Volume 4
Chapter 10
Part 2
Still Gazing
Upon the Mist at Dawn 2
Translator : PolterGlast
The next morning, with
the snowstorm long gone, the snow dripped heavily from the branches of the pine
trees to the ground, leaving a deep trace.
"Ha!"
A sharp flash cut
through the air, echoing in the sunny courtyard of the inn. The foot that
stepped forward carved ripples in the muddy ground.
An overhead strike
from an offensive step. Shifting to the middle stance, he returned to the hassō
stance and then assumed a side stance (waki-gamae). The fundamental Five
Elements stances were released without hesitation.
The long-absent
circulating heat. Behind the boy who exhaled white breath, the wooden sliding
door rattled. The presence of someone standing on the stile. Saki descended
into the garden, lightly stepping on the remaining snow.
"—Are you
suppressing your spirit power?"
"I thought I
noticed it during my training with Captain Asogi, but... I've definitely gotten
weaker."
The training that
didn't shake the atmosphere with the murmur of spirits was something that Asogi
Genji had assigned to him. Akira's mutterings, lowering the tip of his blade in
response to Saki's remark, were indeed based on his own feelings.
The training, in which
the rustling of the spirits does not shake the atmosphere, is the one that was
imposed by Genji Asogi just before the event.
Akira's muttering, as
he lowered the tip of his blade in response to Saki's words, was indeed based
on his own feelings.
When he was a member
of the 8th garrison, Akira's rank in Kihoin-school was 4-dan.
Considering that the
5th dan (kaicho) is a spiritual training to handle spirit power, Akira had
almost reached the highest dan level for a commoner.
"Your strikes
were sharp enough."
"I made up for it
with the momentum of stepping forward. Actually, I was overwhelmed several
times when I competed with Mikuriya Shishin."
Akira bitterly
acknowledged the moment when his slash was deflected in the battle with
Shishin.
The superiority in a
clash of blades is largely determined by height and weight. If a growing Akira
and a seasoned Shishin were to compete in a match, the direction of the outcome
should be clear. Although he won the match, there were issues prior to the
technique that hindered Akira's growth.
"Core strength,
huh? It's only been four months since Akira-kun started imitating spirit
techniques. You've been practicing Kihoin-school too hastily."
"I didn't feel
the weight of the spirit techniques. ...It's as if only the contents were
spilled out from what I had built up."
The essence of spirit
techniques, starting with Aragamioroshi, which strengthens the physical limits
of the body, is to enhance martial arts. In other words, as long as the body is
used as an intermediary, there is a strict physical limit to spirit techniques.
In addition to
training in spirit techniques, physical training is also essential.
Come to think of it,
Asogi Genji had been making Akira and the others run whenever he had the
chance, even when they were trainees.
"But since you've
been training so hard in the Central Capital, it's hard to believe that your
skills would deteriorate so easily."
"I think it's
probably right after the match with Souma. Considering that point, the
difference between me and Saki is...
—Probably, it's the divine protection."
"I see.
Akira-kun, with Aka-sama..."
The difference between
Akira and Saki. After the Kannamesai Festival, Akira has regained the divine
protection of not only Genrei but also Shuka.
The greatest privilege
of an empty throne (Akira), who can house multiple divine pillars. What would
happen if two divine pillars, each with the strength to withstand even a blow
from a Giant Ogre, were combined?
Since the rise of
Takamagahara, Akira is only the second person to obtain the empty throne. No
one knows the outcome of the double divine protection.
"...I think I'm
almost constantly in a state of using Aragamioroshi. If the ratio of reality to
divine protections is reversed, it's not an impossible possibility."
"But it's absurd
to close off even the divine protections.
—Are you okay?"
"I don't feel any
discomfort, but I'm very tired.
I'm really feeling
that my muscles can't keep up with the training."
Sweat gushed out and
ran down Akira's cheeks and arms, dripping onto the ground. Feeling the weight
of a long-absent, true fatigue, Akira smiled naturally.
---
A heaping bowl of
white rice and pickles. He scooped it up and washed it down with a red miso
soup, and then stuck his chopsticks into the dried sardine next to it. He
chewed the salty dried sardine and stuffed a mountain of white rice into his
cheek while the savory flavor remained.
Saki, whose shoulder
touched Akira's, looked up from the miso soup. The girl's ponytail flowed along
the nape of her neck.
"Isn't there a
lot of commotion coming from the direction of the street?"
"...It seems so.
I'll go take a look."
The clamor of leather
shoes and shouts coming from behind the fence. Hiding his tension, Akira stood
up at Saki's curious whisper.
He headed to the
kitchen to find the innkeeper.
He found the person he
was looking for almost immediately.
"Innkeeper"
"Oh, did you
sleep well?"
"Well enough.
—The street in front seems to be quite noisy. Did
something happen?"
Stopping peeling the
radish skin, the innkeeper's gaze swept around in the direction of the light.
He sighed wearily at
the presence of someone passing by beyond the entrance.
"Something must
have happened. It seems like both the patrolmen and the garrison are out in
full force this morning.
