Retrieved Will (9)

Ashiro walked down the halls of Nexus Academy, confused and conflicted. 'Everyone here always talks about how aggressive and ruthless Ken is during his fights. And yet, he spared me. He was so much stronger and he just walked away!?'

Ashiro pondered on and on about Ken's mercy. 'No one is that strong and just walks away for the benefit of not winning. I hate anyone who backs down from a fight, but this felt different.'

Ashiro then sensed a presence behind him, causing him to jump across the hallway. "You're the guy who was backing up Ken."

A boy no older than Ashiro smirked. His hair was a light blue and his face had a burn scar across his entire face. "Name's Risa Kuroki. One of the Nexus Royals here in Kyoto. I was trying just to pat you on the shoulder, but it turns out your guard was always up. Can't say I blame you of course. This school always had such an aggressive and violent history."

Ashiro stared at Risa, trying to read his next move. "So, what's your business with me, Risa?"

"I don't know what you mean bro?" Risa replied, slightly annoyed by Ashiro's keen perception.

"You attacked me when I was trying to fight back in the gymnasium. Also, you're not a royal, I can tell from your lackluster control. Your aura is too bloodthirsty."

Risa's face completely changed. It went from a sly smile to a very angry and twisted expression.

"You couldn't just let this happen, could you?"

Ashiro then sees 2 more figures appear behind Risa. His eyes then widen as he sees a bloody Kohaku being held in front of them.

Risa smiles, looking at Ashiro's angry, yet scared face. "There's that look."

Ashiro wanted to rush in and pummel this group, but he could sense that the group's combined strength would be troublesome to deal with. And also didn't want to run the risk of putting Kohaku in any more danger.

"What do you want?" Ashiro asked, needing to know their intentions. His mind was worried for Kohaku and what she had for this whole ordeal.

Risa then started laughing, his cackling echoed through the hallway as Ashiro felt his anger rising with every passing second. One of the two students behind Risa grips Kohaku's hair tighter, making her groan in pain. "D-don't please… Ashiro."

Risa smiled a sly look at Ashiro, smirking at Kohaku's pain. "So, what's the plan? Gonna kill us like your murderous daddy?"

Ashiro's red then glows blood red. "LET HER GO."

The student's arm then turns into a metal blade, and he points directly at Kohaku. "Take one more step and I'll take her head off!"

Ashiro stops and the fiery aura around him dissipates. "Fine. You win, just promise me you won't hurt her." His eyes were desperate and terrified. And yet, Risa saw a look of determination and discipline behind this facade. "Hmm, sure why not?"

Risa then turns his head around, looking at the students. "Release her, he'll be too beaten and battered to do anything!"

[Skill: Amped Crush!]

Ashiro is crushed into the ground, feeling his bones and organs creak and squeeze all at once. Blood then vomits from his mouth. 'FUCK!'

Risa then starts laughing, kicking Ashiro across the face. More blood splatters across the floor.

Kohaku watches in horror as Ashiro's blood covers the white and blue tiles of the hallways. " ENOUGH, CAN'T YOU SEE HE'S GONNA DIE!"

The student then slaps Kohaku, slashing his bladed arm across her face. Blood leaks from her face, and she looks at the student, horrified. "My.. eyes.. I can't see!!!"

Ashiro's eyes then widen with fear and desperation. "THAT WASN'T THE DEAL, RISA!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Risa wipes tears from his eyes from his laughter. "Sorry, but you thought I'd spare that worthless bitch?"

Ashiro's hands then grab Risa by the face, gouging out his eyes. Blood stains Ashiro's hands as Risa lets out a bloodcurdling scream of agony. "GAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

Ashiro then stands up and throws Risa into a wall shattering it immediately. "YOU ALL ARE JUST SLIMY BASTARDS WHO DON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!"

Blue flames burn through the hallways as Ashiro begins pummeling Risa into the ground. Each impact echoed with the splattered blood staining his flaming fists.

"YOU." He gets off Risa, pointing at the male student who just slashed Kohaku's face. The student tried to run, but it was useless.

[1at Flame Formation: Fiery Fury!]

Ashiro's flaming fist slams into the student's back, striking the back of his head. The student then falls unconscious.

"DON'T GET COCKY!"

The other student tries attacking Ashiro, but ducks under the punch. He then shifts his body, delivering a devastating hook to the student's liver.

"Just remember you all started this bullshit. I plan to end it!" Flames roar even more intensely as Ashiro goes to land a killing blow, and lethal bloodlust fills the air.

However, a hand grabs his arm. Ashiro then looks over to see Kaeden.

"I think you made your point. Now let him go, before I make you." Kaeden's grip tightened and his voice felt like a command, not a request.

