Before any of you start reading this fic, I shall inform you before hand that I will re-upload this fic sometime tomorrow considering that I haven't finish checking and correcting all the grammar and spelling errors of this fic...

Sorry for the inconvenience

Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei: I.S Style

CHAPTER ONE:IT ALL BEGINS

Disclaimer: I don't own IS: Infinite Stratos OR Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei but I own this fiction and any other OC's in this story

ITALIC: THOUGHTS

BOLD: MOVEMENTS

Preface

My name is Orimura Ichika and this is my life…

Life…what a funny thing…

I've always thought that my life was worthless…

Time and again, since I could remember, I am drowned in sorrow that it almost made me give up life.

But I didn't, no matter how many times I wanted to just give up; there was something or someone preventing me from just throwing it all away. Mind you, I am very hard to kill in the first place, but I know that I can find a way to kill myself I were serious.

I would have but there is always something that prevents me from ending it all.

(AGE 6)

When I was 6 years old, life was pretty simple. I have two beautiful sisters that I love dearly…

My older, by three minutes, twin sister, Madoka.

We used to do things together. We were the best of friends, and I'm always with her whenever she needs me. Madoka always have problems in dealing with other people. It's not that she's socially awkward, but she just doesn't know how to deal with people. She's always having difficulty in making friends, and I, being her twin, was always with her.

She also has a very unhealthy inferiority complex towards our elder sister, which I always reminded her to just let it go, although she never listens to me. Even though Madoka and I are twins, Madoka is very identical in the looks department with our elder sister, and that did not do any good. Everything she does was always compared to our elder sister's accomplishments, and even though Madoka is just 6 years old, the achievements of our elder sister when she was in our age was mind boggling.

A six year old girl should not have been sent to war, even if the entire continent was at war and even if she has the talents to fight in it.

Speaking of the eldest daughter of the Orimura family, her name is Chifuyu.

Chifuyu-nee is a very unique being. She's the most talented Magic Technician in her generation, being able to cast multiple B-class spells at the tender age of 6. That itself is worth praise.

Chifuyu-nee, presently fifteen-years old, is a very beautiful young woman. She is known throughout Asia, and some part of the world for her beauty, power, and efficiency in combat. She is the most powerful warrior that the Orimura family had ever produced in her generation.

She is very stern and strict, and somewhat cold, but that is to be expected. After all, she has been exposed to war in such a young age.

I believe wholeheartedly that Chifuyu-nee and I are very close. The rest of the clan, most especially the elders, looks at her as a prize, a possession even, my mother, bless her soul, looks at her as a subordinate, my dad looks at her the same way as the clan elders, she is a commodity, as asset to him, my twin sister looks at her as a rival, while cousin Kana looks at her as a threat. In the clan, I think I'm the only one who looks at her as a sibling, as a human being within the clan, and we get along real well because of that.

I truly adore Chifuyu-nee; I admire her, not because of her power or beauty. Those traits are merely a part of her entire humanity, I admire her because she is Chifuyu-nee, and that's enough for me to love her.

Now my family is a bit complex.

The Orimura Clan is a clan that gained famed and prominence during the third world war. The clan itself is a clan filled with soldiers, in fact, with the family ruled by my grandfather, the great Orimura Ichigo (I need a person with the name close enough to Ichika), the clan became the most notorious clan in the country when it comes to military strength.

My mother may not be an immediate member of the main family but when she leads the family's forces, when Isane Orimura leads the Orimura clan's military force, the gates of hell will open to those unfortunate enough to stand in her way.

The warriors under my mother's command have enough training to fight and win World War Four if they wanted to. Those warriors are pretty much war veterans with an insane amount of experience and skill. My mother is the brains of the operation, and with her leadership, those men became unstoppable killing machines. My mother's unit is so dangerous that it is deemed by our own government inhumane in deploying them in any war.

My mother's unit is the reason why Japan was untouchable during World War 3.

The less said about my father, the better. Orimura Kurei was a businessman and politician, and he was good at it. He was a powerful magician in his own right, not as talented as mother (his wife), Chifuyu-nee (his daughter) or grandfather (his father), but he can hold his own in a fight. What my father lack in strength, he makes it up with his sharp mind and ability to manipulate anyone with a few well-chosen words.

Regardless of the fact that he is my father, regardless of the fact that I look exactly like him, I never liked him, I never did. Whenever I looked at him, I was always given the expression that he cares more about his status than his own family.

I could not help but chuckle at this. I am the black sheep of the family. Unlike my sisters, my mother, my father, my cousin, and my grandfather, I do not fight. It's not that I can't fight, I can fight, and when it comes to it, I am as dangerous as any member of my family. The reason why I don't fight is because I have an abnormal type of magic, a type of magic that prevents me in using modern magic.

Because of my refusal to fight, the clan elders, since I was five, tried to kick me out of the clan, only to be prevented by my mother and grandfather, my father did not get involve though. For some reason, my mother adores me so much, and my grandfather seems to be interested in me. I sometimes have the feeling that they knew my secret, and they were just waiting for me to show my fangs.

I wonder how patient they are with me.

Still, unlike my family and my clan, I do not want to be a soldier; I want to be a doctor, or an artist, or a musician, or a cook. I'm good at a lot of things that are deemed useless by my clan, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I am me, and I will go on with my life as I choose.

But still, sometimes, I wonder, if what I said is true. I am holding a major part of what defines me as me, and sometimes, I am afraid that the monster that defines who I am will bursts out someday, and I am afraid for that day to come.

(Age 7)

Age 7, the roller coaster that is my life started at that age. I can still remember the person that became the catalyst of the beginning of my life.

The catalyst was a girl.

A girl that goes by the name Setsura.

I still remember how we met like it was yesterday.

I was taking a walk around Tokyo, eluding the bodyguards that my mother assigned to protect me. I always loved taking walks around Tokyo Bay during the sunset, and the sky in this particular day was nothing short of marvelous, stunning even.

I look at the sun as it sets, and I am at awe because of its beauty.

But the beauty of the setting sun pales in comparison to the beauty of the little girl that I saw in this particular day, the beauty of the girl that changed my life, forever, was breathtaking.

As I watch the sun set and await the moon to rise, I notice a girl running across the street. I notice that she was slightly bleeding and her dress, which were made out of low quality fabric, were torn.

I frown at this as I decided to intervene. I am slightly mad that my viewing of the setting sun was interrupted but I could not just allow a young girl get hurt by men twice her size.

The one thing I am proud of is my speed, even without magic, I am very fast. I quickly maneuver myself in front of the girl, grabbed her hand, and run as fast as I can while navigating around the buildings near Tokyo Bay to evade those who were chasing the girl.

The girl struggled for a bit, but when he noticed that I mean her no harm, she conceded and allowed me to move her around. Thirty minutes of running, I stopped somewhere near the port of Tokyo. I was slightly gasping for my breath and I could feel the girl was doing the same.

"Are you okay?" I asked her with a slightly worried tone, and that was the first time I ever laid eyes on a living master piece.

Whitish-silvery colored hair that resembled the stars above the night sky, and it was smooth as silk. Gleaming blue eyes that resembled the finest sapphire. Lips as red as a ripe strawberry, and snow white skin as pale as snow itself. As I gazed before her, I could not help but be taken aback at how beautiful this girl before me is.

She must be younger than me by at least a year but she held unrivaled beauty, a beauty that would put Goddesses to shame.

I am an artist, I've painted fictionally women with features that I deem beautiful, but this girl was far more beautiful than anything my mind could ever come up with. I have created portraits of a number of beautiful women that I know, but this girl, I doubt that I could capture the magnitude of her beauty in a simple canvas.

"Thank you!" A melodic, soprano voice said with a weary tone, and I could not help but marvel at her again. A girl with her beauty possessing such an angelic voice!

I must know her name! I told myself in determination.

"Don't mention it, and my name is Ichika." I told her as I extended my hand at her.

"Setsura," The girl answered shyly as she shook my hand shyly.

Byakushiki. I thought suddenly with a smile. Yes, that would be a fitting name for her, Snow White Expression, yes that would be fitting indeed.

I smiled at her again, before noticing that it was already twilight. I looked over the ocean, and marveled at another beautiful sight.

The moon, it was white, pitch white. I have seen the moon being full, I have seen a blue moon, but this is the first time I've seen a white moon, and it is such a marvelous sight.

"Beautiful," I muttered under my breath as I raised my hand to grasped the beautiful moon. "So beautiful," I whispered as my eyes did not leave the gleaming moon that resembled the most beautiful diamond that I have ever seen.

Setsura seems to agree with me as she glanced at the moon herself, a look of awe gracing her angelic smile. "Beautiful," She breathed and I smiled at her.

Regardless of how beautiful the white moon is, she is still many times more beautiful.

There was a minute of solace between the two of us when the men that were chasing her appeared. At the sight of them and the sound of their yelling, Setsura cower behind me, and I growled at the frighten expression that polluted her artistically beautiful face.

"Close your eyes; I don't want you to see this." I told her, and surprisingly, she did as I told her and closed her eyes.

Such a good girl.

I looked at them calmly before taking several steps towards them.

I despised violence, but I hate having to see that beautiful face being contaminated. I approached them, and in matter of seconds, they were unconscious and were thrown to the trashcan.

After I disposed of those men, she opened her eyes and thanked me again, and asked me how she could return the favor. I smiled at this as I told her to wait for me. I quickly run off towards the nearest art shop and hastily brought all the art supplies that I will need to paint a portrait.

After a minute or so, I politely asked her to pose for me for a painting, and she agreed, hesitantly, but she agreed nonetheless.

I asked her to stand in front of the ocean and below the white moon, and Setsura did, and after that, I started painting.

It was a strange feeling, but I swear, as I started painting her, I could see a visage of a beautiful phoenix behind her, smiling at me for some reason. That confused me a little, but regardless, I painted her using every skill that I could muster…

…and the output that I made was nowhere near satisfactory. When she looked at the painting, she was impressed by my work, but I was not. The art that I produced did not give justice to her beauty or the beauty of the white moon above us.

I frowned a bit, but a laughed suddenly distracted me from my disappointment, and when I looked behind me, I was startled to see a woman with the same hair and eyes as Setsura.

"Such a beautiful masterpiece." The woman complimented in a motherly tone, but I frown at this. Her voice, it sounded strong, but with every letter she utters, I could feel her words faltering.

"MOTHER!" Setsura shouted happily as she flung herself towards the woman.

As I watch them embrace each other, my suspicion was confirmed. The two were related, but it still felt strange. True, their auras are identical, but Setsura's Aura is also identical to an Aura that is very familiar to me.

Before I ponder on that thought, Setsura's mother spoke.

"Thank you for saving my daughter." The woman spoke as she held her daughter tightly. "…son of Kurei."

My eyes widen at this as I looked at the woman, only to find her gone…

How did she know my father's name?

After our first meeting, seeing Setsura became a norm to me whenever I go anywhere near Tokyo bay. Whether it be just a quick glimpsed of her, or me begging her to pose for me for another portrait, seeing her always made my day. She became my fourth favorite female, trailing behind my mother, Madoka, and Chifuyu-nee.

But still, regardless of our growing friendship, I cannot help but slightly be suspicious of her. I have seen her mother quite a few times, and I already hate her for some reason, but I do not show it to her due to my fondness for her.

I don't know why, but her mother, whose name I still do not know nor care to know, gives me a feel like she is an untruthful and untrustworthy woman. Don't get me wrong, Setsura's mother is a likeable woman, but for some reason, I could not bring myself to like her, or to be even in the same room with her.

I don't know why I dislike her, but I just hate her.

And another thing, Setsura's aura is really familiar. True, her aura is near identical to her mother, but there was a hint in her aura that made me weary of her.

I didn't know why but Setsura's Aura is really making me jumpy whenever I am near her.

I knew that she has the potential to be a very powerful magician. The aura that surrounds her constantly is evident to that.

I mean come on now, the psion light that she constantly emits is massive, equivalent to that of one of my mother's elite soldiers, and that is saying something.

But still, there is this tint, stain in her aura that made me cautious of her, and made me further hate her mother.

I always shrugged that feeling off because of my fondness of her, but that change when I first saw her cast an uncontrolled magic.

"Ichika-kun, you don't look so good." Setsura's mother commented, and truth to her words, I look like I've been through a meat grinder. My clothes were torn; I'm bleeding from eight different places, and fractured several of my bones.

"Of course I don't look so good. I attack the husband of the woman who leads the military unit that can fight and win World War 4." I groaned weakly as I collapsed on one of her sofas.

"You attack your own father?" Setsura's mother exclaimed in surprise.

"I should have killed the bastard." I muttered darkly before throwing an enveloped towards her. "I should kill you as well." I told her while glaring at her. "Shirayuki-hime, the first daughter of the current emperor and the first line, or should I say, the former first line to the throne to the Japanese empire. That is your name and title, right?" I asked her, and my only answer was her smiling at me.

"You not just inherited your father's looks, you also inherited his brains." Setsura's mother said with a fond smile. "You are correct, I am that woman, or to be more precise, I was that woman."

I looked at her critically as I move my body, wincing at the feeling of pain I felt with every sudden movement. "Is Setsura here?" I asked her coolly, and when she shook her head, I sigh in relief as I stood up. I did not want her to listen to this conversation.

"You know, I always found it funny whenever I felt weary of Setsura. I like her so much, and she's a beautiful and wonderful model, but my problem with her is her aura." I spoke casually while Shirayuki-hime merely smiled at me.

"Her aura is familiar, so familiar in fact that it is almost nostalgic, but I never figure it out why her aura is familiar until I saw her lose control of her aura." I narrowed my eyes a bit, feeling relieved that my body was slowly being healed. "Can you tell me why her magic, uncontrolled or not, is similar to my father's and grandfather's magic? Can you tell me why she is capable of using the Orimura Family magic"

"You're a bright and mature child; you know the answer to that."

I growled at this but I remain composed. "Your right I know the answer to my question. Magic is hereditary, and that means one thing, you had an affair with one of the main members of the family." I glared at her harshly at this. "…you had an affair with my old man, am I correct?"

"Yes," She answered with a smile, and that smile made me lost all the composure I had. I thrust my hand towards her, and a red sword flew from my hand towards her in a speed that matches a bullet.

Setsura's mother, Shirayuki-hime, did not move an inch as the sword that I hurled at her suddenly disappeared.

"Unlike your family, you have a magic unique only to yourself." Shirayuki-hime stated as the sword that I created appeared in her hands. "This is a very sturdy blade, and it is made out of blood. If one is too look at your magic, most would probably assume that your magic is the variation of an Ice-type magic, but they would be wrong. This sword has a crystal like feel and quality instead of that of an ice." I was startled by her summarization of my abilities. I know what my abilities are and the nature of my abilities, but I did not expect her to know that much by just merely touching something that I produce out of a whim.

I was so startled by her analyzing my magic so easily, that I did not notice the sword that I made out of my blood being thrown at me until it pierce my chest. The sword, being made out of my blood, did not hurt me one bit, and the sword was merely absorbed back to my body, but my distraction was enough for Shirayuki-hime to close the distance between the two of us, and point a gun to my head.

"I do hope that you know what my magic is." She said to me with a smile.

"Decomposition," I answered coldly as I face the end of the barrel of her CAD.

"You really did your homework on me; I'm impressed especially that my magic is supposed to be top secret. Even after I faked my own death, my abilities remains to be a national secret." She complimented me as she slowly pressed the gun to my head. "A seven year old knowing a national level secret is truly an impressive feat."

"You can't use your magic anymore, can you?" I stated calmly, not showing any emotions whatsoever

"You want to bet."

I shook my head before taking a step forward, not caring whether the gun is further press to my forehead. "No, my statement was wrong, it's not that you can't use magic anymore, it is more like you won't use magic anymore." I stated confidently. "You are currently suffering from a syndrome known as Nesting Integration. Nesting Integration is a syndrome that slowly kills a magician from the inside-out by causing their own magic to collapse inwardly."

Shirayuki's smile faltered a bit as she lowered her gun. "You really are your father's son."

"I take that as an insult, but considering that you can beat me, I won't say anything else." I mumbled as I collapse back to the couch. "You are dying, you know that, but what impress me the most is the fact that you lasted this long. Most people with NIS tend to die in a week, but you lasted for five years."

"Is that respect I hear from you?" I nodded and she smiled again. "Thank you," Shirayuki-hime said with a curt nod.

There was silence between us as I tried to form question in the top of my mind, and after a minute, I spoke again. "My father, he knows of Setsura's existence, and he did not take responsibility for his actions, am I correct?"

Shirayuki-hime frown as a rueful expression graced her face. "You need to understand…"

"My question is a simple yes or no question, please answer it accordingly."

With another moment of silence, that former princess of the country of Japan let out a sigh. "Yes, and you know the reason why. Illegitimate children are frowned upon by the noble clans of this country."

"But you're the Princess of this country, and the suppose heir to the throne!" I reasoned suspiciously, before my eyes widen in realization. "You demented bitch!"

"You really are a bright boy." She told me, and I tried to restrain myself from attacking her, and proceeded to ask my next question.

"How much time do you have left?" I asked her with a barely contained growled.

"A year, at most." She answered me with a solemn tone.

"You are an idiot." I exclaimed in anger while looking down on Setsura's mother's bleeding body. I was also covered with blood, but none of the blood belongs to me.

Setsura was cradling her mother in her arms while crying hysterical, tears falling down her eyes as she called her mother repeatedly and hysterically.

It has been three months since I confronted her about Setsura's birth, and the two of us became civil with each other, but I still cannot stand her. My relationship with Setsura on the other hand was a strained because of that revelation, but I still regarded her as a close friend. It was not her fault that she was born by an implicit affair by my bastard of a father and her mother.

Still, for some unknown reason, I made it a point to always visit Setsura every day for the past three months, and I did everything within my power to help the two get comfortable with their life.

I am a seven year old boy from the main house of the Orimura clan; I have the resources to take care of a small family without attracting the attention of any of the upper members of the clan.

I was in the way of visiting them, when I felt Setsura's aura in a state of panic. I rushed towards the direction where Setsura currently is, only to see a dozen men attacking them, and Shirayuki-hime fending them off with her magic. True to her reputation as the Pearl of the Rising Sun, even in her weakened state, she was able to take down half of them before she succumbed to her sickness.

I arrived the moment she collapsed and I took over the fight after that, creating a solid sword with my blood, I quickly disposed of the remaining men with ease. As an Orimura, we are required to learn how to use a sword, and with skills that not even my family knew I had, taking care of those men, even though they were magician with just my sword play is easy for me.

Shirayuki-hime, regardless of the fact that she was dying, was smiling at me. "You came," Shirayuki-hime said with a rather blissful tone.

I did not smile at her, and regarded her with a cold gazed. "I did not come here to save you; I came here to save her." I said while pointing at Setsura who was currently crying her eyes off for her mother.

She chuckled while a small amount of blood slipped down from her mouth. "That is good enough for me." She said with a weak tone.

"Shut up," I hissed in irritation before pointing a handgun towards her. The handgun was the only CAD that I ever used because it helps me project my regeneration ability. "I'll heal you, so just shut up and conserve your energy." I then concentrated the necessary amount of psion, which took the form of a spherical yellow energy but before I could pulled the trigger, Shirayuki-hime, regardless of her injured state, was able to cancel my magic with an unknown method.

I narrowed my eyes as I felt my arm going numb. "What are you thinking? I was just about to heal you."

"Don't bother; you'll just be wasting energy in a lost cause." She stated with an accepting tone as a gentle smile graced her lips.

"MAMA, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Setsura shouted desperately as she shook her dying mother lightly. As I watch her, I felt my heart ache in pain.

Shirayuki-hime patted her daughter on the head, her eyes shedding some tears. "Don't cry for me, my dear, I don't deserve those tears."

"Let me heal you, please let me heal you." I begged through gritted teeth. "I don't want to see her like this." I told her as I clenched my chest in pain. I may not consider her as a sister, but she is still my friend, a dear friend.

Shirayuki-hime let out a chuckle at this as her eyes slowly loses their life. "I thought you don't…"

"I STILL DON'T!" I shouted fiercely. "But still, half the blood the flows through my body, flows through her. I'm responsible for her." I stated with a sullen tone, and I felt, for that instant, that I was lying to myself but I ignored it.

"Because she's the sin of your father."

"HER LIFE IS NOT A SIN. THE ACT THAT MADE HER MAYBE A SIN, BUT HER LIFE IS NOT A SIN." I shouted indignantly, disgusted that Setsura's own mother thought of her as a sin. "Life, no matter how it is form, can never be a sin."

"What a wise child." She exclaimed before looking at her daughter with her almost lifeless eyes. "My dear, enough, enough… stop crying and listen to me please, mommy's time is almost up."

"MAMA PLEASE, PLEASE ALLOW ONIISAN TO HEAL YOU." Setsura begged desperately, and I was surprised by this development.

She knows the true extent of our relationship, I did not expect that.

"Shush, my dear, and let me speak." Shirayuki-hime ordered softly, her voice weakening by the second. "I have to go now, dear, and I just want to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm a poor mother, I'm sorry that I couldn't give you the life that you deserve, I'm sorry that I'm only a burden to you, I'm sorry for lying to you." She looked at me with begging and desperate eyes, conveying a message that I understand painfully.

After a moment, I looked at the ground as I held back my tears. "I can't ever see her as my little sister, but I'll take care of her to the best of my abilities without revealing her to any danger. I'll raise her to nr the woman befitting of her pedigree. I, the grandson of the current head of the Orimura Family, swear to you." I assured her passionately.

She smiled at those words as her hands fell to her side, her eyes finally losing their life. "Thank you!" And that was the last words that she had uttered before succumbing to her sickness and dying.

"Mother," Setsura called weakly and desperately, her voice broken which made me strangely want to engulf her in an embrace.

"Mother," She called again, but there was no response.

"Mother, Mother, MOTHER PLEASE, MOTHER PLEASE WAKE, DON'T LEAVE ME." Setsura begged desperately as her cries became louder and more desperate.

I clenched my hands into a fist, so tight that it bled, but it healed quickly because of my secondary ability. "I'm sorry that I was late, Setsura." I apologized sincerely as I stood behind her, not knowing what else to say to her.

There was a tense silence between the two of us, and in a move that I did not expect from her, Setsura let go of the corpse of her dead mother, and threw herself towards my arms.

I embraced her do to reflexes, and I adopted a look of solemn for her misfortune.

Regardless of the fact that I was covered in blood from head to toe, regardless of the fact that I did not like her mother so much, I held her tightly knowing that this is the only thing I can do to comfort her at the moment.

"This is some grim shit you got yourself into." A man in his late forties commented as the two of us sat across each other. After the day's grim events, I carried Setsura to a place that I know she would be safe from danger.

The temple (yeah right) where I learned ninjutsu from.

"Will you shelter her for a while?" I asked my sensei seriously. "I'll take her from your care once I arrange a more permanent home for her, which will take me a month, two months at most."

"And how would you provide for her?"

My answered was in the form of me throwing a book across the table. "Advantage of having parents who are rarely home, and having a clan who doesn't give a damn whether you live or die is that you can disappear for more than a week before they start searching for you." I said with a small smirk.

My sensei looked at the book, and his eyes all but widen. "Are you serious?"

"Somebody has to take responsibility for my father's stupidity, and unfortunately, the one who has to take responsibility is me."

"And are you willing to sacrifice everything that defines you as you?" My master asked critically, and my answer was me taking a mask from my pocket and putting it across my face.

"I have a feeling that she would be worth it."

(Age 8) (Orimura family)

When I was eight years old, life was still simple, for me anyways.

"What is this?" My mother asked as she examined a gun on corner of my room. My mother looks exactly as Chifuyu-nee and Madoka, only different being is that she has shorter hair and a slightly more boyish look.

"That's supposed to be your birthday gift, mother, I made it myself." An eight year old boy knowing how to use a gun, something is wrong with this family.

"I see," My mother muttered as she examined the black handgun. "Elaborate!"

"The Songstress, a custom 13mm Auto Anti-magic pistol. It fires custom made rounds enough to pierce through a C-level magic shield with ease. 42cm long and 16kg in weight, eight rounds per magazine. The Songstress has more firepower than any ordinary human being, magician or not, can wield or hope to wield."

"And the rounds?"

"13mm explosive shells."

"Casing?"

"Pure Macedonian silver,"

"And the tips? Explosive or mercury?"

