Chereads / Dragon Zone; The Code Of Heart And Hate / Chapter 32 - CHAPTER 31; SEEKING THE PAST

Chapter 32 - CHAPTER 31; SEEKING THE PAST

A day had passed since Ryu, Rokkan and Atlanta regained consciousness. Ryu was training outside with the others.

"We must become stronger as a team and as individual ninja. If possible…we must surpass the dragons or be equal to them in strength" Ryu lectured.

"Sheesh, who made him leader?" Ken grumbled.

"Since I'm a fire ninja like Shekan, I'll act as him and…I'm not going to take it easy on you guys" Ryu said with a determined smile.

"FATE ELEMENT…" Atlanta recalled Ryukan's malice.

She had a sorrowful look on her face.

"Don't worry Atlanta. It's not like I'm actually Shekan" Ryu assured her with a wink.

"I know" she replied with a wavering smile.

"GET READY!" Ryu said as he began to form seals "Don't take it easy on me…FIRE ELEMENT! DRAGON FIRE JUTSU!" Ryu roared as he expelled a huge mass of fire.

"WATER ELEMENT! WATER DRAGON JUTSU!" Michael roared as he released a water dragon and directed it to attack Ryu.

"WATER ELEMENT! WATER WALL JUTSU!" Nadia called as she raised a protective wall of water around the others.

"Attack and defence at the same time…" Ryu thought as he evaded Michael's jutsu. "...that's clever but you're not nearly there yet! FIRE ELEMENT! GRAND BLAZING FIREBALL JUTSU!" he roared as he charged up a fireball and hurled it at the others.

"That's old!" he heard Ken's voice.

"The Water dragon was just a diversion!" he heard Michael's voice and turned towards him.

Michael and Ken had forged a combination seal.

"WIND ELEMENT!" Ken called.

"WATER ELEMENT!" Michael called.

"DUAL ELEMENT! DRAGON HURRICANE JUTSU!!!" they both called together as Ken fused his Tornado jutsu with Michael's water dragon to create a storm of epic proportions!

Ryu leapt out of the way, staring in shock at the quick improvement of his comrades.

"Don't think we'll allow ourselves to drag you down in battle anymore!" Michael declared.

"This way, we can all fight together, as a real team. Isn't that great Ryu?" Atlanta thought to herself.

"We've been learning new jutsu while you were unconscious. We only recently perfected this dual technique. Ken and I are completely in sync with one another. Looks like Shekan is a little low on chakra" Michael teased Ryu.

"What?! They left me behind. My techniques used to be amazing but now, they seem like nothing before Michael and the others. I guess it's time to try something new. This jutsu keeps ringing in my head. I feel I can perform it. Let me give it a try…" Ryu thought.

"EARTH ELEMENT!" Rokkan called.

"It's time to show you how much I've improved as well…CRYSTAL ELEMENT!" Atlanta called.

"DUAL ELEMENT! GAEIAN TIDAL WAVE JUTSU!" Rokkan and Atlanta called together in unison as they placed their palms on the ground.

The earth began to tremble and suddenly, a fusion of earth and crystal blades flew simultaneously from the ground.

"Amazing! This jutsu could end a war in a single strike! It's my turn!" Ryu called as a dark Ryuugan momentarily activated in his eyes. On impulse, he called out

"DARK-FIRE ELEMENT! HELLFIRE JUTSU!"

Almost immediately, a malicious stream of flames gushed out from his body. Ryu screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. The flames disappeared immediately he lost consciousness. Atlanta ran to his side and stared at him in utter shock. Ryu had minor burns.

"Th-This is impossible! I've never seen Ryu get burned by his own technique before" she said.

Ken walked over and touched Ryu. He quickly withdrew his hand in pain.

"What's wrong Ken?" Nadia asked worriedly as she looked from Ken to Atlanta, then Michael and finally Ryu.

"He's fiery hot. Honestly, I wonder how he could have recalled that diabolic technique" Ken said.

"Maybe, he's still angry with us" Atlanta murmured.

