Chapter 46: Master.
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"He stopped his attack…with a finger?!" Said Drake.
"It's not that impressive. If you concentrate all of your dark energy into a single point, you could have a whole wall in front of you." Said the old man.
"I see, but still quite impressive."
"Hmpf. If I was at least 60 years younger I could have bounced him back, but such is life."
"Forget about the technical crap." Thought Evening. "Its my first time seeing Nightmare being stopped like that...Wait. Wasn't there a time something like that happened?"
Nightmare delivered a series of fast jabs at the old hybrid, and he manages to defend against it by parrying his attacks with his palms. The sounds of their blows were like lightning bolts on earth.
"Wow! I know he is a hybrid, but to an old man loke hime being able to stand against Nightmare like this...Are all hybrids at that age strong like that?" Said Walther.
"Well, I don't often see ones like those." Replied Drake.
"Hmmm...How upsetting." Said the old man. "I can feel your punches, but I can't feel your spirit on them."
The old man then leaped backward and started to do slow movements with his arms. Nightmare charged straight at him and the darkness in the old man's right arm started to grow stronger. "Dark Channeling Fist: South Hand!"
He delivers a punch downward and a giant glowing fist attacks Nightmare from above, crushing him into the ground.
"Dark Channeling Fist: West Wind !" He gives a thrust with the palm of his left arm and he launches a glowing dark palm at Nightmare that pushes him back flying.
"He manages to push Nightmare this far?! Impossible." Said Evening.
"I see...You must be...Master Shen, right?" Said Drake.
"Master? You know him?" Asked Walther.
"It's one of those Hybrids that only we Hybrids know about it. A martial artist master from Zhar that created the Dark Channeling Fist. He is one of the few that can be considered the most powerful Hybrid."
"The most powerful? Him?"
"Ah...Now I remember." Said Evening. "I heard it once, that about 95 years ago...You managed to fight toe-on-toe with Magnus."
"He fought him in the past? Who would knew he had a story." Said Drake.
"95? How old are you anyway?" Asked Walther to Shen.
"I'm 118."
"I-I see...So you were like 23 or so. Damn those hybrids..."
Nightmare got on his feet once again.
"Sooo...Who did won between you two 95 years ago?"
"Honestly, I forgot."
"For real?"
Nightmare slowly walked towards Shen.
"....Good grief. Again, I can't exactly feel you right now, but I do feel THAT you grom inside."
"Huh...What are you saying?" Asked Evening.
"I understand. I do not have what it takes to light the fire of your warrior's spirit anymore. But for once..." Shen covered each of the fingers of his right hand with darkness. "Let me repay the good deeds the youngster over there done to me."
"Hmm? Me?" Said Drake.
Nightmare jumped and went to attack with a diving punch. Shen jumped straight at him and dodged at the last second. "Dark Channeling Fist: Black Viper!" He striked Nightmare's arm by touching his five fingers like a claw at him. After that the two of them landed to the ground. Nightmare clenched his fists and tried to move his arm.
"I paralyzed your arm. Like most things with brains, you move your body through nerves so I shut them down for a while. May not be a big deal, but you do have a time limit, right? I don't mind playing with you until you tire yourself out, but...Whatever those two can do to your sister when you're busy with me, right?
"Grrrr!" Evening grinded her teeth.
Nightmare then turned into mist and warped next to Evening. "....."
"....Fine, fine. Don't look at me like that." Evening then jumped on Nightmare's shoulder. "This isn't over, you hear it?!"
Nightmare jumped out of the forest with Evening.
"Should we let them go?" Asked Walther.
"Wanna go after them?" Said Drake.
"Good point."
"Okay, soooo....Do you go all this trouble because of a bottle of wine?"
"Can't an old man help a young man without an ulterior motive?" Said Shen.
"That's not how things usually rolls with me."
"I just thought it would be a waste for you to die here. Anyway, I think you got a little bit of trouble out there, right?"
"Oh! right! There are in fact other rogues, huh?"
At the other site of the forest, the Black Demon Pirates were fighting alongside the samurai and the Thunderlions. Aladdin and Nikolai were back to back with Aladdin scorching the rogues with dark flames and Nikolai eletrocuting the kitsunes with a gun that shot a electric current.
"Why didn't you buried those bloodsuckers in sand already?" Said Nikolai.
"And why didn't you pulled out something that can solve our problems with one push of a button?" Said Aladdin.
"Where is the fun in that?"
Suddenly a gust of wind filled the battlefield and the rogues started to stop moving and were hypnotized.
"What is going on? Did you do something?" Asked Nikolai.
"I...did not." Replied Aladdin.
"There are ways to end conflict without further conflict, you know." Master Shen appeared right next to them, without they noticing.
"Who's the old guy?" Asked Nikolai.
