>………..but, but i…………)I thought of Otoha who had her clock stopped on that day.
My quiet, caring and noisy sister.
That shy face she shows when I pat her head.
The smile I couldn’t protect.
That’s why I won’t forgive him.
My best friend who took everything precious from me-Otoha”
(I will kill him! I will definitely…………..!)
I have the wish to protect others.
I have another me that wish for his death.
Including the wish I have with Julie; I am filled with contradictions.
“Sorry, it’s because of me that you had to come so late”
When it was starting to get dark, we left the tomb and were heading to the parking lot before Tora said that during the trip.
On the Sunday--------the day before we went to DNL; Tora said that he had matter he must attend so we should change the memorial to today, apparently that’s haunting him now.
“1 week isn’t a big deal. Rather, I think Otoha is happy that you came”
“……..i see. I’m glad if that’s so”
Tora made a light smile within his apologetic expression.
“Thanks, Tora. I am happy too. Also, thank you Julie, for coming”
“Ja--. I’m so glad that I could do a proper greeting”
At the entrance of the cemetery, we lowered our heads to another visitor when we were pa.s.sing through and reached the parking lot before I talked to Tora.
“………….Tora. What are you going to do now”
“I know. You’re going to your house right? Sorry but, I have to show up in my house so I can’t stop by”
“About that-----“
I am going to go to my empty house to clean and return back to the academy----that’s my plan.
But, I swung my head.
“Sorry. I will walk from here. It’s not far from my house”
“………Fuun, it’s normal to want to look around your hometown after so long. There’s no need to feel sorry”
After saying “See you at night”, Tora rode the car and left.
“Julie, sorry to make you follow”
“Nai. I love walking”
“Ahm no……….well, about that………”
“-------?”
Julie’s bell *Chirin* rang when she tilted her small head when I replied back indecisively.
“There’s someone----I want to talk to”
It’s someone Tora does not know, and to avoid the worst case scenario, I made sure that they won’t meet.
For that; I have to separate from him; I do feel bad for him though.
“Who is that person?”
To answer Julie’s question, I looked towards the car stopped at a corner of the parking lot.
It wasn’t there when we reached the cemetery; the car was more luxurious than the one Tora’s family has.
“…………..i didn’t think you’re such a person to have such an amazing ride”
“It’s not mine, you d.a.m.n kid”
The voice came from the cemetery entrance.
The person who replied, was the visitor who we pa.s.sed by just now----a big statured man.
Pale dark sun burned skin, and this big man who called me a d.a.m.n kid, was definitely my acquaintance.
“Seriously, I thought you forgotten my face since you did not talk to me”
“There’s no way I could finish such an overly special person like you, Old man”
“It’s Ouza-san, you kid”
“If you’re going to say that, then I have the name Kokonoe Tooru too, Old man Ouza”
We glared at each other--------and both smiled.
“Wahaha. You’re still a s.h.i.t spouting brat like usual huh. Well, glad to see you happy and well, kid”
“You too old man. I thought you died a dog’s death a long time ago”
After hearing my reply, Ouza-san laughed loudly while straddling closer------
He launched his back hand.
“Tooru!!”
The attack launched by the man who has a body of muscle, *Bachii* made a loud echo.
The attack----did not connect.
I immediately blocked it with one hand.
“It’s okay, Julie. This person isn’t bad but, he is bad with people”
If it was the me 1 year ago, forget even blocking, I would get blasted away with that one handed heavy attack; while stopping him, I told the silver girl.
“Those are harsh words……….well leaving that aside, looks like you improved a little huh”
“Haha, honestly, I am happy you say that”
I smiled again and looked at him.
“…………Tooru, is that person you are acquainted with?”
Looking at this by the sidelines; this exchange would seem weird. Julie looked troubled after being left out of the group for the second time today.
“Yeah. This person is called Ouza and is the martial arts a.s.sistant instructor I learned under before------
I let go of his fist and continued my words.
“Someone who knows about Otoha’s last moment”
2 years ago-----
“O……….nii-cha…………..”
