The Cursed Bloodline
The Compassion of a Friend

Zen's body bounced, crashing into some debris resulting in blood spilling out of his mouth. The wounds on his body were already quite severe, plus he had to expend his magic energy to match Tanuki's magic.

Unlike Zen, Tanuki was still able to support his body well. After the one-on-one sword duel, both Tanuki and Zen had started to run out of Power.

"Well! Huh! Huh! Surrender, Zen! After all, you are no longer my match. With that condition of yours, you're just taking your life to the king of hell! Ahaha! " Tanuki could still shock Zen with a stinged breath, even so a triumphant grin was engraved on his cunning face

Zen tried to bagkit to his feet. Although he was limping, he pardoned his sword blade as a pedestal, while one of his hands held onto his aching chest.

" Cih! Stop that crap, Tanuki! " Zen tried to activate his gyok, but his body was too weak to allow him to no longer control his magic well.

" Look, you can't even use your magic well! Remember this Zen! A person who is born a coward, will end up being a coward too! "

Zen clenched his hands firmly, a faint smile visible on his tired face. That smile seemed to be a mockery reply for Tanuki.

" At least, a coward like me still has something precious to protect. Love all the people of Sora and my precious disciples.

Even though I died in this place, there are still those who will continue my dream. Sora will live even if I die.

But what about you, Tanuki? Do you still have a precious person by your side? Your ambition and greed, keep everyone away from you! "

At Zen's utterance, Tanuki suddenly fell silent. The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. Now turning sour, Tanuki looked really upset.

" I don't need weak people by my side. A Tanuki, can achieve anything by himself! Someone valuable you say? They'll just get in my way! "

Taps!

" That attitude, it never got away from you! " the voice of a man interrupts the conversation between Zem and Tanuki.

Ten landed right in front of Zen. Without caring about Tanuki, he immediately hired Zen to help him stand up. Ten then leads a sharp look at the father.

" Are you okay, Chief? " ten said without taking his eyes off Tanuki.

" What are you doing here, Ten? Get away from Zen! This fight is not over until one of us dies! You shouldn't interfere in Dad's business! "

Ten smiled cynically "Daddy said you? "

Ten tried to hold back the emotions that were stirring within him. He may have accepted that his father used him. But when Tanuki starts teasing the precious people around him, Ten will not stay silent. Tanuki is her own father.

"You still call yourself father, after killing your wife and curbing your own child's freedom? " Ten glimpsed at Zen, nodding softly. He knew Zen was very worried, especially Ten had actually dared to oppose Tanuki. Ten started walking closer to Tanuki, while showing off a cold smile

" Hear! there's one thing I can learn from you, Dad. I would never let anyone hurt my people.

Even if it was my own father, I would still consider you as an enemy that I must fight.

Don't blame me for being like that, however I inherited this blood from you! " Ten unsheathed the sword towards Tanuki, while he himself put up a body to protect Zen.

Right at that moment, Yume joined the battlefield. Just like Ten did, Yume also put up a body to protect Tanuki.

" Just try! You can choose to kill your own lover or the man you've always respected! Yume, you can attack Ten! Make sure the boy doesn't bother his father anymore! "

" well! The master! " say Yume flat.

He began to raise his bow, and aimed his arrow right at Ten. Yume can't resist Tanuki's request, but her soul has now been curbed by a curse contract planted on her body. That said, Yume's consciousness had been taken over by Tanuki completely.

Ten dashed towards Tanuki, although Yume's bow was on standby aiming towards him. Ten still doesn't care. He quickly pointed his sword at his father.

Sreshhhhhh!

Tanuki did not budge in the slightest, Ten's sword did not even hit a strand of Tanuki's hair. Right in front of Tanuki, Yume blocks Ten's attack from hitting him. Yume uses two swords to block Ten's attack. Three swords returned.

Tranggg!

Both Yume and Ten are close combat types. Their sword skills could not be doubted. Several times, Ten almost slashed Yume's body. But he did not do so, even though Yume is currently controlled and could have killed him. Ten tries to evade, with no intention of harming Yume at all

......................

The two disciples were still busy fighting. Meanwhile, Tanuki started activating his gyok, he planned to end the fight this time.

"Zen! You're not tired? Let's end this fight! Up here, I have no intention of succumbing to you! "

Tanuki created a large fireball, large enough to devour a palace. That instant, Zen began to prepare for the final attack. The rest of his strength was enough to accumulate, the Zen gyoku was now seen emitting a deep blue light. The blue light that Zen cast into the sky, the originally bright sky suddenly turned black. Dark clouds swirled around him. This was the last attack Zen had prepared. With his power he created a giant tornado that could match Tanuki's giant fireball.

