Beginnings and Ends (5)

Kodak walks out of his house carrying multiple cardboard boxes filled with text written by what seems to be a marker.

The boxes read.

"Family relics and other important things, clothes and bedding, hygienic products, video games and junk."

Kodak sets the boxes down in a small moving van and returns to the house, It's clean and empty.

He then sees something that catches his eye, a portrait of his family with every other martial artist in Seoul.

"This photo was taken 8 years ago, I was only 9 years old. Time does fly, I guess."

Kodak then looks up in the sky; what he saw was completely unexpected.

Clouds taking the form of his late mother and sister. Kodak smiles and thinks to himself for a moment.

"I'll do whatever it takes to avenge you guys. But until that day comes... please be patient, For I will make me pay for what he did to you and especially Akuma!"

Kodak then remembered the torn shirt and marks of struggle on his sister's body. His hands clenched tightly, and he felt that energy coursing again. Suddenly, a voice called his name, but it was different from before. It was soothing, and the simple words this masculine voice spoke were calming. He had the confidence to back it up.

"Calm down Kodak Kawanari, or do you wanna dismiss your father's teachings?"

Kodak then immediately remembers what Shiro, his father taught him.

"Now remember Son, our martial arts are highly dangerous to use on normal people. So use these 3 rules never to lose control.

1: Never lose control of your emotions, nor push them away. Instead, use them to your advantage.

2: Use your advantages without resorting to our martial arts.

3: Keep not only your body in peak shape but your mind and soul as well.

The memory ends and Kodak looks up back at the clouds.

"I hope you are safe Dad."

Kodak then turns around, away from his former home, and gets in the moving van, driving to Ashiro's house.

He drives down the neighborhood before briefly meeting Ashiro accompanied by the rest of the Tensai.

Kodak hops out of the van, Ashiro walks up sticks out his hand, and welcomes Kodak.

"Sorry for your losses Kodak. I hope you enjoy your new home though."

Kodak smirks and shakes his hand, Satsujin and Aiya then grab his attention.

She looks at Kodak and her expression shows a deep sadness for him.

"Thank you for staying with us Kodak-san. I hope it's enough to your liking."

Nao then hugged Kodak, which caught him off guard a bit. Sniffles of sobbing accompanied her childlike hug.

"H-hey, it's okay Nao-San."

She stops crying for a moment surprised by Kodak's politeness.

"Thanks Kodak-San."

Ashiro chuckles and then starts helping Kodak move luggage to his room.

He looked around at his new room. It was pretty spacey and clean, with a bathroom to the left. His bedroom style was Japandi, with a full-sized bed and a desk on the right side of the room.

Kodak then starts unpacking, putting a couple of posters showing off a few martial artists and even a j-rock band that Kodak regularly listened to. He then moved all his showering items and hygienic products into the bathroom. The bathroom had one shower head and a decently sized bathtub. Kodak then goes outside to get one more box with all his clothes and family relics.

A sword then gets put on a stand, the style of the blade was similar to the Geom, But had more thickness to the blade and was a bit bigger as well, and it also had a name, "Nagomi". The concept of Nagomi extends into personal wellness and mindfulness, offering a pathway to inner peace and balance. It's about creating harmony between the mind, body, and spirit, an essential aspect of overall well-being, This alone was the reason for making the battle arts of the Kawanari family.

The blade was in perfect condition despite being used over 1,000 years ago. It was like something beyond this world was strengthening and bonding it to the Kawanari descendants.

Kodak then held the blade, it had a perfect feel to it in terms of weight and structure. The materials used for the metal down the handle of this seemingly perfect Geom-styled blade. Its shade of blue was a dark sapphire with streaks of black complimenting it well. An ocean if you may.

Kodak then takes out two other relics of the Kawanari family. An outfit that only the head and leader of the Kawanari family could wear, It was black with accents of dark purple and had a name on the back. 長, its meaning was simplistic but fitting, It was simply beautiful in Kodak's eyes.

He then unboxed the newest and most important relic, which meant much to him. The paper his sister had written to him was framed by a 12-inch by 16-inch portrait.

Kodak then puts the paper on the desk next to a couple of family photos of his sister, mother, and father.

Satsujin then knocks on the door & Kodak opens it.

"Oh hey, Jin-San."

Kodak's voice still reeked of sadness. Satsujin sensed this and hugged Kodak.

He looked at Kodak and smiled. Although his appearance wasn't his father's, it was just as kind as his.

Kodak smiles happily and asks Satsujin a question.

"Do you have a training room downstairs by any chance?"

Satsujin smirks.

"I'm not a slacker if that's what you're thinking Kodak."

Satsujin then touches a button in Kodak's closet, the walls slide open with the sounds of mechanical twisting and turning.

The closet then shows a spiraling staircase leading down even further.

Kodak and Satsujin begin to walk down the steps, The walls go from the cozy to that of an underground base.

"Jin-San, this place is amazing. Does Ashiro know about this?"

Kodak asks, stunned that a house like this could have something vastly different.

"Why of course he knows. I trained him along with the other members of the Tensai family."

Kodak continues looking around the massive training room. It stretched out to be double the size of the house above the two of them.

It had a wall of various firearms, blades, and other weapons used for fighting.

Satsujin then places a hand on Kodak's shoulder.

"Why was I given the name Satsujin?"

Kodak looks at him and begins to ponder a little bit before shortly giving him an answer.

"Satsujin, a name that means murder, is often used to describe a bloodthirsty murderer or homicidal maniac. What the hell are you telling me."

Kodak then turns around sweep kicks Satsujin's legs and performs a lethal grapple around him.

