Chapter 107 (Special): Modern Samurais versus Deep-Root Shinobi/Ninja
(Clang...clang...clang...clang...)
It's been a fair couple hours since Saki has arrived in Edo at the mountain forge of the Goblin Demon, Yokuto to engage a commission deal to restore the Sword of Tengu the latter created centuries earlier.
Apparently, the Kage no tsume clan leader/Trinity officer had arrived at a good time when the forger was readying new metal for future projects, and only one strip of shining steel would be required, along with the power of the stolen Gem of the Ancient One.
(Siiiizzzz...)
Yokuto removes the perfectly-shaped blade from the firing hearth, and lays it atop a stone table near the handle to begin the bonding process.
Hmm...I never expected to see this fine sword again...
And it will be taken away once more by yet another human.
He glances behind him at Saki, who was sitting quietly outside the cave entrance in meditation, narrowing his bird of prey-shaped irises.
Tch, humanity truly is becoming more foolish with each generation...
Perhaps I need to remind he and others what happens when they tangle with power that isn't meant for their hands.
A smirk forms on the goblin demon forger's face, before he turns back to his work, pulling out the Gem of the Ancient One at ready.
I will use this to bond the sword again...but this man will soon realize the grave error he made in allowing me to, not to mention committing a crime against the divine.
(Sheen...)
The pearl-blue jewel emits a soft, mauve-shaded glow, and the energies travel from it to the two pieces of the soon-to-be restored sword, sparking an electrical chain between them both, before they slowly move towards one another to meld together.
After several minutes, the process is complete, and the jewel dims down to normal levels, leaving behind a sword that looks like it was brand new, the blade gleaming silver gray and the handle shining, the white wood base for the hilt looking polished, while the gold embellishment spinning around the surface, more making up the pommel and shaped like the head of a goblin, and then three sharp blades made onto the blade guard were sparkling!
Yokuto lifts the Sword of Tengu up to look over, hmming in approval at what he saw.
Glorious. Just as beautiful as it was made the first time...
Hah, alright. It is time to give this blade to its next wielder.
Turning away from his crafting station, the goblin demon walks back to the entrance where Saki was waiting, expression neutral but with eyes reflecting a hidden motive in fulfilling their end of the deal.
"Hikiji, was it? Your patience has been rewarded. The Sword of Tengu, is restored."
The man stands up, his lips forming a dark smile as he takes hold of the blade's hilt from Yokuto.
"Aah, at last...Your skill with weapon crafting is as legendary as the texts foretold, restoration at its finest."
"Ha. Interesting to hear such praise from a mortal, but I shall accept it nonetheless...I assume you have goals to meet now that this is in your hands?"
"Indeed, I do. There's a certain three warriors from my era I must, take care of...Your contributions shall not be forgotten, of course. Hang onto the Gem of the Ancient One as compensation."
Yokuto nods silently, and Saki sheathes the Sword of Tengu before fastening it onto his hip, then turns to walk away from the mountainous area, calling over his shoulder,
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Yokuto-san."
The goblin demon forger watches the human disappear into the mist, a smirk of mischief on his features.
Oh yes...quite a pleasure, Hikiji.
...Unbeknownst to the two, at around the time Yokuto was doing the final bonding process for his blade, another demon weapon forger was passing overhead atop his three-eyed cow, and couldn't help but stop to listen in from the cover of a nearby, thick-leaved beech tree.
"Hmmm...so, the Sword of Tengu has been restored, has it? This isn't good..."
"What'd I'd like to know is why Yokuto would commission such a project, and for a human nonetheless?"
Tōtōsai pivots his neck to look eye-to-eye with Myoga the Flea who was sitting on his shoulder, and ponders with a frown,
"I doubt it's for a good reason in terms of the human in question. Ever since the sword was stolen by that fool of a mortal shinobi, Yokuto's opinion on the race has darkened, thankfully not to the point where he'll kill them on the spot like a reckless savage...But that one: He matches the appearance of the deceased human Yokuto described in conversation to me years earlier."
"Is that right? Hm...Could he be a reincarnation of that shinobi, or simply a distant relative of the family?"
"Another good question, my friend...Considering that expression Yokuto made to the human's retreating form, and their mentioning of another era, I believe the answer is likely closer to the first guess."
Myoga folds his arms and closes his eyes in concentrating thought:
"Yes, I caught onto that details too...Uh, wait!"
"What is it?"
"There was something else that man mentioned, three humans he wishes to end, that were also from his era...What if he's referring to-"
"Those three mortals from another time that travel with the young upstart, Inuyasha? Mmmm...Yet another troubling possibility. In that case..."
Tōtōsai signals Mōmō the bull to move out into the skies again, heading for the direction where our main travel group was...
Small Time Skip, Coraline's POV
It's now approaching mid-afternoon, and we've all finished combing around this old village with a fine tooth comb, but haven't come up with much regarding where this goblin demon weapon forger had left to centuries prior to our arrival at his old home, or anything that could tell us about the human ninja that stole the Sword of Tengu from him.
We all regrouped at the exiting edge of the place where the barren ground shifted to one showing faint signs of healthy soil fair for growing, feeling a bit discouraged and perplexed (or in Inuyasha's case, frustrated as all hell) from the lack of clues.
