His eyes cracked open, greeted by the soft glow of a dimly lit room greeting him instead of the dark sky he last remembered. Above him, lies a wooden beam, with a cracked paint and peeling, as it held a faintly swaying light fixture. Startled, he jumped and scanned his surroundings. A place that looked very unfamiliar and unrecognizable to him.
For a moment, he wondered if he was still dreaming. But the damp scent of wood mixed with faint herbal notes told him otherwise. Shifting slightly, he realized he was lying on a bed, and a sharp sting in his head jolted his memories back.
With Raisen and Hikage's help, he'd managed to fend off the kappa and force it to retreat. He’d survived—but just barely. A sigh escaped his lips as he let his tense body relax.
The mattress beneath him creaked. Showing that it was old and wore down. While the blanket that draped over him felt rough to his skin. Yet, despite all that unpleasure things… It was still a league better than being in the cold.
As he looks down, checking himself further, he found that all his wounds have been treated and carefully bandaged. Even his broken arm and finger were expertly wrapped.
Then noticed that he was wearing someone else’s clothes.
‘Whose clothes is this? Where’s my uniform?’ Ask Ryohei in his mind, as he look around the room.
‘Where is this place? It appears of some sort of shack or cottage.’
The faint sound of water dripping somewhere nearby echoed in the silence, broken only by the soft rustle of the wind beyond the room’s single, fogged window. His pulse quickened as his gaze darted around the room—sparse, with just a wooden chair and a small table cluttered with shelves full of glass jar that contained dried herbs and something unidentifiable.
Right beside the shelves he spotted his torn-up uniform, hung from a hook in the corner. Someone had brought him here and cared for him.
But who did?
As he was lost in thought, Raisen and Hikage scurried out from beneath the bed, climbing up to his shoulders. They snuggled into him, their small heads nuzzling his face with obvious worry. Their presence gave him a strange sense of relief.
Ryohei turned his attention back to the room, identifying his surrounding carefully.
Beside the bed stood a small desk with a framed photo of an old man and a little girl perched on his shoulder. Whereas across the room was a pale-colored study table with shelves lined with glass jars and bundles of herbs hanging from the wooden ceiling. Upon closer inspection, it seemed like a mix of roots, dried plants, and other natural materials.
His eyes wandered again and froze. Rifles. Several of them were mounted on the wall, their polished barrels glinting faintly in the dim light.
‘Uh… was he a herbalist or a hunter?’ he wondered, unease settling in his chest.
The creak of the wooden door snapped him from his thoughts.
An older man stepped into the room, carrying a pestle and mortar. His presence was commanding but not threatening.
“Ah, yer awake already. Good,” the man said in a strong, rural accent, setting the pestle and mortar on the cluttered table and organizing a few items from the desk.
His voice and his rural accent are strong, but it’s not the point where Ryohei had a hard time understanding it.
“Thank you, sir, I—Ugh…” Ryohei tried to sit up and thanked him, but he couldn't deny the pain that shot through his body, forcing him to lie back down.
“Don’t go pushin’ yerself, young man. Yer body’s a mess and needs time to heal.”
The man took some medicine from his shelves and grind them with the pestle and mortar he brought. Then with that grinded mixture, brewed something.
“Here, drink it.”
Ryohei hesitated before taking the cup. “Thanks…” he muttered, then took a small sip.
*Cough, cough!
“Bitter! What is this?”
“That’s my medicine, made it myself. How was it? Feelin’ warm yet? It’ll help yer injuries to heal faster.”
Despite the taste, Ryohei gulped down the rest. He lowered the cup and glanced back at the man. “Thank you for saving me. It would’ve been dangerous if you hadn’t found me…”
The old man gave him a hard stare. “Ye sure had a bad time, huh? What were ye doin’ to end up in such a state?”
Ryohei’s breath hitched, he hesitated before answering, swallowing hard. “It’s nothing… I tripped and fell into the river, accidentally broke my arm on the rocks. That’s all.”
The old man didn’t reply and was still staring at him suspiciously. “How did ya attract it’s attention?”
