CHAPTER V: THE TRUTH

Living Room, Genji Clan Main House

"Woah, Ammar! Look at this!"

Ammar turned around and glanced at Camellia's pointing. He widened his lone eye as he glanced at the picture of a teenager Mikhail standing between two students. Camellia smiled and pointed out how different the Mikhail that they knew was because of the lack of smile and happiness in his eyes.

"I wonder who these two people are…" 

Camellia's soft whisper was heard by Ammar who felt that one of the students was so familiar to him. He was about to give the answer when Mizuki approached them. Judging from the bruises on her face, they concluded that Mikhail beat the living hell out of her last night.

"Those two are Mika's close friends. They were Amaris and Zuan."

"Amaris and Zuan? Were they really close to Miku back then?"

"Camy," Camellia glanced at her friend with an eye patch who stared at her and continued, "Amaris and Zuan are the two casualties of the battle between Mika and Daihachi."

Camellia widened her eyes in disbelief as Ammar explained that Amaris sacrificed herself first to shield Mikhail from the final blow that was meant for him. Her death triggered Mikhail who gained the upperhand and viciously attacked Daihachi, which temporarily subdued him. Unfortunately, the Demon King was too much for Mikhail who was at his mercy for the second time, prompting Zuan to sacrifice his life.

"From what I read and heard, Daihachi crushed Zuan's head with his own foot right in front of Mika's eyes. His death sparked the anger within Mika who found the strength to fight Daihachi once again and trapped him. Their battle ended when a massive explosion occurred from Daihachi's technique."

Mizuki smiled sadly and nodded her head. She then said, "They were the reasons why my brother had that smile. I often blame myself for not defending him 16 years ago which resulted in him being banished and his powers and memories were sealed."

Ammar and Camellia were shocked to learn that and wanted to know more, but the arrival of Mikhail and Shizuka caused them to push aside their desire. When they saw Mikhail's true appearance, they couldn't believe it and shed a tear.

"Please… Don't waste your tears on someone like me," Mikhail said with a small smile, making both of them run at him and give the young man a hug. "Woah! What's wrong? Okay, this is getting awkward. Okay, okay, calm down. I need to talk to you two in private. It's an urgent matter."

"Shall I wait outside?" Shizuka asked Mikhail, who told her that her presence is needed to discuss this matter. "What about Mizuki?"

Judging by his annoyed expression, he didn't want Mizuki's presence. Shizuka shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the couch as Mizuki gave a sad smile and excused herself, leaving the two students with the two former enemies.

"Listen… What I am going to tell you will change your lives and the blame is mine and mine only. So, please listen to what I'm going to say and only ask me once I'm done talking."

Seeing the seriousness of their friend's face, the two students nodded their heads and looked at Mikhail, prompting the young man to take a deep breath.

"You two… were branded with a deadly curse," Mikhail looked at them with a serious face. "The curse was placed within you two when Damia knocked both of you unconscious with her demonic energy. Her demonic energy overwrites your DNA, slowly transforming you two into a Demon."

"With my current knowledge, I have no idea how to stop it. But trust me, as long as I live, I will find a way to prevent you two from becoming a Demon," Mikhail said with a smile, assuring them that they'll be fine. 'After all, if what I saw was true, then I must prevent it.'

"Well, enough of that. I'm pretty sure you two have a lot of questions. Feel free to ask me and I will answer them."

Ammar and Camellia looked at one another, contemplating the first question and who should ask it. They glanced at the relaxed Mikhail whose hair was tied into a ponytail by Shizuka, much to her amusement. 

"Mika," Ammar called to him. "Who are you?"

"I was born with the name of Genji Mikazuki but I haven't used that name… for a very long time," Mikhail said with a small smile at Ammar. "A lot of people know me as Mikhail the Nameless Child. But the truth is that I am Genji Mikazuki, the son of Genji Mirza and Genji Mikayla. Younger brother to Genji Mizuki, the Wielder of Kamigan, and the Slayer of the Primordial Spirit."

"Why do you hide your identity?" The question came from Camellia since she always wanted to know why he hid his past and never once mentioned anything about his past. 

"I never wanted this kind of life, you know? I just wanted to live a peaceful and quiet life without carrying the burden of being the wielder of the divine eyes."

"Is that why you never even once mentioned your past to us?"

The young man nodded his head and said, "Eight years ago, I was an ordinary teenager with no memory of my past. All I remembered was that I was just a small boy wandering around a small village, scavenging trash to find anything that I could eat and sleeping on a piece of cardboard. I was found by an old man who took care of me, trained me, and others."

Shizuka, who heard about his past, looked down. Not because of shame but because of how sad Mikazuki's past life was. 

"After the old man passed away in his sleep right before my first day of high-school, I lived alone. I lived an ordinary life and befriended two people whose names I will never ever forget, Amaris and Zuan," Mikhail shed a single tear which he quickly wiped away. "Next question?"

"What's going to happen to us after this?"

