New Beginnings

“Huh?” Yasuken says with a face of disbelief. Toshiku closes his eyes leaving no response to Yasuken. Naoto stares at Yasuken emotionlessly. “I don’t… get it,” Yasuken utters. “What do you mean no?” “No,” Toshiku replies. “As simple as that. I will not take you up as my student.” Naoto remains silent with an observant look on his face. “W-Wh—Why?!” Yasuken butts in. “You haven’t even given me a chance!” “But I have,” Toshiku says. “I’ve given you multiple. And—” “This isn’t fair! I’m tired of these hidden tests that you two keep claiming were secretly set up! At least allow me to prove myself in a way.” “I said what I said,” Toshiku says sternly. “I’m sorry Yasu, but my answer is absolute. It’s final.” Yasuken peers at Naoto, then back at Toshiku with gloom in his eyes. Solemnly, Toshiku takes a deep breath and then says, “I apologize, but you no longer have any place in this forge anymore.” Yasuken remains standing for a second. Upon realizing the futility of resisting, he turns around and begins to walk away. After a few steps, “But I know my resolve… it’s strong.” Toshiku hits back saying, “Well let me tell you my resolve. No. The answer is no. I’m sorry.” Yasuken turns back walking away. “And please...”, he says with a straight face, “...don’t call me ‘Yasu’ anymore.” 

Yasuken stops again then lets out his thoughts. “All this is stupid anyways… The concept of two grown men living alone in a giant forge… Hiding away from society. I don’t get it and I don’t want to either. I’ve made up my mind. You guys are just selfish, cruel, prideful bigots that reside in this building. With no purpose or drive, you guys just live doing whatever it is you do to keep you busy. I guess waiting on little kids to come across this whole lifestyle you’ve set up, then you show off your super cool tricks and powers all for what? For nothing! All that reverence and respect I was showing earlier was solely to butter you up Toshiku! It was all a façade… BS to win you over. Obviously, you two were too stuck up for it to work. But forget it! I don’t need you two anyway. I’ll unlock the secrets I need to somewhere else.” Yasuken looks at Naoto who begins to smirk. Surprised as to why Naoto could possibly be smiling after his exclaims, Yasuken’s tantrum exaggerates. “WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE FUNNY!?” Yasuken asks Naoto with incredible disbelief on his face. “I’ve finally had it with this forge… I won’t return.” Yasuken continues walking. Looking back at the Grandmaster, “I’m actually leaving now…” Toshiku and Naoto look at each other in ridicule. “I’m about to step out!... And never return...!” Yasuken says in a final attempt of desperation. ‘This sucks,’ Yasuken says to himself as he makes his way out of the sanctum. “THAT’S THE SPIRIT!” Yells Toshiku moments before Yasuken fully exits. 

“Huh?” Yasuken turns around saying puzzlingly. Naoto steps forward with a merrier look on his face. “We were almost worried you weren’t going to show the side we wanted to see,” he said. “What do you mean?” Yasuken asks, still confused. “Allow me to break our disposition down,” Toshiku steps up to say. “As valiant and honorable as it may seem, anybody who devotes their life away to another human being in hopes of reaching a goal, is the lowest type of scum.” “Eh,” Yasuken says embarrassingly remembering his eager proposal to the Grandmaster earlier. Toshiku carries on saying, “No matter how desperate you are for something, never trade out your life for achieving a desire. In fact, that’s the most dishonorable thing a man can do. Life is composed of many indispensable and priceless elements. Emotions, memories, experiences, hardships. That spineless declaration you told me a minute ago comes from people who are diminishing those elements. Sucking the life out of their life. All because they decided to give up their time and energy to the disposal and command of another human. Pitiful.” Yasuken looks at Toshiku keenly listening to what he’s saying. “Naoto and I live by that ideology now and always have. It’s beyond important to live out your own living—never trading it away for anything. This cycle we call life is far too precious to sell it away in the heat of desire. Do you understand what I’m trying to say, Yasuken?” Yasuken, looking down, “Yes… I believe I do.” Looking up at the Grandmaster, “And just ‘Yasu’ is fine.” Toshiku smiles. 

