The ninjas weren't expecting alienating as this. The Tourmaline of Mobility was embedded in the Yamabushi's beating heart, which was exposed to the environment with little to no protection while possessing the same hue as the second piece of the star.
"How come your heart...is..is...exposed?"
"Oh, that's none of your business. Anyways, you little punks will soon die by my hands. So, I don't mind telling you at all."
The Teen Ninjas were eagerly waiting for his explanation. He took a deep breath before starting.
"It only took me 200 years to finally become a test subject for my master. I was nothing but humbled and grateful to be chosen as one of the guardians of this divine creation. Because of my origins, my chest cavity had to be cracked open for the jewel to be sealed inside my heart, subsequently leaving it exposed to the air. The pain...I had to bear for this gem was nothing compared to what you teens face every day in your silly missions. Now, I shall abuse the power of the Tourmaline to get rid of you all and satisfy my master's needs by trading your corpses for more divine abilities!"
“How wonderful?" Kumiko said.
"Just you wait, my dear..."
While he was boasting about himself, Kento slowly picked up the map that his grandfather had given him. He unrolled it and displayed it in front of his opponent, demanding answers.
"Is your master cowardly enough to do this?"
The Yamabushi's reaction was just a big roar of laughter. But his state of mind flipped when the Yorihide brothers insisted.
"Tell us! What is behind this map?"
"Aw...It's nothing particular. Just an encryption cast with a spell that would basically turn Izanagi's map into a useless piece of garbage."
"Why you…."
Kumiko grabbed Kento's hand when he was about to rush towards the Yamabushi. A brief glimpse of her left Kento consoled almost instantaneously.
Yamazaki, who had been watching and listening carefully finally responded to the Yamabushi's words.
"It's time, you freak of a geezer. Fight us!"
The Yamabushi chuckled and charged while shouting in a loud voice.
"Get ready! Here I come!"
Before he could advance towards Yamazaki, Nakamura casually warned his brother, before the beginning of the showdown.
"Better keep your guard up Yamazaki. He has the power of the Tourmaline of Mobility, which explains everything behind his agility. And no matter what happens, never forget to keep an eye out for his weak spot. It’s the only way we are going to stop him!"
Just when he was about to speak the final word, a hacking blow from some kamas caused Nakamura to lift his nodachi to block the attack. Though his move was effective, a subsequent punch into the chest blew Nakamura away. He thudded into a wooden wall, with a bruised chest.
Yamazaki spun his naginata as a precaution taken to block the Yamabushi's fast Taijutsu attacks. His expectations soon became a reality as the Yamabushi tried to land an axe kick on Yamazaki. As the pole was holding off the strike, the Yamabushi used this chance to land a kama strike on Yamazaki by making good use of his enhanced mobility strength. He dashed behind Yamazaki just when he was about to finish landing the kick, and landed a heavy blow. Unfortunately, Yamazaki was too sluggish to anticipate his attack. The kama slash sliced through Yamazaki's ninja suit and wounded his back. The cut through the skin opened up a minor spring of blood and started turning the outfit bloody.
"Aah! He got me!" Yamazaki shouted in pain while trying to stop the bleeding.
The adrenaline which yearned to take charge of Nakamura’s body acted on him in an instant. He rushed towards the Yamabushi and struck his heavy nodachi vertically, with the hope of slicing him. His speed couldn't match the lightning speed of the Yamabushi, resulting in a miss. He fell into a deep state of frustration, left with no options and no support.
"Damn! I can't keep up with him. My nodachi is way too heavy. And even more, he is crazy fast! Not even Yamazaki could match his speed, even though he was using a way lighter weapon. Okay now, what should I do??? Come on think fast Nakam..."
"Now try and dodge this you moron!"
The Yamabushi jerked ten shurikens at the same time. Nakamura was awakened from his current state and could do nothing but witness his brother being outnumbered thanks to the Yamabushi's rain of shurikens.
Yamazaki had no choice. He laid flat to dodge the metal stars that were going to seal his certain death. He was fortunate enough to dodge eight of the shurikens but was unfortunate to get hit by the remaining two, which opened up two more cuts on his right arm.
"Yamazaki No!!"
Kento could not bear to watch this and he tried to enter the battlefield. But a shuriken whizzed past his ears and hit a nearby tree. His face was drenched with sweat.
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"This is the last warning. It's those guys who are going to face me. Not you! And if you dare to interfere, I shall rip the throats of you and that blue-haired girl!"
Kento couldn't bear the inability to help his best companions when they were fighting with blood-covered hands. When he was about to join the fight, he was stopped by Kumiko and Hinako, who grabbed his hands tight.
