After I landed a pretty hard swing at Oniwaka, he fell on the ground roughly. “Huff… Huff… Ah… Ahhhhhhhh! Ah!” Oniwaka slammed a fist on the ground, his expression a mixture of rage and pain.
“Dammit! Why?! Why won’t you fall?! Why won’t you die like the others?!” Oniwaka gets off and though he was severely injured, Oniwaka continues to swing his Naginata with all his might. The half-moon spear hurtles towards me. He’s clearly on the verge of completely losing it. The Summoning Emblem that adorned his leg seems to have peeled off and has fallen to the ground. It catches on his heel as his foot sweeps the ground and flies off into the distance.
“Ah…. Ah….. Ahhhhhh! All of you! Each and every one! Begone! Disappeaaaaar!” Oniwaka raises his polearm with a scream… leaving himself wide open. Gripping my Sword tightly and narrowing my eyes, I started to speak my incantation.
“Role of the Wanderer! Rule of Rending! Engrave mine name unto thee. Come forth! Boundless Tail!” With sword in hand, I face him down. Boundless Tail shines with a radiant glow, fed by the power of my Rule.
Oniwaka…..
A light of understanding flares in Oniwaka’s eyes. This will be his last act of defiance against this hated, rotten world. Something wild rages within him, trying to claw its way out. He knows his body will not hold up much longer. Yet even with this realization, he seems strangely lucid.
To Oniwaka, it feels as though time itself begins to slow. As he faces his end in that lethargic pocket of time, Oniwaka sharpens his focus on what stands before him. At that moment, Oniwaka's eyes finally meet Masato face to face for the first time. The last shred of sanity in Oniwaka is trained upon Masato and the gleam in his eyes.
“Ah…” It is as though he is peering into a mirror. He sees in Masato that which resides within himself. “Now I get it…. You, too, are…”
Masato….
As our eyes meet and I begin to understand, my Sword comes down against Oniwaka’s Naginata. However, the strike doesn’t connect, as my aim is not Oniwaka himself, but rather the empty space beside him. It’s as though my blazing Sword severs the invisible chains that bind him.
“Nnga….! Gaaaaaah!” A howling scream echoes through the underground chamber as if Oniwaka is expelling a curse that has festered inside of him. An ominous substance like heavy black smoke erupts from his mouth.
“Masato…?! What did you do?!” Kengo called out to me but I just stared at Oniwaka, as he started to cough after the smoke escaped from his mouth. His skin slowly went back to its tan color. The horn coming from his forehead went away, with me finally noticing that he had a scar on the said forehead. His eyes turned from being completely yellow to dark brown, his eyes glaring at me.
“Gah! Ack! Eugh! Damn you…” Oniwaka continued to cough, still trying to get rid of the thing that came out of his body. I had a feeling that left behind a bad aftertaste and I felt for him. I let my Sword disappear, knowing I won’t need it anymore. Kengo comes up next to me, staring at Oniwaka.
“He’s back to normal! What the hell is going on?” Kengo couldn’t understand what was going on and I felt like I should probably explain it to him but I couldn’t get the chance to when Macan, who looked a bit better but was still weak, spoke up.
“He’s been… cut free.” Macan was looking at Oniwaka with wide surprise eyes, not believing what he was seeing. Kengo still had a confused expression on his face, still not fully understanding what he was saying.
“What came out of his mouth was all the energy I had accumulated within me. And not just that, but everything that had stuffed him full, as well as the channel it all flowed through… All the power that was inflating Oniwaka has been cut off from him with savage intensity. Wow…” Macan breaks out in a smile. It’s the kind of smile worthy of a carnivore. Kengo nodded his head slowly, getting what just happened with Oniwaka.
“Did you… save me? I see... So that’s it then! I lost my chance to die… It’s over… All the power I’ve gained from everyone has up and vanished. I feel much lighter now. There’s… nothing left… I guess I’m back to square one.” Oniwaka was still on the ground, staring down at the Naginata in his hand with a strange look in his eyes. After a minute Oniwaka made eye contact with me, staring at me with different emotions going through his eyes. “Hey, tell me your name, stranger.”
“Oh, we haven’t exchanged names. My name is Masato.” I gave him a wide smile, not caring about how we were basically fighting minutes ago. It was in the past now and we got everything out in the open now.
“Masato, huh? Masato. You’re just like me, aren’t you? I can tell from the way you smell. We’ve both been forsaken by this world.” I felt self-conscious when he mentioned he could tell by my smell. I tried to smell myself sneakily without drawing anyone's attention. ‘It just sweat… I mean I've been moving around all day. Is it that bad? Ugh… I will take an extra long shower today.’