“So, what now?” Yasuken asks. “Exactly what Naoto and I patiently waited for, you showcased your wild and free persona. Unable to be tied down and volatile towards everything and everyone. Your true colors. Which is exactly what is accepted and encouraged within this forge. Welcome, Yasuken Moji… to the Forge of Vindication!” Naoto grins. With a look of determination on his face, “Thank you, Grandmaster Toshiku,” Yasuken says. “Of course! While you did get in some interesting insults in your outburst just now,” Toshiku says with an offended smile on his face. “I still very much respect it! I don’t train students who give up their destiny to their masters. I only guide and strengthen individuals along the way.” “YES!” Yasuken exclaims. “That’s all I need,” he utters while bowing. “A little guidance and strengthening to set me on the right path… I believe I can find exactly that here,” he says looking up. “Oh and… sorry Grandmaster for the unpleasant words earlier… didn’t really mean ‘em,” he says scratching his head with a cheesy grin. “Ahh, yes, of course,” Toshiku says with an underlying bitter acceptation. Naoto chuckles. Toshiku continues saying, “Jokes aside, our first course of action…” Yasuken’s face lights up. “…by far the wisest step we could begin with…” ‘I’m finally making progress in this journey. Yes! Yes! Yes!’ Yasuken thinks to himself as Toshiku speaks. “…is for you to get rest and heal up from your injuries,” Toshiku says with a beaming smile bending down to Yasuken’s eye level. “WHAT!?” Yasuken fires back. 

“But why?! I’m fine! We’re supposed to be training and honing my skills in kay-koo!” “It’s Keikō,” Naoto rebuttals. “Yeah… that,” Yasuken says back. Naoto lets out a sigh of yielding. Yasuken jumps up and down in hopes of proving him being healthy. “See? I feel great Grandmaster!” Toshiku exhales. “Need I remind you?” Toshiku grabs Yasuken. Effortlessly, in what felt like almost instant transportation, Toshiku travels from the center of the vast room to the doors at the entrance. He hangs Yasuken outside the doorway as the aches and pains he sustained return to him. “Ughh! Okay okay! Ahhh…” Yasuken says in discomfort. “I get it, I get it. Cool magic room give me cool magic strength,” he says annoyed. Toshiku brings him back into the room. “But how long do I have to rest for?” “Hmm,” Toshiku says. “Well, it depends on how long it takes for your broken ribs to heal.” Yasuken’s eyes widen, and his lips shrink. “M-my… my what?” “Oh, you didn’t think Naoto was trying to play around, did you?” Toshiku asks sarcastically. ‘Is this what it feels like to have a broken bone? Wow… this sanctum is incredible,’ Yasuken thinks to himself. “Adrenaline is a crazy thing kid,” Naoto says. “But so is recklessness. Being at peak wellness before you take on training is imperative to maximizing on your growth.” Toshiku nods in playful agreement. “Fine,” Yasuken reluctantly says. 

“I believe now might be a good time to bring this up.” Naoto peers in. As Yasuken reaches into his pocket to grab the card his grandfather gave him in his dying breaths, he looks up with a saddened face. “My grandpa… Yuuma. He gave me this card in his dying moments.” Toshiku and Naoto continue listening. “I’m not sure what relevance this holds to you two but the sigil on this card is represented many times within forge. Before I could carry forward anywhere in my ambition, I need a plan. Right now, I’m lost, confused, and still have many things to discover. That’s why I’m trusting you two to help me out.” Toshiku nods. “I see,” he says. “This card oddly resonated with this Sword and was the sole piece that guided me to this forge. But why?” “I’m not sure Yasuken…” Toshiku says as he stretches out his hand to materialize 3 chairs for the group to sit on within the sanctum. “…Believe it or not, there’s still many mysterious within the field of Keikō unbeknownst to even people like me and Naoto.” Yasuken grows curious. “People like you and Naoto? There are others who wield these types of supernatural abilities?” “Oh well of course! You didn’t think me and Naoto were just some lousy old monks who practiced an ancient and forgotten technique who stowed away hidden from society, did you?” Toshiku sarcastically asks while loudly laughing. “Well… Yes, actually… I did.” Yasuken says with a straight face. Naoto and Toshiku look at Yasuken with a sigh of disappointment. “Well, to answer your question, no we aren’t the only ones with these abilities. As I stated previously, Keikō is present within every single living entity, just dormant in many. Many people you walk amongst on a daily basis may have a minor amount of usable Keikō levels in their system. Keikō can scale from being just a necessary component to driving life, all the way to the most destructive and potent form of energy in existence. It all depends on an individual’s usage and mastery of it.” “Wow,” Yasuken says. 

