Chapter 13: White Hawk and Demon King
Japan, 1556
The country of Japan was at war with itself, warlords and samurai going to battle to determine who would become the ruler of the Land of the Rising Sun. The former shogun had abdicated his throne with no heir, ending the reign of the Ashikaga Shogunate and descending Japan into anarchy and bloodshed. Eventually, three daimyo would emerge and make it their goal to unify these lands under one banner. But that was yet to come.
A younger Mitsuhide, his hair lacking the ombre it would gain later in life and currently held into a tight ponytail, clashed wooden swords with another samurai. His opponent was stockier and wider-framed than he, but with thinner and shorter black hair and a face marked with red lesions.
The wooden swords bounced off of one another, his opponent rushing in to close the distance and swinging aggressively. Mitsuhide brought his sword up, using the hilt to block the hit. But the force of the hit from the other man knocked the sword from his hands. Mitsuhide found himself with a wooden sword aimed straight at his throat.
"Wow, you got me this time, Yoshi-san," Mitsuhide said, his tone playful.
Saito Yoshitatsu, his opponent and cousin, sighed, lowering his stance.
"To think the prodigy that my father personally elevated to general would lose because he was taking it easy on me," Yoshitatsu frowned. "How insulting."
"I didn't take it easy on you, you were just better than me this time, honest!" Mitsuhide pleaded.
"I'm only sick, Mitsuhide, not an invalid. It's insulting! Even if I were dying, it would be a stain against my honor to get a win like that!" Yoshitatsu complained.
Mitsuhide frowned. "So worried about dignity and honor, you really are your father's son, aren't you?"
A pregnant pause followed, and Mitsuhide only watched as his cousin's face twisted. First a look of surprise, then into a look of pure rage. Mitsuhide rolled to the side just in time to dodge a swing from the other's wooden sword.
"Never say something like that again!" Yoshitatsu roared. "I am the heir to the Saito Clan, no matter what you might have heard from those filthy commoners!"
"Yoshi-san, I have no idea what you're talking about," Mitsuhide said gently, slowly reaching for his own fallen weapon. "You need to calm down, you know how much your father hates when we make a scene."
Yoshitatsu paused, thinking it over for a second before doing as his friend suggested, dropping the sword to the ground.
"I'm sorry, cousin. I lost my temper there for a second," Yoshitatsu sighed, turning his back on Mitsuhide. "Come with me for a moment, there's something I need to explain to you."
Mitsuhide followed his cousin to the nearby town, the two samurai eating dango and relaxing by a nearby riverbank as they talked. The townsfolk gave them a wide berth; while they were respected as soldiers and members of a higher social class, just as many people feared them for the blood on their hands.
"There have been some rumors going around," Yoshitatsu started. "People spreading claims that I am not my father's son, that I'm a bastard from the Toki Clan. Even worse, they're saying that my father plans to disinherit me, to give my birthright to Nagatatsu or, even worse, to that fool from Owari."
"It's just idle gossip. You've always been Lord Dosan's favorite," Mitsuhide explained.
"That isn't what's important! It's a stain against my honor, against my father's honor!" Yoshitatsu continued. "I can't allow these petty lies to ruin my life, to take what's mine."
"You're too short-tempered, Yoshi-san," Mitsuhide sighed, leaning back in the grass so he could get a better look at the clouds.
"And you are far too relaxed, Mitsuhide," Yoshitatsu said. "Why even become a soldier with an attitude like that? With the Akechi Clan supporting you, you could have become anything you wanted."
"Because, I have a dream I need to see through. And I can't get to that dream by sitting around and waiting in some castle. I'll have to make it happen with my own two hands," Mitsuhide explained, his tone suddenly serious. "I want to create a world of peace and love, where we aren't fighting over scraps of land or stupid titles like we are now. Where we can actually enjoy moments like this without worries."
"You're either an idealist or a lazy idiot, and I don't know which one is worse," Yoshitatsu sighed. "Still, I don't dislike that dream of yours. But to make it happen, you need someone powerful by your side."
"And of course you mean you?" Mitsuhide teased.
"When I take over the Saito Clan, I want you by my side. We can be the ones who unify this country, unify the world!" Yoshitatsu said excitedly. "We will prove to everyone that my illness and my blood are irrelevant, and that you aren't just another pampered brat who rose above their station!"
"Last comment felt a little unnecessary, but it's a nice idea," Mitsuhide said dreamily. "You just have to prove to your father and to those naysayers that it's you who deserves to be the head of the Saito Clan, not your brother. Do whatever it takes to show that you are a Saito, blood and rumors be damned.."
