The weary ship cut through the vast expanse of the ocean, its sails fluttering in the cool breeze. Yashiro's vessel, battered by the trials of the tumultuous journey, approached the familiar shores of Uchimasu. The once-mighty crew, now fewer in number, skillfully navigated the ship to the bustling port.
As the ship docked, a sense of relief washed over Yashiro. However, his weariness was apparent, and his fellow sailors carefully carried him off the ship. They traversed the cobblestone paths of the port town, making their way toward the heart of Uchimasu.
Guided by the gentle rhythm of the ocean waves, Yashiro was laid to rest in his own bed, a sanctuary that offered respite from the perilous seas. The room, adorned with artifacts from distant lands, told the tales of Yashiro's adventures.
For three days, Yashiro slept soundly, his body and mind recovering from the strains of the journey. On the fourth day, as the morning sun cast a warm glow upon the room, Yashiro stirred. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft light.
In the quiet of his room, the door creaked open, revealing Zani's figure. The Guildmaster stood at the threshold, his eyes reflecting a mix of concern and relief. The weight of recent events lingered in the air.
Zani: "Hey, kid."
Yashiro: "Ahhh. What day is it?"
Zani: "You've slept for three days."
Yashiro: "Damn. I've been out of the city for how long now?"
Zani: "Seventeen days. How are you feeling? You've been through a lot."
Yashiro: "My body feels fine, but I have a misty memory for the most part."
Zani: "The captain told me what happened on the ship. Tell me about what happened on that mountain. News spread throughout the continent that the volcano erupted."
Yashiro: "I'm not quite sure myself. I remember meeting some shady guy on my way up, but he disappeared."
Zani: "So what did you do when you got up there?"
Yashiro: "When I arrived at the top, there was a massive hole with lava about a hundred meters down. I think I instinctively jumped in, and in the midst of my jump, I got transported into my mind."
Zani: "And did you meet your Saro there?"
Yashiro: "How do you know?"
Zani: "You've constantly mentioned a guy named Saro."
Yashiro: "But how did you know?"
Zani: "Because your father also had a figure like that, but he was well aware of it."
Yashiro: "Father had?"
Zani: "Yes. That's the reason for his journey to that same mountain you've been to now."
Yashiro: "Zani, tell me more about him. I know you weren't completely honest with me about him."
Zani: "All right, at least I owe you that much as you're his legacy."
Yashiro: "I knew it. Now tell me more about his journey over there."
Zani: "Did it ever cross your mind how this country has existed for 200 years, and your father was the one who founded it?"
Yashiro: "What the hell? But wait, you said you helped him create it."
Zani: "That's correct."
Yashiro: "But how? You're 200 years old?"
Zani: "That's also correct."
Yashiro: "You better explain yourself."
Zani: "During the Territorial Era, when your father and I became friends, he was already a very strong individual, as you can recall from the story I told you back then. And about that mountain, I was there with him too."
Yashiro: "What were you doing there with him?"
Zani: "Also, there was a third person."
Yashiro: "A third person? Who?"
Zani: "Makato also had a brother, like you."
Yashiro: "Wait, wait, wait. This is all too much for me now. These are things that I hear for the first time in my life. Why didn't he tell any of us that, and why am I only hearing about this now from you?"
Zani: "Makato was a very secretive man. To protect everyone he held dear, he had to hide some things."
Yashiro: "Okay, tell me more. I will try to make sense of it. Who was his brother?"
Zani: "His name was Kenjiro. You might've heard that name somewhere."
Yashiro: "Yeah, I did. When I read history books from the Territorial Era, there was a person mentioned with that name."
Zani: "That was Makato's brother."
Yashiro: "So all three of you went to that volcano?"
Zani: "Correct."
Yashiro: "So what was your goal?"
Zani: "Since your father and your uncle both had their little voices in their heads, they sought a 'cure.' I followed along with them. When they jumped, I also jumped."
Yashiro: "And what happened?"
Zani: "What you didn't know about your family is that your father was deeply connected to some very otherworldly stuff."
Yashiro: "And that is?"
Zani: "Your father was a demon, and so was your uncle."
Yashiro: "A demon? He looked pretty human to me."
Zani: "What I'm talking about here are real people, not some tales you read in the library about demons looking like beasts."
Yashiro: "So does that make me a demon?"
Zani: "Yes. The form you attained after surviving the volcano was pretty demonic, if you ask me."
Yashiro: "Holy shit. I can't believe all the stuff that I'm hearing. Tell me what happened up there!"
Zani: "What happened was that they both awakened some scary powers."
Yashiro: "What powers?"
Zani: "Ever wondered why your father wore an eyepatch?"
Yashiro: "Well, no, because he told me since I was little that he got an eye injury in a battle."
Zani: "The truth is that he awakened an ocular power in his right eye.'"
Yashiro: "An ocular power?"
Zani: "Yes. He never told me the full extent of it. The only thing I know is that it gave him what he told me was 'outside of my body vision.'"
Yashiro: "Meaning?"
Zani: "I don't really know."
