Disclaimer: I do not own Taimanin series.
Five Days Break - 10
"Thank you."
"Eh? For what?"
"For letting me experience something I've thought I lost."
"What is this experience you're talking about?"
"In short, this is the kind of life I was supposed to come back to until my position is reversed."
"Hold up."
"What?"
"It's a really long story, isn't it? You can't just skip everything and sum it up within twenty words."
"The full version takes a whole month, I don't think we have all the time in the world for that."
"A month…!? What exactly happened to you?"
"Like I said, my position is reversed. I lost the one place where I was supposed to return to."
"That's still the short version."
"I became the whole world's enemy because someone decided so."
"That's too literal!…..wait, wait. I'm at a loss here."
"Both sides, friends and foes, were trying to hunt me down because I was forced to switch place with a scheming bastard version of us."
"Switch place?"
"Memories, experience, knowledge and everything that make up the existence of one individual. Those things about me were changed in others' perspective. Think of it like A is blamed for a crime that B personally committed. However, everyone think A did it because Be forged every possible evidences and scenarios pointing to that conclusion."
"You don't mean mass brainwashed!?"
"Something on that level. Yeah. The consequence for that is….well, I'm here."
"What are you planning to do now? Going back?"
"Definitely. I don't want my presence here cause interferences in your life. This is something I have to do."
"…"
"Before we part ways…...Kotaro."
"?"
"Let's talk about your right eye…"
/
He woke up, at the depth of the crevice made by Ingrid's magic.
Stung with pain and exhausted, Fuuma Kotaro received the jolt of reality as the long fall aligned with many underground roots and giant tree branches stretching in the way. The red shockwave struck a hole that led to a massive tunnel where the Great Ashen Tree roots and branches conjoined. For a tree to also have branches expanding at the same level of its root, the Great Ashen Tree was truly not from this world.
And he was lying on top one of those branches.
Kotaro wasn't sure how much time has passed since he lost conscious. His watch lost when he crashed into the many bunch of tree roots and extended branches above. His backup phone died, not because of the battery. A crack could be seen on screen, deemed the whole device unusable. All means of communication were cut off.
"Ouch!"
He tried to move, the intense pain lingering all over his body restricted his limbs for a bit. His uninjured ear couldn't pick up any other sound aside from the howling wind passing through the tunnel path. His eye couldn't see anything in the pitch-black darkness. He realized he was at a location deeper than expected.
This silence was unnerving. Was he dropping too far from the surface? Was Ingrid still fighting that monster? Or was the battle already over?
"In the end." Kotaro uttered weakly. "I failed miserably."
This was how it turned out when he tried to face off a threat that goes beyond his own capabilities. He thought he could parry that monster's fist like an idiot. Within that single moment, he couldn't come up with anything else and paid the price for it. He couldn't move, he couldn't even lift his head up. His head felt heavy, like an iron chain was wrapping around it. He lost the feeling on one side of his face. That punch must had struck right in the nerve strings somewhere along the cheekbone.
Kotaro stuck to the idea that he would become stronger without the need of an Evil Eye. But that only applied to those moments when he was the Captain of the Taimanin Task Force, when he was with others. A strategist without the strength to act means nothing. The source of strength of Fuuma Kotaro the Captain came from those who stood on the frontline to carry out his command.
By his own, Kotaro could only go so far as a Taimanin who could barely take a win from the lesser demons. It was a miracle he was still alive to lament on himself. That attack could have sent his head flying. Maybe the intense pain everywhere on his body was the compensation for this luck.
Crack!
That sound stoke an unpleasant feeling in Kotaro. In the dark, a group of figures rose from the various cracks along the tree root and was moving towards his position. They were the wood creatures, and they were still active.
"Damn it!"
This meant nothing was over. Ingrid hasn't managed to take out that monster yet.
No time to get depressed, Kotaro mustered the strength in his body to get up. He ignored the yelling from his sensory receptor while doing so, the pain really stung. Sword broke and lost in the bottomless tunnel, he had no weapon to fight against these. A couple kunais won't do good against this numbers. Wait! There's still something on the utility belt he can use.
