Book 4: Chapter 31: Kybzu

On the eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Biwa lay some desolate waters where the reeds were 10 ft. tall, tall enough for boats to get lost inside them if they wandered into it accidentally.

In the depths of these waters, which were filled with darkness and a rotten stench all year long, lived a green-skinned kappa.

The ma.s.sive kappa was seated on a 10 m tall isle and unlike the usual brittle-bodied kappas, he possessed a tough body and was 6 to 7 m tall with a pudgy stomach. His skin was tough as a rhinos hide and his arms were as thick as a trees trunk while his face was riddled with uneven skin tones and scars that told the tale of a battle-tested victor.

The kappas duckbill was huge enough to swallow a pig whole and he possessed a vicious set of bright yellow eyes that shone with a fear-inducing glow that could paralyze anyone who sees it.

Hundreds of kappas of all ages and sizes were around him at this moment and each one of them was bigger and wilder than the norm for a kappa.

Lord Kybzu! Its likely that the rumor is true. A lot of human samurai have entered the village bordering Lake Biwa over the past few days and theres a lot of powerful samurai from the west among them. It seems like Biwa Palace is really going to open! A kappa exclaimed while poking his head out of the water.

The ma.s.sive kappa, Kybzu, opened his tough, yellow bill to make a declaration in an eerie voice with his feet still immersed in the water, The eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Biwa belongs to us kappas, so the treasure in the lake are also ours to take! Those trifling humans are no match for us underwater and are just throwing their lives away!

It is as you say, milord. Those human samurai are no match for us underwater! Hmph!

I have had my eyes on the Biwa Palaces legend from when I was younger than you are now. Weve waited a long time for this chance, so we must obtain the treasure of Biwa Palace at any cost! We shall now set off and lie in wait outside the Biwa Palace. The emblem holders are to rush inside and take the treasure in groups of three the moment the palaces doors open and those without emblems are to battle the samurai to hinder them! Kybzu ordered.

Yes, Lord Kybzu! Kill the humans! Take the treasure! Take the treasure!

Kybzu recalled a certain matter once the kappas quietened down, Is there anything new to report about the Easts sword miko?

Lord Kybzu, A tanned, short-heighted kappa replied, its said that the sword miko has left for Kansais Mt. Ooe. However, we havent sighted her anywhere near Lake Biwa.

Mt. Ooe? Heh. Just leave her alone in that case, shes just throwing her life away.

Milord, theres one more thing to report. Its said that Kantos mirror girl is also journeying west.

Kantos mirror girl? Leave her alone, too. Our kappa tribe has never bothered with matters related to mirror girls, Kybzu stated disinterestedly.

Lets go! Its time for the kappas of Lake Biwa to show our strength to the samurai of the world! Kybzu issued a long quack and dived into the water, giving rise to a huge splash of water as he reached the depths and swam forward with his ma.s.sive fear-inducing body. The hundreds of kappas dived into the water in succession and followed behind as well.

Lily had now returned to the inn.

Where were you? s.h.i.+mizus complexion looked a lot better now.

Um I-I was out taking a walk. By the way, Sister s.h.i.+mizu

A walk, huh? You caused some trouble outside, didnt you? Did you think I didnt see the commotion that occurred below just now? s.h.i.+mizu stated gloomily, Who was the tall man that was with you just now?

The tall man? Lily was taken aback, Are you referring to Brother Tenba, Sister s.h.i.+mizu? I met him in the pub. He likes drinking but didnt have money to pay for it, so I treated him to drinks

What?! s.h.i.+mizu went forward and pulled Lilys sleeve worriedly, You treated a man to drinks, Lil Sis? How could you have acted so unashamedly as a samurai woman of the East? You werent hara.s.sed, were you?

Really Lily felt helpless at the silliness of the questions, It wasnt like that, Sister s.h.i.+mizu

If youre unwilling to hear my explanation, just scold me once earlier, Lily stated after seeing s.h.i.+mizus worried look, and turned her back to s.h.i.+mizu.

I didnt mean it that way, Lil Sis. I was just worried about you. There are no decent men in this world and Im really afraid that youll get bullied by them because of your kindness and innocence.

Rest a.s.sured, Sister s.h.i.+mizu. I know men much better than you. Brother Tenba isnt that kind of man. However, I must admit that there are actually very few righteous and dauntless men in this world that have the power to back their ideals.

You know men much better than me? How could you say such unabashed words? Dont tell me you actually have experience with s.h.i.+mizu questioned both embarra.s.sedly and irately.

I-Its not like that, Sis! Really! However, it was quite difficult for Lily to explain this to s.h.i.+mizu.

Just as Lily recounted what she had heard previously about Biwa Palaces rumor, a dark and broad multideck s.h.i.+p sailed on Lake Biwa in the night.

A bunch of western samurai shrouded in gloomy and powerful auras was seated inside this s.h.i.+ps hold.

The one leading themSakanoue no Tamurakonoewas a pretty man as beautiful as a flower, but he emitted a fear-inducing aura possessed by powerhouses.

Lord Tamurakonoe! Theres a village at the lakesh.o.r.e ahead of us, A short-haired samurai dressed in a red-lined white coat with the huge ancient p.r.o.noun character Maro () on its back reported to Tamurakonoe.

A village? Good. Theres only one village on the eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Biwa and its said that Biwa Palaces entrance is close to it. Lets go ash.o.r.e, Tamurakonoe commanded.

