SC1 5.3 – Hunting Hisami’s Last Escort
From the air, I deployed Essence Pulse to scan the room that Hisami rented. I carefully checked the balcony, ceiling, and the room’s interior, but other than Yunno who was sleeping peacefully I found no one. When I checked the other rooms in the same floor I also didn’t found Hisami’s last escort.
It seemed after Hisami’s death and she was free from her soul binding, Hisami’s last escort took her chance to run away. Wasting no time, I entered the room and landed next to Yunno’s bed.
I instantly took a breath full of relieve as I found Yunno didn’t suffer any physical injury. Hisami’s last escort was just put her into sleeping without harming her. Even so, I still had to hunt and kill her. She knew that Yunno had soul mark and until I was strong enough to fight mid-level Demon Beast, I planned to guard this information at all cost.
In total silence I then flew outside. I climbed as high as possible and launched a wide area search and track using Peregrine Owl’s excellent vision. It didn’t take a long before I was detecting a swift movement on Southern Ridge. I immediately focused my vision on it and confirmed that she was Hisami’s last escort.
She was using Wind Step to walk the top of Southern Ridge straight to south. Fortunately, it seemed Wind Step was not compatible with her soul mark. Therefore, her speed was not as fast as it should be.
Wasting no time I chased her. In a few breaths of time I was already behind her. As I landed to the ground I changed back to human form and it deeply startled her. Hisami’s last escort immediately stopped her step before turning back to me.
“Who are you?” Hisami’s last escort warily asked.
“Yunno’s uncle,” I calmly replied.
“Yunno? Do you mean the little girl that Master Hisami bought?”
“Correct.”
“I don’t harm her. She is sleeping peacefully in Red Oak,” Hisami’s last escort said. “I already asks the Red Oak’s manager to take her back to Sendai’s tomorrow. I also leaved some money for her.”
“I see.”
“How did Master Hisami meet her end?” Hisami’s escort curiously asked.
“I impaled her neck using her own sword.”
In an instant Hisami’s last escort widened her eyes. “You killed her alone?”
“A Level 3 warrior helped me,” I casually explained before asking, “May I know why Hisami only took Yunno and leaved Yui’s behind?”
“Master wanted to steal Yunno’s soul mark. She knew Yunno’s love her little sister above everything else. So, she planned to make Kazuyori accidentally kill Yui. Then, she will make a trade with Yunno. Her souls mark for a help of carrying out revenge.”
“I see.”
Hisami’s last escort explanation matched First Elder’s forecast. Total massacre on Tadaoka Household marked the start of Yunno’s journey to demonic path. After that she disappeared for more than ten years before creating second incident.
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From how Yunno managed to grow up and became a calamity, I concluded that Hisami’s intention didn’t go according to her plan. It seemed she was being devoured instead of devouring Yunno.
It’s just that Yunno’s encounter with demonic path took place a few years earlier. Maybe my transmigration had triggered it, or maybe it was because the other reason. Whatever it was, the most important thing was that I managed to prevent Yunno from taking demonic path.
After taking a deep breath I asked another question, “Who is your name?”
“Takao.”
“And your surname?”
“When I was five-year-old, my father sold me to become a junior servant in a rich household. I dropped my surname since then.”
“How long since you follow Hisami?”
“Master bought me two years ago.”
“Did she treat you well?”
“She did, but I can’t stand her method to increase her level.” After heaving a deep sigh Takao continued, “I can’t get the face of children she devoured out of my mind. Especially the last child, she was a sweet and cute three years old toddler girl.
She didn’t realize that we already killed her mother, so she kept calling her and begging us to bring her home.”
I nodded my head and then asked, “Do you know the Level 3 warrior who stalked Hisami?”
“He is Tanaka, the father of the last child.”
“Did he have other family member?”
As she creased her brow Hisami’s last escort asked, “Did he die too?”
“He did.”
Hisami’s last escort immediately took a deep sigh. “He had no other family member. I hope he reunited with her wife and daughter.”
