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  Chapter 5: The Priest's Tale**

  She took a deep breath, and when her voice came out, it was softer, almost like a confession.

  — Yuzuki... — she began, the words weighing on her as if they were more than she could bear. Gotier looked at her with an expression of expectation, feeling the tension rise.

  Akari slowly turned, meeting Gotier's eyes, as if she needed his strength to continue. But at the same time, she knew that by saying what was on her mind, something in her world would break forever.

  — He has Mao.

  The words fell heavily into the air, and Gotier's reaction was immediate. His body leaned forward, as if trying to understand what he was hearing. But at the same time, shock took over his face.

  — What? — The word came out in a whisper, but it was laden with disbelief.

  Akari closed her eyes, feeling the weight of fear consume her. She didn't want him to know, but she knew there was no way to hide it anymore.

  — He... — Akari swallowed hard, her voice wavering but still firm. — He has Mao inside him. I saw it. The power Mao has over him... it is not something Yuzuki can control. He... he is fighting it, but he is getting weaker. Every day, he loses more of himself.

  Gotier could not hide the look of horror. The air seemed to thicken around him, and he recoiled slightly, as if trying to escape the revelation.

  — How...? — The question seemed stuck in his throat. — How do you know this? When did it happen? How could he...?

  — It was... after our fight with Zeke — said Akari, unable to meet his gaze. — He... he told me. He said he didn't know how it happened, but that Mao's power overtook him. He has this power now, Gotier. And I don't know what to do to help him.

  Gotier remained silent, his mind racing, trying to connect the scattered pieces. His expression was one of pure shock. Mao... the most powerful of the Kugutsus, the one who destroyed, who corrupted. And now it was inside Yuzuki.

  — This... — Gotier finally managed to speak, but his voice trembled. — This changes everything, Akari. You have no idea what this means. Mao cannot be controlled. He will consume Yuzuki. There is no turning back.

  Akari raised her eyes, staring at him with an intensity that made him step back slightly.

  — I know that — Akari's voice was low, but cutting. — And as much as I want to believe there is a way out, I know he is losing the battle. But... we cannot give up on him, Gotier. We cannot.

  Gotier felt a lump form in his throat. He wanted to offer some comfort, some hope, but he couldn't.

  — I... I don't know what to do. — His voice faltered for a moment, but he composed himself. — Perhaps... perhaps the only solution is to end this now. Kill Yuzuki... before Mao destroys him completely. He cannot be saved, Akari. There is no time left.

  Akari looked at him with a fierce gaze, as if she had been struck by lightning.

  — Do not say that! — She stood up with such force that the flames of the fire seemed to tremble. Her voice, though trembling with rage, was full of unwavering determination. — If you try to do anything to Yuzuki, Gotier... I will kill you.

  Gotier stared at her for a long moment, fear painted on his face, but also a deep pain.

  — I... I am sorry, Akari. — He bowed his head, sincerity in his words. — I did not mean to cause you pain. I am just... desperate. What is happening is more than I can bear alone.

  ***

  ### **The Weight of Truth**

  Slow footsteps broke the silence. Yuzuki approached the fire, his face shaped by the shadow of the flames. His shoulders were slumped, as if carrying the weight of the world.

  — I heard everything — he said, his voice hoarse, almost a whisper.

  He raised his eyes. And it was there, in that moment, that Akari felt a knot form in her throat. Yuzuki was staring at her. But not like before. It was the look of someone stripped of pride, broken inside, silently pleading.

  — Akari... — he murmured, his voice choked. — I am sorry.

  That was all. Simple. Cruel. Real. Akari felt as if time had stopped. Those eyes—empty, sad, suffocated—carried the guilt of something he had never had the courage to say, but she could feel it. It was as if every unshed tear was streaming down inside him.

  She did not answer. She did not need to. The silence between them said everything.

  Yuzuki looked away and walked slowly toward the river, leaving behind the warmth of the fire and the presence of the others. The banks were silent, lit only by the moonlight. He knelt, his knees sinking into the damp earth. The water flowed calmly... indifferently.

  He looked at the reflection. And his chest tightened. The image staring back at him was not his own. It was a distorted shadow, with deep eyes and a face he barely recognized. *"Is... this me?"* he thought.

  Loneliness wrapped around him like a cold cloak. For everything he had done. For everything he had not had the courage to say. For everything he knew... and still hid.

