So, good news. I am not dead and I am still back! Also good news, I have started another story which is the one you see right now. I am excited to write another story. I won't spoil too much about what you will see here, or even in the future, but I can try and answer any questions you may have in the reviews or PM's
For now, enjoy the first chapter, and take your time enjoying the first chapter. Keep it civil and such.
Disclaimer: Any official material that is here is not mine, and goes to their rightful owners.
Cha Woo-Sol looked down at his feet to try and calm his rapidly hammering heart from the fear and anxiety he felt. After all, how else could he respond to the fact that a bunch of thugs were mugging him at worst, and 'convincing him to help an old friend out' at best?
News flash? None of those two were ideal scenarios for Woo-Sol.
It's annoying and frustrating, but Woo-Sol couldn't do anything about it even if he wanted to. This has been happening for the past 6 months he's been in the city of Busan, South Korea. It all started so simple, and unfortunately by being in the wrong place. Woo-Sol had been buying at a convenience store, and on the way back home he made a wrong turn and ended up running into a man and his posse. Cho Daehyun is particularly reedy in stature, and yet taller and more toned than Woo-Sol, so at the time he didn't want to fight or deal with someone like that. It wasn't all that bad at first, but the first refusal that Woo-Sol made to give up his groceries put him in a bad situation with Daehyun.
A good beating later Woo-Sol was curled up and shaking on the ground, bloodied and bruised.
"Next time, don't disappoint me. See you around, 'friend'." Daehyun had said all those months ago. And from there Woo-Sol had been stuck in hell. He lost the money needed for a proper meal whenever Daehyun strolled on by, having to do dangerous favors for Daehyun, and he barely succeeded. Even playing 'punching bag' whenever Daehyun was bored and needed to make himself feel better.
The past 6 months held nothing but bad memories for the 14-year-old Woo Sol, and it was starting to take a toll on him as a person and his mental health. It had started to bleed into his grades and his relationship with his mother. Bless her heart, but she couldn't help him even if he asked for help. Daehyun would instead target her and their home, which would lead to even more problems for them in the future. Woo-Sol didn't want that for his mother, and neither could he ask for her help at the moment either. Or even a counselor. He's a coward, he knew this and so he didn't let himself be foolish enough to reach out for a hand.
The thought of reaching out for help seemed so tempting, and he was always afraid of possibly dying in an alley due to Daehyun getting bored with him. However, what he was even more afraid of was never being able to stand up for himself. Which is why he felt so frustrated right now, as Daehyun and his thugs goaded him and pushed him into the alley and wall. He wanted to do something, but he was too afraid to let himself commit to it—
"Oi, dumbass." A slap across the face snapped Woo-Sol out of his thoughts, his eyes traveling up to Daehyun's nasty smirk, and his deceivingly civil tone only made it even worse. That tone usually followed up with a beating. "What's got you so bent out of shape?"
"…I-I…I shouldn't keep my…" Woo-Sol barely finished his sentence, his fear at the moment overriding any thoughts. "I need to get home…"
"Home? You mean that shithole you call a house?" Daehyun chuckled lowly, grabbing Woo-Sol by the shoulder tightly. "You sure you can't just wait here and have fun with us? Me and the boys need a bit of fun, and you surely won't say no, will ya?"
Woo-Sol winced, but looked down, his body shaking in fear as he felt a bit of frustration bubble up. Of course, he can't say no. If he does say no a beating won't be the end of it, they'll attempt to humiliate him even further by curb stomping on his head. This always happened, no matter the day or how Daehyun even felt, they just wanted an excuse to beat up a helpless victim. Woo-Sol isn't happy to be that victim, but what will he do!? He can't do anything—
"Oi!" A force slammed into Woo-Sol's gut, forcing him to choke out spit. He took a punch from Daehyun, and it forced him down on his hands and knees. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Suddenly, Daehyun stomped down Woo-Sol's face down to the concrete floor. Woo-Sol's head ached, throbbing like a bulging vein about to burst. Woo-Sol grew more fearful, yet his eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Heh, damn coward can't even fight for shit! Go ahead, and cry, see what that gets you!" Daehyun began beating up his defenseless victim, and so the rest of the posse joined in, stomping him and jumping Woo-Sol.
It's not as if Woo-Sol didn't want to fight back, but he couldn't think other than how painful and how his bubbling frustrations started to become condensed, fueled…and burning.