The creatures were coming closer. Kotaro pulled out an iron wire and hooked the carabiner at the end. He swung it around, gathering enough force and threw it towards the group. The wire which was horizontally flung circled around the whole group and hooked itself on the body. Kotaro would want to punch the air and scream 'First try!' but he couldn't let himself be distracted. These are critical moments, a bit loosen and a bit slip of his hand will have a consequence.
Kotaro yanked the wire, making the group of creatures fall off their feet. Taking that opportunity, he dashed forward and jumped over the pile of living empty husks laying on top each other.
One of it caught his leg, Kotaro tumbled forward, arms shielded himself from the roughed surface of the root. He kicked off the hand that gripped on his ankle and retreated further away as the pile of bodies began shifting in sync, changed direction. Ragged gasps constantly escaped his lung, Kotaro cut off the wire from his belt. This should hinder those things for a bit as their movements were drastically slowed down.
Kotaro started searching for a way to go up. In a massive underground tunnel where giant tree roots and branches intertwined together, he could hardly see the bottom, everything from the ashen tree kept stretching. The paths that led to the surface left him not much choices to consider, climbing was the only option. Kotaro knew his endurance won't last long as fatigues had covered up his whole body. If this kept on, he would be trapped down here. The more he looked at the situation, the more he realized his chances of survival reduced.
Hopefully, the fly cam had already made a good distance away from this place. Someone has to be informed of the existence called Great Ashen Tree and the man who turned himself into a pseudo-immortal being after worshipping the thing for centuries.
Crack!
Another horde appeared. This time, they came from behind him. With both sides blocked and nowhere to run, Kotaro made a risky jump to another branch extended right under the one he stood. His shoes slid upon contact, momentum carried Kotaro over the edge. Panicked, Kotaro reached out, hands gripped tightly on the roughed surface of the tree, life hung by a thread as his grasp barely held onto it.
Crack!
A pale arm broke through the outer layer and grabbed Kotaro by the shirt. Dozen of it came out like a pack of ants pouring from their nest to hunt. A sensible question about their alarming numbers was no longer worth to wreck his brain over. Kotaro had to set aside those needless thoughts to handle more enemies coming his way. Before they could grab his arms and legs next, Kotaro let go. He kicked his feet, throwing himself and the one that grabbed his shirt off the tree limb for a large drop. It wasn't a suicidal move, he had a plan backed up for that. Putting his grasp on the creature's torso and pulled it towards him, Kotaro used that built up momentum to twist his whole body midair and ended up on top the enemy. Despite one giant root was beneath them, the wood creature won't let go. So was Kotaro as he closed his eye and braced for impact.
Both crashed into the hardened root, the creature's body shattered while Kotaro bounced off and landed a short distance from the newly made dent. Pain switched to numb, Kotaro barely felt safe from that long fall, but at least the strategy landing paid off.
Crack!
They kept coming. Out of breath. Kotaro couldn't afford to continue the role of a mouse in this chase. Any effort spent to get away from these things caused him to drift further from the surface. He had to go up there. Holding the kunai, Kotaro inhaled a deep breath to release somewhat the tension in his muscles. Due to exhaustion, his hand was slightly trembling. Regardless, time to put his close-combat training with Tokiko to use.
Kotaro waited for the next horde to come closer. Once they were at a suitable distance, He dashed towards the first one ahead and stabbed it in the chest. As it staggered and the kunai retracted, Kotaro used the built up force in his speed to ram his shoulder into the creature's body, pushing down a few more behind. He ducked as one tried to grab him and slashed its ankle. A quick sweep of his leg, another one hit the ground. Before Kotaro could regain the defensive stance, one of them launched towards and forced their grip on his shoulders. Placing a foot on its stomach, Kotaro dived backward, throwing the creature over his head and into the pitch-black bottom below. He kicked up, instantly caught an arm trying to grab him and impaled the kunai on the wrist. Kotaro elbowed the creature's face and pushed it off the ground.
Knowing these living empty husks were formerly people, Kotaro knew his conscience was going to be burdened with guilt by doing this to them. But fighting back was the only choice, their number was multiplying. It had gone to the point Kotaro realize he could be completely overwhelmed if he just remained in one place. These things can come out at anywhere and any angle. They didn't care enough about falling to pieces even if they appeared upside-down the branches.