"Dammit, what a rip! There ain't nothin' here in this ghost town that says anything about where this goblin went to!"
I let out a puff of irritation, my mood no better or worse than his, and Besa scratches the back of his head while pondering aloud,
"I guess thinking about it now, this shouldn't surprise us, considering how old this village is. Any vulnerable biodegradable material would've deteriorated to dust by this century, and any scent trace would've weakened to the point where finding a decent trail becomes next-to-impossible..."
Shippo nods in comprehension to my brother's statement, more so the second.
"Yeah: Neither me, Kilala or Inuyasha can find any sort'a goblin trail. They're likely living in places too far from this one...So, what do we do now?"
Miroku hms and replies in serious thought,
"This isn't really a dilemma we can just move past, (looks at me and my brothers) especially after that vision sent to you three. If the forger is still alive, then Saki may try to find a way to contact him about commissioning the Sword of Tengu to be rebuild."
After going over the facts and details in both my premonition dream and the vision Freeman, Besa and I had sent to us a while ago, we all concluded that there's a possibility Saki may not just be a ninja clan leader, but may also have a tie of sorts with Trinity, and if that's true, then he would have access to the teleportation technology developed by Bishop's team...
Anyway, Inuyasha was still a bit skeptical about all the intertwining facts, which was understandable since we're basically going off of theories.
"Tuh, I still dunno about that bit: We haven't seen any proof that guy has ties with those Trinity bastards."
Despite his tone, I could tell he was really covering up an appending concern that the possibility was true, and given how my history with the organization came to hit me the way it did in the present, I couldn't blame him.
"I'm surprised you're still thinkin' this all doesn't add up. After all that we've been through, isn't fair to say anything's possible?"
My boyfriend shoots a glare at Freeman for his casual question, making the latter flinch uncomfortably. I prepare to open my mouth with some words to cool the tension down, but was prevented from doing so when a cow bellow suddenly rings through the air.
"Huh?"
"Did anybody just hear a cow?"
"I sure did...Wait, could it be-"
We would get our answer in the form of a lightning strike to the dry dirt several feet in front of us, crackling down to reveal a familiar three-eyed bull and its passenger.
"Tōtōsai?!"
"And Mōmō!"
What're they doing here?
As the elder demon hops down from Mōmō, we all quickly approach their forms, with Inuyasha initiating a greeting first (well, his version of greeting).
"What the heck are ya doin' all the way out here, old man?"
"What a way to greet your elders...Anyway, I came here to warn you youngsters about something Myoga and I just witnessed not even an hour ago."
Myoga?
"Oi! Cut that out, dude!"
(Slap)
Oh, there he is...
Once the flea demon unflattened himself into Freeman's open palm, he and Tōtōsai quickly tell us about what they saw, leaving all of us ill at ease...
"What?!"
"Seriously?!"
"The Sword of Tengu's been restored?!"
The weapon forger nods solemnly:
"That it has, which means that soon these lands will once again feel the wrath of the Tengu Sword's power. (Shudder) That was one thing Yokuto certainly remembered to put in every weapon he created: Strength unparalleled."
"You've seen the sword used before?"
"Yes, I have, young lady. I was actually the one who acted as Yokuto's witness when the sword was first created many decades ago. (Sad smile) We were even partners at one time before, back when we first began the practice of weapon forging before we parted on solo journeys. Our friendship is an old one..."
His lips form a frown as he described what he recalled in regards to what the sword was capable of.
"Anyway, I remember that day quite well: The sword was able to harness the combined sorcery of the Wind and Sound of all things, creating rings of sonic energy that are able to obliterate anything from wood to the thickest of stone."
Sonic rings of power? Yikes...
"For it to have been given to the hands of a human who obviously held ill intentions, (shakes head) I don't know what Yokuto was thinking..."
"You didn't by chance see where Saki had left to after he took the sword, did you?"
Tōtōsai hms with his arms folded, but Myoga would beat him to the punch with his own insight.
"I believe he was heading towards the direction of Iga Province last I saw before we came here, which confused me since his intent seemed to be directed towards you three."
My brothers and I stiffen up with suspicious glares and utter at the same time,
"Us?"
"Yes, something about 'taking care of' three warriors from his land, and the cloth he wore looked nothing like the ones humans of this era wear. I also remembered seeing a strange design tattooed on one of his upper arms when he rolled his sleeves up shortly before disappearing into the mountain mist, which did not match the clan symbol on his robes..."
A strange design...Could it, be...?
I reach into my satchel and pull out one of my notebooks that held the ripped arm band with Trinity's symbol taped onto one of its pages as a reference, holding out for Myoga to see.
"Did it look anything like this?"
The flea demon hops up and down on Freeman's open palm in excitement:
"Yes, yes, that's exactly it! But, how do you have it, Corali-Wait...no...That isn't, their symbol, is it?"
I nod in confirmation, and he lets out a sound akin to jittering nerves, he having already heard me convey the event regarding Trinity's entrance to Edo to capture my friends and I, ultimately ending with me ending Bishop's life in the ancient tomb of my family in my old village before we all returned home. Freeman then stutters a little nervous himself,
"S-So this means...Saki's a member of Trinity too, or at least the Japan division...! Holy crap, a company CEO, ninja clan leader and secret organization officer? Talk about a triple threat of the lethal kind."
