Chapter Thirteen: Heading to Kyoto
13-1
"The Next Day"
The three of us slept until the next afternoon. I stared intently at the screen of the SONY BRAVIA TV, gripping the PS4 controller tightly. It was the crucial moment.
As I was about to press the buttons to unleash Naruto's most powerful ultimate technique, the "Tailed Beast Ball," suddenly,Shigeru exclaimed, "Ah!" completely disrupting my thoughts. My fingers froze in mid-air, and I forgot I was even playing PS4.
When I snapped out of it, I realized Naruto had been defeated by the Chibaku Tensei unleashed by Madara in Six Paths mode.
"..." I shut off the PS4 console in frustration and stormed into Shigeru's room, ready to confront him.
"It's all because of you! You made me get defeated by Madara! Now I have to start over from where Obito is!" I said, feeling annoyed.
Kagami gave me a disdainful look. "Brother, now isn't the time to play Naruto."
"Do you still remember that prophecy?" Shigeru, who was browsing the internet on his iMac, turned to ask me.
"The prophecy... Oh! It's that one: '"In hundred years, when daylight perishes and darkness descends, I and my other self will be reborn and merge in the rift of time. Then the world will return to nothingness."
Even though I had almost forgotten about that prophecy, I was surprised that I could articulate it so clearly, even to myself.
"'I' refers to the guy sealed by the Powerpuff Girls Z five years ago, and 'another me' refers to the seal we unlocked at Miyako's house last year. When the two merge into one, it becomes Jagu..." Shigeru speculated with certainty.
"What about the phrase 'when daylight perishes and darkness descends...'? What does it refer to?" I asked, and Shigeru opened a webpage.
On it was written:
【Reported by Yomiuri Shimbun journalist, Taichi Matsuda, Sunday, January 3rd, 2016】
March 9th, 2016 is a significant day.
This solar eclipse phenomenon is a rare spectacle in a hundred years. Unfortunately, the total eclipse zone is very narrow, visible only in a few areas around the world. Fortunately, it can be observed throughout Japan, with the Kanto and Kansai regions of Honshu being the best places for observation.
The brief news bombarded my mind instantly. The phrase 'when daylight perishes and darkness descends' doesn't refer to nighttime but to a solar eclipse...!
"We should inform Momoko and the others about this discovery," I suggested, and so the three of us immediately set off for the research institute.
"International Scientific Research Institute."
"I see... 'Him' will resurrect on the day of the solar eclipse..." Professor Utonium furrowed his brows deeply.
"If that's the case, there are only two months left until the solar eclipse!" Peach said nervously.
Momoko asked, "Now, another question is, what does ' the rift of time ' refer to?"
Ken speculated from the side, "It should refer to the intersection of space and time, which is a different dimension..."
At that moment, Kagami suddenly seemed to remember something, "I remember now, I once read about it in a book at my home!"
"!" Kagami's words immediately became the focus of everyone's attention.
"Is what you said true?" Professor Utonium asked, looking very nervous.
Kagami grinned foolishly, "Um... but everything written there is in ancient text... I can't understand it at all!"
I pounded his head with my fist three times, "Then what's the use of mentioning it?!"
"Otherwise, why don't you all come to my house to find the information?!" Kagami cried out in pain, clutching his head and crouching on the ground. After he said this, everyone fell silent.
Shigeru spoke up, "Isn't your adoptive family in Kyoto?"
"Are you referring to the Midou family in Arashiyama, Kyoto?" Kaoru suddenly asked, her tone becoming tense. The exaggerated expressions of th Powerpuff Girls suddenly seemed as if the Prime Minister of Japan had appeared in front of them.
Kagami chuckled in response, "Yes, indeed. My family is indeed in Arashiyama, Kyoto."
"What's so special about his family? Why are you all so surprised?" I asked.
Unexpectedly, I was bombarded with saliva from Momoko, "Idiot! The Midou family in Kyoto is a prestigious family! Even people from the Kanto region should know that!"
