…
"He has been defeated, and captured, master. Did I fail again? Fuck, I thought I found one who could kill the Nine Tails Chimera Fox, that stubborn beast. Killing it is the only way to get to your killer's stronghold. Hm…I struggle a lot with not giving many things a second thought, even after all you've taught me, it's like my nature, I'm sorry. If only you were here, it would make sense, and I wouldn't have to hide secrets. For the one who hides the truth hides themselves in their own blood…that's what you told me, Master Hayato. Please forgive me, I acted too fast. I hate hiding information, but I hate to disappoint the ones who I fight alongside, I hate to see distraught. It's…not a good feeling"
Kanbei was kneeling in front of the shadow of his Master, Master Hayato in a small area from the cave.
Then, Kanbei started to feel his own, which revealed small patches of rot.
'Not much time left..I want to show Mei…Nori. But…the faces of the weary haunt me forever. I have to complete everything before I fully become conflicted to the rot... and I took my gamble on a youngling from a small village who didn't believe in violence. He has a killer look in his eye though, he's killed many before out of either defense or the love for his people. Through the eys of the crow. I saw the look…it's the same look Hayato gave me when I first saw him.'
Walking in, was Mei. She leaned against the wall, asking, "Grandfather. I have a request. Sorry to disturb you."
"Ah, Mei. What is it?"
"Can you send some food I made for Kenshiro."
"….He is…"
'She will be distraught, disappointed. I will be able to sense it, since I cannot see it, the feeling burdens me, reminds me of all the times of my past, when I failed others, or made them disappointed. Even you, Master Hayato. Without one sense, my other senses are heightened to a large sum. It's haunting.'
Mei tilted her head, "He's what?"
"He's been taken."
"Taken…?"
'This feeling…it's there. She's weary. Disappointed. It hurts my chest.' Kanbei thought. 'Even with all of the teaching from the Master, why can I not break this feeling?'
Mei sat down, and she asked, "Is he coming back?"
"I…am not sure."
'The feeling is there again. This is the source of my fear of revealing secrets and Information. Am I being selfish?'
Mei said, "May I go out and acclaim him?"
"Tell me, Mei. Why are you fond of the boy? Is this an emotional attachment? Love?"
"..No. I can't bring myself to love anyone anymore besides you, my grandfather. Love is an emotion, it doesn't exist in someone who's emotions have been stripped from her. No, I find Kenshiro interesting. He's fighting and protecting my flower, the flower that's been shunned alongside me by my own tribe. Because of that, I cannot feel or bring myself to love anyone."
"Why did you give him the flower?"
"I know he will protect it. His chest is warm..full of hatred, rage, but he's holding it all in around us. That's what makes him interesting."
"…Haha, just like your mother, Mei. She always had a tuning for reading others based on their speech, tone, body movement, and body heat."
"….Grandfather."
"Apologies. I know that's a memory you don't want to remember."
"It's okay. She was a great woman, along with my father. I have a request then."
"Yes?"
"Can I go acclaim Kenshiro?"
"You know it's dangerous. And it's even more dangerous for you to be outside for too long."
"We've seen I can be outside for at least an hour, I won't stay longer than that."
"Kenshiro is a great distance away, besides, I won't lose you too. If I was to send anyone, I'd send Nori."
"….Fine." Mei stood up, and walked out, and Kanbei tried to stop her, saying, "Mei.."
Alone in the cave, Kanbei sat alone, thinking, 'Her and that flower, she's had it since she was a child. A flower her parents gave her. It never dies, and it can never get thirsty. And it's never seen a drop of rain. People from Mei's tribe mocked and laughed at her for talking to the flower, or were seen tending to it, and little did they know about the flower being so unique. But when they did find out, when Mei told them, they didn't believe it. And called her insane, even a boy she was lined up for marriage with dropped her because of it, he didn't want to feel the embarrassment of shame that comes along with dealing with Mei. Mei then felt alone. She talked to the flower more, comparing herself to the flower, the flower was the only one she talked to. As for her curse of staying outside too long, that was the result of her wanting to change her circumstances.'
Nori, the sad puppet, was sitting at his wooden makeshift table, with the other wooden puppet family members he created that weren't sentient like him.
Nori said to them, "Would you like more water, love?" The ink markings drawn on his wooden puppet face went from a sad face, to a happy face.
He poured more water in a cup for what seemed to be a female wooden puppet. His children, smaller wooden figures that were stationary, Nori said to them, "Would you..like more water too? It's good." He poured more for them, and sat in silence.
