kscans

Chapter 3 - A Light in the Darkness

Shintaro eyed the man named Sahei, who had appeared at such a time with such a tempting offer, with deep suspicion.

It was true that he wanted to test his skills in real combat rather than just honing them in the dojo. It was the dream of anyone who had resolved to live by the sword, especially one with a reputation like his. However… Shintaro engaged his reason.

"I'm not so down on my luck that I'd just trail after someone I don't know the first thing about, you know."

Sahei just laughed and bowed respectfully.

"Actually, my master is quite insistent on witnessing your skill for themself... If you don't meet their expectations, we will return you without any trouble. Yes, we won't force you at all." This is what they call obsequious insolence, Shintaro thought with a wry smile.

"Fine. But if you try anything funny, I'll cut you all down on the spot. Understood?"

"Oh-oh my, so violent. We really mean you no harm, I assure you." Sahei acted as if he were brushing off a joke, but he was half-genuinely terrified. Shintaro was tall, with a lean, well-proportioned body. A sword swung by those long, powerful arms would have devastating force, even if his technique were clumsy.

*

Shintaro was led by Sahei to an inn on a street lined with shops. It was a respectable establishment. Sahei's master had rented out the finest detached suite.

"This way, please."

As he entered the room, a well-built man in his late twenties, a young girl, and a mature woman all turned to look at him at once.

The man was dressed in black kendo attire. He was sitting, so it was hard to be certain, but he looked tall. The mature woman was probably in her late thirties and wore heavy makeup. Her worldly air was off-putting. The young girl was plain, with a lingering childishness in her expression, likely in her late teens. She was dressed like a normal town girl and had no particularly striking features.

Shintaro frowned, wondering which of them was the master. But it seemed none of them were. Sahei gestured with his hand toward another sliding paper door.

"My master is in the room beyond. Before you meet them, we'd like you to have a match with the four of us, including myself."

The three who had been sitting rose to their feet.

"So you're Shintaro-dono," the man said.

"Well now, aren't you a handsome one," said the mature woman, while the young girl blushed slightly and looked down.

"From the right, they are Saneyuki, Kiku, and Nana," Sahei explained. So the man was Saneyuki, the mature woman was Kiku, and the young girl was Nana.

"A match, you say. Where will we do it?"

"Over there." Sahei pointed to a courtyard connected to the suite. It was spacious enough, so there was no issue.

"Not with a wooden sword, but with that real one of yours, please."

At his words, Shintaro glanced down at the wooden sword and the real sword at his hip. He often used both for training.

"With a real sword?"

"It's meaningless if it's not like a real battle."

Shintaro drew his sword and faced the four of them. He felt a pang of reluctance at the thought of fighting women with a live blade, but judging from their confident expressions, they were skilled. He decided not to hold back.

"I will go first."

Sahei readied his sword. But Shintaro didn't take a stance. He simply held the hilt, the blade hanging down loosely.

Sahei furrowed his brow.

"Have you had a change of heart?"

"No. Come whenever you're ready."

"...I see. Then here I come!" Sahei charged at Shintaro with a basic attack. In that instant, the sword Sahei had been gripping flew into the air with a high-pitched metallic clang.

It was all too sudden. Sahei, now empty-handed, was stunned, as were the three who had been watching.

Shintaro was frozen in place, holding his sword vertically. The moment Sahei had lunged into his space, he had hooked his own sword's guard against his opponent's and thrust it upwards with all his might.

Of course, he had learned the fundamentals at the dojo. He could fight a proper match without resorting to such unconventional moves. However, it was Shintaro's style to adapt his methods to the battle at hand.

This wasn't a dojo. A fight with real swords wasn't training. Therefore, he judged that there was no problem in using the rough-and-tumble fighting style he had learned from playing sword fighting as a child.

"D-Does the Hokura dojo teach that kind of fighting?" Saneyuki asked, his face pale. If it was a place that truly taught such practical methods, he thought they would stand no chance. But Shintaro replied with a wry smile.

"This is my own style. I've never shown it to my master. Nor to anyone else, for that matter."

"I-I see. But is it all right for you to show it to us?"

"You wanted to see my true strength, didn't you? Until now, I fought in the dojo's style to save my master's face... but that's not necessary anymore."