"I'm sorry, I used to live in Hokkaido!" I retorted weakly to Momoko's bombardment.
But hearing Momoko's words, I remembered that Kagami's adoptive family was the renowned martial arts family in Japan, even highly regarded by the Japanese imperial family.
"I didn't expect Kagami to be the adopted son of that family!" Miyako also found it unbelievable. The dumbfounded Kagami turned out to be a young master.
"Alright, I've already booked the Shinkansen tickets for you!" Ken's efficiency was astonishing. It turned out that while we were chatting, he had already booked the tickets for us on the JR website.
"Tomorrow morning at ten... meet in front of Tokyo Station... don't be late!" I checked the train schedule; the train was scheduled to depart at ten past ten.
So we all dispersed and went home to pack our luggage.
"Akatsutsumi Family"
Seeing her sister Momoko busy packing her luggage in her room, a curious Kuriko approached and asked, "Sis, are you planning to elope with Yuzuhiko?"
Momoko was in the middle of organizing her clothes. Upon hearing Kuriko's question, her hands shook, and her cheeks turned red. "What are you talking about?! I'm going to Kyoto with Miyako and Kaoru to visit a friend's house!"
Kuriko still didn't give up and asked, "Oh? Is that so? Then why do you look so sneaky?"
"Of course, why would I elope with that useless idiot?! Momoko said with a firm tone, but the blush on her cheeks didn't fade.
At that moment, Momoko's mother, Kakiko Akatsutsumi, walked in and handed Momoko a small box, with a meaningful look in her eyes, "Mom knows that your relationship with Yuzuhiko is getting better and I don't oppose you two dating, but... safety measures are still necessary.
I don't want to become a grandmother too soon."
Momoko then realized that the thing her mother handed her was actually a box of condoms! Momoko's face turned as red as a tomato as she exclaimed, "Mom~~! What are you thinking!? Yuzuhiko and I haven't reached that point yet!"
Kakiko had a smirk on her face, "Really? Then what point have you reached?"
Momoko shoved the box back into her mother's hand, her face burning, "Regardless, we definitely won't be needing these!"
Kuriko watched the commotion with a mischievous smile, "Sis, Mom is just looking out for you~"
Momoko stomped her foot in angry, "You two, stop talking already! I need to pack my luggage!"
"In that case, we won't bother you with packing anymore... hehe..." Kakiko and Kuriko chuckled as they left Momoko's room, leaving behind a deeply embarrassed Momoko.
"At the Same Time, in a apartment in Setagaya, Tokyo"
"Achoo~~ Achoo~~ What the…!" I sneezed twice in a row.
As Shigeru put his MacBook Air into his backpack, he asked me, "Are you catching a cold?"
I rubbed my nose and said casually, "I think it's just an itchy nose... but I can't shake the feeling that someone is talking about me behind my back..."
"Be careful not to catch a cold, brother,"Kagami kindly reminded me.
"Gotokuji Family"
Kiyoko said earnestly to Miyako, "Miyako... Kyoto is considered the hometown of the Japanese people and the city of etiquette with a history of thousands of years. When you visit someone's house there, you must be mindful of etiquette."
Miyako responded spiritedly, "I'll definitely pay attention!"
Kiyoko nodded and said, "Hmm... then I can rest assured letting you go... But, can I ask you one more thing, Miyako?"
Miyako felt a bit strange suddenly, "Grandma, what is it?"
"Are you very fond of Kagami?"Kiyoko asked bluntly.
Kiyoko's question made Miyako blush profusely, but she didn't deny it, "Um... Although Kagami is a bit clueless, for some reason, whenever I'm with him, I feel very at ease... Although I also like Takaaki very much, my feelings for Kagami are different. I have a feeling that I want to stay by his side forever..."
Kiyoko patted Miyako's head and smiled kindly, "Silly child, the feeling you have, it's more appropriate to call it love rather than just liking."
Blushing, Miyako murmured to herself, "Love...? Do I love him...?"
