False Invigoration

“Hey,” Toshiku says fretfully with a big grin on his face. “I understand you’re probably scared or very confused but no worries, we’ll get you back to your mom and dad.” Toshiku extends his arm out in a welcoming manner to help Yasuken up. After scanning him up and down, Yasuken slaps his hand away and exclaims, “I’m tired of these pointless games. I have a duty to fulfill, and I can’t allow silly encounters like this to get in my way. Who even are you people?!” Naoto’s previously held anger grows intense, and he looks at Yasuken with rage. He cocks back his arm to punch Yasuken. “You little—!" he shouts. Moments before contact, Toshiku sighs in annoyance and within an instant, stretches out his hand and catches Naoto’s fist. “Stand down Naoto, I think you’ve inflicted enough damage upon this kid already.” Yasuken is beyond dazzled. “What have I told you about Vehement Control?” Toshiku says as he blows off searing-hot steam from his palm.

“But master, he’s a trespasser who holds no respect for you or your forge. A kid like him is never too far above discipline. And besides, this is no ordinary child, I’m sure you know,” Naoto says as he withdraws his punch staring down Yasuken. “Discipline?!” Yasuken exclaims looking at the man’s glowing purple fist. “That could’ve killed me!” Yasuken backs up and trips falling backward. “Oh please. Don’t try and play the weak card now,” Naoto responds. With definite fear now in his eyes, Yasuken continues to crawl backward in a panic. “Who… no… What are you guys?!” Yasuken says shakingly. “Eh?” Naoto remarks. “We’re humans... Just like you.” “NO!” Yasuken fires back. “Your back turned as hard as metal,” Yasuken says looking at Naoto. “And you move faster than any eye could even perceive… with EASE!” he says pointing at Toshiku. Toshiku chuckles. “I wouldn’t say any eye.” Yasuken’s face softens. “What do you mean?” Toshiku looks at Naoto and gestures him. Naoto sighs and nods his head in a submissive manner. He walks up to a large boulder the size of a small house within the forge. He takes in a deep breath and closes his eyes. Followed by a loud shout, he punches the stone and shatters it to pieces letting out a purple light in its cracks. Naoto lets out an exhale and opens his eyes. “Let’s go.”

“Don’t forget the katana,” Naoto says grudgingly. Puzzled but captivated, Yasuken picks up his sword and follows the two as they walk deeper into the forge. ‘I have no idea what I’ve just gotten myself into,’ Yasuken thinks to himself as he pulls out the forge emblem card. ‘But I can’t back out now,’ he thinks looking back up at the two walking to see Toshiku turn around and smile. As they carry along strolling through the dimly lit halls, Yasuken stops walking then speaks. “With all due respect, I came here for one thing. I just want to know—” “We have some questions for you as well,” Toshiku interrupts in a now serious tone, “But let’s take things one step at a time.” ‘It’s no use,’ Yasuken thinks to himself. He looks at both Toshiku and Naoto. “Fine,” he says agreeing. Yasuken continues to follow the two. “Relax,” Naoto says to Yasuken with his head facing forward. “If we wanted to kill you, we would’ve.” Toshiku laughs. “You know, those words never seemed to make anyone feel more comfortable in a situation like this. But yes. He’s right… eh…” Toshiku turns his head back while still walking. “What did you say your name was?” Yasuken looks at Toshiku smiling. ‘That cheesy grin again, eh? Is this dude really the grandmaster?’ Yasuken thinks to himself. “Yasuken,” he says quietly and under his breath. “But some just call me Yasu for short.” “Yasuken, you say?” Toshiku asks shocked. “What a nice name. I commend whoever came up with it.” Toshiku says smiling again. The three continue walking down the dimly lit tunnel. As they approach large wooden double doors, Naoto stops and stretches his hand out signaling Yasuken to keep from stepping further. Toshiku carries on to the door. He grabs the ring handle and casually pulls open the right door.

”I think it’s about time we exchange our questions. For starters, what is this room?” Yasuken asks. Naoto tsked. “It’s only fair,” Toshiku says chuckling. “Well to answer your question, this room we just entered is called a Keikō Sanctum. Follow me.” The three enter walking deeper into the room. Yasuken looks down at his hands and feet feeling a similar sensation to that when he first picked up his grandfather’s sword. ‘What is this feeling?’ Yasuken asks himself. ‘It feels just like that time…’ he says to himself while looking down at his hands and feet. Yasuken finally notices the interior of the room. There’s a large chandelier drooping from the center of the ceiling. A carpet extending from the north, east, south, and west side of the room forms a cross shape on the ground. The walls are dark brick with many scrolls of robed men and warriors. There’s a circular bench in the center of the room. “It’s one of many in this forge,” Toshiku resumes. ‘Keikō?’ Yasuken repeats in his head. “What is a Keikō Sanctum?” He asks out loud. Toshiku chuckles then grins. “Enough of this clueless act! How do you have the Sword of Fulgur?!” Naoto exclaims loudly.

