Soutou Raizen, cold, calculating and ruthless. A man who always looks ahead and is willing to reach his goal with no hesitation no after the price. A man who uses his childrens like pawns on a board and crushes those weaker than him without mercy for his own selfish desires.

  If one was to describe Soutou Raizen, that is the concept which they would construct, a concept which I worked so hard my whole life to create. But a concept which has long since begun to crack and wither, the first crack in my mighty armor formed 19 years ago…

  # # #

  I married my first wife at the age of sixteen, no older than a boy. My father thought it was time for me to begin my own legacy as claim heir so he bought for me a wife from the Konami clan. My wife Konami Aiko was a fine specimen in my fathers eyes, from a 4th grade clan she was both pure from her family's political strings while also full of strong noble blood.

  Our marriage while artificial was one which I can remember somewhat fondly, though there was an undeniable awkward tension present. We’d only met once before then, the first our initial introduction before the purchase was made and the second after the purchase was made and she was brought to the Soutou estate.

  While the term purchase might sound barbaric it wasn’t as harsh as buying a slave like one might assume. My father Soutou Akira paid the Konami clan head a fine sum of money for his daughter to marry me and become my wife. It's simply how things were at the time.

  In a single day it seemed as though my entire life had changed, I was given a wife, my own home on the estate as expected to not only begin to make a name for myself politically but also produce a viable heir quickly.

  After only a year together me and my wife had our first born child, my eldest child and only daughter Matsumoto. Of course being a female I felt a great sense of shame in my failure, one which my wife also shared. While females were useful to be used to marry off to others and strengthen connections much like the Koanmi and Soutou did through me and my wife's marriage there is nothing more valuable to someone in my position then a son. Not just one son either, as many as you could possibly have so your blood line would continue to the next generation strongly.

  So only a year later my 2nd child was born, the eldest of my son Kukuro. Though as if to laugh at me once more the god of fortune gave me a son who was magically inept, his aura nodes like overripe plums and mana circuits over cooked noodles, limb and unable to handle any strain. I tried my best to make him into a proper heir, I spent a fortune on medicines, rituals and more but he was simply born wrong. By the age of 13 he’d improved not all since the day he was born.

  It was around the time of Kukuro turning 13 that I took my second wife, Suzuki Emika. While not quite as absurd as the Kageki clan's practice of the clan head having wives in the double digits the Soutou didn’t shun away the idea of having 2 or even 3 wives for the clan head to assure an heir was born.

  Emika was not an arranged marriage like Aiko had been, she simply caught my eye at a particular event and I invited her to join my hand in marriage and a contract between our souls was signed, one written in what you could call love if you so choose to believe such a thing exists.

  Within a few months of our marriage she became pregnant and had her first child and my 2nd son Inurashi.

  Out of all my children it is Inurashi who is most like me. Strong, smart, high potential, in his early 30’s he’s already surpassed how strong I was at my apex, he will surely grow to be a powerful man, one whose legacy will seal my own in stone.

  Once Inurashi was born I had no need for Kukuro and let him do as he pleased, he was of no use to me anymore. Shortly after the Birth of Inurashi came my 2nd child from Emika and my 3rd son, Sosuke.

  From his birth I knew that boy wasn’t right. He shed no tears, let out no cries and had the eyes of man rather than a child. He never cried, never screamed or threw tantrums. He only silently watched those around him with diligent eyes studying every little detail. While not as great as Inurashi, Sosuke proved to be a highly powerful heir as well.

  It simply seemed as though my Aiko was plagued with bad genetics, something I hold no grudge against her for even if she believes I do.

  Raising Inurashi and Sosuke together I neglected my two previous children seeing no use in them as of the moment. In what I can only assume to be an act of pure rebellion and spite however Matsumoto betrothed herself to a commoner, Hakimo Genichiro a man who worked at a theater which she attended often with her mother. They had tried to keep it hidden from me until she had become pregnant at which point I found out that she had married him as well.

  Enraged at this offense, I wanted to throw her from the estate and clan name, however Aiko and Emika managed to calm me and I agreed to give them a small property on the outskirts of our estate, and forbid her from interacting with Sosuke or Inurashi.

  With that first hurdle crossed I continued to raise Sosuke and Inurashi, both of them shaping up to be my perfect soldiers and pawns. Only a few years prior the Kageki clan had been massacred by the Toumeikan yakuza and seeing my chance to merge the Soutou and Hojo come into view so close I could almost grab it. My immortal legacy was a possibility more so than ever, and as such began to mold Inurashi with the intent of selling him to the Hojo clan for marriage and making Sosuke the clan heir.