There seems to be a
commotion at the Ugetsu mansion. Perhaps you know more about it than I
do."
"We don't know
anything about it.
That said, we'll take
our leave early."
"We apologize
because we don't want to get into trouble. ...If you go around the back door,
you can get to the station without being seen."
"Thank you for
your consideration."
Hearing about the
commotion at the Ugetsu mansion, it was natural for people to suspect Akira and
Saki whom Fuwa Naotoshi had brought the previous day.
When being told that
the innkeeper did not want any trouble, Akira accepted it without any
despondency.
It was already a
blessing to have survived the cold night.
In return for the
suggestion, Akira left only a slight smile.
♢
After leaving the inn,
Akira and Saki strolled through the back alleys of Tsuzura.
Between the white
remnants of snow on the fences of the houses, Saki and Akira walked side by side.
"I wonder if the
case of Mikuriya Shishin has become a big deal."
"Even Tenzan
understands that there's no point in making yesterday's incident public.
Fuwa-sensei said he
would explain, and he wouldn't do anything to delay our schedule."
"—I hope so."
Akira and Saki's visit
to Tsuzura was permitted by both Shumon Province and Kokuten Province.
As long as they were
given inspection tags as proof, Ugetsu Tenzan had no authority to cover it up.
Unlike Akira and Saki,
who had a position, Mikuriya Shishin was crossing the province in secret.
Even if he was Ugetsu
Tenzan's father-in-law, if he drew his blade against a messenger (Akira) on
official business, it was obvious that he would lose his position.
The gravel road behind
them eventually ended, and the station building of Tsuzura Station came into
view beyond the buildings on the street.
Akira and Saki blended
into the sparse flow of people different from those in Karen.
The gentle everyday
life created by the people passing by was interrupted by the clamor of many
leather shoes.
"—Is the road
blocked?"
"We haven't
received any notification yet. The Ugetsu family has been pressuring
us..."
"I'll calm them
down. All we have to do is restrict entry and exit."
"Yes,
understood."
Ignoring the shouts of
those dressed in patrolmen's uniforms, Akira slowed his pace slightly.
There was no doubt
that something related to Ugetsu was the cause.
"—What's
wrong?"
"I forgot one
more possibility. If it's Ugetsu Tenzan, he won't take it too seriously, but if
it's the vassals who don't know about Kanna-no-Mikura..."
A sharp sound cut
through the air. Akira forcefully twisted his waist and snipped the koiguchi as
he muttered.
The slightly exposed
blade of the spirit weapon scattered sparks, carving a trajectory in the air as
it flew up.
"Akira-kun!?"
"Ha!"
"—You dare do as
you please, huh?"
While exercising
Aragamioroshi, Akira's step crushed the gravel on the road. The core strength
he had been honing until a moment ago remained unwavering as he repelled the
boy who had slashed at him.
A vermilion-gold
spiritual light danced around Akira's hand and converged in an instant. Letting
the spirit power gush out, Akira drew out the blade of his spirit weapon.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden―
"―Enga!"
Akira's flying slash,
which surged forward, approached the boy who had escaped into the air due to
the force of being repelled.
As if to block its
trajectory, a white talisman danced in his field of vision.
One, two, three. The
boy's fingers turned, and spiritual threads tore from the talismans each time.
The water-element talisman, which was instantly activated, crushed the momentum
of Enga.
Amidst the scattering
of freezing moisture, screams and confusion arose from the surrounding people
who realized the situation. As people disappeared like an ebbing tide, Akira
and the boy glared at each other.
A will with no
intention of yielding, arrogantly restraining each other.
"You're quite
bold to cause such a commotion.
—Do you think you can do anything as long as it's in
the name of exterminating the pseudo-kegare? I thought it was common sense,
even outside of Takamagahara, that drawing a sword (using spirit techniques) in
town was a serious crime."
"It would be boring
if you died from a mere greeting. —Souma-sama is calling for you, come with
me."
Leaving those words
behind, the boy descended onto the road.
Perhaps hearing the
commotion, a group of boys around the same age surrounded Akira and Saki.
"...Who?"
"Who knows? Maybe
they're the eldest sons of the vassals or something, but honestly, I don't
really care."
"That's
true."
While keeping the
spirit weapons surrounding them at bay, Saki whispered a question.
Hearing Akira's
indifferent voice, Saki nodded involuntarily.
Everyone in sight was
about the same age as Akira and Saki. Since they were around the same age, they
should have attended Tenryo Academy, but Saki didn't have the time to remember
every single one of them.
Hearing Akira's honest
feelings, the boy who had slashed at Akira distorted his cheeks.
"How cold. Have
you forgotten the kindness I showed you at the Ugetsu dojo?
Even dogs and cats
would remember a little better what I lent them."
"Oh. One of the
few who were frolicking among the many in the name of practice back then.
—What's wrong? Has the leader of the monkey mountain
come to compete with me, relying on past victories and numbers?"
The boy's sneer was
obvious. Not to be outdone, Akira, too, responded with a sneer.
Akira had no interest
in returning the humiliation he had been forced to endure, but he also had no
intention of giving in when the other party started provoking him.
