Chapter 45 Siege

Riku stretched lazily just outside of the land of demons, in a small clearing in a forest, a crooked grin twisting his lips as Shiro fluttered around him, landing occasionally on his shoulder before flitting off again. Kristian stood opposite him, rolling his shoulders and clenching tightly onto his axe while gristle watched from the sidelines. Despite the bruises that still adorned his body, he stood steady, eyes unflinching.

"Alright," Riku said, flipping the stick he had retrieved from a nearby tree. It was about his height and uneven, but he twirled it like an extension of his arm. "You ready, Kristian? Don't hold back now."

Kristian smirked, though his expression carried a hint of skepticism. "You're really going to fight me with that twig?"

Riku shrugged. "A weapon's a weapon. Besides, it's not about the tool—it's about how you use it."

The magpie chirped as if in agreement, perching on a branch nearby to watch - Kristian rolled his eyes but tightened his grip on his axe.

"Okay," Kristian said. "Don't start crying when I split that stick in half."

Without any other warning, Kristian took another loud step forward, axe swung down in a great and powerful motion. Riku sidestepped easily and the wind from the strike ruffled his hair before he tapped the flat of the axe with his stick.

"Not bad," Riku said, his tone light and teasing. "But you're forcing your swings. Gotta keep the flow."

Kristian growled and swung again, this time horizontal. Riku ducked, his movements fluid and effortless, as though he'd been dodging strikes like this all his life. "Good follow-up, though," Riku added with a grin, dancing backward as Kristian pressed forward.

The sparring continued, Kristian's raw strength and aggression clashing with Riku's nimbleness and precision. Every time Kristian thought he had Riku cornered, the younger boy slipped away, redirecting strikes with his stick and offering playful critiques.

"You know," Riku said mid-dodge, "you're strong, Kristian. Crazy strong. But you're using too much power in every swing. Makes it predictable."

Kristian gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling. "Stop talking and fight!"

Riku grinned, "Yeesh, it's just a friendly spar, don't get yourself worked up over it."

As if in response, something in Kristian shifted.

One tic, his head snapped around,

Two tics, his head snapped around again, followed by a small amount of steam to eminate from Kristian's body.

And then the Third tic.

His breathing deepened, and a surge of energy coursed through him. His muscles seemed to ripple, veins bulging as his skin flushed red and his eyes went white. Without realizing it, Kristian had tapped into the 3rd Gate of Life, a wellspring of power unlocking within him.

Riku's eyes went wide as Kristian's next swing came in faster and harder than before. He barely managed to parry with his stick, the force of the blow snapping the wood in two and sending Riku skidding back.

"Whoa!" Riku exclaimed, tossing aside the broken stick. "Guess you've got more in the tank than I thought."

'He can open the inner gates?!'' Riku thought to himself,

Kristian said nothing, his eyes riveted to the energy emanating from the gate. His strikes blurred, forcing Riku to flicker back.

"Alright," Riku said, his grin returning as a white aura crackled to life around him. "If you're going all out, I guess I should amp it up a bit too."

Activating the White Spark Chakra Mode, Riku's body became cloaked in a brilliant white light, arcs of lightning dancing across his skin. The ground crackled beneath his feet as he met Kristian's next swing with a forearm block, the clash of strength sending a shockwave through the field.

"Now we should be fairly even," Riku said, his tone still teasing but his movements serious.

Kristian's axe hit the ground, and Riku threw away the useless stick. There was no need for weapons anymore. The boys attacked each other, and their fists shook the air with such power that it seemed the earth would shiver.

Kristian swung with brute strength, his fist aimed toward Riku's ribs, but Riku dodged the blow and hit Kristian's shoulder with a cross. Kristian grunted but didn't break down; with his now-accelerated speed, he clutched at Riku's arm, throwing him to the floor.

Riku twisted in mid-air, landing in a crouch and shooting forward in an instant, with a lighting-quick uppercut. Kristian blocked it with his forearm and countered with a wild haymaker that just barely missed as Riku hunched low and delivered two quick shots to Kristian's midsection.

The exchange was relentless, primal, neither holding back as they tested each other's limits. Riku's lightning-enhanced speed clashed with Kristian's explosive power, the field around them bearing the scars of their sparring.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Kristian collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. Kristian's red flush had begun to fade, and Riku's white aura flickered before disappearing entirely.

"That," Kristian said, between breaths, "was insane."

Riku chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "You can say that again. You've got some crazy strength, Kristian."

Kristian smirked, turning his head to glance at Riku. "Yeah, well. you're not so bad yourself."

Riku laughed, his chest heaving. 'There's no mistaking it… that was the 3rd gate, the gate of life!'

