SC1 5.1 – Fighting Blindly

In an opening as big as football field, in the middle of forest five kilometer west of Rokube, four people were facing off. It was a middle-aged man and a Level 3 warrior, facing Hisami and her escorts.

“Tanaka, you are truly a persistent bastard,” Hisami grumbled as she gave the middle-age man an annoying gaze.

“Of course I’m persistent,” The middle-age man or Tanaka hatefully said. “You killed my wife, took my toddler daughter, and then killed her too. So, I won’t stop until I kill you.”

“You are too late,” Hisami mockingly said. “Your toddler daughter’s blood have made breakthrough to Level 3. But have no worry, as a gesture of gratitude I will reunite you with her and your beloved wife.”

As soon as she finished her words Hisami made her move. She propelled forward using Wind Step, the very movement skill from Blackwing. Then, just before she arrived before Tanaka, she drew her kodachi in a horizontal slash. It was strong move, but Tanaka perfectly parried it using his sword.

CLANK!!!

Sharp echo spread over to all direction as two metals exchanged deadly kiss. From their first contact, I could tell Tanaka was adept swordsman, while Hisami was only a good saber user, slightly above average but far from excellent.

After parrying Hisami’s attack, Tanaka went forward while preparing a quick slash. It was a basic movement but when Tanaka executed it, it became a smooth and deathly sequence. However, Hisami had two Level 1 warriors to assist her. So, Tanaka had to cancel his intention and stepped back to avoid pincer attack from Hisami’s escort.

Wasting no time, I changed back to human form and came down from the big branch I used to perch. Tanaka didn’t seem have a problem fighting Hisami and her escort, but it was only for now. When sun fully downed in the west, Hisami physical strength would increase three fold at least.

I also didn’t know the demonic skill she could use when she was in full power, but demonic skill was always nasty and troublesome. So, I had to help Tanaka ended the fight as soon as possible.

As I approached one of Hisami’s escorts, I threw a stone as big as my fist to her.

Clank!

Hisami’s escort slashed the stone I threw with ease, but my goal to attract her attention and lessen up Tanaka’s burden was achieved. She immediately welcomed me, running to me at full speed while her hands held her kodachi at her side and ready to make horizontal slash to my torso.

While I looked back at her determined eyes, I launched Shadow Hand forward. Hisami’s escort was oblivious to the death that came straight to her, and so my Shadow Hand reached her head unchallenged.

Crack!!

She didn’t even have time to blink as I snapped her neck to the side. Her body then slumped to the ground with her neck bent in awkward angle. Then, as I took her kodachi I saw a mark of soul binding behind her left ear. Meaning, she was Hisami’s slave.

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I instantly concluded that the other escort also Hisami’s slave and would fight to the dead to defend her. Well, it was not a new thing for me so I would just do it as usual, neutralized all threat at all cost.

I calmly looked at Hisami’s second escort as she came over right after I killed her colleague, but she didn’t in hurry to attack me. She stopped 12 meters before me and vigilantly observed me. In summary, she tried to avoid the similar fate that befell on her colleague, died without putting a proper fight.

“Who are you?” Hisami’s escort asked me.

But I didn’t have time to waste. I also didn’t want to give her a chance to study and counter my Shadow Hand. Fortunately, Hisami’s escort didn’t realize that my Shadow Hand was still active and she was under my reach.

Crack!!

It was another instant kill. Hisami’s second escort could only widen her eyes as I snapped her neck to the side. Her lifeless body then slumped to the ground, while I went to approach Tanaka.

It seemed my performance in killing two Level 1 warriors without a fight drew some attention, as Tanaka and Hisami stopped their fight and turned their gaze to me. Unfortunately, it seemed I didn’t manage to get Tanaka’s trust. He vigilantly looked at me, and from his eyes I could tell that he was ready to attack me if he smelled even the slightest sign of hostility. So, I decided to stop about five meters before him.

“Young man, who are you?” Tanaka asked me without lowering his guard.

“Tadaoka Sanno,” I calmly replied, “and I will help you kill this demonic bitch.”

“Did Hisami kill one of your families?”

“She took my niece.”

“Ahhh…” Hisami slightly nodded her head before asking, “You are Yunno’s uncle, aren’t you?”

“I’m.”

After a sweet smile Hisami said, “Never did I imagine you are a warrior. Six months ago when I silently checked Yunno’s condition, you totally seemed like ordinary young villager. You truly hide yourself deep, but unfortunately you just a Level 1.”

I calmly replied, “By the way, why do you targeting Yunno?”

“She has good soul mark, so her blood and flesh will help me increase my level,” Hisami casually replied.

After taking a deep breath I tried to confirm my curiosity, “How do you know Yunno and other kids you killed have soul mark, before they fully activate their essence circuit?”

“It’s my innate talent. I can tell if a kid has a good soul mark or just ordinary one.”

Hisami honestly admitted, and it relieved me from my biggest worry. If it was an innate talent, it meant no one would be able to replicate her ability. Therefore, after I killed her, no one and not even a dragon could clearly detect the rain dragon soul mark on Yunno and Yui if I masked it properly using some runes.

“By the way, what skill did you use to kill my escorts?”

Hisami asked me, still in her casual tone, and it was clearly visible that the death of her escorts didn’t bother her at all.

“Shadow Hand,” I honestly replied as I believed Hisami was able to detect it, even if her eyes couldn’t see it.

“I see. That’s a nice skill. This is the first time I encounter such skill.” After sweetly smiling at me, Hisami continued “How about we make a deal?”

“What deal?”

“I will let Yunno go. In return, you become my escort.”

“No thanks,” I flatly rejected.

“Are you sure?” Hisami teasingly asked me. “If you show me a good time in the bed, I will pouring lot of resource for your training you know.”

I ignored Hisami’s seductive offer and turned my gaze to Tanaka. ”We have to kill this bitch before sun fully down in the west.”

“Why? Does she will become stronger after sun fully down?”

It seemed Tanaka still didn’t know the reason why Hisami hunted and killed kids with soul mark, but I didn’t have time to explain it in detail.

“Sort of,” I casually explained, “At night, her physical strength and ferocity will increase several folds.”

“Do you mean like a demonic beast?”

“Yeah, that’s one of the traits from warrior who took demonic path.”

“Demonic path?”

From the thick question mark on his forehead, I concluded that Tanaka never heard about demonic path before, and so I gave him a short explanation.

“Basically, Hisami mimic the way of how demonic beast increasing their level and strength, by consuming bloods of other warrior or children with soul mark.”

As bitterness filled his eyes to the brim Tanaka asked me, “Sanno, do you mean my toddler daughter and all kids she killed actually had soul mark and could become warrior?”

“Yeah,” I weakly replied. “I’m sorry for your lost.”

It seemed Tanaka didn’t know that his daughter had soul mark and could become warrior like him. Therefore, currently his regret and bitterness for losing her in a gruesome way was rapidly increasing. Then, the bitterness in his eyes turned into a madness.

“Demonic whore! I will cut you into thousand pieces.”

While pointing his sword forward, Tanaka made a frontal charge to Hisami. At the same time, I let out a sigh as I saw fury had blinded Tanaka’s reason and clarity. Now, he would not listen to my proposal, even though it would enable us to kill Hisami in most sure way possible.

All I could do was support him and hopefully I found an opportunity to connect a fatal blow to Hisami. Without delay, I followed Tanaka’s charge.

*****