Chapter 21: Necessary Violence

"What do you mean?"

Kiyoto asked inquisitively.

"Oh you see, I am a man who can't just let go of a past event. Like I'm chained up with it and it hurts me a lot."

Juzo then raises his hands at the level of his chest and looks at it like he's reminiscing about something.

"-but this pain. This pain is what keeps me on going! I should have no reason to live on anymore, but whenever this pain strikes me, I feel my hatred getting fueled up! It makes me violent! It makes me want to live! That is the representation of these chains that are bound to me, even if I take my mask off!"

Kiyoto was shocked about this revelation. This man was a real menace, living only by means of violence.

If there's one thing that Kiyoto learned that Juzo made him fully realize, is that beating him here won't stop him. It won't make any difference, he will still be the man he always is, because if not, then his reason to live will vanish. Kiyoto has to make a decision.

Though another thing came to his mind. That is the pain that Juzo is talking about. Was it the effect of his mask, or something entirely else? As if he is getting poisoned mentally.

— — —

"So you're Orochi. Should've expected this kind of retaliation after my late Lord puts you in your place. Though I should say, even with the disbandment of Kaihō, you still persist in usurping Rulership, Rivet.

Rivet, the Pernicious. Like old man Tokisada, she was one of the remnants of a once feared organization, Kaihō-sha. His nemesis back in the day was Akimitsu, who struck her down due to her cunning nature that caused several communities to fall.

One can say that she is indeed evil in nature and has a plan of her own despite being a member of the neutral group of Kaihō.

"Hmm, I don't remember you. Though to be honest, Akimitsu is the only one I bothered to remember. So if you're telling me that you're his previous subject, that means you're one of my responsibilities."

Rivet takes a quick glance at Prelati who has her mask equipped. She then returned her gaze towards Gwyn.

Gwyn shook his head.

"For you to utter a word such as responsibility makes me upset, truly. It's as if you have just discovered the word and said it without knowing its true meaning."

Rivet laughs. As she swayed her hand, a couple of little snakes crawled out of her sleeves. It can also be seen that she is not yet wearing a mask.

"I'm curious though, what makes you stay in this organization despite the fall of power. Don't you think we didn't notice that the previous [Swords] are a lot stronger before unlike what it is now. Looks like the Rule of Fervor really did end with Akimitsu."

"It ended with my late Lord?"

Gwyn laughed. It was noticeably sarcastic, yet he can't stop himself from doing so. After a while, he stopped and cleared his throat.

"I would agree that he ended it after a certain incident. But the Flames of Fervor shines bright once again after getting yet another rightful owner. It also had become brighter than usual. If only you knew the story, but what a shame."

Gwyn takes out his mask. Normally, he wouldn't need it to take out some goons, but of course, the woman in front of him is none other than the Head that they need to cut, the Leader of the [Scythes].

The mask denotes the head of an enormous Gray Wolf. It has two fangs originating from both ends of its mouth, and the sides are covered by fur.

"Raring to go are you."

Rivet covered her face with both of her hands. What appeared after she removed it was a mask that denotes a great white serpent, extending its fangs unto the neck.

"The wolf and the serpent. Let's see who's the better hunter." Rivet announces as she prepares for battle.

— — —

"Wow! You're really determined to get me, though I'm really sorry but I have a different preference-"

Another gust of wind interrupted Fudo as she evaded it by a hair's breadth. "And you're no gentleman! How can you get a woman with an attitude like that!" Fudo keeps on pestering the lovely butler Heinrich.

"Shut up! I'm a man of devotion, solely focused on getting rid of my Lord's enem– guwaaah" Heinrich seemed to be getting interrupted by something.

"I'm in range! Fudo, go now!" It was Chizue, who just gave Fudo a heads up.

"Nice, Chi-chan!" Fudo then rushed through. She has quite a distance towards Heinrich but it was no problem for her as she is the most athletic of the group. Her movements are one with the wind.

"Ahh! Such rudeness, interfering in a one on one battle!" Heinrich then ceaselessly waves his hands towards the direction where he last heard of Chizue.

"!!!"

Chizue got hit by a random gust causing her to fall down, but not sustaining any serious damage.

"Oh no!" Fudo spun one of her cudgel and threw it towards Heinrich like it was a boomerang.

Bam!

"Gwryyy!" It hits Heinrich's injured arm causing him to let out a mild screech. Afterwards, Fudo launched herself as she's already within reach.

Though as soon as she came face to face with him, Heinrich was already aiming his hand forward.

As the wind started to form, Fudo once again threw the one cudgel in her hands and hit Heinrich's mask.

"Oof!"

As the cudgel bounces back, Fudo grabs it and- "To make it up for you, I'm going to knock you down with just one hit!" -she striked Heinrich in his stomach with the edge of the cudgel.

"Bwah! Th-this can't be…." Heinrich knelt down and finally collapses to the ground.

Fudo sits down and leans her back against a wall while the battle is still on-going. She then takes off her mask and inhales a lot of air, releasing it afterwards. "Hooooh."

After witnessing the conclusion of Fudo's battle, Chizue continued to assist the other members as they continued their fight, which will then end soon.

— — —

"You do realize it right Kiyoto? Even if you win here, I won't stop being myself. That is unless I got rid of these chains completely…or if you have the means to put me down for good."

Kiyoto clenched his fist. Not even starting the fight, he was already tired about thinking of what comes next. But then he remembered what he talked about with Commander Gwyn back then.

Sometimes, there will always be…a necessary violence. A time for such a decision will come, and someone must carry the burden. And that burden…I will not let Akafuyu carry it. This thought resolved his mind.

Kiyoto puts his hands up and seemingly ready to fight with everything on the line. Juzo in turn realized that Kiyoto already had an answer, which made him angrier…since he, himself, does not know what he really is seeking. To live, or to die.

An angrier Juzo, means more powerful chains. He grinned as he always does. The chains engraved in his whole body began to move. Juzo then gave out a powerful warcry.

"HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

"LET'S FIGHT TO THE DEATH, MY ADVERSARY!"