"Just stay by my side no matter what, cousin, and we'll see both our dreams be made a reality," Yoshitatsu said, placing his hand on Mitsuhide's shoulder.
Months would pass, and Mitsuhide was returning from another battle on behalf of the Lord of Mino, Saito Dosan. Originally, it had been decided that he and Dosan's son, Yoshitatsu, would lead the charge together, but Yoshitatsu's condition had worsened seemingly overnight. As Mitsuhide and his men returned to the Saito estate on Mount Inaba, but it was obvious that something had gone wrong. The guards and servants refused to look anyone in the eyes, and a nervous energy had filled the air.
"What's going on here?" Mitsuhide asked one of the ashigaru , the footsoldiers that had been left to defend the Lord's castle while they were away.
"Sir, it's hard to explain, but…someone assassinated Lord Dosan's sons," the footsoldier explained. "It happened a few days after you all had left."
"All of them? How?" Mitsuhide asked.
"Well, the servants are saying that the killers were Lord Yoshitatsu and his men," the same soldier said nervously.
Mitsuhide bolted past the footsoldier, rushing into the castle and pushing his way past through each and every guard he came across. He ended up forcing himself into the room of his master. Dosan, once an imposing and statuesque man, looked like a shell of himself. He had lost weight already, and judging from the state of his robes he had neglected changing clothes for several days now. Two bodies, covered in sheets, lay on the ground beside him, a father standing silent vigil over his children's corpses.
"Lord Dosan!" Mitsuhide yelled. "Is it true?"
Dosan paused, unable to look the samurai in the eye, before responding. "Yes. Yoshitatsu killed my boys."
"Why would he do something so stupid?" Mitsuhide asked, suddenly remembering his conversation from months prior. The rumors had not gotten any better, and neither had Yoshitatsu's condition. His leprosy was a curse from the Gods, for pretending to be something he wasn't, some of the peasants had said.
Dosan remained silent, even as Mitsuhide grit his teeth and fumbled with his sword.
"I'll bring him back and make him answer for this, I swear!" Mitsuhide roared. "Say the word, and I'll take every troop we have to bring him back!"
"No." Dosan spoke, cruelty entering his voice. "I cannot allow that boy to set foot here again, not after what he did. We will ride together, and we will claim his head together. If he wishes to make an enemy of his own clan, then so be it. Rally the troops, we leave at once."
Dosan, Mitsuhide, and the forces that remained loyal to them rode for the fields around Mount Inaba and the Nagara River. The battle was a long and bloody affair, with Yoshitatsu's forces numbering in the tens of thousands, while Dosan arrived with only a few thousand. Mitsuhide sliced his way through the traitors and dissidents, but lost track of his master in the melee.
"Lord Dosan!" he called out, just as his sword sliced into the torso of an enemy soldier. Enemy blood stained his own armor and skin now, but he hardly noticed the smell or the feel of it.
Mitsuhide scanned his surroundings, trying to peak through the wall of bodies around him. Surrounded on all sides, it was hard to tell who was friendly and who was the enemy, but none of that mattered at the moment. His goal was to find either Dosan or Yoshitatsu and to bring this to an end. Pushing his way through the soldiers around him, shoving one unfortunate soul to the ground in his fervor, he made his way out of the melee to a horrific sight.
Dosan lay on the ground, his armor broken and his chest torn open. Yoshitatsu, his lesion-marked face covered by a metal faceplate, stood beside two larger samurai, one wielding a massive kanabo and the other a long katana.
"Mitsuhide!" Yoshitatsu called out joyfully. "Mino Province is mine now! We can finally make both our dreams a reality!"
"Yoshi! What did you do?" Mitsuhide yelled.
"Taking back what's mine! Proving that I am the only Saito fit to rule, because I am the only Saito!" Yoshitatsu replied in a desperate tone. "They were going to pass me over because of this filthy blood, or because of my body…Well now the clan has no choice but to follow me! Blood and rumors be damned!"
Mitsuhide flinched. "This isn't what I meant when I said that! You did all of this just because they were going to give the clan to your brother?"
"I did this for us!" Yoshitatsu said. "You can only create that peaceful world you want with someone powerful by your side, right? I'm in control of the Saito Clan now, and if the rumors are true…Well, I can probably get the Toki Clan to assist you as well!"
"I don't want a world like that if it means resorting to something like this, Yoshi, with our hands being covered in blood like this," Mitsuhide said defeatedly.
