The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC Part #145 - I'll put everything I've perfected in the society into my fist...to bury Taito forever.

Part 145: I'll put everything I've perfected in the society into my fist...to bury Taito forever.

-Axis Pillar-

If you want to leave the Pillar, pads like this one will zap you back down to ground level.

-Liber Ark-

The next Enforcer in our path is Walter. It's long past time Zane settled his hash.

And for the fourth...eeny meeny miney Mueller.

Still, he is just one of many foes we will likely be facing before we are done. Everyone, please, be careful as you go. The fights yet to come are the most dangerous we've yet faced...We should proceed with caution.

I am certain we shall clash again, someday, however. After all! There are words he and I must settle. We must arrive at a true definition of beauty.

(...They really are exactly alike, aren't they.)

(A war to decide who's King of the Ridiculous, huh?)

Six Poms later...

-Axis Pillar-

I forgot the lesson Cid taught me.

Savor the victory...We earned it.

Only Tita can use this armor. We'll check it out later.

There is nothing my sword cannot cut!

Hmm?

-The Enforcers-

The Direwolf.

Heh. Nice of you to come. If YOU'RE here, I assume that means you're ready, aren't you?

Yes. It is time.

I will use the Living Fist of our master to shatter your Murderer's Fist.

Heh heh heh. You ended up just like the old man said you would.

As...Master Ryuga said I would?

What do you mean, Walter? So your fight with Master DID have something to do with me!

Hah, I told you, didn't I? If you wanna know, beat me.

*snap*

C'mon! Time for a good, old-fashioned death match!

-Fateful Confrontation-

Prepare to be rose-tinted, Sunglasses Man.

Ultimate Blow still Faints, which is why Zane and Mueller have those Crest Charms.

My soul and sword are as one!

RIGHTEOUS WITNESS!

This attack has a chance of deathblow. I did not know about it.

-Silence-

The hell did you...learn that kinda...?

Walter...as always, you are a genius. But your talents mean you've never practiced as you should.

And the way of the fist is built on training. Always training, so that it comes naturally as breathing. That's why even I, your lesser, can strike you.

...

Heh. My lesser, huh?

The old man didn't think so, you know that?

...What?

-In My Heart-

The old man told me this. Puttin' aside all the bullshit about the ideal of a 'living fist' or a 'murderer's fist' or whatever...In terms of pure talent and quality...you're better than me.

You...You can't be serious!

And the old man said he was going to have the most talented one inherit the Taito style. Now, you are the densest lump o' meat I've ever known, Zane, but even you know what that'd mean.

But, that...How...?

I'm better than you? That's absurd! It's a blatant lie! And Master would never have done that and just ignored Kilika's feelings...

Heh heh...You're naive as ever. That's just it. To be with our teacher's daughter, without inheriting the school? You think I'd accept that? Hell...I wonder if she'd accept that...

...

So, you see, I demanded a match with you to determine the successor. And then the old man laid another one on me.

'Zane unconsciously submits to you in all things. Both in martial arts and affairs of the heart.'

'As long as you both are as you are now...you would never truly fight him.'

But, then...

Heh...I was still a young hothead, so I really couldn't accept that. So once I kept insisting, he said HE'D fight a deathmatch with me in your place.

And then...I won.

...

So. That's why I killed the old man. You wanted to know, so I answered.

...I think I finally understand. I could never understand why Master asked to fight that match with you...

But now the pieces have finally fallen into place.

Have they?

There's something you don't understand, Walter. I only learned about this from Kilika after the match. But...

Master Ryuga had just learned he had cancer when you challenged him. Terminal cancer, that is.

Wait a...

THAT is why he challenged you, Walter. I'm sure he also wanted to admonish your abuse of the Taito style...And he wanted to show me the pinnacle of the art, and inspire me to step out of your shadow.

But, more than anything, what Master wanted...

...was to end his life in battle against his greatest student.

...

Heh. Heh, heh. The hell is this...? Ridiculous. No way. So, what? He just used me as a tool for suicide? If that's true, then all I...

On some level, it was deeply selfish, it's true.

But when you think about it, trying to perfect yourself and your power is a selfish act, no matter what else you do. You could say a dedication to selfishness is our duty as martial artists.

I think Master...chose to put all his selfishness on display. And, in doing so, revealed to both of us the light and darkness of the fist.

Feh...

Walter. Take your stance.

Huh?

I shall put everything I have learned, from you and from Master...everything I've practiced as a bracer...all of Taito into this fist. And I shall use it to bring light to the foolish elder student before me, who has become a devil and fallen into darkness.

It is my final duty as the dojo's junior student.

...

Heh. Look at you, bein' all like the old man...