Within my arms, Otoha looked painful------she was slowly dying, and weakly called my name.
“…………………………………..”
Otoha’s mouth moved.
But, I couldn’t hear her words.
The sound was erased by the sparks caused by the flames or she has already lost the strength to talk; either way, I don’t know.
But, I know what she was talking about.
[Are you injured?] Otoha asked.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah………..! I am okay, thanks to you…….!”
I nodded, and nodded and nodded again.
In order to show Otoha that I am not injured at all, I nodded many times.
Otoha’s mouth moved again.
[I am so glad]
After Otoha said that with a smile---she died.
“Oto-ha……..? Otoha, Otoha, Otohaaaaaaaaaaaa………..!!”
Unable to swallow the reality in front of me, I continuously called Otoha out.
Over, and over again-----
But, Otoha did not open her eyes again.
Normally, Otoha would immediately respond to my calls but she did not open her mouth.
Each time I called her out, each time I shake her shoulders; like a stain spreading out, those actions were making my heart accept the reality happening in front of me.
That goes for the reality that the person who took Otoha’s life was my childhood friend, and my best friend too.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!”
My heart was being crushed by anger, hatred and despair but, I still shouted my best friend’s name.
But, he looked at me with those dark eyes without any word------
After the moment that felt like an eternity pa.s.sed, he turned away.
He then walked into the h.e.l.l fire without hesitation and looked behind once more.
“Good bye, Tooru…………..until the day, a new chapter begins”
Immediately, the dojo started to collapse with loud crashes-----
I lost consciousness.
“………..hey there, kid. Looks like you’re awake”
When I opened my eyes, a big man with a pale dark skin and the bright blue sky entered my view.
“Who are you……? Also where is------what was i…………”
After raising my body with my hazy mind, I was on top a lawn. When I looked around, familiar scenes entered my view and it made me notice where I was.
The place I am at right now, as the big park near the dojo.
I can see the green hill filled with trees which holds the Ittouryuu dojo I attend to from this park.
That’s why I would naturally move my sights to the hill but----
I noticed something odd.
Black smoke was rising from the hill.
“What is………?”
A fire------
When those letters scratched my mind, my memories came back with a spark.
“-------!! Otohaaa!!”
I stood up and was about to run off but, the big man grabbed my arm.
”Let go! Otoha is still inside there!!”
“Is that Otoha this girl here?”
The big man showed a girl inside his big bulky arms.
Inside his arms, the girl sleeping without any movements was definitely my sister, Otoha.
But-------I know that those eyes will never open again.
Otoha’s soul is no longer in this world------
I know the person who severed her life, was the young man I thought was my best friend.
After crying so much that it started to dry up, I asked the big man with pale dark skin who he was.
The man named himself Ouza, and told me that he was a person that studied the Ittouryuu like me.
“Well, I was probably kicked out a long time ago”
10 years ago, Ouza-san said he left the dojo to seek a strength that the Ittouryuu dojo doesn’t have before making a wry smile.
But, I knew his name.
His name was on the wooden name lists of the student board but, the name Ouza-san was----placed on a position telling others that he is an a.s.sistant instructor.
The big man then made a complex expression before saying [I see……….].
Not long later, Ouza-san stared at the hill fuming with black smoke while mumbling downheartedly.
“Seriously, is this guidance from the heavens…………..”
“Heaven guidance……….? That!? That’s done by a person, by him!”
“A human huh………….you’re right………sorry there, kid…………..if I showed up a little earlier, I might have saved this girl at least…………”
“You aren’t responsible for any of this……………”
I swung my head, and said the words that person said in the flames to blame myself in failing to protect Otoha.
“Everything is his fault, No-------it’s because I was weak that Otoha was killed”
“…………what are you going to do from now on?”
To answer Ouza-san’s question, I mixed the emotions of anger and hatred and-------spouted it out as a curse named a vow.
“I-----will become strong. I will become stronger and kill him…..! I will definitely kill him!!”
The disaster was reported as misconduct of fire in the dojo and his name was listed in the deceased.
