#17: Game of Tigers

After leaving Yuzuru and Amawaka Manor behind. Seigen, Yukari, and Ren arrive at the harbor.

There are three boats docking on the harbor. Looking at the three boats Seigen felt relieved, just a little, and they can get out from the island his Amawaka family live and importantly where Ritsu headquarter is.

Seigen look back behind him where Yukari and Ren following him behind.

"?!"

Behind them, Seigen saw a twinkling light, his expression is akin to someone who is shot behind by a sniper, but the shot is missed killing him, and put him on the agonizing pain.

"Do-!!!" Shout Seigen

Before Seigen complete his word, Ren hastily grab Yukari hand and pull her and himself to the ground, "Kya!!" And successfully dodging the attack.

The attack miss and pierce the ground instead, the impact leaving a small crater and also grazed Seigen's right tight.

"Ren-chan what are you-" Yukari stop speaking, she saw Ren's face covered in cold sweats.

After that Ren wipe his sweats on his face and didn't say anything, he looks back behind him.

Yukari who confused about Ren's behavior also look behind.

A middle age man is walking leisurely, dragging a woman figure by grabbing her hair.

Yukari's eyes widened, she covered her mouth with her hand, and cold sweats gradually formed on her cheek.

The figure of the woman is Yuzuru. Like Ren before, she was covered in cut wounds and blood, but her condition is more severe than Ren, and they all realized that Yuzuru's not moving at all.

A fearful though enter their minds, and all of them involuntary thinking that Yuzuru is probably dead.

"Shigen... Amawaka" whisper Ren.

Shigen then threw Yuzuru aside like some garbage.

Pain runs through her, Yuzuru, she finally regains consciousness. She lifts her head.

Slowly she opens her eye, her vision is blurry like a mirage, but amidst the mirage, the figure of Seigen is clearly perceivable by her.

With bated breath, and tears run down from her eye, "I'm sorry... Seigen-sama", she apologizes.

The blurry image gradually dyed by the darkness, and so her role ended, as her vision gradually blackened.

She though if it for Seigen, even it'll result in her death, she can accept it.

Seigen-sama

STOMP

"Aaarggghhh!!!"

Just when she finally had her rest, Shigen forcefully wake her up by stomping at her open wound.

His heel dig into her wound, and he slowly and gently rotate his, as if he was cleaning his feet.

"Aaaaaaa!!!"

Yuzuru agonizing scream echoes through the harbor.

As her voice finally died down, the night sky as pitying her begin pouring beads of water to ease her pain.

Shigen who looks at her figure, mused in contempt "Damn dog!", mocking her, as he stomps her again.

"You damn bastard!!" Shout Seigen, as his enchanted weapon appear.

Veins bulging, pupil dilated, as he clenches his teeth, father or not he must stop and give him a beating.

Seigen then look back, "Ren, protect Yukari, and... if you could, I need your help to save Yuzuru"

Ren nod at Seigen's request "What's the plan?"

"Simple, I'll drag his attention and beat the daylight of him, while you retrieve Yuzuru" say Seigen trying to hold back his rage.

Ren narrowed his eyes, "Can you do it?" Say Ren a bit skeptical.

Seigen didn't answer his question and runs hastily toward Shigen.

The clash between father and son had begun.

The shockwaves and winds they create from their clash can be felt to where Ren and Yukari is standing.

Ren's eyes widened, and goosebumps runs through his body. Watching their battle is like watching a masterpiece show that directed and played by top Hollywood actors. That is how intense and eye catching their battle is.

But watching them also give Ren an awful feeling, like his gut's filled with rotten foods, he wants to puke but can't, his eyes still plastered by their amazing performance.

Ren clenched his hand, frustated.

Damn it!

Ren shakes his head, and look at Yuzuru who's in pain.

Thanks to Seigen, he manages to drag Shigen and himself away from Yuzuru. So Ren can easily retrieve her.

"Abira, Unken, Sowaka" After he retrieved Yuzuru, Ren pull a talisman and repeatedly chanting The Buddhist mantra.