Kiyoko smiled contentedly, "If it's Kagami, I believe he'll be a trustworthy young man. I've already accepted him as my grandson-in-law, hehe~"
Miyako shyly exclaimed, "Grandma~ You're teasing me~"
"Matsubara Family"
While doing push-ups, Tokio said, "Kaoru, don't forget to exercise when you're in Kyoto!"
"I know, Dad!" Kaoru replied energetically.
Tokio stopped doing push-ups and wiped his sweat with a towel, "Speaking of which, how are you and Shigeru doing lately?"
Kaoru answered somewhat puzzled, "What do you mean? Shigeru and I aren't doing anything special."
Tokio patted Kaoru's head, "I see. Well, if you don't take the initiative, a good man like him might be snatched away. I really like that kid."
"?" Confused, Kaoru looked at her father with a face full of question marks.
Sighing, Michiru said, "Ah, poor Shigeru. My daughter, you're going to make him worry a lot."
13-2
"Kyoto Station"
I looked at the Powerpuff Girls' backpacks and outfits and instinctively thought they were going on a picnic!
I rolled my eyes at them and said, "Get it straight, we're not here for sightseeing!"
Momoko pouted and said to me, "What's the big deal? This is our first time in Kyoto!"
"Young Master Kagami and esteemed guests, we've been expecting you for quite some time!" Suddenly, a group of elderly people dressed in ancient retainers' clothing spoke to us, and a grand Rolls-Royce appeared before us.
Shigeru asked Kagami, who was sitting next to him, "How much longer until we reach your house?"
"Hmm, now we're passing through the yard. It should be about another 20 minutes to the entrance."
"It takes 20 minutes just to get from the yard to the entrance, huh, pfft!" Momoko suddenly spat out the cola she was about to swallow. Fortunately, she was sitting by the window.
Kaoruand Miyako asked in unison, "What?! You mean all this bamboo forest we're passing through is just your yard?!"
Kagami looked completely unfazed, "Yeah."
By the way, we were traveling at a speed of 120 km/h, which means there were still nearly 40 km from the yard to the gate.
Twenty minutes later... , we finally reached the gate of the Midou family estate.
"What a magnificent gate...!"Momoko exclaimed, looking at the castle gate in front of us, which was about ten stories high, with a pair of ridiculously large golden Nio statues flanking it.
Kaoru glanced at the Nio statues and tentatively asked, "They're probably gilded, right?"
Kagami corrected her, "No, they are 100% pure gold."
Shigeru said with some shock, "Just the statues in front of the gate are worth several billion!"
Miyako added, "I bet even Himeko's family can't compare to this."
Suddenly, the originally closed gate opened.
"Welcome back, Young Master Kagami!" Hundreds of people dressed in ancient clothing warmly welcomed us. We were stunned when we saw Kagami's house. Inside, there were dozens of traditional Japanese houses and a five-story pagoda, the kind you only see in period dramas. This was essentially an imperial palace!
Even the houses across from us seem endless! Is this really a city!
Kagami turned to us and said, "Don't carry your luggage all the way. I'll have someone take it to my room."
With a snap of his fingers, a group of strong men took our suitcases from all six of us and professionally carried them towards a grand castle ahead.
Shigeru curiously asked, "Your room?"
Kagami pointed to a magnificent castle several hundred meters ahead and said, "That's my 'room.'"
Kaoru's jaw dropped in astonishment. "That's called a 'room'? I thought your whole family lived there!"
I widened my eyes. "Whose room can be built as a castle?"
Momoko joked quietly to Miyako, "Looks like once you marry into this place, you'll have to learn not to get lost here, huh?"
Miyako blushed deeply. "Momoko, what are you talking about? Kagami and I aren't at that stage yet!"
Kagami approached an elderly man and asked, "Jubei, where are Father, Mother, and the Sisters?"
"Yes! The Master and Mistress are attending a martial arts competition in Okinawa... Miss Hina is teaching tea ceremony in Himeji, and Miss Tsukihime went to Kyushu for an international Ikebana competition. They won't be back for half a year," the elderly man replied.
