The Village Disciples

Since the presence of Reiwa became known, the Detrimental War was quick to dissolve, with soldiers from both Adonai and Shanti retreating. Though some warriors doubted that it was the real Reiwa Takuetsu, the arrival of the Tansu Beasts and their vessels made the matter far out of anybody's control. The mighty Kyuujo, who were busy fighting the revived rulers of Furusato, would have been incapable of battling even one of the vessels. 

Concerning the Kyuujo, their battle against the former rulers of Furusato proved futile, as the rulers of Shanti were beaten down and rendered completely incapacitated. Oritsu Ketsueki was the most brutal of the Furusato rulers throughout the dispute between the two nations' rulers, as his youngest son had been kidnapped by a strange and winged warrior.

"People, look at this," Kokoro Kangae, the fourth ruler of Furusato, suddenly spoke up. "Everybody is fleeing…"

Queen Tsubasa glanced at the battlefield around her, immediately noticing a swarm of warriors rushing back to their border. The rulers assumed that it had been due to the massive influx in Aura Sense that they all had felt not too long ago, which even frightened them to a certain degree. Oritsu, however, recognized two distant Aura Senses during his battle with the Kyuujo. 

"It was the Tansu." Oritsu revealed, his eyes darkening. "I died to the one that wields fire. He led the assault on Furusato—he had to be the perpetrator." 

The other Aura Sense that Oritsu had detected was Kaminari Nozomu, his companion from before his days as a king. The man who had also raised Oritsu's son for the past sixteen years. Oritsu had a lot of father-son bonding to catch up on after the war. 

Shigeko Yuha, the second ruler of Furusato's history, spoke up, "The return of the Tansu Beasts… the gods' gifts for humanity seem to be out of control."

Many decades ago, the Aura Sense was not nearly as developed as it is currently. A warrior's potency was typically less than one of the present. The Detrimental War proved that humanity could be trusted with divine abilities, along with the second coming of the Tansu Beasts. 

"Well, what should we do now?" Kokoro queried, glancing at his fellow rulers. "We're not meant to be alive, Furusato is in ruins, and it seems like the war is coming to an end."

The third ruler in Furusato's history, Yuuta Yoha, hummed, a curious glint in his eye. "Who cast the curse to revive us?"

"Someone from Furusato apparently," Oritsu answered, rubbing his beard. "It could have been the Tansu vessel that killed me, but there were more than just him in a group."

The rulers were perplexed, unsure how to proceed with their stay on Earth. They were deemed to be dead, remembered as the rulers who had guarded Adonai's most important village. They were immensely famous people, mentioned in practically every history book as having existed because of their significance, so their return to life would undoubtedly be noticed by the public.

Oritsu's eyes widened. He felt a particular Aura Sense return to the battlefield. It was Kaminari Nozomu that the bearded king sensed, and the presence of Imawashiki was no longer with him. Did Nozomu kill the fiery Tansu vessel? That was their initial plan before Oritsu and Tanjo had been swept away and dropped into the midst of the Detrimental War. 

*WOOSH!*

Fueling himself with his red Aura Sense, Oritsu dashed in the direction of Nozomu, garnering the attention of the other rulers. They watched as the youngest king left the area in silence, admiring his pace. 

Kokoro grinned and said, "He has somewhere to be. Follow him!"

XXX

Nozomu's knees were suddenly pressed against scorched dirt, his muscles relaxing as oxygen finally filled his lungs once again. He was back on Earth, no longer fighting the monstrous tyrant known as Reiwa. Originally, Nozomu knew that he had to take down Seijun, even if it had meant killing him, but to be able to change the man and fight alongside him made the fiery vessel's death mentally damaging. 

Kronos had disappeared after dropping Nozomu off, leaving the vessel by himself. His clothes were ruined, his white cloak practically gone, as it only remained as torn fabric that struggled to cling to his body. All of the lightning that danced on Nozomu's body faded away, with the black lines that were embedded in his skin vanishing. 

"Kami…?" A familiar voice rang in the man's ears. 

Asami, who stood in the distance, looked at Nozomu with uncertainty. He and Seijun had fought Reiwa in deep space, leaving the other Tansu vessels behind. Asami knew Reiwa Takuetsu was a formidable opponent, leading to her desire to know the outcome of the battle. Adding to her curiosity, Seijun was gone. 

Nozomu tilted his head upward, his blue eyes dulled. "Reiwa is dead." 