Nadia stared at her in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you actually believe Ryu would hurt us just for that!" Nadia exclaimed in anger.

"I don't. But with all the weirdness surrounding Ryu, I don't know what to believe" Atlanta said sadly.

"At least, if not for anything else, believe in your feelings for him!" Nadia scolded Atlanta.

Ryu stirred and opened his eyes.

"Ouch, I guess that jutsu should be a last resort" Ryu muttered painfully.

"Ryu, I know how excited you can get at times but when you suddenly have the urge to use that jutsu again…don't" Atlanta said seriously.

"Why not?" Ryu asked innocently.

"Well…uh…because…um…because…." Atlanta wasn't sure of what to say.

"Yes? Because of what?" Ryu asked.

"Because I can't stand to see you hurt. I can't stand to watch your pain" Atlanta said as she avoided looking directly at him.

"In that case, I don't want to hurt you too. I'll never use that technique if you don't approve of it" Ryu said with a faint smile.

Atlanta smiled in return.

"Though I don't know what you're so worried about" Ryu added.

"I guess we've got to clean up this mess before we start becoming a nuisance" Michael suggested.

"I guess" Ryu said.

It took up to two hours for them to completely clean the place. Ryu sighed and wiped his forehead.

"I never imagined that cleaning up a mess would be so difficult. I mean it's easy to burn things up, slash, punch, smash and destroy than to clean up the mess left after" Ryu said.

"Yes it is" a feminine voice sounded from nowhere.

The friends turned around to see a girl who seemed to be in her early twenties. Her hair was as golden as the sun and music flowed everywhere she stepped.

Michael, Ken, Rokkan, Tanya, Nadia and Atlanta bowed down. Ryu just stared at her with a puzzled look on his face.

"Ryu, she's the queen of this ryu for crying out loud!" Nadia growled with an angry glare in her eyes.

Ryu took the cue and bowed.

"How cute" the queen said.

"Excuse me?" Atlanta frowned slightly.

"Seven kids on a journey to save the world from a devil whose powers they could not even begin to comprehend. Forgive me but I just can't help laughing at the ludicrousness of the entire idea. It sounds like something from an epic tragedy. You should stop this senseless quest" the queen half suggested, half ordered.

Ryu began to boil in rage. This queen had just called him a kid.

"How old are you anyway? You don't look old enough to rule a ryu. Forgive me if I find it funny that a teenager like you is ruling a ryu. Don't you have anything better to do, like polish your nails for instance?" Ryu said with a mischievous laugh.

"He sure has some guts talking to the queen like that" Rokkan said with a sickening expression on his face.

"He's gone too far this time" Ken agreed.

"That's Ryu for you" Nadia sighed.

She was way past the stage where any of Ryu's actions could shock her.

"Don't be deceived boy. I wouldn't be queen if I were not old enough" the queen said seriously.

"I wouldn't be going after Nemesis if I didn't think I was strong enough" Ryu challenged.

There was tension between the queen and Ryu as they glared at each other angrily.

"Wow, it's almost like watching a useless drama" Atlanta muttered.

"I can almost see a split-screen" Nadia whispered.

"This is an epic tragedy in the making" Rokkan whispered.

"Hmmph! If you really want to know, I will tell you. I am nine hundred and fifty billion years old. Only second to Crystal by a second to nothingness" the queen answered.

The others stared at her in shock. Ryu had a poker face on.

"Seriously?! No reaction from Ryu?!" Nadia exclaimed in shock.

"Wow, I'd say you're way past your expiration date" Ryu whispered.

The others collapsed from shock.

"Did he really say that?!" Atlanta exclaimed in shock.

"To the queen?!" Tanya began to cower. "I fear what will happen next!" she said.

"I think I ever saw a drama like this before. The guy who said that to the princess ended up being executed and fed to the crows" Ken whispered.

"REALLY?!" everyone exclaimed in shock.

The queen frowned as a dark aura began to materialize around her.

