Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 4, HxH Greed Island

The doors were open and Team Japan could proceed and start the mission of Greed Island, yet first they had to look over the potentials of the ten Newbies. Shin listened in as he allowed each one to introduce themselves, state their occupation, and list their skill sets, yet overall he was bored.

Shin: (With the exception of the guy who used to work at JUMP as an editor and met Masashi Kishimoto, Tite Kubo, Eiichiro Oda, and Wellsford, everyone is boring. They have no useful skills and all of them agreed to not become trial members and wanted to be kept somewhere safe for the duration of the mission.)

Shin had little hope for this batch of Newbies and felt dispirited after such a grand speech on his part. Just as Shin was feeling stupid for using his first grand speech to a worthless batch of New Players he was taken back by the introductions of two newbies. The first was the young teen and the second was the peerless beauty.

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Hikari: "So your name is Renji, right?"

Renji: "Yes! Fifteen years old and Middle School third year. I have no job. My abilities... I have none to speak of. My personality is nice, if I do day so myself, and I've never complained when I had to take care of my grandmother while my parents are away. She lives with us, by the way, and she's nice. She injured her back a few years ago and needs help every now and again."

Hikark: "...That's nice (She say while really thinking "Why is he talking about his grandmother" here and now?). So you have no worth while abilities and have only average fitness, so you can't be accepted outright as a trial member of the team. You should just-"

Renji: "No, I want to volunteer to become a trial member."

Hikari: "Why? It's not impossible, but you don't have the ability. If you come with into battle you could very well die. You will, at times, be asked to enter into a battle against Nen Users. It's your choice, but why?"

Renji: "Because I want to be accepted. In the real world I have no outstanding talents and was bullied in school a lot. That's why I want to power to fight back and become a strong man! To teach them a lesson and change myself for the better."

Shin: "..."

Renji: "Also, I don't want to be protected. I'm no coward and I want to protect myself. I wouldn’t feel comfortable knowing danger is right outside. I'd rather face danger head on!"

Shin: "Good! If you have the will power to face the dangers of the mission, we'll welcome you aboard Team Japan as a trial member. You'll have to follow reasonable orders from us, but you'll be well armed and have comrades to watch your back."

Renji: "Thank you! I won't let you down leader."

Shin: "Just Shin is fine. Only Kampa calls me leader while being serious. The others do so sarcastically."

Renji: "Okay, but leader sounds better and more official. I'll wait till I become a full member to call you directly by name.'

Shin: "If that's what you want."

It felt strange to be called leader when it wasn't sarcastic, yet I still had a favorable impression of Renji. Renji was a man like myself when I first appeared in God's Dimension. An average man wanting to do his best to survive (I wasn't this upbeat though). Where Renji volunteered to face his new environment head on, other hid behind those in power in safety. I needed to see if Renji could remain calm enough in danger to see if he can keep up with us in battle, but my first impression of him was that he was a kind and courageous young men.

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Hikari: "You’re the last one..."

Kisara: "My name is Kisara. Second year High school student. An elite school that is heavily sports and competition oriented. I'm also the vice-captain of my school's female Kendo team. I'm a scholarship student with an athletic recommendation. I was also being scouted by Japan's Olympic team."

Misaki: "I thought she looked familiar."

Shuai: "That's right! I've seen you on TV. You’re the famed Miko of the Sword, right?"

Kisara: "Could you please stop that? That's an embarrassing nickname I'd rather be without. I've never even been in a shrine outfit (Shame). I'm only a little good at kendo as well. I'm not even the best, but-"

Aqua: "But because you look the way that you do, you're put in the spotlight, right? Still... you must be somewhat skilled to be considered to be a part of the Olympic team. I know since I was once an Olympic prospect in swimming."

Kisara: "No, I'm not that skilled in kendo, or better way to say it is that it doesn't suit me."

Hikari: "..."

Shin: "Hikari? You’re in charge of greeting them, so get to it."

Hikari: "Ah, sorry. So Kisara... I actually have to say this upfront, but you’re really beautiful (she says this while smiling, yet is worried that she may be a threat to her. Girls are scary)."

