Published at 17th of September 2024 5:51 pm

Chapter 89 The Last Shadow: 12 Echoes of the Past

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The remains of the shattered altar lay at their feet, dark energy still faintly crackling around the broken stone. Though the ritual had been interrupted, the oppressive air remained. Kojiro’s breath came in shallow gasps, his senses still on high alert. He exchanged a quick glance with Yui and Katsuro, their faces mirroring his own exhaustion. But there was no time to rest. Not yet.

“We need to move,” Katsuro said, his voice low and tense. He cast one last look at the crumbled remains of the altar. “We may have stopped the ritual, but this isn’t over. The Shattering’s been delayed, not prevented.”

Kojiro nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. “We’ve got to find the source of their power. Destroying the altar was just the first step.”

Yui, her breathing steady but her eyes sharp, stepped up beside him. “I’ve seen markings like these before,” she said, gesturing to the fading symbols that lined the walls. “They're linked to an ancient energy, one that predates even the Hidden Villages. Whatever power the Order is channeling, it’s deeply tied to this place.”

Kojiro clenched his fists. The implications were unsettling. If the Order was drawing from something that ancient and powerful, defeating them would take more than brute force.

As they made their way back through the narrow tunnel, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to grow heavier. Every step echoed off the stone walls, and the shadows danced more erratically, as if agitated by the disruption of the ritual. Kojiro’s instincts screamed that danger still lurked nearby, and he stayed alert, his hand never straying far from his weapons.

After what felt like hours, they finally emerged from the tunnel into the cold night air. The sky above was dark, the moon barely visible behind thick clouds. Kojiro took a deep breath, savoring the cool air after the stifling tension inside the mountain.

But their reprieve was short-lived.

“Wait,” Yui said suddenly, her voice sharp. She crouched low, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the surrounding area. “We’re not alone.”

Kojiro’s muscles tensed. He, too, could feel it now — a faint but unmistakable presence lingering in the air. Someone, or something, was watching them.

Katsuro’s hand moved to the hilt of his sword. “Show yourself,” he called out, his voice calm but commanding.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, from the shadows of the nearby trees, a figure emerged. Unlike the cloaked members of the Order they had fought before, this figure wore no hood. Instead, a pair of cold, familiar eyes stared back at them.

Kojiro’s breath caught in his throat. “No…”

Standing before them was a man Kojiro hadn’t seen in years. His hair was graying at the edges, his face lined with age, but the sharpness in his gaze was unmistakable.

It was Ryunosuke — Kojiro’s former sensei.

“Sensei?” Kojiro breathed, disbelief flooding through him. He took a step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. “What… what are you doing here?”

Ryunosuke’s lips curled into a thin smile. “It’s been a long time, Kojiro.”

Kojiro could barely comprehend what he was seeing. Ryunosuke had disappeared years ago, leaving behind nothing but unanswered questions and rumors. Some said he had died on a mission. Others claimed he had betrayed the village. But never, in all his wildest speculations, had Kojiro imagined his former sensei would be here, in the heart of the Order’s stronghold.

Katsuro’s eyes flicked between Kojiro and Ryunosuke, his expression hardening. “You know this man?”

“He was my teacher,” Kojiro muttered, his voice tight with confusion. “He trained me when I was a genin… until he vanished.”

Ryunosuke chuckled softly, the sound devoid of warmth. “Vanish, did I? No, Kojiro. I left because I found something greater. Something beyond the petty politics of the Hidden Villages.”

Kojiro’s stomach twisted. “You joined the Order.”

Ryunosuke nodded, his gaze unwavering. “The Order showed me the truth. The villages, the clans, all of it is meaningless in the face of what’s coming. The Shattering is inevitable, Kojiro. And when it happens, the weak will fall, and only the strong will survive.”

Kojiro’s mind raced, memories of his time training under Ryunosuke flooding back. He had always admired his sensei’s strength and wisdom, but something about the way he spoke now felt… wrong. Twisted.

