Chapter 15 - Reunions and Puzzles of the Past
"Extend Yeoui!"
The legendary staff shot from the Monkey King's grasp and into the dark thundering sky.
He stood in what seemed to be a large, spacious valley surrounded by tall stone mountains. But the landscape was not always like this, as the so-called valley he stood in was a result of the occurring battle he was fighting.
"Get bigger Yeoui!" he screamed as his weapon grew to one thousand times its normal size, with Wukong barely gripping into the stone with his fingertips.
His fierce blue eyes locked onto the clouds above. The turbulent winds caused his dark gray and yellow monk robes to crinkle and flutter violently along with the black sash tied around his waist that wavered behind him. The sash's vigorous dance in the wind, made it look as if it were static in the air.
From within the clouds, came a powerful force that knocked his attack off-balance, and the gargantuan weapon fell backward. It almost fell upon Wukong if he didn't shrink it back to the normal size. He wasn't given a second to recover as a rain of jagged, building-sized, bolts of lightning came crashing down upon him.
The Monkey King grit his teeth as he skillfully but barely dodged each one, moving across the battlefield at extreme speeds.
As he flew and weaved through the onslaught of electricity, he reached behind his ear and pulled out several strands of his hair. The King brought the hairs in front of his mouth and blew on them. The hairs scattered around him and immediately transformed into clones of himself, each holding a copy of the King's famous weapon.
Wukong, with his clones, came to an abrupt stop and formed a formation akin to a sphere as they started spinning their staffs rapidly. The combined effort was able to successfully deflect the incoming barrage of lightning strikes and they soon came to a stop.
Except for one last one which came zooming down towards them. Wukong flew forward and personally countered this one with a strong swing of his staff. But his eyes widened as the lightning dodged his strike, and he had realized too late that the electricity was but a transformation.
He had fallen for the trick. And to rub salt on the wound, a basic one at that. A tactic that he himself employed countless times.
Without time to react, his adversary's hand had gripped tightly to his face and Wukong was dragged aggressively across the rough, rocky battleground. The familiar-sounding cackling of his opponent filled his ears.
Fortunately for him, his clones acted straight away and quickly pursued them. Wukong's adversary noticed and let go of the King's face as he retreated, speeding back into the clouds.
Once again, no chance of a breather was given as what looked to be a second Yeoui came plummeting down like a meteor. Instinctively, his clones used their bodies to block the incoming pillar but the damage was dealt too quickly and they disappeared in puffs of smoke, transforming back into the neck hairs of the Great Sage.
With a wave of his hand, Wukong pulled in his hairs and re-absorbed them into his body. Kicking off the ground, he narrowly avoided the impact zone. The second Yeoui caused rumbling earthquakes and large fissures to spread incredibly fast, like water hitting the ground after falling from a high place. The ground beneath it sank once again, creating a valley inside of a valley.
A brief second later, the second Yeoui shrunk and disappeared.
In the corner of his eyes, he noticed something leaving the clouds, and a split second later he could feel a presence behind him. Wukong acted straight away, he whipped around and shot out his staff as it extended towards the opponent. His opponent perfectly mimicked his every move, and the adversary's Yeoui along with Wukong's legendary weapon clashed in the middle. The rebounded force from the clash caused both sides to stumble back slightly. But at last, it was this moment where the Monkey King was given a chance to breathe.
He wiped a trail of sweat sliding down the side of his face. To him, this was the fiercest, the deadliest, and most challenging foe he had ever faced. The Fox Guardian that captured him in the War, and Tathagata who sealed him under the mountain five hundred years ago, felt as if they paled in comparison to the sheer pressure his current opponent was giving him. Not to mention it was the first time in a very long time that he felt the sense of true danger. But what worried him the most about his ongoing battle was one simple thing. Fear. The feeling of fear. It was a feeling that Wukong had virtually no experience with, a sensation that was practically a stranger to him, a myth. He was usually the one striking fear into the hearts and souls of others. He was not used to and was never expecting the same sensation to run through himself. But it did.
Every time he looked at him, he could hear his breaths shake.
Every time he looked at him, he could see the hairs on his arms to stand up on edge.
Every time he looked at him, he could smell the bloodshed that was destined to ensue.
The opponent he was facing, is the only being to ever send the chilling sensation of fear down The Monkey King's spine.
"Where's Yuuto?" Mori asked as he, Issei, and Asia passed an intersection where the blonde swordsman would usually meet them for the rest of the walk to school, "Does he have something to do this morning?"
"He probably has to make breakfast for that office lady that always calls for him," Issei, who had his hands on the back of his head, replied.
"You think?" Mori's eyes lingered back at the intersection for a little while longer before focusing on the path he was on.
"Well, it's either that or…," Issei started, but became silent as he thought back to the conversation he had with the Knight only several hours before dawn.
"Kiba, you okay? You've been acting weird ever since we left my house,"
"It's none of your concern," Yuuto said as he turned back to face Issei with a cold expression.
"All of us could see that you weren't yourself back there. We're worried about you Kiba,"
"Worried?" The Knight scoffed, "What for? You don't need to waste that sentiment on me Hyoudou, aren't we Devils meant to be selfish and are supposed to live however we want anyway… Look, I know I screwed up, almost letting the Strays get away and putting all of us in danger, I'm the one to blame today,"
"C'mon man, none of us are blaming you, we all have our off days," Issei reassured him, "You may have slipped up this time but we can prevent that by working together. All seven of us, we're a team remember, we'll always have each other's backs. Cuz that's what comrades do...that's what friends do,"
"...Comrades… Friends…," Yuuto solemnly echoed.