"Mercury tips, lace with the poison that you personally instructed me to make." There is something wrong with the family with a son that knows how to create slow acting poison.

My mother looked at the pistol and loaded it with a magazine full of bullets. "It's perfection!" My mother exclaimed in gleefully. "You make me the best gifts!" My mother added as she engulfed me in a tight hug.

I smiled a bit as I patted her on the back. To compensate for my inability to perform Modern Magic, I studied weapon making, both modern and ancient.

Magic can be used to block gunfire in a variety of ways such as altering its trajectory, decreasing its force, or decreasing its speed. However, magic can be overcome with overwhelming force. High-powered rifles were designed such that the rotational force of the bullets and the force they produce are difficult to overcome by most magical methods. I am very good in creating weapons like those.

Suffice to say, my mother was amused and ecstatic to the things that I make, and I personally made her army their rifles. The problem, last year, those weapons, my creations were pointed at me constantly.

"Do we have too?" Madoka complained loudly while she fidgeted with her formal kimono.

"Unfortunately, yes, so stop complaining." Chifuyu-nee scolded her, looking absolutely stunning with the black kimono that she was wearing.

I shook my head at how typical they act around each other, and before they could start another argument, I stepped in between them. "Okay, enough, remember, we need to be at our best behavior." I told them, trying to be the voice of reason, as always. "Remember, this is the annual party for the noble clans of the country, we need to make a good impression." I feel like vomiting at the moment. I cannot stand most of the aristocrats of this country. I am a patriot and I would die for my country in a heartbeat, but that did not change the fact that most of the politicians in the country are corrupt.

I still wondered why the emperor did not just turn the country back to a monarchy. It would be the best for the country to have only one noble man ruling at the current age.

"That's easy for you to say, you actually could stand those boring geezers." Madoka grumbled and I merely smiled at her.

"I need to at least have something to compensate for my poor magic skills, and being a dirty politician is the first thing that came to mind." I don't want to tell them about my other occupation, considering my last run in with Chifuyu-nee's squad.

Those morons almost killed me, and I was doing them a favor for Kami's sake.

Disregarding those thoughts, in the past year, I did have my fair share in dealing with politicians, with and without the family knowing, and it seems that I inherited my father's ability to read people. And with that ability, my grandfather instantly taught me the finer arts of politics.

Being a member of a prominent clan sucks because you are expected to grow up fast.

"You do know that the elders won't antagonize you if you gave them the respect that they deserve." Chifuyu-nee told me, and I merely looked at her with a frown.

I choose not to comment on my sister's words. If only she knew the dealings of those fools outside of the clan.

"Let's just get to the party, and get this over with. I may tolerate those noble pricks, but I don't want to be anywhere near them for a long period of time. I don't want to be a prick like them." I muttered as I stride towards the Matsumoto Castle, the venue of the party.

"Hey, wait for us." Madoka shouted as I heard her running towards me, and when she caught up, she linked her arm with mine and smiled affectionately at me. I returned the smile, when I suddenly felt another person taking my other arm.

"You'll be our date tonight, so be grateful." Chifuyu-nee said with a beautiful smile.

"Of course," I answered with a small blush as the three of us entered the venue of the party together.

There is absolutely one thing to expect in a party hosted by aristocrats, and that is boring as hell.

Men and women flirting with each other and socializing with each other to either increase their political standings or cash. It is a sickening sight, but I guess I shouldn't complain, with the path I choose, I would be one of them in twenty years' time.

I'm already sick just thinking about it.

On one hand, I could lessen the elders' power in the family, and probably give Setsura a much decent life.

Always look at the bright side of things that has always been my motto.

"HEY IKKUN," A loud voice echoed throughout the ballroom, and I cannot help but smile as I wave at the person who yelled one of my few good nicknames. ShinononoTabane, my sister's best friend and one of the few women who I liked outside of my family and Setsura. She and I have a lot of similarities, the most prominent being that we loved our siblings very much.

"HEY IKKUN," Tabane shouted as she rushes towards me. The one thing that distinguishes Tabane from everyone in the room was that she was wearing a western dress modeled from the famous fairytale Alice in Wonderland as opposed to the expensive kimonos that flooded the room. She was given frowns by everyone that sees her but she ignored them, knowing that, in a straight fight, yes she can fight, she can beat anyone in the room, with the exception of Chifuyu-nee, and the emperor's three remaining children.

Tabane instantly engulfed me in a bone crushing hug. Thank Kami-sama for regeneration, while I awkwardly patted her on the shoulder while fighting back the blush that threatened to erupt from my cheeks. I'm an artist, I appreciate beauty in any shape and form, and Tabane is a very beautiful woman, and one of the few that I wanted to create a portrait of.

"It's nice to see you too, but could you let go of me, you're making a scene." I told her as the people around as started to whisper because of our compromising position.

"No, no, not until you show me that program that you made for the improve version of your Loop Cast system."Tabane requested with a cheeky grin.

Another thing that we have in common was our interest in CAD engineering. Tabane is a member of the Shinonono clan, one of the most prominent clan in the country that specializes in weapon manufacturing, which is strange, considering the family is so traditional that I sometimes wonder how such a conventional clan can be so advance when it comes to technology. The Orimura clan and the Shinonono clan have been long term allies since the end of World War Two. In proof of that alliance, the eldest daughters of the two families are best friends, and I am also close friends with the two youngest daughters of the clan.

The less said about the only son of the Shinonono family the better. That twat!

Now, because of the friendship between the clans, Chifuyu-nee, Madoka, and I tend to spend a lot of time with the Shinonono family, and because of that, I discovered my talent in CAD programming. I am not as good as Tabane, the woman has an IQ over 500 and I am not exaggerating, but I at least can think of things that she finds interesting.

For example, Loop Cast System….Loop Cast System is the Activation Sequence that skips the step of restarting each Activation Sequence. If the Magic Sequence is the same, then the CAD no longer has to restart the Activation Sequence each time. This is done by adding a copying power to the Magic Calculation Area's execution mode, adding a copy of the Activation Sequence's last parts to the Activation Sequence itself, so Magicians can endlessly invoke magic within their ability. Although the theory existed in the past, but to calculate the Invocation Sequence and copy the Activation Sequence separately at the same time, no one could do it until I have gotten bored in a particular Saturday night.

…and no, I'm not kidding. I perfected the Loop Cast system that no other CAD engineer and developer because of my boredom.

And because of that, Tabane decided that I should work in her family's company when I graduated college.

Not a chance in seven layers of hell. My other occupation is much more fun regardless of the fact that I felt like a hypocrite every time I go to work.

Getting myself out of Tabane's tight embrace was no small feat but I was able to do it. "So, where's Houki?" I asked curiously, knowing that Tabane is not the type to attend such mundane parties if she is not force or coerce.

"Well, she is with Papa and Mama now." Tabane then looked over her shoulders, and I looked as well, only to see Houki clinging to her father. The patriarch and matriarch of the Shinonono family were currently having a conversation with my parents. I frown when my father and I made eye contact, and I instantly turned away.

"You're still not in good terms with your daddy, huh?"Tabane inquired with a mischievous smile.

"I have my reasons why I'm acting like this."

I understand the reason why, but regardless of the law and dishonor that would befall our family, a man who will not acknowledge his own child, regardless of the circumstances, is trash in my book.

"That fool! If he had acknowledged Setsura, then the clan would have someone leading it in the future."

If there was something about Setsura that is easily noticeable, aside from her beauty, is her talent in magic. Both in the current and past generation, there is no one in this country more talented than Setsura when it comes to magic. Her potential is absolutely endless, and one of the reasons why I took her in is because I want to help cultivate that talent.

I may never looked or treat Setsura as my little sister, but I will not let her talents go to waste. Having her potential wasted is a crime that I will not tolerate.

My musing was cut short when a beautiful music echoed throughout the ballroom, and perked up. I looked at the dance floor and noticed that some couples are starting to waltz, which made me smile.

I love dancing, I absolutely love dancing…

(Age 9) (Setsura)

Why is it that those who deserve higher bounties only have at least 5-digit bounty, but they have the strength equivalent to a Military class, A-grade magician, but those with 6-digit bounty are crap, well, most of them.

For example, my opponent who was currently firing compress sound waves, that creates explosions on impact, towards me has a bounty worth 50,000 thousand yen, while the weak imbecile that he was protecting was worth at least 125,000 thousand yen, but the man has no skill whatsoever.

Because of World War Three, the old International monetary system had been abolished and changed into a new currency system. Now, instead of a worldwide agreement, the new International monetary system is merely a continental agreement.

In the continent of Asia, the largest currency is the Japanese Yen, the reason why is because we have the most well developed economy, and our military is just scary powerful.

50, 000 thousand yen and 125,000 thousand yen is considered a large amount of money in today's age.

"Hey, Miguel right? You're from the Philippines, right? What do you say you just give that man to me, and we can split the bounty?" I inquired rather hopefully before dodging another sound blast that ravaged the ground. "We don't have to kill each other, that guy's bounty is enough to give you a good life in the Philippines."

Philippines, a good and beautiful country, the problem is, too many corrupt politicians.

"[Patawad, pero may na una akong trabaho!]"

Great, the man's honorable. I respect people like him, but damn, they should choose their employers more thoroughly.

"[Cge, sana maiwasan mo to.]" I told him in his country's language as I cut the back of my right hand, drawing blood. I covered the back side of my right hand with my left hand as I accelerated towards him with speed far surpassing his magic invocation speed, and when I was within striking range, I made my move.

[Branch of Sin: Crow Claw: Invincible Black] I whispered as I created a large, scythe-like blade at the top of my right hand, and made a slicing move at the speed of sound.

The fight ended at that moment as the cut that I gave him was pretty deep, but it wasn't life threatening, I made sure of it.

As he collapsed, I stalk towards my original target. He ran the moment his final henchmen fell.

"Why do they always run?" I muttered to myself as my CAD, which takes the form of medallion, glowed. I pulled the piercing of my ears, forcing blood to flow out from my ears. [Branch of Sin: Whip Wing] I muttered as I spun my body, a strand of blood turned into a whip, which extended and restrained my target. With another spin, I slammed his body to the wall, knocking him unconscious.

"Nothing personal," I told the two of them as I stabbed my hand, and from the blood that spilled from the wound, I created a net out of my blood, threw the net to ensnare my targets, before dragging them away to the nearest government office.

In order for me to support Setsura and my hobbies and research, I became a bounty hunter.

Considering Asia as a whole has been at war with each other for seventeen years now, the after math of World War Three is nowhere near pretty, it is not strange to find child soldiers in the battle field and them hunting bounties for an extra pay is also the norm. Another factor that assisted me in becoming a bounty hunter, a successful one at that, is that my parents were barely home and they rarely worry about me. Well, to be honest, father never showed he cared about me in the first place, and mother knows that there is no mess that I can't get myself out of, and I prove that over and over by always escaping the watching eyes of her subordinates that have, again, the ability and skills to fight and win World War Four.

Grandfather on the other hand was a bit of a mystery. After my first three months as a bounty hunter, I've noticed my grandfather looking at me with suspicious eyes. I always pretend to not notice his gazed, but I'm worried, very worried.

The time for Setsura to be revealed to the clan has not yet arrived. She may have peerless talents in magic, and a bottomless potential, but she has a weakness that I have yet to solve, and that is her weak body. Setsura is a healthy girl with no history of long-term sickness, so it is very baffling that she has a very weak body, in contrast to her health.

I tried to find what's wrong by conducting weekly check-ups for Setsura, and I still can't figure out what's wrong with her.

Before anybody could debate my capabilities as a medical mage, please note that before I became a bounty hunter, I wanted to become a doctor, and I had several tutors teaching me about medicine. Yes, it is strange for a six year old learning medicine, but again, I am a member of a prominent noble clan, and we are expected to grow up fast. I can hunt down and fight men stronger, faster, more experience, more skilled, and more powerful than me and win, doing a medical check-up for a girl a year younger than me is a piece of cake, especially considering that I have enough knowledge to be consider a Junior Medical student in any University.

Again, when you are a member of a prominent noble clan from Japan, you can kiss your social life and childhood goodbye.

Still, fortunately for me, the clan elders expect very little from me because of my low magic skills, and they concentrated every resources at their disposal for Madoka, something that she was very grateful for and me suspicious. But because of that, I can somewhat move around without the worry of anybody from the clan discovering my secrets. Case and point, I became a successful and well known bounty hunter throughout Asia in the span of two years, and I have the bounty over my head to prove it.

Last I check, I am worth half a million, and I got that bounty just before my ninth birthday.

As a bounty hunter, I adopted the code name Sin, in homage to the spells that I made for my blood magic, [Branch of Sin]. My get up consist of a butler's outfit and a Victorian style masquerade mask. I personally carve the mask and tailored my clothes to make sure that nobody can trace my origins.

As Sin, the bounty hunter, I am known as a merciful bounty hunter, I never killed my targets regardless of the fact that the bounty can be collected whether the target is dead or alive. I also tend to avoid hurting anyone aside from my targets, even if they are my target's subordinate, I always find a way to not harm them and still get my target.

As a bounty hunter, I have gained both friends (I don't care what anybody says, some Yakuza bosses, Mafia bosses, and Triad bosses are more humane than most politicians that I know) and some enemies as well. Because Japan has become the most beautiful country in Asia and the world, nationalism and patriotism rules and don't tell me I'm bias, it is almost impossible to find criminals with large enough bounty for me to catch and make ends meet inside the country, so I usually hunt abroad, in the middle of the freaking warzone. For example, I am CURRENTLY in Roanapur in southeast Thailand.

Roanapur, the most lawless city in the world, and the common courtesy in this place is to greet everybody with bullets or lethal magic, whichever comes first.

Because of my love for my country, every time I hunt, I always try to help the Japanese troops to finish their missions, which always ends in me sabotaging the enemy, and me running away as the said troops chase me, guns and CAD blazing.

Apparently, I am a notorious criminal because I attacked a prominent member of the Orimura clan, my dad, and regardless of the fact that he deserves more than what I did to him, I still have a hit on my hit. What's worse, the person who's chasing me is my own sister, Chifuyu-nee, and in fifty different occasion, I was almost got incase in ice. I've already lost count on how many times I suffered from frostbite, and if it weren't for my regeneration ability, I am pretty sure that I would have lost an arm and a leg.

Patriotism is a road paid with a lot bullets, swords, and magic being thrown at you, and I speak from experience.

I sighed a bit before adjusting my mask, I need to collect the bounty and visit Setsura. I need to make sure that she hasn't neglected her studies…

God, I sound like a geezer.

"CAN WE NOT DO THIS?" I shouted as I protected a large suitcase that held my pay. Apparently, Chifuyu-nee and her unit, the Independent Magic Battalion, were temporarily in Roanapur to resupply. After I retrieve my pay, I accidentally met my sister and some of her friends, Yamada-san and Tabane, in the middle of the city. The two of us stared at each other for a second before I bolted, with her following, CAD blazing.

"You tried to kill my father, you bastard." Chifuyu-nee shouted at me as she hurled icicle spikes, seven feet large, at me. I dodge every attack that she threw at me as I maneuvered myself, and lead her outside of the city. Roanapur is the mafia capital city of the world, and I do not want to face the army with the skills and bloodlust that had fought and won World War Three.

"It was two years ago, and the bastard is still alive." I reasoned weakly before docking my head to avoid a Dragon made out of ice. Shaping an element into different forms requires great control over magic, and Chifuyu-nee creating a Dragon made out of ice speaks volume of her skills. "Come on now, can we not do this now? I'm tired, and I need to buy something for my charge." I saw a very well made and elegant gothic dress that I want Setsura to wear it in my next portrait.

WHAT!

"DIE," Chifuyu-shouted as dozens of ice dragons flew towards me.

"Screw it," I muttered as I ripped my own arm off (yeah, it hurts but it's necessary), and threw it behind me. "[Branch of Sin: Midnight Hunters]!" I muttered loudly. I felt my detached arm, yes I could still feel any body parts that I remove from my body, bubbling before bursting into a fountain of blood. The fountain of blood then morphed into a dozen wolves, all of them looking absolutely vicious. My blood wolves clash with the Chifuyu-nee's Ice dragons. The Ice dragon, on impact, incased the wolves in a large prison of ice, resulting into a mountain of ice after all my wolves were decapitated.

That defensive measure that I took was enough for me to lost Chifuyu-nee and I was able to create the distance for me to take a couple of breaths in.

"Chifuyu-nee is going to be the death of me." I muttered as the arm that I removed grew back quickly, and the sleeve of my clothes also returned to their original form. The strange thing about my regeneration abilities is that I can regenerate my body and any object just as long as I am touching it.

Another thing about my regeneration ability is that I can project it and heal others, just as long as the wound is a day old, and repair any object just as long as I know the design.

Regeneration is a Godly ability.

I took several deep breaths, and waited to recover my energy before standing up and carefully making my way back to the city. I need to buy that dress for Setsura after all. Being incase in Ice was a cheap price to pay to see Setsura in that dress.

That sounded perverted; ah what the hell, I am a nine year old bounty hunter, this is normal for me.

"Well, home sweet home I guess." I mumbled to myself as I gazed upon my estate and my mansion, the mansion that I made with my own money and with my own two hands.

One thing you will learn when you become a bounty hunter is to never trust anything that did not came from your own two hands. Poisoning and sabotage is a norm in my line of work.

Seriously, I'm nine; I shouldn't be worrying about these kinds of stuff. I should be worrying about my grades, which are above average considering I use my spare time hunting for criminals with five to six, and sometimes, seven digit bounty, making friends, I have friends but the problem is, most of my friends my age are girls, with one exception, and my male friends are all hardcore scumbags of society…

Yeah, my life sucks but I at least have a mansion of my own. Most of my friends can say the same thing.

As I look up my mansion, I cannot help but smile in pride. My mansion has three floors, and wide enough to cover two football fields. My mansion has many rooms, with thirteen rooms being the main feature of my mansion, I love the number 13. My house has many features that I adore so much:

A library (you guys have no idea how many books I acquired in my two years as a bounty hunter),

A music room complete with every instruments known to man (I spend at least three hours their every time I'm here)

An art room (that room is my pride and enjoy)

An entertainment room (I have every television, radio and stereo created by man, and not to mention a killer sound system)

An enormous game room (I'm nine for Christ sakes, I deserve some childish leisure)

A mini museum (I love artifacts and jewels, and my collection of both is very extensive)

A music recording room (What, I can't resist)

A green house and a farm (I grow my own food, okay)

My own laboratory (Mechanical, chemical, and digital….And those three count as one room)

A ballroom (An entire room made out of crystals! What, I discovered a crystal mine when I was planning the design of my mansion, and I am a very extensive man)

A world-class kitchen (I'm a freaking master chef! Taste my food if you don't believe me)

A tailoring room (I make my own clothes)

And lastly, my very own filming studio (Again, I'm nine, I can do anything childish)

Also, my mansion boasts at least ten bedrooms and a very beautiful garden complete with a diamond fountain.

Oh yeah, I also have a sauna, a hot spring, a swimming pool, and a Jacuzzi…

I also have a collection of wine…and don't get me started about the security system of my mansion…trust me, I can rant on and on for more than an hour to describe how awesome the security of my mansion…

…..

I NEED SOMETHING TO DISTRACT ME FROM MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES…DON'T JUDGE ME….

I shook my head as I open the front door of my mansion. The front door is made out of pure silver mineral, AGAIN, DON'T JUDGE ME. I entered the mansion and I smiled when I look at one of the many corridors of my house. The corridor was filled with many flowers (different variety) and painting (some painted by skilled artist I came across in the past and some made by me). I smiled in pride at my home before walking towards the music room located in the farthest corner of the first floor.

If there was one thing me and Setsura had in common, it is our love for music. She plays the piano, I made damn sure that she gets the best possible instructor that doesn't ask any questions about her origins, and I play the violin (I need something to distract me from my job and life, so DON'T FUCKING JUDGE ME).

As I edge closer to the music room, I grinned at the sound of a melody that was produce by someone playing a piano, by someone who knew how to play extremely well.

I smiled as I closed my eyes to fully enjoy Setsura's playing. "Original composition, very good, very well played." I muttered as I started forming lyrics in my head. Yes, this piece can be turn to a song, and it would be a wondrous song.

As I opened the door of my music room, I smiled at the sight of Setsura, wearing a white dress while playing a piano made out of ebony wood. I hand crafted that piano by the way; I just can't trust anyone making my own furniture.

Again, don't ask…

Setsura, in two years in my care, has grown up satisfactory. She is growing more beautiful with every passing year, and it's getting harder and harder for me to capture her endless beauty on a canvass.

I wouldn't have it any other way…

As she repeated the note of first stanza of her composition, I remove the needle that was holding my hair, yes I have long hair, I don't want to talk about it, and allowed my long hair to flow to my back.

"Someday I want to run away…" I sang to the beat of the note, and at the sound of my voice, Setsura stopped playing, which made me pout.

"Ichika-sama," Setsura greeted me as she stood up and bowed at me.

"I did not tell you to stop playing." I told her with a reprimanding tone before smiling. "It was such a nice composition." I commented as I walk towards her and pull her back to her seat, with me seating beside her.

"Play, I'll sing," I told her before I started caressing her hair.

Setsura blushed a bit as her cheeks redden a little before her fingers touch the keys of the piano, and she then began to play the composition that she made herself

(DISCLAIMER: THIS SONG IS FROM THE Black Lagoon OST, perform by Minako Obata…)

Someday I want to run away
To the world of midnight
Where the darkness fill the air
Where it's icy cold

Where nobody has a name
Where living is not a game
There, I can hide my broken heart
Dying to survive

There, no one can see me cry
The tears of my lonely soul
I'll find peace of mind
In the dark and cold world of midnight

I closed my eyes as I sang the lyrics that came out of my head while listening to the composition. I need to give my hat to Setsura; her composition was extremely well don.

As she ended the piece, I clapped my hands. "Beautiful, truly beautiful." I complimented with a gentle tone.

"Your voice is as angelic as usual, Ichika-sama." Ever since I took her under my wing, Setsura has been calling me 'Ichika-sama' and it is quite awkward, but I learned to live with it. "Ichika-sama truly has the most angelic alto voice that I have ever heard." She added with a smile.

"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment." I muttered as I tied my hair back to its original style. Whenever I let my hair down, I look like a girl, and as a boy, I take that as an insult.

"Now come, it's time for your studies in politics. I will not allow a member of the Royal family of this country to not know anything about politics"

(Age 10) (Madoka)

"So this is what being kidnap feels like." I muttered to myself as both my twin and I, together with Houki and her brother, hung upside down, our feet bind by shackles connected to the wall above. "I got to tell youl, I expected worsts." As a bounty hunter, I've seen things done to kidnapped victims enough to be scarred for life.

Of course, after seeing those things, I make sure that those men are thrown to a prison and made sure that they rot in that prison. The prison was reinforced by my blood after all.

"I'm not laughing, Ichika." Madoka growled as she tried to loosen her shackles, but to no avail.

"Flesh vs. Steel, it doesn't take a genius to know who will win." Ichika muttered in annoyance before looking up. "The chains are made out of brass with a hint of silver, and reinforce with runes, meaning that foreigners are responsible for this. We Japanese used seals after all." I muttered as I sway side to side.

"You can tell all that by just looking at the chains?" Houki inquired in surprised.

"I can tell a lot of things by just looking at the material. I've been working with steel and minerals for the past five years after all." I answered before glaring at the purple haired man beside me. "I blame you for this, you prick." I told him in contempt, not liking the fact that his stupidity got Madoka into this mess.

"Stop rubbing it in, you brat." A person 18-years of age snarled at me. This person is a tall young man with shoulder-length wavy purple hair, and brown eyes. He wears a long-sleeved collared shirt with suspenders and dark pants. He has a long scar running vertically along the side of his left eye, which comes from a wound that he got as a child, I should know, I gave it to him. As an artist, I am force to admit that, even if it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, he was a handsome man that reminds people of what a high class aristocrat should look like.

His name is Akatsubaki, the only son of the Shinonoo clan, and he is also prat….

God, I'm spending too much time with that green haired brit… Fuck me for owning the only pizza hut in Japan…

God, I should have just stuck to gambling to provide for Setsura. I would have kept my sanity in check.

"What we need to do…"

"What you need to do is shut up…" I told him with a grumble. "We wait for rescue to arrive, and just relax."

