Ch.12- Weight of Destiny
---
A Silent Rest by the Waterfall
The moon hung high above the Waterfall Shrine, casting its silver glow over the frozen landscape. The constant roar of the waterfall filled the silence between Blade Taizuka and his friends, a reminder of the battle they had barely survived. Snow-covered rocks surrounded them, the icy air biting at their skin despite the warmth of their campfire.
Blade sat near the edge of the water, his back against a boulder, Kamikaze resting across his lap. The legendary blade had never felt heavier. His fingers traced the hilt absentmindedly, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
No one had spoken in a while.
Kagami Hanera sat beside him, her arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed at the stars. Her ice-blue sword, Kakori, rested at her side, its surface reflecting the flickering flames. She glanced at Blade, sensing the weight pressing down on him.
"You're still thinking about it, huh?" she asked softly.
Blade didn't respond immediately. His grip on Kamikaze tightened, his mind replaying the fight over and over. Tasuguru was too strong. If Tensho hadn't shown up…
"Am I destined to keep facing monsters like that?" he finally muttered.
Kagami sighed, shifting closer. "You don't have to do it alone, you know."
Blade turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze. There was sincerity in her eyes, the same determination that had been there since their first battle together.
"You always carry everything by yourself," she continued. "It's okay to rely on us."
Blade's lips parted as if to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
From across the fire, Kibito Akammi, usually the loudest of the group, sat with an uncharacteristic stillness. He stared at the flames, his expression unreadable. The battle had changed him, too.
"Tensho," Kibito finally spoke, his voice quiet. "Where the hell did he come from?"
Suntaro Akammi, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, smirked. "Damn good timing, that's for sure. But he was stronger than I expected."
Blade nodded. "He's improved so much since graduation... it's almost terrifying."
Kibito scoffed. "Terrifying? More like ridiculous. He killed Tasuguru in one move. I barely got a hit in on that guy, and Tensho just—" He snapped his fingers. "Gone. Just like that."
The fire crackled. No one disagreed.
Blade's thoughts drifted back to Tensho. There was something different about him, something beyond just strength. The way he appeared, the way he moved—it was like he wasn't even human anymore.
"Wherever he's been training," Kagami murmured, "it's not normal."
Blade exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face. "None of this is normal."
The Shinobi Alliance. The Five Elemental Dragons. The truth behind Kamikaze.
He had more questions than answers.
---
The Dream Returns
Blade leaned back against the boulder, staring up at the sky. His exhaustion finally caught up to him, his eyelids growing heavy. The soft hum of the waterfall lulled him into a state between sleep and wakefulness, his mind drifting.
Then—
Darkness.
A dream.
The same one.
---
The Nightmare
Blade stood alone in an endless void. The air was thick, suffocating, pressing down on him like an invisible weight.
He looked down. Kamikaze was in his hands.
The blade shone brilliantly, glowing with an ethereal light. The carvings of the five dragons along the steel seemed alive, their golden eyes staring back at him.
Then—
A crack.
Blade's breath caught in his throat. The glowing surface of Kamikaze began to splinter. Small, jagged lines spread across the blade, faster and faster.
No.
The cracks deepened.
No!
A single moment later—
SHATTER.
The legendary sword broke apart in his hands, the pieces vanishing into nothing.
Blade reached out, but his fingers grasped only air. His heart pounded. His body felt weightless.
Then, he was falling.
Down.
Deeper.
Into the endless abyss.
---
The Awakening
Blade's eyes snapped open.
His body jerked forward, his breath ragged, sweat dripping down his forehead despite the cold.
His hands immediately reached for Kamikaze, gripping it tightly. It was still whole. Still real.
The fire flickered beside him, the others still asleep.
He pressed a hand to his face, exhaling shakily.
Why does this dream keep coming back?
Was it a warning? A vision of the future?
Or was it… a memory?
He shook his head. No. That doesn't make sense.
But one thing was certain. Something about Kamikaze was changing.
And he needed to figure out what—before it was too late.
---
A Warrior's Burial
The morning sun barely broke through the heavy clouds. The snow had stopped, leaving the landscape eerily still.
Blade, Kagami, Kibito, and Suntaro stood near the waterfall, staring at the grave they had made.
Tasuguru's body had been buried beneath a large tree, his broken sword placed on top as a marker.
Kibito sighed. "Even if he was our enemy… he was still a warrior."
Kagami nodded. "He deserved a proper burial."
Suntaro crossed his arms, exhaling. "Still can't believe he was that strong. If we ever face someone worse…" He trailed off.
No one needed to finish that sentence.
Blade stared down at the grave, his grip on Kamikaze tightening.
"We need to get stronger," he muttered.
Kibito smirked, punching his shoulder lightly. "Then we better get moving, captain."
Blade rolled his eyes but smiled faintly. "Yeah… let's go."
Kagami and Suntaro exchanged a glance before following.
As they walked away from the shrine, Blade took one last look back at Tasuguru's grave.
Another battle was behind them.
But the real war was still ahead.
---
A Distant Watcher
Far above the waterfall, hidden among the trees, a lone figure watched them leave.
The wind shifted, his cloak fluttering. His silver eyes narrowed.
"…He's growing stronger," he murmured to himself.
Then—
With a single step, he vanished.
---
To Be Continued…