Vague Connections
"So that is the conclusion you have arrived at," Kazuha remarked, having just received the new piece of information that Heizou and the others had gathered upon their recovery of one of the missing components.
After returning the stone lantern back to its original state, all of them agreed to take a rest given the recent development, thus the need for a discussion on what they had discovered up until this point was brought up.
Seeing that the downpour was still looming over them, Kazuha suggested the tunnel that he traversed earlier as a location for respite, which they easily agreed to.
At the moment, all of them were sitting around a makeshift campfire he had made, one that was strong enough to warm them up from cold air blowing from the outside.
"Don't misunderstand, though the proof of their involvement has been ascertained, I still haven't quite figured out who conceived this plan, though given the information we have at hand, this Nathan is our prime suspect."
Kazuha knew the Doushin was talking about a very selected group that was the cause of the release of the Tatarigami, something he had been unaware of given most of his stay here had been at the battlefield rather than at camp.
"Indeed, and try as I might, I have no recollection of meeting such a person in all my time in the Resistance."
Certainly, one could attribute it to the fact that Kazuha was technically an outsider helping from time to time, which makes it all the more reasonable that he would not know everyone in the Resistance, but the young samurai was certain he would have at least remember such a name if he ever heard of it, seeing that a name like Nathan was usually given to those who originated from Mondstadt.
"All that tells me is that the person we're trying to catch is quite good at blending in the crowds if he was able to escape your notice."
Kazuha agreed with the assessment, his eyes travelling from the center of the fire to a certain martial artist.
Said individual was letting out a peculiar sound, and given the chance, anyone observing the scene would have reasoned that they were chewing noises. The only reason that it was not a certainty was due to the intensity and the sheer voraciousness that was displayed right before their eyes.
Right around the fireplace were multiple skewers stabbed into the ground, each one holding what seemed to be parts of an animal.
It was meat, one that belonged to the enormous scorpion that Kazuha and Goku had just fought.
After swallowing another piece of meat into his stomach, Goku noticed that they were staring at him in silence, causing him to stop in his quest to completely consume everything in front of him.
"You guys sure you don't wanna any?" Goku asked, picking one of the meat skewers off the ground before presenting it to them.
Kaji gave an unamused look, "You do know that you're eating meat that has been contaminated by the Tatarigami right? That's not even mentioning what kind of poison a creature of that size contains."
"If it's anything like a normal scorpion, then there ain't anything to worry about...now that you mention it, I guess there is something a little different about the taste," Goku added, his continued eating undeterred despite the potential problem his stomach will experience later on.
With the way Goku reacted, it was clear to everyone here that a meal with such an ambiguous origin was something he was already accustomed to, notwithstanding the unnaturally huge portions of meat. The smell of charred flesh did not help with the imagery either, courtesy of the young martial artist being hit by yet another lightning bolt right after the battle.
None of them knew quite what to say when Kazuha relayed that last detail to the others earlier.
Still, what the miner said was right, though it was an assumption, it was one that all of them readily agreed on, which was—
The darkened aura that surrounded the beast was most certainly because of the Tataragami.
There was just simply no other explanation to it. Despite their journey in restoring the stone lanterns back to its original state, it would seem the curse would run rampant until it was completely sealed.
There was a particular question they had in their mind.
If even a beast easily succumbed to the curse, then wouldn't other living beings be affected too?
Worse yet, there was no guarantee that those who were affected would recover either.
It was troubling, to say the least.
"Still, I didn't think anything so big was hiding on this island either," Kuhaku chimed in.
Kaji let out a tired sigh, "You aren't the only one, today's just been a whirlwind of surprises for me...and I've been here for as long as I can remember. Just how on all of Inazuma did that thing pop up out of nowhere, it couldn't be because of the Tatarigami."
"While the interest in a scorpion that size is understandable, I believe it's best to leave that to researchers—" Heizou stopped, taking a glance at a certain someone still gouging out the food, "—of which I doubt they would have the resources for considering Goku here already deprived them of the chance."
Goku let out an unapologetic smile at the comment, as he continued with his meal, another skewer already laid empty because of his unceasing appetite.
It was only minutes later that Goku finished off the rest of the meal that a question popped up in his mind.
"Hmm, I wonder how Itto is doing right now?"
Heizou was the one who answered, "Knowing who they are going to face, I'm sure Itto has more than one conflicting thoughts on the matter considering his heritage."
Goku blinked at the last term, "His what?"
"He's an oni, if you can recall the horns, and the one he is about to meet is another youkai just like himself. This is not even taking into account the personal history between the two of them, though the specific details are something I am not privy to," Heizou explained.
"He is!? I thought it was normal that he had horns, kinda like me having a tail," Goku remarked offhandedly at the last part.
"You had a tail? I really don't see it anywhere," Kaji asked incredulously as he looked behind the martial artist.
"Yup, but then my current mentor cut it off saying that it would hinder my training so I don't think I'm ever seeing it again."
What should have been a cruel description of losing one's appendage turned to be one of mundanity due to how casually Goku was treating the matter.
If Goku treated it as a simple issue, then so too would the young samurai as he addressed something that caught his attention from Heizou's statement.
"Heizou, this other youkai you are referring to...is Kujou Sara correct?"
Kazuha already knew the answer to such a question, but there were no downsides in asking just to be sure, which also served to inform the others as well.
"Naturally. Who else would immediately head out to the frontlines the moment she heard the Shogun's Army was facing difficulty? A very select few, and one of them just happens to be my boss as well."
"Ooh, does this mean she's strong?" Goku couldn't help but inquire. his curiosity peaked at the tidbit of information.
Heizou was amused, judging by his reaction, "I don't know how to define strength to someone like you Goku, but I can most assuredly say that in a sparring match, she would outmatch me more times than not."
"Really? Does she have a lot of techniques then?" Goku asked, his interest increasing as the seconds passed by.
"I can't blurt out more. Remember, I'm not technically on the Resistance's side. If you want more info, then there's someone here who knows her more in terms of combat...isn't that right, Kazuha?"
He supposed that specific detail was not particularly hidden, considering his friend was the one who fought her right before the Shogun's throne.
And he was the one who arrived at the scene right after too.
That's not even mentioning the times he had seen her on the battlefield, though he himself had never confronted her directly as that was more or less Gorou's role than it was his.
Kazuha saw few reasons to disagree, seeing the expectant look Goku was giving him.
"She is a general of the Tenryou Commission and the main enforcer of the Vision Hunt Decree. As for her skills on the battlefield..."
Kujou Sara's purpose was to carry out the will of the Raiden Shogun.
It was why she was so active in confiscating Visions from those who possessed them in Inazuma.
It was why she hurried over to the ongoing civil war the moment the tides were shifting against the side of the Shogunate.
It was also why she was currently in battle with a Vision wielder, her blade constantly at war with her opponent's spear.
The area they were fighting on was at Nazuchi Beach, where progress of their battle was indicated by the increasing number of footprints they had left on the soft sands…amongst the many others who were experiencing the same thing.
Her opponent was a member of the Resistance, donning the usual uniform that came with it, his appearance were as common as the soldiers that she had fought before, except with one difference...the Cryo Vision that hung on his person.
Not only that, if his commands before battle were anything to go by, then there was no doubt in her mind that he was the leader among this opposing group.
Needless to say, Sara had commanded her subordinates into battle in response, with her leading the charge head on. Despite the many efforts that the opposing force had employed, none of them were able to even so much as hit her amongst the chaos.
This lasted for a while...until someone attempted a surprised attack upon her; an intentional attack amidst the disorderly nature of the battlefield.
She was able to foresee it coming, parrying the attack with nothing but her blade. Upon doing so, she was immediately greeted by another strike coming from the same individual.
Despite the strength of each attack coming from her opponent, she was nevertheless able to flawlessly parry every one of them.
This exchange went on, with her at the defensive while the leader of the group at the offensive. However, their state of mind was at complete opposites, for she noticed his expression worsened, straining every so slightly with each exchange, until it became one which she could describe as frustration.
