pillar man 2.0

Chapter 42: Illusory Battle, Part 3

In the midst of his fight against Kokushibo, Taro began to reflect.

"I don't remember my parents' faces or even their names. That's one of the curses of being born poor in a rich city—nobody cares about the rats.

My father died a long time ago. He was beaten to death by some worthless samurai. Not long after, my mother tried to take her own life… she wanted to take me with her.

At just 8 years old, I decided I didn't want to live a miserable life, but I didn't want to die either. I ran away from my hometown, wandering through countless places, searching for somewhere I could call home."

---

Kokushibo then used his veins to freeze Taro in place. Taro leapt into the air, managing to avoid the attack, but midair, he was struck by bone bullets.

Falling amidst the house's rubble, his feet were injured. Taro struggled to run, yet his speed seemed barely affected.

But the pain forced him to think.

---

"When I left my hometown, I walked endlessly. My feet were torn to shreds on the journey. Beyond the physical pain, I felt a deeper ache in my soul. Along the way, I passed many places where families were happy, yet all around me, there was nothing but death and despair.

Everything I saw made me question whether it wouldn't have been better to follow my mother. Maybe this search for a happy life was just the naive dream of a child. That's when I realized—I wasn't as strong as I thought."

---

In a moment of distraction, Kokushibo landed a direct hit on Taro's stomach.

The blow was so powerful that it sent Taro flying, crashing into another house. This one, however, was occupied—a father and his two children, a boy and a girl, lived there.

Seeing this family, Taro forced himself to rise and attacked Kokushibo, driving the fight away from the house to protect its residents.

He led the battle to the area behind the chief's house, where there were almost no homes.

"No, I can't let him hurt these people. I won't let him harm anyone. That's my duty… my debt."

---

"When I was 13, I finally reached a small village. It was tiny, but so warm and welcoming. The people there took me in, even though they didn't know me. That's when I realized that, even in such a cruel world, there are still good people.

I felt indebted to that place. I wanted to help them however I could.

To help the villagers, I began doing physical labor as a woodcutter. But on my first day, there was an accident.

'Hey, Taro, don't you want to take a break? You've done enough for today.'

'It's fine, Uncle Daiki. I'm okay—I can keep working.' I gave it my all, desperate to repay these people for their kindness.

'Taro, you haven't even eaten. Come on, take a break and eat. You're still growing; you need plenty of food,' Uncle Daiki said, flexing his muscles.

'Alright, just a bit more, and I'll rest,' I replied, drenched in sweat, my body burning like fire. But I couldn't stop until I finished the job.

Just as I was about to finish, I felt a sharp pain. Everything went dark, and I collapsed."

---

Taro and Kokushibo continued their fight, but this time, Taro was applying pressure.

His relentless, powerful attacks made it difficult for Kokushibo to dodge. Kokushibo had an idea—he fired more bone bullets, one of which concealed a flesh sprout.

Fortunately, Taro managed to dodge this surprise attack.

But soon, Taro's body began to look skeletal.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it… I can't stop now. Just a little longer," Taro thought, even as his body begged him to halt.

---

"When I woke up after collapsing, I learned my body was in terrible shape. I could barely move, and the pain was unbearable.

The doctor said he didn't understand how my body still functioned, given its condition. That's when I realized my body wouldn't stop unless I willed it to—but if I pushed too far, I'd suffer irreversible damage. It's as if my body has no limits. That's what I called this condition: *No Limits.*

That wasn't the first time I used it. While traveling through Japan, I had to rely on this ability. No one could walk so far, for so long, while so malnourished.

By the time I reached the village, my body was already broken from overuse. The heavy labor was just the final straw.

Now my knee is damaged. The doctor gave me herbs to ease the pain, but that pain never truly left me. It did, however, help me develop an instinct for when my body is about to collapse.

Of course, I couldn't work as a woodcutter anymore, and Uncle Daiki ended up paying for my treatment. That hurt me more than the injuries themselves.

Now I owe him my life."

---

Ignoring his instincts, Taro continued fighting Kokushibo. His body was at its limit; he knew it wouldn't last much longer. But just then, Taro managed to step on Kokushibo's foot, preparing to land a punch.

But—

A crash came from the direction of the chief's house, and someone was flung outside. It was Aiko, on the verge of death.

"No… Aiko!" Taro stopped and ran toward Aiko's body.

But fate was cruel to Taro—his body gave out, collapsing entirely. He had no strength left to move. The mere fact that he was conscious was already a miracle, let alone moving.

"Aiko, move! Come on, you can't give up like this!"

Kokushibo sheathed his bone sword and slowly approached Aiko's body.

Desperate, Taro tried with all his might to move, but there wasn't a shred of strength left in him. He couldn't take a single step, barely even twitch. He couldn't even crawl.

"Well, your name is Taro, isn't it? You look pathetic now. So before I kill you, I'll teach you a lesson that every samurai or warrior must learn."

Standing beside Aiko, Kokushibo raised his sword with both hands and spoke coldly and slowly.

"In a war or battle, the only sin is… WEAKNESS." Kokushibo swiftly brought his sword down, decapitating Aiko.

Taro couldn't believe what he was seeing. Rage consumed him as he burned Kokushibo's face into his memory. Moments later, Taro passed out.

"I've dealt with this one for the master. He's probably finishing up by now. I should kill Taro, but the master could end his battle at any moment, so I'll retrieve Soloctis first," Kokushibo said, heading toward the old woman's house.

Author's Note: I know the fight with the Upper Moon is dragging on, but I need to show Taro's past first. Either he or someone from his past will be important in the future—that's up to the dice.

End of Chapter.