Chapter 325 – Moonlit Shadows (1/2)

Taiyou slowly arose from the bed.

He listened to the sounds of sleep from the wives around him, then got out of bed, and grabbed the clothes he had scattered around the bed.

Creeping from the room so that he wouldn’t awaken them, he left the apartment.

No one was outside in the ink-black night.

In the silence, he walked along a path he was familiar with.

After a while, he came to the former Taiyou Castle.

Now it was a vacant lot, but he could see one girl standing there.

White hair, white skin, jet black dress.

She was illuminated by the moon…it was Shirokiyami.

「…」

As he stepped into the grounds, he saw her open her eyes as if she had heard his footsteps.

「Hey.」

「Good…morning.」

「It’s the middle of the night.」

「It’s always…sun…in the day.」

「So just on Sundays?」

「What…ever.」

They exchanged some emotionless banter, as he walked over, sat next to her, and looked up.

「Everytime I come here, you’re here.」

「No…where to go.」

「Won’t you come to my apartment?」

「…」

Shirokiyami shook her head.

「I see.」

「Why…are you here?」

「I wanted to see you.」

「See…me?」

「Because I love you.」

「…okay?」

「The most.」

「…really?」

「Even when I’m with the others, I love you the most.」

「That’s…not good.」

「HAH!」

He had struck at her with a backfist while sitting.

It was a surprise attack, a sudden strike.

And the fist still struck nothing but the air.

「Another afterimage!」

He blurted out, while refocusing his nerves. Not trusting his sight, he tried to sense her presence.

「LEFT!」

He stepped up on the ground, and threw a hook at where he thought he sensed her.

His arm whooshed through the empty air.

Then, clang, a metallic reverberation.

She had stopped his strike with her sword, the Gyakuten.

It was their usual type of fight, but it was strange. Even though he had struck her sword, there was no reaction.

「…ha!」

He saw a grey light flash beside him. He crouched and dodged her slash.

He punched back in counter attack. He missed, and she disappeared.

「Above!」

He jumped in the air.

They met face to face as he rose two meters above the ground.

「…you…know…」

「I’m getting better at sensing.」

He balled up his fists and punched away at her.

They weren’t finishing punches, but a flurry to beat her offense.

Clink clunk clang clink. She beat the punches away with her sword.

「Whoaaaa!」

Before he hit the ground, the last punch blew Shirokiyami’s sword out of her hands.

So as soon as he hit the ground, he pursued her.

More than pursuing, pressing hard…harder than hard.