"Hah!" The chestnut-haired young man struck with a downward slash, aiming for the bamboo tube in Muramasa's hand. Muramasa tilted the tube, and the young man adjusted his angle accordingly. A cold gleam flashed, and the bamboo was split in two.
"That's about all the tricks..." It had been a few days since the two had arrived. Muramasa had taught him the basic techniques and details of how to attack and defend with the sword. The rest would depend on his performance in actual combat…
"Now, you should get used to it on your own. That sword is not so easy to handle."
"Yes, sir!"
After the instruction, Muramasa returned to the eaves of his hut. Kazuha had already prepared tea. "Do you think he can win, Sir Muramasa?" Kazuha asked with obvious hesitation.
"You've known him much longer than I have. Do you really need to ask me that?" Muramasa looked at his expression, which already held the answer. He clearly didn't need an explanation.
"...Yes. In my opinion, if he can catch her off guard, he has a chance of winning even against that Kujou Sara," Kazuha said, sharing his thoughts.
"Well, something like that. If he can be ruthless enough," Muramasa added.
"What do you mean?" This was something Kazuha hadn't seen.
"Just as you said, 'catch her off guard'. To 'end' the battle before the opponent can react, there will inevitably be casualties, won't there?" A finishing blow can only be used when one side is certain of victory. A surprise attack is an attempt to win as the weaker party.
Understanding this, Kazuha's expression dimmed.
"By the way, you're Kaedehara Kazuha?" Remembering the boy's self-introduction, Muramasa asked curiously. "One of the Raiden Gokaden families, right?"
"Yes... formerly." He corrected, "Not anymore. I'm just a wandering ronin now. The Kaedehara clan's forging blueprints have been lost..."
"You can also forge, can't you?" Sensing his sadness, Muramasa asked.
"Yes."
"Then it's not lost, is it? Your skills won't disappear along with the blueprints."
…
Inazuma City
Today was the day of the duel before the throne, an event not seen for a long time. The Tenryou Commission had announced it early, and the news had spread throughout Inazuma. All sorts of speculations, and even betting pools, had started.
"So that's why you came to Inazuma City?" In a teahouse, Muramasa ran into the girls he knew. Hailing, who had been an intern for some time, had a rare day off because of the duel. As for Yoimiya, it went without saying. Most of the shops in the city were closed, and the stairs below the Tenshukaku were already packed with people. But since they were still waiting for the participants to arrive, the public was not yet allowed to proceed.
"No matter what, I have to witness that fellow's end."
"By the way, where's Sayu?" Besides meeting them, he had also come to find the little ninja from the Yashiro Commission.
"I don't know..." Hailing shook her head. "I haven't seen her since I entered Inazuma City."
"Is that so?" He was silent for a moment, then mouthed a few words to an empty space before chatting with the two girls again.
Ugh… how was I found out? In a corner, Sayu was, for a rare moment, not asleep. Part of the reason was that she had already slept enough recently. She recalled Muramasa's mouthed words. Does he mean he wants to talk to the Yashiro Commission… Ugh! Did he find out about my regular contacts at the Komore Teahouse? With that thought, Sayu rolled away in a gust of wind, heading for her designated contact point.
…
Before the Tenshukaku
The Hatamoto samurai stood solemnly before the gate, the last line of defense before an audience with the Shogun.
Thump… thump, thump…
Several lines of soldiers marched up the stairs in perfect unison, the clang of metal echoing in the open space. At the front of one line was, naturally, the General of the Tenryou Commission, Kujou Sara. The other line was the guard detail led by the Tenryou Commissioner—Kujou Takayuki, there to maintain order. Both sides held banners with the tomoe crest, escorting the two groups that represented the face of the Tenryou Commission.
"He's here too... probably to establish the authority of the Kujou clan." Kazuha looked at the Tenryou Commissioner and pulled his straw hat down lower. He wasn't someone who could casually wander around in front of law enforcement.
After both groups had advanced, the challenger, the chestnut-haired young man, slowly ascended from below. The three tachi at his waist clanked with his steps until he stood at the edge of the square before the Tenshukaku.
"I've finally made it here…" He took a deep breath and looked up. Dozens of soldiers armed with spears stood on either side. In front of him were all his opponents for the day. He could hear the endless chatter from all over Inazuma City.
But the main character was not yet him. The one standing in the center, closest to him, was the slender, officially-robed Kujou Takayuki.
Kujou Takayuki's focus was not on him. Instead, he had his men use elemental power to amplify his voice. "Everyone, all you in Inazuma City, please be quiet."
He spoke, but no one listened. The noise was still loud enough to shake the Tenshukaku.
"Before the Shogun, do not be impudent." A roar from a burly man on the left side of the Tenshukaku gate finally quieted the unruly crowd.
Then, the heavy doors slowly opened. A sliver of sunlight and a cool breeze slipped through the gap, revealing the tall female figure within. A gust of wind blew her long, purple hair. The highest god of Inazuma finally revealed her noble face in the morning light.
Exquisite and beautiful as a doll—or perhaps she was a doll. Her cold demeanor was the literal definition of an unattainable beauty. She wore a half-open, light purple kimono. The ornate garment, decorated with purple patterns, revealed an elegant purple collar underneath. The thin, purple fabric extended towards her shoulders, better outlining the curve of her chest. Her two plump thighs, wrapped in black stockings, were pressed together as she stepped forward, her snow-white flesh crossing as she resumed a formal seated position on a prepared high-class cushion.
Her mere appearance silenced the whispering square completely.
Only then did a smile appear on Kujou Takayuki's face. He continued, "Today, we are honored to welcome a brave warrior—"
"Though he is unknown, he wishes to make his voice heard. Though I do not agree with his ambition to overthrow the Vision Hunt Decree, I respect his courage!"
With that, he stepped aside, gesturing to the group behind him. "So, I have given him a chance. As long as he can defeat the enforcers of the Vision Hunt Decree, he will be allowed to speak his wish to the Shogun."
"Well then, challenger. Before the Shogun, state your name—"
The chestnut-haired young man looked directly at the man who was putting on a grand show and gave a faint, contemptuous smile. "There is no need for that."
"If I am victorious, my name will spread throughout Inazuma. If I fall, what does the name of a loser matter?"
-------
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