"There's no need to cry Kota, you being chosen is a good thing. You should be happy." she said sincerely.
But no matter how many words of encouragement offered, Kota did not stop weeping.
"I don't want you to die." he muttered.
The girl grabbed him closely, lowering her voice enough to sync with the night's hum.
"We're not going to die. Not me, not the others." she said. "We're becoming one."
"Show me the world Kota."
Kota continued to train, he swung his katana till his arms gave out, till the sun gave in. Everyday he trained with all his might and determination.
I have to become strong—
Strong enough to carry the others—
Strong enough to protect the dynasty.
The war had grown intense. After the sudden massacre of the Hanazaki closest allys, the Yura clan, The dynasty had no choice but to speed up the ritual.
And at fourteen years old Kota Hanazaki became the new nine tale divine.
Less than a year later, due to extreme amounts of losses on the battlefield the Hanazaki dynasty were forced to agree to mutual combat between divine combatants.
"Then I will go, Kota is still but a boy."
Takeo didn't accept this answer.
"You can not go to your king, and your divine is the only barrier protecting the estate," Takeo said. "Kota is the only expendable sorcerer we have."
Kota Hanazaki - fourteen years old: Killed in mutual combat.
***
Kota stood from the ashes of burning house, his shoulder sliced open with flame that wouldn't go out no matter how much he patted.
Omi threw away the sheath of his sword and boosted his fortification.
Not deep enough, it's because I was too slow to increase my fortification.
Kota suddenly burst into laughter despite the flame burning his wound.
"I will be king. I will bring all of them with me" he muttered.
Suddenly he pointed out his arm towards Omi.
The technique of outputting cosmic energy in direct attack is referred to as a release. There are many types of releases using conversion.
However there is one release unique to every divine.
A release of a person's soul in its most natural form.
"Release—"
"Kin."
Suddenly a massive blast of light energy surged towards Omi. Due to Hanazaki's natural affinity to light most of their divines use light energy.
Kota's energy release was 10x stronger.
Omi quickly grabbed a small picture book from his pocket, pulling out a picture and sliding it against the metal of his sword. Then pointed his sword towards the attack.
A large glass-like barrier appeared in front of Omi.
*snap*
Then the blast crashed into the barrier causing it to shatter, blocking the blast.
Kota paused in disappointment, then looked towards Omi who had a camera in his hand.
"Heaven's gate. What boring divine, just like your coward father. Not of a divine king." Kota said.
Omi smirked looking down at his camera, then pulled out the image it printed.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have the same divine as my Father. Mine is much more cowardly." he replied holding the picture in his hand, checking it against the sun's light.
My divine—
Divinity so unhonorable.
I am not sure why I manifested such a divine. Perhaps it was my desire to capture the last moments of my mothers life. Or maybe savouring the image of my home that further decayed each day.
Omi slid the picture against his sword, its reflection now showed the same attack Kota had just used.
"I call it Photon-copy, since it's so cowardly I will explain it to you."
He raised the sword holding it steady towards Kota.
"Of course I too have an affinity for the light. So I capture moments using the light and store said moments."
Suddenly his sword surged with cosmic energy firing Kota's attack back at him.
Sorry father.
That heaven's gate was the last picture I had of your divine.
Kota stood still staring into the light approaching him. All paths but none lead to a perfect escape.
I cant use a perfect barrier because my ash will lose.
Damn it, this is why I need that vessel.
Kota suddenly looked towards the mountain— and at that same point the attack crashed into him, turning the whole area into blinding white.
But a memory appeared in his head.
"Show me the world Kota."
Even after losing the light in your eyes you still fought.
You are more than just a projection my sister.
You're part of me.
I will show you the world.
The ash grew, flooding the whole estate. It was so dense the civilians around struggled to catch their breath.
The sky changed, the days blue were now red and bruised.
Ciro, attempting to aid people in the estate, paused.
"He opened up a distortion." He grabbed the compass from his pocket. "Its neg-5"