A shallow yet heavy breathing pattern was all that could be heard going through the young man's mind, it was unclear how he got here or even why some of the events that would have transpired indeed did. However, there was one thing that was very clear what had just happened couldn't easily be forgotten or forgiven. The stench of his fallen brethren and family blood was still powerfully implanted withing his lungs, the image of their crying faces and hate-filled eyes, and the different unique screams of agony still ringing within his eyes. Did this man truly have no shame? Could he be so cold hearted as to strike his family down? Did he feel no remorse as he would wander through this thick fog, not a sign of a single emotion upon his face? He seemed unfazed to those that could have been outside looking in the splatters of blood upon his body would have shown that he had just gotten out of combat. The most peculiar thing wouldn't be the blood of another upon his face and hands but the seven wounds placed upon his body with the weapons remaining within him. His left leg would have had a small black dagger impaled that would have contained a symbol of the peacock head covered in red paint, and now the tainted blood of this man Shima. His right arm stabbed with a trident with its handle broken off the remaining splintery end that was once attached would have also been black, and a faint sign of a goat symbol in pink if one would dare get close enough to the man they would see its remains.


------------------------------ Flashback of Flashback ------------------------------------

Though was there anyone out here to see him? Or rather the greater question why wasn't someone out there watching out for him? Why would he have had to have gone through so much pain emotionally and mentally all for nothing? The sin of pride his eldest brother would have been given this title and marked upon his body the symbol of the peacock, next would have been his eldest sister marked with the goat the symbol of that of lust. They both had their specialties and brought something to Shima that he wouldn't feel for quite some time after the events that transpired this night. As a family, these two would have been the mentors to the boy from a young age. Always finding a way to make what seemed to be a dreary day into that of a magical one, it was these two that would have given the boy "hope" and seemingly the last people to attempt to restore it. As the morning would have sprung upon him, or rather the dawn of an era coming to a close, he would awake to the sound of his brothers and sisters already beginning their morning training as they would fight over who got what for breakfast. It would have started as the day of any other, the warmth of the cottage being the early embrace of something that would have only combated by that of one particular woman within his life. However, at this moment the thing causing the man to shoot out of his slumber within a fantastic mood would have been the smell of roasting pork and freshly made bread. As the wheat aroma would have seemingly swept him off his feet,

he would have burst through his door and down the stairs in great haste, his mind on one thing getting as much of the pork as he could. Thus his mission would have had six people in his way the children knew through the clan as the seven sins. These would be his eldest brother Jundo, his eldest sister Nintai, his younger twin brothers Mushi and Shinjin, younger twin sister Heiwa and Ansoku, and his twin Mukuchi. These people would have been his greatest motivation and blockers within life and even more so this morning as he would have swiftly run into the fray it would have been no surprise everyone was laughing and smiling for this is what they did every morning and every day. Though the only difference being the size difference between Shima and Mukuchi compared to the other siblings that ranged from six to seven feet tall. Thus even though he wasn't very fast, durable, or rather anything special at all in that regard at least he thought he would find a way to make himself stand out among his siblings and that would have been through the strength that he developed from training with these giants every day. He would have been the strongest of the seven sins by the ease, and he used it to his advantage along with his size to catch everyone by surprise usually leaving him and his twin to fight for the prize at the end of it all. Thus he would have done as such with the chaos of a battle royale going on within a home it left many things to the advantage of the short these in the instance of Shima being stealth, strength, and accuracy. He would have moved quietly and smoothly as he would swim through the swarm of bodies and fist a slight laugh would have escaped from his lips and the next thing to follow a swear, 'shit.' He would have looked upward and seen his younger brothers holding their fist at each other cheek by a large force and grinning as they thought he could eliminate the first bystander. What a mistake that would turn out to be for as they both removed their fist from the others face and begun lowering them down toward him with that they thought was the great force he would have let another laugh escape as his cover would have come crashing down. For as he grabbed their fist and would have swiftly swung them into each other as he would have made their heads collide letting a loud noise ring out letting everyone know that the accursed demon would have awoken. With this it would have been on everyone would have begun piling upon him and the twins would have finally gotten up from their morning concussion and found their way toward the pill and then it would have come out in unison something that Shima would have forgotten.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHIMA I HOPE YOU HAVE A GRAND OLE DAY, FOR YOU ARE NOW TWENTY ONE!"

