Kenshi: Grasp the Heavens (RE-UPLOAD) Chapter 32, Shattered Assumptions, a dungeon ni deai o motomeru no wa machigatte iru darou ka fanfic

Chapter 32.

Took me a long f-ing time.

Might not be quite so interesting as it's only the continuation of what we stopped at last time.

But meh.

This fic is going down the drain, anyway.

Chapter probably has a lot of typos, too, as I only went over it once.

So there's that, I guess.

Kay bye.

XXX

"Hey, stop joking around you shitty geezer! I'll die!" The shouts of a young boy were heard as he held onto the boat for his life's sake, not wishing to go along with the so-called training his trainer insisted upon.

"Stop flapping your gums and get in there you little shit!" The old man replied as he used the paddle to hit the boy over the head, his consciousness slipping away but still refusing to let go of.

"How is this shit even supposed to help me as a swordsman you stupid asshole?!"

"Don't question your trainer you fucking brat!" The old man shouted as he pushed himself up with his arm and brought his prosthetic foot in a forward kick, hitting the boy square in the jaw.

The attack proved powerful enough for the boy to lose his grip on the boat and once again fall into the stormy waters. He felt himself getting dragged along by the current until the rope his handswere bound to reached it's length limit, yanking him along the path of the boat.

It was stormy and the waters were unclear: he could barely see two meters in front of him. Thus he did not notice the underwater jagged rocks in his path, his face's right side slamming into the wall of stone with the same speed the boat was dragging him forward. The boy saw red as his blood mixed with the water.

His consciousness slipped away from him once again as he opened his mouth to gasp for air: however, he only felt water invade his lungs.

It burned and it hurt and he hated it.

He absolutely hated it.

But not as much as what he heard next.

"If you're going to be this weak at least show us some guts you turd-sized shit!"

'...Fricking dusty geezer, I'll murder you!'

His eyes shot wide open, the hate and anger keeping him going despite the odds that were against him. He could still see nothing in front of him, however, and his left arm grazed against another sharp sea stack in his path, blood and water mixing once again before his eyesas he held back a hiss.

He bit through the pain and grabbed the rope binding his hands to the boat, pulling himself forward. If he could close the distance between himself and the boat he would not be yanked to the sides by the current anymore, allowing himself to take shelter in the shadow of the boat.

The boy pulled and pulled despite his strength dwindling by the second, his lack of air leaving it's mark on his performance. But he continued to pull, a single thought crossing his mind:

'To kill the geezer I need to survive.'

His plan would soon come to an end as the boat took a quick left turn, the boy's grip on the rope loosening as his body was thrown to the right side, his back hitting yet another sharp-edged rock. He felt the little air he still had inside his lungs escape through his teeth, the world before his eyes going dark once more.

'Bite through the pain…'

'Bite through it…'

…

Bite through it!

How long he had been unconscious, Fuzen could not say. He was still falling back from the initial punch to the face he felt just before the sound of his bones shattering echoed in his ears, so at most a single moment had passed.

There was no second attack following the initial one: his enemy was looking down on him, thinking his willpower to be lacking.

He was wrong.

Though his sight was blurry and shaky Fuzen had performed the action of drawing a sword at least a million times over in his life. He had no need of sight or a balanced footing to perform it.

His hand reached for the handle of his chisa katana and in a quick if somewhat questionable manner, he slashed forward where his opponent should still be located.

The sword did not hit anything in it's path, but he could feel his enemy's Ki distancing itself from him: his opponent took a step back.

"...You are still conscious? Good." The Were-jaguar spoke for the first time, his voice devoid of emotion and his tone the very epitome of a no-nonsense personality. It was almost as if he and Fuzen were cut out of the same cloth.

And he didn't like it.

Slowly his sight returned to him, Fuzen clearly seeing his opponent once again taking a battle-ready stance with his hands lifted to his face level while his left foot was placed in front.

A prolonged fight would result in his death.

His years of combat experience told Fuzen this much: the Were-jaguar was dangerous. Probably the most dangerous human foe he ever faced.

