Volume 8 Chapter 2 Part 5 (1/2)
The next morning.
s.h.i.+n was swinging Kakura in the garden in front of the room a.s.signed to him.
The reason was that he had painfully learned the limits of his technique during the battle against Munechika.
”I know that I can't compare to a master, but”
s.h.i.+n was aware that he did not possess a natural talent for the sword. Even so, he could improve with effort. Imagining an enemy standing in front of him, he was sometimes dodging, sometimes swinging down Kakura in slow motion. It was a training method he learned from the person that taught him the sword.
”Fuuuuh”
This training's movements might be slow, but they placed a burden on the body. He had lowered his stats on purpose, soKakura weighed heavily on his whole body.
Sweat dripped down s.h.i.+n's cheeks.
”.I focused too much.”
s.h.i.+n noticed that Karin's presence was close, stabbed Kakura in the ground, and took a deep breath. The s.h.i.+rt he was wearing as a training suit was drenched in sweat.
”I apologize for disturbing your training.”
”No, I had lost track of time, so it's good that you came.”
Karin looked apologetic, but s.h.i.+n replied that there was nothing to worry about.
She had come to call him because the meal was ready.
s.h.i.+n wiped his sweat, changed and had his meal; as he finished, someone knocked at the Saegusa gate.
”I see, so that's how it is.”
The visitor was a messenger from the Kujou house.
s.h.i.+n, led by Karin, went to the main compound of the Kujou house, castle Kujou. Yuzuha was left at the Saegusa residence.
In the residence where he was led to, s.h.i.+n found Kanade, Kuyou, and Kankurou waiting.
Kanade had pleaded for s.h.i.+n to stay because she was grateful to him, but also because she knew he would have been summoned for an inspection.
Kanade herself explained so when she went to meet s.h.i.+n along with their guide.
Some time later, a man appeared and sat on the seat reserved for the person with the highest standing. The man had shaved hair, thick eyebrows, and a katana scar in the middle of his face. His physique was not bulky, but well trained.
The man was the head of the Kujou house, Kujou Tadahisa.
”Raise your heads everyone.”
All the guests present had bowed their heads when the man appeared, and now raised them back. s.h.i.+n had followed the others' example as well, and calmly raised his head again.
”Your name is s.h.i.+n, yes?”
”Yes.”
The deep voice addressing s.h.i.+n echoed.
”First of all, I must give you my thanks. I am grateful for everything you have done from the bottom of my heart.”
Seeing Tadahisa thank and bow his head, s.h.i.+n and all va.s.sals present-except Kankuro- were restless.
For the head of the house to bow his head to a stranger was something normally unthinkable.
”Thanks to the medicine, concocted with the herb we could obtain through your a.s.sistance, my daughter has dramatically recovered from her illness. The doctor says that as long as she recovers her strength, she will be able to return to her normal lifestyle.”
”Ooh!!”
Tadahisa's words now caused a new type of restlessness among those present. The va.s.sals had not been informed yet, apparently.
Kanade's sister must have been really loved by her subordinates; some va.s.sals could not resist and broke out in tears.
”Sir s.h.i.+n, I wish to express my grat.i.tude to you somehow. Is there anything you wish?”
”No, I do not wish for anything in particular. If I had to ask for something, it would be for a roof to use until my comrades arrive here.”
”Hm, exactly as I heard from Kanade, you truly have no material desires.”
”I had planned to part ways as soon as we arrived in this land after all. As you may have heard, a person dear to me died because of an illness. I helped just because of that, you do not need to worry about me.”
The conversation between Tadahisa and s.h.i.+n caused whispers among the va.s.sals.
s.h.i.+n talked while recalling the historical dramas he had seen. He thought he might have said something disrespectful, but could not think of anything in particular.
”If so, you may continue to lodge in the Saegusa residence. Kuyou, Karin, I entrust him to you.”
”Understood.”
Kuyou and Karin lowered their heads after receiving Tadahisa's order. They were not surprised, probably because it had already been decided who would have taken care of s.h.i.+n.
”Personally, I would gladly welcome you to serve in my household though. I have heard of your prowess with the sword. You and your companions as well. What do you think?”
”Sir, my physical abilities are all I have, there are many much more skilled than me with the sword. I have no intention of serving anyone.”
No matter how promising the conditions might be, entering into someone's service was not an option for s.h.i.+n. He stated his refusal clearly.
”Then, could I ask for the chance to match my strength against yours?”
As the conversation between the two had died down, Kankurou suddenly joined in. His expression was as peaceful as always, but his aura suggested he was trying to find out more about s.h.i.+n.
”Oh, now this is unusual, for Kankurou to spontaneously speak in a situation like this.”
”I am aware of my lack of manners. There is, however, something that drew my interest.”
”Hmm, sir s.h.i.+n, what do you say? I shall prepare a separate reward for this.”
”.there is no need for rewards. If I am allowed to speak my mind frankly, there is something that drew my interest as well, and wished to ask for a match myself.”
This match had no particular merit for s.h.i.+n. But even so, he accepted Kankurou's plea.
s.h.i.+n himself was interested in something about the man.
”How should we set the victory conditions?”
”Both have said to be interested in something about the other. I say we continue until that something is grasped.”
After changing locations to the soldiers' training area, s.h.i.+n and Kankurou faced against each other, surrounded by soldiers and va.s.sals.
