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Return of the Fallen Volume 3 Chapter 49

Author: Blue_Rat

ch49

Shin handed his blade over with no fuss. The way Kazuki asked for it, Shin knew exactly what he intended to do. Asuna as well knew what this meant but she wasn’t so willing like Shin to just let Kazuki do this. She didn’t want to see innocent people die, especially since the whole reason they were doing it was to draw Zetsu out of the cave.

Asuna grabbed Kazuki’s arm in worry.

“Wait Ryuta there has to be something else we can do, something else instead of…instead of killing the villagers.”

Kazuki gently grabbed Asuna’s hand and pushed it away. Shaking his head, he could see the overwhelming feelings bubbling to the surface.

“Asuna, these people are in pain and are continually being made to suffer. If we wake them, they will most likely continue to suffer in reality and be more akin to someone with schizophrenia and PTSD. They’ll be a danger to themselves and those around them and in the end, will only cause more pain to the loved ones who would have been better off with them dying in this mountain long ago. If I were in the same situation, I would much prefer someone taking my neck then forever being in an unawakening nightmare, maybe that’s just me though.”

Asuna’s head fell in silence. Once again she felt powerless to change the world around her. She didn’t want Kazuki to put another burden on his shoulders such as the deaths of innocent lives but this was something that had to be done. Every time Kazuki was forced to do something so dark, Asuna felt she was losing more and more of the original Ryuta. Tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes but just as they were on the verge of overpouring, Asuna forced them back down.

(I can’t continue being so weak. For Ryuta’s sake, I have to get stronger, I have to get more power so he’s not forced to carry it all on his back. Ryuta, I’ll share the burden soon, I swear it.)

Asuna’s eyes flashed with determination and she swallowed dryly. She didn’t know what to say and now definitely wasn’t the time to wish Kazuki good luck. All she could do is whisper at his back.

“Please be safe.”

Sam walked over.

“Ryuta, shall I…”

Kazuki held up a hand.

“No, only one person should ever have to do something like this. You stay by Kimi’s side and watch over Mei for me, I’ll be back soon.”

Nunully walked over and pressed her hand against Kazuki’s cheek. A chill rippled through his body. Nunully had a glove of ice wrapped around her hand and Kazuki felt the freezing cold run through him for an instant. Kazuki looked at her in a strange manner but Nunully ignored it.

“Did that wake you up. Don’t be so gloomy. This is something that is necessary, it will be okay. So hurry and go help those people so we can capture Zetsu even a moment sooner and put an end to his cruelties.”

Asuna was upset by Nunullys abruptness and was about to call her out when Kazuki smiled.

“Thank you Nunully, I think I needed that.”

Kazuki wasn’t just mincing words. To kill murderers or criminals or those that got in his way was one thing. Even killing a soldier, who is only doing their job, in the end, was using deadly force against him and Kazuki found no guilt in slaying them but to kill innocent people. People who truly have no ill will toward him or his friends, never pointed a blade at him and literally had nothing to do with him. Sure you could say they were set to die anyway once Zetsu got a hold of them but still, this was not something that sat well with Kazuki, not in the slightest. Nunully’s words really did give Kazuki a small sense of relief.

“So boy, we know Zetsu won’t just chase you. Even if you kill one or two of the villagers, he may get pissed and attack you there but he most likely still won’t chase. You’ll have to take the neck of every single one of his prisoners cutting off his power sources. Only then are you guaranteed he’ll follow you but here’s the thing, he won’t just sit still as your cutting away his power. I can block his vision and senses with the fog for around a minute. In that time you’ll have to finish it all within that window, you got it?.”

“I can do it.”

Retsu nodded.

“Good, after you kill those mortals, the real trouble will start after. Between me and Zetsu, it will be a struggle of who controls the fog. During which, your presence within the cave will constantly be shifted depending on whos controlling the fog. All I can say is do not panic and continue to run forward no matter what. If I have to deal with you changing direction on your own whilst in the middle of wrestling for control over the fog, well all I can say is my focus is highly limited in this beastly body. If you want to make it out of the cave alive, you’ll run forward only.”