“You and I are alone here. Am I right? I don’t know where I came from, and because of some weird magical bond, I can’t leave, either. We were discarded, wandered lost, and now we must survive on our own. I’m right, aren’t I?” Oniwaka was looking at me with desperate eyes, wanting to hear my answer.
“We’re… the same.” I nod my head slowly, seeing the way Oniwaka's eyes light up when he hears that answer. I don’t know if we are the “same” but we both don’t know where we came from and who we are. I guess we are forsaken.
“Is it really true? Did I finally meet someone like me? Then… You should know! You should know all about my pent-up rage! About the world that’s forsaken me! About my total lack of connection to any of it! I have the right to destroy it all, to take whatever I want! I deserve it! That’s my right! Everything was taken away from me from the start! What’s the problem if I take it back?!” Oniwaka slammed his fist into the ground, tears in his eyes as he let out all the closed up emotions he was keeping inside of him.
“You must understand! Don’t you?! Please… Please understand. I didn’t know… what else to do…” His cry borders on a plea and I see a weakness deep within his eyes that wasn’t there before. I walked closer to Oniwaka, kneeling when I was right in front of him. He was still crying and I slowly put a hand on his shoulder, hoping it would bring some comfort.
“That’s not rage. Didn’t you say earlier… That you didn’t want this?” What Oniwaka feels is that which all living beings dread… The destitution of solitude. Being alone is such a scary and lonely thing….
“What…” Oniwaka was looking at me through the tears in his eyes, confused about what I was talking about. I give him an understanding smile. I could understand what he was feeling.
“You’re afraid, aren’t you? You feel lonely, don’t you? I feel the same way. They are such horrible feelings.” I could feel my eyes getting a bit tingly but I force myself not to let the feeling get to me, continuing to let my honest feelings out to Oniwaka. “When I first came to this world… I had no memories and no family to count on… I was so scared back then.”
“Then why don’t you hate this hellhole?! You should be destroying and pillaging like me! With that much power, you could tear this world apart if you wanted to!” Oniwaka stood up, glaring at me. I didn’t react to it and calmly stood up with him as well. Even though he was a bit taller than me it felt like we were staring at each other on equal footing.
“Ryota was nice to me. He became my friend. Shiro needed me. We grew close. Kengo was lost until we teamed up.” Even though the reason I gave him seem so simple and rather dumb, they were so important to me. Without them, I would be so lonely in this world. They became the things that I didn’t want to lose.
“Heh. Is that so? Just a matter of luck? You were lucky, that’s all. That’s what all the Haves say! They don’t know how Have Nots feel. I had no choice but to take what I needed! Everyone detested me and avoided me. Some tried to take advantage of my power. I cut off my horns and ventured out. I thought that maybe… Just maybe..” Tears were appearing in Oniwaka's eyes again and he wiped them away quickly, growing irritated with how he was acting at the moment. “But everywhere I went, all I found was enemy after enemy. I had no one to count on.”
“You really had no one?” I felt like even when the whole world is against you there have to be people who would stand with you. It may not be something you would pay attention to due to how much pain you were feeling but they are still there.
“Don’t look at me as if you know everything… Dammit. Okay, you’re right. Not everyone… was like that. There were some small few who... They saw me for who I was… But I couldn’t believe it. I was scared. How could they possibly believe in me? I mean… Come one! What have I ever given anyone to believe in? I don’t even believe in myself! How could anyone believe in me if I don’t believe in myself…?” Oniwaka mumbled to himself his tears now just freely falling down his face, not attempting to wipe them away anymore. “All I had was power… But that’s not something people can put their faith in. Not really.”
“Oniwaka, I want you. Is that okay?” I hold my hand out in front of me, smiling at him. He just looked at my hand for a second with an unreadable expression. I knew he was trying to figure out what I was planning or if this was a trap but I didn’t care about that.
“What is that? Sympathy? Or… Or is it…?” Oniwaka couldn’t fully understand how it ended up like this and I felt Kengo scoff from behind me. I look over my shoulder at him, with my eyebrow raised in confusion.
“Are you kidding me? He tried to bait us! How could you trust him, Masato?! I know. I don’t really have the right to say anything. I hurt you and Shiro, and I’ve been playing the villain this whole time, but… You’re a real idiot, you know that? Way worse than me! You’re gonna go to an early grave if you keep this up! Aw man…” Kengo ruffles his hair, letting out a long tired sigh.
