Chapter 12:Touhi Village
On the west side of Tokyo,there was a village named Touhi,a village full of dragons with the 1 exception of a human named Emma.The sister in law for Hunter Draconian.Dragons were flying around in all sorts of directions around the village,carrying baskets of all sorts of goods.Emma was sitting in her cottage,sharpening one of her knives.Beside her,Hunter was trying to light up a fire using his hands to cook some fish.It was almost lunchtime and the 2 hadn't eaten all day.
Finally,Hunter clicked his fingers and flames began to emerge out of thin air onto the fireplace.
He then proceeded to place the fishes on sticks which came out with a satisfying grill.Emma ripped a piece of the fish and sighed in relief.
"Don't tell me your intention is to kill again."
"That's the whole point of my job though?I'm an assassin and I kill people for money,for bounty."
"The whole concept of killing people for money seems greedy,do you think?"
"Anything for money nowadays.Once I'm done eating,help me get some more wood."
Hunter stayed silent,continuing to consume the fish's flesh.He left the bones on a cutting board before walking out the cottage with Emma.Dragons were soaring over the village like a flock of crows.There were so many of them scattered around the landscape representing fleeing rats.
But these creatures were large tyrants.12 foot tall and 30 feet wide.Also weighing about 5 tons,Dragons were the 3rd most advanced race in the world,after humans and Demon sorcerers of course.
2 massive gates stood before them.Maku and Sosu travelled a few miles on their journey to see Irai.But somehow,they managed to end up in Touhi.A dragon stepped towards them with 2 flaming fists.
"What do you want?"Said the dragon.
"Open these gates so we can reach the hospital fellow serpent."Sosu replied.
"Very well then.Meet with my master if you want to reach the very end of the village."Maku nodded and stepped into the land of revolting tyrants.Their eyes locked onto the 2 travellers as they walked through the dusty hazel pathway.In the middle of the village,stood a stone castle with skulls and candles decorated on the outside.Maku knocked 3 times on the robust door before taking a step back.A loud creakkkkk echoed,bouncing off the rusty walls of the castle.Maku and Sosu walked on the glamorous emerald carpet with golden stripes painted on the sides before stopping at a halt.The guards voices hummed loudly in a chant as the leader of dragons stood up from his seat and slowly walked down a few bumpy steps.
"My name is Galvin."
"Hello there tyrant.I'm Sosu,a demon sorcerer."Everybody gasped in the room.Their boots were shaking,filled with fear like a bucket full of water.Galvin shook Sosu's hand before taking his cloak off.He looked like a purple lizard standing on 4 legs with glasses and a beard.
"Settle down people."Galvin used his claws to pour some tea into a bucket for himself,pouring the rest of it into other cups.
"Have a seat my friends and tell me why you're here."Galvin lied down onto the carpet,placing his tail around the table.
I was watching illuminating moon rise when he heard a loud crash coming from a few rooms next to me.Trying not to make any sudden movements,I climbed out of bed,tip toeing to my sword.
The blade had light reflecting off it like a mirror.It would be the perfect weapon for me to defend myself,considering I'm not in a stable state right now.I slowly opened my door and looked down the dark narrow hallway.
Every door I passed was suppose to get me closer to the noise but it looked like the exact same hallway again.
And after about 100 doors,I noticed a slightly opened door where I could hear furniture being thrown across the room.
I peeked through the hole and was horrified to see Nurse Juliet becoming a Navajo.
There was spilt acids on the floor which could explain this.Her hands grew rapidly with claws.Her eyes turned red.She became slender and worst of all,she noticed me.I bolted through the hallways,opening every door and trying to look for an exit.
All this was happening whilst I was being chased by a Navajo who was throwing explosive apples filled with acid at me.I kicked down a door and found some shurikens to throw at her before exiting the hallway.
I got back to the room I was in and used my tanto to shatter the glass of a nearby window before jumping out.But Nurse Juliet jumped out too,she was having an adrenaline rush,not letting her feel some pain.