Fighting the urge to roll my eyes and/or bop him offside the head, I nod in agreement with my brother, as does Besa who then notes,
"There's no telling what he has in store now that he has the Sword of Tengu, other than coming after us, which I can't quite understand aside from our affiliations with Master Yoshi..."
And there's another thing to wonder: Master Yoshi's condition.
...Is he-No, no, don't think about that, Cora. As long as you don't think that way, he'll be alive.
Right now, focus on the real problem.
"Guys, we need to find Saki now: If he has the capability of wielding power of that caliber, no one of this or the other era will be safe from his wrath. And if he's heading for Iga Province...then he might be seeking out members of the earlier Kage no tsume Clan."
Inuyasha raises a brow and asks,
"Why would he do that?"
"The History of Ninjitsu is murky enough as it is in future texts. We don't know what the state of the Shadow Claws is because of how secretive Shinobi in allowing knowledge to be leaked, so...as impossible as this is gonna sound, Saki's influence could be what jump-starts the future growth of the clan in coming decades, especially now that he has the Sword of Tengu."
With that all in mind, our plan was fairly clear: We would begin tracking Saki in the direction of Iga Province to relinquish him of the Sword of Tengu by any means we needed to, and stop him from causing any possible harm he could bring to Edo, especially since it's teetering enough on the imaginary fault line between 'false sense of security' and 'high vulnerability' thanks to this war over that damned jewel.
...We've already got one madman with a lust for power to worry about...We don't need two.
Time Skip, No POV
Come about two to three days later, we catch up with our group, joined by Tōtōsai, Myoga (him a bit reluctantly, which is expected considering his bravery track record) and Mōmō, as they close in on the border of Iga Province in search of Saki and the new demonic power he possesses. Coming over a new hill in lead was Inuyasha, with Coraline and Shippo riding on his back, followed by Sango, Miroku and Besa aboard Kilala, while Freeman rode with the elder demon weapon crafter and the flea demon atop the three-eyed bull.
The second twin mentioned then calls,
"You sure we're heading the right way, sis?" The redhead calls back,
"Yeah: My Aura Sight's pickin' up a significant trail of demonic energy from the Sword of Tengu! And it's getting stronger the further we go this direction, so we can't be too far from Saki..."
"I still find it amazing you're able to discern the specific demonic aura!"
Coraline smiles and calls back to Sango,
"Yeah, well, I couldn't have done it without Lumos and Inuyasha: One gave me the low-down of what to look for by tapping into his demon senses, and the other provided a boost of sensory power to see the trail."
She peers down at said dog demon and says to him appreciatively,
"Thank you again, by the way."
He in turn felt his face heat up slightly and mutters,
"Keh, sure, whatever..."
(Boom...)
"Huh?"
Suddenly, there came a distant echo of an explosion overhead the next few hills, a dust cloud billowing behind the tips of a line of tall conifer trees...Everyone stops in their tracks for a moment at the bottom of the current incline they were coming over, spotting the sign that they were closer to their quarry than thought initially.
"Uh!"
"What the heck was-?!"
"That didn't sound good...!"
Tōtōsai immediately knew what the cause was:
"Ooh, there's no mistaking it: That was the Sword of Tengu alright, and it sounds like that Saki's already testing it's restored power!"
Inuyasha's nose then picks up on a troubling scent:
"(Sniff sniff, growl) I smell human blood, and a whole lot of it too. He's not only testin' the sword; he's found a few test subjects..."
That observation was all Coraline needed to hear:
"Then we better get a move on before the casualty toll gets any higher."
...Another twenty minutes pass, and our view changes to that of a wide plain cut to go down the middle of a large forest bordering the mountains and a nearby river, where a substantial-sized army of samurais was traveling across to their next destination...That is, until they became caught under the non-remorseful irises of Saki, who would use them like they were no more than modern-day crash test dummies to find out just how powerful his new weapon was.
(Bzzz-BOOM, boom-boom-boom-boom...)
"Aaaaaaah!" "Rgaaaahh!" "Aaaauuuuuuhhhhh!"
Another ring of sonic energy wrapped in a neon yellow-green light blasts apart a piece of the army, upturning and virtually vaporizing a new chunk of the dirt and rock they were previously standing on!
One surviving warrior pull-crawls to his injured commander, and asks in a bated whisper,
"S-Sir, what do we do?! We stand no chance against this man's power; at this rate, we'll all be dead!"
"...In that case, w-we must try, and strike down this man-this, demon of a man, or die trying."
"What?!"
"It's as, you said: At the rate of this destruction, we won't be coming out of this alive..."
The leader of the army forces himself onto his feet again, using his sheathed sword as a crutch to compensate for his right leg that was bleeding out from a few lacerations, his eyes burning with a fighter's will.
"But we, can still go out from this world, with the honour of a samurai. Better to die fighting, then to die doing nothing at all."
"Sir..."
"Are you with me, soldier?"
The younger samurai stares at his experienced senior with awe...before nodding firmly and moving to stand on his own, drawing out his spear.
"I'm with you, sir. If it's our destiny to die, we die with honour, not cowardice!"
"Good...then get ready, on my mark."
