Ran looked up at the bright sparks of Naraku and wondered what his life had become.
He lowered his head and glanced up ahead. About eighty meters away, Xin and the Hell Lords of both warring queens had set up the emergency, tiny, arena he was going to be dying on.
He had no delusions of winning this fight, he'd come to learn right from when he was very young that if you lacked a destined purpose then you lack luck.
There's nothing like devine intervention for people like him. He'd survived to the extent by mere coincidence.
It was a coincidence that Haru, who was an acolyte in the Monastery, would hear his plea to Master Sei.
It was a coincidence that Haru, who was already embedded in the spiritual community, would have such a colorful background history that his sister would be a Demon Queen.
It was a coincidence that Mukoku, a bored immortal for whom years go by without anything interesting happening, would see him as an opportunity for entertainment or something else just as weird.
It was a coincidence, or rather of purposeful intent, that Mukoku would empower him with her aura to survive against the natural oddities of hell.
It was a coincidence that he'd get so hurt from limbo that she'd need a combination of Arkon blood and an ancient god's ichor to save his life. It was also a coincidence, or intent on her part, which she'd admitted as much to him, that those things which had been used to save his life were perfect for continuing the job.
It was a huge coincidence that the medium he'd used to slay the Lagarakei had made it possible for it to possess his soul while dragging the essences of the Hell Lords with it. It was a bigger coincidence that the Lagarakei within him would later be awoken to protect him from the Blaze and also the Hakokage.
His time in hell could be summed up to a series of coincidences. He was expecting for there to be more, but what he was not expecting was luck.
His heart beating made him whisper, "Five." It felt like days since the last heartbeat.
Xin had asked him to take the next ten seconds to prepare for the battle, but he had no preparations to do. And now he refused to wallow in how pitiful his situation was anymore.
If he was to die then shouldn't he set his affairs in order? Find out about how his father was doing? Leave a message for Mukoku and speak with Haru?
Deciding to do just that, he sent off a thought to his best friend.
"Haru, how is the day going for you?"
"Busy. I'm entering senior service at the Monastery so we are learning four to six times everyday."
"Save some tips for me. Don't forget your promise to teach me some spiritual kin. Anyway, did you manage to check up on my father."
"Yes, Ran, I went to your village. I found your father."
"Really? You did?"
"Yes. I—"
"How is he? Is he healthy, is he eating well? Oh goodness, tell him to quit the mine work for a while and focus on taking care of himself? Tell him I promise that I'm going to come back some day."
"I will. Ran… he was looking for you, Ran. He was sad and bereaved. He thought you died. He's not comforted by what you did, said you should have left him to die, that you can't imagine the sins he committed to be worthy of hell."
"Haru, when have I ever pretended to care about any of that? All I've ever focused on was my father's love and wanting him back. Help me take care of him please, don't let him attempt hara-kiri is a misplaced sense of responsibility to save me. Tell him I love and I'll be back, it'd seem like no time has passed at all."
"Uh, regarding that…Ran, it's been a year since our last conversation. It might feel like an instant for you but…"
"I thought it was supposed to be inconsistent?"
"Yes, the next decade for you, or at least what might feel like a decade, could be just a day here. It's never consistent."
"Hmmm. Can you do something for me, Haru."
"Anything. Why do you sound like you're marching off to war?"
"Funny you'd say that. Please, I want you to tell Mukoku something for me next time you see her."
"I still can't believe she left you with Xin. What do you want me to tell her?"
"Give her my thanks. Tell her I appreciate her very much and can never be able to express how much I'm grateful for everything she did for me. Also, when you see my father, tell him that my visit might take an eternity, tell him that's just the way of Naraku. He should not despair, should not sink into depression, he should live a happy and healthy life as if I'm going to show up the next day so I'll see he's well. Tell him that he should change his ways, embrace honesty and love so when his time comes he'll be on the path to the Celestial Realms. Tell him I love him so much."
"I— Ran…what's going on? What has Xin done?"
"You're going to pass these messages, right?"
"Of course, Ran. But please tell me what is going on."
A thump from his chest resonated his entire being from his core to his flesh. He stood up from where he sat down on the bare ground.
That was the tenth second.
"Haru, you have been a great, if distant, friend. Please take care of my father if I can't anymore."
And Ran walked towards the arena ignoring the calls in his head for him to explain more.
He locked his emotions away, not surprised that his eyes were dry at this moment.
He'd always been aware, had always known this day would come. Since he'd set out on this journey to save his father he'd known the likelihood of his death was going to be very high and nearly insurmountable.
To repeat himself, it was a coincidence that he'd reached this far.
He passed the five Hell Lords of Gagara, the Queen of Silence who were to the right of the arena, opposite to the Hell Lords of Tera, the Queen of Shadows.
The former group was enshrouded in shadows and the latter had a canopy of silence over them.
Standing outside the arena at twelve o'clock was Xin.
Ran, with a heavy heart, stepped into the arena.