Folly of the Youthful

This article, , is a stand-alone chapter set some days after Challenging the Vices Saga which had Kentaro Hiroshi and friends rescue Akiye. It features Kentaro's failed attempt to kill Shinzō.

Kentaro recalled how confident he had been of himself three hours ago. He had left the safety of his home and what could only be called the guarantee of Kenji's “nuclear umbrella” to take the fight to Shinzo on his own turf and without aid. Looking back even he could see that that plan – if it could even be called such – had been a terrible and foolhardy mistake. He'd be happy now if he could simply escape with his life and his shattered pride.

“Come out young man.” Shinzo called in a mocking tone.

Kentaro could hear his footsteps and his breathing not far from his hiding place. What scared him however was the fact that those sounds was the only indication he was even there; Shinzo's power was so beyond Kentaro's own that he couldn't identify his spiritual signature, though he was clever enough to know it was beyond substantial. Was that power? Kentaro had never wielded power like that but right now he was very much a frightened child who would have been happy to see his father and mother.

“Found you.”

The wall that stood between them crumbled! Kentaro hit the floor and raised his Zanpakuto instinctively to stop his head from being split open, but the force of the blow not only sent his blade to the floor but also snapped the bone in his arm. Kentaro threw himself to the side and focused on a hasty retreat but the moment he turned away – another mistake – Shinzo was in front of him and his blade bit into Kentaro's bare chest. He was lucky again. The strike was shallow at best.

“Shit...!”

Kentaro retreated but this time kept his eyes focused on his opponent, whilst flicking his Zanpakuto into his hand with his foot. The motion was carried out quickly enough that Kentaro managed to block Shinzo's incoming blow with one of his own, and he was quite thankful the bones in his arm held firm.

“Not bad, not bad. But... you lack strength, boy.”

The quick jabs and light slashes where low-level techniques at best but despite that Kentaro was completely overwhelmed; even had he use of his other arm he would not have done any better. In a mere few movements the young son of Kenji was lying on the floor after having his calf muscles severed.

“You destroyed my collection.” Shinzo said softly, yet he was clearly fuming. “For that... you will suffer.”

Perhaps it was an indication of Kentaro's fighting spirit or perhaps it was just indicative of his foolhardy defiance in the face of what he assumed to be his own death, but what he done next surprised even Shinzo. Kentaro flicked his Zanpakuto into the air and sprang into the air with his one good arm, where he then grasped his sword once more. He slashed once with all his strength and opened Shinzo's face from the bridge of his nose across his left eye! Blood spewed, his foe roared in pain and Kentaro crumpled to the floor in a heap, but before he did he pulled free the red orb Shinzo had been holding.

“You will pay for this...!”

Shinzo seemed to be unaware his orb was missing and before he had regained his composure Kentaro had successfully hid it away in his deep pocket. "Fushichō... You fool Shinzo."

Kentaro braced himself. “We'll see.”

All that filled the air afterwards was the sound of Kentaro's screams echoing through the air as Shinzo broke the bones in his arms and legs, but even his screams soon faded to pained grunts as a single kick loosened Kentaro's jaw which now hung loosely...

“... Tell Momoko I want to...” Ino was saying.

Kenji missed the rest of what she said and merely narrowed his eyes in barely veiled frustration, though this soon turned to anger. He clenched the edge of the tabletop so forcefully he snapped a piece of the wood off, which of course drew the attention of not only his wife but also that of the young silver-haired girl Kentaro had gone through hell to rescue: Akiye.

“What is it?” Ino asked, suddenly concerned.

“Kenji?” Akiye asked.

Kenji masked his rage well after that though inside he was a storm of emotions. Since his return from Kohai Tochi Kenji had fastened a spell to his son that would alert him should he ever be in extreme danger again. He only hoped he didn't arrive to late...!

“I'll be back soon.”

Kenji gave no further word on the matter. He reached out with his right hand and appeared to tear away the kitchen wall, revealed a swirling mass of darkness vaguely resembling an oval-shaped gateway. Kenji stepped through and repeated the process; when he finished the scenery of Kohai Tochi, and more importantly his son lying barely concious on the floor, greeted him. It took Kenji mere seconds to gauge what was going on.

“You owe Shigeru big-time.” Kenji told his son.

Shigeru Yudai was busying himself facing off Shinzo who was looking more and more angry by the second. Shigeru yelled something about using Shinzo's skull as a drinking cup before the two met in a fierce display of swordsmanship which ended in a stalemate. Before anything else could be said or done however Kenji grabbed hold of his son, relocated himself and Kentaro to where Shigeru stood in a blade-lock, and then proceeded to beat a hasty retreat through the same gateway the Archon of Storms had arrived through.

“You made a grave error today Shinzo.” Kenji warned. “Make this mistake again and I will destroy you.”