Chasing Dreams (Discontinued)

Chapter 249: Dark Moon Burning Sun

There is no such thing as peace without sacrifice.

As heroes, it's our responsibility to forsake our personal desires to save another.

Our individual lives are meaningless before the greater dream.

So to achieve peace, we must leave everything behind. Our values. Loved ones. And our humanity.

It started at birth. September 22nd, 38 years ago. Itsuki Masahiro was born into the world and reeled his dragon head.

"Just a little more!" Issho pleaded. "I can almost see his head."

Issho's wife, Irina, was struggling to birth her first son. Itsuki was considered a blessed child, a gift given by the gods. Itsuki's parents struggled to have a child. They had been trying for years, always ending in failure. Irina either wouldn't get pregnant or wouldn't carry the baby to term ending in a miscarriage.

However, after visiting the temple's Shaman, Irina received herbs from a foreign land guaranteeing her fertility and child's eventual birth. But before leaving, the Shaman prophesied that something in return would have to be exchanged to produce such a strong life. Although neither of Itsuki's parents knew what that would be at the time.

Little did they know it'd be Irina's life.

When born, Itsuki didn't make a single sound. He was as silent as a statue, and his cold skin made the nurses think he was stillborn. But the infant was very much alive. From the moment he held his son Issho sensed Itsuki's vitality.

"Please let me see him...." Irina begged. Her voice sounded like crinkled paper. When Issho saw his wife, he noticed her physique completely changed.

Irina's skin clung to her bones. She barely had the strength to raise her hands. The woman begged and wept, but her life ceased before her calls could be met.

"Irina...?" Issho hardly believed what happened before his eyes. A moment of bliss immediately did a 180 and transformed into utter despair. He leaned over his wife's corpse and sobbed, seeking answers for Irina's sudden death.

Only then did Itsuki sleep.

Irene was present during the birth. She became the second one to hold Itsuki and gave him the warmth that his mother couldn't by taking on the maternal role even though she had no obligation to do so.

Irene was a strange child. From the day she was born, she had a unique affinity for kuso, going as far as to evolve it before the age of five. Because of Irene's strange disposition and frequent uses of future sight, people assumed that she mentally matured faster than the average person.

At the age of ten, Irene was thought to have an in-depth perspective of the world that rivaled most adults. This allowed her to remain emotionally strong despite losing someone she viewed as a mother.

For the sake of her siblings, Irene Wolfe never showed her humanity. She had to be greater than humans. Akin to a god and everlasting like a spirit. She had to be strong because who else would they look to without a proper role model?

"You are a gift given to us by God," Irene swore, holding her sleeping brother. "But the gods aren't fair little brother. They took Irina-San from us, and one day they may take me too. But you'll be strong by then. Unrivaled in strength. You'll become God's greatest servant. Itsuki Masahiro, the servant of God."

Eight years passed, faster than Itsuki even realized. His childhood wasn't anything noteworthy. He lived a boring life with his father and two sisters. Irene didn't come around often. As soon as Zhu Li showed interest in Irene as a sparring partner, the duo became in-separatable. Itsuki tried following them to their secret training spots, but Zhu Li always noticed him before they got too far.