The shattered necklaces were scattered across the ground. The damaged group ascended in their way after destroying those necklaces.
Kuro carried Normi and Yoshiru while Kaien carried Roi. "They get heavier each time." Kuro sighed while walking. Kaien tilted his head to the left, observing the leaves on his left.
"Hey Rauchi..." Kaien walked toward one of the flowers, and Rauchi followed. He then lifted Roi on his shoulder, preventing him from falling.
Kaien kneeled to the flower and took it. "You've got the same feeling...the rejection of this world?"
"Be specific Kaien, you're not being the one i know." Rauchi replied, observing Kaien's action.
"I retired to not conflict with demons again...though i've been pulled back due to some small kids trying to save the world..." He sat on the grass, rotating the flower.
"Their pure intentions bring nothing but sorrow and pain...if the world needs to be saved, then why did it give birth to such destruction...?" Kaien raised the flower, observing the yellow shining color.
Rauchi stood silent. He turned around, "Kaien...are you allowing what happened to you before to endure against those innocent children?" Kaien's eyes widened.
Rauchi took a step forward toward the waiting Kuro, who sat on the other side of the path,
"You've lost your feelings since losing your loved ones in the previous war...why would you allow those innocent kids to feel the same way? Maybe if you let the world shine for them, it will reflect on your current situation..."
"Kaien...i know you're feeling happier since the last time...seeing you adopting more students." Rauchi twisted his head at Kaien, "Your old students are smiling in heaven after seeing you this happy...don't disappoint them." Rauchi continued walking toward Kuro.
Kaien kept looking at the moving Rauchi, "Rauchi...you also lost everything..."
"Hey, Kuro do you want help with carrying them?" Kuro nodded, "Don't worry i still have the strength to carry both."
Kaien observed from afar. He smiled, "Perhaps he is right...We should continue in the game until we win."
The group proceeded to walk in their path toward the dojo. Reaching after approximately one hour.
The quietness of the dojo faded away after their arrival, though the heaviness of the air remained. Kuro entered the dojo, putting the two unconscious partners on the ground.
Kaien handed Roi to Rauchi, "I have to see something..." Rauchi carried Roi into the dojo.
After Kaien arrived on the destroyed pillar next to the dojo, his eyes caught a note on the grass. "Yeah, i figured." He took the paper, opening it.
Then immediately he hurried to the group, "Alright, boys, we've got an important one here."
Rauchi and Kuro made their way to Kaien, proceeding to read the following of this paper :
The conflict will occur in the lands of Prua; a new era may begin.
"Already planned the war? Pretty weird telling us that..." Kuro wondered after reading the paper's details.
"They are already a step before us; we should plan as quickly as covering everything, and the knowledge I've got from that annoying masked man." Rauchi snapped his finger, allowing a board to appear in the midst of the dojo room.
Kaien spoke, "Alright, time to wake those sleeping brats." He took a stick from the ground, then approached Yoshiru, putting the stick into his left ear, then tickling it.
"HEY HEYY!!" Yoshiru was forced awake, standing up immediately. "KAIEEEN!!!" He tilted his head at his mentor.
Kaien scratched the back of his head while laughing. "I TOLD YOU TO STOP WITH THESE!"
"Hey Rauchi, how do you teleport items like Kaien...? i thought he was the only one capable of doing so." Kuro asked the sitting Rauchi,
He sighed, "You don't know the object teleportation technique of Reikonryoku? That's a pain to teach after all."
Kaien stepped toward Normi, waking her up calmly, "YEAH AND YOU WAKE ME UP LIKE AN ANIMAL!? THAT'S SICKENING ME!" Yoshiru pointed at Kaien.
"Calm down Yoshiru...I'm tryna sleep..." Roi spoke, then continued snooring, "Wait...how are you sleeping casually being injured like that? You're legitimately bleeding everywhere." The confused eyes of Yoshiru narrowed at the sleeping Roi.
"Don't worry, his technique requires him to be injured. He will recover by sleeping anyway." Kaien specified while Normi woke up.
He then walked toward Rauchi, clapping his hands, "No time to waste, we've got a serious matter here!"
"How...are we here..?" The almost conscious Normi asked, twirling her head around, observing the dojo. "Anyway..." Rauchi interrupted.
"A global crisis of chaos and destruction is approaching, i will first start by explaining the basics of our current situation. If they succeed with their plans...Mankind would fall within 2 years. If it isn't, half of them will be wiped from the beginning."
