Volume 2 Chapter 27 (1/2)
Editor: Cruiser.
Chapter 2 Episode 27
Day 171 after being summoned to another world: (a.s.sa.s.sin 4)
When such hoa.r.s.e voice reverberated inside the tent, an old man standing at the entrance of the tent.
(Did he just come down from above the tent? Well indeed it is possible to climb the tent looking at how strong the pillars supporting the tent are, but looking how easy he infiltrate, this is worrying. )*
”Ryouma-sama...”
Sara and Laura was immediately prepared for a fight while calling Ryouma's name in a low voice.
”It's fine. Standby.”
Ryouma ordered with a small voice and nodded toward Lione and the others to ask them to wait and see.
(Now then, a clan of a.s.sa.s.sins huh?... What are you going to show me this time...)
This is different from a surprise attack, Ryouma didn't feel much different with one or two more a.s.sa.s.sins shows up this late.
Ryouma who felt he had plenty of leeway turns an inquisitive gaze towards the intruder.
Sakuya's gaze s.h.i.+fted towards the old man.
It seems like an unexpected person has appeared based on Sakuya’s suprised expression.
”Ojiji-sama... Why are you here?” Sakuya’s voice was filled with confusion.
White mustache and white hair.
Just like Sakuya, the old man also donned similar black attire and even a complete newbie could understand that he has been through alot based on the scars and wounds on his face.
And in his left hand he held a cane that was slightly bent to draw an arc.
”Hou... Don't you feel surprised with my visit? I find this to be quite hard to understand, whether you're some sort of a big shot or a fool who is unable to comprehend the current situation...”
Disregarding Sakuya's question the old man’s eyes quickly scanned his surroundings.
”No, I feel surprised enough you know? After all, an uninvited guest has appeared.”
Ryouma replied to the old man with the signature zero Yen j.a.panese smile, the old men looked around, noting that no one in the tent seemed surprised at his sudden visit.
(Hou, that young man, he seems to be dominating this room huh.)
The old man was impressed with Ryouma’s reaction or lack thereof. If the one who leads were to be suprised or tensed in a situation then the ones who are under him would also follow suit. This showed that Ryouma understood that he was in complete control of his subordinates and the surrounding atmosphere.
”Fuuh! Well, whatever... What I want to know is, why didn't you kill her? Why have you allowed the a.s.sa.s.sin who was aiming for your life to continue to live?? And furthermore, why aren’t you attempting to capture me while I’m standing here?”
”Oh? I thought you came here because you had already understood why.?”
Ryouma answers the old man with a broad grin.
If it's only to help Sakuya to escape, then the old man wouldn’t have revealed himself to Ryouma.
The fact that the old man revealed himself means he bore no hostility towards Ryouma.
”I see, you can make such judgment huh? You're much more calmer than I had thought, young man..., well now let's hear it once again... Are you people of Hinomoto?” <tln: hinomoto(日の本),=”” old=”” j.a.pan's=”” name,=”” simple=”” kun=”” of=”” ”日本”.=””>
The old man directed a question towards Ryouma.
Ryouma understood that telling a lie at this point would not have been forgiven as he noticed the intimidation flaring from the old man’s eyes.
Hinomoto was how the people of the olden generations referred to j.a.pan.
In other words, what he was referring to was j.a.panese people.
The name has lost its value in modern j.a.pan and is most common in medieval themed novels.
”That is correct. I'm indeed from the country you call Hinomoto.”
While answering the old man, Ryouma was also able to derive some answer of his own based on the old man's words.
(Hinomoto huh?... That kind of olden way of speaking..., I guess as I've suspected huh?)
”Hou... I’ve heard that the recent people who come from Hinomoto have foolishly forgotten the ways of a warrior yet there still exist warriors such as you.”.”
Saying so, the old man turned toward Sakuya.
”Sakuya, stand up and take off your clothes.”
”Eh? H-Here?”
Sakuya's complexion changes after hearing the old man's words.
Aside from being an a.s.sa.s.sin, she was still a women after all.
Although she stood up, it was easy to notice that she was hesitant to take off her clothes..
Well, unless you're a human with unusual tastes, no one would feel comfortable stripping around so many watchful eyes.
”Too slow!”
*Kacha*
Together with the old man voice, silver light suddenly radiated from the cane, and immediately disappear as if being sucked by the cane again.
Ryouma's eyes who saw that turn sharp.
Ryouma's eyes caught the old man right-hand pluck out the blade hidden in his cane, and in a single moment slas.h.i.+ng Sakuya's kimono from the bottom up.
”Hou... Iai huh? That's quite a good ability you have... To only cut the clothes without harming the skin.”
While Ryouma said those words, Sakuya's clothes began to slowly crumbles into pieces.
Hearing Ryouma's words, the old man smiled at Ryouma who was gazing at Sakuya’s body.The old man then placed his hand on Sakuya’s shoulder and began to examine it.
”Hou, as I've expected..., you've delivered blows to her vital point. Moreover, looking at the hit points, this is no mere punch..., this is a penetrating blow is it not?”
To answer the old man, Ryouma only pushes out his fist.
”Hou, a fist where you push out your index finger joint out huh? Indeed such fist is effective for aiming vital point.”
The old man said those words based on how Ryouma push out his fist.
”That is correct. It's called one point fist.”
While nodding at Ryouma's words, the old man touches Sakuya's abdomen.
”Ow!”
Sakuya's face distorted in pain.
”I see..., This is the effect of the fist huh? You change the grip of your fist depending on your aim, is it not? This is very similar to the technique that is handed down in our clan, and this technique’s aim is to interfere with the victim’s breathing am I right?”
”Indeed.”
Ryouma nodded toward the old man's question.
”With that technique, you should have been able to kill Sakuya at anytime, no? You sure have quite considerable skill...”
The old man sighs deeply after saying those words, n.o.body was sure if the old man was lamenting Sakuya’s lack of ability or if he was impressed with Ryouma’s overwhelming skills.
Attacking the vital point.
It was easier said than done, especially in real battle where one has to consider the many factors in a short amount of time.
Unlike vital point that leads to serious injuries, a strike to the shoulder or diaphragm requires precise power and also pinpoint accuracy to have an effect.
It's not something that is easy to apply.
And yet, to perform such thing on Sakuya who's an a.s.sa.s.sin, not to mention in the dark to boot, that truly shows how skillful the human named Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma is.
”It was a surprise attack after all. The result might not have been the same if we were to have battled head on.”
”Are you stupid... Do you think there's an a.s.sa.s.sin that attacks from the front?” *
Hearing the old man's words, Ryouma showed a thin smile.
After all the old man words were nothing more than an argument.
”Well that is true..., oh right, it would be pitiful to leave Sakuya-san like this, please use this.”
Ryouma picked up a nearby blanket and handed it to Sakuya.
”T-Thank you.”
”No no, it is indeed a sight to behold.”
Hearing Ryouma's words, Sakuya immediately hid her chest behind her arms.
She had finally realized that her chest had been laid bare throughout the conversation.
”Fuh... You, you seem to know how to handle women?”
”It's not about knowing about it or not. Well, you can say that this is just my courtesy.” *
While answering the old man, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders
Ryouma is quite fond of women, but, it is no hobby of his to watch naked women in torn up clothes.
It would be different if it were only the two of them in private room but right now they were surrounded by people.
Well, he does not know if such thought in this world is normal or not; however, Ryouma have no plan of deviating from his common-sense except in life threatening emergency.
”Well then, if possible, I would like to ask you a few questions”
Ryouma turned the tables on the old man as he couldn’t have allowed the old man to be the only one questioning.