After Cyrus says this, the minus with its fming katana swings directly at him.

  “DODGE!” I scream.

  But Cyrus blocks the blow, from the katana taking the full shockwave of the impact, and abs the fmes.

  “You’re iing. To think a human is this strong” the minus says as Cyrus knocks it back.

  I move up to Cyrus and ask, “How did you do that.”

  Sporadically he says, “I j-j-just got my s-s-sword then I thought I couldn’t let you d-d-die, then bck mist appeared. L-L-Legacy active sword ged darkness came out minus defeated.” When he finishes saying all this, I feel like steam is ing out of his head.

  “It’s okay sloe will figure this out ter, but we o get past that monster because behind it is Suzuka.”

  He starts panig and says, “Is she ok? What is going on? Did t-t-t-that monster hurt her?” while getting close.

  “Cyrus, you’re ruining the cool Aura you had. Cm down,” I say, pushing his face away.

  “S-S-Sorry”

  “I need someoo distract him as I get close. Will you be able to hahat?”

  “Don’t worry. All dragons receive harsh military training from the age of three. pared to that, this guy is easy.”

  What the hell is going on in your homend? As I think this, the monster sends a water current at us, and I freeze. Then I say, “well, if you say you , follow me.”

  So, the minus tio throw attack after attack at us as we get closer. Every time it sends one of its signifit attacks, I move behind Cyrus as he absorbs it. The closer we get, the more it seems to stay close to Suzuka as if it is proteg her.

  Whe incredibly close, we charge forward with all our strength as the minus sends a giant wave of fire at us, but Cyrus absorbs it as we press on.

  But the minus says, “It’s over for you both” Then I turn around to see the miwo other swords. “Know taste this human, Sanmyō no ken shōtotsu” the other two swords, one of water and one of wind, came and tried to attack us, but at that moment, the remaining twinstars came and blocked the swords.

  Then they scream “KEEP GOING” to us. Cyrus moves forward as fast as he , Absorbs all the fire and cuts straight through the minus. In that gap, I use my legacy to create a rge amount of snow under my feet to propel me forward, whiables me to get straight to Suzuka.

  As I reach her, she is covered in the dense bck spirit energy I saw before. Walking up to her, I yell, “SUZUKA!” but as I get close, her tails ward me off.

  “DON’T E ANYWHERE NEAR ME!”

  Dodgiails, I say, “Sorry, but you aren’t going to get your wish. I have no iion of leaving you in such a state, especially since you’re my amazing friend Suzuka.”

  “NO, I AM NOT. I HATE MYSELF! I am the type of horrible human being who would ask more of the only people who had been o me. I wanted you and Cyrus to stay with me even more than that. I wanted you both to take me away from here, even now when I know what type of monster I am.”

  “You’re no monster”

  “Look around Orb; you see it and hear it all the lives I have snuffed out by existing. I know why they were so scared of me. They just wao live without stantly fearih. I uand that, yet seeing them all die fills me with nothing but happiness I hate them, I hate them so much. But the part that fills me with even more hatred is not the fact that they killed my parents, but it is the fact that no matter what I do or try to do to be liked and loved, no one will love me. They all hate me for existing, yet I so desperately want their love that I would almost kill myself. When I think about that, I hate myself even more.”

  “Suzuka.”

  “So, I am tired, Orb. I am doh their never-ending cycle of hatred. I want my life to end. So, in my utter selfishness, I will wait here until someorong enough to kill me es along, and I will curse that person with my st breath, and I am too much of a coward to go off on my own so everyone here e with me.”

  “Suzuka”

  “You see Orb, that is the type of person. I am a selfish demon who is petty to her st breath.”

  “WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT!”

  “Huh.”

  “There is nothing wrong with expeg people to be nid to respect your life and to be uanding. Why the hell should you feel like you’re a horrible person for expeg humans to use their brains for one sed.”

  “But I know the chaos I cause if I was to live.”

  “I don’t remember learning the w of nature that states you have to die” getting up close to her, I say, “If all of the o crazy, I will simply have to make sure that happiness surrounds you so pletely that it will go overpower all of humanities feelings.” As I grab her hands.

  “But who would care for someone like me.”

  “You’re staring directly at one, and another is fighting his ass off against that monster back there. You made two in six days. I am sure in the rest of your life you make many more.”

  “I ’t Orb. If I go, I will be putting my only friends in danger.”

  “Then, if you don’t go with me, I will stop being your friend.”

  “But you promised.”

  “If we aren’t friends, you e along with me without w about my fate.”

  With a little smile, she says, “Orb, that logic is very fwed.”

  “Friends put up with each other idiocy, so put up with it. So if I am ready to take on all your problems, you o accept some of the stupid things I say.”

  “But-”

  “No more buts from this moment on. I promise I will never let you questioher you want to live ever again. So, Suzuka Gozen, stop rejeg me and e with us. The only answer I will accept is yes Orb, so how about it.”