"Don't be naive. Are you worried because this isn't the honorable way of doing it? What's so different from dying in a duel to dying on the battlefield, or being assassinated over dinner? You want to change the world, but keep your hands clean?" Yoshitatsu said bitterly. "Give up on your dream and go back to being the no one you were before the Saito Clan brought you up."
Mitsuhide put his hand on the hilt of his blade and lowered his stance, as if preparing for an attack.
"Oh, so you mean to fight me? Your cousin, your closest friend? The only person who didn't laugh at that stupid dream of yours?" Yoshitatsu roared. "Fine, if you want to betray me like this, go ahead! I'll create the world you dreamed of without you, just to prove I'm-"
In an instance, Yoshitatsu was silenced. In the blink of an eye, Mitsuhide had moved, fast enough to slip past the guards flanking Yoshitatsu and appear right before him, sword aimed at his throat. He refrained from slicing or piercing the man he had loved like a brother however, instead choosing to pause as if to send a message.
"I won't fight you...and I won't fight for you. Whatever dream you say you want to accomplish, you'll do it on your own," Mitsuhide said sullenly. "You were right, my dream was a naive one. And by burdening you with it, all I did was create a monster."
Mitsuhide sheathed his sword and walked past Yoshitatsu, ignoring his former friend's pleas and demands he return. The Battle of Nagara-gawa came to an inglorious end. Yoshitatsu claimed leadership over the clan, but his own illnesses would claim his life not long after and left the clan in the hands of some nobody from a branch family. But it didn't matter to Mitsuhide anymore. After seeing his dream perverted and used to justify such cruelty by someone he had cared for so deeply, Mitsuhide turned his back on Mino Province and on the Saito Clan as a whole.
Mitsuhide began wandering without purpose, doing what he could to help others with his sword. Eventually, he found his way into working as a bodyguard for the local daimyo, though he was simply going through the motions of his job.
Eventually, a day came when Mitsuhide was standing outside of a teahouse, making sure that no one approached his new boss while he was going through a tea ceremony with dignitaries from another province.
Mitsuhide was looking up at the sky, cloud-watching as he had been on that day when he and Yoshitatsu had both set off on their respective paths, when a voice called to him.
"Well, look who it is, the little darling of the Akechi Clan!" a much younger Oda Nobunaga approached the bodyguard, smirking as he spoke.
"And the Fool of Owari himself," Mitsuhide said semi-mockingly, his gaze not meeting the man. He remembered Nobunaga back when all he was was the son-in-law of Saito Dosan, a fool and trickster who had manipulated his way to the top of the Oda Clan.
"Careful, I'm the one who's gonna be helping your master to win this little revenge campaign of his," Nobunaga teased.
"I honestly couldn't care less about any of that," Mitsuhide sighed. "Whether the wandering shogun gets his revenge or not, it doesn't matter to me."
Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Mitsuhide's current master, was doing all of this in order to avenge the death of his brother. He had hired Mitsuhide to be a bodyguard as he wandered the provinces, gathering support, and had been appealing to various daimyo to receive help in their campaign.
"War doesn't interest you then, does it?" Nobunaga asked.
"Not particularly. Not much does these days though, truth be told," Mitsuhide said.
Nobunaga sighed. "Yeah, I guess after that mess with the Saito Clan it would dampen your spirits a bit, wouldn't it? Dosan was a good guy, shame about what happened with him and his kids."
Mitsuhide remained silent, not knowing what to say to that.
"Still, who'd have thought his eldest would turn out to be such a warmonger? Doing all that because of a power grab? It was kind of pathetic," Nobunaga said, before suddenly feeling something cold pressed against his throat.
Mitsuhide had drawn his sword, aiming it at the daimyo. The guards flanking Nobunaga reached for their own weapons, but he made them freeze with a simple raising of his hand.
"Yoshitatsu was my friend, not a warmonger…He was just a little lost, he wouldn't have done that if…" Mitsuhide's words faltered.
Nobunaga let out an appreciative whistle. "Quick on the draw there, aren't you? I didn't mean to offend, of course, I know you two were close."
"Yoshi-san did all of that to try and help me and my own stupid dream, and it got him killed," Mitsuhide complained. "If I had done something different, he wouldn't have felt the need to do all that, to ruin so many lives…"
"So because of that, you decided to give up on your own dream and waste your life playing bodyguard to some has-been?" Nobunaga asked dismissively. "The days of the Ashikaga have come and gone, it's time someone new took to the stage, I'd say."