Kotaro turned back and ran. He made a wide jump to another root sticking out. That place was far from reach. Using the kunai in hand to pierce the root, Kotaro glided along the body. When he finally stopped, a faceless head peeked into his eye through a small crack. Surprised, Kotaro evaded the clutch aiming for his throat by a hair as he threw himself to the side. They were already there, anticipated his action. The creature crawled out, Kotaro stunned it with a kick to the head and stepped on its body. The second kunai promptly held, he climbed up using both like a pair of technical axes. Wall running required a sustainable amount of Taima particles and agility to do, Kotaro wanted to preserve his energy through basic climbing techniques. Lesson learned from Murasaki-sensei's bootcamp.
Once he made it to an even surface of the root, A horde of wood creatures stood waiting. Kotaro had prepared himself for another fight, but they didn't show any sign of approaching. They moved away, created a path in the middle of a single one to come up and directly face him.
Crack!
Kotaro flinched. A hole popped in the central part of that chest.
"No way."
At this moment, he was in the presence of that monster. Ingrid didn't manage to defeat it. The big boss of the horde personally stepped out of that one vessel and greeted Kotaro like an acquaintance.
"Hello young man!" He happily waved at Kotaro. "How nice is it to see you're still alive!"
It was the same disturbing smile. However, that body didn't wear a Taima bodysuit. With half of his hearing gone, the voice was somewhat distorted.
"Have you considered my words?" The man caught a kunai thrown directly at his face. "I suppose you've not finished thinking about it thoroughly."
"Don't talk like you know me." Kotaro said with a scowl. "Keep me out of your freak show."
"Ah. But this is a blessing. It would be a waste not to join hand with me and become whole with the Great Ashen Tree."
"Then, I'll become one of them. I'll be reanimated into a dried humanoid wood log." Kotaro sarcastically pointed at the wood creatures. "Then, you'll just freely put a crack in my chest and pop out like you own it."
"Your interpretation is very funny." The man chuckled.
The nonchalant air around him gave Kotaro a goosebumps. Any conversation with him won't ever be a normal one.
"Where is Ingrid?"
"Ingrid? Oh! The Hell Knight lady's name, isn't it? Well, to put it nicely." Clicking his tongue, the man revealed. "She truly was an admirable soul to behold. She deliberately rejected my offer to the end. And now…..now, she is peacefully asleep."
Kotaro's left eye went wide. This menace must be telling lie! With her strength alone, Ingrid should be able to defeat this monster. There was no way she allowed this outcome to happen.
"I promise you I am speaking the truth, I managed to convince lady Ingrid to join me. You are the only one left."
A bit shaken, Kotaro took a step back, one hand reached inside the pouch on his belt.
"What did you do?"
"Well, it's nothing extraordinary. My persuasion worked because she slipped a very tiny little weakness that I dared using it to my advantage."
Behind the man, a figure moved past the horde. As it stood in the open, the small height and body shook Kotaro to the core. It was a wood creature resembling a child.
"She has a soft spot for children, you see. When she knew my vessels were formerly people who devoted to our cause, it only took a single moment of her hesitation for me to take the win. I almost died when she unconsciously summoned that dark flame of her and burned my previous body to the ground. Such a fierce and beautiful vessel she will become for the sake of the Great Ashen Tree."
The man outstretched his hand.
"Young man, let's not be anymore stubborn than you should. I am being very generous at this point. Come here, take my hand." He beamed a smile, knowing the young Taimanin is fully cornered and will be willing to accept the offer.
Kotaro's jaw grew tensed. Somewhere along his line of thoughts, the idea wasn't really far off from the man's expectation.
There was only one way this whole thing could end. If his words contained even a little bit of truth, Ingrid might have been captured. Kotaro lost his one and only ally at this moment. He lacked the means to fight against the ashen monsters. He had nowhere else to escape. No backup, no proper plan and by himself, Kotaro was tempted to grab that hand while his head hung in defeat. He was that close to look down at his own feet in both disgust and shame.
"Say..."
"Hm?"
