Chapter 3: Rites of Passage
By: DragoonMen
'Human Thinking'
"Human Speaking"
Technique/Jutsu Use
'Bijū/Non-Human Thinking'
"Bijū/Non-Human Speaking"
Published: 26/Jul/2020
Pre-Chakra Era Arc
25 Years Before the Chakra Event (BCE)
6 Years Before Ōtsutsuki Arrival to Earth
Chapter 3
—Land of That—
Kōbe Vale Region
One Year Later
A single banner was raised high into the sky. The heraldry displayed on the flag waving in the air was that of the three grey rhombuses, each with a single black stripe in a field of black. Ka's coat of arms.
The flagpole was held down firmly with both hands by a lone soldier at his chest height.
The soldier we already presented stood on the front of a two-column formation integrated by nearly three hundred loyal soldiers and levy troops of the land of That, followed closely by the leader of the envoy at its head.
"Genbu-sama!" A scout soldier called out to his leader from the side road. He was panting. The man he had called on turned his head to look at him.
'What got his undies in a twist?' Genbu wondered.
The entire formation came to stop at the shout, assuming a defensive formation in case of an impending attack.
"What going on, Hiro-san?" The leader of the massive movement of troops replied.
"We are approaching our final destination, Genbu-sama." The scout Hiro signaled to the space between two mountains and a narrow road that went beyond in that direction. "We should be entering the valley that way anytime soon." He took a breath after finishing his verbal report.
"Nice work. Keep going ahead and continue assessing the situation. Use your own criteria." Genbu signaled the company of men to resume the march.
Hiro bowed slightly and bolted off to his former position several hundreds of meters ahead of them.
The officer in charge Genbu relaxed a little at the information. They finally were going to reach the last village.
'In less than two fortnights we will be returning to the capital just in time to wipe those So no Kuni bastards from the face of the Elemental Nations' A smile formed in his face.
OoOoOoO
Ka no Kuni Countryside
Three months ago, the winter season suddenly dropped, just in time as the government of Ka no Kuni declared war against So no Kuni for the supposed murder of an Ancestor's Minister and his retinue at the border.
The land of Ka's Feudal Lord had sent out Genbu and other noblemen on different voyages with dozens of men-at-arms to forcefully recruit men for the upcoming conflict.
Lord Oda himself had personally appointed Genbu due to his prestige and fame of his family. Not what the nobleman would have liked, but it was an honor all the same, to be recognized by his Lord personally.
After the declaration of war had been officially delivered, Genbu had set out from the Capital in order to oversee that his sovereign's orders were carried out flawlessly.
Genbu's voyage was exciting in the beginning. He had never been outside of the capital city of Ka no Kuni except for a few times during his youth. The sights of new towns and villages were kind of refreshing, to say the least. Helping the journey feel a little more easygoing for him.
Once upon arriving into a town, they would set up a camp nearby to recuperate from the fatigue.
They would deliver the message of their Feudal Lord in a public area much like a town crier, and in a day or two, they would leave with new additions in their retinue. The numbers slowly increasing with every place they stopped by.
The first few times things went smoothly, so smooth that for Genbu, it seemed that he would achieve the goal to recruit or —as he rather say— collect all levy troops from the remaining settlements in just a month before the ice settled in these lands.
Unfortunately for him, luck was on a short supply around these parts and to make matter worse for the leader of the envoy, after three weeks into their mission, snow fell from the sky.
It happened on their way to the town of Tōda. According to the map, it was a close settlement to the halfway point of their trip.
Another town ahead of Tōda and they would be in the middle but unexpectedly and without warning, all hell broke loose in the form of frost, raining from the heavens at them.
It began to snow lightly sometime ago when they were nearing the gates of the town, but that was just the calm before the storm. Literally.
Abruptly, a hail of cold water and ice enveloped the entire formation and their surroundings with black clouds coming out of nowhere.
Quickening the entourage pace to dashing speeds, they reached just in time Tōda's main gate minutes before the snowstorm could snare them in his freezing clutches. It truly looked like the sky was falling down on this side of the world.