It was so silent…too silent. His smile was trying to form back into a frown rapidly. And he kept trying to keep the smile on his face.
"Sorry, I don't want you guys seeing me frown, I know you hate that…haha." He said to the puppet figures. "Let's continue to eat! Shall we?"
Mei then walked in.
Nori noticed her, saying, "Hello, Mei. I'm sure you've met my wife and children?"
Mei waved at the stationary lifeless wooden puppets, "Hello."
Nori nodded, "They are happy you're here. Are you going to join us?"
Mei sighed, and she sat down, saying, "It's good. Seeing you smile instead of frown. Cool."
"I always smile during dinner time, I wouldn't want them seeing me frown, haha."
"I have a request."
"Anything. What can I do?"
"I want you to put my soul essence into a puppet."
Nori's smile went to a frown slowly, and he responded, "W-Why…? That's dangerous…Mei."
"Kenshiro…I trusted him with my flower. I don't want him to die with it. He's the only one I found interesting, after so long. I didn't think he would take the flower, but after seeing him through the eyes of the crow, I seen him fight for his life with it by his side. I admire that."
"Is this love?"
"It is not, nor will it ever be. Love is not something I can feel anymore. Only for the flower he has."
"…But you know this means p-putting your soul in a wooden being…your body has to die. And plus, your consciousness won't be active within the puppet, it just acts as a way to protect and secure your soul for a limited time. You'll be dead, but alive."
"What about you…? How do you have a conscience?"
In a sad tone, Nori explained, "M-My Battle Art allows me to have one, due to the fact that it's connected to my own soul power and being. Whereas others, I have no control over theirs, nor can I m-manipulate it."
"Oh…"
"You wanted to go outside, thinking it will be a way to lock out the curse? You'd go that far..?"
"Yes. Like you have for your family..even though you and them don't have a lot of time, you went that far to save their souls until you found a cure for the rot on their bodies and yours. You have dinner with them and talk to them to keep them company, and because you're a father. You tend to them like I tend to the flower, you understand what it's like."
Nori's frown slowly turned to a small half smile, saying, "You're right."
"Yes. Always." Mei stood up leaving.
Nori asked, "W-Where are you going?"
"To convince grandfather to make me armor which can increase the time I can be outside."
…..
'We are one.'
'Your vengeance is my vengeance. Together, we'll kill them all.'
Kenshiro gasped, opening his eyes. As dawn broke over the devastated lands of feudal Japan, the world seemed to awaken not with a chirp of birds or the gentle rustle of trees, but with an ominous silence pierced only by distant, troubled cries. Carrying Kenshiro, bound and weakened but seething with a suppressed rage, Kiro moved through the desolate landscape. His steps were measured, his eyes scanning the ruinous world around him—a world overgrown with the pervasive rot that emanated from his very being.
"This bastard…he's really carrying me…here I thought it was a dream."
The road they traversed wound through decaying forests, where once mighty oaks stood now as corrupted sentinels. Their bark was blistered and peeling, leaves withered to an ashy gray, and from some, dark sap seeped like the blood of the earth. Here, the air was thick, filled with the stench of decay and the soft hisses of rot eating into wood and leaf alike.
As they progressed, the remnants of a village emerged through the fog, the structures dilapidated, their once-vibrant colors muted to a dreary monochrome. The homes and marketplaces were abandoned, the only signs of life being the grotesque forms of animals twisted by rot. A dog, its fur matted and eyes glowing an unnatural red, snarled as it prowled the empty streets, its body sporadically convulsing as if fighting the corruption that claimed it.
Beyond the village, the path led to a temple, largely intact but forsaken, its stones covered with dark fungal growths that pulsed faintly in the morning light. The once sacred statues stood defaced, marred by the rot, their expressions twisted as if in agony. This place, meant for peace and contemplation, now whispered madness, the very air around it heavy with despair.
Not far from the temple, the sounds of battle drew them onwards. A group of warriors, their armor not yet touched by rot, fought desperately against a swarm of disfigured beings. These creatures, once human, now bore the mark of the rot visibly, their limbs elongated, faces contorted into expressions of eternal pain. The clash was brutal, the air filled with the clang of steel and the cries of the fallen.
Kiro paused, observing the struggle with a detached curiosity. The warriors fought bravely, but one by one, they fell, overwhelmed by the relentless tide of corruption. It was a losing battle, fought with the desperation of those with nothing left to lose.
Kiro said, "Tch. It's no use. Such weaklings."