I can't feel my face, damn it. And I'm down one sword. He shattered Eisatsu with his bare hand, despite the fact I coated it in my Ki making it many times more durable than normal. The hell is going on here…? If I lose Utegiri too I'm dead. I need to use that Technique if I want to win.

With those thoughts running through his mind, Fuzen sheathed Utegiri once again in it's scabbard and took a low stance by bending his knees. He was going for a quick-draw Technique for he knew a combo would not prove useful.

So Fuzen decided on a quick, decisive attack.

"...Lightning Sword Style: Eightfold Path."

As soon as those words left his mouth his opponent's eyes turned to slits in response to the increased spike in Ki that he felt oozing out of Fuzen. A faint smile appeared on his lips exposing his unusually sharp canines.

"Good. Very good…"

He acknowledged the threat which Fuzen represented and began to get within his rhythm, skipping from the ball of one foot to the other. The staring continued for a while longer, something Fuzen was thankful for as he had just enough time to adjust to seeing with just one eye.

Then the Were-Jaguar dashed off with a speed even greater than before.

Blood rained down a moment later.

Eightfold Path: the semi-perfected manifestation of the Lightning Sword Style.

Just like Lightning Drive, it was not an offensive Technique: instead, it was a Technique meant to elevate a practitioner of the Lightning Sword Style to unimaginable heights for but a moment, a moment on which they gambled everything: their lives, their training, their martial school.

All trust was put in the sword.

A lifetime of hardships for a moment of victory.

Just like it's perfected form, Eightfold Path was the closest form one could achieve while keeping true to the values of the once exalted martial school. It called upon that which was cultivated from the very first day one became a true Disciple and was irreversibly marked for life to be able to channel the energy that was required to perform this Technique, as well as it's perfected higher form.

A Technique dangerous for both it's target as well as user: Fuzen's back pulsated with immense pain and unbearable warmth as that which should not have been allowed to exist had been opened to allow him access to a state beyond mortality, beyond the Falna. An ecstatic feeling overwhelmed his mind at the sudden surge in power and it was only through sheer discipline of mind he managed to avoid becoming something less than human.

And yet...in the end, it was but the semi-perfected form of a forgotten whole.

...Fuck.

Fuzen mentally swore as his sword found it's way back into the scabbard. The sword drew blood all right, but it had been not to the extend that he planned. Despite the boost that he once used to overwhelm and beat Ais Wallenstein into a state of nigh-death, his opponent this time around managed to...avoid the same fate.

A deep cut on his right oblique had still been dealt, but the Beast Person jumped back with incredible speed despite his rapid approach before the attack could inflict life-threatening damage.

Fuzen looked down for just a moment: his opponent's heel left a fist-sized hole in the floor, testimony of the explosive strength he put into his foot to jump back and out of Fuzen's reach.

Had it been his animal-like instincts, or perhaps simply the fact he felt Fuzen's Ki jump to heights many times that of it's usual quantity and intensity?

He could not tell, but the Were-Jaguar managed to avoid an otherwise certain death.

And that...could not be allowed.

Hand on hilt once again Fuzen dashed towards his opponent and launched another quick-draw attack, the sword biting into the man's triceps but only drawing a bit of blood as he once again jumped to the side and avoided the attack.

Fuzen was hot on his heels, knowing that time was of the essence. Quick-draw after quick-draw, his assault was relentless yet at the same time it did not bore the results he had wished for, the Were-Jaguar avoiding or dodging the attacks at the last second. Even the few instances he managed to get close enough to perform a full-draw of his sword before the man had time to jump away, his sword did not manage to cut fully through his flesh, let alone his bone.

In a way, it felt as if the man hardened his muscles to such a degree that the sword had difficulty cutting through it, allowing the man time to jump back before a full-motion could be performed.

It was a couple of lightning fast moments into his assault that Fuzen understood what was going on.

In his short life he had only fought two other individuals who had learned the secrets of manipulating their own Ki. One had mastered the way of increasing his perception to inhuman levels. Fighting him had Fuzen feel as if he was dancing in the man's palm.

The second one had been highly proficient in boosting his speed and power to levels past what was humanly possible: he could move faster than the eye could see and could cut through swords and shields alike.

