Chapter 27

War.

War is a terrible thing.

In War, lives are simply thrown away like paper.

Affordable casualties. As those lives contribute to the overall goal.

Sometimes it's resources

Sometimes it's land

Sometimes for no reason at all.

But at the end of the day, many will die.

For a cause they don't believe in.

A cause they don't care about.

A cause that is impossible in the end.

For that, is the true cruelty of War.

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The campaign is going well, in one day, we took three cities back.

Now, we have pushed into tepes territory. The best idea now is to secure their supply lines and bleed them dry of resources.

"Alright, Carmilla. Now that we've taken parts of their territory, where do the tepes faction supplies originate from?" Carmilla stood from her throne and pushed open the door to her balcony and viewed the twilight sky. Taking a deep and unnecessary breath, she spoke.

"The centre of Romania. He and I decided that if any other faction tried to invade the land, it would be best to make the resource hub to be near the centre of the country. Fortunately, assuming we can catch my ex-husband off guard, we may be able to gain supplies from Tepes bases. However, I suspect he would rather burn the country to the ground rather than cede land or resources to me." Hmm. Alright then...

"Melascula. What spells related to souls can you use?"

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Yomi... the land of the dead. Shadows wander through this place, not quite dead, yet not quite alive.

I could interact with them, but I have essentially broken into someone's home. It's rude to mess with another person's belongings.

"Why... seek me out?" Getting straight to the point, a refreshing change of pace when compared to her children.

"Because, it'd be wrong to call them your, children, when you were entirely unaware of their conception. Sorry, got sidetracked, I'm here because Amaterasu and Susanoo wanted to meet their father. They don't know where he is, so I figured I would ask you, as his ex-wife, I figured you could give me a clue if anything." Silence descended through the realm, all of the shadows had disappeared in this brief moment.

"I do know. I know where he is. But first, would you mind anything to eat?" Modoru knew the woman was being deceitful, he knew the woman bared ill will toward him, he knew she was going to trick him.

But, he didn't care.

He was strong.

The woman couldn't hold a candle to him.

A black apple appeared in her hand, seemingly pruned from a dead plant, as if the nature here still lived.

"Here. An apple, its highly saturated with magic." Not only that, its highly saturated in corruption. My eyes, they see so much more. Beyond petty tricks.

Beyond deceit.

Beyond Yomi.

Beyond this world.

And yet, Father escapes my sight.

It baffles me. But I admit, I would be somewhat disappointed if I was able to locate him so easily.

Izanami tossed the apple to me, and in my hands, it was impressive how well she suppressed her corruption. Truly, goddesses are impressive.

Hmm. Tastes salty.

And I could feel it pour into my body as if trying to bind me to this realm. How...

Pitiful.

"Are you truly so alone? So alone that you would try to binding me here, knowing how strong I was?" I swear I could see tears streaming from under the veil, holding the top of her head as she stared to the empty sky of Yomi.

"Finally... I won't be alone... I... I can't be alone... not again! I won't, I won't, I won't! NEVER AGAIN!" I...

Fuck it.

I grabbed the back of her head, pulling her into my shoulder.

"You should know. I won't be bound. Nothing can hold me here." I heard her choked sobs. Ah... how do I do this?! "But... I... am willing to visit... regularly?" It truly was a question. Both to myself and her.

Am i willing to take time out of my busy schedule to...

Who the fuck am i kidding? I don't have a schedule. Nor am I ever busy.

"Please... please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please." I... am honestly speechless.

"I will. I swear on my name as Modoru, I shall visit regularly. Once a week, or maybe more." Ironically enough, that used my own divinity to bind me. After what I'd just said....

Nevermind.

"I'll stay for an hour or two. Then, before I go, you can tell me where Izanagi is. For now, let's just chat. After all, I doubt you wish to talk about him at length." My back was being gripped with all her might.

"Thank you..."

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I'm a mess...

My mind is scattered. I want to fight, to feel the thrumming of my bones, to feel skulls-

No, bad thoughts... no... I can't deny my own feelings.

I want to kill.

To shatter skulls. To fight with everything I have, and live in the thrill.

Just... punching one another, until we're bloody and broken.

Yet I'm scared... I want to love... but can I love and contain my bloodlust? No... I both can and can't.

I need to sort my mind out. It took a while to realise... but I think i know what's wrong. Extreme mood swings... they're symptoms.

I can't remember what its called... but I think thats what I have.