This…if I don't do anything, I'm going to die…I'm…going to die. Woo-Sol hyperventilated, so much so that he thought he was going to lose his breath. Only his breath didn't leave his lungs, and his eyes dilated slowly into pin-pricks. The feeling of his flesh bruising, the taste of blood in his tongue, and the ringing in his ears? He hated it. He hated it. And he wanted it to stop. How could he make it stop?
He doesn't remember how long it lasted, but after 10 minutes, he felt the punches and kicks stop.
"Tch, you dead already?" Woo-Sol remained still, turtles up and silent bar his still breathing. Woo-Sol looked down at the pen in his hand… and he heard footsteps as the group started to walk away. "Whatever…see you tomorrow."
Tomorrow? Woo-Sol didn't flinch, simply staring down at the pen he had in his hands. As seconds passed, Woo-Sol's breathing quickened. His body burned inside, and the blood running down the side of his face didn't bother him. He stumbled to his feet, his pen held in his hands, the blood pumping in his body making him feel unbearably hot with burning…resentment.
Resentment turned to frustration, turned to anger.
Woo-Sol stood up, and as he raised his eyes towards Daehyun's back...he charged forward with nothing but footsteps alerting his approach.
Daehyun raised a brow and turned just in time for his arrogant expression to give way to surprise. The pen that Woo-Sol held in his hands, he thrust it forward. And then, a squelching sound of steel against flesh. The pen lodged itself into Daehyun's right eye, and blood spewed out like a slowly bleeding fountain down his face. Woo-Sol pulls the pen out of Daehyun's eye, and with that, more blood begins to flow. Daehyun screamed in pain, trembling and covering the cavern in his face with gnashing teeth. His eyes showed confusion and fear, but he held none of that bravado from before.
"D-Damn…D-Dammit, what the hell is wrong with you!?" Daehyun's sputtering gasping breaths showed he was trying to calm himself down to no avail. Even the group behind him looked afraid, if not also freaked out. After all, Daehyun and his group witnessed Woo-Sol at his breaking point.
And Woo-Sol himself felt no sympathy for this…piece of trash. His breathing turned heavy, but his eyes were down to pin-pricks. His pen stained red with blood felt light in Woo-Sol's hand, and a surge from deep within forced Woo-Sol to lay his eyes on Daehyun. "…kill…I'll kill you…!"
"W-What's wrong with this kid?!"
"He's only 13, and he just gouged Daehyun's eye out!"
"M-Man, fuck this, I'm out!"
"H-Hey, don't leave us here!"
The men surrounding Daehyun felt very afraid of the sudden change in intent and the eyes that Woo-Sol had. The emotion behind it spoke of one simple emotion, and even these thugs somehow felt it. Even Daehyun felt unbelievably afraid, and yet he stood his ground despite his trembling knees. Unfortunately for him, his group began running away as soon as Woo-Sol took a step forward.
"The hell…you trying to kill me!? Do you even know what will happen if you—!"
"DIE!" In an unseeable burst of speed, Woo-Sol lunged forward and began stabbing his pen into Daehyun's torso. Pull and thrust, pull and thrust. Pull and thrust, pull and thrust. Woo-Sol kept stabbing into Daehyun's body, the thug screaming out in pain, and eventually just falling on the ground, leaving himself open to the pen's assault on his torso.
Woo-Sol saw red, and then he realized his shirt was splattered red. And yet he didn't stop. He didn't want to stop. He didn't care to stop. Instead, he kept shouting at Daehyun with screams and yells.
Die.
Die.
Die.
Die!
Woo-Sol kept stabbing him even until his body stopped moving and his body had been bled dry, for 10 minutes before Woo-Sol slowed down his stabbing. The body no longer bled, and Woo-Sol was so lost in his urges that he hadn't realized the gravity of the situation yet. His body was splattered red with blood, and he stood up while looking down at Daehyun's deadened expression of horror and contorted pain.
…
He's dead. Woo-Sol thought, and then the thought gave way to another. He was alive. And now he's dead.
Woo-Sol repeated those two thoughts in his head, before he felt the familiar but stained weight on his hand, raising it to be his Pen. Bloodied and already dull with nothing but stained blood and flesh. He looked at the pen, and back at Daehyun. He kept looking back and forth before his eyes landed on the pen…and his hand shuddered, dropping it on the ground.
He shook down to his very core, and Woo-Sol couldn't do much else but just stand still as the gravity of his situation sunk in.