Both of them had also been swordsmen and in a way, similar to Fuzen himself.

But the man before him was not a swordsman: he was a fist-fighter, an individual whose weapon was his own body. Someone who took another approach to battle.

Fuzen remembered reading about such individuals in the notes left behind by the Founder of the Lightning Sword Style: people who, unlike swordsmen like himself who mastered the way of controlling inner Ki, mastered the way of controlling external Ki.

The man did not need a weapon nor armour: he could harden his body to become more durable than a slab of metal and his fists to become steel hammers capable of inflicting life threatening blows.

That is why even when Fuzen got close enough, he could not cut through the man's arms: he hardened his skin and muscles that cutting through them required far more power than Fuzen ever needed before, allowing the Were-Jaguar to jump back and avoid his limbs being cut off while escaping with only minor flesh wounds.

He was bleeding, yes, but...For someone who was both blessed by a Falna as well as mastered the secrets of Ki, how much did losing a bit of blood truly weaken him?

Hmm? This man...Fuzen took a single moment to observe the man and began to notice something. He had kept track of which wounds he inflicted first and last, and he realized that while his initial attacks managed to cut well into the man's body, his latest attacks barely went deeper than the skin. Is he...getting used to my boosted speed and power…?

…

"Mother...fucker…" The boy whispered under his breath as his eye began to twitch in response to his ever increasing anger.

Someone was getting used to him?

To the Successor of the Lightning Sword Style?

It could not be allowed.

And so he dashed forward again, hand on the hilt of his sword.

But unlike before, his opponent no longer appeared to be ready to jump out of the attack's way. Fuzen drew his sword and the Were-Jaguar simply...stepped to the side, avoiding the fast upwards slash Fuzen performed. He brought his right arm back, ready to unleash an attack of his own.

Fuzen saw it from the corner of his eye: he took a step in front and lowered his head, avoiding the punch by the skin of his teeth. Switching to a reverse grip he turned on his heels and then let his sword fall down on the man in a downwards slash.

Suffice to say the man took half a step back and only the tip of his sword cut across his chest, barely scratching the Beast Person at all.

Quick draw attacked would no longer work, and Fuzen felt that which he had cultivated for years beginning to dwindle: he could not keep up Eightfold Path much longer despite the second half of their fight having lasted only mere seconds until now.

He was not pleased that his initial plan of taking care of this quickly failed, but alas, few things in life go as planned.

He sheathed the sword once again, bending his knees and dashing forward as he did before. His opponent once again stepped out of the way but this time Fuzen no longer sheathed his sword for another quick-draw: from his initial attack he unleashed a flurry of slashes at the man, forcing him to dodge and sidestep.

His plan was working and so next he switched to sword thrusts, mostly aimed at the man's head. He avoided all of them despite their fast assault, just as Fuzen hoped he would. He attacked and attacked, waiting for the man to be in the position he wished him to be.

A couple of moments into his flurry of thrusts the man reached the position he had wished for: not wasting any time Fuzen took a step closer and with his sword held one-handed he performed an upwards half-circle slash at the man.

The Were-Jaguar jumped back to avoid getting gutted from the abdomen up and that is when Fuzen jumped after him.

He stomped his left foot onto the man's right one, holding him in place and steadied his sword, targeting the man's chest. From his unstable position and with Fuzen this close to him pinning him down, he had no chance to jump back or side-step again.

Then the Were-Jaguar smiled.

The next moment Fuzen heard the distinctive sound of metal hitting metal followed by a sharp pain which began in his right hand.

In the blink of an eye the man performed a double palm-strike, his right palm hitting the side of Fuzen's Utegiri and breaking the sword's tip off while his left palm targeted Fuzen's right hand.

The boy felt his knuckles crush into powder as soon as the palm-strike was completed, his fingers losing their grip on his sword's hilt.

...Oh…Shit.

As his sword finally fell down from his hand after what seemed like an eternity Fuzen once again felt that curtain dropping over his eyes and senses.

Once again he could no longer clearly see the man in front of him: he was too fast.

