Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Key to my awakening.
< Madara POV >
The sail back wasn't as novel as the sail coming; the ocean was still that same very ocean, and the vast emptiness was still there.
The sounds of swords clashing and valyrian commands came from the Uchiha guards on the deck.
Even when sailing, their training doesn't end.
'Not that there is much to do anyways.'
Laying on a soft cushion inside the captain's quarters, my ears picked up the small talk from Syrio Forel.
"We are going to Pentos to see your sister. Can you explain who she is so I can get a better understanding of her?."
'Dany...' Images of when I first disdained her. But still gave her a chance, and all the while, she grasped it.
She cried but worked hard. She got stronger and stronger. She could have lived lavishly or learned from the maids to be noble.
Instead, she chose to fight for strength, focusing all her time and energy on getting stronger to stand firm in this world of cruelty.
"She is kindhearted, brave, and persistent." This was all I wanted to say; he would experience more himself.
It was enough.
"Well, that's good to hear." He seemed pleased. Whether he believed it or not was another.
"Yes, I will entrust her into your care. You must teach her well. I hope that when I come back, she will be able to defend herself properly. It would be better if she could counter-kill them." my voice softens inadvertently whenever I speak about her.
"With me, the girl shall learn to water dance like my master had taught me, the way my master tau-" he spoke passionately and confidently.
My eyes close to tune off his rambling as he talks about his past. I feel the power of that ethereal energy. It courses through my body... enhancing me.
'Magic.' At first, I wasn't sure, but now I know this is the source of the power called magic from those books. Using this word will also make it easier to understand.
I have seen what the human body looks like with those who do not have this magic and those who can hold it.
Surprisingly, both Syrio and Yellow Bug were in this category.
This should be how strong they are; they have reached a strength stronger than most. However, this is just a theory; I need to look at more cases in order to understand them better.
Interrupting his rambling, my voice carries through the air of what's on my mind:
"I have created a technique that can make you stronger physically and maybe magically, but I am unsure if there are any side effects. I also don't feel bad if something wrong goes with you as we only met. So you can decide whether to agree or not. If you succeed, you will get power above mortals; if you fail... I don't know what would happen."
Speaking honestly and truthfully, I said as I still slouched on this chair, making no movements or having any idea of doing anything else.
'I want to figure out a safe approach to this so that those I want to give this to would not have to endure much pain,' I tell myself, but still, that same silver hair and childish smile can't help but appear from my heart.
'Dany, Dany, Dany... What am I to do with you...' Opening my eyes slits slowly. A red gleam is shown in this somewhat dark room.
'These eyes need strong emotions to evolve. My ambition and resolve are all there; I also know you are important in my heart now, but because of that... it has become my weakness. Because of this, you can now become my key to strength.' The beating of my heart slowly started becoming calm, and my eyes, which had tenderness, became cold and piercing.
'I have taken the eyes of my brother already; why can't I use my sister now to reopen new ones.' I felt the world's weight pressing me, the darkness in my heart expanding, my hands clenching the arms of the chair as my fist veins revealed themselves from the tension I was creating.
"dara"
"adara"
"Madara," Syrios's voice made clear and crisp sounds in my ears.
Shifting my head, look at him, and an untargeted emotion of intense hatred and killing intent was unleashed on him.
I slowly watched as he pulled out his sword and stood up in a stance, ready for a fight, before realizing what had happened and slowly sitting back down.
I also realized what I had just done. My head shakes, 'What am I doing? ' I feel my neck lean back loosely into the soft cushion. A slight sting manifests in my heart. I thought I would never feel such family affection again.
Is this the curse of my Uchiha clan? 'Greater the love, the stronger the hate.'
"Did you think of an answer?"
"Yes. I will accept this. Did I ever tell you how I got to becoming the ex-sword master?
It was a thrilling title and job, and I worked hard to get this.
I am constantly training, and I have enough deaths on my hands to make this happen. I am never scared to be in a room full of men because I know I am the most dangerous one.
This is the height I have achieved." Still with the same look of elegance, but soon became a little melancholy.
"Yet... I retired. There was a meeting with the Sealord and a Lannister emissary, and that emissary took a liking to my wife. So they forced themselves onto her. You see, my wife enjoyed coming to my work area and bringing my food, especially this time when I would not be home for a couple of days.
I wasn't there when she came this time. I had no idea about the atrocities they had committed until it was too late."
His voice started choking up, and I could see him holding back his tears.
"Four days later, when I came home. I saw my dead wife, parched. Her smooth skin had become dry, and her chubby skin had become scrawny... I had spent those four days protecting these same very emissaries while they played and killed my wife; I had no idea."
I see his tone now, turning into a raging sea. "So I went to them. I killed every single person, all two hundred, in a single night. Whether they were sailors or Lannister men... I killed anyone who came from that boat in a single night as they slept."
He started to reminisce about this. I could see the anger he had to turn into a subtle calmness, but the tears streaming down his eyes were left as proof of his real feelings.
