Battle through the Hells: War of the Dead

Tired and Exhausted, every muscle screaming in protest, Kojiro gradually collapsed onto the slick, gore-soaked stone by the corner.

The stench of death, a cloying, metallic tang, filled his nostrils, a constant reminder of the carnage he'd just unleashed. His demonic claws, still slick with black blood, trembled. He stared at them, as a sense of revulsion filled his mind.

"What have become of me" he said in a faint and dizzy voice.

"You have absorbed too much of an Infernal Qi in too short a time," Kurotenbatsu's voice, cold and detached, echoed in his mind.

The sword was with in front of him yet its voice spoke in his mind. A private conversation only he could hear.

"Your body is barely holding it together "

Kojiro's breath began to hitch, his chest heaving. He felt a strange heat, a burning sensation that pulsed beneath his skin. His vision blurred, the grotesque landscape tuning in and out of focus.

"You have to Breathe," Kurotenbatsu commanded, the voice a low, resonant thrum.

"Long, deep breaths. Let the Qi settle."

He obeyed, drawing in ragged breaths, the air thick and foul, yet somehow… invigorating. As he inhaled, he felt a strange sensation, a calming warmth spreading through his body, soothing the burning ache in his muscles. Soon, his demonic form, a grotesque replica of his former self, began to shift. The thick, coarse skin seemed to smoothen, the bone protrusions receding, the claws retracting slightly. The sharp angles of his cheekbones and jawline became more defined, the red glow in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a flicker of his former human self, a spark of recognition in the darkness. His skin was less of a black color, to more of a dark grey. His body was still that of a demon, but it was starting to resemble a human form, a twisted reflection of his past. A strange mix of hope and unease settled within him.

He felt a strange sense of… clarity. The fog that had clouded his mind began to dissipate, replaced by a sharp, almost painful awareness of his surroundings. The mountains of corpses, the grotesque figures tearing at flesh, the oppressive darkness – it was all real, a tangible nightmare.

"The Qi is reshaping you .... That's good , it's the first step of infernal cultivation....Thanks to me , you have aquired it much quickly ," Kurotenbatsu explained, its voice a low murmur.

"Normally it would reform you baseds of your desires, and your memories. It seeks to restore what was lost."

Kojiro's hand clenched into a fist, the movement still clumsy, still bearing the a bit of resemblance of its former demonic form. He looked around, his gaze settling on the corpses, the scavengers that attacked him. A wave of nausea washed over him, a visceral reaction to the carnage.

"So, just so I am clear, I am dead but not really dead?" he asked, his voice still hoarse, a hint of confusion lingering.

"You are a bit correct," Kurotenbatsu replied,

its voice a low, resonant thrum, echoing in Kojiro's mind. "Your soul, like those of other great warriors who died before you with unfulfilled dreams or desires, on rare occasions are granted a second chance of glory in hell .

Kojiro's brow furrowed. "Second chance? Why?"

" Resurrection,that's what drives many of you" Kurotenbatsu stated, the word a cold, hard promise. "Through cultivation, through the honing of your power, you have a glimmer of a chance to rise from this abyss and challenge the very lords of this realm....and if by some chance you defeat all of them , you are gifted by one wish "

"A Wish?....The lords of Hell?" Kojiro scoffed, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "That's… that's impossible."

"Is it?" Kurotenbatsu countered, a subtle edge of amusement in its tone. "That, I suppose, depends on your definition of 'impossible.

" You may be right but all I know was what I was told by my previous master, the Abyssal Lord, Master of the Depths,before he was vanquished....well that's a story for another day.

He once said that great warriors were sometimes resurrected to provide entertainment for the lords of Hell. If you ask me; I believe it is a game used to entertain the lords since none of them have gotten close to being defeated....no warriors past or present stood a chance."

"I heard you say entertainment?" Kojiro repeated, a chill running down his spine. "So, we may just be pawns in an unending game?"

"Perhaps," Kurotenbatsu conceded. "Or perhaps… there is a kernel of truth to the story. It is said that the heart of each of these ten demon lords if brought together would ignite a phenomenon powerful enough to reshape reality and grant one a wish".