Fed up with little to no progress in the fight, the man sought for another way to break through Sara's defense as he began to spin his spear in a circular motion, before thrusting it forward.
What accompanied this course of action was the brightening glow of his Vision, causing the tip of his spear to leave a trail of ice. Yet, judging from the trajectory of his strike, he was not aiming for her weapon, rather a characteristic that was unique only to her in all of Inazuma.
Her wings, which was a trait that a tengu such as her possessed.
Clearly, it was a strategy to not only harm her, but to limit her mobility by freezing them in place, and consequently, further burdening her with the sudden increase in weight.
It would be particularly effective given the ongoing rain making her wings easily susceptible to being frozen right on the spot.
Unfortunately for the Resistance member, this proved to a costly mistake, as the general of the Tenryou Commission had already prepared a counter for such a tactic.
As the tip of the spear moved ever closer to its intended target, Sara unfurled out all four of her wings simultaneously. Wind stirred from such an action as it blew towards the Resistance member, so much so that the shift in the nearby air was enough to force him into a defensive stance instead of the offense he was initiating.
That wasn't all, as the trail of cryo energy was thrown backwards due to the force of the wind, with it colliding onto her opponent's face.
Due to his inner resistance to cryo, the Resistance member wasn't quite affected by the sudden coldness upon the surface of his cheeks. However, the momentary confusion was an opportunity that Sara would not waste, as she quickly unleashed an attack, slashing him cleanly across the chest.
"Ghhk!" the man uttered painfully, his right knee now placed on the ground, deprived of his weapon after withstanding such an attack.
Realizing the unfavourable position he was in, the man turned to face the general once more, his determination persisted even now...
Only for it to stop the moment the tip of a blade was pointed at his throat.
"Yield, and cease this meaningless resistance," Sara said coolly.
The man sneered, "I'll never yield, not to you Shogunate scums who would take the lives of my comrades so brazenly. As long as the Vision Hunt Decree continues to stand, then I too shall do the same! It's the least I could do for those that has lost their lives."
All around them lay the many bodies of the members of the Resistance, some simply knocked unconscious and some that had already passed on to the next life.
She could not deny that. though she had always been principled with her methods of collecting Visions during the Vision Hunt Decree, in that she would find the path that would lead to the least resistance, there were almost always complications.
Sara had collected many Visions over the course of six months, from those that were hesitant but were on the precipice of changing their minds, some that willingly gave it up and those that simply did not understand the reasoning for such an action.
The Resistance, on the other hand, chose the path that would oppose the will of the Shogun herself.
Hence, the Shogun's army was deployed to deal with them, and she herself had found it to be an effective course of action ever since she stepped forward into the battlefield for the first time.
Though she was a general, the battlefield was a completely different story to simple skirmishes, where she would be unable to be in full control of the situation due to the numerous factors that came with it.
She was careful enough not to let any of her attacks end her opponents, for she had full awareness of her own strength as a warrior, but the same could not be said for her subordinates.
Still, it was all in the pursuit of Eternity.
But, was it truly for the best?
Sara had deliberated on this question every time, but each time she dwelled more and more on it, a definite answer never came, no matter how strongly she wanted it to. Even when she knew that the Shogun most assuredly knew what was best, there was still lingering hesitation existing in her heart.
...which was exactly why she had ignored by simply following the Shogun's order. There was no need for other distractions as her loyalty to the Electro Archon took precedence over any other thought she had on the matter. As long as the Shogun willed it, then she would follow it to the very end, all for the eternity that the Shogun seeked.
"This won't go as you expect it to," Sara replied, a sense of finality in her voice.
At the statement, the Resistance member's spirit intensified, "Then I'll just prove you wrong, I'll sooner die before giving up!"
Instead of reaching for his weapon, the man went for another option, by rushing towards her with no nothing in-hand...except for his bare fists.
A mist of ice gathered at his fingertips as he outstretched them towards her, his intent clear as they could be.
What a shame.
She carefully weaved through the attack before striking her opponent from the back, thus taking out her opponent.
As the man fell down, the Vision he held before bouncing off from his person and into Sara's possession as she caught it mid-air.
With one single exchange, it ended just like that.
Fortunately, she had only hit him with the blunt side of the sword, so his life shouldn't be in any sort of danger. She could not say the same for the other participants on the battlefield however, for there was nothing to be done for those who were already gone.
As she stared at the Vision that was now placed in her hands, as one of her subordinates ran up to her with hurried steps.
"General. We report that the enemy have been mostly subdued, but some rebels are still showing signs of resistance. Should we make a demonstration out of one of them to keep the others in line?" the man asked, his eyes staring at her now fallen opponent.
What was implied did not sit well with her, but she bottled those thoughts away as she gave her next order, "No, it would only serve to embolden their spirits. Instead, press the advantages that we have and subdue them, do not do more than what is needed. Do I make myself clear? "
"Yes General!" The men replied, receiving her order before running off to relay the message.
Her eyes lingered around the battlefield, or what was left of it as it indeed looked to be the end of this encounter.
She remained vigilant however, as the possibility of reinforcement from the Resistance's side was by no chance small, and letting one's guard down after a victory was a mistake that many warriors have done in the past, even those that would be considered as experts in the field of combat.
The general of Tenryou Commission observed her surroundings carefully, scrutinizing every little detail. Barring the battles that were still occurring in the area, she did not notice anything particularly out of place.
That was...until she noticed something in the distance, specifically one of the shrubs that were situated at the edge of Nazuchi Beach, the ground beneath them being the transition between the soft sands to the area filled with wild grass.
Picking up one of the bows that were scattered about, alongside an arrow that was planted into the ground, she then stood in position, her stance at the ready.
With her left hand tightly holding up the grip at eye level, while her right hand pulling the string towards her face, bringing the arrow along with it.
Her concentration steadied, it did not take more than a single glance on her target before letting loose of the string, causing the arrow to fly off.
The arrow immediately disappeared from her sight afterwards, but she knew that it hit its intended mark smoothly as she turned around, now walking towards the remnants of the battlefield.
In truth, Sara knew that her arrow did not connect with anything beside an empty space, but hitting the unknown observer was never her intention.
After all, its only purpose was to be a warning shot. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Itto stared at the arrow that flew past him only a moment ago, where the tip of the arrow was embedded firmly into the ground, with cracks forming at the site of impact.
"The tengu missed?" Itto questioned, as if he himself did not believe what had just occurred.
Gorou's eyes were still trained on the figure of Kujou Sara, "She did not. If anything, that was a warning shot."
Having fought her head on several times now, Gorou knew that her skill with the bow was nothing short of exceptional, so her missing an unmoving target was outright impossible.
"Yeah, that makes sense. She's so annoyingly good at everything it would be weird if it didn't hit where she wanted to."
As his eyes traveled from the arrow's spot to Gorou, he noticed something off about the young general.
"Gorou, my man... you alright?" Itto asked, concerned.
The individual in question paused at the question, until a sigh eventually escaped his breath as he gave a reply, "Truthfully, I'm not. My comrades have lost and there is nothing I can do about it."
Sure, Gorou could rush out and fight them head on, but having just experienced the consequences of doing such a thing landed him in being entrapped, requiring her Excellency and the others to bail him out.
Only, this time he did not think he would be as lucky, knowing that the general of the Tenryou Commission was present in the battlefield, an opponent he could not afford to underestimate, because even at his best condition, Gorou was unsure a battle between the two of them would result in his favour.
That was because it had never occurred yet.
Each time they fought, Gorou was only able to scrap by with help from his comrades, but even with such assistance, he was never truly able to force her into a vulnerable position, not even once...
Which was why the moment Kujou Sara's back was turned towards him, his senses screamed at him to take a shot as his eyes followed the movement of her wings, goading him even more to shoot her from this position, for he knew they were the perfect target for his arrows.
Yet, Gorou did not, for he knew it would no doubt fail.