Kenshiro said, "Go to hell."
"Hm, we're already in it. Don't you see?"
"I see you're a traitor. A fucking idiot. You're dying as well, you've consumed too much rot—."
"You don't think I know that? And who are you to call me a traitor?! Everything I did was right. The tribe of merchants were under the rule of a real fool. He always preached on preserving the secrets and artifacts of the tribe of Merchants, but didn't realize what the future would hold. Because of him, many of our members died to the rot and killed each other! He didn't want to give in to the rot and it's evil, but it was the only way to keep everything alive! Everything that bastard preached! And you wanna call me a traitor?! I'm helping my people!"
"Tch. You're talking like you were supposed to be the head of the Merchant Tribe."
"Supposed to be, brat. But he got in the way. He fought alongside my foolish father to help the Heroes who defeated conflicted Ryujin during the first fall. It was easy for them back then, since the other heads weren't in their right mind because of Shikorin's rot, even though they were raging, they weren't in their right mind to fight with such knowledge of how to win."
"You're willing to kill yoursef to save your own people? Even though that's what you're doing?"
"You wouldn't know anything about true honor and loyalty. I prepared for years to be the next head of the damn tribe, only for it to be taken by some old fart. I've always had the mindset of a leader. If we want to preserve the teachings of the Battle Art: SoulSong and the many different variations of techniques and dance for it, we have to remain."
"Oh yeah? And what if this whole world is covered in rot, would your dances mean shit against Commander Takeda, a literal avatar of a deity of rot? And don't even think about starting a resistance, they'll wipe you and your entire clan out, with ease. You'll be surrounded by nothing but corpses. And you'll cry and shit, blaming yourself, regretting everything—."
"Shut up! I could kill you now, but that's up to Asura."
"Asura…the one who killed Kanbei's master Hayato."
"What are you blabbering about?"
"None of your concern."
Leaving the scene behind, they crossed into what once was a bustling marketplace, now nothing more than ruins. Stalls that once sold colorful fabrics and fresh produce were now only charred skeletons, the goods long since rotted away or looted. Here and there, the ground itself seemed to pulse with a dark energy, the rot manifesting visibly as it spread its dominion.
As they entered a dense woodland, the atmosphere shifted. The trees here were grotesquely beautiful, covered in bioluminescent fungi that cast an eerie, glowing light through the undergrowth. The effect was both mesmerizing and horrifying, a beacon of alien beauty in a world so thoroughly ravaged by decay.
'I won't listen to what this inexperienced kid has to say. I know what I'm doing. I'm doing the right thing. I know I am. But..have I even thought that far ahead? What if..no! No. I won't let his words try to change my mind. What's done is done.'
Within this glowing forest, they stumbled upon a pond that mirrored the sky, its surface undisturbed by wind or ripple. The water was clear but possessed a slight luminescence, reflecting the fungal glow from the trees. It was an oasis of calm, surreal and serene, yet the silence here was too perfect, too absolute, hinting at some unseen danger lurking beneath the serene facade.
Pressing forward, they found themselves at the edge of a cliff that offered a panoramic view of the devastated lands. Far below, the ocean beat against jagged rocks, the water dark and tumultuous, whipped by winds that carried the rot to distant shores. The vista was a grim reminder of the scale of the apocalypse, the rot an ever-spreading stain upon the world.
Turning inland once more, they traversed ancient woods where the trees stood impossibly tall, their tops disappearing into a mist that seemed to consume light itself. This part of the forest felt ancient, untouched by time and yet not immune to the rot that left its mark upon everything in this cursed land.
Here, amidst ancient stones covered in moss, they encountered a behemoth—a creature vast in size, its body a mass of vines and earth, its eyes glowing coals in a wooden skull. The beast was a guardian of sorts, an embodiment of the forest's rage and sorrow, and it watched them pass with an intelligence that belied its grotesque form.
It did not attack.
Kenshiro asked, "Why doesn't he attack you?"
"The rot has recognized me as one of their own. Once I decided to swear my life upon Commander Takeda, the rot accepted me. Though it will have the same effect as it has on everyone else. Only I'm able to keep the chaotic nature at bay because of the SoulSong. When you saw me dancing, the smile on my face, that was joy from the SoulSong. The ability with it works greater when one experiences true joy. And right now, to keep the chaos and bloodlust at bay, my joy and the chaos of the rot are battling."