"Yeah, that's what we are right?"
"...Must be nice...always being so positive, always burning with passion, and such a basic view of the world. Still, I admire that part about you, and that basicness reminded me of something about myself,"
"Reminded?"
"Yes, that's right. The reason why I fight,"
Issei raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it for Buchou?"
"No. I live so I can get my revenge. In order to destroy every last piece of the Excaliburs, I will do whatever it takes,"
Issei's jaw dropped in disbelief but quickly closed it as he responded, "Even if that means going against Buchou's wishes?"
Yuuto turned his back to the Pawn.
"Even if it means becoming a Stray,"
"..."
"Goodnight Hyoudou,"
Mori's voice pulled Issei back into reality, "Or what?"
However, Issei ignored his question and asked his own, "Hey Mori, do you think Kiba is the type of person to betray someone? ...Hold up, 'betray' is a bit strong, what's a better word?"
The martial artist furrowed his brows, "Why? What happened last night? Did something happen to him?"
"Well…," Issei hesitated.
"You should tell him Issei, Mori is a friend of Yuuto too," Asia reassured him.
"...You're right," the Pawn sighed and looked at Mori, "So here's what happened-,"
On the rest of the way to school, Issei informed the blue-haired fighter about everything that had happened starting from the Club meeting at his house when the photo albums were taken out, to the battle with the Stray devils six hours ago. Mori listened intently to every word.
"And now here we are," Issei finished with a clap of his hands.
Mori pursed his lips, "I won't deny it, I never thought of Yuuto as someone who'd drop everything at the slightest chance for vengeance. But that's my fault because I've always based his goals on his appearance. He hid this side of him very well,"
"Right? That's what caught me off guard too," Issei admitted and Asia gave a small nod of agreement.
"But we don't know the full story yet so it's hard to deduce anything," said Mori who rubbed his chin, "What are 'The Excaliburs' anyway?"
"Dunno, we can ask Buchou about it after class today," replied Issei.
"That's true," agreed Mori then he smirked playfully, "Definitely not the first 'welcome back talk' topic I would've thought of but, it'll do,"
"Right," chuckled Issei.
Classes flew by rather quickly and the ringing of the bell that signified the end of the school day echoed throughout the academy grounds. The students poured out of the buildings, either going home or to their respective extra-curricular activities. Mori, Issei, and Asia immediately headed towards the Old School Building.
"Everyone~!" Mori yelled joyfully as he burst through the doors to the Clubroom with the Pawn and Bishop by his side, "I'm baaack~!"
"Mori!" Rias exclaimed as she stood up from her desk.
"Mori-kun/senpai!" Akeno and Koneko smiled happily at the same time. The former looked up from her tea-making station, and the latter took her eyes off her ice cream sundae.
As the trio walked in and placed their bags down in the usual area - which was against the wall - Mori looked around and noticed that the Knight of the group hadn't shown up.
He was about to ask about it but Akeno appeared in front of him with a cup of tea in her hand.
"Welcome back, Mori-kun," she said while handing him the cup, her signature eye smile evident on her face.
"Thank you, Akeno," Mori replied, taking the cup in hand, "It's good to see you again,"
Akeno turned and went to pour her other two juniors some tea as Koneko approached Mori.
"...Senpai," she began, then pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and pointed it at Mori's face. With a smile and her usual quiet tone, she said, "...For you,"
Mori smiled back and took the lollipop, "Thanks Koneko,"
Koneko nodded and went back to her dessert.
The blue-haired fighter looked down at the flavor of the lollipop. He tore off the wrapping and popped the treat into his mouth, and his lips instantly stretched into a wide smile.
'Banana Cream… Yesss~,' He internally squealed as he could feel himself get all giddy.
He quickly suppressed that feeling as he noticed Rias standing in front of him.
"Buchou," Mori grinned at her, "It's good to see you again, and it looks like you're mentally healthy now too,"
The redhead's response came physically as she stepped forward and wrapped the martial artist in a tight embrace, burrowing her nose into his shoulder. It caught him off guard at first, but he soon started to gently pat her back.
"I woke up with Buchou naked beside me this morning so why do I still feel jealous," Issei wept as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.
Asia, who was sitting next to him, puffed out her cheeks and pouted as she pinched Issei's cheek with all her strength. Causing the Pawn to yelp out in pain.
After a couple more seconds, Rias pulled back and wiped off the tears forming in the corner of her bright blue eyes, "Thank you so much, Mori,"
"I did what I had to do...and what I wanted to do," he replied.
"Besides," Mori continued, "I didn't want to lose any of you guys, and also, as the Unofficial Member of the Club, I felt like I had to do something to prevent it too,"
"Unofficial Member?" Akeno echoed.
Mori nodded, "That's what I am right, seeing that I don't do contracts and I'm not a Devil either,"
Issei shot up from his seat, "Screw that! To me, you're an Official Member! You've always been Official!"
Asia and Koneko, agreed with the Pawn as they nodded in unison.
"If you weren't 'Official' back then, then you've certainly proven yourself now," added Rias.
"Ufufu, you even started calling Rias, Buchou," Akeno giggled with a palm over her mouth, "You never did that before,"
"Oh right yeah," Mori chuckled and sheepishly scratched the side of his head.
Rias placed her hands on her hips, "If it makes you feel better, I can whip up some type of ceremony if you like?"
"No no no, that's okay, your word is enough," Mori replied.
"Good, I'm feeling lazy today anyway," the Heiress joked with a short laugh.