It was infuriating watching not just his comrades being dragged away by the Shogun's Army, but also the several bodies that laid on Nazuchi Beach, unmoving. Still, the best thing for Gorou to do was nothing, and the idea itself genuinely angered him to think so.
Itto however, was having no such thoughts.
Sure, it was saddening to see people's lives being thrown away like this, as it was something he never really thought about much because it never invaded any parts of his daily life. However…
What got him more emotionally distraught was one Kujou Sara.
Simply put, her current behaviour annoyed Itto to no end, in a way that the oni could not describe.
On the surface, any common observer would think that the tengu was acting normally, what with barking orders and appearing stoic yet professional in everything she did.
But he knew what was up.
There was a slight pause when she was talking to the other guy from the Tenryou Commission, something that he never thought would ever happen with her.
It was miniscule, heck even he had disregarded those hints at first, but after recalling the entire fight that had just transpired in conjunction with the conversation just now, there was now no doubt in his eyes that...
She was conflicted.
Itto did not like seeing the tengu in such an annoying state, let alone stand it. That was because for as long as he knew her, all he had ever seen was her unflinching nature and resolute eyes. This stayed true even in his last encounter with her, which was when his Vision was confiscated by her due to the enforcement of the Vision Hunt Decree.
Comparing it to then and now, Itto could tell something was off. Sure, it was subtle...but it was evidently there.
He was only able to see through her mask because he had always paid attention to her actions ever, not because they were friends or anything like that, but because he considered her his rival, so he had to do so in order for the inevitable battle that they would have.
It was why he tried so many methods to goad her into agreeing with his challenges. Admittedly, none of them had ever worked since she always refused them. However, each failure made him understand her core bit by bit, though he would never in his lifetime admit it aloud.
This was why as her self-proclaimed rival, he refused to stand down and allowed this farce to continue on.
Just as the oni was about to rush out into the open, intending to confront the tengu about his annoyance, he was stopped by a strong grip on his right shoulder.
"I don't know what you're thinking about right now, but now's not the time," Gorou warned.
The oni was about to brush off Gorou in irritation for trying to stop him, but as his eyes laid on the young general, he noticed Gorou's right hand balling into a fist, shaking angrily. What was more attention-grabbing was the blood dripping out of it, as though it was taking Gorou everything in his mental strength to not lose control of himself, yet the young general was the one trying to calm him down.
Right, he wasn't the only one who was affected by whatever this was in front of them.
Itto was reminded of a scene that the two of them stumbled upon their journey from the camp to Nazuchi Beach.
It was still vivid in his mind, seeing the body of the messenger from earlier back at the camp laying on the ground with a streak of blood covering the top of the body.
He and Gorou didn't even need to take a closer look at the body to know it was too late, so this scene before them would obviously agitate Gorou even more. It was made worse with the fact that the young general could do nothing but silently accept the outcome before his eyes.
Itto imagined what if the same things were to happen to any of the members in the Arataki Gang, but the immediate thought he had was sadness...
Followed by unrelenting fury at whoever did such a thing.
The line of thought did not completely put out his temper, but it did assuage them a bit, as he let out a sigh, "Fine, then what am I supposed to do?"
"There is nothing to do except to observe from this position, just in case the Shogun's Army decides to mobilize and march towards our base of operations."
Gorou doubted that such a thing would occur, as it didn't fit Kujou Sara's way of commanding the Shogun's Army, but it was better safe than sorry.
Desiring to change the topic, he began to whisper, "Hey Gorou, do you think it was a bit weird that the messenger guy was attacked when we were running to this place?"
While tangentially unrelated, Gorou did not pay less attention to Itto's words. Rather, after hearing them his eyes widened in realization, as the oni had given a point he had never considered. Due to his initial shock of the circumstances at the time, he did not have much time to ponder about it for long, yet what Itto said was true.
If the fighting took place at Nazuchi Beach, then how was the messenger attacked before he arrived at the supposed destination?
"Now that you mentioned it..."
"Just leave it to me, my man," Itto said confidently as he puffed out his chest.
To say Gorou was surprised would be an understatement, "You?"
"Yeah, I've got just the expert who can find out what happened," Itto said knowingly.
The expert he was talking about was more so an exorcist than anything else, but Itto felt like if anyone was going to figure what happened with the messenger, then it would be his sidekick.
Gorou did not give an immediate response, for he needed a moment to think, "You seemed determined, but I can't see why considering your stance on the war."
Itto could see what angle Gorou was going for, which was why there was only one reasonable answer, "Well, it's not like I'm joining your group or anything, but I just need something to distract myself right now."
Perhaps using a person's death as an excuse for his own benefit was despicable, but if he continued to stay here with his rival still persisting in his field of sight, then something uncontrollably worse might happen.
At the very least, he wouldn't do that to Gorou, seeing that the guy was already feeling distressed with how things went.
"...I have to apologize Itto, for I have pegged you wrong when we first met," Gorou said softly.
"Don't know what that means, but save your thanks for when detective Itto solves this case for you."
Having said his piece, Itto retraced his steps as he went to find the body of the messenger, leaving Gorou to his own devices.
The general of the Resistance was inwardly thankful to the oni, as Gorou sincerely needed this moment for himself, his mind steeled at the aftermath of the battle, wondering what he could have done to prevent this all from happening...and his inability to help even when it's right in front of him.
He hated this feeling in the past, he loathed it even more now.
Masanori let out a strained breath as he leaned on the rock wall of a cliff, trying to catch a break from the constant running he had been doing for the past hour, which involved dragging his injured body across a shallow body of water in order to hide himself better from his pursuer.
He had failed.
In his attempt to sway his friend Kenji to come with him to the Resistance, it had only stirred Kenji to vehemently disagree with his reasoning, forcing them to come to blows.
That wasn't all however.
During their duel a black miasma suddenly engulfed Kenji, empowering him immensely to the point that the gap in skill between the two instantly disappeared.
In fact, he was the one who was overpowered each and every time their blades clashed with one another. As a result, It did not take long before he received substantial damage from the battle, which immediately tipped the battle against his favour the longer it went on.
And now, here he was...his shoulder dislocated, a cut wound across his back, and with nothing to show for it.
Despite his plea to his friend, Kenji had ignored all of them by relentlessly attacking with eyes that would haunt Masanori in his dreams. He…just couldn't believe that this was the same man that he grew up with, so the only plausible explanation was that the strange aura was influencing him somehow.
It doesn't matter. Looking at the severity of his wound, it was only a matter of time until he bled out, whether Kenji found him or not.
Still, the deepest regret he had was being unable to save his best friend from whatever that thing was.
"Attaboy Ushi! Looks like we found our suspect, but looking at how roughed up he is, I ain't sure he's the one who—"
Masanori did not get to hear the last part of the individual's sentence, for his consciousness slipped before he was able to regain it. Painfully lifting his head up, he saw his sudden visitor, who appeared to be a young man, and accompanying him by his legs was...a small cow, or was it a bull?
He must have been hallucinating due to the sudden blood loss, so he ignored the imaginary animal as he looked at the person instead.
"Hey there buddy...you look like you need some help there," Itto asked, taking a step forward to check up on his condition.
Masanori quickly panicked upon noticing the oni approaching, "No! You need to leave!"
"Wow, look...I just wanna help. Ushi and I weren't expecting to find someone out here after doing our awesome detective investigation, so a little gratitude would be nice since I'm doing this for free," Itto explained as he raised both his arms up.
"You don't understand, there's a samurai here just like me wandering nearby, and I doubt he would let you go once he lays eyes on you."
Normally, Masanori believed in his friend's kindness, even if Kenji was always rough around the edges, but with the current state his friend was in, he feared for the worst knowing what harm would be brought down upon this random passerby.
Itto thought about it as he rubbed his chin, and after doing so, took a quick glance at Ushi for his sidekick's opinion as well, whose only response was to give him a dry look in return, which gave the oni all the answer he needed.
"...and I'm betting he's the one who did this to you, right?"
