Chapter 106 - 'After' Arc- 5

Ignoring the scores of protests shouted by those who would be his followers, Yuji marched straight toward the enormous greeting room where he’d first met Shiroko’s parents. He kicked the doors open. Two guards moved toward him, but Yuji dispatched them each with one hand. They flew to the sides, hitting opposite walls with horrible force. Yuji kept marching forward, his stride never breaking. He locked eyes with Hiro from across the room.

“You send assassins? Assasins?!”

Hiro smirked nastily, his head cocked to one side. “Why would you think that…‘Lord Yuji‘?”

Yuji’s fierce walk took him all the way up the platform Hiro was sitting on. He glared upward at the smug man. Yuji could hardly contain his rage. In fact, he couldn’t.

He swung his short sword into the platform. At first, nothing happened. Then, all at once, the platform broke and came crashing to the ground.

“This is war. Aiming for me is one thing. But you tried to strike at Kuroko. Unforgiveable, you incredible pig. And- YOU! BEHIND ME! ADVANCE FURTHER AND I WILL MANGLE YOU INTO AN UNRECOGNIZABLE PILE OF BONE!”

Yuji heard a weapon clatter to the floor. An odd smell reached his nose. It took him a moment to identify it, but when he did he almost smirked.

Apparently, the Shiro faction didn’t have men with strong bladders in the face of danger.

Yuji reached into the wreckage and pulled out Hiro, who was shaken but unharmed. He held the man close to his face and snarled:
“I have no proof of what you’ve done. But I know very well what you think of Kuroko. I also know that, as leader, you could have any number of men make an attempt on her life. So this is to put you on notice: Any further attempts on her life mean the end of your little dynasty. Understood?”

Everyone fell silent. Yuji sensed another presence. This one was stronger. But familiar.

Yuji dropped Hiro and turned to face his new foe.

“Yuji, have you lost it?”

It was Kaname. With him was Shiroko. Yuji felt a presence at his side- Kuroko. She had been hiding nearby, ready to get him out of here with her speed if necessary. Now she stood opposite the one family member she felt close to.

As one, Kaname and Yuji rushed forward.

“Kuroko!”
“Shiroko!”

The two men shouted, spun as one and threw their swords to the girls before continuing in for empty hand combat.

The two men clashed, strength against strength. Yuji punched and Kaname parried. Kaname kicked and Yuji ducked, aiming to sweep his leg. Kaname jumped backward, throwing his other leg out in a second kick. It struck Yuji in the chest, but Yuji held on and threw Kaname by his leg. Kaname landed gracefully and charged again. The two began a high-speed duel, racing around the room.

Kuroko and Shiroko dueled with the short swords, meanwhile. They were evenly matched. Shiroko was the more natural swordswoman of the two, but Kuroko was in better physical shape with more muscle and agility. They were also evenly matched. Their swords clanged off each other as the girls battled. Shiroko managed to kick Kuroko and tried to finish her off, but Kuroko rolled onto one knee, deflected the sword, and punched with her free hand, knocking Shiroko backward.

Meanwhile, Yuji and Kaname were at the far wall, near the door. Kaname had driven Yuji backward and now aimed to unleash a devastating side kick. Yuji rolled aside just in time. The force of Kaname’s kick shattered some of the stone wall, leaving a person-sized gap where Yuji had been.

Yuji leapt between two pillars, using the two to climb higher. Kaname matched him, trying to grab Yuji’s leg. Yuji kicked off one of the pillars, narrowly avoiding Kaname’s grasp. Spinning in the air, Yuji threw a punch. He connected with Kaname’s face, using centrifugal force to add to his power. Kaname plummeted to the ground below.

Shiroko had been at a stalemate with Kuroko when she spied Kaname falling.

“Kaname!”

Shiroko broke the stalemate and ran across the room, managing to just catch her man in time.
“Time to withdraw, Kaname.”

Kuroko moved at top speed to Yuji’s side as he landed.
“Yuji, we should retreat for now. He has more forces that you can imagine at his command.”

Yuji nodded. He held Kuroko close with one arm, the other digging into his hakama.

“Remember what I said, Hiro-sama. Any more attempts on her life and off with your head.”