Soon, the Club got settled in and Rias ordered everyone to sit together at the couches as she handed out the contracts of the day. Mori took this time to look around the room after its refurbishing, if he was being honest he couldn't see much of a difference. At the most, the paint on the walls seemed to be a bit...brighter, and the timber flooring was much shinier, to the point where Mori could make out the details of his face just from the reflection.
"You know, I'm curious," Rias began as she crossed a leg over the other, "I remember that you had spikey, dark-brown hair during the latter half of that match with Reiz didn't you? What exactly was that, if you don't mind me asking?"
The other members looked towards Mori as they heard the heiress ask the question that was on all of their minds.
The blue-haired teen sat there and thought up an answer before opening his mouth, "To be honest, I'm not one hundred percent sure yet. I didn't even notice my hair changing, at the time I was just so caught up in the moment. But I do remember feeling a new type of energy coursing through me, so I'm guessing that it's probably a transformation of some kind,"
"So like a Super Saiyan?" Issei asked.
"Kinda, or like your Scale Mail," replied Mori, "But I don't think it's activated by rage or a tingling spine, or an external source of power. Like I said I was focused on the fight when I first entered that state so I don't remember all the small details,"
"So can you enter that state whenever you want?" inquired Akeno.
Mori hummed as he recalled the events from last night and his attempts to enter that mode again, "Yes...No? Maybe? I tried once yesterday but it didn't work, all I got from it was a sore throat from shouting,"
"I see," the raven-haired girl responded quietly.
Truthfully the Devils were somewhat relieved to hear that. Even if Mori was a trusted friend of theirs, the terrifying, unworldly pressure they experienced that night was not something they want to experience again anytime soon, or at all for that matter. It was even agreed that between their Club, none of them would bring up the fear they felt that night just in case it would make Mori worry about what he had done and potentially start to isolate himself from them with the thought of accidentally harming them in his mind.
"Well nevermind all that, having someone as strong as Mori around does give me some comfort," Rias admitted as she looked the boy in the eyes, "He's also a great motivation for all of us to strive for new levels of power,"
"You bet! After watching him, I couldn't keep still," Issei agreed as he pumped his fist out in front of him.
"Yes, he's been waking up by himself for morning training now," Asia added.
"Really?" Mori asked with a slightly surprised tone, "That's possible?"
"Hey! I gotta get stronger too," the Pawn declared, "Someone has to protect Buchou and the Team when you're not around,"
"Then we'll be in your care, Issei," said Rias.
"Ara ara, you better be ready to take on the responsibility behind your words," said Akeno.
"I'll do my best," the Pawn stated confidently.
As he took a sip of tea, Mori smiled at his friend's response.
A little time had passed, and the Clubroom was mostly empty with Issei, Asia, Koneko, and Akeno all leaving to complete their contracts of the day. Mori stayed behind to complete his homework, as did Rias. The two of them sat on opposite ends of the coffee table - that had their books and papers splayed messily on top - with Mori sitting comfortably on the floor and Rias on a cushioned chair.
After writing in his notebook nonstop for an hour, the boy decided to take a short break and started to stretch his arms. As he did he took a peek at the work Rias was doing. It was then a thought crossed his mind and he dropped his arms.
"Hey Buchou?" he began.
"You can call me Rias when we're outside of Club Activities you know, I don't mind," the heiress told him, then looked up from her work with a kind smile, "But yes? What did you need?"
"Got it. Rias," Mori responded with a nod, then continued, "I just wanted to ask, what are...The Excaliburs?"
Rias froze. Silence filled the room and it was only broken when her pen slipped out of hand and onto the table.
"How do you-?" She started but then realized, "You know about Yuuto, don't you?"
Mori shook his head, "Not really, Issei told me what happened last night, about how he was acting strange...and how you slapped him. And how he also mentioned he was going to get revenge on the Excaliburs by destroying them or something like that,"
Rias sighed, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, then proceeded to pinch her nose bridge.
"I didn't think I'd have to tell you so soon," she admitted, "I was planning to wait for the right moment to tell you, Issei, and Asia about it too, but I don't see any harm in telling you now, especially with Yuuto's current predicament. You knowing could be beneficial,"
"Beneficial?"
"If you know the truth then you can stop him from doing something reckless, or something that he'll regret, or both,"
"That's true,"
As Rias closed her textbook she asked the boy, "Do you want something to drink, Or do you need to take a toilet break, and are you comfortable on the ground, Mori? This might take a while,"
Mori shook his head, "I'm fine thank you, the timber is nice and cool,"
The Crimson Heiress nodded, "When I first met Yuuto, it was in the middle of winter, during the early hours of the morning, almost eight years ago now. He was a dying human boy being pursued by priests and exorcists, for escaping a compound where he and hundreds of orphans were being experimented on,"
"Experimented?" Mori repeated in a quiet voice.
"Yes, for the Holy Sword Project,"
"Holy Sword Project?" Mori once again echoed.
"Several years ago the Church created this project with the goal of creating humans who can wield the Holy-Sword Excalibur,"
"Wait, what's a Holy-Sword?" asked Mori, "Is it like a Divine Weapon made by the Gods?"
"Kind of," replied Rias, "Holy-Swords are the most effective weapons against us Devils. If a Devil touches a Holy-Sword then we will burn ourselves. If we get cut by it, then we will be terminated without a trace. For those who believe in God and see Devils as the enemy, then the Holy-Swords can be considered the 'Ultimate Weapons',"
"So Excalibur is like, the big boss of the Holy-Swords?"
Rias nodded, "Even though there are numerous Holy-Swords originating from all across the world, it is the most famous and said to be the most powerful. It is a weapon created through the means of magic and alchemy by those who reach the territory of God. However, Holy-Swords choose their wielders, as far as I know, only one person gets chosen every decade or so, and that's only if the previous wielder has perished,"
'...A weapon that chooses its wielder…' That thought lingered on Mori's mind for a while.
