Ashura Genbu's Victory?! Shiryu and Shunrei fall into the Dark

(阿修羅の玄武の勝利? ! 紫龍と春麗はやみ道におちいる)

In an eruption of light, Libra Shiryu was instantly gone. There wasn't even a remainder of his Cloth.

As Libra Dohko was well renowned for his strength, and a remnant of the old Holy War from centuries ago, Genbu aspired to be a menace of force that even the demons of Hell would fear him. Even as a spirit, no longer apart of the mortal world, he wondered why Virgo Fudo would put him in one of the worst realms.

"Purity is difficult to obtain" he had said, and the Gold Saints were so powerful, essentials of Holy Wars due to being at the highest tier of mortal power, that their reputations would not allow them endorsement before the Gods. It's said that many entered Tartarus.

But then again, no one predicted that Genbu would return from the dead. Genbu was in Limbo before Ashura, and for him to ascend, he had to eliminate all forms of jealousy and arrogance. In fact, his discipline was influencing the other Ashuras during their constant battles, and some started to respect him like a fellow brother. However, despite having a chance to become free, he couldn't help but feel sad for the other Saints that had died. And Genbu also harbored a hidden envy for Shiryu and Dohko. In the Realm, he perfected techniques to survive, and Demeter took advantage of that hidden envy and desire for triumph. All men were impure.

Shunrei opened her eyes, which itched from the intense glare from Seitenha, and realized that she was encased in a spherical barrier. Genbu reached out to her with his hand, indicating that she was trapped in his technique. Was it the Genbuken?Shunrei looked around first, and then above where Shiryu was impaled high on a stone pillar. He was nowhere to be found.

Shiryu's widow shot the dark Gold Saint with keen, upset eyes. "Genbu, what have you done?!" Her voice raised.

"I scattered his Cosmos into stardust." It did not make much sense hearing it directly. Stars died and shed particles of helium and hydrogen; sometimes, "dust" peeled off meteorites that flew across the nebulas. It sounded like Shiryu had permanently exploded and disappeared out of the human visual plane. And his Cosmos, his lifeforce, would disappear. Was he struck by a nova or became one? A shinsei was a nova; a chūseishisei was a neutron star or a negative black star; a chōshinsei was a supernova.

"Attack after attack," Shunrei fell onto her knees as she murmured; from all the anger in her stomach, she exploded, "You had every intention to kill him!" Her cute voice shrieked with anguish.

"It is commendation for his strength that I fight so hard," said Genbu. What was done was done, and he wasn't sure what else to say to Shunrei, preparing to take his leave. Before he could pivot and find his place to spend his final moment, he heard Shunrei draw in a breath.

The barrier around Shunrei suddenly tore apart. Genbu's brow crinkled; his ears caught the sound of metal in the air. Suddenly, a groan slipped out of him. His Cloth received another blow, a weak but a clean vertical hit from neck to groin. His defenses were open?!

"What is it?!" His senses saw or felt nothing, not even his Seventh. Was he in the presence of a lingering ghost? Genbu was not expecting anything to form in front of him. The perpetrator slowly loomed into view like fog— floating in the air was an item: a double-edged sword with a golden hilt and a runed chappe above that hilt. Its fuller was clean and deep; it was a pristine blade that gleamed like new.

It was the second time that Genbu saw it.

"Is that…Excalibur?!" Genbu raised his arms and the material blade struck his Genbuken fist barriers, each swing sending a shake through his body. One lunge of his arm and the sword was flung away, collapsing onto the ground. Shunrei scampered towards the sword and placed her hands on it. She quickly identified, from watching Shiryu's training, that Excalibur was the name of the holy sword within her husband's arm. However, she was as much as confused as to why she saw it in a bodily form. Genbu was the same; he did not sense Shiryu's Cosmos, but felt that a part of him stubbornly clung onto the living plane. He held his tongue to rebuke Shunrei, entering deep thought.

"Shiryu, Shiryu." Shunrei embraced the sword, suppressing the urge to wail out. Both the disbelief of Shiryu being gone, and the scorn she held for Genbu, welled up inside. Her thoughts secretly pleaded his return—he always returned. He returned from battling Gods, returned from Hell, various battles. It could not be believed that he had exploded into nothing thanks to a ghost.

But Libra Shiryu had indeed exploded. Genbu believed that to his core, saying nothing and turning away. He did not want to witness the tears brimming from Shunrei's eyes. She would soon crack and express her deepest despair. Like with the war dead, like all the dead Asura he killed and left in a heap, he would stoically turn his back and leave. He stared down at his hand-he himself truly killed Libra Shiryu. Genbu killed the famous Shiryu, a celebrated Bronze Saint and the successor of Dohko. Even he was impressed by his own massive Cosmo, having obtained it by fighting consistently to survive. Was he so much stronger compared to his former life? How long would he remain in Asura? Remain on Earth under Demeter's command? Someone touched his shoulder, and he felt like it was the Goddess or maybe one of the Asura coming to claim him. Secretly within himself, he wanted to see Athena one final time.

"Genbu." It was a soft male voice. The dark Saint's head shot up and he saw a face, which caused him quickly scamper away. A pellucid form had touched him; it was indeed a ghost. It evanesced and then back into view, slightly.