"H-he is...a friend of mine, and we had a disagreement of sorts," Masanori replied, struggling to put his thoughts into words due to the excruciating pain.
Itto did not look satisfied by the answer, "Even if you were arguing, ain't no way it should have turned out this bad."
"I don't know how to describe it, but one moment we were evenly matched, then the next he was consumed by this aura of darkness, and as a result, I was completely defeated. I was able to lead him to this place, away from the current battle between the Shogun's Army and the Resistance. Please, you need to run before he finds me. "
Despite Masanori's best intentions, an incident had already occurred, though Itto wouldn't be the one delivering that news as he had other things he wanted to emphasize to the injured samurai.
"Shut up."
This immediately took Masanori by surprise, his attention now turned to the oni who was staring at him with clear irritation.
"I'm Arataki 'Numero' Itto. That means I don't take anyone's order, even if they are almost dying at my feet. Right now, I think you need my help more than me needing your advice, so you can just shove it and let me help you."
Masanori did not know how to respond to Itto's forcefulness, but it did not matter as their conversation was interrupted by an intruder arriving at the scene.
"MAsSaNoRRRRiIII!"
Startled, the two looked upwards for the source of the yell, and upon doing so, saw a lone man descending upon them by jumping from atop of the cliff.
Water splashed around as the man landed menacingly, his eyes then trained solely on one individual; Masanori.
His target on sight, Kenji immediately rushed towards the injured man with reckless abandon, disregarding anything or anyone except Masanori. It was harrowing just seeing his friend with such fury and hate in his eyes, even more so than the many close calls he had fighting the Resistance members at the battlefield.
Masanori braced himself for the worst once he closed both eyes, accepting whatever fate had decided for him.
Due to an unexpected turn of events, Masanori felt not the cold hard steel piercing through his flesh, instead he heard something else...prompting him to open his eyes once more.
Right in front of him, Itto stood defiantly in the face of Kenji's aggression, with his right arm at the forefront, halting the blade's original path.
Itto did not flinch even when the sword seeped a bit closer into his arm, as all he focused on was the intruder who had so much tunnel-vision that they did not even notice the oni's presence.
Well, Itto just had to correct that now, wouldn't he?
"Oi, this isn't the kinda thing you should be doing to your bud, don't you think?" Itto chastised harshly, his eyes flat out glaring at the man.
He had to admit, it wasn't everyday that his skin would be cut open so easily, even if it was a minor one. Regardless, he wasn't an oni for nothing, as he began to push back the attack ever so slightly.
It took a brief instance before Kenji realized there was someone standing in his way, "As if you understand!? He betrayed my trust, and for that I'll have his head!"
Masanori flinched at the statement, as he couldn't believe what he was hearing his friend speak with...such vitriol. Even with the knowledge that his friend was in a state of disarray, he could deny that it hurt him more than any weapon ever had.
"If all it takes to set you off is just someone disagreeing with you, then you need to get your head straight!"
Itto then bashed his forehead against Kenji, staggering the samurai for a brief moment. Before Kenji was able to recover from the sudden attack, Itto followed suit with a strong right hook towards his opponent's chest.
The resulting strike blew Kenji a few distances away, but it did not take long for Kenji to find his footing back as he stomped on the ground hard, ensuring he would not be pushed back any further.
"Huh? Usually that would knock someone's lights out..." Itto muttered upon witnessing his opponent still apparently standing after being hit by the oni.
"L-like I said, Kenji isn't normal right now. Just leave me and save yourself, he's too strong for you to take on," Masanori warned.
"You just sit there while I take care of this. Just cause he took one of my punches doesn't mean I'm the one losing," Itto proclaimed as he cracked both his knuckles, emphasizing that he was only getting started.
Despite the distance between the oni and the still enraged soldier, Itto was able to hear his opponent's voice loud and clear, "If you intend to get in my way, then you shall share the same fate!"
"Bring it on!" Itto yelled aloud, staring down his opponent.
Kenji, in turn, responded by rushing ahead, with his sword being swung around wildly, "DIE!"
A more cautious fighter would have evaded attack, but he was Arataki Itto, and he never ran from a challenge.
The oni made no attempt in evading any of his opponent's swings, which resulted in his left rib being struck by the sharp blade. Despite that however, the attack could do little more than cut the surface of his skin, for Kenji did not have the necessary strength to cut through his flesh.
Before the cursed samurai could withdraw back his weapon for another attack, Itto stopped it mid-way as he grabbed ahold of it with his left hand. Despite Kenji's newly awakened power, he was unable to wrestle control back of his sword from Itto, even with both of his arms attempting to do so.
With his opponent occupied by his weapon, Itto seized the opportunity to counter with an attack of his own as his right hand seized Kenji by the head.
Then, he slammed it downwards as hard as he could.
There was nothing elegant, nor strategic about it. In fact, Itto never put much thought into any of his attacks. After all, what's the point of thinking if his guts more than make up for any of his deficiency in formulating plans of attack?
Kenji could not react to the unorthodox attack, nor could he resist as he found his face smacked right onto the ground, and into it as well, with cracks forming beneath the land due to the strong impact.
"That should be enough to make you cool down for a bit," Itto commented, dusting off his hands.
Masanori wasn't so sure of the oni's assertion, and merely watched in trepidation for the smallest movement from Kenji, yet nothing came about it except the silence that followed seconds afterward.
The injured samurai couldn't believe his eyes, "You...won?"
"Heh, what did I tell you? Plus, if the leader of the Arataki Gang lost out here in the middle of nowhere, then I would lose a lot of my awesome reputation," Itto explained, rubbing his finger under his nose.
Unbeknownst to both Itto and Masanori, Kenji did not drift into unconsciousness from Itto's attack, rather the sudden pain brought to him a moment of clarity.
It was as if it was the first time since fighting Masanori did he realize what he was doing, and the implications of what his actions would have brought to the people around him, most notably his best friend Masanori.
The moment didn't last, as it was immediately overwhelmed by another sensation, one that he could not ignore no matter how hard he tried.
Pain.
"GRRRAAAAGGHH!"
At the unexpected roar, both Itto and Masanori turned to see what brought about this turn of events. What they were met with was Kenji forcefully removing his head from the ground, his body poised listlessly for a bit before settling into a hunchback posture.
Not fully understanding what was going on, Itto lifted his right arm to subdue the man once more...
Only to be pushed back by a stream of miasma flowing out from Kenji, causing the oni to take a few steps back due to the sudden intensity.
This did not stop. Rather, the intensity of the miasma was increasing and decreasing at an erratic pace, with Kenji at the center of it.
There was something unnatural about the scene that Itto was seeing, but he did not dwell on it much as he readied himself for another round with his opponent.
Against his expectations, Kenji did not charge forward. Instead, he was clutching his head in pain, grappling with something that none of them understood before facing both Itto and Masanori.
"My...head. Masanori, I will back off for now, but mark my words, I'll return with the intent of finishing you off!" Kenji proclaimed as the miasma around him flared up in response.
Not a moment after, Kenji ran off in a hurry, his groans of pain could be heard as he left a befuddled Itto and weary Masanori behind.
Itto was about to give chase, but the pained sigh behind him reminded the oni that he should take priority on helping Masanori out before anything else.
"Kenji..." Masanori muttered, his awareness of his surroundings dimming.
"Just stay put man," Itto said, trying to reassure the injured man.
Itto then suddenly remembered that his medical skills basically amounted to almost nothing besides the lightest of cuts. That, and his only hands-on experience was cauterizing a wound, which he certainly could not do alone without some sort of guidance.
In that case, his best move right now should be...
"Ushi, go find Gorou and bring him back here. The guy probably knows more about taking care of injuries than I do."
Ushi then let out a snort, which only Itto understood the meaning of.
"What do you mean you don't know him? You know, Gorou? Has fluffy ears and tail, a bit small for guy too now that I think about it," Itto said, all the while gesturing during his explanation.
Ushi then let out a moo, one that even the barely conscious Masanori could tell was an expression of exasperation.