"You really have a death wish don't you?" she trembled with rage.

"Sorry but I don't fight ladies" Ryu said as he turned from the queen and walked to the others.

"I can't believe you just said that! If I recall correctly, you were all peace and love once before!" the queen yelled angrily.

"Maybe that was my twin" Ryu joked.

"La-a-a-a-a-a-a-me" the others said.

"What I've seen, your mind can barely imagine. What I know could kill you in a day. What I've made, even senseless fools appreciate" the queen growled.

"Excuse me your majesty. I've got a really important question to ask. How you answer it could very well determine the fate of the world" Rokkan said seriously.

"Let's listen to a reasonable person. Ask your question Rokkan" the queen gave her permission.

"Are you really nine hundred and fifty billion years old?" Rokkan asked with an expressionless face.

"That's what he asks?!" Nadia screamed in shock.

Tanya punched Rokkan in the shoulder and the others drew away from him

"Corrupted. Rokkan has been corrupted" they shivered in shock.

"Suddenly Ryu seems so fearful" Atlanta shivered.

"I only told you what I thought would be easier for you to believe. If you really want to know, I am ageless" the queen said.

"That's crazy!" Atlanta exclaimed.

"It's not so crazy Atlanta, not if…" Ryu paused.

"I see you're not as stupid as you look. However, if your wisdom had any truth in it, you would abandon this senseless quest. How much pain do you wish to cause yourselves before you finally realize that you cannot win?" the queen asked.

"As many times as a dragon saint would fight to protect his ryu" Ryu answered with determination.

The queen glared at him angrily and pulled up a sleeve.

"You make me mad with everything you say. Can't you just keep quiet or is it a fight you want?!" she roared.

"Excuse me but I don't fight rich spoiled ladies, it gives me nightmares. The only thing worse than that is fighting old rich spoiled ladies" Ryu said with a glare.

(It was at that moment that everyone began to question the true meaning of the word evil. For the guys, Ryu was just being sarcastic. For the ladies, this was the true meaning of the very pits of evil).

The queen sighed.

"Forgive me for my unladylike behaviour" she suddenly apologized.

"Instant submission" Nadia thought.

"Ryu won?" Atlanta thought.

Michael made a fist and knocked Ryu on the head.

"Apologize already! That is not how to act in front of royalty!" he yelled at Ryu.

"Forgive me, I got carried away" Ryu said indifferently.

"So insincere! Is it just me or has Ryu suddenly become evil after entering the Chaos State?" Nadia whispered to Atlanta.

"At least he's not taking it out on us. It's all for the best" Atlanta said with a thumbs up.

"Excuse me but I was always like this" Ryu said seriously as the dark Ryuugan momentarily activated and disappeared.

Then, he came back to his senses and saw the others cowering in fear and the queen trembling in fury.

"What just happened?" he asked with an innocent smile.

"Scary! A Shekan takeover!" Nadia exclaimed in horror.

The queen sighed.

"Fine then, if you are determined to continue, I won't stop you but I suggest you need a history lesson. Go and see Meena, the historian. She lives at the outskirts of this town at the point from which the light begins its journey" the queen said and then she walked away.

"Why does she always speak in riddles?" Michael asked.

"Where the light begins its journey, where the light changes its path" Ryu murmured.

"What?" Nadia asked him.

"Did I ever tell you guys that when I died, I met Gaiden?" Ryu asked.

"No, you conveniently managed to skip that part" Nadia retorted.

"I didn't think it meant anything then" Ryu said.

"What?! How can a dead hero appearing to you not mean anything?!" Michael scolded him.

The others agreed.

"I think I was meant to die to find the truth. Gaiden told me that I would find the Sword Of Rai at the point where the light changes its path. Whatever that means" Ryu said.

"The point where the light begins its journey" Nadia repeated.

"East" Rokkan suddenly said.

"What?" the others stared at him in surprise.

"The 'light' or should I say sun, rises from the East. That's where it begins its journey" Rokkan reasoned.

"I see" Atlanta agreed.

