Life After Death: The Strength Of Suffering

[Content Warning! this chapter may contain implied death of fictional characters!]

[Content Warning! Read at your own risk as this contains sensitive content!]

"S-Sasaki-sama..."

I ignored Arisawa as I entered the medical room where Kaede lay unconscious. I didn't take my eyes off her as I questioned Takahiro, who was sitting beside her.

"Will she be alright?"

Takahiro sighed before responding. "For details on wha—"

I took a step closer to him and Kaede.

"I didn't ask what happened. I asked will she be alright?"

Takahiro frowned slightly as he looked at Kaede's sleeping form.

"...She will live."

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders, only for a mountain to replace it as Takahiro continued.

"That is, if she doesn't give birth—Agh!"

I grabbed him by the hem of his kimono, about to slam my fist into his head before a giant tongue wrapped around my arm.

"S-Sasaki-sama, please!"

I turned my head to see him leaning against his Shikigami. Scoffing, I exhaled sharply before releasing him dropping him back into his seat. Seemingly unaffected by my reaction, he continued.

"Her soul has been altered far beyond anything I've seen before. It is now connected to the babies far more deeply than it should be."

I frowned as he clarified.

"If she does give birth, her soul will go with the babies and she will die. If she doesn't, she will live... but the babies will die."

I opened my mouth but no words came. Only the sight of Kaede's eyes fluttering open snapped me out of my daze.

"I'm having more than one?"

I cut everyone off as I rushed to her side, hovering over her.

"Kaede, you will die!"

She merely smiled, raising a hand to cup my face.

"That's alright."

"No, it is not!"

"Ryou—"

"I can't lose you, Kaede!"

She just kept smiling. I felt my heart crack at how easily she dismissed her own death.

"Ryou, I love you."

"And I love you, Kaede... I can't lose you."

She turned to Takahiro and spoke softly.

"Could you have everyone leave, please?"

He nodded, and I kept my eyes on her as I heard footsteps retreating.

Gently, Kaede pulled my head down to rest against her chest, her voice a quiet whisper.

"I want these children to know the joys of life, and if it means giving up my own in exchange for theirs... then I'll gladly do it."

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.

"I know that if you had to give your life, Ryou, you would. Please, Ryou... take care of our children."

Her voice wavered, determination laced with tears. And if anyone outside heard the sound of two people crying, no one said a word.

~Scene Change~

"Sasaki-sama!"

I stepped out the door alone as Kaede drifted back to sleep, turning to Arisawa, who called out to me. I gave him a nod.

"Walk with me."

Takahiro moved toward me, but I turned my back to him walking away without waiting for Arisawa's response. It didn't take long before I heard the hobbled steps of the injured man following behind me.

I led us along a familiar path until we arrived at the training grounds from earlier. As I waited for him to catch up, I tilted my head back, gazing at the darkening sky.

"I... I know that it w-wasn't—"

I silenced him with a single glance as he drew closer.

"Tell me everything from the moment you caught up to Kaede. Leave nothing out—whether it's the colour of the grass or the scent in the air. I want to know everything that happened."

As he spoke, I listened intently, keeping my eyes fixed on the sky watching it darken with every passing moment.

~Flashback / Arisawa's POV~

"Great Serpent!"

A massive white serpent erupted from the shadows, surging toward the green haired Curse.

"Lady Kaede!"

I arrived at her side as she rode one of the Divine Dogs, scanning her for any wounds. Finding none, I let out a relieved breath before glancing toward the battlefield.

I quickly unsummoned Great Serpent, returning him to the shadows before the Curse's sickly purple flames could engulf it.

"Awww~ I was playing with it!"

The Curse grinned, then lunged at me far faster than I could properly react to.

Cursing under my breath, I withdrew my tanto, slashing at its approaching arms—only for its body to split in two, one half darting toward Lady Kaede.

"To—shit!"

Before I could summon another Shikigami, the Curse's arms morphed into elongated whips, forcing me to dodge.

'I need to get to Lady Kaede!'

Determination burned through me as I ignored the blood pouring from my chest. Then, I recalled a technique Sasaki-sama had once shown me.