Ashiro then looks around him, seeing the blood staining his hands. The stares of the students glare at him. Whispers echo through the hallways as a female student sees Risa's mangled body. "AAAAAHHHHH!!!"

"He tried killing Risa!"

"Expel this monster!"

"KILL HIM KAEDEN!"

Ashiro's eyes then widen as he thinks back to how Satsujin killed Himari and Masashi.

'I'm a monster... a heartless killer... I'm like my Dad...'

Kaeden then looks at Ashiro's changed expression. "I know you didn't mean to do this. They forced your hand, but that's no excuse to mangle them beyond what was needed."

Ashiro walks through the hallways, heading to the infirmary. He then watched as the doctors and nurses tried to heal the wounded bodies of Risa and the other students.

"They're lucky to be alive. These two might go blind!"

"THIS ONE'S LOSING TOO MUCH BLOOD!"

---

Ashiro sits beside the bed, watching over Kohaku. "I'm sorry... I'm so fucking sorry." Tears stream down Ashiro's face as he cries profusely onto the hospital blanket. The bandages around Kohaku were covering her entire face and the only thing Ashiro could do at this very moment was blame, and hate himself.

Kenzo watches from outside the hospital, sorry for Ashiro. "I'm sorry kid, there's only so much I can do."

A man in a black suit then calls out to Kenzo. "Sir, we just got confirmation. He's improving."

Kenzo smiled and looked back towards Ashiro. "Good, then the destructive ruler might emerge once again."

5 hours later...

Ken Nakamura walks down to the infirmary rooms, seeing Ashiro beside Kohaku. 'Damnit Risa, I thought I told you to keep him in line. Not nearly kill his lover. I won't let the system of this school fall.'

Risa sprang awake screaming. "GAAAHHH!" He clawed against his chest, feeling for anything missing. 'They said he was an S-Rank, like me. WHAT A FUCKING LIE!'

A knock then echoes from the door across from Risa. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Ken Nakamura."

"Come in then, King," Risa said, trying to stay calm.

Ken walks through, his facial expression looking severely pissed. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?"

He grabbed Risa by his shirt, pulling him up into the air. "I TOLD YOU TO KEEP HIM IN CHECK, NOT BEAT HIS GIRLFRIEND TO A BLOODY PULP!!!" He slams Risa into a wall, cracks form as the room shakes.

Ren then threw Risa back onto his bed, his expression still harboring the ill-induced aura emanating from his body.

Risa looked up, fear instilled in his mind more and more with every passing moment. "W-w-what else was I supposed to do?!"

Ken scoffed. "Not mentally push him past that breaking point. You should have just talked him into being more mature and humble."

Risa gritted his teeth, angry at Ken's response. "Well, not everyone is as great and perfect as you!"

Ken then shot Risa one last glare, before slamming the door so hard that it crumbled like a house of cards.

He cursed and mumbled under his breath. "Fuck, I should have let Sena deal with this bullshit."

Ken then began walking down the scattered hallways of Nexus. He saw the maintenance and repair crew working on the damage done to the school.

The workers mumbled about the constant destruction done to the school. "These kids have no self-control, nor the discipline to do better."

"You got that right!"

"I swear their just a bunch of entitled brats."

Ken ignored their banter and insults, only thinking about the rumors going through the hallways he walked through.

"Did you hear the news?"

"No, what is it?"

"Ashiro Tensai crashed out and almost killed Risa and his two henchmen. It was a mid-tier S-Rank against another mid-tier S-Rank and two high-tier A-rankers!"

"No way!"

"But I heard from a nearby conversation from Ashiro and Haru, that there's a person vastly stronger than Ashiro! So much so that he feels useless to fight against him!"

Ken's eyes widen in shock from the conversation between the two female students. 'So, that's why he's trying so hard to grow strong as he can.'

Risa tightly grips his shirt, thinking about what Ken said to him and how Ashiro reacted to that. "Those eyes... his eyes. I can't get the image out of my head!"

He thinks back to how Ashiro's bloodlust felt so suffocating and terrifyingly aggressive. It was like a shell was broken, and only blood, anger, and sheer will were left.

Risa hated feeling scared, but what he hated most of all was feeling like his days were being numbered. 'I WON'T LET HIM HAVE THE LAST SAY IN THAT BULLSHIT OF A FIGHT!'

---

Ashiro stares at the bedridden Kohaku, staying by her side. He continued blaming himself, hating what was brought upon his lover. "Please... just wake up!" He cries out, pleading for something. Or even anything to wake Kohaku from her slumber.

The door behind Ashiro gently swings open, and a familiar voice calls out to Ashiro. However, it wasn't one he wanted to hear.

"Is she doing any better?"