  Yuzuki closed his eyes. There, before that reflection that was not his, he felt—for the first time in a long time—fear of himself.

  Meanwhile, in his consciousness, Mao watched everything, laughing with disdain.

  — **You can train your body all you want, boy** — his voice hissed in Yuzuki's mind. — **But your soul is already mine.**

  ***

  ### **Revelations Around the Fire**

  The night carried an almost tangible weight, as if the very air had been poisoned by darkness. The sky, vast and moonless, gleamed only with cold stars. The fire before them was anything but comforting: its ghostly blue flames flickered with a sickly hiss, as if devouring the soul of the wood itself.

  Gotier sat beside Yuzuki, observing the flames with a contemplative expression.

  — Yuzuki... — Gotier broke the silence, his voice low and weighted with intent. — That demon, Mao... how does one carry something like that?

  — It's... complicated — Yuzuki finally replied. — It is not something I chose. Mao... he just... is with me.

  — Just is with you? — Gotier raised an eyebrow. — Do you understand what that means? The kind of power you carry?

  Yuzuki's silence was answer enough. Gotier leaned forward, his eyes glowing in the spectral firelight.

  — It is not just power. It is destruction. Corruption. Mao is not just any Kugutsu. He is a legend among those who study the occult. How does someone like you... someone from Kugutsu... manage to handle that?

  Yuzuki looked up sharply, surprised. Gotier realized his own slip of the tongue, but it was too late.

  — How do you know we are from Kugutsu? — Akari asked, her voice firm.

  Gotier sighed, trying to compose himself.

  — I have studied... a lot. Enough to recognize the patterns. The marks. But I never expected to find someone from Kugutsu... especially carrying something like Mao. The Church taught me how to manipulate Kugutsus... but I never imagined they would use that against me. For years I studied the Kanjis and the island of Kugutsu. I learned the three types of sealing: Slavic, Sacred, and Skiave. The Church mostly uses the Sacred one, as we sacrifice priests with strong auras to obtain a Kugutsu. They are weak Kugutsus, but easy to control and refine over time.

  — I know, I know... you believed the Church truly sought love among humans. But the God we follow... — Gotier paused, measuring his words. — Never mind.

  Yuzuki and Akari exchanged a suspicious glance.

  — The Skiave sealing ritual can only be used by members of the three main clans — said Yuzuki firmly. — We divide our souls in two to create a new being.

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  — Exactly — said Gotier. — Even after all my studies and efforts to protect my family... in the end, they are dead, and I am still here. I am no different from Gabriel. Everything he did was for the Church. And everything I did...

  Akari felt that the priest had said too much. He was suffering. Meanwhile, Yuzuki looked at them, regret etched on his face.

  — We did not choose this, Father — said Akari, her voice a little softer. — But we are doing what we can to control it.

  Gotier observed the two for a long moment, his mind weighing the possibilities. Finally, he nodded.

  — Then I must teach you. Everything I know. *Dankai*, *Shink?*, *Bar??*... perhaps even *Y?g?*. If you do not learn to control this, Mao will destroy you. And honestly, I am not willing to die because of your ignorance.

  The comment, though harsh, brought a strange relief to the tension. Yuzuki nodded slowly, sensing the sincerity in the priest's words.

  — Thank you... Gotier — Yuzuki murmured, his voice laden with gratitude and determination.

  The wind blew, making the blue flames flicker, as if the very spirit of the night approved of the new alliance forged around that eerie fire.

  Salem, the City of Stench**

  The campfire crackled faintly, casting long, distorted shadows over the exhausted faces of Akari, Yuzuki, and Gotier. The smoke mingled with the cold night air, carrying a faint woody scent. After twelve hours of uninterrupted training, their bodies cried out for rest, but the weight of the memories and secrets they shared gave them no peace.

  Yuzuki sat with slumped shoulders, his eyes fixed on the embers. His face, marked by dried sweat and fresh cuts, looked older, as if burdened by lives that were not his own. Akari lay with her hands folded behind her head, staring blankly at the stars, while Gotier, leaning against a nearby tree, held his worn cross with trembling fingers.

  The silence was broken by Yuzuki's hoarse voice, sounding more like a lament than a statement:

  — The king of Kugutsu... he is a monster.