“You taught me to protect others,” Kojiro said, his voice trembling with anger. “To fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. And now you’re telling me you’re willing to let them die?”

Ryunosuke’s expression remained cold. “This world is built on lies, Kojiro. The weak cling to those lies because it gives them comfort. But the truth is, only those with power can shape the future. The Order understands that. They’re preparing for a new world, one where only the strong will rule.”

Katsuro stepped forward, his sword half-drawn. “So you’ve sold your soul for power. You’ve betrayed everything you once stood for.”

Ryunosuke’s eyes flicked to Katsuro, his smile widening slightly. “Betrayal? No. This is evolution. The world is changing, whether you like it or not.”

Yui, her eyes never leaving Ryunosuke, spoke up. “And what happens to those who don’t survive the Shattering? You’re willing to let countless lives be lost just to see your vision of the future come to pass?”

Ryunosuke’s smile faded, replaced by a look of grim determination. “Sacrifices are necessary. The weak will perish, but the strong will thrive.”

Kojiro’s hands trembled with rage. This man, the man who had once been his mentor, had become a monster. He had abandoned everything they had fought for, all in the name of some twisted vision of strength.

“This isn’t you,” Kojiro said, his voice barely above a whisper. “You taught me that strength comes from protecting others, not from destroying them.”

Ryunosuke’s gaze softened for a brief moment, as if some part of the man Kojiro had known was still there, buried deep beneath the surface. But then, just as quickly, his expression hardened again.

“You’re a good student, Kojiro,” Ryunosuke said quietly. “But you’ve been blinded by the same lies that bind the rest of the world. If you can’t see the truth, then you’ll be swept away with the rest of them.”

Kojiro’s heart ached. He had once looked up to this man, had learned everything he knew from him. But now, standing here, he realized that Ryunosuke was lost. Whatever the Order had done to him, whatever darkness had taken hold of his soul, the sensei he had once known was gone.

Katsuro’s grip on his sword tightened. “Enough. If you stand with the Order, then you’re our enemy.”

Ryunosuke’s eyes gleamed. “So be it.”

In an instant, he moved. Kojiro barely had time to react as Ryunosuke closed the distance between them, his speed far greater than Kojiro remembered. Their blades clashed with a deafening ring, sparks flying as steel met steel.

Kojiro gritted his teeth, struggling to hold his ground. Ryunosuke was faster, stronger, more skilled than he had ever been. Every strike came with a force that threatened to overwhelm him.

“Kojiro!” Yui shouted, but she was cut off as two more figures emerged from the shadows, attacking her and Katsuro. The fight had begun, and it was clear that Ryunosuke wasn’t alone.

Kojiro’s mind raced as he parried blow after blow. This wasn’t just a fight against a former sensei — this was a battle for survival. Ryunosuke had aligned himself with the Order, and now he stood between them and the truth they sought.

“You’ve grown, Kojiro,” Ryunosuke said as their blades locked once more. “But you’re still holding back. You’ll never win unless you embrace your true potential.”

Kojiro’s eyes burned with anger. “I won’t become like you.”

With a burst of chakra, he pushed Ryunosuke back, creating some distance between them. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his resolve was unshaken. He wouldn’t let his former sensei’s betrayal cloud his judgment. He had to stay focused — for Katsuro, for Yui, and for the countless lives that depended on them stopping the Order.

“You’re wrong,” Kojiro said, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. “Strength doesn’t come from power alone. It comes from the bonds we forge, from protecting those who can’t protect themselves.”

Ryunosuke’s expression darkened. “Then you are doomed.”

With a roar, Ryunosuke charged again, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. But this time, Kojiro was ready.

As their blades met once more, Kojiro’s mind was clear. This fight wasn’t just about power. It was about the ideals he had fought for, the lessons he had learned, and the people he had sworn to protect.

No matter what, he wouldn’t let Ryunosuke win.

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