"Yuuto received artificial treatment to be able to adapt to the Holy-Swords, more particularly, the Excaliburs,"
"So you're saying he can wield a weapon like that? Despite being a Devil?"
Rias shook her head
"He wasn't able to adapt to the Swords, and it wasn't only Yuuto. All the other children who were experimented on couldn't either. The people of the Church decided to view them as 'defective products' and disposed of them,"
"...Dispose of?" Mori narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms, "You mean like, kill?"
"Yes," nodded Rias as her gaze shifted down to hide her discomfort from the boy, "For not being able to use the swords,"
Mori remained silent.
"Before I reincarnated Yuuto, I remember him swearing for revenge until he succumbed to his wounds. At the time, I thought that all that talent and training from the moment he was born to use swords would be wasted if he died, so I reincarnated him into a Devil. When I found out about the experiments, I wanted to give him a new purpose in his life, a new start, and for him to put the past behind him… But he couldn't forget. The Holy-Swords, the people involved in the project, and the people of the Church,"
"...And now those Swords have reappeared," uttered Mori, causing Rias to release a deep sigh.
"Yes, or it could just be a false alarm which is the best-case scenario. Right now his head must be full of the feelings he has for the Swords. But I hope he returns to his usual self soon,"
"Issei said that Yuuto started being like that after seeing a specific photo during the Club Meet yesterday," said Mori, "Now that you're living with him, it might be a good idea to ask him about it when you get home,"
"I'm planning to," said Rias.
Then, even with the heavy atmosphere inside the room, she did her best to curve her lips up into a smile in an attempt to alleviate the negative tension surrounding them.
"So, speaking of homes, how is the apartment my brother gifted you?" Rias asked.
"Huh? Oh, it's good," Mori replied, "It's a bit big for just me but I'll get used to it, in time, hopefully,"
"Have you furnished the place yet?"
"No not yet," admitted Mori, "Honestly, I don't even know where to start. Even my previous place, which was tiny compared to even the average size, barely had any interior decorations and all that,"
Rias giggled lightly, "Well, take your time, no need to rush it. It is yours after all,"
Mori sighed as he held his cheek in his palm, then he murmured, "I kinda wish someone could do it for me, I'd even pay them as long they don't go overboard and empty my bank account,"
The red and blue-haired duo continued to do their homework in quiet for a little while longer before Mori decided to leave first.
In another part of Kuoh Town, Ahri walked down the evening streets with a cup of coffee in hand. The lights of street lamps, the shops, and the buildings around her illuminated her path. She ignored the pedestrians as she strolled by, lost in her thoughts.
'Now that I've confirmed that he resides in this town...where should I go from here? He looks like he's happy here, and I don't know if I should interfere or not...perhaps I should return to Yasaka's side soon, but then she will question me on why I came back so quickly. Or should I stay here and keep watch for the rest of the year and see how it goes from there?'
Ahri took a small sip of her coffee as she crossed the road.
'It's not like I have anything better to do right now. Since coming to this world, it's been peaceful and I'd like to keep it that way. But still, I would be lying if I said a part of me didn't miss the battles during the war… But now that I think about it, perhaps it's because that...that was the last time I was home,'
After a short route of twists, turns, and straight lines, the fox girl - who was currently in her human form - reached her residence in the town. It was a moderately-sized, seven-story apartment, and she lived on the sixth floor.
With no elevator, she hiked up the stairs and dug into her pockets for her key. When she reached the door, she instinctively slotted the small metal object into the lock.
However, something felt off.
Looking to her left, she saw a woman in her mid-twenties leaning against the wall with her arms folded under her large chest. She had donned a dark-gray trench coat and a pair of reflective shades covering her eyes. Slightly pointed ears poked out of her long, straight, silky, pale-blue hair.
Ahri stared at the woman and the blue-haired woman stared back.
Suddenly, dark blue and black flames burst from her palms and the woman shot a bullet of flames towards Ahri. The fox-girl immediately threw her coffee at the fire to intercept it. A small explosion went off in a cyclone of blue heat waves and the steam from the evaporating coffee.
The woman wasted no time in firing another and then another. Ahri jumped and flipped back expertly to avoid all the shots. As the last one came flying towards her, Ahri snatched it out of the air and sent it back with a spin of her body. The blue-haired woman caught the blast and squeezed her fingers into it, setting it off, exploding into a smokescreen. Ahri took this chance to jump off the sixth floor, onto the building beside it.
Unsurprisingly, the woman followed.
A chase ensued with the two of them leaping from roof to roof. Vaulting over air conditioners and other obstacles while Ahri continued to avoid and counter the assault from the other female.
The woman in the trench coat eventually got tired of the chase, she ripped off a piece of a random roof vent and threw the sheet of metal like a deadly frisbee towards Ahri.
The fox-girl took notice and as the sheet of spinning metal neared, Ahri disappeared in a swirl of bright blue flames, the metal sheet tearing through the air and sparks of where she once was.
The blue-haired woman looked around cautiously, all of a sudden, Ahri reappeared behind her in the air and brought her leg slicing downward towards the neck. The woman blocked the hit at the last split second.
She took off her sunglasses, revealing her crystalline, dark-blue eyes. A smirk appeared on her face, showing off some of her strangely sharp teeth.
In her static position in the air, Ahri mirrored the other woman's facial expression.
"Ahri, good to see that you haven't softened," the woman said.