For two days, they were left with no other option than taking shelter in the town public storage warehouse. A building designed to preserve supplies for the community, not to serve as temporal housing for nearly three hundred men.
Genbu and his men had resorted to lighting on fires to keep themselves warm from the unworldly chilling cold that would make itself known in the nights unless they wished to wake up as a human ice cube the next morning.
The snowstorm outside never ceased or faltered, continuing all the way into the morning before it eventually stopped.
Exiting from the warehouse, Genbu took a step into the street and his feet sunk all the way to his knees, he frowned at this. A single belief rang in his head at the instant.
'This could be a problem'
OoOoOoO
From that day and on, the entire company speed was slowed down to a crawl. The movement was hindered by the thick layers of ice on the road ahead.
What was going to be a single month of traveling turned into two months, then three months.
The arduous mission of Genbu and his cortege had begun in the last stages of —by then— the past year and now they were receiving a new year altogether if they ice layers receding was any sign that spring was up and about.
Having to procure proper footwear from the smallfolk in the villages they have already passed was a pain for him and his men but nothing he and his warband couldn't deal with. They could be very persuasive.
'Indeed' Genbu had allowed his troops to take any actions in regards to the gathering of the gear they needed. Illicit actions have been committed but Ka's people would understand that in this way they were helping the war effort even if it was unwilling.
Ultimately, they were able to quickly speed up the pace when the ice melted itself away.
It was common sense for everyone that spring had begun two turns of the moon ago, that much they could tell.
The how being the environment temperature raising considerably. It was a clear indication to everyone.
'But that was in the past now' Genbu winced immediately after stepping on some big rocks.
He would occasionally do so when he stepped into pointy rocks with both his foot plants on the road.
The leather boots he used were worn out but he had to resist a little more, the scout said that they were very close to their destination.
They have just entered the two mountains acting as the valley proverbial entrance a few minutes ago.
'We should have seen by now the damm place' Genbu promptly came to that conclusion after seeing no signs of civilization That was until something grabbed his attention.
A man-made bridge. A very tiny bridge that crossed the river. Dividing the valley into two massive portions.
'So there it is, huh' He looked at the valley center and the village —if you could even call it that— that resided in here.
'Just a few buildings here and there. Who the hell decided to call this hole a village? No wonder we didn't see them some time ago, they are so small they hid from our view' The young officer guessed.
Looking back at his formation, Genbu called out to them. "Onward!" He ordered.
They all moved forward, they were so close to their last mission site.
OoOoOoO
Uesugi's Farmlands
Jigen was humming a little tune from a song, he had heard it from a lone bard who publicly started displaying his music skills in the market square not many days ago. Don't blame him, it was catchy.
He had one hand securing a bucket full of rice seeds on his chest while the other grabbed a handful of seeds and drop it away on the soil. The water level reached his talon, the average level of liquid needed to plant rice.
He was having a normal day for his usual standards. His mother was a few meters ahead of him doing the same thing as him.
They both were cultivating their fields. His father could not help them since he has fallen ill again this winter, the harsh cold damaging his health probably.
Hachiro was still bedridden but he was getting better each day. Jigen hoped that this month he would be fine and dandy, —as Suki used to say— so he could move on his own as always.
Two days ago, the small community of Kōbe celebrated the New Year. The snow from winter season thawed and was replaced with the growing greener pastures that distinguished spring.
The earth giving way to a new season and making way to a New Year.
The teenager was nearly out of seeds in his bucket when he heard someone yell in the distance. "Look!" He saw a farmer across his field stop and point at something.
Then another shout, and another. More ruckus coming in larger volumes.
"Over there!" The distinctive exclamation of a woman.
"They are here!" A raspy voice hollered.
Jigen and his mother turned to look at their neighbors, some of them going out of their own homes. Others just ceasing entirely what they were doing to mull over the situation.
