Tenmaou: The Strongest Martial Artist

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'Is it progress?

Or rather, is it ok if I call it progress?

The exact wording of this question's been running through my mind all this month.

How exactly should I write this down…

Well, to put it in simple words, I believe that I... We've made some big moves for the future.

It was around a year after Old Man Shintarou took me as a disciple of sorts, a long while before those two thieving twins Kaito and Kouta were getting ready to leave this pit called the 'Inside'.

We were on our daily commute, definitely 'not' stealing, or 'robbing' per se, but rather…

-An 'unexpected misplacement of others' belongings'...

Yeah... Let's go with that...

Anyways, we met some crazy kids that seemed just as messed up in the head as we were, trying to 'misplace' the belongings of the same spot we were 'visiting'.

It feels kinda like 'Deja Vu' to be honest… Which is probably because of how similar it was to one of my previous 'first-time meetings' with those twins...

And in the end, over the course of a couple of weeks to months to a year, we formed a little ragtag clique of ours to help one another out, just in case, you know...

-I mean, even I was surprised that it happened, but I ain't complaining.

Once again who knows if I can call it progress, but for now, it doesn't matter.

We might be mangy dogs compared to the big guns out there, but I'm sure that we might be able to do great things in the future.

Well, that's if our little group stays afloat... After all, anything can happen with time.

But really, I didn't think that something like this would even interest me since I've been used to living on my own...

But maybe... This can help me with my goal...

Why? I don't know.

Oh yeah, and the name of our little clique?

Its name is...'

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-Myoujou Kurogami's Journal Entry #3 (Excerpt), 2002

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-Kuremisago Clan Manor.-

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It was a bell-like melodious voice filled with youthful charm that rang within the confines of the room.

The owner of this voice was a woman of great beauty with waist-length dark hair and grey eyes as she cast an affectionate gaze at the man who was resting his head on her ŀȧp as he was currently drifting in slumber.

*snore... snore...*

"Mhmn…. Hmmn--?"

Hearing this, a groan escaped the mouth of the sleeping man with blond hair as he tossed and turned for a bit before opening his blue aquamarine eyes wide, fully awakened from his slumber.

These two were none other than Kuremisago Shizuha, and her husband Furinji Saiga; two long-time residents of the Kuremisago Clan as well as equally strong martial artists, well in the realm of a Master if not higher.

"Hmmn? Shizuha?" Raising his head, Saiga gave a cursory gaze around the room as if he forgot where he was.

"How… How long was I asleep?"

"Hardly thirty minutes, Saiga." Shizuha replied.

"Huh... Really? I slept for that long?"

-tok!-

"Really, you say? This guy..." Shizuha shook her head as she softly flicked Saiga's forehead.

"Hah?" Saiga obtusely mumbled with a goofy expression, feeling a slight sensation between his brows.

"When you take a good look at your tired face, it doesn't seem nearly enough to me at all, silly." Shizuha retorted skeptically as she shook her head.

"Haaa... I think you have a point…" Saiga returned to his position, resting his head on her ŀȧp once more.

"Honestly, I would like to stay and lay down here, but…"

As Shizuha ċȧrėssed his hair, he thought about when they first met.

It was some turbulent times in the world as it was, much less within the Kuremisago Clan by itself.

"Miu…" Saiga drawled languidly, forcing his eyes to stay open. "How is she doing?"

"She's doing fine, Saiga." Shizuha smiled, pointing to the side of the room where a small carrier for a toddler sat. " ---She's right over there, sleeping peacefully as she can, of course."

Miu, The daughter of both Saiga Furinji and Shizuha Kuremisago.

Barely looking a day over two years old, as she soundly slept inside the small carrier with a tranquil expression on her face you would never have guessed that she lived around an area that practically became similar to that of a warzone.

It was a feeling that he hoped could last forever.

-Him, Miu, and Shizuha staying together. It was his ideal dream.

For that feeling, Saiga firmly believed that it was definitely worth fighting for.

'Hopefully,' the two thought, ' ---That just maybe she would be able to see a much better version of the Kuremisago lands without all of the violence in the near future.'

"Ha… How peaceful." Saiga said as Shizuha smiled.

