#19: End of Confrontation

Shigen Amawaka laying on the ground, defeated.

A big and deep diagonal cut wound etched onto his body, blood sprouts from it and become a puddle.

"Im- Impossible!"

Seigen avert his eyes from his father.

Suddenly.

"Kaf"

Seigen felt his heart pierced, the agonizing pain spread out to his whole body, making him kneel.

A shadow cast on him, covering his vision. Curious, he lifts his head. Yukari, Ren, and Yuzuru are in front of him.

Both Yukari and Ren assisting the injured Yuzuru, "You won" congratulate Ren.

Seigen didn't care about Ren congratulating him, he instead, "Yuzuru how's your wounds?" Ask Seigen, Ren let out a sigh a bit irritated, but he let it go and smile instead. Yuzuru widen her eyes, then avert her gaze from him, "I- I'm okay" tell her blushing.

"Is that so?" Seigen then look toward Yukari, "Yukari...".

"What is it Seigen-san?" Ask Yukari, a bit confused and surprised.

"Thank You".

Yukari is totally surprised, she was happy of Seigen thanking her, but she shakes her head, "I... didn't do much" say Yukari, feeling disappointed on herself.

Unlike Seigen, Yuzuru, and Ren. She didn't do anything of significance. Where the three of them fight and wounded, she only watches.

She can't even heal like Ren and Yuzuru did.

For the first time in her life, Yukari regret not learning to become an exorcist.

Yukari felt disappointed and anger on herself, but she buries it deep and show a smile wryly instead to reassure Seigen.

Yuzuru saw her burdened face, she wants to speak but opt not to.

Then Ren's face become pale and turn to anger.

He saw Shigen Amawaka is alive, albeit wounded, still can move.

"Persistent oldman!" Whisper him angrily.

The other three, who watch his face, turn to the direction he gazes at.

"I will not accept"

Shigen Amawaka stand up, holding his wounded torso, blood still flow from his wound.

Both his enchanted wounds are gone.

With bated breath, he yells, "I will not accept something as irrelevant as love!!"

"The LAW is definite, The LAW-"

Seigen grit his teeth, he cut off Shigen's word, "LAW this, LAW that, I didn't care for it anymore!" Shout Seigen.

"You fool...", Shigen grit his teeth, and dash toward Seigen, "Then Die!!", as he yells.

With his remaining enchanted power, Shigen ran with a talisman toward them, Seigen, who had a bad feeling about the talisman, run toward Shigen.

.

.

.

"AHK!!"

Shigen spit out a mouthful of blood, some spitted blood landed on Seigen's face.

Seigen's gauntlets were tainted by Shigen's blood. "Ha... ha..." Shigen's breath become coarse.

His stomach was pierced by Seigen's Byakuren Kohō.

Seigen pull out his arm, leaving a gaping hole on Shigen's body. The sight of it can be said horrifying.

Shigen steps back from Seigen, he then let out a chuckle, "Ha Ha Ha, what a joke! Byakko chose someone who's against the LAW of The Amawaka... a complete fool!"

"Kin slayer, Patricide... those pretty word like LOVE have no weight coming from a killer like you!"

Shigen felt his body become colder, yet continue he still, "You cannot run away from The SINS you're committed" say Shigen, as struggle to breath.

Seigen close his eyes, and reply back, "... That's true. No matter how deep my sins are... no, because I have sinned so many. I can still go wrong on my way..."

He open his eyes, "Even though I will carry more sins on my back, and if I lost my way again..." Seigen turned around looking at Yukari, Yuzuru, and Ren, "Someone would put me back on the right path".

The three surprised and become speechless of what is Seigen said. Yukari and Yuzuru were blushing while let out a smirk.

Shigen hearing his son's word widen his eyes, he also become speechless. He grits his teeth in irritation.

"Bullshit..."

The memory of his son when he was younger and his wife who he killed entering his mind.

In the room where he preaches Seigen to kill Yukari and Ren.

Is Love is the necessary thing to become a successor to Byakko?

That Day. He looks at the shocked and broken heart Seigen. In front of him, his dead mother is laying dead, blood flow from her wound staining the tatamis.

No... it's Nonsense!!

