"Y'know, it'd be a lot more helpful if you talked, Tanjo."
Positioned on a branch, Tanjo rested his back against the thickness of a tree. The jet-black-haired boy had his slightly scratched mask in his hands, mindlessly staring at the wooden craft.
Tanjo lifted his head, shifting his blue eyes to gaze at Asami. "Why are we taking a break again?"
Asami huffed, her face morphing into an expression of annoyance. "Ever since I found you, not a word has been uttered on your end. What, did a near-death experience scare ya?"
"If I was scared, I would have already left. I'm just caught up in my thoughts." Tanjo replied.
True to Asami's words, the boy had rarely spoken since the day prior, when he had his fight with Yuso. Although Tanjo would like to admit he was a tad fearful, he also knew that he wouldn't back down from one unfortunate encounter—not when everything was going so smoothly.
As each day passed, Tanjo started being hit with revelations of his own mind: his naivety was a weakness in his mental fortitude; but the teenage boy was gradually rectifying himself. When Tanjo faced Yuso, he finally got to grasp what 'fighting' actually felt like. Even with stray bandits, or the invaders from Buraun weren't as intimidating as Yuso—someone who could wipe out an island-sized area with one attack.
"Then you're overwhelmed; you weren't as ready for a fight as you thought. I also bet you're comparing that fight to the ones yet to come for when you want to save that child you spoke of." Asami stated, turning her body to face outward.
Tanjo rubbed the front of the mask, then pushed it away, lifting himself from the branch and placing the mask on his waist, hidden under his cloak. "I might be. But, I'm glad to reflect on those imposing thoughts, as it does prepare me for what's next. I am worried that I won't save Mizuki in time, especially all the way out in Shanti."
After a few moments of silence, Asami bent her knees, angling herself to eventually propel off the branch she currently stood on.
"Tell ya what," Asami said, "I'll help you find that child—It's clearly at the forefront of your mind and I need someone relaxed to help me. Do you have any clues on where this "Mizuki" could be?"
The blue-eyed boy stood in a daze, his mouth gaping. Was Asami really going to help him find Mizuki? Tanjo knew Asami wasn't a bad person, but she didn't seem like the type to care; her personality seemingly adopted the idea of "what happens, happens."
Tanjo smiled hopefully. It was the first time Asami had the honor to see it since before the fight. "Thank you, Asami. As of right now, all I know is that the rogues who kidnapped him had the name 'Furusato' embedded in their clothes. It's kind of weird, since that used to be the nation's number one village—but it's worth a shot!"
A confused expression etched itself onto Asami's face. "Furusato? That place has been gone for sixteen years. Why would anybody still wear its gear?"
"I know, but that's all that I've got!" Tanjo exclaimed, jogging his mind back to the first time he had seen the rogues. "Do you know where it is at least?"
Asami looked down, attempting to remember the previous leading village in all of Adonai's history. "I've always strayed away from public areas, and Furusato was practically the pinnacle of the entire nation when it came to popularity and warriors—the kings basically governed Adonai due to how influential the village was."
"So is that a yes or no?" Tanjo asked, arching a brow.
Asami rolled her shoulders, stretching. "I have a guess."
XXX
A bright light encompassed Kronos' vision, which soon dimmed greatly. Floating through a conjured rift in space, the god, accompanied by an orange-haired man named Hades, entered a separate realm, entirely different from the one known throughout existence.
"It has been a while since I had last returned," Kronos muttered, opening his eyes. "Still beautiful as ever."
Through the eyes of Kronos, a land filled with grassy hills, harboring flowers of all kinds, could be seen. Rivers filled with clear, potable water streamed elegantly; puffy clouds that drifted above complemented the land even further. There weren't many structures, save for the several golden arches that were erected atop the numerous hills.
"You're too busy squandering with that universe's inhabitants to return, Kronos. You ought to watch the rest, too." Hades claimed, walking out of the portal from behind.
Kronos swayed his head. "Zeus was able to govern the multiverse on his own—and you always talk about being as mighty as him, so I'd thought you could manage it on your own, with the assistance of the other remaining gods."
"You're interfering with the universes, Kronos. There's a reason this realm is above the multiverse. If you keep dawdling, I'll be forced to erase it and create it anew. It doesn't help that the universe you stay in is also the one that nearly ended the race of gods." Hades barked, the intensity in his eyes burning the back of Kronos' head.
Kronos waved his hand nonchalantly. "Erasing the multiverse won't do anything, I'm afraid. The one we currently have is too dangerous to seriously manipulate. The reason behind my frequent visits there is its inhabitants."
"What, the homosapiens?" Hades questioned, folding his arms.
Kronos didn't respond. The blue-haired god planted his feet in the soft grass below, taking his first steps since arriving. Hades angrily followed suit, leaving singed footsteps from the heat emanating from his body. Fortunately, the grass healed itself after a few mere seconds.
"If it weren't for the lot of you, they wouldn't be a problem in the first place! I opposed our arrival in that universe, and then look what happened! God-slaying entities appeared throughout the infinite universes, causing nothing but trouble for us!" Hades mocked, clenching his fists tightly.
The blue-haired god was unfazed. "If you want to be mightier than Zeus, you should tone down your anger."
Hades' countenance is full of anger and annoyance, his body brimming with raging fire. "You're hiding something, Kronos, I know you are. There is no need to fret over any homosapiens. Even if another managed to conquer the multiverse like before, the Realm will still exist—where we currently reside is what most see as Heaven; a dimension above all the others."
"That may be, but all it takes is one mishap for everything to fall, and I currently have an idea on who would make us falter." Kronos added, shifting his body to face Hades.
"Who? One of those so-called 'warriors'?" The lava-orange-haired god questioned
Kronos stared at Hades placidly, not a hint of fear or stress breaching his emotions.
"A being named Regashi Ketsueki."
XXX
Woah, the multiverse? What kind of sci-fi nonsense is this? MINE! I wish to address this right here, right now. This story was never just about basic warriors with magic—though, that's kind of what it revolves around. A warrior is defined by their own strengths and challenges, even if they vary from simple bandits and wars to extraterrestrial occurrences. If you remember, this story is built off of the existence of the gods. This only solidifies their place in the novel. Just think of where the Aura Sense came from. The Gods! Enough needless ranting—I hope you enjoyed and welcomed this turn of events! This really expands the infinite world of the Village Disciples, whether it's for the good... or not.
Have a Great Day!
Peace - Cr1ticalz_