Kojiro's eyes widened, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "Hmmmm...One wish?"

"But one would have to first defeat them....?" Kojiro mused, its voice laced with a hint of cynicism. "And...in doing so I may die a second time....?

Who can say? But what is Hell without hope, no matter how faint ....you have to try". Kurotenbatsu chipped in.

A moment of silence settled between them, broken only by the distant sounds of the scavengers.

"You should be remembering fragments of your previous life by now," Kurotenbatsu finally spoke, its voice shifting slightly, a hint of impatience creeping in.

"The Qi works on first reshaping your mind as well as your body."

Kojiro closed his eyes, searching his memories.

.... A flash of steel, the clash of blades, he could see Musashi's face, impassive and cold. The searing pain in his chest, the darkness closing in... nothing too clear ....all in patches but he understood enough

"Musashi," he whispered, his voice filled with a raw, burning anger. "He…"

"Was he the one who ended your life," Kurotenbatsu interrupted, its voice sharp.

"That cunning fox, he can't have the last laugh, I need to get back , how do I get back?" Kojiro voiced out in a pain stained voice

"Well...if by some chance you succeed.....and that a big if.....time works differently here in hell, a day on earth is like a century in hell..so if you can defeat the 100 lords of hell before a century and get your wish then you just might get back to that same moment he kills you ," Kurotenbatsu replied, its voice a low, assuring murmur.

"Tell me more about this cultivation you spoke of

and what do I need to grow and be stronger" Kojiro growled, his voice a ragged rasp against the stench of rot

Kurotenbatsu, a black gleam in the dim light, hummed with a low, predatory thrum.

"Power," it hissed, the word in venomous whisper.

"The kind that makes gods tremble. The kind that will bend reality to your will. The kind that lets you carve your name on the face of oblivion."

Kojiro's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dark and hungry igniting within them.

"And how," he rasped, "do I get it?"

"By feeding," Kurotenbatsu replied, its voice a slithering caress.

"By devouring the very essence of this place. This… Hell… is a festering wound, a breeding ground for the raw, chaotic energy of the damned. Infernal Qi. Consume it. Absorb it. Make it your own."

"And then?" Kojiro demanded, his gaze fixed on the blade.

"Then," Kurotenbatsu continued, its voice a low, guttural growl, " you grow....gradually clawing your way up from this measly strength of yours, through the ten states of blood and bone till your will becomes law. Godlike!!!."...

"Ten states?" Kojiro repeated, the words a hollow echo in the cavern.

"Well yeah....You obviously a one flame Revenant considering how long it took you to wipe out these pests " Kurotenbatsu hissed, its voice a litany of damnation.

After that there is "Hungering Spirit...Wraith Lord.....Hellspawn..... Fleshrender..... Blood Demon... Demon Sovereign... Abyssal Lord. Nether Emperor....Voidbringer."

"And with each stage," Kojiro asked, his voice thick with a mixture of dread and anticipation, "I gain…the power to kill the lords right??"

"Yes...but be warned the lords are as strong as they come" Kurotenbatsu snarled, the word a raw, animalistic sound. "The have the power to tear flesh from bone with a single glance. The power to command legions of the damned. The power to reshape the very landscape of Hell itself. So I would suggest you level up well before you take on the least strongest and then claw your way up."

"And what of you?" Kojiro asked, his fingers twitching towards the hilt. "What becomes of you....what do you stand to gain from all of this?"

"I will become like your shadow," Kurotenbatsu hissed, its voice laced with a strange, possessive pride. "I will becomes your an extension of your very soul. And as you grow I will evolve with you, becoming a blade that can carve a path through the very fabric of reality."

"Just so we clear, If I succeed am going back and am not wasting my wish for any of your twisted selfish thoughts"- kojiro spoke out , the voice firm and defiant.

"The sword has no will.....your will is mine" Kurotenbatsu replied in a calm reassuring tone.

Kojiro's eyes narrowed, a dark, predatory gleam in their depths.

"Then let the feeding begin," he snarled, his voice a raw, animalistic sound. As he stared to wards the corpse littered landscape.