He didn't fight back.
He didn't even defend himself against Daehyun.
And neither could he even say that he attempted mere assault.
Woo-Sol killed this man.
The blood dripped down his shirt, and his pen, as a single word described the visage that laid before Woo-Sol.
Murder.
This was nothing but murder.
"Pathetic." Woo-Sol shuttered, the voice echoing his thoughts about himself now. How else could he view himself? He murdered another human being. No matter how much Daehyun is a scumbag…what does that make Woo-Sol if he's the one who's a damn murderer— "And yet promising."
Huh? Woo-Sol's nerves are shot, but his ears are working right at least…despite the ringing. He did hear that right? And it came from behind him, as he slowly turned to said voice. The source of the voice led to a dark figure standing with his arms at his sides, and fists closed. However, one thing is for sure… he was 178 cm, taller than Woo-Sol's 156 cm. The mane of white hair that surrounded his head looked frazzled and wild, untamed, save for the topknot, and looked as if not even a pair of trimming scissors could cut through that. The first thing that Woo-Sol saw were his piercing red eyes, that pierced through the fog surrounding his figure. Even though this man could be elderly, his build didn't even fit the description of a frail old man. The opposite couldn't be more true. Instead, Woo-Sol saw the man with a vascular build, filled to the brim with nothing but muscle, and barrel-chested. He wore a pelt over his shoulders, and he barely wore any sandals at the moment. However, the most striking appearance is the prayer beads surrounding his neck over the pelt. His grey Gi-pants were tied with a length of rope, as opposed to a traditional belt, and the sleeves at the end were ripped to reveal his forelegs where the definition is still considerably vascular and unbelievably strong compared to Woo-Sol's own body.
His skin looked darkened as if it used to be a different shade before being blotted with darker shades. However, his expression looked emotionless and stoic, and yet Woo-Sol found himself confused. Despite the elderly's intimidating appearance and his cruel words, he didn't seem to have any intent to hurt Woo-Sol. At least, Woo-Sol didn't know what this old man wanted with him.
He did recognize the language as Japanese, luckily his own understanding of Japanese is enough to be considered easily understandable and able to hold himself in conversation.
"…y-you…how much did you…?" Woo-Sol stuttered out in Japanese.
"I saw enough. Enough to be intrigued." The figure crossed his arms, looking down at Woo-Sol from a distance.
"Intrigued…?" Woo-Sol whispered, befuddled but baffled by the fact that this old man wasn't even horrified or appalled. He was disappointed, by what?
"You let your killing intent consume you. You lost control, and killed your opponent like a beast." The figure spoke, although its slow rumbling voice belied a sense of annoyance. "And yet, you followed through with it in the end…even if you stand with fear."
"…w-what…what are you talking about?" Woo-Sol asked slowly, but he stood there paralyzed and confused.
"You're unrefined, lacking in discipline, and too quick to fear and cowardice," The figure walked forward, the fog dissipating to reveal his face in full, and it showed his eyes, dark sclera surrounding the blood-red pupils that showed Woo-Sol this was no ordinary old man. "But you have a lingering potential within you, where someone as young as you hides it. Very surprising…and it'd be a waste."
"H-Hey…" Woo-Sol blinked as the figure walked up to him, and despite his mind screaming at him to turn away and run, he felt his legs paralyzed at the moment. The figure's grim visage closed in, and he stood before Woo-Sol, the 13-year-old looking up at this…demon.
Woo-Sol couldn't think of any other word. The demon's eyes looked down at Woo-Sol with piercing eyes, and yet he seemed to be sizing him up for a moment. "Hmph…"
Woo-Sol seemed confused by the scoff, yet before he spoke, he felt a force at the back of his neck, leaving him slack. As his vision darkened, he faintly heard.
"You will be taught discipline as my apprentice…boy."
Woo-Sol felt his body and sense of balance wavering. As the darkness around him gave way to a piercing bright ray of light shining on him…he opened his eyes with an ache at the back of his neck. The first thing he sensed was the salty smell of the ocean. Next, he felt the ceramic build of whatever vessel he was on right now. Eventually, he slowly realized he was on a ship. And if a ship, then from the foghorn that erupted and pierced his eardrums, Woo-Sol figured it must be a Ferry. However, what kind of Ferry, and to where?
