Chapter 178: The Forgotten Clan, Part 2
Sasame's heart pounded in her chest as the heavy iron door creaked open. She stepped into the dimly lit chamber, her breath catching at the sight before her. There, standing in the shadows, was a figure she had thought she'd never see again.
"Arashi!" she cried, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't believe you're alive! I've been so worried about you. When I heard you were with Orochimaru, I feared the worst. But seeing you here now, it's like a miracle."
The figure standing before her shifted slightly, stepping out of the shadows. But as he moved into the faint light cast by the flickering torches, Sasame's heart sank. The man before her didn't resemble the cousin she had once known. Instead, his features mirrored those of Lady Orochimaru, his face pale and his eyes glinting with something far darker than she remembered. His presence felt hollow, almost as if something vital was missing.
"You're mistaken, Sasame," the figure said, its voice a low, slithering echo that sounded both like Arashi and Orochimaru. "The Arashi you knew... is dead."
Sasame shook her head, refusing to believe it. "No! That can't be true. You're standing right here! You're alive! You're my cousin!"
The figure's lips curled into a cold smile as it took a step forward. "The Arashi you loved has given up his soul and body for power. He doesn't exist anymore."
Sasame faltered, her mind reeling from the words. "No," she whispered, shaking her head as if denying it would change the truth. "You're still Arashi. Orochimaru hasn't won."
The fake Orochimaru's expression darkened. "Arashi's mind is gone. He gave himself willingly, for the power Orochimaru promised him. Power to restore the Fūma Clan to its former glory. And now, under her guidance, we will ascend to new heights."
Sasame stared at him, trying to see past the corruption that twisted his words. She didn't want to believe it, couldn't believe it. Despite everything, she wanted to cling to the hope that her cousin was still in there, somewhere beneath the surface.
"Arashi," she said softly, her voice shaking. "Do you remember when we were kids? You always protected me. You said we'd rebuild our clan, that we'd do it together."
But as she spoke of their past, the fake Orochimaru's expression twisted into one of anger. His hands clenched at his sides, and a dark energy seemed to ripple through the room.
"There's no point in looking to the past!" Arashi snapped, his voice cold and venomous. "The past is meaningless. What matters now is the power we will gain, the power I have already gained."
Sasame recoiled at his words, the reality sinking in deeper with every second. She could barely recognize him—this wasn't her cousin. This was a twisted version of the man she once loved, consumed by a lust for power that had destroyed everything else.
"You don't need this," Sasame pleaded, her voice breaking. "We can restore the clan without Orochimaru. We can do it together, like we always planned!"
Arashi's cold laugh echoed through the chamber, sending chills down her spine. "Naïve as always, Sasame. Orochimaru's path is the only way to truly restore the clan. The suffering, the sacrifices—it's all necessary. And you... you could be a part of it."
Sasame's heart sank as she realized he was trying to pull her into the same darkness. For a fleeting moment, the temptation crossed her mind. If joining him would bring her closer to Arashi again, maybe she could save him. But then, the memories of the people she had seen in the cages, the broken souls trapped in this place, flooded her thoughts. They weren't being saved—they were being destroyed.
"No," she whispered, her voice trembling but firm. "I won't let you continue this. Orochimaru left this place long ago, but you're keeping these people here. Why? Why are you holding them prisoner?"
Arashi's face twisted into a cruel grin, ignoring her question entirely. "The man you traveled with... he's probably dead by now. Kagerō and Kotohime are dealing with him as we speak. Though, sending both of them after him was overkill."
Sasame's heart raced with fear and fury. Malik... if what Arashi said was true, Malik could be in grave danger. But as she looked into Arashi's eyes, her cousin's once gentle gaze now clouded with madness, she realized something even more devastating—Arashi didn't care. He was gone, lost to the darkness that had consumed him.
"You sent them after Malik?" Sasame's voice quivered with rage. "He saved my life! You don't even care, do you? You've become just like Orochimaru."
Arashi's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. "I've surpassed Orochimaru. She may have left, but I've taken control of everything she left behind. Soon, I will be even more powerful than her."
Sasame's heart ached, not just for Malik, but for the cousin she had lost. The Arashi she had once known was gone, replaced by a man obsessed with power, blinded by the promises of strength Orochimaru had made him. She clenched her fists, trying to steady her breath.
"I'll stop you," she whispered, her resolve hardening. "I'll stop you and free our people. This isn't what our clan was meant to be."
Arashi's laughter echoed once more, a chilling sound that seemed to reverberate through the entire chamber. "You think you can stop me, Sasame? You? Alone?"
Sasame's eyes filled with determination. "I won't let you continue this madness."
