Shadows of the Past
Akayama stood staring at Jin, who had fainted. Due to Akayama's ability, the Threads—an ability that can control a person's mind and manipulate it—Akayama continued walking forward. His black kimono was stained with large spots of blood, which annoyed Akayama, because he knows the kimono is expensive. Akayama turned to Yusuko with a look of hatred and thought in his anger, because he realized he must buy another kimono because of that old man, "If it were up to me, I'd go to hell and drag you out of it and make you clean my kimono, you bastard." Akayama thought inside himself something strange: calling Jin "talented" despite his weakness. Akayama was aware that in this world there is no mercy for the weak and they should not be given importance or a high rank—especially since Jin and those with him are at Level Nine, the second-weakest level, which only allows a person to use magic, nothing more. After focusing on Jin, Akayama coldly said, "Now I know the reason for their weakness; it seems humans in this world relied only on magic, unaware that elemental magic is just secondary magic."
Magic is divided into ten levels, and in descending order the First Level is the strongest, and the weakest is the Tenth Level. Unlike the other levels, the Tenth Level is reached by everyone unconsciously because it doesn't enable you to use magic or abilities or even strong perception—it's just a base that allows a person to develop to a higher level. Although the Tenth Level is weak, it is the most important level. Also, a person cannot display their true power until reaching the Fifth Level, but even then, they remain weak compared to the Rulers. And if one wants to breach the Rulers' level, one must be at least at the Fourth Level. It might seem easy when thinking about it, but in reality it's impossible—for even Yusuko, who spent his whole life fighting, he was only able to reach the Seventh Level. And this explains their struggle with the Yokai. And if they fought a monster at that level, they wouldn't last a second; because monsters are close to the Rulers in terms of power. So even if ten people like Yusuko gathered, they wouldn't stop a single monster.
While Akayama was walking, thinking about what this world had come to, he found himself at the top of a hill, and below him was the Empire of the Mages. Unlike the character of the Kagotsuchi Empire, which was restricted to the Samurai, the Mage Empire was radically different in terms of structure, traditional dress, and culture. This difference was because the Mage Empire in the Kagotsuchi continent was in another continent. In the center of the capital there was a castle-shaped building inside a wall made of limestone, with an oak wood gate. Inside the wall was a structure combining wood and iron. In its center was a towering cylindrical tower made of stone and decorated with many motifs; its top was pointed and made of wood. Mages used this tower for observation and it was the highest tower in the empire. Akayama continued gazing at the empire because he began to sense a strange energy source.
Inside the Mage Empire at the same time
There was a young mage wearing a thick brown leather robe; his hair was gray and his eyes emerald green. He was walking toward the gate, accompanied by a knight wearing armor made of a strange metal mixed between black and gray.
The knight tried to alter the oppressive atmosphere with the young mage and asked him, "Where are you going, Daran?"
Daran answered, serious—his tone wasn't what it was before: "I'm going to the Old Queen, to check whether the Dark Matter has appeared with them."
"Why are you afraid of this matter?"
Daran, as he looked down at the ground at a strange black circle, said, "Rail, this matter really worries me. This is not an ordinary matter—it conceals anything that touches it. I've never seen in my life a black substance like that. I must see for myself what its nature is."
Rairl looked at the time: "It's late, Daran. And also, didn't you hear the explosion at the ice mountain? I think there are dangerous forces—why don't you wait until tomorrow?"
Daran, still looking at the ground intently, replied, "No, I can't. I must go before it's too late."
Rairl sighed and said, "Alright, good luck. See you later."
Daran left the empire. After covering a distance of five kilometers he reached Hara and looked down at the lake he used to go to as a child, then said aloud, terrified: "What is this?" The black matter began covering the lake. Daran backed away and before he could comprehend the matter, he froze in place.
On the hill Akayama decided to return and turned around to go back, but he felt a strong energy that made his pupils freeze. He moved quickly backward to see what was happening.
Mage Empire Rairl decided to go back, but as he walked forward he felt a strange hesitation and heard a terrifying sound that made him retreat involuntarily. Suddenly the dark matter began spreading unbelievably, emerging from beneath the ground, on the soil, and even from the water. The air grew heavy and the dark matter rose as a column. A beginner mage, out of curiosity, reached to touch it. Rairl shouted, "Stay away!" But it was too late—for even those with him screamed and ran toward him trying to stop him, but the matter entered his hands and his skin turned to the color of the matter. The mage screamed and began to cry from the pain—but the darkness glowed and spread in his skin, and his body began to corrode while he screamed unbearable pain—until only his bones remained. His bones, which had been shriveled, fell. Rairl looked around quickly and shouted at the top of his voice: "Now get away!" But the darkness began to engulf everyone. The ground turned black and drew buildings and debris like a magnet. The mages tried to stop this energy that began leaking everywhere, but to no avail.
Daran froze at what was happening now, and Akayama was shocked by these powers which he had not felt during his fight with Yusuko.
Kagotsuchi Empire, Tsurayama Province – border between the two empires – 9 PM
In the Samurai headquarters everyone ran and drew their swords. One screamed, "Quickly, send a delegation to the Mage Empire!" Panic engulfed the place and a samurai ran to see what had happened. His companion screamed, "It's a catastrophe... truly a catastrophe." A dome of darkness surrounded the Mage Empire. Another person shouted, "Go to the capital to inform the Emperor."