"Wake up, Boy." That familiar voice snapped Woo-Sol back to being awake, and he realized that he had finally woken up and found himself seated in the window seat of the ferry, and looked to his right. He notices the same 'demon' sitting next to his seat, his long mane of white hair and blood-red eyes staring forward and ahead. His arms crossed over his chest, and yet his same attire and overall build reminded Woo-Sol of his last memory.
And for a moment he panicked, widening his eyes even further as he looked down at his surely bloodied shirt—
But no blood. He now simply wore a sleeveless black shirt that showed his thin, skinny arms, and his barely reedy body. Woo-Sol wasn't particularly proud of it, but he didn't exercise as much as he should have before. His pants were also the same, although the shirt was the only case where anything had changed.
Woo-Sol seemed to be taking slow breaths, but he felt anxiety hit him hard right now…what was he doing on a ferry right now? "W-Where…W-What am I—"
"We are going to Osaka, Japan." The 'demon' spoke with stern patience to his tone, and yet something about his disposition made Woo-Sol only panic internally even more and ever more confused.
"Wait…Osaka?" Woo-Sol widened his eyes and stood up from his seat as he looked at the 'demon' with confusion and even more anxiety. "Why are we going to Osaka—"
"Sit down, boy." The demon growled sternly, and Woo-Sol flinched with his body shaking a bit. Hesitantly, he bit his lip and went back to his seat. He hated it, but his body moved on its own when he was even slightly cajoled. Woo-Sol wasn't going to fight against an old man who looked like he could manhandle him and throw him off the ship. Woo-Sol's thoughts began to race surprisingly wild.
What about school? What is he going to do about his mother if she finds out he was just kidnapped and allegedly going to Japan? Would she even be able to know this? The last time he would have been seen is in some Alley having killed Daehyun. And when the memory returned in full force of Daehyun's corpse…Woo-Sol trembled even more. His mind was immediately wracked with horror and fear. Not for Daehyun's death, as Woo-Sol didn't care for the man anyway.
That's exactly what scared Woo-Sol. He didn't have much of a disagreement about it…and neither did he feel particularly sad or guilty about it. But what did that say about Woo-Sol? That he was a murderer on the inside all along? That he had some hidden killing urge within him that could snap at any point…? Needless to say, the truth of it all had him even more fearful—
"Ask your questions now, boy." The demon next to him spoke, not once looking him in the eye as he kept staring forward. Woo-sol hesitated, still unsure whether or not to believe it was an invitation for questions or a demand.
Still, having questions for himself as to why he even got kidnapped by this man, he started. "Why am I here? Why…are you taking me to Japan?"
The demon grew silent, and yet he grunted. "Training."
"Training? Since when did I agree to train!?" Woo-Sol exclaimed rather meekly, even though he felt appalled. "And for what?"
"…" The demon in human flesh stared ahead and remained silent before huffing. "Ansatsuken."
"Assassin's…Fist?" Woo-Sol blinked, but he didn't know what to make of that. He understood Japanese enough to understand the wording, but he felt uneasy about what he just heard. Training for Ansatsuken? What's Ansatsuken in this context anyway? "Is that…some martial art?"
Woo-Sol couldn't hide how he felt about it in his voice, and he felt uneasy afterward. Martial Arts? The kind of practice that gives people an excuse to beat each other up and pick on weak people? Woo-Sol knew better than most, and he wasn't blind to the fact that there are professionals out there in MMA or tournaments that don't do this for violence.
But he barely knew anybody like that and never talked to somebody like that. The closest he knew to someone who could fight was Daehyun, and he bullied him every day for hours for 6 months straight. And then Woo-Sol got fed up with it. But he didn't do anything until then.
And now Daehyun's dead, in a dumpster alley that they dragged Woo-Sol to.
Because Woo-Sol snapped.
Because Woo-Sol murdered Daehyun in a fit of rage.
"A killing art. With roots dating back before The Great War." The demon spoke in a patient, and yet dark voice. At first, Woo-Sol didn't understand what he meant by the Great War before he began picking through a war that used to be called The Great War. The First World War.
But that didn't take precedence over the fact that Ansatsuken is a killing art. Woo-Sol heard it right, and it made him pale and flinch.
Training. Ansatsuken. Killing Art.
Woo-Sol bit his lip and fidgeted in his seat. "W-Why?"
"Speak clearly, boy."
"Why would anybody want to teach an art meant to kill?"
