SC1 5.2 – Killing Hisami

Clank clank clank!!

Clank clank clank!!

Clank clank clank!!

In a rapid pace, Tanaka and Hisami exchanged a slash and parry. They went back and forth as if they were dancing, but it was deadly dance. A slight mistake could lead into a fatal blow, followed by an inevitable death.

Meanwhile, I was tightly flanking Hisami and when opportunity presented itself, I immediately took it. As Hisami made a side step to avoid Tanaka’s vertical slash, I tried to hit her using Shadow Hand.

BAAM!!

Unfortunately, as I suspected Hisami could accurately perceive my Shadow Hand. She could even deflect it using bare hand. Then, the thing I worried the most finally occurred. Tanaka’s attack became more ferocious, but also became too easy to predict. Worst of all, he had no intention to work together with me.

Tanaka even deliberately entered my angle of attack when chasing Hisami, without realizing that Hisami was leading him and using him to shield her from my sneak attack.

As I repositioned myself I shouted, “Senior Tanaka, we can’t kill her this way. We have to work together before it’s too late.”

“Don’t worry,” Tanaka replied without shifting his eyesight from Hisami. “I will kill her before sun fully down in the west.”

‘What a stubborn fellow.’

I heaved a deep sigh as I tried to hit Hisami’s left ribs using Shadow Hand, but I had to cancel it because Tanaka once again entered my angle of attack. In the end, I could only observe the fight while tried accumulating enough essence to generate a decisive Wind Blade.

In my current level, I could only launch one Wind Blade that strong enough to kill or hurt a Level 3. In summary, I gave up the idea to work together with Tanaka. And finally, the thing that I worried the most took place.

After making a backward jump, Hisami suddenly stopped her movement and stood still. Without delay Tanaka propelled himself towards Hisami. From how he held his sword next to his waist, it seemed he planned to use the momentum from his movement to deliver a low horizontal slash.

Tanaka did indeed make a proper move to respond Hisami’s retreat, but I got a hunch it was a trap. Not to mention, I sensed that Hisami gathered her essence in her hand. I didn’t know what Hisami want to do, but I’m sure Tanaka was not ready for it.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Wasting no time, I propelled myself straight to Hisami. My plan was simple. When Hisami attacked Tanaka, I would send Wind Blade to decapitate her.

Unfortunately, it seemed Hisami’s target was not Tanaka, but me. Chill instantly ran through on my spine as Hisami smiled at me. At the same time, a throwing spear suddenly appeared in her left hand.

Swooshh!!

I could only curse as Hisami threw the throwing spear with full power. It approached me while cutting the air, and in a blink already arrived in front of me. In reflex I counter it with Wind Blade.

Clank!

My Wind Blade hit the tip of the throwing spear precisely. It was slowing down and deviated from its flight path, but it still hit and badly wounded my left shoulder. It also halted my advance. However, my wound and my halt was not the biggest problem I had to face.

As Tanaka arrived in front of her, with ease Hisami caught and held his right wrist using her left hand, right before Tanaka could launch his slash.

“What the fu-cough…”

Tanaka couldn’t finish his cursed as Hisami suddenly gripped his neck. Then, as Tanaka’s desperately tried to break free from her hold, Hisami turned her gaze to me.

“Seems my judgment is correct. You are far more dangerous than Tanaka even though you just a Level 1.” Hisami curiously looked at me as she continued, “Who is your master? How can he know Wind Step and Wind Blade? Your breathing technique is also very strong. This is the first time I encounter a Level 1 who deflected my throwing spear using Wind Blade.”

‘Grand Elder of Blackwing Guild and he is the one who invented Wind Step and Wind Blade four hundred and seventy years ago,’ I muttered inwardly before replying Hisami, “My master is only a senile wanderer. He taught me those skills before continuing his wandering.”

“Who is his name?”

“Warrior Deitoro.”

A lie smoothly slipped out of my teeth, while Hisami creased her brow.

“What is his level?” Hisami curiously asked.

“Level 6.”

I made another lie as I stopped the bleeding in my left arm. However, I didn’t have much time to spare. I could feel Hisami’s aura starting to change and getting stronger, while my left arm was fully immobilized. I had to end the fight as soon as I could. After calming my breath, I darted forward once again and continued my advance.

“Well, it’s unfortunate that I have to kill you.”

Hisami said as she put Tanaka in front of her like a shield. As she peeked from behind Tanaka’s shoulder, I could see cold gleam flashed in her eyes. It meant she would kill me at all cost. I have no other choice other than resorted to a nasty means.

I accelerated my speed as I put my short saber next to my left waist. Then, few meters before point of contact I ducked so low until my knee almost touched the ground. Hisami responded it by jumping off the ground. It was a good movement to avoid horizontal slash to the leg. However, I never have intention to launch a low horizontal slash.

“Keuukk…”

Tanaka groaned as I stabbed him from the back, while Hisami’s eyes widened as the tip of my kodachi came out of Tanaka’s shoulder and went straight to her throat. Unfortunately, the tip of my short saber only grazed Hisami’s throat. She managed to avoid it by jumping backward at the last millisecond. Fortunately, I never expected I would kill her at first strike.

I put my bet on Shadow Hand. Just a millisecond before Hisami’s feet landed on the ground, my Shadow Hand hit her in the chin from below. At the same time, I was closing in with all my might and then connected my right fist to her throat.

Ba-Baam!!

Two consecutive attacks hit Hisami at less than one second. It threw her body backward. She landing hard on the ground and rolling over for a few meters before stopping, but it didn’t kill her.

‘What a strong physical constitution,’ I muttered as I closing in.

Even though she couldn’t lift her head because her neck was broken, Hisami could sense my approach. She lifted her sword and tried to make a slash. However, it was a weak slash. With ease I caught and gripped her wrist, and bent her elbow inward until her sword cleanly penetrated her neck.

Hisami was gurgling and coughing on her own blood while hatefully looked at me, and I calmly looked back right to her eye while twisting my wrist. Blood instantly gushed out from Hisami’s neck while her body weakly twitching, but I didn’t lower my guard. I waited until Hisami’s body fully stopped moving and the light in her eyes gone before loosening my grip.

“Good night.”

I muttered as I gave Hisami one last glance. Without delay I then checked Tanaka’s condition. Unfortunately, he was already dead. From the grip mark on his neck, I concluded that Hisami accidentally tightened her grip and broke Tanaka’s neck when she was in panic.

After heaving a deep sigh, I treated my left arm using Healing Spell. With my current level, I couldn’t heal it completely, but at least I could use it to carry ordinary work. Then, I went to clean the trace of the fight. Other than spatial rings, I put everything else into my spatial storage along with its owner’s cold body. After that, I shape-shifted to peregrine owl and flew to back to Rokube as fast as I could.

*****