"Arisawa-san, you're scared to die, aren't you? I thought so. One day if you ever decide to run whether from fear or to catch the aid of someone stronger, use this technique. Got it?"

'Stop thinking about the amount of Cursed Energy used. Focus it solely for one moment, in the legs!'

Following his teachings, I poured every ounce of strength into my legs. The ground cracked beneath me and the Curse lost its footing.

"Shundō!"

I roared as I blitzed forward, crashing into the Curse's clone just as it reached for Lady Kaede.

~Present Time / Ryou POV~

"Afterwards, the Cursed Spirit was consumed by a ring of golden fire and then Lady Kaede collapsed..." I raised my hand to stop him from bowing and spoke. "I want you to find people within the Clan who is trustworthy enough to gather information on the two from today. Will you do it?"

I turned to him, ignoring his hesitation as our eyes locked. After a brief pause, he shook his head and raised his fist in determination. "I will do it, Sasaki-sama! I promise to find out and bring justice to them."

I nodded, signaling for him to leave me for a moment. "Please take care, Sasaki-sama."

He waved me off, and I turned my gaze back to the sky. A raindrop fell onto my face.

'Why?'

'Why is it that whenever my life rises, it always falls?'

'Why?'

'What have I done to deserve this?!'

'Why?!'

'Why?!'

"I said... tell me why!" With barely restrained anger, my Cursed Energy leaked out before I reined it back in hearing someone approach slowly.

"I'm unsure if I can provide an answer, Sasaki-san."

I turned to see the man with scars across his forehead. "I thought I warned you."

Narrowing my eyes, I took a deep breath reminding myself of my surroundings. 'I don't want my Cursed Energy to harm her.'

He laughed lightly, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Indeed, you did but I couldn't help checking on you, Sasaki-san. Even though you've rejected me multiple times, I still worry about you."

I took a small step forward, clenching my hands but stopped as he continued.

"Do you know who attacked your wife?"

I grit my teeth at the memory of the bastards, then sighed. "One was a Cursed Spirit with dirty green hair and the other, a young man with Sunkissed skin and golden hair."

The man hummed thoughtfully before shaking his head. "I'm afraid I'm unaware of who they are." He walked closer to me and stopped within striking distance, tilting his head up to meet my eyes.

"However, I can find out. Let me join that Arisawa boy's group, and I promise I'll find them both."

I could tell he knew I wasn't convinced, so he added something I wouldn't be able to refuse.

"Not if, but when I find the Cursed Spirit, I'll make them revert whatever they've done to your wife. Do we have a deal now, or do you want to throw in a Binding Vow?"

That last part caught me off guard, but I responded as I looked down at his outstretched hand.

"While I don't know why you're so invested in me, I'll make a Binding Vow with you."

I grabbed his hand, and we followed the steps for the Binding Vow, unknowingly changing an unwritten future.

~Scene Change~

Four months had passed in the blink of an eye, and I had barely given any attention to the Clan, focusing solely on Kaede. I only left her side briefly when she was sleeping, to collect the reports from Arisawa and his stealth squad.

"Hana-kozō, looks like you're the informant this time."

I held back a snort as I watched the man twitch at the name I had given him after he claimed to be under a Binding Vow that prevented him from revealing his original name. Thus, Hana-kozō was born.

"Sasaki-san, I bring both good and bad news."

I frowned, then motioned for him to share the good news first.

"We've located the Cursed Spirit and the Sorcerer with golden hair."

My eyes widened, and as I was about to walk past him, he grabbed my arm.

"You need to hear the bad news!"

I glared down at him but sighed, nodding, returning to a calm state as he spoke.

"One of my informants, who managed to gather the information, left us a note saying the Curse was burned and killed."

'Killed?' The thought echoed in my mind, threatening to send me into a spiral. But before I could lose myself to it, I was snapped out of my thoughts by a tug on my hakama pants. I looked down to see Hana-kozō on his knees sweating and tugging at my pants.

"T-That was a close call."

My eyes widened. I turned around. "Kae—"

I felt Hana-kozō pull on my clothing, and I turned back to see him standing up.

"I sealed the area around us beforehand. I had a feeling this might happen."

I frowned, facing him. "You know Barrier Arts?"