"That question is meant for the founders of the art. But they have passed, and it is pointless to ask to the dead." The demon spoke, but he gave Woo-Sol a side glance that burned red, and Woo-Sol flinched and shook. "Any other questions?"
Woo-Sol shook, but he still needed to ask so many more questions.
"My mom…what about my mom?" Woo-Sol was met with silence, to which he only grew more meek and worried. "When…When do I get to go back home?"
"When you are ready and alive." The demon responded sternly, unfazed by his answer and the implications.
Woo-Sol couldn't find himself the will to be angry, or even frustrated. Right now he was too fearful and afraid of this demon. He briefly considered reporting the authorities as soon as he could. However, with him being stuck in the window seat, and the demon sitting right next to him, he seemed resigned to the fact that he'd be stuck on this ferry for a while before arriving in Japan. However, he still felt anxious and quite honestly a bit afraid.
Training for martial arts? On a ferry to Japan? And effectively kidnapped by a Demon?
Cha Woo-Sol could not feel anymore unlucky, and unfortunate than ever before. And yet, for a moment he feels…unburdened. As if there is no need to worry about getting beat up by thugs again. No need to hide it from his mom anymore, and no need to come up with excuses.
Woo-Sol didn't really like his situation, but he didn't exactly hate it any more than he hated being a murderer or a victim.
And so, he just leans into the window, looking at the waves and the surging ocean. For about 10 minutes the trip was silent, before he calmed down and looked to the Demon.
"Not that it matters but…I'm Cha Woo-Sol. Just Woo-Sol is fine though…"
For a moment, Woo-Sol didn't know what he stood to gain from telling the Demon his name. It seemed like a mundane custom at the moment, so Woo-Sol didn't expect much of a reply.
"Hmph." The Demon didn't respond with a name at first, and Woo-Sol didn't hold his breath. The Demon surprised him, when he turned his head and looked him in the eyes. "You will refer to me as Akuma-sensei."
"O-Oh…s-sure—"
A stern look in Akuma's eyes made Woo-Sol correct himself. "Y-Yes, Akuma-sensei!"
Akuma's eyes remained leveled, before looking forward once again. Woo-Sol would remember to always refer to this man as sensei. Although, Woo-Sol could only hope that the trip to Japan wouldn't take much longer.
The ferry trip didn't last longer than expected. In fact, the trip only lasted 4 hours before they arrived in Osaka. And immediately, Woo-Sol was glad to have learned at least how to speak and read some Japanese. It was difficult, but as soon as he got off the ferry, he was met with a small bit of culture shock when they arrived at Osaka. However, he didn't have much time to think that the time, since Akuma was already telling him to keep up with him. At first, he didn't know where they were going to train.
Woo-Sol figured they might be going to a dojo in Osaka, and that there would be exactly the place to train. Woo-Sol found himself a bit nervous, but eagerly curious to see what the dojo would be like. Safety mats, punching bags, and air-conditioning? Honestly, that seemed like a better alternative to fighting in the streets and being beat up by thugs.
And for a about a few hours, Woo-Sol did think that they were going to the city of Osaka. However, Akuma didn't take them to the city. In fact, they weren't going anywhere near the city. Woo-Sol grew confused as to why they didn't even take a stop or a break since the ferry, but then he realized they were walking along the coast of the same bay and along the outskirts.
At the time, Woo-Sol didn't really know what to think. Along the way, Akuma somehow bought some fruit from the local market, with simple coin of Yen, that Woo-Sol didn't understand enough of. Next thing he knew, Woo-Sol had a bag of fruit, varying from Tangerines, a Durian, and even a few peaches if anything. It was one bag for him, Woo-Sol figured, before asking Akuma why he didn't buy enough for two.
He didn't respond, simply giving a brief glance and humming deep.
Once again, Woo-Sol was confused by this enigma that was Akuma, who he barely knew anything about, and vice versa.
It took half the day, with the sun almost about to set and then they found themselves at another bay. This one with a simple flat boat, and 50-something-year-old man, who Woo-Sol could assume to be a sailor. The sailor took one look at Akuma, and then took another look at Woo-Sol at the time, his expression showing a toothy smirk.
"Who's the kid?" The sailor asked, to which Akuma replied with a simple sentence.
"My student."
That alone was enough to make the sailor widen his eyes, throw his head up in laughter. Woo-Sol didn't know what was so funny, but it didn't take long for the sailor to wave them into the boat, and without a word of exchange Akuma took one glance at Woo-Sol.
