BXBX NOVEL Chapter 80 - Tsukamoto
The gatekeeper\'s heavy words deeply affected Yoichi\'s soul, who did not stop looking at him for a moment. Enatsu was the only one who knew about the visions and the bloody writings, but he would never confess those secrets to Ryutaro. His best friend was terrified of the gatekeeper, so he would never dare to do such a thing.
Although the old guardian was aware that Yoichi was not born in his own world, he remained as calm as water in the stone sink and motionless as a statue. That shocking news did not seem to upset him in any way.
"Do you know my past, supreme Ryutaro?" he mumbled, unable to believe he had asked such a question.
"I have dedicated my life to the service of the imperial family. Emperor Tatsui Nishiyama was not only my master but also the only true friend I ever had. Together with him, I faced countless battles, defeated powerful enemies and explored unknown territories," the gatekeeper answered, evading Yoichi\'s question.
"Years after our first battles against the Kamakiri faction, we were finally able to reach its shores. At that time, the Nomi Island was a bare and uninhabited place, with no tactical value."
"Are you telling me that you reached Kamakiri to fight against Gonshiro\'s army?" Yoichi gulped, unable to restrain his curiosity. With those words, the young tamer showed his wise interlocutor that he briefly knew the war story.
"That was our goal, yes. But we failed," Ryutaro admitted, taking a deep breath. "The immortal Emperor of Kamakiri was still alive, and all the stories about him were not mere legends, but pure, bitter truth."
I can\'t believe it. I remember Enatsu\'s story in vivid detail, but I didn\'t think it was all real! Ryutaro saw Gonshiro with his own eyes; that dude survived thousands of years! Yoichi thought, struggling to hold back the feeling of dismay he was feeling.
"If you know Gonshiro\'s story, you also know about his Oracle, the evil Valgoth. When we approached the capital of Kamakiri, home to its Ruler\'s Imperial castle, we suffered a surprise attack. Our army, which had already endured heavy casualties, was surrounded by thousands of enemy warriors. Taking advantage of the geography of their territory, they trapped us within a deep valley, blocking us in every direction."
As he told the story of that battle, Ryutaro walked towards the katana hanging on the wall. The old gatekeeper looked at the weapon, admiring the beauty of its sharp blade and letting the reflected light hit the veil before her eyes.
"Although in a numerical minority, our warriors were stronger than those of Gonshiro. I fought on the front line with Tsukamoto, the general of the imperial army, protecting Emperor Tatsui. Just as the battle was about to turn in our favour, he appeared. That image is soaked in my mind and is in my dreams every night since then."
"Gonshiro?" Yoichi inquired, imagining who was the subject of Ryutaro\'s tale.
"The legendary Emperor of Kamariki was right there, on a hill in front of us. His evil eyes were pointed at Tatsui, and his body oozed the desire to eliminate the ruler of our faction", the gatekeeper replied. Continuing to walk, he approached his armour. "As hundreds of enemy soldiers continued to arrive from behind the mountains, I decided to rescue the Emperor, fearing that our army, if we kept on fighting, would be exterminated."
"What happened to Gonshiro? Was Valgoth with him?" Yoichi asked again, seeking the truth from Ryutaro\'s mouth.
"When I grabbed Tatsui\'s arm and started running in the opposite direction to that evil presence, Tsukamoto couldn\'t restrain his momentum. The general was the strongest warrior I had known, as well as the one who taught me to fight. He ran to Gonshiro, killing every enemy warrior who obstructed his path. When he finally reached the Immortal Emperor of Kamakiri, something incredible happened.
Yoichi continued to listen in silence.
"The powerful Tsukamoto activated the power of his demon, capable of increasing the size of his sword. He leapt towards Gonshiro and, fast as lightning, the sword pierced his chest", Ryutaro spoke. His hand approached the horned kabuto of his armour as if he wanted to touch a fragment of that memory.
"The great general of Tentochu\'s army had finally defeated our nation\'s evil enemy. This is what we thought a moment before we realized that ancient Valgoth was right back there, hidden in the shadow of its master. As his power pervaded Gonshiro\'s body while the huge blade of the sword sank deeper and deeper into his chest, he grabbed Tsukamoto\'s head with both hands.
Continuing to tell the story, Ryutaro put both hands on the helmet to emulate what happened that day. Without speaking, the gatekeeper squeezed the object and lifted it forcefully, detaching it from the rest of the armour.
"No..." Yoichi reflexively whispered. The story of that battle ended with the beheading of the only Tentochu\'s warrior who had been able to hit the evil Gonshiro. "He was truly immortal…" Yoichi murmured, struggling to imagine the scene.
"When Tsukamoto\'s body fell to the ground lifeless, Gonshiro lifted his head. Holding it like a trophy, he showed it to his warriors, inciting them to battle. Uff..." the gatekeeper sighed, returning to the centre of the room. "I don\'t know how Tatsui and I saved ourselves that day, but that experience changed our lives forever. The war lost all its meanings: as long as Gonshiro was alive, Kamakiri would always win against Tentochu."
The heavy words of the old dojo keeper were imbued with pain and melancholy. Yoichi, sensing those bitter feelings, tried to discuss it. "This is not fair. Such an evil being cannot live forever! There must be a way... someone must be able to put an end to his hegemony!"
Letting the words come out of his mouth like a flooded river, Yoichi remembered Enatsu\'s tale. His friend told him about Therion and the dragons that once ruled Lumya. According to the stories of Yanatsu, the young merchant\'s grandfather, their flame was the only way to salvation.