Admittedly, Kotaro would be lying if he said he wasn't scared in the slightest that his mind would shutdown the moment he took that hand. But oh well, at least he didn't feel scare of die trying.
"Ever thought your definition of devotion is batshit insane?"
Such remark made the man raise his eyebrow in confusion. Immediately, a steel canister dropped to the ground. A large amount of smoke pumped out in seconds, obscured all visions and covered a wide area around the horde.
Thud!
Shadows flickered through the smoke and struck many targets. The man glanced at the shuriken sticking out on his forehead, it did nothing to the hardened skin of his body. When a silhouette sprinted at him, the man saw Kotaro jumped following by the build of momentum and did a roundhouse kick. His head titled slightly by the violence that impacted him on one side of the face. Unimpressed, the corner of the man's lip perked up and gave Kotaro a sympathetic smile.
"Honestly, you are trying so hard to deny the greatness that would bless you for a lifetime."
"A stolen lifetime is what you mean!" Kotaro retorted.
No room for hesitation, Kotaro slammed his fist right in-between the man's face, throwing his whole weight into that one punch. His knuckles emitted a cracked noise, leaking trails of red at the back of the hand. Kotaro groaned bitterly as he endured another injury added to his current state of fatigues.
"Please, young man. Stop this. Naïve and stupid you are as a youngster, I believe we still have some time to reconsider our past mistakes and reconcile." The man outstretched his hand again. "Here, let's shake hands and we'll put everything behind for you to start anew with the Great Tre-Aakhh!."
Suddenly, the man clutched his face. His scream echoed loudly in the spacious tunnel when Kotaro impaled an eye with the remaining kunai.
"That's some over the top acting." Kotaro said after a short gasp.
"Just kidding." The man jokingly said. He pulled out the weapon and tossed it away. "I thought seeing me in pain would make you happy at least."
"You hardly tried to understand your former guests. I doubt you even felt anything about your victims, thousand of them."
"That's rude! I gained my youth back thanks to their devotion for the Great Tree!" He exclaimed.
Finally, he dropped the smile. Kotaro had enough of that façade.
"Hear that? That's your sick delusion speaking for a dying tree."
He needed to be careful with this move.
"Young man, I can be a very forgiving man but this is crossing the line. Do not insult our deity." His tone shifted deeper.
That was nothing new to Kotaro. Both the man and that so called deity were a danger to this world. All the same like the rest of the enemies the Task Force had fought in the past. Instead of trying to reason with him, Kotaro just needed to push on his trigger.
"So what? You and that tree feed on people's lives for nutrition. Your talks about devotion is just a made-up story to hide that fact. Maybe you should go check on that depraved custom and read a book about our cultures. Our deities only needed offerings and prayers."
The man's expression changed. Brow winkled and teeth grinding. Button successfully pushed!
"Insolent!"
Jolt!
In a blink of the eye, that monster in human disguise shortened the gap between their positions with a speed equaled to Ingrid's and threw his tightly gripping fist.
Straightly enough, Kotaro's left eye saw the attack coming in slow motion. As if dosages of adrenaline in his brain hadn't been used up completely and released everything in one go, he watched that fist brutally forced open the airflow. Enhanced muscle veins rose on the surface captured in his vision. Kotaro noticed those slightest details from a reanimated dead man's body being made into a hardened ashen creature. If that punch landed, pretty sure it wouldn't be just blood that spills.
There was a thin line between life and death. Risky as this situation was, Kotaro was willing to take it on despite his limit.
In that instance, his hands shot up. It was the initiation of a technique he had learned from Murasaki.
Kotaro caught his wrist, kicked the lower limb and made full use of the centrifuge force to push the man upward. His leg spun, one of his arms hooked under the man's and threw him over the shoulder. All the steps carried out in a quick and efficient manner. With Murasaki's lesson carved all that experience into his body, this was the least he could do.
Snatch!
Unfortunately, the technique didn't work against an otherworldly opponent. The man gripped back on Kotaro's arm the moment he let go. The ashen flower heightened the man's reflex to counter this move in an unorthodox way. His momentum became Kotaro's centrifuge force. In shock, Kotaro felt his feet lift off the ground as both fell into the abyss below.