"What the hell are you even talking about?" Mitsuhide asked.
"You gave up on your own dream, so follow mine! I have a good eye for talent, and I think you're exactly the kind of man I need as my companion!" Nobunaga said.
"Another daimyo dreaming of power and prestige," Mitsuhide scoffed. "Of course, why would you be any different from the others?"
"Well it's true that what I want is power and prestige, but that's not the end goal. Our home is fractured and weak, people fighting over scraps. What I want is a unified country, where we aren't at each other's throats all the time. A world of peace and love."
Mitsuhide paused, hearing those words thrown back at him. He lowered his sword, sheathing it and setting the Oda's guards at ease.
"You're an interesting guy, Lord Nobunaga," Mitsuhide said, smiling despite himself. "I'll stay by your side, then, until this little dream of yours becomes a reality."
With that, Nobunaga and Mitsuhide became a force to be reckoned with, Mitsuhide becoming the Oda Clan head's most trusted lieutenant and advisor, even as their forces swelled and the provinces under their control became more and more numerous. Before long, more provinces bared the symbol of the Oda Clan than any other, and the Akechi Clan became their second in prestige. But not all was peaceful, there were of course those who saw Nobunaga as another tyrant, just as Mitsuhide had at first, and rose up to fight against him.
In the days following one such battle, one in which they found themselves against the Hatano Clan, Mitsuhide was found praying at a nearby altar. They had fought the Hatano for a year now, trying to reclaim hostages, doing everything they could to get them back and to win the day for their side. Unfortunately, Mitsuhide's mother had been among the hostages' number, and when they finally claimed the castle for themselves, they stumbled upon a bloodbath.
"Mitsuhide." Nobunaga's voice interrupted Mitsuhide's prayers, but the lieutenant remained where he was. "I am sorry for your loss, my friend."
"Did you come to pay your respects too?" Mitsuhide asked sullenly.
"No, truth be told I don't care much for the Gods," Nobunaga sighed. "Especially not when men of God can get away with doing what they did. Crucifixions, torture…it's unfathomable, even in times of war."
"They were fighting for a dream too, I imagine, just like us," Mitsuhide's tone remained downtrodden.
"We will not be like them!" Nobunaga hissed. "Do not let this loss cloud your judgment. I know you're hurting now, but this is the kind of thing we are going to prevent! A world where sons do not have to lose their parents as collateral damage, or where parents do not bury their children too soon! We will not let her loss be in vain."
"We can never stoop to their level," Mitsuhide said, his voice cracking but still refusing to meet his friend's gaze. "We can never be like them."
"Then we'll swear it, as an oath. Should either of us ever stray too far from that dream, we will do everything we can to stop them from going down that path. No matter what," Nobunaga said solemnly, sitting down beside his lieutenant. "We will remain men of honor, even if it kills us."
Mitsuhide was suddenly reminded of how things had ended with Yoshitatsu, how he had failed to end things before they spiraled out of control and how he had tried to preserve his own honor by not killing his friend. If he had talked to Yoshitatsu or stopped him sooner, would he have stopped their battle? Would Dosan be alive? Would it have done more to preserve thier honor if Mitsuhide had struck him down that night? He had sworn to never let himself get close to anyone else after that, and that he'd turn his back on those foolish dreams. But Nobunaga had changed that, and now with this promise he felt as if he had finally found someone he could keep by his side forever.
In his castle in Azuchi, Nobunaga sat beside his wife and retainers, enjoying an evening tea as they spoke informally. Nohime, a beautiful young woman with silky black hair and dressed in a regal black kosode, sat with him, listening to her husband's tales. The doors to this meeting room burst open and Akechi Mitsuhide entered, his face older and clothing and armor fancier.
"Ah, Mitsuhide! Sit down, join us for a moment!" Nobunaga called out to him.
"Nobunaga! What's the meaning of this?" Mitsuhide called out harshly, advancing on his lord with no regard for decorum.
"We're having tea," Nobunaga said simply. Mitsuhide fumed silently for a moment before continuing.
"No, I mean why did your son wage war against the Iga? And when he failed, why did you then double down and try to wipe them out again?" Mitsuhide roared.
Nobunaga sighed. "The Iga were our enemies, Mitsuhide. They had to be destroyed eventually, Nobukatsu was just getting a headstart on it. Even if he did it without my permission."
"You burned their village to the ground! Civilians, women, children…not shinobi! And all that accomplished was getting Hanzo to join forces with that dog Hideyoshi," Mitsuhide challenged.