Otoha’s death was treated as carbon monoxide poisoning, and the sword wound at her back was not pointed out at all.
Both of it was probably manipulated by Ouza-san but, I don’t know the details.
On the day, the small Otoha, turned even smaller[5f 1], Ouza-san left [This is all I can do] before disappearing-------
2 months pa.s.sed since then.
On a certain day, I reunited with Ouza-san who was in an old temple located in the mountains in the north east region.
I heard this when we separated so, I went around the region of the temple where Ouza-san said that he was living now, to meet him.
“Make me stronger”
“Just when I thought we haven’t met for a long time………”
“Please, Ouza-san! You’re strong right!? Please make me stronger! I want to become stronger!!”
“In order to kill that huh………”
I nodded when I heard Ouza-san’s words.
I want to become stronger as fast as possible.
But, only by the things my master-------(an instructor of the ittouryou and his grandfather)----taught me; forget even catching up to him I know that I could not even touch him like this.
That’s why, I went to Ouza-san who knew about the situation.
“Go back. I saw that for an instant but, it’s not something you can handle”
After a flat reply, he turned away from me.
No matter how many times I asked him, no matter how much I lowered my head, the answer did not change but, I did not leave the old temple and continued staying there.
Starting on the next day, I started punching a giant tree at the corner of the temple.
Skin turned, blood spilled and wound’s covered with cloth, I continued punching while enduring the pain.
I would eat and at the same time rest when I could no longer raise my arms from the fatigue and the pain turned to numbness; and after that, I would turn back to the giant tree----that was my life.
There was no one else in the temple other than Ouza-san; he would drink sake, read books, watch TV, take after noon; taking on a self-indulged lifestyle and would not talk to me at all.
After going through such a lifestyle for 5 days-----I collapsed.
“Did you get a little stronger?”
I regained consciousness, and Ouza-san asked me for the first time.
I could not answer that question.
What I understand, was the pain on my fist and foot, and also the fatigue on my whole body.
“Well that’s about it. Even though you overworked, only a brat like you will come up with the idea that you can get stronger by swinging your fist like a fool”
“Sorry for being a brat! But, he made by swinging thousands of time! If that’s it then even i………!!”
Just like my words, he would continuously swing his sword in his Ittouryuu training until he reaches the thousand digits.
I heard that he finally reached G.o.dspeed after going through that.
He achieved that in 2 years of tough training.
But, my current self could not even chase up to him of that time.
That’s why I thought that I must reach that realm first but----
“I see…………It’s because you saw a 100% success huh. What’s more, since it’s what your enemy achieved, it can’t be helped that you think you can do it too”
While scratching his unshaven face, Ouza-san sighed.
“It’s true, that there are cases where people become stronger after overworking. But, it’s a normal outcome that the body will collapse half-way………more importantly, you should know the best that thing isn’t normal”
“I know, he was called a genius. I could not even compare to his feet. Even though I have to reach such a person, even though I won’t be able to avenge Otoha if I don’t do that…………….Just what the h.e.l.l should I do!!”
I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth in regret.
Ouza-san quietly told me this while looking at me.
“There are more methods to become stronger than 1”
That sentence had a huge impact to me.
There are many ways to become stronger and I should find the one that suits me and would make me stronger. Ouza-san also continued with----(You’re not even worth the time since you’re basics still isn’t there).
“Also, another problem before that is, to eat your meals properly and rest when you need to. I won’t help you again if you collapse again”
Ouza-san left the room and I continued thinking about the conversation we had until I fell asleep again.
(There are more methods to become stronger huh……)
If that’s the case, just what kind of method will make me stronger.
On the next day, I ended up meeting up with Ouza-san and said this.
“I’ll try going through the moves my master taught me. On top of that, I think of finding a the method to becoming stronger that matches me, like what you said”
“Kuku, do whatever you like. But let me tell you this first, I have no intentions to teach you any moves”
“I understand, old man”
“Haha. Good thing you know----wait, what the h.e.l.l is with the Old man thing!?”