Reberu Manabu walked up beside Asami, her eyes wide in surprise. The guys managed to confidently kill Reiwa. Manabu's happiness was mostly derived from the fact that Nozomu was still alive, breathing before her with injuries that would heal over time. 

"What of… him?" Asami queried, referring to the fiery vessel.

"Seijun… sacrificed himself for me. The boy we knew was alive again." Nozomu stated, his voice heavy. 

Asami's eyes welled up with tears as she remembered Seijun's face from their childhood. She had the opportunity to speak with him—to see the boy from her past again—only for Reiwa to take another thing from her life. Her independence as a human being was taken away as a kid when she was used as an instrument to hopefully kill the Takuetsu family, and Seijun was snatched away from her by the tyrant who started the downhill spiral in history.

"It's not over yet, guys." Heiki Shototsu's voice could be heard among the three. 

Asami looked at the amethyst-haired vessel with a raised eyebrow. "Mind elaborating?"

"We still have to worry about—!"

*CRACKLE!*

A rift in the air suddenly appeared, a mixture of red and blue magic emanating off of it. The remaining Tansu vessels, other than Nozomu, assumed fighting positions, glowering at the hole in space. After a few seconds, a familiar Aura Sense spread throughout the battlefield. The sound of wings flapping echoed, with two individuals emerging from the rift and landing on Earth's soil. 

Nozomu's eyes widened. "Tanjo?"

With his feet flat on the ground, Tanjo closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the feeling of air flowing through his lungs. His gray cloak and blue headband swayed in the breeze, indicating that it truly was the jet-black-haired boy that Nozomu raised since birth. Tanjo opened his eyes and looked at Nozomu with a look of serenity—the same look Seijun gave the white-haired man right before he died. 

"Hey, Old Man. Sorry to fall behind a bit." Tanjo spoke humorously, running his right hand through his hair. 

Nozomu's eyes flitted from Tanjo to the individual beside him. He had hair similar to Reiwa's, only longer. It was Yuso. Nozomu recognized the warrior from when he attempted to save Mizuki in Ryakudatsu. Asami also recognized the redhead, remembering when he had attacked Tanjo and nearly killed him in the mountains. Manabu, on the other hand, realized who Yuso was through his reputation—the Crimson Stalker that haunted Adonai. 

Shototsu did not care about Yuso's arrival. 

"Who's your friend?" Nozomu asked sternly, glaring at the redhead. 

Tanjo acknowledged the protective look that swept across not only Nozomu's face but across Asami and Manabu's. A smile graced Tanjo's lips as he slowly turned toward Yuso, raising his hand and gesturing to the redhead. 

"This is Yuso. He's going to help me kill someone."

Asami's mouth was agape as she said, "Excuse me?"

Before any conversation could continue, another voice bounced through the area. Tanjo's eyes lit up as he realized who had arrived. It was not only one man coming, but a group of powerful individuals. They were the previous rulers of Furusato. 

"Nozomu! Where are ya'!?" Oritsu Ketsueki's voice grew louder as the king got closer.

The bearded king eventually came to a halt as he stood a few feet away from everyone, his eyes instantly landing on Tanjo. His son was alive and relatively unharmed. If anything, the boy looked better than before. As relief washed over Oritsu, panic returned as he noticed who stood next to Tanjo. 

"Isn't that the guy who abducted you?" Oritsu asked, his Aura Sense flaring dangerously. 

Yuso furrowed his brow, finding the numerous glares exhausting. Tanjo cleared his throat, looking at his biological dad with a soft gaze. It was only reasonable for Oritsu to panic—Yuso did tackle Tanjo and separate him from his dad. 

"He's safe. I promise." Tanjo revealed calmly, "We… hashed things out." 

The teenage boy analyzed his surroundings, recollecting what could have occurred while he was gone in an alternate universe. The scorched ground, which was still hot to the touch, insinuated that there was recent conflict taking place. Old Man Nozomu and the other Tansu vessels were also covered in wounds or dirt, which amused Tanjo. Obviously, it was unnerving to see his guardian, Asami, his principal, and the wind-using vessel roughed up, especially since they were considered to be the strongest. And the absence of Imawashiki intrigued Tanjo further. The boy deduced that he was dead. 

The mourning look on Old Man Nozomu's face was also a telltale sign that someone had died. 