By this time, the destruction pauses, as Saki takes a moment to observe the damage to the surrounding environment, from the new craters streaming wisps of smoke to the numerous dead bodies scattered to and fro, before looking down at the blade in his hand responsible, smirking darkly in satisfaction.
Aaah yes...It is just as I had hoped for and more.
This sword is as incredible as my ancestor foretold it to be in the texts: Sonic waves of unparalleled power...
Yet he was only able to wield it for a short time, because his spirit wasn't strong enough to compensate for the demonic power within the blade.
His gaze fixates on the new accessory enveloping the skin of his right hand, that being a glove made from stainless steel-like metal with black leather decorating the knuckles and wrist guard, the palm carrying the Trinity symbol and the back a medium-sized, spherical-shaped piece of what a very familiar clear-coloured crystal...
Saki's smirk grows slightly:
Ha. This glove made by the technical division works perfectly, and the large shard of the Seven Light Crystal has enough energy to help a mere mortal such as myself wield a demon's weapon with no issues.
That, and of course having the forger use the Gem of the Ancient One to not only bond the new blade to the base, but also vouch for a mortal's strength.
No errors have been committed. I am virtually invincible.
"...Stranger! Your terror ends now!"
"Hm?"
Shifting his expression to a neutral line, Saki looks up to see the samurai soldier and commander standing just a few yards away from his proximity, holding their weapons at battle ready despite their signs of fatigue, that being deep breathing and profound sweating added on top of their cuts and bruises.
"I don't know what exactly your goal in this exercise is, but as long as we breathe, we will not allow you to bring destruction to innocent lives! We will fight until we fall: That is the warrior's way!"
"Is that so? Hmph, then you will both be meeting the face of death shortly...Very well: If you wish to die a fool's battle, by all means, come at me with all of your remaining strength!"
"You'll regret your words, you monster!"
With that, the two samurai charge at Saki, determined to take him down...That moment, would be when our group finally emerges past the treeline to meet the edge of the plains, only to witness the last stand of the warrior army reduced to two.
"Uh!"
"An entire samurai army, save two, massacred!"
"And it looks like those two will be joining their comrades..."
The leader attacks first, aiming to bring down his katana across Saki's neck to decapitate him, but was too slow on the delivery, giving the Ninjitsu Master time to dash out of the way in time, before using his left hand that was holding one of the Panther Claw weapons to jab the blades into the samurai's stomach!
"Aaaaagh!"
Blood spills, and the warrior goes down hard...His comrade's face contorts into a shaken expression, before shifting to one filled with rage and anguish.
"No! Sir! (Growl) You, bastard! I'll avenge my commander, by taking your head!"
He then lunges at Saki head-on with his spear, missing his mark before trying and failing another couple times, the latter just going with the motions before finding an opportune opening to knock the former down with a swift roundhouse kick.
"Hrh!"
(KICK)
"Huuuuurgh!"
The samurai flies through the air several yards before skidding down the grass hard, and he tries to get back up with shaking limbs, but would only get about halfway before Saki comes at him with the Sword of Tengu, this time merely using it as a blunt instrument to slit the warrior's throat!
"Uuu-cuuu-uuuugh...!"
...The last member of the army drops dead in a flash of silver and spurt of his crimson blood.
Saki looks down at the corpse with an indifferent expression:
"...What a fool."
"...Saki!"
"Mm?"
He turns around and sees our group approaching, pausing a few yards from his proximity with Inuyasha, Coraline and the twins standing up front with their weapons ready, while Sango, Miroku and Shippo stood near Kilala a foot back on the left, and Tōtōsai, Myoga and Mōmō took the back right, the swordsmith positioned behind the bull out of nerves.
"Ah, I was wondering when I would be tracked down by your like. Coraline Croft, was it? I've come to know your particular image on several occasions, the first being an old Trinity enemy's list that once classified you as 'Presumed Dead'..."
Said addressee smirks grimly for a short moment:
"Sounds like your tech monkeys need to do some updating. I feel plenty alive. (Frown) But neither of us are here to discuss the activities of that bastard organization: This is all about that blade you carry, the one I assume you sent your shinobi agents to steal from the museum in the modern era?"
"Very clever, Croft-san. Once that was done, I had to procure an item from an 'old friend', which unfortunately involved some rather extreme measures. I'll be quite surprised if he's still alive, heh, then again, (sardonic smile) Yoshi has had the knack of slipping from the hands of death, but not without maintaining a scar of such."
Freeman and Besa speak up next, heated glares on their faces:
"So it was you: You attacked Master Yoshi, and you're admitting to leaving him for dead! You bastard!"
"What item was so important that you would commit to doing something so heinous as brutalizing a man for god-who-knows-how-long who wishes for nothing but peace?!"
"I don't know how either of you have knowledge to that event, but I suspect the item I fought to get, the Gem of the Ancient One had something to do with it. And to answer your question would be wasted on minds trapped by honour and the greater good."
The twins both growled at the accusation, while Coraline muttered with a perplexed expression,
"Gem of the Ancient One?"
"Aaaah, now there's a name I haven't heard of in years. I suppose that must've been the item left to Yokuto's possession after Saki left..."
Miroku pivots his head to Tōtōsai's direction to ask,
"You know what he's talking about, Tōtōsai?"
