In Takayama.
The man hurried inside, preparing tea.
Tonakama sat with his arms crossed, still burning with anger, while Yochiro calmly looked around, observing every corner of the house.
Yochiro leaned toward him.
"Old man… this is really the house of the greatest craftsman, Kito-sama?"
I thought this place would be something terrifying… a house overflowing with blades, with katanas hanging on every wall.
But no… it's just a simple, ordinary home.
Still… tell me—
Is this really the house of that legendary swordsman?
Or did you bring me somewhere else entirely?
Tonakama snapped his face to the side, refusing to look at him.
"Why don't you ask him? After all, he respects you so much. I'm sure he'll tell you anything you want to hear."
At first, Yochiro didn't understand why Tonakama suddenly became angry.
But then it hit him — the old man had shown his first respect to Yochiro, not Tonakama.
And that was more than enough to ignite Tonakama's temper.
Yochiro blinked slowly.
"You're still angry? Over something that small? That's… kind of lame."
"You really are childish."
Tonakama slammed his hand on the floor.
"LAME?! What lame thing did I do, useless boy?!"
Yochiro shrugged.
"You're upset because he bowed to me first. Hurt your fake 'living legend' status a little?"
Tonakama froze, then forced a wide, obviously fake smile.
"Ha… ha… useless boy. You think that made me angry? I didn't even remember it happened. I'm thinking about something very dangerous, that's why. You really think too much."
"Do you really think a living legend like me has time to think about such tiny matters?
My thinking is meant for great enemies and great battles — not for this small, useless thing you're talking about.
You're still too childish.
You can't possibly understand the burdens a legend like me carries."
Yochiro sighed internally.
He thought: He's such a bad liar…
"Ha… don't act too great now. I already know everything about you — no need to show off."
Tonakama: "I'm not showing off."
Yochiro: "No—you are."
Tonakama: "I'm not."
Yochiro: "You definitely are."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yesssssss!!!!!!"
Yochiro saw the man and asked:
"So, is that man Kito-sama?"
Tonakama scoffed.
"No, idiot. That's his special servant — he takes care of the house and assists Kito-sama. He's been working here for twelve years. Lives here too."
Yochiro nodded.
"Twelve years? Then what was he doing in the village when I saved his son?"
Tonakama waved his hand.
"He goes home once a month. When the demon attacked, he happened to be there. Not a big mystery."
Yochiro nodded slowly. Before he could say more, Tonakama looked toward the kitchen.
"Hey! Where is Kito-sama? I don't see him."
The servant answered from inside.
"Kito-sama is returning from a deal meeting. He went to sell some new weapons. He should arrive shortly, Tonakama-sama."
Soon after, the man brought the tea.
Yochiro took a sip and thanked him.
Tonakama, however, didn't touch his cup. He just stared at it with a dark expression.
Yochiro sighed.
"Old man… if you stare at it for one more minute, it'll turn into ice. Drink."
He paused, then turned toward the kitchen.
"Hey, what's that guy's name anyway?"
Tonakama didn't answer.
Instead, he suddenly stood up and shouted so loudly the whole house shook:
"TAROOOOO! COME HERE! I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO ME!"
Yochiro almost dropped his cup.
…What happened now? Who's Taro?
This old man is getting stranger every minute.
The servant sprinted out of the kitchen, terrified, and bowed deeply.
"W-What happened, Master Tonakama?! Did I do something wrong?!"
Tonakama leaned close to his face, eyes blazing.
"Wrong? No… You did something FAR WORSE! Something unforgivable!"
Yochiro stared.
What could he have possibly done…?
Tonakama held up the cup dramatically.
"You put SALT in my tea instead of SUGAR! How dare you disrespect a living legend?!"
Yochiro choked.
"Salt…?"
Taro shook his head desperately.
"N-No, Tonakama-sama! It was just a mistake!"
Tonakama grabbed Yochiro's cup and tasted it.
"A mistake?! THEN WHY IS THERE NO SALT IN HIS TEA?! Do you think I'm stupid?!"
