Sixteen

Kin

"It's like they aren't even trying to hide where they are." Akurai whispered, getting the attention of the others in the vanguard. Kichi glanced to her platoon leader, who had once again proven himself during combat. Beside him, the hooded Night Blades cautiously led the way, occasionally stopping both command squads before signaling to each other.

"You think it is a trap?" Kagehaha called, getting the attention of her kin who all shook their heads in unison. Apparently the expert scouts had the same idea of what their quarry might be trying to achieve by running through the trees.

"They're running to evacuate their spawn, no doubt." Tetsip of all people said, being pushed forwards by the tip of a blade from Range's guard.

"Tetsip! Be quiet!" Kikimo hissed, glancing between the glare of the pale and masked generals.

"Both of you, silence yourselves before I feed you to one of Kantoku's hungry beasts." Range threatened, but Kichi could tell her general wasn't putting his heart in it anymore.

"Enemies spotted!" A Night Blade much further up shouted, the warning putting every one of her guards on edge. Kichi herself didn't believe any of those around her were in danger, the high of victory keeping her content with the minimal role she played in the battle.

After several long moments of nothing happening, the same Night Blade told them that it was clear, and the command squads continued their journey until the trees thinned out, and dirt was replaced by sand.

"What the hell. This is where they've been hiding out?" Range asked, the prisoner commander nodding violently. "This is a fucking fortress!"

Kichi was actually taken aback by the massive tower of stone that seemed to rise from where the ocean met the land. The pillar was easily twice the size of Fort Ishigaki, with several large openings providing vantage points for archers and spotters. It was obvious the fish-tribe had lived in this natural creation for several generations, judging by the carved paths that led all the way to the top of the rock formation. At the base of the stone, a crude barrier had been formed, signaling where the front door was.

"Are we going to have to go in there?" Kichi eventually asked, knowing that there was no way to besiege such a thing that was border the sea on three sides. If there were tunnels they couldn't see, or were submerged, the fish creatures could come and go as they pleased. To remove the tribe, they would have go through and clear each and every tunnel until they reached the top which would cause a great many casualties.

After a long pause of being stared at by several dozen of his subordinates, Range finally spoke.

"Not if I can help it. Kantoku, can you gather your pets for me?"

"Of course! Where shall we be going?" Kantoku immediately asked, his tone indicating just how happy he was to be of use.

"Right there." Range pointed, the destination only being a few feet away on the open sand. "Everyone else, get the brigade out in the open. I want these freaks to be pissing themselves. Kikimo, you will continue being useful to me, yes?"

"O-of course, general! Ask of me anything!" Kikimo said, basically groveling to the disgusted general. Kichi scoffed to herself, glancing at the much more dignified sub-commander who was also prisoner, who seemed content to remain silent and glare at the one whose fate he was tied to.

"Good. Here's what you're going to do." Range said, grabbed the back of the older commander's armor and hauling him to his feet before silently speaking to him.

"Commander." Akurai said, taking her attention away from the sight of Range intimidating the prisoner. "Your orders?"

"Right. Orders." Kichi said, glancing at the walking Night Blade matron, who was no doubt going to relay her general's orders to the rest of the Tenth. Quickly, Kichi made her way to follow, wondering which part of the sand she was going to put her company.


"Chun!" Kikimo shouted at the big rock, nervously looking back at the army that Rafu was a part of. "CHUN!"

For the past hour, Kikimo had been yelling at the large stone structure, before glancing back at the combined might of General Range's brigade and Kantoku's monster division. From their untouchable perches, the fish-tribe sat and watched the single Inkling shout for their chieftain, a few of them well within range to actually shoot such a miserable existence.

"Why the hell are we wasting our time like this?" Megumi muttered under her breath, obviously asking something she didn't want an answer to.

"Because, our general doesn't want to go into the rock." Yuuma answered, Rafu shaking his head in disappointment.

"Why not?" Megumi asked back, turning some heads towards herself and the younger male platoon leader.

"Silence in the ranks." Sub-commander Kagehaha calmly ordered, not even breaking her pace as she went up and down the lines of the brigade.

