"Mou, Mori, you're too stiff. You need to get out more. If you keep making that face, all the children will be scared of you."
"Akatsuki, I know we're not in Edo anymore but that does not mean that you must lose all semblance of decorum. As it stands, you're the head of this family and this village. You must set a decent example for all these children you rescued."
Asia followed behind the dynamic duo closely. On her shoulder, the smaller Mori said nothing and merely watched the two with a mix of emotion in her reptilian eyes. This memory was clearly not something either of them had expected to fall into right in the middle of battle. However, Mori had assured Asia that time in their shared mental plane passed differently to time in the outside world. The difference in time would be sufficient for them to experience the whole memory in its entirety.
"Mori, we have to go through the whole memory for our Mystic Gear?" Asia asked.
"Yes. The whole basic concept of the bond between an Enchanted Guardian and the Exorcist was developed by me and Akatsuki to form some sort of mental bond. It's only natural that our memories will seep into each other. Whether or not it happens when initially accessing the Mystic Gear is entirely dependent on the Guardian and the Exorcist," Mori replied.
Asia turned her head back to see Akatsuki being smacked in the back of the head by Mori.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Akatsuki demanded, rubbing the back of her head.
"That was for rubbing my horns without my permission. You know that I hate it when people touch my horns," a red-faced Mori said, covering her horns with her hands. She pouted at Akatsuki, whose annoyed face soon transformed into one of mirth.
She soon started laughing and walking down the path, followed by an annoyed Mori.
"You were… very different back then," Asia commented.
"It was a simpler time, I guess. Mind you, she only recently began returning to her old self," Mori said.
"Recently?" Asia asked as they followed the two.
"Akatsuki was a foolish girl. She was similar to you. Endlessly kind and unsuspectingly charming. She looked helpless and hopeless but was anything but. And she helped everyone around her. She… was the strongest person I knew and the only human I've come to ever admire. Even after beating me with everything in her repertoire, she still held her hand out to me," Mori said.
"So what did happen? Why is… What was she like before this?" Asia asked.
"Watch the memory play out. You'll soon realize the root of the hatred that runs deep into this village's core. The reason why Shuen went to the lengths it did in order to unleash Moryo's powers back into the world," Mori said.
"I still don't understand," Asia said.
"You will soon," she replied.
Yasuo raised his arms and blocked the flaming blade of Suwasumeragi. He clenched his jaw as he felt himself beginning to slide back. While he was sure they did not notice it, Yasuo had long since felt it. He needed to hasten his efforts to finish them.
Shin thrust Secace into his unprotected abdomen but his efforts were foiled by a well-timed defensive maneuver from Yasuo, who shattered the blade with Moryo's powers. He was thrown back when a wave of ki was expelled from Yasuo's body.
"Why don't you just leave this battle? You are a Furude! You should understand what our family, our village has been through at the hands of the Five Clans and the Tsuchimikado! And now… your mother… your aunt… your family seeks to stamp out the purity of our blood, the only legacy we have left of our ancestor!" Yasuo roared, unleashing a shockwave of energy that sent powerful winds across the entire forest.
Shin raised his arms, protecting himself from the intense winds.
"Screw your blood purist ideologies! You're trying to justify killing millions of people to satisfy your own lust for power!" Shin yelled.
"Impudent fool!" Yasuo appeared in a burst of violet lightning and thrust his hand toward Shin's skull.
Kureha appeared in between them, using her Balance Breaker to take the blow. The extra arms of her battle avatar grabbed Yasuo's body and violently slammed him into the ground before throwing him into the air.
"Ravel!" Kureha yelled.
Ravel kicked off her shoulder and fired several massive phoenix-shaped missiles at Yasuo. They exploded violently upon impact and bathed the surrounding area in orange light.
"Useless!" Yasuo swiped his hand, splitting the air in front of him and shattering Ravel's attack. He clapped his hands together. Lighting cracked and clouds began to form in the skies above. The clouds parted and the head of a massive dragon peaked out from the center.
Ravel's eyes widened.
Yasuo clasped his hands tightly together and the dragon roared. It hurtled toward her and was about to strike when it was promptly sliced in half by a wave of translucent blue flames.
Shin stood before her, Secace held before him. Blood poured from his mouth as he fell to one knee.
Crap… I forgot… the more I use its Sacred Sword Release, the more blood it drains from me, Shin thought, glaring at the hovering Yasuo.
"You don't look too good there, Shin. Whatever happened to that bluster you had earlier? But then again, you were never as talented as your older sister, be that as it may. You still have some uses," Yasuo said.
Violet flames began to collect and swirl around Yasuo's body. "Behold, this spell was born from the power of the Divine Dragon. Let's see how you, a Devil, and you, a half-breed, can deal with this."
The flame began to grow larger, condensing into a glowing sphere that bathed the entire forest in lavender light.
Shin straightened himself and tightly gripped Secace and Suwasumeragi in his hand. His eyes began to glow blue as he summoned every ounce of power he had at his disposal.
