Lokei landed heavily, sliding backwards on the cracked floor. His breathing was heavier. Across from him, the older clone crashed into a wooden pillar before slowly walking out of the debris.
Lokei looked up at him.
"....That punch. It was stronger than the other ones."
The older clone shrugged off his shoulder lazily.
"Did you expect us to all be the same?"
"So you mean the older you get the stronger you are?"
"Not exactly. It's decided by experience."
Lokei's features hardened.
At the moment he heard those words, the atmosphere changed, the clone disappeared and Lokei's eyes widened.
"....!"
A fist came towards his face but he raised his staff. The impact pushed Lokei back several times and before he could react another punch came then another then a kick. Lokei blocked each attack with his staff, but his arms began to shake from the force behind them.
'He's not fighting like before,'
The younger clones had been aggressive but this one was different. Every move was controlled, every strike was aimed at an opening. Lokei suddenly ducked and a fist passed over his head. He spun his staff and hit towards the clone's ribs.
The clone moved out of his way.
Lokei's eyes suddenly widened because by what he had done right now, the older clone managed to predict what was going to happen. The clone grabbed the staff but Lokei pulled. The man's grip didn't move.
"Damn it."
The clone suddenly yanked him forward. Lokei stumbled and a knee came towards his stomach. Lokei twisted sideways just in time, letting it pass. He immediately slammed his forehead into the clone's face.
The clone stumbled, Lokei grinned.
"Got you."
He swung his staff but the clone ducked. The staff sliced through empty air. Lokei followed with a spinning kick, the clone caught his leg. The clone smiled.
"Too predictable."
He threw him.
Lokei flew across the hall and crashed into the wall and for a moment everything went quiet then slowly pushed away from the wall. His hair was messy, his clothes were covered in dust but he was still smiling.
"Okay. I get it now."
The older clone raised his eyebrow.
"You do?"
Lokei's smile disappeared.
"I can't fight you like I fought the others. So I'll stop trying to."
The two stared at each other, neither moved, then Lokei vanished forward.
The clone smiled.
"That's more like it."
Lokei swung from the side but the older clone blocked. He immediately followed his kick and the clone stepped back, narrowly avoiding it.
Lokei chased him.
The older clone countered with a heavy swing but forced Lokei to duck underneath. Lokei spun around and struck his ribs. The clone blocked the staff and for a brief moment, neither moved. Lokei stared at him, he soon realised something and that something was his own father but it was not the father he knew now, it was his father when he was younger.
When his body was at its prime, when his skills had been sharpened by years of fighting. Even if this wasn't truly him, even if it was nothing more than a cloud clone Lokei was still standing in front of a version of Saikichi Yoshe, his very own father.
'So what if he's a clone?'
The older clone pushed the staff away. Lokei stumbled backwards.
'This is still my chance.'
He rushed forward again, the clone met him head-on. Lokei gritted his teeth at the impact which ran up his arms.
'I've spent my entire life being compared to him. His name, reputation and his strength.'
The older clone suddenly struck towards his shoulder. Lokei twisted away, and the staff passed beside him. He immediately countered. His staff struck the clone across the chest, the clone staggered half a step.
Lokei didn't hesitate, he attacked again and again. His moves were faster, more aggressive. But this time there was something different behind them.
Determination.
'If I'm really fighting my father at his prime then I have to make the most of it.'
The clone blocked another strike. Lokei changed direction and swung from the opposite side and blocked again.
The clone attempted a counter. Lokei was already moving.
He ducked, spun and drove his staff upward. The clone barely blocked it.
Lokei smiled.
'I don't care if you're the real Saikichi. I don't care if you're just a copy. I'm going to surpass you.'
The older clone's smile faded slightly.
Lokei raised his staff, his breathing was heavy and his body was hurting but his eyes were completely focused.
"I'm not losing to my own father."
The clone smiled again.
"Then show me."
Lokei charged and the fight became even more intense.
Sa Wayong and Chu Runar finally arrived in the center of Heishi. As soon as they entered the auction hall, both of them immediately stopped.
The hall was absolutely packed.
Voices could be heard echoing throughout the large hall as everyone waited for the auction to begin. Chu Runar glanced around the room, his expression darkening.
"This many people... They all just came here to buy illegal items?"
'What if they even sell people here too?'
His expression became even darker. Just the thought of it disgusted him.
"How can people just sit here like this is normal?"
Sa Wayong stayed silent next to him while looking towards the center of the stage where he stood.
Saikichi Yoshe.
Standing calmly underneath the large chandelier, Saikichi looked over the crowd as several attendants were preparing the first item.
Chu Runar's expression became serious.
"There he is." He said as he glanced towards Sa Wayong. "All we have to do is stall until Yunso and the others arrive. So... Are you ready?"
