"Lu, lucky……."
I was wondering how to escape to the bamboo forest, and just then, the opponent sent me flying with just the right force in just the right direction. I should be thankful.
Uh, what was his name again? Somebody…… Okaka…… Abara…… Ah! Right, Akaza.
At that time, I jumped high to check the direction of the bamboo forest. I was planning to escape via the shortest route, but I never expected to be sent on an express direct flight. I can only thank Lord Akaza.
The impact was quite strong, but the bamboo provided good cushioning, so there wasn't much damage.
"As expected, you're still alive! You truly are a strong one, Rei. It's a shame I can't make you a demon!"
"Whoa, you're catching up fast! Nobody wants to become something like that!"
"Don't tell me someone of your caliber doesn't know. Becoming a demon allows for eternal training and reaching even higher realms! With your strength, you could immediately rise to Upper Rank. You have more than enough qualifications to fill the position of Six, which has been vacant for the past hundred years!"
I was surprised that Akaza caught up before I could even steady my stance, but as expected, my body felt lighter inside the bamboo forest. I could easily dodge the next punch, but I had a strong premonition that even a graze would lead to disaster.
Thanks to the bamboo forest's potential, my slashes became faster, but they still couldn't reach his neck. Even with all my heart in Moon Breathing, it was impossible.
"Humans grow old and weak, and soon die and disappear. No matter how much you struggle, there are limits, Rei."
"I'm still a fresh seventeen-year-old! I have plenty of room to grow!"
Even as I shouted that, even after diving into my home ground, the bamboo forest, Akaza's oppressive presence didn't fade.
So this is Upper Rank 3. Honestly, it would be hard to win alone. Someone, please come to support quickly. Preferably two Pillars. Until then, I can at least keep running——
……No, what kind of weak talk is this? I decided to defeat Upper Rank 2 someday, and here I am struggling against Rank 3? If I can't defeat Rank 3 alone, then Rank 2 is nothing but a dream within a dream.
Alright. Let's steel my resolve. It's fine, just move as usual.
Remember, the eye monster I saw before.
That was scarier than Akaza. Its appearance and oppressive presence were far more overwhelming.
Eight-year-old Yukiji fled from that eye monster for one night.
Then, seventeen-year-old Rei can accomplish even more than that.
"Aren't you coming, Rei! Then I'll come to you!"
Akaza's punches are heavy and fast. Moreover, they are precisely accurate, as if clinging tightly.
Every time I block or dodge those punches, my back turns cold. Even in the heart of the bamboo forest, thoughts of my own death and defeat flashed through my mind. It seems I can't beat this guy alone.
No. Stop with the weak talk, Urokodaki Rei.
Thinking I can't win against Akaza is because I'm weak. Weakness is essentially frailty of mindset. I lack faith in the bamboo forest.
Trust more. Believe. That's all I'm lacking.
Right, I'm not alone. In my heart, there's always Old Man Taketori. There's nothing to fear.
Think. There must be a way to catch Akaza's punches. Those who believe in the bamboo forest shall be saved. My guardian spirit, Sanukino Miyatsuko!
( Old Man Taketori's real name)
I steady my breathing. Letting thoughts flow smoothly…… huh? Flow smoothly?
……Now that I think about it, Yoriichi was a person who could see through mochi. According to my master, Yoriichi could see not only mochi but also human bodies.
He could look into the opponent's muscles, blood vessels, bones, lung movements, and predict their actions.
I don't have the ability to see through human bodies like Yoriichi. But in the bamboo forest, I can see specific objects in the same way.
Whether it will work on Akaza is unknown.
But it's not a matter of whether I can or cannot. If I don't do it, I can't win against this guy.
I steeled my resolve and readjusted my grip on the sword.
"Akaza!!"
"What is it, Rei!!"
"From now on, you are a bamboo shoot!!"
"What???"
Akaza couldn't believe the scene before his eyes.
As if shouting, "You are a bamboo shoot, my prey," countless green bamboos came rushing at him.
Sometimes as spears, sometimes as arrows, sometimes as whips, like the limbs of a black fox, they targeted Akaza. They couldn't inflict fatal wounds on a demon. Even if hit without dodging, it was no problem—attacks that wouldn't leave a scratch.
Yet, Akaza dodged them. Or repelled them. He had to dodge, had to shoot them down.
Because these mere bamboos emitted a blade-like fighting spirit aimed at his neck!
This was a first. His compass needle wasn't broken. That's why Akaza was confused. He clicked his tongue at the compass needle's inability to distinguish between bamboo and sword.
Trapped in the illusion that a hundred blades were aimed at him, he barely tracked the black fox's blade with his naked eye.