"That I do: The Gem of the Ancient One, named for the deity in question, was a pearl-like jewel with extraordinary power not too far from that Shikon-no-Tama, but has a less bloodied history since it very rarely fell into the hands of mortals. Also, it's energy never teetered on the brink of purity and impurity: It was just as it was, nothing more or less."
Shippo raises his brows in confusion:
"Just as it was? What does that mean?"
"That, even I don't know. The Gem's history is even more fragmented than the Shikon-no-Tama."
The fox demon collapses on Kilala's back in exasperation, replying sarcastically,
"Ooh, that's helpful..."
Inuyasha cuts in with an angered and serious air:
"I say we save the history lesson for another day and get back to the real problem at hand!"
He points an accusing finger at Saki:
"You just killed an entire army of humans, on top of leaving another man for dead without so much as a bat of an eyelash! If that's not a good enough reason to take you out, I dunno what is!"
"Hmph. You truly believe you can take the Sword of Tengu on, boy?"
"You bet I do!"
At that, the dog demon readies to charge in with Tessaiga...but was stopped by Coraline's hand.
"Wait, Inuyasha!...Let me and the guys take care of this."
"Say what?! Are you crazy?"
"No, just bloody determined to fight for Master Yoshi. Besides, recalling what Myoga overheard, this bastard only wants to fight us. (Turns to Saki) Am I right or wrong?"
Said addressee replies neutrally,
"You're not wrong: Given your relations with Yoshi and what he may have told you, I cannot ignore a budding threat."
"Hmph, there ain't nothing 'budding' about us: We'll show you just how much of a threat we can become when the people we care about are hurt! Freeman, Besa!"
"Right!" "Right!"
On that note, the three teens march forward to stand around the man with brown eyes as sharp as daggers in a three-point circle, weapons at the ready with fierce expressions, while everyone else of our main group stood on the sidelines to watch with mixed wary and nervous expressions. Shippo shifts his place so he was peering over Kilala's head while wondering,
"Can they really take this guy down?" Miroku replies in a serious tone,
"The only thing we can do for now is believe in their strength." Sango adds,
"But if it turns to the worst, that's when we'll jump in to help."
Inuyasha nods in agreement, his expression set in a serious scowl, and he would pivot his head to meet Myoga's eyes as the flea demon hops onto his robed shoulder to ask,
"Are you really going to leave this to Coraline and her brothers, Master? Not that I'm questioning your judgement, but-"
"It'll be fine, Myoga...I know it will be."
Be careful, Coraline, and good luck. Same to you two, Freeman, Besa.
Besa's POV
Alright, deep breath, man: You can do this as long as you fight with all you have, and pay attention to the enemy's movements.
Twirling my twin sickles in my hands, I glance over to meet the eyes of my siblings as we surrounded Hikiji in preparation for the battle to begin, bopping my head in a short nod in time with them to show I was ready.
...A short, silent breeze passes, before Freeman made the first move, rushing forward a few steps to build momentum to jump up high, then drop back down to the ground with a slam from his long hammer.
"Haaaaaaaa-ah!"
(CRASH)
The power from his weapon sends a shot of upturning dirt straight at our opponent, who stood calmly in its path long enough for it to reach seconds before impact, before he leaped up high out of the way! But, thanks to Master Yoshi's training and a few practice sessions with our friends, we were able to anticipate such a move, and Coraline made the move to charge forward at the man just as he landed with her sword raised.
"Yaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"
(Clang)
None too unexpectedly, Hikiji would meet blade-to-blade using the Sword of Tengu, causing sparks of yellow-green and ice blue power to erupt between the metals as each swordsperson tried to throw the other off-balance. Somehow, they pushed eachother back at the same time, before proceeding to start a duel of the blades, Coraline speeding after Hikiji with one-handed swings more familiar in the European swordsmanship while Saki blocked and swung back in accordance with the techniques developed by warriors of these lands, using not only the sword but also that clawed knuckle guard weapon.
Okay, it looks like he's preoccupied with keeping sis at bay...
Now's a good time to get the jump on him with my sickles, or at the very least disarm him.
I begin to circle in a fast crouch as Cora and Hikiji begin rounding in my direction, Freeman pausing on standby a couple feet back knowing what I was about to do...Then just as ShatterSoul shoves Tengu upward, I go in for the kill:
"Got you!"
(Clang)
I hook my weapons around the opposing blade and began to yank back as hard as I could.
"Hrrgh...!"
Come on, come on...
"Tch, foolish boy: Do you really believe it's that simple to disengage the Sword of Tengu from its wielder?"
What?
(Gleam...)
Oh shi-
(Bzz-BOOM)
"Aaaaaaagh!" "Waaaaaaahhhhh!"
Next thing I knew, Cora and I were thrown back several yards in different directions by a sonic ring of yellow-green energy that hit as hard as a punching bag to the gut! I slid down the dirt hard, rolling onto my side with a gritted breath sucked between my teeth.
Damn, that's going to leave a burn...
I hear Freeman exclaim our names, before another burst of power sounds, followed by his outcry of pain and a thudding roll onto the ground!
Freeman!
Despite the ache, I quickly sat up to see if my brother was okay, and much to my relief watch as his form shakily gets back on his feet.