"I was about to say the same to you, Tiamat," Ahri responded as she dropped back onto her two feet, "Though, it looks like you got a bit frustrated at the end there. Has office life made you soft?"
"And you didn't fight back. Has school life made you the same?" Tiamat retorted with a laugh as she shed her trench coat, revealing a white blouse and a navy short skirt, along with fishnet stockings.
"Not yet, it's only day two,"
Tiamat snorted, "It's so weird seeing you in a school uniform,"
Ahri rolled her eyes, "Get used to it like I got used to you wearing something so... ordinary,"
Tiamat chuckled then beckoned the girl to follow, "Come, I'm only here for a few more days, and I finally got some free time now, and we have much to catch up on…...and I need a drink,"
A little while later, the two women were lounging on the edge of the tallest building in Kuoh. Tiamat had a whole carton of assorted alcohols beside her and a bottle already in her hand.
The blue-haired female offered the bottle to the fox-girl.
"Soju?" she offered.
"Th-," Ahri reached out, but Tiamat quickly pulled it back with a teasing smile on her face.
"Oh wait! Sorry, you're underage,"
Ahri furrowed her brows and retorted, "I'm over a thousand years old,"
"In that outfit, you're not," said Tiamat as she popped open the cap.
The raven-haired girl clicked her tongue in response, "Ugh, fine but you owe me a coffee or bubble tea,"
"Hmm? Do I? I clearly remember you throwing that one yourself," Tiamat said after gulping down half the bottle.
"You made me!" Ahri huffed frustratingly, elbowing the blue-haired woman in the shoulder, who chuckled at the reaction.
"Ok, ok, I'll treat you to something later," laughed Tiamat as she downed the rest of the Soju.
"Sheesh, you could've at least told me you were stopping by," the fox girl pouted, her cheeks slightly puffing as she laid down on her back, arms spread apart, and her legs dangling over the edge.
"Well, I didn't know you moved here until recently so I thought I'd surprise you," Tiamat replied as she popped open a can of beer.
"Speaking of which,".said Ahri as she gazed up at the golden clouds of the setting sky, "That rainstorm the other day was him wasn't it? What are you guys doing in Kuoh anyway?"
"Just a simple business trip, nothing more, nothing less," admitted the blue-haired woman, "The fact that you arrived around the same time we did was a mere coincidence,"
"Still though, I don't remember that guy being the type to put on flashy entrances like storm summoning,"
"I won't lie, at the time he did say something like 'Testing the Waters' or 'Luring out the fishes'. It was a bit of a strange response but then I thought he probably just wanted to moisten the air or something since Summer arrives in a few weeks,"
"Probably," hummed Ahri, 'I wonder if it's because he noticed that Wukong's chi signature has begun to fluctuate from this city?'
"Now it's my turn to ask, why are you in Kuoh?" asked Tiamat, breaking the fox from her thoughts, "You've seen civilizations rise and fall, so why have you decided to get an education now, and at a human academy of all places,"
Ahri blinked then stared blankly as she pondered up an answer, she couldn't just blurt out that she was here to confirm her suspicions of the Monkey King's return. Even if the Tale of the Nine Kings has been reduced to nothing but a myth among myths, the wisest move especially for any being that fought and survived is still to keep quiet about it as the wind is always listening. And although the Wukongs of both universes had redeemed themselves through the famous journey, their actions remain to this day as the most recorded events of the war and some deities had yet to forgive. Thus revealing her affiliation with the Monkey King's Army was a big risk. Even to a trusted friend like Tiamat.
Finally, Ahri shrugged, "Better late than never right?"
Tiamat furrowed her brows, "...What?"
"I mean think about it, the era we live in now whether we like it or not is the Era of Humans and they're the intellectual majority. Even if most, if not all will never reach our level of power, none of the beings in any realm desire another catastrophic war and that's why they're all branching out to the Mortal World and trying to adapt or blend into human society to understand them and the other species better. It just so happens that Earth is the central hub between all realms and sub-realms, and it's been this way for as long as I can remember, but it's only in these couple of centuries that the interest in humans has become more mainstream with beings like us due to their sudden technological upgrades," explained Ahri, "The humans are all tightly connected now which means we can no longer act around them as we did in the past. One search on the internet and you'll find videos and photos of our kind accidentally slipping up around them and some people including their governments are still hunting for us, but with their increased tech,"
"So you're saying…,"
"That adapting to the humans and learning to coexist with their many cultures is the easiest way for us to keep living our lives peacefully,"
"And that's why you're studying at a high school now?"
"Yes," Ahri nodded, she came to Kuoh for a different reason but what she said weren't exactly a lie either, "...Also because the foods humans can conjure up are pretty damn tasty,"
"...Right," Tiamat kept her narrowed gaze on the fox girl, "You're still hiding something but, whatever it's not any of my business anyway but if you didn't want to say anything then you could've just said that,"
"Well, what's wrong with blending among the people," said Ahri as she kept up her half-facade, "Aren't you doing that by working with him?"
"I...yes, mostly," admitted Tiamat, "Though his goals are still a mystery to me, he's a being that constantly emits an aura that demands respect,"
'Of course, he does,' thought Ahri, 'He's one of the Kings, they all do,'
"He's like a beacon in the pitch dark. The way he sees the world, the way he acts and speaks just makes you needy to follow him," continued the blue-haired woman, "Years upon years of experience and wisdom ripple in his eyes. When he walks into the room, it's intimidating but tranquil at the same time. The man is a natural leader, and a fair one a that which is increasingly rare nowadays,"
"Hmm, is that so…," hummed Ahri.
"One of these days I'll bring you to meet him and you'll know what I mean," replied Tiamat.