At that moment, Jigen noticed them, going down the hill that connected them with the main road and transiting the street of their small settlement and dwellings were lines of men, all of them marching. Two lines of warriors that stretches far away into the entrance of the vale to be accurate.
A lone soldier at the vanguard was carrying a flag, followed by another who if Jigen had to guess his identity, he would bet all his money that he was the one in charge.
The teen who was close to seeing his sixteenth name day just stared at them from his place in the crops.
Jigen was finally able to see the colors of the banner flag more clearly when the men at arms' formation were passing in front of his rice fields.
Three grey rhombuses, each with a single black stripe in each one of them and field of black. Lord Oda's men-at-arms.
The leader of the envoy said something to his retinue, orders presumably. Some of them began to detach out of the line of troopers to carry them out.
One of those soldiers commenced to make way to them. He didn't speak until he was right in front of them both.
The soldier opened his mouth and started talking in a gruff voice. "By orders of your Feudal Lord, you both and the rest of your family are required to attend an audience at your village main square, to hear a mandatory decree at sundown. Fail to do so..." He gripped his short sword secured at his hip.
"... and you will be severely punished. Have a good day." He turned on his heel and walked away to another nearby house and started banging the door. Jigen twisted his back to look at his mother but was surprised to see something unusual on her gaze.
There was uncertainty in her eyes.
OoOoOoO
Village of Kōbe
It was an hour before sundown that Jigen and his mother walked together to the main market of the village of Kōbe.
Following the main road, as usual, other families doing the same thing. Like some kind of religious procession.
His father was too weak to accompany them so they left him with a wooden cup and a jar full of water for now. Certainly, Lord Oda's men would forgive his ailing father for not coming tonight, especially when it was for a motive out of his hands.
A few minutes later, they entered the market square since they lacked a main square.
When they arrived, both noticed that all the stalls were gone. Jigen look around and saw someone wave at him. The arm belonging to a certain purple-haired girl with a smile on her face. He waved back and noticed that Suki was with her mother. Same as him.
A wooden platform was in the center of the market. A lightly tanned man with spiky dark brown hair, donned in blue armor was on it.
His form facing the crowd. The commander in charge, Jigen noticed him just as previously. His loyal soldiers and newest additions standing in line formation behind him. Prepared for anything.
Next to the high ranked officer was the elder of the village Junko. Junko was one of the oldest people that resided in Kōbe. It was said that she came with the first people that settled on the valley when she was just a little girl.
The old woman was brought before Genbu for a simple reason. She knew everyone that lived in Kōbe, more essentially their names and those of their household.
With that in mind, Old Junko was given the task to name all the families in Kōbe, be large or small before a scribe that Genbu had working as his manager of troops due to one ability that made him more valuable than other soldiers. The scribe knew how to write and read.
When she finished talking, the penman presented the paper sheet with all the family names on it to Genbu.
'No one will evade the sacred duty with the nation' Right now, the same paper sheet was in his hand.
Taking a deep breath and opening his eyes. Genbu raised his hand high. The crowd going silent moments after the gesture. He exhaled through his nose and finally let his voice fill in the market square.
"People of the village of Kōbe!" His voice boomed all over the market. "My name is Genbu, I come to your village this selfsame day in the name of Lord Oda, to make his will a reality." He paused. "As you may know, our glorious country has declared war on our enemy." He said gesturing to all of them.
"The land of the Ancestors is at the border right now, clashing blades against our brothers. They seek to destroy the very land that has watch us grow and give us everything we love and hold dear." He pointed to the ground.
"In times of crisis like this, certain sacrifices must be made. Lord Oda knows this better than us and his will is our command. Because of this, Lord Oda has decided to enact the Call to Arms Decree." Chills started going down the spine of many people who knew what he meant by that.
"One man per family..." He raised a single digit. "... is obliged to lend his arm and sword in the defense of the Land of That. So be proud..." He hit his chest with his fist.
"... that for the sake of Ka no Kuni, you will fight."
Silence reigned supreme all over the market. Many had their mouths hanging in shock, a few had their eyes wide open and others were still reeling in alarm.