Rafu watched from the corner of his eye Megumi hang her head in shame, as Yuuma nodded to the chastisement. Once Kagehaha was out of earshot, Megumi slapped the back of Yuuma's head with enough force to make a large slapping sound, getting a few small laughs from those still watching.

"Movement." Umeko whispered on Rafu's left, getting him to turn his head to the lone figure approaching from the barricaded cave entrance. Once this figure appeared, he felt the incredible urge to bring his weapon to bear, but halted himself. Range had ordered them to stand down until the enemy made a move that appeared to be threatening. A single, unarmed fish creature? Not a threat... yet.

"Chun!" Kikimo shouted in surprise, the joy in his voice upsetting Rafu more than he thought it would.

"I was fool for trusting squid." The barbarian loudly barked, planting himself in the sand a few feet from Kikimo and crossing his arm. The fact this creature could speak their tongue was surprising, but Rafu blamed Kikimo for this as well, no doubt teaching this creature to communicate properly for their treachery.

"Yes, you were." Range shouted back, walking closer to the other two in the middle ground between the brigade and the rock tower. "I looked for you during the battle, Chun, but you ran away from me."

"Why are they shouting their conversation? They're ten feet from each other." Miyu asked.

"Because, their conversation is meant for us and their people, I believe." Rafu answered quickly, noticing how Kantoku and his masked commander were turning to the words he was saying, acknowledging his comment.

"I had to save my people. Could not kill stupid creature." The barbarian laughed for several seconds, before Range decided to interject.

"You wish to save your people? Good! I will give you that chance, chieftain." Range shouted, Rafu sharing the look of confusion that his fellow platoon leaders were giving.

"Oh? What, sickly beast, do you want? Are you like coward Kikimo, who wants to make deal?"

"No. But I will let your people leave my country's land for a single life."

A long pause showed just how dumbfounded everyone was by the Inkling's words. Not even Rafu knew what their general meant by 'a single life', or if he was being genuine. During all of his reading and listening about famous commanders and generals, none had shown mercy to one of the invading forces, especially those who had constructed homes within his people's territory. Rafu glanced to see the reactions of his fellow platoon leaders, some of them looking concerned, while others acted as if they... knew this would happen. Eventually, the fish creature figured out what it wanted to say in its broken version of his language, saliva ejecting from his mouth.

"Your land?! This is my people's land! Generations have we lived, before you cursed monsters appeared!"

"I don't care." Range simply shrugged at the creature's words. "My people have long conquered this area. The only reason you have not been annihilated already is because of a singular, treacherous commander."

As all eyes turned to the shrinking commander, the chieftain tried to speak once more, but Range wouldn't let him.

"I say this once more, chieftain. Die, and I'll let your people flee back to the sea."

"Death? Me? You are madness. Your word is air, like coward." Chun laughed, then pointed at Kikimo. "You want people's land, you must take it, like all other enemies."

"You are wrong, barbarian. Unlike this piece of shit, I have honor. If he had possessed any, he would have done to you what I have. He would have killed your people, then followed you to your home and waited until you starved to death." Range spoke, his words effecting the two standing closest to him the most. "Unlike this coward you have made a bed with, I will complete my duty and avenge the fallen, my people, and remove you from my country's lands. Also, unlike Kikimo the coward, I have a small army of monsters I can send into your tunnels, your caves, your homes and nests, who will tear apart every single thing that lives inside what is little more than a death trap to you. Your children will be devoured alive before you, and you will be unable to do anything about it."

Rafu couldn't tell if Range's threat was fully understood by the slack jawed creature, but judging how the 'chieftain' was looking at one of the higher perches where some of his kin spectated, it appeared so.

"So your choice, chieftain? All I ask is for one death, and I will let your people slip away into the waters. I'd rather not continue to describe what will happen if you refuse."

As the tribal creature silently stared at his general, Rafu wondered if this was a normal thing his general did. Leaning over to Umeko, he tried to whisper the question of if Range had given his enemies a chance to retreat, even when he knew they could slaughter them all. After all, wouldn't it be better to wipe out this tribe, rather than give them the chance to regroup and retaliate sometime in the future, no matter the cost the company had to bear?