"That's true. It was already bad that I had to be out on the field often, spending less time with you two..." Saiga sighed, his expression falling slightly. "But even you ended up getting involved too… Even though you were busy taking care of Miu…"

"Saiga... You know that-"

But before Shizuha could retort and ȧssure Saiga, they were interrupted by the hasty opening of the room's sliding doors.

"My apologies Lady Shizuha, Mr. Furinji.

"???"

"The main branch... No, both sides… Something peculiar has happened." The man though covered in sweat, kept a firm near-emotionless look as he reported his findings.

"How so?" Saiga asked.

"Both sides have suffered a tremendous loss of personnel…" The man continued, " ---Not only were the mercenaries that were hired killed, but even the maids and manservants within the manors were also slaughtered…"

"?!!"

A look of shock was plastered on the faces of both Saiga and Shizuha as they contemplated what could possibly be the meaning behind this sudden news.

Members on both sides that were sent out were killed?

Plus the current 'non-combatants' and mercenaries?

"It was expected to get ugly, this clan war thing... But to get this far--- Where's Senzui?" Saiga muttered.

"We..." Forcing out a reply, a hint of hesitation clouded the man's face briefly, it being the only trace of emotion he most likely showed thus far in probably decades. " ---We have no clue on the Young Master's current whereabouts…"

"Ah… Nevermind. I'll find him myself. And while I'm at it, I'll see just what on earth is going on down there…" Saiga said, standing up as he fixed the gauntlets that rested on his forearms. "Just give me five minutes, all right?"

"Understood, Sir!" Bowing in affirmation the messenger sprinted away, vanishing with such speed it made it look as if he was never there to begin with.

Gently gazing at Shizuha and Miu with soft tender eyes, he nodded as he headed towards the door. "I'll be off, Shizuha… Miu."

"Take care, dear." Shizuha replied with what seemed to be a small smile as she sent her husband off in a similar to that of a dutiful wife.

"You too, and Miu as well." Saiga said, picking up the trace of a small hint of sorrow through her smile as he sighed. "But as much as I hate to see it, I highly doubt trouble wouldn't come knocking on your door…"

"But even then, we just have to persevere, right?" Shizuha nodded resolutely.

"Hmn." Replying with a smile of his own Saiga left the room, his expression slowly hardening with resolution as he made his way down the Kuremisago Mountain hoping to locate his most trusted friend Senzui and find a way to stop this feud.

'I really detest having to take the life of another….'

' ---But if it could protect them… then I won't regret doing it.'

Thinking back on his stay with Shizuha, and Miu and how much he wanted to see their smiles, he clenched his fist tightly as he continued on his path.

"...Saiga."

Casting a glance where Saiga just left, Shizuha gave a tired sigh as she moved to ċȧrėss the sleeping Miu who seemed to be tossing and turning in her sleep.

'A feud started on disagreements of ideals and beliefs… It may very well be one that ends with blood, wouldn't it…'

Shizuha looked at the now snowing Kuremisago mountain range as she prepared herself as well for the coming troubles.

It was the storm that was brewing for years on end that finally commenced on its path of wrath and tyranny.

And even though it had rampaged for quite a while, the eye of the storm, and its climax at the end of its journey had yet to be seen.

'Hopefully, like a storm, this too will someday pass.'

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-???-

-Five Years Ago-

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"Haaah…. Haaah…."

An almost muted painful wheeze echoed through the air.

And its source… Was the injured bruise-filled body of an eight-year-old Myoujou.

"It hurts."

Myoujou achingly muttered these two words repeatedly with a mix of all the profanities and curses he knew mixed in, as he glared at the sunny skies, enduring the scorching heat that beat down upon his skin as he flinched and winced from his position within a small crater on the ground.

Right here, right now, Myoujou was doing his best to stay conscious.

"Pain..."

"It really... hurts..."

"And… It burns too…"

"My ċhėst, my eyes, my ears, my body, my arms and legs, even my brain…"

"It all burns."

Myoujou heaved harsh breaths as his ċhėst violently heaved up and down, the air entering his tired lungs beginning to burn his parched throat.

His pale skin was tinged with bruises all over, turning a brownish-purple tinge as they adorned his body.

But even as he lay in absolute pain those hazel, golden-brown eyes of his seared bright with life, focus, and determination.