“Uh, what? What are you talking about? Like I said… this was because of…”
“Stop foolin’ around. I treated yer wound. Didn’t ya think I wouldn’t know?” The old man was irritated, and he points at Ryohei’s uniform with his thumb.
Ryohei eyes widened, forgetting the wound on his back. As he reached for his back and accidentally touched it, and then he groaned in pain.
*Gh!
“Isn’t that obvious from the claw mark on yer back? Besides, yer uniform was like that too.”
He just realized that, knowing feigning ignorance will do no good, he just came out clean.
“…So you knew.”
The old man remained quiet as he stood up and took his rifle from the wall display. Ryohei flinched with his sudden move, he held down Hikage and Raisen who was ready to pounce him anytime.
The old man saw his patient becoming tense and uneasy, the old man sighed. “Pipe down, I ain’t gonna do nothin’ to ya.”
He sat down and cleaned the barrel of his rifle slow and deliberate. While wiping it clean with a cloth, he returned his gaze towards Ryohei.
“So? Answer my question, what did ya use to attract it?”
Ryohei had no idea either, out of sudden he was dragged down from the bridge.
“I don’t know either,” Ryohei replied quickly, his voice tight. “That thing just dragged me down out of nowhere.”
The man raised an eyebrow, his gaze scrutinizing. “That so? Most folks would be in terror right now. But yer awfully calm… as if yer used to this.”
Ryohei remain silence, as if getting caught red handed. The old man finished cleaning his rifle. Then he points forward, aiming steadily at the crumbling wall ahead. His grip tightened as he held his breath.
*THONK!!
The rifle fired, though no bullet erupted from the barrel—just an empty, echoing sound that rattled through the silence. Without hesitation, he cycled the lever with a sharp, practiced motion, the metallic clink of the action breaking the stillness. The sound of the spent casing ejecting, though absent, seemed to echo in his mind and a form of repetitive practice.
If he had said that he was a hunter, Ryohei would’ve believed him immediately.
“So? Did or didn’t ya know? And how did ya managed to scare it away?”
“I don’t know, it happened so fast… And maybe it just got spooked when you showed up.”
The old man clicked his tongue, clearly unsatisfied with that reply.
*Tsk
“Finally, after all this time I finally found it… That thing is true…”
Feeling his frustration, Ryohei can’t help but ask.
“What are you going to do with it?”
“What am I gonna do to it? I’m going to kill it of course.”
Human against a Yokai? To be honest he didn’t know what would happen. A yokai that can control water, move at superhuman speed and has an inhuman physique and regeneration.
It sounds like an impossible thing wherever you look at it.
“Are you really trying to kill it? That’s a Yokai you know… It’s a supernatural being that’s far from normal.”
The man’s eyes snapped to him, sharp and unyielding “THEN, ARE YE TRYIN' TO TELL ME TO GIVE UP!?”
Ryohei flinched as he raised his voice and walked closer, grabbing him by the collar. Raisen and Hikage growls but are still being held back by Ryohei’s hands.
His eyes met, glaring at each other. “I am just saying this realistically, that thing only came out at night, right? Are you certain that you can aim that gun during the night?”
He may be a stranger, but since he helped him. Ryohei just can’t turn a blind eye and let him throw away his life for nothing.
“I don’t care! I’ll shoot at point blank range if I need to!”
“What if a bullet doesn’t work on it?”
“It has to work!”
Ryohei blinked in confusion. “Why are you so sure? You haven’t seen that thing, have you?”
“I don’t care!! I’ll use Poison too if needed!”
“And if that thing is immune to poison?”
“Then a Dynamite, I’ll blow myself up with it!”
Ryohei swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond. His eyes narrowed, feeling pity and displeasure of the old man’s desperation.
“Why are you going so far just to kill that thing?”
The man leaned back, his expression hardening with a mix of anger and regret. “Five years… I’ve been searching that creature for five freakin’ years.”
He released his grip from Ryohei’s collar as he slowly back away, his eyes sparkling with a sense of longing and sadness.
“Five years ago, my granddaughter went missin’. Folks around here said she wandered off or fell into the river. But when I found her slipper, it was covered in blood. And the marks left near the bank… they weren’t made by no animal. I knew it was somethin’ else. Somethin’ not human.”