The group listened carefully, curious about the subject.
"A mysterious demon, who goes by the name Opachi is planning for a new era of demons. Achieving that goal is a nightmare for humanity, leading to the extinction of mankind. As in humanity here, i will refer to all current races, elves, orcs, dwarves, giants, and even angels, etc." Yoshiru questioned, "How would that be an apocalypse for mankind? Demons have existed for a long time in our world."
"Alright, time for me to explain a certain thing..." Kaien was about to explain as the group observed him curiously, caring to know the current situation. Kuro was drifting in his mind when he remembered the devil's speech, echoing whispers of the devil from before roamed in his head.
"Three main subjects exist in separate dimensions: original, corrupted, and manipulative. Original is our dimension, where normal known species existed for millions of years." He went silent, then continued after sitting, crossing his legs.
"Corrupted species are demons, corrupted humanoid dragons, corrupted humans, and some mysterious, unknown ones. They've been born in a separate dimension from the original to prevent chaos and destruction. Those species weren't supposed to exist in our dimension at all, but due to a human scientist who existed many years ago, they can now come to this world." Kaien stopped, then Rauchi continued his speech,
"Our knowledge of the said human is low, though there are many stories that point to the same execution. This scientist taught a technique called - Dimension gates - to demons, allowing them to open gates to any world but not the devil's one. The technique requires many sacrifices for a certain demon to open one, or the other party in the human world can open one for him. Those gates can exist for certain hours, allowing 3 demons to enter."
Normi's eyes widened when she heard the Devil world, "Wait...there is a devil dimension!?"
"Yes..." Kaien answered, continuing, "The devil dimension is the worst and most inhumane one, though it had been wiped out a long time ago. I'm talking about thousands of years, allowing 4 devils to slip out of this dimension..." Rauchi and Kaien tilted their heads to Kuro,
"These devils are 'The chaos', 'The cursed', 'All seeing', 'The worst'."
"The worst one of them is the last one...his name is known by Akuna, we're not certain of which one possessed you, Kuro...but just hope it isn't him." As they spoke, a laughing echoed in Kuro's head, "..." He then lowered his head to observe the ground.
"Don't worry, since we're with you, nothing bad will happen." Kaien smiled.
"Anyway..." Rauchi proceeded, "Devils can't perform actions or make changes unless they possess a person of any species. Returning to the subject of the devil's realm, there is also a main species that exists there."
"Devils, corrupted angels, evil deity." Kaien informed the names as Rauchi continued, "Evil deity is the one who rules that dimension as of right now...we're not certain of his existence yet. Hopefully, he isn't planning to be in this next disaster."
"Let us now return to the planning", Kaien spoke.
"Alright. In basic understandings, this Opachi guy is planning to open an eternal gate to our world." As those words spilled out, Roi woke up having no injuries and listening to them.
"I see...so the same subject of the last war is returning!?"
"This happened before?" Kuro asked while his head twisted at Roi, waiting for an answer.
"Yes...even tho we prevented the gate from opening, we lost many. Destruction was caused, and an entire continent ceased to exist." Kuro tilted his head back at Kaien, narrowing his eyes at Kaien. "Oh, i see..."
"We all lost our students and beloved ones. So, there is an announcement and main plan I'm going to specify right now. Whoever we lose in this war, whatever happens, don't lose focus on your enemy. Don't let the act of depression or sadness control you. Move forward...Don't ever look back if you want to save your beloved ones." Rauchi gave that speech as Kaien raised his head, "Rauchi..."
Yoshiru, "Never knew demons could create such chaos..."
"They've been born to cause destruction." Rauchi's response.
He then got up and went for the board, drawing areas of the lands of Prua.
"Man i can't read..." Yoshiru was trying to acknowledge what Rauchi was typing.
"None of us actually can read this language. Rauchi is creating words in his mind." Kaien shed a laugh.
Rauchi clenched his fist, destroying the pen as his blood boiled in rage. "I swear-!"
"Don't worry i got you." Kuro stood, taking the other pen from the board. "Oh, thanks.."
Rauchi was explaining the parts of the Prua lands and towns, and Kuro drew layouts and made them clear for everyone.
"Ahem.." Rauchi is taking everyone's attention once again. "The lands of Prua have 3 towns, those are: Kata, Oshi, and Rea. Each area is populated with people, and many kinds of friendly races live there. There is a sentinel base there to prevent people from creating chaos." Rauchi pointed at Kata, "We're expecting the war to begin from there."
