Shang: Considering your brother’s personality, I could predict he would say something like “I am happy for you, Sis” and “When’s the wedding?”.
Nanami:.......
Nanami knows Shang’ was right. Her brother is indeed that kind of personality.
Nanami: So what are you gonna do?
Shang: Hmm….
Shang’s thoughts: In the light novel, The owner of the deviant blade, Azekura Kanara wanted to marry Togame if Shichika loses. He should able to stall from coming after us.
Shang: We will go Satsuma first, then we will go to Shireizan.
Nanami: Shireizan?
Shang: A group of fanatics that worships the deviant blade, Akuto Bita, as a god.
Nanami: A deviant blade worshiped as a god? What a bunch of weird people…
Shang: it’s their Koureijutsu I am more interested in.
Nanami: Koureijutsu?
Shang: It’s a technique that uses the enemy’s memories to mentally attack him or her.
Shang’s thoughts: In the light novel, Maniwa Kawauso’s technique, Kiroku Tadori which allows him to read memories seems to be related to Koureijutsu.
Nanami: Looks interesting, can I learn it?
Shang: If you want.
Shang says as he smiles
After they finish up their business in Satsuma and begin their way to Shireizan, a female figure wearing a wolf-like cap is standing in front of them.
????: Good evening, Foreigner Shang and Yasuri Nanami.
She seems to be carrying a bundle behind her.
Shang: Good evening, Maniwa Kyouken.
Shang bowed politely and Nanami followed suit.
Kyouken: Hmm. Hmm… You have good manners, youngster.
If a teenage girl start calling Shang youngster, it might sound weird but Maniwa Kyouken is also a founder of Maniwa Ninja Corps and has lived over 200 years ago. She is also the main protagonist of Maniwagatari.
Kyouken: I will make it short. I am here because Houou had a message for you. Not only that, I want to see our sponsor face to face.
Shang: You want to see me?
Kyouken: I heard of your ability from Kamakiri. I want to know if we agree to your terms, can we survive our fate of destruction?
Shang: Yes but not now.
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Kyouken: Not now?
Shang: The current shogun, Souda Emonzaemon and the deviant blades must be gone.
Shang: Only then there will be a future for your village.
Kyouken:.......... I understand.
Kyouken laid down the bundle she had been carrying.
The bundle landed with a heavy thump sound.
Shang:This is….is it what I think it is?
Kyouken: Yup, It is what you think it is.
Shang: Then your body?
Shang looked at Kyouken.
Kyouken: Yup, one of the female member of the Itezora Tribe.
Kyouken: This body is good. I never thought there would be a tribe that have kind of superhuman strength.
Shang’s thoughts: Your ability is strong but it is also your weakness. Once anyone attack your tattoos, your spirit will disappear.
Shang’s thoughts: Interesting thing is Kyouken’s possession allows her not only obtain the possessed person’s memories, she also obtains the possessed person’s skills.
Shang squatted down and uncovered the bundle.
After touching Soto Kanazuchi, he destroyed with a palm strike.
Kyouken: Do you really need to do that?
Shang: I already mastered the design of it, so making another is possible.
Shang: You want it?
Kyouken: Really? When can I get it?
Shang: There you go.
Shang drops out another Soto Kanazuchi on the ground.
Kyouken: How did you do that?
Shang: Sorry, it’s a secret.
Kyouken: OK
Kyouken says as she wraps the new Kanazuchi and hung it from her back.
Kyouken: Let me pass you Houou’s message then.
Shang: Go ahead
Kyouken: The assassination on Emonzaemon was a failure.
Kyouken: It was thanks to the deviant blade he had that he managed to escape.
Shang: Any ideas how did he fail?
Kyouken: From how Houou described, Emonzaemon seems to have two strange weapons that caught him off guard.
Shang:.......Ento Ju
Kyouken: Ento Ju!? Wait, those two strange weapons which Emonzaemon were using are deviant blades!?
Shang: I am not surprised if you mistaken them for blades. Those two strange weapons can be also used as blades.
Kyouken: Any countermeasures?
Shang: Countermeasures you say….let me think
Shang: Maybe I got just the thing.
Shang took out some yellow paper talismans with black writings.
Kyouken: What are these?
Shang: Iron Robe Talisman.
These yellow talismans are from Shang’s main world. He is not sure whether if the yellow talismans could block Ento Ju.
Shang sticks one yellow talisman on a nearby tree.
Shang: Go ahead and hit the tree with Kanazuchi.
Kyouken takes out Kanazuchi and swings it against the tree.
Sounds of two metals clashing can be heard.
Kyouken: That’s cool. With these talismans, we could be invincible.
Shang: Dream on. These talismans can destroyed by water or rain and I only have three of these left.
Having only three left was actually a lie. Shang wouldn’t really want to tell Kyouken that he has hundreds of these.
Kyouken: Give me then. I will pass it to Houou.
Shang: Here, take two instead. I want Emonzaemon’s head and mask, along with Ento Ju in exchange.
Kyouken: Emonzaemon’s mask? What for?
Shang: You wouldn’t want Princess Hitei to be your enemy right?
Kyouken: You are right. One strategian is enough. Another one would be a big headache.
Kyouken: Well, my mission is completed. See ya.
Kyouken disappears into the darkness.
Shang watches the darkness where Kyouken had disappeared.
Nanami: What’s wrong?
Shang: Nothing. Let’s go, Nanami.
Shang turns away.