Wait…we're taking another boat? Woo-Sol repressed a sigh, but he only grew ever more anxious. They were far from the city, and yet Akuma wanted them to go to another boat? To where? There is nothing but islands on the coast of Osaka.
Woo-Sol would find out as soon as Akuma grunted, since the Demon practically walked onto the boat with no issue. The young man stood there dumbfounded, but he followed regardless. He was stuck in a different country, and with no money at all he wasn't going to be able to go back home even if he wanted to.
The sailor began taking them to an island that the sailor called Gokuento. While the island is considerably out in the boonies of Osaka, there is a small village community at the base of the island. Or so said the sailor. Woo-Sol couldn't make it out with the thick accent, and his vernacular being a bit more…contextual, if anything else.
Woo-Sol is still a Korean who knows Japanese as a second language, he needed to understand more nuances to get the context. However, he focused on the smell of salt water that felt refreshing. The occasional splash of mist water that cooled his face. The wind that rushed past his deep-blue hair. Admittedly, it would be a wonderful boat ride if he wasn't with two strangers.
Some time passes, and the sun begins to slowly set, blood-orange hues painting the sky and the clouds. As they arrived at the island, Akuma led Woo-Sol to the village. It was a humble village admittedly, but even they had the one community building that helped with modernization and their needs. The village itself also had a thriving fruit market that was closing up for the day, as they walked the street of the village. Woo-Sol didn't even know the name of the village, but the villagers themselves, especially the farmers looked at Akuma with an emotion that Woo-Sol didn't know what to define.
Reverence? Fear? Respect? Familiarity?
It seemed to be all mixed, and yet none of them looked at him the same way that Woo-Sol did.
However, as Woo-Sol is deep into his thoughts, his eyes wandered to a path that led up the mountain…which confused him to no end, and unfortunately meant more walking.
His feet were already aching from the half-day of walking, and he was sweating bullets to the point of being absolutely exhausted. And now they were going to walk to mountain path? For what? What more could there be for Woo-Sol to walk through just for him to learn some stupid assassin's martial art?!
He frowned as he glared at Akuma's back, although it was weak. Woo-Sol almost had a mind to actually complain and demand more answers—
"I can sense your animosity, boy." Woo-Sol flinched from the voice, but he kept walking behind Akuma. Still, Akuma didn't turn back, but his voice was stern.
"…s-sorry, sensei…" Woo-Sol looked down, his frown and glare dissipating to an anxious expression.
The trip up the mountain was hellish on Woo-Sol's feat and his breathing. With the air getting slightly thinner, he had to slow down before doing anything else. Akuma didn't slow down, but Woo-Sol managed to keep up. They weren't even half-way up the mountain, before Akuma made a sudden turn in the forest, which led to a rocky formation that Woo-Sol followed. After a while, Akuma led Woo-Sol to a cavern…specifically the route to a cave. At first it was dark, almost close to pitch-black. The only way Woo-Sol could even make out where to go was to follow the sounds of Akuma's footsteps.
In the horizon, Woo-Sol saw a light at the end of the tunnel, a blood-red light. It wasn't too bright, but Woo-Sol would feel the a wave of hot air blasting him in the face. It made him sweat almost immediately, and he found himself a bit anxious as he finally came out of the tunnel.
Immediately, what caught his attention was the amount of candles that surrounded the cave. There seemed to be countless little flickering flames shining a deep red, and all of them so close and swarming around a section of the cave. Next, he noticed a broken-down wooden boat, with a lantern hanging on the bow and unlit. Then he saw a lake of crimson red, which spanned for what he assumed to be miles away. The stillness of the lake, despite how calm it typically looked, felt unnerving to Woo-Sol for the simple reason that its color reminded him of the same liquid that coursed through his veins. But immediately, what he found to be the most unnerving, if intimidating aspect of the hollow was…a giant man-made statue, with multiple arms, and carved out of rocky stone, missing a head.
The head in question was embedded on the edge of the stone-floor and the lake, its wrathful expression boring deep into Woo-Sol's very being. It's carved rage enough to leave Woo-Sol confused as to how that even got there. Natural occurrences? Or perhaps something else?
"Boy." Woo-Sol jumped at the sudden call, before he turns to Akuma. The Demon walked barefoot on the ground, before he walked a few steps away from Woo-Sol, turning to face him, crossing his arms. "This is where your training will take place."