But I was having one too,I had enough energy to escape this nightmare.Just as I got to the gates,vines began ascending around the wooden structures.I tried using my tanto to slice through it but the vines were growing way too fast.So then,the Navajo cornered me.
"Nurse Juliet,what monster have you become and for what reason?"
"My name is Lady Applejack,not Nurse Juliet.She's gone for now.I am not human anymore,but a Navajo."
I quickly went around Applejack and stabbed her numerous times in the back before she grabbed and threw me onto her other side.She got me in a headlock whilst spitting acid onto my body,which I was luckily surviving.Now for the minute she had the advantage,I didn't realise my tanto blade was gone.It was on my right side,just a metre away.After effortlessly grabbing,I managed to take the hand of the tanto and stab Applejack in both of her eyes.She went curdling back and began throwing apples at me again.I used my tanto blade to slice through the exploding apple which sparked up debris everywhere.The vines began to come down a little so I used this chance to stab my tanto blade onto the vine,climbing it like a mountain.And to my surprise,I got over the vines within seconds.
"Come back for more fun!"The Navajo shouted in a playful,eerie voice."But of course I wasn't coming back.Not to that dreadful hospital.After running out in the cold for about 2 minutes,I got into the woods where I could rest for the night,before leaving the hospital and trying to find Sosu and Maku.
"That's quite the story you got there.I'm not sure if this will exactly help but if you pay me then I can get one of my Assassins to kill that crow for you."
"How much yen do you need?"
"I want to request something else,with greater value."
"Tell me,what is it?"Maku leaned closer to Galvin.
"The Moonstone.I want it."
"Hell no!We aren't that gullible,especially to a dragon!"
"You don't have to give me all of it,just a piece will do fine."
"NO!"
"Does your 'friend' have anything to say,human?"Maku and Galvin both stared at Sosu who had a frown on his face.
"I agree with Maku,No Moonstone for you,not even a pint."
"I'll give 1 million yen a month for a year,if you give me half of the Moonstone."
"Galvin…"Sosu began shaking his head and sighed in disappointment.
"No amount of money in the world could make me or Maku sell the Moonstone,right Maku?"He nodded in response,with sweat coming down from his face before looking back at the dragon.
"1 billion yen paid right now for the entire Moonstone."
"Galvin,I said NO."Sosu's eye turned purple as he pointed his finger to Galvin before standing up.
"WE PAY YOU IN YEN,NO OTHER EXCEPTIONS."Sosu chanted before sitting back down and returning back to normal.Galvin looked confused,he was looking left and right for a few seconds.Maku had a shocked face but decided to stay silent as this wasn't something to complain about.
"250 thousand yen for 3 assassination attempts with 2 of the most powerful people you have in this village.If it takes more than 3 then you only get 10% of the original amount,deal?"
"What do you get in return?"
"An assassin I can always go to in order to kill someone.Besides,my soul alone is worth billions so I'm rich.It would take hundreds of years for me to run out of money if I spent it wisely."
"Why don't you just kill people yourself?"
"Too much energy wasted on useless lives,besides I'm getting older and weaker but smarter.A demon sorcerer needs their breaks,you know?"
"Yeah,I know."Everybody finished their tea and stayed in silence for a bit while the candle screamed with ember flames.
The guards got suspicious of Sosu because he was staring at them everything time they stared at him.Galvin slammed his hand onto the table and told the guards to be quiet or they would get no dinner tonight.
"Well,I think it's time for you guys to leave."
"I was about to say the same thing."Maku yawned as he stood up from his chair and exited the castle along with Sosu.
"When the time is right,my assassin will kill your target,understand?"
"Understood Galvin."The 2 turned away from the dragon's castle,venturing into the village's misty abyss,waiting for Kraven to be assassinated…
In the crow's castle,Kraven was sharpening his beak using his staff's pointy end.His son shouted,
"DAD!HELP ME PLEASE!I'M BLEEDING BADLY."Kraven was going insane from all this noise so he stomped up from the cellar stairs and bashed through the castle's entrance.
"What is it Karasu?"