“You have no intentions to teach me any moves right? Then, how can I call you Ouza-san”
I laughed at Ouza-san and ran outside.
“Oh man, what a brat…………”
Like that; I started running according to what my master taught me before. It’s ideal to train my legs on the b.u.mpy hill and a trip to the bottom completely exhausts me.
After running, I will swing my fist while recalling back what my master taught me. I would unwantedly recall back swinging my fist with everyone and it pains me a little.
During breaks, I was made to eat or sent out to buy sake or split firewood for the baths; sometimes he would forcefully bring me fishing, saying that it’s important to let the body and mind rest.
As time pa.s.sed, a few months pa.s.sed by.
On a certain day the mountain was covered in snow and was at its peak of coldness-------
“Brat. Your feeling of becoming stronger hasn’t changed right?”
Ouza-san was drinking sake as usual when suddenly he strike that conversation.
“Don’t ask the obvious”
“……………I see. Then, I’ll teach you reality. The harshness of reality that is”
He finished the sake bottle in a gulp and told me.
“You have no talent”
Apparently, he noticed that after looking at my trainings.
Although my athletic abilities are above average, my martial arts talents--------Rather, my sense, was apparently lacking.
“I----won’t reach him like this………..?”
“You can call that a monster. It’s impossible for you”
I could see Ouza-san was not lying from his expression.
These few months were enough for me to know that he wasn’t some normal guy.
That’s why, his words were heavy.
It’s not something simple like the harshness of reality.
It’s a wall of despair.
I was captured by the feeling of falling into h.e.l.l.
A painful silence came by and not long later-------
“But even so-----“
I clenched my trembling fist and slammed it to the ground.
“But I will still do it……..! I, it’s because I vowed!!”
Within the room filled with silence again, I stared straight at Ouza-san.
I stared with the intentions of destroying the wall between me and him regardless how hopeless it might be.
After a while-----
“………………Look at this”
Ouza-san showed me a paper while saying that------it’s an academy guide.
“Kouryou Academy………….?”
I want to become stronger as fast as possible.
Why would he ask me to go to school when I wished for that-------even though I am not going to school now in the first place.
Maybe my mind was obvious, he might have thought about that from the beginning.
“You can gain > if you go here………..it’s your choice if you want to go though”“>……….? What do you mean, Old man!?”I was told here.
About the existence of a weird school which is known to be a technique training school.
Even the fact that I will gain the > that overcomes human limits, if you enroll to Kouryou Academy.“Although, you apparently need to be an
“If I am refused then I’ll find another way……..there are more methods to become stronger than 1”
“Kuku, you can make a good face better now huh”
Ouza-san shook his shoulders a bit before, taking a gulp.
“Okay, I’ve said what I wanted to say. Now then------we will part ways tonight, brat”
“-------!?”
“I am going on a trip again. I won’t be coming back here again”
He would disappear now and won’t come back after a few days or a week but, I never would have thought that he would say that he will never come back here again.
“I see……………..”
I squeezed those words out.
The reason why my heart was going up and down was because of loneliness.
Just like what Ouza-san said, he did not teach me any skills in this few months I spent my time here but, he had conversations with me. Most of the conversations were useless and; i noticed later on that he was sometimes concerned about my health.
And within those days; the figure of my deceased father started piling onto him before I knew it and I would treat him accordingly.
Even though there was nothing similar between them, but regardless.
“Okay then…………..before I leave----I guess I’ll give you a parting gift”
“Parting gift......?”
Ouza-san stood up in front of me while I was tilting my head.
The big man with pale dark skin said “Follow me” before going outside and I followed him.
We headed to the back of the temple------and stood in front of a giant rock which easily crosses 10 meter.
“Take a good look, brat. Now-----“
Ouza-san clenched his fist and pulled it back like firing a bow-----taking on a stance.
“I will give you the >”I told Julie about the events that occurred after Otoha’s death in the fire, about how I was taken care of by Ouza-san for a while and also that he taught me > as a parting gift.The reason why I purposely told her was to make Ouza-san think that Julie doesn’t know about the fact that I was an
A normal person would want revenge-------- and what’s more, it’s someone who vowed to take the life of his enemy; it’s just insane for anyone to take action with such a person. This is to guard against asking her why she would come to think that way.
