"Thought Or Telepathy"
"Character Communication"
"Loud Speaking"
"Emphasis 'On' A Word."
Madara: A New Journey
It's just before mid-day and the weather is turning out to be perfect. The drama has almost all blown over, what drama is that? Well, Kaba will probably never forget the verbal abuse he took at the hands of his mother and sister.
But, he understands. It's not like he wants to leave his home of many years for what could be forever, no one would want that. This, however, is an opportunity not worth passing up; to find their father and to find a better future for themselves, this is the best way.
However, the household has hollow air to it right now, the residents keeping their distance from one another.
Kaba is walking through the house, remembering all the memories he shared with his loved ones, here, and there, and especially over there while picking whatever objects he feels he needs to bring on the carriage, he also instructed everyone else to prepare what they want to bring and saved plenty of room, but things, of course, would have to be left behind.
It seems pretty silly to be so sad about leaving your home, but a home that has been lived in so long develops it's own personality, in a way it embodies the residents who dwell there. To them, this place is the remembrance of a perfect family, when their father was still here.
Most that have a perfect family take it for granted, but once lost, it becomes all too aware of what your missing from then on. It's said that everyone has their own unique way to deal with sadness and misfortune, but people are oftentimes more alike than otherwise told.
As Kaba comes to a halt in front of the last place on his mental list, he's no longer alone; everyone has come from different corners of the house to this meet him in this one spot. Kaba gives a smile as they all glance around at each other in surprise. "Shall we go in together?" He asks in a low voice.
Everyone nods lightly as Kaba slides the doors open, entering one after the other. Unbenouched to them though, Madara had arrived in the courtyard seconds earlier and watched them go in. Curious as to what caused them to all coincidentally meet up like that, he hid until they left to go their separate ways again ten minutes later.
He sneaks inside and closes the door behind him in a flash, leaving only candle-light. He turns around to see at the end of the room an armour stand decorated with samurai-like armour at the centre; it looks to be of the light-weight variety, made for quick movements but decent coverage of vital areas, not dissimilar to his own in intent, if only a bit more complex and ornamental.
The green and black fabric underneath look equally as powerful and intermingled with the jade-looking armour masterfully so. A bunch of fancy-looking erns fills the side stands of the room, marked with names and probably holding ashes within if he wagered to guess. "A shrine." If this is a shrine then the centre armour must belong to the father of this family.
A katana rests in front of the armour with a stand formed of two wooden arms, holding it horizontally to the armour at about waist height. He walks up to the armour and stares at it for a moment. The armour had a slight aura around it, but on second glance it's gone, must have been his imagination. His glance travels downwards to the sword.
He delicately picks the long blade from its stand with both hands to unsheath it. A pure green blade is exposed. Slightly surprised by the material of the blade, he comments. "What a bizarre sword."
An amalgamation of an Odachi blade with a Nagamaki handle, making it incredibly long, and it's made from such a useless gemstone.
He runs a hand across the Ji of the katana to feel the Hamon line all the way down from the Habaki to the Kissaki, his fingers lightly touching the Ha. Although this sword is made from jade, it's incredibly well made, so much so that when he pulls back his hand, two droplets of blood drop from his index finger.
He gazes at his pointer as it heals the small cut. "It cut me!" The surprise in his voice is evident, not only did it ignore his barrier but also cut into his flesh with the sharpness to split worlds. Who exactly could make such a perfect blade from such material and have it cut through space itself?! "Do you know anything about this?"
"Not much, unfortunately. I thought this world and time would be ideal for growth..."
"Yes, I know that, but you didn't tell me why?"
"I've seen innumerable worlds and among the ocean of worlds, only a few had piqued my interest. When I saw this world I saw the things I didn't understand, like this sword, like that boy...anomalies, that aren't typical to the worlds of connecting variables."
"And what about the other worlds that piqued your interest?"
"They wouldn't benefit you like this one because the things of interest didn't take hold on this planet. As I told you earlier, my powers are completely different from chakra and belong to a place far from this planet in another separated dimension, created by a singular being."
"Right, Soul Society as you called it. But then, are you suggesting that this sword was created by another power different from chakra and your own?"
"Is the evidence not in your hands? In the vast sea above you, you are not particularly strong Madara, there are countless beings and things that can kill you without a second thought, however, the power of my origin isn't around, and chakra couldn't have made this blade."
"You want me to use my new power then, don't you...?"
"You are already starting to understand me. Your power is a gift. I don't understand it or know it's origins, but its utility is tremendous. You thought it was the ability to absorb souls?"
"Something like that..."
"You're not wrong, but it's more than that, you didn't have some of the power I sense in you now that you had in the other world, not since you killed those humans in that place of...hygiene. You absorbed everything they had, their soul to the power they possessed."
