me to drink with them, but I refused for I don't partake in drinking, and since the last time was a horrible experience as it left me with quite a migraine and a hangover which was unpleasant.

As I am finally 18, I have been called by the representative of the family, and told me that I will now be going to a certain high school to pursue how to be a great leader of a Yakuza family.

I refused at first, but they managed to convince me that being a great leader of a Yakuza family opens up to more partnerships with major companies, and gives more exposure to the Snake Clan which was been considered missing for almost two decades.

I then accepted their request, and proceeded to finish the preparations for my said "High School Debut".

The curtains rise as the school starts.

I saw a girl with her face down to her desk, muttering to herself, with boredom or a sense of uneasiness.

Who would have known our fates will soon meet?