Unraveling Memories

Ryuji kneeled, clutching his head and shouting, "Father! My father!" Haruto watched, shocked and confused by Ryuji's sudden outburst. Inside Ryuji's mind, a voice echoed, "Calm down, kid, and listen to me carefully!" The voice continued, "We have been fooled! We've been used, and it makes my blood boil."

Ryuji, bewildered, asked, "What? Why? And what is happening to me?"

The voice, belonging to Kuro, his demonic counterpart, answered, "Calm down and listen! I understand what happened to us. Remember the night when I marked you with my claws and was absorbed inside you? You fainted, and after that, our memories were altered by none other than my pursuers!"

Ryuji demanded, "Who was it? Who altered our memories, and why were they pursuing you?"Kuro replied arrogantly, "I don't feel the need to answer that, kid! But I know who altered our memories."

"Who was it?" Ryuji pressed.

"I'm not sure, but since he was one of my pursuers and was at the Samurai Academy, I think it’s Kenshin," Kuro revealed.

Ryuji was shocked, "Why? Why would he do this?"

Kuro explained, "That’s all I have to say. Now don’t go insane. If you die, then I die too! I need to take my revenge! Don’t die, kid. You have my power!"

Ryuji asked, "Then how did we regain our memories all of a sudden?"

Kuro answered, "It’s thanks to that dwarf. Inside his tent, there was incense made from Padyteri flowers, a flower that negates all spells, stronger or weaker, it negates them all." Kuro then stopped talking, and Ryuji turned pale.

Haruto, concerned, asked, "What happened? Ryuji, are you alright?"

Ryuji nodded, "I am alright." He then continued, "My memories were altered. They were fading slowly, but when I went to Wilson's tent, the incense negated the curse. I remember it all now!"Haruto asked, "Since when were you under this spell?"

Ryuji replied, "Since I fainted in a jungle near my hometown, Meryland."

Haruto, shocked, said, "What? But you told us that your father was murdered during our first mission as ronin. Remember, even Mei was there too!"

"As I said, my memories were disappearing slowly," Ryuji explained.

Suddenly, Ryuji’s head spun, and he fell to the ground. Haruto caught him, saying, "I knew it. You're not feeling well. Rest now, and don’t worry, I will go to the town to gather some intel and bring some food as well."

Ryuji replied, "Thanks." He slept until late in the evening, then woke up, bathed in a nearby pond, and returned to the cave where Haruto was waiting.

Haruto asked, "Feeling better?"

Ryuji responded, "As better as I could take down a dozen or two demons all by myself."

Haruto smiled, "Then let’s go and show me what you’ve got."

Ryuji asked, "Where?"

Haruto explained, "To save our friends. We can save them today."

Ryuji asked, "How?"

Haruto detailed his plan, "I got intel that the Demon Lord is sending a large number of armies to Akumagahara, which means the outposts will be short on troops. This gives us the perfect chance to raid the outpost where our friends are held captive."

Ryuji asked, "Do you know which outpost?"

Haruto replied, "It’s Outpost 7 of Sector 2. It’s near us. If we go now, we’ll reach there by night."

Ryuji agreed, "Alright! Let's save our friends!" They prepared to raid Outpost 7 of Sector 2.

At the outpost that night, there were around 20-30 demons with no commander. Ryuji and Haruto reached the outpost and observed from a nearby tree.

Haruto said, "Let’s get them!"

Ryuji replied, "At your back!" Inside Outpost 7, in the prison room where Ryuji’s teammates were tied and caged, Sora asked, "Well, how many of you are still alive?"

Akira replied, "Don’t be dumb, we won’t get killed that easily."

Takeshi asked, "Do you believe that Ryuji and Haruto will come to save us?"

Yumi said, "I am hoping so!"

Hana confidently stated, "Haruto will come!"

Yumi asked, "You don’t believe in Ryuji?"

Hana replied, "I do! But I don’t quite get him, you know." She continued, "Sometimes he seems to be having fun, and other times he seems furious and angry."

Akira added, "Yes, and sometimes it looks like he is not himself."

As they were chatting, the sounds of drawing katanas and lightning could be heard. Hana said, "See! I told you Haruto would come!"