Kagami's expression showed surprise. "Oh, so everyone's not here."
"That's not important, let's hurry and find that book!" I interrupted their conversation.
"Alright, Jubei, could you please escort us to the study?"
"No problem, it's a small matter!"
Before long, six people brought six horses over, and I was a bit puzzled by the sudden appearance of the horses.
I grabbed the reins and exclaimed, "It is exaggerating! Riding horses inside the house?!" Thankfully, I come from a ranch in Hokkaido, so I'm not unfamiliar with horseback riding.
"It's actually quite fun!" Shigeru, relying on his extraordinary physical intuition, instantly grasped the essence of horseback riding.
Kagami calmly replied, "Because it would take two hours to walk!"
Watching him effortlessly control the horse was like watching him eat or drink.
But Momoko and Kaoru weren't so optimistic.
Momoko screamed while trying to avoid being thrown off the horse, "How big is your house?!"
Kaoru gripped the reins tightly and grumbled, "This is ridiculous, behave!"
"Good child~" Unlike Kaoru and Momoko, Miyako's horse behaved very well and was very obedient.
After some twists and turns, we finally arrived at the study.
Looking at the shelves that were about three stories high, we were all stunned. There were at least hundreds of thousands of books here!
"When are we supposed to find it?!" Momoko asked, seeing the towering stacks of books.
"Don't worry, I know where it is!" Although Kagami looked silly, his memory was so strong that even we were in awe.
He quickly jumped to the top of one of the shelves, grabbed a book, and jumped back down.
Shigeru took the old, yellowed book with fading ink, titled "Kojiki," which was a self-explanatory title.
Written in ancient characters, it was understandable considering the book was at least fourteen hundred years old, passed down from the Asuka period.
We handed it to Shigeru for interpretation because he was the best in history and literature among the six of us.
After about five minutes of browsing, Kaoru, feeling impatient, asked, "Well? Can you interpret it?"
"Hmm... the gist of it is..." Shigeru began translating for us. "The correct point in the space-time rift is at the six-connected small temple in the depths of Mount Hiei, and the necessary item to open the rift is the Four-Colored Pearls, each controlled by one of the Four Gods. To open the space-time rift, the pearls must be inserted into the grooves in front of the small temple on the day of a solar eclipse, when the Four Gods will also appear."
"Four Gods? What are they?" Momoko asked.
Kagami answered our question, "They should refer to the Four Gods that have guarded Kyoto since ancient times: the Seiryuu, the Genbu, the Byakko, and the Suzaku."
"So, we can only take action on the day of the solar eclipse?" Miyako concluded.
Kagami suggested, "In that case, why don't you stay at my house until the day of the solar eclipse!"
"Yay!"
"That's great!" This immediately received enthusiastic cheers from the five of us.
Unknowingly, it was already evening, and the sky gradually darkened, so Kagami led us to his family's dining room for dinner.
When we entered the so-called "dining room," we were once again stunned; it was practically a high-end Japanese restaurant!
Around us were chefs cooking fresh ingredients, and as far as we could see, there were at least hundreds of dishes!
And there were only the six of us dining, so it was as if we had booked the entire place.
Just the private room we were dining in spanned at least a hundred square meters. Poverty really limits my imagination!
"Octopus sausages!"
"Meatballs!"
"Eel eggs!"
The girls each grabbed their favorite foods and enjoyed them heartily.
I piled up heaps of fried pork chops and grilled meat, while Shigeru grabbed grilled fish and bamboo shoots.
Kagami took a bite of fried shrimp and said to us, "Eat as much as you want."
After we were all full, it was time to take a bath!
"Your house even has a large bathhouse?!" I asked.
Kagami laughed and said, "Yes, and it also has natural hot springs."
So we split into two groups, boys and girls. After we three finished washing up and went to soak in the outdoor hot spring, Kagami's face suddenly turned grim.