The memory still playing like a video. In that memory, Shigen, for his duty and The LAW he's followed, killed his wife and turn back leaving the devastated Seigen.

[Shameful Amawaka]

That was he say to her, to her who accompanied and cheering for him when his down.

And it was by his own hand, she was killed.

Unknown to Seigen, the past him from the memory when he's leaving the room also devastated, he wants to cry but hold it off.

Shigen avert his gaze from Seigen. His vision lock on to the wave. "Heh!"

He steps back to the edge of the ground, "In that case... those words, where will they take you?", and so he jumps toward the raging wave.

"Son... I'll be watching you from hell"

Shigen crash to the raging waves of the sea.

Then.

An explosion of water occur.

Seigen was speechless watching his father last moment, but he resolves himself as he clenches his hand and let it go, "Rest in peace... father". Mourn Seigen, looking at raging sea waves.

Silence fills the harbor.

Yukari, Yuzuru, and Ren watching Seigen's back.

Ren then break the silence, "Yukari-nee chan, Scarface... I didn't know anything about that Shigen person..."

Yukari and Yuzuru looking at Ren who's speaking, "Personally speaking, I'm relieved he was dead, but... I don't know why, it- it just I kinda pity him"

Yukari didn't know how to answer him, Yuzuru didn't know how to answer him, so for now she gives Ren an ambiguous answer, "Well... he was burdened by The LAW of Amawaka for a long time" she paused, and continue, "and Shigen-sama... seems to regret his past"

Ren nod, "..."

He looks at Seigen who's walking toward them, and then Ren's eyes fixed on Seigen's new white gauntlets.

Love, huh?

.

.

.

Later, Ren met with Seigen on the top floor of The Ascending Tower of Seiten, a stairway leading to The Great Black Gate, The Entrance to The Real Magano.

"Hey! Are you ready?" Ask Ren to Seigen.

The mission this time is to subjugate The Basara that cause The Jugon Monoimi curse, Chikura.

More than 40 peoples arrived and waiting for further command, including Seigen.

"I am. Why are you here?"

Ren scratches his head, "You know... I said before The Two of Us gonna ending the curse... but, dammit! Sorry! I can't go with you. Not in my current condition"

Seigen remember the night he fought Ren for real, albeit he was going easy on him that day, Ren manage to surprise and exceed his expectation.

And so he loses.

After talking with each other, Ren finally understand his motif and reasoning.

[The two of us... Let's end this curse!]

That night, Ren resolve himself, that resolve rubbing on him, well a bit of it.

Unfortunately, with Ren's condition he can't do any mission, moreover a dangerous one as Basara subjugation.

Ren then approach Seigen then fist bump him on his chest, "That's why... kick her ass for US!!"

The US he's refer to is Satoshi, Yukari, and Ren himself.

Ren then saw 4 figures approaching Seigen from behind, he let go of his fist bump.

"Well, that's it... make sure you go back alive!! Watching Yukari-nee san and Yuzuru worried is hurting my head"

And so Ren leaving him while waving his hand without looking back.

Ren goes down the stairs. Ren's head is down, biting his lip.

Damn it! Dammmnnnnn Iiiiitttt!!!

He clenched his hand, nails cut flesh, blood is drawn, soaking his hand in red taint.

If I- If I was stronger! If I don't lose to that bastard! Surely I...

Ren clicked his tongue, and he realized he already arrives at the bottom.

Ren scratches his head, and then walk again.

"Took you long enough"

Ren stop his step. He squinted his eyes, an irritated feeling fill his gut.

"Why are you here...?"

In front of him, there was a girl who was shorter than him leaning against a tree.

The girl had blonde hair styled in twintail and tied with big red ribbons, her eyes are closed giving a mysterious and playful look, her smile seems natural like a tooth fairy that give children allowance for their lost tooth.

Her frilly dress, give her a southern belle, and rich girl images and vibes. The dress also makes her more charming.

Indeed, she was a very beautiful girl.

But to Ren, rather than a beautiful fairy that spread joys, she was like a fox yokai full of mischief that seems to enjoy people suffering, especially him.

With cold sweats run through his back, Ren finally tell her name.

"Subaru!"

Arc 1: Childhood's beginning

The End