Flat-Brim Samurai Chapter 26
Tonk tonk tonk, Apollo and Cias were walking on the cement sidewalks to their homes ,"See ya when I see ya" Apollo said, and Cias replied ,"Goodbye to you as well". They walked in separate directions, Apollo started to head towards home, he felt light ever since leaving the 2x gravity field, but even then, he still decided to keep on the wrist and leg weights he got from Hiroto (He could alter the weight depending on how much ki he built up in them, a contraption that used ki to perform a technique called Art: Gravity that manipulated the weight of the object via ki runes). In the middle of his walk home kids about a year of two older than him blocked his path, totalling about 5 boys. ,"Look who came scrambling around our parts, the Musashi kid" The kid wrapped his arm around Apollo's shoulder and said in a nice but slightly assholish tone ,"Won't you give up some mone-" and proceeded to get send flying with a swat from Apollo for about 10 meters using just a fraction his physical strength.
Apollo said ,"If you're going to rob me, please at least let me see my family first, I missed them for so long and you guys had to ruin it" and unfortunately for them, it was not their day. Some of the kids tried to beat him up, but they were practically in slow motion to Apollo. The kids all battered and bloodied lied on the ground, huffing and puffing. The leader said ,"I'll get you back for this one day, Apollo" ,"Keep dreamin" Apollo replied back. And Thus, Apollo just continued to walk towards his home, as unbothered as he was when he was walking before.
He reached his home, smiling and knocking on his door, his younger sister being the one to greet him ,"So you're back" she said with an annoyed face in which Apollo then replied ,"WHAT KINDA REUNITING MOMENT BETWEEN A BROTHER AND SISTER STARTS LIKE THAT!!!" Apollo shouted slack jawed. But then his mother came to the door and greeted him completely opposite from his sister ,"Oh Apollo, I missed you so much over these past months" and gave her son a big hug. Kenshi (Apollo's father) was meditating when he sensed his son's presence entering the dojo. Something had changed within Apollo that he sensed and was proud of his stronger son ,"I'm so glad for what this training has done for you, just like what it did for me, and I'm so proud of your effort" He said while walking towards his son. His father gave him a high five and a hug as well ,"I'm happy your back" "Me too, dad" and the Musashi family was once again united.
Cias much of the same had a good family to go back to. An older brother named Lucas said ,"Well I see someone has improved" giving his younger brother a fist bump. Cias's mother and father were proud of him, they all smiled together, rejoined and happy. His family had dinner and then, sat on their couch watching some TV before it was time for bed. Cias talked and reminisced about his time training, happy to explain his adventures.
… ,"I guess their mountain training is done, but they're still not strong enough to make it worth my time" ??? said while walking through an alley. A few guys walked up to him, one with a knife and said ,"Hey buddy, I'm gonna need to borrow some money" ??? replied ,"I don't have any money, and I really don't feel like killing you right now cause I'm a little disappointed, please accept my mercy" the guy replied ,"I know you have money" and further pressed the knife into his back, except something was strange, it stopped. It just wouldn't go further like a pebble trying to destroy steel. ,"This guy seems weird" ,"Yeah, I think we should go" ,"Shut it, he's just a weirdo" ,"But I can't even sense his presence" ,"Are you guys seriously pussying out" ,"Of course not" ,"I don't know what I was thinking, just kill him already!!!".
(Oh fuck it) ??? thought and swished his hand around (Using Art: Barrier to both make them all invisible while blocking sound waves in and out) and the guy said ,"What are you even trying to do?" and then his arm slipped off of his body. He was crying, screaming and falling on the ground experiencing pain that he had never felt before ,"What the hell!!!". ??? said nothing but thought (I guess this could be some fun). His eyes like black holes, he stared into the soul of this poor man. ??? Said ,"Well, I guess it can't be helped" and proceeded to slice off the appendages (Using Art: Ki Wave) of these idiots with a grimace that would even scare the ancient demon god. He amplified the pain of the mens nerves with Art: Amplify pain and used Art: Recovery and healed them over and over each time they were a step away from death.
Tearing off their limbs again and again, the pain spiked relentlessly, their collective consciousness fading and being brought back by this psychopath. SLICE ,"AGHHHHH" SLICE ,"OOOHAAAAAA" SLICE ,"AAAAOHHHH" Each scream seeming to bring the man more relief. (Is this guy having fun?!?) one of them thought as he watched ??? laughing like he had heard the funniest joke of his life while watching them bleed out over and over again. The endless pleading sounding like music to his ears, ignoring it and continuing his torture. But after a while, ??? was getting bored, and so he decided to end it, using Art: Purgatory Flame to burn them to non-existence. The last one alive watched all of his friends die right before him, one by one. He frantically tried to crawl away from his fate. He hopelessly clawed at the barrier keeping him from doing so screaming ,"WHAT ARE YOU!!!". ??? replied simply ,"I am he who exists beyond the void" before sending his last victim to nothingness as well.