Shiro fluttered down, landing on Riku's head and chirping as if scolding him for pushing Kristian too far. Riku smiled and scratched the magpie's head. "Don't worry, Shiro. He should be fine. Just a little bruised, that's all."

Kristian rubbed the back of his neck, wincing as he felt a fresh bruise forming.

"You know," Riku said, breaking the silence, "I've read a lot about the body and chakra. What you just did back there... opening one of the Inner Gates without any formal training? That's insane."

Kristian frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line. "What are you talking about?"

Riku tilted his head, studying Kristian with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. "The Inner Gates. You've got these chakra points in your body that limit your strength and speed to keep you from destroying yourself. Unlocking them is supposed to take years of intense training. It's not something that just happens."

Kristian grunted, clearly unimpressed. "Well, I didn't train for it, It just... happens sometimes in battle."

Riku's eyebrows shot up. "Wait. What do you mean, just happens? Like, when?"

Kristian shifted uncomfortably, gripping the haft of his axe as they walked. "I don't know. Whenever my head tics, maybe? It's hard to explain. It's like... something snaps inside me, and then I get faster, stronger. But I don't know how or why."

Riku frowned, deep in thought. "Your tics, huh? Like that thing you do when you jerk your head to the side?"

Kristian shot him a sharp look. "Yeah, And? don't make fun of it."

Riku held up his hands in mock surrender, a small smile on his face. "I'm not making fun of it. I'm just trying to figure this out If your tics trigger the gates... that's wild. You're basically tapping into crazy levels of power without even meaning to."

Kristian sighed, running a hand through his long coiled black hair. "It's not like I'm trying to be special or anything. It just happens, okay? And honestly, I don't even like it. Makes me feel out of control, like I'm just waiting to snap."

Riku nodded slowly, his expression more serious now. "That makes sense. The Gates aren't exactly gentle on the body. You're lucky you don't get hurt every time it happens."

Kristian didn't respond right away, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Yeah, well... I don't feel lucky, It's not like I asked for any of this."

Riku studied him for a moment, noting the tension in his jaw and the way his hands clenched and unclenched around the axe handle. "You ever try to control it? You know, figure out how it works so it doesn't just hit you out of nowhere?"

Kristian shook his head. "No. I've been a little busy trying not to die out here, in case you hadn't noticed."

Riku chuckled softly. "Fair point. Still, it's something to think about. If you could figure out how to use it without waiting for a tic, you'd be even stronger."

Kristian snorted, though there was a hint of a smile on his face. "You're really obsessed with this chakra stuff, aren't you?"

Riku shrugged, grinning. "Can't help it, It's fascinating. Besides, if I had your natural talent on top of my skills, I'd be unstoppable."

Kristian rolled his eyes, but his smirk widened. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get any ideas."

Riku sighed, "Okay well, now that I've got a good look at where you're at, I'll teach you how to use chakra."

…

…

About a month later, the day of Kuroma's arrival.

During this time, Chiyo and Jiraiya got close with Shion and Miroku and hadn't seen Riku nor Kristian in a month.

Riku and Kristian however, had both been getting stronger. And Riku had even given a very special gift to Kristian, something he usually would've never have done, but he felt a kinship with the guy.

However…

Seated cross-legged on a flat rock, far inside the darkened expanse of an abandoned temple at the edges of the Land of Demons, Kuroma let the flickering amusements dance within the depths of his crimson eyes as Yomi materialized from the gloom; the chief of Mōryō's adherents seemed to represent two different extremes-the cold and calculating rippled beneath his silent skin, while the twisted features of Yomi continuously jumped in restless ferment and eyes alight with religio-ecstatic brightness.

Yomi wasted no time, his voice low as a growl. "You've done well to find me, Kuroma. Few have the courage to seek out the Demon's Chosen."

Kuroma smirked, his confidence unwavering. "You don't give me enough credit, Yomi. I have faced challenges far greater than this. And besides, we have mutual interests."

Yomi's brow furrowed, though he gestured for Kuroma to continue.

Kuroma leaned forward, his voice steady and calculating. "I have a plan to awaken the Earth Genryū—the final piece in my puzzle. Its power, combined with the others, will make me unstoppable. But for that, I'll need your help."

Yomi's eyes narrowed, suspicious but intrigued. "Awaken the Earth Genryū? Hmph. And what would you do with such power?"

Kuroma chuckled darkly. "Does it matter? The Genryū are beyond any one individual's control-what I aim for is their unity, to harness the raw chaos they represent. I will be a force of nature, unchallenged by mortals or gods.

Yomi crossed his arms, pacing slowly around Kuroma. "An ambitious plan. But I wonder. how does it serve *me*? Mōryō's resurrection is my priority, Kuroma. His body is within my grasp, but his spirit remains sealed in the tomb of the Priestess. Without reuniting them, our goal to end Miroku's line remains incomplete."

