"Such disappointment"
Igaraishi rushed towards Takahashi and got him up in arms.
"We gotta run" he mumbled but got blocked by the hooded person in blink of an eye, he didn't even see him moving.
"That's rude, are father son reunions supposed to be like this?" The hooded man removed his hood exposing his young face with same red hair as his sons, though somehow compared to him his sons were rather more beautiful while he simply seemed like an ordinary red haired guy in lavish clothing that others found beautiful only when they hadn't seen his sons.
"Father, i apologize but i don't intend to fight you i just came here to retrieve..." He was just about to mention reiji but then immediately quietened up thinking of Asuza.
"Retrieve?" The man raised a brow "how many years has it been since you ran away....which is a crime i overlooked"
"I don't want anything to do with this world, I'll leave immediately after doing what i came here to do father" igaraishi spoke formally while keeping Takahashi's face pressed to his chest by force not letting him see his face.
"Things don't work like that my boy and here you were the best candidate to take over the family..." The man sighed though with a grin.
Igaraishi clenched his teeth and suddenly made a run in his full speed to the opposite side but a punch send him flying back along with Takahashi in his arms and his back broke about three trees behind him with the pressure he was punched though Rai barely moved. There was alot of power difference and even igaraishi could tell, Takahashi's arm was slowly recovering.
"Do you know the best way to hit two birds with one stone in betrayal? Kill the traitors and blame it on another enemy to fire others against them..and you especially.. If you were to die igaraishi kun then the whole general population would go all 200% boasted hatred to the enemy clan" Rai smirked slowly walking towards igaraishi.
"What are you saying" igaraishi's eyes were widened "you are a father! How can you think about killing your own son!" Igaraishi was really shocked.
"Relations are meaningless when it comes to position power and reputation" Rai spoke with a straight face "that's what I've been taught since childhood"
"You're not my father, you can't be!" Igaraishi couldn't believe the situation.
"Oh he sure is" a third voice interrupted and from behind the trees reiji and Asuza came forward drenched in rain as well.
"We got company" Rai spoke tilting his head "the intruders? How lucky that you came here by yourself or i would've been looking for you after i was done here..."
"No you two run!" Igaraishi yelled to reiji and Asuza.
"Run? After we came all the way here to kill him?" Reiji raised a brow.
"Eh?" Igaraishi was real surprised "why..?" He couldn't really get what was going on.
"You were always too naive igaraishi because you have never seen the side of him i have" Reiji spoke drawing his sword.
"Oh? And who might you be?" Rai asked turning towards reiji unimpressed.
"Someone who'll lay you to your grave Shuichi rai" Reiji replied.
"Heh" Rai didn't even bother drawing his sword when reiji came at him ,instead he blocked the sword by only one finger against the sword tip.
No matter how much reiji pushed, the blade wouldn't pierce his finger.
Takahashi had fully regained his arm by now "igaraishi san you're choking me" Takahashi struggled from igaraishi's arms.
While Asuza stood at the opposite corner under the tree not even interfering with the fight.
"What's he upto it's obvious he can't win like this" igaraishi mumbled without letting Takahashi loose.
Reiji swung his sword aiming for the neck but the blade got blocked by his neck, it wouldn't pass through his flesh not even scratch it...the sword was pretty useless.
"Little boy, i don't understand what you are trying to do...how do you intend to kill me with a blade that can't even pierce me" Rai wasn't even dodging his sword, he took all hits but it didn't manage to give him a single scratch.
"Why can't he cut him?" Takahashi asked getting on his feet once he was loose.
"A sword's ability is dependent upon the bloodlust of the wielder.." Igaraishi replied looking forward "look at reiji...his hands are shaking"
"He's afraid..." Takahashi spoke with surprise when he actually noticed reiji's hands, he had always seen reiji as cruel monster type...this was first time seeing him afraid...
"When i heard you killed alot of knights i almost thought you'd be worthy of fighting but you simply are embarrassing yourself here" rai finally fisted his hand to punch but soon as he shot his hand to punch Asuza blocked it with his both hands saving reiji.
"I told you not interfere!" Reiji spoke wiping his sweat.
"Huh? With that wimp ass fighting of yours?" Asuza almost frowned at reiji who backed a little bit ashamed inside.
"Impressive...to be able to see my punch coming, you are no ordinary blood are you.." Rai grinned.
"Asuza shuichi was the name given to me at birth, but i prefer Asuza reiji" Asuza replied back pretty fearlessly.
"Shuichi?" Rai raised a brow "i don't know you...does it have anything to do with my late younger brother? Perhaps a hidden relative?" Rai got lost in thought for a moment there, talking out loud.
"Wrong, i am the first son of Shuichi Isshi " Asuza's reply made Rai's eyes widen big time "and here with me is none other then your own son Shuichi Reiji"
The answer made not only his eyes widened but also his mouth hung open.
"No way" Rai eyed reiji from head to toe "liar, reiji kun is dead and isshi has only a daughter"
"It's true" igaraishi spoke up from behind and rai turned to him in disbelief at first but after staring their faces for a while he clenched his fists.
"Traitors, how dare that little rat hide this from me!" He referred to Isshi.