"You are perceptive and don't even let your guard down despite living in a home where you're promised a nice loving family. Shiro taught you well regarding keeping your emotions in check and staying focused, but I'll teach you how to kill those who are a threat to you."

Satsujin then powers through the grapple and flips Kodak on his back, pointing a blade towards his neck.

As Kodak was flipped on his back he thought to himself.

"How is he this strong?! Even Dad couldn't use this much raw power!"

Kodak looks behind and sees that Satsujin is keeping a dead look at him.

"Make your next move, just know my training has no room for mistakes."

Satsujin said in a tone that made Kodak's body shake and move in ways he didn't know he could do.

Kodak then dislocates his shoulders and slips away from Satsujin's strength.

"You underestimate me Jin-, No Satsujin. You forgot the most important things about my family's martial arts. We have something for everything based on the sole purpose of combat—grapples, counterattacks, hooks, jabs, uppercuts, and even kicks. You made the mistake of judging me through my martial arts and how I use them. Those are used to prevent me from killing someone, Be glad you are the first person who gets to see the battle arts of the Kawanari family."

Satsujin smirks and then starts laughing.

"HAHAHAHAHA! YOU KNOW I'VE NEVER MET SOMEONE AS COCKY AND OVERLY CONFIDENT AS YOU, KODAK KAWANARI!"

Kodak and Satsujin rush at each other seemingly even. 

Satsujin hits Kodak with a punch but he doesn't budge and aggressively grabs him by the face, slamming him into the floor and slightly breaking it.

Satsujin kicks at the side of Kodak's knee, causing him to fall slightly. This gives him time for a counterattack. 

Rushing at Kodak with his blade, Satsujin slices at Kodak's vitals but he dodges the first two slashes and strikes Satsujin's nerve located in his wrist, causing him to drop the blade.

Kodak then rushes in and delivers a painful blow to Satsujin's liver.

He feels his body shutting down & falls, but Kodak doesn't stop and goes to injure him with a kick. Satsujin accepts the intent that Kodak has in his eyes, but he stops.

"I won't do that. I don't even wanna think what Ashiro would do to me if I crippled his father."

Kodak then helps Satsujin back on his feet.

"Why?"

Satsujin says with anger in his voice.

"Why what?"

Kodak asks responding to Satsujin's tone and question.

Satsujin's emotions, dwelling in his eyes, go from focused to angry and even have killing intent.

"WHY DID YOU SPARE ME! ANY OTHER MARTIAL ARTIST WOULD HAVE GUTTED AND KILLED ME A THOUSAND TIMES OVER!"

Kodak looks at Satsujin and shakes his head in disapproval.

"Would you kill me for the sole purpose of proving you're a martial artist?"

He asks Satsujin.

"W-what, no I wouldn't your close to my son and my family."

Satsujin then thinks about why Kodak would ask such a thing.

"(Is he testing me for my little knowledge of the Kawanari family?)"

Kodak then smiles and walks away while answering what Satsujin was thinking about.

"Then that's your answer. You wouldn't kill me 'cause I am one of your son's closest friends and for the simple fact I'm like that of a son to you."

Satsujin's negative emotions dwindled and his gaze softened, it was like a dense material was windled down by a fierce waterfall.

As his gaze softens, Satsujin begins to think about how kind-hearted Kodak is despite being a successor of such a dangerous and destructive martial art. 

Satsujin then remembers a conversation he had with Shiro back then 5 years ago.

A slightly younger Shiro was talking with Satsujin about the current strength of their children.

"Your son is pretty strong for his age Shiro, but his kindness may be his downfall."

Shiro shakes his head.

"Then you don't know then. My son will be someone who can be kind and dangerous."

Satsujin looks at him, not believing what Shiro thinks for a single second.

He then looks at the present Kodak, believing what Shiro said back then.

"(Was this your goal? Someone dangerous and kind.)"

Satsujin then gets off the ground and looks at Kodak.

"Kodak, Thank you for completing your father's wish."

He looked back at Satsujin, his eyes were filled with determination. Kodak gets on his feet and hands and starts doing push-ups with 135 pounds on his back.

"I'm nowhere near done with my father's dream."

Kodak says while struggling with the push-ups.

Satsujin looks at the determined Kodak, wondering what he means.

"What do you mean his dream? He wanted someone to be dangerous but at the same time kind. You're his walking ambition, his child of answers and solutions."

Kodak scoffs at Satsujin's words and thinks about the same thing the one in Seoul said about him. 

"(Fixer of problems, Solutions to the world, Child of kindness and destruction.)"

Kodak continues the weighted push-ups but stops to remove the weights. He then engages in shadow boxing while using Kawanari Battle Arts.

His movements were almost perfect but lacked something Kodak couldn't figure out. Regardless, he pushed forward, and his movements slowly became more precise and deadly. 

"FASTER! SIMPLIFY YOUR MOVEMENTS SO YOU LEAVE NO ROOM FOR A COUNTERATTACK!"

Kodak then stops suddenly and starts walking over to Satsujin his eyes are even more serious than Satsujin's, but more importantly, they are tearing up.

"My Father's goal was never to have someone like that. That was the temporary goal he wanted me to achieve. Then when the time was right, I would improve and complete the final formation of the Kawanari Battle arts. That is what my Father, Shiro Kawanari, the greatest martial artist in Korea wanted."

Satsujin's head looks down as Kodak walks up the spiraling staircase and into his room.

Satsujin sank to his knees and doubted everything he knew about Shiro Kawanari.

"Did he trick those with the motivational words he told us and why he said nothing when Kodak crippled Azar Tento he said nothing and just kept that same look for years straight. Well now that's irrelevant, Kodak is the future of the Kawanari family, and I will protect, sacrifice, and kill anything for that child."