"Y-You!" Aladdin was extremely surprised.
"Those rogues certainly have tougher bodies, but their minds are weak." Said Shen. "So it's far more efficient to hit where they are weak.
"You were able to directly affect their minds? Just like that?"
"It's not something you are born with it in the first place. Any hybrid can do after almost a century of training."
"E-Even for a Hybrid that's a lot."
"Let's just finish this." Shen then holded both of his hands with a strong grisp. "Katsu!"
The rogues were all blow away, sent flying miles away out of the forest.
"What did he do?" Asked Nikolai.
"...Basically he imprinted the feeling of being sent away at an outstanding force into their brains...and then made it happen." Said Aladdin.
"That's a whole of bs, you know?"
"That man...Master Shen?" Said a kitsune.
"Wow...It is Master Shen?" Said a samurai.
"Master Shen?"
"The Master Shen?"
Both sides seemed to avert their attention to Master Shen.
"....Oh good grief. Excuse me, Kitsunes."
"Oh?"
"It does seem that I just got in the middle of something big between you guys and Amaterasu, but under circumstances, I had to what I had to. If you please may, could you please leave? You can tell the Ninetails it was me. I do not wish for interrupt any longer."
"....Very well, then." Said a representative of the kitsunes. "If it is you, then it can't be helped. But know this that if this happens again, it's Ninetails herself you should answer to it."
"Alright, alright. Seems fair."
The kitsunes disappears from the area.
"...It has been a while hasn't it been? Desert Prince?"
"I never thought I would see you again."
"You two know each other, huh?" Said Shepherd who went to talk to them. "And who is this ancient?"
"That's Master Shen. The strongest hybrid in the east and perhaps in the world."
"R-Really?! That sounds quite a big deal."
"Master Shen!" One of the samurai went to greet him and bowed in respect. "I thank you for your assistance. We have been in a real tricky situation for a while."
"I didn't came here to assist you guys. I am here for a far bigger plan."
"Captain Shepherd!" A Werewolf from Shepherd's Squad arrived. "Glad to see you are unharmed. I came here to say that Soma is safe and sound!"
"Did something happened?"
"General Asuka suffered serious damage against Nightmare. Her status are...delicate."
"I see...It's better we stop for now then."
"You are one fast old man." Drake appeared alongside Walther. "Too hasty for someone your age, don't you think?"
"Stop complaining." Said Walther. "I need to speak to the samurai about their commander officer's conditions."
"If I may, I wish to have a word with the Demon and the Prince here." Said Shen.
"...Sure. Keep your Hybrid stuff between you three."
"Very well."
Later, Walther and the rest went back to camp to a war meeting while Drake and the others remained.
"Never thought in my life a man like you would want to discuss with me." Said Drake.
"But before that I wanna ask something." Said Aladdin. "I heard something about the Dark Channeling Fist lately. What do you know about the Eastern Wind?"
"...What has my pupil done recently?"
"I see. So you trained him, huh?"
"I didn't train him to be a murderer in case that is what you are thinking. But I did failed to not see that his inner shadow was stronger than his spirit. His sins are mine as well."
"We are pirates, who we are to judge it?" Said Drake. "And what do you wanna discuss it?"
"I wanna talk...about that brother of yours."
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Chapter 47: Dreams.
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"Master Shen, you say?" Said Ninetails after hearing her reports from Shiiha. Evening was there drinking a bottle of sake alongside Nightmare who was sleeping as usual.
"Evening can confirm it." Said Shiiha. "Are things bad?"
"…No. Not at all. Just a meaningless obstacle that it wouldn't bother us for a while."
"Are you sure?" Said Evening. "You seem to know that old man very well. And before you can say anything, yes I can call him an old man. I'm not even half a century old."
"He is very well-know around here. He is like the most famous man from Zhar. And if he wanted to end this war, he could have done it many times. He certainly has a ulterior motive."
"But still, we couldn't push back Amaterasu." Said Shiiha.
"No matter. We've been doing this for years. And I heard their general is gravely wounded. I guess I have to thank you Rogues. Asuka is one thorn of our side."
"Yeah, about that...When I heard about it, I couldn't shake the feeling something was off." Said Evening.
"What was it?"
"Nightmare isn't the kind of man to let his opponent live. I would understand if she had backup, but he had plenty of time to kill her. Something happened that made him not do it...Better speaking....ti made him choose to not do it."
"Curious. Why don't you ask him?"
"First of all, he is now in his sleeping state. He will be like this for 24 hours to recharge his strenght. And second, even if he was awake, this guy doesn't speak a word. It's easier to teach a cat to bark."
"Is that so? Was him like this before going Rogue?"
"Now that you mention it, yes."
"Buuuut...Is he even alive now?" Asked Shiiha. "He is almost like some sort of machine that is turned off. Is he dreaming right now or something?"
