Chapter 10 - Tomb Raiders II
Weneg strolled through the corridors of the tomb. He knew this place like the back of his hand, a simple feat for the leader of the Gravekeepers. His mind drifted to the insolent brat that threatened him a few minutes ago. The reason why he backed off was simple. The brat was dangerous. Weneg wasn't scared, of course. He feared no one. But why make an enemy out of someone dangerous when it wasn't necessary? He was a logical and practical man, it was part of his charm.
Also, five minutes is not nearly enough time for his bride to escape him.
His attention returned to the plane of the living and his eyes caught onto the corpse of his crazed cousin. This cousin of his couldn't handle the powers of Nubis, the divine beast and protector of the Gravekeepers. It drove him to insanity, controlled by his craving for blood. But as a relative, it fell on him to finish what the other had started.
His eyes bolted to the perpetrators. Two teenagers, a boy and a girl. The girl heavily resembled his beloved bride. The boy had one of his subordinates bounded. Weneg rolled his eyes when he realized which one of his subordinates it was.
"Jamo, what are you doing?" Weneg growled in annoyance.
"Boss! Save me~!" The middle-aged man with an afro transformed his body into a squid and slithered out of the boy's ropes.
"Boss?" Green whispered to Akame. She dropped into a ready stance.
"Be careful, something about him is incredibly dangerous." Akame warned him without taking her eyes off the old man who was busy scolding his useless subordinate. After a good verbal beating, Weneg returned his attention to the people who killed his cousin.
"Jamo, take care of the four-eyes. And I will take care of the girl." Without waiting, Weneg shot forward, his elbow aimed towards Akame's stomach. Her katana flung up to intercept. Weneg's arm, wrapped in bandages that were as tough as steel, clashed with Akame's Shingu. His attacks came out at the speed of bullets and with the force of a raging bull. Slowly and steadily, Akame was being pushed back, yet she hung on without letting a single attack through.
"Heh, you look just like my bride. If I wasn't devoted to her, I'd take you as my wife." Weneg commented as his barrage continued. In truth, he was impressed by the fact that the teenage girl was able to keep up with his full force onslaught. That makes three today. What are they feeding the kids these days?
Who is he talking about? Akame thought. Suddenly, Weneg's arm swung up. Akame's eyes widened as she flung her head to the side, her cheek slashed by the razor-sharp nails of Nubis's incarnate. Don't be distracted! Akame berated herself. The barrage continued until a blinding light came from the other battle. The light was bright enough to cause both Weneg and Akame to cover their eyes, forcing them to stop their fight.
"Huh? H-he ran away?!" Green exclaimed from across the room. Weneg growled in annoyance.
"Squid my ass. His real ability is to transform into a chicken!" Weneg cursed angrily at his subordinates cowardice. After he takes care of these two brats, he was going to hunt that bitch down and skin him alive! While he was seething, Green returned to Akame's side and they stood against Weneg with renewed confidence.
"Now it's two against one." Akame pointed out, hoping to intimidate the man. Sadly, the battle wasn't going to be that simple.
"As if that would change anything!" Weneg sprang towards Akame, who blocked his strike. From the side, Green's Shingu - Sidewinder - flung forward and sliced Weneg's face. The wound was barely enough to draw blood and it regenerated almost as soon as it appeared. Weneg smirked.
"Heh, weak." He mocked. Green clenched his fists, that attack would usually be able to slice a man's face open, but Weneg's skin was incredibly tough. Akame gripped her katana tightly as she thought through her fight against Weneg, trying to find a weakness in his defenses.
"Hey, boss! We are here to help!" Her eyes widened as she looked at the enemy reinforcements. Half a dozen Gravekeepers entered the room, each with at least two skulls hung around their bodies. I still haven't been able to grasp his abilities yet and now there are reinforcements?! Her only saving grace was the enemy's arrogance. Weneg refused their assistance and faced them again.
"Akame, have you figured the enemy out yet?" Green asked. Akame shook her head with dread. She could sense that Weneg wasn't showing them everything they've got. Until he shows it all, they would be at a huge disadvantage.
"...No, he's still hiding something." Green took a deep breath and stepped in front of Akame, who looked at him with shock. Weneg took the opening and shot forward, but his punch was blocked by Green who grunted under the force.
"Stand back!" Green shouted after pushing Weneg off of him.
"Green! What are you - " Akame started, but Green interrupted her.