"But even then… I'm still alive."

"Hah." A crisp chuckle reverberated through his surroundings. "Now you see how it's done, huh brat?"

Standing a few feet before him was a man who could be said to be an absolute monster inside the skin of a human, possessing a tall frame that was a palace decorated with dense bulging muscles of high caliber easily able to be seen through his shirt and baggy pants.

This man boasted the name of the 'Strongest Creature On Earth', Yujirou Hanma. of a man with wild red hair and eyes who looked nearly bestial at all times.

"You…" Myoujou bȧrėly spat out in a breathless rasp, doing his best to formulate a proper coherent insult. "You... You red… shit…"

At this very moment, Myoujou had nary a clue who the hell this beast of a man was, and after what he had done to those around him, he had no interest in finding out.

"Well, with a mouth like that I'm sure you're still alive." Yujiro said with a small smirk etched onto his face that made others want to punch it off.

-Unfortunately for many others, the fantasy of erasing that smirk wouldn't be one that was easily obtainable.

"I guarded against it... But it still hit me hard…"

He thought heavily on what had previously occurred before he was brought down.

He endured several strikes that would've easily knocked an ordinary man out, if not given them near-permanent injuries that even time couldn't heal.

Was it his body?

Genetics perhaps?

But afterwards…

"Just what the hell happened---!?"

But after thinking so desperately about it…

It finally occurred to him about what happened.

That man had barged into where he lived…

And after killing the guards and nearly everyone else there, the rest was history…

And now he was fighting him.

-Or rather, 'attempting' to fight him.

Every single time without fail, he would be repelled with ease.

And how?

It was by a strike.

Or more specifically, by a fist.

-That same fist that the man used at this very moment.

-That same fist the man used before.

-That same fist the man had used days ago.

-And that same strike the man would probably continue to use.

"Do you know why you lost?" Yujiro asked as he stood over his collapsed son, lying curled on in a miniature-sized crater on the ground.

"Tch. It's... Because you're strong... Very strong." Came the succinct reply of little Myoujou.

There was no need for excuses at this point in time, and Myoujou knew that if he wanted to ever defeat The Ogre before him he needed not just strength, but strength in doves.

And when he possessed that strength…

Then...

"That's exactly it, boy!" Yujiro roared. "The reason why you are in this situation right here… Is because I am stronger."

'You…' Gnashing his teeth, Myoujou forced himself to stand up once more, ignoring the pain searing through each and every pore of his body as he charged at Yujiro, swinging his little fists.

"As expected, you've gotten up, hehehehe." Yujiro cackled.

"!!!"

Sending a swift kick to the boy's stomach, Yujiro sent him flying backwards once more.

-groan...-

"That's the spirit. As long as you have the fire in your eyes, I'm sure you'll be worth keeping alive!"

-wheeze…-

Myoujou had lost count of just how many times he was knocked down, but at this point, it didn't matter to him one bit.

Right now, staying alive was his current priority.

"I… I won't lose…" Myoujou weakly sputtered. "I'll beat you…"

"Then get stronger..." Yujiro smirked, " ---'Cuz I'll be waiting for you in the future…" Yujiro smiled.

And the last thing he could see before his vision went black, was the fist of this man...

No, Ogre.

"So don't keep me waiting too long, Myoujooooooouuuuuu---!"

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-Ruined Kuremisago Manor-

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"!!!"

Jumping up in a rush, Myoujou's body jolted awake as he frantically scoured his surroundings with his eyes before realizing where he was.

'Ah… That's right… I was swimming down the Kuremisago Mountains Shit Creek with just my body and no paddle…'

Myoujou took a slight glance at his hand, opening his palm before clenching his fist so tightly it began to dig into his skin.

'Hmph.'

'It wont go the same way it did back then.' Myoujou exhaled heavily. 'Now, I have strength, skill, technique, and even experience at my side…'

'I definitely won't lose next time.'

Reassuring himself, Myoujou moved from his current spot to the rucksack he was carrying, searching for a drink to quench his thirst.

'But it's a bit weird, though…' Myoujou thought while quickly emptying a bottle of water. ' ---I haven't been having many dreams like that in a while, nearly years even…'

'So, why would it happen again?'