"Take me in I beg Father,please…"Kraven was annoyed by the brat's complaining but felt a drop of guilt in his dark forbidden heart.So he decided to grab Karasu by the wrist and drag him back to the castle,leaving a trail for dirt and blood behind.Inside,Kraven heated up some leftover broccoli stew,serving it to his son who demolished the dish in minutes.Karasu has never felt so relieved to get food before and this was the first time for that amazing feeling.Karasu got some water from the river and put it on the wooden table.
"Happy?"
"Happy."Karasu said in a delightful tone.Everything was alright until they heard a loud BANG!The glass shattered from upstairs in one of the bedrooms.
"Karasu,grab my staff."
He leaned back to grab the cursed object,lending it to his Father.
"Go lock yourself in the bathroom and come out when I say so."
"Yes,Father…"Karasu was sweating inside from his suit but he bolted swiftly towards the bathroom door,pushing the wooden tub in front of the heavy door to block and prevent anyone from coming in.Kraven went outside to check the window but nobody was there.A shuriken exploded Kraven's body with minor injuries.Parts of his flesh and bone were sticking out.Blood from his wounds gushed onto the soft sand.Behind him was Emma,the assassin along with Hunter who had a bad feeling about this.
"You broke my window.That cost hundreds of yen to build that ONE WINDOW!"He didn't even care about the wounds because they were simply nothing to him.
"Childish to care about your castle and not your body."
Emma dashed forward towards Kraven,using a bow and arrow with an explosive enchant to shoot at Kraven.BOOM!His body disappeared into the misty smoke.No trace of him,yet.
"Hunter,be a good brother and help me out here will ya?"
"Tsk."Hunter looked out for any crows but none were in sight.The moment they thought they were safe,Kraven turned off his invisible cloak and hit Hunter across the face with his staff,leaving a swollen,red mark around his left cheek.But Hunter didn't let that slide.
He side dashed left,warming up a fireball using his fingers and concentration.
The ball of ember shot out of his hands,darting towards Kraven which shot him perfectly.
He went flying back,jumping up in the air,slamming himself consistently into the sand before coming across a canyon.
Kraven rolled to his side,grasping onto the edge of the canyon.Hunter's shadow stood before him,leaning down with a slight frown on his face.
"I don't want to kill you but I have to.Goodbye cursed crow."
Hunter stepped on his hands and he let go of the rock he was holding onto.The last thing Kraven saw was a silhouette with a blazing heart gazing over him as he fell into the abyss of a canyon.
"I knew you could do it."
Hunter turned around to see Emma smiling at him while she was putting a blade on her belt."
"It's not so hard to kill someone,is it?Especially if you're a dragon."
"I…guess so."
"C'mon,let's go explore Kraven's castle."
"Alright.Maybe we can find some goods in there."The two slide through the gap between the open rusty door before wandering around the massive building.
As they passed the bathroom,they could hear a crying noise.Hunter shot a fire missile at the door before walking in.Karasu was crying for his life.He cried so much his eyes were red.
"Why are you crying so much?"Hunter took a step forward but Karasu backed up.
"I,I…I have social anxiety.Especially around…people like you."
"People like me?"
"Tough,loud people…"
"Don't feel that way man."
"YOU MURDERED MY DAD,I SAW IT.HIS CORPSE IS ROTTING IN THAT CANYON BECAUSE OF YOU TWO!"
Hunter looked at Emma who was speechless but looking down at the floor with her arms crossed.
"I avoid people for a reason.They are either evil,dumb or they hate you."
"Don't feel like that.I get it,your Dad may be dead but you shouldn't be depressed or have anxiety.If you want to,we could take you in.To our village and you can learn and develop what us Dragons do."
"I'm a crow.Crows don't belong with Dragons."
"It doesn't matter what you're born as.What matters is how you treat people."
"Is killing my Dad treating him right?"
"No it's not.We did it for money."
"Oh…"
"Kid."Emma finally began to open up.
"You will like it in our village,trust me."Emma took her hand out to help Karasu get up.
"We can even get you a therapist to help with your problems.Sounds good?"