The room fell silent. The old man’s words hung heavily in the air, thick with pain and determination.
“I’ve been searchin’ ever since,” he continued, his voice low and rough. “No one believed me. They called me crazy. But I knew… I knew somethin’ took her. And now that I’ve confirmed his existence… That thing’s got a debt to pay.”
“That creature… That filthy animal who took my granddaughter!” His hand trembling, trying to hold it in but failed. He slammed his fist into the wall. The brittle wooden cottage shakes, and the vibration knocked off the small picture frame beside the bed.
*Clack!!
He flinched, immediately run and took that picture frame. Upon seeing it, he was tearing up as he caresses that old photo.
His angry growl started to turn into a sob, he covered his eyes with his hand. Covering his shameful sight. Then he called his granddaughter's name with a sad and regretful voice.
“Huu... huu... I’m sorry Hana… Grandpa couldn’t protect you.”
Ryohei didn’t respond. Instead, he watched the man with a mix feeling of unease.
He couldn't think of anything that could be said to console him.
Time slowly passed by and he finally stopped. “Sorry about that, young man.”
The old man rubs the tears from his eyes, trying to hide his shameful sight.
“No, no, it's okay… I…” When Ryohei was about to say what’s on his mind, he gave up.
‘How can I casually say, “I understand your pain” when I myself have never experienced losing someone very dear to me.’
Ryohei saw him once again. An old, wrinkled face because of stress, pale hair that has completely turned white and not a single tint of black hair, and that very thin body that appears as if his arm was only bones inside.
‘He must have gone through a lot...’
He held his head and thought. In his mind, he knew he shouldn’t do this… But he had a lingering wish to help him. But he was conflicted…
[Help him? As if! You’re that close to dying, and yet here you are trying to play a hero.]
[You can’t even transform back to your Yokai form, how can you help?]
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
The voices inside his heart made his resolve weakened.
As Ryohei stands up with a bitter expression on his face, he decides that his best course of action is to help him… by providing information, that’s it.
That’s the only thing he could do…
He’s no more than a regular wounded teenager now, he can’t feel any trace of energy in his body. He has no time to care for other people’s wish.
“A Kappa.”
The old man’s brow furrowed, as he glanced at Ryohei with a confused look.
“The creature you’re looking for is a Kappa, it has a slimy and slippery body, and fully covered in scales. It has both a beak and teeth, capable of breaking my arm. It can move in water faster than a crocodile lunging at its prey. It has a turtle shell on its back.”
“And the most troublesome thing is that it can control water, so I won’t advise you trying to shoot it point blank range. If you’re serious about fighting it… you need to prepare well.”
Ryohei continued, “You’ll need a waterproof cartridge for your rifle. And traps… something it won’t see coming. But be careful. It can manipulate water around you, and if you’re submerged, the gunpower inside your rifle will be soaked. Turning your gun into nothing more than a stick.”
The man nodded slowly. He couldn’t do anything but say his thanks as he held his tears.
That information was very precious to him, as it made him a step closer towards achieving his goal.
“…Thank you, young man…”
Ryohei gave a faint nod and turned to gather his things. He felt a pang of guilt for not being able to do more, but he knew he wasn’t in any shape to fight.
“I’m going back home… Take care,” he said as he quietly heading for the door.
----------------------------------------
The walk back felt longer than it should have. Each step sent a dull ache through Ryohei’s battered body, but he bit down his discomfort and pressed on. The old man walked beside him, his rifle slung over his shoulder and a lantern in hand, its warm glow pushing back the shadows of the countryside.
“I said I’m really fine on my own...”
“Yer sure stubborn, young man,” the old man muttered, glancing at Ryohei’s uneven gait. “Just look at yer wound, It’s still fresh! Ye should’ve stayed longer to recover.”
Ryohei shook his head. “My mother will be worried. Besides… I have school tomorrow. So I can’t just stay behind.”
The man snorted but didn’t argue further. They trudged on in silence for a while, the quiet of the night broken only by the occasional chirp of crickets and the distant rustling of leaves.
