“It sure was nice of the shogun to allot us these horses.” Himiko said as they trotted along. “It definitely beats walking.” She tightened her grip around Ryoma’s torso and placed her cheek squarely into his back. The samurai thought he’d found heaven on earth as he savored her touch.

Tetsuo, however, was less pleased as he and Yuki shared a horse. The kappa didn’t seem to mind, though, as he said, “It sure does. But nothing beats swimming. Especially in the moonlight.” They all gazed up into the night sky to see the beacon of light above them, a slightly pudgier half-moon of beauty. Himiko asked, “Isn’t she lovely?”

Before anyone could answer, Ryoma noticed Iori breach the horizon. He ushered their horses forward and met the boy as he began to collapse. “What brings you this far away from the village, Iori?” Ryoma asked. Iori took some time to catch his breath and then finally exclaimed, “There’s a monster in the village! He’s killed the elder and plans to kill everyone else unless you stop him!”

The quartet looked around at one another and nodded. “We have to hurry!” Himiko exclaimed. “Iori, hop on!” She separated from Ryoma and dismounted to help Iori up. Then, after reseating herself, the five of them raced toward the village against time itself.

Roughly half a day later, Ryoma and the others arrived at the edge of the village. “Be prepared for anything.” Ryoma said. The others agreed and continued into the center square. There, they saw Miu, naked and tied to the water well. She looked up with tears in her eyes and yelled, “Help me, Ryoma! Please, save us all!”

Farther beyond Miu, Ryoma and the rest of the five saw Koichi taking Ame from behind in the dirt, both grunting. They all gasped and Himiko asked, “Sayako?! Is that you?! How did you escape?!” Ame giggled, moaned, and exclaimed, “Oh, Himiko! I’m so excited to reunite with you! Do you like what you see? Oh, I do love how it feels!”

Himiko began to tear up and exclaimed, “Sayako, please don’t say such things!” She couldn’t bear to see the degradation of her friend and looked away. Ryoma, meanwhile, was still too incensed to see Miu trapped against her will a second time. “Don’t worry, Miu,” he exclaimed, “we’ll free you in no time!”

“Is that so?” Koichi asked as he finished inside Ame. He rolled off the corrupted maiden and rose to his feet, but not before staggering forward and catching himself with his hands to the ground. Nevertheless, he laughed, composed himself, and exclaimed, “I’d be more than happy to meet you in combat, samurai! I’m surprised to run into you once more, and seeing as how our fight was so rudely interrupted last time, this will be a proper bout.”

“I’ll make sure it is.” Ame said as she rose to her feet. Although standing bowlegged, her skin was particularly glowing and she displayed an air of superiority. “If anyone dares interfere with the duel, I’ll personally impede their attempts.”

Tetsuo was unimpressed with Ame’s threats. “I’ll challenge that notion.” He said. Beginning to walk toward the twisted pair, he spun his nunchakus around and around while he said, “I brought that monster down once before, so there’s scant reason I can’t do it again.”

Ame, however, was similarly unimpressed with Tetsuo’s bravado. “Perhaps a demonstration of my capabilities will change your mind.” She undid the comb from her hair, allowing it to fall past her shoulders for a moment until it started levitating above her head. In an instant, the hair expanded and darted across the town square, swiftly entangling Tetsuo’s arms and causing him to drop his nunchakus.

“By the gods!” Yuki exclaimed as hair wrapped around Tetsuo’s neck. Ame giggled as she lifted the monk into the air and brought him closer to her. Ryoma exclaimed, “Stop, succubus! Don’t you dare hurt him!” Koichi interjected as he said, “In that case, face me in a duel to the death, samurai. That’s the only way to save him.” Ryoma clutched his katana, relented, and said, “Very well. I accept your challenge.”

Ryoma stepped forward and unsheathed his sword. Koichi smiled and began to collect his armor. Thinking back on his duel with Makoto, the samurai doubted his capability of defeating an opponent clad in more protective gear than himself. However, from what he knew of the beast, its ego was easily stroked.

“Come now, Koichi.” Ryoma said. “You really think you need armor to defeat me, a warrior who stands only in underclothes? Surely, you don’t think so little of your own talents. Or perhaps, there’s no reason to label you as the Wild One.” Koichi’s temper flared and he exclaimed, “I need no armor to dispose of you, wretched insect! I’ll meet you in combat wearing the sheer fabric I cling to now. Then, you’ll see my true prowess as you lay dying after a fair fight!”

Ame gasped and exclaimed, “Koichi, you can’t be that dense! Protect yourself with your armor and take the advantage into the fight, you imbecile!” Koichi sharply turned to her and exclaimed, “Quiet, Ame! I’ll disgrace this warrior further by drawing my blade without hiding in a metal suit.” He then turned to Ryoma and said, “Now, let’s begin, samurai.”

Ryoma silently thanked the gods that his deception worked, then took the first step and advanced toward Koichi. The beast took the first swing, taking advantage of the length of his weapon. The samurai dodged underneath the blow, taking his own advantage of the taller stature of his opponent.

Swiftly, Ryoma charged forward in a piercing motion. He figured that he’d eliminate Koichi before he could threaten the samurai a second time as he feared the beast’s destructive potential having seen him dispose of Yuki and Himiko so handily before. Koichi instinctively maneuvered the staff of his naginata perfectly to absorb the stab in front of his breast.