  Gotier lifted his gaze, attentive but silent. Yuzuki continued, his voice heavy with bitterness:

  — He uses methods no King has ever dared to use. Sacrifices, rituals... nothing is sacred to him.

  — Sacrifices? — Gotier finally spoke, his deep voice laced with disbelief.

  Yuzuki nodded slowly, still gazing at the flames.

  — Our family was one of them. My mother, my father... my brother. All to feed the power of that damned ritual. — He paused, the pain evident in every word. — I left the island to survive. But surviving is not enough. The only thing I want now... is to destroy everything.

  Gotier narrowed his eyes, the lines of his face hardening.

  — Destroy? You are talking about revenge.

  Yuzuki lifted his gaze to Gotier, and for a moment, his eyes carried a disturbing emptiness.

  — It is not revenge. It is justice. The end of the puppets. The end of the Kugutsu ritual. The end of the demons.

  The priest gripped his cross tighter, feeling a chill run down his spine. Before he could respond, Akari spoke, her voice as cold as the night breeze:

  — Our people will never accept the end of his reign. They are devout, blind. They would rather die than question the king.

  Gotier looked at her, searching for a hint of hope in her words, but found only grim resignation.

  — And what about the traitors? — Gotier asked, a mix of curiosity and caution in his voice.

  — They sold everything — Akari replied, turning her head to face him. — Our rituals, our secrets. All to this filthy continent. Now, the scent of innocent blood is everywhere.

  Yuzuki clenched his fists, glancing away toward the river.

  — Salem... — he muttered, the name spilling from his lips like a curse. — The capital of stench.

  As silence returned, a voice cut through Yuzuki's thoughts.

  — **You are on the right path, Yuzuki.**

  It was Mao, whispering directly into his mind, with a sinister sweetness that made his skin crawl.

  — **That hatred, that pain... they are gifts. Use them. Embrace them. Imagine what we could achieve together. Just let me guide you.**

  Yuzuki shut his eyes tightly, trying to push away the demon's presence, but felt an involuntary smile curl his lips—a disturbing smile that Gotier noticed immediately.

  — Are you sure you are fighting the right monster? — Gotier asked, his voice almost accusatory.

  Yuzuki stared at him but did not reply. Akari, watching the exchange, finally spoke, her voice darker than usual:

  — Sometimes, it is hard to tell where the monster ends and the man begins.

  Gotier looked away, staring at the cross in his hands as if searching for strength.

  — Do you really think the end justifies the means? — His voice was low, but tense.

  Akari turned to him, her eyes as hard as stone.

  — There is no 'end' waiting for us, priest. Only destruction. And sometimes, that is all that remains.

  Gotier closed his eyes, exhaling slowly, but did not respond. In silence, he prayed—not for their salvation, but for his own, for he felt himself falling into an abyss from which there was no return.

  ***

  ### **Salem, the City of Stench**

  After days of exhausting travel, Yuzuki, Akari, and Gotier finally arrived at the city of Salem. Right at the entrance, the acrid smell of blood mixed with sewage and smoke invaded their nostrils, causing nausea. The scenery was suffocating: thin and filthy bodies occupied the sidewalks, while luxurious carriages paraded arrogantly through the streets. Children with chains on their ankles were led like cattle. Social inequality was not just evident—it was grotesque.

  Yuzuki could not hide his disgust.

  — How is this allowed? — he murmured, clenching his fists.

  Gotier sighed, looking at the scene with a mix of disillusionment and resignation.

  — Allowed? Here, this is the law. This is the capital of decay.

  Mao, who rarely manifested, let out a low laugh.

  — **Ah, the smell of despair. So familiar. So... inspiring. You should get used to it, Yuzuki. This is the future your people helped create.**

  Yuzuki shivered at those words but did not reply. The weight of Mao's words seemed to ring with an uncomfortable truth.

  The trio found a small lodging on the edge of the city. While they rested, Gotier silently prepared the next training session. Yuzuki's progress with the techniques was remarkable each day, but Gotier knew he needed more than strength and skill. He needed control—something to prevent Mao from taking over completely.

  Gotier looked directly into Yuzuki's eyes.

  — I am going to teach you *Genkai*. This technique is used as a form of subjugation. You will overpower the Kugutsu, forcing it to release its power and control its actions.

  Yuzuki smiled slowly.