Nobunaga frowned. "I'm not sure that I like your tone right now, Mitsuhide. Remember, to create the world we both dream of, sacrifices have to be made. A blade cannot be forged without some fire."
"You're behaving like a monster!" Mitsuhide said, earning looks of shock from the others in attendance.
"Listen to me you slack-jawed tanuki, I am the future shogun of this land. I am the one who will unify this world. One blade, forged under the heavens with a single destiny. I will not have it questioned by you of all people, especially when you forget your station," Nobunaga said harshly.
Mitsuhide paused for a moment, barely recognizing the man in front of him and now seeing Nobunaga as much of their country did: not a man, but the Demon King of Sixth Heaven himself. Once again, he had shared his dream with someone and watched it pervert them. He had lost his mother, sacrificed her even, for this crusade, and now he was being accused of disloyalty?
Mitsuhide turned and stormed out, abandoning them to their tea and leaving the tense atmosphere. He remembered the promise he made to Nobunaga on the day they recovered his mother's remains.
"Whatever it takes to preserve my friend's honor." Mitsuhide reminded himself.
It had not been difficult, scrounging up those loyal to the Akechi Clan or their vassals to rise up against the Demon King. Many felt betrayed or hurt by Nobunaga's crusade, and even more wanted a chance at power and prestige by defeating his forces. Mitsuhide knew Nobunaga and a scant few guards were in Honnoji Temple, enjoying a private tea ceremony. All he had to do was give the order to attack, while everyone thought he was off preparing their forces for the battle to come.
"Lord Akechi, what is your command?" asked Mitsuhide's own lieutenant. He was a younger man with a shaved head, Ise Sadaoki.
Mitsuhide sighed, placing the helmet upon his head and pointing forward with his sword.
"The enemy awaits us at Honnoji!" he called out, and the forces of the Akechi Clan descended upon it. As they advanced, they set fire to everything they could, until the temple grounds were consumed in flames. Mitsuhide advanced through the fire, pushing his way into the inner sanctum of the temple.
Behind wooden doors, Oda Nobunaga sat in his most casual attire, bow and arrow in hand. He had been making shots through the windows of the temple, trying to stave off the invaders.
"I had hoped that Ranmaru was wrong or lying, but I guess it really is you behind this scheme," Nobunaga said solemnly. "Tired of being the toady and sycophant and finally here to become the shogun yourself, eh?"
"I'm just here to make good on a promise. A world of love and peace made by men of honor…which neither of us are anymore," Mitsuhide said coldly.
Nobunaga spat on the ground. "The world doesn't care about honor, you fool. You think things will go your way just because you're honorable and just? The world is cruel and hateful, it is a place where honor gets people killed. Just look at Saito Dosan, or your own mother."
Mitsuhide launched himself forward, his sword slicing through the wood of Nobunaga's blow and slicing open his arm.
"There's that speed and ferocity that earned you your nickname," Nobunaga smirked through the pain and blood loss. "The White Hawk of Nobunaga."
Nobunaga sighed, turning his back on Mitsuhide and yanking his arm away from the bloodied blade. It now hung limp at his side, even as he moved around.
"I do not intend to fight you, nor do I care what your scheme is in this," Nobunaga said coldly. "Maybe you're right and we did go astray somewhere, or maybe…none of it matters. The die is cast, and even if I were to escape the Oda Clan would never recover from this embarrassment. My dream of becoming the Great Unifier is dead in the water. If you ever were truly my friend, do me the honor of letting this end on my own terms."
Nobunaga knelt down, sitting on his knees and reaching into his robes to draw out a small knife. Mitsuhide understood what was happening, and stood beside the daimyo, raising his sword overhead. In almost perfect silence, the two got into their positions for the hara kiri .
"Goodbye, my friend."
Nobunaga's head and body were lost in the blaze, and Mitsuhide returned to wandering the countryside. The traitor, the villain, whatever people made him out to be he was more than fine with it. Ieyasu and his forces would become the newest frontrunners to unify the country, but Mitsuhide was beyond caring at this point. He gave up conflict, and gave up violence. He would find a new way to live his life.
"I was angry at the time, but a few centuries in Heaven gives plenty of time to reflect on oneself," Nobunaga noted humorously. "I forgave the poor fool long ago, I was too consumed by power and rage to see it at the time, but he was just seeing to the promise we made. When I got over my rage, I swore to never pick up arms again, in honor of what my friend would become."
