Chereads / The Noble Curse of Ookami / Chapter 53 - Shattered

Chapter 53 - Shattered

After encountering his own darker self, Yato became a different person. His vision for revenge grew stronger, and because he sensed Kentarou nearby, he quickly was hot on the pursuit.

"Kentarou!!" a sudden lightning struck from the heavens, a huge explosion then scrambled Kyuuto and the others in the area. Its boom could be heard from miles away, alerting both the residents and the warriors.

"W-What was that--?!" Kanata slowly opened her eyes after getting blown by the explosion and fell to the ground, she then realized that Yato was standing in the distance, closer to Kentarou which was still controlled by Akira. The others soon realized it too.

Akira was still trying to stand up, while Yato approached him slowly with lightning sparkling all over his body. "You have to pay for what you've done," he said ominously. He then unsheathed his zodiac sword. It's like the previous night, his lightning was dark blue instead of bright orange.

Realizing what's about to happen, Kyuuto quickly stepped forward and protected Akira from Yato. He reasoned that if they want to make any kind of progress, it's not by violence, "This cycle must be stopped... there's another way!!" he tried to convince his partner.

"You too? First Yamato, then Kentarou, then you too, Kyuuto?! I've had enough of these betrayals... he's right--- I have to fight back," he referred to his own self that he saw before he got there, while the others were curious as to what he meant.

Yato then charged his zodiac sword full of lightning, while Kyuuto prepared for impact. He was serious in trying to protect Akira to find a new way to solve his grudge. Right before... a blade went through his stomach.

...

"Kyuuto!!" Kanata's scream could be heard from behind, as Kyuuto's blood trickled down his shirt. He glanced at Akira behind him, but then quickly lost the strength to stand. Akira then kicked him, pulling the sword back, while pushing Kyuuto towards Yato. He landed face first on the dirt.

Yato also 'turned off' his lightning, then held Kyuuto by his hands, "Kyuuto!! Talk to me!!" worried that he might die, he quickly charged his lightning again, but to teleport himself and Kyuuto to behind Akira, where the Oras are.

Kanata then carried Kyuuto to a safe distance, then proceeded to heal him. Rin also helped with her first aid equipment. Kyuuto's eyes grew heavier, and in no time, he fainted. His vitals were terrible, he needed emergency care immediately.

"You... son of a bitch!!" Yato once again charged his lightning, much stronger than before. Natsuki (in Ishigaki's body) also stood up and fired up her auric. "Kentarou or not... I have to end you," he said as he changed into a battle stance.

----

The two then charged at the same time, Natsuki with her fiery punches tried as hard as she could to break Akira's defense, but got blocked instead. Then came Yato from the side slashing left and right, easily blocked by Akira's blade. He then conjured his earth element to punch Yato in the gut, throwing him ahead of Natsuki.

"His strength is very peculiar!" Natsuki thought to herself, she remembered that first fight with Kurouzu at the hideout, and Akira was very strong even beyond Aotori. She then charged her strongest punch yet, then hit Akira with an explosive jab, and managed to break Akira's defense.

He got pushed back, lost his balance a little bit, but was able to stand up again. He once again used his earth element, stomped the ground, raised some mass of earth and kicked it.

Seeing the massive boulder heading her way, Natsuki summoned a shield. The boulder then got destroyed into pieces. But behind that explosion, Akira sprang forward without any warning, then landed a powerful punch with his blazing hot fist, shattering the shield instantly.

Akira then kicked Natsuki's left side with his super-heated right foot. She hit an abandoned building nearby, destroying it. While Yato was open for an attack, he managed to dodge Akira's punches and slashed him across his torso. He paused for a moment to see that Kentarou's body is bleeding instead of Akira's soul going away.

In that chance, Akira punched Yato right on his gut. Making him spit out blood from his mouth. Akira then held him by his neck, "You know the reason why I left you alive?" Akira asked while his (Kentarou's) body kept on bleeding, "it's to give you a reason to keep living," he then threw Yato harshly.

"I'm sorry... but this is how your story would end," Akira's eyes glowed peculiarly purple.