I don’t know if my intentions were fully sent to her but, Julie wasn’t particularly pointing it out.
After telling Julie everything, she looked at Ouza-san’s muscle ma.s.s before nodding.
“So > is from this person……I can agree”I recalled back the time I told Julie that her small body will break if she uses >.“Mjol…….what’s that?”
After telling him, Julie named that move, Ouza-san laughed loudly.
“Wahaha. To think the Ittouryuu final move would be called that way. But-----judging by how this Ojou-chan knowing that skill, it looks like you can use it now”
“Well, it took over 1 year though”
Although it was a.s.sembled during the training I had every day since the day he taught me, it was only a month before I enrolled to Kouryou Academy that I could use it.
“No no, it’s amazing you could achieve it. Normally you’d give up half-way through. You probably worked hard to cover your lack of talent. That’s one tear jerking story there, oi” He was. .h.i.tting my back while saying that.
“By the way, how about introducing that Ojou-chan already. Your relationship should be a serious one for you to bring her to your sister’s grave visit, hnn?”
“Stop hitting me, it hurts. Also, my relationship with Julie isn’t what you think”
It’s going to be annoying if he remained misunderstood so, I gave him a short explanation about the >.“That’s boring……………did this brat throw his desires”
Even though he was grumbling while scratching his head; honestly, mind your own business.
“But well, it’s been 1 and a half year since we part……………..and I was about to ask you about how strong you got after that but------“
Ouza-san pointed his palm at me.
“This way is much faster for our case…..right?”
“Yeah, you are”
I nodded and took a stance.
“Tooru…………”
Julie looked worriedly at me when I took a Seikentsuki[5f 2] stance.
But, she was worried about Ouza-san, not me.
“It’s okay. The old man Ouza will be alright even if he gets. .h.i.t by the current me-----he’s a monster after all”
The > Ouza-san showed me had the same power of my current self.That is why I don’t think this person will suffer any injuries if I attack him.
“Houuu that sentence sounds like you have quite some confidence there, brat”
After I slightly smiled, I silently took a deep breath before------
Thrusting my fist outwards with my spirit.
Immediately, *Baaam* an explosion occurred.
“Kuku, enough. Know I have a clear view on how amazing the > is. Now I feel like fighting someone who is has a higher > than you”Ouza-san smiled fearlessly while easily blocking my Seikentsuki which has my body weight put into it.
I shrugged my shoulders in response to this big man.
“Seriously, you’re really a monster………”
But-----
The monster standing in front of me, called him a monster.
Even though it’s not the >, the Ouza-san who blocked my full power called him that.This none other means that I have to become a lot stronger than now.
Yes, until the day I meet him--------
“You looked like you were having fun just now, Tooru”
“I see…………..?”
“Ja----“
We parted from Ouza-san and were on our way to my house when Julie started the conversation.
“Fun huh……….that might be true”
I agreed with Julie even though I was making a wry smile.
Just like how Julie sees her father in me, I was also looking at that person like my father.
That’s why, I felt happy seeing him after so long.
Incidentally, it’s only natural that I would keep looking at Ouza-san as a father figure a secret. There’s no way I could tell him and he would only present me with a teasing if he finds out anyways.
Leaving that aside, it is because I have such feelings that I understand why Julie would see me as a father figure and------I understand how lonely it is.
………….because of that, I was unable to refuse sleeping together when she asked the first time and she would keep pushing for it later after.
“Is that so. That’s great but-------it feels kind of complicated”
Julie’s expression clouded for an instant.
“Eh? Why?”
“………it’s a secret so I’ll have sleeping together tonight as repayment”
This topic ended with that final unknown reply.
After that, we started talking about something else while walking.
The cries of the evening cicada when the sun was going down, signifies the end of summer.
Not long later-------I stopped at a certain T junction.
“Tooru………..?”