"S- Shin! What are you?" Ravel asked.
"I need help."
"Then let me," Kureha said, landing next to him. "What do you need?"
"Time," Shin said. "I need time. I'm not used to Secace all that much so I need time to modify it and fuse it with Failnacht. Ran, you hear that?"
Ran appeared on Shin's shoulder and nodded.
"As you wish, Master," Ran said.
"Good, now go!"
The three shot off, towards an eager Yasuo, who grinned maniacally and hurled the orb at them.
Asia had been following them for what she perceived was several hours. The two had walked about the entirety of ancient Serikawa. Asia noted that the mountains that once surrounded her family's ancestral home were no longer there or rather, they had been nonexistent prior. And so, she followed the two to an elevated area that managed to overlook the village, however, it was a considerable distance away.
Still, Asia saw the breathtaking sight in all its entirety. Despite Serikawa being a small and humble village, she got a sense of nostalgia just seeing it from a distance. It looked like an evanescent dream that one always desired to keep within reach.
"Akatsuki," Mori said. "You're awfully quiet. Are you still thinking about what happened in Edo a few winters ago?"
Akatsuki smiled and glanced over her shoulder. She turned her head back and gazed out over the village.
"Am I really that easy to read? The entire incident did bother me. To think that my affiliations would interfere in the future of my own daughter," she said. "I knew of Master's infamy and his rivalry with Lady Seimei but I never knew their scuffle would be so blown out of proportion to the point where we, the Twelve, would end up like this. At least, Riku will be happy knowing that he's always going to keep one-upping me."
"Himejima and his spawn. At least Riku knew how to keep an air of politeness and respect, his spawn, however, was only there to peacock in front of the Chief Exorcist," Mori said.
"Yeah… maybe if I had Ouka show off a little more, Suzaku would have chosen her," Akatsuki half-joked.
"Ouka does not need Suzaku. Ouka is already making a name for herself out there in the land. Each time she returns home, she brings another outlandish tale of how she encountered this beast or defeated this swordmaster. At some point, that girl might surpass you," Mori said.
"Mmm, but Ouka will need support someday. I'm still holding out the hope that she will get through to Rin one day," Akatsuki said.
"Rin?" Asia asked.
"Tsuchimikado Rin. She is the daughter of Abe-no-Seimei, the founder of your modern-day Exorcist arts, and Ashiya Douman, her rival. The two had a complicated… relationship to say the least. She is also… a loathsome figure," Mori replied.
"Loathsome figure?" Asia asked.
"In a few moments, you will realize the truth of that day. The truth of your family's rivalry and hatred of the Himejima and the other Principal Clans and of the Tsuchimikado House themselves," Mori said.
"What are you-"
"Mmm? Isn't that… Kuroha's?" Akatsuki noticed a cloud of dust running in their direction.
"Doumon's Shikigami?" Mori finished.
Akatsuki knelt before the rather fast tortoise as it stopped at her feet. She saw a letter attached to its shell. She gently picked the turtle off the ground and unstrapped the letter. As soon as she did, the turtle faded, reverting to its original form.
She stared at the paper katashiro laying in the palm of her hand before switching her gaze to the scroll in her other.
"Mmm…" she unfurled the scroll and began to read its contents. Her eyes widened considerably and the scroll incinerated in a plume of violet flames in her hand.
"Mmm? Akatsuki? What's wrong?" Mori asked.
"We need to get back. We need to get back now!" Akatsuki yelled.
"Eh? Now? What's happening-"
Mori froze when she sensed a mass of signatures in the distance. She sensed three particularly large energy signatures, all of them rivaling the Daiyoukai of Edo.
"What? What's going on? What was in the letter?" Mori asked, following after Akatsuki, who now had a grim look on her face.
"They're coming. She's… I… She's finally gone mad," Akatsuki said. She slipped a Black Talisman from her sleeve.
"Kakeragenpu: Ryuuou, come forth at once!"
Asia watched as a brilliant violet light erupted from the talisman. The light coalesced together, taking the shape of a sword. As it died down and faded into scattering glowing cherry blossom petals, she saw it. The so-called divine sword of the Furude.
However, despite the magnificent descriptions attributed to it, Asia saw nothing more than a simple blade. For that was all it was. Ryuuou was nothing more than a simple blade in appearance. A chokuto with a single-edged pitch black and silver blade with an equally dark handle. It lacked a tsuba like the katana she was used to and its dark sheath was strapped to Akatsuki's waist.
"We need to go warn the village now. That damned girl. How far is she going to take this!?" Akatsuki cursed as she sprinted toward Serikawa.
"This day is… that day isn't it? The one everyone keeps talking about whenever they talk about the history of the village," Asia said.
"Hmm. On this day, Serikawa was attacked by three of the Five Principal Clans led by Riku Himejima, the First Suzaku along with the first Seiryuu and Byakko," Mori said.