"Watch carefully!" Green yelled. His sidewinder twisted through the air as he desperately blocked Weneg's barrage. Sweat dripped down his forehead as each and every impact sent shocks through his body. I have to hold on! At least until Akame can fight him on equal grounds! If I can't defeat the enemy for Akame, then I'll sacrifice everything so that she can! Weneg smiled when he realized what the boy was trying to do.
"Heh, I'll praise you for your bravery, four-eyes brat!" Weneg commended. He continued his onslaught without letting up for a single moment, waiting for the boy to slip. Green held on for several minutes, but with each hit, his movements slowed by a little bit. His concentration finally broke when Weneg's knee came into contact with his right hand. The small mistake allowed Weneg to grasp the tip of the sidewinder. He spun his body and threw the tip at Green's head, who knew he couldn't dodge in time.
Kuh… this is as far as I go huh? Green slowly closed his eye. Akame… live… Blood splattered on his face and his eyes flung open. Akame's bleeding right arm was like a beacon in the darkness. A beacon that leads straight to the pits of despair. Weneg frowned and glared at Akame angrily.
"Tch, foolish girl. You had one job. Now you've wasted everything the boy's given you." Weneg spat as he grabbed and lifted Akame by the throat. The pain combined with the lack of oxygen quickly sapped away at Akame's strength and consciousness. As the darkness closed in on her vision, she spotted the form of her beloved sister.
Kurome…. From the edge of her vision, she saw Kurome turning in her direction. Her panicked eyes brought about a new burst of strength inside Akame.
"Onee-chan!" Akame's eyes snapped open and she let loose a defiant cry. Her knee slammed into Weneg's jaw, taking him by surprise. He crumpled to the floor and dropped her. She sprung backward the moment her foot touched the ground.
"Kurome!" She screamed, completely forgetting about the enemy that stood in front of her. From beside Kurome, Yoshiro appeared. He noticed the old man and immediately put the pieces together.
"Akame! Be careful! The boss's hidden ability is the power to transfer wounds to the enemy! Guy was heavily wounded by that ability!" Yoshiro warned. Weneg's eyes widened and he glared at Yoshiro. How did this brat find out?! The form of the cloaked brat flashed across his mind and he roared in anger.
"I see… That's what I felt was missing…" Akame glared at Weneg. She bent her knees and held her sword loosely by her waist.
"For Guy, for Green and for my precious Kurome. I will eliminate you."
Tatsumi let out a small sigh as he saw Akame recover on her own. He returned to his initial position, leaning against the stone wall and observing the fight. He closed his eyes, tracking the position and status of his targets.
Poney was heavily wounded, but Najasho was there to save her. Guy was being transported outside by Natala. Kurome, Yoshiro, and Gin were all fighting nearby. He opened his eyes and returned his attention to the fight that was happening in the cubic room. His eyes widened as the fight progressed. More specifically, he was surprised by the girl.
Akame… what a terrifying girl.
Her sword style reminded him of the wind. Completely erratic, unpredictable, swift and deadly. Each slash struck with no hesitation. For each wound she inflicted on Weneg, she took the same damage. It was reckless, yet frighteningly efficient.
But what was odd was that Weneg's regenerative abilities were not healing the scratches that Akame was inflicting. Is that blade a Shingu? Yoshiro had previously informed Tatsumi about their Shingus.
Shingu - Kiriichimonji. A sword that inflicted cursed wounds that never heal. If that's the case, then she's in a battle of attrition against her opponent. Her young body against the battle-hardened body of the enemy. A single hit from Weneg was enough to tip the balanced scales.
Yet that strike never hit. No matter how hard Weneg tried, Akame avoided all the lethal strikes from both herself and the enemy. Completely ignoring the pain, she pushed on. In fact, the longer they fought, the better Akame moved. Attacks that would've landed earlier in the fight missed her. Her attacks became faster, her movements more erratic, and her reactions sharper.
Tatsumi felt his heart thumping. The battle drew him in. He was rendered incapable of looking away.
Her sword quickly closed in on Weneg's neck. The smirk on his face was all it took to give away the fact that it was a trap. Tatsumi's eyes widened in alarm and he prepared to stop the fight. But Akame shattered any expectations Tatsumi placed on her. Her sword stopped right before his neck and she instead kicked him in the gut and slashed at his chest, causing blood to erupt from both their bodies.