He shook his head lightly and answered. "Only a small amount. My clan had an interest in it many years ago."

Not wanting to hear his sob story, I nodded and sighed, speaking up. "What am I supposed to do now?"

He hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before snapping his fingers.

"After she gives birth and her soul is torn from her body, you could try and find a way to contain her soul. Then, find or wait for a Cursed Tool that can interact with a soul."

I blinked, frowning deeply. "A Cursed Tool like that could take decades to create if it doesn't already exist. And containing her soul?"

He simply smiled and shrugged.

"Your wife isn't a Sorcerer, nor does she seem to have the strongest soul. I'm sure that elderly man from the fallen Sakurazawa Clan could seal her soul, even if it's just a weak seal. As for the Cursed Tool, you might be right but it's not like you'll die before something like that is created."

I closed my eyes, feeling the weight on my shoulders lighten slightly. I nodded at his words.

"Alright. I'll have Takahiro-san seal her soul after she gives birth, then I'll keep her body healthy with my Cursed Energy. That should work."

He nodded, then spoke with a small smile on his otherwise unsettling face.

"It's a wonderful plan, Sasaki-san. In the meantime, do you still want to pursue—"

He was cut off as I glared down at him.

"I take that as a yes. We might be able to draw them out in a few months."

I nodded at his words and walked back inside without another word.

"Sasaki-san, I do hope you fulfill your end of the Vow."

I didn't reply, merely shutting the door behind me.

~Scene Change~

Four more months had passed and now, along with Takahiro and a dozen other remaining members of the Sakurazawa Clan, I was watching Kaede give birth.

"Push, Kaede!" I winced as she squeezed my hand with inhuman strength and yelled at me. "What do you think I'm doing, you idiot?!"

I opened my mouth to say something but was cut off as the room fell into silence. The only sound filling the air was the baby's crying.

"Congra...ulations..."

I frowned as I continued holding Kaede's hand with my left hand, stepping forward to see the newborns. My eyes widened at the sight of the babies, their bodies covered in yellow markings.

"Ryou, what's...wro—"

I felt Kaede's hand go limp and I immediately yelled at Takahiro to start the sealing process while channelling my Cursed Energy through Kaede's body at the lowest level I could.

"Sasaki-sama, we've done it!"

I turned to one of the Sealing Sorcerers, frowning. "That's it?"

He nodded, gesturing to the seal on Kaede's forehead. "I assume it's from the birth. Her soul and body were extremely weak."

I nodded reluctantly, letting go of her hand, watching it fall limp. 'If they messed this up, I swear...'

I was cut off as the babies cried louder. Turning to the midwife holding them, I ordered. "Give them to me."

At my command, the two babies- twins I realized, were placed into my arms. They stopped crying the moment I held them. I looked down at them for a moment before turning to Takahiro.

"Check them."

He nodded, taking the babies from my arms and I turned my attention back to Kaede's body.

"She's not dead, is she?"

One of the Sorcerers answered, "Her body is alive Sasaki-sama. She just has no soul within it, which is why she's in this state. She's pretty much in a deep sleep."

I nodded, stepping out of the building and making my way to Arisawa who was sitting on a nearby bench.

"How did it go, Sasaki-sama?"

I exhaled as more of the weight lifted from my shoulders and replied. "It's twins. And I know what people think about the birth of twins."

He nodded, listening.

"Kaede's soul has been sealed, so all I have to do is keep her body healthy until I can get my hands on a Cursed Tool."

Arisawa hummed thoughtfully, then leaned back and gazed up at the sky.

"I want to leave this Clan and join a different one."

I blinked and turned to him, as he continued.

"I met a woman from another Clan, and we've fallen in love. I know that you—"

I patted his shoulder, smiling down at him. "If you're ever in the area, you and your future family are always welcome."

He looked up at me, wide eyed before a smile spread across his face, and he stood—

Boom!

Arisawa and I ducked as Takahiro flew through the wall in front of us.

"Check on Takahiro-san!" I shouted, rushing into the building. My stomach dropped as I took in the sight of blood covering the walls.

"Hehehe~"

I turned, and there it was the Cursed Spirit with green hair.

'H-how? I thought it was dead.'

