Chereads / Path of the Twin Swords / Chapter 14 - Weakness

Chapter 14 - Weakness

Ken quickly stepped back. "You... this is very absurd," Yu was silent, pulling Katsu from his back and pointing the tip towards Ken. "Today is really a bizarre day." Ken signaled to Makoto, but before Makoto could tie Yu's arm, Yu disappeared. Ken looked at Makoto with worried eyes. "MAKOTO!" A shiver ran through Makoto.

Without touching Makoto's neck, Yu stopped trembling. Before Ken could interpret his condition, Yu turned his head to Ken. Ken blocked the incoming sword strike with his taikyuu, but it didn't prevent the impact; he stuck to the wall behind. "Hehehehee, you finally reappeared," Larry said, sitting on the ground, enjoying the fight between the two.

Makoto started thinking about how to help Ken. The strings wouldn't work, but what about kanri? Did he have the power to control Yu? Another idea came to his mind. Why would he control Yu? There was no need for that. "YU!" Ken pulled himself off the wall and nodded to Makoto. Increasing the flow in his arms, he swept Yu's sword strikes with his arm, trying to entangle the continuously sword-swinging Yu with the string from his fingers. Yu was very fast; Ken knew that if he prolonged this, he would be at a disadvantage; he had to be quick. Yu's eyes were vacant, swinging his sword with empty eyes emitting a luminous aura. Ken's advantage was here. "Here, let the scene begin!" With Ken retracting his arms, Yu's arms intertwined. "Makoto!" Makoto nodded and lifted Larry, who was watching the show with joy, into the air with his kanri. "Ovovov, what's happening?" Larry, without understanding what was happening, collided with Yu's body.

"And the final scene." Ken tied their bodies together with a rope. "Makoto." Makoto quickly came to Ken. "We did it, Ken-chan," seriousness had disappeared from his eyes; they returned to their previous state. "Yes, we did it, Makoto." Makoto jumped onto Ken's back and whispered in his ear. "I think we found an anomaly that needs to be interrogated with a big fish." Ken lowered Makoto from his back. He stood in front of Larry. "How come you're here?" His eyes sparkled with anger.

Makoto was watching Yu; he thought he should get rid of this. However, Yu stood still with vacant eyes. "I think I'm caught," Larry said, becoming silent. "Answer my question." "Ken." Makoto called Ken sharply. Ken calmed down. Makoto returned to his cheerful state. "It seems you're still the same, Ken-chan. You're standing with your protector, hehehee." Ken silently listened to him. "Tell me, after leaving these gifts to me that day, what did you do first? Did you forget everything and go to bed, or did you continue the hunting game, or did you mourn behind my back?" Ken maintained his silence. "I know the truths you want to learn, Ken, but you won't learn them today." A big smile appeared on Larry's face. "Today, you lost, Ken. Today, you lost." Ken noticed the crowd of people surrounding them. Roofs, windows, balconies; weapons were aimed at them from everywhere. "Even if the people on this side forget the existence of the soul, they have developed weapons as effective as his. Do you understand the situation, Ken? No matter how fast you are, your protector is not as fast as you; you can save him, maybe then you'll leave me. Of course, due to my duty, I can't allow this scenario; there's only one ending, Ken, hehehee." Without thinking too much about Larry's words, Ken examined the situation around him. He had to save Makoto; quickly rushing towards Makoto, he created a barrier with his taikyuu.

Bullets coming towards them were deflecting off an invisible barrier and falling to the ground. "Makoto, I'll protect you." "Ken, your eyes." Tears started flowing from Makoto's eyes. "You shouldn't do this, Ken; endure it." Ken was aware of the situation; he hadn't thought that what happened on the other side would affect him so much. "Save both of us, Ken-chan." Makoto smiled, bringing his hands to Ken's cheeks. Ken pulled himself together and quickly disappeared. Yu, who had been motionless for so long, followed Ken as the strings disappeared. Ken didn't understand the purpose of the chosen one following him; he watched them with empty eyes. Suddenly the image disappeared; before Ken could realize it, Yu grabbed Ken's throat, and Makoto slipped from his hands to the ground.

Yu started squeezing harder. Ken couldn't breathe; he clenched his fist, channeling all his flow into his fist, hitting Yu's stomach. Yu flew meters away and fell to the ground; Ken lay down next to Makoto. "M-Makoto?" Ken nudged Makoto; Makoto put his hand on Ken's hair. Ken smiled. Yu quickly got up, took Katsu from his back again, and quickly aimed at Makoto's neck. Ken immediately focused his taikyuu on Makoto's neck; the sword barrier was slowly piercing. Ken increased the flow inside him; Yu's attack had missed him. Yu gathered all his strength into his fist; when he was about to punish himself with the careless fist that came back, the sword that would cut Ken's stomach froze. Yu's body remained motionless; as Yu, thrown away by the fist, disappeared into the distance.

Ken was angry with himself; he couldn't control his emotions. He fell to his knees; all his energy was drained. Makoto, running towards Ken, fell to the ground with a shot in his leg. "AS I SAID, TODAY YOU LOST, KEN, HAHAHAHAA." The men lifted Makoto; he smiled while looking at Ken lying on the ground. "YOU CAN SUCCEED ALONE, KEN-CHA-" Larry's blow silenced him. Ken quietly watched Makoto being taken away in front of him; he reached out his hand to him. "I will succeed;" his hand fell to the ground, lying lifelessly on the ground, with another question in his mind: despite hitting with all his might, how had Yu's mask not shattered?