Law of the Soul

Chapter 2: The Guardians

"Kura Okami. You are gonna die." Someone said ominously. "What? Where am I? How do you know my name?" His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the bright light in the room. "Heya!" That same man said enthusiastically. He looked around him and noticed thirteen other people in the room. The man from the night before stood in front of him. The other twelve sat formally and were quiet. He sat abnormally as though he was much different from the rest. "You are in the Guardians' hideout. Don't worry, you're safe as can be. Also, I snagged your ID." He waved around the identification. "Guardians? Weren't they wiped out?" He asked. "Nope. People thought so, but they didn't see the entire situation." He replied with a smile from ear to ear. His hair was no longer in a man bun. It went down into a messy middle part. "Situation? What situation?" He asked, grabbing his bearings. He noticed that his skin had returned to normal. Then he looked at his hand that had been torn off by Rod, it was magically there."Don't worry about that right now. First, you need to know our names. I'll only introduce mine for now. I'm Myojo. These are the other Guardians. Not all of them are on missions currently, but three are. So they're not able to be here, unfortunately." "What happened last night? I remember walking out of the bar and being attacked by my friend. Oh yeah. My skin broke off of me, and my blood turned black. Was that a dream?" He asked, needing to know. "Nope. That all happened. It's fortunate for us, though. We found the Kuroichi. Only two have existed since a century ago... You're special." He smiled. "Kuroichi? Special? What does this even mean?" "A Kuroichi is half Stalker, half human. There are only two other Kuroichi's in the world right now. So you're rare." He answered. "I was searching for you, ya know." He pouted. "Why were you?" Myojo replied. "I wanted to join the Giin. I used to be the greatest lawyer in this district. It wasn't enough for me. I have trained my entire life and am dedicated to martial arts. I think I could be a good fit." A woman chuckled. "Maybe you could, but you must learn Kodo and Hosoku first. That's the basis of our power to defeat our enemies. I sense none in you. You do have access to Dark Arts." "Kodo? Hosoku? Dark Arts? What does any of this mean?" He asked. "Oh, sorry. Sorry. Okay, I'll be teaching you today. You can call me Sensei Ogaka!" He pulled a whiteboard to the room. It smelled of a strong perfume in the room. Citrus, lavender, maybe some vanilla. "Okay! First is Kodo! Kodo is the basis for our powers. Like this!" He held his hand out, and a bright red ball of energy appeared. The room became torrid. Sweat poured from his face. "If you unlock Kodo, you can use Hosoku as an attack. Your color and feeling of the Kodo you produce are reliant on you. Your personality, goals, etc. But... you can't just use Kodo or Hosoku on a whim. There are certain laws you have to follow for it to work. You are permitted to use an oath under the law. Moving on to Hosoku. This is just the technique or attack that your Kodo inspires. You can have multiple or just one or none. You following along?" He nodded his head. "I know it can be confusing initially, but it's straightforward. Then there are contracts and grants. Grants are objects imbued with Kodo. With laws within them, they can grant you certain things. They are limited but can be useful in whatever you intend to achieve. There are two types of contracts. The first contract is between you and your opponent, placing the laws and anything else into your battle. The second type of contract is between your Kodo and Hosoku. You'll learn this later on. There's no need to worry about it now. Are you with me? That was most of it." The silence was loud. His brain tried to move as fast as it could, memorizing everything simultaneously. "Sensei, how do I test if I have Kodo?" He asked. "Ah, I'm so glad you asked. You will run some tests with my good friend at the end. Ultimately, she will say if you have any potential to gain Kodo. I have to say, if you fail these tests... You will be executed here." His heart almost exploded out of his chest. "What? Why?" He asked, panicked. "With being a Kuroichi, there is a high chance that without Kodo, you can become a full Stalker. So you will be executed to prevent that from having any chance of that happening." Okami trembled at the thought. "Alright, can I begin now?" Myojo nodded. "Ms. Yaori will be running the tests with you." He instructed. She stood up and joined him. "Be careful with her. She can be wild at times." He whispered secretly. Ms. Yaori is the third strongest among the Guardians. She has long silver hair that reaches her waist and bangs that come down to her eyebrows. Her dark and smoldering eyes fixed on her clipboard. She smelled of melted chocolate with a waft of perfume following. She looks to be in her thirties or forties, her clear skin being an outlet for the light above. "Come on." She directed him to a separate room with a large space. Green grass, forestry, blue skies, and training equipment. Birds chirping could be heard in the distance. "Your first test is power output. You will punch this target to measure if any amount