“I’m already mixed up in this mess. I’m ready to do whatever I have to. The choice is yours, Masato. Do as you wish, I guess. I’ll back you up if I have to.” Kengo’s face looked somewhere between exasperated and pouting. He ruffles his hair again to vent some more frustration out.
“I’d like to have someone around who knows what I’ve been through. Also, you’ve piqued my interest.” I look back at the still hesitant Oniwaka with a smile, I gave him a wink hoping it would help ease his suspicions a bit.
“Masato. How interesting. I’m sure we’ve never met before and this is the first time I’ve heard your name, and yet… And… yet… Why does it sound so familiar? You seem so familiar that it brings tears to my eyes.” I felt myself grow shocked at the fact Oniwaka started to cry again and the fact he thought I looked familiar. Does this mean our past is connected? Does he know who I am and where I am from? I was brought out of my racing thoughts when Oniwaka grabbed my hand tightly with both of his.
“I know your soul. That’s what my own soul is telling me. I used to serve a wanderer… Someone I couldn’t go without, who I clung to. For some reason, I feel that there’s part of me that once entrusted my life to you. I get the feeling I knew you, even before I was born. Years… Decades… We’ve wandered so many places together. Haha… That’s weird. I’m not even 20 years old yet…” Oniwaka continues to whisper in a raspy voice. I felt my eyes widen when I noticed that his physical body was disappearing. Ever so slowly, he begins to vanish… Everything that made up his being is fading away.
“Ah… That’s right… It was all to meet you… my master… I can’t remember a name or face… But there’s no mistake, you’re the one I can depend on... I missed you so much… And you’re finally here… Took you long enough, idiot.” Oniwaka raised one of his hands to hit me on the head, even though it wasn’t painful I felt a tear come out of my eye.
“What are you talking about…? I don’t understand!” I felt myself getting frustrated, I didn’t know what I was getting frustrated with but it was so irritating. Oniwaka wipe away the tears that were appearing in my eyes, not caring about how I was getting frustrated, just giving me a knowing smile.
“You don’t get it, huh? That’s fine. I can’t explain this myself, either. All I can say is that my soul is crying out. I have found the one I can depend on. I swear to you, my one-time master.” A bright light appears between us and this reminds me of the time in the park with the oni. Oniwaka was almost gone but I didn’t want him to leave yet. Call me selfish but I just wanted to know more about what he was saying. How does his soul know me?
“Call me when you need me. I’ll be your right-hand man again…” Giving me one last smile, Oniwaka’s weapon, clothes, and body dissolve into particles of light and scatter up toward the heavens. I could still feel Oniwaka's warm hand on my own, even though he was no longer here.
From the corner of my eye, Kengo watches the flickering lights with a blank stare. “Oniwaka vanished without a trace… D-Did he die?” Even though Kengo with Oniwaka wasn’t good he still sounded concerned about the disappearing Oniwaka.
“Not at all! I’m sure that he’s finally found a connection with this world. His fate is now intertwined with another who resides in this world. Once his power replenishes, he’ll sparkle on back. That’s what Transients are. They coalesce into existence through the transience of light.” I was rather surprised Macan knew so much about this. I assume it was something many Transients know. But I felt better when I knew I would see Oniwaka again…
“One master of mine explained something like that once. He was a real weakling, that one. Died from an illness before I could eat him… He told me he envied us Transients. Heh! Ignorance is bliss, huh?” Macan let out a chuckle as he remembered his former master, and I couldn’t help but wonder how someone weak could have made Macan their familiar. They must have been someone skilled.
“So… Oniwaka really was a Transient…” Kengo mumbled that to himself, still processing everything he just learned. I guess it was understandable that it was something most people would take a while to process since he did look fully human.
“I don’t really get it, either. If you want to know more, you’ll have to find someone who knows the facts. More importantly…” Macan turned to look at me fully, his eyes beaming with interest. “Heh… Gahahaha! So that’s your name, eh? Masato!”
“What are you laughing about?!” Kengo was just as shocked at me as we looked at the laughing Macan. I was wondering if it was my name. Is it weird or something? I feel like it was rather simple but why is Macan laughing at it?!
“I’ve made up my mind! I choose you, no matter what you say! I’ll make you my flesh and blood. If that doesn’t suit you, you’ll just have to make me your flesh and blood. Once I can move again, I’m coming for you. You’d better put some more meat on your bones by then!” Macan went to stand up from his position against the wall he was resting against but went back down when his body struggled to hold himself up.
“H-Hey! You look dizzy! Hold on, I’ll call for help.” Kengo went to help out the Macan, but was stopped when he just waved off Kengo's help. I was looking at him worried, he did get his abilities stolen by Oniwaka when they fought.