“Well, you can find it out yourself,” I calmly said as I draw my kodachi.
“Why do we have to fight and risking our life? You can take Yunno’s back. She is fine. I can accompany you back to Red Oak if you don’t believe me.”
“I already checked Yunno’s condition,” I calmly said, “but I still have to kill you to ensure no one know that Yunno and Yui have soul mark.”
“Why do you go that far?”
“To ensure I can have a peaceful life.”
“I can make martial oath. It will prevent me from talking about Yunno’s soul mark.”
“It’s a good offer, but it’s not enough.”
“We both are Level 1, but you just fight Master Hisami. Are you sure you want to fight me?” Takao calmly asked. “Bear in mind, I won’t have second thought to kill you once I drew my kodachi.”
“Fight me with everything you have or you will regret it,” I said as I propelled my body straight to Takao.
At the same time, Takao calmly recited a spell and in instant thick white fog filled the area. The white fog did not only hinder my vision, but also my hearing and smelling. Only Black Fox Warrior would have such a strong misdirection spell. Therefore, even if physically they were not strong or fast, it was undeniably they were one of the most dangerous warriors.
Unfortunately, Takao didn’t have the correct skill to maximize her potential. Her attributes were water and darkness, but her movement skill was Wind Step while her breathing technique was also Wind Breathing. The spell she used to create the white fog was also not a complete spell. Not to mention, she started her training only two years ago.
Actually, it was such a waste to kill her. Black Fox Warrior was as rare as Dragon Warrior and had unlimited potential. Unfortunately, she could become a trail that connected Hisami’s death to me. And so, I strengthened my resolve while deploying essence pulse. Then, I sensed a movement approaching me from my left.
Slash!!
A slash suddenly came directly to my neck. It had compact and beautiful arc. It also had enough force to cleanly cut my head, but I managed to avoid it by side stepping to my right.
Surprise was clearly visible on Takao’s eyes as she missed my neck. It seemed her ambush rarely failed. In reflex she tried to jump backward, but it was too late. With ease I sealed her movement using Shadow Hand.
When fighting Hisami, I couldn’t split my Shadow Hand or it wouldn’t have enough power. However, when fighting a Level 1 I could split it into five small Shadow Hands. Takao could only widen her eyes as my Shadow Hands grabbed her hair, wrists, and ankles at the same time.
“How did you detect my approach?” Takao asked as panic flashed in her eyes.
“Combat experience,” I casually replied and hide the fact that I used Essence Pulse to track her movement.
“For someone who lived in backwater area, you seem have lot of combat experience. Who is your true identity?”
‘Isser Sanno, Fifth Elder of Blackwing Guild, the only elder who completed Dragon Slayer rituals nine times, and that’s why people called me Dragon Slayer Elder.’
That was the usual answer I gave to people who asked my identity, just before I killed them. It was not a boasting, but a means to console them that they didn’t die in the hand of some weakling. However, I still have some questions for Takao so I chose to give her a simple answer.
“I’m just villager who wants to have peaceful life.”
“Yeah, sure.”
From Takao mocking eyes, I could tell she didn’t believe me at all even though it was an honest answer. But I have no time to explain it and I immediately sealed her essence sea. A moment later, the white fog around us disappeared.
“Answer me honestly and I will give you painless death. I will also properly cremate your body.”
As she looked at my eyes directly Takao said, “Or what?”
I immediately grabbed Takao’s left breast. “I will destroy your essence sea, use you as bed warmer until I get bored, and then I will sell you to local brothel house.”
“Pervert!!”
Takao instantly gave me a sharp gaze as I squeezed and kneaded her left breast. Well, from how I was toying with her breast, she must have realized it that I was a veteran of toying with female body. So, she knew my threat was not a bluffing.
“Fine,” Takao vexingly said, “but stop molesting my breast.”
“As you wish, Milady.”
Without delay I took my hand off Takao’s breast while regretting why she didn’t took a longer time before deciding to cooperate.
‘What a waste.’
The sensation when playing with Takao’s firm but soft breast was remarkably good.
*****