Volume 4 Chapter 36 The Great Villain Of The World Interrogating Bakkai
A few days after we returned to Toukaku of Eastern Town, the interrogation of Bakkai began.
"Is this the result you wanted, Bakkai?"
Master Raikou stared at Bakkai in the cell and said.
It was the prison in Toukaku town.
Bakkai was facing away from us, behind wooden bars.
She didn't answer Master Raikou's questions.
She sat silently, looking at the wall.
Her body moved slightly, so she was still alive.
After we returned to Toukaku town, Shuu-sensei treated Bakkai.
Her body could hardly move anymore.
She had already been injured in her arms and legs. Forcing her to move with 'Kyuuki' techniques put even more strain on her. Her meridians were in tatters.
Now, only her left arm could move a little.
As for her lifespan──according to Shuu-sensei, she wouldn't last 2 months.
"You involved many people in your revenge against Master Gyoun──no, your misguided grudge. This includes the bandits and your martial artist subordinates. But that's not all. Many townspeople were attacked by bandits and lost their lives. What did you gain from all this?"
Master Raikou spoke calmly, addressing Bakkai in the cell.
I was there with Shuu-sensei, who was trying to prevent the agitated Bakkai from harming herself.
I was present because it helped Master Raikou stay calm.
'If Tenhou is by my side, I won't want to show a bad side in front of my disciple.'
'Sorry, but I want you to be here.'
Those were Master Raikou's words.
And now, Master Raikou stood in front of the cell, facing Bakkai.
"Bakkai, you said, 'I will only watch my disciple's future. My disciple will soar above Gyoun's disciple and make a name for themselves'."
Master Raikou continued speaking to Bakkai's back.
"But the Ryou siblings were defeated by my disciple. Your disciple will not soar to greatness. Your desire for revenge crushed your disciple's talent and stole their future."
"......"
Bakkai's back trembled slightly.
Master Raikou continued.
"You have completely failed. In the end, the 'Hidden Five Gods' were just used by the organization that manipulates 'Kyuuki' techniques──the 'Golden Feather Syndicate.' Bakkai, are you satisfied with that!?"
Master Raikou's fist struck the bars of the cell.
"Is it enough that someone who learned the Five Gods' techniques was used by the 'Golden Feather Syndicate'?!"
Master Raikou shouted in a strained voice.
"If you feel even a little regret... I want you to tell me what you know about that organization. If this continues, won't it be unfair to your disciples? If you care about them..."
"Haha..."
A faint laugh echoed.
"Haha, haha, hahahahahahaha!!"
Eventually, it grew loud enough to fill the entire prison.
Bakkai's voice, filled with broken 'ki' energy, shook the walls and wooden bars.
"Disciple of Gyoun. You understand nothing."
Bakkai turned back over his shoulder and laughed.
"It is I, Bakkai, who will be remembered in history. I have cooperated with an organization that moves the world. That organization will never forget the favor I did for them."
"...What?"
"That organization received Heaven's Fate. Do you think they would teach me their secret techniques just for some information? Of course, a price is necessary!"
"Could it be... you?!"
...Wait a minute.
Did she pay the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' a price to learn the secret 'Kyuuki'?
No way...
"Did you pass on the Five Gods' techniques to the 'Golden Feather Syndicate'?!"
"Yes... yes!!"
Bakkai threw back her head and laughed loudly.
"I did pass them on. Some parts, but I definitely did!! What will remain for future generations is not Gyoun's techniques, but my techniques!! The organization that received Heaven's Fate learned from me!!"
"Did you want revenge on Master Gyoun that badly?!"
"I just wanted to surpass Gyoun. Ah, if Gyoun were alive, he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off me this time. The organization of Heaven's Fate will ensure my martial arts live on in the future! What will be remembered in history is not Gyoun's Five Gods' techniques, but my Five Gods' techniques!!"
Bakkai passed on the Five Gods' techniques she knew to the 'Golden Feather Syndicate.'
