Chapter 25:

Chapter 26: The Value of Remembering

The Deserters of Akami

Joshido looked directly at Kaosuru.

-When I'm done with him... you're going to free every inhabitant of this village who wants to leave. And you're going to forget about expanding your territory into the Intellectual territory.

Kaosuru said nothing for a moment.

He didn't like it. That much was clear.

But he kept his calm.

-First you have to defeat Yusaro.

Joshido didn't answer.

He activated his substantial weapon.

The metallic blades began emerging slowly from his wrists.

Yusaro watched them with something close to curiosity.

-So you have a substantial weapon too. We're the same.

-Unfortunately we are, in that regard -said Joshido.

-There will be a misfortune when all of you die!

The chains of lament shot toward Joshido.

He dodged them without difficulty, moving forward at the same time, closing the distance between them with every step.

When he got close enough, he went for a cut.

A chain got in the way.

He only managed to cut the chain.

Yusaro took the opening and moved several chains from his body to attack from another angle.

Joshido got out in time.

Kaosuru watched from where he stood, brow slightly furrowed. His throne had been destroyed by Yuzo's impact and he'd had no choice but to remain on his feet.

-Stop wasting time. Finish this right now.

Yusaro glanced at him for a moment.

-Fine... I will.

His presence rose.

To its limit.

The bloodlust radiating from it didn't stay in the hall. It spread through the entire village like something alive, heavy, working its way into the bones of anyone who felt it.

-Joshido, don't underestimate him -said Mozir.

-Don't worry. This won't take long.

-That being's obsession is so intense -Eldren muttered- I wouldn't be surprised if he drinks his enemies' blood.

Heliya closed her eyes for a second.

-Can you be quiet? This is not the moment for your jokes.

Yusaro didn't wait any longer.

He did something he hadn't done until that moment.

The chains on his left arm began to shift, transforming into the chains of punishment, red scarlet, dense, loaded with destructive force. Meanwhile, the chains on his right arm stayed as chains of lament, dark violet, ready to make someone feel a pain that left no visible mark.

Two abilities. At the same time.

Renir tightened his hand on his sword.

-He's a very dangerous opponent. One wrong move from Joshido and it's over.

Before Yusaro could move, Joshido was already closing in.

He anticipated.

Yusaro reacted and launched a chain of punishment straight at him.

Joshido ducked.

The chain passed over him, grazing his hair.

Then Yusaro launched the chain of lament, the flames of eternal torture burning in light violet around it.

Joshido cut it.

But the flames splattered and landed on his legs and arms.

The pain arrived immediately. Not the pain of a normal burn. That pain that came from inside, that had nowhere to end.

Joshido held it.

And kept moving forward.

The chains got in the way again, blocking the path, shielding Yusaro from any strike that tried to reach him.

Joshido started cutting them.

Fast. One after another. Without stopping.

He knew Yusaro's chains regenerated. But not quickly. And that was the opening he needed.

The chains fell apart around him as he kept advancing, leaving Yusaro more and more exposed.

Yusaro managed to stop one of the metallic blades with a chain that coiled around his wrist.

But the other was already inside.

Buried in his abdomen.

The silence that followed was a different kind.

Blue blood began falling to the ground, drop by drop, with a slowness that made the moment heavier than it already was.

Yusaro looked down at the wound.

He said nothing.

Just stared.

Like his mind couldn't finish processing that this had happened. That someone had been capable of doing this to him.

And then something changed in his eyes.

-I'll kill you!

A brief pause.

-I'll kill you!

And again, with more force than the two before.

-I'll kill you!

-I'll make you regret ever being born!

His eyes burned with fury at seeing his own blood run for the first time.

The hall went silent.

Nobody could believe it.

Yusaro, the Master of the Infernal Chains, with blue blood falling from a wound nobody thought possible.

Kaosuru watched the scene from where he stood, without moving.

-Impossible -he muttered through his teeth-. What I'm seeing is impossible.

He regretted letting those living beings in.

Joshido stepped back slowly, without turning his back, every sense alert to any movement Yusaro might make.

Behind him, Naiden was holding Yuzo up.

-Joshido has always been smarter than me in combat -said Yuzo, his voice tired but his eyes still alive-. I hope this ends soon.

Naiden looked at him for a moment without saying anything.

It's incredible. He failed because he couldn't control his stellar ability, took more damage than he should have... and he's still going.

I wish I had that same strength of will.

Then Yusaro broke.

The chains of punishment and the chains of lament began spinning from top to bottom at a speed that had no sense of control. The floor shattered beneath them. The ceiling gave. Chunks of rock fell everywhere.

Joshido took his stance, eyes locked on every movement of the chains.

I'm reading them. Wait for the moment.

Yusaro launched both at the same time.

Joshido was going to move.

But then he saw it.

If he stepped aside, the chains would go straight to where his brother and the others were.

He didn't move.

He used his metallic blades to cover himself.

The clash was brutal. The chains against Joshido's substantial weapon filled the hall with a sound that drowned out everything else. The flames of eternal torture covering the chains of lament sent burning fragments flying all through the space.

One of those fragments went straight for Kaosuru.

Without hesitating, he grabbed one of his guards and put him between himself and the flames.

The guard started running without control, shaking with pain.