“That’s not all,” Toshiku continues. “Individuals who are capable of wielding, using, and manipulation the Keikō stored in their life force are known as ‘Champions.’ For obvious reasons, a Champion could be a very dangerous person or a selfless heroine. With the inevitable existence of thieves, murderers, and evil-doers in our world, there always runs the risk of the power of Keikō awakening in the wrong hands.” Yasuken remembers the men who ransacked Sukira. “…but on the other hand, you can always bet that there’ll be courageous Champions who contest these forces of evil!” Toshiku exclaims with a burning passion. “I see,” Yasuken responds hopefully. 

“In fact, that’s exactly what Naoto and I have pledged to do.” “What do you mean?” Yasuken asks. “The Grandmaster and I secretly take care of corruptions that take place inside and outside the Metal Domain. We operate covertly, silently putting down and fighting off the people who challenge this world’s peace. But to the Metal, Grandmaster Toshiku is a deceased man. It’s easier for us to operate in secrecy so we tend to like it that way. It’s imperative the Domain of the Metal isn’t aware that the Grandmaster is alive.” Yasuken takes in what he just received. “That’s why you were so harsh on me upon my entrance to this place, isn’t it?” Naoto nods. “Wow… so you guys go about taking care of the bad people while the good people live their lives in peace and oblivion. All while receiving no credit? Couldn’t be me—” “If it comes from the heart, then credit and praise isn’t a necessary incentive,” Toshiku interrupts saying. “Our motive is to rid the world of as much corruption as humanely possible. That’s all there is to it.” Yasuken ponders on what the Grandmaster just spoke of. “Those men… the ones that slaughtered my town… do you think they were—” “Without a doubt,” Naoto says. “The details found within The Metal’s report of that slaughter leave no room for any other explanation. They had to be people who were extremely experienced with Keikō.” “Naoto is right,” Toshiku says agreeing. “Yasuken… I won’t try to talk you out of anything, but I will warn and inform you of everything. This world we live in can get very, very dangerous. “I know—” “I’m serious,” Toshiku quickly replies back. “There exists people whose power exceeds anything you’ve seen in this forge already. And I mean that. If you want to go out into the world of Champions, I won’t stop you. But you must promise me this. A promise of vindication.” “What is it?” Yasuken enthusiastically asks. “Take this oath:

In health and in pain, in success and in suffrage, I will do all in my power to protect the weak, and uphold the innocent. Despite anyone or anything on the outside, my drive to defend peace will never be tainted. All in all, I will strive to make the best version of myself to create the best stand against the powers of peril.”

Yasuken gets up. He stares at both Toshiku and Naoto with determination and promise in his eyes. After a moment’s silence, he deeply exhales. With his hand to his heart and the other on the sheathed katana, he begins to recite the oath. “In health and in pain, in success and in suffrage, I will do all in my power to protect the weak, and uphold the innocent…” Yasuken’s mind races to the memory of the dead Sukiran civilians. “…Despite anyone or anything on the outside, my drive to defend peace will never be tainted. All in all, I will strive to make the best version of myself to create the best stand against the powers of peril!!!” “Very well,” Toshiku says proudly. Naoto grins cheerfully accompanied by a nod of approval. After repeating the last line of the oath, Yasuken remembers how helpless he felt in the face of those men. “I was so defenseless back then,” he says solemnly. “The next time I encounter those worthless pieces of filth… the outcome is going to be very different. They’ll regret every last thing they did that night. I’ll make sure of it!” Yasuken makes up his mind to convert his rage into focus. “You got this, Yasu. We believe in you.” Toshiku says. Naoto concurs with another nod of agreement. “Follow me. I’ll lead you to a vacant quarter in this forge for you to spend the night healing up. We have a busy road ahead of us.”