“Wha…!?”
Before he fully realized who got between him and the combat miko, Zaraki’s eyes opened wide with shock because his invincible body took damage.
Being kicked away hard brought further humiliation to him, leading him to grind his teeth, before he saw who saved Setsuna and Sakura and whispered his name with great surprise.
“Ryuuga, you…!?”
“…Is everyone okay? Looks like I made it in time.”
They were hurt, but Ryuuga saw no one’s life was in danger.
Marcos could not move well, but he ran towards Setsuna and Sakura and asked Ryuuga a question.
“Weren’t you going after Koumaru to avenge your father? Why did you come here?”
“…”
Ryuuga did not answer. He continued looking at Zaraki in silence, and stepped forward as if protecting the others from the man burning with anger.
Was he going to reject a question again… Marcos said nothing about what was pretty much a rule at this point, but Ryuuga spoke without turning around.
“…I didn’t want to betray it.”
“Eh…?”
Everyone was surprised by his response.
He continued facing forward, speaking as if talking to himself.
“I’m a weak person. I still can’t let go of my hatred towards Koumaru and Raiha. I’m a weak person bound by the past, but… I have a friend who believes in me. An irreplaceable friend that believes I won’t lose to the weakness inside me, and I’ll be a strong person who sticks with kindness.”
Ryuuga looked at himself on his blade.
He saw his weak pathetic self looking back, and spoke as if telling it to himself.
“Father, mother, sister… They all believed I would be someone who protects people. I want revenge, but I don’t want to betray the trust placed in me by my friend and family.”
His strength came from wanting vengeance. He could not deny it, or easily abandon that wish.
But that was not all there was to him. He had things he cared about more than vengeance.
He noticed the feelings from important people, and trust.
“I’m not the strongest swordsman, I’m a weak person trapped by the past. But I don’t want to betray the important people who believe in me. That’s what my heart is yelling… And that’s why I’m here.”
“Mister Ryuuga…”
Ryuuga was silent for a moment after expressing why he ran there.
He still did not turn around, as he said one more thing.
“…There’s someone else I don’t want to betray. Someone who tried to stop me from going down the wrong path even if he had to hit me to do it. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“…!”
Marcos gulped a little.
He felt the gratitude in those words and how ready Ryuuga looked, and spoke after accepting those feelings.
“The jewel in his forehead. If you break it, you free Raiha. That should be the key to victory.”
“Okay. Leave the rest to me and rest.”
“…I’m counting on you, Ryuuga.”
Marcos and the others entrusted it to Ryuuga, and watched him as he walked towards Zaraki.
Zaraki was done healing, and laughed scornfully at the approaching Ryuuga.
“Is the tear jerking friendship scene over? You’re an idiot. You gave up on revenge to come die for no reason!!”
“I don’t care if it’s foolish, answering my dear friend’s trust is reason enough to swing my sword now. And don’t you know? I won’t die.”
Yuugo said he could do it. He believed in the strong kindness in him and entrusted it all… That was reason enough to fight, and Ryuuga cut down that scorn.
His friend’s words, his sister’s feelings, the will entrusted by his father.
Ryuuga’s heart beat hot every time he thought about them. They gave him the power to break through the chains called the past.
“Hatred, suffering, the past… In this moment…!!”
His heart was being freed.
It was accelerated by his friends and family, leaving even the deep intense hatred behind.
Answering his friend’s feelings, protecting them… It was a very simple reason to fight that made his heart beat even stronger, and he howled the trust and words given to him by his friend.
“I will set myself free from it all!”
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
Subete wo… FURIKIRUZE!!
Loving all these references