"Stop insulting my Oniisama…" Houki scolded me, but I ignored her as I bit my lip, allowing a drop of my blood to drop to the ground.

'Okay, I don't have my CAD with me, so I need to say the incantation.' Most magicians in today's age depend too much in CAD's when casting spells. They have forgotten that the main purpose of CAD is to merely lessen the casting time of each spell by minutes or hours into seconds, thus they develop an assumption that a CAD is required to cast a spell…

What bullshit!

Before CAD, there were wands and staffs…and before that, there were incantations.

"[Eye of the red moon, be my scout! Fly the skies, hunt for vermin! Give me the sight of thy enemies! Allow me to hunt them down! Branch of Sin: Sight beyond Sight]!" I whispered quietly as the drop of blood glowed slightly before it returned back to me.

Sight beyond Sight is a spell that allows me to scan a wide area by having a drop of my blood record the vibration within a hundred yard radius. With those vibrations, I can make intelligent guesses about everything within the area.

"At least fifty," I mumbled under my breath. "I could end them, but I don't want to be Sin at the moment."

"What are you blabbing about, brat?" Akatsubaki asked with an irritated tone, and I merely glared at him.

"I'm amusing myself, as usual." I retorted back. "Hey, any of you have your CADs with you at the moment." Being members of noble clans, we are required to have either bodyguards and/or CAD with us at all times because we are all eye candy for kidnappers.

Of course me, having low magic abilities, always carries a handgun in exchange for a CAD. My favorite being is a Desert Eagle, a handgun made over 90 years ago, maintained and improve by me.

There was a collective answer of no, and I groaned at this. "So we wait," I commented, which earned me a blow from Akatsubaki, which earned him a glare from me.

"Don't talk like a coward."Akatsubaki all but yelled at me.

"I'm not talking like a coward; I'm being practical you fool." I hissed at him. "You guys don't have your CADs with you, my gun has been confiscated, and you guys can't cast a spell without your CADs. We have no choice but to wait." Technically, I can get all of us out of here in a flash, but there would be a lot of questions if I just suddenly unveil my magic to everyone, and I cannot risk Setsura like that, I can never risk Setsura.

"You do know that nobody knows where we are." Madoka pointed out in a matter of fact tone.

"Mother knows where we are. Remember the CAD that you had me tuned last week, I installed a transmitter on your CAD that emits a traceable frequency within three thousand square miles when remove from your possession." I stated with a mischievous smile. "That is enough for mother or for Chifuyu-nee to track us down."

At that information, my sister, my friend, and the annoying twat gave me strange looks, which I answered by shrugging. "Contingency plans, never leave home without having Contingency plans." As a bounty hunter, I live by those words.

Our conversation was cut short when several men entered the room. I growled a bit as I watch them free Madoka, Houki, and the twat from their shackles, but left me hanging. I glared at them as I watch them dag my sister forcefully out of the room. "If my sister is harm, I will send you all to the Shinigami in pieces." I told them as a random man came in front of me and threw a punch right at me.

I did not feel pain from that punch. I've been through worse and my regeneration is still active with or without a CAD. The person who punch me then grabbed a handgun and level it on my head. I smiled at this.

"If your bullet doesn't penetrate my head, then you're dead." I told them as a gunshot sound echoed in the room, and all I saw is black.

"I told you…" I muttered as I stood over the man who shot me. He was bleeding from the head due to the bullet that I shot through his skull. "….that you would be dead if your bullet did not blow my head off my shoulders." I can regenerate any part of my body in a flash, with two exceptions being my internal organs and my head. An internal organ takes more than an hour to regenerate, and if my brain is destroy, then I am good as dead. The bullet that was shot at me was weak, it wasn't even enough to penetrate my skull, but it was enough for me to lose consciousness for about two minutes.

When I woke up, I free myself from my shackles and escape the room where they are holding me captive, found the man who shot me, and I then buried four bullets through his cranium.

"What a substandard handgun." I muttered to myself as I threw the handgun to the ground is disgust. I then activated my medallion that I have. The medallion that I'm wearing was not my CAD, but an artifact that allows me to teleport some of my equipment stored in my mansion to my current location. "Target set, weapon no. 2357, teleport coordinates, N57, S24, E96, W12." I exclaimed loudly as I heard several footsteps heading my way.

The medallion glowed bright before a beam of light erupted from the medallion. The beam of light then formed a red case before the beam subsided. I opened the case, and saw the handgun that I made late last year. The handgun was pistol flintlock, made of steel instead of wood. The flintlock was connected from to a single handcuff with spikes meant to stab the wrist of the user by a two feet long chain.

This weapon, in a nutshell, is design to use my blood as ammunition. This gives me unlimited amount of ammo.

I instantly slapped the handcuff on my right wrist, wincing slightly at the feeing of the spikes stabbing and penetrating my wrist. I could feel my blood being absorbed into the spikes, and I quickly manipulated my blood to shape itself into bullets.

I took aim.

The first person, who I saw, instantly got his head blown to pieces by the firepower of my gun.

Strange, in my two years as a bounty hunter, this is the first time I kill, and the feeling is quite heavy.

I push that feeling to the back of my head. They tried to harm my sister that is enough to warrant me to kill them.

"Normally I would prefer to end this in a none-violent way, but nobody touches my sister like that in front of me, and not expect me to retaliate accordingly." I announced as I walked through a hail of bullets, all of which were being deflected by the small psion light that I am emitting.

As I raised my gun, and took aim, I spoke. "Please remember this creed as my parting gift…."

"Seikatsu no tame nishukufuku, Shisha no tame no hana no eda, Seigi no ken omotsu, Subete no akuyakunishi no batsu, Soshitekoreniyori, warewarewaseijin no saidannitōchakushimasu."

As I finish chanting, I pulled the trigger, and my first massacre began.

"You okay?" My mother asked with a rather worried tone that was very unlike her. She currently leading me to one of the medical vans that she brought.

"I think I'm going to throw up." I muttered to myself with a sickly tone. I was covered in blood, but none of which belongs to me

"That's to be expected, young master." Yamato, my mother's right hand man, commented as he walked side by side with my mother. Yamato looks to be in his late thirties, and he has rugged look matching his muscular build. His face was mark with dozens of scars. "I haven't seen that much carnage since Bangkok in 2069." Yamato commented and my mother nodded in agreement.

"Mother, can you wash the blood off me, I think I'm going to be sick from the smell." I begged my mother as I collapsed to my knees. Strange, so strange, I fought people stronger than those men before, but this is the first time I felt so exhausted after a fight. Why, I wonder, I didn't even use any of my Blood Spells, so why am I so exhausted.

"Of course, just give me a second, Ichi-kun." My mother whispered to me as she snapped her fingers, and instantly, all the blood in my person disappeared, together with the smell. Still, I feel heavy, very heavy.

"Can I go to sleep, I'm so tired?" I mumbled as I collapsed face first to the ground.

Why do I feel so heavy?

"Of course you can." My mother told me as I saw her pull out the Songstress from the holster on her hip. "Yamato, anybody still alive in there."

"Two, the ring leader and some guy that hid under the corpses of his comrades when the young master started his massacre."

"Bring me to them, I will show them what would happen when they threaten my son!"

After the kidnapping incident, my relationship with my twin sister change drastically.

Before the incident, we usually do everything together. We were the best of friends.

But after the incident, Madoka distance herself from me, which is strange. I did save her before anything could happen to her. I had half-expected her to thank me or to visit me in all those therapy sessions that my mother force me in (I've seen things that would give that therapist's nightmares have nightmares, but I did not say a word. My bounty increase from half a million to 1.5 million since last year after all).

Still, it was strange; my close relationship with my twin disappeared overnight. Whenever I tried to talk to her, she just dismissed me and run off. Whenever we are in the same vicinity, she always makes it a point to be as far away as possible from me. Whenever we are at school, she tries her best to avoid me. Whenever we are at home, she's ignores me.

Houki is also doing that, but I tend to not care. She's my friend, if I lost her, it is okay.

My sister, on the other hand, is a different story.

I was confused, why she was acting like that, and I want some answer from her. I need some answers from her.

It took me roughly two months, but I finally cornered her for a conversation.

A conversation that I soon regretted in having.

"Okay, what's up?" I asked Madoka as I stood in front of her. The two of us were currently in one of the abandon corridors of the Orimura compound, and this time, Madoka will not leave until I get a straight answer from her.

"I'm sorry, but the elders are reacquiring my presence." Madoka excused herself, not even looking at me in the eyes. Before she move pass me, I block her path.

"Not today, Grandfather is currently occupying there attention." I should know, I've kind of, discretely, gave Grandfather some proof about some of the elders dirty dealings.

A lot of scumbags have been entering Japan in the past couple of months, and most of those scumbags are criminals with bounties amounting into seven digit bounty, and most of those seven-digit bounties are dangerous fighters and magicians. On the bright side, my house had gotten a lot of additions, and I am now restoring a Volvo C70 Convertible.

Yes, I need a life but we had already establish that when I was nine years old.

"I am going to hang out with Houki."

"The entire Shinonono family is in Hokkaido for two days and two nights." I informed her before letting out of sigh. "Why are you avoiding me?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"I don't know what you're talking about."Madoka denied, and I almost glare at her but relented.

"We haven't had our weekly stargazing together." I pointed out bluntly.

"I'm not a child anymore; I don't need to stare at the stars every week." She stated, and I instantly narrowed my eyes at that statement.

She was lying. One true thing about Madoka is that she loves stargazing, and we usually spend one night every week to just gaze at the night skies and spend some time catching up with each other.

For the past two months, we barely spoke with each other.

"Okay, since that kidnapping incident, you barely look at me, you barely spoke to me, you haven't even look at me in the eye for the past two months." I told her with a slightly forceful tone. "I want to know why, you owe me that much."

There's a thick silence between us as I finish saying those words, and my instincts scream at me to leave, but I stayed firm…

A decision that I soon regretted.

"You're becoming like mother." Madoka spoke coolly and I was taken aback by this.

One thing I hate about being a member of a Prominent and High ranking clan is that reputation is valued over family. It is not strange for a clan to marry off some of their daughters or sons to some random spouses just to increase their standings in society, or to get a few yens in their pockets.

Because of this fact, close family bonds are rare within any clans in the country. That's one of the reasons why I tried so hard to keep both my sisters happy. My greatest wish is to have a loving family, something that was denied from me because of the family that I was born in.

My father's only interacts with us if it involves business, politics, or how we could help raise the reputation of the family.

My mother is a bit strange with regards to the family. Unlike my father and most of her friends, my mother was not a noble; she was born a commoner, a very powerful commoner. She was so powerful in fact that she had attracted the attention of every noble clan in the country, but she choose to join the Orimura clan do to the military background of the family, and thus, she was married to my father, the only son of the Orimura clan at that time, as a proof of her allegiance to the clan.

My mother, to make a long and unknown story short, is not too fond with her daughters, but she adores me. She treats Chifuyu-nee as her subordinate, and continually belittles Madoka, but for some strange reason, Mother adores me and continually spoils me.

Chifuyu-nee and Madoka, they tolerate each other, enough said.

My grandfather and I are the once who tries to keep everyone as a family, and it was difficult to do at times.

Now, because of my mother's relationship with my twin, Madoka had developed a genuine dislike for our mother.

"Wait a minute, how am I becoming like mother, I'm nothing like her!" I told her firmly.

"Then why did you kill those men?"

"They were threatening you!" I answered truthfully. "Do you have any idea what they were about to do to you?" I asked her bluntly while inwardly shuddering at the thought. As a bounty hunter, I have seen things that no other people should see, especially kids my age.

I know who send those men after us and I know what they are capable off. I know what they were planning to do to us, they were going to kill me (Fail!), and they were going to break Madoka by either torturing her or raping her (I made sure that failed!).

I can tell grandfather who sent those men, but I can't because I don't have any evidence to back my claim. Sometimes, it sucks to be ten.

"That doesn't explain why you killed them. You could have knocked them out." Madoka debated and I frown at this. WHAT!? Is she listening to what she was saying?

"It was you or them; it's a no brainer who I would choose." I told her with a blunt tone as I tried to look at my twin's eyes to see what she was thinking deep inside. Why is she so bothered of me killing? For Kami's sake, I killed in order to protect her, and that act is the only thing I haven't done for Chifuyu-nee and Setsura.

"Will you not use me to excuse what you did!" Madoka snapped at me before shoving me away. "I saw you, with one of your guns, firing at those poor men, killing them in cold blood! Did you even stop and consider about their family?" Did those men did something to my sister, because she is talking nonsense.

"Let me get this straight, they kidnapped you, me, Houki, and that twat, one of them shot me with a gun, and then they dragged you to a room, strapped you to a freaking table, strip you off your clothing, and was about to do something to you that I do not want to even imagine, and you think I was THE ONE who was wrong because I killed them to save you, Houki, and that twat." I ranted as I tried to control the irritation of my voice.

"And do you even think that I enjoyed killing those men, then think again. I killed over forty men back then, and their blood will be forever in my hands. I have to live for the rest of my life knowing that I turned my back on my beliefs to save your life." I didn't even do that for Setsura, and I didn't even kill most of the scumbags that I came across in my career as a bounty hunter, and most of those scumbags deserved death, but I relented and merely threw them to a jail that is basically impossible to escape.

I designed and made the prison after all.

Yes, we had already established that I have a lot of free time and I need something to preoccupy myself. STOP JUDGING ME.

"You could have beaten them without killing them. You're skilled enough with a gun to do that." True, I am skilled enough with a gun to take out a C-class magician with nothing but a gun without killing the magician. But, back then, I was not thinking to subdue my enemies; I was thinking to eliminate them.

I took a deep breath to calm myself as I looked at her solemnly. "Okay, why are you so upset? We have seen mother torture and kill before…" Philippines, 2087, my mother and her unit tortured and killed over 1000 rebels that were threatening to invade Japan. It was not a pretty sight, I should know, I was there to witness how brutal and merciless my mother could be. "…and you weren't this affected much…" I had to sleep next to Madoka for a month to make sure that she didn't have any nightmares.

"What is the difference between me and mother killing?" The main difference would be that I kill them outright, and not make them beg for their deaths. Even Madoka knows that.

"I don't know! But I know one thing, you enjoy killing those men as much as mother enjoy killing!"

Okay, WHAT!?

"Are you listening to what's coming out of your mouth? Mother enjoys killing because she grew up in a freaking warzone, and she's a natural born sadist..." I love you mother, but that's the truth. "….if I'm anything like mother, then I would have already shot those elders who always make it a point to make my life as difficult as possible."

"Then you're a bloody hypocrite." Madoka all but shouted while narrowing her eyes. "I saw you back then while you were killing those men. Your eyes were like mother's. You are just like her, you're just a murderer."

As she said those words, I tried my best to hide the pain that I felt and focus merely on her eyes. What I saw was shocking.

"You're jealous of me?" I asked her in a slight taken back tone.

"What!?"

"You were always too competitive, ever since you were five years old. Ever since people started comparing you to Chifuyu-nee, you always see everything as a competition." Thank Kami-sama that nobody can touch Setsura in terms of magic. She has no competition, and that made her special because even without a constant challenge, her growth rate is still tremendous.

"Are you mad at me because I killed those men, or because I showed you that I don't need magic to actually beat somebody stronger than me?" I asked in curiosity as I waited for Madoka to react.

*SLAP*

My head jerked slightly after the slap that my twin gave me.

But that was all the answer I needed.

(Setsura)

Three months after that conversation, Madoka and I haven't spoken with each other. I always tried to have a brother-sister conversation with her, but she just ignores me, something that hurt me deeply.

I hid my pain very well when I am within the Orimura family compound, but when I'm out hunting and training Setsura, well, that's a different story.

For the past months that followed that conversation, whenever I hunt, I became more brutal, merciless even, and I even took several pages from my mother's playbook. I have started dismembering some of my targets, I mentally and emotionally tortured some of my targets to an extent that some of them committed suicide, and the less said on how brutal I became in combat the better.

I felt disgusted with myself knowing that I am proving my twin right. Deep inside me is the same monster that mother has within her. I am just like her, a monster in human skin.

The thing I regretted the most about my grieving too much about my lost relationship with Madoka is the fact that my training sessions with Setsura became harsher and harder. I became strict when it comes to training and raising Setsura. Every training session I had with Setsura in the last month always started with me yelling at her and always ended with her so exhausted that she could barely move. She was also always covered with bruises after every particular training session.

You have no idea how much I hated myself after bruising her skin like that.

Also, after the fight I had with Madoka, I have stopped painting portraits and creating musical compositions. It just didn't feel right at the moment. Every time I paint portraits or write a musical composition, I always felt joyful before and after I finish creating my master pieces, but currently, I don't feel the emotions that I usually feel when doing my hobbies.

It suck that I was affected so much by my sister practically denouncing me.

And I still cannot believe that she would denounce me that quickly because I showed a miniscule of my abilities to save her life.

But, most importantly, I hate myself because Setsura suffered because of my grief. In the three years of me taking care of her, I have grown to truly adore that girl. We were friends before, but now, after three years, the relationship that we have is akin to a father-daughter relationship (a ten-year old father to a nine-year old girl! Awkward). It pains me to see Setsura enduring my harshness and my grief with a smile on her face like she wasn't pained by my actions. She deserves better.

She deserves better than me.

I hate that woman so much. Seriously, she's dead but she left her daughter so many people to contend with.

Like this monster for example.

"So, I lost to a child. I never thought that would ever happen to someone of my caliber."

Oh, shut up you dumb twat.

And how many enemies did that woman left for her daughter to fight. I hope nobody is as strong as this twat.

I was covered in my blood, for the first time, from head to toe as I stood in front of a man in his late forties. I was breathing hard, exhaustion visible by the way I was standing, or barely standing considering my legs are shaking like hell. I was holding a red sword, [Branch of Sin: Red Cross].

The man in front of me was not as injured as me; in fact, the guy did not have a scratch on him. The man was relatively unharmed, but he was crucified on a wall courtesy of three swords that I used to pierce his hands and feet, which bounded him on a thick wall.

"I'll…" I took several ragged breaths as I slowly turned my back on the man that I barely defeated. "…be…taking…her…now." I was able to say as I willed my body to move.

"She's as good as dead, you know."

I ignored those words as I used every drop of my remaining energy to move towards the unconscious Setsura on the farthest corner of the room. If anything happens to her, I will embrace my inner monster, and butcher that man.

"I wonder why a brat like you would bother to risk his life for a reject like her."

"She's my responsibility." I stated weakly, not bothering to look at the man that I defeated.

"A child taking care of another child, how laughable." The man commented with a dry laugh. "Tell me, brat, how much did you gave up so that that girl could live a semi-ordinary life; your childhood, your beliefs, your morals, your innocence…."

"She's my responsibility." I repeated as I limped towards the prone body of Setsura. My regeneration is taking its time to heal the damage done to my body.

"You won't go this far if that was the case. You wouldn't have pushed your body to the breaking point for a girl that is just your responsibility." The man said with a smirk on his face. "I beat you within an inch of your life. I broke every bone in your body. I punctured every organ that you have. I cut off every movable limb that you have. I crushed your body into a paste with every spell I have in my disposal. I beat you so bad that the only thing holding you upright right now is your spine. The only reason you're alive and have all of your limbs is because of that strange regeneration power that you have…"

"And yet, you were still able to beat me, for a girl that you should have abandoned a long time ago."

"She's my responsibility." I repeated again as I knelt down to Setsura's unconscious body before picking her up and carrying her bridal style. I frowned when the pure white hair that I adored so much was coated with my blood.

"Your responsibility, such a childish answer, though it is admirable for a child to handle a man's job, that much I would give." The man said a crisp voice. "But you don't owe her mother anything, trust me child, that woman may look pure, but truthfully, that woman is a glorified bitch with a mean strict, and trust me, I speak from experience."

"That child's mother was a selfish and greedy woman. There is no one in this country that is more demented and evil than that woman, and I thank Kami that she's dead."

"And you intend to kill her daughter?" Ichika muttered as he headed towards the exit. "How pathetic! I know what you said is true. Shirayuki-hime is not as pure as most of those who knew her would like to believe. I hate her as well, but Setsura is a different story."

"She's my responsibility, and I truly enjoy raising her."

"You should be thanking me. I was in the process of freeing you from a burden that no child should endure."

"She's my responsibility, and I absolutely adore her." I repeated again.

"The girl that your holding, she's Pandora's Box. If the secret of her heritage gets out, this country is going to be plunge into a civil war." The man all but shouted. "She's better off dead."

Without stopping, I looked over my shoulders before glancing at the still unconscious Setsura. "Even if the world is her enemy, even if the world wants her dead, it does not change the fact that I swore that I would take care of her. I swore before her dying mother, and I swore in front of her grave that I would take care of her. The world may not acknowledge her existence, but that doesn't change the fact that she is my responsibility."

"I will raise her to be the most magnificent woman that this country had ever seen, and I will see to it that she will be the most powerful magician in this generation." I told him, pride booming with each word that I utter. "I am an artist, and Setsura is my most precious and beloved masterpiece. The most beautiful gem in my collection, as well as the most valuable."

There was a moment of silence before the man let out a hysterical laughed. "What would your mother think of you, for taking care of the illegitimate daughter of her husband that she loves so much? What would your clan and her mother's clan do to her for bringing shame to their respective Names?"

"You may have saved her today, but she is living in borrowed time. Sooner or later, the girl's secret is going to be known, and when that happens, that sin that you're holding is going to die."

Those words successfully made me stop from my tracks as my anger suddenly exploded. "If you would have held your tongue, I would have let you live, but now….[Branch of Sin: God Killing Spear: Kill Him!]" I roared loudly, and the sound of a body being split into several pieces echoed in the room, but I paid it no mind as I merely continue to walk to the exit.

After taking several steps, I felt Setsura move in my arms, which made me sigh. "Do not pay that corpse any attention." I told her with a calm tone while Setsura started to sobbed.

"Ichika-sama," Setsura whispered, and I smiled wearily at her.

"Are you mad at me, for referring you as my art?" I asked her with a quite tone.

"No!" She answered weakly. "I'm so happy that Ichika-sama regarded me as his masterpiece, even if my life is nothing but a sin."

"Don't speak nonsense. Your very existence is my art." I exclaimed proudly with a smile. "I want you to live, because it would be a waste for a masterpiece like youto just disappear without shinning like the star that I know you are." I exclaimed with a solemn smile.

"You're the most beautiful art that I have ever had the opportunity to admire and adore, and you will continue to grow to become a much more beautiful masterpiece, and I will continue to admire and adore you as you grow into an even more beautiful piece of art." I told her as I held her tightly in my arms. "I will forever nourish, assists, help, and watch over you as you grow. That is my responsibility as an Orimura, and the greatest pleasure that I will have as an artist."

I nuzzled her head with mine, giving her the affection that she rightfully deserve. "I didn't realize it at first or should I say, I refuse to admit it, but your existence became my pride. You became my pride." I whispered sincerely to her. "Would you live and love yourself to protect my pride, would you at least do that for me?" I asked her sincerely as I allow her to cry on my chest.

"Yes, yes," She whispered repeatedly as she clung into me like a child.

"Thank you, my beautiful Imōto."

That was the first day I ever refereed to her as my little sister.

And that was the day that I started to realize that I am slowly caring for her more than I should.

(Chifuyu)

Seriously, this year has taken its toll on me. I had to deal with two kidnapping incident that affected my life and relationship with two of my precious people.

My twin sister that was also my best friend denounced me as her friend and brother, and did her best to be as far away as possible from me. I can't believe her jealousy would push her to do that, and it still hurt.

While my little sister, a person I swore I would never refer as a sister, became closer to me, and now, we actually started a brother-sister relationship, in contrast to the father-daughter relationship that we used to have.

And to be honest, Setsura is a better sibling than Madoka, I admitted shamefully to myself one night as I allowed Setsura to sleep beside me.

My relationship with Madoka was one-sided, now that I looked at it. I always did everything that she asked me to because of how fragile she is, and she never returned the favor. Madoka was a delicate case because she felt inferior to Chifuyu-nee, and to an extent Kana, the self-proclaim vampire of the clan. Because of her inferiority complex, she always sees everything as a competition and everyone as strong as or stronger than her as an enemy. I was an exemption because I never showed my magic and my strength to anyone but Setsura. I think that's the reason we were so close in the first place.

Madoka never really saw me as a rival, and thus, we were able to act as siblings and even as friends.