of Kodo was released. Go ahead." Okami stood in front of the target and readied his hands. He stepped back and twisted his hip as he threw a right hook. The target was blasted away from the sheer power of his fist. She was surprised. "It says you have no Kodo, but your natural strength is that double of me when I use it. It's amazing." He was bummed out. "Okay, moving on to the second test. You will be touching your palms to this flat body of water. If it moves, creates waves, or does anything unique, you have Kodo or the potential to have it." She pointed to a bird bath that was filled with crystal clear water. He placed his palms as she instructed. Nothing happened. She seemed disappointed. "It's a shame. I don't think you have Kodo, but this next one might be the one. She handed him a cube of sorts. It's gray with dark blue lines across the edges and corners. Each square has a mouth with perfect white teeth and a pink tongue. "Place this cube in your hand and focus all of your energy inside of the cube. If you have Kodo, the cube will open and surprise you. He was handed the cube. The mouth drooled over his hand as he held it. "What the hell is this?" He was disgusted. "It's a grant that Kodame Chan created." Her cheeks perked up and turned to the brightest red. "Who is Kodame?" He asked himself but continued with the test. He took thirty seconds to try and unlock it. But... To no avail. Ms. Yaori frowned secretly. "Okay, last test. You will be balancing on a plank ten feet in the air. You will walk on it, and if you fall. You fail. Kodo is perfect for balancing yourself. Focus on your feet." "What happens if I make it anyway but have no Kodo?" He asked. "I'll know. Don't worry." He walked on the tip of the plank and went forward. He took five very diligent and careful steps. He jumped off the front of it and landed. "I did it!" He yelled in excitement. "You failed." She wrote on her clipboard and walked away. He slumped over and sat down next to a tree. She gazed over at him with saddened eyes. She took ten seconds before she turned back towards him. "Get up, you passed." She said calmly. He looked up at her, and his eyes shimmered. "Wait- I thought I failed?" "I can't let you be executed over this. I'm going to tell them you passed. You have to find a way to get Kodo, or else..." She left him. "Attain Kodo, huh? How would I do that?" He asked himself. His mind became cluttered with ideas, sending him into loopholes while he just stood still. Then he thought of something. "I need to learn everything about Kodo and Hosoku before attaining it. Let me ask Myojo." He ran into the room and started asking questions. So he gave him all of the details. There are four subcategories of Kodo. Conjure, Seal, Amplify, and Channel. Conjure takes someone else's Kodo and uses it to your advantage. Sealing is using your Kodo and placing it inside of weapons. These weapons are called "Kankatsu." Amplify is the base version of Kodo, having a ball of energy or just energy. Channel uses your Kodo to enhance strength, speed, intelligence, etc. Then, there are four categories within Hosoku. Manipulation, Construct, Psionic, and Metamorph. The first record of Kodo was seen a thousand and four hundred years ago. It could've been used earlier, but there's no record of it happening. People used Kodo and Hosoku to light fires, freeze meat, cultivate crops, etc. It is still being used for those subjects. Who is the greatest Bengoshi(Lawyer?) The tales of Ryuoka the Serpent are said to have been the strongest. As of now, though, it would be Myojo. "Sensei, you mentioned Dark Arts earlier. What is it?" He asked. Another guardian chuckled. "Great question. A Dark Arts, or just a Meijutsu, is a power set only Stalkers can access. I won't get into much detail with you right now about it. But it's powerful. If you could learn Meijutsu, you would have the potential to be stronger than me." His small, emerald-colored earrings shook as he jumped out of his seat. Grinning as usual. "Just how strong do you have to be to be the strongest to live?" He asked. Myojo smirked. "Let me show you." Myojo pointed to one of the Guardians. "Kanashi and I will fight outside. We'll shatter this dimension if we go all out." He said. With the snap of a finger, the three of them appeared outside. They stood on the grounds of an abandoned metal factory. It's cleared out and silent, except for the sound of insects that invade this space. "That was a dimension? Woah!" Okami yelled. The air echoed a long way away. The Guardian, whose name is Kanashi, stood and faced Myojo. He has long, overlapping hair that has a blue tinge to it. Teal-colored eyes to match his hair. Standing tall, almost as tall as Sensei. "If you say so, idiot." He muttered with no excitement in his voice at all. Eye bags covered the underside of his eyes, making them extremely difficult to stay open. He carried no weapon but wore metal guards on his index, middle, and ring fingers. His mouth is covered by a black metal mask, which makes him even more intimidating. "You ready, Kanashi? Go all out this time, you hear? I know you are strong and have the heart to show it." Myojo asked him. "Yeah, yeah." He whispered to reply. He seemed to have no care in the world. "Back up, kid." He