Author's Note: Eh. I don't like this fic much, everything happens too fast...ah, well. Read and review.
"I like your attitude, Tao Ren. You're different from everyone else...join me, and I'll show you what you're capable of...I'll teach you everything..."
Ren was contemplating Hao's words. If he joined him...it would mean turning his back on everyone he held important to him...Yoh, Chocolove, everyone else...and Horohoro. But, it also meant he could get strong. Strong enough to defeat Yoh, and perhaps even surpass Hao himself.
"I'll make you mine, eventually."
He shuddered. The words chilled him to the bone. It was as if he wouldn't have a choice in the end.
So why not just take the risk?
Ren swallowed hard. He shook his head furiously. What was he thinking? He was actually begining to consider joining Hao! What was the meaning of this idiocy?
His other side began to block out his doubts. The side that thirsted for strength, for victory, and for death...the darker side of Ren. Yes, the old Ren. The Ren before he had overcome his father an befriended Yoh and the gang. He blocked out all thoughts of what Yoh and the others would think. He blocked out Horohoro's image. He no longer cared whether or not the Ainu loved him. All that mattered was strength.
The strongest survive, the weaker will perish.
"Alright, Hao. I'm yours."
The fire shaman grinned. "I knew you'd choose me, Ren. Come. There's much to be done."
Three weeks later.
Horohoro was worried out of his mind. Ren had just suddenly walked off by himself, ranting to himself how he would defeat Yoh and become the Shaman King. After that, he had just disappeared into thin air. No sign of him or word from him and been recieved since that moment.
"You don't suppose he went to Hao?" Yoh mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"That's enough." Horohoro slammed his hands onto the table, rising from his seat. "Ren would never do something like that. He'd never betray me. He'd never betray us. I'm going to go look for him."
"That won't be neccessary."
"Huh?" Horohoro spun around he knew that voice. It had to be...
"Hao!? What the hell are you doing here?" Horohoro spat.
Hao smiled in amusement. "I thought you were concerned about Ren...don't you want me to host your reunion?"
"What!?" Horohoro's eyes narrowed. "You bastard! What have you done to Ren!?"
Hao shook his head. "It's not what I did to him...it's what he's done to himself. Ask him yourself." He stepped aside, wearing an unpleasant smirk, to reveal none other than Tao Ren.
"Ren?" Horohoro whispered. He could sense that something wasn't right. There was something wrong with Ren, and it wasn't just the fact that he had his oversoul engaged. His eyes were hollow, they showed no regret or remorse, no emotion.
"Tell me it's not true, Ren...tell me you didn't join Hao..."
"I did. Do you have a problem with that?"
The Ainu's eyes widened. "No..."
"Show him, Ren," Hao grinned. "Show your beloved Horohoro...show him your strength..."
Ren's weapon flashed. Blinding light, intense pain. Horohoro dropped to his knees, nursing the fresh wound that appeared on his arm, pouring blood. He looked behind him. Yoh was lying face down on the ground. The bodies of Chocolove, Faust, and Ryu were in similar situations.
All of them were dead.
Ren had killed them all with a single movement.
"Why!? How could you do something like this? How can you betray us like this? How can you betray me like this? REN!" Horohoro screamed to the boy he loved, the boy he felt no longer loved him back. Hao had influenced him, turned him to a cold-hearted killer.
Ren's eyes remained emotionless. "Horohoro...Hao helped me to realize what the truth is. Friends only hold you back...you'll never gain anything if you choose to keep your ties. I should have listened to my father from the beginning...otherwise I wouldn't have let myself become so weak..."
"That's not true!" Horohoro screamed. "You're not the Ren I know! Please, snap out of it!"
"You're a fool, Usui Horohoro. I can't believe I loved you once..."
His hand flashed again, and Horohoro felt another surge of searing pain. But he felt that he was still alive, and he was almost certain Ren's gaze softened.
"Why the hesitation, Ren?" Hao smirked. "Just kill the boy and be done with it."
"I'm sorry...Horohoro."
Ren's oversoul disappeared, leaving only his blade in his hand. His hand flashed, and Horohoro braced himself for more pain, but it never came. There was a thud, and Horohoro looked up to see Ren fall limply to the ground. He had intentionally slit his own throat.
Hao's eyes narrowed. "That idiotic boy..." he hissed. With a surge of flames, he was gone.
Horohoro crawled towards Ren's lifeless form. So he hadn't entirely become a heartless killing machine...there was still the regret he had felt, strong enough to cause him to take his own life. Tears pouring down his cheeks, the Ainu held Ren's lifeless corpse in his arms.
"I don't care what you did to me, or everyone else, Ren. I still love you."