A shiver ran down Tatsumi's spine. This girl was strong… incredibly strong. She was a natural…
A natural assassin.
The battle ended slowly. There was no climax. No… it's better to say the entire fight was a climax. Weneg collapsed onto the ground, his body scarred with open wounds and blood. Akame panted heavily, her body tense and bloodied. From a side corridor, a smaller girl ran toward her wounded sister. Kurome jumped at Akame.
"Onee-chan!" Akame sheathed her Shingu, caught Kurome in a hug and spun her around. Tatsumi smiled at the heartwarming reunion. But the happy mood was quickly ruined by the half-dead man sprawled on the ground.
"You bastards… why are you doing this? We Gravekeepers kill those who enter a tomb as it's a sacrilege against the first emperor. Other than that, we live in solitude. So why?!" Weneg spat. Akame glared at the drowned man.
"You people killed innocents and stole treasures from the Empire. You deserve everything that comes to you." Akame accused. Weneg did a double take at the accusation before chuckling darkly.
"Heh, so that's their story… even though we are the ones being robbed." Weneg said, his voice mocking the blindness of his opponent.
"..." Akame went silent. Was he telling the truth? Akame thought. She wasn't a lie detector, but for some reason, she could tell that he wasn't lying. But her comrades weren't about to let her linger on the question.
"Don't listen to him Akame, he's an enemy. Remember what Father has told us? Never trust the enemy." Green reasoned. Akame nodded after a few moments.
"Yeah… you're right."
"You should finish him off." Gin suggested. Akame nodded. She slowly walked up to the downed leader. He was too tired to activate his damage reflection ability and he was incapable of dodging the attack. Weneg closed his eyes, bitterly accepting his death.
But death never came.
"Why don't you stop there." Tatsumi said, standing over Weneg's body. Akame's eyes widened in shock. Where did he come from?! She jumped back and crouched low. It seemed no one else saw him coming, based on their equally shocked expression.
"Who are you?!" Green cried. Kurome's eyes widened further when she recognized who Tatsumi was.
"Y-your the guy who saved us and Guy!" Kurome exclaimed. Akame's eyes widened to epic proportions at that comment before narrowing.
"If you're an ally that saved my sister, why are you helping the enemy?" Akame questioned.
"Whoever said I was an ally? I am an ally of an ally." Tatsumi replied cryptically. Green growled at the response, clearly not trusting the guy who came out of nowhere.
"I don't know who you are, but if you don't make clear if you're an ally or an enemy, we'll just have to force it out of you!" Green yelled. He swung his Shingu and the tip of Sidewinder pierced through the air towards Tatsumi.
"You can try." Tatsumi unsheathed his blade and knocked the tip away from him. The tip flew past his body and changed directions, aiming to capture him. He bent down and shot up into the air, the sidewinder completely missing his body. He bent his legs in mid-air, a ripple appeared under the soles of his feet, and he pushed off the thin air as if it was solid ground. He disappeared and reappeared next to Green with his sword held at his throat.
Fast! Akame thought, her hand reaching towards her Shingu. But Tatsumi quickly stopped her.
"I wouldn't do anything if I were you. If you were in top shape, I'd probably have some trouble. But in your current state, you can't do anything." Tatsumi commented before removing his blade from Green's throat and pushing him towards Akame, who caught him in a hurry. Tatsumi then walked over and picked up Weneg's body, slugging it across his shoulder. He took a few steps towards a nearby corridor when someone stopped him.
"W-wait!" He turned around and looked at Akame. She hesitated for a moment, but then bowed down low.
"Thank you! Thank you for saving my sister and Guy!" She turned her head up and looked him in the eyes.
Tatsumi finally got the chance to fully look at Akame and was momentarily stunned. He hadn't noticed how beautiful she was. Her silky black hair stuck to her forehead due to the blood and sweat. Her smooth white skin seemed to shine from under the blood and wounds. But what stood out were her eyes. Her eyes held the most sincere look he'd ever seen. Her red eyes reminded him of the most beautiful sunsets.
"... I'll leave you with one last piece of advice." Tatsumi said after turning around. Akame's eyes widened at the words that followed.
"You had stepped out of your childhood the moment you took your first life. As adults, you must view the world with your own eyes, form your own beliefs and make your own decisions. The Empire… the world might not be what you think it is." After saying that, Tatsumi dashed away into a nearby corridor. After disappearing from their sight, he turned around.