"He does this sometimes." Umeko whispered, closing her eyes and sighing. "Last year, in the west, we were aiding a fort in repelling an urchin invasion. Per usual, the urchins fled, and left behind a sizeable mass of anemone laborers. Instead of slaughtering them all, or letting the fort general seize them for the Squid Lord Kyokan, he convinced his commander, an allied commander, and the fort general herself to allow the slaves to swim to their watercraft, who were observing from outside cannon range."

"He what?" Rafu asked, never hearing this rumor before. "Wasn't he a sub-commander then?"

Umeko nodded, still not speaking above a whisper. "He was. From what I hear, he had more or less beaten the garrison's leader into her senses, then convinced the other two commanders through some means."

Rafu probably would have inquired more about that event, if the fish creature didn't start shouting again, this time with a bit less confidence.

"How… How know you speak truth? No way to assure safety. You could still be liar."

"You're right. All you have is my word. But you have no other choice, do you? You wouldn't have come forth if you had the chance to flee already. There is no way for you to know if I keep my word or not. What I have done is shown that I am able and willing to enter your tunnels and kill any I find in your home. The sole reason I'm even giving you this chance is because I see no point in slaughtering your entire tribe, from elder to child, so long as you leave my country's borders. All your people would have to do is walk a few feet into the sea, and swim away." Range said, apparently really trying to show mercy to these distrustful spawn.

The general brought up a good point actually, Rafu realized. Why didn't the fish-tribe instantly flee into the ocean in the first place? Their rock fort was surrounded by the sea on three sides. Surely, there was a cave or tunnel on the backside that allowed access to the ocean. Also, didn't Kikimo say that they only used this area during the spring? What could have prompted the tribe to hole up in such a place that could be abandoned in a small amount of time?

"One hour. Give one hour for answer." Chun said, suddenly barely audible to those before him.

Their pale general nodded, turning back and walking to the brigade's front line with the prisoner Kikimo following shortly behind. Rafu glanced at the sun, realizing they still had many more hours before it would even begin to set. Wondering if the enemy tribe was trying to buy time, Rafu shook his head, and began shifting his gear to be more comfortable.


Kaito knew that Range was just showing off at this point. Though he was glad he wouldn't have to lead the charge with the Infernals in clearing the unknown tunnels, he was able to understand what sort of farce this execution was. The 'sickly beast' had done something similar to what was happening now, the only difference being that Range was killing a kneeling creature before he let future enemies flee into places where they couldn't be pursued.

Wondering if every creature behind and beside him felt the same nothingness as Range brought his glaive down on the back of the barbarian's thick neck, Kaito looked at the first adolescent fish creature he had ever seen. Wearing only a tattered skirt and a bone necklace, the small scaly thing quickly took its chieftain's head and ran off, sprinting towards the sea where its people were departing. Kaito saw that a great many of them were carrying large baskets made of wicker and sticks on their backs, carefully trying not to shake the cargo as they submerged themselves.

"Are we seriously going to let them go?" Kaito asked his general, before just turning to the pale one. "I understand that you'd want to spare the somewhat intelligent anemone, but these things are just mutated livestock. They've raided our people since we discovered the first river in our lands."

"Kaito…" General Kantoku started, as if disappointed in his commander.

"They would have run off anyways. At least this way, we've killed their leader without taking any further losses." Range spoke, heading towards the cave's unguarded entrance, shouting orders to those near him. "Tenth Company, secure the rock formation. Sixtieth, set up a perimeter with the Night Blades. Kantoku, you and Kaito can come with me, but leave your pets. We don't actually know how cramped it's going to get in there. Kikimo, have you been inside this thing?"

"O-once. Yes."

"Good. You'll lead me to the store rooms and see what sort of things they've stolen from our other enemies. Where's my runner squad?" Range shouted, a single Inkling running towards him at full sprint, kicking up sand as he tried to slow his pace. "Isamu, I'll need you to take a message to our logistic officers back in Kamakessai ahead of us."