Ashiro's head turned around, looking at Midori. "What the fuck do you want?" He's tone was aggressive and protective as flames appeared in his palms. "If you have any intentions to hurt her, I. WILL. KILL. YOU."

The blue flames get hotter and as Midori looks at Kohaku, and sees a dome of protective stone form around her.

[2nd Earth Formation: Stoneheart Sanctuary!]

Midori puts up his hands, a gesture of mercy and peaceful intent. "I'm not here to fight," Midori said, trying to de-escalate the current situation to the best of his ability. "I thought about what you said to me during our scuffle. I was going to talk with you sooner, but, that scumbag Risa made a mess. I just wanted to show my gratitude for your words. But if I'm not welcome then I'll just leave."

Midori begins walking out of the room, trying to give Ashiro some time with Kohaku. But he's then stopped by a sudden hand grabbing his shoulder.

"Wait." Ashiro's hand gripped Midori's shoulder as he tried to leave. "What did you mean by 'you thought?' Or are you just trying to pull a fast one on me?"

Midori removed Ashiro's hand, not answering his questions. "I'm trying to be better, that speech changed how I wanted to use my powers, my abilities, and even the ideals to pursue this newfound discipline."

Ashiro sits back down, thinking about Midori's sudden change of heart. Could he really just change for the betterment of strength and the kindness he showed him?

Ashiro pondered for a bit, deactivating his flames and the protective stone around Kohaku. "It is a possibility that you are trying to change. But I can't be certain. So get the fuck out of my sight!"

Midori then hears a loud noise. Prompting him to turn around and see the door wide open. "What the hell are you doing?!" Midori screamed out, seeing the crackling of electricity surround Ashiro's palm as it condensed itself.

Ashiro glares at Midori, angry. "You'll be fine, after all, it's just a flesh wound."

[Elemental Discharge: Shatterbolt selected!]

[User is limiting the power of 'Shatterbolt' to 30%]

Midori is blasted by a short burst of lightning, sending him straight through the open doorway. He crashes into the wall, hitting his head against it. Blood trickles down his face as anger begins flooding his mind.

'NO, I WON'T LET MY ANGER DEFINE WHO I AM!'

Midori took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind, feeling the red-hot rage that plagued his mind one too many times. "I won't be so easily broken of my newfound ideals."

Midori walks away, calming himself. Scared of what might happen if he doesn't.

Dorm room: A-127, 6:30 AM….

Ashiro wakes from his bed, seeing the empty spot where Kohaku used to sleep. 'I miss her…'

He walks into the kitchen, seeing Akari and the other girls glancing over at him.

"What?" Ashiro says, uncomfortable with their constant stares.

Masaki rolls her eyes, annoyed. "The fuck do you mean 'what?' You almost killed three students and now people are saying you're gonna meet the higher-ups of Nexus."

Ashiro shook his head slightly. He was annoyed by the stares and the attempts of people trying to approach him. "Whatever, I'll figure this shit out."

Fumiko then walks over towards Ashiro and grabs his wrist. "Ashiro I know you're wounded deeply from Kohaku being bedridden. But that's no excuse for you to lash out at everyone!"

Ashiro scoffs at Fumiko's words and yanks his arm away from her grip. "If you aren't with me. Then you're against me."

Fumiko's eyes widen, briefly seeing the same glitching eyes as Satsujin within Ashiro.

"If you do this, Ashiro. I can't side with that logic, hell. I doubt any of us would side with your twisted thoughts."

Ashiro turns around, walking away with his last words echoing through the dorm as he starts putting on his school uniform. "Then I'll make sure that choice is your last."

The door then slams shut and silence muffles the room. The tension with Ashiro and the others was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

15 days ago…

Satsujin walks towards the front of the abandoned building. He was wearing a black trench coat, and a hat covering his face.

"Looks like I made it back in time. I'd rather not deal with the task forces roaming the cities."

A keypad then appears by the door of the abandoned building.

'555'

The door quietly beeps and a shifting noise of locks moving around within the door could be heard.

Satsujin quickly glances behind him, seeing no one in the quiet afternoon. 'Good, they didn't follow me.'

Satsujin then opens the door, and once the door closes the locks shift back into place. Satsujin sees a standard kitchen, bedroom, and 2 bathrooms.

The inside of the house was that of a modern apartment. Satsujin then takes off his trench coat and hat, hanging them on a coat rack.

"Time to go meet the others." He muttered to himself, before walking into his bedroom closet, revealing a metal stairwell that led to a deep and vast basement, similar to his previous home.

"Looks like you bunch arrived here pretty damn quick, Azar."

A shadow then steps out, revealing Azar dressed in a leather jacket black tank top, and black jeans.

"So I assume you were about to take over a part of Ashiro's mind?"