Chapter 35 Part 2: Whispers from the Deep

The air in the dimly lit room hung heavy with tension as Kazuki and the spearman faced each other, their eyes locked like predators sizing up their prey. The flickering candlelight cast an eerie shadow against the interior walls.

"Shokin Kagiri," Kazuki spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. It was an attempt to understand the spearman's intentions.

Upon hearing those words, the spearman's eyes widened, and a palpable aura of bloodlust radiated from him. The very air thickened with tension, pressing down on Kazuki's chest like a vice. He felt a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face as he observed the spearman's reaction, trying to gauge what it meant.

"Shokin Kagiri," the spearman repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "So you know him."

"Of course," Kazuki said, his tone guarded. "He is my master. What business do you have with him?"

The spearman clenched his jaw, his knuckles turning white around the shaft of his spear. His silence only served to heighten the unease in the room, and Kazuki could feel the weight of uncertainty settling into his bones.

"Speak," Kazuki demanded, his patience wearing thin. "If you have something to say about my master, then say it."

The spearman stared at him for a moment longer before finally answering. "You just lied to my face," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "Shokin Kagiri doesn't take on apprentices; he never has, and he never will."

Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins at the spearman's veiled threat.

"Who are you?" he demanded, the words leaving his lips like an arrow shot from a bow.

The spearman's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent as he strode across the room. He pulled a plain brown kimono over his bare torso and tied back his long hair, the motions slow and deliberate. Then he turned and jerked his head toward the doorway, gesturing for Kazuki to follow.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Kazuki hesitated, unsure of the spearman's intentions. But his curiosity overrode his caution, and he fell into step behind the spearman as they made their way outside.

The night was clear and cold, the moon hanging like a pale lantern in the star-speckled sky. Their footsteps echoed across the sand, accompanied by the rhythmic crashing of waves along the shore. An owl hooted softly in the distance, its call like a melancholy lament.

Kazuki walked in tense silence, anticipation and unease warring within him. His master had trained him to be wary of unknown enemies and their hidden motives. And this spearman was shrouded in mystery.

Finally, Kazuki could bear the silence no longer. "Shokin Kagiri is my master. Could we please take a moment to discuss this calmly?!" he shouted, quickening his pace to draw even with the spearman.

But the spearman did not answer, his gaze fixed ahead as he strode across the sand. Kazuki gritted his teeth in frustration, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The spearman was toying with him, and Kazuki did not appreciate being made a fool.

The spearman's pace quickened as they approached the edge of a dense forest, and Kazuki hurried to keep up, his senses on high alert.

As they delved deeper into the woods, a prickling sensation crawled up the back of Kazuki's neck, sending shivers down his spine.

He tried to shake off the feeling, but it clung to him like a second skin. The atmosphere within the forest was thick with tension, and Kazuki could almost taste the danger lurking just out of sight.

Suddenly, the spearman halted, and Kazuki nearly collided with him. They had arrived at a spacious clearing devoid of trees and bushes at its center. It seemed as if the area was specifically designed for a duel, at least that's what Kazuki deduced. Taking a deep breath, Kazuki tried to steady himself, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Your name," the spearman demanded, his voice low and gravelly, breaking the silence that had persisted between them.

"Kazuki Gin," he said, meeting the spearman's intense gaze.

"Obanai Minamoto," the spearman introduced himself, and the name sent Kazuki's mind into overdrive, his eyes widening in surprise. A surge of bloodlust rose within him.

With a swift motion, he unsheathed his master's long katana blade, his body instinctively assuming a combat-ready stance. He found himself whispering, "Forgive me, master i just can't help myself," his words echoing his heartfelt vow that hung unspoken in the air.

"It's quite fortunate, the one who ended Kagiri-sama's life stands directly before me." Obanai accused, his chilling glare locked onto Kazuki. Flexing his muscles, he took a combat-ready stance, gripping his spear tightly as he prepared for battle. "I promise, your end will be agonizing."