"So you rescued Rin and Kushi?" Shura said to Bon over the phone. "For the time being would you guys search for the Most High priest, Tatsuma?"
Bon's face screwed in shock, "Did something happen to Pops?"
"He isn't where Houjou Mamushi and the rest saw him last. "First, find the Most High priest and ask him about what he wrote in the letter. However stay away from the Impure King! Don't be reckless and offer a situation report thereafter."
We all nodded to Bon and he replied with a, "Got it."
We all stood in a row in front of the mountain, "Our destination is Mt. Kongoushin… To defeat the Impure King!"
We rushed forward and ran, I grabbed Bon and allowed him to use my flames to glide.
He stared at his feet as the blue flames engulfed them, "Just glide, and don't let go!" he nodded and we were neck and neck with Rin, 'Gods, he can even keep up with me when I'm gliding?'
I felt Bon grab Shima's hand and Shima grabbed someone else's until I had to use my flame on all of them.
"This is so cool!" Leo said excitedly.
I was getting too tired too quickly, eventually I tripped over something and let go of Bon's hand and did flips away. The others only skidded to a stop while Bon rushed over. "You alright?"
I wiped sweat away from my brow, "I'm fine, just really drained is all. I've never glided with so many other people before."
"Ugh! What the hell is that?" Leo shouted.
"How're we supposed to defeat something that huge?" Shima complained.
"That's the Impure King…" Shiemi added shakily.
"It's practically a fortress on it's own." Bon said as he stood up with my arm draped around his neck. He picked me up bridal style. "Alright we'll start searching here."
Everyone agreed.
"Don't venture too deep into the thicket." Bon added.
He carried me in his arms and we both kept an eye out. I saw a bald head adorned in monk's ornamental clothing. Blood dripped down from various places of his body, "Bon there!" I pointed to the man, Tatsuma…
"Pops!" I climbed out of Bon's grip and raced over behind him to his father. "N-no way."
I sat near Bon and clung to him, I only met this man maybe once or twice, but I remembered how it felt. How it felt to finally come out of some rage induced trance and find your brother clinging to the empty shell of your father. The man had died with a smile on his face.
"I'll call Kirigakure-sensei." Konekomaru said while pulling out his phone.
A fire demon pulled out of Tatsuma's chest and flew in front of Bon.
"You're Karura, aren't you?" I asked.
"Yes, young mistress. I am Karura, servant of the Head priest of the Myouou Dharani."
"Were you Pop's familiar?" Bon asked.
"Formerly so. But now that the "secret" is no longer such, the contract has been annulled. I am now fulfilling the private contract I have with Suguro Tatsuma."
The monk below us coughed abit.
"Pops!"
"Ryuji. Why are all of you children here." He said weakly.
"We came of our own will, we NEED to help, the other forces aren't as strong enough to beat the Impure King on they're own." I added softly.
He tried to sit up, "How reckless of you."
"Your wounds may be closed, Tatsuma, but you shouldn't move."
I turned to Karura, "What is most of his damage?"
The Phoenix looked at me, "It is organic, I'm afraid your flames cannot heal this." I looked down.
Tatsuma turned to the demon, "Is that you Karura? You sure have gotten small, I thought we were both dead."
"I also bear the name of Phoenix. I would merely reincarnate every time I died, besides I still have the "Gouhaen contract let with you, I couldn't let you die like that."
The old monk turned to me and my brother, "Ah, the Okumura siblings. I haven't seen Utsukushi since you were only two, to see how close you and Bon are now, reminds me of that short time you spent in our home." He brushed his hand against my cheek. I held on to Bon tighter. "Did you two read my letter?"
"I did as well." Bon added, "I'll have you tell us everything without keeping any secrets to yourself."
"…I understand, I'll tell you how to defeat the Impure King. According to the "Truth of the Impure King" passed on only to the Head priests, The Impure King will grow bigger and bigger, as big as a city. Shortly after, a great sporangium will form within it."
"That's it isn't it? The really round bit at the top?" Shima pointed out.
"Most likely. When that sporangium matures and ruptures, it will release toxic spores. A thick Miasma."
"And that's what really killed those 40,000 people 150 years ago?" Leo asked.
Tatsuma nodded, "Smart boy, though this time the number may be even larger. We need to prevent that no matter what."
"That means we have to defeat it before it ruptures right?" I added.
He shook his head, "It's not that simple, the only vital spot the Impure King has is it's "Heart". It lies in the sporangium itself. Fukaku, who fought the Impure King 150 years ago, having fought a tough battle, had no choice but to split that heart into two and seal them away."
"The left and right eyes, correct?" Izumo added.
"In-in other words, if it ruptures we can no longer get to the heart right?" Konekomaru said worriedly.
"Yes."
"So kill it before it ruptures?" Leo asked.
Tatsuma shrugged, "I would suggest as much. Though it's still difficult. Fifteen years ago I made a contract with Karura here to borrow "Gouhaen". "Gouhaen is a technique that allows the person to take the years the person has lived and turns it into great flames. A great blaze to be let forth at the end of one's life, incinerating everything. I thought that would be my trump card in defeating the Impure King." His mood dropped, "However I used that flame of fifteen years just on stopping the Impure King in it's tracks… I don't have much time left…"
"Please, sir, don't say what I think you're going to say." I said to him.
He smiled to me, "I'm going to use the remaining Gouhaen, I'll set up a kekkai so that the miasma won't escape even if the sporangium ruptures. Okumura-kun, I want you to use that Koumaken to reduce it's heart to ashes, Utsukushi, I'll need you to help Karura and increase the Gouhaen."
I jumped a bit, "Sir, I just about drained myself from helping everyone glide here."
He just smiled and touched my cheek again, "You will be focusing more on me this time, not seven other people. It will be much easier."
"Uh I'm sorry but I-."
"No Rin it's only natural, I'm asking you to put your life on the line."
"Hn? Oh, no… It's just I can't unsheathe it right now."
"…"