A loud explosion caught Asia's attention. A plume of smoke rose from the village and she witnessed a cloud of dust pouring out from the forest. Swarms of people descended upon the unsuspecting village as if it were a dying insect about to be ripped and dismembered by a swarm of ants.
"Mori! We need to-"
"We can't. This is just a memory. There is nothing we can do," she replied.
As if the world had heard her words, the scenery drastically changed and Asia found herself standing at the entrance of the village. A wave of nausea overcame her and she fell to her knees, hand over her mouth suppressing the urge to vomit.
Corpses were strewn all over the streets. Soldiers clad in armor and exorcists wearing white robes, each with the symbol of the respective clans marched through.
Asia watched as men were butchered, children were set ablaze and strung up, and women were defiled on the streets where they marched.
The sound of a hooves caught her attention and she turned to see a man dressed in black robes. His hair was a dark shade of violet, similar to that of Akeno Himejima and he possessed the same pink eyes. But there was a difference between him and Akeno. Akeno's eyes were far warmer than the cold, unfeeling gaze she was seeing.
"Hmm? It looks like… Akatsuki is just going to let us raze her village?"
She turned to see another man arrive on horseback. He was dressed in similarly dark robes and had grey hair with yellow eyes.
"Hmph, I did not think it would be this easy," a woman said, walking up to the gate. Unlike the men, she was not atop a horse. She had pitch-black hair and golden, catlike eyes. "What do we do, Riku? We did not come here to cause wanton chaos. We came here to take down Akatsuki-"
"We came here at Lady Tsuchimikado's orders to eliminate the traitor, Shinra. She and the other remaining twelve must face justice for the death of Lady Seimei and Ashiya Douman," Riku said, hopping off his horse.
"D- Death of Abe-no-Seimei and Ashiya Douman?" Asia asked.
"That day was hazy in and of itself. Akatsuki and the others just happened to be in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Unfortunately, she lost her husband in the process of her escape," Mori replied.
"But Riku-"
"Mah, Togame. Save your breath. Besides, why do you even care? She is a filthy traitor. It's only right that her traitor village burns alongside her. At least I get to have some fun with it." He licked his lips as he hopped off the horse. "Right, Himejima?"
"Save your breath, Kushihashi. We're here to finish this job," Riku said, taking a step forward. He stopped when a blue bolt struck the dirt before him. He narrowed his eyes and looked ahead to see his soldiers being struck with a storm of blue energy bolts.
"They're rounding themselves," Togame said.
Asia watched as a swarm of exorcists appeared on the rooftops, coming in a swarm of katashiro.
The soldiers and exorcists were caught completely off-guard by their sudden appearance and were eviscerated by the surprise attack.
The remaining soldiers, who had witnessed it, stopped their revelry and regrouped as the defending force rushed to meet them.
"Don't retreat!" one of the commanders said. However, a blue wave of energy severed his head from his body.
The energy wave traveled at high speeds.
Riku raised his hand and uttered an incantation, creating a large shield that dispersed the wave.
"T- That's our Suzaku for you!" the other samurai and exorcist said upon witnessing such a feat.
"Do not let up. This is our home! Drive out the intruders!"
"Mmm? Is that… Ouka?" Togame asked.
Asia turned to see a young woman with violet hair standing at the head of the exorcists. She held her katana tightly and leveled it at the oncoming army. Her red eyes glinted in the light of the flames as she spread her feet apart.
"Onigari-Ryu…" Ouka lowered her stance.
Riku's eyes widened as he gathered flames into the palm of his hand.
"Eh? Riku? What's going on-"
"Isshin…"
It was as if Asia had witnessed someone becoming the very concept of speed itself. To her relatively untrained eye, she was barely able to see her initial movement. All Asia witnessed was the sheathing of the blade.
And in a gleam of silver light, the silence was shattered by the sound of screaming and mutilation. Horses neighed as they were instantly cut down and several soldiers howled before dying in agony. A single slice had cut through the entire advancing line with the exception of Togame, Riku, and Kushihashi.
Riku lowered the severely damaged barrier and glared at the girl.
Ouka merely returned his glare and let out a declaration. "CHARGE!"
The entire village came to life and battle cries resounded throughout the entire area.
"Do not let a single one live," Riku ordered as he thrust his hand forward. The exorcists and soldiers all roared and charged forward to meet the army in the middle.
However, their clash was interrupted by a violet blur landing in between them.
A silver flash left several streaks of white light in its wake before it died down.
In an instant, the ground was split apart and a massive gust of wind knocked everyone away from both sides.
Ouka stabbed her blade into the ground and narrowed her eyes. "M- Mother!?"
"Ouka. Keep the line behind me," Akatsuki said, sheathing Ryuuou. The dust cleared, revealing her in all her glory.
"S- She's here," Kushihashi said, swallowing a ball of spit.
Riku narrowed his eyes. Before he could take a step, his head was instantly severed from his body. As his decapitated head flew through the air, he witnessed his entire army being cut down in an instant. And as he landed on the ground, Riku saw Akatsuki's merciless red eyes and the faint violet aura around Ryuuou.