"I never asked that myself before. I guess he is, but vampires don't really dream."
"Huh?"
"The "dreams" we have are lingering memories that pops up from time to time. They can be random or thay can be triggered by something that happened."
"You guys aren't allowed to have dreams?" Asked Ninetails.
"Yes. But on the bright side, we do not have nightmares either."
While Nightmare was in his sleeping state, he was indeed dreaming. Or rather, a reminiscence. It was a memory of the day the Werewolves invaded Hollowgrounds at the time he was know as Magnus. He was at an dungeon below the castle not too far to the surface, holding a broadsword above his shoulder. On the floor, several corpses who used to be werewolves that he killed himself at once.
Suddenly, a door in front of him gets busted. It was kicked by her mother, Diamanta who appeared dragging Lex who was unconscious. She had a black cape in her left shoulder, covering her left side of her torso.
"Magnus!" She tossed Lex at Magnus who he catched with one hand. "Take your brother and go back to the surface. Right now, an unknown pack passed through our forces. Opala and Ametista were...Well, we didn't saw them coming in the first place. That trash of Raven doesn't seem to be even trying , Wagner os busy taking Evelyne and Miller to a safe place and we only have Carol as a suitable support....Give me break. This attack is just too well thought and well planned..."
"......" Magnus stands silent and raises an eyebrow.
"...Yeah, I know. I shouldn't be telling you to retreat like this, but...Before we are Warriors we are Family. If we can't protect those we care for then there is no use in being called a warrior."
"Arooooooo!" Howls could be heard coming from down below.
"Shit! They are coming...Magnus, listen well. I want you to go up to the castle and remain there until your brother is safe. He might be a low-class scum, but it's not his fault for being one." She the put her right hand over her left shoulder. "If only I had my left arm...Then I would have fixed this mess already. I never thought a sword could weight so much. Heh. I guess our swords are too heavy as you said Ruby."
Magnus the does two steps foward.
"I said it...Go. Up." After listening to her words, Magnus retreats three steps.
Diamanta then swings her sword and a large fissure appeared on the floor.
"Listen up, you flea-ridden mutts! I know you can hear me from down there! This is your last warning if you still wanna live! I am the Ebony Knight of Hollowgrounds, Diamanta Lercadre! As long as I stand, I'll not let a single one of you vermins give a single one of your fleas pass this point!"
She looks at Magnus, and with a stern face he walks away with Lex over his shoulders. The grunts of wolves could be heard getting closer.
"I guess this is the price that I should pay for all this time...I am joining you soon...Ruby."
Later Magnus was climbing the stairs until after several steps taken he hears the sounds of a rock ceiling falling from down below and the sounds of battle perished.
"....Farewell, mother."
Night-time, on Tenkai's cabin, the crew were next to a fireplace, drinking green tea. Only Johnnathan and Tenkai were missing.
"This is pretty good." Vanilla was delighted.
"I could go for a beer here." Said West.
"Please, the last thing we need is one of you with a hungover." Said Florencia.
"Where is Johnny anyway?" Asked Edward.
"Outside. On guard duty."
"Guard duty? Isn't that like the job for anyone, BUT the captain?"
"He said something about wanting to be alone." Said West. "I guess it's a hybrid thing. I can relate to it."
"I'm here." Sanzuke appeared with a black falcon on his arm.
"Is that supossed to be dinner?"
"That's a World Falcon." Said Florencia. "A species that can be found anywhere because it can travel anywhere. Some uses them to deliver messages."
"A message from Asuka then?" Said Edward.
"Exactly." Sanzuke picks a letter on the talon of the falcon and reads. He stares at it and he starts to look concerned.
"Uuuh...Is everything okay?" Asked Vanilla. "It sounds like bad news."
"...She got some serious wounds. She is unable to use her left arm and just now awakened after hours of being unawakened."
"Oh dear! I hope she gets well."
"This is a bit concerning. Aren't Youkos supossed to be tough?" Asked Edward.
"She mentions fighting some sort of...Nightmare." Said Sanzuke.
Edward spits his tea. "Nightmare?! THE Nightmare?!"
"N-Nightmare is here?" Vanilla's hands were trembling.
"Is this one bad news?" Asked Sanzuke.
"People say he is about as bad as Raven himself." Said Florencia. "And if he is here then...We should take the key fast."
"Why?"
"As dangerous as Nightmare is, he is only active for an hour in the day. Then he rests 24 hours for another hour. In other words, we have until afternoon tomorrow if we wanna take the key without him as an obstacle."
"A time limit. Just what we needed it." Said West.
"I...I'm gonna say that to Johnny." Said Vanilla. "I mean, he should know this stuff, right?"
Vanilla put her tea cup down and goes check on Johnnathan.
"Hmm..." Florencia gets thoughtful.
