Chapter 21

Meanwhile on the other side of Tokyo…

Toshi was taking his kids out for some fun. Granted, they are still the size of eight year olds, however they insisted on having a good childhood. "We don't want to grow up too fast." Explained his son Kota.

"Indeed father, we like these sorts of things. But, I think we will join our cousins soon enough and age ourselves accordingly." Aiko said.

Toshi snickered to them and nodded. "Either way, I want you three to be happy, so, where to? We just came back from the park, it's still early and it's too soon for lunch…" he had the kids out since early this morning for breakfast. His children were taken aback that restaurant around here served such a thing in the early hours. They thought they only did lunches and dinners.

It was a nice little surprise for them.

"Ice cream!" the three decreed.

"After lunch!"

"Aw!" they protested.

Toshi smiled to them. Never, in a million years did he believe he could have a family like this… especially with the way he is. However, it found its way to him, and it was all he could ask for.

They walked the streets like a loving family, when something caught the interest of his son Kaito. In fact, he paused for a moment and looked around. "Dad…" he whispered.

"I'm aware" he whispered back.

Ever since they left the park, he noticed three men oddly trailing them. Why would they? Toshi hasn't seen these men before, as well, their appearance makes it rather clear.

They are not Japanese.

"We are going to keep moving, but for the moment, don't look at them, just keep moving" he whispered gently.

His children nodded. He felt their hands tighten around his. Kota even switched so his sister would be closer to Toshi.

He was hoping he could keep moving until he found a daemon gate to take, and yet the moment he came close to one, it closed suddenly. "Divine creatures… are trying to corner us?" whispered Aiko.

Toshi knew this too, Suiryu warned him that there are divine creatures who dislike dragons. If these creatures are working with the slayers or sorcerers… there may be little options left.

"Dad… I'm scared," whispered Aiko.

"I know you are… be brave just a while longer, we're going to get out of here." He promised. Yet, as he peered up again, he found more people dressed in black surrounding them.

"One wrong move, freak, and you die where you stand!" one of the men called. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to your… children now, would you?" he asked in a distasteful tone.

Looking about, Toshi knew the odds did not favor him. These men know of him, so they know the moment he releases blood, it's an attack. He can't bleed out as fast as the other brothers, and in the time it takes for him to accumulate that much blood… one of his children could end up hurt or dead.

He sneered, but put his hands up. "Don't harm my children." He said.

The men in black smiled. "That's… not to me to decide…" He took out a sword and held it to Toshi's throat. "Now then, turn around… and do as I say… you won't lose your head that way."

#

He tried to think of a plan.

Something… anything at this point!

All Toshi could think of was focusing on his brothers, Choso mainly. He made certain his heartbeat was in a rush, fearful and scared so it would express the urgency of the situation. All the while as he walked, his children clung on to his legs fearfully.

They were too scared to speak at this point, they just followed his led and kept silent.

Toshi, was walked into an old sake factory.

The irony isn't wasted on him at this point.

Yet, when they went inside, the place was cleaned out, except for this odd machine he had never seen before.

"Let go of him," the man demanded the children.

They refused.

Their grip was tighter than ever before. "Don't hurt our father!" cried Kota. "Please, he hasn't harmed you!"

The man smirked. "No, but he can, can't he? Let go… or I cut you from him!"

"Binding vow" Toshi said bluntly.

"What?"

"Make a binding vow with me, I will do anything you say. But don't harm my children!"

The man was taken aback but smirked. "So be it, an agreement. You do everything I say, I won't harm your children. Agreed?" his hand extended out, Toshi already did the incantation in his head to make the binding vow, Sukuna of all people explained how. But as their hands met. Toshi turned to his children.

"You need to let go, be brave okay?" he said gently.

His children were in tears.

Kaito refused to let him go, but he was eventually pulled away by his brother Kota.

The children were taken to the far wall, surrounded by three men with long swords. "Now then, your side of the agreement. You see that over there? Get in!" he ordered.

Toshi paused to the machine he had never seen before, it almost looked like an alien chamber pod. Yet the mechanics of it…

"What is it?" he asked.

"Not part of the agreement, you want to break your binding vow now? I have no issue in letting your kids take the fall for your lack of… cooperation." He said in a seedy tone.

Toshi sighed and walked towards the machine pod. He stood before it.

"Get in,"

Looking to his children, he sighed as he did what was told of him. Stepping into the pod, Toshi turned and was sealed in.

Then, it was turned on.

"Now then, the explanation… this here is the latest device we dragon slayers have created for our cause, for you see. It has come to our attention that the dragons are in high numbers here in Japan… but there are thousands more curses than dragons. So, two birds, one stone. We are going to use the curses as a power source for our new age weapons… you get to be the first battery we make!"

He froze.

The machine began to hum, but there was a strange sound coming from inside. In the corner of the pod was an odd, large marble of sorts. No one, not even Toshi took notice of it.

Inside the pod began to light up, and then… he felt as if his life were being pulled out of him.

"Ugh… AH… AAAAHHHHH!" he screamed. His body began to reveal his curse form, all the eyes were open, looking desperately for a way out. He tried to break the glass, but found his strength vanishing by the second.

"Sir, we have already charged three weapons!"

"Ooo, this was a good one wasn't it…"

His eyes were cutting out, Toshi was rendered to his knees as he stared at his children. He tried to mouth to them, run… but he couldn't summon the strength.

"Good, the process works, kill the children."

"NNNOOO!" he roared.

The man smirked. "You made a binding vow with me, so I don't take the lives of your children… you never made one with the men who follow me."

But he knew that too. In fact, none of the slayers noticed the blood trail he left behind. With his last ounce of strength, he made a crimson shield and covered his children. 'Please… hold' he prayed.

He couldn't stand. Toshi saw parts of his body breaking away into the same dust and smoke he has seen curses turn into when exorcised. He couldn't stop it, and now… He can only hope that his children will survive without him…