Yuji threw down his smoke bombs and disappeared, taking Kuroko with him.
--
--

Shiroko, Yuji, Kaname, and Kuroko all met in a building that had been abandoned for most uses. Yuji had made it his headquarters and had set up every genjutsu trap and physical barrier he could think of to make it safe. Others from the ShiroKuro faction had been instructed to escort their loved ones away, then to return with weapons.

With any luck this will be over before they return.

Yuji looked at the other three with him. It was time for him to take charge.

“Our act had the desired effect, I believe. I hope I didn’t tag you too hard, Kaname.”

Kaname rubbed his jaw. “Maybe a tad easier next time. But I’ll live. I know you could have obliterated me. Which begs the question: Why make me seem so strong?”

“If I just barely beat you, someone whose strength was unknown to Hiro, then he’s sure to have his best warriors ready to go, sure he’ll be able to defeat me. You’re also close to him now; you can influence his decision. Doubly so now.”

That made sense to everyone, so Yuji moved on to the next point.
“I plan to finish this before the others return from escorting their families away. I’d like to do it with as few casualties as possible. For that, I need to get my Heaven’s Temper abilities back.”

“But how?” Shiroko asked. “We don’t know where the seal blocking your powers is, much less how to break it.”

“I have a theory about that. Shiroko, when you slapped Kuroko earlier, why did it burn her?”

“It’s an old ability that the ruling side of the family inherits. And I’m sorry, Kuro. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Kuroko shook her head, waving off the apology. “Don’t apologize. I hit Yuji harder when we-”

“Anyway,” Yuji stressed, willing everyone to stay on topic (which did not include Kuroko divulged how rough he liked his sex), “The slap bothered me for a number of reasons. The fire resonated a bit with me. It felt…familiar. And the fact that you weren’t burned despite wielding fire makes me believe that the fire is a product of chakra. And if that’s true, then that chakra can be manipulated by certain people. Shiroko, if you try, can you do that slap thing again?”

Shiroko took a moment to focus, then slapped a wooden support beam. They were in an old greeting hall made of very old, very flammable wood. The place was a bit downtrodden but still serviceable. Regardless, Shiroko’s hand decorated the wooden beam with a handprint that sunk in a good six inches.

Yuji nodded. “Kaname, will you try, please?”

Kaname did, and his handprint wound up next to Shiroko’s.

“Good. Kuroko?”

Kuroko slapped the wooden beam but only got splinters for her trouble.

That settled it for Yuji.
“The Shiro faction knows something about this seal. Something that is taught unconsciously, probably since birth. They’ve turned it into an advantage. We need to negate that advantage.”

“What if we can’t find it? The seal, I mean,” Kaname questioned.

“Well, without the Ten No Kishootsu abilties, I’m still above a jonin level. But to stay alive, I would need to kill. I couldn’t ‘play nice’ and still avoid being killed. Not with this many people attacking…So there’s really no option. Kaname, you and Shiroko need to find out more about this seal. How to destroy it if you can. Shiroko, you can say that, since you dated me, you know a way to use my chakra against me. If the seal is unlocked, you can control me. Or something like that. Whatever gets you close.”

Shiroko nodded. She turned to leave, but Yuji stopped her.

“…if things get rough, get out of there. If necessary, I’ll fight everyone. None of us get killed. So no taking risks, okay? Kaname, don’t leave her side, either.”

Kaname nodded gravely then put his arm around Shiroko’s shoulders and guided her out into the corridor. That left Kuroko and Yuji alone.

“Kuroko…what will happen after this battle? If I win, then what? This ‘ShiroKuro’ faction is in charge, right?”

Kuroko was pacing the room, looking at the woodwork that was so rare these days. It took her a minute to answer.
“I guess that’s what would happen. I’m not sure who would be in charge. Probably whoever you say, since your word would be law. You could even take charge if you wanted. But…”

Yuji waited for her to finish her thought, but Kuroko kept pacing around. So Yuji followed her, not wanting to miss the last part of her thoughts. After a minute, Kuroko finally deigned to finish.

“…But I don’t think you should. Rather, I don’t think it would make you happy.”

Yuji cocked his head. “How so? I’ve always wanted a role with lots of responsibility.”