Yukari who also wanted to help, rip the hem of her clothes, and start to wipe off the blood on her.

Meanwhile,

Seigen and Shigen still battling each other.

"You stupid useless son! I didn't raise you to save a bunch of strangers" scoff Shigen.

"Don't joke with me! I don't remember raised by you!" Scoff Seigen back, as he unleashed his technique, "Kozan, Kagutsuchi (Tiger release, Kagutsuchi)!!"

"Tch!" Shigen swing his hand, releasing crescent-shaped cuts like the moon.

BOOM!

The attacks collide, creating a shockwave and also dust.

Before the dust dissipate, Seigen lunge forward and attack Shigen, just like what Ren do against him before.

Alas, his attack was blocked.

Like thunder s trucking him, Seigen realized that the talons on his father's other hand is missing.

"Tobitsume (Flying Claws)"

When Seigen realized, 5 claws already pierce him. On his righ shoulder, left knee and tight, on his left bicep, lastly on his back in the postion that aim for his heart.

"Kuhakk" a handful of blood spit out from his mouth.

Just like marrionet show, the claws pulled from his body, back to Shigen's black gauntlet.

Seigen fall to his knee, Shigen who watches him sneer at him in disgust, "It's too early for you to face the leader of Ritsu".

"Not yet!" Seigen rise, rejecting his defeat.

"Foolish"

Shigen then unleash a flurry of slash attack from his talons. Seigen who's wounded from Tobitsume, can only defend.

Like Ren, Like Yuzuru, Seigen's body is covered in cut wounds. His breath has become rugged, his blood spilled from the wound making Seigen anemic.

His body become weak and listless, but he reassures himself, that he can still fight.

Shigen try to pierce him, with the leftover energy Seigen dodge him, but not unscathed.

Blood gushed from his neck. Albeit not deep, Shigen manage to wound him again.

Seigen's vision gradually become blurry, he had lost so much blood. His condition is even more severe than Ren and Yuzuru.

Again. He falls.

"Hmph! You're a fool who's beyond saving. Trying to protect the sibling whom their brother you killed" scorn Shigen.

Like looking at trash Shigen remind him again, "Remember what I told you before? If you don't want to I'll just order someone else"

"Stay there. And watch me kill both of them" mock Shigen, but as he turned back suddenly an enchanted seal with lotus symbol appear.

Gradually several seals appear and completely surround him.

Both Seigen and Shigen surprised by the spell. Unlike Shigen who's still surprised, Seigen let out a small smirk.

Truly...

Shigen then move his gaze toward Ren. He saw that Yuzuru albeit still weak, her wounds completely healed and can stand up again.

"By means of the great weapon, Indestructible primordial wakeful awareness, May the void life-force of samsara and nirvana both be severed, at once!"

But the important thing is that an enchanted seal which is much bigger than the seals surrounding him is in front of the kid he belittled.

"Honoikazuchi (Fire-Thunder)!"

Ren launch a burst of blue energy to the seal in front of him. The energy transferred to another enchanted seals, unleashing a barrage of blast toward Shigen.

BOOM!

The blast hit him, creating an explosion upon impact.

"Is it over...?" Ask Yuzuru.

"No" reply Ren, shaking his head.

The explosive impact creates a dense dust that obscure Shigen's figure.

Gradually the dust disappear, much to Yuzuru surprised there's a cube shape barrier surrounding him, and within it Shigen Amawaka stood unscathed.

"No way... how?" surprised her.

"He's just... that... st...rong" say Ren before he lost consciousness, and before he fell to the ground Yuzuru grab him.

Ren's enchanted power is depleted, his gauntlets Kuroboshi (Black Star) is disappeared like glittering dust.

This night he already uses his enchanted power for fighting Seigen, after that he use his remaining enchanted power for creating explosive spell, healing Yuzuru and himself, it is unfortunate that with the remaining power he can't finish Shigen.

The cube barrier disappears, Shigen look at the unconscious Ren and Yuzuru who held him.

Veins appear on his forehead, he clenches his teeth, enrage.

"Damn brat... I should've killed you!!!"