He couldn't even tell whether the bamboo's killing intent had risen to the level of a sword, or the sword's fighting spirit had been whittled down to that of ordinary bamboo.
Akaza wasn't just taking hits. He was also launching attacks, but none of them connected.
As if predicting his movements, he was outmaneuvered. The black fox dodging Akaza's punches was like a repelling magnet.
Frustration built in his chest. He couldn't accept that he, Upper Rank 3, was being threatened. His chest felt like bursting with irritation at not being able to kill as he pleased an opponent he judged manageable.
Akaza likes strong ones. But only those who entertain him. Not those who threaten him.
He enjoys tasting the opponent's strength, but he doesn't want to even smell the bitterness of defeat!
If the bamboo is in the way, just sweep it away. He would throw a punch wide enough to engulf even the black fox. Using such power on a man who wasn't a Pillar was humiliating, but it was no time to hold back.
Planting both feet firmly, Akaza took his stance. As if to smash all the approaching bamboo and blades, he unleashed his ultimate technique.
——Annihilation Type: Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow.
A deafening roar tore through the night. A barrage of punches scattering in all directions. Dodging this was extremely difficult.
The green bamboos in the forest tore, crumbled, shattered with ugly sounds, and the green vanished from the surrounding area. The illusion of a hundred blades aimed at him disappeared.
That brief moment of regained composure was short-lived, for true hell began for Akaza from then on.
Whoosh——a denser killing intent wrapped around his neck. That man was still alive.
"What the hell are you doing to this noble bamboo forest, you bastard!!!!"
He thought he had dodged by following the compass needle that sensed the powerful fighting spirit. But the blade tip, which should have been perfectly dodged, sliced his neck in half.
What is this speed? It's on a different level from before. Not just speed, but the sword's destructive power had increased too.
He realized that destroying the bamboo forest to gain an advantage had backfired. Had he stepped on a tiger's tail!
Akaza immediately adapted to the black fox's movements. If the opponent got faster, he would just get faster too.
But the opponent also kept up. Adapted to Akaza. No matter how much he increased his speed, he couldn't shake off the two words—defeat—that flashed through his mind.
Is this guy really human? It would be easier to understand if he were a type of youkai.
He should have created a good fighting spot by destroying the obstructive bamboo, but pushed by the black fox's sword, he was forced back into the dense bamboo area.
The sound of strained breathing from inside the black fox mask. He had killed many swordsmen so far, but this man's breathing was unfamiliar. His swordsmanship was also unseen. That was one reason he was being pushed so hard.
Not flame, not water, not thunder, not wind, not stone. What is this breathing?
—Haven't you killed him yet, Akaza!!
What drove Akaza, trapped in frustration, into a corner was the reprimand from Kibutsuji Muzan echoing in his head.
There was no room to save face. Even though it was a technique already broken through, Akaza deployed Blue Silver Chaotic Afterglow again—
"Fireworks, here?"
His thoughts stopped at the lisping voice.
He looked in the direction the voice came from. There was a child. A little girl peeking from behind the bamboo. Neatly cut short hair. The light pink sleepwear was for a girl.
Too focused on the black fox's fighting spirit, he hadn't noticed the approach.
The young girl was within the range of the ultimate technique. Akaza's punch had already struck the air.
Hundreds of shockwaves dug up the earth, shattered bamboo, split the sky, and headed towards the girl.
"────!!"
A scream that tore through eardrums burst out. Akaza didn't know it came from his own throat.
A deafening roar swallowed the scream. Rising dust, scattering bamboo leaves and fragments. Forgetting even the black fox's presence, Akaza just stood there dazedly.
Akaza cannot kill women. Regardless of age, he cannot kill women. Not that he doesn't kill, but he cannot kill. His body rejects the act of a raised fist striking a woman. Akaza didn't know the reason.
So now, Akaza couldn't understand what he was afraid of.
Thus, when the dust settled and his vision cleared, he also couldn't understand what he felt relieved about.
*
At that moment, Akaza was full of openings. It would have been a perfect opportunity to target his neck.
But my body reflexively ran towards it, and once it came to that, all I could do was protect the girl from the attack.
A dry sound as a mask split in two fell at my kneeling feet. Half my vision was stained sticky crimson. The sword couldn't withstand the shockwave and broke.
Fortunately, I protected the little girl behind me, but continuing the fight like this was difficult. Even with the bamboo forest's power, it was impossible.
With a rustling sound, the demon's bare feet stepped on gravel. But Akaza didn't approach me; for some reason, he turned his back and fled.
I wondered why, with an injured swordsman before him, but soon I looked back and understood.
The sky was beginning to brighten faintly. Night would soon end.
"……Sa, saved……."