Kuroko smiled knowingly. She reached up and touched Yuji’s face, unable to keep her hands to herself. This might be their last moment together for all she knew. She had to touch him at least once more. To remember the feel of the rough skin on his face that contrasted the smooth skin on his body. It helped remind her of the fact that he was as tough as they came but he still held a sensitive spot for her.
“You could never leave Konoha completely. You wouldn’t be happy here. Even surrounded by the sword dojo, the temple grounds; everything you love about this place. Konoha is your home, filled with your people. Whatever role you’re in there, whatever position of authority you do or don’t have, it will be the same. You are a pillar of the village. Born in the Leaf or not, they depend on you. And you depend on them.”

Yuji had heard that before. He started to say so, but Kuroko beat him to it.

“I thought that might be familiar. It’s something that the Third Hokage told me when he visited with all of us. While you were gone with Miko, I mean. That last time…”

That was still the most happy and sad moment of Yuji’s life. He got to see his deceased master, his deceased fiance, and was possessed by the original ‘Heaven’s Temper’. He had gotten to meet all these strong, wonderful people that he admired so much. To speak with the dead once again. But the brief respite from the expanse between them only made their second departure from his life more painful.

One thing that had come up while talking to Miko was Kuroko. Miko gave her blessing for Yuji to be with her. Yuji never doubted that she would, and he would never love Miko any less for loving Kuroko.

“…Listen, Kuroko. If the worst happens…save yourself. No matter what. You must not die. Even if I fall, the battle is only truly lost if you die, too. I’ve sent word to the Leaf Village that you are in charge of my estate if I am killed in combat here. I know I can trust you. In fact, I…”
--
--

Kaname and Shiroko met with Hiro immediately after speaking with Yuji.

“The fool is throwing away all troops that ShiroKuro can give him. He plans to fight on his own, without the Heaven’s Temper abilities,” Kaname reported. He was on one knee, supported by a fist.

“Your findings after battling him?” Hiro demanded.

At this, Kaname smiled. “He’s strong. Very strong. But alone, against sheer numbers, he’ll fall. He is very reluctant to kill, even in defense of his own life. He is only a danger when you threaten someone- anyone- else. Even then, he may not kill. It may have been Kouichi’s choice of target that pushed him to kill…”

Hiro frowned, stroking his chin. “Kuroko, then? A weakness to exploit?”

Kaname waved his hand. “We needn’t bother. That would only give the Kuro faction incentive to rise up with Yuji, with or without his desire for them to do so. If I may be so bold as to offer a recommendation…”

Hiro gestured for him to continue. Kaname was astoundingly bright; he would be a fine asset and potential successor.

“I recommend we use the Heaven’s Temper abilities against him. Mark him with the same seal that keeps his powers in check, but release the abilities fully to our faction.”

A bold move, Hiro had to admit. One with a lot of potential gain- and risk. He looked to his daughter.
“Can that be done? You know him well, Shiroko. Is there a way to use that chakra against him?”

Shiroko considered the question carefully before nodding. “Yes. I believe so. If we keep him in ‘this state’. Ah, I should explain. To fully use the Ten no Kishootsu abilities, Yuji has to transform. That means constantly putting the chakra out, as though expending it. He forms wings at the mid-stage of his transformation. The chakra being expending circles within the wings and is recycled back into his body. In his full state of transformation, the sheer power alters his physical appearance. His chakra level, sensitivity to all his senses- they’re all enhanced, and the changes are reflected physically.”
Shiroko shook her head, buying time to organize her thoughts. When she did, she had a smile on her face that she had never shown Yuji. It was the smile of a cunning woman who knew how to control the right person.
“We can’t do anything about the chakra inside him. He inherited the abilities and that’s that. But that doesn’t mean we have to let him use those abilities. What good is a dog on a chain? It can bark, but it can’t bite.”

Not unless you get too close, Father.

Hiro nodded, dismissing his daughter. Shiroko kissed Kaname on the cheek and told him ‘see you later’. Kaname smiled at her and nodded.

Once the door closed, Kaname’s face turned grim.
“I don’t like to conceal things from her, if she’s to rule by my side when this battle is finished. But it’s true that we can’t risk her having any left over feelings for Yuji. Now, if I may deliver my true report…”

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