Akame. I hope we meet again… but this time, as allies. He thought before disappearing into the Tomb.
Back in the cubic room, Akame had collapsed onto the floor, the damage and exhaustion from the battle finally catching up to her. Her vision blurred and she lost consciousness. She could hear Kurome and Green's worried cries, but only one thought remained on her mind.
"... I forgot to ask his name…" Akame mumbled to herself before she drifted off.
After confirming no one was nearby, Tatsumi unceremoniously dropped Weneg onto the ground. He cried in pain, which Tatsumi took as a sign that he was still not dead.
"Guh, brat… why did you save me?" Weneg grunted. Tatsumi scoffed. He knew their reputation from surrounding villages. Dangerous people who killed innocent travelers that unfortunately crossed into the tomb and its surrounding areas. They collected skulls as a symbol of strength and Tatsumi really didn't like them.
"Make no mistakes, had you not made yourself out as a victim of the Empire's corruption, I would've left you to die." Weneg chuckled at Tatsumi's words. This boy was full of contradictions and he found that interesting.
"Heh, you quite the special child aren't you? An enemy of the Empire but an ally of its assassins. Do you hold sympathy for them just because they are teenagers like you?" Tatsumi scoffed again.
"Maybe it's because you treated them as kids that you are in this pathetic state right now?" Tatsumi countered. Weneg laughed at that.
"Heh, touche… urg!" He coughed and spat out a glob of blood. "I'm going to die here… I'm too weak to live through these unhealable wounds." Tatsumi sighed.
"Is there anyway to save your old ass?" He asked with a little bit of concern.
"No… I'll die long before that. As thanks for trying, I'll warn you right now... *cough* Get out of here. The moment I die, the tomb will collapse." Weneg whispered weakly. Tatsumi's eyes widened.
"What?! Why!?" He cried in alarm.
"The tomb is connected to the spirit of Nubis, it's guardian spirit. As the vessel for Nubis, when I die, the spirit of Nubis is disconnected from the tomb and it collapses " He coughed again. Tatsumi gritted his teeth, he closed his eyes and scanned the interior of the tomb for survivors that might not live through the self-destruction of the tomb. His focus was directed to a pair of elite seven members.
One was too weak to walk and the other was extremely fatigued, but still pushing himself to carry the former. Tatsumi had to head over there now or he might not make it. He was about to leave, but stopped himself and looked at the dying form of Weneg.
"... Would you like me to bury your body?" Tatsumi asked.
"Heh, your one nice brat aren't you? I live as a Gravekeeper, I die with the grave." Weneg grunted with a smirk. Tatsumi turned away from the leader of the Gravekeepers.
"Rest in peace. I didn't particularly like you."
Poney couldn't decide how her day was going.
She woke up super hungry, which was not good. But she got a very full breakfast, which was good. Nobody trusted her to avoid traps, which was not good. But she didn't fall for any traps, which was good. She got her ass kicked and almost died, which was not good. But the chief was giving her a piggyback ride, which was really, really good. After some thought, she passed her final judgment.
It's been a terrible day.
Because all those events were outweighed by the feeling of being a burden. She couldn't do anything except watch as Chief fought off enemy after enemy. Things went from bad to worse when the ceiling began collapsing.
The peak of despair came when they reached a collapsed bridge. The stone bridge had completely collapsed, leaving a one hundred-meter gap deep enough to reach the center of the earth. Or at least, it looked that deep.
"What should we do?" Poney asked weakly. She could barely move her body despite having rested for no less than half an hour, which was a huge testament to how much damage she took. If Najasho had arrived any later, she would've joined Cornelia. Now, facing a deadly fall, that risk of death has returned to her with a vengeance.
"We jump." Najasho replied stoically. To outsiders, he looked impassive and confident, but as someone who has spent six years observing her chief, Poney could tell Najasho was at the end of his ropes.
"... If you jumped by yourself, you would make it." She suggested. She was being a burden, and she knew that in her line of work, death awaits those who are a burden. But Najasho didn't give a flying fuck about that.
"Shut up or I'll slap you." Najasho slowly backed up, he took a deep breathe and released it. He clenched his sword and the bottom end of the hilt, shaped like a snakes fang, bit into his wrist. He felt his heart pulse and power enter his body. "Here we go." He sprinted and launched towards the other side with every last drop of his Shingu enhanced strength.