"Right, I only summoned you after I separated from him...well, I just described him so that should be enough for you to get a picture," Itto said simply.
Ushi rolled their eyes at the oni, before running off to find the general of the Resistance.
"And you! I don't wanna hear about how I should leave you and all that junk so don't go dying on me before Gorou gets here," Itto said, pointing at Kenji.
"H-haha...you might want to take care of yourself first," Kenji replied, managing to chortle out the words.
"What do you—wait, is this blood?" Itto yelled out in realization upon seeing the splash of blood now covering his left hand...
And the droplets of them seeping through the cut wound in his left rib.
To this, Itto had only one thing to say.
"AAAAHHHH!"
Goku didn't exactly know what to think of the scene in front of him.
After finishing his meal, he and the rest of the group had ventured out once more in search of the third stone lantern.
There weren't any issues they encountered on their way here per say, but the destination was what confused them quite a bit.
That was because just a few distances away indeed stood one of the stone lanterns that acted as seals to the Tatarigami, but what was alarming to all of them were the people that were sitting nearby...which Goku counted in his head was five in total.
Even someone like him found it weird there was another group of people just sitting around under the rain like that.
"Well now, isn't this a surprise?" Heizou commented offhandedly, though the tone he said it in gave the martial artist the impression that the Doushin expected something like this to take place.
He usually didn't think about small details like this, but having interacted with so many people here who were more thoughtful than he was used to was starting to rub off a bit on the martial artist.
He did not know what to make of this development.
"They're drunk," Kazuha stated, voicing out his observation.
"How can you tell?" Kaji asked, curious to know the samurai's reasoning.
"Though the rain may wash out the smell, their posture and their movement gives us enough piece to fit the whole picture. That is not even mentioning the bottle of sake laying right at the foot of the stone lantern."
Upon a second look, Goku found that what Kazuha said was correct, which continually impressed the martial artist on how sharp his eyesight was.
"So judging from their clothes, they're from the Shogun's Army right?" Kaji added, though there was a hint of uncertainty at the last part.
Heizou was the one who answered, "No, I believe they are not part of the Shogun's Army, if at all. Would I be correct in that assumption, Kuhaku?"
Kuhaku did not address Heizou's question, rather he walked up to the group, waving at them to catch their attention, "Hello there, it's a surprise to see some of my comrades here, but mind if I ask why are you wearing the standard uniforms for those that are under the Shogun's Army?"
Among the five of them, it was the one at the front who noticed Kuhaku approaching them, seeing that the others were either asleep or dazed.
"Huh? You—"
Kuhaku interrupted the man, "It's Kuhaku. Ku. Ha. Ku. I know I don't have the most memorable face out there but you can't possibly have forgotten someone that you've worked with before, right Kouzen?"
The man now known as Kouzen stared blankly at Kuhaku, his expression groggy as he looked on to Goku and others, before nodding on and off, "Right, right...j-just needed a reminder that's all. Asss for your question...what were we talking about again?"
"They are not exactly sound of mind at the moment, perhaps we should focus on the task at hand before we address their actions," Kazuha suggested.
Realization struck Kaji as he pointed at the other group, "Wait, aren't these the guys who left that note on the last seal we were at? It can't be a coincidence that a few of them were out here, drinking left and right in front of the seal of all places! So they're the ones who released the Tatarigami!?"
"Calm down Mr. Kaji, maybe they just wanted some place to rest and they didn't want to be disturbed?" Kuhaku said, trying to placate the man.
"W-watch what you say! We didn't unleash some sort of curse...it's just the judgement of our Omikami, that's allll," Kouzen slurred out, though clarity was slowly coming back to him.
Goku didn't quite understand what Kouzen meant. Regardless, he had a feeling that Kouzen wasn't supposed to blurt that little tidbit out in the first place.
"So you admit to it. This certainly makes it easier for us then," Heizou said as he now stood beside Kuhaku.
The blank look that Kouzen exhibited changed to one of alertness upon seeing Heizou's attire, "Hey...y-you're one of those Shogunate scums! Wake up my brothers, we-we have an enemy in front of us!"
Despite the loud yell, only one or two of them groggily awakened from his voice, while Kouzen was hastily searching for his weapon, grabbing nothin but air as he stumbled and tried to locate it.
Upon seeing the pitiful sight, Kaji let out a tired sigh, only for his frustration to build up again once he remembered a single fact about this particular group.
"You're telling me these idiots are the ones who ruined my home?" Kaji asked no one in particular, his voice at the cusp of breaking out in anger.
"If I have to guess, they were having a celebratory drink after accomplishing what they sought out to do," Heizou explained.
"H-hah! What's wrong with that? Knowing that our Omikami has returned, we now hold the advantage over those Shogunate scums," Kouzen explained proudly.
"But he hasn't returned. I mean...if he has, I don't think his bones would still be laying around like that," Goku interjected, pointing towards the direction that led to Serpent's Head, "Plus, even if he did return it ain't certain whether or not you guys can win. I mean, Raiden can just show up again like last time she fought with him couldn't she?"
He could still recall the story that Kokomi had told him before, of how Orobashi was slain by Raiden's Musou no Hitotachi during a war a long time ago. Even now, he felt that the outcome of the story was unfortunate for both sides.
Kouzen sneered upon hearing the name, "Psh, the Raiden Shogun is nothing more than a coward, holing herself in Tenshukaku all day. So what if she's the Electro Archon, I bet all those stories of her achievements are overblown."
To everyone in the area, Kouzen's words were outright illogical, as the large gouge that existed on Yashiori Island was more than enough evidence to prove him wrong.
Goku however, did not focus on that fact because he didn't need to.
"I believe them," Goku stated simply, catching everyone's action, especially Kouzen whose attention was now squarely on the martial artist.
"Haaah? And who are you supposed to be?" Kouzen questioned, looking at Goku up and down repeatedly, trying to identify him.
"Goku?" the martial artist answered back, confused.
"Alright Goku, don't tell me you fell for the Shogunate's tricks? Listen up because I'm trying to help you out. If the Shogun is as almighty as everyone says she is, then why hasn't she come here and wipe the Resistance out? Simple, it's because she can't."
It was an obvious point that not just Kouzen thought of, but one even Heizou and Kazuha were yearning to know as well, because this question remained unanswered ever since the Resistance was formed half a year ago.
...except for someone who had a personal encounter with her, that was.
"Cause I fought her, so I know how strong she is. As for not fighting you guys, I think it's because she doesn't see you as uhhh...what was it called again, enemy of eternity? Either that, or she doesn't even know what's going on."
Goku couldn't help but feel that there was something wrong about the last part, because the words she spoke to him made it clear she knew of the Resistance, yet he had a feeling that she didn't know the whole picture.
Ah well, he'll just ask her when he will face her in the future again.
Kouzen let out a snort, "Hah, if someone like you actually fought her and lived, then the Shogun's reputation of strength is a joke. Now I know I alone would beat her if she ever showed up. After all, if she couldn't even finish someone like you, then there was always nothing for the Resistance to worry about."
Kaji showed a face of disgust at the last remark, while Kazuha stepped a little closer to the martial artist. Goku even noticed Heizou's expression grew just a bit darker than usual, though he was still smiling all the same.
Goku didn't understand why they would react so negatively at Kouzen's comment, but he paid it no mind as he gave a response of his own.
"Nah, you'll lose pretty easily."
It was blunt, yet it conveyed everything that Goku wanted to say.
Kouzen's confident smirk completely halted upon hearing Goku's statement, with the lack of clarity that he had shown up till now almost completely gone, as they were now replaced with pure anger.
"Mind repeating that?" Kouzen asked, his teeth slowly grinding against one another.
Goku was not bothered by the abrupt change in temperament, as there was absolutely nothing for him to be worried about.
"You won't win."
Goku didn't know how to explain it in words, but he intuitively knew how strong Kouzen was, even without using his ki sensing technique. He did not explain any further than the short statement, which only served to anger Kouzen further.