"Well, I can't wait," Ahri chuckled as she scratched her cheek, then awkwardly flicked her gaze away, 'I fought alongside that guy two thousand years ago, and although you're not wrong Tia… you have to be exaggerating… But then again, out of the nine of them, he is the only one who adapted to the changing era without too much trouble…,"
"So," the fox started to change the topic after a couple of seconds of silence, "While you're here, are you gonna pay Ddraig and his host a visit too?"
Veins immediately throbbed out of the woman's forehead at the mention of the Red Dragon Emperor. Her irises sharpened into slits as her nostrils flared and the can of beer she had been holding was crushed with the liquid inside spurting out like a bronze fountain.
"Shall I take that as a no?"
Tiamat nodded slowly as she took deep breaths to calm herself, "For the sake of my boss, I will not start anything while I'm accompanying him on this trip. He told me to keep it professional while we're working in this town and that's what I'm going to do. I've even lowered my presence as much as possible to not alert that bastard,"
The fox girl's eyes widened, "Really? Must be quite the amazing leader if he's gotten you to stop your centuries-long, unrelenting hunt of Boosted Gear Wielders,"
"As I said, he's mastered the art of speaking to the highest level. Which is one of the reasons why he's so successful in the Mortal Realm," said Tiamat, "...and that reminds me, I still have some errands to run so I'll be heading off first,"
"Oh, ok then, see you around Tia," waved Ahri as the blue-haired woman stood and stretched her arms.
"Later, fox," the woman then summoned a flaming blue ring around her body and teleported away.
With a sigh, Ahri pushed herself off the ground and back onto her feet. She glanced over the edge at the lively town below and spotted the familiar head of blue hair that belonged to her former leader. Mori and Issei were laughing together as they walked out the automated doors of an arcade. She watched as the duo's silhouettes melted into the thick crowd until the fox girl's golden eyes gave up on tracking them. Without a word, Ahri pounced as she expertly and silently bounded from roof to roof in the direction of her apartment.
Crackling streaks of lightning danced through the dark gray clouds like eels pursuing invisible fish. The rumble of thunder chased after the bolts in a race they were guaranteed to lose. That day, the heavy clouds were burdened with a sea worth of water and hung low, close to the peaks of the tallest mountains.
Despite the gloom-filled atmosphere, The Flower Fruit Mountain still exudes its renowned dazzling beauty, showing off a different side of itself, another of its natural charms as the inevitable storms neared. Despite the turbulent winds barraging against the mountain range, the hundreds of thousands of trees stood tall and strong in defiance, none willing to bow down to the power coming from the skies.
The tallest of the mountains was located at the center of the entire range. Halfway up the mountain was the brink of a towering waterfall that crashed down into a large pool below that flowed and split into five rivers.
Suddenly a monkey with gray fur and pink skin, equipped with crimson, Ancient Chinese armor suited for a General, came bursting out of the raging water curtains. He rolled forward expertly as he landed before hopping to his feet.
This was one of The Monkey King's Four Generals of the Cardinal Directions, the General of the South, Sun Nan.
Outside the waterfall, dozens of monkeys of all shapes and sizes had gathered. All of them were wearing civilian clothes of the dynastic era and had simple cloth baggage strung across their back. Some of the children held tightly onto their mothers as they cradled them in their arms, and gently caressed their back to calm them. The older of the children stood beside their parents but still gripped their hands tightly with nervous sweat seeping down their furry necks.
A simian soldier who had been guarding the group spotted the gray monkey and immediately went up to him.
"General Nan," the soldier greeted with the salute of their nation; the closed fist of the right hand placed in the center of the open palm of the left hand, with the connected hands raised to the height of the chin.
"These are more of our people seeking refuge inside the safety of Water Curtain Cave," the soldier explained as he lowered his hands and gestured to the group of primates.
The general nodded and glazed his brown eyes over the crowd. He approached the elder of the group, an old monkey with a cane.
He inclined his waist before speaking, "May I ask, My Senior, what part of Huaguo have you all come from?"
"Sepal Island, My Lord," the old monkey replied.
"Sepal Island?" The General muttered before raising his voice again, "The small piece of land half an hour by sailboat to the North East?"
"Yes, My Lord, it is that one,"
"Has it been captured already? Are there any more of you?"
As the elder began to reply, he began to cough and a younger male monkey came to bring him back into the crowd to rest, before stepping forward to answer in his place, "No sir, but we were all worried that it would happen any moment now, so it was a unanimous decision for us seek protection before anything major happened...and yes, this is all of us,"
"I see," the General nodded then he pivoted his head to the soldier next to him, "Escort them inside and help them with the procedure,"
"Yes sir," the soldier replied with a salute before ushering the large group into the waterfall.
The General rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, "That's the fifth batch since a Nephalim was spotted towards the north… But the people are right to be extra vigilant… It's been seventeen years since this war began, and honestly, I'm surprised that our home still stands… Let's hope it stays that way, at the very least for another year," The gray-furred monkey took one more glance at the mouth of the falls, scanning for any signs of life. With that, the general dove through the waterfall and back into the cave.
As the name 'Water Curtain Cave' implies, there exists a vast cave system behind the thick sheet of rumbling water. There were several large caverns connected by numerous twisting tunnels, with the largest cavern in the center of the mountain. Throughout the years of the Monkey King's rule, the cave system was transformed from a hidden natural sanctuary into an underground city. This secret fortress was now being used as a safe haven for all of the Mountain's residents - which aside from the Huaguo Monkeys, also included other creatures such as Tigers and Phoenixes - that wanted to avoid the catastrophic war outside.