12 AM – the delegation of fifty samurai wearing masks arrived at the Mage Empire. All they found were bones, suffocating air, and dust mixed with dark matter. It was confirmed that an entire continent had been destroyed by an unknown party, and the continent was no longer habitable.
Elsewhere In the Kuroi Mori forest, there was a battalion of samurai wearing dark crimson armor with black cloth. They headed on a mission after hearing about the recent disappearances of people who had gone into this forest. It seemed like a hidden Yokai feeding on them. The group was led by a samurai with curly green hair with black streaks and yellow eyes. His name was Haru, a mid‑rank samurai. Beside him on the right was Tokin, also mid‑rank, but very tall—two hundred centimeters.
Haru looked at the sky and saw that night had fallen. The area was dark and visibility was difficult. He looked at everyone and noticed a nearby village, and said, "It seems night has fallen and we cannot continue the path nor return—so why don't we go to that village? Tomorrow we'll complete the mission."
Everyone agreed to Haru's suggestion. When they reached the village, its appearance was somewhat strange—the residents looked at them with odd gazes. While walking around, they found an old man who appeared to be the village chief. Haru approached him and asked, "May we stay here tonight? We received an urgent report about some disappearances, but the time is late."
The old man replied, smiling, "Yes, you may stay. But in this hut—it is designated for guests."
Haru thanked him and left. But the samurai didn't notice something important—that village's name was "Morinaka", the village that had been reported to have everyone killed in it.
At 3 AM Haru began sensing a strange energy—strong, and from an unknown source difficult to identify. Haru woke everyone. They donned their armor and prepared. The place was eerily quiet—only the sound of night crickets—then suddenly the energy vanished.
Haru decided to return his sword to its sheath and regained calm. But just as he was about to go back to sleep, the door was violently broken and fragments scattered. Everyone readied themselves. One of the villagers attacked. His form was truly strange—his hands were undulating and his teeth sharp—he looked like a Yokai.
One samurai tried to attack him with his katana, but it bit it with its teeth. The metallic sword trembled—it was furious. Haru tried to help kill it, but it broke the sword with its teeth. Everyone was shocked. The samurai left the hut and saw all the villagers in the same state. They tried to fight them off, but I heard their screams. Five samurai were killed and the villagers began devouring them.
Haru drew his sword, and as fast as he could he sliced everyone in half. Their corpses and heads fell to the ground, and the ground was filled with their blood. The scene was disgusting, but Haru was accustomed to these things—he had participated in many wars. After he felt reassured, Tokin said, "Now the reason for the disappearances of those going into the forest is clear." But Tokin froze in his place. He and Haru and the other samurai heard terrifying laughter. Haru and Tokin took combat stances—but the sound was close. They found it came from the bodies they had just cut. Their severed heads began laughing eerily and their cut bodies reformed and stood—and they carried their heads.
Haru realized if he stayed there he would die. He ran as fast as he could, trying to escape from them. During the escape they found a hiding place while hearing the villagers' laughter. One samurai began crying at what he saw—his body trembling with fear. But a hand gently gripped his shoulder and steadied everyone from fear. The hand was undulating. The sound of laughter approached and Tokin shouted, "Run."
They realized they had been discovered. The samurai who was crying tried to run, but his body froze—and in an instant his body crumbled as the undulating hand pierced his abdomen and shoulder. The smell became overpowering as they ran until they reached a noble's estate—someone they had never seen before. They were received by a maid who asked them to sit and said she would call her master. A samurai also arrived and welcomed them. Haru, Tokin, and those with them felt calm until the noble arrived and asked them to explain what had happened. After explaining everything, the noble smiled a strange smile and said, "So this happened." Haru turned to see the family name and terror returned once more—this family had ruled Kagetsu City formerly and had been exterminated in a war. The noble smiled and disappeared. His jaws constricted; the samurai were surrounded. Haru ran—he ran quickly. The Yokai tried to devour him—but Tokin's limbs shattered while protecting him. Haru sprinted holding his left hands' hands; Haru dragged himself while saying to himself, "I don't want to die—for who can protect my sick mother? There is no one there to take care of her treatment. I don't want to die." Haru braced himself and sprinted at full, but felt intense pain and saw blood fall beneath his step. Looking to the left he found his left hand had been severed and had begun devouring itself. Haru ran, taking advantage of their fixation on his hand—and during that he heard a strange chant that made him involuntarily stop. He found himself transported to another place—a filthy, ruined place with the stench of rot. Before him were many graves and a demonic green fire. It drew Haru forward while he was afraid. He found himself at a coast and discovered he was in Kagetsu City. He heard the sound of dragging a corpse. Haru hid and saw a decapitated samurai carrying the corpse of one of his victims. Haru was crying, terrified. This samurai was wearing rusty black armor—black armor from a hundred years ago. He heard a heavy sound as he moved toward him. He began to flee but looked back to find the samurai behind him—and with a sweep of his sword, Haru's head flew off—along with a question inside him: "What did I do to deserve this? I didn't hurt anyone. My goal was one thing—a simple thing, but life isn't fair." Haru's body fell to the ground and blood scattered everywhere—and everything vanished in the mirage. Blood formed the word "Haru" as a message whose content was: Do not go to Morinaka.
End of chapter