My legs gave way. Ah, that was close. Fatigue washed over me all at once. Sitting down on the spot and stretching my legs, I turned only my head to look at the girl behind me.
Oops, now my mask is broken, so my white hair and red eyes are fully exposed. But the girl, who I thought would be frightened, just opened her eyes wide in surprise without making a fuss.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Uh, yeah…… But brother, blood……."
"Ah~ it's fine, it's fine. This much is nothing. See, if I tie it, no problem."
I can't keep showing blood in front of the girl, so emergency treatment with the loosened hood. With Breathing to stop the bleeding, it's perfect.
I'm fine, totally fine~ I smiled brightly, and the girl seemed to calm down a bit.
"It's dangerous to wander outside at night."
"I'm sorry. I heard fireworks sounds……."
"Fireworks……? Ahh, the loud bangs. Sorry."
"No, no…… Kie is more sorry. Brother got hurt because of Kie."
The girl, Kie-chan, lowered her eyebrows and bowed her head. Her chubby little hands tightly gripped the hem of her kimono.
Ah, I've seen this action from Ume. Also from Rui. It's that signal when a kid is about to cry! Making a girl cry will get me in trouble! I need to reassure her somehow!
"Brother is really fine! Kie-chan, don't worry about it. Come on, let's get you home quickly. Your dad and mom must be worried."
"Sorry…… Kie, Kie didn't know this would happen…… sniff."
"Ahhh Kie-chan! Here, up high! Brother is healthy enough to lift Kie-chan up high like this! Right? Right?"
Ugh, dizziness……. Barely keeping from staggering, I forced a smile to hide my cold sweat and lifted Kie-chan up high.
Huh, but this situation of lifting an unfamiliar little girl…… isn't this more of a scene to get reported? Shouldn't people see this?
"Hey!!"
"It's a misunderstanding, officer!!"
Ah, no. It wasn't an officer. Scared me.
Stomping roughly through the scattered bamboo leaves, what approached was a senior member who looked thuggish. He was the one in charge of inspecting Mt. Fujikasane. He also participated in this horse demon extermination mission.
Our ranks are similar, so we occasionally meet on missions, but honestly, I don't like him much. He unnecessarily antagonizes me and Lord Shōjuro, picking fights over every little thing and nitpicking minor mistakes.
"……Ew, creepy eyes. Your hair looks like an old man's too."
Since he's that kind of person, I didn't want to show my face without the mask, but what can I do, it's broken. I tried to cover my face with the hood, but I already used it for止血, so I couldn't.
"Are you here to support now? You're always late. You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"
"Huh? Who are you talking back to? You're the one who doesn't know what you've done!"
"I fought alone against an Upper Rank and struggled hard, is there a problem?"
"Why did you let that Upper Rank escape!"
Even as he shouted, it didn't resonate at all because I know his anger isn't about letting the Upper Rank escape.
He likes to nitpick others' mistakes, so the content of the failure doesn't matter. He just wants to scold me.
"Letting an Upper Rank escape to save some brat, are there maggots in your head or something!"
"Then you should have cut him down. You like stealing others'功劳, right?"
"Y, you brat…… are you joking!"
My shoulder was grabbed roughly, a fist swung. Oh no, I provoked him out of anger. I shouldn't have taunted while holding Kie-chan.
I hugged Kie-chan to protect her absolutely from his fist, but unbelievably, she leaned out from my arms.
Kie-chan thrust her head forward towards the approaching fist and shouted with all her might.
"No~~~~!"
A sound rang out.
A sound that clearly decided the outcome, like glass striking an incredibly hard rock.
The next moment, the one screaming and writhing was that man. Clutching his fist in agony, the large man was looked down upon by Kie-chan, who puffed out her chest triumphantly.
"Don't bully brother! Violence is bad. Reflect on yourself!"
"Wow, Kie-chan is strong."
"Ehem!"
Should I make a tsukkomi or not about the steam puffing from the little girl's forehead, red and heated?
After that, I safely returned Kie-chan to her parents. Her parents were the ones managing this bamboo forest, it seemed, as there was a hut not far away where Kie-chan lived.
When their daughter, who had slipped out while sleeping, returned hugged by a white-haired, red-eyed man, the parents were shocked enough to foam at the mouth, but after explaining the situation, they understood. I avoided handcuffs.
I also explained about the forehead reddened from colliding with that guy's fist. I thought the parents would be angry that their precious daughter's head had been hit by a large man's fist——
"Oh my, is the other party okay?! Are their bones not broken?!"
"Our Kie has a really hard head. Just the other day, she chased off a wild boar with a headbutt."
"Wow, Kie-chan is amazing."
"Ehem!"
……Huh, then maybe if it were Kie-chan's forehead, it could have blocked Akaza's attack?
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