Chereads / Path of the Twin Swords / Chapter 15 - Journey

Chapter 15 - Journey

"Makoto," Ken woke up and immediately covered his mouth. Pulling himself together, he stood up. "I need to find her," he muttered, glancing at his hands. "No, no, no, I'll succeed," memories slipped away from him. "I'll rescue Makoto and prove I can do it," he declared as he hit the road. He scanned every corner repeatedly, looking everywhere in the city; not a single person or a trace.

He took his last breath in the cabin, stepped inside through the broken entrance. "Makoto," he was losing his sanity. In the emotionless Ken, suppressed emotions were trying to break out. "We should have been prepared for these days; how didn't I think of this?" He sat on the bed and began to contemplate. "Larry, the chosen one, Makoto's abduction; ah, what a strange day," the more he thought, the more tangled he became. Larry was an entity that shouldn't exist, but here he was; Ken saw him. How was this impossible? Makoto, whom he must save, filled his thoughts. Larry mentioned a mission; it was a sign that he received orders from someone, or was Larry the one who made it possible for him to be here?

But it was still impossible. Ken and Makoto had left Larry with certainty. He began to create scenarios in his mind, picturing different variations. Eliminating the ones that didn't fit his logic, he replaced them with new ones. "I will find you, Larry; I will be the winner of the game," he thought; he knew he had time to think because he knew Larry. If the person who abducted Makoto knew Ken, it was not necessary to know Larry.

Although predicting these possibilities made it easier, there could still be surprising situations. He couldn't afford to make another mistake. Throughout the night, he visualized plans, all possibilities, and scenarios that could happen. Two hands came to his shoulders, and the ghost behind him approached his ear. "Don't lose, Ken-chan." Ken was startled; the ghost was right. This wasn't Ken. Ken wouldn't think so fearfully and plan so much. He was someone who could instantly create these in his mind. He got up and washed his face; when he looked into the broken mirror in front of him, his gaze froze. The yellow eye on the other side of the crack was looking at him. Ken shook his head and came to his senses. He gathered the necessary items and set out.

Makoto was not in this city. The city was deserted, but there was no possibility of a massacre. He saw the truth in his mind; the people had moved somewhere else. The reason was definitely that mysterious person. Ken was stepping into the outer part of the city for the first time, heading towards unfamiliar lands. On the road, he encountered an old man napping under a tree. "Hello, may I ask you a question?" he took on a polite role. The man lifted his hat, covering his eyes. "Ha, what do you want?" He started scratching his belly under the long beard. "Is there any settlement nearby?" "Continue straight; I don't understand why suddenly everyone is heading to this city," the man covered his eyes with his hat and continued enjoying his sweets. Slowly but surely, answers were emerging for Ken. He quickly continued on his way; eventually, the silhouette of buildings appeared before him.

When he reached the entrance of the city, a market was set up, and people were happily strolling around. How could this be? Hadn't the balance been disturbed? Were there other places to live, just like in the master's region? No, there was no logical explanation for this. If such a place existed, many would be aware of its existence. "Hello, new citizen," a cowboy-hatted man appeared in front of Ken with two guards. "Welcome to our city; enjoy the city everyone dreams of. It's a city full of peace, just like before," the man departed with his guards. Ken understood he was right from the man's expressions and speaking style. He would solve the mystery of this city; he continued to move forward. Although the people around him reminded him of the people in the master's place, they were different. He couldn't see the spirit of solidarity. A little girl clung to Ken's leg. "Big brother, what's your name?" The girl looked at him with impressed eyes. "Eish, come here," her mother called her angrily. "Okay, Mom," the little girl smiled at Ken.

Ken brought his hand to his eye, feeling overwhelmed; he immediately started running. "Hey, look ahead!" A man threw Ken to the ground. Ken slowly looked at the man's face. "Be careful next time," the man reached out his hand. Ken, trembling, stared at the man's face. "This is nonsense." "What nonsense are you talking about?" Ken quickly got up and continued running. "What a strange man." Ken threw himself into the alley where he first saw himself. He looked at himself in the puddle on the ground. "They knew about my future. No, no, I couldn't predict this; no, no." The girl who looked like the young Makoto and the man who resembled her father, "S-she should be here." Everything was settled in his mind, but there was a problem: he was afraid. "Will I be able to confront her?" Reflection did not respond to him.

The ghost appeared again, approaching his ear. "You can do it, Ken-chan; don't lose yourself." "I will succeed, Makoto," he started to control the memories in his eyes. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUCCEED." Ken faced the man in front of him, and he reached out his hand. "You can leave things to me now; go and rest, Ken. I will take care of it for you." "What nonsense are you talking about?" The man crouched down, and Ken was petrified. The reflection he saw in the mirror was in front of him. "I am you." The man opened his eyes wide.