Sa Wayong looked towards Saikichi, and her body suddenly felt very heavy. The task that was placed on her shoulders finally caught up with her. She wasn't supposed to fight someone like him; she wasn't supposed to stand in front of an entire auction filled with powerful people and now she was supposed to help stall the auction until the others arrived.
Her hands shook slightly.
"I can't do this."
She wanted to move but her body refused. Her eyes were locked onto Saikichi and the fear returned to her like it always did.
Sa Wayong looked downwards.
"I..."
Her voice was barely even a whisper.
Chu Runar noticed, but didn't say anything at first.
Instead, he walked closer to her and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder.
She looked up at him.
"Don't be afraid."
She looked at him and Chu Runar gave her a small reassuring smile.
"I know you can do this. You don't have to be stronger than everyone here. All you have to do is believe in yourself."
Sa Wayong's shaking slowly stopped. Chu Runar turned towards Saikichi.
"Sometimes, believing you can do something is enough to make the impossible possible."
Sa Wayong looked back towards the stage where Saikichi raised his hand and the entire auction hall slowly quieted. The first item was being brought forward.
Sa Wayong took a slow breath.
"...Okay."
Chu Runar smiled.
"That's the spirit."
Saikichi looked over at the crowd and prepared to start the bidding.
Chu Runar slowly took his hand off of Sa Wayong's shoulder and his expression changed. The reassurance was gone; his entire being was now focused on Saikichi, he stood calmly in the middle of the stage, completely unaware of what was about to happen, or so it seemed. Chu Runar disappeared and launched himself into the air, flying across the auction hall before anyone could properly react.
"Spider."
Countless thin strands shot out and wrapped under Saikichi. The strands quickly tightened to stop his movements. Chu Runar landed on the stage but didn't even look at Saikichi. Instead, he raised one hand.
"Ant."
A strange pressure filled the stage and two massive black mandibles appeared around Saikichi and snapped shut. The figure in the center of the stage was torn and for a second, Chu Runar simply stood there then he smiled,.
"Got him."
The auction hall fell silent.
Sa Wayong stared at the stage and Chu Runar turned around.
"See? That wasn't so—"
He stopped because something was wrong. The figure he had attacked wasn't bleeding, it wasn't even falling. The pieces of the body began dissolving into pale clouds. Chu Runar's smile disappeared.
"...What?"
The clouds drifted away and there was nothing underneath. His eyes widened.
"Another clone...?"
A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. Chu Runar froze and slowly he looked upwards, and Saikichi Yoshe stood right behind him, completely unharmed. His eyes stared down at Runar.
Chu Runar's expression went blank.
"...Oh. That's... not good."
Saikichi's expression remained unreadable.
Sa Wayong realized something: they hadn't stalled Saikichi. They had just revealed themselves to him. Chu Runar was frozen. He did not want to move a muscle. Saikichi's hand remained on his shoulder as his very presence loomed over him. All of his instincts screamed at him to not move, but Runar had to know.
Slowly, he moved his eyes. He glanced up and met Saikichi's steady gaze. The older man's expression was perfectly calm. Runar swallowed.
'This guy...'
He didn't dare to turn his head, instead he sent his gaze toward the audience. Thousands of people occupied the seats but their conversations continued. Some were waiting, others had their attention towards the stage. Still, none seemed to know what he knew.
Saikichi was standing right behind him but Chu Runar stood as if nailed to the spot. The center of the hall should have no doubt been visible to all. So what was happening?
Are they blind, or what could be the reason?
His eyes slowly swept the entire crowd.
There was no panic in the crowd, no shouts, no guards moving towards them. It was simply as if the events between him and Saikichi had never occurred.
Chu Runar glanced towards Sa Wayong.
She stood where he left her with widened eyes. She could see him and Saikichi at the same time! She could also see what was happening. Chu Runar's expression changed.
'Then why can she see me? Why can't they?
For a moment, he wondered if the entire auction hall had somehow been manipulated but there was something else bothering him. Sa Wayong wasn't confused over what she was seeing, she was scared. Which meant she knew it was real. Chu Runar slowly turned his attention to Saikichi. The older man's blue eyes were fixed on him and suddenly Runar realized one thing.
Whatever was happening, Saikichiwas doing this on purpose.
Chu Runar needed to get out of this position and the problem was figuring out how. Killing Saikichi was practically useless and for all Runar knew, there could be hundreds of those cloud clones scattered throughout Heishi, maybe thousands. So fighting his way through them wasn't an option.
He needed another way, he needed to outsmart him. Chu Runar already had an idea but it was reckless, it was probably stupid and the chances of actually escaping were almost nonexistent, close to two percent.