"Arrogant words for someone who had never seen me fight. Fine, how about I demonstrate to you the might of a warrior that has experienced numerous battles?"
Picking up his spear, Kouzen went into various motions as he swung around his weapon brazenly with little to no regard to anyone nearby.
Thankfully, no one was caught up in his little demonstration...until he pointed the tip of the spear just shy of reaching Goku's forehead.
"Now do you see how strong I am? Of how much you insult everything I and my comrades have persevered throughout our fights with the Shogun's Army!?" he proclaimed loudly.
If there was any uncertainty before, there was none now. Having seen the techniques Kouzen had displayed with the spear, Goku could confidently say that his assessment was correct.
For one, Kouzen's handling of the weapon, while swift, also showed noticeable gaps with each strike that were easily exploitable. Two, his swings were decent but his balance was flimsy, one good kick would be enough to throw off his footing. Lastly, none of what he displayed would have worked on him, let alone Raiden who had a far better mastery and understanding of a spear than he ever had.
It couldn't be denied that Kouzen possessed some skill with the spear, but to Goku, there was an insurmountable gap in terms of skill when comparing him to Raiden.
It wasn't pessimism, but just the simple truth.
Goku scratched the back of his head nonchalantly, "It was neat and all, but how does that tell me you can win against Raiden?"
"You sure spout a lot of nonsense for someone so ignorant. Fine, If you're so sure of everything you say then don't why don't we have a spar? I'm sure the boy who faced the Shogun and lived to tell the tale can beat someone like me, right?" Kouzen said arrogantly.
It was obvious to everyone in the vicinity that the sobered man was goading Goku into a fight, one that Kouzen believed he would no doubt win.
Without an ounce of hesitation, Goku gave a quick response, "Okay."
Kuhaku was the one to voice out his disagreement with this arrangement, "Hey now, how about we stop this before things get out of hand?"
Contrast to the Resistance member, Heizou found the current situation to be a favorable one, seeing that this way, they would be able to solve two of their issues at the same time.
The first one being the uncooperative behavior of the Resistance; the second being the recovery of the stone lantern.
"I don't see why not. Considering the tension in the air, I feel a sparring match would do just the trick. However, what say we make this more interesting?" Heizou chimed in.
Kouzen gave Heizou a dirty look, "Silence bastard. Just because you stand among us for reasons unknown does not mean we won't get to you yet."
Just like Goku, Heizou acted nonchalant about the threat, "All I'm proposing is that if Goku wins, you will allow us to freely take back the missing components for the stone lantern that's standing right behind you."
For the first time since the conversation started, Kouzen seemed reluctant to answer, "I... don't know what you're talking about."
"You can pretend all you want, but we are already past that stage aren't we?"
Kazuha agreed with the Doushin, "Indeed, whether or not you were caught up in your celebration, I will not speculate. However, the two objects that are woefully hidden right under one of the bush near us tells us an adequate picture that proves otherwise of your involvement."
"Oh, you actually managed to see them right from this spot? Here I am doing my best just to estimate where the location is. While it turned out to be correct, I can't help but be envious of your eyes sometimes Kazuha," Heizou complimented, smirking all the while.
Despite the carefree attitude that Heizou exhibited, there was a certain sharpness to his words that Goku did not know how to eloquently put into words.
After that, Heizou turned his attention back to the other group, "In exchange, you are free to do whatever you want with me if you win."
Now Goku was the one who was taken by surprise, "Eh!? You don't have to do something like that Heizou."
"Oh, but I must...otherwise there really isn't much incentive for them to agree, am I right?" Heizou asked, his eyes turning to the Resistance members that were facing them.
As Goku followed Heizou's gaze, he found that Kouzen and the other four were indeed deliberating on the Doushin's offer as they talked amongst themselves.
"Fine. Once I'm done with him you're next," Kouzen answered, complying with the request but at the same time threatening Heizou.
The Doushin merely shrugged as he looked towards Kazuha, sharing a silent conversation with him before the young samurai stepped up to the position between Goku and Kouzen.
"Then I'll oversee this match, where one wins when the other admit defeat. Is this an acceptable condition of victory to the both of you?"
Goku had nothing to argue about, but Kouzen thought otherwise, "Make it until one of us isn't fit for battle, I want to make sure he knows the consequences of belittling all of the struggles that I've done to get this strong."
Kazuha did not answer the sober man, but turned to Goku seeking whether or not the martial artist would agree to this particular rule, of which Goku gave a thumbs-up, showing his approval.
With that, the others moved back in order for the two combatants to battle in a wider space. As Kouzen grasped the spear onto both the palms of his hands, the man noticed Goku held nothing in his hands, nor looked to have an intention to do so either.
"Where's your weapon?" Kouzen asked, a twinge of irritation at how unworried Goku was treating this sparring session.
"It's stuck somewhere really high up, and I don't think I'm going to be using it for awhile. So, all I got is just me and my whole body," Goku explained casually.
Kouzen scoffed, "Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you."
He didn't, but the martial artist didn't really care about stuff like that.
Once Kazuha signaled the start of the match, Goku immediately disappeared from everyone's line of sight, making his opponent wonder what he had just performed.
...only for Kouzen to immediately fall over as the martial artist reappeared just behind the Resistance member.
In the blink of an eye, the outcome of this battle had become apparent.
"You…what did you do!?" one of the Resistance members asked in disbelief, panicking at what they saw with their own two eyes.
"Hm? The match started, so I attacked?" Goku answered, his confusion shown as he wondered at the point of the inquiry.
Every observer in the area was perplexed about what just occurred, even after Goku's supposed explanation...
All except two, that was.
Heizou and Kazuha were able to follow along his movement just fine. Even so, it did not diminish what Goku had just displayed to them.
To an untrained eye, it almost seemed like he teleported but in truth, Goku simply moved so fast that the others were unable to track. Once he positioned himself behind Kouzen, the martial artist followed up with a light chop to the back of his opponent's neck, effectively ending the fight.
This all occurred in the span of a single instance.
"Goku, don't you think you overdid that just now?" Kuhaku questioned.
"He'll probably wake up in a bit, so it's fine," Goku explained, waving off the concern.
Right after saying so, Kouzen did in fact wake up, his neck hurting as he slowly got up once more. The moment the Resistance member turned his head to find Goku staring at him in an open stance that held no indication he would attack.
"Yo!" Goku greeted amiably.
Kouzen backed away upon seeing Goku, his mind still reeling on what had just transpired, "Hu—What just—"
"You shouldn't get so panicky. After all, the fight ain't over yet," Goku said calmly.
Kouzen stared at the martial artist in confusion. This did not last as his expression morphed to one of anger as he angrily pointed at his opponent.
"I remember now...you coward! To think you would hit me from the back," Kouzen accused, his neck still sore even now.
Goku awkwardly scratched his head at the accusation, "I mean, you could have just blocked it."
The martial artist did not understand what got Kouzen so upset. After all, the attack he just showed was nothing impressive in his eyes.
"Fight me head on like a true warrior, coward!"
Provocative those words may be, Goku paid no attention to them, though there was one word that did linger in his mind.
Warrior.
A simple description, it was. He did not know what it took for someone to classify another person as a warrior, but to the martial artist, anyone that fought in battles with everything they had was enough for Goku to see them as such.
...which was why he was a bit bothered by Kouzen continued attempts to downplay Raiden's capabilities as a fighter.
Having fought with Raiden, Goku knew that could not be any further away from the truth. It did not mean he agreed with whatever she was doing with those decrees, but the martial artist respected her martial prowess, even if his near death experience was solely because of her.
So, to see an opponent he respected to be looked down upon wasn't something that he liked at all, honestly.
Still, he would not lash out in anger, nor would he go out of his way to lecture someone. That simply wasn't his way of doing things. However…
"Alright, but you better give it all you got," Goku answered seriously.
The man stepped back upon witnessing the sudden intensity that his opponent was showing, but quickly disregarded it as he immediately rushed in, with his spear at the forefront.