But after that incident, after I showed everyone that I don't need magic to be strong or to beat a magician, Madoka had finally saw me as a rival, and she started treating me as one.

She was a fool to see me as that. If she had taken the time to observe me, she will know that I have no desire to be the head of the clan. My future plans are along the line of establishing my own art gallery, and weapons and CAD development research.

It was such a waste and it was also pitiful that Madoka easily threw away our relationship and friendship because of something as mundane as her jealousy. I am still hoping that she would grow up, and we could be what we used to be. I still wish that we could be brother and sister again.

Setsura, on the other hand, help me with my problems with Madoka. She was the person who filled the void that Madoka left after she denounced and alienated me from her life.

I felt bad knowing I am using her as Madoka's replacement, and I knew that Setsura knew that, and surprisingly, she didn't care. She still greeted me with a smile, and I am happy every time she calls me Oniisama.

I am truly proud to have raised her to be that magnificent.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of my head, I focus at the task at hand as I analyze the information before me.

In front of me were ten envelopes that contained the data of the ten strongest mages in Chifuyu-nee's generation.

In the battlefield, as Sin, I have seen them in action. I have fought each of them in the past. I defeated three, tied with four, lost to two, and run away from one (Chifuyu-nee). I am well aware of their strengths and skill, and that is why I am working with their data.

Chifuyu-nee, in the past week, was stress because of the mission that she would partake and lead. This mission is, for lack of better words, a siege that would determine the outcome of the Asian War.

China, the main and major enemy of Japan in the Asian war, had colonized a nearby allied country, Philippines, just a week…

And speaking of the Philippines, that country has so much potential that is wasted because the leaders of the country are either actors and actresses that does not have any idea how to run a country or basketball players and boxers who doesn't used their heads. If not those two, then corrupt a politician who used the county's bountiful resources for his/her own benefit.

You know what the Philippines need, an Emperor as great as ours.

But that is getting out of topic.

Japan is currently planning to take it back by deploying an elite and special force to help the rebels to take back their country. My mother volunteered but the collateral damage that her unit could and would cause would result to a portion of Philippines being wiped out of the face of the planet.

Now, the squad has been handpicked by the emperor himself, and the unit is composed of his three remaining Children (I lost to the eldest son and to the last remaining daughter, and tied with the youngest), the half-Britannia and half Japanese aristocrat (I tied with him), the half-French, half-Japanese bishounen (I beat him, barely), the half-German, half-Japanese brute (I beat him, barely), the half-Chinese, half-Japanese Tsundere (I beat him, barely), the half-Russian, half-Japanese noble (I tied with her), Tabane (I tied with her too, but truth be told, we never really fought and merely talk about our theory about magic, which ended me having a taste of sake) , and Chifuyu-nee (every time I see her, I run. There is no way in hell I would fight her), who is too lead the operation because she is the only one who has any experience fighting in the country.

The ten-man team was enough because the eldest son of the emperor is a war mage, and the rest of them, with skill alone, are equivalent to at least four military units. Those ten are, probably, the strongest, pure magician military unit the country has at its disposal.

Still, the odds of them succeeding are very thin. In terms of quality in the production of magicians, Japan is the best in the world, but when it comes to numbers, China is the best. For every one magician of Japan, China has at least a hundred, and they are also the leading country in the production of Endlaves.

Endlaves are gigantic and mechanical robots that had replaced tanks since 2057. Endlave has two different forms: a tank-like mobile form and human-like form. The tank form is mostly used for mobile purposes in which the Endlave basically collapses on itself. Its human form is mostly straight-lined, with thin legs and arms and a rectangular-shaped head with two slits that serve as its eyes and glow with a red light.

Endlaves are nothing compared to Magicians, but it is still a hindrance in the long run.

Even though Chifuyu-nee has experience fighting in that country, she doesn't have an extensive knowledge of the country when compare to me. The Philippines was basically my hunting ground, considering the number of criminals hiding in that country.

I want to help my elder sister; I don't want to lose her, not my favorite sister.

"You should really go to sleep, its three o'clock in the morning." A voice echoed in my room, and I look at the door, to see Chifuyu-nee in her sleeping attire entering my room.

I smiled at her while shaking my head. "Maybe later, after I finish my new project." I told her as I diverted my focus to the terminal on my right while discretely hiding the classified information that was contained by the envelopes. It would be very awkward to explain to Chifuyu-nee how I got such classified information.

I could feel Chifuyu-nee walking towards me from behind, but I did not give it any mind as I continue what I was doing before I decided to look at the envelopes that I illegally and secretly acquired.

"How did you get those maps?" Chifuyu-nee asked with a sharp tone.

"I hacked China's Main Military Computer with my homemade terminal, and I also hacked one of their satellites." I answered truthfully with a shrugged. "And yes, I am spending too much time with Tabane, but she's paying me 5,000 yen per hour for this project." Of course, Tabane could have done this faster than me, but she has other things to take care of, AKA, Kuu-chan.

"That idiot," Chifuyu-nee cursed, but did not say anything else as she watched me graph the maps with critical eyes.

As Sin, I know every Chinese Military Bases in the Philippines (Please don't ask how I know that), but as Ichika, I am not supposed to know that. So, while Chifuyu-nee was watching me, I fainted innocence and pretended to access the Satellite that I hacked in order to zero-in to those outposts that I already knew by heart. Of course, this increases the chance of my terminal being tracked by Chinese Intelligence but they are currently trying to find the Prime Minister's wife.

I should know. I was the one who assisted her in fleeing the country.

After an hour of acting like an idiot, I finally finish graphing and plotting the layout of all the cities in the Philippines that the Chinese Military occupied. Chifuyu-nee gently push me off my terminal and she personally examined the layout, before letting out a sigh.

"You shouldn't have involved yourself."

Too late Chifuyu-nee, I'm already am involve. I am, after all, one of Chinese most wanted criminal, with a bounty amounting to 2.5 million.

"I'm an Orimura, and the son of Isane Orimura, war is in my blood, as unfortunate as it may be." I already accepted that fact, together with the fact that my entire body is a walking weapon. "Plus, I am already well known. I've been designing weapons for the Military for the last two years after all, and last I heard, the guns that I designed are sought after by both the Japan military and other countries." And for the record, 30% of profit goes to an account in my name. The only reason I haven't touch it to provide for Setsura is because it would be noticeable and questionable if I would withdraw a large amount of money from an account manage by my clan.

"And that's the point," Chifuyu-nee mumbled under her breath. "You've painted a large target on your back."

"Chifuyu-nee, the moment I was born as an Orimura, I already have a large target painted on my back. No point denying something so mundane." I told her before standing up, and walking towards one of my many utility closets. My room in the Orimura estate is not as grand as my bedding chamber in my mansion. My room in the Orimura estate is basically a workshop with a single bed and light, and the smell of gunpowder and steel would assault anyone who would enter my room. I primarily use this room to manufacture my rifles and handguns, and I used the workshop that I have in my mansion to manufacture my CADs.

I do not like the thought of those elders having access to my CAD research; it would be too much of a risk.

"Speaking of a large target on my back, here, catch." I told my sister as I took two katanas from one of the utility closet and threw it at Chifuyu-nee. Chifuyu-nee caught the swords before giving me a questioning look. "Do you honestly believe that I'm limited to gun engineering? I can also make CADs, thought finding the resources to manufacture those two costs me half my bank." But it was worth it.

"I have never seen such thin looking CADs." Chifuyu-nee muttered while unsheathing the katana with the Dragon head hilt.

"Of course, it's a new concept that I perfected a month ago. Those two CADs are called Customized Element CAD, or as I would like to call them, CE-CAD, a CAD that utilize Ancient Magic to boost the capacity of Modern Magic." I informed my sister as I took the Katana from her hands.

"You see the blade, if you look closely, you will see several seals and runes engrave in it. I used this to increase the sturdiness of the blade, so that it can be used as a sword as well as to make the flow of psion from the body to the CAD smoother and more fluent."

"There is a distinct advantage and disadvantage of the CE-CAD. The advantage of this CAD is that the spell invocation is faster even compare to the Loop Cast system that I developed, and this CAD will also allow you to cast the same spell more than once or cast different spells simultaneously. Also, the activation rituals that can be stored in this CAD are unlimited, but it will depend on the skills and capacity of the magician. Also, the runes and the seals will also enhance your spell by at least 15%-50%, depending on the spell."

"The disadvantage, this CAD can only be used for one magic-type, and again, the names of the spell and power level of the spell must be known and manage by the caster to have a successful spell execution." I explained to her before grabbing the sword with the lotus hilt

"I designed these swords to support your two specialty magic. The sword with the Dragon hilt is designed for your Ice-magic, while the one with the lotus hilt was designed to support your astral projection magic." I explained to her before kneeling before her and offering her the two CAD-swords. "How they are used and maintained is already stored in their mainframe, you just need to extract it." I told her, and I smiled when I felt Chifuyu-nee taking the swords from my hands.

"You shouldn't have." Chifuyu-nee muttered, with an awed tone as she examined the swords that I made.

"It was worth it. Just give me some time to hide from Tabane. She would be pissed knowing that I made something that she didn't even think off." Of course she wouldn't think of this concept. CE-CAD was designed for my used, because I am only able to used one type of magic in combat. The CE-CAD is the concept I developed to utilize my Blood-magic to its highest potential.

There was a comfortable silence between the two of us as Chifuyu-nee lean towards me, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you," Chifuyu-nee whispered as I felt her arms wrapping themselves around me.

"Happy Birthday, Chifuyu-nee." I replied with a smile as my elder sister was visibly taken aback. "4th of October, it's your birthday, and those two swords, Hyōrinmaru for your ice and Suigetsu for your astral projection, those two are my gifts to you, and my assurance that you would come back to me after your operation in the Philippines."

"You remember?"

"What kind of brother would forget his own sister's birthday?" I replied as the embrace my sister had on me tightened.

For the rest of the night, and the following morning, I spend my time being held by Chifuyu-nee, and it was one of the most blissful memories that I have as an Orimura.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Chifuyu-nee shouted at me while I shot down one of the enemy Endlaves with a shotgun that utilizes my blood as ammunition. Chifuyu-nee stood in the middle of a wreckage surrounded by Chinese forces. Since the Special Forces arrived in the Philippines last week, they had successfully taken back Manila, Benguet, and Ilocos Norte, which forced the Chinese to take notice.

In hopes to eliminate the Japan's elite magician, they tried to pick them out one at a time, starting with my sister.

Not going to happen.

"I think you should be grateful. I did assist you." I told Chifuyu-nee with my alto voice in order to hide my identity. Every time I go for a hunt, the voice that I used to speak to my clients and to my targets is my singing voice. I surveyed the area and I got to admit, I am quite surprise at the destruction that Chifuyu-nee brought by herself. I am quite gleeful at the fact that she was using the two CADs that I gave her, and I was ecstatic that she was using my creation quite well. "Although I must comment your performance, you are doing a fine job even if your squad is isolated from you." I added as I blasted another Endlave with my shotgun.

I found myself facing Hyōrinmaru, the blade glowing with an icy aura, pointed at me. I knew she would figure out how to use those two just in time for the operation.

"I have no time to deal with you, Sin."

"Good, so do I." I told her as I walked past her. One day, when Setsura is strong enough to protect herself, I will tell Chifuyu-nee that I am Sin, but for now, I will endure her annoyance. "I am here purely for business sake, no more, no less." I told her before throwing a recorder at her before walking past her.

"Your brother is such a worry wart. He even asked me to come and assist you, giving me a wonderful weapon in the process." I told her as I watch several enemy military squads coming at us.

"You know my brother?" Chifuyu-nee asked with a suspicious tone as she hid the recorded in her uniform.

"Who do you think act as his lab rat whenever he builds a new weapon, huh? I work for Ichika as a lab rat as a part time job. He doesn't pay me much but he is very good in supplying me weapons." I lied, but I figured that lying is preferable than at the moment. "And not to mention, he will do everything to prevent me from tearing through you." Again, my persona Sin is a bounty hunter and in Chifuyu-nee's eyes, Sin is scum, so I will act as a scum.

Chifuyu-nee reacted as I predicted her too, the decreasing of the temperature was a testament to that. "You bastard!" Chifuyu-nee growled as she raised Hyōrinmaru, intending to strike me down, and I answered by pointing the barrel of my shotgun at her direction.

"Look, I don't care how much you hate me, but right now, my job is to make sure that you lived through this operation. Your brother, the person who made and tune my CAD, told me that if you die, then I die as well, and I do not want to be in the other end of your brother's gun." I told her as I push Hyōrinmaru, wincing slightly at the feeling of coldness emitted by the blade, away from my head. "We can kill each other next time, but now, we work together." I told her as I move my shotgun and aimed it at one of the many snipers positioned in one of the buildings surrounding us. With one pull of the trigger, the sniper fell, and I don't care whether the sniper live or die.

When my attack was release from the barrel of my gun, a hail of missiles, bullets, and spells flew towards us, but I did not dodge as a wall of ice surrounded me and block all the attacks. "After this is over, I'll have you shatter in a glacier." Chifuyu-nee growled as a dragon made out of ice appeared behind her. It was the most realistic Ice dragon I have ever seen her made.

"Good luck with that, so I take right, you take left, you take out more Chinese than me, I'll tell you the reason why I attack your father three years ago."

"You're on!"

The slaughter was magnificent, enough said, and I won.

"Congratulations in your success, Chifuyu-nee." I greeted my sister, but I did not face her as I busied myself designing the rifle that my mother requested me to make.

"What is your relationship with the person name Sin?" Chifuyu-nee asked, and truth be told, I was expecting this.

"He was my first model." I answered casually and nonchalantly. "He's the most natural born fighter I have ever seen. His entire body was a weapon and he has an insane regeneration magic. Working with him was a temptation that I can't resist." That sounded gay.

Chifuyu-nee let out a prolong groan after hearing that. "That artist mindset of yours if going to get you into trouble one day."

"I know, but creating the perfect masterpiece is what every artist dreams of." I answered, smiling at the thought of Setsura. I already succeeded in that every day that Setsura lives her life with a smile. "He was a faulty product, I give you that much, but his ability to fight in a high level with just one magic-type is commendable, and he is the same age as me as well." Yeah, it is quite sad that I've reach a level that most magicians takes a lifetime to reach. It's quite sad that the kind of strength that I possess is possessed by me. I did not want to be strong, if given the chance, I want to be weak.

"Hey Chifuyu-nee, did he go through with his end of the bargain?" I already know the answer, but come on now; I need something to keep this conversation going. "The guy took one of my finest guns; the least he can do is made himself useful to you and assisted you in your mission." If memory serves me right, I was helpful. I took out a lot of Chinese Mages with my Blood-magic, and destroyed an armadas worth of Endlaves with my shotgun.

"You should not have sent him; we could have handled the situation perfectly."

"I know, but having contingency plans for your contingency plans is my motto in life." I then tore my gazed from the canvass that I'm working on and gave Chifuyu-nee a smile. "I need to at least have the assurance that you are going back home, back to me, even if I have to ask that relative failure for help." I told her with a smile before returning my gazed back to the canvass. I really need to finish the design of this rifle. Mom and her unit are going to war soon, and she needs this new gun to open a new gate of hell to her enemies.

"You are a baka." Tell me something I don't know, Chifuyu-nee.

..

….

….

"But at least you're my Baka." I heard her whisper affectionately, and before I knew it I was thrown to my bed, the canvass that I'm working on incased in ice, and Chifuyu-nee straddling my waist.

"Chi…" Before I could utter her name, I found Chifuyu-nee's lips on mind.

I could feel her hands slowly ripping my clothes off.

I could feel my entire body slowly being weighed down by a coldness that made moving my body difficult if not impossible.

I could feel her other hand caressing an organ that will not be named.

And at this night, the last innocence that I had was taken from me by my own sister.

(Age 11)

"The war is over, Kurazakura-sama, there is no point in chasing me any longer." I told me the beautiful woman across me as I parried a very strong slash from her with a broadsword that was made out of my blood. The broadsword had a cross-like hilt, thus I named it [Branch of Sin: Crimson Cross]. This branch of sin is similar to [Branch of Sin: Crows Claw] and [Branch of Sin: Single Edge].

"I am well aware of that." She stated before thrusting her sword towards my shoulder, a blow that I block by creating hundreds of rose petals from my blood, which I then use to block the attack. I cannot afford for that sword to touch me. The sword was not a CAD, but considering the person who was using it, even being grazed was not an option. "That is why we must settle this. This may probably be the last time we cross blades with each other. I want to know, who is better, you or I."

Kurazakura has long, straight and shiny purple hair which has a blue or sometimes indigo color to it along with a triangular fringe at the front that barely touches the ridge of her nose, and she also have blue eyes. One of her key physical features which are very noticeable was her lips, which have a shiny pink appearance. She has a very beautiful and well proportionate body which made it clear which part of the family Setsura got her figure from.

Kurazakura is the second daughter of the Emperor, Shirayuki-hime's younger sister, and Setsura's aunt.

"We have already proven who is better." I muttered as I twisted my body to avoid another sword thrust before kicking the second princess away from me. "How many times have you beaten me? 10, 15, you have nothing to prove, you have already proven that you are the superior mage and warrior." I told her as I erected a circular shield that obscured me from her sight, and also blocked another blow from her.

"Those victories did not mean anything." She stated, and after feeling a spike from her, I jumped away, just in time as the shield that I erected was cut in half.

Every object crafted with my blood is three times harder than diamond itself. The fact that she could cut through my shield with just an ordinary sword with minuscule use of magic shows how skilled she is with the sword.

I parried another thrust from her, and sigh at the sound of another tree falling to the ground. "If you do not stop, then we can consider this forest a wasteland and that would be a pity. I adore the wilderness."

"I as well love the sight of nature, but still, the duel that I desire will not be denied from me." Kurazakura exclaimed as my surroundings suddenly become a blurred.

Kurazakura's specialty magic is very unique. Instead of using magic that alters the surroundings, she prefers to use magic that alters and breaks the mind of her opponent.

Her specialty magic is Illusions and telepathy, but what made me truly fear her is that she naturally possesses Psychometric abilities. If she touches me, if her blade touches me, and if she so wills it, she can see all my thoughts and memories, and if that happens, Setsura will be endangered.

I cannot have her touch me, and that blade must only make contact with my blood. Being hit is not an option.

I've dealt with my fair share of illusionist in my days as a bounty hunter. They are very tricky to deal with, and Kurazakura is the best and strongest illusionist in all of Japan, maybe in all of Asia. An illusion-type magic is executed by sending psion-waves, that acts as radio-waves, directly yet discretely to the targets mind, the psion-waves will then disturbed the mind, and thus will allow the illusionist to directly control all the senses, body movements, and thoughts of his/her target.

I could feel foreign psion coursing through my body, and I could also feel my sense slipping, but fortunately, I know how to counter this. The most basic way to counter an illusion-type magic is to pulse your own psion to disturbed the psion waves that she was sending towards me, but that will not work, not against her.

So I used another alternative method.

I am very adept in using a sword with one hand, and I am also a skilled puppeteer.

With a simple flicker of my wrist, I created thin threads from my blood, and I willed those threads to wrap themselves around my body.

With this, I do not have to worry about being immobile.

I then create thousands of small shards of glass from my blood, and scattered them around the area. Those shards would act as my eyes. Because she was focusing on me, and the fact that those shards were as small as dust, I do not have to worry about her ensnaring them in her illusions

I then shut down all my senses, and allowed those glass shards to act as my eyes. In fighting illusionist, I tend to prefer to use my sense of touch and/or hearing, but against her, my sense of sight is the most appropriate tool.

A flicker of a finger, my right hand twisted to deflect the blow that came from the side.

Another flicker of a finger, my right hand move to block an attack that was meant to cut my left arm off.

Another flicker of a finger, my body twisted to avoid a thrust to my chest, and with another flicker, I knee her to the gut and with another flicker, I kick her away from me.

She landed on her feet, and lunge at me again. With another flicker of my finger, I brought my sword to the front and block another attack from her, although this one was strong enough to push me from where I stood, but I was able to throw her away from me with several flickers of my finger.

If these continue to be a sword fight, then I would certainly lose. I am confident enough to know that my sword skills are equal to hers, but with most of my senses shut down, it is a matter of time before she overwhelms me.

I cannot use my senses because she would just control them, and I cannot afford being cut down by her.

I have no choice…

Contingency Plan G...

Damn it, I haven't finish furnishing this yet, but I need to escape from her.

I am no fool. If I do fight her, I would be cut by her, and that would result in her knowing Setsura, and that is not an option.

I could see her charging at me, and I threw the broadsword in my right hand towards her. She would easily deflect that attack, regardless of the fact that the sword is travelling faster than an ordinary bullet.

But that was merely a distraction as I extended my index finger and wrote a character that I created in the air. When she was close enough, I pointed my finger at her and muttered. "[Six Pillar Prison Light]" I muttered, hoping that my plan would work.

Surprisingly, and I thank every God I know for this, six thin, wide beams of light that came out of nowhere slammed into her midsection, holding her place. I smiled in satisfaction as I watch her unable to move any part of her body including the parts that were not struck by the beams.

"You should stop moving, Kurazakura-sama. Struggling is futile." I advised her as I picked the sword that she dropped to the ground, before brandishing the blade to her neck. "Only a person that knows the algorithm of that spell has the chance of breaking these beams." I told her as I reinforce the six beams.

"Don't be arrogant, Sin-kun." Kurazakura exclaimed as she unleash an impressive amount of psion in hopes to break the six beams that was subduing her.

The amount of psion that she was emitting was nothing short of impressive, her entire body was glowing and brimming with power, but the beams of light did not even budge at the amount that she emitting.

I watched her futile attempt in breaking my spell, and after a while, she finally relented, a look of shock adorning her face. "What kind of spell is this?" She asked me, not out of fear, but in frustration. It seems that she had forgotten that we are enemies.

Okay, I forgot as well, so were even.

"The reason you couldn't break this spell is because it is not a psion based spell. This spell is a pushion base spell." I informed her, and the shock look on her face was amusing. "Thoughts particles cannot alter Spirit Particles, so it is futile for you to break a Pushion spell using Psion energy." I added as I reinforce the beams with more Pusion.

In my studies in magic, I am a researcher by heart; I discovered how to use Pushion energy for spells, something that no other Magic Engineers in the world have achieved. Pushion is quite different from Psion because normal magicians are limited in feeling Pushion, but the main difference is how the two energies are created and used.

Psion is created from our thoughts.

Pushion is created from our emotions.

Psion is use to alter and change reality.

Pushion is use to manipulate the energy that makes our reality. (A/N: The author of Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei hasn't explained how Pushion is use. What I've written above is my theory alone. Don't take it too seriously)

These two energies are two different matters, two different energies, two different existences. They co-exist with each other, but they cannot, in any way, shape, or form, interact with each other.

That is why Psion based magic cannot break or dispel Pusion based magic, and vice-versa. Although, they can be used to block each other, but the result would be explosive…

That is worth researching and experimenting on in the near future.

"Amazing, you truly are a genius." My train of thoughts was interrupted by her complimented, and I cannot help but smile. It is rare for my opponents to comment on my breakthroughs, no matter how ingenious they are.

"Thank you, and I apologies. I cannot give you the fight that you want me to give you." I told her as I broke the beams that were subduing her.

"Do you find me boring?"

"Of course not, I just cannot risk you discovering my secrets. It is a shame that I cannot test my skills against you, but I cannot risk my secrets being revealed." I explained to her in an apologetic tone as I bowed at her.

"I knew having that power would one day bite me." She cursed a bit as she sheathed her sword. "So, am I right to assume that this will be the last time I'll ever see you in the battlefield?"

"Yes," I answered without losing a beat. "The war is over, I've accumulated enough money to live a very extravagant life for both myself and my little sister, I've captured or killed every wanted man that can posed a threat to Japan during the war, and then some. I have no reason to remain as a bounty hunter." I explained to her, and I raised an eyebrow at her downcast expression.

"If I offer you to be a member of the Japanese Royal Guard, would you accept?" Kurazakura asked me, and I was taken aback. The Japanese Royal Guard is the military unit that is task to protect the royal family. Being a member of that military unit is an honor.

"Why?" I asked in shock.

Kurazakura looked slightly uncomfortable before turning around and showing me an insignia carved on her back. I almost stumbled at the sight.

"YOUR, YOUR…" I could not find the words to finish my statement as I pointed at her.