"Yes sir!" The young conscript shouted, Kaito feeling indifferent to one in his old company. As the officers waited for Range to finish whispering to the runner, Kaito decided to head into the cave after Naoki's platoon, Kantoku close behind.

Surprised by how illuminated the interior of the first cavern was, Kaito saw that dozens of small cracks allowed light to reflect off slippery cave walls. Wooden and bone creations hung from the walls and roof of the first room, and though he could barely see above him, he could tell there was a secondary tunnel high up, where large openings allowed defenders a safe place to lay projectile fire if they wanted. To his left, right, and front lay three more crude barricades, which were barely more than wicker and sharpened stakes, the one on his left torn apart, that seemed to lead up and outside. It appeared the tunnel to his right led downward to an extent, as the tunnel seemed to grow much darker, signaling that it might be a submerged cave as well.

Before he could peek at what lay behind the third barricade, Range entered with his guard and Kikimo in tow, the commander quickly pointing at the entrance Kaito was about to walk towards.

"Through there. If memory serves me, there should be a common hall area behind there, which leads into all of their… homes for lack of a better word. Then there will be a tunnel leading downwards to a small room with a pool, where they keep their treasure."

Kikimo looked to each of them after speaking, as if expecting something from one of the three officers. After a moment, Range gestured to the crude door, signaling for the prisoner to continue to lead the way. "Oh. I… I thought that after this you'd…"

"You've deluded yourself." Range simply said, his words making the commander cast his head down. Eventually, Kikimo would make his way to the small barricade and knock it open with a leg, unable to do much else due to still having his arms tied around him.

Kaito thought for sure these tunnels would be darker, and to an extent he was right. After traversing a small tunnel, they made their way through to a massive room, which seemed to have been hallowed out by crude tools over centuries. In this open area sat a singular fire place that split the room in half, a small chair sitting at the end of the stone construction. Around them, small indentions had been dug out of the rock, where individual fish creatures had probably slept. Understanding now what Kikimo meant by 'homes', Kaito was surprised with just how many of these indentions there were, hundreds easily lining the side of the wall, hints of there being more on the second level where several dozen ladders allowed access to. A few more tunnels sprouted from this gathering chamber, but Range was only interested by the one next to the crude throne.

Hearing water echo in the new tunnel, Kaito kept his eye on Kikimo, remembering that he mentioned a pool, which he hadn't really described. Wondering if this could be a trap, Kaito grabbed on the back of the prisoner's armor, briefly stopping the entire group that was descending into the dark unknown.

"Let go of me, fool." Kikimo demanded, trying to shake Kaito's grip.

"You both should let this one lead." Kaito simply said, knowing both of them would understand his meaning.

"Oh dear, I had forgotten that Kikimo was our prisoner for a moment with how helpful he's being. How embarrassing of me! You're right, of course, Kaito!" Kantoku said, followed shortly by a bit of laughter. Kaito was somewhat concerned when his grip was immediately torn from the back of Kikimo's armor, either his general or Range pulling the commander forwards.

With Kikimo no longer slouching in front of him, the group as a whole was able to move faster through the tunnel, eventually coming to a smaller chamber that was somehow being illuminated by some light. It appeared his worries were also for naught, as the small pool mentioned was little more than a large hole in the floor, strangely the brightest thing in the store room.

Beside the pool, several chests sat, their make and quality far too grand for a fish-tribe to have constructed. Kaito knew that these weren't squid made as well, as their people liked to keep their containers as box-like as possible, so they could stack things on top of them if needed.

"These are crustacean make." Range quietly said, running a hand along the rounded top of the first chest. "Except for those, which are obviously urchin."

"What gave it away? Was it the spikes?" Kantoku asked, laughing at his own joke.

"Why would there by urchin chests here? Their ships don't come anywhere near these shores." One of Range's bodyguards asked, his name on the fringes of Kaito's mind.

"You forget, Ryuu, that our enemies raid each other as well. Chances are that the fish-tribe raided a crustacean pirate craft, who had looted another ship in the western sea. That, or the urchin are more numerous than we originally believed." Range offered, trying to open the first container and failing.