Kisara: "Thank you. I hear that a lot, but looks alone won't let me survive here, right? This is all so... unreal, but I don't believe this is all some elaborate trick either. You all have auras of those who have faced death directly and survived. Ah, I know this because my father was in the army in his youth, joined the police force, and was one of the few Japanese to fight terrorists from overseas."

Hikari: "Ter-terrorist?"

Kisara: "Yes. Haven't you ever heard that Japan is filled with foreign spies and criminals in hiding? There's some truth to it and my father... who's now deceased, dealt with those sorts people with his colleagues and friends as heroes of justice. They never left the country, but they were once responsible for bringing down overseas criminal activity down by 87%. You all have the same warrior’s aura as they did."

Hikari: "I... I see. Quite the interesting back story (said the former middle school internationally wanted hacker). I don't suppose that that story was-"

Aqua: "Hikari stop being jealous of her and get on with it. We don't have all day."

Hikari: "I'm not... fine. So Kisara what are your talents? Women who have not gone through combat training like our Aqua did in the navy are generally weaker than men and can't fight. I support the team from the back and I'm an excellent marksmen with a handgun. I don't know how useful a plain wooden sword would be in this world and you don't seem to even have kendo sword on you."

Kisara: "I know and wish that I did. If this Greed Island is as dangerous as you said it will be, then I wish that I hadn't left it in school. Do any of you happen to have a real sword that I could borrow? I don't need a gun."

Shin: "Why do you need a real sword? Kendo isn't suited for real combat, right? It will take time to adapt to live combat swordsmanship, so you're better off with a gun for the moment."

Kisara: "You’re correct about your assumption about Kendo, but I'm not originally a practitioner of Kendo. That's just a school club activity that I do to socialize with my friends. From my father I learned real ancient swordsmanship. I'm the successor of the XXXXXXXX Sword Style."

Hikari: "That's... that's... you’re just too amazing! I give up! Just... just don't keep him to yourself!"

Kisara: "Um..."

Kisara had a look of confusion as she was forced to watch Hikari, a girl that she barely knew, begin to cry on the floor of the small room. Aqua who knew what was going on looked over towards the man ultimately responsible for it all, Shin, and seeing him confused as well she could only sigh to herself. Both at the situation itself and her own choice of men that made her want to join Hikari on the floor.

Aqua: "Sorry. Don't worry about her too much. She has very low self-esteem. It was always low, but a certain someone made it worse. Shin, say something?"

Shin: "...Kisara... can... can you say what your sword style is again?"

Kisara: "Ah, yes. I'm the successor of the XXXXXXXX Sword Style."

Shin: "...One more time please. I... think that like what my Uncle and Aunt have always told me has come true. I've read and watched too much Manga and Anime that I can no longer distinguish between reality and fiction. This place is also not helping me with that, so… please just say it one more time."

Kisara: "...Okay. I practice Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu (Flying Heaven Govern Sword-Style). It's an ancient kenjutsu style from the Sengoku Jidai. Developed to allow a single samurai to defeat numerous foes single-handedly and was created by Hiko Seijuro I. Have you heard of it? A former student now Manga Artist used it as the basis for his Manga. I forgot his name and the name of the Manga, but I believe they are both popular. I remember reading a little bit of it when I was...are you alright?"

Aqua: "Shin? Shin! Snap out of it!"

It was not use. Shin had temporary lost his mind at that moment.

The beautiful, youthful, high school girl Kisara turned out to be a swordsman. Not a kendo girl, but real live swordsman... swordswoman? Whatever the correct term for a female sword practitioner was, it still placed her on the same level as Saeko of H.O.T.D, Saya from Blood Plus, Saber of Fate Stay, and Asuna of SAO... and that wasn't even the best part.

Shin: (Kisara claimed herself to be a practitioner... successor of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu!!!)

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu.

Also known as the "Black Ship of the Land", was hailed as the strongest sword style of Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story Manga, also just called Rurouni Kenshin or Samurai X.

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is the sword style of the main character Himura Kenshin, the former man slayer with a cross shaped scar on his face who vowed to kill no more and use his sword for peace in a new era. It's an amazing series and the main character’s sword style is just as amazing.