“I don’t need help. You get on with your business. I just… can’t move… right now. Go. Takedown the enemy… and save me what’s left of you to devour, yeah? You better not… let anyone else.. eat you!” Macan gave me a beast-like smirk again and I just gave him a nod, not knowing how to respond to that.
When I nodded my head everything went spinning. “Huh…? My vision is… I’m falling!” I realized as my vision went bad my body ended up falling forward. I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the pain I was going to feel. I stopped falling when I felt a muscular arm catch me. Opening my eyes again, I saw Kengo letting out a sigh in relief.
“Whoa, that was close. You need to rest a bit. Oniwaka’s taken care of, so just take a break and give Shiro a call.” Kengo went and rested me against a wall, standing next to me to make sure nothing would attack me out of nowhere.
I could only take out my phone from my uniform pocket and call Shiro from the App. I could feel my head pounding and my vision acting weird for a while but I knew that Shiro would want to know I handle Oniwaka. ‘I just keep fainting today… I really need to get used to fighting so much… I am still weak in some areas…’
With Shiro, Shuichi, And Duo….
“Uh-huh… Got it. Good work. Now get some rest. I know you’re feeling the pressure to hurry up and take out that other being. I’m with you on that. But we really shouldn’t engage it without a plan. I’ll call you back later. See ya. You did it, Masato! And you too, Kengo!” Shiro ends the call with Masato, letting out a relief sigh knowing that Masato took care of Oniwaka.
“Shiro, can I ask you something?” Shuichi's voice brought Shiro from his thoughts and looked toward him with raised eyebrows. “Oh, sorry. What is it?” Shiro had a slightly embarrassed look on his face as he looked at Shuichi.
“It’s about Masato. What… is that all about?” Shuichi's question made Shiro expression grow sharp, as he looked at Shuichi with suspicion in his eyes. “What do you mean?” Shuichi didn’t mind how Shiro was looking at him in suspicion and continue one with what he was going to say.
“All aspects of Masato are astounding. There are so many familiars under his control. Summoning itself is nothing short of insanity. Both Transients and Sacred Artifacts are contained within a human vessel. Filling an ordinary person with just one of those things best suited to their size and form would take everything they’ve got. Yet Masato is able to accumulate pact upon pact. It’s incredible…. Moreover, everyone Masato encounters seems to sense a different soul in the same person… What exactly is his deal?” Shuichi had a thoughtful look on his face as he thought about all the strange things about Masato.
“I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to. If you read my memory, then you should already know that much.” At what Shiro said, Shuichi shook his head with his usual smile on his face. “I’m not asking for the facts. I’m asking for your opinion.”
“All I can say is that Masato is my friend. My dear… dear friend. Nothing more, nothing less. That’s all I need to know.” Shiro's expression was gentle as he said that and Shuichi nodded his head in understanding, feeling pleased with the answer he got.
“Everyone has their own sanctuary. A realm where emotions rule and logic has no sway. There, calm and collected reason is set aside in order to protect that which is cherished. I have something like that, too.” Shuichi smiles at Duo by his side. He then returns his attention to Shiro and bows his head sincerely. “Allow me to apologize. I’m sorry for asking something so rude.”
As Shuichi apologized to Shiro, Duo was looking indifferently to the side but an unreadable emotion flashed in his eyes and mumbled something to himself. “Masato…”
Back With Masato….
I felt myself sneeze as I sat next to a standing Kengo who looked tense. I heard a rumor that if you sneeze that means someone is talking about you. ‘It obviously Shiro. Must be talking about something regarding me.’ Even though my body felt tired I felt somewhat better thinking that Shiro was talking about me.
“Talking about resting is one thing… but actually calming down in the middle of this crazy cage match is another matter!” Kengo swings his arms about as if keeping his restless muscles warm while muttering to himself in frustration.
“So. Alone at last…” I put a hand under my chin, giving Kengo what I hope was a charming look. Kengo nodded his head in agreement, and I felt for some reason he wasn’t getting what I was talking about.
“We sure are. All alone… With nowhere to run. There we go.” Kengo sits down beside me, but we both remain quiet for some time. It was rather calming just sitting here, even though there was a being who could probably destroy everything just out and about. “You know what…?” The one to break the silence is Kengo. He looks troubled as he starts mumbling and slowly works up to his point.
“Masato… Why you always gotta take so much by yourself? I don’t get you. All the biggest pains in the butt seem to flock to you, too. Must be rough. You need to start hanging with some saner folk. Know what I’m sayin’?” Kengo had an irritated look on his face as he looked to his side.