Kaosuru watched him for a moment.

The guard collapsed unconscious.

-If those flames touch me -said Kaosuru quietly, with a coldness that chilled- I will tear Yusaro's body apart.

Joshido kept taking the hits, but he was moving forward.

Step by step, pushing ahead without stopping.

Yusaro changed the movement. The chain of punishment built momentum from above and came straight down toward Joshido with everything it had.

Joshido blocked it with his substantial weapon.

And in that same instant launched himself toward Yusaro, leaving the chain behind.

But the chain of lament was already coming from the other side.

Joshido dodged it.

And then the chain of punishment, which had changed direction without him seeing it, caught him from the other side.

The blow landed directly on his face.

The impact sent him flying.

Joshido drove the metallic blades into the ground before he could be launched further, stopping himself cold with one knee nearly touching the stone.

He brought his hand to his face.

Blood.

-That hit was pretty strong -he said, without changing his expression-. But you're going to need more than that to beat me.

Renir watched him with narrowed eyes.

-That hit... was very hard. It keeps getting more difficult. He can't keep dragging this out.

-Hey! -Eldren shouted-. Didn't you say you were going to finish this in an instant?!

Joshido heard it.

And smiled.

That's right. I said it. And I have to keep my word.

The chains were coming at him again.

Joshido raised his presence.

All at once. Almost to the limit.

An intense orange wrapped around him, making itself felt in every corner of the hall.

-I'm not wasting any more time.

He cut them.

Fast, clean, without stopping, and launched himself straight toward Yusaro.

More chains came out to block him.

He dodged them. Cut them. One after another, without slowing down, like the obstacles were part of the path and not the end of it.

-This worthless being irritates me!

Yusaro's voice came loaded with something that was no longer just fury.

He screamed.

And chains began emerging from the floor. Dozens. From every angle, from every crack, filling the space between them.

Joshido didn't stop.

-It doesn't matter how many there are. You're not going to stop me.

The chains blocked every possible path.

Joshido cut through them as he went, one by one, without stopping. But while he did, others came from the sides.

One from each side.

He cut the lament one.

The punishment one arrived before he could cover himself fully. The impact moved him, but didn't knock him down. He recovered in a second and cut that one too.

Then the chain of lament coiled around his right arm.

The flames began covering it slowly, working under the skin with that pain that had no physical explanation.

Joshido gritted his teeth.

And cut it.

-You're not going to reach me! -Yusaro shouted-. You're going to die trying!

Joshido stopped.

He looked at everything in front of him. The chains, the flames, the space between them full of obstacles that never ended.

-I'm done with all of this.

He took his stance.

-Multiple cutting blades.

He moved his arms several times in diagonal, fast, with a precision that left no margin. From the metallic blades came sharp energies of orange that crossed the hall like lightning.

The attack cut through everything in its path.

Every chain blocking the way fell apart on the floor.

Yusaro's eyes opened wide.

He couldn't believe it.

Nobody in the hall could.

Joshido was already moving.

He closed in on Yusaro in an instant and made a clean cut across his chest.

Yusaro fell.

The silence that followed was different from all the ones before.

-That attack was incredible! -said Mozir.

-He's gotten strong -said Renir, unable to keep a trace of pride from slipping into his voice.

Yuzo and Naiden looked at each other.

-It's finally over.

-Ha -said Eldren-. I knew he was going to win easily.

Heliya looked at him.

-Right, sure. You were the first one who wanted to run out of here.

Eldren let out a nervous laugh.

-I only hesitated for a moment.

Heliya didn't respond.

But in her mind, just one thing.

Well done, Joshido.

Kaosuru gritted his teeth.

-Yusaro, get up! You can't fall from that attack!

Yusaro didn't move.

Still on the ground. Unconscious.

Joshido turned to Kaosuru.

-I'm done. Now keep your word. Free the inhabitants who want to leave this village. And you won't set foot in our territory.

From where he was, Yuzo heard it.

He's not going to accept it. Someone like him is never going to accept this easily.

Kaosuru didn't respond right away.

He looked at them with an expression that mixed rage with something he wasn't used to feeling.

He knew perfectly well that if he refused, he wouldn't have any chance against them.

Kaosuru looked directly at Joshido.

-Why do you want me to free my inhabitants? I can maybe understand the territory, at least a little. But freeing the inhabitants of this village... when they have no memory of their past. They don't even know their own names.

Joshido didn't answer right away.

-At first, when I saw my brother get angry about it, I didn't understand why -he said-. Until recently.

A brief pause.

-Having a memory, good or bad, is something very valuable. Having a memory shows us we're alive. It's a privilege to remember our past and the living beings who matter to us.

The hall went quiet.

Heliya blinked.

-I didn't know Joshido had feelings.

Eldren laughed quietly.

-Even he has a sensitive side.

Yuzo said nothing. It was the first time he had heard his brother talk like that and he couldn't find the words.

Renir processed what he had heard for a few seconds.

-Not bad.

-Yes! That's how you talk! -Mozir couldn't contain himself.

Naiden felt a memory arrive without being called. Him and his father sharing a quiet afternoon, laughing, not knowing what was coming.

But the memory was cut short by another one.

His father on the ground. Burned. Not moving.