Yochiro said,
"It's not even a big deal. He just made a small mistake. There's no need to get this angry over something so minor."
Tonakama said,
"There's no reason to be angry, ha? You would say that, of course. I can see inside—you're trying so hard. I know it. You two are together, and you must have told him to do this. Useless boy. But… you are really happy on the inside, aren't you?"
Taro knelt at once.
"I-I'm sorry! I made a fresh cup for you please, forgive—"
Before the argument could escalate, an old voice echoed from the doorway.
"Come on, now forgive his small mistake. Forgiving someone… is one of my greatest abilities."
Everyone turned.
An elderly man entered the house — short, with a long white beard, bent back, and a warm smile.
A wooden staff supported his steps, and six armored men stood behind him.
Tonakama's eyes widened.
Tonakama bowed his head to show respect to Kito-sama.
Taro knelt down, lowered his head, and said,
"Welcome, Kito-sama."
Yochiro was shocked to see him, but he didn't lower his head.
Tonakama grabbed his head, pushed it down, and angrily said:
"Show respect to your elder!"
Hinokawa — Chaos Descends
On the other side of Hinokawa, the peaceful village had already fallen into madness.
Screams shook the air. Houses burned. Bodies lay across the streets.
And in the center of the chaos, the Chaos Demon laughed — a deep, twisted laugh that echoed like cracking bone.
Chaos Demon: "Fear… yes. Give me more fear. I like it."
"Fear is delicious, mortal. The more you panic, the sweeter it tastes."
Villagers and swordsmen trembled, but none stepped back.
Each man held the weight of his family behind him — retreat meant death for their wives, children, parents.
But their blades were useless.
The demons tore through flesh, snapping bones like dry sticks.
Swordsmen swung with everything they had… and the demons didn't even flinch.
Daikawa — Ren's father — fought desperately.
He struck a demon's neck, but his blade bounced off like it hit iron.
Daikawa: "Damn… this thing! The skin of these demons is harder than iron. If I want to kill them… I'll have to use even more power."
The demon slammed its fist into him.
Daikawa flew back, crashing into a wall. Blood streamed down his forehead.
The demon lunged, claws ready to rip him apart.
But Daikawa didn't give up. He tried to get up, but the strike on his forehead split his skin — covering his face with blood.
He saw a sword lying to his right.
He grabbed it, rolled, and with a roar swung upward with all his strength —
Shhkkkkkkk!
The strike hit the demon's neck directly.
Daikawa put even more power into it.
The demon's neck split halfway open. Black blood poured out, but it still crawled toward him on its arms, snarling.
Daikawa didn't stop. Slash after slash — cutting its leg, arm, shoulder — until, with one final strike, he severed the half-cut neck completely.
The demon fell.
Daikawa gasped for air… Then his eyes widened.
More demons had reached the village.
They slaughtered swordmen and villagers alike and began breaking into houses, killing children, elders, and women inside.
Daikawa saw demons rapidly advancing toward his home.
He ran, desperate to save his family, swinging his blade with trembling hands.
Fear wrapped around his chest as he fought.
How… how can I protect them? I barely managed to kill one… and now four demons stand in front of me at once. Please… God… help us, he whispered.
Ren's House
Inside, Ren, his mother, and little sister hid in a corner, shaking.
A window shattered.
A demon crawled inside — its jaw unhinging wider than a human's. Its claws dripped with fresh blood.
"I will eat the child."
The words struck the air like a curse, freezing every heart in terror.
Mothers and children huddled together, gasping in sheer fear.
Ren and his sister began shouting.
Ren's mother pulled her children into her arms.
"Help! Please—someone help us!!!"
The demon's claw rose…
It jumped—
But before the claws reached them—
CLANG! SHHKK!
Three unknown swordsmen in matching cloths dropped from the roof, slashing the demon's arm clean off.
They began cutting down the demons, finishing the one inside instantly.
Ren stared at them in shock.
More swordsmen poured into the village, all wearing the same uniform.
Villagers whispered:
"Who are they…?"
"Why are they all wearing the same clothes?"
At the front walked two swordsmen.