  Even though Sosuke only grew more strange as he aged, killing small animals, having no long term goals and no emotions of his own. If you laughed he laughed, if you cried he cried. If he was to do something he wasn't supposed to and you asked if he felt any remorse or shame he would answer no even if he tried to act as if he did. Despite this he still managed to do what was expected of him and beyond. He was always at the peak of the national testing level for his age if not #1 he was at least #2 or #3.

  Though it seemed a risk I knew that I had no chance of having another child who I could raise in time for my plan to work, Sosuke would have to make do and was soft enough in shape to mold into my liking still.

  It was around this time as well that my first Grandson was born, Soutou Aruma. A final child who I wish was my own. His potential was great from the start, though not quite on the level of Sosuke or Inurashi he could be a useful asset to my board. Though to my anger and frustration he was sheltered from my hands by his mother Matsumoto, she kept him hidden away like a rat in a cellar and she raised him like one would a normal child.

  With this inconvenience I decided that it was perhaps best to marry Kukuro to a wife of his own, perhaps his genes were a flaw which would not be inherited by his child who could have as much if not more potential for my plans then Aruma. Soon enough I found one Makimari Risa who I quickly purchased for a hefty sum despite her family being only rank 4, but even then I was happy enough when they soon have a child after only a year. But that happenises was replaced with annoyance when their first child was a girl, Mikami, an admittedly pretty but useless child in my eyes. Thankfully though only another year later they had their 2nd child. This being Soutou Toujo, one who surpassed Aruma and nearly reached the level of Sosuke and Inurashi.

  Unlike his sister Kukuro let me cast my hand down on the child who I eagerly added to my collection. If I molded him correctly he could prove a good counselor to Sosuke making sure the clan progressed well into the future onto the next clan head.

  From there life continued, I continued to raise Inurashi and Sosuke up into the age of young men and enrolled each into colleges which they excelled at as expected. Toujou however, was not what I had expected him to be, mainly because of his father Kukuros influence. Kukuro showed him love, hugged him, kissed him on the forehead, took him to play and spoiled him with toys. Something which made him weak, sensitive and empathetic, a weakness one which I had been raised to not have, as so did my father before me and his own dating back thousands of years.

  So why was it that both Matsumoto and Kukuro had formed this kind of relationship with their children? A desire to have them be happy, not useful and strong. Why had this method seemingly failed with Matsumoto and Kukuro who refused to pass it on. I had never once thought of doing something different then what was done to be and my siblings and cousins the same, we raised our children as we were. Cold and hard to make them strong and lively. Those who were not able to withstand it were cast out, left to rot in the wild while those useful would be carefully sculpted into future leaders.

  More than once the thought came into my head even though I would always try to banish it, it somehow always returned.

  Am I the one in the wrong?

  If it was only Matsumoto I could have waved her away as a failure, one born wrong, but for two of my children to reject me there must be a constant and that ate away at me like termites would rotting soggy wood.

  Not even this though would put a crack in my form, no Soutou Raizen was still strong, solid and sturdy. It was Mikami who had truly begun to prick away at my steel defenses with her grimy little clawing hands.

  Crying for me, following me, presenting me with awful drawings and childish creations, calling me and writing me letters. It seemed the more I pushed her away the harder back she came, and I could not understand why. She was completely enamored with me, to the point of trying to copy me, she was becoming a crude plagiarist of Soutou Raize, the concept I’d worked my whole life to form. Instead of making my defenses stronger and my will harder however, it weakened me.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  I tried to block her out, the thought of killing her passed through my mind more than once but even I could not force myself to do so. And then the thought passed through my mind leaving me with a cold sweat running down my back, “Would Soutou Raizen not kill a child to save his image?”

  The answer was an obvious one, and one I did not think I could stomach. Of course he would, he would do anything to protect what he had made, so why couldn’t I?

  When that realization came I truly discovered just how weak I had become, the annoying pest only good for being married off to strengthen a bond between clans. Matsumoto had become useless to me, marrying a commoner and keeping her child away from me. Mikami was my chance at playing the game of politics once more on that side of the board. However she seemed to have a mind of her own. Her actions, her affection and longing for my love and attention chipped away at the small crack she had managed to make before, not happy with that though her greedy little vile hands inside of me and dug deeper until that crevice became a gorge. Once the gorge had been formed it seemed as though everyone else had taken their own piece. My wives who I’d thought of as nothing more than tools began to cause warmth in my heart upon being with them. My children who I’d cast away before seemed to become more precious and valuable the time I spent with them slowly growing longer and longer as I craved their attention like a crane does water. Their well being eclipses the plans I had for my legacy, my immortality in history and the Soutou Clans future.

