Life After Death: The Strength Of Suffering

"Ah, Ryuma-sama, it's a pleasure to be the one to greet you."

Raising an eyebrow as I arrived in the village of the Sugawara Clan, I quickly noted the eerie absence of people walking about. At first, I thought a festival might be taking place elsewhere, drawing the villagers to another part of the settlement. However, that theory was proven wrong when I sent out a pulse of Cursed Energy to locate anyone nearby. I found hundreds of people all gathered in one spot.

'Seems I'll have to give them credit for responding so quickly after the rumors.'

Looking down at the elderly man before me dressed in a white Taoist robe, I gave a curt nod in greeting and spoke.

"As you should be. Now, where's my accommodation?"

Seemingly unbothered by my blunt words, the old Taoist straightened and gestured around to the village buildings.

"Anywhere outside the clan compound."

Raising an eyebrow further in confusion, I waited for him to clarify.

"The clan will erect a barrier preventing anyone from entering or leaving—"

'And I'm fucking needed for this, why?'

"—However, the barrier is not indestructible, and that is where you come in. You will defend both the barrier and the clan compound from harm, especially from those capable of breaking through it."

I glanced at the surrounding buildings, letting my sense of smell take over, searching for anything that might stave off the inevitable boredom of this assignment. Finding nothing of interest, I turned back to him and nodded.

"Fine. I'll stay close to the homes near the Sugawara compound."

The old Taoist nodded in return, gesturing for me to follow. I complied, walking toward the spot where I sensed the gathered crowd. As we proceeded, I noticed the dark grey clouds looming in the distance.

'Fighting in the mud? Fucking great.'

I rolled my eyes at the thought, trailing behind the Taoist.

~Scene Change~

"Kaede-sama, are you sure it's wise for you to be so close to an almost guaranteed war?"

The voice belonged to an elderly man who sat near a young woman on a dark wooden chair. The woman overlooked a town that had grown tense amid the spreading rumors, the Sugawara Clan was soon to birth a child that would alter the balance of the world.

"Takahiro-san, have you confirmed how many Sorcerers are joining the task of annihilating the Sugawara Clan?"

Dark honey colored eyes turned to Takahiro Sakurazawa, who wore a small frown as he responded.

"The confirmed count from two days ago was close to three hundred." He hesitated before continuing, his tone firm. "This only confirms what I've said. You should leave this place in case the battle grows beyond the Sugawara territory."

Kaede Umemura nodded lightly, taking a sip of tea to calm her hidden nerves.

"That number… Why is it so high? For a clan that serves the imperial court, they don't seem to be receiving any help." She turned her gaze back to the window, her expression contemplative. "Why would there be a need for hundreds of the strongest Sorcerers to go against a clan known for its scholars and not it's Sorcerers?"

Takahiro sighed at what he knew she wanted to hear, stirring his tea before answering. 

"Sasaki Souta. He is a man who fought against someone thought to be the strongest of the East."

He took a sip of tea, grimacing at the bitterness, and added. "While it's not known how the fight went, the man he fought was said to be capable of standing against hundreds of Sorcerers alone. That's why there are so many joining this effort."

'That's not even considering that the imperial court ordered a shadow operation to assassinate Sasaki, only to fail after two hundred Sorcerers, blinded by greed were wiped out in one move.' Takahiro thought bitterly.

As he added more sugar to his tea, Kaede hummed softly and tilted her head, looking at him.

"Wouldn't they back off, then? If a single person capable of such feats was aiding the clan, wouldn't the Sorcerers steer clear?"

Takahiro paused, his spoon ceasing its motion in the cup. He looked down at his reflection in the tea, noting the weathered lines of his aged face.

'Time seems to pass faster these past few months.'

Letting out a deep sigh, he looked up at Kaede and answered solemnly.

"No."

He met her gaze sternly.

"The Sorcerers are driven by greed, fear and a realization." He glanced toward the window, watching the townspeople bustle nervously below.

"Sasaki Souta is a strong man. He maintains peace among bandits and clans through strength and presence and indirectly protects those who live on the same mountain as him. But beyond that mountain? The Sorcerers believe he cannot fend them off while also protecting a clan and the people at the same time."

Takahiro picked up his cup, taking another sip. Afterward, he gave a tired smile to Kaede, who now seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"There will be very few Sorcerers who truly care about the fall of a clan said to birth a blessed child. The rest will join with one goal in mind—"

His gaze shifted back to the dark grey clouds outside, his voice lowering.

"—to kill Sasaki Souta, The Eastern Bandit Leader."

~Scene Change / ??? POV~

"Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm~" A jolly tune echoed through the room, accompanied by the sound of metal being cleaned to a shine. "Hmm~ Hmm~ Hmm?" The figure's hand, holding a pink cloth used to polish the metal paused mid-motion. Their gaze shifted toward a bird perched nearby, a small letter tied to its leg. The hand lifted slowly, a faint breeze swirling around it as the cloth gently swayed toward the bird.

"Hmm~ Hmm~" They hummed once more, seemingly content, before turning their attention to the letter in their hand. Without warning, the bird and the wall behind it was obliterated in an instant, the destruction spreading far beyond what the normal eye could perceive.

"Hmm?-" The figure's brow arched in curiosity as they opened the letter, but as their eyes scanned the contents, their lips curled into a grin. Moments later, laughter burst from them, uncontrollable and echoing throughout the room.

"HAHAHA!" They doubled over, clutching their stomach as their laughter grew louder. "Ha... Haha!"

Faint footsteps sounded in the distance, but the figure paid no mind as they wiped tears of mirth from their eyes. "Maa~ I can't believe someone could be this stupid!"

The door slammed open, revealing tens of Sorcerers flooding into the room, their expressions stern and weapons drawn. The figure's cheerful demeanor faded into a pout as they stood, stretching lazily.

"Ah~ Why'd you have to show me your ugly faces?" They waved the pink cloth dismissively in the Sorcerers' direction. With a sweet but venomous tone, they uttered a single word.

"Die."

~Scene Change / Sasaki POV~

"And that's another group taken care of." I muttered, seated casually atop a pile of lifeless Sorcerers. This particular group had come in packs of twenty and they weren't the first, or the last I'd deal with today. Raising a small jug of sake to my lips, I drained it in one swig before tossing it behind me. As it shattered somewhere out of sight, I noted the air growing heavier with the scent of rain.

'Why couldn't they have a child outside of the rainy season?' I rolled my eyes at the clan's sheer inconsideration.

Pushing myself off the corpse pile, I dusted off my clothes and headed toward another house. My nose caught a faint, familiar scent. 'More sake, perfect.'

"That's the third group in six hours though." I thought aloud, hands casually stuffed in my kimono as I walked. Their numbers were growing and not just that, they were getting stronger too. It wasn't enough to concern me. If anything, it was more of a minor observation than a complaint.

'The ones pulling the strings must be hoping I'll leave... or tire myself out enough to be killed.' I snorted at the absurd thought. As if any of them posed a real challenge.

A sudden shift in the air warned me of an attack. I sidestepped just as a dagger sliced past my cheek. My hand shot out, grabbing the assailant's wrist before spinning behind them. With a quick, brutal motion, I drove my hand into their chest and tore out their heart.

"Fools." I grunted, tossing the body aside without a second glance.

My path continued to the house where the promise of alcohol awaited, but a cold drop landed on my forehead. I looked up, watching as dark clouds swirled ominously overhead.

"Of course. Rain." My lip curled in irritation as a steady drizzle began to fall.

'Fucking rain.'