"The way I killed the actual people involved was slow and painful. I stabbed each pressure point in the human body as they wailed in pain and could only take in my artwork on their bodies. After the revenge, I felt nothing, no satisfaction. I even questioned my love for my wife, but I knew I truly loved her."
He closed his eyes as he finished. "So I went back to my Sealord and asked him if he knew if he knew what had happened. and he told me,
"Sometimes you have to sacrifice for the bigger picture."
"You see, he gave up my wife to secure considerable money and trade resources from Casterly Rock. The sad part was that it was only for his extra cut.
To please the emissary to bring more back. I know I couldn't kill the Sealord; if I did, I would be hunted, I would be forced to move. I would lose the house my wife bought from her hard work, the same wife I promised to be together with her forever. Now I am alone."
He raised his eyes, looking at me with a powerful resolve and conviction; this vulnerable moment seemed to strengthen his decision.
"So yes, I will take you up on your offer. Maybe if I can become stronger with this technique, I will not feel the worry of losing my house, the token of my love with my wife." He finally finished speaking, just staring at me. This intense atmosphere had quietly affected me.
'This is a real warrior with a clear goal and purpose. Even if it seems as insignificant as that token of love, he would die fighting for it.'
My voice echoed in this small captain's quarters with a strong sense of confirmation and authority.
"If you succeed in this new power, you will be able to start to control your future in this world."
Syrio could become a strong contender against the champions of this world, but he may still be a little weaker, even with the technique I will give.
But against mortals, he can easily defeat as many as they come until he is exhausted.
"Then, let's begin. What I will be doing is applying your pressure points while passing down the magic I have inside me. You may feel pain or nothing. This is the first time I am doing this, after all. But if this does happen, you must stay awake."
Pushing myself up from the chair, my eyes fully opened, I took in the information. Looking at Syrio, I noticed small nodes interconnecting his heart to both his head and his dominant hand.
"Do not resist; any resistance may ruin your chance." This is not because I had power control and wanted him at my mercy, but because I did not want him subconsciously dodging or tightening his muscles, which blocks the magic flow.
I watched him nod in understanding. I put my arms into a fighting stance.
My breathing was under control.
I had to apply a bunch of calculations and movements insanely fast.
Only the Sharingan and I could accomplish this.
I calculated that anything slower may lead to the magic dispersing and not opening or functioning correctly.
The flow of magic wrapped invisibly around my two index and middle fingers on both hands as I stabbed forward instantly.
"Argh"
I couldn't distract myself to see what was happening.
I was in a state where I didn't stop stabbing forward, first the heart, stabbing with both hands and fingers, opening the two nodes leading to his dominant hand and head, then splitting off.
I kept applying, creating a stable tunnel.
The magic I had left from the temple was now dissipating from myself into his body.
I felt some blood drip onto my hands, but I still didn't stop. Even if he died, I would continue.
The tunnel leading to his hand and head finished with my last taps.
My eyes had to blink from the sweat that came down.
My energy was drained from my body, and my magic power was now depleted.
*Cough* Syrio Forel, who was lying on the ground, slowly got up while coughing out a phlegm of blood.
His original pale and sickly face during the process had now turned rosy and healthier.
His eyes, which seemed normal, now gleamed with a new look.
"I feel... Great."
"I thank you, Lord Madara." Hearing him call me Lord surprised me, but what followed felt natural and good.
He kneeled in a very noble salute. His arm resting on his knees, his head looking at the ground.
"I wish to serve under you as a sword to help cut down your enemies. I will train your sister no longer from employment standards but to better ensure the self-protection ability of the young girl. This is a decision I made after accepting this gift at your age. Following you, I know I will be following the future of this world, and I want to play my due part."
"Get up, Syrio Forel. I will accept your allegiance; your power will be very much needed in the future." Accepting his offer of allegiance was good for me; his strong conviction and resolute reasoning for his goals were commendable.
I originally had selfish intentions doing this, but now I feel good. If he believes he can fight me now after gaining this strength, I welcome it, but I would let him then understand the difference between us.
"Take a moment to feel your changes and your thoughts on the process." the seriousness in my voice was evident.
"When you first started, I didn't feel much, but then, I felt like I was being boiled into a kettle of water. This was an experience I had felt before, so the feeling was around the same. Then, the input of this magic felt like I was being forced to eat more than I could chew. I had the feeling that I was going to explode.
This was the most challenging part; my mind felt like it would shut down forever. Then, with the last tap I felt on my hand and head, I could have sworn I was sent to a blissful place.
When I woke up, I felt I had been born with this power. My vision has been enhanced, and I can see things far more clearly and in detail; I have also gained a unique ability.
Although I am unsure if you were already aware of it.?"
"Oh? What is your ability?" my head raised from listening to him.
"I have a feeling of a danger warning; looking at something, I have an instinctive reaction to leave; I feel that from you.
You are very dangerous.
I already had these thoughts when I met you, but now looking at you makes me feel an intense, intangible pressure that doesn't make sense but is there."