Yay! Its a village! The girl playing with the kendama, Ui, popped her head outside the s.h.i.+p and looked at the dimly lit village in the distance, This is nice. We can have fun in the village!

Little Ui, were not here to have fun. You must prepare with Tess.h.i.+n to accompany me underwater and enter Biwa Palace, Tamurakonoe stated.

The white-masked Kiuchidera Tess.h.i.+n sat to the side in silence.

The s.h.i.+p quaked suddenly at this moment, which was then followed by the cries of a bird.

Milord! Its a monster bird!

What? A monster bird? Where is it? Ui asked excitedly.

A shadow flitted across the s.h.i.+ps skies swiftly and the irritated samurai were blown down by the intense wind generated by it. At the same time, the whole s.h.i.+p quaked intensely.

The shadow returned once again a few moments later and tore a huge section of the s.h.i.+ps top with its claws.

The quaking had almost caused the s.h.i.+p to capsize.

Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha! Its a monster bird! Its a powerful monster bird! Ui laughed excitedly in midair after getting thrown out of the s.h.i.+p by making her kendama twist around a pillar of the s.h.i.+ps outer hold.

Its an early-stage Spirit Jade level monster, Lord Tamurakonoe! The s.h.i.+p wont last if this goes on and will capsize!

Tamurakonoe stood up calmly and walked to the bow of the s.h.i.+p before facing the monster bird speeding towards the s.h.i.+p from a distance.

The monster bird opened its several-foot wide wings and blitzed towards the s.h.i.+p!

It became a shadow and reached the s.h.i.+p almost instantly.

Whoos.h.!.+

Tamurakonoe pulled his blade out suddenly, but the others present on the s.h.i.+p simply failed to register his movements. All they saw was him grabbing the hilt of the blade on his back and he had long executed a front slash by the time they even realized anything.

They failed to capture the slas.h.i.+ng movement and didnt even see an afterimage, almost as if the movements didnt even exist.

A bunch of black feathers floated down in front of Tamurakonoe.

The monster bird had been bisected and its two halves dropped into the lake, giving rise to two splashes.

The monster bird archdemon failed to even capture a single ripple released by Tamurakonoes slash before it was bisected like a hot knife cutting through b.u.t.ter.

Bam!

The monster birds l.u.s.trous spirit jade1 dropped down to the s.h.i.+ps deck from the bisected halves along with bloodstained feathers.

The swooping monster bird had been killed by Tamurakonoes slash without even getting a chance to resist.

How swift! Even I failed to capture the movements of his blade, A cold layer of sweat formed on Tess.h.i.+ns forehead, Theres no sword master in the West who can match the speed of Lord Tamurakonoes blade among his generation!

Youre so amazing, Brother Tamurakonoe! I am the only one who could see Brothers blade! Hehehehehehe! Ui chuckled while swinging across the side of the s.h.i.+p by pulling on the kendamas thread.

Tamurakonoe sheathed his blade into the sheath on his back unhappily despite killing an early-stage Spirit Jade level archdemon with ease as the wind from the lake made his hair underneath the hairpin flutter.

The Biwa Palaces treasure is mine to take since Ive set my eyes on it. If anyone wishes to strive for it, their lives shall end quicker than this so-called monster birds life.

The bird had been plaguing the eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Biwa for a lot of years and none of the villagers dared to go outside whenever it ventured outside of its abode as it tended to catch humans and gobble them up with lightning-quick speed. This was the reason it had gained the moniker of monster bird.

However, it had met its death so simply under a single slash from Sakanoue no Tamurakonoe and became a stepping stone to solidify the legend of Tamurakonoes swift blade.

It was said that no one in the world was quicker than Tamurakonoe in the same power level.

Ui leaped out of the s.h.i.+p and went towards the village to have fun the moment it landed at the sh.o.r.e, which left Tamurakonoe as well as his companions dumbfounded on the deck.

Go buy some items to eat, Tamurakonoe commanded one of the samurai under him, Avoid causing any trouble or a commotion. Our purpose this time is to just obtain Biwa Palaces treasure and not to invite new troubles onto ourselves.

Yes, Lord Tamurakonoe, the young samurai from Maro Dojo had seen Tamurakonoes blade in real combat for the first time ever and it filled him with endless longing for it.

Lily and s.h.i.+mizu were still inside the inn right now. Lily had spent the time until now explaining how she had become sworn brothers with Tenba Goro after drinking with him.

As the stone formation outside the village isolated some of the eldritch energy, and also because Tamurakonoes blade was too swift, Lily failed to notice that a battle had occurred outside.

s.h.i.+mizu had finally forgiven Lily and the duo watched the night scene above the lake from the veranda.

Biwa Palace I see. However, you must still remain cautious against men and never trust them fully. Do you understand, Lil Lily? s.h.i.+mizu stated while watching the multideck s.h.i.+p land at the sh.o.r.e.

Rest a.s.sured, Sister s.h.i.+mizu. I understand, Lily acknowledged while watching the little girl donned in an informal minidress jump ash.o.r.e cheerfully and speed towards the village to have fun.

The little girl seemed quite interested in the stores, lanterns and decorative items of the village and also sized up the various dresses of the samurai from all corners inquisitively. Her eyes narrowed when she saw two pretty sisters looking at her from the veranda as she pa.s.sed by the inn and smiled at the duo as a greeting.

What a cheerful little girl, thought Lily as she smiled back with a tilt2.

Robinxen: s.h.i.+ny detected.

Robinxen: I wonder what manner of evils she will unleash.