Practitioners of this style use a combination of immense speed, agility, battojutsu, and acquired observation based pseudo-clairvoyance that permits a practitioner to anticipate an opponent's movements. Both offensive and defensive maneuvers are executed with minimal movement in order to increase a practitioner's ability to counter-attack and to conserve energy. The Hiten Mitsurugi is designed to be able to take down several opponents at once. It's so powerful that even though Kenshin's training was incomplete, he was one of, if not the greatest, contributor to the Ishin Shishi being victorious in the revolution.

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The style commonly has the user keep one hand on the sheath at all times and also stresses two-step attacks in order to ensure that the practitioner is never off guard while executing said attacks. Arguably its most well-known trait is the surreal speed practitioners of this style can use in battle (known as Shinsoku, or godspeed), allowing the user to accelerate, maneuver, and strike at speeds most eyes are unable to properly follow. This allows the user to close considerable distance in seconds and strike down enemies before they can react.

Shin: "It's real... It's real! Hear that Chika! Manga and Anime do have real world foundations! Hahahaha!!!"

Hikari: "Sh-Shin?"

Aqua: "Fuck! Our terminal otaku leader has finally lost it."

Jin: "Don't be like that. I've also know about that sword style from the Manga and I can't believe it's real."

Shin: "Kisara!!"

Kisara: "Yes!"

Shin: "Can you... Can you really use Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu? Are you really a sexy, sexy female swordsman who uses Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu?"

Kisara: "I.. ah... Sexy?"

Shin had lost the few inhibitions that he had, grabbed Kisara by her shoulders, looked her straight in the eye and asked her question after question with no regard that for intimacy. It was clear for all to see that Kisara had little interaction with men, with that being the first time a man other than her own Father had touched her person. Kisara's beauty that drew everyone's eyes towards her has had the reverse effect of frightening others away from her. Especially men and it didn't help that she had a big and scary Father that practiced real swordsmanship and owned his own very real and very sharp Katana.

Shin met a girl with Manga like qualities that was a peerless beauty. A stunningly beautiful young woman with looks that take one’s breath away who uses his favorite fictional sword style was right before him. Then there's Kisara. Kisara, a pure young woman couldn’t help but think about the boy who would dared approach her not for her beauty, but swordsmanship, a trait that normally pushes the opposite sex away. It was the beginning of a grand romance... and the male lead's first and second girlfriends were witnesses.

Hikari: "Shin! Personal space. Look, but do not touch is what you said."

Aqua: "Shin... cool it already and let go of the girl."

Shin: "Ah, sorry Kisara. The idea of a real life practitioner of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu... I lost myself for a second (and your body didn't help)."

Kisara: "It... it's fine.

Kisara said so, but she had a hard time looking Shin in the eye after his sudden embrace. She had never meet a man who held so much desire for her before and... she didn't hate it. Kisara saw that it was more then just physical attraction and that made Shin stand out more than the other boys their age. Also, Kisara couldn't help but notice that Shin was very good looking.

More so then the person himself was aware of, Shin was incredibly good looking after all of his enhancements from Ki Energy whole enhancement and One-eyed Ghoul Mutation. Shin also had a body more fit then professional athletes which was a major plus for an athletic girl like Kisara. Just like Shin, Kisara found someone who was close to her ideal man just now. This realization was too much for a pure girl like Kisara who sacrificed most of her life to the sword and never bothered to open up a girl subscription magazine, so to calm herself down she could only fall back on what she knew best... the sword.

Kisara: "Also, to answer your question from before yes I can use Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu... just the real life version of it. That student I mentioned went on to write the manga made up some things about the sword style. Especially the techniques. The principles of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu are real. A combination of immense speed and agility, battojutsu, and acquired, observation-based pseudo-clairvoyance that permits a practitioner to anticipate an opponent's movements. Also, both offensive and defensive maneuvers are executed with minimal movement in order to increase a practitioner's ability to counter-attack and to conserve energy. Those are real, yet not at the fictional realm like in the Manga depicts. True Shinsoku(Godspeed) is impossible with the human body."