Normally, he would have laughed at those odds but Chu Runar had been around enough dangerous people to understand something. Saikichi Yoshe wasn't the type of person who attacked without thinking. He was calm, patient and always observing. Which meant there was a chance he could be manipulated, a very small one.
Chu Runar took a slow breath then, despite having Saikichi's hand resting on his head, he forced himself to relax.
"Well..." He said as he gave a nervous smile. "This is awkward. Never expected me to get caught this fast. Am I right?"
Saikichi didn't move. Chu Runar's smile twitched.
'Damn, tough crowd I guess?'
He glanced toward Sa Wayong from the corner of his eye. She was still watching. Chu Runar looked forward again.
"Honestly, I thought I'd at least make it a little further."
Saikichi simply stared.
Chu Runar's expression was calm, but inside his heart was pounding. He knew quite well what kind of person Saikichi was, or rather, not, and that's why he took the risk.
Two percent was better than nothing.
Chu Runar continued talking. He said whatever popped into his head. He made some random comments, pointed out some pointless facts and even told a couple of jokes that were too bad not to laugh at. Saikichi stayed completely silent , which was exactly what Runar wanted. The more he paid attention to Chu Runar, the better.
"Seriously though," Runar said, trying to force another smile as he talked. "You could at least pretend I'm interesting."
As he talked, Chu Runar's fingers twitched slightly. It was almost unnoticeable. Thin silk threads flew from his fingertips.
Chu Runar talked as if nothing had happened. The threads stretched across the stage, attaching themselves to various places on the edge of the center. Each thread was placed perfectly. Chu Runar's eyes sharpened, and all the threads snapped tight at the same time. They shot towards Saikichi from all directions, vanishing from the stage for a moment in a sea of silk.
The threads tore through Saikichi from all angles. Chu Runar's eyes widened, then he smiled,. Sa Wayong looked stunned, thinking Chu Runar had actually done it. Chu Runar almost raised his arms in triumph.
"I actually—"
Saikichi 's severed body parts began dissolving into the sky again. One by one they floated off into the sky. Chu Runar's smile slowly vanished.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
Sa Wayong's eyes widened, Chu Runar stared at the empty space where Saikichi had been.
'How many of these things are there?'
There was an eerie silence for a moment, then Anzo's laughter echoed from behind Chu Runar.
"You're persistent."
Chu Runar stopped, his eyes slowly turning towards the sound and smiling awkwardly.
"Yeah. I've been told that."
***
The Yoshe Clan.
One of, if not the richest families on the whole continent of Ketura.
Their influence was so great that their presence could be found practically everywhere. When it came to finance, trade, and wealth, there was no family out there that could compete with them. But that wasn't the only thing they were famous for. They were also masters of martial arts and had exceptional control over Seidan and there was a reason for that.
According to an ancient legend, the Yoshe Clan descended from a Monkey God who supposedly lived roughly a thousand years ago. A being so powerful that legends claimed he ruled not only the world... but the universe itself. Whether the stories were true or not, no one knew. They gave a fair reason for the strange Seijinisms that were passed down through the Yoshe bloodline, as well as the amazing martial arts and then there were the staff.
At first glance, they seemed to be merely weapons but they weren't. Each staff was said to contain a fragment of the spirit that the clan's founding father had left behind. That proved how powerful the Yoshe Clan really was, but in the end they weren't one of the Four Great Keturan Families.
There had been talks throughout history about whether or not the Yoshe Clan deserved to be one of them, but ultimately they were just swept aside. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Yoshe Clan was that they were a family rich enough to rule over an entire continent, powerful enough to produce extraordinary Seijinists, old enough to claim descent from a god but were still not part of the Four Great Families.
***
Chu Runar did not know what to do.
All the methods he could think of had one problem. Even if he did kill Saikichi, all he would have to do is for another one to step up. Chu Runar's thoughts raced as he desperately sought another solution.
Sa Wayong watched him from a distance, she could see the despair and worry in his eyes, and for once, Chu Runar did not have a witty remark or solution, her heart clenched at the sight of him, she did not want him to die here. That's because he was her friend, and if she just stood there, afraid to do anything, she might lose him.
Sa Wayong took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, trying to push the shyness deep down inside, but it did not work. Her heart still pounded in her ears, her legs still trembled, but she could not just stand there, not when Chu Runar was in danger.
Not now, not when he needed her!
Sa Wayong looked up at Saikichi, but the sight of him made her heart pound even harder. She turned her head away, almost afraid to look, but then she remembered what Chu Runar had said.
"Believe in yourself."
Sa Wayong clenched her fists, and took a steadying breath. This time, she did not look away.
"...I have to do something."
Chu Runar turned to her.
Sa Wayong took a step forward, her legs still shaking, but she was doing it. For the first time since entering the auction hall, Sa Wayong was fighting.