The next moment he felt multiple strikes connecting with his face, their power and quickness taking away his consciousness for a brief moment as he was pushed back, instinctively using his arms to try and balance himself.

Fuzen Katsumi.

Development Ability: Sword Disciple.

'Drastically increases the user's senses and perception while holding a katana. Grants improved foresight.'

Despite it's simple sounding name Sword Disciple was, without a doubt, an Ability granted to him by Heaven to conquer the Heavens.

It was his desires made manifest in the truest meaning of the word.

The one cheat he allowed himself simply on basis of how absurd his own goal was and the difficulty of achieving it.

A long time ago, when he first set out on his path to become a Disciple of the Lightning Sword Style Fuzen had entered the world of adults with only technical knowledge at his disposal.

He had been well-trained, yes, but he lacked something of importance, something which had almost resulted in his death more times than he could count.

Back then, he had been scared: despite his gruesome training, despite his dedication to the sword there were swordsmen who, despite being weaker than him managed to cut him.

To dodge his attacks and counter-attack.

Because they had experience on which they could rely, while he had none at all.

He had been scared to fight back then and he wished to possess the same experience the adults he faced had at their disposal.

Alas, experience can only be achieved over the years as it was not something which could be granted.

Yet they lived in a world of mortals and Gods, alike.

Upon his Level Up to Level 2, one single Ability was available for his God at the time to choose for him: Sword Disciple.

Although it did not grant him experience per say, it nonetheless was the closest thing to his desires made manifest.

While holding a katana his senses and perception grew to heights he did not believe possible for a mortal of his Level.

And more than that…

'Grants improved foresight.'

It was not seeing into the future.

Not at all, in fact.

However, while holding a katana Fuzen could feel, akin to a gut feeling, what his opponent was going to do. Based on that his Ability told him what course of action was the most ideal one for him.

It worked in non-combat scenarios, as well: if he was walking up a hill and a large boulder were to roll down his way, as long as he held a katana in his hand his Ability would tell him what the best course of action would be: to jump over it, jump to the side or even cut it in half.

However, the Ability did not work if certain conditions were not met: firstly, he had to hold a katana 'in his hand'. Secondly, he had to 'see the threat' at hand. Thirdly, his ability would not help him as long as the condition for the 'best course of action' could not be met.

With that said, if the only way to avoid the incoming boulder was to jump ten meters into the air and his physical abilities could not allow him to perform such a feat, the Ability, the gut feeling would not take effect. Likewise if he was fighting someone and the best course of action required him to physically perform a feat he was incapable of, the gut feeling would not manifest, either.

This was one of the reasons why he trained diligently and tried to keep himself at peak performance at all times.

Sword Disciple and Inazuma no Michi.

With these Ability and Skill alike, there was only one word that best described Fuzen: a specialist.

As long as the conditions were met, he was strong.

Stronger than what was normal.

Stronger than what his Level allowed.

Stronger than anyone.

Combined with his ability to control Ki and boost himself to levels beyond what his Level would normally allow him, Fuzen was indeed strong.

But, if the conditions could not be fulfilled…

Smash!

One after another the jabs kept striking at his face, Fuzen by now being sure most bones in his face had been shattered by the attacks the Beast Person threw his way.

Somewhere in-between his state of consciousness and unconsciousness, Fuzen had managed to lift up his arms and guard his face from receiving any further trauma.

However, the bones in his forearms took the damage instead and before long he could hear them rattle and break under the relentless flurry of blows. They first pulsated with pain before going completely numb, Fuzen no longer able to feel them.

On and on the assault continued and Fuzen was being pushed back with every blow, his own physical strength not even remotely close to the Were-jaguar's. It was then, while getting pushed back that he realized something: his mind had gone completely blank.

It had never happened before.

No matter the perils and dangers he had to face, Fuzen had always maintained a calm and focused mind throughout his hardships as someone belonging to his martial school was expected to.

He was young, yes, but a life of discipline and strict training had built him into someone who could think rationally even in the heat of battle.

He was always thinking, always observing the opponent and planning his next move accordingly.

But now, all he could do was keep him guard up.

Nothing else.

His speed and strength were incredible.