Arashi's grin faltered for a moment, his gaze darkening. "Then you will die, just like the rest of them."
Sasame's heart pounded in her chest as she stood in the large stone chamber, facing the cousin she once loved like a brother. The air was thick with tension, and her fingers twitched, already forming chakra threads that shimmered faintly in the dim light. She knew she was no match for Arashi—not as he was now, consumed by Orochimaru's influence—but she couldn't back down. She had to fight. If there was any chance of breaking through to him, this was it.
"I won't let you continue this, Arashi," Sasame said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "You're my family, but I can't stand by and let you destroy what's left of the Fūma Clan."
Arashi's lips twisted into a cruel smile as he stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a dark energy. "You're brave, Sasame. I'll give you that. But you've always been foolish. You think you can beat me? Orochimaru made me stronger than you could ever imagine."
Without another word, Sasame leaped into action. She darted behind one of the stone pillars in the room, her fingers working quickly to weave her chakra threads. The faint blue strands glowed briefly before fading into near-invisibility, stretching out like a web between the pillars. She needed to stay mobile, needed to think fast if she had any chance of surviving this.
Arashi watched her with amusement, taking slow, deliberate steps as he stalked her. "Hiding already, little cousin? You always were quick to run when things got tough."
Sasame's jaw clenched, but she stayed quiet, her mind racing. She had to lure him in, had to make him underestimate her. He already believed he was far stronger—if she could keep him thinking that, maybe she'd find an opening.
Suddenly, Arashi lunged forward, his body moving with unnatural speed. Sasame barely dodged, sliding to the side as his fist collided with the stone pillar behind her, shattering it into rubble. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the room, and Sasame's heart skipped a beat. He was terrifyingly powerful.
"Is that all you've got, Sasame?" Arashi sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I thought you came here to fight."
Sasame gritted her teeth and used her chakra threads to pull herself into the air, swinging from one pillar to the next. She had to stay unpredictable, had to keep moving. Her feet barely touched the ground before she shot another set of threads toward Arashi, wrapping them around his arms. For a brief moment, she thought she had him.
But Arashi only laughed. With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the threads like they were nothing. "Pathetic," he hissed, and before Sasame could react, he was upon her, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall. Pain shot through her body, and she gasped for air, her vision blurring.
"You're wasting your time," Arashi growled, his grip tightening. "I've already surpassed you, surpassed everything you and our weak clan stood for. Orochimaru showed me the truth. Strength is all that matters."
Sasame struggled, her fingers fumbling for the chakra threads she still had wrapped around her wrists. She couldn't break free by force, but maybe—just maybe—she could outthink him. Summoning every ounce of her willpower, she sent the threads snaking around the room, attaching them to the stone ceiling above.
With a sharp tug, she yanked a section of the ceiling down. Arashi barely had time to react before rubble came crashing down on top of them. His grip loosened, and Sasame slipped from his grasp, rolling to the side as the debris fell.
For a moment, the room was silent, the dust settling around them.
Sasame gasped for breath, clutching her throat as she scrambled to her feet. She knew it wasn't over. Arashi emerged from the rubble, barely scratched, his eyes glowing with fury.
"You're going to regret that," he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. His chakra flared, dark and menacing, as bones began to protrude from his arms, transforming into grotesque weapons. "I was going to end this quickly, but now I think I'll make you suffer."
Sasame's mind raced. She couldn't win a direct fight, that much was clear. But maybe she didn't have to win. Maybe all she needed to do was survive long enough to reach the real Arashi, the one trapped beneath the layers of Orochimaru's manipulation.
She darted behind another pillar, her fingers weaving chakra threads again. This time, she set a trap, wrapping the threads tightly around the base of the stone. If she could lure Arashi in, maybe she could—
Her thoughts were cut off as Arashi's bone blade sliced through the air, narrowly missing her as she leaped out of the way. The force of his attack shattered the pillar she had been hiding behind, sending chunks of stone flying in every direction.
"I'm done playing games, Sasame!" Arashi roared, his voice echoing through the chamber. "You should have joined me when you had the chance."
Sasame's breath came in ragged gasps as she dodged his relentless attacks, her mind working overtime to come up with a plan. She was running out of space, running out of options. But she couldn't give up—not yet.
With a desperate burst of speed, she swung herself up to a high ledge using her chakra threads, trying to gain the high ground. From above, she could see the full scope of the battlefield. The shattered pillars, the crumbled debris... and Arashi, standing in the center of it all, his eyes wild with power.
Sasame's heart clenched. She didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to fight him. But if this was the only way to save him, she would do whatever it took.
Gathering her chakra, she prepared for one final attack, sending her threads down toward him in a wide arc. She would have to time it perfectly—if she could immobilize him, even for a moment, maybe she could get through to him.