She smiled at me as she lifted her katana. "The heir was supposed to be Shirayuki-neesama, but because of her disappearance, she cannot take the throne. Shirokishi is a capable soldier, but he not a tactician and he has no political skills to speak off. Zangetsu-niisama is a war mage, thus, he cannot take the throne because of his status. Considering those factors, the most logical heir is me."

Well, that's a shocker, but, as I calm myself, the Emperor made a good choice. Shirokishi, his youngest son, is a great mage and an adequate tactician, but the parliament will chew him and spat him out when it comes to politics.

Zangetsu-sama, well, the guy is an unstoppable force of nature, enough said. That guy is a versatile one-man armada. It would be a real handicapped if he is limited to a chair for the next fifty years or so.

Kurazakura, she's the logical choice and the best choice for the next ruler of the country. In her generation, Chifuyu-nee was the strongest magician and Tabane was brightest mind, but she is the most well balance mage in her generation. She is not as magically powerful as Chifuyu-nee but she compensates with her cunning mind and resourcefulness with her magic, she is not as smart as Tabane, no one is as smart as Tabane, but she has enough knowledge to know that ins and outs of everything needed to run the country efficiently. She is also the country's best tactician, surpassing even my mother.

I was captured by her in 15 different occasions in the past four years; one of those occasions involved Chifuyu-nee's fastest ice-spell hitting me on the family jewels.

I shudder at the memory, before looking at her with a composed expression, which is hard to tell considering that I am wearing a mask. "Why do you want me to be a part of the Royal Guard, your Royal Guard?" I inquired curiously. "I'm a bounty hunter, a wanted bounty hunter with a 3.5million yen on his head, and I am generally hated by the upper echelon of the Japanese Military." Let's just say that I have offended a lot of people whenever I assisted some of the Military's many operations.

"And that's the reason why. You are not loyal to any clan or to any leader, which makes you the best choice for my bodyguard." Again, I can see her logic, and Kurazakura is not known for her ability to trust. "And you are also young. You're what, 10, 12? You are half my age, yet, you have defeated men twice your age, some of them well renowned magicians, and a few are even my peers. You fought Zangetsu-niisama in a standstill for three hours and the only one capable of that is me and Chifuyu."

"Okay, that was a fluke. Your brother almost nuked me in five different occasions in that fight." I shudder at that memory, before solidifying my pledge that I will not fight that man again in my life.

"Regardless, you gave my brother a run for his money, and you are only a third of his age, that speaks volume of how strong you are going to be in the future."

"I am very limited, or have you forgotten that I am only capable of using one type of magic in a fight, and I have to be the one who has to create my spells, seeing that this type of magic is abnormal and have no recordings whatsoever." I am the only one in history and in the world that is capable of using Blood-type magic, it is both a curse and a blessing. It is a curse because it is difficult to create spells, the algorithm behind each of my spells are vomiting, it is a blessing because this one magic-type has unlimited potential.

"That is irrelevant considering how skilled you are in combat and how resourceful you are." Kurazakura complimented with a smile. "And also, you are no longer a one trick pony. If you can use Pushion base spells, then that makes you a one of a kind mage, a mage that I would want in my command." Kurazakura stated her tone slightly hopeful.

I looked at the future empress of the country before shaking my head. "Kurazakura-sama, if things were different, I would have accepted your offer, but considering my current predicament, I cannot, with good intentions, accept your offer." I apologized with a courteous bow.

She looked at me with a disappointed expression before letting out a sigh. "Why do you fight?" She asked with a sullen tone.

"I fight to give my little sister that life that she deserves." I answered, but there's another answer in the back of my mind, an answer that I did not want to admit.

(Setsura)

"Are you sure, Oniisama?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." I answered as I hung my mask and Sin's outfit into a secure chamber located underneath my estate. "The war is over; there is no reason for me to continue being a bounty hunter." I explained to her as I looked at my Sin get up with a small smile. I may not have like being a bounty hunter, but I would miss all the men and women that I fought and befriended in my years as a bounty hunter. The last three years as a bounty hunter was very fun, but the war was over and I have accumulated enough money to sustain a very luxurious way of life for Setsura, as well as to fund my research.

As the chamber closed in front of me, I turned around and looked at Setsura with a smile. "Come on now dear, we have a lot of things to do before we retire for the day." I told her as I extended my hand towards her.

Setsura smiled shyly as she grabbed my arm, and gripped it tightly. "You're going through with your plans, Oniisama?"

I smiled before nodding enthusiastically. "I always wanted my own Restaurant, and this is to assure me that we have a steady flow of income in the near future. I may have accumulated enough money and riches to last us for a long time, but riches tend to disappear quickly." I commented with a smile. I always wanted to have three types of businesses to appease my hobbies.

Animation studio for my love of arts.

A weapons manufacturing shop for my inventive nature.

And a restaurant because of my passion for food.

I'm an Orimura; my supposed destiny is to fight. I am born to be a warrior, and I will die a warrior, that is what every Orimura is striving for.

Every Orimura that is not me.

I can fight, but the problem is, I do not like fighting. Three years of being a Bounty Hunter did not change that. So instead of wasting my life fighting, I would prefer to waste my life into something productive, and starting my own restaurant is the best way to begin my new lifestyle, which will be devoid of hunting criminals down.

"So, Oniisama, when will the construction of your restaurant be finish?" Setsura asked me as the two of us exited the underground chamber.

"Two months, three months at most." I answered with a grin. I am really excited to have my very own restaurant. The animation studio will come next. "And I'll make sure that you'll have your own stage. You can play the piano in the opening day! We can even have a duet, you with the piano, and me with my violin." I stated enthusiastically, already planning the music compositions that the two of us will be playing.

I will elevate the standard of fine dining in Japan that I swear.

Yes, I need a life, but come on now, I've spend the last three in a half year of my life taking care of a girl younger than me (it was the best experience I had in my young life), hunting down criminals and collecting large sums of money and treasures (most of the treasures I collected are solid gold and jewels, with a few priceless artifacts and arts in the side), hunted down by three different countries(I have kill on-sight order in China, Japan considers me a vigilante, Iraq considers me a terrorist), fought in five different wars (how in the hell did my family and my elementary school not notice my absence in a week, I will never know), and I got rape by my elder sister (don't ask), taking account of how fuck up my life has been in the past, I deserved to be slightly over the top.

Also, I enjoy having duets with Setsura.

"That would be fun, Oniisama." Setsura answered cheerfully but with a weak tone, which made me worry.

I've noticed at the end of last year, and early this year that Setsura's body is slowly weakening. It was slow, but it was noticeable to those who has a background on medicine as myself, and who has eyes enhanced by magic, and who has an artificially created left eye. About the last, please don't ask and let's just say my regeneration has some mysteries left that I have not yet discovered.

Still, Setsura's weakening body is alarming. Last I check, her body is very healthy, I made sure of that by having her take a healthy diet and providing her with a healthy lifestyle. And most of all, my mansion and estate is the definition of spotless clean.

Now, with those factors, I still cannot figure out why Setsura's body is slowly deteriorating.

But one thing is for sure, whatever's wrong with her, I will figure it out and I will heal her.

Setsura is my pride. I will do everything for her. I will sacrifice everything for her.

"Oniisama…" Setsura called, and I instantly looked at her, frowning a bit at how pale she's becoming. "Are you okay, your smile faltered a bit?"

I smiled at the care that she was showing me before nodding. "I am just praying for all the mages and warriors that I have fought through the years. They've thought what the world truly is, and for that, I am thankful." Each of them thought me how to be strong, and with the experience I had fighting them, I can protect Setsura from anybody, and I mean anybody.

"I thought you don't believe in Gods?"

"Of course I don't, I'm an atheist, but still, I think there is somebody up there looking down on us, guiding us, after all… " I looked at my little sister with a fond smile. "No human being is capable of conceiving a beautiful and wonderful lady like you." Considering whom her parents are, I'm surprised that she turned out to be quite well, she does have a bit of an aristocratic act, but that characteristic is program to her blood. She is, technically, a member of Japan's royal family.

"Oniisama…" Setsura whined in embarrassment as she move closer to me. I wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her closer.

She's the one person who has given me affection that I so crave and she gave it to me willingly.

Byakushiki Setsura, my daughter, my little sister…

And a part of me wants her to be more than those things…

(Chifuyu)

Perfect, I thought to myself as I glanced at the finish blueprints of the Endlave that I have been planning and designing for a month now. The Asian war, the war that lasted for over a decade, was over but the Orimura clan is still arming themselves with weapons so that we can protect the country if the need arises. We are, after all, the last line of defense of the country. Japan's secret blade that would cut down anybody who has the gall to invade the country…

…yup, one day, I'm going to do something to exile myself from this family, open my own Animation Workshop and Hotel, and focus my full attention in raising Setsura…

I have no plans in being a warrior my whole life. Three and a half years in the field, randomly fighting and capturing criminals, those were enough battles for me to last a lifetime. I've seen and have my fair share of wars; I've lost all my innocence in my years as a bounty hunter, and I do not want to lose anything else more significant.

Still, designing weapons is fun; I will keep that as a profession. I like creating weapons, I don't care who wields them just as long as they are use.

I may not like the practices of the Orimura clan, but it does not change the fact that I am an Orimura. Fighting is in my blood, I just diverted it into a more civilize art form.

"No time being melodramatic, I have my plans; I can finish constructing a prototype in a week, it's time to go to sleep." I shouted as I covered my blueprint with a cloth before heading to my bed with the intent to sleep until 3 in the morning.

Or I would have if I did not saw my elder sister sitting on my bed, an impatient smile on her face as she flaunted her body in her nightgown.

"Good evening, little brother…" Okay, I know when he uses that sweet voice, she wants something from me, and that something is very degrading in my part.

…but I am her little brother, and doing degrading things for his big sister is the job of a little brother.

Regardless of how one sided this relationship is.

"I'll just shower a bit." I told my sister as I turned around, only to have a block of ice blocking my way. "Chifuyu-nee…" I whined a bit. I could shatter the ice with just a flick of a finger, but I haven't showed that clan what I could with my own two hands. Every time I fight, I always use handguns.

"Don't you dare, I prefer you like this, sweaty and salty." Chifuyu-nee said with a coy smile as she motion for me to come to her with her finger in a very seductive manner.

I could not help but sigh as I slowly walked towards her and to my bed. This relationship I have with Chifuyu-nee, it's shallow and not the relationship that I want to have with her.

But still, Chifuyu-nee is the one being that I value above Setsura.

Setsura, I love her more than mother and Madoka combine, but I love Chifuyu-nee slightly more than her.

My feelings for Setsura are rooted in pride, but my feelings for Chifuyu-nee are rooted in admiration.

My admiration for Chifuyu-nee outweighs the pride that I have for Setsura. The gap is a small margin, but it doesn't change the fact that Chifuyu-nee is much more important than Setsura to me.

And I would do anything for Chifuyu-nee...

…even if the task involves me throwing away my dignity as a man.

I sat beside Chifuyu-nee, and she smiled at me, a smile that only I have seen.

"You've been gone for a whole week, and the first thing you do is go to your room, and draw some scribbles." Chifuyu-nee whispered to me with a sweetly-sickly tone as her hands suddenly found themselves on my shoulders. I could feel her hands gripping my shoulders so tight that my skinned turned a shade of purple.

"Mother wants me to build her unit their own Endlave. They said that Tabane's Endlaves are already obsolete." I told her as I felt her hands massaging my shoulders. It was not a comfortable massage but it was enough to make me blush. Being held by her made my heart beat furiously, and the feeling that she was making me feel was unlike anything I feel whenever I held Setsura.

"And when did I ever care about anything that involves that war-whore!" Chifuyu-nee inquired skeptically, her hands snake down my chest to my stomach. "She's only using you, you know?"

"But she loves me for it. That is enough for me." I told her sincerely.

I don't believe in God. I've turn my back on my beliefs. I've been called both an Angel and a Demon, and all the foul names in the book before. Blood of countless men and women are on my hands and my consciousness. I cannot be considered pure any more. All my innocence was already shattered.

Love is the only thing I believe in now, it's all I believe in right now.

My mother and Chifuyu-nee, they loved me conditionally, and I'm okay with that. Just as long as they love me, I don't care what I will have to do or to give, just as long as the love they have for me never disappears.

…as I ponder on that thought, my mind suddenly went to Setsura, and truth be told, she's the only one who I knew that loves me unconditionally, and I smiled at that knowledge. At least I have one person who I knew who would stay with me until the end.

And that fact made me wonder why I value Chifuyu-nee over Setsura…

"Are you satisfied then, by being just another tool for our mother?" Chifuyu-nee asked as I felt her hands peeling my shirt off my body.

"Yes," My body is a living weapon, a sword if you will, and a weapon is only useful if it's being use.

That belief is the reason why I pursue weapon's crafting. Only a weapon can produced the best weapon.

"Then, you won't mind me using you for the night, am I correct?" My sister asked me as she leaned towards my back, and I shiver as I felt her mounds pressing on my back. Ever since the first time Chifuyu-nee bedded me, every chance that she gets, she would always go to my room, and bed me again and again.

The first time she bedded me, I was paralyzed by her ice magic. I was helpless as Chifuyu-nee ravished me that night, several moons ago. I lay, flat on my back, as I watched Chifuyu-nee make use of my body anyway she chooses, and she did it with a smile that I did not know she possess. My screams were muffled by her moans as she pleasured herself with my body.

I could have broken the spell that she had cast upon me easily if I so chooses. I have endured and broken stronger spells than what my sister had cast upon me that particular night. The reason I didn't, and the reason I allowed my sister to rape me that night was because I can never hurt her, I refused to hurt her.

After that night, whenever she desires it, she will always go to my room and ravish me to her heart's content, before leaving…

…and that pains me…

….not because she made me feel helpless, but because of a different reason…

"You would use me anyway even if I deny you." I answered as I felt her delicate hands grabbed my most private part.

It was another long night for me.

Eight hours, forty-seven minutes, and twelve seconds…

That was how long Chifuyu-nee used my body.

I laid, face first on my bed, panting heavily.

I felt exhausted and weird.

I have fought tens to thousands of men before, and after the battle, I still have enough energy to walk away, but whenever and after Chifuyu-nee and I have sex, I felt like all the stamina and energy I have in my body fades away, just like that.

As for the weird part, sex feels nice and all, but I felt very empty after the intercourse. It's not that Chifuyu-nee is bad at it; Kami-sama knows that Chifuyu-nee has the body made for sin and she knows how to use, it's just that…it is hard to explain but…

I sighed mentally as I pondered on what that woman told me before…What did she said to me as she died in my arms (A long story that started my reputation as Sin)…

Oh yes… Sex is empty if there is no love during the intercourse or something similar to that…

Yes, that's it. Whenever Chifuyu-nee and I have sex, it just feels empty. True, it is pleasurable, but I could not feel an ounce of love from her whenever we are having sex, and that fact alone made the pleasure I felt when I'm with her take a back sit.

Yes, I have no problem being use by others, being use is second nature to me, but I at least want the person using me to show me and give me a miniscule amount of love, or even gratitude. My mother is good at that, and that's why we have such a lovely relationship.

This current and taboo relationship that I currently have with Chifuyu-nee, it is shallow and one-sided. I may be a hypocrite, no, that is not right. I am a hypocrite. In my eleven years of life, I was content with shallow and one-sided relationships, just as long as I feel a miniscule of love from those who I have that kind of relationship with, I am content…

But strangely, this twisted affair that I have with my sister, I want more from this relationship. I'm not satisfied with this.

I'm not content with carnal pleasures alone.

I only want one thing.

I watched Chifuyu-nee get dress in the corner of my eye, and when she was about to leave me, I extended my hand and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from her leaving.

My sister gave me a curious look, and I could only smile weakly.

"Can you tell me that you love me, just this once?" I pleaded as I eyed my sister with hope filled eyes.

There was a silence between the two of us as I continue to look at my sister with begging eyes.

I want her to say those three words to me. Three simple words that held so little meaning to those men that have yet seen the horrors of the world, but held so much meaning to a simple child like me.

I want to hear from my sister, the one who I love the most the three words that would verify my existence.

The awkward silence ended when my sister remove my hand from her wrist and silently leave my room, leaving me alone.

As I listen to the door closing, I cannot help but hear my heart breaking into several pieces.

(Age 12)

The Orimura family is not a well-knit family, much to mine and my grandfather's disappointment.

My mother, as much as I get along with her and love her, is a warrior through and through, and she is inept in raising children. Case and point, Chifuyu-nee and Madoka hates her and they have no problem saying it to her face.

My father is a workaholic and a cheating bastard, enough said. I will not even waste a moment of my time or even a kilobyte of my memory in describing the despicable man. That twat!

Madoka is easily jealous and too competitive for her own good, which causes her to alienate her own siblings because she deems them as competition.

As for Chifuyu-nee…She's complicated, very complicated, but at least she's civil with everybody.

Now, as I reevaluate my family, it is no wonder why I spend so much time with Setsura. With her, I feel like I have a loving family of my own, even if it's just the two of us.

The only person in the family who I can easily get along with, with no strings attach, is my grandfather. My grandfather, for lack of better words, is a berserker in a frail man's body. He has a very weak body, bound to a wheelchair for his entire life, but the guy is a versatile war mage that had defeated countless armies.

In the Japanese Military, fifty years ago and even now, there are two men that the country considers its greatest military strength, and they are the two Dragons of the Rising Sun. The two dragons are my grandfather and the current emperor of Japan. The two of them are war mages, an individual with enough magical powers to destroy a city with one spell.

Those two run a path of destruction during the third world war. They two of them almost leveled Africa in the last world war, and it was not a pretty sight, I should know, I've seen the evidence that were buried in the country's most secured archive. Don't ask how I got in there, it was not easy nor was it pretty, but damn it, my bounty was increase from 1.5 to 2.5 million yen after that stunt.

Pushing that aside, my grandfather is the current head of the Orimura clan, and the only person who I can call a family, aside from Setsura, with no strings attach. Grandfather and I get along quite well. He is very supportive in my career as a weapons engineer, he still doesn't know I am capable of creating CADs, he is fond of my artwork, my first art gallery was made possible because of his assistance and my art did help the clan get a new positive image in public (It proves that are clan is not just good in eliminating enemies), and he absolutely adores my cooking, it has been a tradition that I cook dinner for the family every Friday Night.

Now, the two of us, my grandfather and I, have a lot in common, we look alike, we have the same taste in music (nothing beats the classic), we like anything that is vintage (I have a collection of artifacts from 13th century all the way to 22nd century catalogue and arrange in my mansion, and gramps has one too, but it's more of an automobile collection), and most importantly, we both wish to have a happy and close knitted family.

You have no idea how much that last one denied us.

We know that noble clans tend to have an unstable family, considering that we are closely associated to the government, and the clans are very scrutinize by the public and the fact that scandals that involve the family would certainly cause uproars, but it is still a disappointment that our family act not as a family but a bunch of strangers living in the same roof.

Hell, the only family who has a close-knit relationship with each other is the Shinonono clan, and they are as noble and as old as the Orimura clan. What are they doing right that we aren't? To have such a loving family, I would do everything and anything to have something a kin to that.

Wait just a second, I do have something a kin to that…Setsura, with Setsura, I have a loving family, whether we act like a brother and sister, or father and daughter, Setsura makes me experience having a loving family.

But it's not enough. Setsura is very wonderful. She was the person who understands me the most. She was there when I was struggling with myself. She was there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on. She was there to me when I am at my highest, and she was there when I was in the verge of depression. She was always there for me.

…it was not enough for me.

No matter how wonderful Setsura is, no matter how magnificent she is, I cannot help but want more. I know it's cruel that I am undermining Setsura's affection, and I hate myself for it, but I wanted more. Not from her, she has already given me much more than what I expected and wanted from her.

I want more from my family. Is it so hard to ask for my family to act as, you know, a family, a normal and loving family? I know that my family is the head family, the leader of the Orimura clan, the most militaristic clan in all of Japan, but would it kill them, us to act as a family towards each other.

I know that showing weakness is a crime for us because of our position in the country and in the family, but is acting like a family a weakness?

If it is, then I am willing to exile myself from this clan. I would rather have a family than be part of a noble clan who only sees its members as expendable soldiers.

(Chifuyu)

In a particular night, February 23, 2092, my sister was dressing herself after another one of our sexual intercourse. It has been two years since this relationship began, and it is still a loveless relationship.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, looking at her with unsure eyes before sighing slightly. "Hey, Chifuyu-nee, about the offers that the elders had given you, are you going to take it?" I asked in a weak and meek tone.

Chifuyu-nee looked over her head before shaking her head. "Are you worried that I would agree to that proposition of theirs? Are you worried that they would pressure me enough to marry the fool that they would handpick for me?" In all honestly, yes I am. Chifuyu-nee is a strong and independent woman, but she values the clan over herself. She is also like Madoka and father, she was willing to listen and follow the elders without hesitation, something that did not bode well with me.

"Of course I won't, do you think so slowly of me?" My sister answered, but I could sense something in her voice, and it made me frown.

"I see, I'm just checking, and I am worried. The elders are getting too much leeway." Within the clan and outside the clan. I am still contemplating whether or not I should tell grandfather about the activities that the elders are partaking outside of the clan. That would limit their influence, but my grandfather would most likely keep an eye on me, and I have no illusions that my secrets would remain a secret if that happens.

My grandfather's personal soldiers are very efficient, and crossing them is pure suicide. I would sooner cross my mother's personal military unit than cross blades with my grandfather's soldiers.

I cannot risk Setsura like that.

"The elders just want the best for the clan." Yeah right, Chifuyu-nee, you were fighting with and for the government; I was fighting for the country but not with the government. I know that our government means well, but some members of the government are quite unethical in some of their dealings, our clan elders being the most unethical among them, and a few of them only cares about themselves, again, our elders are among those few.

"And marrying you off to some stranger is the best for the clan?" I muttered bitterly, my thoughts darkening after remembering the proposal that the elders gave my sister a month ago.

"Ichika, you have to understand…"

"That being a part of a noble clan, we are to do everything to benefit the clan." It was fortunate that I implanted several chips in my body to limit my magic, because I don't know whether I could control my aura or not. "Chifuyu-nee, I am well aware that being a member of a noble clan, especially as old as ours, marrying out of love is next to impossible, but still, you're the hero of the Philippine Sea War, you deserve to at least to choose who your life-partner would be." And I am wishing that that person would be me.

I could hear Chifuyu-nee sighing before she stepped towards me, and gave me a kiss on the lips. The kiss was a good one, but again, I felt no emotion whatsoever. "Don't worry, okay, I'm not going to marry a random man, no matter how much the elders pester me to." That did not assure me, Chifuyu-nee.

I love you, Chifuyu-nee; I love you not as a sister, but as a woman, with that said you are also a liar. You had given me many promises throughout the years, and you have fulfilled none of them.

The only person who had fulfilled all her promises to me is Setsura.

I did not show my uneasiness as I gave Chifuyu-nee a weak smile before nodding. "Yeah, thanks for the assurance." I muttered before looking at her on the eyes. "Please tell me you love me." I begged again, and Chifuyu-nee sighed in frustration.

"How long are you going to ask me that?"

"Until I get the answer that I want…"

There was a moment of silence between us, before Chifuyu-nee took several steps back. She looked at me coldly before leaving the room.

I wonder why…I wonder why I endured this empty relationship.

A relationship that revolves around carnal pleasure is simply empty without any emotions behind it. I don't know why my sister chooses me to be her partner in bed, considering she can get any man she wants in a drop of a hat. I'm sure it's not for my looks (I am average in the looks department without letting my hair down (don't ask)), it's not because of my body that's for sure (yes I possess superhuman strength, with or without magic, but my current build does not reflect that), and only Setsura had seen my true personality, considering I always use a personality that my sister would like me to have, so personality is out.

So why me?

But forget that, the reason why she chooses me is irrelevant. The one thing I want to know is why our relationship revolves around sex, just sex. I'm twelve, and regardless of the fact that I have enough experience to put a war veteran of World War 3 to shame, I do not know what adults does in a relationship, but I know for a fact that a relationship, a relationship between lovers, does not just revolve around sex.

Sure, sex is good once in a while, but there are finer things in a relationship than just that.

And I tried to have those finer things. I tried to invite my sister for dinner with just the two of us. I tried to take her out to the many festivals held in Tokyo. I tried, desperately tried to have her act as a lover, or a sister to me in public.

