Chapter 26: Aoki's Gift

The young man with the horse-like face lay dead on the dojo floor, his neck snapped, the life choked out of him. Aoki stood over the body, his expression a mix of surprise and grim acceptance.

These men were seasoned martial artists, each with formidable strength. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility for one of them to have inadvertently caused such a fatal injury amidst the chaos of their struggle. But even so, the coincidence was startling.

Keisuke Akiyama's shock was palpable as he surveyed the scene. The development of events had spiraled far beyond anything he could have anticipated from the outset.

It's over!

What was meant to be a straightforward training session had escalated into a catastrophe that none of them had foreseen.

He had expected that Junior Brother Aomura might be the one to bear the brunt of the situation. Yet, here they were, with the tables turned so dramatically. Even in his final moments, Fujita Shigeyoshi could never have predicted that Junior Brother Aomura's reaction would be so overwhelmingly fierce.

Did he regret it in those last fleeting seconds?

Keisuke Akiyama's emotions were a turbulent storm. What was supposed to be a routine exercise had devolved into a nightmarish tragedy. Their dojo was partly to blame for letting it reach this point.

Regardless, they couldn't let the situation deteriorate any further.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Akiyama stepped forward and addressed Aoki, his voice carrying a note of urgency. "Junior Brother, Fujita Shigeyoshi is dead, and the one who caused it has paid with his life. The others here, though complicit, do not deserve death. Spare them, I beg you!"

Aoki turned his gaze to Akiyama.

The instinctive step back that Akiyama took didn't go unnoticed, and he flushed with embarrassment when he realized it.

"Besides," Akiyama continued, fighting to regain his composure, "Fujita Shigeiyu wronged you first. Killing him could be seen as an act of self-defense, to some extent. But if you go further, there will be no path for redemption. You'll lose any chance to make things right!"

Aoki's voice was calm, almost serene. "Don't worry, Senior Brother. I never intended to kill them. I'm not a murderer by nature."

Fujita Shigeyoshi was dead, and those directly responsible had met their end. The remaining participants in this grim episode would carry the weight of this day for the rest of their lives.

For Aoki, this was a satisfactory conclusion.

While he had taken lives before—more than he cared to count—this wasn't a case of random slaughter.

As Aoki's words sank in, a collective sigh of relief rippled through the onlookers. Some even began to sob quietly, their emotions finally finding release.

"Thank you, Junior Brother," Akiyama exhaled deeply, his relief almost palpable.

Aoki glanced back toward the dojo, his expression resolute. "Senior Brother, it's time for me to leave."

"Are you leaving now?" Akiyama's surprise was evident.

Aoki nodded.

Fujita Shigeyoshi and his men were merely a symptom of a much larger issue. The real threat loomed in the shadows, in the form of the Yehime Society's dark machinations. Aoki had managed to dismantle their operations, but the true fallout was just beginning. Staying here would only invite more trouble to his doorstep.

With the combat system established, the funds secured, and the once hopeless disappearance case resolved, albeit not exactly as he had envisioned, his objectives were met.

So why not leave?

Akiyama, seeing the determination in Aoki's eyes, sighed with a bitter smile. "Very well. I won't try to stop you."

As if suddenly remembering something, Akiyama quickly added, "By the way, Miss kanroji was looking for you today. I told her to inform you not to return to the dojo if she saw you. She's been searching for you all day. Perhaps you should say goodbye before you leave."

Aoki nodded slightly, showing his appreciation. "I understand. Thank you for everything, Senior Brother. I've prepared a small gift for you."

Akiyama was taken aback, "A gift?"

Aoki didn't explain further, offering only a slight smile before disappearing into the shadows.

Akiyama stood there, staring at the spot where Aoki had just been, the weight of his departure heavy in the air. He sighed softly, "Junior Brother Aomura is truly no ordinary man."

The silence was soon shattered by the sound of rapid footsteps approaching.

"Keisuke, is Aomura back? What's the situation like..."

Mizuno Kengo emerged from the dojo, his face pale with worry. He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in horror as he took in the blood and the body lying on the ground.

"Dead... they're dead?"

"Master!" Akiyama hurried towards him, trying to offer some semblance of reassurance.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Mizuno Kengo asked, "Keisuke, what happened here?"

Akiyama briefly recounted the events that had unfolded with stark clarity.

Mizuno's expression shifted from shock to contemplation as he listened. After a long, tense silence, he finally spoke.

"And Aomura?"

"Junior Brother Aomura left immediately," Akiyama replied.

Mizuno nodded slightly, a faint hint of relief crossing his features. "That's for the best, for both him and us."

Akiyama's face grew serious as he thought about the consequences. "Master, we're going to have trouble dealing with the aftermath of this."

With two police officers injured and two men dead, one of whom was a member of the influential Fujita family, it was undeniably a grave situation. Especially since the perpetrator was from their dojo.

Yet, Mizuno's calmness seemed almost serene.

"Keisuke, I've been contemplating something for a while now, and this incident might be the catalyst we needed."

Akiyama appeared to understand, a shadow of sorrow in his eyes. "Master..."

Mizuno raised a hand, silencing him gently. "Lately, I've felt my strength waning. I'm not sure how much longer I can continue to serve as dojo master. Keisuke, you've mastered the essence of Aoki-ryu. I'm considering..."

He paused abruptly as the sound of hurried footsteps once again filled the air, drawing closer.

Mizuno and Akiyama turned to face the approaching figure.

A shadow emerged from the darkness, clothed in formal attire, and threw herself into Mizuno's arms, crying out, "Father!"

Her voice was a poignant mix of relief, fear, and overwhelming joy.

Mizuno froze, unable to comprehend what was happening. After a long, stunned moment, he slowly lifted his trembling hand, hovering it above her shoulder, too afraid to touch, lest she vanish like a mirage.

He had dreamt of this moment countless times, each time waking just as he reached out to embrace her.

Even if this were a dream, he wanted to hold onto it for a while longer.

Akiyama, equally stunned, stared at the girl clinging to his master. Even without seeing her face, he recognized her instantly. This was the person he dreamed of every night, the one he thought he'd lost forever.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he whispered, "T-taeko, is it really you?"

The girl turned and rushed into Akiyama's arms, crying, "keisuke! I finally found you!"

As she left his embrace, Mizuno Kengo finally came to his senses. This wasn't a dream. This was real. Taeko was truly back.

Tears streamed down his face as he reached out, pulling his daughter and disciple into a tight, heartfelt embrace.

The three of them stood there, holding each other, crying tears of relief and joy, finding solace in the shared warmth of their reunion.

The night air, once heavy with tension and fear, was now filled with the sounds of their cries, a testament to the bonds that had brought them together and the hope that had been rekindled.

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T/N: There is a patreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 15 chapters.

Patreon link:- patreon.com/ANelite

And also give me some power stones!!

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