Just as the tip of the spear was about to thrust towards Goku, the martial artist slightly shifted his upper body at the last moment, dodging the attack just enough for Kouzen to falter from the forward momentum.
Despite the opportunity that presented itself, Goku did not go out of his way to attack his opponent. Rather, he swiftly grabbed Kouzen by the shoulder, and lightly pushed him away, stopping the man from falling in the process.
"You!" Kouzen voiced out, having noticed the failure of his first attack.
Thus, Goku's opponent charged ahead once more. Seeing that the Resistance member was attempting the same method just like before, the martial artist did not see the need to move away from his position.
Despite the ferocity Kouzen was showing, Goku simply deflected the attack while Kouzen was easily pushed aside by the martial artist once more.
Frustrated, Kouzen did not let up in his assault as charged towards Goku, his steps laden with impatience and his heart fueled by anger...
But the results remained unchanged.
It did not matter whether it was a thrust, a strike or even a horizontal swing. None of Kouzen's techniques were able to so much even hit Goku, so the question of harming the martial artist was not even a consideration to those who watched from the sidelines.
This process repeated itself so much that even the observers of the fight had become numb to the repetitive course of events. After an hour of the same result occurring again and again, none of them expected Kouzen to win, not even his own comrades.
After the flurry of failed attempts, Kouzen now stood a few steps away from Goku, his breathing uneven as he clutched his weapon almost desperately.
"Why won't you attack!?" Kouzen questioned, his eyes maddening that he had made no progress in this fight.
"If I did, then you would just fall over again," Goku replied, explaining his reasoning.
Sure, he could put the minimum amount of effort into attacking, but his first attack had been exactly that, and it already showed the martial artist everything he needed to see in this spar.
It was unfortunate, as it was not the answer Kouzen was thrilled to hear, "That's not how a true warrior fights, this is—you're—"
"Yeah, but it's not a fight at all if it ends in one hit, you know?"
It was after that statement that it finally settled into Kouzen's mind, a fact that he had never realized up until this very moment. Up until this point, all the fights he had done in his life, even including the ones that were against the forces of the Shogun's Army were always winnable, no matter the circumstance.
This did not apply to this particular fight.
It was the first time in his whole life that he truly felt he could not win, no matter what he did. After all, how could there be a fight if the level of strength between two opponents were as wide as the distances from Inazuma to Fontaine?
Following this train of thought...
Was this what it felt like if he were to face the Shogun by himself?
No, if her strength was enough to beat the martial artist in front of him then she would have just crushed him instantly if he ever faced her directly.
It was a truth that he was forced to swallow, and one that he could not deny no matter how much he wanted to deny it.
"I-I...give...up," Kouzen uttered out.
Goku blinked, "You sure?"
Though there was the rule that one only lost when the participant was deemed unable to fight, Goku couldn't care less of it, as it was deemed unimportant in his eyes. Plus, it also appeared that Kazuha had no intention of reminding Kouzen of the modified rule either.
"Y-Yes, there's no point to this anymore," Kouzen replied, his face showing nothing but defeat at the outcome.
One of the members behind him felt the need to interject, "Kouzen, if you lose then—"
"Let them take it. Whatever they do with those accursed seals I won't let anyone interfere...it's the least I can do to keep my pride as a warrior."
"And I must thank you for that, even if it's only out of pride," Heizou praised as he walked up to the man.
Kouzen let out a disgruntled snort, "Shut it. I'm not doing this for you, I'm merely keeping my word, that's all."
Despite the insult, the Doushin continued onwards "I know, but there is a lot more to discuss after we put back the components, specifically on the one who orchestrated this plan to release the Tatarigami."
"..."
"I see," Heizou commented as he walked past Kouzen, along a still irate Kaji glaring at the Resistance members.
Meanwhile, Kuhaku went to speak to the other Resistance members at the scene, presumably to convince them that what Goku and the others were doing would not hinder their forces in any way shape or form.
"You continue to surprise me Goku," Kazuha praised genuinely as he now stood right next to the martial artist
"Did I? I didn't do anything that special," Goku answered, bewildered.
Kazuha shook his head, "I'm not simply speaking of your martial prowess."
No further explanation came from Kazuha, which prompted Goku to give the young samurai a weird look.
Kouzen's spirit still dulled, yet the question he had ever since he lost the match bothered him so much that he couldn't help but ask one thing to Goku as he walked towards both of them.
"...Tell me, how did you get so strong?"
The question took both Goku and Kazuha by surprise, but the martial artist was able to quickly come up with an answer.
"Hmm? I ain't strong," Goku said simply.
Kouzen couldn't believe his ears, "What?"
It just wasn't logical. By all possible angles, the opponent before Kouzen was undeniably powerful, to the point that he was even questioning whether all the battles the Resistance member experienced were even fights at all. Even more so since Goku possessed no Vision on his person, indicating that the martial artist's strength came from within and nowhere else.
Goku then turned his gaze to the sea before continuing, "I still got a long way to go, so I can't really consider myself strong yet. That's why I'm still training to surpass my limit at every chance I get."
As Goku's thoughts were occupied by matters that only he would understand, Kazuha saw the small shift in Kouzen's expression. If the young wanderer were to hazard a guess, then it could only be one thing.
Acceptance.
"Tch, none of them are willing to spill on the idiot that started this whole thing," Kaji complained.
Having fixed the stone lantern after receiving the missing components that the Resistance members were hiding, they then began asking questions in regards to the ringleader who commanded the Resistance members to break the Tatarigami seals.
Though the Resistance members were significantly more subdued and compliant after Kouzen's fight with Goku, it was only on this matter that none of them were willing to reveal their leader's identity.
"Come on Mr. Kaji, it's surely because they don't want to drag their comrades' into this any more than they already have. I mean, I would do the same thing," Kuhaku said reasonably.
"Sure, but what difference does it make since they all already admitted to breaking the seals!?" Kaji argued back in slight irritation.
Kuhaku withdrew slightly from the outburst, not knowing how to answer the man any more than he had.
Heizou on the other hand, decided that now was the best time to voice out his own thoughts on the matter, "While it would be nice to have verbal confirmation on who the perpetrator is, not to mention finding this Nathan person that was mentioned in the notes…but it's nothing more than that, confirmation. After all, I already have a very solid idea who our culprit is.."
Kaji's irritation momentarily subsided as he turned to the Doushin, "You do?"
"Yes, but in order to do so, I can only unveil this information once we return to the Resistance's camp. It's only then and there we can catch them off-guard," Heizou explained.
None of them had any idea or even hints to what Heizou had figured out. Regardless, they accepted his reasoning given his great deductive skills had helped in guiding them throughout their journey of recovering the seals.
"Since we're done with all the seals, I think it's the perfect time for us to return. Hopefully General Gorou will be back by the time we get there," Kuhaku said, expressing his relief.
"That may be so, but I do not feel any noticeable shift in the flow of the winds, nor find anything that looks out of place. However, I cannot quite confirm my suspicion as it is mostly guesswork. Goku, you are the one who is most attuned in sensing the Tatarigami, is there something you found different from my own observations?"
"Nah, this weird feeling I have is still around, and it hasn't become any weaker," Goku stated.
The others did not know what to make of this information, as only questions continued to pop up after realizing the implications of Goku's words.
Were their methods perhaps ineffective in recovering the seals on Yashiori Island?
Or perhaps it was because once the Tatarigami was unsealed, it could no longer be contained?
Fortunately for them, they did have a resident expert, or at least that was what Heizou liked to refer to the man as, "That is strange...Kaji, do you have a bit of insight in regards to this matter?"
Kaji ruffled his hair as he thought on the issue, "Urggh, I don't get it either. All three seals on the island have been fixed, and unless I'm—oh."
"Oh?"
"Forget it, it's not possible in the first place," the man answered, throwing the absurd idea out of his head.
"Does it have anything to do with the sudden breeze coming from the sea?" Kazuha chimed in, as he looked towards the wide ocean.
The others followed suit, including Kouzen and the other Resistance members who were curious about what was going on.