The Golden Feather Syndicate claims to have received 'Heaven's Fate.'
If Aika Country falls according to their doctrine, and they establish a nation──what will remain in the world will be the Five Gods' techniques that Bakkai taught.
Master Gyoun's Five Gods' techniques will fade into the darkness of history.
By doing this, Bakkai said she would surpass Gyoun.
"I won't tell you any information about that organization..."
Bakkai's breath began to grow ragged from laughing too much.
"Now, go ahead and kill me! I'm going to die and be remembered forever!! That organization will praise me and keep my name alive!! What will be remembered in history is not the techniques of Gyoun's Five Gods, but my own Five Gods techniques!! No matter what you do, it's already been decided──."
"No, your name won't be remembered."
Before I knew it, I was saying those words.
I've cleared the game 'History of Swordmaster' many times, so I know.
The word 'Bakkai' never appears even once in that game.
The main character, Kai Yougetsu, never mentions such a name.
'Five Gods techniques' don't show up in Kai Yougetsu's stats either.
The only one who can use 'Four Divine Steps' in the game is Master Raikou.
Kai Yougetsu was fast, so he must have learned some techniques.
Still, he couldn't compare to Master Raikou at all.
It's true that Bakkai taught the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' some techniques.
But that hardly affected history.
In fact, I don't think the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' is even grateful to Bakkai...
"The martial arts that will be remembered in history are Master Raikou's. Your name will fade into the darkness of history. I don't think the people of the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' will even mention your name."
"Hahaha. What nonsense..."
"That's how it is. No doubt about it."
"...What are you saying...?"
Bakkai's eyes looked at me.
I took it in directly and continued.
"The one who will fade into the darkness of history is you, Bakkai. You will leave no impact on history. The 'Golden Feather Syndicate' will forget you. You won't leave anything for the future."
"Don't lie!!"
"It's the truth."
"...Don't say... nonsense."
"That's the truth, Bakkai-san."
"...You... who are you?"
Bakkai's eyes widened.
Her breathing became rough. Her body started to tremble slightly.
"Your eyes... are like Gyoun's."
Bakkai leaned forward, trying to get closer, but then she fell.
Scratching the floor with her bound left arm, she came closer to me.
"Gyoun was like that too. That person sometimes had eyes that seemed to look far ahead. Even though I was right next to him, it was as if he was thinking about something far away. That's when I realized I wasn't in him... I..."
"The 'Golden Feather Syndicate' won't be grateful to you."
"...Who are you!? Who are you!?"
"I'm Master Raikou's disciple, Kou Tenhou. I was the one who defeated the Ryou siblings."
".........You were the one who defeated the twins?"
"I've fought against the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' before. So I know. They won't thank you. They'll forget about you right away. They only use others. All they care about is 'Heaven's Fate.' They don't see the people right in front of them."
The 'Golden Feather Syndicate' is using the Ryou siblings as test subjects for 'Kyuuki.'
They probably intended to have those 2 use 'Super Iron Body Ki' and then take the results for themselves.
The reason I think this is that the Ryou siblings didn't know the weaknesses of 'Kyuuki' and 'Super Iron Body Ki.'
──There is a natural enemy called 'Divine Energy.'
──'Super Iron Body Ki' can't completely block striking techniques.
If the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' thought of the Ryou siblings as allies, they would have told them at least that much.
Yet, the two of them didn't know.
They hardly guarded against my striking techniques.
'The 'Golden Feather Syndicate' just used Bakkai and the others as test subjects.'
"I'm telling the truth. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."
"...A disciple of Raikou, acting all high and mighty."
"Is that so?"
"You should just disappear into the darkness of history!!"
Bakkai shouted while glaring at me.
"Someone as insignificant as you will not leave a mark on history!! Just because you defeated the twins, you got full of yourself... it's meaningless!! There are martial artists like you everywhere. Your name will vanish in this era. Your name will not be remembered in history!! You will just live and die as a boring person who is everywhere!!"
"That's fine by me."