Oh thank you god...
I follow his example just as Coraline jogs over to meet with me, followed by our brother.
"You guys okay?"
"I'm holdin' up...Besa?"
"I'll live...Guess disarming him won't work so easy, huh?"
"No kidding: Tōtōsai wasn't exaggerating when he said that the Sword of Tengu had power to boot. It looks like we'll have to wear down his stamina a good deal before we can even think about knocking the sword out of his hands."
I nod in agreement with Cora, as does Freeman, if a bit hesitantly:
"Still, even that plan's gonna take some major effort..."
He looks back over his shoulder in Hikiji's direction, only to bulge out his eyes and shout,
"Look out!"
We all then scramble out of the way of another sonic boom attack cutting through the dirt, and it continues its trajectory towards everyone else, forcing them to retreat from their spot.
"Whoa!" "Gaaah!"
"Owaaaaah!" "Watch it!"
Thankfully, they all got out of the way in time...but the danger was still at an all-time high, as Hikiji continued to unleash ring after ring of yellow-green energy at the three of us, forcing me and my siblings to continue our strategy talk while sprinting for our lives in a huge circle.
"Hah, hah, hah, anybody got a plan, or do we just keep striking one at a time?"
Coraline calls back to Freeman,
"Let's use the speed technique Master Yoshi taught us: Move so fast that the enemy doesn't have time to recover from the recoil! Integrate and strike in time with each coming and going move of the last person!"
"Got it!" "Right!"
"And Besa...when the opening's visible, you go in with a finisher combo!"
I was taken aback by her suggestion:
"W-What? Me?! Why me?!"
"Because out of the three of us, you're the fastest in close-quarter combat! (Encouraging smile) You can do it, Besa; I know you can!"
Freeman grins and adds,
"Yeah, what she said, bro: You got this!"
Guys...
I was touched by their faith in me, and couldn't let them down, so I nodded with a determined smile.
"Alright, let's do this!"
No POV
So with the plan set, the three teens prepare to engage their new strategy by dispersing into their own directions to surround Saki again, which only served to confuse the Ninjitsu Master slightly.
What are those children up to now...?
And he wasn't the only one: On their new place in the sidelines, the rest of our ragtag group formed perplexed expressions at the latest repeated move of their friends.
"Huh?" "What're they doin' now?"
"They can't be using the same strategy again, can they?"
"Perhaps so, perhaps not..."
Eyes fall on Tōtōsai's form, who watches the battlefield's occupants with a careful stare.
"I might be seein' things, but there's a new level of assuredness in each of the youngster's eyes this time. Hm...we might be witnessing something different this round, folks."
"You think so, old man?"
"Hmph, well, we won't know until it happens, so best to keep our own eyes on the battle."
Inuyasha snorts at such an answer, but did as the old swordsmith advised anyway, his irises fixating more so on Coraline's form, poised in attack mode with the ShatterSoul Sword high in the air in her left hand...
A heartbeat of time passes, before she and the twins spring into matching runs from their proximity points towards the object of their rage in the middle! Saki smirks unafraid of the warcrys ringing in the air, preparing himself to block and counter.
Do they really think they can use the same strategy as before? They really are but student warriors...
Of course, he would be proven wrong in his thinking, when Coraline swiftly uppercuts her right hand containing her combat knife just seconds after trying to swing her sword, leaving a scratch mark on Saki's cheek!
"Guh!"
What?!
And that shock wouldn't have time to sink in, before Freeman followed through his sister's move with a thrust from his long hammer, the base connecting with his back sharply and knocking some of the breath out of the man as he stumbled forward slightly.
"Gh...!"
How?!
Besa wouldn't let the pressure drop either, zooming in to swipe his weapons in front of Saki's face, forcing him to dart back as quick as he could, only to barely duck away from a spin kick, courtesy of the other twin. The attacks just continued on and on in that fashion, each one coming and going to make room for the next without leaving so much as a few seconds between, shocking the audience watching the display.
"Whoa..." "My Buddha...!"
"Wow, look at 'em go: They're moving way faster than before!"
Tōtōsai nods with a small, knowing smile and remarks,
"Yep, what did I tell you? They've fought long enough with the rest of you that they wouldn't dare use the same strategy twice. Best way to catch an enemy off-guard is saving your best moves for the right moment, before unleashing them in such a way, they'll regret their challenge."
...Come another ten, fifteen minutes later, the battle reaches its peak and in favour of the younger warriors who were giving it their all, pushing past the stings of their bruises and cuts decorating their limbs to deal their damage on Saki, who was starting to sweat a bit more profoundly than earlier, his robes sporting several rips along with some drops of his own blood from a few well-placed wounds.
"Mrh! Hh!"
(Clang)
I don't understand: How could these young minds be able to keep up with a martial arts master such as I?
...This strategy...it has Yoshi written all over it. I know it does!
Just as he curses to himself, Coraline unleashes an Aura Attack from her blade at his body, throwing him back and off-kilter long enough for Besa to make his move.
Here we go: Time to finish this!
"Hrrrrh!"
The corn-row haired teen rushes forward as the other two duck and roll out of his way, giving him room to begin his combo finisher against their opponent.
"Haaa-ah!"
