Life After Death: The Strength Of Suffering

"How are you feeling, Kae—" I was cut off as Kaede threw up in a bush behind the house again this morning. I rubbed her back while keeping her hair out of her face. "It's okay, Kaede, let it all out."

Kaede and I had been having sex for almost two weeks before Takahiro, who had passed by unexpectedly suggested Kaede get a check up with both midwives and sorcerers who specialized in that area. It wasn't long after that we both found out Kaede was pregnant.

'That was a month ago.' I noted as I received a small nod from her. Gently, I picked her up to take her back to the house. Afterward, I fetched some water for her while she stayed in bed.

"Sorry, Ryou." she mumbled before taking a sip of water while rubbing her growing stomach. It wasn't large, but there were signs that something was there.

"Kaede, there's no need to apologize. We both wanted this, and we knew what would happen once you became pregnant. The only thing we can do now is prepare and wait for him or her to pop out."

I dodged a book thrown at my face with a simple tilt as Kaede sighed, then picked up another book to read instead of throwing it. She spoke with a slight frown. "Don't say 'pop out.' It ruins the specialness of this all. Now, I already have a few midwives arriving to aid me, so you can leave. You do have a clan to run after all."

I twitched as she used words I had said nearly a year ago against me, though I didn't respond other than to express my love for her. I kissed her on the forehead, then walked out the door, where I was greeted by four or more midwives.

"Sasaki-sama." they bowed, and I looked down at them for a moment before greeting them back.

"Thank you for coming to my wife's aid."

I saw their shoulders roll back slightly as the eldest among them spoke. "Even if she weren't your wife, Sasaki-sama, we would help her all the same."

I blinked before nodding and walking off to the training grounds where I knew Arisawa would be.

'It's getting warmer.' I noted as I tugged my kimono from its tied position and let it rest on my shoulders.

~Scene Change~

"Sasaki-sama!" Arisawa's yell made me twitch as he did pushups with a boulder I had found on his back. "A fine morning, no?!" I sighed as I noted the changes in Arisawa since I started training him.

'He's leaner while keeping the muscle he built from farming.' I thought, tilting my head as I noted his slightly longer, spiky black hair that flowed around his shoulders.

"Something the matter, Sasaki-sama?!" Arisawa called, looking up at me from the floor as he did another pushup. I shook my head and told him to get up. He let the boulder roll off his shoulders before rising to his feet. Once done, I addressed him as I walked to where a bunch of wooden swords were sitting.

"Today, we'll work more on making sure your Cursed Technique flows more smoothly in combat."

I tossed one of the wooden swords to him. He caught it with ease before responding, "Yes, sir! I'll begin now."

I smiled as I watched him make hand gestures.

"Divine Dogs!" From his shadows, two dogs appeared, one black and one white. Each had three dots on their foreheads and were charging at me at high speed.

'Kaede asked me to go easy on him.' I sighed at the thought and raised my wooden sword casually to my left hip. Pushing off my toes, I blitzed toward the dogs. The moment I was in range, I switched my grip and shoved the wooden weapon into one of the dogs mouths. I grabbed the other by the ear and swung it back toward Arisawa, who was now in front of me, preparing to swing his sword at my face.

With my wooden sword still lodged in the mouth of one of the dogs, I let go and slammed my palm into its neck, causing it to let out a loud whimper before both dogs disappeared in a mist of black. Suddenly, something slimy wrapped around my torso. Looking down and following the long wet tongue, I met the dumb eyes of a giant frog.

'Arisawa called it Toad, I believe?' I let myself be pulled toward it and grabbed my wooden sword that had fallen to the ground when the dogs disappeared. I was flung across the ground and into a tree where Arisawa had started a front kick aimed at my chest. I grabbed his leg while planting my feet against the ground.

"You aren't trusting them enough." I commented before swinging Arisawa into the sky, briefly noting that the air seemed to be picking up in heat. The giant toad unwrapped its tongue around me and launched it at Arisawa, but I blitzed in front of it, grabbing its tongue before raising my right hand and slamming it onto the toad's head, knocking it out.

I heard Arisawa screaming as he descended. I watched and waited to see if he would do something before I had to catch him.

'Something's not right with the weather.' I frowned for a moment before watching Arisawa make gestures and yell out for his Shikigami.

"N-NUE!" From behind a mist of shadows, a strange giant orange owl formed, its white mask contrasting against its beady yellow eyes. It grabbed Arisawa by the shoulders before descending. I walked to where the other wooden swords were held, placing mine down before walking toward the now grounded, panting Arisawa.

"I'll give you a moment." I said.