Kazuki said no goodbyes and simply left. He felt no need as he knew he would meet them again in only a few minutes. The reason he didn’t say goodbye was his confidence in doing this. Not that he didn’t fear Zetsu, as he knew for a fact Zetsu and his power ere the real deal. Instead, he was just that confident in his ability to run. Zetsu was fast but his movements were nothing compared to Kazuki, especially when he used his ki. The only real problem was Zetsu’s soul attack but because Retsu would distract Zetsu with the fog, Kazuki could attempt this with a calm yet confident heart.

Retsu explained exactly which way Kazuki should go to get to the inner chamber where Zetsu, as well as his captives, were held. Since Zetsu didn’t know Kazuki and the others were in the cave, and he didn’t fear Retsu, there was no reason to control the fog while he was regaining some of his true power. So the only obstacle in Kazuki’s way was the complexity of the cave itself and nothing else. This, however, was overcome with ease thanks to Retsu’s precise directions.

A turn here a turn there deeper and deeper Kazuki went. His speed was high though and within a few minutes, he found Zetsu’s resting grounds. As soon as Kazuki entered Zetsu’s lair, his breath grew silent and the sound of his footsteps disappeared as he shifted his weight with each step, perfectly stealing away the sound of his steps on the ground.

Kazuki had entered a large open chamber. Dead center in the middle was a sleeping Zetsu. His large body curled up into a big black ball. Kazuki noticed right away something strange. Zetsu’s wounds, they were no more. He had lost several legs during the battle yet Kazuki could see they were all there. Not only that, the deep wounds that Shin had caused, there were not even marks left over. Kazuki’s mind reeled at the sight.

(His wounds are perfectly healed but it’s only been a few hours at the most since we last fought. Zetsu’s recovery, it’s incredible. To regrow limbs and heal such deep wounds, just how fast can this ugly bug heal.)

*Drip*

The sound of falling water echoed out in this silent cave and grabbed Kazuki’s attention. Across from Zetsu was a long slanted wall of rock. That wasn’t important in the least instead what was attached to the wall sent shivers down Kazuki’s spine.

A wind from somewhere blew and a disgusting smell wafted in Kazuki’s nose. The smell was so wretched that Kazuki felt his stomach turn sour.

Kazuki couldn’t help but hold his breath as his eyes went wide. Attached to the wall, there were over 100 people, stuck by something slimy. No doubt the sticky substance was from Zetsu. Each one of these people had there back’s completely stuck to the slanted rock wall. Their heads cranked back with their faces forced towards the ceiling. Above every single one of them, a continual drop of water fell from the ceiling above every thirty seconds and landed directly into the open villager’s mouths. Followed after a disgusting scene took place. Out of the crevices and cracks of the rock wall, tiny insects crawled and squired their way out. The bugs seemed to be controlled as they too soon entered the villager’s open mouths and a moment later.

*Crunch munch munch*

The sound of wet smacking and chewing noises wrang out from over a hundred mouths all at once. Below these people, there was about an 8-foot drop to the ground. Each villager had their clothes from the waist down ripped or torn away. All of their privates and genitals were exposed. Every now and then a few would shit or piss themselves and because of the slanted wall, their fecal matter and waste would slide down into a large pile at the bottom of the drop. There, thousands of bugs and insects were waiting below for a feast. Kazuki felt absolutely disgusted as he found where the source of the smell was coming from.

(So this is how he keeps them alive. He has those holes on the ceiling deliver them water and he must control the bugs to crawl into their open mouths. Cruel, so fucking cruel.)

Kazuki felt his hand tighten around the hilt of the sword. He wanted nothing more than to sleigh Zetsu right here and now. To know that after all of this, Zetsu would be judged in his clan and would only get 100 years of imprisonment. Kazuki grit his teeth thinking about how unfair it all was. After a moment though his grip relaxed as reality hit. Even with Zetsu in a deep sleep, there was no way Kazuki could kill him, not with his power alone.

(If I can’t kill him, at least I can ruin his plans and send him back like a little bitch.)

Kazuki stared up at the suffering villagers and felt a gutwrenching pity.

(Hold on just a bit longer, I’ll end it for you soon.)