“Are you jealous?” I was looking at Kengo with confused eyes, wondering why he was irritated. Could he really be jealous? ‘Wow! Masato you are a dangerous man! You gotta keep that charm of yours under control!’
“Hahaha. It’s trouble enough dealing with that stubborn Shiro! Whatever. Was what you said earlier true?” I look at Kengo with a raised eyebrow, not fully understanding what he was saying. “What you and Oniwaka were sayin’ about comin’ from another world. I’m not doubting you, I just… wanted to be sure. Our Tokyo has been cut off from everything else for so long… I have no idea what’s been happening outside this city. Tokyo is the only world I know. That Transients all come from different worlds is one thing… But I didn’t think humans could come in and out, too… Hey, was there a Tokyo in the world you came from?” Kengo was looking at me with curious eyes and I forced myself to remember if there was a Tokyo in the world I came from.
“I think there was. My memory is kind of hazy. The Tokyo there was very different” From the hazy memories that I could remember I knew that Tokyo in my world was different. I can’t remember that much detail from it but that is what I could tell from my hazy memories.
“Huh… So that’s how it is. The worlds are probably different… Which means that Tokyo is probably different from this one… So there is a place outside of this Tokyo with people in it, after all… Even if it’s just a chance… I wanna go outside…” Kengo had a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke about going beyond this Tokyo.
“If I can find my way back to the world I’m from… Why don’t you come with me? Not that I can promise anything.” I felt my face grow warm as I looked away from Kengo with an awkward expression, feeling oddly nervous at the moment.
“Haha… Ahaha! That sounds hella shady! What do you think you’re doin’? Don’t start spreadin’ funny ideas when you don’t even know if you can get back yourself! You sure you’re not just leakin’ hot air?” I let out a pained groan when Kengo slap me on the back, not holding back with his strength.
“But still… It sounds real nice. I mean, it would totally rock… if it were possible. Who knows why, but I’m feeling better now. Funny… I never needed the coin. I was just like Oniwaka. I didn’t realize that we both wanted the same thing all along. I was so stupid. I finally see that now. Thanks, Masato.” Kengo put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a half hug. I could feel my nose tingly as I felt how muscular Kengo was. ‘Hold it back…! Don’t get a nosebleed!’
As I was having this fight with myself, a rumble shakes the entire Colosseum as if an army is advancing towards us. Kengo released me from the half hug and I could feel the incoming nosebleed disappear, causing me to let out a tiny sigh to myself in relief.
“Oh? Is that thing finally making a move? We can’t see anything from here, so let’s get going!” Kengo got up first and while I was going to stand up as well Kengo lifted me from the ground and held me until he was sure I wasn’t going to trip over my own feet.
Together we relocate to a place where we can see the split in the sky. As we stare up at it, I could see that the rift has spread significantly. And there, in the depths…
“Ooh, look! See that? Is it just me, or are there more things in there? Look kinda like a swarm. What are those things…? They look kinda like knights… And… magicians…? I’ve seen anything quite like ‘em.” At what Kengo said I did notice that there were more things in the sky.
Last time I looked, there was only the one aberration. Now, I found it surrounded by beings that remind me of champions known as knights and magic-wielding sorcerers. Those two types of aberrations float around the larger being as if to shield it.
“Rooooaaar!” The roar is like a signal that breaks the defensive ranks, sending the knights and sorcerers spilling into the world. Naturally, both of us are equally stimulated by the war cry.
“It seems like they’re all comin’ through the hole that big guy tore open. So what are we supposed to do? Just beat that thing up?” Kengo looked at me and I could see that he was itching to fight but he wanted to hear what I had planned.
“They’re coming. Shall we intercept them?” I nod my head in the enemy's directions and Kengo gave me a big smirk, knocking his fist together in a pumped-up way.
“What was the saying? Once more unto the beach!” I gave Kengo a look at what he just said, knowing full well that isn’t how the saying went. “Kengo, I am pretty sure that isn’t the saying…”
“Huh? That’s not it? Don’t sweat the small stuff! I like things clean and simple! That’s my fort! Uh, forte…? Anyway, I basically only have the one shtick! Hahahaha! You just sit back and watch me do my thing, ‘kay? This is my chance to finally show off. I’ll show you that I’m more dependable than Shro ever could be, Masato!” Kengo got in front of me and I felt kind of off getting protected instead of being the one protecting.
“Outta my way, minions! It’s time for Takabushi Kengo to clean house!” As the being slowly closed in on us, Kengo Sacred Artifact started to light up with lightning and Kengo charged towards the incoming enemies. I follow behind him, summoning my Sword.