Madara pauses his consultation with Kyōka Suigetsu to place the sword back into its sheath and onto the stand. "A serendipitous circumstance indeed." His mind drifts to another matter. "How about my condition though? My body is a mess, did you find anything about it yet?"
"I've discovered the spot of the wound. The attack was directed to your astral thread and seems to be trying to destroy your vessel by means of corrosion, which explains why you feel disconnected."
"I thought I stopped it from growing?!"
"You've only stopped the leakage of your physical energy and the visual appearance of an underline problem. The former not even being related to the attack and instead related to the powers you absorbed from those humans, which acted as a trigger for the attack to evolve."
"This problem appears to be getting much worse because the attack isn't so much an attack as it is a part of the reaper attached to you."
Madara's face takes a sour expression as Suigetsu continues.
"I won't be able to help you keep your body, I can only sever your astral thread, which surmounts to a pointless gesture as once you die that will happen naturally, both may rid you of the infection, although I can't even guarantee that with how it evolves."
He figured he wouldn't be so fortunate but to step in such a large pile of shit, he can only shake his head at the thought.
He massages the arch of his brow. "I'll join the kids on their little adventure and see if I can heal myself by learning more about the origin of things like this sword and armour, let me know if you find anything on your side too..."
Luckily, Kyōka Suigetsu has already proven to be a valuable asset, access to a wealth of knowledge across many worlds and times, and enthusiastic to aid him in every endeavour. However, Kyōka Suigetsu also didn't seem the type to tell him everything, nor has he told him what to do.
This in a way, has allowed him to feel secure knowing that his thoughts and actions are still his own to make and not being dictated. That trust is still being established between the two, but it's off to a good start, but he's been betrayed before by those he thought closest, so it will never be a sure thing.
Madara glances down at his body. "Well, if I can't be healed, I'll probably lose my body." He says solemnly before releasing the tension and putting his hand on the back of his head with a stretch and a yawn.
"Though, I suppose there's no use stressing over one mortal vessel. Even if I do lose this body, I can revive or exist as a spirit and master another sort of power." He had already momentarily thought about gifting chakra to someone and handing them the Rinnegan to have them revive him.
But just who could handle the Rinnegan, only very few in a millennium of the Senju, Uchiha, and secondary clans could scarcely handle even one Rinnegan, not to mention teaching them how to revive him.
Hagoromo has the Rinnegan but to convince him to revive him would involve exposing himself or creating some elaborate plot to fool the old Sage. The sons, Indra and Ashura, would certainly be able to handle the Rinnegan, but once again the former issues present themselves only worse.
Especially with Indra, undoubtedly power-hungry, he'd just wind up dead, knowing that Indra would undoubtedly discover the sacrifice that revival costs the user. Ashura would probably be the best bet, his kind-hearted nature may cause some issues, not to mention this may cause a change in their reincarnation in the future.
Regardless, as Kyōka Suigetsu mentioned, this infection may not even disappear after his death and subsequent revival. There are just so many unknowns, and it's obviously very dangerous to underestimate the reaper and its ability to reap those that cross it.
He lets out a long sigh and is about to say something but his eyes sharpen as they quickly jump to the wall on his left. "This feeling..." He shares a look at the sword, then back at the wall, before settling his gaze once more on the sword. Why leave things of such quality to gather dust on a stand?
Kaba finishes lifting another heavy crate onto the back of the carriage resting just outside. He takes large breaths as he desperately leans against the carriage frame. "Oh man, I hate this, I definitely hate this!" Why did he have to be the only one to do this.
How he wishes that the others would help him right now. He lets out a small tear before heaving himself up to do more. He bumps into a skinny fellow standing behind him when he turns around as they both tumble down to either side.
He coughs a few times and slowly gets up to brush himself off. "How dare you touch me, peasant!" A haughty voice sounded from the person he just knocked down, already standing above him as he looks up from his semi crouch.
"Hey now, you were standing behind me, shouldn't you expect to be knocked down!" Kaba yells with a brutish face, pushing himself against the noble-looking man dressed in fine silk with a fan in his hand.
Kaba then steps back and looks visibly confused as he lets out a hum with his hand pressing into his chin. "You look like a girl, you dress like one too, you even have a girly fan!" The noble youth grows a few tick marks at that remark but it quickly fades as his haughty aura returns with a scoff.
"Me a girl, how rude! Truly a dirt child I'm speaking too..." The noble pauses when something pretty catches his eyes as surprise catches his face.
Hatsune bolts down the stairs leading to the entrance and runs up to them both with a smile on her face while waving at the nobleman, her ample chest bouncing around as she does. "Mr Kase! What are you doing here? It's good to see you again!"