Shigeru noticed his change in expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
Kagami's voice trembled slightly as he said, "Yuzuhiko, Shigeru, I forgot to tell you something, I was afraid you'd freak out if I said it."
I rubbed my hands together eagerly. "What is it?!"
"When entering the bathhouse, although there are separate entrances for men and women, when it comes to soaking in the outdoor hot springs, it's in the same hot springs..."
"..." We were silent for about three seconds, and then suddenly three familiar voices entered our ears:
"I never knew Kagami's family was this wealthy."
"That's because he's not as showy as Himeko!"
"I guess even that Himeko has to admit defeat."
As soon as we heard this, our faces turned pale because in Japan, when bathing in hot springs, you're completely naked!
Three figures gradually appeared in the mist...
Three humanoid figures gradually emerged before us.
We had only wrapped small towels around our waists to cover the essential parts as we soaked in the warm spring water. Despite our initially tightly shut eyes, couldn't resist opening.
"Perv!"
Momoko shouted, wrapped in a white towel, "That was close! Thank goodness you have towels on!"
I let go of the fear in my heart. I had initially thought I might see some stimulating scene, but upon reflection, I strangely felt a sense of disappointment.
Kaoru pointed at us and asked loudly, "Why are you guys here?!"
Shigeru casually tapped Kagami's head, "Blame him. He never mentioned this was a mixed-gender bath."
Kagami scratched his head apologetically, "Sorry, I forgot to tell you guys."
"Ah, come on, we're all so close, no need to be so shy!" I couldn't tell if Miyako was naive or just dense.
Kagami, gazing at Miyako's graceful figure, felt a nosebleed coming on. Miyako, concerned, leaned in and asked, "Kagami, are you okay?" without noticing her chest pressing against Kagami's arm.
Kagami, his face flushed, held his nose, "I'm fine...!"
Suddenly, tiny snowflakes began to fall from the sky, prompting Momoko to exclaim, "It's snowing?"
Miyako sincerely expressed her admiration, "So beautiful..."
Kagami chuckled, "Even the most beautiful scenery is meaningless without a beautiful companion." His words made Miyako shyly lower her head.
Shigeru and Kaoru leaned back to back, gazing up at the starry sky, momentarily forgetting their earlier awkwardness. Their expressions were filled with tranquility and bliss.
Shigeru sighed contentedly, "So relaxing..."
Kaoru nodded with a smile, "Yeah..." Her tone carried a sense of ease and joy.
Momoko rested her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes. "Mind if I lean on you for a bit?" Her voice conveyed intimacy and warmth.
I chuckled, sighing, "Fine!" My tone was familiar and affectionate.
The night had just begun, and in this unexpected moment, we leaned on each other, sharing the tranquility and beauty of the hot springs.
13-3
The happy times always seem to pass by quickly. In the blink of an eye, two months had gone by, and it was already the eve of the solar eclipse.
"Kyoto, Arashiyama."
The three of us rose early and, avoiding the Powerpuff Girls, flew to a secluded mountain deep in the wilderness to spar with each other. Although it was called a remote mountain, it was actually just a part of the Midou family's estate.
"Flame Burst!" I condensed flames in my hand, turning them into a dozen fireballs flying towards Butch.
"Air Hammer!" Butch also unleashed several air blasts in response to the fireballs. The collisions between the air blasts and fireballs caused explosions in the air.
"Thunder Blade!" Boomer swung the electrified blade of his katana towards the back of my head. I quickly lowered my head, and the blade flew past me towards Butch.
"Wind Barrier!" Butch creates a barrier of wind centered around himself, I neutralized all of the blade's attacks.
I swung the kendama towards Boomer's head, causing him to jump upward hastily. Behind him, the huge rock wall was shattered by the kendama.
Glancing at the magatama hanging around my neck and seeing no changes, I asked the other two if they experienced any changes, but they shook their heads. The Kusanagi Sword, and the Yata Mirror also showed no changes.
I couldn't help but wonder if the three of us were being cheated by Amaterasu.