"Fine,my Dad was an alcoholic with a terrible army anyways…"The 3 left the castle and travelled to Touhi village.Back in the woods,Irai had lost about 15% of his blood.He had travelled 3 miles before coming across the forest where the original group was.
"MAKU!SOSU!"Irai started shouting with joy as he ran down the hill into the forest.The two were just talking about where Irai could be when they saw him running towards the cabin.Jasper got up and galloped to Irai with joy.He hugged Jasper back in response.Irai then hugged Maku and Sosu who both had joy on their faces.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"The two exclaimed.
"It's a long story guys."
"I think we should discuss this during dinner time."Everybody nodded,including Jasper despite not understanding what they were saying.
Using his cherished cooking skills,Maku made a delightful dish including sushi,ramen,dumplings,onigiri,unagi and miso soup while Jasper had some vegetables along with Cooper,Maku's horse(Incase you forgot).Sosu stuffed his face with mouth watering fluffy dumplings.
"So,what happened to you, Irai?"Sosu asked.
"One of the nurses was a Navajo who injured me but I managed to get my tanto and escape from her."
"That must have been scary."
"Yeah it was,but I'm fine now."Irai took some of the raman and slurped it,tasting the savoury flavour of delight.
"Damn Maku,you really know how to cook.From the colour to the texture and seasoning,everything here is on point!"
"Thanks Irai.All of these dishes are from my Grandma's recipes."
"Your Grandma is an amazing chef then!"
Maku smiled before taking a dumpling for himself and chewing on it in amazement.After the meal,the three put out their campfire and went to sleep.The next day,sakura trees began to blossom.Pink leaves were engraved onto the dusty floor.Irai was awake at the right time to see the sun rising up with purple rays of light shining towards Tokyo.Jasper was grazing on grass,looking at Irai in the corner of his eye.The floral,fresh smell of vibrant flowers filled the air.The presence of spring was near and all of these sightings and senses felt so divine to Irai.Sosu walked out of the cabin with an impressed face while Maku was just admiring this new atmosphere.
"It's been 50 years since I've seen sakura trees."
"Really?This must be a rare sighting then!"Maku's pupils grew larger.But there wasn't all day for staring.Irai,Sosu and Maku were all training since they haven't trained for the past few days.Sosu got Irai and Maku to break through a dozens and dozens of trees.It got to the point where their knuckles turned red and started bleeding.They then ran laps around the forest to strengthen their legs.Sosu asked the talking tree for permission to use the river.Irai and Maku then had 5 rounds of races in the water to see who could swim faster.After the physical workouts,Sosu made the two use rocks to sharpen their swords for an hour straight.
They then proceeded to make dents through a 1 meter thick piece of wood before breaking it,without using any ability manipulation on their weapons.
After all of that,they meditated for about 10 minutes to freshen their minds.As a reward,Sosu gave them both 3 pieces of sushi.
"Now for the hardest part of your training Irai.Maku,go rest."Maku nodded and went into the cabin for a rest.
"Irai,I will teach you how to use light manipulation."
"Really?Tell me how to use it then!"
"Focus your mind on achieving this skill and nothing else."Irai took deep breaths,trying to meditate.
"I'm ready."
"Put your hands together and recite this chant.
Death lurks through dark
Life lurks through light
Great power stronger thy bark
Great power achieves might
In this path
You shall become enlightened
No more rath
No more frightened
Trust in your soul
Trust in your heart
Divine power lighter than coal
May thy shadows forever part
Irai felt a sudden warmth in his heart.His skin began to shine brighter and his body began to glow.
"Light manipulation."He spoke randomly,not knowing why.But his fists were glowing golden,infused with light manipulation.
"WOAH!THIS IS SO COOL SOSU!"
"That's not even a pint of it.I'll teach you the first move.It's called Divine beam.You take light energy from your hands with full focus and concentration.Then you turn the energy into a massive beam which will be easy to do.You then point the beam wherever you want it to go and shoot it by releasing the energy you just shaped."