Everyone agreed. Outside the prison room, Haruto and Ryuji were fighting the demons.Ryuji and Haruto approached the outpost silently. The moonlight cast eerie shadows on the ground as they moved closer. Haruto whispered, "We need to take out the guards quietly."Ryuji nodded, his hand tightening around his katana's hilt. They split up, each taking a different side of the entrance. Ryuji spotted a demon guard, its eyes glowing red in the darkness. With swift precision, he drew his katana, igniting it with crimson flames. The guard didn’t even have time to scream as Ryuji’s blade sliced through its neck, the flames cauterizing the wound instantly.

On the other side, Haruto used his lightning speed to appear behind a demon, thrusting his electrified katana through its back. The demon let out a guttural cry before collapsing, its body convulsing as electricity coursed through it. They continued their stealthy assault, eliminating guards one by one until they reached the inner courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, a group of demons noticed them. The element of surprise was lost. Haruto shouted, "No turning back now!"

Ryuji charged at the nearest demon, his katana blazing with crimson flames. "Crimson Slash!" he shouted, delivering a powerful horizontal slash that sent a wave of fire surging forward, incinerating two demons instantly. Another demon lunged at him with a spear, but Ryuji parried the attack and countered with an upward slash, engulfing the demon in flames.Meanwhile, Haruto faced three demons at once. Channeling his lightning abilities, he dashed between them, his movements a blur. "Thunder Strike!" he yelled, striking the ground with his katana and sending a shockwave of electricity through the ground. The demons convulsed and fell as the electricity surged through their bodies.

The duo moved deeper into the outpost, navigating narrow corridors filled with more demons. Ryuji led the way, his katana flashing in the dim light. A demon with a massive axe swung at him, but he sidestepped, using the momentum to slice through its arm and then its neck. The demon’s body erupted in flames from the wound, turning to ash.

Haruto followed, using his speed to overwhelm his opponents. He kicked a demon into the wall, then plunged his katana into its chest. "Lightning Blade!" he shouted, channeling his power through the blade. The demon exploded in a burst of light, leaving only a charred mark on the wall. Another demon tried to catch him off guard, but Haruto's reflexes were too quick. He spun around, slashing its legs out from under it before delivering the finishing blow.As they were fighting, Ryuji noticed something and said to Haruto, "Haruto, I will hold them. You go and find our friends and free them. They’ve signaled for reinforcements. We need to be quick!"

Haruto nodded and headed into the basement. He broke down the door and said, "Well! Looks like you guys were enjoying yourselves, huh?"

Sora replied, "We knew you would come!" The others nodded. Haruto freed them and led them outside, finishing off demons along the way. Ryuji was fighting other demons while his teammates, injured from brutal torture, were being rescued. Everyone was shocked to see Ryuji because they thought he wouldn’t come.

Yumi said, "I said so! Ryuji would come too!" The others agreed.

Then suddenly, Ryuji looked at them and shouted, "Haruto! Take them and run! I will catch up to you!"

Haruto replied, "No!"

Ryuji insisted, "Understand the situation! Just go!"

Haruto understood and said, "Don’t you die!"

Ryuji smiled. Haruto and the others ran towards the cave where he and Ryuji had been hiding. Just as Ryuji thought he was getting the upper hand, he saw reinforcements arriving. He knew he couldn’t hold out much longer. He was about to make a desperate last stand when a bolt of black lightning struck the ground, obliterating the incoming demons.

Ryuji turned to see a figure emerge from the shadows. "You love to kneel before others?" the figure taunted.

Ryuji looked back, his eyes widening in shock. "You are...!"

The figure stepped into the light, revealing himself as the vice commander of Kurei-Kage, Kenjiro. He smirked, "I’m Kenjiro. Nice to meet you again."

Ryuji stood up, readying his katana, "Why are you here?"

Kenjiro replied, "Don’t worry. I’m not here to fight. I have an offer for you."

Ryuji narrowed his eyes, "What do you want?"

Kenjiro's smirk widened, "Will you join us? The Kurei-Kage?"

Ryuji, shocked, replied, "What?"

The chapter ends.