Kuroma tilted his head, his crimson eyes gleaming with mock sympathy. "Ah, yes. The ever-elusive Priestess of the Land of Demons. A thorn in your side, I'm sure."

Yomi's voice now turned sharp: "She is more than that. Just so long as her line continues, Mōryō's power cannot fully manifest. To kill her—and her daughter—would be to end their cursed reign over us. But I need access to that tomb to free his spirit. Only then can we bring about true destruction.

Kuroma leaned back, considering the words of Yomi. Then, a smile played across his face, an impish glint in his eye. "If I help you reunite Mōryō's body and soul, we could destroy the Priestess together. In exchange, you provide the resources and manpower I need to awaken the Earth Genryū."

Yomi ceased pacing, his eyes boring into the air. "And what guarantee do I have that you won't betray me once you've achieved your goals?"

Kuroma's smirk widened, a thin line of amusement playing on his lips. "You don't. But consider this—your plans are futile without me. The tomb is heavily protected, and you've already failed once to breach it. My power, combined with Mōryō's, would be enough to tear it apart. Together, we'll make history."

Yomi hesitated, his fanatical mind weighing the risks. "Very well," he said at last, his voice low and dangerous. "But remember this, Kuroma: Mōryō is the ultimate power, not your Genryū. You may think yourself above us, but you'll fall as easily as the Priestess if you overstep."

Kuroma rose from the rock, calm in posture but with a threat underneath. "Noted, Yomi. Let us prepare. With the resurrection of Earth Genryū and Mōryō, this will be a different landscape altogether. The world shall have no idea what has hit them."

The mist clung to the air like a suffocating blanket, curling around the stone path leading to the shrine. The faint hum of dark chakra reverberated through the trees, signaling the arrival of an unstoppable force. Yomi led his enhanced subordinates with an air of sinister confidence, his figure silhouetted by the faint glow of the chakra pulsing through their distorted veins. Each soldier moved with unnatural speed and power, their grotesque forms the result of Yomi's dark medical jutsu. Kuroma walked beside him, his expression unreadable. The Genryū stirred within him, their power humming like a storm beneath his skin. With a wave of his hand, the Flame Genryū materialized above the advancing army, its immense, fiery body radiating heat that singed the surrounding foliage. It let out a roar, shaking the ground beneath their feet, and unleashed a blast of molten fire at the shrine's protective barrier.

The energy shield flickered and groaned under the attack, but it held-for now.

"Fabulous," Yomi remarked, his voice wetting with ambition. "As it seems, the power of a Genryū really exists. Along with Mōryō, there should be nothing that would try to stand in our way."

Kuroma had no reply. His gaze fastened on the shrine while the Water Genryū slithered into the mist, its translucent form bleaching into the fog seamlessly. A heartbeat later, there was screaming from the defenders where a wave of crushing water swept through their lines in an instant, drowning every last one of them in water.

---

The outer walls of the shrine shook under the pummeling of Mōryō's stone golems. These gigantic constructs, animated by the will of the dormant demon, were virtually indestructible. The defenders cut and thrust with their swords and spears and shot jutsu at them, but the stone behemoths merely had shallow scratches to show for it.

Within the shrine, Miroku, the priestess, stood resolute in the face of the encroaching chaos. Her daughter Shion clung to her arm, her wide lavender eyes glistening with fear.

"They'll breach the shrine soon," Jiraiya said grimly, glancing at the flickering barrier. "We're running out of time."

Chiyo stood close, her knuckles white where they clutched the edge of her cloak. Her face was pale, but her eyes shone with resolution. "What do we do?"

Miroku turned to Jiraiya. "The shrine holds not only my life but also the seal keeping Mōryō's spirit at bay. If they break through—"

"They won't," Jiraiya interrupted. "We'll hold them off."

He strode forward, casual and serious-minded at the same time. "Chiyo, be with mother and your sister. Take care of their protection. Whatever steps into the courtyard now is for me.

The final assault began with a deafening crack as the shrine's barrier shattered under the combined onslaught of the Flame and Storm Genryū. Lightning rained down from the storm dragon, striking defenders and walls alike, while the fiery dragon incinerated anyone foolish enough to approach. The stone golems surged forward, crushing the last of the shrine's outer defenses.

Kuroma stepped over the remains of the broken barrier, his eyes set on the central chamber. "The tomb lies within," he said to Yomi. "Secure Mōryō's spirit. Leave the priestess to me."

Yomi smirked, his dark chakra flared as he called upon more of his twisted subordinates. "Agreed. The body and soul of Mōryō will be one again. The priestess will not escape her fate."

The way into the inner sanctum now open, Kuroma and Yomi plunged into the heart of the shrine with their combined forces. Their triumph seemed inevitable, their dark ambitions mere moments from fulfillment.