Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Also, I didn't really like how the last chapter turned out so I'm replacing it with this one. Hope it doesn't ruin anyone's experience reading and that you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you for understanding! And a special thanks to Princessa Mia for the review!

It hurt. Pain. What a strange experience. The high school impostor sat staring blankly at a wall as his bloody wound was cleaned by careful and experienced hands.

Mizuchi was used to this sort of thing and was very comfortable with blood and pain. Besides being a weapon who caused these sorts of wounds in others, she was also given her life during the apex of pain: in the middle of one of the bloodiest wars this land had ever seen. She had learned early on how to handle wounds—from superficial to fatal.

"What are you thinking father?" The young nora was now wrapping the serious shoulder wound in tight bandages.

"Yaboku. He's changed..."

The nora didn't respond but silently finished bandaging the demi-god, cleaned up the bloodied clothes and came back with water and pain medicine. She held it out for Fujisaki.

"I'm fine Mizuchi. I don't need it."

"But father...it must hurt."

"It does."

He needed to remember this pain. The pain his boy had inflicted on him over that simple girl. It wasn't good. She was destroying all of Fujisaki's carefully-laid plans that he'd spent hundreds of years creating—and they all revolved around Yaboku. If the God of Calamity was swayed now, that means that all that time planning would have been for nothing.

"Mizuchi...you've tried corrupting the girl's memories before in order to make her forget yes?"

"Yes father...but she broke the spell herself."

Strong-willed girl. Fujisaki thought with contempt. "You think she loves him?"

"What?"

"Love." Fujisaki repeated, "Do you think that Hiyori girl loves our Yaboku?"

Mizuchi's face screwed up in disgust, giving Fujisaki an answer without any words having to be spoken.

"Unfortunate." The demi-god pursed his lips. Something would have to be done about the girl.

Yato flew through the air on the back of Bishamon's Lion Regalia.

Bishamon had appeared shortly after Fujisaki escaped and helped Yato take Hiyori back to Kofuku's place. They all agreed it would be safer than Hiyori's home.

Now, Yato was working along his former nemesis to track down his creator and put a stop to the demi-god's plans. They needed to find him and strike fast before the Fujisaki had time to recover. Who knew what he would unleash once he got his strength back? All Yato knew was that it wouldn't be good for anyone—especially not the gods.

"So you know this guy?" Bishamon turned her head slightly and almost-yelled. At the speed they were traveling, she had to yell so Yato could hear her.

"Yeah. He's my creator!"

Bishamon turned fully now and gave him a look of shock. "What?"

Yato nodded, "He wants to end the god's reign over mankind and start a new era where humans become the divine rulers. He told me about it when I was a boy."

"No...humans have a set of standards and morals! Doesn't he know how easily they would be corrupted as gods?! It would be a disaster!" Her face looked horrified at the idea.

Yato bit his lip, "I know that. But he thinks, for that very reason, that humans made into divine beings—demi-gods—would be better. Because they would know right from wrong. At least...in terms of how humans define right and wrong. He believes a god's version of morals and standards is wrong; simply because of the fact that we haven't lived mortal lives."

"But we learn from our Regalias!"

"He doesn't think that's good enough."

"Unbelievable…"Bishamon turned forward again and didn't say another word. Yato could tell she was thinking about what he had just told her.

His phone buzzed and when Yato opened it, he read the message from Hiyori:

Be safe. I'll be waiting.

Yato smiled but he felt a sadness tug at his heart. Who knows who he would be after this encounter with his creator? One thing he knew was that if he stayed how he was, there would be no chance in hell of defeating Fujisaki—one of the greatest warriors to have ever lived; and the one who had trained Yato himself to become a God of Calamity.

He texted back anyways,

I will. You stay alert too. I don't know if he'll try and come after you again.

She responded quickly,

Okay.

And Yato closed his flip-phone. He wanted to say so much more to her, but he couldn't think of the words. Even if he could, it was better than he kept his distance for now.

Bishamon suddenly tensed up in front of Yato, "We've got something."

They started descending into the middle of a forest. Yato recognized this place. It was the place Nora had kept him trapped and away from Hiyori and Yukine.

Yato took a deep breath and gripped Yukine.

'Yo. Relax sweaty hands,' Yukine gibed.

Yato yelled back at his Regalia out loud, startling Bishamon and the Lion Regalia; but really Yato was frateful for Yukine's insults. They distracted him momentarily from his dark thoughts and he found himself relaxing a little more.

They landed on the grassy, forest floor and Yato hopped off the lion's back along with Bishamon, fully dressed in her myriad of Regalias.

The lion sniffed the air, "He's in there," the lion said before sneezing, "and he doesn't smell very good."

Bishamon stepped forward alongside Yato. Something still felt off—something she couldn't quite pinpoint—she had been having this bad feeling but she didn't know why.

Kazuma seemed to sense her hesitation, 'Veena, please be careful.'

Bishamon took a deep breath, "I will Kazuma. Watch my back."

'Always.'

And they broke down the door.