Considering that they were both Chosen Ones, the spectators to their match gathered at the edges of the training area.
As he had done before the battle with Munechika, s.h.i.+n set his Limit to II.
”Shall we take the first move?”
Kankurou took the initiative. With a step as light as if he were simply going on a walk, he reduced the distance between himself and s.h.i.+n in an instant. He was wielding a special wooden sword made for Chosen Ones.
Kankurou's swing was parried by s.h.i.+n with the same wooden sword after which, he took a step back.
”As good as expected.”
Saying so, Kankurou changed the arc his wooden sword was drawing in the air into a thrust and aimed it at s.h.i.+n.
The wooden sword, attacking again without the slightest delay, gave s.h.i.+n the impression that it had a will of its own.
”I have taken the first strike, but I shall let you have the first question.”
Kankurou spoke to s.h.i.+n in a calm tone that hardly matched their ferocious sword clashes.
”I will go straight to the point then. How did you acquire the katana at your waist?”
”Oh my, you must be a connoisseur to pick this up. I have received this from the former lord, its name is”
”Black Moon, isn't it? The stronger version of Ripple Blade, with all capacity points used in enlarging the attack range.”
”!!! So you really found out!”
As s.h.i.+n talked about the sword in detail, the speed of Kankurou's swing increased. His smile now was different than the usual, he seemed to be enjoying the situation.
From the speed of his swings and the impact created from their skirmish, s.h.i.+n thought that Kankurou was the person with stats closest to his among all the people he had met until now. At the very least, his stats were much higher than Rionne's.
They were still lower than Munechika, the boss of Mt. Fuji, but other than his technique, his experience in fighting other humans was incredibly rich. s.h.i.+n had not felt much difficulty in fighting Munechika, but against Kankurou he felt it vividly.
s.h.i.+n had heard from Karin that Kankurou was a powerful warrior born before the ”Dusk of the Majesty”. He had undoubtedly experienced many battlefields.
”To think that you would know so much. Nowadays, such details are known only by me and the former lordno, now that I think about it, there was someone else too.”
Kankurou spoke while knowingly adding pauses between his words.
”The Dark Blacksmiththe man that forged my beloved blade would naturally know such things.”
The words hinting at s.h.i.+n's real ident.i.ty were spoken at the same time of a more powerful clash of the two men's swords, and did not reach anyone else's ears.
As their swords were still locked, Kankurou asked s.h.i.+n.
”Well, sir s.h.i.+n. May I ask something too?”
”What is it?”
”Have you ever heard of the name Jinkurou?”
”.yes, I have. As a samurai myself, we went along rather well.”
Jinkurou was the name of the guild master of a j.a.panese-style guild during the game era, ”Kachou Fuugetsu”. As they were both samurai, he and s.h.i.+n were well acquainted.
More than anything, he was the person s.h.i.+n had given Black Moon to. He would never forget him.
After hearing all that, s.h.i.+n remembered Kankurou.
As Schnee was s.h.i.+n's main support character, Kankurou was the first name to come up when mentioning Jinkurou's support characters.
Kankurou's species was High Lord. He had survived the age of natural catastrophes and was a living witness of its history, the same as Schnee.
”I was under the command of that person. Thus sir s.h.i.+n, I know very well who you are. I remembered your face, yes, but considering the disappearance of Tsuki no Hokora, sir Girard's death, sir s.h.i.+baid's departure from the empireit could not be just someone acting like you.”
Thinking of Kankurou's expression when he first saw s.h.i.+n, it was clear that he had figured out his ident.i.ty from the start.
”Lord Jinkurou gave me this before pa.s.sing away. Sir s.h.i.+n, why have you returned?”
”I haven't exactly returnedto be honest, I would also like to know the reason why I am here.”
s.h.i.+n knocked away Kankurou's diagonal slash and answered with a sigh.
”Is that so. It could be that there is something you yourself do not know, sir s.h.i.+n”
”Something, you say?”
”Yes, did you know, sir? The people that served those once called players forget those they served after a certain time pa.s.ses.”
”Eh?”
s.h.i.+n's sword arm slightly trembled after hearing Kankurou's words. He forcibly parried it thanks to his stat advantage, but could not deny to be shaken.
”What does that mean?”
”Memories, they grow fainter and fainter. Or rather, I should say that one does not focus on them anymore. The memories do not fade away, but the loyalty, affection, everything previously felt becomes of little to no importance. I too must say I am subject to this. I would have never thought of serving the Kujou house in the period following Lord Jinkurou's departure.”
Kankurou spoke matter-of-factly, but with a tinge of sadness.
The sound of their clas.h.i.+ng swords became slightly fainter.
”Why did you tell me all this?”
”I had the chance of meeting lady Schnee around 50 years ago. I thought she would be in the same situation as me. Her feelings towards you, however, seemed unchanged. Wondering about it, I went to meet others that were in your service, sir Girard and sir s.h.i.+baid. But the result was the same.”
No one had lost their feelings towards s.h.i.+n.as he spoke about this, Kankurou's eyes gleamed with jealousy.
”In my travels outside Hinomoto, I had the chance of meeting others who served ”Rokuten”. Their lifestyles might have been different, but all of them were invariably loyal to their masters. That might be tied to the reason why you returned, sir s.h.i.+n.”