But as her threads wrapped around him, Arashi let out a dark, menacing laugh. "You really think that's going to stop me?"
With a surge of power, he snapped the threads again, but this time Sasame was ready. She had attached a second set of threads to the ceiling, and with a flick of her wrist, she pulled down the last remaining pillars, causing the entire chamber to begin collapsing in on itself.
Arashi's eyes widened in shock as the ceiling caved in, but Sasame didn't stop. She launched herself toward him, her chakra threads lashing out in every direction, desperately trying to pin him down.
"Arashi, please!" she shouted, her voice filled with raw emotion. "This isn't you! Orochimaru has twisted you into something you're not!"
For a brief moment, she saw hesitation in his eyes. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by a cold, merciless glare.
"You're too late, Sasame," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the collapsing chamber. "I'm already lost."
And with that, he unleashed a wave of chakra that sent her flying back, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud.
As darkness began to overtake her vision, Sasame's heart ached with despair. She had tried. She had done everything she could. But in the end, it hadn't been enough.
Arashi was gone.
Malik took a deep breath as he stood over Kotohime, watching her chew slowly on the magic-infused pastry he'd handed her. She was still groggy, barely aware of her surroundings, but at least she was eating. His frustration was clear in his expression, though, as he couldn't help but lecture her while she was in this half-awake state.
"Eat this," he muttered, almost to himself, watching her weakly nibble at the food. "You know, you really could've come up with a better plan."
Kotohime blinked lazily, but her head bobbed slightly in acknowledgment, even if she wasn't fully conscious. Malik saw this as his opportunity.
"First of all," he began, pacing in front of her, "you could've just stabbed me. Or strangled me with that hair of yours if you really wanted me dead." He threw his hands in the air. "You had the perfect chance, and what did you do? You made the ceiling fall! On both of us, no less!"
Kotohime blinked again, her eyes drooping, but Malik continued, undeterred.
"Second," he went on, gesturing wildly, "what was the point of collapsing the ceiling when you were practically on top of me? Did you plan on being my human shield? Because that's what happened! You saved me from being crushed by the rubble."
She blinked slowly, still half-asleep, and he sighed, kneeling beside her. He noticed how cold she was and without a second thought, he gently buttoned up the jacket he had draped over her earlier. Her legs were still bare, so he took off another layer of his fine clothing—his ornate vest, shimmering with gold accents—and draped it over her legs to keep her warm.
"There," he muttered, adjusting the makeshift blanket over her. "You look less like a half-dressed victim of your own stupidity now."
Straightening up, he went back to his lecture. "Third—what was your plan if I did die? Were you going to die with me? Because, really, who wins in that situation? You lose, I lose. No one walks away with a victory there."
Kotohime mumbled something unintelligible, clearly fading fast back into unconsciousness. Malik rolled his eyes but softened his expression as he gently fixed her hair, combing it out of her face.
"And finally," he said, his voice quieter now, "losing your life just to take out a stranger... it's never worth it. Especially not when the stranger in question is as handsome and rich as me."
He stood up, satisfied with his mini-rant. Kotohime was already fast asleep again, her chest rising and falling in peaceful rhythm, bundled in the layers of Malik's now-discarded clothing. He looked down at himself, shaking his head with a faint grin. He was now dressed in nothing but an undershirt, his pants, and shoes—most of his fine clothing sacrificed to keep Kotohime warm.
"Still got it," he muttered, checking his reflection in the small mirror he pulled from thin air. His short, chubby frame, framed by his now-minimal outfit, was still surprisingly dashing. The rich dark skin of his face caught the low light as he turned his head side to side, contemplating whether a haircut was in order.
"I might need a trim soon," he mused, giving himself one last appreciative glance before tucking the mirror away.
Malik turned to the tunnel ahead, a long, dark path that seemed to stretch on forever. The dirt underfoot was damp and thick, and the closer he got to the stone sections further down, the more he noticed something strange. His steps felt heavier, like the ground was swallowing his feet.
It wasn't until the cool, damp earth crept over his ankles that he realized he was sinking.
"You've got to be kidding me," Malik muttered, glancing down as the ground seemed to pull him deeper. He tried to lift his foot, but the muck clung stubbornly to him, dragging him down further with every attempt to move.
"Alright," he said aloud, shaking his head in mild disbelief, "I guess we're doing this now."
As the earth began to creep up over his calves, Malik threw his hands up in mock frustration. "Of course, I'd end up stuck in the ground. And here I thought today couldn't get more annoying."
And with that, he took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever was about to come next.
"Let's see what surprises you've got in store for me, underground."