"Did fighting Imawashiki go well?" Tanjo asked gently, knowing it was a sore topic. 

Nozomu exhaled. "He killed Reiwa Takuetsu, if that explains anything."

Yuso's Shirugeto eyes widened. Killed Reiwa Takuetsu? How was such a thing possible if the man was long gone? The redhead stepped forward cautiously, ensuring that his Aura Sense was suppressed to prevent unwanted conflict. 

"Elaborate." Yuso requested, his voice retaining its intimidating cadence. The redhead would have to work on that.

Tanjo raised his left hand, signaling for Yuso to calm down. He knew Yuso would not act out, but mentioning a relative of the Takuetsu family would definitely strike the last living member of the red-headed family oddly. 

"From what I gathered, he never died. He was stuck in other universes, unable to find his way back—if he even wanted to be back." Nozomu explained, standing up. 

Yuso narrowed his eyes, staring at the white-haired man. "And he happened to return, leading to a fight with the vessel of Moeru?"

Nozomu was becoming increasingly agitated with Yuso's interrogative tone. He could easily kill Yuso, but the man refused to waste his energy. 

"He said he was brought back by force." The white-haired man replied with a huff.

Everyone paused, wondering who could possibly force Reiwa Takuetsu to do anything. Asami, Manabu, and Shototsu had heard from warriors who were present when the tyrant appeared that he had punched through reality and walked onto the battlefield. Nothing about his entrance seemed forced. 

With a softening gaze, Nozomu looked toward Oritsu Ketsueki. The bearded king noticed the man's stare, blinking repeatedly. 

"He said he was brought back by… Regashi." Nozomu declared, clenching his jaw. 

Oritsu gasped, his heart racing. "Regashi!? My son!?"

Tanjo clenched his fist, remembering everything he knew about Regashi. The man was the definition of evil; he tortured whoever he wanted, had powers beyond comprehension, and happened to be the one who orchestrated the Detrimental War. 

"He's done more than what any of us know. Reviving the dead is just one of his stunts. Before we set out for Imawashiki, I had my sights on Regashi ever since he kidnapped Mizuki." Tanjo's serious tone made Oritsu crumble internally.

A pregnant silence encompassed the area, enabling everyone to think quietly. 

"He made a lap dog out of Seijun." Nozomu said, hatred yielding behind his eyes. 

Oritsu was at a loss, opening his mouth to speak, "But he invaded Furusato when Regashi was just fourteen! Regashi could not just lead a Tansu vessel at such a young age!"

"He could if he was given powers by a god." Tanjo spoke up, his eyes steeled. 

The bearded king silenced himself, horror etched onto his features. Given powers by a god? Why would Regashi be given the ability to make a lackey out of a Tansu vessel and become one of the most twisted individuals? 

"How do you know this?" Nozomu queried, staring at Tanjo.

Tanjo met Nozomu's gaze. "Because I've met someone who also got their powers from the same god. Her name is Suru Tassei and she lives in Buraun, but nobody seems to even know she exists."

The teenager purposely excluded Kronos from the conversation, who was the individual to properly explain this information to Tanjo in the first place. However, Suru Tassei was a good enough substitute for a reasonable answer. From what Tanjo could tell, illusionary was Ms. Tassei's forte. 

"And… who is this god, Tanjo?" Asami asked, suspicion lacing the underbelly of her words. 

"Derrien." Tanjo said without hesitation. 

Tanjo saw Kronos capture Derrien in the alternate universe, meaning that the god was taken care of, but Derrien's actions were still evident for as long as Regashi lived. 

*CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!*

Everyone's heads steered toward the same direction, hearing someone clap their hands slowly. Standing a dozen or more feet away, a brown-haired man stood tall, his emerald green eyes boring into anybody that looked into them. A disturbing grin was stretched across his face, adding to the ominous feeling that they exuded. Fear permeated through the expressions of every person present, their Aura Senses flaring and muscles tensing. Oritsu Ketsueki was frozen, his eyes locked on the newcomer. 

It was Regashi Ketsueki—the man of the hour. 

XXX

That's it for this chapter! Now, I must warn you before continuing: the rest of this novel will contain graphic and disturbing scenes. I am aware that anything involving Regashi has been quite gruesome already, but think about how far we are into the plot and all who's left. This is the finale to the novel and it is not going to end at a comfortable and happy pace. Stay tuned for more!

Have a Great Day!

Peace - Cr1ticalz_