How... can i trust myself around anyone I care about? When at a moments notice, I could just lose it and beat them to a pulp?

"Alright. Guess i gotta nip this one in the bud." After a blink, here I was.

My inner world.

"Put em up. Raise your fists. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!" Sharp pain struck my cheek, oh... I'm flying.

Through the air.

But... what if-

"No more what ifs, no more buts. There are only... RESULTS!" I... yeah... thats true. I can't know for certain something that hasn't happened. So... just... do I just... suck it up... and deal with the consequences?

"Yes! In your state, that's all you can do. Now, put your fists up and Fight me!" Ah... truly.

Brutish. Yet... wise. If a little blunt.

"Alright... then... let's go." I saw the grin of a lion on her face. I imagine there's a similar grin on my face, savage and bloody.

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Truly, the grin on Walter's face was terrifying.

As if a demon had been let loose.

But I trust my other half. Mereoleona can handle Walter. While soundly beat the first time, she is ready this time. And i just know, it's going to be an absolute slugfest.

Just gonna trade blows.

Honestly, the two make a good fit.

And... there's the first blow.

Each fist struck the others cheek. Yet they both still grinned.

Battle maniacs, I swear.

I can understand a good fight every now and then, a show of abilities. To take pride in your own fighting skill.

But both of them, they don't have any training. They're just beasts, relying entirely on instinct.

Just soaking in the pain.

It's boring that I can't get involved, but it doesn't matter.

So long as Walter learns and matures.

Then I cannot complain.

This will also put him one step closer to using Bankai.

Our Bankai is... different.

There is no grueling training amounting to ten years of manifestation.

Instead, it's all about Equilibrium.

And to mature, will put him one step closer to that Equilibrium.

Oh, it seems they're starting to change it up, kicks are being integrated, they're sloppy, but filled with intent to kill. Kill, slaughter and dominate.

This was no civil fight.

This was a battle of superiority.

Of Supremacy.

Death was an option to neither of them.

Their pride would not allow it.

Neither will cede ground to their opponent. Regardless of the damage, they keep striking. Even as Walter dodged her next blow, grabbing her arm and stepping in to deliver an elbow strike to the head.

The lioness caught it with her other hand.

"Good-" Walter struck with his knee into her sternum, catching her short of breath. He reeled his head back-

Oh no.

Walter smashed his forehead into the womans nose. That... is quite clearly broken. But just as quickly as it was broken, the woman snapped it back into place.

Hmm...

This will continue for a while.

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"So you like to plant flowers?"

"Yes, but nothing grows here in Yomi. But now that the seal is gone, I might be able to keep doing that. Plant a few flowers here and there, and watch them grow over the years." Time is almost up.

"Well, while it has been a nice chat, I do need to complete my request. So I must know, where is Izanagi?" I saw the shaking of her hand. "Don't forget, i gave my word. I swore it on my name."

"Kibi-no-Kojima. The 8th Island that we made. He shelters himself away, he has abandoned responsibility of Japan." Kibi-no Kojima eh...

I don't know where that is, I guess I'll be making a visit back to takamagahara.

"Thank you, Izanami. Though, a word of advice. This place is your home, you need not keep the place so gloomy. Make a home for yourself... make it your home. Everything that you, want." Those were the last words I gave her.

I do hope she follows them.

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After again tearing through space to find myself in the Heavenly Realm, immediately I was grabbed by Susanoo.

"You went to Yomi. You must be more careful. The corruption sticks and cannot be removed through normal methods. Divine water is required. Follow." Always so direct isn't he? At least he had let go of my shirt.

But, it would be wise to listen to him.

Others are more likely to be injured than I am from the corruption.

Now we can't have that.

"Here we are." Really? We walked for a minute or two. A... what was it called? "An onsen." Well, may as well enjoy it.

I just dumped my clothes on the stone floor, including my golden neck ornament.

"Have you no shame?" What?

"Should I be embarrassed by my body in its natural state?" That easily shut him up.

Stepping into the onsen I couldn't help but notice a wooden bowl in the onsen that seemed to float over. Sitting down, it really was soothing, to relax in this not too warm water. And as the bowl came next to me, I could see in it.

A drink and a cup.

Hm. Alcohol. That could be nice.

"Modoru. Why is it that you would choose to help us? Do you not know of the book? Your father, Walter Newgate, he wrote a book. One containing a magic circle that would allow you to summon him." Truly?