"You look like you've seen a ghost~"

I took a step forward, only to freeze as the Cursed Spirit held my babies by their legs. One of them was headless.

"You wouldn't—"

It didn't finish speaking. In one swift motion, I ripped its arms off and grabbed both the dead baby and the still screaming one, holding them close to my chest.

"Haha~"

I turned to see the Cursed Spirit laughing, and I raised my foot to crush its head. But it clicked its tongue and in an instant, blood splattered across my face. I looked down and saw the other baby, now a mangled mess of gore as it exploded into pieces.

"That's all three, Reiji-sama~"

'N-no...'

My mind spiralled as I crushed the Cursed Spirit's head beneath my foot, my gaze locking onto the place where my beautiful Kaede had once lain serenely after giving birth to our beautiful children. But instead of that scene, I was met with the horrific sight of Kaede, her forehead where the seal once was now ripped out and a hole where her heart had once beat.

'N-no...'

"Sasa—Oh gods."

I collapsed to my knees, my increasingly blurry vision fixated on Kaede's broken form. "S-Sasaki-sama, we must get you out of here!"

Their voices sounded distant, like flies buzzing in my ears as every memory of Kaede and me replayed in my mind. The moments when we ran through tall grass, or floated on the water's surface gazing at the stars together, or the intimate moments we shared. All of it played as though I was experiencing it for the first time.

With those emotions flooding through me, I felt my seals and control slipping, far more than I would ever normally allow.

~Takahiro POV~

'How vile!'

I thought in pure disgust and repulsion as I eyed the blood and gore around us. Along with a group of Sorcerers, I ran in after Arisawa who had checked on me before rushing to Sasaki-san's side. Though I had lived for decades, the sight before me turned my stomach. I fought back the nausea and focused on Sasaki-san's downed form as he spoke.

"Their bodies..."

Arisawa, kneeling beside the man, widened his eyes as he scooped up the barely recognizable babies. They were now little more than lumps of organs and he carefully moved towards Lady Kaede.

'I'm so sorry, Lady Kaede.'

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the horror but when I opened them again, I saw Arisawa walking toward me, Lady Kaede and her babies in his arms.

"Sasaki-sama has ordered everyone to leave this mountain. Anyone who doesn't will regret it."

I frowned, about to ask what he meant but he shook his head, stepping past us with parting words.

"Unless you want to die now, I suggest you listen to his orders."

I turned to the other Sorcerers and nodded at him.

"Evacuate the people—"

I paused and turned back to Sasaki-san, freezing as I felt every fiber in my being shake with fear.

"S-Sasaki-san... a-are you g-going to come with u-us?"

I received no answer, but I understood then. Sasaki-san was the reason everyone needed to leave. I turned back to the Sorcerers and left with them, hoping against hope.

'Please be safe, Sasaki-san.'

~Arisawa POV~

"Move it! Move it people!" I yelled as hundreds of individuals whether bandits, Sorcerers or common folk hurriedly hauled their belongings, making their way safely down the mountain.

'It's taken us an hour, and we're almost completely down.'

I turned my gaze to the top where along with every living thing on the mountain could feel the growing pressure building. At first, I thought Sasaki-sama was preparing a technique but then it dawned on me, it wasn't something only involving Cursed Energy.

"Arisawa-san!"

I turned to see the man Sasaki-sama had introduced, walking toward me as he wiped blood from his fingers.

"There were enemy Sorcerers, so I took care of them. Where's Sasaki-san?"

I pointed to the top and just as I did a Sorcerer arrived, reporting that everyone had now safely made it down the mountain.

"Arisawa-san, do you know why—"

Before he could finish everyone froze, collapsing to their knees as a force slammed into us, threatening to crush us.

"N-never mind... I... I t-think I found out..."

The man groaned and I looked up at the mountain with wide eyes. Dark purple, red and black energy was rising from it.

'I-insane!'

That was my first thought, and as the pressure and energy intensified, it began to take the shape of a dragon's maw. It opened wide and let out a deafening roar a sound that sent a chill down my spine.

Soon after, the pressure stopped. But before anyone could even attempt to rise, the mountain was engulfed by the energy, completely destroyed. The heavens above us opened, shining golden light down upon us all.

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Happy bonus chapter :D