"We…we…took a ferry and a boat for this place?" Woo-Sol whispered as he took the time to swallow up all the ambience around him. The heat made it almost unbearable to be around, and worse that his legs are unbelievably sore. He wanted to rest, and yet he didn't know if there was any futons for him to sleep in, or if he would even be able to sleep at all with this unbearable heat. "It's ominous…and a bit imposing…"
"Only the harshest of conditions will do for your training," Akuma stated with a firmness, and yet as he now stood there, Woo-Sol could feel the Demon's eyes boring into his reedy, skinny body. Woo-Sol felt a bit of disappointment, and at the same time some form of prospecting. "Considering you're weak of body, mind, and spirit."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Woo-Sol almost snapped back, but it came out as a genuine question, which lucky for him was only met with the same frown from Akuma. Not a scowl, or even a glare. "I-I…I know I'm not a fighter…and I don't want to fight. I don't want to hurt anybody."
"…" Akuma remained silent, although Woo-Sol felt an immense amount of pressure from the Demon. That overwhelming pressure became laced with annoyance, and Woo-Sol dared to look at Akuma in the eye…flinching at what he saw.
Disgust. Annoyance, and yet an unbelievable amount of patience.
"Foolish. You believe the Ansatsuken to be used on the weak?" Akuma's voice remained leveled, but for a brief moment, he raised his voice. "Do not misunderstand, BOY! Ansatsuken will not be wasted on weaklings, pathetic opponents, or common miscreants; Ansatsuken will not be taught to you. It will be beaten into you! But as you are now, even a miscreant could kill you.
"You will mold yourself into something greater. Whether you survive this training and become something greater, or break yourself in the process and die…is entirely up to you. Face death, seek death, overcome death in front of you. The choice is yours."
Woo-Sol bit his lip, but his eyes widened a bit. Somehow, the idea of learning Ansatsuken felt…unbelievably concerning. Most of Akuma's words didn't entirely gel with him at the moment, and neither did he understand completely why one should seek death. It's almost as if the only purpose of Ansatsuken is to overcome strong opponents. And Woo-Sol, didn't have his own reason to become stronger. Or to be a fighter at all.
After all, he was just kidnapped, and now he resigned himself to being trained by someone like this Demon. It terrifies him, but Akuma is right about a few things.
Woo-Sol wants to survive…but more than that, he wanted to be better than he was before. For a moment in the silence that laid thick between them, Woo-Sol went from a concerned and fearful, to frustrated and…dissapointed in himself. He didn't have that much courage even right now, but he hated even more being so weak.
It was how Daehyun took advantage of him, how he pushed him to the point of snapping, and why he killed Daehyun instead of just stopping at beating him up. He lost control, and effectively became a murderer compared to the rest. But none of that happened because Daehyun was a weakling.
But because Woo-Sol was so weak that he couldn't fight back. He truly was pathetic then, and even now Akuma seemed to understand how pathetic he was being now. Woo-Sol didn't want to agree, but he did. Because the truth is, that Woo-Sol wants to be better. He wants to be a better him. He wants to become stronger.
And the demon known as Akuma is offering him a chance to do so. A deadly, certainly body-breaking chance, but a chance nonetheless.
Woo-Sol took a deep breath, looking down at the ground floor. Woo-Sol's sweaty brow nearly covered his vision, but as he wiped it away, he then looked at his own hands. Skinny, and boney. He then raised his eyes towards Akuma's, the black sclera making his dark-red pupils seem as if they could glow.
Woo-Sol's own eyes were a beige-brown, and he felt a pang of fear as he stared him down. Before he swallowed it up, and replaced it with a newfound determination and want.
He gives Akuma his answer.
What answer did he give Akuma? Well, if y'all are smart, than you already know. However, the next chapter will be different for the most part.
First, off, when does this take place? Well, this chapter starts off in 2020, without the big C having happened in this story. Also, certain events from the Street Fighter canon may have happened, but I also may have altered a few key details in the prologue.
Now's a good time to establish that this story isn't exclusively just Street Fighter and Ikkitousen, but it also has massive Xover elements of other fighting games and fighting anime/manga. Get excited, since this means not just Street Fighter characters will make an appearance, but also other aged up characters.
Overall, I hope you all enjoy this story moving forward.
This has been the Maelstrom, and I look forward to seeing you on the horizon!