“Damn!” Ryoma exclaimed. Koichi laughed and exclaimed, “Nice attempt! I’ll have to keep distance from you, samurai.” Using his tremendous might, Koichi launched Ryoma back by thrusting the staff outward, dislodging the samurai’s katana in the process. Ryoma staggered back and fell to the ground.

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Koichi prepared his naginata and launched it toward Ryoma as though he were harpooning a whale. The samurai rolled to the left just as the tip shattered the earth. He continued rolling, hoping to gain distance before the beast could regain his spear. Koichi walked casually toward the weapon protruding from the ground. He said, “Rolling on the ground like the true dog you are sure is fitting for the last moments of your life.”

Grabbing the staff, Koichi then struggled to pull his naginata from the earth. He huffed ever so faintly, yet Ryoma was attuned enough into the battle so as to notice the catch in his opponent’s breath. A lesser warrior may have missed or ignored the occasion, yet Ryoma knew to consider all aspects of the fight. Of course, a part of him hesitated to take in the information as he recollected Makoto’s trickery in their duel. Instead, he decided to continue observing the beast and perform defensively.

Koichi tightened his grip, planted himself firmly onto the ground, and ripped the naginata from the earth. “Alright, samurai,” he said, “it’s time for you to die.” He burst forward unexpectedly and swung his weapon once more. Ryoma raised his katana to his side and braced for impact. The blade of the naginata clashed with his sword and he instantly felt the strength of his arm give way. His own blade carved into his muscle and Koichi flung him across the square.

Ryoma rolled again in the dirt though uncontrollably this time, leaving a trail of blood from his fresh wound to stain the earth. The sting of the cut reverberated through his mind, yet he willed himself to ignore the pain and focus on Koichi. Looking toward his opponent, he noticed heavy breathing from the beast, as though the burst of movement sapped his energy. Ryoma smiled beyond his gritted teeth.

Koichi noticed the expression and asked, “And what do you have to be mirthful about? If you haven’t noticed, you’re knocking on death’s door, and it’s soon to answer.” He wound up his arms due to the attack draining the strength from his own appendages. Eventually, he decided they had cooled down enough and began charging yet again. Ryoma returned to his feet and braced himself for another swipe of the spear.

Mere inches from connecting to its target, Koichi’s naginata slashed through open air as Ryoma stepped back at the ultimate moment. Then, the samurai raised his blade, and with all the strength his core muscles would allot, he redirected his body forth again and chopped down with gusto.

Koichi’s melee instincts kicked back in and his arm moved the staff portion of the naginata in front of the oncoming blade. The two connected again, but this time, the force of the swing caused Koichi’s hand to vibrate violently, and he dropped his weapon. It clattered upon the earth when it landed as the samurai’s stroke followed through to its end.

Wresting the katana free from the naginata, Ryoma leaned the sword back behind him to stab forward yet again, but Koichi mustered every ounce of power in his legs to leap back onto the earth. This time, Ryoma was the one walking toward his opponent as Koichi crawled backward through the dust and dirt.

“Now, you die.” Ryoma said and raised his arm. Koichi, in desperation, filled a hand with dirt and cast it into Ryoma’s face. The samurai yelled as his eyes began to burn and his lids cemented themselves shut. He dropped his weapon as his hands instinctively moved to his eyes to attempt to clear them of the clutter. The beast took advantage of the blinding of his opponent by raising to one knee and launching himself into Ryoma’s lower half, causing him to topple.

Whilst blind and backwards, Ryoma began a similar maneuver of shuffling his arms atop the ground to scoot back from the danger despite his left arm still searing in pain. Then, though still unable to see, he felt hands grip around his neck. Koichi began choking him and yelled, “Die already!”

Ryoma felt the lifeforce begin to eke out of him same as the blood from his wound. His lungs burned, needing fresh air to sustain his body. Blinded and suffocating, he felt around for his katana to no avail. However, he felt another cold, metallic object within his reach, much larger in width than his own weapon. It was Koichi’s naginata.

Unable to reach the staff segment, Ryoma instead grasped the lower end of the naginata’s blade. Silently screaming from the pain as the edge dug into his fingers, he lifted it off the ground and shoved above him, piercing Koichi’s abdomen with the tip of the spear. Across the square, all the onlookers gasped.

Ryoma felt a warm liquid drip onto his face and realized Koichi’s blood was beginning to fill his own mouth. The beast attempted to speak, but it sloshed out instead and covered Ryoma’s lips. Koichi released his grip on the samurai’s neck and slumped to his right so as not to fall upon the naginata further.

Ryoma spat out the blood, breathed deeply, and finally wiped away the dirt from his eyes as Koichi vomited up more and more crimson fluid. The samurai eventually pushed the naginata’s staff away and rose to his feet. Shakily, he walked over and reclaimed his katana. By this time, Koichi had risen up on all fours, still spitting out blood. Through the pain and ooze escaping his mouth, he said, “You win. I can’t go on much longer. Kill me, samurai.”

Ryoma raised his katana into the air and said, “Wild One, your tyranny ends here,” In his last moments, despite all the suffering, Koichi Hanamura smiled, finally recognized for what he was. Ryoma swung down and decapitated him in a flash. The beast had been slain.