  — Hm... interesting.

  ***

  ### **The Encounter with Peige**

  The next day, while walking through the poverty-infested streets, Yuzuki witnessed a scene that froze him. A small girl, dressed in rags, stumbled while carrying a bucket of water. The spilled liquid drew the ire of a burly man walking with her. He grabbed her by her short, red hair, yelling insults while raising his fist.

  Before he could hit the child, Yuzuki leaped across the street, grabbing the man's arm with enough force to make him let go of the girl.

  — Let her go — Yuzuki said, his voice low but full of threat.

  The man, a well-known slaver, laughed when he recognized Yuzuki.

  — You must be new here. That is my property. Stay out of what does not concern you.

  Before things could escalate, Gotier stepped in, pulling Yuzuki aside.

  — Not the time. There are other ways to fight this.

  The man laughed, raising a pendant with the Church's emblem.

  — You think you can defy Salem? Even your demons bow here.

  Yuzuki looked at the symbol, and Mao roared in his mind: *"Kill him, and I will give you the blood you need."*

  Yuzuki hesitated but released the man. He laughed loudly, kicking the girl to make her stand. Yuzuki watched her walk away, unable to shake the scene from his mind.

  Mao whispered gleefully in Yuzuki's mind.

  — **That is why your family died.**

  Yuzuki's silence was the acceptance of having made the worst choice.

  ***

  ### **Fragile Bonds**

  That night, while Gotier prepared the next training session, Yuzuki vanished from the improvised camp. He returned a few hours later, carrying Peige in his arms. She was bruised, with marks on her arms and legs, but she still had a timid smile on her face.

  Akari, usually reserved, immediately rushed to help.

  — You are safe now — she said softly, cleaning the girl's dirty face with a cloth.

  Peige looked at Yuzuki, who remained silent, avoiding eye contact.

  — Thank you — she whispered. — I did not mean to cause trouble. I just... I just wanted to do the right thing.

  — It was not your fault — Yuzuki finally said, his voice softer than usual. — None of what he did was your fault.

  Gotier watched from afar, intrigued. Mao, however, seemed unsettled.

  — **Interesting** — he murmured in Yuzuki's mind. — **You are softening? Be careful, Yuzuki. Compassion is a dangerous weakness.**

  Yuzuki ignored Mao, focusing on helping Akari take care of Peige. For the first time in a long while, he cracked a faint smile as Peige told a story about an imaginary cat she used to have as a friend.

  Gotier noticed something in that smile. It was a spark of hope he thought he would never see again. Perhaps, despite everything, there was still a chance to save Yuzuki from Mao.

  The night in Salem was cold and quiet. Peige sat near the fire, hugging her knees with her small, bruised hands.

  — You do not have to pretend you are okay, Peige — said Akari, her voice calm but firm. She sat beside the girl and placed a blanket over her frail shoulders. — Here, at least, you can be yourself.

  Peige's eyes sparkled with a mix of surprise and gratitude.

  — I... I am okay, Miss Akari. You have all done so much for me already. I do not want to be a burden.

  Gotier, leaning against a tree, sighed deeply before speaking:

  — No one is a burden here, girl. We have carried enough weight. If we are together, it is because that is how it is meant to be.

  Yuzuki lifted his gaze from his sword and looked at Peige. His expression was serious, but there was a strange warmth there.

  — You are strong, Peige. Do not let anyone convince you otherwise — said Yuzuki, his tone low but firm. — Even after everything, you still find a reason to smile. That... that matters.

  Peige lowered her head, trying to hide the tears running down her dirty face. Akari hugged her, offering comfort.

  Mao, watching everything from within Yuzuki's mind, seemed restless. His mocking voice rang out in Yuzuki's head:

  — **What a touching scene, Yuzuki. You are softening. Is it the child or the weight of guilt that makes you act like this?**

  Yuzuki narrowed his eyes and responded in thought, his hand gripping the sword's hilt:

  — *None of your business.*

  Mao laughed—a low, disturbing sound that echoed in Yuzuki's mind.

  — **Oh, but it is. You think saving a girl will erase everything you have done? Or perhaps you believe she can save you from me. What a sweet illusion.**

  Yuzuki ignored him, pushing Mao's presence away as best he could. He knew the demon was partly right, but something about Peige awakened a spark of humanity in him—one he could not ignore.