Even if he were to deny his Falna, Fuzen was, despite being still just a child, physically very strong and fast. Having survived his horrendous initiation training he had managed to break through his mortal limits, limits which most individuals could not break through without divine aid.

As with any Disciples of the Lightning Sword Style, he was stronger while unblessed than even Level 1 individuals.

However, this did not mean much in the end.

One reason why he performed little movement during his spars with his Familia's high Level Adventurers was because of this very reason: even with the boost granted to him by his Sword Style, even though he had climbed over his limits Fuzen was still not on par with those nigh-legendary individuals.

He performed little movement during their spars exactly because he was neither strong nor fast enough to keep up with them. Thus he either allowed them to attack first or quickly started the fight himself, allowing his Ability to grant him the clarity of how the opponent would most likely react as well as which action on his part was the most ideal one for the fight at hand.

Everything needed to be settled within seconds, for if his spars with those Level 5's individuals were to last longer he would soon be overwhelmed.

His boosted speed would be unable to keep up with their naturally high speed and he would fall behind. His boosted strength would fail him against their naturally high one and thus render him unable to block any attacks. His boosted senses would soon dull and his opponents would be but a blur to his eyes.

So then, how long had this one-sided fight continued for?

Fuzen could not say.

A whole minute.

Probably.

There was no longer any cracking noise produced by the jabs hitting his forearms nor did he feel his bones rattle anymore. They had already been reduced to powder, no doubt could be found in his mind about that.

His opponent was in no rush to win, either.

He could have long since broken through Fuzen's shaky guard and delivered a finishing blow, but he didn't.

The Were-Jaguar was testing him.

Testing how long Fuzen could last.

How long he could endure.

How long before he would break.

Realizing this Fuzen's eye began to twitch. In was not because of his fractured eye socket but rather because he realized the man in front of him was looking down on him.

And that pissed him off.

Fucking talented asswipe...Just how large can your Ki pool get, you greedy asshole?

Fuzen knew he could not keep up with his enemy in his current state so he instead looked around. There were dead Adventurers around them in the small clearing. If only one of them had that which he required at the moment…

He saw a spear in the far end of the room.

It would not be useful to him, for his Ability did not activate with anything else than a katana. He also possessed only rudimentary knowledge on how to use a spear. The Lightning Spear Style, a sub-school of the Lightning Sword Style had been completely wiped out long before he became an Initiate, it's forms and Techniques only living on in the diary of the Lightning Sword Style and in the memory of the God who watched over them since the beginning.

He noticed a bow.

Again, it would not help him.

Neither would the two-handed greatsword in the middle of the room. Though it was a sword it did not help him activate his Sword Disciple Ability. The only sword it worked with was a katana. His chisa katana was still usable, but because the tip broke off it's length was reduced and thus his Ability no longer categorized it as a 'katana'.

Then to his surprise he noticed a usable katana near a dead Adventurer, behind his opponent. There were maybe fifteen or twenty meters between him and the sword. In any other situation the distance would be banal at most, but now with the Were-Jaguar between him and it…

It's going to be a challenge...isn't it? It's not like he will just step aside to allow me access to it.

So Fuzen began to think.

And then in the next second he lowered his guard and allowed the next jab to get through. Granted, he could not see the attack. So he waited until it made contact with his face, the contact telling him his opponent's arm had been fully stretched.

With the arms he lowered just enough to allow the attack through he reached out and grabbed the man by his wrist and forearm alike before pulling him forward. Then he side-stepped and pushed on the man's left back knee with his foot.

Once he heard the distinctive sound of the man's knee hitting the ground Fuzen let go of him and bolted off towards the katana. The moment he began to run he felt dizzy and almost fell face first into the floor but brought his left hand forward and pushed himself up again.

He ran as fast as he could and once the distinctive shape of the katana was within sight he lunged forward and reached for it with his left hand. Time seemed to slow down as his hand neared the hilt of the sword, the one weapon that would allow him a chance at fighting back.

Then a foot kicked him square in the face sending him tumbling away from the weapon. Fuzen rolled around on the ground for what seemed an eternity then finally came to a halt. He felt as if something threatened to drown him so he opened his mouth.

