« Saito-san ! » i heard in a commanding voice and I turned to bow to Sen, walking at a quick pace in the courtyard.
« Sen-himesama. »
« Where is Nagumo Kaoru ?! » she yelled with her fists on her hips « Release him at once ! »
I put my finger on my mouth and made a head movement pointing at Haruhi, still training. Since I had nothing better to do, I went to see her progresses and give her advices.
« Nagumo Kaoru is important ! » she continued, whispering now « He's the other heir of the Yukimura clan ! Chizuru has the priority since she's female, and female are always higher ranked than male Oni, but he's still a prince like Kazama ! You can't do as you wish with him ! »
« Don't worry, Sen-himesama. » i replied calmly « I have full control on the situation. »
« What does that even mean ?! » she whispered in anger.
« Haruhi. » i called « when you strike like this, the force must come from your left-hand. You are putting too much strength in your right. You need to balance you strength better. »
Haruhi tried to do as I told her and I nodded. It wasn't perfect but the intention was there. I turned to Sen politely.
« Is there anything else, Sen-himesama ? » i asked with respect.
« Where is he ?! » she asked again.
« Souji is currently asking him a few questions. » i answered to be polite.
« You mean torturing him ? » she gasped.
I didn't answer and reported my attention on Haruhi once more. She seemed to have trouble understanding what I meant.
« Saito-san » she continued « please let go of him and we can find a solution together to get Chizuru back ! »
« Excuse-me, Sen-himesama. » i simply said, joining Haruhi « Look. I'm going to show you like a right-handed. When I attack this way, with one hand, my right arm puts the strength in the blow, right ? » she nodded « then, if I lift my katana above my head to strike a vertical blow on the head of my adversary, my left hand comes to position under my right. Still okay for you ? »
« Hum ! » she nodded vigorously « that's what Okita-san taught me. »
« Saito-san, are you even listening to me ?! » yelled Sen, probably not accustomed to be ignored that superbly.
« Good. » I nodded « So when you are here, with the katana above your head, your left hand charges in energy and she's the one striking, not the right. The right has discharged before with the other blow. You understand ? »
« I think so... » she said, wielding her bokken once more.
She striked with her right hand then lifted her bokken above her head and put her left hand on it. I came closer and grabbed her right hand, taking it off the bokken which fell on the ground.
« Why did you do this ?! » she yelled.
« Because you don't understand. »
I picked up the bokken, striked with my right hand then lifted it above my head, positionned my left and took away my right. The bokken didn't move at all.
« See ? » i said, holding the bokken high « if you cannot take off your right hand then it means you have your strength in it. At that moment, strength comes from your left since the right already striked. It may seem like a detail to you right now but the day you'll have to cut flesh, you'll see the difference. »
I handed her the bokken and she resumed training. I could see her sometimes letting go of her right hand to check if her strength was well balanced. It was better and I felt a kind of proudness. I came back next to Sen who was red with anger.
« Saito-san » she tried again « I know you are angry and you have every right to be but I beg you, release Kaoru. He shouldn't be hurt, you hear me ? »
« I'm sorry, Sen-himesama but that is impossible until I have the informations I need. » i replied calmly « his well-being is totally dependent on his cooperation. In a way, he's hurting himself. »
« I order you ! » she yelled and I froze her in place with a glare.
« I am not part of the Yase clan, neither Nagumo, Yukimura or whatever. You are in no position of ordering me around. There is only one "demon" that has my obedience and that is Hijikata-san. »
She saw that she wouldn't be able to get me to comply and moderated her speach a bit.
« Just... Nothing permanent, alright ? » she asked « can you promise that ? »
« I cannot answer this question for the moment. » i answered and I saw Souji making me signs from the window « Maybe this evening if he cooperates. If he doesn't, we'll start again tomorrow with more persuasive methods. » I bowed « Now, If you'll excuse me. »
She stayed stunned, not knowing what more to say and not accustomed to disobedience and I took the opportunity to leave. I entered the castle from a door as far as possible from the bathroom and made sure I wasn't followed before joining Souji outside the room.
« Is he ready ? » i asked.
