664 I’m sorry that I can’t protect you anymore (1/2)

Deep despair and high spirits.

Shigure Tendo was currently feeling these two emotions.

These two emotions were as opposite and contradictory as could be. Yet, he indeed felt both these emotions at this location and this point in time. It was a wondrous and subtle sensation.

Shigure wasn't afraid of his impending death at all as he watched his companions in the Bloodwar Alliance being executed and his enemies being whipped up into more and more of a fervor. Instead, Shigure immersed himself in this subtle sensation, entering an indescribable realm.

And then, it was time for his and Keimi Umetani's executions.

”Tendo-san. Do you have any last words to say?”

Although Rota appeared calm on the surface as he asked this, he was actually highly on guard inside.

That was because Shigure Tendo had succeeded in killing a total of seven Revenge Alliance members before being defeated!

The seven Revenge Alliance members had all been slain in melee combat. Even with their great new power, they were unable to resist against Shigure Tendo's sword techniques. He was by far the single most powerful member of the 7321 faction that they captured.

However, the Tendo Family was clearly one of the seven major Yin Yang Master families. Why did Shigure Tendo possess such amazing sword techniques, to the point where his sword techniques far surpassed the skill level of the disciples and descendants of the three major samurai families!?

Rota was quite confused about this. After Rota finally defeated Shigure with long-distance attacks, he captured and asked Shigure about this before the executions. However, the only answer that Rota received was...

”I don't know.”

When he said this, the Tendo Family son had an incredibly calm expression… or perhaps he could be called expressionless. He didn't have any evident emotions of resistance, unwillingness, anger, hatred, or any other negative emotions at all. His behavior was completely different from that of all the other captured 7321 faction members. He didn't show any fear or despair at all.

Shigure remained like this even up until his turn to be executed.

Although he had been restrained and was kneeling on the ground, watching the other 7321 faction members being executed, he still retained such a calm and distant expression.

Could it be that Shigure Tendo had some mental retardation or physical problems that made him emotionless?

Well, it didn't matter to Rota if Shigure had any mental issues… or that should have been the case, but Rota still sensed danger. He felt as if this Tendo Family son was still hiding something, so he remained highly vigilant during all this time.

Although the other Revenge Alliance members were all reveling in their fervor, Rota still remained calm.

”Umetani-san…” Shigure looked at the girl Yin Yang Master next to him.

”I'm sorry that I can't protect you anymore.”

”Please don't apologize, Milord Shigure… Although our time together was short, I'm truly blessed to have served someone like you.” Keimi smiled through her tears.

Shigure had kept his earlier promise and protected her to the fullest of his abilities. He didn't act like other 7321 faction members such as Natsuki Shuurin, who had ordered her Spirit-branded Retainer subordinate to act as her shield in an effort so that only she could escape.

Although Keimi felt extreme despair at having to die in such a place when she was still so young, at least she wasn't alone, because she had someone like Shigure by her side.

Rota was somewhat rendered speechless by the scene.

He had already executed the great majority of the 7321 faction members. These children of the top-level factions all showed unbecoming behavior as they met their ends, so in comparison, Shigure's last words before being executed seemed greatly moving. The crowd of Revenge Alliance members who were in a frenzy even somewhat calmed down upon seeing such a scene.

Just as everyone thought that Shigure Tendo would say something else and leave behind something like a deeply emotional love confession before his death, they saw that Shigure instead closed his eyes.

Everyone misunderstood what Shigure meant, including Keimi Umetani.

When Shigure said that ”I can't protect you anymore,” he didn't mean that he and Keimi would be dying here at all.

What he was actually trying to express but couldn't due to his low intelligence was that ”I'm about to use power that's even greater than my 'full power', so I won't be able to watch out for you anymore!”

Rota was the first to detect that something was wrong.

Then, everyone witnessed all the black hands that were tightly restraining Shigure being vaporized into black mist!

While everyone was busy being astonished, Rota was the first to react and use his power to suppress Shigure!

However, the black mist around Shigure's body suddenly explosively increased with great density and dispelled Rota's power!!

What was going on!?

Rota didn't have the time to think as he then turned to wielding his sword with all his strength. However, with a clang against the mist, his sword became stuck and unable to move.

”Kill him!!!”

Rota sensed great danger and shouted loudly, immediately giving up on his sword and trying to retreat. However, a silver flash shot out of the black mist and directly aimed for his heart!