"… Well, at least the chance of an attack has lessened since His Majesty has returned from his last battle," The General thought as he walked into the entry cavern of the sanctuary, weaving through the huddled crowds who were waiting to be sorted into their temporary living quarters.
Within one of the chambers on the higher levels of the Water Curtain Cave, was a spacious room with a giant, circular, stone table in the middle. Spread over the table was a large map showcasing the entire area of the isle where the Huaguo Mountains were located, along with the surrounding borders up to five hundred miles. Small, smooth, and circular stones that were black and white were spread across the map
A certain fox girl in a red and white, sleeveless combat outfit, paced around the room impatiently, circling the table multiple times while biting the nail of her thumb. Her snowy white tails twitched as her golden eyes flickered back and forth from the map to the window, which was just slits in the stone wall. Lanterns and candles were spread across the room, bringing warm light to the cold and dim interior.
Standing on the other side of the table, was a primate sporting short, light-brown fur with green eyes and equipped in the same crimson, high-ranking armor as the gray-furred general.
This was another of the Monkey King's Four Generals; Sun Xi, the General of the West.
With both hands placed upon the table, his nose wrinkled as he sniffed, staring at the map. His eyes scanned every corner of the map before he clicked his tongue in frustration.
He placed his fingers on a black stone and slid it across the map, "What if we move the North Division to defend Camellia Hill, then combine the East and South Division to cover more ground in the Chrysanthemum Basin?"
Ahri halted for a moment before she shook her head, "That won't work, it'll leave the North-East and South-West undefended,"
"...Great," Sun Xi muttered as he slid the piece of stone back to its original position, "All we're doing is defending, when are we going to go on the offensive?"
"Hopefully never," replied Ahri as she turned to look down at the map, her arms now crossed over her chest, "Huaguo Mountain Range, while large in its own right, is still the smallest out of all the territories held by the Demon King Alliance. Any slip from us and the enemy can take it very quickly. Also, our forces were never that large to begin with so we can't risk leaving the island, and since we're fighting against the Pantheons, I'd rather fight on familiar ground than somewhere else,"
"I see your point but it's so frustrating to just sit and wait while we hear of the others clashing each day," Sun Xi said with gritted teeth, "Our King has returned so this is the best time to launch an attack. With his power and his clones, we can finally be in the main fight,"
"There is no main fight!" Ahri snapped, "For ten years it's been a series of battles one after the next in every corner across the realm! Even the murkiest of rivers have now turned red from the amount of bloodshed dealt this decade!"
"...M-My apologies,"
"And it's only going to get worse from here on out," continued the fox girl, "The Shinto Pantheon has recently joined the Heavenly Alliance and is now fighting against us. Amaterasu along with Tyr's army are advancing towards the Tiger's Glade of Legacy as we speak.
"The Gods really aren't relenting are they?" the General sighed as he slumped onto a wooden chair.
"No. Which also reminds me, starting from today we need to triple the patrols," said Ahri, "On my last scouting mission, I spotted Artemis watching our mountains from a distance. No doubt she's planning an attack,"
"The Goddess of the Hunt from Olympus?" Sun Xi exclaimed.
Ahri nodded, "She'll have an army of female warriors and creatures following her. But when the time comes, I'll fight her myself,"
Just as the General was about to reply, tapping on the door drew their attention.
"Come in," said the General, and a regular primate soldier pushed open the door.
The saluted to the both of them before announcing, "Military Advisor Ahri, the Elder told me to tell you that the King has asked for you,"
"Of course, where is he?"
"Hasn't left the Peak,"
The fox girl nodded with a subtle growl before walking out of the room.
Ahri weaved through the halls of the Water Curtain Cave, passing multiple rooms before locating a window large enough for her to fit through. She pounced and easily slipped through to the outside. Reacting quickly, she twisted her body around and placed her feet on the side of the mountain. Ahri effortlessly bounded up the mountainside in a couple of hops and reached the top in no time at all. The fox took a final leap, performing a series of graceful somersaults and twists before landing silently on her feet.
As she stood up, she looked toward the being standing with his back towards her and looking out at the entire Mountain Range.
His dark, spiky hair fluttered uncontrolled as a strong gust of wind swept by, and his electric blue eyes remained fixated on the thundering light show in the sky.
"Ahri," he greeted with a barely audible voice, turning his head very slightly to acknowledge her presence.
"My King," Ahri responded with the Army's signature salute, releasing it as she continued, "You wanted to see me?"
"Ahri, I'll say it again, when it's just the two of us you do not need to address me that way. We've known each other for so long...be more casual, it feels weird,"
"Very well, Wukong,"
"...Better,"
"Anyway, for what reason did you call for me?"
Wukong took a couple of seconds to answer, "...I want to know how my Kingdom is doing during these warring times,"
Ahri raised an eyebrow and her jaw dropped, "...You, you want to know how your Kingdom is doing,"
The Monkey King nodded subtly, his back still toward the fox girl.
"How are the soldiers, the citizens, the life that lives here? Are they well? Are they eating enough?... Do they feel safe?"
"They, they're all doing fine, but it would boost their morale if their King would show his face," said Ahri as she folded her arms and glared daggers at the King's back, "You haven't left this mountain top ever since you came back last week after two years, and you've only met with the Elder and me, and no one else! Perhaps you should ask them if they feel safe yourself! If it doesn't please the adults, at least the children will feel reassured… You're their hero after all,"
"...Hero?" Wukong quietly echoed, "They still see me as a hero?"
"They don't have anyone else to turn to, in their eyes you're the Great Sage Equal to Heaven that's fighting off the bad guys… Even though-,"
"Even though it was me who started all of this," Wukong finished.