"This is what you asked for, young man." While falling, the man said. "You're weak, and you should have accepted that. Rest assure, I will collect your body later."
This monster! This DAMN monster!
"Soon, the Great Ashen Tree welcomes you."
Kotaro swung his arms around, tried to grab on something, anything possible along the drop. At this rate, he really is going to die from gravity. It will be a senseless, random end.
He hit a smaller branch in the way. The armor-liked skin made Kotaro recoil on impact. When he realized the man was no longer falling nearby, he caught the sight of that ashen monster hanging by one of the tree limbs from above and waved his hand.
This whole time, it was only toying around. With Ingrid being captured, there was nothing that could stop it from fulfilling the goal. Kotaro was barely a hindrance because he was just that weak in its eyes.
Jolt!
Let's talk about your right eye…
Suddenly, something clicked.
The overwhelming sense of dread shoved back to the furthest corner in his mind. The familiar and calming voice, which Kotaro had no reason to recall, spoke to him as if it was played on a recorder.
There's a reason why it won't activate to this day.
Kotaro guarded himself from hitting another obstacles. The pain cut into his fatigued body like a sharp knife. But Kotaro wasn't distracted. He stopped registering any of the aching sensation.
You are still lacking something. Determination. Ambition. Extreme Sentiments. One of those.
The sounds of wind grew stronger in his ears.
It won't make a difference if you try everything in desperation to force that eye open without understanding yourself first.
The falling became faster.
Maybe instead of openly admitting to the fact that you are One-Eyed, you escaped reality by believing a life not being able to use Ninja Arts was natural for you. Because of that, you suffered in silence.
Closing the left eye, he took a deep breath to refill the air in his lung.
Determination doesn't mean working yourself to the point of breaking to get over your own limit. It's just you finding the right purpose to push yourself forward through motivation. You've already had this.
Kotaro pressed his hands together. Steadily, fingers intertwined leaving both index and middle straight up. It was the rebirth of an old traditional practice.
A hand seal was formed.
As a clan master, you need to have ambition. Well, that's just people's opinions. Even I don't think I need one despite it can be an incredible driving force of motivation. At least I don't aim to rebuild the clan as the ruling party, operate an independent crime group, dominate the world like a villain or do something complex in the long run.
Out of thin air, something shone.
Extreme Sentiments. At least once, you have to experience the strongest emotions in the world. This worked in my case. Whether if it's the happiest moment of your life or the instance you wish you've never been born, feelings come from those moments actually affect the amount of Taima particles in and outside your body, strengthens the demon blood in the process.
It was a bright light materialized as a tiny particle. Then, two. Then, ten more appeared. Many soon followed.
Take Hibiki and Sakuya for example. As the story goes, Hibiki's Art triggered in the awful aftermath of her parents' demise. About Sakuya, I'm sure you knew. She got one due to the demon drug injection enhancing her mentality. Her Shade Art awakened as her resentment towards Sora's accomplishment grows deeper. That's a story you will have to sort out one day.
They concentrated around Kotaro like a group of fireflies, continued to become brighter.
My awaken came from the worst emotions.
"Worst?"
Another voice spoke up, Kotaro recognized it. It was his.
I watched someone important to me die during my debut mission. And his death also affected another person, who I considered as my mentor figure. My useless self broke apart the future that could have been their happy ending. That crushing regret became a traumatic experience. That's how I have this eye, mine got triggered was due to great lost.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Jolt!
Kotaro's left eye shot open with a startle. The waves of Taima particles were dissolving quickly from him. Not good! The connection wasn't all there, he didn't focus enough. Something was still missing! What was it!?
Kotaro, your case is a bit special.
He closed back the left eye again. Lip pressed and body tensed up.
In a way, you are not ambitious. You've never gone through an intense emotional situation.
"I was bullied my whole childhood. I nearly died on some missions."
Doesn't count, anyone got bullied at some point in their lives. The experience is different to some others but yours is not enough. I'm also not talking about near death scenarios. You are strong-willed enough to endure and move on from those experiences. That right eye still closing is proof. It has to be something beyond the extreme. Think of it like….like...yeah, imagine Tokiko-nee get captured by Nomad and Oboro has a nasty plan in store for her.