"I didn't know that. I see many things, but anything related to him is... blank. Truly, I... am scared. What will he think of me? Will he even accept me? What is he like?" I could feel his gaze on me, but it wasn't his usual harshness. No, it felt much warmer.

"I see. I... can sympathise. I haven't seen my father in quite a long time. Since I... threw a fit, as he called it. All because I wanted to meet Izanami. We are merely parts of his divinity that have split off and matured into different existences. Is it so wrong to want to meet ones aunt?" No, it really isn't.

Izanagi.

"He sounds like an asshole." That got a laugh out of him, staring to the skies as his bellowing laughter rang through the realm.

"Truly, you are blunt... but not wrong. Izanagi is arrogant and a horrible father. That is at least my view. Sister Amaterasu and brother Tsukuyomi may think differently. But those are my thoughts." After careful consideration...

"I like how blunt you are."

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Omake- the taste of defeat

Ah, I need a drink, the vending machine over there should do. From here, I can see a Coke.

Good ol' coca cola.

I put a pound coin into the machine, and pressed A1. The machine hummed as my coke dropped to the bottom. Reaching in, I felt relief at the refreshingly cold can of coca cola.

But just before i could open it, i felt a presence. An overwhelming presence.

One greater than Yhwach.

One greater than Sunny.

One greater than myself.

Turning to my right, there I saw the source.

A built man, his muscles thrumming against his skin tight costume that covered his entire body. One could say...

He had a figure built by God himself.

His costume was what caught me off guard the most. A tight spandex suit, the head and right arm being a silver colour that cut off diagonally across his chest. The rest of his suit was a deep blue with a symbol on the centre of his chest.

Pepsi.

The pepsiman was here.

Looking at the drink in my hand, I think I knew why.

"So..." His fist had already shattered my jaw right after those words left my mouth... holy shit. I...

I don't think I've ever been hit so hard before.

My ears are ringing, and my head is spinning. The urge to vomit was quickly rising in my throat, but I suppressed it.

Barely standing up, I looked back at the drink mascot with my one eye. And it would seem I'll need to use the visionary.

And with a snap of my fingers, the seal was unleashed. My brimming thoughts brought to reality.

"Let's take this somewhere else." As the man attempted to make a move, he lost his footing as the place around us was replaced with an extremely wide field of grass.

Very reminiscent of the Soul Kings inner world.

"Shall we?" The mascot rushed forward, muscles bulging underneath the suit as he charged. But before anything else could continue.

The world began to tilt. As if a plate in my hand, I tilted this world and watched as the horrifically powerful mascot punched his fists into the ground and started to climb upwards toward me.

No. Not a chance.

While he was affected by the world tilting, I was not. Unsheathing my blades, I yelled

"Unify, Nijū yōso!" My blades transformed into their red and blue forms as I crouched down, either blade held behind me. And with a quick use of hirenyaku, the distance had been closed and my blades were approaching the goliaths neck.

Yet... suddenly.

His arms were blocking my blades. But... how? And then I noticed, he was stood in the footholds he had previously punched into the ground.

Shit-

The well-built humanoid had planted his knee into my chest, causing what I could only assume were several internal fractures. But worse yet, the man had a firm grip on both of my arms, and no matter how much I imagined them being severed...

They wouldn't.

And so, space split, and zeroed in on one point. Space swallowed the man whole.

A black hole had been made.

Is it-

A can struck my head, several times faster than my own speed, i didn't even have to touch the point it hit to know it was gushing blood. That was when I saw it.

A hand gripping the outside of the black hole. That silver hand. How? How did the fuck was he still alive?!

Alright, well, fuck it. I really, really didn't want to resort to this.

But fine.

"I will quite simply erase you." And as if unaffected by the pull of the black hole, Pepsiman walked out, not a single scratch on him. But that was when my imagination took effect.

His hand was gone.

Silver particles clouded around it. And slowly, it started to travel up his arm.

But strangely...

He did not panic

He did not attack

He did not flinch

He only flexed.

And quickly, his hand returned even faster than it had disappeared.

What was i-

A can once again struck me, this time straight to the throat. And in that moment, I saw Pepsiman take a stance before I heard a high pitched voice yell

"Pepsiman!"

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It was over, the man was dead. And Pepsiman strolled as the world returned to normal.

Walking into the sunset.

Drink Pepsi kids

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Ah, expect more omakes. They're fun to write.