“So,” Ryohei said, breaking the silence. “You’re not really a hunter, are you?”
are you a hunter?” Ask Ryohei curiously.
The old man gave a low chuckle. “Nah. I’m a retired herbalist. Spent most of my life concoctin’ medicines and gatherin’ plants from the mountains. Ye saw the dried herbs in my house, didn’t ya?”
Ryohei nodded. “Ah, yes. That was a very impressive collection.”
The old man sighed; his gaze fixed on the path ahead. “Ain’t much use for it now. Dried medicine’s no good if there’s no one wounded to use it on... Guess it’s just an old habit I never kicked.”
Ryohei glanced at him, noting the weariness in his face—the pale hair, the deep lines carved by years of stress and grief. “You’ve been patrolling the area every night, haven’t you? For five years?”
The old man’s grip on his lantern tightened. “That’s right. Can’t rest till I finish what I started.”
Ryohei didn’t reply. He felt a pang of respect for the man’s determination but couldn’t shake the bitterness of his desperation.
As they finally arrived at his house, Ryohei stopped and turned to the old man. “Thank you for escorting me. And sorry to trouble you.”
“This is nothin’. Just a casual night stroll for me,” the man replied with a wave of his hand.
Ryohei bid his farewell and turned his back, but the old man called him again.
“Hey young man, take this.” He handed Ryohei an ointment.
“What’s this?” Ask Ryohei confusedly.
“That’s an ointment I made; it can mask the scar on yer back. That way yer family or friends at school won’t pester ya.”
Ryohei was astonished, when did he prepare this? Did he already bring it from his home?
A smile appeared on his face. “Thank you.”
“Nah, it’s supposed to be me who thank ye for the information... Oh yeah, that ointment is sensitive to water. If ye took a bath or got caught in a rain, ye better reapply the ointment otherwise yer scar will be shown again. Well then, I’m off.”
He waved his hands as he walked back home with his lantern.
Ryohei watched as the old man’s lantern faded into the distance, then turned toward his house. The quiet neighborhood felt strange under the moonlight. Its usual warmth replaced with an eerie stillness.
When Ryohei reached his house, he tried the front door.
*Crk crk
Locked, as expected. His parents always locked up early, and he didn’t want to risk waking them up with the doorbell. Instead, he slipped around to the side of the house, past the storage room, and toward his bedroom window.
The window slid open easily—it was always unlocked. Lately, his late-night hunting trips had made this his usual way in. He climbed inside slowly, careful not to make a sound.
Once in his room, he closed the window and eased himself onto the bed. The sharp sting of his injuries flared as he moved, forcing him to lie back cautiously. His body protested with every shift, the dull throb of pain a reminder of how far he’d pushed himself.
“Ugh. This is such a hassle,” he muttered under his breath.
For him who had once experienced Yokai’s near-instantaneous recovery, he tended to become negligent of his own wounds. Now that he was back to square one, this slow, human healing process was maddening. And somehow, he felt… very fragile.
He raised a hand, blocking the light of the lamp above his bed, and tried to transform—just one last time.
But nothing happened.
Ryohei sighed and let his hand drop. ‘This is a good thing… right?’
It should be… after all, this is what he wanted from the start.
As he closed his eyes, he let his mind drift into the boundless realm of dreams and slumber.
----------------------------------------
The morning sunlight filtered through his window, and Ryohei dragged himself out of bed, his muscles stiff but functional. He managed to sneak into the bathroom and took a bath before anyone else woke up, quickly cleaning himself up and dressing for school.
*Creak~
The door of my room creaked as he opened it. And with a careful step, he found himself tiptoeing his way through the living room and then…
“Ah…”
He got caught by his mother, peeking out from the kitchen.
“Ryohei!” His mother’s voice rang out. “Come here this instant, young man!”
He sighed inwardly. Busted.
As he approached, his mother stood at the door, arms crossed, her expression a mix of relief and irritation. “Care to explain where you were last night?”
Ryohei took a deep breath and explain everything… vaguely.
“You… what?”