"There's a lock, sir." Another one of Range's bodyguards asked.

"I see that." The pale general replied, clearly annoyed by the observation.

While Range stared at the locking mechanism of the chest, Kaito went to another, and in one swift motion, brought his great weapon into the side of the box, cracking the metal seal keeping the top shut. After the crashing sound stopped echoing, Kaito pulled his blade loose, hearing the splinters crack and strain with each pull. Not wanting to steal Range's glory, Kaito gestured that the chest was all his, getting a look of concern from the sickly beast as his own general laughed loudly.

Pushing the top open, Range stared at the contents of the container before grabbing one of the hidden objects and showing it to those in the room, a gleaming block of something shiny.

"Metal?" Range asked, confused. "It's not iron."

"Perhaps one of the useless metals, like silver or gold." Kantoku offered, trying to be helpful.

"That's somewhat disappointing." Range sighed, tossing the metal ingot back into the half destroyed crate. "I'm sure the urchin ones won't have the same items. Instead of smashing them all open though, let's drag these up and have a platoon carry them back to Kamakessai. We'll open them there, and see if anything worthwhile is in one of these oversized crates."

Kaito watched as the seven bodyguards started moving, a few of them having trouble lifting the containers. Following Kantoku's example, Kaito spectated as the guards slowly moved all six chests, Range being the final one to drag one towards the exit, before he halted.

"Kantoku." Range simply said, getting a nod from the masked officer before he went out of sight.

As Kikimo tried to follow Range, Kantoku kept his hands on the commander's armor, refusing to let the prisoner take a single step.

"Is this intimidation really needed, general? I understand that I am your prisoner already. I won't try anything." Kikimo sighed, as if tired of the formality of being spared death. Kaito half entertained the thought of just murdering the officer here, when he suddenly understood that only the three of them were currently in this small room.

"Ah, Kikimo. Commander Kikimo. Did you know you have a silly name?" Kantoku asked, acting chummy with the bound commander as he wrapped an arm around Kikimo's shoulders.

"What?" Kikimo asked, turning away from Kantoku, who was using his free hand to unlatch his mask.

"You'll have to excuse me, but it's getting pretty stuffy in here. Honestly, I don't know how Commander Kaito does it, wearing his mask out of his own will. You see, I wear mine for another reason." Kantoku chuckled, Kaito looking away from the direct view of his unmasked general, feeling it not right to look once more upon Kantoku's face again. Sure enough, Kikimo released a similar gasp of surprise that Kaito himself had gone through a few months prior.

"What the hell happened to you? What sort of…" Kikimo asked, perhaps silenced by Kantoku's deformed glare. "You really all are monsters, aren't you?"

"HA!" Kantoku barked, Kaito hearing the quiet disgust from Kikimo as he imagined parts of his generals flesh removing itself and splattering the commander. "You call me a monster, despite having intentionally killed over five thousand of your kin in the course of... what? Thirty years?"

"W-what?" Kikimo asked, shocked by such a number, Kaito unsure if his general was accurate or not.

"Today, we've ended your little scheme, Kikimo. You've been in league with this one tribe since you were what? Twenty? You're about fifty now, correct?"

"Late... forties. How do you know how many Inkling's I've-"

"Because I've watched you. From the hills, from the trees. I've watched you for so very long, in my territory. Just think, Kikimo. Someone you never knew has been observing every crime you've committed for the past twenty years. Well, not every crime, but you get what I'm saying. All your crimes here, in Minami. I've wondered for so long, Kikimo. Did you ever get the feeling someone was watching you? Whenever you'd turn in your sleep, and suddenly awaken, did you think someone was standing above you? I know you almost discovered me once, but that was such a long time ago, you wouldn't remember." Kantoku whispered, pressing his almost gel like face to the commander.

"You… did that? Since when? Why?"