"...Yeah,"
It was only a couple of seconds of silence that fell upon them but it felt as if days had passed. The wind kicked up again, brushing tightly against the duo's dark hair.
"When do you leave again?" Ahri suddenly asked, breaking the ice.
"Tomorrow. Heracles has challenged me to one-on-one combat,"
"No doubt a lure to get you away so Artemis can launch her offensive," scoffed the fox.
"The archer lady? How can you be so sure?"
"I saw her scouting the from a distance a few days back," explained Ahri, "Those two are likely working together, they're from the same Pantheon and have experience in taking down monsters,"
"We'll stand a much better chance defending the mountains if you stay, can't you send a clone to fight Heracles," suggested the fox girl.
Wukong shook his head, "I-,"
"Forget it, I already know your answer," Ahri said in annoyance hidden in her tone, "You want to fight him yourself since everyone is comparing you to him and you want to prove that you're the stronger one,"
The Monkey King went silent.
"You. Haven't. Changed," Ahri snarled, "Seventeen years, we've been fighting this war that you started, and you're not even bothering to end it! We supported you the entire way and we will do our best to continue to do so, but… How many more of our kind must die for your entertainment?! Every day your halls are filled with the echoes of your citizens, every one of them wishing for you to finish this era of bloodshed already! We've lost half our population since the start, and we were never a populous territory to begin with!... And yet, they still look up to you! And you know what!? At this point! I don't know if that's loyalty or stupidity,"
"This intense lust of the fight that you have," continued the red-clad fox, "It's a disease, a plague, one that only kills the ones around you while slowly sapping the sanity from yourself, and you're the patient zero of this disease,"
Wukong slowly clenched his fists and his knuckles cracked.
"Are you going to punch me for telling you the truth? Resorting to violence when you don't get your way… I'll remind you if you've forgotten, but that's exactly what started this entire calamity," Ahri scoffed before continuing in exasperation, "Only moments ago you asked me how the mountain is doing, the truthful answer, we're doing worse than you think, and what I said was a sugar-coated summary so there would be less of a burden on your shoulders but now that I think about it that burden probably never existed,"
"Sun Wukong… If you continue down this path, you'll find yourself to be the only one left walking it,"
"Then stop me!" The Monkey King snapped as he spun around, his blazing blue eyes glaring into Ahri's sharp golden.
"...What?" she quietly gasped, taken aback by his sudden outburst.
"Stop me from going too far," he clarified, "You think I don't know myself?! I've already been scolded for my desire for battle by the Elder and my brothers, but I can't help it! It's like you said Ahri, it's like a disease...and I don't know why or how it began. But it's here and it's taking over, fast. So before it does, or if it ever does, stop me,".
"And how would I do that? You're stronger than me,"
"Don't play dumb with me Ahri! We trained under Master Subhuti together, our power should be close to the same level," Wukong exclaimed, "Besides, I heard what Master said to you that day. He taught you my weakness, my only natural weakness just in case something like me going berserk does occur,"
"...W-Wukong,"
"Now I don't know what that weakness is, but I'm counting on you to use it, Ahri, if...no when I get out of control," said the Monkey King, almost begging with his voice, "You're the only one with the power to do that. Bring me back to how I was, the day I lose myself,"
He whipped around and marched forward with his toes barely hanging over the edge of the mountain peak.
"You see this, all of this," Wukong gestured to the entire Mountain Range, "I was born here, on Mount Huaguo. And even within all of this gloom, that I brought upon it, it still retains its shining beauty, the same one I remember from when we were kids. I do like to fight for the thrill, for the sheer enjoyment of it, I'll admit that… but I also fight to protect this place from being razed to the ground. I'm afraid of losing this place to the Gods...but more so than that, I'm afraid that in my looming insanity… that in the end, it'll be me who ultimately destroys it,"
Ahri could only remain silent as she took in his words. It had been a very long time since he had spoken so seriously.
"So please, don't let that happen, don't allow me to burn the fruits and flowers of these mountains. I'm not ordering this as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, or the Monkey King…I'm saying this as a friend," Wukong looked back at her one last time.
"Ahri...This is my home too,"
Chapter 15 - End
It's been a while, 4 months I believe as of upload date. I'm gonna sound like I'm repeating myself but, no, that was not supposed to happen. Honestly, I kinda had a schedule, and I had even originally been planning for a big reveal on the story's first anniversary but that chance is out now (Which would've been Chp17 or 18). However, I miscalculated and my IRL schedule became even more packed than my writing one, and since this is only a hobby it doesn't take full priority. A mix between university classes starting again, my own training (yes ya boi a martial artist), work, lack of motivation to write, and other stuff like working on a Webtoon with a friend, really damaged that planned writing schedule. So I apologize if I've kept you waiting longer than any of us expected. (As of upload date ofc, ignore this chunk if this is already on Chp19 or 20)
…..OK, back onto Story relevant stuff! So there were two decently-sized memory/flashback/past segments at the start and the finish, with the first one taking place during the Journey to the West and the last one set during the War. Before anyone asks, there will be FULL War Chapters in the future where it'll just focus on the Nine Kings and their battles with the Pantheons.
(On why Flower Fruit Mountain is referred to as both an island and a mountain range. It's because, in the original tale, it's described as an island during its first appearance, but none of the characters ever call it that and they always refer to it as a mountain range instead.)
Tiamat has made an appearance in Kuoh with an unknown being she's working with.
And finally, Mori has met with the ORC again.
No Review segment this time, just cuz I want the chapter to go out.
That's all for Chapter 15! Once again hoped you enjoyed it!
Thank You For Reading, and Goodbye!