Summary: The Brothers plan their hunt for a certain leopard, but this crafty leopard has some surprises of his own. Will Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru prevail? or will things continue to suck for them? P.S. there is a three kingdoms reference in here in case any of you intellectual out there are reading this.
Notes: This chapter is a bit expositiony, but the ending has so far but the ending of it has so far, been my favorite to write, I think I'm gonna like writing the next chapter even more! I have lots of fun stuff planned! Oh, and in case I did not specify, I don't own any of the Characters from Dororo, but I do own Nimuru, Hes MY evil demon! MINE!
"I am afraid it's not possible, I cannot help you boys in your quest against Nimuru"
"But why not!?" Demanded Tahomaru.
"Nothing good will come out of it" answered Biwamaru. "Nimuru is not like any of the other demons you have fought so far, first of all, he never stays in one place for too long, he is not from these islands, and probably only came because the smell of the blood of the demons slain by Hyakkimaru; attracted him here, He is on a completely different level, he does not simply seek human life for sustenance, like so many of the other demons, Nimuru feeds off of human corruption and misery.
Don't you realize boys? Your father's sacrifice thwarted Nimuru's plans, he did not just want to hurt you Hyakkimaru, it will not even be enough for him to have had the disgraced Samurai destroy you completely, Nimuru wanted to use your suffering to corrupt everyone around you, that is why he wanted your mother, brother, and surrogate father to survive that fateful day, rather than allow three good people to die, he wanted to let them live only so that he could break them.
Had Nimuru's plans succeeding, then you would be alive as a shell of a person, and without independence or dignity, your mother would forever be racked with grief and guilt, Tahomaru would fully become a thrall of the demons as he had almost become once before, Dororo would have never been the same again either, Dr. Jukai would have fallen back into the darkness he had tried so desperately to escape from, Daigo Kagemitsu would have been veered off of his path towards redemption and spent the rest of his life as an evil man, and Chijoku no Jō would continue to run rampant, only this time with Nimuru's help, to continue to spread pain and misery throughout Japan.
This is how evil Nimuru truly is; don't you boys see? You have already done it? You've stopped Nimuru from carrying out his evil plan to fruition, you've beaten him, but you will not succeed in beating him again"
Biwamaru's speech however; had done little to shake the resolution of the two brothers who stood before him.
"Priest," Hyakkimaru began, "Nimuru is still in the land of the rising sun, we have to stop him before he hurts more people"
"Indeed," continued the more articulate of the two brothers, "Priest Biwamaru, it is your description of the catastrophe we avoided that gives us all the more reason to destroy this demon. It is precise because Nimuru is such a menace that we should find him, and put an end to him as quickly as possible. Please Biwamaru san, help us in our endeavor"
"Boys" the priest reasoned, this world is full of evil men, even without the assistance of demons like Nimuru; Hyakkimaru," he now turned his head to the more level-headed of the two brothers, "the soldiers who killed Mio because they thought she was a spy, did so without the influence of any demons did they not? that is just one example."
Hyakkimaru looked down at his feet, what Tahomaru was still resolute.
"Priest Biwamaru" he said, "your point is valid but it does not change anything, if we do nothing now, then what is to prevent this demon from trying again? Are we really meant to live in fear? And without closure? No matter what you say Biwamaru san, my brother is not at peace, though his physical wounds are healed, I can see very much that he carries with him a burden that he cannot express well himself, and I for one, will not be able to be at peace with myself; until I know that justice has been done"
"And what if, Young Tahomaru, it is just what Nimuru wants that you come for revenge? If your brother is recaptured or killed, then what will you do? If Nimuru kills you to further scar your brother; then how do you think you will live his life after that? He will not be better off, but worse than he was before"
These words seemed to resonate with Tahomaru, if only a little bit.
Now, it was Hyakkimaru who spoke again,
"Priest," he spoke softly, "It is true what my brother says… I am… scared of Nimuru… but I don't want to be scared." He declared, his fists began to tremble with determination at his side.
"Nimuru… might come back, he will hurt Tahomaru, Dororo, Mama, Papa… I'm scared of that… I can't keep… being scared of that"
"Brother…" said Tahomaru thoughtfully, "I promise I won't let any of that happen!" He said putting his hands on his brother's shoulders.
Tahomaru then turned to the priest again, "Biwamaru san, we are going to kill Nimuru." he said definitively "if you do not want to come with us, then we understand, but please tell us what you know.
Biwamaru looked at the Shōji window. Though he could not see, he could hear the snow falling outside, it was the last snow of that winter, and both boys would probably begin to move in the spring.
He turned to them with an air of gravity in his voice; "this demon's real name is not Nimuru, that is merely the name that he took when coming to the Land of the rising sun, however, to speak his true name, is to invite him here, as he hears it whenever and wherever it is spoken"
"In that case, his name should not matter," said Tahomaru, "please continue"
"He is an old demon, one of the original seven Messengers to lords even older than our Buddha, he was the spirit of an ancient Leopard that carried off the young, and his true form is that of a white leopard, with, but not the white of a beautiful snow leopard, nay, his skin has the color white of sickness and disease, and instead of fur, it is made up of the scales of a snake, and if you boys fight him, then you must be careful not to get a single scratch from his claws or his fangs, for they carry in them a venom, not one that affects the body, but one that affects the soul, if you are wounded by him, then part of Nimuru's evil will course through your blood, and you will become a demon yourself, if this happens, then there is nothing that can cure you"...