He nodded, and I looked up at the sky again, frowning as it seemed like the sun was getting closer.

'Hn.' I was knocked from my thoughts as Arisawa chuckled, and I looked down to see him making another hand gesture.

"Great Serpent!" I blinked as a massive white snake with a yellow underbelly erupted from the ground, starting to wrap around me. It opened its enormous maw, and I looked at it with a raised eyebrow, locking eyes with the beast.

"I've won this time, Sasaki-sama!" I heard Arisawa's muffled yell, and I sighed before opening my mouth and biting into the snake. It screeched in pain and descended its own mouth toward my head. However, in its moment of agony, I managed to slip my hand up and slam my palm into its mouth, shutting it tight. I gripped it while taking a step, causing the ground to crack. I heard Arisawa fall onto his rear and I started spinning around, feeling the snake loosen its grip. After a few rotations, I slipped free, kicked the downed Arisawa in the chest, and kneeled on top of him.

"Submit?" I asked, holding my fingers to his neck.

"I s-surrender..." he mumbled. I nodded and watched as the snake and knocked out frog disappeared.

"Good. Let's run down why you lost. Again." I heard him groan but nod in agreement.

"First, you don't trust your own Techniques." It was true; not once during the fight did he want to touch his Shikigami, only letting his owl grab him out of fear of dying. "If you want to improve your Cursed Technique, you need to learn that it will not harm you." While I couldn't be sure of why he distrusted his Shikigami, I assumed it was because they reminded him of Cursed Spirits.

"You barely did anything other than summon your Shikigami. You have a strong body, so use it more. There are other teachers besides me who can show you how to wield a sword." I sighed as I felt sweat trickle down my neck. "If a sword isn't what you're compatible with, use something else. There are plenty of other weapons out there."

He gave a small nod, and I sighed again, dusting off his shoulder before pointing to a path. "Kaede will want to see you if you have time today. Just shower first as you stink."

He blinked, then smiled and nodded before running off from the training grounds.

'I'll go visit Takahiro to see if he knows what's going on—'

"Sasaki-san!"

'Speak of him and he shall appear.' I turned in the direction of Takahiro's voice as he ran toward me, covered in sweat. I visibly kept a frown on my face.

"Takahiro-san, is—"

He cut me off, pointing to the sun, which I swear was growing larger. "Today's the day he spoke of!"

I frowned further and looked up at the sky. Then, I sighed as I focused on the bright ball of heat.

'The sun's blocking something from view.'

I turned to the wooden swords, picked one up and ignored Takahiro's protests about evacuating everyone. Spinning around, I gripped the butt of the sword in my hand, took a giant step and used the momentum to launch the wooden sword into the sky.

"Takahiro-san, I said it'll be fine—"

My words were cut off as we both watched the sun reveal itself to be a giant spear made of flames.

'Oh shit.'

We watched as the giant flaming spear grew larger, descending toward the mountain. I snapped out of my daze and threw my kimono off my shoulders ignoring the itch from the seals on my skin. Channelling Cursed Energy through my body, I made it visible and Takahiro quickly backed away.

'It's a strong Technique.' I noted, grabbing another wooden sword. I infused it with Cursed Energy to fortify it, preparing for what I was about to do.

'Hope I'm not too rusty at this.'

I gripped the wooden blade tighter and lowered it to the ground near my left foot before swinging it up in one fluid motion.

"Nemesis Cursed Slash!"

I felt a familiar drain on one of my reserves, something I hadn't used in years. A dark purple, red and black sword shaped arc of energy, equal in size and power to the flaming spear, rose to meet it. I turned to Takahiro and yelled. "Hit the fucking ground!"

He obeyed and just as a shockwave erupted, I jumped toward it, pushing more Cursed Energy into my hand.

"Tremor: Cataclysm!"

I felt the bones in my hand creak as the Cursed Energy surged into my knuckles, creating a shockwave beyond anything I'd ever managed before with this technique. As it connected with the initial shockwave of the clash, I was thrown back to the ground, landing hard. I quickly recovered and waited to see if anything else was headed for the mountain.

'If the shockwaves hit the mountain, the damage would've killed hundreds of people.'

I sighed and looked down at my hand, repairing it with some more Energy. Turning to Takahiro, I saw his eyes wide with shock.

"You alright?" I asked, walking toward him, but we both stopped as the sounds of a clash reached our ears, followed by a familiar Cursed Energy.

'Arisawa?'

"Takahiro, get your old ass up and see if anyone needs help!" I blitzed toward the clash, realizing where it was.

'Kaede!'

~Scene Change / Arisawa Kaito POV~

"Lady Kaede, please stay back!"