"Well if he would've you would've killed Asuza because you see..he's actually blind... Cmon you even killed your fourth son because he was deaf" Reiji smirked.
This was the first time Asuza heard of this, same for igaraishi and Takahashi.
"No..way.." Igaraishi mumbled clenching his fists while Takahashi was just surprised.. But to Asuza it was all a big shock and suddenly a long film started to play infront of his eyes when his father would desperately try to hide his existence to the point a non violent man like him would resort to violence....
..Was it all to protect him from this person?
"Don't get me wrong here but i disapprove of his methods.." Reiji spoke up after noticing Asuza's expression "you don't protect someone by caging them or abusing them"
"Reiji huh? What's with this body..i can't tell if you're a sai or vivei" Rai got hold of himself.
"apparently...it's my son's body" Reiji replied and Takahashi got yet another shock.
"You knew?!" Takahashi yelled with anger.
"I learned yesterday.. Otherwise i wouldn't do such a thing but i can't get angry because I'm not too attached with him" Reiji replied.
"How are you any different!" Takahashi yelled again but igaraishi held him back.
"You're right..i never said i was different, this revenge is out of my own selfishness" Reiji smiled "it's not like i can leave this body at this point..but if you want to point fingers then it's your fault too for not raising your kid with a trust relationship"
"Enough with your chattering, I'll make it quick and finish all of you in one shot" Rai pulled out his sword too looking a bit serious now "i don't care about stupid children or revenge, my responsibility as leader of anqui comes first"
Asuza drew his sword as well and reiji tightened his grip on the holding not shivering as much, while igaraishi only got on his defensive standing infront of Takahashi waiting to make an escape soon as he'd get a chance.
"Playtime" Rai licked up his blade with a wide smirk and disappeared from everyone's eyes appearing behind Reiji but asuza blocked his sword, in blink of seconds he appeared infront of Asuza and reiji blocked the sword this time. Both Asuza and reiji stood behind eachothers back on high alert fending of the attacks that came with high speed and enormous strength.
It was hard to catch on Rai's speed so Asuza and Reiji both got minor cuts while defending one another not getting any chance to launch an offense.
"They stand no chance at all" Takahashi mumbled, he couldn't even see Rai but he could tell Asuza and Reiji were barely holding up.
"They wouldn't have came here without anything in mind, i can tell as much..where's Tsubaki at though.
She's so late.." Igaraishi replied "and this rain keeps getting heavier by the moment.."
Soon Reiji and Asuza were pretty much out of breath and had cuts all over though Rai didn't even seem remotely affected, if anything.. He was playing..
"Let's make a run" Igaraishi whispered and took Takahashi's hand trying to escape but Rai caught on it and attacked at igaraishi sending him flying back into a stone and walking slowly towards Takahashi.
"You are quite the beauty aren't you, no wonder you had reiji and igaraishi kun both at your hands" Rai smirked and Takahashi started to back away "be a good boy and stay still and maybe I'll even take you in without killing"
Rai tried to reach his hand to Takahashi's face but then suddenly his hand began to bleed while Reiji stood huffing in anger pushing down his sword over Rai's hand.
"Impressive.. You managed to scratch me" Rai did say that but he seemed quite annoyed.
"Ne Takahashi... Don't go around betraying that woman just for survival.." Reiji said, even though coming from reiji's mouth those words were a big surprise. Rai swung his arm and the slap send reiji flying back and hitting the ground.
Though igaraishi got back on his feet on time and swapped Takahashi away in his arms, princess style and Asuza came at him engaging in a sword fight.
"Reiji nii, you should run..there's no way to win against him!" Igaraishi put Takahashi down and helped Reiji up.
Asuza got hit back and just when Rai raised his sword to stab Asuza in the chest another sword blocked his attack. Takahashi, igaraishi and Reiji almost had their hearts to their throats when Rai held up his sword
"Sorry I'm late" Tsubaki said while defending Asuza from the sword, her hair were no longer in a pony tail but wet and open and her liner was all flowing which made her look quite the goth.
"Tsubaki..." Asuza mumbled in surprise.
"You too lady tsubaki" Rai sighed "what have i been raising a whole family of traitors"
"Forgive me grandfather but i donot approve of what you intend to do after i had a long conversation with an old caretaker of the family.." Tsubaki smirked "you're indeed quite the cruel man"
"Tsubaki back away i won't.." Asuza stood up to stay something but then Tsubaki suddenly turned around and punched Asuza in the face.
"Did you ever think of me as your sister?! Did you ever come to me and told me you wanted something?! Did you ever come to me and tell me dad was unfair to you?! No, i wasn't even worthy of your help! If you would have told me i would've fought against the world for you ya brat!!" Tsubaki yelled genuinely pissed while Asuza held his swollen red cheek she gave him "Shut the fuck up kid..don't ever mention my name again!" She glared down at him and started swinging her sword against Rai who kept defending those attacks as well but now it was so many people against one.
"ENOUGH!"
Rai yelled and a light radiated from him that send all his opponents flying back due to wind pressure, even the rain water got deflected by it and soon it started to fog up enormously and once the fog died away...
An anaconda that almost reached into the sky looked down upon the tiny dots looking opponents...
An anaconda 10 times bigger then any other...
A huge blood red anaconda...