But it was hopeless. The moment his foot left the ground, he knew.
They weren't going to make it. That's why…
"Chief?! What are you -" He grabbed Poney's arms and flung her towards the other end. She landed on the ground roughly, sliding a dozen feet on the rough stone floor. Ignoring the screaming pain that shot through her entire body, she rushed to the edge. The world slowed down as she watched gravity slowly dragging Najasho into the maws of death.
That's when she saw it. Najasho's sad smile. The first smile he had ever shown her.
The last smile he will ever show her.
"NAJASHOOOO!"
Najasho slowly closed his eyes. The wind rushing past him warned him of his increasing speed as he fell to his inevitable doom. Still as loud and annoying as ever. Not a moment of peace even before death.
"I love you… Poney." He whispered, a single tear flying up into the air.
"Then live for her."
Something grabbed onto his hand and swung him upwards, transforming all his downward momentum into upwards force. His arm was nearly dislocated from its socket and the painful sensation forced his eyes open. He twisted his head to look at the person.
All he could see was a pair of light green eyes.
A force pushed against his back and he flew high above the edge of the cliff. His body struck the ground with an audible crack and pain shot through his ribs. Poney spun at the sound of impact, through her teary eyes she clearly saw the body of Najasho. She ran up to the body and checked it for body heat, a pulse, anything to tell her it wasn't a dream. The steady beat inside his chest was all it took for her to break down. Tears of relief flowed down her cheeks as she cried without a care in the world.
"Small-fry, shut up and stop crying. It's annoying." Najasho said as he stroked her back, doing his best to ignore the searing pain inside his chest. His eyes caught onto the shadow that shot up from beneath the cliff towards the sky.
… Who was that?
After confirming Najasho was still alive, Tatsumi shot up to the sky. He closed his eyes and scanned the entire canyon before letting out an audible sigh of relief. He had kept his promise and completed his mission.
"Damn it Yoshiro, that was probably the most stressful mission of my life." He cursed as he slowly drifted to the ground. He stretched and allowed his muscles to relax. I really need a break after this. Maybe go to the-
His instincts screamed and he spun around. A foot planted itself in his stomach and the force sent him straight into the cliffside. He weakly pushed himself out of the wall that was indented from the impact and glared at the assailant.
The attacker was a woman in her early to mid-twenties. Her long hair and eyes were the same color - ice blue. She wore a uniform that Tatsumi recognized as the Empire's uniform for Generals. Her bountiful breasts peaked out from her uniform and a tattoo was etched in the center of her chest just below her collarbone. The woman was beautiful by all standards of man.
Yet Tatsumi saw past her looks and began sweating. The aura of death that the woman emitted was so strong that he could see it. This woman wasn't human. She was a genuine monster.
I'm going to die! He screamed internally.
"Hm? A child? What's a child doing here?" She questioned. Tatsumi drew his sword and fell into a combat stance. He took several deep breaths, but he couldn't stop his arms trembling. The woman smirked at the gesture.
"A feisty one, aren't you? Alright then, I'll let you have the first strike." She spread her arms wide and Tatsumi shivered. She was full of holes; He could strike anywhere he wanted. So why is it that I can't see myself surviving?! No matter how he imagines it, he could only see one outcome. Death.
Tatsumi slowly breathed in and bent his knees. It's all or nothing! He pushed off the floor and rocketed towards the sky, kicking up a ring of dust. A woman's sadistic smile widened and she chuckled.
"Running away? Hah! Interesting! Very interesting! But it won't be that easy." She tapped her foot on the ground and ice spread at incredible speeds across the floor and up the cliff. The ice overtook Tatsumi in a blink of an eye and an ice wall erected directly in his path. He narrowed his eyes, and his blade was encased in wind. Tatsumi sliced through the wall, barely slowing down. He finally stopped high in the sky and looked down.
… Where is she?!
"Up here." Tatsumi's wide eyes turned skyward and he instinctively brought his sword up. The woman's heel struck his sword and he was slammed into the ground from a hundred meters in the air. The wind was knocked out of his chest and he gasped for air. If I hadn't used everything I had to slow myself down, that impact would've killed me! Tatsumi thought fearfully.
His eyes followed the woman who fell from the sky. Suddenly, a huge slide made of ice appeared beneath her feet and she swiftly slid to the ground. Her eyes were filled with surprise and amazement when she realized Tatsumi was still on his feet.