"Wouldn't it have been much easier to just say 'east' instead of 'the point from which the light begins its journey?' Girls, why do you have to make everything so complicated" Ryu sighed with an irritated look on his face.

Nadia glared at him and curled her fingers into a fist. Ryu noticed and quickly added

"But then again, some girls can be really straightforward".

"Are you saying that because you mean it or because of my fist?" Nadia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your fist" Ryu quickly replied.

"Ri-i-ght, you big chicken" Nadia teased.

"We don't have time to waste. Let's just find that historian whatever her name was" Rokkan reminded them.

"Sheesh, why're you so tensed up Rokkan? Nadia, I think you're beginning to have a bad influence on Rokkan" Ryu teased.

"Haha, very funny, you're a riot Ryu. Now let's cut the jokes and move on" Michael intervened.

"C'mon Mikey, we're walking aren't we? It would be weird if we had to run everywhere we went" Ryu said as they left the castle gates.

They froze in awe when they had their first look at the Sound Kingdom. The roads were all tiled in various shades of colours. The Town itself seemed to be built out of neatly arranged brick houses. The houses were not too flashy but had a beautiful simplicity that outranked the classiest houses Ryu and his companions had ever known. There was a stream that flowed throughout the sound Ryu. The water seemed to flow from a fountain of many colours and was extremely clear. It reflected the beautiful azure sky.

"This is amazing!" Atlanta exclaimed in awe.

Nadia nodded in agreement.

"It's kind of sickening…" Ryu said with a look of anxiety written all over his face.

The others turned to stare at him.

"If I should fail, I can't imagine what will happen to all this beauty. The more I journey, the more uncertain of the future I feel. I doubt myself more each day" Ryu said with a solemn look.

"But we can't go back. There'll be nothing to go back to if we fail" Michael said.

"Besides, it's not like you're all alone in this fight. This is not all about you. We're fighting too. I know we froze in our first battle against y…I mean Shekan. It won't happen again. We're going to find that Nemesis and punch his lights out. If Shekan is resurrected, we'll give him the daze of a thousand galaxies" Nadia promised.

Ryu stared at her in surprise.

"Why are you suddenly so nice to me?" Ryu asked.

"M-Maybe because, sometimes you remind me of m-myself back then. I once used to think everything depended on me. Then I lost my village. It was then that I realized that no one, no matter how strong they are, can do everything on their own. I didn't want to remember my past. I guess that's why I always wanted to punch you…" Nadia said seriously.

"How nice" Ryu joked with a teasing smile.

Nadia didn't react.

"To punch my reflection in you" Nadia confessed.

"Truce?" Ryu said as he stretched out a fist.

"Truce" Nadia said as she knocked her fist gently against Ryu's.

"I guess you two have finally settled your differences. That's good" Michael said with a smile.

The friends walked out of the Sound Town and eventually reached a long rope bridge. From where they stood, everything looked horrible onwards. It was as though they were standing at the edge of a bridge that connected two extremely opposite dimensions together. The ground right in front of the bridge looked barren and a huge crevasse divided the land. The bridge stretched all the way across the crevasse and seemed to be the only way across. Below the bridge, there was an intense pool of bubbling lava!

"Wh-What's this?!" Atlanta exclaimed in horror as though she had perceived something the others had not.

"What?" Ryu asked with a puzzled expression on his face.

"There's something in the lava!" Atlanta exclaimed.

"That boiling lava? Nothing could survive in there except for Molten. Even I would be toast if I fell into that" Ryu said.

"You're wrong Ryu, it's not boiling. It's flaring!" Rokkan realized.

"You mean like the sun?" Nadia asked.

"It is a sun!" Rokkan exclaimed in shock.

"No! That's impossible!" Ryu shook his head in disbelief.

"Not our sun Ryu, it's…" Rokkan was saying.

"BRACE YOURSELVES EVERYONE! SOMETHING IS COMING UP! SOMETHING BIG! SOMETHING HOT!" Atlanta warned.