"Riku!"
He blinked and saw Togame staring at him with beads of sweat dripping down her forehead.
He grimaced and wiped the sweat off his own forehead.
To attack us with such powerful bloodlust and make us foresee our own deaths. Akatsuki-neesan… Riku clenched his fists.
"Why are you here, Riku, Togame, Aoba?" Akatsuki said. "I leave my village for a few hours and I come back to you and your families on a pillaging and raping spree. You have two minutes to state your intentions or your heads are coming off your necks."
"Y- You! You arrogant! Just because you were Vajra, do you think you can just-"
Aoba suddenly fell to his knees. He lost his ability to speak and a suffocating pressure began to envelop him. A pressure that was nearly similar to that in feeling to the depths of the ocean floor. All he could muster was to meet Akatsuki's cold, unfeeling crimson gaze.
"Can you not tell?"
Akatsuki turned to see Riku walking forward. Fire surrounded him with each step and he drew his blade.
"You… no, you and your entire spawn are finally being brought to justice. You and your kin are a dangerous existence to the continued order and safety of the land. Edo will not stand by with you still alive so on the orders of the Emperor and of the Chief Exorcist, we shall eliminate you here and now," Riku said.
"Eliminate? I see… Riku… no, Suzaku. Why are you really doing this? What did I ever do to you that would drive you to wipe me and my entire family out!?" Akatsuki demanded, unleashing a wave of touki.
The ground shook violently and the flames that were burning at the forefront of the village were instantly dispersed.
Riku stood his ground, despite the fear he was beginning to feel. "This… our allegiances have nothing to do with this. Since the beginning, I've always hated you, Akatsuki. This… is personal." A glint of hatred shone in his violet eyes.
Akatsuki went silent and thinned her lips into a line. "I see… then…"
Riku suddenly found himself being thrown back at great speeds. His body plowed through his army before landing unceremoniously a considerable distance away from Serikawa. He groaned in pain and shakily sat up.
Asia stood to the side, having seen it all. Akatsuki's strike was not only fast to the point where she was incapable of seeing it but also powerful. Riku had become a human bullet, plowing through the entire army and leaving a bloodied trail of pulverized corpses in his wake.
"Is this…?" Asia watched in morbid fascination as Akatsuki dashed through their forces. Her strikes were fluid, switching from offense to defense in an instant. The exorcists and samurai of the three families were no match for her.
"Akatsuki was the strongest of the Twelve Generals of Ashiya Douman. There were very few in this aura that surpassed her in both combat and magic. And two of them were killed. As for what Himejima said, it can be boiled down to an inferiority complex and innate jealousy toward her. Akatsuki was a nobody, an orphan born to a ronin and his wife while he was from a rather well-off family in Edo. The name Himejima was in the process of being established and he was the star until she came. For even if she was aligned with Ashiya Douman, Akatsuki's antics were becoming well known and she became famous for her prowess in swordplay and the mystic arts," Mori said.
A loud explosion rang out as a massive blue dragon burst into existence. It let out a shrill roar before flying toward Akatsuki.
"Seiryuy, huh? Onigari-Ryu:..." Akatsuki filled her blade with touki. A violet glow enveloped the sword as she drew it in a single fluid motion. "Tsujigiri."
A violet line etched itself into the fabric of reality, slicing everything in its line of sight.
The manifestation of Seiryuu was dispelled in an instant and Akatsuki landed on the floor.
"Moryo's power."
Asia turned to see Riku, hovering in the air. "Togame. Aoba. Do not hold back with her. If she accesses her Mystic Gear Armament, it is over," Riku said. "The rest of you, level this village."
"Riku!" Akatsuki roared as she turned on her feet to stop them.
However, she was forced to jump in the opposite direction as a large metal claw came down on where she stood. The Earth was shattered and five deep trenches were carved into the very earth.
"Kch! Move, Togame!" Akatsuki yelled.
Togame hesitated to attack, allowing Akatsuki the opportunity to move past her.
However, Aoba was waiting for her on the other side. Lightning filled his fists as he stamped his foot on the ground and threw a high-speed finger jab at Akatsuki.
She twisted her body and jumped over him, grabbing his head with her free hand and slamming him violently into the ground.
"Incredible," Asia commented.
Her eyes could barely believe it. She was combating three of the Five Principal Clan heads evenly. Each strike was met with a counter and every movement was read with such utter precision that it appeared that Akatsuki was toying with them.
"..." Mori remained silent as the battle unfolded.
Riku gritted his teeth and jumped back. "Archers, concentrate fire on our location."
Akatsuki's eyes narrowed. She suddenly jumped into the sky and thrust her blade downward toward Riku.
Riku's body exploded into a plume of smoke the moment Akatuski's blade made contact. The ground exploded and a deep crater was left where Akatsuki had landed.
"Take this!"
A wooden dragon clad in electricity slammed into Akatsuki, sending her sliding across the clearing.