"...What?"
"I don't need to become a great martial artist. I already told Master Raikou that when I became his disciple."
After hearing my words, Bakkai looked at Master Raikou.
Master Raikou nodded.
"...What are you!?"
Bakkai looked at me as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"I said I would just live and die as a boring person. My wish is to become that kind of existence. Right now, I'm the Vice Captain of Toukaku's defense, but honestly, that's not my style at all."
I cut down Zeng Taiga. I got involved in the fate of the Jinkyo Tribe.
So I stopped running away and aiming to be a small official.
I decided to act with all my strength against the 'Golden Feather Syndicate.'
I don't want to leave a name in history.
If the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' disappears, I won't need to show myself. It's fine to remain nameless.
If the 'Aika Country Destruction ending' disappears, I will become just an ordinary person.
That's fine.
"Thank you, Bakkai-san. Your words helped me remember what I'm aiming for."
I clasped my hands together towards Bakkai.
"But your name won't be remembered in history. That's for sure."
"...U, uhh."
"If you really want to leave a mark in history, you should talk about the 'Golden Feather Syndicate.' If you do, you might be remembered as someone who helped defeat the enemies of Aika Country. It's not guaranteed, and it's not something I can decide..."
".........You're just saying that. You..."
Thud.
Bakkai's body collapsed.
She was breathing heavily, trembling.
Shuu-sensei announced the end of the interrogation.
It was clear that Bakkai's body couldn't take any more.
Master Raikou and I decided to leave the prison.
Shuu-sensei said she would treat Bakkai, the Ryou siblings, and the other bandits.
So, Master Raikou and I walked through the long hallway and exited Toukaku's official residence.
"Ugh. As I thought, the prison has terrible air."
Master Raikou stretched widely and took a deep breath.
Her legs were still a bit stiff, but it seemed like she was recovering. That's good.
"Thank you, Tenhou."
"Huh?"
"Because you were there, I was able to keep my composure."
Master Raikou smiled gently.
"Bakkai was trying to make me angry. She wanted to provoke me into killing her. If I killed someone who couldn't move in prison, it would hurt my heart. I think Bakkai was aiming for that."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. But I'm not the type to fall for such provocation. You were by my side, so I was able to stay calm."
"I'm glad I could help."
"You did more than just help, Tenhou."
Suddenly, Master Raikou's expression became serious.
"Your words struck Bakkai like a powerful blow."
"...Huh?"
"When you were talking to Bakkai, your eyes looked like you were certain about the future."
"It wasn't certainty."
I hesitated with my words.
"It was just a gut feeling. It was just a... thought I had after fighting Kai Shuujaku from the 'Golden Feather Syndicate' and Zeng Taiga, who was controlled by them."
"Even so, I think your heartfelt words resonated with Bakkai. Maybe..."
"Huh?"
"Maybe Bakkai will talk about what she knows. That's why Yokumai stopped the interrogation. To prevent Bakkai from exhausting herself. They might think that a broken Bakkai will eventually spill the beans."
Master Raikou looked towards the building where the prison was.
"Bakkai has to admit whether she was broken-hearted first... or if her life reaches its limit first. I hope it's the former. Otherwise, those caught up with her... will suffer too much."
"Master Raikou..."
"Well, that's enough of the serious talk."
To change the mood, Master Raikou clapped her hands.
She sat down at the base of a nearby tree.
"Can you tell me in detail how you fought the Ryou siblings? I want to know how much you've grown, and maybe I can give you some guidance. It would be great if you could demonstrate the techniques you used."
"Yes, Master!"
Then I started talking about the battle with the Ryou siblings.
While we were chatting, Touri came by to check on Shuu-sensei.
Since we were at it, we decided to have Touri join in and talk about the battle too.
So, Touri and I recreated the techniques we used in the fight with the Ryou siblings──Master Raikou watched, impressed, and gave us some advice──and Shuu-sensei joined in too.
I was able to relax and receive guidance from both of my masters after a long time.
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