Besa uses one sickle to hook the Sword of Tengu in a downward side-tug, before he leaps upward and releases a torrent of jabbing kicks against Saki's torso, pushing the latter in a stumble backwards with each connection until the former bounces off, and dives down in a frontward flip for one more hit!
"Hiiiyah!"
(KICK)
"Uuuuurgh!"
The Clan Master/Organization Commander is hit hard, so much so that his grip is lost on the Sword of Tengu, much to his shock.
No!
(...Tok)
The weapon lands blade-first into the dry ground with its sheath sliding to a stop beside it, while Saki falls with a skid onto his back emitting a barely-contained grunt of pain, and Besa lands fairly smooth from his jump-kick a couple feet back, panting heavily from exertion.
Holy-Did I seriously just pull that off?!
"Whoo, alright, Besa!"
"That was awesome, bro; ya did it!"
He looks behind him to see the beaming smiles of his siblings, and sends a grin back with a thumbs-up, feeling really proud of himself that his attack was successful. His focus then shifts frontward when his ears pick up on the sound of pained grunts and struggled movement, belonging to Saki as he somehow holds out from the attack and starts limping towards the Sword of Tengu!
"Grh, I will not lose, to a small band of upstart warriors...!"
"Damn it, his determination to beat his enemies is almost as bad as Naraku's...Stop!"
But as Besa moves to speed over and try to prevent the other from reclaiming the weapon, he suddenly collapses to his knees halfway up, feeling his stamina drop a considerable amount.
"Grah, crap!"
Oh sure, now my muscles are barking at me to slam the breaks...!?
"Besa!" "Bro!"
Coraline and Freeman quickly rush to his aid, lifting him up by his underarms and shoulders just as Saki reaches within arm's length of the demon sword.
"(Chuckle) I must admit, you children have been taught well...but this, is where I take back the lead, and ultimately, the victory."
...Unfortunately, he would be proven wrong as soon as his fingers touched the hilt of the blade.
(Bzzzzz-pow)
"Aaaaaaaaaagh!"
In a twist of events, the Sword of Tengu rebounded its wielder's hand in a burst of the yellow-green sonic ring, which quickly runs up Saki's arm to billow into the shape of flames over his face, seemingly burning his skin and causing an excruciating amount of pain!
Everyone else gasps in shock, and Shippo exclaims before Sango,
"Look! The Sword!"
"It rejected Saki! But why?"
"(Laugh) Serves you right, shinobi, for believing you could use the power of us goblins and the divine like puppets on strings!"
"Huh?"
Eyes fall to the treeline where the main group emerged from earlier, as Yokuto suddenly emerges into view with a sardonic smile on his face directed at the writhing form of the Ninjitsu Master.
"Did you honestly think I would allow another human to make a fool out of me and my skill in weapon-crafting? Not while I still live!"
"Uh! Yokuto, is that really you?!"
"Long time, no see, Tōtōsai! Wish I could say our reunion was on a more pleasant note, but it's a little impossible with this spawn of that accursed thief here...Not that his decision won't soon become a regret. Observe."
Once the yellow-green flames died away, we see Saki rise to his feet with a wobble, before he uncovers his face, revealing it now disfigured with the features of a goblin on his right half, from the red skin to the hawk-yellow iris, a few layers of his black hair looking an awful lot like feathers, and even the start of a phallus-shaped nose!
Shippo yelps and ducks behind Kilala and Mōmō in fear of the new sight before his vision.
"Wh-Wh-What the heck happened to him; he looks like a shapeshifter stuck between transformations!"
Saki gropes his face in shock, then realizes,
Oh no: My right hand is no longer cased by the glove! It must have fallen off when I was thrown back by that boy!
His expression contorts into anger, making his new face look even more frightening, yet his subject of fury was not the teen (directly), but rather at,
"Yokuto-san! You swindler: You placed an enchantment on the sword, didn't you?!"
"I don't believe you're in the position for such blatant insulting, human...but I won't deny my act. Indeed, using the Gem of the Ancient One's power, I placed a curse on the Sword of Tengu that would activate if your skin were to make contact with it during the moment where your more darker emotions were running high. (Smirk) In other words, your greed for power and lust for vengeance has done you in."
"Grrh, damn you...!"
The goblin demon lets out a laugh at the fuming Saki, while Miroku mutters in surprise,
"So Yokuto knew what Saki was going to do, and deliberately set the other up for karma..."
Inuyasha adds gruffly,
"That, and he obviously didn't forget his own desire for revenge against the bastard's ancestor. Can't blame 'im either. (Narrows eyes) Saki took a fool's gamble thinking he could get away with the same act that other shinobi did, and will now suffer a consequent almost as bad as bein' killed by the weapon itself."
As the dog demon finished his opinion, Saki shakily pulls back his sleeve, revealing one of the teleportation watches developed by Trinity!
"Uh! The transport watch!"
"He's gonna make a break for it!"
"...Let him."
The twins turn bulging eyes of surprise to their sister, who says dryly,
"I doubt he's gonna try anything stupid from this point: He's obviously shaken up from his new disfigurement, and won't have the spirit to continue fighting us, or try to take the Sword of Tengu with him."
"You sure, sis?"
"Positive."