Genbu was shocked beyond sense. His mouth moved but did not make words, stuck within his throat. The syllables of a word manipulated his lips.

"Shi..ryu?" Then his thoughts further confused him. Am I imagining him out of grief?

Libra Genbu saw Shiryu. It could've been a flashback near the end of his resurrected life. A time when they trained near the Waterfall nearby. The golden form flickered back and forth; Shiryu's body, wearing the Libra Cloth, was ethereal, but a hint of him appeared in view. Genbu saw Shiryu panting in exhaustion, and he would continue to cling onto the belief that he was probably delusional from a flashback about training, or maybe a dream. It would be Shunrei's shout to her husband that would confirm to Genbu that it was no vision. A farce perhaps, but not a fake. Shunrei ran past Genbu and shot past Shiryu's body.

"Shunrei…I won't…leave." The Libra Saint's words came out slow pants.

"Shiryu, you're alive?!" Shunrei turned around and even she couldn't believe it. But her face easily brightened up and her eyes wavered. Did her heart swell at the same time? Shiryu's body blinked, regaining color and form in sporadic intervals.

Genbu suddenly crowed. "Amazing Brother!" His body shook and his eyes shined.

Shiryu was returning to life! As astonished as he was, Genbu could only reach one answer—The Cosmos of Shiryu's body gravitated back into form, restarting as a "source". It was indeed infinite, and Cosmos never could completely die. In fact, Tidal Disruption could accelerate waves out of a galaxy's negative zone – Genbu had witnessed a phenomenon. Much like a "zombie star"; it was also possible that Shiryu's form consumed a part of Genbu's attack. A symbiotic dead man.

There were also the green clouds from the Ranbu SenUnRin, its thinned down tendrils lapping against Genbu. While weak, its influence remained hanging in the air as Shiryu's Cosmos. Did it somewhat repel or dilute the nova like attack?

"Of course! Cosmos never disappear!" Genbu said, raising his arms. "That's why you survived my Seitenha!" He could only imagine this by the power of a Gold Saint, or even a God. A form of massive Cosmos; therefore, witnessing Shiryu's power elated Genbu. As quickly as it appeared, however, Genbu's passion receded, and he lowered his arms.

"It looks like it's over. Therefore…" His body now rippled with a cold blue haze. As Shunrei stood by Shiryu's side, who continued to regain his body, she keenly watched Genbu, wondering what would happen next. The dark Saint once again elevated his arms; again, the atmosphere turned dark.

"This technique was also formed out of inspiration of Asura, the ghouls who fall and rise after every battle, craving for more. It is not for the living. Much like Cancer, it'll devour even your soul."

"Genbu please stop!" Shunrei pleaded.

"Devour all and everything around me! Including…my own life." Genbu's words brought a shock to Shiryu and Shunrei's faces. What could they possibly face now after the Seitenha and the multiplied Libra weapons? Genbu tightened his lips and retreated into his thoughts.

However, in Asura, as I used it and improved on it, I could not die. I was in pain every time because I was an Asura spirit, but it did its job. Furthermore, I became more imbued with knowledge and insight from those I caught in my attack. Infinite experience - a tribute to my many battles. Maybe I am meant for longevity? Is this immortality? Shiryu…this I offer, it all depends on your strength. If not, you will die completely. Let's see if you can surpass Bakasura, my rival.

"Kitami Fubuki (北秘吹雪)!" A name for a technique that seemed connected to the true God of the North, befitting of the one who used it. Shiryu lost Genbu in his line of sight. He couldn't move, nor breathe or hear. He lost everything. Before that, his former comrade's last message was relayed through his ears: "Farewell Shiryu, my Rozan Brother."

It was brief, but Shiryu managed to catch Genbu's last smile.

After the duel between two Libra, a peculiar sight was left next to the Rozan Waterfall – a castle of thick, jagged black ice, containing the bodies of Genbu and Shiryu. Shunrei was caught up in it as well, embraced in the arms of her husband. Their eyes were closed in a seemingly serene sleep. The trees adjacent to them were suspended in cold air. The only sound that existed was the unstoppable, hissing descend of Rozan Waterfall. It felt deathly silent before long.

"Hah?! Interesting! Who even won?" Someone crawled out from the nearby groves. Stretching out of his haunches was a short man, edging towards the trapped three on his fingers and toes like an apex predator. A short-statured anything didn't seem much to worry about, but he wore the armor of the Underworld, which sprouted scaly bat-like wings and large claws for every limb; fins and a long horn adorned the helmet, which was shaped like a bird's beak. Did he snoop around The Five Peaks without being noticed?

"So now the Saint of Libra is dead. Even such a hot battle can set my blood alight. If only I could obtain that power. No sign of that boy, however. Wanted to shove the bad news in his face." The Specter looked around before reaching for the ice and placing a palm on it.

"GUAAAH!" A loud screech burst out from his mouth soon after. His black armor detonated from a web of light rays; the source erupting from within took his entire body, blowing off his limbs and head.

Genbu wasn't certain how much time passed. It was possible that Demeter crushed his flower, ending his time prematurely; maybe he was able to defy her and keep moving until his goal was reached. Either way, the Fubuki will ascertain his demise. Withering to the afterlife, he heard his goddess's woeful voice calling to him.

"Genbu…please be well."

"I'm sorry, Athena. Thank you."