"How are you assuming...?" Roi asked.
"I am not assuming. There is the main dimension portal underground being secured by the Soul Brigade 4th supreme team, the Sanctum Guards." Rauchi was interrupted once again by Kaien.
"Demons are going to open multiple portals there, or maybe our main enemy is going to open ones for them. The actual best place for them to appear, taking the shortcut toward the portal." Kaien stood up, explaining.
"Also, there will be other participants in other towns...hopefully, the demon king won't approach this time." Rauchi then pointed at the outskirts of the other two towns, "Here is a wide open area with nothing but rocks and a volcano. The other demons will be there to surround the war participant, to distract them from the main core of this situation."
"Here, where the actual disaster happens, corpses and blood will be shed." Kaien.
Rauchi coughed, then said, "We'll separate our teams from here." He pointed at a small area in the corner of the Prua lands. "Kuro/Normi/Yoshiru/Roi will be participating in the outskirts to prevent more destruction. Even tho i'm pretty sure your powers won't exceed theirs."
Yoshiru immediately spoke, "Why not send us into the main core!?"
Kaien stepped toward Yoshiru, lowering at him, "The beings who will exist there exceed your imagination. They're far more powerful than anyone you've seen in your whole life. I won't let my students die to my failures once again, you understand?" His eyes narrowed in Yoshiru's face.
He then got up and turned around, returning to the board. A word from Yoshiru shook him midway: "Why would we allow our mentor to die alone there...if we don't save our mentor, we won't save the other people you imagine us to save." Kaien stopped walking.
"Don't worry about me; other supreme commanders will be at the core with us." Kaien continued to the board.
"So, Rauchi, from the way you talk, we're going to notify the soul brigade?" Kaien questioned when he reached the board.
"Yes...i've already sent a note to them, including all of the plan. And you know this old fucker will be questioning us to come by now."
"Anyway..." Kaien twisted at the students, "Every one of you...If you die, i will come to heaven and slaughter you a million times!"
Kuro remained smiling, as well as Roi. Yoshiru and Normi were lowering their heads to the ground, "You should tell yourself that, we don't want further losses."
Roi put his hand on Yoshiru's shoulder, "Don't forget, Kaien is the strongest."
"Alright, enough with the drama. From here now and out, you all will be training to get ready before the war. I will be participating in the training process." Rauchi specified that while all of them heard footsteps getting closer each time.
"Oh, visitors?" Kaien muttered when all of them stood up. "Did the enemy approach already?!" Roi observed the door.
Three figures knocked on the dojo's door, opened it, and took a first step into the dojo. Immediately, Kaien smiled in relief. Rauchi sat in the chair behind. While the group stared at the scene. The uneasy feeling was cast upon Kuro while he narrowed his eyes at the last entering person.
The air grew heavier around him, "It can't be..."
Surrounding sounds disappeared before him; he felt standing in a closed domain.
"He..."
A calm-eyed swordsman, a silent girl with bandaged arms, and a tall dude with scars.
They all kneeled, bowing for Kaien. He immediately greeted them warmly, "Welcome back, i've waited for your arrival."
The figures stood in order, introducing themselves. First was the girl, "Hamilia Okotoshi."
Afterward, the tall man, "Wats Itopo."
Kuro stands still, staring.His breath hitches slightly when he hears the first one speak.
The calm-eyed: "Kasu Urochi..."
"...K-kasu..." Kuro's eyes widened, and the world's pace slowed in his eyes.
"..Hm..? You've heard my name?" Kasu questioned.
"You two know each other?" Kaien's eyes wandered in wonder.
Kuro's hand subtly trembles on his sword hilt, his heart racing.It can't be him. Not here. Not now.
No one else noticed as Kaien continued speaking, Rauchi moved on, Yoshiru yawning while Roi spoke with Normi.
"They may look unassuming," Kaien said, "but they've survived things most men couldn't name."
He got everyone's attention but not Kuro's. I have to calm down...maybe the same names, there isn't any way he came back in time with us...
-
The newcomers sat down next to the rest, while Kuro leaned against the side wall of the dojo, observing them silently.
He murmurs under his breath:
"Why do you have that name…"
The voices of laughter, joy, and happiness roamed in the once-silent dojo.But will it last forever? Will each student return to a normal life after the next disaster?A change in a place never meant to know happiness could awaken catastrophe.
The world might rest right now, but its fate would tremble once more.
Chapter End