  The concept of Soutou Raizen was quickly dying, leaving only Raizen behind, a sad pitiful man with insecurities of his own worth. One who desired to be remembered, who wanted to be accepted by his father and grandfather who’d long since been buried. A man who only wanted to have a reason for being born.

  The cracks which had turned into crevices. Turned into Gorges and from there the Gorges grew until they had completely shattered the concept of Soutou Raizen leaving only a few shards which I clutched dearly.

  I began to spend time with my wives, I began to love my children. I began to spoil my grandchildren. I began to grow weak, to let my personal feelings take hold.

  I hated it, I hate it, but I can’t stop it. I didn’t want to stop it. Soutou Raizen was a concept clinging barely onto life, dangling from my soul by a thread he tried to reseed himself within me to once again grow strong and consume me.

  On July 29th 2498 that concept of Soutou Raizen was finally destroyed, by my own hands.

  # # #

  Raizen stared at his granddaughter who began to stir, her limp sleeping body dangled over the edge of a broken window. With only a few wild movements the collar of her dress which kept her anchored to the floor would rip, she’d plunge down forty stories to her death.

  Biting his lip to the point it bled, his face twisted into a flurry of emotions, his eyes dilated, pupils constricting and blood vessels making his sclera red.

  Everything, everything he’d worked for his whole life. All of it right here right now, every single shard of Soutou Raizen, the disgusting pitiful man of Raizen, the seventy years which he’d lived focused only on the immortality of his life and legacy. All of it was being violated, not by the mad swordsman Tatakayaiba Kenji nor the sleeping beauty of his daughter. But his own person, his own hands and mind betrayed him.

  A single sentence, a single sentence would end this, a single sentence was the difference in the path which the rest of his life would take. This is not what Soutou Raizen, but the man Raizen was grappling with at this moment.

  Kenji stared at Raizen, his eyes unwavering, his attention focused solely on the man before him. One who’s entire soul seemed to crumble. I feel kinda bad now… He thought.

  “Who do you work for?” Raizen asked once more.

  “I already told you, I can’t tell you but he’s not a bad guy.”

  “Ha, it's kind of hard to believe when you’re using my Granddaughter as a hostage.”

  “Yeah well, sometimes to save the country you have to get your hands dirty.” Kenji said, shrugging his shoulders once more.

  “Save the country huh?” Raizen laughed dryly.

  “...”

  “...”

  Staring at his granddaughter's sleeping face once more, thinking of the expression his wives, sons and daughter would make when they heard he’d allowed her to be killed. What his nephews and Mikami's brother would think. How it would destroy them. Raizen looked down at his own hands. Rough, calloused, and stained with the bloods of hundreds, no thousands. Even if he’d not been the one to kill them himself his actions, his ruthless attitude had caused the deaths of so many. Did they also feel the same way as he did at this moment?

  Did they feel helpless and lost, torn between two things that mattered most to them?

  If Raizen accepted, Soutou Raizen would die, he’d never come back. That concept which he’d built his whole life, the one he clutched to the shattered remains of would evaporate completely. Leaving only Raizen behind.

  Was that something he could handle? Could he cope with it or be able to continue living?

  Of course I can, even if I can't’ I’ll have them to walk me through it…

  Feeling a weight lift off his shoulders Raizen looked up to Kenji with a weak and strained smile.

  “I surrender my title to Sosuke.”

  “Swear it?” Kenji asked.

  “Yes, I swear upon the life of my granddaughter, my wives and my children. I surrender.”

  With a deep sigh and his shoulders dropping Kenji curved his lips into his one smile, one equal as strained as Raizens.

  “Got it.”

  With that single comment Kenji released Mikami's dress, her sleeping face not budging as she fell through the air from the open window.

  “MIKAMI!” Raizen screamed, jumping up and running to the window, his heart felt as though it was ready to burst, and his eyes grew dry. He race to the window hoping in vain that he could grab here but-

  “Jeez, what if I didn’t catch her!” A voice came, one which Raizen had never heard. It was youthful and somewhat high pitched, though it had a subtle roughness to it. Like someone who’d grown up mentally before their body had matured.