A shinobi who worked for Daigo Kagemitsu before, and was now working for Tahomaru; reported back to his master, that the Shogun of a town to the south of Ishikawa; had a new minister. This minister despite having never been heard of before; was now acting as this Shogun's right-hand man, and was helping him to expand his domain, by waging Wars against neighboring provinces.
This new Minister was using the name "Nimuru" and was described as an average-sized man with no real defining characteristics other than the fact that he seemed to be a sanguine man who was constantly smiling.
They had finally found Nimuru, but especially now that they knew just how dangerous he was from Biwamaru's information, and that they could not approach him carelessly, they needed a plan.
They knew where Nimuru was staying, and how to get there, but if they were going to fight him they had to be extremely careful so that they could do it in a way where neither of them would be wounded and turned into a demon, that was a fate that both agreed was worse than death; however, in light of the fact that Nimuru had used a man like Jō in order to defeat them earlier without risking injury to himself; the brothers is surmised that they would be able to take him in a fight, although Hyakkimaru correctly pointed out that Nimuru could have easily scratched or bit either one of them while they fought against Jō, yet didn't. This hinted to just how much more dangerous he could be if they managed to drive him into a corner, and on top of that, as minister to a samurai Lord, he would be guarded by soldiers.
Dororo suggested that Tahomaru use the soldiers that Daigo had at its disposal, but Tahomaru, ever the benevolent (though unofficial) ruler refused to risk the lives of his men on a personal vendetta, however, his decision was soon made for him, when another one of his spies returned from Nimuru's new domain.
"The lord of Kokurin province, Shogun Tōshō has died unexpectedly, and his stepson, 'Tōshō Nimuru' has succeeded him as Shogun"
Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru exchanged surprised looks.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Tahomaru asked of his spy.
"There is no mistake young master" he replied, "I was in the capital of Kokurin province two nights ago when it happened"
Just then, another man rushed in a scout who was very much out of breath.
"Please forgive my intrusion young lord! The news is urgent!" He panted.
"Well then what are you waiting for?" Ordered Tahomaru impatiently, "what is your report?"
"The Army of Tōshō!" He answered, "they have amassed, and are marching towards Ishikawa province as we speak!"
The two brothers both stood up in alarm, instead of a surgical mission into Kokurin to kill Nimuru, the demon had instead marshaled an army to attack them instead. Nimuru had been two steps ahead of them.
...
Daigo's lands had barely survived an invasion that took place less than a year ago, and now they were preparing to face another.
Tahomaru wasted no time, once he heard the report, he sprang into action, the standing army of Daigo's first priority would be to evacuate the civilians, the second would be to draft as many fighting-aged men as they could, and requisition as many weapons and animals as would be necessary, finally, to protect the borders of their domain, and meet the enemy army there, in preparation for the battle between Daigo and Tōshō
Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru sat atop their horses at the vanguard the rest of the army behind them and ready, facing the south, and as the scout had predicted, they crept over the horizon, their banners flying high, they outnumbered the men of Daigo, who could not help but feel intimidated, the famous fortune of Daigo was long gone, with one calamity after another slowly wearing them down, they were now left to the winds of fate, but with the two brothers in front of them, not one of these men defected to the enemy.
"Do you see him, brother?" Tahomaru asked Hyakkimaru.
"No" he replied, "I do not see his demonic Aura"
"Then Nimuru is not even among them, that coward!"
"So does this mean that Nimuru is hiding in a palace somewhere?"
"Nay, he must be at a camp further back, even a demon as manipulative as Nimuru could not get an army to march so suddenly without being right behind them"
The Tōshō soldiers did not waste their advantage, the order was given to charge, and a two-pronged attack was launched from the flanks, they charged towards the men of Daigo, however, Tahomaru's keen eyes noticed that while the men on the flanks charged, the men at the center remained stationary, and these ranks were more thinly formed, yes! That must have been it! He thought, Nimuru had put the most men on the flanks of their formation in order to envelope them but left himself exposed in -
"THE CENTER!" he cried turning to face his men.
"Brave warriors of Daigo! Charge towards their center! THEY WILL BREAK IN THE CENTER!"
And without any further hesitation, turned and charged towards the enemy center, this aroused the espirit of his men who did the same, each gave their battle cry and followed their young general, charging towards the weak enemy center.
Tahomaru was a prodigy, he was astute to have quickly seen where the enemy line was weakest, and react even quicker, Hyakkimaru could not even see, so he followed his brother, but something still felt wrong, even as he charged with Tahomaru; even as he felt his brother's confidence, he could still also feel Nimuru's hand over them, as if it were pulling the strings of this whole battle…
Suddenly! He heard a sound like the crack of thunder! Only closer, and smelt the awful smell of something mixed with sulfur, the first smell he had ever known.
Tahomaru heard and smelt it too, and he also saw it, in the front line of the enemy center, the familiar explosions of gunpowder, dozens of explosions all in a row, obscuring the enemy line in smoke, and showering him and his men with hellfire!
Nimuru's trap had been sprung! The Arquebus was making its way throughout Japan, and Tahomaru and Hyakkimaru now had their first bitter taste of it! with the enemy flanks now preparing to encircle them, Tahomaru was lost in a sea of gun-smoke, as he and the men who followed him into this trap were engulfed in the dragon's breath of the Tanegashima!...