Speaking of said topic of discussion, once he composed himself enough that he wasn't jittering anymore, Saki pointed the tiny firing barrel of the watch to the ground a couple feet in front of him and away from the teens, before shooting out a light beam that would open up in the ground as a wormhole!
He looks back up at the three with a seething glare, making them stiffen on alert, before he calls over the whoosh of energy,
"Don't believe this is over for even a moment, for we will face eachother again, and when we do, I will claim the lives of those who dare challenge me!"
(Leap, whoosh)
With that threat in the wind, Saki Hikiji vanishes through the portal, most likely returning to his headquarters in his own time...
A minute or two passes, before Freeman mutters with a shivering twitch,
"Well, that was a bit unnerving...Should we be worried?" Besa replies,
"Hopefully not for a while..."
Coraline kept a narrowed glare on the spot where Saki disappeared from as Lumos circled around it a few times in an excited manner.
Just great: A new enemy for the future...
"Well, now that he's gone, I can get to another manner at hand..."
She snaps out of her thoughts to the sound of Yokuto, and watches as he walks past her and her brothers towards the Sword of Tengu, lifting it up into one of his hands to gaze at, the blade gleaming in the sunlight.
Mmm...there's only one sensible thing I can do now, for the greater good of these lands.
And just before anyone could react fast enough...
(SNAP, CLANG)
(Collective gasp)
Yokuto bends and breaks the sword in two!
"Yokuto, what have you done?!"
He turns his irises to meet Tōtōsai's as he and everyone else rush to his form, and replies neutrally,
"What I had to do, my friend: This sword was only meant to have been made once, and come to its death with time, not be made whole for a second time only to be abused again by an arrogant fool...In that event, breaking it in half is the only right decision."
"Hmm, I see...You're still the sensible-type I remember all too well, even when your opinions drift to more grim outlooks."
"Grim, perhaps, but they're also a truth many must face in their lives at some point...But never mind such trivial thoughts: I'll be taking my leave of you all now."
Miroku asks,
"To do what, if you'll pardon my asking?"
"You're pardoned, monk, and the what is bury these pieces so they won't be touched again. I believe that my old residence will suffice as a grave for the Sword of Tengu...Ah, but before I go."
Yokuto reaches into the sleeve of his robes, and pulls out a familiar pearl-blue jewel on a broken string, before handing it over for Coraline to take.
"Uh..."
"You and those boys who fought with you are students of this Yoshi character, correct?"
"Um, yes sir."
"The Gem showed me his image as I used its power to place the curse on the sword...Take this to return to him when you have the chance to. (Knowing smile) I can sense a better heart in your humanity, so I know you can be trusted."
The redhead gently grabs the Gem of the Ancient One from the goblin demon's hand, nodding while replying,
"I'll get this to him as fast as I'm able. Thank you."
"You're welcome, and thank you for slowing that shinobi down so I could catch up to revel in his mistake...Now then, I am off."
Yokuto then turns to walk away out of the area, calling back over his shoulder,
"Let's remember to get together again soon, Tōtōsai; I'd really like to catch up on eachother's lives since we last spoke!"
"As do I! Goodbye for now, Yokuto!"
...As soon as the demon goblin was out of sight, Coraline suddenly felt a jolt in her brain when she realizes something.
"Ah! Oh my god...the village: Now I remember!" Inuyasha asks,
"Remember what?"
"That village, is-er, will soon be, the exact same spot where Professor Hashimoto and his team first uncovered the Sword of Tengu!"
"What?!" "No way!"
"You're kidding!"
"No lie: The location in this era's the same coordinates in the excavation report...And if it's to be buried now..."
Freeman jumps forward and clamps a hand over his sister's throat before she could go any further.
"Mph!"
"Nope, don't ya dare go there!"
"(Muffled) Gg whrb?"
"You know damn well where: The whole time-space interference crap! That's only gonna give you and everyone else a headache, so shut your yap and tuck it away like it never came to you."
Coraline glares a little at her brother...before sighing through her nose and nodding, giving him the right answer that would make him unclasp his hand from her lips. Everyone else was staring at the two weirdly from the display, before Shippo mutters with a headshake,
"I'm not even gonna bother to ask what the heck they were talkin' about just now..."
"What concerns me is how angry and vengeful Saki sounded before he exited from here."
Miroku nods in agreement with Sango:
"Yes, he certainly made it clear that his next appearance is to be as eventful as this one..."
Inuyasha scoffs,
"Tuh, let him boast: He's just tryin' to act tough to cover the fact he just got played by that Yokuto character. I doubt he's gonna be comin' back to Edo anytime soon...Still..."
He looks towards Coraline, Freeman and Besa:
"There is a chance he might try to rise in your guy's era. Think you'll be prepared for that?"
The second answers casually,
"After all the crazy we've gone through? Duh!" The third adds a bit more seriously,
"Besides which, it'll likely be a long while before Hikiji comes striking again: He'll need time to recover and figure out how to cover up his new disfigurement from the public eye."
Coraline finishes,
"Right now, our main priority is Naraku, and any possible shards of the Shikon-no-Tama that are still out there to be collected. Saki can fade into the background for now...But first."
She looks down at the other jewel in her hands, it shining in the day's light, adding,
"...This jewel, needs to go back to its rightful owner."