The man she calls Kase flashes an elegant and kind smile with reddened cheeks as he quickly averts his gaze from her breasts.
Kaba scoffs as he points with his thumb at Kase. "What, you know this asshole?" He receives a sharp glare from his sister.
Kase ignores the rude man and replies. "Likewise, it's satisfying to my eyes to see your radiant beauty once again." Kaba rolls his eyes at those silky words. "But please, call me Kurou!" He finishes with a slight wave of his fan.
Hatsune's cheeks flush red at the suggestion. "Kurou...I'm sorry for the behaviour of my elder brother." She says, finishing with a slight apologetic bow.
Kaba grabs her and forcefully stops her from bowing all the way. "Why are you apologizing for me. This guy is arrogant, he called me a pleasant!" He releases her shoulders.
"Please, I wouldn't do something so rude. I'm a nobleman who respects everyone, regardless of birth, greed, or religion, isn't that right Ms. Miyamoto?" Kurou says kindly, his eyes still closed to a slit, like a viper.
Hatsune had met this man on her travels not long ago, they travelled together for a time and went their separate ways. He was in her opinion an upright and just individual who even used his escort of guards to protect her from bandits. But why is he here in this remote village?
"That's right brother, he protected me on my travels, I don't think he'd do something like that." She says slightly hesitantly. It's not like her brother is one to lie but on the other hand, when It came to guys that showed interest in her, he did have a record of putting up a wall in whatever way possible.
She didn't mind when it had come to everyone in this village, they're pretty gross, old, and only have dirty thoughts, this one, however, looked regal, dressed in fine silk-like clothes, a very fine-featured face almost like a girl, and a kind and compassionate demeanour.
Kaba lets out a long sigh before relenting. "Okay, I didn't lie, but I understand we did bump into each other."
"Well said, let bygones be bygones and I'm sorry if I offended you in any way." Kurou responds with a sharp smile and stealthy nod.
Kaba knows what his intentions are, offering an apology while denying any wrongdoing, nodding to him to let him know to drop it. This bastard clearly thinks one mindedly, so willing to mistreat him but once in front of his goal, he turned that attitude around real quick.
He takes a glance at his sister and then back at Kurou. His sister is pretty shallow and not that bright, he'd only dig his own grave saying anything else against this silk tongued snake.
He'll have to bite his tongue, for now. "Alright then." He says coldly as he picks up another crate into the cart before going back inside to get more but not before leaning in to whisper into his sister's ear. "Don't tell him we're leaving for good tonight, if you must, tell him you alone are departing tomorrow for trade."
She nods in reply with a thoughtful expression. There's a momentary pause of awkwardness between the two before Kurou breaks it. "Do you live in this little village?"
"Yes, I do. I've called this place home as long as I can remember, my father founded this village a long time ago." A sad expression shows up as she looks around at her home and then down to the village, which is strangely empty. "But, what are you doing here? Last we meet was way up north near the border of the thousand valley empire." Hatsune inquiries.
A faint splash of guilt washes over the visage of Kurou as he quickly covers half of his face with his fan. "It's...a small world, sadly." He says in between paused breathes.
Hatsune touches his right arm lightly. "Is everything okay?" She asks in a worried voice.
Kurou makes like a man trying to speak with a frog in his throat. "Look...!"
"Little brother, what the fuck is taking so long!" Kurou cringes and cowers at the loud yelling that comes from the path to the village. He pushes Hatsune behind the cart without explanation as she lets out a little yelp from being pushed so suddenly as he turns to face the approaching figures.
With a respectful bow and a wushu salute, he greets the figures. "Elder brother! Vice-Protector!" The two didn't respond, but the three others that trailed behind the one called VIce-Protector bowed in respect and gave return salutes to Kurou to which he received with a smile.
"Elder Brother Seiichi, what are you doing he..." Kurou is interrupted
"Silence..." The pointed bearded man cuts in as he scratches his chin, the other remaining silent by his side. "Little brother, did I not send you to collect tribute from this village weeks ago?"
"There was a slight delay, nothing more." Kurou replies as a bead of sweat drops down his forehead.
"A delay..." Seiichi looks around for a moment before gesturing with his hand. "And what of the men I sent with you?"
"That's the delay I was talking about, they disappeared when I sent them here!" Kurou explains.
A tick mark grows on Seiichi's face. "Then that's not a delay it's a total failure! Me being here is proof of that, not only did you disobey father's orders to handle this personally, instead, you probably went to a brothel knowing you and had your fill of wine with the money you were given, you also lost our men!"
Kurou cowers as a pleads. "Please brother I never thought are men would run away, no one in this village could have done anything to them, they must have run away."