Genbu took advantage of the state of the people and raised the paper sheet in his hand for everyone to see.
"In this piece of paper, I have the names of every single family that has at least one male member in this valley. When you heard your family name be voiced, the volunteer from the said family will walk forward and stand right next to me. Is that clear?" His voice left no room for argument. Not like any would dare to oppose him.
When no one said anything, he took that at his queue to begin, reading the sheet. He began to call out the villagers one by one.
"Higurashi." There was a moment of silence. Before Genbu could repeat the name, a meek young brown-haired man, probably in his twenties if Jigen guessed, raised his shaking hand and started walking until standing next to the emissary of Lord Oda.
Facing the volunteer, Genbu raises his hand midway and Higurashi got the message, they shake hands soon after. "Welcome to Ka no Kuni's army, young man." Genbu said at the same time he drops the handshake.
He went on with it the show again.
"Yamada." A hand instantly shot up. A dark-haired teenager walked forward and Genbu did the same protocol with him.
"Tanaka." Another limb lifted itself up.
"Shiro." A dark tanned arm raised from the front of the crowd.
"Goto." Jigen widened his eyes at the mention of that surname. Maro, the butcher. The patriarch of said family. He had a thirteen-year-old boy. The issue was that would he be able to do such sacrifice.
An old and sagged hand was raised and Maro walked forward. Following the same protocol with everyone. Genbu shook their hand and introduced them to his company.
Family name after family name was voiced. Hand after hand raised. He closed his eyes and just waited for the inevitable. After a minute of waiting, the inevitable happened.
"Uesugi." Jigen froze. He was not prepared for this.
'This isn't happening'
"Uesugi!" He forced his body to move. He wanted to scream but his voice didn't come out. Steeling himself to move, he managed to raise his hand and forcing his legs to walk, he started moving towards the platform. He felt like passing out but he refrained to do so.
Face to face with the man named Genbu, Jigen extended his hand and the older man between both inspected it then proceed to shake it. "Welcome to Ka no Kuni's army, young man." The man said with a sickening smile.
It unnerved Jigen for some reason.
OoOoOoO
Uesugi's Farmlands
A lit candle infiltrated the Uesugi's family barn. The flickering light that the wax-made object cast shrouding nearby objects and the hand that held it.
Jigen put down his backpack and opened it. Genbu had told all the volunteers that tomorrow at noon they would leave for the capital.
So, if he had to do something, it was now the time.
Reviewing his equipment for the upcoming journey. He began remembering every single one of the belongings he would bring with him.
'Clothes. Check'
'Underwear. Check.'
'Wooden toothbrush. Check.'
'Dried Meat. Check.'
'Pair of Footwear. Check.'
"Seems like I had brought everything." He muttered with half a smirk until he recalled that he would have to leave his parents alone.
A downcast expression in his face. He would miss his parents.
His left hand unconsciously reached a new accessory that adorned his neck. His mother's lucky amulet.
His mother was silent the entire walk to their house, stunned dare he say. He had already come to terms with it, no dice trying to think of what could have happened. What it was done, was done. Simply as that.
Not too long before the arrived at their modest abode, his mother broke down and started sobbing. Jigen instinctively reached for her and hugged her as if his life depended on it. It could as well be the last time he would do this. Her tears soaking his right shoulder and chest. He caressed her, trying to comfort her and reassure her that anything would be fine.
"I will survive. I promise you. Nothing will stand between us". He hoped he was not lying to her. Her tears stopped at that and her hands reached for her neck and took out her necklace, offering it to her son.
"Take this, my son, for luck. If you are going to come back, you will need this. It's my father's lucky amulet. Now yours. Remember son, I won't judge you." She wanted to convince him that the image she had of him would never be tainted by what would come. "If you ever have to come to the decision to kill or be killed know this, I prefer that they slander our family or call you a killer rather than see you return in a coffin." Her eyes bore right through his soul and heart.
"I won't tell your father, his heart can't bear news like this one anymore, so do what you have to do, my son". She kissed his cheek.