Fuzen spat an incredible amount of blood on the ground but there was something else within the metallic-tasting liquid, as well.

White marbles…? No, those are...teeth? Mine? Huh…?

Before long another kick was thrown his way hitting the boy in his left side. Once again he tumbled on the floor, but not as much as before. With a lot of effort he managed to rise to his feet again, wobbly and shaky.

Fuzen felt as if the gentlest of winds could knock him down to the ground.

With his blurry sight he noticed the shape of his opponent approaching him, both fast and slow at the same time. He put up his guard again and the assault continued.

...No, wait a bit. I'm strong. Fuzen told himself as he felt his heart starting to race within his chest. There's no denying that. I am strong. So...isn't something wrong here? Hey, asswipe. That's my spot. Our roles are meant to be reversed. Hey.

But the jabs kept coming with little regard for his thoughts.

Hey. Hey. Wait a minute. Hey...And his heart rate only ever increased, Fuzen feeling his grasp on his otherwise disciplined breathing weakening.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Hey. I'm strong! I'm strong, damn it!

Just then his opponent switched his tactic and after performing a couple more jabs he brought his left arm back and threw a left hook at Fuzen's arms, the strength behind the hook throwing his arms to the side and fully exposing his right side.

The Were-jaguar then performed the action once again, just as fast as before, and the left hook made contact with Fuzen's right side.

Splosh!

As the pain and shock of his ruptured liver following the perfectly executed liver shot began to set in another thought crossed Fuzen's mind, a question that he never before found himself asking.

Hey...I'm strong...right?

What happened next, he could not say.

All he could remember was drifting in and out of consciousness with the distinctive sound of punches echoing in his ears, pain washing over him like a wave before it reached a level so high, his body simply went numb.

Fuzen also felt something sharp and cold poking his back. Through his blurry and shaky vision he realized he was still somehow miraculously standing.

During the times of his black-outs the Were-Jaguar had pushed him back until he was punched against the wall of the cave they were located in, his back now leaning into it thus allowing Fuzen to stand upright.

His head hanging low as he had no strength left to lift it, Fuzen noticed the man's feet in front of him. Through great effort he managed to look up with his eyes alone, the man appearing as one, then as two and lastly as four before returning back to one.

Was it the countless blows he received to the head?

Fuzen had no idea, but he could not see straight anymore.

Their eyes met and a moment of silence followed, a moment in which time seemed to slow down.

The Were-Jaguar looked on with disinterest, his former excitement having died out.

Fuzen, however, felt his heart start to race once again within his chest as his eyes met the man's feline ones.

He's too strong.

A threat.

I need to kill him, quickly.

I need to kill him with my sword.

Threats cannot be allowed.

They cannot be allowed.

If they get past me, then…

Then…

I need to deal with it before that.

I need to.

He kept repeating the words like a mantra inside his mind, to remind himself of the reason for his goal, the reason why he left and embarked on this impossible task.

Much had to be sacrificed to allow him to reach as far as he did. Much more would need to be sacrificed, as well. So much, too much to bear as a human. So he sacrificed it, too.

He had sacrificed it, so then…

I need to.

I...need to.

But…

Their eyes continued to look into the other's and Fuzen felt like there was not enough distance between them. He wanted more distance. He wanted to lean back into the wall and be engulfed by it. He wanted to be anywhere but here, facing the Were-Jaguar.

What's...this?

I...lost?

Me?

Lost?

But..that's…

That's not part of the plan…?

Hey, that's not part of the plan at all…

That's...not acceptable…

If I lose, then…

Then…

Hey, if I lose, then…

Just as Fuzen leaned back into the wall and took solace in the one extra centimetre that now stood between him and the individual standing in front of him, his mind drifted off...

XXX

An island nation engulfed by flames.

Any semblance of humanity gone, the monsters in disguise discarded their multifaceted masks.

A collective wish long buried now awakened.

Time had ran out.

XXX

Centuries old grudges beginning to bloom once again.

The sole obstacle in their way now gone, they began to draw their blades once more.