"Still conscious? You are tougher than most of the enemies I've faced today. Maybe you'll provide me with some entertainment? If you satisfy me, I'll make you my pet." The woman said. Tatsumi crouched down low and settled into a stance, prepared to fight for his life. He shot forward and swung his sword horizontally. She created an ice shield to block, but his wind-encased sword sliced through it.
"A Teigu? Very nice!" She laughed. Tatsumi grunted and began his onslaught of swings and slashes. But the woman dodged his barrage without so much as trying. In a desperate attempt, Tatsumi encased his sword in wind, preparing to release it as a wind slash at close range. Almost as if she read his mind, she formed another ice shield, this time double the thickness. His sword sliced deep into the shield, but stuck on. His eyes widened. Shit!
Her foot shot out and reenacted her first attack. Tatsumi slid along the ground in a desperate attempt to stop himself from crashing into the wall. She raised her arm and multiple ice stakes appeared in midair. Her hand fell and the ice stakes launched with her gesture. Tatsumi's foot struck a rock and he stopped sliding. Quickly reacting to the death from above, he swiped his arms sideways and multiple air blades intercepted the ice stakes.
"Hahaha! What else can you do?!" The woman laughed, her eyes crazed. Her hand raised to the sky again, but this time, dozens of ice stakes formed. Tatsumi was on the verge of panic. I can't intercept them all!
A dozen air blades formed and intercepted the first dozen, but the rest rained down his position. Tatsumi hopped backwards and began defending himself with his sword, receiving several cuts and bruises. The woman appeared the moment the barrage ended and swung an ice sword towards his gut. Tatsumi sprang forward, and slid under her legs. Her sword hit a boulder and the poor rock shattered on impact.
"Hahaha! This is fun! Tell me your name child." Tatsumi kept silent and glared at her. The defiant attitude only made the woman's smile widen.
"Very nice, I like you. I am Esdeath and you will be coming with me." The moment she finished her sentence, the aura around her intensified and a huge pressure weighed down on Tatsumi. He felt his heartbeat and breathing quicken. At this rate... He desperately wracked his brain for a plan. Anything that would get him of there. He was at his limit, there's nothing more that he could do…
Except unsheathe the blade.
Without any other possible options, Tatsumi sheathed his sword. His left hand gripped the blade that was strapped to the back of his waist. He turned the scabbard so that it hung from his left side, his right hand gripped the handle and he fell into a quickdraw stance.
The last time he drew the blade was three years ago when he first obtained it. On that day, drawing the sword nearly killed him. Today, he could only hope it would save him.
"You have more hidden up your sleeves? Go on, show me what you can do. Only when I crush that will you submit to me." Esdeath stated with confidence, spreading her arms out wide.
Tatsumi closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, preparing himself for the pain that was to come.
"Hah!" His eyes snapped open and he drew the blade. A light tingle in her stomach was the only warning Esdeath got before a bolt of lightning shot by her face. Her head was tilted, barely avoiding the bolt. Had she not acted on her instincts, she would've died.
Her eyes darted back to the boy… He was gone. The floor was scorched as if a bolt of lightning had struck in that position. She felt her heart thump and a small smirk appeared on her face.
Interesting...
Tatsumi quickly sheathed the blade. Five seconds had passed and he was nearly a mile away. His innards burned, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt years ago.
Why? What's different?
He couldn't think straight. The fatigue and pain finally caught up to him and he collapsed into a ditch. A few minutes later, a figure approached his body with a smile on their face. I found you...
Yoshiro crouched beside the collapsed form of his brother and best friend. "At least hide properly." He whispered. He cut off a nearby bush and placed it on top of Tatsumi's unconscious body before leaving a note beside him.
"Tatsumi. Thank you. I'll see you again soon."
It took two weeks for Tatsumi to recover from that mission. The fight against Esdeath broke a few ribs, caused internal bleeding, and a lot of mental stress.
But after two weeks, Tatsumi was not fully healed, but had recovered enough to start traveling. But the question was where to? The first place that came to mind was the village in the mountains where his two 'students' were waiting for him.
"... It's been awhile, I should finish Sayo and Ieyasu's training."
It wasn't until a week later that he finds out about their departure to the Capital.
Hello everybody, BzS here.
Sorry for the delay, stuff is getting busy with all the things going on with education and post secondary school stuff.
Thank you all for the continued support, hope you enjoyed!