"Okay! Can I punch you? No, scratch it! I'm really going to punch you for putting that idea in my head. Nobody hurts Tokiko!"
See! You just snapped even though it's just an example. This is the kind of emotion I'm talking about, though it's much stronger. And don't worry, I'll be pissed too if something like that happens to her.
"Please get to the point already!"
Kotaro yelled at no one. Hearing the example about Tokiko in his head made his blood boiled, too.
All that left for you is determination. I guess this is a good thing in the long term. If you follow what is right and stay true to yourself, you'll reach a milestone.
"But where should I start? I stopped trying to cling onto this long before they even made me the Captain of the Task Force."
Then that's where you should look next. You get to meet new faces, forge new bonds and learn new things with others. Will you finally acknowledge that you deserve a place next to everyone or be on your own is the question. You need to understand this part of yourself.
Holding his breath, Kotaro felt the change in wind directions. The bottom of the abyss was coming near.
Boruto OST - SHINOBI
Naruto Shippuden OST - Emergence of Talents
(Composed by Takanashi Yasuharu)
Tell you this, the Fuuma Kotaro before the Task Force's establishment and the Fuuma Kotaro after working with everyone around the globe, there should be a difference between two versions. You are now the latter.
You're striving to be better at taking care of the team rather than prioritize the mission objectives. This is the reason why you felt so much rage towards Momochi Toyo because of what he'd done to his comrades.
You stopped caring about that right eye because you realized the desperation to gain power to prove your worth will only drag you down the mud.
You started focusing on self-improvement and aim to become a Taimanin that your family can be proud of.
You turned your hobby into a dedication to study Ninja Arts and pay attention to the way your team roll with their skills on the missions.
You've always been trying to think of the best way you can combine their techniques to solve the problems.
Both mind and body relaxed, waves of Taima particles reappeared around him.
You tend to stay up late every night not because of assignments or paperwork.
"Ne (Rat). Saru (Monkey). Inu (Dog)."
Kotaro muttered softly while he switched hand signs in a respective order. Left thumb goes outside, thumbs lie flat on pinkies and left hand flat on right fist.
You actually practiced and memorized the system of hand signs in secret. Just so you can calculate the exact Taima particles consumption of each different type of Ninja Art. That's how you can immediately recognize when a team member is drained and formulate a new tactic on the fly.
A gust of air emitted from the last hand seal. Together with the waves of Taima particles, it dispersed.
Regardless of what the higher-ups said, you don't take credit for the Task Force's streak of successes. You point it on the team's effort, stay away from the spotlight and blame yourself behind-the-scene when a mission failed.
Despite the roaring wind rushing through the tunnel, the pressure grazing past his skin and face gradually lessened.
You want to rely on others. But in time, when push come to shove, you wish you won't be a burden and can be independent on your own.
Kotaro repeated the hand signs. Same effect occurred.
He did it again. Again and again.
You found the need to change yourself for the sake of others, not your own.
Jolt!
The sensation behind the right eyelid became stronger than ever.
Which is why...
Instead of Ambition, instead of Extreme Sentiments, you'll find the meaning of strength through your connections with everyone.
That is your determination, Kotaro.
The atmosphere met a subtle change. Blowing airstreams shifted their flow and gathered at the foot of the abyssal tunnel. Currents grouped into one spot, intensity increased. Dirt and small rocks pulled into the heart of that conjuring hurricane. From the center, a whirlwind rose up high.
It caught Kotaro, whose drop was about fifty meters left above the ground, and descended back to the pitch-black area at the bottom. Then, it vanished like nothing happened.
At this depth, darkness took over everything.
When the time comes. When you finally accept these words. When you decide to stay true to yourself, only then...
Once his feet touched the ground, Kotaro sat still. Eyes closed and the hand sign released.
With the strongest resolve, you will be able to see the world through a new insight.
And finally…
And finally….
And finally….
While the left eye remained shut, the other closing eyelid began to move. What lied dormant beneath ultimately revealed to the world.
Neither an excessive display of power boost nor the grand debut of an awakening occurred. Just a calm sense of urgency left on.
