Mountains… nature's marvel.
A show of the earth's might and power.
Their birth takes millions of years – forces beyond human comprehension, pressure great enough to uplift continents.
Yet,
They vanished with a single swing.
The man who forged earth with merely a strike —
Death Forger.
—
His blow carved a tunnel straight through mountains, tearing across multiple terrains until it kissed the ocean.
A crater yawned beneath the spot where Vulcor hovered.
The world felt that.
Heat warped the land, pressure ruptured the sky, and moments later ~
rain.
A sudden downpour, nature trying desperately to heal the wound he left behind.
"Such devastating power…" Grandpa whispered, eyes narrowing against the smoke and violent winds that roared outward from the impact zone.
He scanned frantically—
and saw me hanging off the cliff, barely alive, caught by a single branch.
Avoiding Vulcor's gaze, Grandpa descended through the smoke and pulled me up, setting me on the foothill.
"Fortiche. NOW."
"Grandpa… what was that?"
He hesitated.
Because he knew,
no explanation could match the horror before us.
"Run. For now," he said gently, voice tight. "I'll be right behind you."
As consciousness slowly returned, I looked up -
And his gaze met mine through the rain.
Golden pearls that shone with horror rather than beauty.
My mind went blank.
I grabbed Grandpa's arm.
"Please… don't die," I whispered, knowing I was only holding him back.
"Don't leave me…"
Yet I was the one leaving him.
Grandpa smiled faintly and tugged me close.
"Don't worry. Your grandpa's got this."
He then slowly backed off as electricity danced at his feet.
ZING~
He shot into the sky, silver hair painting a streak of light behind him,
colliding with Vulcor.
Vulcor blocked effortlessly with his hammer.
"That was something," Grandpa muttered, sliding his hand along his sword as if painting a streak of bolt.
The Eight Tailed Serpent on his back slowly shone as it slithered its way onto the sword as if it was alive.
The sky darkened.
A storm brewed above him.
A faint aura of the Titan emerged amidst the clouds.
CRACK~
Lightning struck his blade.
Again.
And again.
Until,
The sword gleamed.
Like the north star guiding sailors through a storm.
As bright as Vulcor's flames.
"Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi"
And then there they stood.
Facing each other
Beings rivaling that of gods.
—
I ran.
Through the forest.
Through the screams of the sky.
Through branches cutting my arms and stones slicing my feet.
No pain could match the terror bleeding into my bones.
The sky roared.
As if it was crying.. Begging for mercy
I wish I had stayed back and helped him..
Then came hope,
Fortiche's gate glimmered ahead,
a single light in the darkness.
People gathered beneath the paifang, watching the sky as if mesmerized. The clashes rang like fireworks in their ears.
Curiosity…
their own doom.
The winds rang the bells that were atop the central tower.
As if declaring its end.
Yet, they were standing there greeting chaos.
Only if they knew
Death was on its way.
"But why are they standing there…?" I whispered to no one.
"LOOK — SOMEONE'S OVER THERE!" a man pointed.
"RUN!" I screamed back.
"RUNNNNN!"
But they didn't listen.
Not one.
They stared at me like I was a panicked child lost in a festival.
I should've screamed louder.
Giyu rushed out and caught my shoulders.
"Rai?! Why are you here—why are you bleeding?!"He asked as he supported me on his shoulders.
"Giyu… we have to run… now…" My voice trembled. My knees buckled.
"What's going on -"
Before he completed his sentence… he had his answer.
Time was up~
CRASH!!!
Something slammed into the northern district, hurling debris into the sky.
Screams erupted.
Buildings collapsed.
People scattered.
Blood.
Bodies.
Limbs.
And then ~
I saw it.
In the center of the crater, soaking in a pool of blood,
lay someone.
Someone I loved.
My heart stopped.
My eyes widened
My breath vanished.
Horror hollowed my chest.
Grandpa.
This can't be.
Did Grandpa… just lose?
Is it over?