He sighed, “I went to visit Hikari’s house and then I went to my other friend's place and hung out there until night, I offer you my humblest apology dear mother.”
He slides down and performed a Dogeza. A legendary form of apology, as you kneel on the ground and bow deeply. A highest form of apology known to man.
The expression of his mother softened but still enveloped in anger. “Good grief, you could have informed me first!”
“I wanted to! But my cell phone was broken, I tripped and fell into the river.”
His mother eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Really? I feel like you’re just making excuses at this point.”
‘Damn, she’s sharp… as expected of my mother.’
“It’s true mom! Look at this.”
He held up his water-damaged phone, grateful for at least one part of his story being true.
‘Well, technically I didn’t lie when I said it fell to the river part. So, I don’t feel guilty for lying.’
Seeing his made-up puppy eyes, she couldn't help but sighed and forgive him. “Sighed, alright then… but what’s up with that outfit? Why did you dress like that?”
After yesterday's event, I hid my ruined uniform under the bed and just slept due to fatigue. Right now, I just strapped a few jackets together to hide my broken arm. Right now, I’m looking like a very fat mascot.
“Ah, it's a field trip today, and the weather was very cold… so I used a few jackets with me.”
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, “Where’s your other hand? Why didn’t you wear your jacket properly?”
“B… Because my hands were cold!”
“Really? But mom still thinks that outfit was a little bit too excessive, you should have taken a few off.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Seeing his action just now she became certain, “Why are you backing away? Are you hiding something?” She was full of suspicion.
I thought I was about to get caught again, but…
*Cough cough cough!!
She was coughing hard and ran to the kitchen sink.
“Mom, are you okay?” Ryohei chases after her and peek at her figure who was slumped in front of the kitchen sink.
She returned with a bright smile on her face. “It’s okay, just usual, I haven’t taken my medicine yet. You’re going on your field trip, right? Go on, or you’ll be late.”
Ryohei’s eyes widened, but he keeps his head down.
“Yes… well then, I’m off to school mom…”
“Be careful on the way!”
As Ryohei went outside, he can’t help but to put up a sour expression. She may have thought that Ryohei didn’t notice it, but as her mom wiped away hastily. She left a spot of blood at the corner of her mouth.
Her saying hasn’t taken her medicine was just some pretense to not make his son worried.
“Damn it…”
,. But it still feel bitter and frustrating whenever I think about it.
He felt useless. it’s a given that he can’t do anything about her sickness, but the frustration and helplessness are still lingered, and that thought gnawed at him.
----------------------------------------
The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of spring blossoms as students gathered in front of the school gates. The chatter of excited voices filled the school ground, mixing with the occasional shuffle of student steps.
Ryohei stood near the back of the group, his hands stuffed into his pockets, half-listening as the teacher began the roll call.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, suppressing a yawn. Last night he barely had any sleep, and his body hasn't completely recovered yet. The drowsiness he felt this morning was unbearable.
He adjusted his bag strap and tried to keep his thoughts from wandering too far. The main reason he insisted on going here was just because of one particular girl. A girl he wasn’t sure whether she would come or not.
"Kanzaki Hikari!"
A soft, melodic voice answered. "Here sir!"
Ryohei glanced toward her without thinking. Hikari stood a few rows ahead, her auburn hair catching the sunlight as she waved lightly to the teacher. She always seemed so composed, so effortlessly... different from the others.
“Glad that you can join this field trip, Kanzaki.”
“Yes! Sorry for being absent the past few days, sir,” Hikari replied with a polite bow.
“It’s fine! Your home room teacher already informed me, I heard you had sudden family matters to take care of. Welp, now that you’re here, just enjoy it with the rest of the students, alright?”
“Yes!”
After that she got swarmed by other female students, saying that she missed her and all.
"Usui Ryohei!"
When his name suddenly was called, jolted him back to reality. Ryohei raised his hand lazily. "Here." The teacher barely heard him before moving on, but Hikari’s head turned just enough to catch his eye. She offered a small, knowing smile, and Ryohei felt his chest tighten unexpectedly. He looked away quickly, pretending to not notice her.