Lastly.
Since you're living a different life than mine, maybe your right eye possesses an entirely new ability.
It didn't shine golden or silver.
It didn't appear with a blinding crimson pupil and black sclera.
It was a transparent color that didn't mean to be perceived. It didn't exist anywhere. If blackness had a proper shade, that eye would have been a mixture of both light and dark.
It reflected none of what Kotaro was seeing. And yet, he saw through darkness clearly.
In silence, he made another hand seal and the right eye transformed.
If it's not going to be the Eye of the Demonic Gate or the Red Demonic Eye.
If it's not going to be the Eye of Kaleidoscope like mine.
Within the spectrum, five colors were chosen. Taking over the iris was a complex hue consisted of red, blue, green, yellow and brown blended together.
Then it must be the emergence of your own talent.
There was no storm raging, only a gentle breeze flew past his hair.
There was no thunder racing, only a jot of lighting zipped past the air.
There was no fire burning, only a spark of tinder flickered in the dark.
There was no tsunami rising, only a drop of water floated by Kotaro's hand.
There was no earthquake striking, only a group of pebbles piling up from underground.
The accumulating experiences that shouldn't exist within that right eye were steadily coming out, poured into his knowledge. Without the need to question anything, Kotaro knew what he should do.
At the bottom of the abyssal tunnel, he stared at the convoluted network of giant branches and ashen tree roots above. Through the right eye, Kotaro's vision removed the distance and pin-pointed the exact location of that menacing figure. He watched that monster gazing back at the abyss with a genuine puzzled look on its face and blinked.
At that instance, the right eye began to lit up. Hand signs set in motion. Kotaro recalled the ability of a certain apprentice medic in Gosha Academy. A warming light with greenish hue summoned around him.
[Shinonome Nanami's Style: Healing Hands]
The swollen cheek started to heal back. His ruptured eardrum no longer listened to distorted sounds. Other injuries and fatigues successfully lifted off Kotaro's body. The draining stamina after-effect didn't apply as he found a way to nullify her ninja art's shortcoming.
"Thank you, Nanami." Kotaro inwardly expressed his gratitude to the girl who often treated his wounds during the Task Force missions.
Now was the time to gain back the upper-hand and search for Ingrid's whereabout.
"I'll be borrowing your technique, Asuka."
[Koukawa Asuka's Style: Rising Wind]
An airstream surged under Kotaro and launched him all the way to the top. However, wind propulsion alone wasn't enough to help him reach a good advantaged point.
Kotaro thought of certain individuals with the necessary skills in mind. Shikanosuke's ability didn't have enough force and leverage. Yukikaze's Art would be too risky to use.
That left for one person.
[Uehara Rin's Style: Quick Bolt]
Static electricity traveled across Kotaro's arms and feet and continued to grow with intensity.
Similar to Rin-sensei's demonstration in the holographic training room, Kotaro dashed through the air, aiming for the destination ahead.
A short moment ago.
The man thought it was just in his imagination. He thought the young man would have been dead for good. He thought he was hearing things when the wind suddenly changed direction. Until a figure shot past him in the form of a lightning bolt, the man stopped doubting himself.
"Now that's unexpected."
Somewhat surprised, he fixed his curious gaze at the young man who landed on top the tree root above his. Something was different about him.
When that young man turned around, it wasn't the usual left eye that glared back. This time, it was the right eye.
"What's with your eye?"
The ashen monster in human disguise didn't aware that his nonchalant happy smile had dropped on the spot. He couldn't understand what was coming out of that young man's right socket. Was it colorless? Was it emitting light? Or was it purely darkness? He couldn't determine any feature of that eye at all. Did something like that even exist? He wasn't sure his mind would believe in the strange visual display of that eye.
But the young man was looking directly at him through it. For the first time, the monster felt a chilling touch on the back of his head - not from the body he chose to bloom. He felt that eye didn't even stare at his current physical form, and instead, it looked straight into the true nature of his consciousness.
"Is that…." That young man spoke up. "Is that a scar?"
He wasn't talking about the body wrapped in hardened wood skin. That was enough to make the monster leak a cold sweat.