Looking at the mountain walls pocked with craters from our attacks, I shouted to the others, "Forget it, let's go back and have breakfast. If we keep fighting, we'll end up destroying this mountain!"
"Tomorrow is the final showdown," I said as I mixed raw eggs and dried sardines into the natto rice.
Momoko took a bite of the plum and replied, "Yeah."
"I hope we can defeat 'Him'..." Miyako said, then picked up a piece of hamburger meat and put it in hes bowl.
Kaoru, while chewing on eel, exclaimed, "We can definitely do it!" "But first, we need to obtain the Four Color Pearls," Shigeru said, taking a sip of miso soup.
"Right!" He didn't remind us, but we all forgot about the Four Gods. Soon, we finished breakfast and continued discussing our previous conversation.
I asked Kagami, "Do you know how to find the Four Gods?" Kagami pondered for a moment, "Well! As far as I know, each of the Kyoto Four Gods has a guardian site, located respectively in the four cardinal directions: theKamogawa in the east, Funaoka in the north, Ogura Ike in the south, and Sanin in the west."
"Then let me assign each of us to our respective directions!" I laid out a piece of white paper on the table, and no one objected, as if everyone unanimously recognized me as the leader.
The assignment is as follows:
( Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercups) (North) , Funaoka
(Butch) (West) Sanin
(Boomer) (East) Kamogawa
(Me) (South) Ogura Ike
I asked the other five people present, "Those who obtain the pearls, gather at the entrance of Mountain Hiei first. Is that okay?"
"No problem!" Everyone answered in unison.
Time flew by, and it was already bedtime. The three of us brothers sat on the roof, enjoying the night breeze, when suddenly a familiar voice came from behind us, "Are you all out here to watch the moon too?" I asked the girls behind us.
Momoko stuck her tongue out at me, "There's no moon tonight!"
Miyako laughed and added, "It seems like no one can sleep tonight!"
"Do you remember this?" I pulled out a red heart-shaped straw from my pocket,Kagami showed a cotton swab with a nostalgic expression on her face, and Shigeru held up a terribly smelly sock.
Kaoru stared at the items in our hands with a puzzled look, "Could these be what Mojo stole from the lab back then?"
"Five years ago, we, the Rowdyruff Boys, were created by that Mojo using your genetic material and his own hair. I often wondered why we were created. I never found the reason for our existence. Were we simply tools made to defeat you?" I spoke with a heavy heart, my tone revealing a hint of resentment.
Momoko suddenly hugged me from behind, her embrace warm and firm. "Yuzuhiko, no matter how you were created, you... you will always be our partners!" Her voice was filled with determination and sincerity, and I could feel her genuine emotions.
Miyako smiled at Kagami and nodded, "Yeah, we are best friends forever!"
Kaoru also nodded in agreement, "That's right!"
Kagami smiled at me and said, "Yuzuhiko, I'm now very grateful that we were exposed to that chemical substance while trying to help others." His words carried a sense of fulfillment and gratitude.
Shigeru agreed with Kagami, "Otherwise, we would still be lazy, nose-picking, prankster middle schoolers." His words brought laughter, lightening the mood even more.
I felt a wave of warmth and emotion well up inside me as I looked at this group of friends, my heart filled with gratitude and happiness. "Alright! Let's go to sleep!" I shouted to everyone.
"We know!" everyone responded in unison, their faces showing satisfied smiles.
Under the starry sky, our hearts were tightly connected. The six of us sat together, sharing memories of the past and looking forward to the future. Having you all as friends, supporting and helping me, I no longer feel lost or afraid of anything.
"Next day" Six o'clock in the morning
Looking at the gradually rising sun in the east, I took a deep breath. "Are you guys ready?" I asked everyone again,
"We've been ready for a long time!" Everyone's eyes were filled with unwavering determination.
I smiled slightly, "Very well!" "Let's go!" The three of us pressed the button on our watches, and the girls took out their powder compacts from their belts.
All six of us transformed simultaneously and flew towards our respective locations.