Yamazaki’s body had taken several cuts and scrapes while Nakamura’s chest had been stamped by a huge bruise made by Yamabushi’s punch. The Yamabushi had gained the upper hand, without suffering any injuries at all.
“Yamazaki…(Coughs)”
“Brother wait!”
Despite the agony that Yamazaki was in, he slowly walked towards his brother to help him. But the Yamabushi interrupted and attempted to land a punch on him.
“No helping!”
“Not cool. So not cool!”
The Yamabushi was hoping that his attack would kill or at least knock Yamazaki out. But moments later, he was collapsed disgracefully by Yamazaki, who had tripped him using his naginata.
“Nice job Yamazaki!”
A smile spread across Yamazaki’s face, which gradually vaporised the pain that was tormenting him. Determination flushed into his mind, creating a perfect state of mind to come up with a plan to counter the flashy Yamabushi’s onslaught.
“How dare you put me down to the ground in such a disgraceful manner?”
The reply that the Yamabushi was expecting from Yamazaki didn’t materialise as he was already whispering into Nakamura's ears while aiding him to stand up.
“Woah, that might really work. Then let’s do it, shall we?”
"I said why did you make me fall in such a disgraceful manner?"
The anger that was igniting inside the Yamabushi's body instantly allowed his agility to grow even stronger. Yamazaki and Nakamura could ignore him no more as he jumped right in front of them and launched a volley of punches. Nakamura thrust and acted as the tank while Yamazaki planned the next move. Though his punches landed at a rapid rate, the boys were more agile than before, so the damage that was inflicted by the punches was minimal compared to before.
When the Yamabushi realised his punches no longer harmed the tank, he equipped the Kamas, or sickles used by the ninjas. It was one of those tools that were used by many ninjas thanks to their amazing versatility.
Yamazaki threw one of the kunai he had brought as he was out of shurikens. He didn't want to use them, but in a tough situation like this where you are outnumbered and left with no options, he was left with only one choice. The kunai that he fired was targeting the Yamabushi's left arm. But it was soon caught by the watchful eye of the Yamabushi. The Yamabushi deflected the kunai using his weapon with ease while keeping his eye on Nakamura, who was about to engage in close-range combat.
Nakamura charged with his nodachi to put pressure on the Yamabushi by striking with his nodachi. But all his attacks were blocked by the Yamabushi as usual. The Yamabushi got excited when he had evaded all the attacks of Nakamura and immediately proceeded to counter-attack.
"You are done, Fatso! Get ready to become dead meat!!!"
The Yamabushi activated his agility once again and dashed towards Nakamura in the hope of dipping his sickles in Nakamura's blood. As Nakamura was slow, he tried to block with his nodachi, but it failed as usual. His left arm was punctured with a deep cut that started draining blood. The Yamabushi released his annoying chuckle again and started talking.
"I have told you, kid. you are slow and unworthy."
Nakamura tried to absorb the bitterness of the pain. The Yamabushi was laughing, thinking that he had won. He was happy about the fact that he had fulfilled his objective, but after a while, a reply was given by Nakamura with a smile, which surprised him.
"Yeah, I might be slow and useless. But…"
"What is it, you moron?"
"Well, nothing particularly interesting, I mean what could possibly happen if I hit your lethal spot?"
“THE ACHILLES’ HEEL. I have read about it in those translated books from the other side of the world. Each and every warrior has a weakness and this geezer shows it too well, almost as if he is holding a placard with his soft spot written all over it.” Nakamura thought to himself, “Let the Yamabushi’s weak and fragile body do the rest.”
The Yamabushi’s pupils dilated when he realised that Nakamura had struck a vital spot in his legs with a kunai in an unnoticeable way. He was surprised by the fact that it was a senseless experience and was struck into a deep state of fear and uncertainty when he realised that the vital spot's damage had halted the blood supply to his left foot, making it immovable.
"What? I can't move my leg!"
"Now Yamazaki!"
Just when he heard Nakamura's screaming, a short blade made of iron stabbed through multiple points of the Yamabushi's body, creating a disgusting, R-rated bloodbath.
"Ah!" The Yamabushi screamed with unbearable pain. He was soon struck by terror at the realisation of what Nakamura’s eyes were staring upon as his body was stuck with numbness,
"No…no…no!"
Nakamura replied.
"Well, generally I wouldn’t go this far to silence my enemies. But you almost tried to knock me senseless and decapitate all my friends. I am just returning the favour, you know just to even things out..."
In a flash, Nakamura dipped his hand through the exposed, beating heart inside the exposed chest cavity of the Yamabushi which instantly halted the Yamabushi's actions. Roaring with anger and essence, he ripped the Tourmaline of Mobility out of the heart, spreading vibrant rays of orange into the sky through the blood and the veins it was covered in.
He turned around and lifted the second piece into the air.
"We got it!"