  “Yes Orb” she says as the spirit energy all around her fades then she falls asleep. “I guess this must of taken a lot out of her. Pig her up, I walk over to Cyrus, where I see the minus slowly fade.

  Before it ultimately fades away, it says, “Remember this boy’s, hatred doesn’t ever fade in the hearts that cause it and in the hearts that receive as long as that rule remains among you humans, my death is only ephemeral.” With that the minus fade from ht.

  Looking around, I see every st one of the twinstars are unscious or dead, then I say “Cyrus we got to get out of here as quickly as possible.”

  “B-B-But is it all right to leave them here in this state.”

  “Don’t worry, the spirits should be able to sehe fighting is done and will e to help these guys. I wish we could do something more for them as well, but if they figure out it was Suzuka who caused this, it will be almost impossible to sneak her out of the try, so our only opportunity is now.” And with a heavy heart, me and Cyrus escaped from there.

  When we arrive at the inn, Sparrow says “What happens.”

  I told him, “I will expin ter. Is everything ready to go”

  “Umm, yes just a few more things.”

  “Dammit,” I say as I start frantically getting everything ready.

  But then I heard, “find her. It is the Norowareta who caused this. Find her and execute her.”

  “If this try won’t defend us, then we will defend ourselves.”

  “She couldn’t have gotten too far.”

  “I saw that she has been iing with some boys.”

  “I think I saw those Boys staying at that inn.”

  “Isn’t the owner of that inn.”

  Crap, this is bad. “Cyrus, Sparrow, I am going to try leading them away. You run with Suzuka.” I say as I run out of the room.

  These bastards, instead of rescue efforts for the people who put their lives on the line fighting for you they, choose to e after Suzuka instead. As I arrive at the entrance I see the inn owner with Zashiki by her side, talking to the crowds outside. Listening in, I hear.

  “The norowareta-ko isn’t here,” she says

  “Why should we believe you, she is yranddaughter, isn’t she.”

  Her granddaughter.

  “For all, we know, you have been aiding her all these years.”

  Zashiki, about to flip out on them, is stopped by the owner and she says, “The norowareta-ko ruined my son and daughter’s life. It destroyed all of our family legad now I will die a woman who has had all her desdants die before her. Do you really think I would protect the CURSED EXISTEHAT BROUGHT THIS UPON ME! So if that is all you want to accuse me of leave right this sed and go help the people who are injured or dying instead of foolishly letting yer run rampant?”

  With that, all the people disperse theurns around and says, “Orb, where is she.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “I see, so she must be in your room.” Turning her head to Zashiki, she says “Take them through the secret passage.”

  With that, Zashiki heads for my room, as the woman walks away. “Wouldn’t you like to see Suzuka before we go?”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Since you’re her family, it would mean a lot to her.”

  Turning around to face me, she says “Boy, I meant every word I said back there. I don’t even reise that girl as my granddaughter, nor will I ever.”

  “Then why did you help us.”

  Stopping for a moment, she says “Till this day, I still love my son against all logiatter how stupid or how opposed I might be to some of his decisions I love him, and I ’t tell you why. I knew my son had that same nonsensical love for his child, and I k would be his end, so I tried to make him give all that up, but it was to no end. I will never love that child. It is impossible for me. So, at the very least, as one parent to another, I will respect my child’s decision to keep her alive.” She says as she walks away. As she does this I run bay room.

  Φ I still remember that wonderful day.

  “Mom, e hold our daughter.”

  As I hold her in my arms, I am entranced by her eyes. They’re so small cute.

  “We decided to name her Suzuka.”

  “That is a splendid name, Kuzanoha must have chosen it.”

  “Mom, are you saying I couldn’t pick a petent name.”

  “Oh, shut up, Inari I already know you pn to train her like she is a boy.”

  “What’s wrong with her learning to fight a little.”

  “You idiot, this is why you are so stupid. I am going to raise this girl to be the most exempry dy, just watch. I hope we spend lots of time together little Suzuka.”

  Even when I saw Suzuka seven years ter, she was still adorable. But still, I simply myself to be her family, so goodbye forever, my granddaughter.

  Φ As Zashiki leads us through a secret entrance, I ask her, “Where are you taken us.”

  “To just a little something, we prepared if this situation ever arose. Ahh this is so exg, I never get to do things like this.”

  As we tinue running further, someoually es down from the sky and blocks our path. As the dust clears, I see it is the ander of the twinstars.

  We don’t have time for this. I should attack him as quickly as possible. But as I try to do this, Cyrus stops me.

  “What are you doing,” I say, looking at him. But I see Cyrus shaking.

  But then Zashiki says, “Since you ’t sense spirit energy, you wouldn’t know, but this man right in front of us is much worse than that spirit just appeared, and all of us except you feel it.”

  Tch, what are we going to do?