I would reach home if I keep going straight from the right turn but, on the opposite side……….
“……………Julie, Sorry. There’s a place I want to stop by for a while”
After saying that while staring at the hill, Julie nodded silently.
I thanked Julie and I headed to the place where it all started.
“…….it’s so quiet”
From the entrance which has a signboard showing “Entry prohibited”, we entered the zone and continued moving up the hill until we could no longer hear the evening cicadas.
No, the evening cicada’s wasn’t the only one.
Our surroundings were so quiet as if the s.p.a.ce here was separated from the outside world.
The word “Sudden silence” was probably meant for this scenario.
Maybe it’s from the silence or it might be from my last memories; it feels harder to breath as I step forward.
Soon-----the road ended and we reached an open s.p.a.ce.
Until that day from 2 years ago, the Ittouryou Dojo used to exist here on this hill.
There were no traces of it and turned into a lonely desolated area.
The sunset made the sky look red and emphasized the lonely atmosphere even more.
I gasped when I saw the scene.
That’s because, the red filled world reminded me of the dojo wrapped in flames.
That’s because, I saw a lingering darkness at the starting spot which looked like a replay of that memory.
The darkness slowly turned around----and smiled.
“Long time no see, Tooru”
That darkness’s name was Narukami Sakaki.
Formerly my best friend------and my target for Otoha’s death was there.
Apparently the someday, was today-----
Part 2“Seriously, this is so ironic………”
When Tooru and Julie could not be seen anymore, Ouza-san cracked his neck.
“Okay then--------how long to you plan on peeking? Come on out already or else I’ll grab your neck and drag you out----->”“Je suis désoléMy apologies”
The luxurious car parked in the area opened its window and an apology could be heard from inside.
A young man could be seen inside the car from the window------what’s more, he was wearing a weird outfit which was a white military uniform.
“I didn’t want to spoil the reunion with your ElöveBeloved Disciple------>”The young man who called Ouza-san by his > which signifies a pillar of the >-----called > made a silent smile.“You probably said that while knowing but, that brat isn’t my disciple. He’s so weak so I gave him the > to survive”“Fufu, I’ll leave it at that……………nonetheless, I took this opportunity to watch a rare scene. I never would have thought that you would look so happy”
Even though Ouza noticed his existence but ignored him; he thought that he was seen by someone annoying while taking out cigarettes from his pocket and lighted it up.
“It’s obvious I would show a different face if you compare him to you. In the first place, if you’re going to talk about rarity, you moving in a carthat is much more rare”
“My normal transport is a carthis. You know that the have conditions right?”
The TeleporterGate > used during the > is useful but, there are obviously inconvenience too. The most problematic one is that the targeted s.p.a.ce must be marked beforehand to teleport.“By the way, I have one question for you”
After exhaling a big puff of smoke, Ouza glared at the young man.
“Why did you get rid of the old man. I think he is still useful for the organization right?”
When Ouza asked him about the murder of >, > slightly raised his smile and replied back.“Fufu, it’s just as what you said just now”
“Me?”
“Having him gone is my will as a >. Although, as a top bra.s.s of the organization, I wanted him to create more > for the future though”Even though he wished for life, he brought death upon him------
Those thoughts contradict each other but, to the military clothed young man, they are not fake wills.
It’s solely based on the view of his status-------and that his replacing mask had a different view.
For this case, the military clothed young man prioritized his face as a >.That’s why, > suggested the > during the > even though it opposes the organization top bra.s.s’s warnings.“…………Your personality sucks as usual”
Ouza spat out the cigarette in his mouth when he heard >’s reply.“So, what business do you have today? It should be quite the reason for you to purposely show up right?”
“Non non. I am just here for a pick-up. I coincidentally met up with you when I was waiting for the pick-up-----“
“………….Pick up?”
Ouza interrupted the young man’s words.
He reacted not because of the bragging word “Coincidence” but rather, the other part.
“For whom, would a bigshot like you do this for…………?”
“Of course-----”
> made a cool smile half-way through his words before telling him.“It’s for him, >”