"Haaaah!" Aoba roared as he summoned more wooden dragons.
"Onigari-Ryu… Gotamashiki." Five crescent slashes were seen from the dragons as they were instantly fragmented.
"You call that a wood phase?" Akatsuki asked. She snapped her fingers and reverted them to their original shape. "This is a wood phase."
A massive wooden dragon with violet eyes roared violently before charging toward them. Violet flames burst from the wooden dragon's skin as it opened its mouth to swallow Aoba in a single gulp.
However, the dragon was sliced into three along its length. Togame stood before Aoba, panting as she stared at Akatsuki, who was walking toward them.
"She's winning," Asia said.
"Unfortunately, this battle does not end the way you think it does. As the battle goes on…"
Asia heard the screech of a massive bird and felt a wave of intense heat wash over her. She turned her head to see Riku hovering in the air, suspended in flames that took the shape of a massive phoenix. The phoenix towered over the land, bathing the surrounding area in its warm orange glow. It let out another screech that dispersed the clouds.
"Is that…?" Asia asked. Fear was building up in her chest and she unconsciously took a step back.
"Suzaku. The Vermillion Bird," Mori said.
Two more roars caught her attention. A massive white tiger manifested around Togame and a large blue eastern dragon formed around Aoba. The two let out roars that shook the ground violently, cracking the earth and sending waves of electricity and air across the land.
"Tch! The Celestial Beasts… you're really going all out just to kill me. Fine then," Akatsuki said. She tightened her grip on Ryuuou. Flames surrounded her body and her eyes began to glow.
"Kakera-Meikyo-Fu… Matoi Kajiri: Kakera Ryuujin…"
A massive tower of violet light pierced the sky. Akatsuki's hair grew longer and a pair of golden curved horns appeared on her head. A massive violet halo appeared behind her with three magatama spinning lazily at the center. An aura of violet flames and lightning surged from her body.
Suzaku screeched and dove toward Akatsuki. Akatsuki disappeared from her spot and darted toward the bird. The bird swiped its wing, attempting to slice Akatsuki in half.
However, as the wing approached her body, her body dispersed into fragments of light, before reforming along its wing. She ran across its wings, swinging her blade, and leaving visible trails of light.
She hopped off the bird and turned to see Seiryuu with its mouth open. Blue lightning gathered inside its maw and fired at her.
Akatsuki kicked off the air, dodging the lightning bolt, and twisted her body to avoid a swipe from Byakko.
Akatsuki flipped and landed on the ground, narrowing her eyes as Byakko brought its paw down atop her.
The ground exploded, sending rubble and wind across the entire clearing.
"So this is the strength of Byakko? You've sacrificed speed for power," Akatsuki said, standing atop Byakko's paw. "Let's see how it performs in the defense department."
With one leap, she appeared in front of Togame and delivered a devastating kick to her midsection, dispersing Byakko's head in a single blow.
"She's using your power to break the Celestial Beasts," Asia said, noting how Byakko dispersed in the same manner as her friends' attacks.
Seiryuu snaked its way behind her, attempting to incinerate her with a blast of lightning.
However, Akatsuki turned around. Flames coalesced into arms and held the jaws open.
"Onigari-Ryu: Muto Obororenge - Mugen Zan," she uttered.
Her body disappeared, forcing Seiryuu's mouth shut. However, a straight violet line was drawn across its head.
Seiryuu fell to the ground, its body dispersing into harmless particles of energy. Aoba lay motionless in the middle, blood pouring from his mouth as he coughed. He had been bisected at the waist. His entrails spilled out across the field.
"She… She killed Aoba in one hit," Togame coughed, getting back on her feet.
"AKATSUKI!"
Akatsuki turned to see Suzaku and Riku diving toward her. She gritted her teeth as she blocked his attack, sliding across the clearing. "Khhh!" she dug her heel into the Earth, holding back the immense weight of the flaming bird before her.
"TOGAME! EVERYONE! CONVERGE ON HER!"
Akatsuki peeked out of the corner of her eye and saw Togame in her Byakko avatar charging toward her.
She manifested several arms of energy and gripped Suzaku tightly. She smirked as she threw Suzaku into Byakko, knocking them to the side.
Akatsuki jumped back, avoiding a hail of arrows and spells that threatened to skewer and incinerate her.
After gaining some distance, she clapped her hands together. Red flames similar to what Suzaku used appeared around her and her eyes turned red.
"What did she just…?"
"My powers are that of Separation and Fusion. She's fusing the flames she ripped from Suzaku's body to herself temporarily in order to utilize Suzaku's powers," Mori explained.
With a single spell, Akatsuki let loose a torrent of red flames that surged across the ground toward the army.
A wall of Earth erupted from the ground, blocking the flames.
A massive shadow appeared around her and she looked up to see Byakko slamming into her. Akatsuki winced in pain when she felt Byakko's jaws clamping down around her arm, its teeth shredding into her flesh.