That's right, it's not necessary, Shintaro repeated in his heart.

Mana hadn't shown her face at the training hall since that day. It was partly because of the wedding preparations, but mostly because she felt guilty toward him. She surely didn't know what kind of face to make if they met. Shintaro was at a loss, too. What could he possibly say to Mana if he saw her now?

"Then I shall be your next opponent," Saneyuki declared, drawing his sword. Shintaro glanced over, picked up the blade he had just sent flying, and returned it to Sahei.

"This is a pain. Come at me all at once."

*

To put it simply, Saneyuki and the others lost. It was an instant defeat.

Shintaro was terrifyingly agile. He wielded his sword with fluid, unpredictable adaptability, scattering the four of them in a flash. Even Saneyuki, the strongest among them, could barely parry a single blow before being overwhelmed by sheer force. In that moment, he was like a lion, or a wolf.

"Would you please meet our master?" Saneyuki conceded, and Sahei dropped to one knee, making the request politely. Shintaro gave a slight nod. He couldn't very well say, "Well, I'll be leaving now," after putting on such a display of his skills.

I'll just meet them. He figured if they truly wanted to recruit him, they would reveal their identities, and depending on what they said, he might just go along with it. He still had feelings for Mana, but he had none left for the Hokura family. He had no desire to return to that dojo where he was surrounded by enemies.

With these thoughts in mind, when Shintaro saw Sahei's master beyond the paper door, his eyes widened in bewilderment.

A girl with pure white hair sat there in a formal kneeling position, her large black eyes shining. She looked to be sixteen or seventeen. Her hair color was unusual, but her straight, waist-length locks were glossy and beautiful. She was a beauty unlike any he had ever seen.

Shintaro, though stunned, knelt formally before the girl.

"...My name is Shintaro."

At that, the girl's face broke into a bright smile.

"My name is Shion. To be able to meet you like this means my friends lost, didn't they?" Shion asked, tilting her head slightly. She was so disarmingly innocent that Shintaro couldn't help but feel flustered.

"F-Friends?"

"Yes, friends. My precious friends who protect me."

"Shion-sama, you flatter us."

Sahei and the others hastily denied it, but their faces were beaming with joy. From that alone, Shintaro could tell that Shion was deeply loved. Shion then turned toward Sahei. Her profile, slightly averted, was also perfectly formed.

"So, what kind of person is Shintaro-sama? How tall is he? What does his face look like?"

"Hahaha, no need to be in such a hurry," Saneyuki said, but Shion pouted, her cheeks flushed.

"I was so looking forward to this. Tell me quickly!"

It was Shintaro who was shocked. Here he was, right in front of her, and she was asking what kind of man he was. He realized, She's blind, and was struck by a profound disappointment.

How can she have such beautiful eyes and not be able to see?

However, heedless of Shintaro's feelings, Kiku began her commentary.

"He's a handsome one, alright. A little taller than Saneyuki, and well-built. Long arms and legs, and above all, a great face. You don't see a man this good-looking very often."

As for Shion, who was listening... she still wore that innocent smile, looking delighted.

"I'd love to see. May I?"

"Well now, I don't know about that." Kiku glanced at Shintaro. Shintaro tilted his head, confused. What did she mean by "see" when she couldn't?

"Hey, you. If you're a man, you'll nod your head. It's okay, right? Just for a moment." Kiku chided Shintaro with the air of a big sister. Shintaro couldn't help but nod.

"He gave permission! Aren't you lucky! Now, go on, get closer and have a look!" Kiku put an arm around Shion's shoulder, urging her forward. Shion approached Shintaro, her face radiating genuine happiness. Then she reached out both hands and touched his cheeks. Shintaro flinched in surprise, but a stern glare from Kiku made him hold perfectly still.

Shion's hands were as white as snow, but soft and warm. Her fingertips gently traced the line of his eyelids, then the shape of his nose. The sensation was so pleasant that Shintaro nearly dozed off. The only reason he didn't was because her hands pulled away.

"A handsome and manly face. How wonderful." Her cheeks tinted with the color of cherry blossoms, Shion murmured in a trance. The truly beautiful one here is you, Shion, Shintaro thought, gazing at her from up close.