Tears - Great Encounter Battle Arc

Wisteria, Bibi, Tomokazu, Kage and even Alexander watched the video finish in awe. They had no idea that Hiroshi had suffered so much in his previous world. His actions made sense now, and so did his self-hatred. He had failed to be there for Blossom when she needed him most, and he was never acknowledged for any of his good deeds after her death. He had truly lost everything he ever loved and cares about.

“That’s so sad…” Bibi noted, making her thoughts heard by the group. Tomokazu smirked.

“Becoming a man like that over a woman, are you humans really that fickle?” he sneered, trying to boost his ego. Wisteria turned around to face him, her emerald-green eyes like daggers.

“You were a fickle man yourself when you found out your father was a liar. Don’t even start with that bullshit,” she hissed at him. She wanted to do right by Hiroshi, go out and save him. But she knew Kage was right. She would be killed by Zetsubo immediately.

Hiroshi had lost any will to fight. Inside Kuro-Yami’s mind, he began screaming in mental pain. He just couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t be heard by anyone but Kuro-Yami, but he didn’t care. Zetsubo walked over, and Kuro-Yami was rooted to the floor.

Zetsubo’s Carte Blanche worked very simply. He could access any person’s most painful memories, and extract them, making them feel the brute force of the trauma again. However, he could amplify that emotional or physical trauma over one hundred times more than how that person was feeling at that time. 

Kuro-Yami managed to lift a bit off the ground, but Zetsubo grabbed him by the neck, and flew him up, close to the stratosphere.

Kuro-Yami lost all power, and Hiroshi took over once more. Zetsubo looked into his eyes, all smug.

“You were such a foolish human, trusting that creature inside you. I suppose he doesn’t have enough energy to continue, and neither do you. So, we are going to make a deal. I am going to drop you, and you are going to die. Sound good?” he smiled wickedly at Hiroshi, who didn’t even bother resisting. Zetsubo threw Hiroshi’s body to the side, and scoffed as he watched it fall.

Wisteria gasped and began running out of the arena. Bibi grabbed her arm but this time, Wisteria resisted and shook her off. She began following Hiroshi’s body, which was almost a blur in the sky.

Utsu laughed as he knew the outcome of the battle was over. He looked over at the group, who were trembling in fear. Within a quick moment, he was over at them, standing in front of Tomokazu’s face.

“Well, well, well. Tomo. You have seen better days,” he laughed to himself once more. “We knew you were here all along, but those humans can live. After all, I am the God of Joy, aren’t I? Hahaha! Isn’t our power immense, Tomo? Now that you have seen our true power, doesn’t it just make you ecstatic!”

Tomokazu was speechless. He had no idea what to say, or do, or react. His whole life was a lie. Zetsubo flew back down to the arena and stopped right beside Utsu.

“When can you leave my sight, Utsu? I hate you even being here. There wasn’t even any point in you coming. I could have handled him myself. His power is nothing like what it was before. That fall should kill him,” he growled at his companion, who put on a joyous face.

“Don’t be like that! You love me really, don’t you? And besides, you were the one who rang me all scared!”

Zetsubo ignored him and faced Alexander, who was so afraid that he wasn’t moving at all, minus shivering in his own skin.

“Oi, are you the presenter?”

“Y-Yes…t-that’s correct, S-Sir…”

“Then announce my son as the winner. I do not tolerate losers at all. Tomokazu, you will train under Kage, and you will come out stronger than me. Kage was one of my trusted soldiers. He will train you well, my son…PRESENTER!”

“R-Right!” Alexander got up off the floor and scurried his way to the center of the arena. He fixed his microphone to his face and made his voice loud and clear so the audience, who were outside of the arena, could hear.

“The winner of the Great Encounter Battle Tournament is Tomokazu Onuki! The Gods have also purged the God of Darkness, so we are safe again once more! Thank you all for coming here today!” he bellowed. The audience went wild and began cheering loudly. They chanted Tomokazu’s name. They knew that he would win. He was part of the next generation of Gods. Protectors. Defenders of the people.

None of them had a clue about their real intentions or actions.

“Don’t trust him.”

“God of Darkness.”

“Come to us.”

Hiroshi woke up with a jolt. His body was battered and bruised, and he had landed on some hard rocks. The river was swallowing up his body, inching ever so closely to his mouth. He looked around, confused that he wasn’t dead.

“Thank goodness! I managed to conjure up enough energy to save you from your fall! I switched at the very last second, making us immortal! We survived Hiroshi!” Despite Kuro-Yami’s rare euphoria, Hiroshi was dead silent. “Hiroshi? What…”

“Shut up!” Hiroshi yelled out. “Just shut up! We…no…you couldn’t defeat the Gods because of my weakness! I should have been enough! I shouldn’t have been taken over by their power so easily. It’s my fault! My fault! Without me, you would have won!” he gripped his head in his hands and got on his knees. “I’m so useless!”

“Hiroshi?” came a soft voice from behind him, out of view.

“Go away!” he turned around and yelled. His heart dropped. Wisteria was sitting in front of him, on her knees, her face was gentle, as if she was trying to get a cat to come over to her. She pointed to her chest, and Hiroshi slowly made his way over.

“Wisteria…I’m so sorry…”

“Shut up, you idiot. Put your face here,” she said, pointing to her chest once more.

“W-Why? Maybe take me out to dinner first, weirdo,” he scoffed and looked away, trying not to show her that he was upset.

“Not like that, silly. I heard they make great cry pillows. It’s just us here. I followed your body's trajectory for the past couple of hours. I’m so glad I found you,” Wisteria gave a small smile of genuine warmth. “Go on, don’t be shy. Just let your feelings go. Trust me.”

Trust…

Reluctantly, Hiroshi put his face in Wisteria’s chest. At first, he felt nothing. Then, he could hear her heart beating softly. It was so magical to him. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Wisteria patted his head softly, trying to calm him down as best she could.

“Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”