"Khhh!" Akatsuki swung her sword at its face, cutting across it and forcing it to let her go.
She jumped into the air, gripping her arm and using Moryo's fusion to force her arm to heal.
A screech caught her attention and she spun, unleashing a ring of violet light that sliced Suzaku's wing off, causing it to crash into the army below.
Akatsuki landed in the middle of the army, causing them to stumble back. She kicked off the ground and disappeared in several streaks of violet light, cutting down the people around her.
Byakko's roar broke through the clearing once more as Togame arrived to assist Riku and the others.
"Amazing, but… with those two and the army, she can't keep this up," Asia said.
"She can't. Even with Ouka's help, Byakko and Suzaku will eventually wear her down."
The memory shifted as time progressed. The armies continued to clash. Akatsuki's small forces led by Ouka were routing and whittling down the army brought by Himejima, Kushihashi, and Shinra while Akatsuki continued her battle with Togame and Riku.
The land was littered with bodies from both sides and the Earth was scorched and burned.
Asia heard the clashing of blades and the roars of beasts in the distance.
Akatsuki stood amidst a circle of corpses, blood pouring from her body. Violet energy enshrouded her and one of her horns was now broken. She panted as she kept her gaze on a severely injured Togame and Riku, both of whom were on their last legs.
Akatsuki dashed toward them, using all of her effort to catch them off-guard. She appeared in front of Togame, bringing her sword down on top of her.
Togame caught the blade, struggling to keep Akatsuki from slicing her in half. She fell to one knee, blood pouring from her mouth as she bit her cheek.
Asia watched as Riku moved to assist her.
The two fought Akatsuki, blades and spells clashing together. And then, Akatsuki parried Togame's claws and drove Ryuuou into her chest.
"TOGAME!" Riku yelled.
"Ah… ah… Riku, I'm…" she fell limp on Akatsuki's blade.
Akatsuki pulled the blade out and caught her before she fell, gently lowering her to the ground.
"You! YOU…!" Riku charged toward Akatsuki with reckless abandon.
Akatsuki turned and glared before parrying each one of his rage-filled blows. She drove her knee into his solarplexus, knocking the air out of him before driving Ryuuou's hilt into the side of his skull.
Riku hit the ground violently. He coughed, staining the already red Earth with more blood as he propped himself on his hands and knees.
He looked up and saw Akatsuki pointing Ryuuou's bloodstained blade at him.
"It's over, Riku. You've lost. Togame and Aoba are dead. You're all alone. Take your forces and leave my land," Akatsuki demanded.
Her voice left no room for any verbal argument. It was not a request but rather an order. And Asia, even through a memory projection, could feel the sheer authority she commanded from others, including those who were seen as her peers. This was the true influence of the one known as Vajra and remembered as a godlike figure amongst her descendants.
She saw the look of fury, denial, and indignation on Riku's face as he refused to give in to her demands. Something drove him.
"You think that… we will be cowed by you? You underestimate us too much," Riku said, slowly getting up and holding his broken arm.
"I see. Then, die with your regrets," Akatsuki said. Lightning and fire surged from her body as she raised Ryuuou into the air.
Before she brought it down, she quickly turned on her heel to slice a bolt of blue energy in half. Togame had her clawed hand raised weakly and with that final attack, her hand fell to the ground and she fell limp.
"Togame, you were still- Uhrk!?"
Akatsuki felt a sharp pain in her lower back. She quickly turned and kicked Riku back, sending him skipping across the Earth. Akatsuki stumbled and fell to one knee, using the energy constructs of her Mystic Gear Armament to support herself.
She reached behind her and pulled out a small tanto, stained with her blood. The pain she felt was growing worse. It took all of her remaining stamina and effort to remain upright, and even more so just to throw it away. Something was wrong. She should not be this affected by a simple tanto.
"What is this?" she coughed into her hand, staining it with splatters of blood.
"Ehehehe… Ahahaha… Lady Tsuchimikado went through a lot of work to get this. But it seems like this poison works wonders against you, Sword Saint," Riku laughed, shakily getting to his feet.
"P- Poison?" Akatsuki coughed up a massive amount of blood.
Black lines began to etch themselves into her skin, slowly crawling up her neck and reaching the edge of her jaw.
"What's happening to her?" Asia asked.
"A lethal poison from a foreign land. Through unknown means, Rin Tsuchimikado was able to acquire it and it was used against Akatsuki when she used the Kakera Ryuujin. It worked wonders against her and… allowed for her inevitable fate," Mori said.
Asia turned back to see Riku slowly walking toward Akatsuki.
The now-poisoned and weakened Akatsuki stood, gripping Ryuuou weakly. Her Mystic Gear Armament was beginning to fade. Even from Asia's green point of view, she could clearly see that Akatsuki's remaining efforts were focused on defending herself to the point where she could barely maintain her Mystic Gear Armament.
"Killing me… won't stop this. She's using you just like she used us," Akatsuki said, coughing in between her words.
