Arc: Danger
Chapter 8 – Guilt and Smoke
Dust still floated in the air above the village. Broken walls, burnt homes, and frightened faces — all bore witness to the power of Fushiken.
"We couldn't stop him," Bokuro muttered softly as he and his team supported the wounded Yusugo, heading toward the village's ancient temple.
Kitsui was silent. His hands still trembled. Nensudo's face was lowered. All three of them had fought — given everything they had. But Fushiken had still escaped, and Yusugo was injured.
As they climbed the temple stairs, Yamakaze said, "We need to understand Fushiken's plan. He'll return."
"But will we be ready by then?" Tatsuto asked, his voice edged with doubt.
Gekjin spoke calmly, "If we keep drowning in guilt, we never will be."
They placed Yusugo inside the temple, where a serene calm resided. Lamps burned in the corners, and the walls bore paintings of ancient Scriptors. The temple priest began tending to Yusugo's wounds.
Bokuro, Kitsui, and Nensudo sat quietly in a corner.
Bokuro said, "I'm his son… and yet I couldn't protect him."
Nensudo added, "We gave it everything we had… but he's far beyond us."
Kitsui's eyes were moist, "We shouldn't have let Yusugo fight. It was our responsibility."
In the temple's silence, their guilt burned quietly within them.
A while later, Gekjin approached them and said, "You all did what you could. But if you truly want to become stronger… let go of guilt and start training."
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.
"Blade Sank Unit!" Yamakaze called, and they all rushed out.
In the distance, wounded and covered in dust, the Blade Sank Unit was returning.
Captain Akishi's hands were stained with blood, but his eyes still held resolve. Yamakaze, Tatsuto, and Gekjin walked beside him — badly injured, but alive.
Bokuro ran to them, "What happened? You went straight after Fushiken, didn't you?"
Akishi replied tiredly, "Yes… we tried to stop him. But… he didn't kill us. He just gave us a warning."
"A warning?" Kitsui asked.
Tatsuto nodded, "He said, 'I'm sparing you today because the time hasn't come yet. When it does, I will come to steal your words.'"
A heavy silence fell over them.
Nensudo whispered, "Steal our words?"
Gekjin said, "He doesn't just want our Scripts… he wants to erase our emotions too."
One thing was now clear to everyone — Fushiken didn't come to fight, he came to deliver a message.
Yusugo, now slowly regaining consciousness, murmured,
"This is only the beginning… Fushiken is not the real threat… the true storm is yet to come."
Bokuro looked down at his Script. Today, it carried the ink of failure — but deep inside, a new feeling had started to rise — resolve.