The problem is that she never came. In all the dinner arrangement that I arrange, don't ask how I've done it, she never came. In all the festivals I asked her out to, she never came. Every time I show her affection in public, she never returns it and just pushes me away.

After the war, Chifuyu-nee barely acted like a sister to me in public, we never act like lovers in public, and the only thing we do behind closed doors is sex, an emotionless and empty sex.

I vague imagine making love with her every time we have a sexual intercourse, but it never happens.

I don't know anymore. Does my sister look at me as a lover?

…Or just a toy?

"We present to all of you, Satoshi Hikari from the Hikari clan, and an adopted child of the Orimura clan through his skills in combat and achievements in the last war, and he is also the fiancé of the first daughter of the Orimura clan, Orimura Chifuyu!"

There was a thunderous applause as a handsome man, in his late twenties stood up and gave the applauding crowd a bow, a boisterous bow that made me want to hurl.

I clutch my hands tight as the crowd, filled with my clansmen, applauded the fool.

Why Chifuyu-nee, why can't you keep that one promise? You told me, you guaranteed me that you won't give in to the pressure, but just a week ago, not even a month when you gave me that promise, this bastard arrive, and you personally announced that you would marry him.

Satoshi Hikari, I know that man, I have seen him and fought him in my days as a bounty hunter, and the man is the best example of a scum that I have ever seen. I could not count how many times that man had killed his own comrades in order to get a promotion, I could not even count the number of times he had abandoned his post and comrades just to save his cowardly ass, and I am the one who had to save them every time.

I had fought that man in more than one occasion, and damn it to hell, he was not even at my level when I started being a bounty hunter, and I was seven back then with only two spells in my Blood magic. I fought that man, and I beaten him more times that I would like to count.

AND THAT MAN IS GOING TO MARRY CHIFUYU-NEE.

BUT THE PAINFUL PART ABOUT THIS IS THE FACT THAT SHE ALLOWED HERSELF TO BE IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

The law, the one law that I like about the clan was that the clan will not accept an arrange marriage unless the person involve in the clan agrees with the arrangement. That's why only a handful of men and women are married of in the Orimura family. The clan will at least value the choice of its members.

SO WHY IN THE FUCKING HELL DID MY SISTER AGREE TO MARRY THAT SCUMBAG?

I growled a bit as I stormed out of the ballroom. I should've been there with main family, I should have sat in the stage, giving that man a welcoming smile, I mean my Grandfather and my mother were there and by the looks of things, they don't like him that much but were enduring it for their and the family's image, but I could not do that. I would sooner extract all the limiters in my body, and that would hurt like hell regeneration or no regeneration, use Crow's Claw, and behead that man.

Two things were stopping me from doing that…

One, I cannot hurt my mother and my elder sister, and they can beat me, hands down, in a straight fight. My grandfather would slaughter me, no questions ask.

Second, I CANNOT RISK Setsura because of some petty jealousy and anger that I am feeling. I am angry, I am jealous, and I want to unleash my blood magic and destroy everything within sight, but if my actions will lead to endangering Setsura, then I would rather suck it up and glare at a distance

Setsura is worth me containing whatever rage I am feeling right now.

"You know, I would have expected you to be a bit supportive of my decision." I turned around, only to see Chifuyu-nee walking towards me. She looks very divine in her black gown, but I push those thoughts to the back of my mind.

I slowly faced her, trying to contain the anger that threatened to split my face into a snarl. "You promise me…" I spoke slowly with a low tone, trying to find words so that I can have a civil confrontation with her. "You promise me, not even a month ago, that you won't give in to the pressure, so why, why did you get engage to that twat!?" I wanted to yell the last question, but that fact that we are technically in a public area prevented me.

Chifuyu-nee did note gave me an answer as she adopted a passive look. That did not bode well with me and whatever self-control that I have is slipping slowly.

The distance between us was at least three feet, but for me, the distance seems to be worth a mountain range.

"Why?" I asked weakly, my breathing becoming ragged as my anger threatens to overcome me.

Again, my sister did not answer, which made me want to explode in rage. The only reason why I was able to contain my anger was because I don't know what would happen if I lose control of my emotions. Magic, all types of magic, tends to do crazy things if one is to lose control of his emotions. I do not know what would happen to my magic or my body if I lose control of my emotions.

So please Chifuyu-nee, for both our sakes, give me the answer that I want.

I waited for my sister's answer for a whole minute, before she let out of sigh. "This if for the clan…"

"Don't say that kind of bullshit. Our clan is much more renowned and well known than the clan that that guy came from, so he marrying into the clan will not benefit the clan whatsoever." I know every clan in the country, and there are only five clans in the country that can match the Orimura clan when it comes to prestige and influence. So that only means one thing…

"How much did that guy's clan pay the elders? How much money are they getting out from this?" Those greedy scumbags and what is Chifuyu-nee thinking in agreeing with this.

Chifuyu-nee was silence after I said those words, before she turned her back on me. "We should go back."

Well damn, that pretty much answers my questions. "Cancel this arrangement." I told her firmly. "Whatever that guy paid those elders, I'll triple it by the end of the month, just as long as your engagement with that guy is cancelled." I all but begged.

As long as Chifuyu-nee is not marriage, even if she is engage, she is still considered single, and thus can cancel the engagement by the law of the Orimura clan.

The Orimura clan has the most beneficial law, for the members, when it comes to marriage.

"I can't do that."

What bullshit is this?

"Then what, are you going to settle with someone like him? The guy is an asshole, and he is not even at you league, he is way below your league, and more importantly, the guy is weaker than you. He is so far below your level; it is not even funny anymore. So please, if not for me, then for your children, cancel your engagement, or else your children would not even get close in becoming as strong as you."

Magic is hereditary. The natural magical power, magical affinity, and magical talent of the child are directly proportional to what the parents are capable off. Chifuyu-nee is magically powerful, magically talented, and her affinity to magic is incredible high. The guy, damn it, I beat that guy without using magic in all of our confrontation; and I wasn't even making an effort to fight.

I refuse to condemn my future nephews and/or nieces for being magically inept because of their father's utter uselessness. I won't stand for it, I won't stomach it, and I purely won't even consider it.

"You don't understand, I am doing this for the clan, no more, no less." Chifuyu-nee stated firmly, and at that answer, I could feel my blood boiling, literally. I grabbed my right shoulder to control the psion that threatens to make my arm explode. "I am marrying that man because the clan will benefit in our union."

I gritted my teeth; I could feel my muscles tearing as my blood started to rage inside of me. I could feel it, I could feel myself exploding.

"Then what about us?"

"WHAT about us?" She asked coldly, and that was when I felt fear in this conversation. This was like the conversation I had with Madoka right before our siblings relationship ended

"What about the relationship that we had for the last two years? Was all of that for nothing? Did that relationship mean anything to you?"

For the first time in my life, I prayed to ALL the Gods and Divine entity of every religion I know, in every language I know that Chifuyu-nee would give me the answer that I want. I hope and I prayed that the relationship that she started with me means something to her.

I want her to say she loves me, even if its lie, even if it's empty, it would satisfy me. It would give me the best satisfaction in life.

Chifuyu-nee saying she loves me will be an even bigger satisfaction than me watching Setsura grew in the past five years.

…

...

…

The answer that I wanted was not given to me.

The answer that I expected was the one given to me.

The answer that haunted my nightmares was what my sister gave me.

"Of course that relationship meant nothing." Chifuyu-nee answered coldly with a hint of mocking. "I was just using you. I mean, I was 19 back then, I just came back from a war, I needed to let loose and I wasn't willing to use those plastic toys." Chifuyu-nee looked at me over her shoulders, a cruel smile carve on her face.

"I didn't want to settle with those plastic toys, so I settled with a toy made out of flesh and bones. That's all you are to me, a toy, I don't even see you as my brother."

She walked away after that, leaving me standing in a middle of a corridor.

It took me a while, but I was able to recover the feeling in my legs and I quickly stepped out of the building…

In my three years as a bounty hunter, I was stabbed a hundred times, I was cut a hundred times, I was shot a hundred times, I was crush by things that weighs several ton a handful of times, I was burn by fire and lava in more than one occasion, I endured an explosion that would have decimated an entire city block, and I had every spell imaginable thrown at me, and it did not hurt, my regeneration made sure of that, and I endured those things…

In my entire life, I was only seriously hurt two times

The first was when Madoka threw away our brother-sister relationship…

And the second time was just recently, when Chifuyu-nee said those words to me…

The only difference is that, Madoka slapped me to end our relationship, I can endure that…That was physical, I can recover from anything physical, I've proven that before.

But when Chifuyu-nee said those words…I don't know…The feeling…I don't know… I don't know…

I can't find words to describe my pain…

But this pain, this pain, I don't like it.

I can't bare it…

I can't endure it…

My heart, I want to rip it off to stop the pain.

And so I did…

I plunge my hand through my chest, grabbed my own heart, and crush it with my bare hand.

I collapsed on a tree, and I waited for the sweet death to embrace me…

And the peaceful death that I wanted was deny from me as well…I could feel my blood constructing me a new heart, and the heartache returned with a vengeance.

Why does this world continue to deny me the things that I want?

Is this my punishment for all the sins that I committed?

Was it not enough that my innocence was taken from me in such a young age?

What did I do to be given this pain?

"It's raining." I muttered as I felt something wet flow down my cheeks to my mouth. "Strange, I never experience such salty rain." I muttered to myself as my blood finish creating me a new heart.

I ripped that heart out of my chest again…

I know it was futile because my blood would create me a new one, but anything that would relieve me of this pain is welcome.

"Thank you for the high quality products, I have never seen such fresh fruits in my life." I told the deliverymen with a low bow.

"Aren't you too young to be running your own restaurant?"

"Why yes, yes I am." I handed the man a wad of cash before carrying the products inside of my kitchen. My restaurant is eight months old now, and business is amazing. It seems that being a bounty hunter has other benefits than having 50 years' worth of combat experience.

For starters, I have tasted every dish in Asia, and I have collected every food recipe in Asia as well. I made my own versions of those recipes, and it became an instant hit.

My restaurant, I call it Arcadia, has become one of the best restaurant in all of Tokyo, and I am prepared to branch out my restaurant to Kyoto by winter this year, or even earlier.

I gently laid the products on one of the many sinks of the kitchen and shouted. "Okay guys, I want everything prepare for dinner service by six." I shouted as my sous chef and line cook approach me and grabbed the fruits and vegetables that will be use later for dinner service.

"As expected, boss really goes out of his way to get good products."

"Of course he does, he cares about the quality that goes out from this kitchen."

"And that makes tons of money get in our pockets."

We all laughed at that as I cannot help but look at my employees with a smile. All of them, I have encountered during my days as a bounty hunter. All of them were drug addicts, crooks, criminals, and prostitutes, but they weren't willing, circumstances force them to be like to have that kind of lifestyle.

When I opened my restaurant, I hurriedly track those people who I deem worthy of having a new life, I provided them with a home for them and for their family just as long as they work for me in my restaurant, and I also arrange for their children to be in school.

It was expensive, but totally worth it. I have a crew that is hardworking and loyal to me. That made spending half a million yen worth it.

"Okay people, you guys can complement me later after prep, but first things first, work and prepare for dinner service." I ordered with a loud clapped.

"SIR, YES SIR!" They shouted as they began their assigned task.

I smiled at how effective they were before I exited the kitchen and greeted the new comer that entered the front door of my restaurant.

"How was school, Setsura?" I greeted my little sister with a smile.

Since my restaurant is located in Tokyo, I had Setsura transfer from her school in Kyoto to a private school here in Tokyo. I made sure that the school is a prestigious one and as far away from the school that I am attending.

Setsura looks like her mother, an improve version of her mother, but the resemblance is uncanny. I cannot risk having my father lay eyes on her.

"It was productive Oniisama, although I am a member of the student council, again." In Setsura's last school, she was student council president, and I was so proud of her.

"That's good; it would do your school many good things to have someone as good as you leading it." I commented with a smile before motioning her to go my office. "You should rest, dinner service is still three hours from now and I want you energize for another duet. Your new composition would be the center piece of the evening." Though Setsura did not adopt my talent as an artist, she did pick up my ability to compose music, and she was as good as me.

I was about to enter the kitchen to supervise the preparation, but was stop when I felt a hand grabbing mine. "Oniisama, can we talk for a bit? I have something to ask you."

I looked at my little sister in confusion before nodding. I held her hand and guided her to my office. My office is very simple actually. It's a large room with a computer terminal, and a lot of painting and writing materials that I indulge myself in whenever I'm bored. Calligraphy is also a form of art.

"So what do you want to talk about?" I asked worriedly as I sat in a couch from Persia. "If your new training regime is too difficult for you to handle, just tell me. I can make the necessary adjustments."

"Oniisama, you don't have to worry about that. My training regime is nothing compare to yours."

"Fine, do you have any problems with your health then?" That is a big possibility. True, Setsura's health deterioration has slowed down significantly since I move her to Tokyo, but it still there and it is still worrying.

Setsura offered me a small smile before temporarily emitting her psion, which is very powerful for someone her age, signifying that she is just fine.

"This is not about me, Oniisama." She started as she sat near me, and guided my head to her lap. "Oniisama, what happened to you?" She asked me with a worried tone, and I swore, my heart skipped a beat.

I could lie to her right now to avert this topic, she would believe me even if I lie too her, but I am no liar and I cannot lie to her. I can lie to my family, but I cannot lie to Setsura. Just the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.

"So, you have notice." I commented with a weary tone.

"Every time you throw yourself to your work or to your art means that you are having an inner conflicts, and for the past two months, you've been busy working with projects after projects." She's very observant, that is good. "You've already build to Endlaves, one having the ability to swim and another having the ability to fly."

"You want to take those two for a spin next weekend?" I asked suddenly, wanting to halt this subject for as long as possible.

Setsura nodded absentmindedly. That made me happy; I did teach her how to pilot an Endlave. How I learned how to pilot one is a topic that I do not want to talk about.

"Oniisama, is something wrong? You've been focusing too much on your work lately." Setsura commented as she remove the needle that kept my hair to its boyish style. "I haven't seen your real smile for two months now, and it is very worrisome." I looked ashamed after hearing this from her.

"I…" I started as I tried to speak what was in my mind, but the memory of those words my elder sister told me invaded my mind, and I grabbed my chest in pain instantly, something that Setsura noticed.

Setsura looked into my eyes, and I could feel her prodding my mind.

Setsura has three magical affinities, and that speaks volume on how powerful she would be in the future. Grown mages with their magic matured enough has at most two affinities, three being considered impressive. Even Chifuyu-nee only has two affinities, and she's already in her early twenties.

Setsura's magical affinities are Mirror Magic (she got that from the Orimura family) Telepathy (she inherited that from her mother's side of the family) and Severing Magic (she has a great affinity with swords). The impressive part about this was the fact that she has three affinities at a tender age of 11. There is no telling how many affinities she will have when she reaches magical maturity.

She will be the most magnificent magician in her generation, I am sure of it.

Normally, telepathy of this level won't work against. I've work hard to make sure that my mind is well secured. I could easily block Setsura's access to my mind, but this is Setsura. I will never keep secrets from Setsura.

I can't do that. My actions, all of them, will undoubtedly affect Setsura one way or another, thus I have no right to keep secrets from her.

It took Setsura several minutes to finish scanning my memories and the look on her face said it all.

"Oniisama…" She stared, but I silence her with a sharp look.

"Don't, just don't…" I all but begged her. "My life with my clan will not be discussed here. I want to forget that I am part of that clan even if it's for a while, and I want to forget about my elder sisters as well."

My life in the Orimura clan has been empty since the announcement of Chifuyu-nee's engagement. Chifuyu-nee started ignoring me, and that man started spending time with the main family. Madoka likes him and started calling him 'nii-san', and I almost hurled at this. Every time he was in the house, I hid in my, making guns to shove all those bad those at the back of my head. I was joined by my mother who doesn't like the guy, or Chifuyu-nee for that matter, and we bonded together because of our mutual dislike of this arrangement.

Setsura looked at me for a moment, before helping me sat up and engulfing me in a tight embrace. "They don't deserve you." Setsura mumbled to me in a comforting tone as I returned the loving embrace that she was giving me, an embrace that I want my elder sisters to give me but didn't.

What so different between my elder sisters and younger sister? Why can my little sister show me affection so willingly, but my elder sisters can't?

Is it because I raised her myself, or is it because I love my elder sisters too much?

I don't understand anything anymore.

"Ichika, this is the first time you came to my presence willingly." My grandfather greeted me with a smile as he overlooks his garden with a smile. "Come, stand beside me." Grandfather motioned the place beside him, and I quickly walk to that sight.

"So child, what seems to be bothering you? I haven't seen you enjoy your painting or you're sculpting for quite a while now."

I let out a sigh as I handed a portable terminal towards my grandfather. Computers had evolved since the 21st century. Instead of several inches of laptop, it was replaced by a small gadget, three inches in size that emits a holographic project of a computer, complete with a touchscreen and a keyboard. "I am about to do something very stupid, Grandfather, and after that, you may as well hate me." I started, my freshly formed plans still swirling in my head.

Surprisingly, Grandfather replied in a positive manner. "Are you going to make your move now?" My grandfather asked me as he opened the portable computer terminal that I gave him.

"Yes, and you are going to hate me right after I make my move." I told my grandfather with shame. I couldn't even look at him.

"So, are prepared for the repercussions of your actions?" My grandfather really isn't surprise from what I'm about to do. It's comforting, very comforting.

"No," I answered honestly. "Madoka would despise me further, Chifuyu-nee will hate me, father will probably disown me, and the elders will be further displeased of me, but at this point forward, I don't really care anymore. I am just going to focus on the positive side of things…"

"And the positive things are…"

"Mother laughing hysterically, her unit offering me a nod of respect, and that man not being a part of the family, those three positive would keep me sane." I told my grandfather before bowing respectfully towards him and made my leave.

As I head to the estate, my grandfather spoke. "You were always filled with potential, ever since I laid eyes on you; I knew you were special, like the first head of the Orimura clan and just like my late wife and daughter." My grandfather exclaimed, pride evident in his tone. "You have so many talents, and I could tell that you haven't showed me the talent that makes you an Orimura."

"If you are willing to do this, then so be it I am giving you my blessing." My grandfather stated proudly. "But you must do me one thing…"

"What is that, Grandfather?"

"You must not forget who you are." My grandfather told me, and I could feel the power that made him what he is today radiate shimmer in the air, the charisma that allowed him to rule over the Clan of warriors that is the Orimura clan was overwhelming me. "Remember, you are my grandson, you are Orimura Ichika, and you are the finest Orimura that has been born in the history of this family. You may hate this clan, you may be ashamed to be a part of this clan, but you are still an Orimura, and that will never change. You can never change the blood that runs through your veins, my grandson."

*SLAP*

This is the second time I've allowed Madoka to slap me. It still hurt, not in the physical way, but in the emotional way.

"HOW DARE YOU?" She roared in fury as she glared at me.

I sighed at this. I had expected this to happen.

"Two years, you haven't spoken a word to me in two years, and the first thing you do is yell at me." I commented as I tried to slow down my regeneration so that the redness of my cheek does not fade right away. "I don't know whether to be offended that you would just talk to me because of what I did to that guy, or be happy that you remember that you have brother."

*SLAP*

Third time, and it still hurt the same.

"HOW COULD YOU… HOW COULD YOU… HOW COULD YOU… HOW COULD YOU… HOW COULD YOU…" She was very hysterical, but I did not feel any guilt. Like what I did many times in the field as a bounty hunter, I did what I did because it was necessary, no more, no less.

"I did what I did to benefit the clan, and to also to minimize the damage that the clan's reputation will undoubtedly suffer." I told her bluntly, and I got myself a glare for my problems. "Let me tell you something, what would the clan get from aligning themselves to the Hikari Clan, a family that has been managing drug cartels and prostitution rings, and you know the law of our family. We do not condone Prostitution, rape, and other things that involve a human being, it's the law past down by our ancestors and the law that the clan has been following for more than a hundred years now." I don't know whether to feel content when I saw Madoka flinching or feel dirty because of the fact that I am using one of the laws of the clan that I hate to my advantage.

"What about Satoshi-niisan, you killed him." She accused me with a hard glare.

"He was using Cousin Kana as a hostage, and you know as good as I am that Kana will give that man a fate worse than death if she gets her hands on him. I showed the guy mercy by blowing his head off with my gun." Truth be told, I was torn between blasting the man's head off or sparing him so that Kana can break him beyond repair. Suffice to say, I choose to be merciful and just kill him outright.

Kana is a bit angry that she lost a toy, but on a lighter note, she started being civil with me.

"And another thing, I've proven that that man was less honorable than what the elders have been sprouting. Look at the crimes that he has been involve in: rape, child molestation, money laundering, and many ore, including treason, TREASON FOR KAMI'S SAKE. As Orimuras, it is our duty to destroy every traitor in the country." Even when I was a bounty hunter, the number of traitors that I took down was astonishing, and the numbers of drug cartels and prostitution rings that I ended was equally impressive.

I'm a patriot through and through, what can I say.

"You set him up, didn't you?" Madoka accused me, and all I could do is looked at her like she had lost her damn mind. "All of those things that he was accused off, all of the crimes that were pinned on him and his family, you made all of those up!" She added accusingly and all I could do is shake my head.

"I can make weapons of mass destruction; I can make state of the art CADs in a snap of a finger, I can even beat a top level magicians with just my gun. What I cannot do is falsify information that would ruin an entire clan. Do you even know who led the investigation of this case? Have you ever heard the name Kurazakura? Or is the name the Untouchable Empress rings a bell? That woman is the country's most powerful mage when it comes to mind magic. The evidence and the information that I had provided was confirmed by her, and that is the greatest form and magnitude of verification that this country could offer." I do not even want to take into account how difficult it was suppressing my memories of both of Setsura and as Sin. If she discovered who I am, then I am screwed, no other way to describe it.

"That does not prove anything!"

Kami, I'm tired of this.

Okay, I'm tired, I'm exhausted, and I want to vomit…

Let see if she can play hardball…

"How do you look at the world, Madoka?" I asked my sister and I opened the curtains and showed her the setting sun. "Tell me, when you look at the horizon what do you see? Do you see the world as a beautiful place? Or is it ugly? Or is it light? Or is dark? What do you see?" I asked her as calmly as possible.

"Do not answer my…."

"WHAT DO YOU SEE!?" I shouted as I allowed my magic to explode outwards. I am so weary at the fact that my own twin would side with a person that will just ruin the good name, you guys have no idea how close I am in throwing up, of the clan. I am sick and tired of her not trying to see things in my perspective. I am sick and tired of understanding her, and her not even trying to understand me.

I'm sick of my damn life.

Setsura is the only that brightens my world, but so many things are trying to break me, and it's becoming unbearable.

If it weren't for Setsura, I would have killed myself a long time ago and just be done with it al.

When Madoka did not answer, I spoke. "You know how you see the world, you see the world as black and white. Good and Evil, and all the useless crap. You naïve child." I spat, not even bothering to look at her. "When you see somebody killing someone, you always thought that the person pointing the gun is the evil one. When you see someone doing a crime, you always thing that the person doing the crime is evil. When you see…Forget it, I'm wasting my breath, there is no point in lecturing you about the world and all of its darkness, you won't understand, so I'll go straight to the point." I turned around towards Madoka and gave her a glare, and she cowered before me.

This is not about her, for once, this is about me.

"You know, you have a lot of faults. Your inability to trust your family is one of them. You're inability to see when people are manipulating you is another one. You're blind trust on anyone that would give you attention is another one. You're inability to see those stronger than you as anything but a threat is another. I could go on and on about how many faults you have, but I am just wasting my breath, because you know what your biggest fault is, your inability to understand ANYONE." I yelled at her and she visibly back down as I approach her.

I could feel my blood boiling again, and this feeling was painful, very painful. My blood is trying to burn my skin off and the painful sensation was hell.

But I can't stop this!

She needed to hear this!

"But you know what; I don't care about all of those. I know why you are like that, and I love you for it and understand you for it. Your my twin, I was there for you since day one and I love you since day one, and even when you kick me out of your life, I was still there for you and I still love." The times when I guarded her behind the scenes flooded my mind.

"So why? Why was it so easy for you to push me away? Why is it so easy for you to abandon me? Why is it so easy for to distrust me? Why is it easy for you to hate me?" I was trying so hard to not sound so desperate but I just want to know. I want to know the reason why she denounced me as her brother so easily after that incident two years ago.