Shin: "Ah, don't worry about the laws of fiction. We're above them now. Remember the exchanges Hikari mentioned? Well, they're as real as you and me, and with them you can increase your Muscle Density and Reaction Speed as stats. Real stats like from games! Having a body that breaks the sound barrier and eyes that can see in slow motion a sniper's bullet from a distance is all too possible for us! Also, I know for a fact that the truly absurd techniques from the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu from the Manga and Anime are real. As long as you have the points to increase your stats and exchange for the skills, you can become as strong as – no stronger than even Kenshin!"

Hearing me say all of this, Kisara's eyes lit up like the sun. If her eyes weren't a dark shade of purple I would have been blinded. As someone of the modern age using real ancient swordsmanship, the idea of learning and actually applying in reality the superhuman skills from books and TV was very appealing for her. It seemed that this peerless beauty here wasn't a helpless flower like I originally thought she was, but was actually a fierce warrior deep down. That was for the best. Team Japan had plenty of close range fighters, but we indeed lacked a true swordsman.

Shin: "I have to ask you something now. Kisara... can you kill another person? If you have the resolve to survive this harsh world I'll offer the means and opportunity for you to showcase your abilities. I don't know how strong a real world Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu practitioner is, but even just 1/10 the potential shown in the Manga... I want you here beside me (forgot to say on the team as well, but it should be okay)."

Kisara: "I... I have never killed someone before. I just studied it because it’s my family's technique was forced upon me... but-"

At that moment a chill shoot through my spine as I looked at Kisara with downcast eyes. It wasn't an overwhelming killing intent like Aqua's, cold like Connor's, but an almost unnoticeable yet sharp and lethal bloodlust that was the complete opposite of her appearance.

Kisara: "I've never killed. I never wanted to kill another human being... but there is someone out there that I desperately want to cut down. That's why... if I can only survive this new world by killing others I'll do it. Please let me onto your team."

Shin: "...Okay. welcome aboard Kisara, but first...."

Shin took a step back from Kisara and opened up the subspace of one of his two Na Rings and took out an item that he exchanged for in excitement back in H.O.T.D that he rarely used and then forgot. It was a Katana. A true Japanese sword. Shin had exchanged for it on a whim to practice sword techniques from fiction, but ultimately lost interest in it. Especially after acquiring the magic sword Gravity Blade.

Shin now handed the sword and its scabbard to Kisara. It was a wonderful piece of work that would be placed in a museum or sold for a small fortune, but in the end it was a normal sword without Sci-fi or magic enhancements. Kisara, still stunned over the subspace item of Shin's, now held and unsheathed the sword from its scabbard and was amazed at the quality of the sword.

Her own family had a rare Katana of similar value in storage and was well taken care of, yet Kisara saw that the one handed to her by Shin was brand new without a single flaw. Such a weapon was impossible to recreate with the level of modern blacksmiths who lived in an age where guns and missiles dominated over the sword and other ancient weapons of war. Technology improved over the years, but the there was no longer an era of war where blacksmiths made hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of swords for armies, and strived for greater heights with the sword by putting their heart, soul, and ambitions into the forging.

Still, it had no value to Shin and only cost him 100 point as it wasn’t a sci-fi or magic weapon. To Kisara, however, it had immense value. Shin wouldn't know it, but if such a fine work was presented to her Father six months ago as a gift when he was still alive he would not have hesitated to hand over his own daughter to him for marriage. Families like her which valued ancient weapons over diamonds and gold may have even fought to the death over the Katana in her hands now. After all such items held immense prestige and cultural value for those in certain social circles.

Shin: "Kisara. From this moment on you’re trial member of Team Japan. You and Renji will be given gear, but in substitute of a gun I'll give you this Katana instead. It's practically brand new and has yet to taste the flesh of enemy blood (I've accidentally cut myself practicing sword draws). Use this sword and survive this mission together with us and you'll become an official member. Don't do the impossible, but accomplish all that you can do without dying."

Kisara didn't say anything, but she nodded silently. I didn't know what drove this woman to consider picking up a sword, a killing weapon for the purpose of taking another's life in a much more brutal fashion than guns... but I knew two things. Today is the day Team Japan gained an invaluable power. Secondly, the sword of the successor of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, Kisara will not disappoint.

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Hoebagger

Well, isn't Shin's new love interest something else? I didn't plan for her to know Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu from the get go. It just happened this way as I wrote it. It works, right?