Volume 8 Chapter 4 Part 2 (1/2)
”Lord Kankurou!! I will deal with him!!”
Karin was wielding a katana of the Ancient grade, likeBlack Moon: Hakuramaru.
Black Moon, crafted as a test blade when creating True Moon, was a weapon with high specs. However, Hakuramaru had been upgraded by s.h.i.+n and possessed abilities high enough to match it.
”This weight!? Just what is going on!?”
”Do you think I would answer?”
Karin chose to mock the growling Juugo.
The weight of Karin's slashes was growing not only thanks to the status boosts provided by Hakuramaru.
The status boosts were also provided by another card that s.h.i.+n had given her, the Morning Star Hairpin. It was an Ancient-grade item which boosted STR, VIT, and DEX.
After hearing the rumors concerning the Ichinose, s.h.i.+n had made Karin get used to the item while receiving her training, so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the status boost.
Karin stepped back for a moment, then used her speed to go back on the offensive.
Black Moon and Hakuramaru clashed again, scattering sparks all around.
”A katana that does not suffer damage even if struck by the divine katana. So you did not leave Hinomoto simply to go looking for herbs!”
Karin did not answer Juugo's frustrated shouts. Wondering if he expected her to deliberately divulge where the blade had come from, she added power to her grip.
Every time the two blades crossed, sparks danced around the two warriors.
The tournament's arena was already nearly destroyed by the long-range slashes Juugo would sometimes unleash. The ground was carved, the buildings cleaved from front to back.
The soldiers who had rushed to the location because of the commotion could only stand and watch the formidable exchange of blows.
The people around them had prioritized their safety, so no one wounded was present, but there was no one that could join in Karin and Juugo's battle. Their physical abilities were not sufficient, but more than that, they had no weapons capable of matching them.
It did not mean, however, that everybody simply stood there wringing their hands.
”Shadow Bind!”
”Arc Bind!”
Amidst the clanging sounds of the crossing blades, clear voices resounded. At the same time, a shadow writhed at Juugo's feet, and a chain of light reached down from the air.
”Nngh!?”
The binding spells had been cast by Kayo and Haruna. Hinomoto favored direct combat strategies, but magic was not in disuse.
Juugo, locked in battle with Karin, had reacted to the spells, but could not avoid them completely and was affected by the binding.
One chain of light and three shadow bindings were clinging to Juugo's body. Two of the shadow bindings already showed cracks.
The light chain was almost shaken off.
Black Moondid not have any particular special features, in fact it was almost featureless, but being an Ancient-grade weapon, it could somewhat influence magic skills in its natural state.
”That was not something to try here, was it.”
Karin slipped in close to the restrained Juugo.
Focusing on the binding chains had created a decisive opening.
Hakuramaru's blade cut through Juugo's abdomen in a rising diagonal slash. The cut sliced across his chest, above his heart, and through his shoulder.
The samurai job usually does not possess DEF bonuses.
Generally, average defense gear is mere paper before Ancient-grade weapons, but the partic.i.p.ants to the formal matches wore nothing but formal wear.
Even for a Returned Ancestor, one slash would prove fatal.
”Gwaahh!!”
Juugo fell down backwards, screaming in pain. The spraying blood doused Karin and the arena.
”an”
The sound he whispered as he drew his last breath failed to form into words, remaining just vibrations in the air.
Black Moon fell from Juugo's now powerless hands. The conclusion had arrived suddenly and unexpectedly.
That too was one of the possible ways for a battle between masters to end though.
Considering the weapon's power, it was impressive that the beastman's abdomen had not been sliced in half.
”Sir Juugo. Was this world so unbearable for you to live in?”
Kankurou whispered while picking up Black Moon and returning it to the sheath.
No answer would, however, return.
(The flames of war, once again)
Juugo's last thoughts, who failed to form into words, had reached Kankurou.
”In any case, what caused sir Juugo's incredible strength?”
”That is a forbidden medicine that shaves away one's own lifeforce. However, I do not know the reason behind his power before using it. Maybe he knew of a reinforcement method unknown to us.”
Kankurou answered Tos.h.i.+ro's doubts about Juugo's strength. It was another question they could not know the answer to now.
”Rather, lady Karin, that-”
”Report!!! A messenger just came in saying that a large battalion of Ichinose soldiers has invaded our domain!!”