A resentful sea of steel would descend upon the lone dojo atop the cliff by the seaside.

The death of hope, the end of the fresh beginning.

XXX

The district the current he now called home in ruins.

Countless bodies littered the streets, their blood staining the stone pavement red.

Atop the razed ruins the flag of a Magic-invested kingdom stood tall, looking down on that which was associated with it's greatest defeat.

A collective and wishful pipe-dream turned cold, harsh reality in but the blink of an eye.

He had failed others, as he had failed himself.

XXX

The centre of the world erased from existence, the structure that nigh reached the Heavens destroyed and in ruins.

The newest revelation made known to him by the memories of an era now long gone appeared from across the horizon.

A black menace whose monstrous wings bloated out the sun, stepping on the banners of those who tried to stand against it, banners of a grinning Trickster and the profile of a Valkyrie.

An approaching darkness with no guardian to stand against it.

All a failure on his part, for he failed to pave and thus open the path forward.

He could not keep the flame from fading...

XXX

Pitch darkness.

There was nothing in sight.

The sound of a sword being drawn drew his attention and he turned to look behind.

Fuzen saw the familiar stern-faced God falling to his knees as blood gushed out from a wound on his chest.

The God turned his head to look at Fuzen, a look of...something visible in his eyes. Before his body could hit the ground he exploded in a bright flash of light, the stream of divinity going back to Heaven.

...W-What…?

He heard another sound of a sharp sword cutting through both air and flesh behind him, but he did not dare look behind.

Only when he heard the first drop fall to the ground did Fuzen reluctantly turn around.

Hazel eyes met dark brown for a single moment.

Then her otherwise turquoise kimono with sakura petals pattern began to turn dark red, the Raiju no Yoki in her hand falling dully to the ground, her eyes looking down at the blade that was hers by right of rank and title.

Her lips parted as if to say something, but only a sigh left her lips in the end. Then she closed her eyes and fell motionlessly to the ground.

...No.

No. No…

Fuzen began to shake his head in denial, not accepting the sight before his eyes.

This could never happen.

Never.

It was impossible-

The rustling of leaves reached his eyes, Fuzen's heart freezing for a moment.

He felt a shiver down his spine, unimaginable coldness washing over his body.

"...No."

He whispered in a low tone as he shut his eyes close, his teeth gritting inside his mouth as the knuckles on his hands turned white from the sheer strength he was squeezing his fists with.

The leaves rustled once more and with a shaky sigh he turned around, his eyes still closed.

Then he slowly opened them and the poplar tree became visible to him.

He remembered every single trait of that tree, every single branch it had and even the angle they turned at.

It was under this tree that he had a most fateful encounter, one that managed to shake him to his core.

It was under this tree that he made his vow.

It was under it's leaves and branches that he decided on his goal, which he still chased after to this day.

And most importantly, it was under this tree that they met, for the first and only time.

"Hey...What are you doing there…?" He asked the person impaled onto the tree, but no response came. Just like the first and only time they met, their eyes were closed and this time was no different, either. "...Say something…"

This was the start of Fuzen Katsumi.

And this was also the end of Fuzen Katsumi.

Once he would manage to complete his goal the path would take him back there, to the beginning.

Under the poplar tree.

"Yeah...But...there's no point if you aren't there...So, please...Hey…"

He drew closer to the tree, each step feeling harder to perform than the last. Fuzen lifted his hand to reach out for the person still a ways away and noticed the sword he was holding in his hand.

A blood-stained katana, the same katana that was now missing from the abdomen of the person impaled onto the tree.

He stared at the sword.

Then at the person now leaning motionlessly against the tree.

Then back at the sword.

Finally, he let it fall down and stepped back slowly as he shook his head.

"I-It wasn't me. It wasn't me!"

Fuzen fell to to ground, drawing his knees to his chest and burrowing his head in his lap as he began to wave his body back and forth. "It wasn't me. It wasn't me…"

XXX

…

XXX

…

XXX

…

XXX

"Hm?" The Were-Jaguar raised an eyebrow as Fuzen's wavering eyes returned to their usual, cold resolve within the span of a second, the boy staring at the man before him with a tinge of annoyance.

