-Vol 5: A New Life-

-Chapter 192-

After that fiasco, there would soon be a rumor about a muscled guy who singlehandedly wrestled with hundreds of three-eyed monkeys barehanded. That night the internet forums flooded with posts about how a single man wrecked many three-eyed monkeys like they are sandbags. Likes and dislikes were instantly reacted to the post, while skeptics tried to call the whole thing as a bull.

But Kenshin didn’t know about that. After killing all the tailing monkeys barehanded, the other monkeys no longer dared to face him. He also took a breath of relief and decided to leave the dungeon. Nonetheless, this dungeon held no meaning for him anymore. It’s time to find a new one. His expectations didn’t turn to reality. Trying to reach the limit of his body in a level 3 dungeon was indeed didn’t help at all. Except for that one time where he broke through some barrier of his flexibility and improved it, there seemed to no reaction at all.

Simply put, these monkeys were just too weak to bring out the full potential of him. Challenging a high-level dungeon was his only option.

“The nearest level 4 dungeon should be in Ibaraki, Lake Hinuma. Well, let's go there tomorrow.” After setting his destination, Kenshin went back from the dungeon. On the way, he stopped at a clothing store and bought a few pieces of pants and shirts fit for a child of eight to ten years. After that, he got himself stuff like soap and shampoo and directly walked home.

XXX

At the same time, in the same place where Kenshin fought with that cannibal man, a woman wearing traditional Japanese red leaf printed black kimono was standing while inspecting something. She was looking everything carefully, leaving not a stone unturned. The woman stood at the height of 164cm with a well-developed body. Her purple hair was braided into a bun and held in place by two chopsticks that seem to be made of iron or some sort of metal.

Her face was very serene, and her eyes were narrow, golden colored pupils with a slit in the middle. Her pale skin color seemed to make a beautiful contrast to the black kimono she was wearing. She was wearing wooden tabi on her feet. Currently, her face was contorted in a frown as she was carefully examined the whole place.

“You find something?” a deep baritone voice came behind her before the space beside her began to ripple and a shadow was cast upon the woman.

“No! the whole place was filled with deep bloodlust. It was overpowering the faint trail…it will take some time.” the woman’s bell-like voice came out of her little mouth. Anyone who heard her would feel a calming sense in their souls.

“Then search carefully and leave not a stone unturned. I want him found no matter what the price I have to pay. I am even prepared to go against them if it needs to be!” the deep voice bellowed loudly, shaking everything in the vicinity with the voice alone.

“Don’t shout near my ear. And whose fault do you think it is? If it's not for womanizing tendencies, he shouldn't have left under your watch.” The woman accused the man while sending a glare at his voided form.

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“I swear I am not with any woman that night. I was completing a very important task and didn’t realize his absence until the next morning.”

“is that the excuse you came up with?” the woman’s voice was laced with sarcasm.

“You! Don’t talk to me like that. Even if I am like this, I am still your senior. If you don’t talk to me with courtesy, I will be forced to take legal actions against you.” The man was beyond angry at the woman’s repeated accusations and threatened her with his status.

“Heh! Are you kidding me? If you have such power, I would have long since dismissed from my job. You have no such power, and you are only chief in the name only. Don’t get it to your head.”

“You…I will see how long can you keep that arrogance.”

“Don’t forget that if we couldn’t find him within this week’s end. Not only me; even your life is also in danger. That man will kill us all.” The woman reminded the shadowed man just when he was about to threaten her, making him silent instantly.

“Hmph! I know. You don’t have to remind me again and again. If it's not for your excellent tracking skills, I would have long since killed you for the transgressions you had made against me.” the shadowy man fumed and disappeared completely after threatening her.

“Hmph! The foolish man who couldn’t even understand his own position and dreams of killing me!” the woman sneered at the place where the man stood just before and resumed her searching.

“Hmm! He was here for quite a while. But who are these other two people? From the residue energy left behind, I can sense that none of them is weak. Exactly what are they doing with him? Or are they fighting among themselves while he was just watching?” the woman wondered out loud. She was starting to develop a migraine. The trails were too damn messy to make a clear picture of what was happening.

“Looks like this will take some time.” finally the woman let out a resigned sigh before her body covered by a misty aura that soon enveloped the whole abandoned area.

XXX

After reaching home, the small child came out of Kenshin’s shadow on its own and stared at Kenshin like he was a monster. The intense gaze made even the brave Kenshin flustrated.

“What are you looking?”

But alas, the child couldn’t speak at all. Or else he would have liked to know the reason behind its stare just now.

“Go to the bathroom and take a bath to clean yourself. After that dress into these, okay!?” Kenshin ordered. The child understood basic human speech, so he had no trouble conveying a message to it. But this time though, it really looked lost as it stared at the neat pile of clothes in Kenshin’s hands.

“sigh! Looks like you don’t understand me! okay, come with me.”

The child followed him like a chick follows its mother. But, as soon as it saw a water-filled basin; as if someone stepped on its tail, it jumped around in a frenzy and hissed loudly at Kenshin. He instantly understood what this child was doing, it was showing resistance to water like how a baby cat or tiger would do. They all had some real hatred towards bathing, well unless it’s the summer.

“Don’t give me that look. Come here and bath first. To tell you the truth, you stink!” while saying so, he bent down to check the temperature of the water.

‘Umu. It’s the right temperature for a child.’ Then he faced towards the child and slowly inched towards it.

“Common, don’t be afraid…do not Be afraid. This just a tub filled with warm water. It will wash away all the filth you accumulated and also kill that strange odor coming off your body. Come here…yes here…”

The child strained her back as it hissed furiously at Kenshin and slowly backed away step by step on all fours. Then she did a hundred-eighty and sprinted out of the bathroom.

“Like I would allow you to do that!” Kenshin also didn’t let the child out of his sights. Nonetheless, it had the power to hide in shadows, he couldn’t allow it to dive into a shadow and hide from him there!