It all happened so quickly. One moment, myself, the midwives and Lady Kaede were drinking tea, then suddenly a heatwave hit, followed by an immediate thunderous boom. Silence enveloped us for a brief moment before chaos erupted. One of the midwives, enraged attacked the others and it spread like wildfire, each of them turning on one another. I summoned my Divine Dogs to restrain them, but luck was not on our side.

A Cursed Spirit with green dirty hair appeared, tearing through the door with an arm like a whip. And its eyes locked on Lady Kaede. That's when I realized I was fighting it.

"Sasaki-sama should—" Ack!

In an instant of lost concentration, I was slammed in the stomach by the Cursed Spirit's whip like arm and sent smashing through a building.

"Toad!"

I quickly formed the hand signs and my giant Shikigami, a frog like creature, emerged from the shadows lashing out its tongue toward the Cursed Spirit.

"Hahaha!" The Cursed Spirit's laughter echoed through the chaos.

I frowned, a cold shiver running through me as I grabbed the tanto hidden in my kimono and swiftly cut the Shikigami's tongue, just as dark purple flames erupted from the Cursed Spirit's hands and burned the cut off appendage. My Shikigami screamed, but I ignored it charging toward the Curse with all the resolve I could muster.

"Show me your true self!" The Curse bellowed, its grin widening before it vanished in a burst of purple flames.

I spun around just as I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. A tongue wrapped around my neck, pulling me into a harsh embrace.

"Hehehe~"

'No!'

I gritted my teeth, determination flashing in my eyes as I glanced toward Lady Kaede from the corner of my vision. 'I will not falter!'

With all my strength, I headbutted the Cursed Spirit, stunning it long enough to sever its tongue from my neck and stumble backward.

"Lady Kaede!" I called to her, directing my Divine Dogs to rush over. I could hear the Cursed Spirit yelling behind me, a string of words lost to my focus.

"Hop on one of them." I called out. "They'll take you to safety—"

Blegh.

I looked down in shock, seeing a hand wreathed in golden fire buried deep in my chest. 'That shouldn't be there...'

I looked up to see a young man with Sunkissed skin and golden hair glaring down at me, his fiery orange eyes burning with disgust.

"Filthy." He sneered before ripping his hand free from my chest.

Lady Kaede's voice echoed in my ears as she screamed my name while the Curse spoke.

"Sorry~ I didn't think there was a Sorcerer here~"

My body crumpled to the ground, but the Divine Dogs grabbed Lady Kaede and ran. Meanwhile, the man, perfect and blemish free, wearing golden bracelets on his bare arms raised his hands.

I desperately looked toward Lady Kaede, but it was too late.

'No!' I thought, panic surging within me.

The man raised his pinky and a ball of fire materialized so hot I could feel my skin sizzle even from where I lay. He launched it with casual disdain.

"Rejoice, imperfect being as you will die by my power."

~Ryou POV~

I arrived to see Arisawa lying on the ground, blood pouring from his body. My gaze immediately locked onto the young man raising his hand in the direction of my wife. My instincts flared. 'This fucker.'

With every ounce of control I could muster, I suppressed the urge to unleash my anger. Grabbing hold of the very Technique he had just launched and his face, I slammed him into the ground with a force so intense that both Arisawa and another figure were sent flying from the shockwave.

"You barge into MY home! Attack MY wife—"

Before I could finish my words, the man erupted with a blast of heat more intense than anything I'd felt all day. He rose to his feet as I retreated, glaring at me with those infuriating orange eyes.

Landing next to Arisawa, I quickly turned to him. "Summon your Owl and get the fuck out of here, okay? I'll deal with this."

A tired, worn out nod was all I received in response as Arisawa did as I told him, summoning his Shikigami. I didn't look back, my focus fully on the man now standing before me. His eyes gleamed with disdain.

"You." he spoke, tilting his head in a condescending manner, his eyes scanning me. "You are perhaps the most filthy being I have ever had the displeasure of seeing."

I frowned at his words but pushed them aside, my fists clenched and readying myself. But before I could take another step, the golden boy seemed to have other plans. He turned with a flourish and with a casual wave of his fingers, he began disappearing in a wave of fire.

"Aoi, the woman is pregnant, I believe you know what to do—"

That was enough. My patience snapped. Without hesitation, I launched myself toward them but in that instant, the golden boy vanished completely leaving nothing but the faint scent of fire behind. The other figure I now realised was a Curse, disappeared in a whirl of purple flames.

"FUCK!" I cursed, frustration boiling over. I quickly turned towards where Kaede and Arisawa were, desperate to reach them.

'Why couldn't it have been a simple day?'

{Golden Boy}