"Is it because I love too much? Is it because I can fight better than you? Is it because Chifuyu-nee and I used to be close? Is it because mother favors me? Is it because I get along with our grandfather? IS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T STAND THOSE OLD CORPSES?" I asked her loudly as I stood a mere foot from her. "Answer me; I deserve that much from you." I requested from her.

When we got along, many moons ago, I gave Madoka everything she wanted from me, no exceptions, and she did not gave me anything in return. The one thing I want from. The only thing I NEED from her is an answer.

*SLAP*

I got my answer.

An hour past since Madoka visited my room when Chifuyu-nee grace me with her presence.

She was glaring at me with narrowed eyes, and the aura that she was emitting was so cold that most of the metal in my room became brittle.

Let's get this over with.

"If you're here to scold me or to tell me you hate me, just go on with it, and get it over with." I told her with a tired tone as I face her.

Chifuyu-nee glared at me harshly before throwing something at me. I caught whatever she threw at me, and before I could ask what it was, she left and shut the door loudly.

I looked at her with longing before letting out a sigh. I unraveled the cloth that she threw at me…

And what I saw broke my heart even further

Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu, the two swords that I crafted for my sister was wrapped in a cheap cloth, there blades shattered and their hilt destroyed beyond repair…

Even for me.

"Chifuyu-nee…" I muttered in disappear while I look at the pieces of my finest craft.

"The development of these blades took me three years, three years…" I muttered coherently as I touch the remains of my craft. "It took me three seven-digit bounties to raise the amount needed to build them. It took me a year to learn the proper runes and the proper sealing methods, and it took six months to create the algorithm to incorporate all those runes and seals into a weapon. It took me four months to create and reinforce the proper crystal to incorporate your magic. It took me another year to finish the blades." I mumbled to myself as I look at my destroyed creation, that creation that I put all my heart, sweat, and tears into.

Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu, they signified so much.

Three years' worth of my time and effort

All the knowledge and skill that I garnered in crafting weapons through the years

All the ancient magic that I learned

All the technology that I developed

Everything that I work for in the past

My dreams as a magic artificer

Everything that defines me as me, I gave it all; I incorporated it all to Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu.

And I gave Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu to Chifuyu-nee because I love her.

Not even Setsura's CAD that I created for her is a match for Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu

The work and effort that I put into Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu, wasted.

All of it, wasted…

Just like that.

Just like that.

Tears flew down my eyes through my cheeks to my bed as I discarded the remains the greatest weapon that I ever crafted to the side.

I grabbed a blade that I hid under my bed.

And I stabbed my heart repeatedly throughout the night.

The stabs that I gave my body, it did not last, it did not leave a single scar, and it hurt, but it did not numb the pain that my heart was currently suffering.

I contemplated whether or not I should kill myself or not, I came close to killing myself.

But the memory of the most beautiful white hair prevented me in doing so.

In the end, Setsura, the very thought of her was the one thing who stopped me from ending it all.

(Setsura)

The day after the incident, I left the Orimura estate, and went straight to my estate, I threw myself to my art, I created a hundred new weapons, I drew a thousand paintings, I sculpted several statues, I wrote several new music composition, I did everything I could think off just to numb my pain.

It was a futile and pathetic attempt. Each stroke of my brush, each movement of my arms, the only think that came to my mind was Chifuyu-nee destroying the two weapons that I put so much effort into creating, and it hurt so much.

Strange isn't it. I endured hell in my days as a bounty hunter. I received all kinds of physical pain imaginable, and yet the pain that broke me wasn't the physical pain, it wasn't even the mental pain and I've seen and done things kids my age should not even consider, the pain that broke me is the pain given to me by my own sisters.

I loved them, I truly do. I love them, my entire life, my whole life; I love them more than I love myself. No, I don't love myself, I could not even remember the time when I love myself. All I could remember in my early days of my life was loving my two immediate sisters, nothing else.

And they abandon me because they couldn't understand.

I understand them. I understand all their weakness, all their faults, everything, and I accepted them and I loved them for it.

Why can't they do the same for me?

Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY? WHY? WHY?

Three days after, Setsura came to my workshop, she used her telepathy to read my mind, and I found myself in her arms after a minute, and I could feel her tears falling down on me.

I cried for an entire day in her arms. The pain, it was so much to me.

And Setsura held me tight for that day, whispering kind words that I always wanted my two elder sisters to say to me. She comforted me like I wanted them to comfort me. She sung me a lullaby that I want my sisters to sing to me. She held me tight as I slept in her arms, she held me in a way that I wanted my elder sisters to hold me.

I felt disgusted with myself. I loathed myself.

Why, why did I think of them when Setsura was comforting me? Why did I imagine their arms being wrapped around my body as cried? Why did I try my hardest to remember their voice as Setsura sung her lullaby to me?

Those two, Madoka, Chifuyu-nee, all they did was hurt me, my whole life with them, all they did was hurt me and take advantage of me. So why, why do I STILL LOVE THEM?

And Setsura, she was there for me, even before I took her in, even before I treated her as my daughter, even before I treated her as my sister, she was always there for me. She was there to share my life lessons, she was there to share my passion, she was there to share my joy and glory, and she was there to share and take my pain, so why, why can I love her more than Chifuyu-nee?

WHY?

After the wedding fiasco, I found myself spending more time with Setsura. I want to love her, I want to love her more than I love Chifuyu-nee.

And again, I was disgusted with myself because I knew; I knew to the bottom of my heart that I wanted her to replace Chifuyu-nee.

Setsura, my wonderful Setsura was just a replacement for Chifuyu-nee for me.

And I hate myself for thinking that.

What made me feel worse was the fact that she knew, she knew my motives, she knew my thoughts and she only smiled at me, like it did not bother her. She smiled at me. She smiled that divine smile of hers, she patted my back, and she followed me wherever I go.

She smiled whenever I smiled.

She laughed whenever I laughed.

She cried whenever I cried.

She shared my pain.

And she trained with me, for HEAVEN'S SAKE SHE TRAINED TOGETHER WITH ME. My magic is not like hers, she specializes in modern magic, the magic that alters reality, I specialize in Ancient magic, and the strange blood magic of mine. She trains her magic by altering everything around her; I trained my magic by grinding my body to dust.

She tortured herself, with the weak body that she has, she tortured herself, SHE TORTURED HERSELF FOR ME, ME…

My God, I don't deserve her.

And somebody up there in heaven agreed with me.

October 4, 2092

"I HATE YOU!" I shouted as I glared at the picture of Setsura's mother. "Do you know what you left your daughter with!? Countless enemies, a large target on her back, the wrath of your clan and mine, and now a DISEASE THAT CAN'T BE HEALED! DAMN YOU!." I shouted as I threw a sword made out of my blood at her picture.

I never hated anyone more than I hate her.

She died, and she left her daughter high and dry.

She left her daughter with nothing but misfortune. Enemies that were strong enough to challenge any top magicians in the country. A secret so big that no one, and I mean no one should discovered, and now, this, THIS!

That woman left Setsura a part of her and that's her Decomposition magic.

The problem is, and I didn't even know this was possible; the Decomposition Magic in Setsura was artificial implanted in her, by that woman.

WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL WAS THAT WOMAN THINKING?

But it fucking makes sense now. How the fuck could I miss it.

By implanting foreign magic type inside of someone's body, the magic type would lay dormant, and would slowly absorb the excess magic of the said person, and would slowly build in strength. In time, that artificial magic would slowly integrate itself in the body of its host and would become the person's natural magic.

There's one crucial problem though…

THE FUCK-UP WOMAN DID NOT CONSIDER THE NATURE OF THE MAGIC THAT SHE WAS IMPLANTING INSIDE OF HER DAUGTHER.

The nature of Shirayuki-hime's Decomposition magic is the same as my Regeneration magic only in reverse. If my regeneration repairs things in a molecular level, her decomposition destroys things in a cellular level, and that is where the problem lies. That woman did not take into account how volatile her magic is. Setsura's magic, strong as it may be, cannot integrate her mother's decomposition magic into her own magic system, and its causing negative effects in her body.

Her magic is sustaining the Decomposition magic her mother implanted inside of her, so her magic is not affected, the problem is her body. The Decomposition nature of the foreign magic is currently eating away her health, her organs; her body in a cellular level.

It was slow. It was excruciatingly slow, but it was there, and I was too late to notice it.

I've discovered this fact roughly a month ago, when Setsura collapsed during our training session. I thought that it was because she over exert herself, but when I diagnose her, I saw the problem. Half of her internal organs were already decomposing, and after looking at Setsura's body thoroughly, I finally discovered the problem.

Even in death, that woman was giving her daughter endless problems.

I tried to fix her decomposing organs with my regeneration; it worked, temporarily. No matter how many times I repair her organs, it always decomposes in a much faster rate, and the nagging truth came into play.

Shirayuki-hime's Decomposition magic is superior to my Regeneration Magic, and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

I groaned as I wish that woman is still alive right now. I wish she was alive so that I could kill her with my own two hands, and I will enjoy ripping that woman's throat out of her neck.

"Why?" I muttered to myself. "Everything I ever cared for, why is it always taken from me?" I mumbled to myself, wondering if there truly was a God and whether or not he/she hates me, because every time that I am in the verge of happiness, it gets taken from me.

Madoka, Chifuyu-nee, and now Setsura.

It's not fair.

"Oniisama…" A weak voice called and I snapped my head, only to see Setsura entering the room that I am in, the wheelchair that she was using was slowly moving towards me.

The agonizing expression that I had quickly disappeared, and was replace by a soft expression. "You should be resting." I told her gently as I approach her. "Do you feel any pain; do you need me to regenerate any of your organs or muscles?" I asked her as I kneel in front of her before gently caressing her cheeks.

Setsura smiled gently before rubbing her cheeks on the palm of my hand, and I feel at ease.

"Oniisama, please don't be mad. Mother just wanted me to have something to remember me by." Setsura said, trying to defend her mother.

If the person speaking to me is not Setsura, then I would have probably blown a gasket. "Setsura, I have no idea how amazing your mother is, and I don't even know what so impressive about her, but how could you still love her, after the position that she put you in." Seriously, I wish I could have healed her back then, so that I could kill her afterwards.

"Oniisama, mother is a very complex woman. She gave me her most powerful magic for a reason." And what reason would a mother have to implant her very own daughter a volatile magic. My mother hates my sisters but she wouldn't experiment on them.

I don't want to take the risk of upsetting her so I merely grabbed the wheelchair from behind and push her out of the room. I frowned as I looked at how pale she is, and I could feel her body decomposing from within.

I could repair her body, but it merely would be a futile attempt. That woman's decomposition magic is too volatile for my regeneration magic to completely heal. Every time I heal her decomposing organs, we always take two steps forwards, but whenever that damn decomposition acted, Setsura takes five steps back.

It's only a matter of time before I lose her…

No, no, don't even think about that. I swore to myself that I will watch Setsura grow up to be a wonderful woman. I promise myself that I would always be there for her…

I will not let her die…There is a way for her to live, I know that way. I just don't know where I could do the sacrifice.

I am so weak.

"Oniisama…" Setsura called me, disturbing my train of thoughts, and I instantly directed my attention towards her.

"What is it, dearest?"

"I'm dying, right?" I froze at that question. She's too observant for her own good.

"Don't talk nonsense, of course you're not." I lied, and I despised myself for it. "This is just a phase, nothing more, nothing less. Give me a little time and I would remedy this." I assured her, but my voice sounded empty.

Setsura looked over her shoulders and gave me a smile, a smile that I have seen in my days as a bounty hunter. The smile that I despised so much.

The smile that she has on her face was the smile of her accepting the inevitable.

Don't give me that smile.

"I had lived a very wonderful life. I had a loving mother, and I have a loving father/brother. My Oniisama gave me a wonderful life. He turned me from a weak girl into a powerful one. He taught me everything I needed to know about life, and more. I could not be more happier." She spoke melodically, her voice sounding like a song to me. "My Oniisama, he is so wonderful. He sacrificed everything for me; he gave up everything for me. And I am so grateful of him. So Oniisama, can I ask you for a favor?" She asked me with a cheerful tone, and I hate it.

Setsura, my Setsura, had already accepted her death.

"Anything, ask anything and I would give it you."

Please tell me you want to live. Please tell me you want to live. Please tell me you want to live.

"If I'm going to die, and you have the chance to save me, don't, don't make the attempt if the payment would be your life."

She knows…

She knows that there is only one way to save her life…

And she knows why I am hesitating.

Damn it, damn it all to hell

"I'm sorry," I muttered before I brought my hand over to her face. "[Force Slumber]" I whispered as I force my sister to sleep.

Setsura can only last for two more weeks, after that, her death is guaranteed.

It's decision time.

I need to visit Chifuyu-nee one last time. I needed to see whether or not it was worth it.

"What are you doing here?" Chifuyu-nee asked me as she narrowed her eyes at me. I haven't been home for many months now. Sine that wedding fiasco, I never had once set foot in the Orimura estate. It brings so many painful memories to be in that house.

"We haven't seen each other for four months, and all you're going to ask me is that. I'm actually disappointed." I spoke as I looked around her office. It seems that the four months that I am away, a lot of changes took place. Chifuyu-nee is now the head of Japanese Police Force.

Impressive…

"Get out of my office." Chifuyu-nee told me calmly and coolly, but I merely smiled at her. She hasn't changed one bit.

"Don't worry, I came here for just a quick visit, and I also want to ask you something important." I told her as I rose from the chair that I was seating on, and slowly approach her.

Chifuyu-nee rolled her eyes in exasperation as she closed her arms over her breasts. "Stop this would you, just stop. Your making yourself looked even more pathetic."

I chuckled at this, she was right. I was pathetic in constantly asking this question over and over again, and expect her to just give me the answer that I want. But being hopeful is the one quality that I cannot remove from myself. "I know it's pathetic, I know you are tired in hearing the same request over and over again, but please, just give me the answer that I like for once, even if it's just lie, even if its empty, please tell me you love me."

Chifuyu-nee did not say a word and merely continue to stare at me coldly.

I am getting more desperate.

"Chifuyu-nee, please, you've been lying to me your whole life, you never kept a single promise. So please, just these once, give me the lie that I want. Tell me that you love me, even if that love is only worth a sibling, or even if it's a lie, just tell me those three words."

Again, she did not spoke a work.

My heart, I can feel it breaking again.

"What do you want me to do, Chifuyu-nee. Do you want me to go down on my knees, okay; I'll do that for you." I went down to my knee and look up to her. "Is this enough, if so, tell me you love me. It doesn't even have to be truthful. You can lie to me, and I would be happy regardless. You can give me an empty I love you, and it would be fine." I begged her desperately. "Just tell me, even if it's lie, even if it's a joke, even if it's empty, even if it means nothing, just please, tell me that you love me."

Ever since I was a child, I had admired Chifuyu-nee. I've seen her go through so much. I've seen her go through many hardships, and I've seen her surpass those hardships. I've seen her shed tears, and I was there to wipe those tears away. I was there to make her smile when she was sad. I was there to accompany her when she was lonely.

When people treated her as a soldier, I was the only one to treat her as a woman.

When people treated her as their superior, I was the only one who treated her with respect.

When people were afraid of her, I was there to make her laugh.

When people looked at her as prodigy, I looked at her as my sister.

When people thought that she was a bad big sister, I told her and those people that I have the best Neesan in the world.

I want to know, I desperately want to know, whether or not my love for her was wasted or not, and I pray that it wasn't. I desperately hope that the years that I spent with her as her brother weren't wasted. I desperately hope that she had cherished all those wonderful moments that we had together as much as I did.

"Leave. My. Office. Right. Now!" She demanded before she spat at me.

It was a fool's hope after all. I expected as much, but it is still so painful.

I wipe the spit off my cheeks before standing upright. "Well, at least I tried." I whispered to myself, before doing the one thing that I never thought I would do in my life.

I attacked Chifuyu-nee.

Using magic, I reinforce my entire body, augmenting my already inhumane strength to pin her to the wall. She was taller than me by a foot, but I was able to look at her in the eye as I held her by the throat.

She glared at me, and she looks divine while doing it.

I could feel my arm being frozen solid, but that is where my regeneration came in handy.

"I'm very sorry for this, but I need to tell you four things before I completely remove myself from your life, and I want you to listen to me for once, you owe me at least that much." I press my already frozen arm further to her throat to prevent her from speaking, and I could see a piece of frozen skin peeling off my arm.

At this point, I don't care anymore.

"First things first, Japan is going to be flooded with blood soon, please try not to get caught in the cross fire." I told to her first as I smiled in defeat in front of her, tears falling down my eyes.

So this is the feeling of having your dreams get trampled on. It's very excruciating.

"Second, please don't trust the elders too much. They do not have the clan's best interest at hearth, trust me on that." I could feel my voice wavering with each word, but its okay, my pain will be over soon.

"Third, I want to say sorry. I'm sorry for repeatedly asking you to tell me you love me. I just assume that being sibling guarantees unconditional love, but it seems I'm wrong. Sorry for that."

I took a deep breath before I tried to give her that childish smile that she once told me she likes. I hope that was at least true. "Fourth, and most importantly, I want to tell you that I love you. Regardless of the fact that I'm kid, I know that I love you as a woman, and even though you broke my heart, the fact remains that I never stopped loving you and I never would. I love you Orimura Chifuyu, I love you so much, so please, at least accept this parting gift." I then leaned towards Chifuyu-nee and gave her a kiss.

This kiss is the first and only kiss that I ever initiated between us. This kiss wasn't lustful, it wasn't hungry than the kisses that my sister often gives me in bed. This is a kiss that I poured all my emotions into it, all the passion that I could muster, all the love that I could've given her; I poured it all into this kiss.

When she did not return the kiss, I pulled back, I retracted my frozen arm and it shattered instantly, just like my heart, I walked towards the door, and I never look back. "This will be the last time. I love you, Chifuyu-nee, so goodbye."

I left, and walked to the distance. As I walked, I foolishly thought that my sister would chase after me, and that she would tell me that she loves me and that she just wants me to wait until she's ready to have a lovers relationship with me.

Even in the world of magic, I was a fool to think that my fairytale would come true.

But at least with this, my hesitation disappeared.

I'm ready to save Setsura.

"This feels heavy." I muttered to myself as I looked at myself at the mirror. I look at the mirror and I could not help but grin at the sight of my reflection, at the sight of Sin.

I was wearing my Sin clothing, together with my mask.

It's time…

The first phase of the plan was already finished.

The second phase would begin when midnight strikes.

And the last phase would depend on how fast they would react.

I looked over my shoulders to see my little sister sleeping inside of a special capsule. I put Setsura in a semi-comatose state so that the decomposition slows down, and the capsule will allow my regeneration ability to subtlety heal her decomposing organs for a week.

A week is enough for me to execute my plan.

"You'll hate me for this, I know you will hate me for this, but it's okay, it would be better for you to hate me. I can leave you in peace knowing that you'll surpass me someday if you hate me." I told her before facing the mirror again.

It seems that I was being delusional, because when I look at the mirror, I saw the face of the person who I hated the most, and she was smiling at me.

"I must be incredibly desperate for advice to imagine someone like you at this time." I muttered as Setsura's mother gave me a smile.

Yup, I'm going crazy.

[Are you going towards your death?]

"I am not going to do this to die. I am going to do this to find out if I'm really am alive." I told myself as I smiled at the mirror, and strangely, the image of Setsura's mother gave me a smile as well.

[Then I did not make a mistake in leaving her to your care.] She said as she faded away. [Do your best, Bounty Hunter.]

Its official, I've lost my mind. I actually felt flattered by the compliments of a delusion.

Oh well, let's get this over with.

My plan to cure Setsura has three stages and all of it was a cover up. What matters the most was the last stage.

The first stage of the plan is me revealing to the public everything dirty in Japan. From corrupt politicians to shady businesses to drug cartels and prostitution rings funded by clans, I revealed everything I knew to the public, causing a chaos.

The second stage of the plan is me, as Sin, killing everybody involve. I've known these things have been happening for years now, so finding where they are at a particular time is easy and killing them was easier. I made sure that every death that I cause was as public as possible, and this is because I want to attract the attention of certain magicians.

For four days and for nights, I did not sleep, I did not eat, I merely fought, and I merely killed. I hunted down every corrupt politicians, I destroyed every drug cartels and prostitution rings that I came across to and slayed there leaders, and I killed every scumbags in the country that I love.

Whenever I killed, I made sure that the only one to die was the target. If there was one thing I specialize, it's my ability to precisely strike down a particular target without harming anyone else. That was the only skill I perfected as a Bounty Hunter, and I was renowned and feared in Asia for it.

For four days and for four nights that I hunted, I left a blood trail behind me. Some people call me a demon because of how I killed those scumbags, some called me a hero for killing those scumbags, but the one thing they have in common was that they want to know why I'm doing this.

Am I doing this for revenge? Am I doing this because I love my country? Am I doing this because somebody ordered me? Am I doing this because I am a part of the governments special forces, and this was part of my mission?

Many questions were asked to figure out or justify my motives.

None of their theories came close to my real agenda.

Me, cleansing this country of all of its crap was just a front to hide my true purpose.

I'm doing this to save my little sister.

This is the only way for me to save my little sister. To save her, I need to shed blood; I need to shed so much blood that the emperor himself will take notice. I want him to take notice of my actions, of my sins, and I want him to send his most elite magicians after me. I will then do battle against them, and I will fight them to the death.

That's the only way for me to save her. That's my only option.

Ask and you shall receive…

The fifth day of my blood trail, as most had called my path of destruction, when I was heading to my next target; I was met with two dozen missiles, a hundred RPGs, a rain of bullets, and spells ranging from C-rank to A-rank.

This kind of reception only means one thing. There is only one person who will give her enemies this kind of reception.

The emperor sent my mother to get rid of me. The irony of this is that among all of her children, the son that she loves is the very first child that would fight her.

My plan was better than I expected if he sent me the most vicious and the most efficient unit of Japan to fight me. What's more, the emperor was willing to overlook the enormous collateral damage mother and her unit would cause to get me.

I'm very flattered that the emperor would consider me such a huge threat.

My mother's favorite method in dealing with a single target, no matter how powerful the target is, is to forcibly position the target into an area where my mother could literal tear the target apart. My mother was using the same tactics against me, but that didn't change anything. I may know her tactics, but I have no idea how to counter them, because of how well trained her unit is.

They were attacking me in all directions, but I don't know where they are attacking me because they are covering each other's back perfectly. Whenever I could zero in to their position, a massive attack would get my attention, giving the team that I detected enough time to change their position.

What's worse, the terrain that my mother intercepted me in was a mountain range surrounded by a thick forest. This is the worst case scenario considering my mother is an expert in Guerilla Warfare. She was at home in this terrain, and I am literally at her mercy.

Man I need to think a way to keep this fight fair, I thought to myself as I avoided and deflected a hail of missiles and bullets flying towards me. Another irony of this situation is that my mother's unit was using the weapons and Endlaves that I designed.

"I am getting nowhere with this." I muttered as I propelled myself upwards. "[Branch of Sin: Sight beyond Sight!]"I muttered as I thrust my arms downwards, a drop of blood descended to the ground.

When my blood descended to the ground, the position of every team my mother deployed was instantly recorded to my mind. I know where they are, and that's enough for me to know all possible movements that each team would make. I can now ready my mother's tactics.

"The nearest team is fifty meters from her." I whispered to myself as I flipped upright to my feet to literally kick the air and launched myself towards them.

That technique is one of the techniques of the Ninjutusu that I created, Geppou (Moon Walk).

As I descended towards the first team that my mother deployed, I was met with a hail of bullets and spells, but that did not faze me. "[Branch of Sin: Crimson Ripple!]" I whispered as I swung my arm at their direction which made droplets of blood to rain down upon them. The droplets of blood were small, but it was three times as hard a diamonds and the speed is Mach 5. My Crimson Ripple, the droplets of blood that resembled a torrent of rain, intercepted all the bullets and RPGs that were fired at me, and I dodge all the spells, considering it was futile to block them with the only magic available to me.

As I landed on the ground, I met the nine men team, which composed of three mages, three Endlaves, and three anti-mage combatants (they are not magicians, but because they have been trained by my mother and armed with my weapons, they can take down magicians C-rank and below) and fought them in hand to hand combat.