"Filthy words from a traitor. With this, justice shall be delivered upon you," Riku said.
He thrust his blade forward.
Akatsuki's eyes widened as she barely managed to deflect the blade, sending it to the side. She jumped back, ignoring the pain she was currently feeling. Each movement she made was tearing her muscle apart. Breathing was now becoming painful with each passing second and each blow she blocked felt like it was going to pulverize her bones.
Riku appeared in front of her, swinging a flaming blade in her direction.
Akatsuki raised a shield to deflect it, causing the fire to shatter harmlessly upon the barrier.
"Akatsuki! Stop this! The more power you use, the more you-"
"I can't let him. My children… My village, I can't let them take that away from me too! I promised Kiryuu that no harm will fall on our daughter, even if it costs me my life," she roared. "So… Moryo, please!"
A violet aura surged through Akatsuki as she lunged forward, feeling a newfound strength surging through her.
She closed the gap between her and Riku in an instant.
"AKATSUKI!"
"RIKU!"
A flash of light enveloped the entire area, shaking the entirety of the region with violent tremors. A shockwave exploded outward, flattening everything for dozens of miles and would have knocked aside the entire army had it not been for Ouka's last-minute barrier.
The dust and smoke settled and the results of the clash almost made Asia's heart drop.
Akatsuki's blade was stabbed into a flaming wing, barely stopping it from reaching Riku's chest. Meanwhile, Riku's katana was embedded deep into her chest, skewering all the way through. Blood dripped down the tip of the blade, staining the ground.
"Ahh… ah…" Akatsuki coughed up blood, staining Riku's dirtied robes.
Riku pulled his sword out and Akatsuki fell to the ground, landing on her back. Her Mystic Gear Armament dispersed along with Ryuuou.
"It's over…" Riku panted.
Or, Riku thought it was. A black-violet miasma began to emanate from Akatsuki's body. It slowly rose into the sky, taking the shape of a massive eastern dragon, whose sheer size eclipsed the rolling hills in the distance.
The miasma landed and coalesced, taking the ever-familiar human form of Mori that Asia had grown accustomed to.
"Akatsuki! AKATSUKI!" Mori yelled, holding her friend's body in her arms.
"M- Mori… I…" she whispered. Blood trickled down her mouth as she reached out and touched her cheek. "I'm sorry…"
"No, Akatsuki! Stop talking! I… I can fix this! I can heal you! Just conserve your energy!" Mori begged, tears streaming down her face.
She placed her hand on Akatsuki's chest, uselessly channeling her draconic power in an attempt to fuse Akatsuki's heart tissue back together.
"I… can't… the poison's already made its way to my heart. Even if you could repair it, Riku's poison will kill me anyway," Akatsuki whispered.
"NO! I REFUSE! DON'T SAY THAT!" Mori yelled, forcing more power into her dying friend.
"Moryo… you're my best friend. You… Ouka… and the other children are all I have left so please… look after her," she said.
"You look after her! Don't pass your parenting responsibilities to me! It's supposed to be you who is her mother! You're supposed to be the one seeing her through life! To see her be wed! To see all that she will be! So… please… don't leave me," Mori whispered as she closed her eyes and pressed her head against Akatsuki's hand.
Akatsuki's eyes widened slightly before a sad smile came across her face. "I'm sorry…"
Mori opened her eyes when she heard Akatsuki's words. She looked into her friend's once vibrant, red eyes, which were now dull in color. Her breathing had stopped and that smile was all that was left on her face.
"M- Mother…?"
Mori turned to see Ouka falling to her knees, tears streaming down her face upon seeing Akatsuki's unmoving form.
"It's over… It's finally over."
Mori turned her gaze toward Riku, who was barely able to remain standing. He had spent the last of Suzaku's infused power to defend himself from Akatsuki's final attack.
"Akatsuki… AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Mori let out an ear-piercing inhuman roar as black aura surged from her body.
And from there, the darkness engulfed everything and Asia found herself standing in pitch-darkness.
"What? That's it…?" Asia asked.
"You know what happens from there but since this is my memory, my head is a bit fuzzy in what actually happened. All I remember after this was Ouka using the Ama-Kakera-no-Ken to sever half of my power from my body and seal it beneath Benizakura," Mori said, hovering in front of her.
The image of a colossal black dragon rampaging through the land played before her. Asia almost vomited at the brutality of Mori's actions. Riku Furude was hovering before the dragon, being slowly and brutally dismembered. Limbs torn off, skin peeled from the bones, and his entrails slowly dragged out from his body.
With a roar, the sky was lit ablaze, boiling the lakes, and her rampage shattered mountains with her tail and raised storms with a swing of her arm.
However, the memory was once more cut short when Asia saw a glowing blade slice through the world.
"That day I lost trust in humanity. My friend, who promised to be with me forever, left me. The humans who she trusted hunted her down like a dog and killed her. Suzaku… no, Riku, revered her in the past. Yet, in the end, he turned on her for the promise of power… or rather, whatever Rin Tsuchimikado had promised him. And in the end, the faith and love Akatsuki had for those around her were used against her in the end and the people she left behind suffered most," she finished.