Yasuken gasps. His memory instantly travels back to the faint recollection of that dreadful night. ‘Boss, we can’t find the Sword of Fulgur.’ Those words resonate on and on within Yasuken’s head as he visualizes his brutally slain grandfather left on the floor. His eyes widen eerily. He grips tighter on the sheathed sword by his waist and slowly walks up to Naoto. “What… did you say?” Toshiku glares at Yasuken. Naoto clenches his jaw as he grows angry at Yasuken’s aggressive advances. “I said… what did you say,” Yasuken repeats. “What about this Fulgur Sword do you know of?!” “So, you really don’t know, huh?” Naoto scoffs. “We’ve been over this. I owe you absolutely no explanation. The only reason why you’re still in this forge is only by the order of the grandmaster.” Yasuken side-eyes Toshiku while still slowly walking towards Naoto. “Well, I guess this just calls me to force the answer out of you,” Yasuken says as his eyes illuminate blue, and he draws his sword. The sword now has the same linen glow as the time it resonated with the special forge emblem card. Toshiku squints, carefully examining Yasuken. “It may be true you owe me no explanation…” Yasuken’s walking pace speeds up. “…But I think I’m gonna get my payback for those blows you gave me.” Naoto grins. Toshiku continues to observe omitted from the confrontation.

‘I don’t know what it is… this power. I feel entirely rejuvenated from my injuries. No. My injuries are still here,’ Yasuken thinks looking back down at his bruises. ‘I just don’t feel them. Even my strength. It feels multiplied many times over. I don’t know what I’m doing with the sword, but I just feel powerful enough that I do! I have no idea the type of power this Naoto dude has, but I suddenly feel strong enough to take him. I hope he doesn’t catch my bluff. He feared this sword before, hopefully, he backs down again.’ Yasuken looks down to see his sword with a blue streak of light and smiles triumphally. He’s shocked when he looks up and is greeted with a menacing smile on Naoto's face. Yasuken stops moving toward the man. “What happened kid? I thought you’ll return the blows!” Naoto sarcastically says now laughing hysterically. Yasuken grits down on his teeth in anger being mocked.

Abruptly and harshly, Naoto stops laughing at once and bends down at eye-level to Yasuken with stone-cold eyes. Yasuken is freaked by the rapid change in Naoto’s emotion. “Don’t make me laugh, Yasuken,” Naoto says. “You’re still pitiful.” As soon as Naoto says those words, he speedily appears behind Yasuken. ‘He’s fast! But I can still trace him! It feels as if my senses got a boost as well,’ Yasuken thinks as he senses Naoto inches behind him. In one motion, Yasuken sweeps the sword a foot above the ground to hit Naoto’s legs. “Too slow,” Naoto utters as he jumps up with a knee connecting to Yasuken’s chin. As he gets lifted off the ground from that hit, Naoto grabs Yasuken’s foot to yank him out of the air and back to the ground. Naoto then stomps on Yasuken’s stomach hard enough to make him cough up saliva. “Ahh!” Yasuken shrieks as Naoto rests his foot on his torso. “You think you’re big and bad, don’t you? Because you can overpower a little kid, you’re all that? Huh?!” Well... news flash for you.” Yasuken’s bare-knuckles begin to glow a very faint blue. “This little kid is going to take you down.”

Yasuken punches Naoto’s foot laying on his stomach causing Naoto to lose balance and begin falling onto his side. As Naoto is falling, Yasuken quickly grabs the sword with 2 hands and stabs downward aiming straight for Naoto’s chest. ‘The kids quicker than I thought now,’ Naoto thinks as his head is now where his chest once was due to the maneuver he’s executing. Yasuken is stunned as he notices where his blade’s trajectory is now headed. ‘Why’d he move around like that? I wasn’t aiming for the head! I’m going too fast to stop now!’ Yasuken thinks. Naoto stretches out his arm towards the ground to catch his fall. He then immediately springs his leg up to kick Yasuken’s wrist millimeters before the sword strikes his face. This caused the blade to flip numerously in the air. With the momentum of Naoto jump-kicking up, he grabs Yasuken by the shirt while rising. He then flips mid-air to now land right-side-up still grasping Yasuken by his shirt. Yasuken struggles to escape Naoto’s clutch but to no avail. 

“I told you, Yasuken,” Naoto says elevating Yasuken up with his hand. “You’re still pitiful.” As the sword comes back down still flipping, Yasuken, ignoring Naoto, watches its pattern closely with his newfound senses to accurately catch the sword. “Heh,” Naoto says. “It’s futile. If you still don’t get it by now—” “AHH!” Yasuken cries as he brings his blade down to slice Naoto. Naoto sighs then release his grip on Yasuken’s collar. As he falls, Naoto roundhouse kicks Yasuken’s chest sending him across the room and out the entrance. As his body partially makes its way out the door, he notices one by one as each finger passes the door, the illumination on his knuckles completely fades the moment it exits the room. His right eye passes the door then loses its glow. The same follows for the left eye. Finally, as his katana passes through the door, all the initial weight he felt normally wagging it around returned to him and he immediately drops it. All the pain from the injuries he just sustained come flooding in at once in an excruciating accord. 

Yasuken lies back on the ground in a relinquished, critical state. His vision is blurry and in double, but he manages to see Naoto walking up to him. To Yasuken’s surprise, it’s Naoto holding his hand out to him. After a brief stare, Yasuken grabs his hand and Naoto swings Yasuken onto his back then walks back into the room. Yasuken lets out a sigh of relief as the pain seems to subside again. Naoto leaps toward the benches found in the center of the large room and lays him next to Toshiku who seems to be well informed and content with the interaction that just took place. “What the… What the hell just happened?” Yasuken asks still panting heavily. Toshiku looks up at Yasuken with a cheesy grin. “Well… You did ask to know what a Keikō Sanctum is.”