Looking at Ammar, Mikhail thought about the answer for a moment. He was right. If he leaves them at the university, Damia will probably return and capture the two of them, especially Ammar who mysteriously injured her. If he chooses to let them stay with her, there will be a problem with the classes and assignments.

"If you two worry about your classes and assignments, Mizuki and I can handle those things. Perks of being part of the Royal Clans is that you have a great influence on not just the economy and military power, but also the entire world," Shizuka said to the two students, surprising them. "Besides, they won't really care much about you two since Genji's reappearance gained worldwide attention."

"You really have a big impact on the entire world, eh?" Ammar asked Mikhail, causing his best friend to laugh.

"Something like that. Anyways, I know you want to learn about the Royal Clans, Demons, and others. Maybe tomorrow I'll give you two a lesson about those topics. For now, just have plenty of rest, okay?"

Mikhail waved at the two of them then excused himself with Shizuka following him from behind. While walking to the exit, Mikhail stopped when he saw a small koi pond and had a minor flashback about his father when he was seven years old.

"Genji?"

Shizuka called him out, holding his hand gently as Mikhail took a deep breath and forced a smile to hide his sadness. Even though he put a smile on his face, Shizuka knew damn well that he's hiding a great sadness behind that smile.

"I'm fine, Shizuka. I'm fine. Let's get moving."

***

"My Queen, your daughter has arrived."

A young woman dressed in a white hōmongi kimono patterned with trees and black flowers could be seen kneeling down with her eyes fixed on the ground. Right before her was a vast pool and there was an impeccably beautiful, tall woman with a curvaceous figure. 

Her long wavy brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, and dark sunglasses shielded her eyes from the glare of the blazing sun above her. She lay back on a swim ring with a glass of wine in her left hand, her tall frame adorned with a sleek black bikini that accentuated her commanding presence.

This is Dayana, the mother to Damia and wife to Daihachi who was killed by Mikhail years ago. 

The woman gave a sharp nod and dismissed the young woman who was one of her personal servants. She released a heavy sigh as the sound of footsteps got louder, causing her to look in the direction and saw her daughter, Damia. 

Damia knelt down, her forehead touching the ground as if she's worshipping a God. She took a deep breath and said, "Mother."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't strip off your skin with my bare hands?" Dayana asked coldly with a hint of anger in her tone, frightening Damia. "Is it so hard to bring that useless dog to me?"

"He was assisted-"

Damia was unable to finish her words as she suddenly received a kick to her face by Dayana who'd stood before her with a soul-piercing gaze. The woman was so terrified that she didn't dare to make eye contact with her mother.

"No more excuses. Crow, bring me Rae. Tell her I have a mission for her that you failed," Dayana spoke to a crow that landed on her shoulder. "What a shame."

Leaving her bleeding and crying daughter, Dayana went to her chamber and grabbed a robe that was prepared by her personal servant. She dismissed the masked woman and entered her chamber. Closing the door, she approached a seemingly cracked, gigantic crystal with swords embedded into it that was hung to the ceiling by chains and gave a disgusted look. Inside the cracked crystal, a figure with missing hands and right leg could be seen.

"You had one job. Just one job and yet, you failed."

As soon as she said that, Dayana sat down on a throne made from numerous skulls. Crossing her legs, a masked woman with a wolf-cut pastel pink haircut that was dark at the tip appeared and knelt before her, drawing a smile as she rested her pretty face on her palm.

"Rae Elizabeth."

She lifted her head. Her pink eyes glanced at Dayana who removed her sunglasses, revealing her violet eyes. Gesturing to approach her, the woman with a sleeveless white qipao that had a black thin outline approached her.

"Sit." 

Dayana tapped her lap, causing the masked woman to sit on them and close her eyes when Dayana caressed her hair. She leaned closer and whispered, "My sweet beautiful girl. I have one job for you and I don't want you to fail me. Can you do that?"

"Yes, my Queen-"

Dayana grabbed Rae's face and forced the young woman with fishnet stockings and high-heel shoes to look at her. Rubbing the leather choker with a pink rose in the middle, Dayana asked, "What did I tell you before? Call me what?"

"Mother."

"Good girl. Now give me your forearms."

Rae pulled down the leather arm sleeves to her elbows, showing the complicated rose and winged snake tattoo-like marks on them. Stabbing Rae's skin with her claw-like nails, Dayana transferred a bit of her demonic energy into Rae who bit her lips behind her mask and groaned in pain.

"Use this power to bring him back to me. Do not kill him regardless of the circumstances. You have my permission to break all his bones and tear his limbs, but do not kill him. Understand?" Dayana coldly asked Rae. "Also, if he brings allies such as Shizuka, Mizuki, or Nishiki. Kill them first."

"Yes mother." 

Smiling at her loyal servant, Dayana gave a small kiss to Rae's forehead and whispered how proud she was as well as reminding her how evil Mikhail was and how he's responsible for the death of Rae's biological parents.

"Now, go make your mother proud."

Rae nodded her head and excused herself before disappearing into a whirlwind of rose petals, leaving a grinning sadistically Dayana who couldn't wait to see Mikhail.