"Why?" Kantoku laughed, his sinister voice finally revealing itself as his charade Kaito always knew he was playing dropped. "Why what, exactly? Why did I continue to let you kill our young countrymen, who had just joined the war? Why did I let you march your troops in the rain, through mud and mist just to end up on that sandy beach to be surrounded and killed? Why didn't I report you to the nearest commander, or just walk into your camp and take you for punishment? Why didn't I simply behead you in your sleep, in one of my hundreds of opportunities? Why did I let you do as you pleased for so long?"

Kaito heard no reply come from Kikimo, and mistakenly turned to watch as Kantoku grabbed the Inkling by the jaw, pushing him closer to the edge of the pool that's depth couldn't be determined.

"Because, Kikimo. It was fun to watch you. It was fun to watch the final moments of kids, fighting in the rain against all hope, unaware that their commander had betrayed them. It was so horrible, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Something so wrong, so… evil. I was in awe, at the lengths you would go to continue this scheme, which in the end wouldn't gain you anything more than simple information that a scout could obtain. I wondered for a while if you even knew that you were just wasting resources, but I've recently come to the conclusion that you're simply a bad commander. So now, I must ask, what was your end goal? What was the victory condition that made you go through so much effort? Do you even know?"

Kaito watched as Kikimo's mouth was freed, the commander not taking his eyes off of the face of Kantoku. After a moment, Kikimo spoke, his tone strong as opposed to the weak persona he had been giving since he had been taken prisoner.

"You know… I don't rightfully remember. Originally, it had just been a one-time thing, between me and this disgusting fish monster. I faked a battle, with barely any losses, and he told me where to find a tribe that was actually planning a real invasion. After slaughtering that tribe, and being rewarded better supply options, I thought I could repeat the same thing. Two years in a row, and I was a fish killer, which even a Squid Lord had praised me for. I don't remember when, but I had hit some barrier, which I couldn't advance past. I couldn't make general, or gain brigade rights. Yet I was now too accomplished to be given a fortress to maintain. So I kept coming back, looking for the next big thing. Then Chun demanded more and more from me. Before I knew it, I was giving away lives to give him information." Kikimo said, scoffing at himself. "I suppose I should thank you and Range, in a way, for showing the error of my ways. At least this way, I can look those in Strategic Command with at least a shred of dignity, without being absorbed by my delusions."

For a long moment, everyone in the room was still, Kikimo's words apparently stunning Kantoku, who was as silent as a corpse. Kaito wanted to interject, to snap his general from his thoughts, but it seemed that Kantoku didn't need any help, as he soon spoke.

"Kikimo…" Kantoku quietly said.

"Yes, general?"

"You're not going to be meeting Strategic Command." Kantoku simply told the traitor, releasing his grip from the commander.

"What?" Kikimo asked, confused. Kaito too was confused, as it appeared that Kantoku was –

"You disappoint me, Kikimo. You couldn't even stick with your character in the end. Goodbye." Kantoku quietly sighed out in disappointment, gently sticking his left hand out and pushing the Inkling over.

Kikimo screamed as he lost balanced, yelling for someone to help him as he tried to maintain his footing, before falling back first into the water. Kaito watched with wide eyes as the back of Kikimo's head hit the other rim of the pool, orange and red staining the rock, followed by a large splash of water erupting over edge. No noise came from the pool as bubbles showed that the Inkling's flesh was being dissolved... Kaito getting a glimpse of the ornate armor slowly sink out of view.

Kantoku knelt by the rim of the pool, as if he needed to make sure that Kikimo had died, despite the impossibility for him to survive such a thing. Even a small amount of water could be lethal to an Inkling, the thought of which made Kaito instinctively turn to Kantoku's face.

Instead of the normally soft, almost squishy skin of an Inkling, Kantoku's face was like a weathered rock. His skin, if it could even be called skin, looked rough, yet jiggled and vibrated with every movement, as if made of some gelatin substance. It looked as if his face had shifted downwards, before reforming and holding a few inches lower than it should have. Kaito quickly looked away from his general and back to the water, where no trace of Kikimo could be found.

"Well, Kaito." Kantoku said, lowering his hood long enough to reattach his mask, his ears nowhere to be seen, and the back of his head in much worse a condition than his general's face. "What do you think we should have for dinner tonight? I'm thinking sushi."