Yashiro: "Do you know anything about how it was used?"
Zani: "I'm sure it had a lot of uses, but he never revealed them to me. I guess there was something he had to keep to himself even from me. I don't blame him for that."
Yashiro: "And what about Kenjiro?"
Zani: "I actually never saw his powers in action, but the moment I reunited with both of them up there, I could feel how ominous it was. Simply the gravity around him started shifting—it's the only way I could explain the feeling. And the look in his eyes changed."
Yashiro: "And what about you?"
Zani: "What was common for all of us is that we received the gift of eternal life, but it came at a price."
Yashiro: "And that price was?"
Zani: "If we have children, that would mean separating our life force from ourselves, rendering us mortal. But even so, this eternal life is a curse in itself because the body starts becoming more and more immobile until it completely loses the ability to repair itself, so you basically end up being a vegetable with a mind."
Yashiro: "And father had Kyashi and me."
Zani: "Precisely. He split his life force into you two, and I guess you both gained some demonic powers."
Yashiro: "Both?"
Zani: "Kyashi is probably alive."
Yashiro: "WHAT?! HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"
Zani: "After the battle at the Cursed Pond, in that church, after all the blood dried, a few strands of red hair were found inside."
Yashiro: "Wait, so that means…"
Zani: "Kyashi killed those people inside and fled before we arrived."
Yashiro: "But that's impossible! He got his arm cut off, and despite that, he's only 11 years old! On top of that, he couldn't even beat a wooden mannequin that isn't even moving."
Zani: "I'm aware of that. My guess is that Makato did something to him before he passed away."
Yashiro: "What are you pointing at?"
Zani: "I don't know, but something tells me that he survived."
Yashiro: "At least I can be relieved about that."
Zani: "It's not for certain—not until we see him in person."
Yashiro: "That's true. But what happened after the three of you got down from that volcano?"
Zani: "Makato and Kenjiro got into a fight after some time. I guess Kenjiro got a little too greedy, wanting Makato's powers for himself. So they clashed. I wasn't present at the battle, but I could feel the air reverberating with the force they used. That was the battle that created the Cursed Pond—the whole area was dug out from their use of power, and from what I know, there was no winner. On top of it all, Kenjiro went on to form a small army, which followed him, and with them and his powers, he created what's now known as Morfiem Empire, most notably, Heaven City itself, while Makato created Uchimasu Empire, the country under your rule now."
Yashiro: "So you're saying that it was my uncle who attacked us that day and is responsible for the deaths of my father and possibly my little brother?"
Zani: "No. Kenjiro is long dead. From what I've heard, his own power failed him, and he died under unknown circumstances. But it seems that during his lifetime, he came into contact with yet another otherworldly source of power..."
In the midst of Zani revealing long-kept truths to Yashiro, a sudden intrusion disrupted the gravity of their conversation. The heavy wooden door swung open abruptly, and a harried messenger stumbled into the room, gasping for breath. His eyes darted nervously between Zani and Yashiro.
Messenger: "Lord Zani, urgent news from the Cursed Pond's forest!"
Zani, sensing the urgency, motioned for the messenger to continue.
Zani: "Speak, what has transpired?" he demanded, his gaze intense.
The messenger took a moment to catch his breath before delivering the grim report.
Messenger: "The scouts, my lord... they were all found massacred. The forest is scorched, and there's an eerie stillness lingering."
A heavy silence enveloped the room as the weight of the news settled in. Zani's brows furrowed in concern, and Yashiro's eyes widened with a mix of shock and realization. The revelation of the scouts' fate cast a shadow over the room, overshadowing the truths that had been unveiled just moments ago. The Cursed Pond's forest, once a place of mystery, now bore the marks of an ominous force that demanded their attention.
Zani: "Report to the commander immediately and tell him to mobilize the entire Squad 1 of soldiers, and have them report to me at the main gate in the next hour! I'm personally going there."
Messenger: "Understood, my lord!"
Yashiro: "You seem very upset."
Zani: "Yes, I know. It's just scouts—I wasn't so surprised until he said 'scorched.' I thought they might have been ambushed by a few Morfiem soldiers, but they can't burn a person to death. This is someone else, and judging by what was done to them, I suspect it was some highly skilled Ashblades from my home country, Emberon Empire, since they can use the power of ashes to deliver burns. You remain here. I will go over there and inspect what has happened, and perhaps I might need to kill a couple of my own people."
Yashiro, still grappling with the revelations about his heritage, nodded solemnly.
Yashiro: "I understand, Zani. Be careful out there."
Zani placed a reassuring hand on Yashiro's shoulder.
Zani: "I will. The forest is dangerous, especially now. If anything seems amiss, don't hesitate to reach out to me using your powers. We can't afford to take any risks."
With that, Zani turned to leave, his cape billowing behind him. Yashiro watched as Squad 1, a skilled and disciplined group of warriors, assembled outside. The air was charged with an unspoken tension as they prepared to venture into the unknown.
As Zani and the squad departed, Yashiro couldn't shake the feeling that a looming darkness lurked on the horizon.