'Is this really a new ability he has? If so, this should be used more carefully, but from my method, maybe I can think of a forbidden way to open magic on your own without being influenced by me.
Or it could be that since I was the one awakening his magic power, seeing me now applying invisible pressure, like a parent-child relationship. I could spin numerous thoughts about this situation and finally accept what could have been.
"This is an excellent ability, but it could also lead to bad judgments; if you fall into it, those feelings may lead you, and you will never get stronger if you can't face this fear in your heart." I wanted to remind him of this issue.
"My lord is most wise and correct." I felt my lips curl. Although I knew it was pointless flattery, it was working. My emotions couldn't help but make me feel happy.
"My Lord, here is some advice I want to give you: this power should try to be kept a secret; you may not be scared or worried, but being overrun by many is not unheard of. The saying enough ants can bite an elephant to death is not just a mere saying. I am worried that this may lead the world to look for you."
Seeing the man who had just sworn allegiance to me already giving me council felt nice; loyalty, although I wouldn't blindly trust, was something nice to have. Ever since the Uchiha family betrayed me after I left Konoha.
"Your words of the council are appreciated, but like you said. I am not scared of this world or the trash it brings. Anyone not on the magic side is not my concern. I can tell you this much:
Soon, I will have the power to make a change, and no matter how many people come, I will not lose. However, for my goal, I must humour these petty fights between each other to achieve peace without rebellions.
Remember, Syrio, as long as victors exist, the vanquished will also exist. For me to succeed, I must destroy those who oppose me and my rule, just like I am here.
Syrio Forel, although I call myself Madara Uchiha, others would call me Daemon Targaryen in this world. I am one of the last Targaryens in this world. This time, I would not make the mistakes this house's enemies did."
A long pause left the room silent. The sounds of the front deck could be heard now, and the waves brushing against the ship were seemingly loud.
"I will help you see such a future." He broke the pause, saying,
"I also need to mention that when you finished transferring your magic into me, you looked extremely easy to attack. I don't know if I would have been able to kill you, but at the very least, an injury, I would have been able to deal with you. This is my last advice: Make sure whoever you do this on next, you at least have someone to protect you in this short time of weakness or only with those you can trust heavily."
Hearing his words reminded me of the scene of the exhaustion and sweat I felt. As he said, he wouldn't be able to kill me, but at that exact moment, if he did strike to kill, I would still most likely be injured and severely at that. My heart couldn't help but quickly beat at that thought; I would be full of unwillingness if I were to die such a pathetic death.
"I had already thought of such a situation; I also didn't expect it to take so much energy of mine." I could only respond in a somewhat embarrassed tone. I didn't think such a thing would happen.
*Knocking*
Interrupted by knocking on the door, I regained my calm, "Come In."
The first thing to catch my eye was a man in yellow golden armour. "Yellow Bug? What's the matter?"
"My lord, the sailors say we will arrive at Pentos in ten days, and the weather should be fine along the way."
"Why did you bring this to my attention?" I was speechless; this seemed unimportant.
I looked on as Yellow Bug took some time to reflect, then with confusion on his face, he said
"I wanted to let you know this information, my lord, when I first got it."
I understood his intentions. He just wanted to give me anything he heard. It was the mindset of a good subordinate, but I do not need to know every little detail unless it's important.
"I understand what you want to bring, but next time, try to bring more important information only." I can only help him understand with my words.
He understood it as he nodded and then left.
"Well, he is a great guy." I heard Syrio beside me talk, and then he got up and walked out, not before saying
"I will excuse myself, my Lord; I want to go fishing." He seemed a lot more at ease after talking in this room.
'Ten Days...' My gaze shifts out of the window, looking at the endless blue water.
...Ten Days Later...
I was sitting in a meditative position, remembering when I practiced chakra control. This method worked here, so I followed it. I started to meditate and channel the magical energy flow throughout my body. Over the past few days, though, I noticed a slight difference.
My magic expanded.
Before, I could only leave enough power for two basic Genin techniques; now, I can do three. This improvement was slight but beneficial.
"My lord, there is a situation." Yellow Bug and Syrio both came together to get my attention. Seeing their seriousness, I stood up and followed them out of quarters.
Following them to the ship's bow, I overlooked Pentos; two key things had changed since I left.
From a landscape viewpoint, I could see an endless sea of bodies camped just outside of Pentos on its very left, reminding me of the Ninja Correlation army.
I felt excitement about returning quickly as I noticed that my home was on the opposite side.
That area had a massive plume of smoke flowing into the air and small fires scattered around...
My mind was racing with information from books I learned to better understand the situation, and it all led to one group of people who owned the grass sea.
I felt my face contort. Gritting my teeth, I clenched my hands deeply. My Sharingan opened, showing the three tomoe. My magic started to riot around me, almost affecting the surroundings.
I have never felt so angry about something ever since I came into this world: my own home, my family, everything I have built since now, and the knowledge of what these barbarians do as if they could trample and destroy it as I think.
Only two words could be released from my mouth, brimming with cold, unfeeling emotions I felt.
"The Dothraki."