Sato was sitting on a desk with his head down. A man covered in bear red snake skin with a tongue to match walked over to Sato. "Satoshi! Wake up!" The Snake Bakemono demands.
"Sato yawns as he wakes up. "Oh sorry, Mr. Naoki."
"Sorry doesn''t cut it!" He yelled. "Detention!"
As the bell rang and all the other students poured out of the classroom. Ai pulled Sato to the side. "Detention, really?"
Sato sighed, "Not now Ai. I''m not I the mood."
Ai grunted, "Sato! Remember we''re here because the King of this Kingdom said Kaoru would be at this school somewhere."
Sato nodded, "I know. But honestly I''m not really in the mood to fight. I mean you took down one of Kaoru''s clones by yourself yesterday, anyway. You don''t need my help."
"But I want your help!" Ai protested. "Please Sato. I know you''re still upset about Arashi. But we have to go collect the last two Sacred Keys."
Sato sighed, "It''s more than that, Ai. If I fight again, I''m afraid that evil power is gonna consume me again. Anyway I have detention so I''ll see you later." Sato waved as he walked back into the classroom."
Sato took his seat at his desk. He pulled out the two keys he had in his pocket. "After everything did to go and find Arashi. I ended up killing him." Sato grunted, "Why does this power have to be mine? I hate it more than anything."
Naoki walked over to Sato. "Listen, since you unsealed the Forbidden Book two years ago I decided I would let you do whatever it is you need to do here. But I''m still gonna have to treat you like a any other student, okay?"
Sato lifted up his head, "Huh? Oh sure."
"Hey Sato. I finally found you?" A voice spoke.
"Nori." Sato realized as he recognized the voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I came because I have some news I thought you might like to hear." Nori answered, "Where Princess Ai."
"She''s probably left by now. I''ll pass the information on to her. So what is it?" Sato wondered.
"It''s about Kaoru and Jiro." Nori began. "They''re not who we think they are. "First off Karou. He''s not and ordinary Bakemono. He was made in Jinsaria Kingdom''s Science Lab."
"Science Lab?" Sato questions.
Nori nodded, "Yes, he is what we call an Artificial Bakemono. He specifically is a D.N.A. Bakemono." He explains. "D.N.A. Bakemono can only be produce artificially. He can multiply himself as many times as he wants. So even if you do defeat all his clones."
"It''s useless." Sato realizes.
"Correct." Nori agrees. "Which is why I recommend going to the source. Luckily for you I found at the real Kaoru is hiding in Jinsaria Kingdom of Levina Country."
"And what about Jiro?" Sato asked curiously.
"Jiro." Nori began. "Jiro isn''t a Bakemono at all. He''s like you. A human."
"What?!" Sato gasped. "But what''s another human doing in Bakemonia? Actually how does he even know about it?"This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Nori stared out the window. "That''s what I''d like to know."
Sato grabbed his heads. "As if things weren''t bad enough and now I''m even more confused."
Nori sighed, "Still the same as always I see. Good luck taking down those two for good."
"I''m not sure I can." Sato admitted. "Or if I want to."
Nori raised an eyebrow. "What''s that mean? You don''t wanna fight?"
Sato nodded, "Exactly."
"Is this about your power of Darkness?" Nori questioned. "Because if it is, just don''t use it.
Sato got up from his deck and startled walking out the door. "I can''t control it. Sorry Nori. But I''m never fighting again."
"Listen!" Nori shouted so Sato would stop. "Ai may have been able to barely defeat one of Kaoru''s clones. But do honestly think she can take on the real one all by herself. And she''s definitely doesn''t stand a chance against Jiro!"
"I''ve taught her some things." Sato responds. She''ll be fine. I''m not fighting anymore." The depressed teen walked out of the classroom.
Ai was walking pacing through the school hallways when a Janitor bumped into her. He was wearing a white cap and face mask. "Oh my bad."
Ai rubbed her head as she got up. "It''s fine."
The Janitor grinned when he got a good look at Ai''s face. He swung his leg out at her. Ai protected herself with a white shield. "What''s the big idea?" She yells.
The Janitor took off his cap and face mask revealing himself to be Kaoru. He pulled out a golden key and turned it. "I open my contract with the Spirit of Strength!" Kaoru shoot out his fist to punch. The Magic Bakemono defended with a green shield. But Kaoru''s fist cracked the shield making its way to hit its target.
Ai fell onto the tiled floor. She quickly got up however and took out one of her own keys, "I open my contracts with the Spirit of Water and the Spirit of Speed. She quickly dashed across the hall slamming her water covered fist into Kaoru''s face.
"Damn it! She''s too fast." Kaoru realized.
Ai covered herself in Water armor and brought her leg delivering a kick to Karou''s neck blocked Ai''s next but the artificial Bakemono blocked the attack. He then did a kick of his own but Ai disappears.
She then reappears above him holding a blade of Water. She swings the Water sword downward as Kaoru vanishes. "I did it. Now all that''s left is the real one."
Sato walked out from a corner. "Ai? You over there?"
Ai ran over to Sato. "Sato! Guess what? I just beat the last Kaoru clone!"
Sato tried to smile, "That''s great Ai. But listen, Karou can make as many clones as he wants. We have to go straight to the real one now."
Ai nodded, "Okay! So then does this mean you''re ready to fight again?"
Sato shook his head. "If I fight and that power comes out again. Who knows what would happen. It''s safer if you do all the fighting from now on."
Ai frowned as she tossed Sato a key. "That''s the key for the Spirit of Strength."
The key immediately startled glowing and Sato was transported to the woods. A thunderstorm occurred as a colossal man with enormous muscles jumped down from the clouds. "So then, Sato right? How may I help you?"
Sato sighed, "Well I guess I''m here to make a contract so tell me the rules fatty."
"It''s not fat, it''s muscle!" The Strength Spirit objected. "Anyway, here''s the first rule, always remember true Strength comes from within!"
"Could you not be so loud?" Sato complained.
"And could you not interrupt me in the middle of the contract." The large man countered. "The second rule is whenever in the face of danger be courageous and know the element of Strength is on your side. And the third rule is as follows, never use Strength in hatred."
Sato rose his right hand reluctantly. "I swear to abide by the rules of Strength."
The Strength Spirit nodded his head satisfied. "Just do me one favor Sato. Don''t open the contract until you realize what''s important to you."
In a desolated landscape, except for some large black pillars that shot up into the sky. Kaoru was digging through the dirt with his hands. A spaceship landed in front of the dark haired man. Jiro walked out of the spacecraft with Sakura following behind him.
"So did you find it yet?" Jiro questioned.
"No." Kaoru sighed. "It''s annoying. All the other keys were right in the Kingdoms. But this King had to be the smart one and hide his somewhere else."
"No matter." Jiro stated as he walked closer to Kaoru. "So did you at least manage to awaken the Darkness locked inside Sato?"
Kaoru nodded, "Of course. He''s so terrified of himself now that he refuses to fight. My previous two clones were defeated by the Princess girl."
Jiro grinned, "Nicely done. "Now for the real reason I came here. I''m going to that village where the Cursed Bakemono Yuuki is."
"Okay." Kaoru replied as he continued digging.
"Come on Sakura. Let''s go." Jiro lead Sakura back to the spaceship.
The Strength Bakemono''s cherry blossom pink eyes were dull and obviously brainwashed. "Yes, Jiro."