"I love you and nothing will change my opinion of you." His mother grasped with both hands his face and gave him a smile. "Have a good night." She released him and entered the cabin, leaving Jigen with a thousand things in his head.
Jigen's eyes moistened a little at the memory, but he quickly recovered. He would survive, he would endure and most certainly, he would come back victorious.
'I must do everything in my power to return again'
At that moment barn door creaked a little, meaning that someone entered the barn.
Jigen turned to look at the sudden intruder, trying to discern his identity in the dark.
The mysterious figure started approaching him just as Jigen gripped the combat knife in his pocket.
The intruder however seemed unfazed by this action and continued until the candlelight revealed its form —or should be said— her form.
"Suki-san." He said dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?" He asked. His intellect trying to deduce what the hell was she doing in his barn, in these ungodly hours of the night.
It is not unusual that people would decide to trespass your property just to greet you, that during broad daylight, of course.
It was a whole different matter during the night though.
"Are you alright?" She continues to step closer to him. "Did something happened to Mrs. Matsumoto?" She didn't respond.
He started to worry a little, this was not anything like the Suki he had come to know and hold close to him.
It was until he finally had her within arm's reach that he noticed her eyes were reddish. She had been crying, the motive he did not know but he would try to support her nevertheless.
Before he could comment on that, she embraced him. Her lithe frame a fraction more small compared to his complexion and size. Jigen them felt her face in his chest, snuggling closer to him. He noticed that her purple hair was now a darker shade in the obscurity of the night.
"Jigen-kun." She said softly. "Please don't leave. We need you in here." Her voice an octave of her normal self.
"I have to go Suki. It is my duty as a citizen of the land of That." He patted her back and embraced her back. He would not be inconsiderate, not this time. "But I promise you this. I will return. I do not go back on my word. I swear it."
Suki embraces him. Just by peering at his eyes made her feel safe.
He could see something in her stare, a flicker of hope. He smiled at that.
Suki chose that moment to close the gap between them.
Then Suki kissed him.
The loving action rendering Jigen speechless and leaving him frozen much like a brick.
Suki continued the intimate act, even becoming more aggressive, still lip-locked with him.
Jigen thought about his options in that same second. He could end the kiss and send her home but he wasn't that selfish nor was he a pansy, or he could just for this time only, let her live her own fantasy. Her own world.
So, balancing both options heavily, he chose the latter. After all, it may be the last time he would do this, better no let this go to waste and enjoy it.
Finally, Suki found no resistance by Jigen, she began to disrobe him. Stopping the make-out session, she grabbed his shirt by the hem and brought all the way to his neck.
Jigen helps her raising both hands and letting the shirt go past him and into the floor. Caressing his well-muscled chest. She said three words that would bring Jigen out of his stupor and into reality.
"I love you Jigen." She continued to kiss him from his lips, then his jaw and all the way to his chest. Then brought her visage back to his. "I always have, so please for tonight let me..." She looked down
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He wanted her to be sure, if she said no, he would respect it. He was raised better than others.
Looking at the onyx eyes of the teenager that she had loved since she laid eyes on him when his father and Mr. Uesugi presented them to each other.
She said in a voice filled with lust. "I have never been more sure in my whole life..."
That was all Jigen needed from her, raising her face with his hand. He attacked her lips, she posing no opposition.
Suki let him show her the ropes. Jigen brought his hands down to her bottom and grabbed them. She let out a soft moan which made Jigen lose his self-control, pinning her down in a pile of hay in abrutish way.
The flickering candlelight being the sole witness of the ever-increasing intimate act between both lovers until its light finally quench off.
End of Chapter
AN: So here you go, Jigen is getting conscripted. What he will see in the upcoming war will heavily influence his view of conflict in the future.
Also, we will see more action in the next chapters. After all, war is not a peaceful affair.
Reviews are welcome. Also if you know interesting facts about Jigen, feel free to tell me.
Stay tuned. There is more coming
DragoonMen