----------------------------------------
As the roll call finished, the students started to board the bus one by one. Ryohei, as usual, made his way to an empty seat near the back, a quiet place away from the bickering.
Normally he’d enjoy this kind of thing and maybe blend in with the class and make some new friends.
But Ryohei was already exhausted, he just needed a little quieter moment and rest.
“Good morning Ryohei, long time no see. How are you?”
“As usual. What about you?”
Ryohei was greeted by some of his male friends. Though they are friends, it’s just a simple greeting and chatting with each other. Not particularly that close, the main reason he knew them well was because he was interested in Hikari too.
At some moment, when they saw Ryohei and Hikari were chatting, they like to butt in and pretend as if they’re close friends with him.
And what he said irritates him. What does he mean by ‘long time no see?’
They are classmates, they see each other every day, he just never paid any attention to Ryohei when he’s alone. And only when Hikari’s around that he wanted to hang out.
Looking at them taking the seat he wanted made him irk, he walked and ended up at the far end of the bus. It was empty and spacious, a perfect place to take a rest until they arrived at the destination.
Ryohei slumped on his chair and closed his eyes, trying to take a light nap.
A moment later he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
"Mind if I sit here?"
He opened his eyes and found Hikari standing beside him, her usual calm expression softened by a faint smile. For a moment, he froze. ‘Was she really asking to sit here, of all places? Where did her group of friends go?’
"...Sure," he mumbled, shifting his bag to make room.
"Thanks," she said, settling into the seat. Her presence felt oddly comfortable, yet it also made him aware of every gaze that goes his way.
"So," she said, glancing at him. "Looking forward to the ninja village?"
Ryohei was puzzled. "Ninja village?”
Hikari was surprised, “What? You didn’t read the field trip paper slip?”
“No, I read it… aren’t we going to a museum?”
“That’s only a part of it! We are going to the Togakushi Ninja museum. A place dedicated to displaying the ancient and stealthy art of ninjutsu and the warriors who trained in the surrounding mountains!”
Ryohei raised his eyebrow “What does the museum have anything to do with Ninja village?”
“After we visited the museum, I heard we’re going to hike a small hill beside it. In there lies a village where they used to train ninja. Well not exactly a village, but I heard it was more of a Dojo. A dojo that is still running and the last line of Togakushi school that trained ninja.”
“I never expected that you’re into this kind of stuff too…” Ryohei can’t help himself from smiling into hikari’s geek side.
She laughed softly, a sound that caught him off guard. "You think so? I think it’s cool. I mean, think about it—there’s so much history to it. The stealth, the techniques... it’s not just throwing stars and smoke bombs, you know. And ever since reading about that novel, I’m starting to appreciate history… When you see it, it’s pretty similar to the novel we read.”
“Novel? Aaah, you meant ‘The Lone Flower of the Beggar Sect’. How is that similar?”
“Pretty similar you know~ This murim story was mostly made up, but it took inspiration from the real thing. Such as, The Shaolin Temple in China, Korean Martial Arts School, and in Japan there’s Dojo for Samurai and Ninja too. Aren’t different schools and dojo akin to different sects and factions?”
Ryohei found an opening, he tried to poke her with some sensitive topic.
“Like Onmyouji too then?”
Hikari flinched with his sudden statement, “Y…yeah, maybe slightly different from... Onmyouji though…”
That slight pause confirmed his suspicion even further. But it's not like this helps him in any way, he can’t transform anymore. So what does that even matter anymore? Maybe it’s just him wanting to see Hikari’s flustered face.
“So, imagine it like this… We are now visiting a sect that once trained a legendary figure! An assassin.”
Her enthusiasm surprised him and made him chuckle. "You sound really excited about this whole thing.”
"Hehe, maybe I do," she said with a playful smile. "I was stuck at home for a few days. Finally had the chance to go out and relax. Of course I’ll enjoy this till the end."
Hikari stretched her arms with a low groan and leaned back against her seat, the morning sunlight catching the faint strands of auburn in her hair. For a moment, Ryohei allowed himself to relax too, the tension in his body easing as the bus rumbled to life and began its journey toward the mountains.