The wind created a pitch-black cloud, wrestling and sweeping away everything around it. Trees, rocks and even the ground were raised upward, so the strong winds of Zen magic could sweep over a hill. Zen poured out all the remaining energy, even the effects of using that dasyat magic made his body even weaker.

He started running towards Tanuki, with the force of the Tornado wind moving rapidly around him. The same thing Tanuki did. The two of them, intent on pitting there was the power of wind and fire, as the final path ended the fight.

"Death! Zen! " Tanuki started to focus the magic onto the tips of his fingers. The same thing Zen does. They held out their hands towards each other.

" Tanum! Feel this! "

A quick round of Zen wind monsters began to touch Tanuki's giant fireball. Slowly, the incandescent flames were absorbed, and spun rapidly in the confines of the Zen tornado. A gigantic fire tornado was created before it finally exploded and swept away everything around it.

Booooms!

It was a massive explosion that even split the sky. Creating a wisp of mist, which resembles a mushroom. As a result of the devastating explosion, almost the entire land of the valley of life was destroyed unceremoniously. The land that was once filled with green forests, is now turned into a burning arid crater.

Only the snow goddess temple remained, which still stood firmly while an explosion of magic power rained down on the land.

Samar, there were two silhouettes in the middle of the smoke. Stand facing each other. Tanuki's hands blistered violently, piercing through Zen's chest that stood right in front of him.

Tanuki managed to pierce through Zen's chest, while Zen managed to cut off Tanuki's left arm. They do not use weapons, but only with empty-handed intermediaries.

Killing without a weapon, was a secret martial technique that the two Sora Cloud Cops learned. Only captains like Tanuki and Zen could master that difficult and forbidden technique. The way the technique works seems simple, but if it has been learned it is really complicated.

They would post magic at the fingertips, like a medical technique, the magic on their fingers would be coated in kenkou-like armor and turn sharp like a sword. The technique aims to protect them if things turn chaotic in the mission. That technique is what Zen and Tanuki are now using to end the fight

The fresh blood of Zen and Tanuki flowed profusely, dripping down to wet the ground beneath. Tanuki just silently stared, while watching Zen who could still smile softly at him.

Sreshhhhhh!

"Arkh! "

Tanuki quickly pulled his hand. He was a little confused, Zen could have pierced his body, but why did he just cut off his arm? Zen's body fell to the ground. Blood ceaselessly flowed from the wound on his stomach.

" Why did you do that? You could have killed me! " cry Tanuki. Gasping, Zen answered Tanuki's question.

" I've paid off my debt to you. And I. I. have helped you repay your debt to your son, Ten! " said Zen while pointing weakly at Tanuki's stumped left arm.

" You should have stopped taking away the happiness of your son, Tanuki...... "

The contract seal embedded in Tanuki's left arm was destroyed along with the man's arm breaking.

The seal of the Contract of Curse that was supposedly impossible to remove, has now completely disappeared from the face of this earth. That means, the people who are under contract with him are already completely free.

Including Yume's curse contract.

" As your best friend..... I feel so sorry for you, Tanuki. "that was the last word Zen said. He died at the hands of a friend who saved his life.

The former battle, carrying clouds of raindrops swarming filled the sky of the Valley of life. Raindrops began to wash over the earth.

Tanuki just looked blankly at Zen's stiff body. Zen's last words, at first glance, carry the same memories, as Kizuna dying before Tanuki

...Flash Back........

18 Years ago. A similar fight happened. Tanuki managed to defeat Kizuna in a great fight. At that time, it was raining heavily. In front of the body of the friend who had helped his life, Tanuki stuck his sword right in the heart of Kizuna.

"I will make sure, Princess Yukio returns all her deeds to me! His special blood, I will use it for Sora's sake! " annuki. He pulled out the sword that pierced Kizuna's body.

Kizuna's blood is now mixed with mud and rainwater. Kizuna could only cough, wriggling holding her wounded chest. Tanuki was about to leave Kizuna, but his steps came to a standstill. While glancing at Kizuna with her tail, Tanuki gave one last question to Kizuna.

" Kizuna, are you sorry you saved me that time?

If you hadn't helped me back then, and let me starve to death. You might not die like this. "

The statement just came out of Tanuki's mouth. Kizuna is his best friend, as well as the one who saved his life. Tanuki was so curious about the answer Kizuna would say

" Mirai! My daughter.... I believe he can get out of your trap.....

And for you, Tanuki. Compared to regret, I feel more pity for you.... "

...Back End Flash......

Both Zen and Kizuna understand, Tanuki turned into a monster because of the dark story in his life. To be banished by the person who brought him into the world, to be born and tortured physically and mentally. The wounds in his heart continued to grow, leading him to an ambition. That whoever is strong will survive in this cruel world.

If only the three comrades lived in a peaceful world, would they still draw swords at each other? Or live a peaceful life, like a friend in general. Aged while looking at their grandchildren, without fear of the world in the least?