Page 98 of Son of Shadows

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Ryukage slashed his way through the yōkai as he saw his main target.

Orochi.

Their bad blood went back for centuries. There were many rumors about what had started their rivalry. But Ryukage remembered it all perfectly. Long ago, he saw that Orochi was trying to charm Haruka. Because of her kind heart, she’d been unable to reject him harshly. Orochi had taken that as an invitation to pursue her.

Ryukage had to step in and tell Orochi that Haruka didn’t love him. She was Ryukage’s one and only, and if he didn’t leave her alone, Ryukage would be forced to take drastic measures.

Humiliated and hurt, Orochi had accused Haruka of leading him on. But she hadn’t done that. Not intentionally. She’d only been kind to the wrong type of creature.

Orochi had completely misunderstood her intentions.

From then on, he saw Ryukage as his enemy because Haruka loved him instead.

He’d won the heart of the kindest goddess ever born, and Orochi was incredibly envious.

Once Orochi had realized that Haruka controlled the gates, then he had become even more obsessed with making her his bride. He was convinced that with Haruka by his side, he could conquer any world.

But life didn’t work that way. Haruka had fallen in love with Ryukage the moment they met. And he’d been hopelessly hers.

If only he could go back to that day. See her one more time.

You have a son. Her son.

True. Ryuichi looked just like his mother. All Ryukage had to do was glance at the boy and he instantly saw her again.

It was like a punch to his gut.

Not that it mattered. Right now, he had a battle to fight and win.

Or die trying.

Orochi headed straight for him, knocking his own men out of the way to square off against Ryukage. He reined his horse to a stop and waited for the snake. Which wasn’t as easy as it sounded, as Orochi’s men kept trying to bludgeon him. Ryukage swatted them away like flies, one after the other.

Until Orochi came near. Then the old dragon blew fire.

“It’s been a long time.” Ryukage rested casually on his horse. “Did you enjoy your stay in the cave I picked out for you?”

That succeeded in enraging the beast. He lunged at Ryukage.

Unperturbed, Ryukage held his hand out and threw a blazing fireball at him. “I guess you didn’t like it. That’s too bad.”

“Prepare to die, demon!”

Orochi launched off the ground and hurdled toward him. Ryukage barely had time to duck and recover before he turned and lunged at one of its heads with his sword. Another one of Orochi’s “brothers” struck to the left, then darted away before Ryukage could land a blow.

This was so annoying. All around them, their soldiers were fighting and dying at the hands of their undead soldiers and Ryuichi’s friends. Fire was raining down on everyone, which sent half of Orochi’s yōkai scurrying for shelter. To his shock, everyone was standing strong: Koichi, Masaru, Haruki, Yumi, Katsu, and all the others. They were as determined to protect his son as he was.

Ryukage felt an ache in his chest, the panging of some emotion he couldn’t quite place. It’d been so long since he’d last had any feelings at all. Now he knew why. Emotions clouded his judgment. They made him weak and vulnerable. He’d buried them so deep he thought they’d never resurface.

But the moment he saw Ryuichi, all of it had come rushing back. It was part of the reason he’d gone into seclusion. His feelings were so confused. He wanted to protect his son and destroy him at the same time.

None of that mattered right now. He had a fierce enemy to vanquish.

Orochi reared back, his heads moving into a strike position. Ryukage began pummeling him with as many fireballs as he could manifest. Time seemed suspended as he tried everything he could to vanquish his enemy.

Now he remembered why they’d been forced to entomb the beast.