Whatever the anger was directed at him or something else, the man could not say. But nonetheless he was impressed.

Few managed to do what Fuzen just did. "You did not break, until the end." He gave a small nod, a sign of his acknowledgement. Then he brought his fist back, ready to perform another punch. "You are weak, but your backbone is commendable. Now die."

The word the man voiced echoed inside Fuzen's mind like a mantra, the boy feeling the need to grit his teeth but ultimately unable to do so thanks to his damaged jaw.

But his condition was the least pressing matter on his mind.

Instead, the new revelation plagued his mind:

'There are monsters out there which I cannot...cut down?'

Damn it.

Damn it…

Damn it...

Damn it all…

The Were-Jaguar made his move a moment later, Fuzen expecting his life to end then and there along with everything he strived to achieve and restore, however...

A familiar prickly sensation began to make itself known upon his skin and the fist which would have ended his life did not come. The Were-Jaguar instead brought his guard up to block the sudden, lightning fast kick which came at him from the side. "Back off, asswipe."

Raiju hissed through his teeth as he swung his tail to his left side before bringing it to the right, using the momentum to twist his body and put more pressure on the opponent's guard until he managed to push him back and away from Fuzen.

The opponent immediately dashed forward again, ready to engage Raiju as well. Just then the dragon roared and spread his arms to his sides, waves of crackling electricity launched at the Beast Person.

His senses kicked in and the man jumped to the side, performing a roll on the ground to avoid the wave of electricity. By the time he got up and into his fighting stance again, both Fuzen and Raiju were long gone.

"...Hmm?…A coward, then. Set my expectations too high..."

...

…

"...Hey. Can you still hear me?" Raiju asked as he ran at full speed, the electricity produced by his self-boost crackling around his body. Any Monsters unlucky enough to stand in his path were reduced to ash by kicks so powerful their blows were like echoing thunder.

In his arms and close to his chest he cradled Fuzen's broken body, his face and arms already so swollen they no longer looked human. The boy was drifting in and out of consciousness, Raiju could feel that much.

However, an iron will could be trained, and Fuzen had experienced training that boarded on insanity. A stable and focused mind was not required for him to answer.

Raiju...Go back. Go back, now...Fuzen replied by making use of their telepathic link, his dislocated jaw not allowing him to physically voice the words.

"...You're crazier that I thought possible, Master."

Running away...is dishonourable. I'm not...dead yet. I can still...fight. Go back.

"Yeah, nope. You need treatment."

No. No!

Fuzen half-opened his eyes and reached out for the dragon's collar but his shattered right hand could not grasp anything within it's fingers anymore, his palm simply pressing against the dragon's chest.

Don't let anyone...see me like this! You can't! Please…

"...You need treatment." Raiju replied once again, as detached as before. He would not budge, Fuzen understood this.

Raiju...[Disappear-]

But before the command could be carried out the dragon halted from his sprint and placed his hand behind Fuzen's head.

Then he slammed his own forehead into that of his Master, Fuzen's eyes rolling up inside his head as he was truly and without a doubt KOed for good.

"Put a lid on it already, you stupid brat." The dragon hissed through his teeth as a scowl took shape on his face. "It's all good that you wanna go suicidal on everyone's asses, but if you die, I die. And I'm sick of dying, so stay unconscious for the rest of my life."

Raiju stared at the mess that was his Master for a second longer then sighed as he took up his sprint once again.

Don't think you are the only one capable of hating.

After all, it's because you can only move forward while staring back at the past that I am nameless. That we are both nameless.

For real, though...How much longer do you plan to live in the past, you silly, silly boy…?

"How nice it would be...If only I wasn't able to understand you completely...Sigh…"

XXX

That's about it.

I think it was pretty self-explanatory what went on and what I tried to do with this Chapter.

And before you ask: No, Fuzen never before lost in his life. Sure, he came close to death many times.

But never before had he fought such a one-sided battle where he got owned big-time.

How much would this affect someone who is actually trying to *grasp the Heavens', I wonder?

And wonder I do, because I don't know.

Anyway, that's about it.

Kay bye.