"I see. That's your actual body, isn't it?"
The chilling touch he felt became a reality. That eye actually managed to see something it shouldn't have!
"Hold up. Just hold up a moment, young man. Let's not get carried away here, we are not really on the same page." He quickly changed the topic. "My. My, there are lots of smelly potentials in here. It's seem I have to take back my words. You are not weak. You're actually worthwhile for the Great Ashen Tree."
The young man didn't care to listen and glanced around, as if he was searching for something invisible to ordinary eyesight.
"Those things are stretching from you. So that's how you were able to transfer your so-called consciousness. The ability doesn't pick a vessel on random."
"LISTEN TO ME WHEN I'M SPEAKING!"
He nearly lost it. The mere reveal of a secret struck right in the core of his nerve.
"What's wrong?" In a calm voice, the young man said. "Does the fact that someone like me discover your true face scares you that much?"
The monster forced out a long sigh. He had to suppress the urge to kill that young man right where he was standing.
"What a pity, I can't afford to let you leave this place now."
"You're talking backward. Over a thousand year, you've never intent to let anyone out of here alive, you crazy monster."
"Like I said, devote yourself to our deity is a blessing."
The young man evaded an arm reaching for his feet from inside the tree branch. He saw it coming before it even comes out.
After that, a series of hand movements done at a speed normal eyes couldn't follow. Finished after the last hand sign, he pointed a finger at the target.
"If Ingrid's flame is devastating enough to you, let's see what Scorch Art can do."
The monster's eyes blinked as he saw light flashing. He almost regretted doing that. The next moment he looked up, a large ball of heat was coming fast towards him.
That young man literally spewed fire out of his mouth!
[Kamimura Maika's Style: Scorching Fireball]
It was intense. That large ball incinerated everything in its path. It only stopped when hitting the wall and left behind a dent. A charcoal-liked smell quickly spread in the underground tunnel. The dark swiped away by the burning branches and roots. The monster was gone when that fireball scorched his vessel to ashes.
But he reacted in time. Somewhere along the tree limb that young man was standing on, his next body punched a hole through the surface and stepped out. That young man simply stared at the upcoming of his next rebirth. There was no surprise on that face, he was fully anticipating this with caution.
"You've committed a grave sin, foolish youngster. How dare you harm the Ashen Tree!"
"Where's Ingrid?"
Again, that annoying attitude. The young man had no remorse to spare for his action.
"It's seemed my effort to convince you is more or less in vain."
"Drop your melodramatic acting and tell me where Ingrid is."
"NO!"
The monster's voice came out so earsplitting it caused a shockwave. It was enough to blow a heavy rock away. Yet, that young man stood still in its path.
"You know something, young man? I realize we haven't properly introduced each other's name yet." The ashen monster glared at him. "My name is Kuchiki. I was granted the honor to become the Great Ashen Tree's avatar. Now, I will show you my devotion to our deity."
"Rotted wood." The young man translated the name. "Fitting."
"Tell me." Kuchiki extended his hand like he was welcoming the young man to go next. "What is your name?"
With one-hand sign raised before his chest, the young man spoke words that would carve deep into Kuchiki's memory.
"Taimanin of Gosha. Fuuma Kotaro. I was supposed to earn my vacation here. Now..."
Then, Kotaro pointed the Seal of Confrontation at Kuchiki and the Great Tree, finger gun style.
"I'll stop you with everything I have."
/
Author's Note: I was actually listening to Boruto OST SHINOBI and Naruto Shippuden OST Emergence of Talents while I'm writing the second half of this chapter. It sure caught me in the mood in the build up to the reveal of Kotaro's right eye, and hopefully it made you feel the same.
I thought about the original Demonic Gate ability. But, problems plot-wise, Kotaro would be able to solve the situation in one move. That eye is OP in the way that it steals everything from any target sucked into it and literally suspends their entire existence until the user decides to let them out. One mistake and no one could stand a chance. That's why I decided to come up with this. The right eye without a name in this story raises the stake on both sides. Personally, I think it captivates everything that made up the Kotaro of the alternative AT timeline.
Let me know what you think.
Thank you for reading. Take Care!