SWISH!
Multiple swords pierced Kaoru's body. His eyes went wide, and he coughed blood so violently it felt like his heart might burst.
"You're not fit to be slaves, darn it."
The wind whispered past, lighter than ever. Slowly, the dark night yielded to dawn. Sunlight shimmered across the ocean beside the battlefield, reflecting like molten gold.
The guards trembled. Four swords had impaled Kaoru's body, his blood streaming uncontrollably. Each step forward was agony. Finally, he collapsed to his knees, his strength spent.
Ashura's laugh broke the silence.
"Look… you're kneeling yourself."
Kaoru grinned wider, crimson energy faintly flickering.
"King doesn't kneel… just like I don't. I'm accepting my death."
He stayed there, gazing at the sunrise. His vision blurred.
"That's your win, Ashura… but I didn't lose either."
A fleeting glance at the ocean stole his attention. Can the ocean be this beautiful at sunrise? he thought, feeling a strange calm.
Kaoru fell fully onto the ground, gasping for breath, blood pouring from his mouth. The once chaotic battlefield seemed distant. The sea was calm. The sun was brighter than he had ever seen.
His eyes widened, the last light reflecting in them. Darkness crept into his vision.
"Here I go…"
Ashura's voice cut through softly but firmly:
"Just die, you scum."
And with that, Kaoru Hibuko's soul finally departed his body.
The battlefield fell silent. The sea remained calm. The sunshine bathed the scorched earth. Exhausted samurai collapsed where they stood, bodies sore, breath ragged, as the weight of the battle finally settled upon them.