Meanwhile, outside at night, Johnnathan was leaning his back on a tree while smoking an almost burned out cigarette. He picks the cigarette and grasp inside his hand where it turned into ashes.
"There goes my last one."
Johnnathan looks at the sky and saw it being covered in a sea of stars.
"That brings me memories. There wasn't a point as big as this in Mians, but...The stars are still very faw away."
"Johnnathan? Are you there?" Asked Vanilla who was looking out for him holding a cup of tea.
"Did they send you or are you here by your own will?"
"By my own."
"Fine. I thought they were being assholes with you."
"I brought you tea."
"...No offense, but I prefer cold."
"No problem." The tea gets covered by a freezing mist and it gets cold.
"...That's kind of cheating." Johnnathan gladly takes the tea. "...Hmm. Refreshing."
"So...Why are you here all alone?"
"A man needs sometimes to be alone. Specially when he has been through shit."
"Speaking of that...It seems Nightmare is here in Izumo."
"Really? Great. Do I need to kill another brother of Evening?"
"You talk like you are capable of that."
"...One day maybe."
"You know...You kinda been too much obsessed with that, you know? It's kind of getting annoying."
"Is that it? Sorry, then."
"...Is it really that bad?"
"Having the woman you love hate you because you happen to kill her brother because he wanted to eat you alive? It's kind of bad."
"I see. This is only me, but considering that both of you are pirates, I guess there is no such a thing as considering murder a crime. Specially if it's self-defense."
"Huh. I think there was something on the Pirate Code that Drake told me about that. But Raven never cared about any kind of rule, specially the ones about "Honor among Thieves" kind of deal."
"We are talking about Raven or the woman you love? I thought you it was his sister we were talking about."
"Siiigh. You really are pulling my leg here. The more I think about it...It seems this is too much I can chew on it."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...Maybe it's better if I just give up on her-" Vanilla covers her palm with electricity and slaps Johnnathan's face. "....What the hell, woman?!"
"What the hell my ass!"
"...Woah."
"For 10 years you've been looking after her and because one of her brothers messes up you quit it like a wimp?! I thought you were half-vampire, not half-cockroah!"
"I..."
"Listen up, Johnnathan Highlander! If you really are man worhty of your salt then you can't just give up of love just because things got a little complicated. If you truly, TRULY believes that feelings you have towards her are the real deal then don't run away. You may don't know, but if you would advance to any other girl, you sure would score, but everyone who hanged around with you for as much as I did can see you wouldn't nearly be as happy as you could have been with her. So if she is just out there, just waiting for you to take her and weep her off her feet then act like a pirate that you are and steals her...No, save her from that no-good son of gun of an brother she has and don't forget to tell him to put his ass on a shark's nose!"
"....Yeah...Yeah! You are right! It was never about Raven, Nightmare or Chill. It was just about me and her all along!"
"Yeah! That's what I said!"
"I may have to be a selfish bastard to her, but it's not like she is better than me! It may be against everything I stand for, but if it's necessary then I have no choice. Next time, I'll be taking her! Go all the way to the Death Crow if necessary! Because I love her! And it's not the love you feel for any hooker in a port, it's the love a man feel for the woman he want to be with it! I came too far to fail now!"
"That's the spirit!"
"And...I have to thank you for it."
"Huh?"
"I mean, I was this close of throwing everthing away, but...You just came and put some sense out of my head."
"Hehe! It was nothing."
"I guess I should actually thanks Edward for making me accept you in my ship. Can you believe if you weren't here? I would just give up of everything I stood for."
"Okay, can we please stop!"
"...Yowch. Are you in a bad mood or something."
"Nothing, it just...a bit too late in the night. Humans aren't really all night owls."
"Ah. I guess it's really late in the night...By the way, could you always do that?"
"That what?"
"The spark hand thing? I never seen you try to do anything magic with your staff."
"O-Oh?! Well you see....I kinda have a little trouble controlling my mana."
"Ah...So you are like Aladdin."
"Yeah and-Wait! Aladdin is the same?!"
"Well...He is more of special case. But if you wanna know a little bit about Control, he can give a tip or two. Well, I think I'll be alone somewhere else. See ya!"
"S-See ya."
Johnnathan went to another spot while Vanilla stayed waving at him.
"What was that all about it?"
"Eeeeek!"
Florencia appeared right behind Vanilla. "Did you just let him go away like that?"
"...Yes, I did. So what?"
"Are you okay with this?"
"Absolutely. If he would the kind of man that would let a woman go that easily, then it's no worthy my attention."
"I see. And ironically you decided to let him go as well."
"It just that some things are not meant to be. And you know what...I feel great. Like I just pulled out some weight out of my chest."
"And what are you gonna do now?"
"...I guess I need to see how things will wrap up between those two."
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