Kenshiro thought, 'As fucked up as he may seem…he's willing to go this far to make sure the Tribe of Merchants live and preserve the secrets of the SoulSong Battle Art..but at the same time, if he cared so much, he wouldn't let his people succumb to the rot. And he doesn't even know for sure if Takeda will betray him. I bet he didn't even give it a second thought.'
Kenshiro said, "How do you know Takeda isn't playing you?"
"….."
"Wow. You don't know."
"I was never afraid to take risks. Never! That's what a leader is supposed to be. All those Merchants..frolicked to him like he was a god or something. I hate it. I hate thinking about it."
The journey continued through fields that once waved with golden grain but now lay barren, the soil corrupted, tainted beyond any hope of cultivation. Every step they took raised little puffs of spores that added to the malaise that hung over the land like a shroud. They crossed a bridge adorned with intricate carvings, now almost completely obscured by the rot. The river it spanned ran thick and sluggish, its waters a tapestry of unnatural colors, testament to the poison that infected every watercourse within the land.
Beyond the river lay a series of caves, their entrances gaping like open wounds in the earth. Echoes of things unseen whispered from the depths, the air cool and damp, carrying the scent of wet stone and decay. These caverns housed creatures that had never seen the light of day, mutations that were both fascinating and horrifying in their adaptations to a life forever shrouded in darkness. Emerging from the caves, they found themselves in a valley surrounded by steep cliffs. Here, the effects of the rot were less visible, the area somehow preserved. Wildflowers dotted the landscape, a stark contrast to the bleakness they had traversed. Yet even this apparent sanctuary held a sense of impending doom, the beauty a mere momentary reprieve from the relentless spread of corruption.
Kenshiro said, "Know what I want?"
"I couldn't care less."
"Peace. Happiness, I guess. I hate this shame I feel every five damn seconds."
"Shut up.."
"I can't do it though. Why the hell is it so hard for me to be happy? When all I want is—."
"Shut up!" Kiro punched Kenshiro in the face.
Kenshiro continued, "You know you feel the same way…"
"You don't know me…"
"I don't. But I know you're not that bad, just doing the wrong thing."
"How would you know? How would you know this isn't the right thing to do?! We're surviving, that's all that matters!"
"Yeah, yeah you survive, then what? Everything is covered in rot and Takeda gets whatever he wants, then what? What happens to you? Everything will be pointless. Armageddon is what will happen, nothing will matter if Commander Takeda wins. None of your little dances and stuff, your joy. None of it will matter. Know why? Because I've seen a glimpse of the future."
"You don't know anything! Don't try to convince me that I'm in the wrong."
"After I witnessed a Battle Art, Commander Takeda was in it, and he looked right at me. Right at me…right the fuck at me. Then after I left the memory, one of his loyal soldiers intercepted me and wanted to fight, and I killed him. But then I was informed Takeda wanted that Battle Art, and since those with rot can't access Battle Art memory, he was going to come back and get the Battle Art until he was devoid of the rot."
"…Why would he want to get rid of it and claim a single Battle Art…?"
"Runes of Vigor. It was a technique that increased strength, speed, durability, etc. I have it. Commander Takeda wanted it, which shows he will go as far as sacrificing even his strong loyal soldiers to get what he wants. Including you. Compared to Hyogo, his loyal soldier. I would've killed you. Easily, no doubt about it. But I was weakened to whatever crazed state I was in. Now imagine..the tribe of Merchants…they're gonna be sent out by Takeda, run into people like me, who will kill them easily."
"With the rot, we'll be stronger! We won't be weak anymore—."
"—Doesn't matter. It won't make you invincible. Takeda doesn't care. My first encounter… I've killed full embodiments of rot, a family fully corrupt of the rot, which fully embraced them. I was lucky to win, they weren't that strong due to the fact that they were in weak bodies. And the tribe of merchants bodies are weak, you'll be weak still. A fully conflicted embodiment of rot is powerful, stronger than most. Hyogo had rot, even a few small patches, and yet, he was strong as hell, stronger than you. That proves my case even more."
"You're confused, you don't know what—."
"You're not even fully conflicted, and yet, you were able to dish out some power, which still isn't enough to beat me. But with a weak body, and as you said, the rot is basically sentient, it's gonna feed off the weakness of the body of its host and cause chaos. Only giving you a small boost of power. The way I see it, the rot is like a Battle Art of its own. Merging with the lingering strength of its host and feeds off that. You'll all die."
"Shut up! Shut up! If you speak again…"
"What? Only telling the truth."
"…"
'He's wrong. He's wrong.'