What they saw next astounded them...
Where they were supposed to be a patch of nothing but water for all to see, were now replaced with some sort of scattered ruin rising from beneath the waters.
"What is that?" Kuhaku couldn't help but utter his surprise.
"It couldn't be— Fort Mumei!?" Kaji yelled out in disbelief.
Heizou placed both his arms across his chest as he tried searching through his memory of such a name, but came out short in the end.
"Can't say I ever heard of it."
"Not surprised there, it's pretty unknown to a lot of people. Even I don't really know much about its history, just that it was sunk a long time ago."
"It's there!" Goku shouted for all of them to hear.
"What's there Goku?" Kazuha asked.
Goku's eyes were staring directly towards the middle of the new ruin, "The last thing we're trying to find. I can sense a lot of it coming from that place."
Kazuha quickly picked up on what their next action should be, "That means if we fix the last seal the Tatarigami can be contained again."
Many thoughts started to float around in the group's heads, mostly on immediately heading out towards Fort Mumei together just like they have done for the past three stone lanterns.
Heizou however, had other plans installed for all of them, "...Goku, how about we leave this to you and Kaji to handle?"
Everyone was surprised by the Doushin's proposal, to say the least, including Goku.
"You sure Heizou?"
Heizou merely gave the martial artist a playful smirk, "It would be foolish of me to doubt your capabilities now. Besides, we can't very much bring these good fellows with us if all of us were to head downwards to investigate Fort Mumei."
That was true, considering it would more than take a bit of time for them to reach Fort Mumei from their current location. This was not even mentioning that their group had essentially doubled in size, which would hinder them considerably if they continued travelling together.
"Then why just me and him?" Kaji pointed out, not quite onboard with the idea as the martial artist was.
"Well, if I come along then Kuhaku would have to as well, seeing as I'm supposed to be under his watchful eyes at all times. Kazuha could come along with you guys, but let's just say there's a certain something that I require of him so it would be less than ideal if he does not accompany us back to the Resistance's camp."
With the way Kazuha responded, Goku gathered that the young samurai was not informed of this decision, but did not voiced out any disagreement with it either.
Kazuha sure was able to adapt no matter the situation, huh?
"Fine. I know how to fix the darn thing already, so I need the extra protection just in case anything crazy happens," Kaji said somewhat acceptingly.
"Great, then we're in agreement," Heizou said cheerfully, before turning to a certain Resistance member, "Kuhaku, do you mind telling your good companions to follow us back to your base of operations? If they need a bit of convincing, please inform them that I have no desire to question them any further."
Kuhaku nodded, albeit slower than expected, "I'll give it a go, I'm sure they'll agree with what you just said."
After Kuhaku ran off to the other group, Kazuha took this opportunity to begin his inquiry on his role, "Heizou, what is it that you require of me when we return?"
"Perfect timing, let's talk about it in a place where ears aren't as prevalent, shall we?"
With that, the two left towards a spot further away from the Resistance's group, leaving only Kaji and Goku alone by themselves.
"And there they go, talking all so secretively over there like it's so important. Anyway, I'll be counting on you."
"Hehe, you bet!" Goku said, brimming with confidence.
Acknowledging Goku's words with a nod, Kaji then went away to check up on his belongings in order to ensure that he was ready for the journey ahead.
With everyone else busy with their own matters, Goku turned from the spot Goku was standing on as he now looked back to a specific location, one he just had a battle on as well.
Serpent's Head.
It was melancholic no matter how many times his eyes gaze upon its structure, but Goku managed a smile despite it all, "Don't worry. We'll make sure everything's back to normal before you know it."
With his piece said, Goku turned around to seek out the others, or at least, he was about to until he heard something quite peculiar.
˹Thank...you...˼
Goku's head whipped around in astonishment, yet no matter how hard he stared at it he had no repeat encounter with the unknown voice he just heard.
The martial artist wondered...nah, he was probably just overthinking it.
"Her Excellency, she's disappeared!"
That was what Tsuyuko heard as one Izumi Naki ran past her in a frantic manner, presumably to inform the other shrine priestesses of this new development.
Contrast to her fellow priestess, Tsuyuko was at the very definition of calm, seeing as this sort of sight wasn't as rare as one might think.
Tsuyuko thought through it for a bit, and concluded that there was really only one place Her Excellency would be.
The shrine maiden walked to the back of the Sangonomiya Shrine, where giant clam shells were stacked upon one another that had existed for as long as she could remember stood there, awaiting her arrival.
With not a hint of hesitation, Saki climbed slowly but steadily...until she saw someone standing at the very top, gazing into the distance.
"You Excellency, it would appear you've finally awakened from your nap."
A soft smile graced Kokomi's lips as the Divine Priestess now faced towards her, "No. I was just drowning for a very long while."
"Really? Now you're saying the same thing as our guest, and here I thought that you were saving him, not sharing secrets between one another. Is there something I should know about?" Tsuyuko asked, teasing the girl.
Kokomi's cheeks reddened lightly, a reaction that Tsuyuko easily caught onto before her normal facade returned, "If you're referring to Goku, then it was simply because of how circumstances turned out."
"Because of how circumstances turned out?"
"Because of how circumstances turned out," Kokomi stated as if it was a matter-of-fact.
Well, Tsuyuko supposed it was enough teasing to make up for the days that she didn't. Now, onto the topic she wanted to discuss.
"Tsuyuko, are you perhaps trying to tell me something else about Goku?" Kokomi asked.
It seemed Her Excellency was as sharp as ever, "Yes, it's just that...he suddenly disappeared off the island."
"I know. He's on Yashiori Island at the moment," Kokomi answered, the tone coming off as an obvious answer rather than one that was made out of vague guesses.
"He is?"
That certainly caught Tsuyuko by surprise, as the last thing she heard of him was Goku sneaking into Her Excellency's room, only to quickly leave right after Saki spotted him.
However, how exactly did Her Excellency know of his current location when she had been asleep all this time?
Before the shrine maiden could even ask, Kokomi beat her to the punch as she continued the conversation at hand, "Please inform the guards positioned at the port to prepare for a small boat for me to set sail on, as I am heading out towards Yashiori Island at once."
Working already right after waking up, this certainly remained an aspect of Her Excellency that hasn't changed.
Yet, Tsuyuko knew the girl did not like handling such matters, but did so because she was the only one with the required capabilities.
It was saddening, really. Her Excellency's existence had always felt lonely, even with Tsuyuko's best attempt in trying to connect with the girl more. Though she was able to peek through her public persona from time to time, the shrine maiden had never seen the Divine Priestess completely open with her...or any of the residents here, be they priestesses of the Sangonomiya Shrine or a villager from Bourou Village.
Tsuyuko sincerely hoped that one day that circumstances for Kokomi would change sooner than later, even if slightly.
Regardless, the shrine maiden put those thoughts aside for now, "Very well, I'll set out immediately per your instruction."
"As for the question you were about to ask...I know of Goku's whereabouts only because I have seen everything Goku has done ever since he woke up," she surmised, with a hint of playfulness in her voice.
Her Excellency did not elaborate after that, but Tsuyuko did not question her further either, for she walked away with a smile adorned on her face.
As Tsuyuko left out of earshot, Kokomi's smile faltered as she continued gazing at the scenery, her mind still swarming with thoughts that she needed the time to herself in order to reorganize them.
"...There will be various matters that I will have to attend to when I arrive on Yashiori island...yet the one I'm hesitating the most on is my decision concerning Goku."
Truly, the role of Divine Priestess was not one that Kokomi could take lightly, even now.
AN: This chapter marks the actual debut of Kujou Sara on this fic. I initially thought Sara would be one of those tengus in some media (Touhou canon/fanon) that are able to make their wings appear and disappear at will, but according to lore , it doesn't seem to be the case eventhough the gameplay points otherwise so…I'll just stick with the idea that she has wings out at all time to avoid confusion for myself. Also, expect her not to just use a bow like her in-game self.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter just so I can see how much I will botch it up.