Due to the constant noteworthy events that occurred so far in his life, Myoujou seemed to be plenty suspicious and superstitious about even the slightest things he came into contact with.

Then again, being prepared was a good start for anyone, so where was the harm in it?

'Well, whatever reason it was, I'm as ready as i can be, so bring it on world.' Myoujou nodded as he gave a small smile.

'There he goes again, huh? Talking to himself like a spastic...'' Shintarou murmured to no one in particular before returning to his ransacking duties.

And what were those duties?

Well, snatching up whatever he could find of worth before pawning them off for cash at a later date, of course!

Money doesn't grow on trees you know!

And though one might argue that it was immoral to loot the belongings of the dead, no one said that Shintarou was a heroic man of great morals either…

Besides, if he was… Then he wouldn't be training some kid dumped in the slums to fight whilst dragging him alongside him in his businesses within the bloody underworld.

As Myoujou got up and started rummaging through the wreckage to help find whatever he could, Shintarou shuffled through what he found in the manor, trying to 'clean' them as spotless as he could before they had to leave the snowy fields of the Kuremisago clan

Shoving what little valuables he got his hands on into his rucksack, Myoujou rated them based on his own scale of value created after his makeshift item/ garbage collection days.

'No, no, no. This ain't it...'

'This? Maybe it might be worth something... Keyword being; 'might'.'

'Bingo! Now 'this' is definitely worth some cash!' Myoujou picked up a small wooden sculpture, only for it to crumble into smaller chunks in his hands.

'Not 'Bingo'... Very not 'Bingo'.'

For a big… Well, 'decent' sized clan (judging by its current size due to the many deaths of said clan members), for some reason they didn't seem to have many things worth taking with them.

'Come on…' Myojou sighed. 'I know they're all minimalistic and all… But this is just too much… Or... Too little if we're being specific.'

'I can't even steal in peace...'

This place had so little things worth looting that he couldnt even believe it!

"This should be it, Shintarou." Myoujou said. "The people around here dont seem like the type to be carrying valuables on them…"

Even Myoujou felt somewhat surprised.

He wasn't expecting much, but not expecting 'much' 'still' means to have been expecting 'something', no matter how little it could be...

-And there was even less than that to be seen.

Now it wasn't his first rodeo as he was well versed in this trade even before he began on his martial arts journey with it being one of the many odd 'jobs' he did to survive till the next day.

Whether it was a weapon or a bowl of fine china, if it had worth, then it had potential money that could be earned if sold.

"Well, at least it means that we can carry whatever we have on us with little worries." Shrugging nonchalantly, Myoujou shoved the little possessions he found into the rucksack slung over his shoulders.

"Alrighty then. Yeah, that's it." Shintarou lazily stood up.

"Let's hit the road and get outta here."

"Yup. I wonder what kind of grub we should get to fill our stomachs…" Myoujou wondered.

"Oh, I got an idea! Maybe I could fire up a meal of mine we can eat-"

" ---I- I have a place in mind, kid. Hahaha.. Haha.. Ha…" Shintarou nervously interrupted Myoujou.

Shintarou firmly believed that if some things weren't meant to be, then there was no need in forcing it.

-And the matter of Myoujou and Cooking in the same sentence was definitely one of them.

"Then where to?" Myoujou asked.

"We hit up a restaurant when we get to city of course!" Shintarou replied with great fevor, rapidly nodding his head.

"Ain't that so… Then in that case, the sooner the better, so let's get going." Myoujou thought about it before ultimately nodding.

"Right on, lad!" Shintarou carried his rucksack as they both headed to the exit of the ruined manor.

However, before they left the compound they came across a rather... 'familiiar' figure.

"Ho---?" Shintarou hummed. "Well, well, well... What do we have here…?"

"Hmmn, This guy..." Witnessing said figure entering his peripheral view Myoujou suddenly stopped in his tracks as he narrowed his eyes.

It was a blond man who possessed a tall and slim figure with densely packed muscle, wearing a striped blue suit with a tassle around the middle. As said figure came closer, the two could see the arm and leg gauntlets suited for battle that were tightly fitted onto the man's body.

"You… You're the guy from back then…" Myoujou muttered as Shintarou looked on.

"Furinji… Saiga"

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