There are some things in this world that I am proud of, one of them is my superior martial arts and ninjutsu skills. By studying several fighting styles, I've created my own martial arts and my own ninjutsu, and I confident with my own creation to combat anyone, even the army of my mother.

And my confident was not misplaced as I dance around them while knocking them out with quick and precise strikes. They couldn't even touch me, and I didn't even have to use my magic. Even against the Endlaves that I design was easily incapacitated, and that was without the use of my magic.

As I finish off the first team, I rush towards the closest team, and proceeded to knock them out. If it was any other unit, I would have killed them because of my haste to save my sister, but this unit is commanded by my mother, the camaraderie among the men and women of this unit and the admiration and respect they have for my mother is very astonishing. I could never kill any of them; I respect every one of them so much too even think of killing them. I'll settle for knocking them out, I'm good at sparing my targets anyway.

I just hope that my mother doesn't notice the mercy I'm showing her subordinates.

It took me awhile, five hours to be exact, to knock out every team my mother deployed to execute me. As expected from my mother's unit, they were tough as crystal nails. It took me a while to hunt all of those teams down, even if I knew their position and there potential routes, it did not do me much good. Some of them were able to give me a hard time in hand-to-hand combat, I almost got shot in the head in three different occasions, I got shot in the heart in ten different occasions, I was hit by spells that almost knock me unconscious, and I started to regret adding some unique features to those Endlaves.

Still, a win is a win and I can proceed to my target.

When I exited the forest, another obstacle met me, and I smiled at this.

It's them, finally.

"What took you ten so long?" I asked them as the ten strongest mages of this generation surrounded me. "I thought I need to do something incredibly stupid for me to attract all of you…"

"You already did something incredibly stupid." Kurazakura-sama said as she stepped forward, a look of confusion gracing her beautiful face while she readied her Katana for combat. She and I had fought many times in the past, and she knew that what I'm currently doing was not my style. "I know you love this country as much as any of us, but this is extreme, don't you think?"

I smiled at this. I need to show them the Sin that they knew, the arrogant aristocrat that loves to tease them for having trouble in dealing with a guy younger than them. It was fun messing with them, and it reminded me that, regardless of all the things I've been through, I am still a kid.

"Well, somebody has to clean this country up, and considering that you guys have reputations to maintain, bounded by clan laws, being constantly watch by the public, and also, considering that most of the dirty activities happening in Japan are being kept hidden by some clans and parliament members, I can't depend on any of you, so I thought to myself, why not me? " I told them in a nonchalant manner.

"I mean, I love this country very much, I don't have a reputation like any of you, and I am not a member of any clan in this country (major lie), and nobody, except for the upper echelon of this country's military, knew of my existence. I was perfect to clean this country of all of its trash. After all, Sin is just an overly elaborated code name, by the end of the day, Sin technically doesn't exist." I told them with a childish chuckle.

"This is the first time you have lied to any of us, Sin-kun."

I could see Kurazakura looking at me with suspicion, but the person who spoke next was Zangetsu, the second eldest of the emperor's offspring, and the second eldest. Zangetsu is the third strongest magician in this country, only behind his father and my grandfather, but he is the most skilled magician.

Zangetsu appears as a tall, lean-built, and middle-aged man. He has pale skin with a long face and pronounced cheekbones, unkempt facial hair, and long ragged black hair. He dresses in a tattered white undershirt with high collars, black pants, grey boots, narrow sunglasses, and a long flowing black overcoat with a red hue that flares out into ragged ends.

This man, Zangetsu-sama, is dangerous. I remember the first and only fight I had with him. If it weren't for my regeneration, he would have killed me ten-times over. This man, as long as his opponent is a soldier, whether it be magicians or not, he will not hold back, even if the enemy was a child soldier.

That is why, after that fight, I avoided a confrontation against him as much as possible. I do not want to fight him in normal circumstances.

But today, fighting him was the most ideal route.

"What is your real objective in killing those men?" He asked me with a calculating tone. "I hold no respect for them. You have provided enough proof to prove that they are scums that poison this country from within, but as my sister pointed out, killing is not your style. You would rather take the peaceful route before using violent means, and you always avoid taking a life if it is possible."

"So why are you doing this? Why did you dirty your hand, Sin-kun?" Zangetsu-sama asked me, and I bemusedly chuckle. I finally know where Setsura got her observation skills from.

I wonder what she got from Shirokishi-sama?

I was about to speak, but was cut off by the one person who I did not want to be here. "Don't waste your breath on him, Zangetsu-sama. A criminal is a criminal, regardless of age and deed." Yup, that's Chifuyu-nee.

I looked at the corner of my eye, and I felt hurt when I saw Chifuyu-nee using the CAD that were not my creation, and I was reminded of how she utterly destroyed the two weapons that I work so hard to create, just for her.

"Chifuyu, I haven't seen you for two years now. Tell me, how's your brother? I haven't tested any of his weapons for two years now, is he still creating weapons or has he find something better to do to past up time?" I asked casually and I was saddened when she looked angered at the hint of my name.

She really does hate me.

"Ikkun still designs and manufactures weapons; he started designing Endlaves last year." I shifted my gazed to the source of the voice, and I smiled at the sight of Tabane. Among all the magicians surrounding me, she was the only one lay back, which is strange because when it comes to a fight, she is as dangerous as any of them.

"Is that so, can I assume that the Endlaves that I destroyed just a while back was his doing? If it is, I must commend my friend. Those Endlaves were the hardest Endlaves I have ever had the pleasure of dismantling. " Well, considering that my plan is about to succeed, I deserve to have a bit of an ego-boost.

"But pleasantries aside." I looked at Zangetsura-sama as I remove my coat and shirt, clothing will just be in the way in this fight. I am more comfortable in using my blood without any clothing hindering the creation of my weapons. I then grabbed my masked. "You ten am I correct to assume that you are all here to make an attempt to take my life." I asked casually. The period when I fear my own death has long been passed. I don't care what happens to me, just as long as Setsura lives then I am content with my life.

"Yes," Kurzakura answered, and I could see Chifuyu-nee smiling at that fact, strangely, I don't care anymore.

"Okay my dear Shoguns, let's get this over with." I told them as my entire body burst open, allowing a large quantity of my blood to flow to the outside world. I manipulated my blood and shaped them into different blades, different shapes, different sizes, and I then reinforce those blades them with every ounce of my magic.

"Zangetsu-sama, you ask me why I'm doing this, why I am dirtying my hands. The answer is pretty simple…"

For the first time, as Sin, I removed my mask and allowed them to see my face.

I'm not afraid. The only person who ever saw me with my hair down is Setsura.

My mask fell to the ground, and I almost laughed when all of them, no exception, gawked at my appearance.

Setsura always did tell me that I looked very beautiful when my hair was down. I guess she wasn't kidding.

(Okay, I'll make this short, sweet, and simple, Ichika looks like Saber from Fate/stay night when his hair is down)

"…I am dirtying my hands not for the country and not for myself; I am dirtying my hands to preserve my pride."

With that said, I did battle with the ten strongest mages of this generation.

I have fought each of them before, but this time, I aimed to kill them, I tried to kill them.

The fight I had with them lasted for a day; I fought all ten of them for an entire day simultaneously. I did not rest, I did not stop, I merely attacked them with all I had, with every spell I created for my Blood magic, and all the skills that I had, I attack, I fought, and for once in my life…

I enjoyed, I allowed myself to enjoy the fight, and the feeling was magnificent.

Still, at the end of the fight, the result that I wanted was given to me when Chifuyu-nee, her right arm dislocated and a shallow cut on her left shoulder, run me through with a sword made of ice.

The fight ended.

It was my lost.

I smiled in my defeat…Just as planned…Everything went according to the plan…

Third phase is over…

The fourth phase, it's time to start the fourth phase.

The plan to save Setsura's life is divided into four phase.

Phase one was the distraction. I broadcast all the wrong doings and the darkness of this county to distract the entire nation; I brought the country close to a civil war, so the people can be distracted from my real purpose. I also did this to get the attention of the Emperor.

Phase two was the hunt. As I reveal the darkness of the government, it gave me the reason to be Sin again, and it allowed me to kill to my heart's content. It is not so strange for people to go up in arms after knowing such vile secrets of some members of the government, and people will not question a vigilante trying to deliver his own brand of justice. The first phase of my plan allowed Sin to fight in Japanese soil unquestionably.

Phase three was the fight. I knew that the Emperor would react, and would try to catch or eliminate me, and for that to happen, and considering my reputation as the strongest child soldier in Asia, he will undoubtedly send a skilled squad to detain or to kill me. He sent the ten people that I wanted him to send, and it resulted to my defeat.

Still, even in defeat, they still cannot catch me. I was able to escape, beaten, battered, bruise, and half-dead, I was still able to escape from them, which went according to plan.

The reason behind the third phase and the reason why I fought them to the death is simple. I wanted them all to fight me with the best of their abilities, because I wanted them to beat me, I wanted them to beat me within an inch of my life, I wanted them physically exhaust me, I wanted them to run my reserves dry, I wanted them to push me beyond my limits, and they did it exceptionally.

After the fight, I was half-dead. I cannot feel any part of my body. I was cut, I was burned, I was crush, I was shot, my bones were broken, I can't control my blood anymore, and my regeneration isn't working anymore…

My regeneration isn't working anymore…

My regeneration isn't working anymore…

My regeneration isn't working anymore…

And that was the true purpose of the third phase of my plan. I needed somebody to cancel my ability to regenerate, and those ten did a remarkable job in doing so.

The reason why I needed my regeneration gone is because of the fourth and the most important stage of the plan. The fourth stage is a surgery, a transplant surgery to be exact.

Setsura is dying because the foreign magic that her mother implanted into her was decomposing her organs. Those organs are unsalvageable. I can repair them with my regeneration, but it was only temporary reprieve for Setsura, and the decomposition magic of her mother would adapt to my regeneration, which will make the decomposition of Setsura's organs accelerate.

I cannot and will not torture my sweet little sister like that…

There was only one way to save her, and that is too perform a massive organ transplant surgery. I need to replace almost every organ in Setsura's body, with the exception of the organs exclusive only to women, in order to save her life.

There are two obstacles for the success of the operation.

First problem, I need organs that completely and perfectly matches Setsura's DNA, genetic structure, and blood type because anything less would allow the decomposition magic to eat away her body in a faster rate. Also, there is no guarantee that the organs won't decompose after the transplants, so the donor can only be magician, and a strong one at that.

The first problem was easily solved. The donor can only be one person, and that person is me. Setsura and I have a lot in common, in more ways than one. Our blood type was the same; our genetics and DNA have a compatibility rate of 100%, and because of the constant exposure of my organs to my regeneration magic, I am confident that the magic residue in my organ will negate the negative effects of the decomposition magic implanted in Setsura.

The second problem was my regeneration itself, and the nature of my magic. Regardless if any of my body parts was remove from my body, I can still control it because all body parts, all the bones, all the organ is essentially compose of blood, and my magic allows me to control blood in such a way that I can turn my entire body into a weapon. Essentially, I am a living weapon. Because of this, even if I extracted my organs, they will still be my weapons, and I can still use them even if they are within Setsura.

I shudder at the thought of the effects of one of the Branch of Sin: God Killing Spear. If I utter Kill 'em, then Setsura's body would break down, and my regeneration cannot heal a completely broken down body.

To remedy this, I developed a special spell, and I exhausted and beat my body until I can no longer regenerate.

All of the problems are now solve, it's time for the surgery.

Setsura was lying unconscious over a surgical table. Every apparatus needed were ready for the surgery, and all the contraptions needed to make the surgery as comfortable as possible for Setsura was already set up.

As Setsura lay peacefully, I was standing over her prone, my body beaten, and I was, for once, bleeding severely, but I do not care.

To save Setsura, to allow her to live a long life, this must be done.

My life has to be exchange for her to keep on living.

I'm going to die but I know that Setsura would be worth it, she always has.

And dying doesn't scare me anymore. To be a magician is to walk with death, so I have already accepted that I have a limited lifespan.

Everything is ready, everything is prepared.

"It's time," I told myself as I split my body open with a very sharp scalpel.

The surgery has begun.

"So, Kurazakura was really able to read me with that one slash that she landed on me, impressive." I commented weakly as I sat in a throne located in the middle of my Gallery that contains every art piece and every artifact that I have collected in my days as a bounty hunter. "Although, I never expected her to tell you two about my secrets outright. I would have expected her to confront me or something." I muttered as I heard two distinct footsteps entering my private gallery.

"Grandfather, your highness, I would like to welcome you in my estate. I would have prepared tea, but I'm not going to last long." I was tired and I was dying, all I could see were blurs. Most of my organs were removed from my body, including my heart and lungs, and all the blood in my body was flowing out of the large whole that I used to remove my organs. The only reason I'm still alive was because my regeneration became active after the surgery, and started healing me. It was still weak, and my regeneration, regardless of how impressive it is, cannot produce all the organs that I lost before I die.

Only way to kill a person with instant and high regeneration is to destroy enough internal organs in one shot that there's no way they can regenerate.

"What have you done with yourself?" My grandfather asked me as I could feel his eyes on me. It was fortunate that I'm slowly losing my sight. I think I could not take seeing the emotions in my grandfather's eyes.

"I saved my little sister from the stupidity of her mother." I weakly turned my head to the emperor before bowing my head. "No offense, your highness."

"None taken, and truthful, I would have agreed with you. Shirayuki did not think thoroughly with regards to her daughter." Even her father agreed with me in that regards.

"And speaking of your daughter, her corpse is in the shrine located below my estate." I informed the emperor courteously. "I don't know how to perform the burial rite of your clan, so all I could do for her is to preserve her body and put her in a shrine. The shrine was not my best work…"

"Considering that you dislike my daughter, the respect that you had given her is already enough." The emperor stated, and I could not help but feel flattered by the words of the emperor. "I should be thanking you, although you dislike my daughter, you had given her an adequate funeral, not up the standard of what my clan, her clan would have given her, but what you had given her was enough to have preserved her dignity and gave her the respect that she deserves. For that, I offer my thanks."

I chuckled slightly as I felt blood pouring down my lips. It's only a matter of time. "I don't hate your daughter that much, my liege. How can I completely hate the mother of the little sister that I love so much?" I lean back as I tried to compose my thoughts.

"I know I've done a lot of things that gave you a headache, my Emperor, and I know that you are disappointed in my, Grandfather, but would it be too much to ask for you two to take care of Setsura." I begged them, using all my strength to plead my case. "I know Setsura is an illegitimate child of the Orimura clan and the royal family, born from the affair of my father and Shirayuki-hime, but she is not at fault. She should not have suffered from the mistake of her mother and my father. So please, let her live the life she deserves and protect her." I pleaded desperately and I am now openly crying. The idea of me leaving Setsura finally hitting me, and it was a very excruciating thought.

"Please, take care of her, I never wanted to protect anyone more than I want to protect Setsura. She's my sister and I had raised her as my daughter. She deserves to live a wonderful life. Please, don't blame her for my sins." I am desperately begging now. I am going to leave Setsura, and that scared the hell out of me. The least I can do is guarantee her protection before I leave this cruel world.

"Even if you did not ask, I would have taken her in." The emperor stated, and I felt a great weight being relieve from my shoulders. "My blood runs through her veins, THAT alone would have prompted me in acknowledging her, and you did raise her quite well. Teaching her the finer things in life, teaching her how to look at the world, teaching her everything she needed in life. I would even say that you had raised her to be a magnificent Empress. You have my internal gratitude, Ichika of the Orimura clan, and you can rest in peace, assured that nothing unpleasant would happen to her. I swear, as the Emperor of Japan."

That's one down.

I turned my head to where I think my grandfather is, wanting to hear his answer.

"You don't have to ask me, my grandson. I shall be there for her; I will not let anything happen to the life that you nurtured with your own two hands. As the head of the Orimura clan, I swear to you." My grandfather stated passionately.

Good, that's good, with this two giving me their word, I can rest assure that Setsura will at least be protected.

"Everything I have, from my estate to my business to all my possession, Setsura owns it, no questions asked."

"That's a given."

"Anything else, my child?" My grandfather asked, and I could hear the tears falling from her eyes. I know this must be painful for him, listening to me as I say my last will.

I'm very sorry, grandfather…

"Grandfather, how much did Kurazakura-sama get from my memories? How much do you know?" I asked, hoping that he doesn't know my broken relationship with Chifuyu-nee.

Grandfather seemed to read my mind as the aura that he was eluding became volatile. "I know everything, everything." He stated courtly. "Tell me, my child; what punishment do you want me to give her?"

So even that was brought to light, how unfortunate. "Grandfather, do not punish Chifuyu-nee." I told him as the remaining life inside of me slowly dwindled away.

There was tense moment as I felt the Emperor take a step back.

"Why!?" My grandfather asked in a hollow tone, clearly trying to contain the rage that he was feeling. "She took advantage of your admiration towards her. She took advantage of your kindness and the fact that you would never raise your hand against her. She defiled you, and then threw you away like garbage. She had given you more pain than all the battles that you had endured combine. She broke you!?" My grandfather raged; and I could tell that he was losing control of his magic.

"Why, why do you continue to protect her?" My grandfather asked desperately.

"Because she is my sister, and I love her." Was my simple answer. "I love her, she was the first person who I ever loved with everything I have, and I am probably the only one who understands her, so I know why she broke my heart, I know why she pushed me and my affection away." Chifuyu-nee, I understand you, even in the end, I understand you and I'm proud of that fact.

Before grandfather could speak, I interrupted him. "Grandfather, please understand Chifuyu-nee. Chifuyu-nee is a strong woman, but she was not build for war. She is not like mother, mother thrives in war, and she is not like me, I have so many things to distract me from those horrors that I had witness in my days as a bounty hunter. Chifuyu-nee experiences the horrors of war in such an early age, and she doesn't have anything to distract her from those horrors, she doesn't have anyone to comfort her or to love her during those horrors, there was no one there to explain to her why those horrors are necessary evil. She was alone in the field, and that made her what she is today." My breathing became a bit ragged, but I continue.

"Chifuyu-nee, she bottled up the trauma that she experience, she held her fears within her for such a long time, because she was afraid to show weakness, and that was her mistake. She refused to ask for help, she did not have anyone to share her fears and insecurities, she did not have anyone to comfort her and be her shoulder to cry on, and because of that, she became lost, she developed an inability to show affection, no, to be exact, she did not know how to show affection, she forgot how to give care and affection, believing that showing those emotions is a show of weakness."

"Chifuyu-nee, she grew up fast without having a childhood. Her childhood was spent in a battle field. Chifuyu-nee grew up in a war, with constant fights and struggle; she is not like Setsura who I made sure to grow in a loving and safe environment. I showered Setsura with care and affection, Chifuyu-nee grew being showered with hate and blood, and that forget how to love. She can feel love, but she doesn't know how to love."

"I know she was confused whenever I cling to her. She was confused whenever I hugged. She was confused whenever I show her affection. Those things were foreign to her, because nobody had showed her love before."

"That's why, I still believe, I still delude myself that she had loved me. I'm still holding onto that foolish dream because she had given me her first time. She gave me that honor. Even though we did not make love throughout our taboo relationship, I believe that every time she ravished me, every time she had her way with me, I believe that it is her way of showing me that she loved me. I think that that is the only way she knew how to show her love to me."

I took a deep breath as the silence in the gallery became deafening.

"I understand her; I can see through the mask that she made herself. Underneath that strong appearance that she protect, is a confused and scared woman who is afraid to show any affection in fear of being branded as weak. She craved love when she was a child, and it was denied to her, that's why she denied me her love."

"I wanted to believe that the love and affection I have for her was not wasted. At least I hope that she experience what love truly is when she was bedding me."

"I still love her, I still love Chifuyu-nee, and that's why, as I die, I will not remember that Chifuyu-nee who broke my heart, I will remember the Chifuyu-nee that I love." I told my grandfather while I try to smile that smile that Chifuyu-nee once said she liked. "Don't punish her, please, don't punish her. It is not her fault that her upbringing made her like that…" I stated, and I was breathing heavily after.

There was silence in my gallery that was broken by two loud crashing sounds.

"Grandfather, I know your mad, but please don't destroy any of my collection. Setsura appreciate some of them, and she will inherit my belongings once I bite the dust." I requested my grandfather, hoping that none of Setsura's favorite artifacts were destroyed when Grandfather lost his control of his magic.

It took my grandfather some time to reply, and I swore that I heard him whisper something. "Fine, I will not punish her, regardless of how tempting it is." That was assuring. "Anything else, my child."

"Just a few. First, please tell Madoka to start looking for new trainers. I know she wants to prove herself by becoming strong by her own power, but she will not grow under the tutelage of the elders. They are only training her because they want to use her. She will not reach her real potential f she continues to learn from them. They will only train her so far, because they won't allow her to grow strong, they will not allow a possible puppet to be strong enough to cut the strings." I grabbed something from behind and threw at them. "Tell Madoka to read that book. That book is a module that I designed for her. I've watched her and analyze her magic; I know what she could do with her magic, and the book will allow her to take the first step in reaching her potential."

"Second," I grabbed the sword that was in my side and threw it at their feet. "That sword is my newest CAD that I've build. The sword's schematics are the same as Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu. That sword incorporates both the elements of Hyōrinmaru and Suigetsu, it's an upgraded version of the two sword, combine into one body. I made this sword for Chifuyu-nee's use. She was the first to use my CE-CAD, so she knows how to use it. So please, give that sword to Chifuyu-nee. She's the only who can use that sword to its fullest capacity. Please give the sword to her; I've seen the performance of her CAD in my fight with those Shoguns. The performance of the CAD that she was using was bad, and I cannot rest in peace knowing that a substandard weapon is supporting her." I stated with a shudder. The thought of Chifuyu-nee continuing to use that CAD gives me nightmares.

"Give her that sword, tell her to name it and use it. Don't tell her that I made that CAD. She won't use that sword if she knew that I was the one that made it. Please, give that sword to her; I at least want to leave her something before I leave." I took another deep breath. I have another five minutes before my body gives in, I need to say everything I needed to say. I will not have any regrets.

"Tell mother that I love her, and it was an honor being her son. I enjoyed designing and creating weapons for her, and I am proud that my weapons are the once being use by the most elite military unit of all Japan."

"One more thing, somebody, please punch my father! He deserves a beating for what he did to Shirayuki-hime, that worthless bastard, he did not take responsibility for his actions."

"I will give him the beating that he deserves, my child." The emperor stated which made me smile. That guy deserve an ass kicking.

"Lastly, please, tell Setsura that I love her, and I'm sorry that I was unable to love her the way that she deserves." The thought of Setsura filled my mind, and I smiled vibrantly. "Setsura, my beautiful Setsura, you were always there for me, you were there at my lowest, you were there at my highest. You shared my joy, you shared my pain. You were there whenever I cried; you were there whenever I laughed. Thank you Setsura, thank you, and I love you Setsura, I love you and I'm sorry." I stated as blood flew down my eyes.

"Thank you for holding me when I cried. Thank you for being there to wash the blood off my hands whenever I kill. Thank you for assuring me that my demons won't go after. Thank you for being the little sister that I always wanted. Thank you for giving me the love that I did not deserve." I shouted as I filled my thought with Setsura.

"And I'm sorry. I'm sorry that it took me awhile to love you. I'm sorry that I did not give you the love that you deserve. I'm sorry for failing to see what your mother did to you until it was too late. I'm sorry for being so hesitant in saving you, if Chifuyu-nee would have told me that she love me that day, even if it was empty and a lie, I would not have found the courage to save you, for that, I am sorry."

"Setsura, my dear Setsura, raising you was the greatest honor that I could ever have. Live, be strong, grow even more beautiful. You never disappointed me before, you always surpass my expectation. I am so proud of you and I am incredibly honored that I was the one to raise you. You are my pride Setsura, I'm sorry that you couldn't be my life."

I knew I am bearing my soul in front of the country's most celebrated magicians, but I couldn't care at this point.

"Grandfather…" I called one last time, I could feel it; my life is almost over. My suffering, it's almost over.

"Y-Yes…"

"I once had a dream." I told my grandfather weakly. "In that dream, we were a family, an actual family and we were happy. If I sleep right now, would I have the same dream again?" I asked with a rather hopeful tone.

The one who answered me was the emperor. "Rest, sleep, and you shall see. You have done enough, you have suffered enough it is time for you sleep."

I smiled at those words, and I closed my heavy eyelids.

It is time for me to sleep.