The first man: giant, toweringly tall, broad shoulders, muscles like a bodybuilder.
Each step sounded like a warning. Eyes sharp and deadly. A long scar slashed across his cheek, intensifying his terrifying aura.
Beside him walked the second man: tall, lean, built with the elegance of a silent killer.
A faint, deadly smile played on his lips, eyes glimmering with cold, cruel confidence, making the demons' wicked grin fade.
His danger wasn't loud—it struck without warning.
Together, they advanced, their unwavering steps pressing down on the air itself.
Even the demons instinctively stepped back. Their presence alone demanded respect.
A group of demons charged.
One swordsman calmly placed a hand on his sword.
Fsssshhhhhhh—
In a single step, his blade flashed.
Six demon heads fell at once.
The villagers froze.
His partner ordered the others:
"Protect every civilian. Don't let a single demon reach the houses."
The uniformed swordsmen scattered like wolves, cutting through demons with precision and fury.
Facing the Chaos Demon
The two leaders walked straight toward the Chaos Demon.
Chaos Demon stopped laughing.
For the first time, he sensed something… power.
Chaos Demon (creepily): "You two insects are looking… different.
Buttt why are you two coming toward meeee? Don't tell me… you plan to fight me?
You insects think you can fight me? Ah, nice joke."
They didn't say a word.
They just stared at the Chaos Demon with burning fury, standing like kings who feared nothing.
Six high-class demons stood behind him.
His six strongest demons.
Stronger than any insect humans had ever faced.
Chaos Demon pointed:
"Go. Bring me their heads.
Go… bring their heads beneath my feet, and make your master proud, my sons."
He stood on the broken rooftop like a king of corpses, eyes glowing, enjoying the show.
Chaos Demon: "Ha… ha… these are my strongest demons. High-class weapons. Stronger than anything you insects have faced.
Make one mistake… and you won't even have time to think. You will be cut… like paper."
But the swordsmen didn't flinch. Not at all.
The six high-class demons stepped forward, claws dragging across the ground, sparks flying.
Even low-class demons stepped back.
But Swordman A ( the calm and fast assassin ) and Swordman B ( the brutal and deadly monster ) … stood completely calm.
No fear. No emotion. Just silence.
Chaos Demon noticed and smiled wider — a stretched, unnatural smile.
Chaos Demon: "Oh? No reply? Nothing? I like that. Quiet humans usually scream the loudest."
Suddenly—a high-class demon vanished from its position, appearing at Swordman A's right side, claws mid-swing.
"This is your death, human."
SHRRRING—!!
Swordman A was gone. The claws slashed only air.
He reappeared on the demon's shoulder, calm as stepping onto stone.
"Oh, is that so? But honestly… I don't think so."
He lifted his blade—
STHRAAAASH—!!
The strike ripped straight down the demon's shoulder, carving the ground beneath like butter.
Before the demon could roar—
BAAM! BAAM! BAAM!
Swordman B struck like a storm, rapid punches to ribs, stomach, and jaw—each punch loud enough to shake nearby houses.
The high-class demon dropped to its knees, claws trembling.
Swordman A landed in front of him. One step. One breath. One swing.
SHIIIING—!!
The demon's head spun into the air and fell into the dirt.
Silence.
Even other high-class demons froze.
Even Chaos Demon paused… then twisted into a huge grin.
Chaos Demon (laughing terribly): "Ha… ha ha… HAHAHAHAHA! I love it. You two… yes, YOU TWO… are truly cruel. Cutting him so brutally… merciless. Ah, you made me excited!"
He leaned forward, licking blood from his claw.
Chaos Demon: "You two are… powerful. Very powerful. Before I kill you, at least introduce yourselves. I like to remember the names of the humans I add to my kill list."
Swordman A and B still didn't speak.
Chaos Demon: "Hmm? Still silent? Oh… hoho… wait. Are you two… the Protectors? That annoying 'Flosh Team' of insects who try to defend humans from demons?"
The high-class demons growled.
Chaos Demon spread his arms wide, laughing like a monster who already won.
Chaos Demon: "This is going to be FUN!"