"What? Our men aren't brave but fear has kept them in line, they wouldn't dare! Those men I sent have family back home, I'll behead them if what you say is true!" Seiichi declares as the man next to him gathers his attention towards the cart.
"How long are you going to be hiding behind that cart young one!" The vice protector grabs the cart by the bottom and effortlessly flips it twenty feet away into splitters, the loud noise immediately alerting Kaba and others as they rush out wondering what's going on.
Kaba actually has a short sword in his hand and Misaki has a longer katana. A fierce expression covers both of their faces as they see Hatsune picked up from the ground and held by one of the three men behind the Vice-Protector who stands to face them in front of Seiichi and Kurou.
"Step away." The Vice-protector thrust his hand slightly forward as a gust of wind pushes those coming at him to the ground, leaving only Misaki to stand firm and only slid back a little.
Kaba quickly gets up as he runs at them again. "Like hell, I will!" He's intercepted by one of the three men covered in shrouded attire. He's able to clash blades with the man but he's overpowered and tossed to the ground again before receiving a kick to the cut.
Mika runs to shield him, covering him with her small body. "Stop!"
"Stupid girl!" He slashes his long blade towards the two of them, Kurou moving to stop him. "Die together!" At the last moment, the blade is stopped cold, a shining katana appearing in Mika's tear-filled vision.
"Don't you dare touch my children!" She slides her blade across, pushing the man away with surprising strength. The two clash blades, once, twice, three times, not the least bit giving way to each other before finally, a blade passes past another to pierce into the torso of another.
The man spits blood as he stands there in a stupor. How could he lose to some woman?! His heart is punctured, he's already dead. Misaki pushes him off her and pulls out the sword as he falls lifelessly to the ground, leaving Seiichi and the Vice-Protector with mouths and stammering for words.
But then, clapping sounds come from behind her. Misaki turns to see Madara, clapping lightly as he walks up to them with her family sword strapped to his waist. "Excellent! You killed him swiftly, not a measure of hesitation or weakness, I didn't even need to step in." He compliments sincerely.
He is certainly impressed, he watched to see what would happen, but to his delight, this woman has courage and determination, and the will to protect. He lightly touches her shaking shoulder as he whispers to her. "Your first kill? Leave the rest to me." With a semi kind smile at the beginning and turning to a vicious one at the end.
Seiichi tries to say something but Madara's hand waves forward slightly. A vicious wave of pressure blows past them as they hear a sickening sound behind them. The man holding Hatsune had and the other one had just burst into their base components causing Hatsune to scream and cry at the sight; blood, guts, and a skeleton covered the ground and her in a bloody mess.
"Stop crying!" His words cut through the terror and shock she is experiencing as he continues in a serenely arrogant tone while he eyes the three that remained. "Stand up and come to me."
Tears are slowly rolling down her cheeks as she steadily gets up and walks towards Madara.
Seiichi reaches behind his back to grab a dagger but a hand comes from his left to stop him. "What are you doing Daichi?" Seiichi asks, sweat dripping from his forehead. Daichi doesn't respond, in fact, he doesn't even look in his direction, he's to busy staring back at Madara.
Daichi felt that wave of something wash past him harmlessly and mutilate his subordinates, they were weak but it isn't because he's stronger than them, that he's still alive, he was simply spared. The slight tremble moving through his body and the sweat gathering at his nose eradicated any thought of fighting.
He stopped this absolute idiot from pulling a dagger, what in tarnation would that do but get them killed! How to get out of this one alive? He quickly steps forward and bows respectfully which surprises Seiichi. "Forgive my actions I failed to recognize senior."
Madara smiles at that. "Seems sparing this one was the right choice."
These people are obviously coming because of the people he made disappear, this time they're more important, kill them and more will come. "You're tactful, I like that. You are guarding these two...? You'll be responsible then, keep these two quiet, tell those above you, that everything went fine. Otherwise..."
As he watches a small "smirk appear on his face, he replies. "I understand, thank you for giving me this opportunity!" He finishes his bow and grabs the enraged Seiichi by the wrist while shooting a glance at Kuroi. "We're going back, now!" He leaves no room for debate as killing intent spreads at them.
He slinks away as fast as possible but before he gets too far away Madara's cold tone cuts in. "Wait..." He cowers slightly but turns around slowly with a quizzical and nervous expression. "Before you leave, find them a new cart and loud all the stuff for them too, then you can be on your way."
He breathes a sigh of relief and chuckles even more nervously as he rubs his hands in reply. "Of course."
Madara: A New Journey
XXX
Madara's Power Statement:
"He holds the power to shatter small-sized stars in a single attack, survive similar impacts, and possesses the speed of twenty-five million lights, capable of crossing the distance between solar systems in a single leap."