A single tear would have rolled down his cheek as he would have found himself laughing with his family after yet another fantastic year upon this earth and then he would look across the room and see his twin sister only smiling looking upon her family. Admiring them for the crazy individuals that they were and would have mouthed what the family had already said in her particular way. 'Happy birthday Cryptic don't forget our promise.' She would have smiled at him and then jumped on the giant pile of bodies stacked on top of him; she took what she felt was her rightful place as queen. It was funny Shima the one being within the fray of the crazy morning every day, and yet his twin would seek nothing to do with them other than to watch and only admire the people she had grown to love and be so attached to within the years. Though this all would have come to an end when the last people of the morning party would show up and finally restore order to the household their mother being Ai and Father Shinkō However, the rest of the day would have gone like any other with family training. However, as the day fell to a close the boys going hunting for dinner it would have been the last part of his time that would have seemingly gone astray. As the family gathered for the annual test of strength that came with the passage of every year, he would be able to test his abilities against any member of the clan. And as always he would have picked the strongest of them all Mukuchi he would finally have chosen his twin to fight for they always had one rule if they day would have come for him to challenge her she would lose simply to let him rise to the throne of power and command over the seven sins. However, the once loving and caring sisters he once knew was no longer there, instead was the rumored devil that she truly was then everything would have faded to black.

----------------------- Back to Flashback #1--------------------------------------------

As he would have seemingly snapped back from a daze, he found himself leaning against a tree, his once thick small breathing starting to pick up just slightly.


"Did I pass out or black out for a moment there great. I need to find myself somewhere to stay before the villagers find me..."


He would have found himself beginning to feel the agony of the wounds inflicted upon him finally; now he could believe the remaining five wounds with three of them placed in a triangle within his abdomen. The point of this triangle would have been pointed downward toward his legs with the weapon in place being a rigid broadsword that would have been passed down for generations that would have the symbol of a brown snail upon the blade's tip that would have been sticking out just below Shima's bellybutton. Next would have been a pretty standard katana that would have had no particular design or markings but would within his left shoulder blade and marked with the symbol of a white snake. The Last of the triangular wound being an ax placed into his right shoulder blade cleaving into his collar bone with the mark of a black pig on the edge that one could see. Finally, his left arm and right leg would have had a similarly placed wound almost equal distance from his knee and elbow almost preventing any mobility from the man; the wounds would have been inflicted by matching daggers the only difference being the markers which would have been a toad and a lion. The lion blade in his right leg and the toad blade in his left arm at this moment he thought that all would be lost, but through the thick fog, the man could see a glimpse of what could be his salvation. As he would hear a group of people drawing in close, he would find some strength left within him to push forward and would find himself pushing through the door and collapsing on the floor. Though as he found himself looking up his vision would have seemingly been fading yet again and his last sight would have fallen upon what seemed to be a bright blue gem, though as he would have begun to fade further, he would find himself being consumed by light like no other he had ever felt. Thus he would have let it was over him and as he would have traveled through what seemed to be space and time itself with the appearance of through a world of dust and starlight.


When he awoke, he would found himself placed on a battlefield scarred with broken weapons and shattered bones of fallen warriors, however, amount these individuals there would have been nine that would have stood circling him, and those would have been his family members with his twin standing in front of him. They would have said nothing to him instead would have quietly begun taking their weapons out of him one after another and their important symbols fading away. So as always the person standing in front of him last would have been Mukuchi as a tear would run down the cheek of Shima he would have had one question for his beloved sister. As she would begin to fade away starting with her feet turning into a black dust that would plague the battlefield and consume all within its wake.


"How could you betray me so easily? How could you truly show that the tattoo placed upon you held no meaning whatsoever among the ten commandments? AT LEAST ANSWER ME THAT RETIENCE!"


After a pause for a brief moment, his sister would have spoken to him calmly yet with no emotion and would let nothing important slip from her lips.


"We all bear our sins for a reason except you Shinjitsu thus I shall grant you the mark that you wish no longer to shame..."

With this, she would have touched his arm and left a burning sensation leaving behind an orange tattoo that would have been the marking of the leader of the seven sins the dragon of truth. He would have let a single tear roll down his face before raising his fist and smashing it through her and without knowing smashing his way through a massive door, large enough for ten people to stand side by side and walk through with plenty of elbow room. It's was made of white marble, and at the bottom, it reads 'Beyond this Door lays the end of this world.' something that Shima would never have remembered until he thought back to this day many years later. Thus he would have found himself stumbling and falling within the grand hall of what one day would be known as his new family and next home the House of Mysteries.