After that one arrow, the three of them were almost completely exhausted. The two attendants collapsed directly, while only Sara managed to maintain her original posture, still standing. The other two gripped their naginatas again, forming a defensive circle around the three.
"Phew…" Looking at the smith in the distance, still standing tall and largely unharmed, the hope they had never dared to hold onto died completely.
Muramasa flicked away the surrounding smoke with his mantle and walked out of the battle-scarred area, holding the valiant tachi.
Crack.
Then, as expected, the sword gave its life. Cracks formed all over the blade from fatigue, and it shattered into pieces of iron that fell to the ground.
"I know a sword shouldn't last more than a night, but this was a customer's order… Oh well, I'll just have to forge a new one."
They had given it their all, and he had only gotten his clothes slightly dirty. But this was good news. At least their all-out attack was able to destroy his weapon. At least, his clothes were dirty.
"My, my, it seems my timing is just right."
A purple shadow gradually solidified in the air, gracefully landing between the Tenryou Commission soldiers and Muramasa. The long hair that fell into his vision was a familiar shade of pink, and the fox's form made him freeze for a moment… After a while, he snapped out of his daze. Damn it, I was staring.
"What is it, old man~" Her charming eyes glanced at the strong man who was a head shorter than her, teasing him with the nickname he had given himself. "Staring at people isn't very polite."
Are all foxes the same? And they're all pink.
"I was just reminded of a 'former colleague'," he said, every word from the heart. Upon seeing this Guuji Yae, his first reaction had been that 'Koyanskaya' had followed him here. But after sensing her magical energy, he understood. "And besides, someone who sneaks into another person's house to steal fried tofu has no right to talk about me!"
A direct hit—
A "cough" escaped the Guuji's lips as she pretended not to hear him.
The Lady Guuji has some sort of relationship with this smith? The Tenryou Commission members, including Kujou Sara, were a little strange, but as a familiar of the Raiden Shogun, she was trustworthy.
"In any case, I have come today because I saw the Tenryou Commission's signal for help." As she spoke, her smile grew wider. "Though, I arrived a long time ago."
The fox beckoned with her hand. A thin, almost unnoticeable protective energy, hidden under Kujou Sara's own secret spell, was recalled into her body.
Arrived a long time ago? We were fighting here with our lives on the line, and you were just watching? Could you really have betrayed us!
"Agh…" Kujou Sara couldn't find the words, just rested her hand on her forehead. The battle hadn't given her a headache, but this whimsical, pleasure-seeking familiar was making her mentally exhausted. "I have heard the rumors, but seeing you today, I am truly at a loss for words."
What a nasty personality… Muramasa was reminded of a certain priest who loved mapo tofu. He now suspected she might also know onmyojutsu, or perhaps knew Abe no Seimei. That would complete the set of his three teammates' traits.
"Kujou." The Guuji Yae's playful expression vanished. "How about I vouch for this blacksmith?"
Her topic changed so quickly that Sara didn't react for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, his identity and actions will be the responsibility of the Grand Narukami Shrine." The kitsune, addressed as 'Guuji Yae', looked directly at the General of the Tenryou Commission. "To be precise, I, Yae Miko, will be responsible. Don't worry, this will not go against the Shogun's will."
For the Guuji Yae to stake her own reputation on a blacksmith was unheard of in Inazuma's history. She closed her eyes and replayed the words in her mind for a long time. "Alright."
She had compromised. He didn't trust the Kujou clan, nor the Tenryou Commission, but if the Grand Narukami Shrine was vouching for him and taking responsibility, that was within an acceptable range.
"May I ask for your reason?" As far as she knew, this blacksmith had only been in Inazuma for a short time. Why would she dare to vouch for him?
"I have been observing him for a long time." Miko pressed a fingertip to her chin, a thoughtful look on her face, which then broke into a smile. "Also, the fried tofu he makes is one-of-a-kind in all of Inazuma."
What does that mean? Are all people who can make good fried tofu good people? The Guuji's thoughts were truly difficult to fathom. Sara gave up on getting the truth from her.
"Oh, and one more thing." After Sara nodded, Yae Miko pressed her advantage.
"If you wish to speak of confidential matters, then I, Kujou Sara, cannot comply."
"No~" A playful look flashed across Yae Miko's face. "How about staying for a simple meal tonight?"
"Thank you for the offer, but no." Kujou Sara looked at the sky. If she left now, she should be able to make it back for dinner. "We will leave after a short rest."
"Alright then~" Miko was well aware of her straightforward, earnest nature and didn't press further.
"I feel like you two have been ignoring me…" After listening for a while, he understood that he had been saved by this 'Yae Miko'. Why is Yae Miko the one deciding if we're eating at my house? He had wanted to complain about this, but then he remembered she had just done him a favor, so he let it go.
"For today's events, I must apologize to you, Sir Muramasa." Kujou Sara, for a rare moment, used the honorific again. Though in essence, it was a certain trouble-making fox that had led to their clash.
"Oh my, why be so formal? You don't get to know each other without a fight, do you~" Yae Miko still had that charming smile. The reason she had been willing to vouch for him was also because of that undamaged protective energy. When Kujou Sara had chanted her spell, she had already prepared to teleport them away at any moment. That layer of energy was her insurance. But in the end, the energy, which would have triggered the spell after taking a certain amount of damage, was completely unscathed.
"I'm grateful to you, but please shut up for now." Hearing that mischievous fox's tone, he was reminded of another mischievous fox.
"Even so, like that 'fried tofu addict' over there, I'd like to ask you to stay."
Kujou Sara sighed. She didn't like repeating these meaningless pleasantries. "There's no need…"
"What do you mean, no need?" Muramasa didn't sound polite at all. He projected several hammers and threw one to each of the men over there. "You guys broke my front gate. None of you are leaving until you help me fix it."
"..." Kujou Sara caught the iron hammer that had appeared out of thin air. Suddenly, she was lost in thought.
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