  Appearing before Raizen on a platform of Ice was a teenage boy, his most glaring features his blue crystal clear sanpaku eyes and the nasty long scar across his cheek. His right arm was pitch black, like that of molten tar, not even darker. Something so dark it was incomparable to any natural color. Who appeared before him was Kanashi Sarumalder.

  “Sorry about that, I don’t know what this guy was thinking!” Kanashi said, the last half of his sentence, a yell which was directed at the swordsman.

  “I knew you’d catch her, and look, you did. So there’s no point in arguing about what ifs!” Kenji argued back.

  Raizen quickly grabbed his granddaughter from Kanashis arms, whilst not ripping her away he certainly gave Kanashi no chance to keep his grip on her. But that didn’t matter anyways, because the whole point of Kanashi telling Kenji to use Mikami as a hostage had been fulfilled.

  “Believe it or not… I really didn’t want it to come to this. I just wanted to talk to you. But it seems like everything kept getting in my way. Some elementals at the Shikinori estate, your damn intercom system and Inurashi. Then this girl and the Shikinori guy. I just couldn’t get a chance to talk to you, so please don’t think I did this out of hate or malice. It’s just the only way I knew how…” Kanashi said, his eyes downcast.

  “...” Raizen didn’t speak, he only clutched Mikami in his hands with a solemn yet satisfied expression painted on his face.

  “Well anyways… I know you swore on your soul which is a decent enough contract… but I want a blood contract. Something more concrete.”

  “A blood contract?” Raizen muttered looking up to Kanashi.

  “It’s not that I don’t trust you but… actually yeah I guess I don’t trust you. Not because I don’t think your trustworth or anything though! More like I’m just used to getting scammed by your kind… if that makes sense…”

  “Do you mind if I ask why you’re doing this?” Asked Raizen.

  Really submissive now aren't cha… frowned Kanashi. “Well, it’s kinda a long story but to give you the rundown of it… I’m kinda trying to save Edoland, or well liberate them. Since we’ll be working together in the future I think it’s safe to tell you that.”

  “You’re working with the Venator Society?”

  “Wow you sure caught onto that fast! But no, um not really. I’m an independent variable, like a Joker in a deck of cards. I’m just doing my own thing to make sure everything wraps up neatly. And one of the things I had to do was make you abdicate your throne to Sosuke.”

  “Ha, I see. I can only assume this is the Hojos doing. Only they would be foolish enough to not expect me to join the liberation if offered.”

  “...” Kanashi and Kenji both made faces like they’d eaten something sour at this comment by Raizen. The whole point of this Soutou Situation being questioned in their mind.

  “But what’s done is done at this point. I have no right to complain when I was the one who dropped the ball.” Said Raizen standing up after gently placing Mikami on a couch.

  This guy is completely different compared to before, is he BPD or a Schizo!? Wondered Kanashi ruffling his hair.

  “Well then, let’s get this over with.”

  With that Raizen pinched the flesh on his thumb print to the point it bled and presented it to Kanashi.

  “Y-yeah.” Kanashi muttered nervously, conjuring Itachi and preparing to slice his own flesh to the point of it bleeding. With a deep breath he quickly ran his finger tip along the blade, fresh red blood sprouting from the cut.

  Raizen and Kanashi looked at each other and pressed their bleeding thumbs together.

  “By this contract, Soutou Raizen agrees to abdicate his title of Clan Head to Soutou Sousuke as soon as possible.” They both said in unison. A light red light illuminating their thumbs as their auras intertwined.

  The feeling of a light weight was placed onto both of their souls, one which solidified the contract.

  “Then it’s done…” Kanashi muttered under his breath as he pulled his thumb away. He looked at it silently and pondered about what the next step in his plan was.

  I have to call Nordon.

  The Soutou Situation arc is done! Well Mini arc I guess since it’s only a part of the Tiger Salamander arc.

  With that I think the Tiger Salamander Arc is a little over 75% done. I just have a few more things to put in before moving onto the next major arc / phase.

  I’m surprised at how much of a role Raizen played and that he got two named chapters to himself. I really didn’t think much when creating him other than he was a mean old guy but he naturally became what he was. And in the end I’m pretty happy with it. What can I say, old men are fun to write.

  I’ve heard that when a character seems to act with their own will that you’re doing it right, so I think I’m doing it right!