ordered. So he did. "Go!" Myojo screamed. No one moved an inch, not even a muscle. "Thinking ahead this time." Myojo muttered. He ran forward with his fists, producing Kodo. "Sacred art: Heaven's glide." Kanashi whispered gracefully. "Yes, show me! Please show me the full power you were gifted with! Let me feel that power!" Myojo roared out. Kanashi held out his right hand to Okami, and he was suddenly pushed away from the battle. "How did he do that?" Kanashi brought his hands together quickly. As they clapped, space and time opened in front of him. He rushed towards the void, and he brushed his left hand through it like a rack of clothes. He put both hands into the pit of darkness and held them there. Myojo rushed forward with lightning-fast speeds. He couldn't even keep track of the movement. "You took too long, kid."Myojo said. He stood behind Kanashi as he still shuffled around the void. "No, it's just right." He replied. Myojo went for a hit but was blocked by a black dagger. They struggled for a few seconds. Kanashi broke off, and he sliced the air. Not even getting close to him, Myojo's left eye was cut out from the bottom to the top. Kanashi made a motion to stab him but came nowhere near him again. Myojo held his stomach in agony. Spitting out blood, Kanashi struck higher this time, aiming head level. He penetrated the air, and soon, Myojo's forehead gushed out blood like a river. Kanashi ran forward, jumped up, and Roundhouse kicked his head so heavily that the dagger shot through his skull and came out the other side. Leaving a large hole in his forehead, blood oozed out continuously. Kanashi kicked him again, which sent him flying into a pile of substantial metal. He hasn't made any move for ten seconds. The wind picks up, swirling faster than it ever has. "Sensei?" He stepped forward, but Kanashi held his hand out to stop him. Suddenly, a man appeared out of the blinding sky. Standing above them was none other than Myojo himself. The clone that lay down on the ground dissipated. "How the hell?" He asked, astounded by the sight. He had no marks, scrapes, stains, or anything. "You like that, Okami? My students should know at least one of my favorite techniques. Kagee Ningyo. Shadow puppet. A true copy of me made entirely out of Kodo. Isn't that a wonderful Hosoku? Eh, student!" He laughed repeatedly. "That's not all it can do." He whispered meticulously. "Reverse Hosoku technique. Tenkai suru." Kanashi's eyes widened with immense fear and distraught. He turned to Okami and motioned to push away but couldn't move in time. Myojo put his palm out towards him. "Release output." All of the attacks created by KanashI were built up into a spear of sorts. The spear shot down and hit him in the stomach. A rumbling was heard from around them. An explosion the size of a city was being created. Breaking apart everything in sight. The wind is pushing and pulling faster than any tornado. The smell of rust filled the air. Debris pelting his face. Okami was pushed farther away from the radius. As the smoke blew away, the large crater was revealed. Expanding past miles and miles. Not in harm's way. Myojo continued the fight, but hand in hand this time. Kanashi stood in the center, unphased. Their fists clashed against each other, producing tremors. Okami heard footsteps from behind him. A dark figure came into the light. "Heya!" Myojo said an unrelenting smile across his face. "How- How are you here? Are you a shadow puppet? Or the other you?" He asked, shocked at this sight. "None of this is me. This place isn't even real." He replied. "What? Sensei, have you gone insane from the explosion or something?" "Nah, nah. I'll show you. This is the work of my ability by my wonderful mother. While he was from his father. We both have spatial manipulation, but I have more in my arsenal." "Wait, so Kanashi is your brother?" He asked, not knowing how to react. "Yep." He answered unbothered. "This is the work of my eye. The eye that every Stalker comes after." Okami turned back to him and saw a pure black eye on the inside with a bright red circle around it. His left eye. Myojo snapped his fingers, and they were in the same room they had been in before. Astounded, Okami had to check if this was real. He went against the wall and pushed against it. This felt real. "It's real." Myojo said to him. The other Guardians were stuck in time for some reason. Stuck in the same position they left them with. "You wanted to know why I'm so strong. Here it is. The Kairi technique." Myojo touched his finger to his brother's forehead, where blood emptied. The same attacks that he thought hit Myojo had hit himself in that blast attack. They were all frozen in time. "How does someone acquire this much power?" Okami asked in amazement. He stood next to Kanashi, analyzing his body. Myojo snapped his fingers again, and everyone unfroze. Kanashi looked down at his stomach and saw the wound. "You played that dirty trick again, didn't you... Older brother?" Kanashi asked, frustrated. Okami sat back down in his seat. "You're lucky we're related, Kan Kan. Any other human or Stalker, you would've died so much earlier. What great blood we have." Myojo moaned. "That was awesome. If you wouldn't mind, sir. Please teach me how to use Kodo and Hosoku !"