« I'm not sure... » replied Souji with a sigh « that healing power is unsettling. He screams and everything and then, it's gone and he's not even keeping the pain. It seems impossible to make him loose consciousness since he heals faster than the pain can exhaust him. Still, he suffered a lot so maybe it's enough, I don't know... »
« Can I get in ? » i asked.
« There's blood everywhere, not sure it's a good idea with your condition. » he crossed his arms with a concerned look.
« Sannan and Toudou are capable of keeping their calm on a battlefield. » i said « I should be able to control myself. »
I was starting to get used to my new body and its new needs. The hunger may have taken me by surprise before but now, I knew what it was and why I was feeling it. Understanding was the first step towards control. I could do it. I could live my life like before and control the bloodlust. If I've been able to overcome the pain of the sun, that was still exhausting me but that I learned to ignore, I could overcome this too.
« As you wish. » he shrugged « but don't take it personally if I keep my sword close. »
I nodded and got in. Blood had splattered everywhere, even on the ceiling. Souji really took the matter at heart. Kaoru was still naked, tied and gagged, trying to make himself as small as possible in a corner. He was covered in his own blood and i threw the water from a bucket at him to take it away. As Souji said, his skin was immaculate underneath, not a scratch. That would probably satisfy Sen.
I crouched in front of him and removed the gag, plunging my deep blue gaze into his eyes that were exactly the same as Chizuru's. I just hoped I would never have hers looking at me with so much terror.
« Where is she ? » i asked calmly.
« With Kazama. » he replied, terrified, and I unsheathed my katana.
« Tell me something I don't know. » i ordered, pointing the tip of my blade on his stomach.
« I don't know where he went, I swear ! » he cried and I dug my sword inside his stomach, making him escape a high-pitched cry of pain.
« That wasn't a satisfying answer. » i continued with the same calm « now you can tell me something I don't know or I can turn my sword inside your stomach. Your call. »
« I swear... » he cried again « I swear I don't know... He could have got back to his clan or followed the SatCho to Edo, I don't know... »
I started turning my sword and he screamed in pain. It was hard to bear, seeing Chizuru's face experiencing so much suffering and knowing I was the cause of it.
« Where is she ? » i repeated.
« I don't know ! » he cried « either Edo or the Kazama clan... He didn't tell me... »
I believed him. He wasn't a strong enough man to lie under torture but this wasn't really helping me.
« Where is the Kazama clan ? » i asked without moving my blade, letting him breath.
I could see that his wound was already healing around the metal. What Amagiri told me was true then. Male Oni really healed faster than female Oni. That wasn't really good news for me who was going after Kazama.
« In Kyūshū ! » he said with a relieved smile « that I know ! It's in Kyūshū ! It's in the Bungo province, near the coast ! There's the gates to hell there, not very far from the village. »
Kyūshū... Or Edo...
That really wasn't good news either. A choice would have to be made.
« Thank you. » i said and I took my sword out, making him scream again.
I stood up and joined Souji who was looking at me with a grin.
« Efficient. » he commented « Good work. »
Kaoru was still weeping in the corner and Souji looked down on him with disgust.
« We kill him now ? » he asked and I thought for a moment.
« No ! » yelled Kaoru in fear « No ! Please don't kill me ! »
« Shut up... » sigh Souji « you have nothing else to offer, it's only logical. Don't take it personally. »
« Please... Please don't kill me... » he begged and I came closer to gag him once more. I wasn't in the mood for his pleads.
« It's amazing how his internal organs can heal too... » commented Souji « it's not only the skin then... »
I stayed silent, looking at the wound closing on his stomach. A wound like that one took hours to heal for Chizuru.
« If I pluck his eye out, do you think it can grow back ? » asked Souji with a mischievous grin and Kaoru started to utter muffled sounds.
« If I don't get what I want, we'll try tomorrow. » i nodded « Let's clean this mess. »
We cleaned the bathroom together and took Kaoru to my room where I hid him in a cupboard.
« You make a sound and I kill you. » i threatened him « no one can save you from me. »
He nodded and I closed the door, heading out to share dinner with the others.