"And you never did say any of this to his face, did you?" Hideyoshi sighed.
"No wonder the poor idiot spent so much time angsting," Ieyasu face-palmed. "You two are complete idiots, you know that, right?"
"And yet we still almost won," Nobunaga said with some pride.
"Now really isn't the time for this, my lords," Prometheus said, annoyance entering his voice. "That story was well and good, but Mitsuhide still has an uphill battle ahead of him."
"He will see it through. This battle is his to win, now," Nobunaga said confidently. "We called him the White Hawk because he was among the fastest swordsmen in my entire army. Now that he is being true to himself, no one will be able to overcome that!"
"Now I know what you really are. A traitor, a schemer…Not even a true soldier, but an opportunist," Tyr grumbled. "No wonder you threw that identity away and became that lying little monk. I might have done the same if my only claim to fame was betraying my only friends."
"Pot and kettle, Nord, I seem to recall you leaving Jormungandr to die and slapping chains on your best friend!" Mitsuhide hissed. "I'm not about to sit there and be judged by someone like you."
"Don't you dare compare our situations!" Tyr leaped forward, going for an attack with his shield and spare arm. Even without Tyrfing, his natural strength would be enough to split Mitsuhide's skull if he landed a direct hit.
Mitsuhide lowered his stance, placing his one good arm on the hilt of the sword and inhaled deeply. Pushing the air and blood into his legs, he prepared to move. In the blink of an eye, Mitsuhide propelled himself forward, meeting Tyr halfway but seemingly advancing past him without even drawing his sword. Tyr froze, landing on unsteady feet as he felt his chest open. Mitsuhide's sword had pierced through the cracked chestplate, slicing open the God's chest as divine blood sprayed onto the floor.
"I didn't even see your weapon move…" Tyr mumbled. "More of your tricks!"
"Nope, just talent," Mitsuhide smirked, turning on his heel to slash through the air with the sword. "Kamaitachi!"
The slicing wind cut through the air stronger than ever, slamming into Tyr's back quicker than he could react. The cracks across the armor spread even further, and blood seeped through the armor.
"By embracing your true self, your soul is being a bit more honest. It's making our bond stronger," Monogenes explained to Mitsuhide internally. "You don't have to fight alone, even if you are using the power of 'the Only-Begotten One'. You can be a symbol, advancing forward on your own for the sake of the people who care for you. That is what the Virtue of Monogenes represents."
"We'll end this in one blow then!" Mitsuhide called out, lowering his stance once again to prepare for another lunging iai attack.
"You will not get through me!" Tyr roared, taking a knee so as to place himself behind Svalinn, the shield pulsing with energy.
"Kotegiri Masamune: Tengu!" Mitsuhide launched himself forward, pulling his sword from the sheath with such speed that it began to slice through the wind around it, coating the blade in a strong wind current as it slammed into the face of Svalinn.
"Hrungnir's Teeth: Reflection!" Tyr dug his feet into the soil, pushing the shield forward as it made contact with the sword and wind currents.
The two sat there for a moment, an unstoppable force and an immovable object brought head to head, splitting the ground and the air around them. None in attendance knew how this would end, they could only sit back and watch as the two collided. It would take only a single error for everything to turn on its head.
And when that error came, only a scant few could see it. Warriors, smiths, and artisans alike noticed it, but it was Pandora who called it out first.
"Prometheus!" she yelled, eyes widening. "Svalinn is going to break!"
Before Prometheus could ask how she knew that, the forgemaster's daughter was vindicated when the sound of metal cracking echoed through the arena. Svalinn's runes began to pulse even more frequently, a faint hum entering the air, before the crack spread further and further. Divine light shined from the cracks in the shield, before in a surprising turn of events, the shield shattered and the light spread out, blinding people as Mitsuhide's attack pierced through.
When the light died down and people could finally look down at the arena again, Svalinn lay in pieces at Tyr's feet, as did the remains of the prosthetic hand that had been carrying it. His body was bloodied, and he had fallen to the ground. Mitsuhide had landed on the other side of Tyr's body, panting.
At that moment, humanity began to celebrate. A human had truly beaten down a God and broken not one or two, but three Divine Treasures. Even Mitsuhide began to enjoy the limelight for a second, sure of his victory. But then a chill entered the air, enough that all could feel it. Within the God of War, something dangerous stirred.
Tenkai's backstory is out there now, and the end of R2 approaches, but Tyr is not going to make it easy for him or humanity.
Next time: Round 2 comes to an end.