A soldier had come shouting in the arena, as to interrupt Kankurou's question.
”Ichinose soldiers? Is this true?”
”Yes! We have confirmed the presence of an estimated 5000 soldiers and several 3-mel tall large beasts. The beasts appear to be monsters, but they do not seem to be attacking the Ichinose troops.”
Tadahisa had interrogated the soldier, whose words in reply left all present with troubled expressions.
The country of Hinomoto typically had few Tamers, and even fewer could control large monsters as the ones reported.
Furthermore, the Ichinose house was known for valuing individual strength. They would focus on improving themselves rather than learning to tame monsters.
Because of this, they could not help but doubt the report stating that there were monsters among the troops.
”Truly bizarre. Are those troops really from the Ichinose?”
Kuyou expressed his doubts that the described troops really belonged to the Ichinose house. No one else had said it, but everyone had thought the same question.
”Are there any known characteristics about the monsters?”
”Yes, their bodies are colored differently, but their appearance is unmistakably that of the demon fox species. The number of tails is different for each unit, usually 4 or 5.”
”I see, that's pretty clear.”
After hearing about the monsters' characteristics, Kankurou seemed to have reached a conclusion.
”Kankurou, do you know anything?”
”Yes. During the past unification wars, there was one member of the demon fox species who tried to take control of Hinomoto. It happened more than 100 years ago, so I suppose few remember it anymore.”
”The disaster-bringing demon foxes spoken about in the chroniclesI thought they were extinct.”
Tadahisa replied to Kankurou's words.
Among everyone present, only Kankurou was alive at the time, but those events had been reported in chronicles.
”It could be a survivor, or someone with a different goal. The mastermind then had 7 tails, with 6-tailed foxes at its service.”
”How much difference does it make?”
”Against the beasts mentioned in the report, the Brave Ten would be enough. Against a 6-tailed one, at least 3 would be necessary. Against a 7-tailed one, I and 6 other people on my same level could maybe win. In the past battle against one of those, 4 of us died.”
Kankurou's words caused everyone present to swallow their breath.
4 people out of 6 died, 4 people as strong as Kankurou, whose ability was unmatched in Hinomoto. It meant clearly that even if the Brave Ten fought all together, they would not stand a chance.
”Is there a possibility that such powerful beasts are being kept out of battle for now?”
”I could not rule it out. In the previous conflict, we were attacked from the front, but if they know that, they could be using a feint to strike from the rear. But this is also just a guess.”
”Is that so. In any case, we must do something. Everybody-”
”Report!!! We received an emergency report of a large army of monsters approaching the Futaba and s.h.i.+jou domains!!”
Tadahisa's orders were interrupted by another soldier who rushed into the arena.
A s.h.i.+ver of unease ran through everyone present.
”3 locations attacked at the same timeare the monsters demon foxes?”
”The reports tell of 6-tailed demon foxes leading large numbers of monsters. There is one fox per group, apparently.”
”Kuyou. You said that the demon fox woman who was with Juugo disappeared, yes?”
”Yes.”
Tadahisa had already been informed of Tamamo's disappearance.
”The name is different, but a demon fox capable of transforming into a humanis likely connected to the past disasters. The units leading the monsters are probably high-ranked ones, close to the mastermind. If they knew that we would gather here, they might have chosen to strike this location.”
The 6-tailed monster that, as Kankurou said, 3 of the Brave Ten would be necessary to fight. The possible presence of a 7-tailed monster loomed in everyone's minds.
”Would it be impossible to stop a 6-tailed beast without the Brave Ten?”
”I would not say impossible. But considering that together with the 6-tails, other monsters are also present”
There is no telling of how much damage and casualties there would be.
”.there is no other way out. The Brave Ten will have to be split.”
Even if concerned with the possible existence of a 7-tails, Tadahisa chose not to abandon the other domains.
To the s.h.i.+jou domain would go the 10th seat, Futaba Akara, Kujou Akitaka and s.h.i.+den of the great clan of the west, the Yaejima.
To the Futaba domain, the s.h.i.+jou house's Tsugumasa and Tsuguho with Karin.
”What shall we do if a 7-tails appears?”
”Survive as long as you can. I will not allow you to die in vain.”
The possibility of a 7-tails appearing in the Kujou domain, the most prosperous in Hinomoto, was not low.
Even so, Tadahisa spoke without hesitation.