"Alright,give me a moment Sosu and I'll show you my full potential."Irai grabbed the energy gently,storing it onto his finger tips.He then pointed to a tree and tried straining all his energy which didn't work.The energy just reverted back into the palm of his hand.
"Wrong.You don't get angry and tense up.You stay calm and shoot it with ease.Try again."
Irai rolled up his sleeves and put the energy into his fingertips again.
He pointed at the same tree and closed his eyes,focusing on the point he needs to be at.Sosu raised his eyebrows.Could Irai finally master the first skill of light manipulation?
Maybe.Sosu thought to himself,he could do this.Irai stayed calm but the energy just reverted back to the palm of his hand,again.
"Irai…maybe you should try again later.I don't think your focus levels are that high right now."
"Ok Sosu,I'm gonna rest with Maku now.Bye."
"Bye Irai.Just tell me when you wanna train again." Groaning came from the canyon.Kraven wasn't dead,obviously.A tier 3 wouldn't lose so easily to 2 young adults with basic ability manipulation.But he did have cuts and bruises all around his suit along with a cracked beak,on the mask of course.He had a pile of blood which he dragged for about 5 minutes.Kraven was putting too much strain on his body so he sat up against a rocky wall to rest.He took off his mask because it was boiling down in the canyon.
Now you would expect it to be cold because it's at the bottom of a canyon,where shadows take over heat and light.But the sun was OUT and it was so hot that Kraven took off his whole suit leaving him in a shirt and trousers.
His vision got blurry and the crow became dehydrated.Suddenly,from a distance,2 guards were looking left and right for Kraven.
"THERE HE IS!"One guard said.The rest of the dozen ran towards Kraven.
"We've been looking for you for the past 30 minutes!"
"A male dragon and a female human tried to kill me.They pushed my body into this dreadful canyon.But I managed to survive."
"Where do you think they could be?"
"Touhi village,where all the dragons live.But I'm not sure why a human is living with them.So first,I'm going to clean up.THEN,you're gonna help me hunt down those 2 assassins and ANYBODY ELSE THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH!"
Kraven's voice echoed throughout the canyon,he was furious.Screaming with rage.A vengeful crow waiting to peck worms.The guards eyes glowed purple as they carrying Kraven back to his castle to prepare the plan.Meanwhile,at Touhi village,Hunter and Emma were staying there for their reward after 'killing' the King of Crows.Galvin made some sushi for everybody while they waited.
"That was quick,killing him,wasn't it?"
"It was pretty easy considering he was a tier 3."Karasu was looking down with his whole body shaking.But Galvin looked confused.A tier 6 and 5 couldn't have killed a tier 3 THAT quick.
But after all,he was outnumbered.At any point,Kraven could have chosen to get his guards but he didn't.Why?Why would he do that?Something seemed off,it stayed in Galvin's mind but the thought lingered away.
On a bolting horse,Irai could be seen at the gates of Touhi village.
The gates opened for him and he hopped off Jasper,tying him on a rope to a robust wooden stick.Irai walked slowly towards the group with 4 fat brown bags,probably filled with yen or gold.
"There he is."Hunter exclaimed with a full mouth of scrumptious sushi.
"Maku and Sosu weren't in the forest.Have you guys seen them?"They all looked at each other and shrugged.Irai widened his eyes,beginning to sweat.
"J-just take the money."Galvin frowned.
"You can stay here if you like,we can search for your friends."
"No it's fine,I'll just look for them myself-"Irai looked in the corner of his eye.There was green gas coming for a nearby cliff.
"Guys,guys what's that green smoke?"Everybody turned towards the cliff and saw people standing on top.Kraven had some of his men and aside him was Maku.Sosu was trapped in the ancient book which was in Kraven's right hand while in his left he was holding Maku by the neck.
Maku was crying,regretting what he had to do.
"MAKU!SOSU!"Irai began running to them.
"IRAI NO!"Hunter exclaimed.He also ran towards Irai,which was one of the worst choices he could make in his life.Before anybody could move,or say anything,the green gas reached them.And it knocked every single one of them out cold.