"But I won't be like that."
Mori looked up and turned to face Asia.
"You won't lose me. My family isn't like that. I trust them and they trust me," Asia said.
"Master…"
"Akatsuki wouldn't want you to be held down by her death. She left everything to you and trusted you in the end. Even after her death, I can tell she only thought of how you and her daughter can live on without her. Even if you still think that the world is hopeless, I'll show you that you can still learn to trust others… even if it takes me millenia!" Asia declared.
She held her hand out toward Mori and she had a smile on her face.
"So, won't you come to see the world with me, Moryo?" Asia asked.
Mori's eyes widened. A few tears streaked down her chin as Akatsuki's image overlapped with Asia's form.
"Just because you're an evil dragon doesn't mean that you're actually evil. The world just thinks you're evil because they don't understand you. Come on! I'll show you! So… won't you come to see the world with me? Will you lend me your powers, Mori~?"
Mori chuckled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Ahahaha, what a blockheaded master you are. Well then, Master. Call the blade. Call the blade that carries my power."
Shin blocked the searing violet flames unleashed by Yasuo. He clenched his jaw as he slid back and dug his blades into the ground. His chest heaved up and down as he stood back up.
"That power of yours is annoying. Do you really need an Evil Dragon's power just to deal with a bunch of dumb kids?" Shin asked, taunting Yasuo.
"You really have your parents' worst qualities, don't you? You and your sister both," Yasuo said, wiping a streak of blood from his mouth.
"I guess that's why we're so good, aren't we?" Shin said, gripping Suwasumeragi and Secace tightly. He glanced to his right and to his left.
Kureha and Ravel were standing. All three of them were beginning to get winded. They needed to find a way to break Yasuo's defense quickly otherwise, the man would outpace and overpower them eventually.
Tch… do I really have to try and use that? I never even accomplished it even with all of Yeshua's advice, Shin thought.
You're just another weakling who abandoned themselves in pursuit of power and a shallow dream. A husk with no purpose in life…
"I'll show you a husk," Shin whispered as he stood straight and glared at Yasuo.
"Let's finish this, Shin!" Yasuo charged at Shin, becoming a violet comet.
Shin clenched his jaw and held his blades, ready to defend himself.
However, before Yasuo could reach him, a streak of violet light slammed into Yasuo, knocking him to the side and sending him crashing into the face of the mountain.
"What the…?"
"Is that…?"
Ravel and Kureha were at a loss for words. A wave of both draconic and holy power washed over them as the dust cleared to reveal a pair of silver wings along with a recognizable broken halo shimmering above the owner's head.
"Asia, you…," Shin said. His eyes flitted to the glowing violet chokuto in her hands.
A torrent of violet flames and lightning exploded from the mountain and surged toward Asia.
Asia tightened her grip around the blade and swung it, shattering the flames into shards of light. The shards harmlessly dispersed into particles that fell like snowflakes to the ground, fading away as soon as they touched the earth.
"You… dispersed my attack? How-!? No… Impossible," Yasuo said incredulously as he sensed the energy emanating from her- or rather, her sword.
Asia lifted the glowing blade and pointed it at Yasuo, allowing the violet light to fade away, scattering into a million glowing petals as it had once done for its original owner. Asia's green eyes contained a faint red light within them and she stood resolute, gripping the sword with utter determination as she chanted the legendary words its original owner did centuries ago.
"Kakeragenpu: Ryuuou, come forth at once."
Akatsuki Furude
The legendary founder and head of the Furude Clan. She was the companion to the Dragon of Fragments.
She was famously a member of the Twelve Companions, bearing the title of Vajra as the strongest.
Originally an orphan whose parents were killed by a roaming rampaging demon known as Ryuun, she embarked on a journey using the nameless sword art taught to her by her Ronin father. With her skills growing with each battle, Akatsuki eventually slew the demon with the legendary blade that could shatter Heaven itself.
Her legendary escapades would soon end in the defense of her home against the machinations of the Five Pillars and the Daughter of Yin and Yang.
We are finally reaching the near end of the Serikawa Arc. Following this, we will move on to the Romania Arc- yes, I moved that particular arc up early because it's important in setting up a lot of major events that come down the road. This arc in particular helps set up the later Kyoto Arc which I won't go into because of spoilers. Just know that the lore and some of the names you hear now will play a role down the road ahead, particularly Rin Tsuchimikado. And we finally have Asia gaining her Mystic Gear after... 15 or so odd chapters of this arc at the climax of the fight too! And we finally get a reveal on who Mori actually is, though that last chapter should have tipped you off if anything. Or if you're just smart, the previous chapters! The fight will end with the next chapter. We'll peek into how the others are doing back at Serikawa before taking off back to Shin and the others and then, we just wind down the arc, close, and move onto Romania! With that I bid thee adieu, and see you in the next chapter.