"...I'm Sakou
Yasuharu. I don't expect anything from a narrow-minded person who doesn't
appreciate our guidance.
Souma-sama is calling
for you. Present yourself before him obediently."
"Stop spouting
nonsense, you guys don't even know your own place.
—I refuse. Tell him to come to me if he wants to."
"...You've said
it now. That insult to Souma-sama is not
something I can overlook!"
A blue vein popped up
on Sakou Yasuharu's forehead upon hearing Akira's contemptuous response.
He stepped forward
sharply and heavily, flashing his white blade, which he drew with great zeal.
Akira's sword
intercepted the blow that was about to strike him down. On the street leading
to Tsuzura Station, the sharp blades scattered sparks.
"What's the point
of all this?
How many times do I
have to explain that you no longer have the right to summon me to Ugetsu?"
"Using spirit
techniques in the town is a serious crime. That alone is enough reason to
arrest you!"
Shouts flew between
the sword fights. Yasuharu's thrust approached Akira's throat in a straight
line as he jumped back. Akira's blade struck from the side and forcibly diverted
it, leaving sparks.
"You drew your
sword first. Are you going to overlook your own complacency, you fool?"
"You've certainly
grown quite a mouth. Don't you miss the days when you trembled at our
guidance?"
"—Who
cares!"
Yasuharu's taunting
provocation. Pushed by the humiliation engraved in his memories, Akira stepped
forward without a second thought.
Yasuharu's foot kicked
the ground as their gazes intersected at close range.
—He had no intention of letting Akira escape.
Just before their
bodies separated, Akira pressed a hidden offensive talisman against his
opponent.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Shoden, ―Kyūshou.
—Impact.
The spirit technique
mediated by the talisman knocked Yasuharu back and slammed him into the wall of
a merchant's house.
"—Gah"
Yasuharu was swallowed
up by the rubble and the crumbling wall, even his screams were drowned out by
the noise.
The surrounding boys
gasped when Yasuharu, who was the first among Souma's retainers, was kicked
away.
Without even glancing
at the frightened surroundings, Akira sheathed his spirit weapon.
"Saki, let's go
to the station for..."
"Akira-kun!"
The girl sharply
warned Akira, who was about to open his mouth.
With a thud, the
rubble moved where her gaze was fixed, and Yasuharu, who had been buried,
raised his body.
As if he hadn't lost
his fighting spirit yet, his trembling blade pointed at Akira without
hesitation.
"We're
done..."
"...Damn you
traitor who wants to end Ugetsu. Regardless of the truth, you are undoubtedly a
pseudo-kegare to Ugetsu."
Akira's eyes twitched
at Yasuharu's accusation.
The past cannot be
changed. But even knowing this fact, the Ugetsu family continued to make the
same mistakes, and Akira began to feel a little tired of them.
While sighing, Akira
accelerated the spirit power of the water-element (Genrei) with all his might.
The obsidian spirit
power became transparent and clear, and its brilliance eventually became
dazzling.
—He didn't care if the other party died. He would
silence his mouth with one blow.
Perhaps sensing
Akira's killing intent, Yasuharu raised the tip of his spirit weapon towards
the sky mockingly.
Ironically, it was the
overhead strike (Fire stance) from an offensive step, which the Kihoin-school
was best at.
Both of them exhaled
at the same time and their toes were about to step forward.
"—Both of you,
withdraw!!"
He must have hurried
as hard as he could. Out of breath, Souma stood between the two.
Souma's left hand
flipped and pushed Yasuharu's shoulder, causing him to kneel on the ground.
"What are you
thinking, Yasuharu? I strictly ordered you to contact me when you found
Yotsurugi-dono."
He must have been in a
great hurry. There was no trace of his usual composure in his voice.
He blocked Akira's
poised blade with his right palm and desperately spoke.
"Yotsurugi-dono.
I apologize for upsetting you, but I would like you to return to the mansion
once more."
"I refuse."
Akira answered with
determination to Souma's request without a moment's hesitation.
Ignoring the gasping
crowd around him, Akira turned his feet towards the station.
"You're quite
condescending to tell me to go back to the mansion. If you have any complaints,
tell Ugetsu Tenzan to come to me himself."
"Sorry, but we
can't do that.
—Father has passed away."
Souma's voice, filled
with bitterness, was thrown towards Akira's back, who was walking away without
hesitation.
Surprised by the
unexpected answer, Akira looked around in shock.
"He seemed fine
yesterday. —Oh, did he commit suicide? I thought he didn't have the guts to do
it."
"It's not
suicide. A pool of blood and a spirit weapon were found near his study in the
main house of Ugetsu.
Based on the
bloodstain on the blade, it's likely to be a fatal wound. We're currently
looking for the suspect."
"A spirit weapon
was left behind, right? If it's registered, shouldn't you be able to find the
owner?"
"We know that,
but there's no motive. The Ugetsu family is also confused.
...Since the scene of
the crime was his study, which is deep inside the main house, then the suspect
would likely be someone familiar with the Ugetsu mansion and who had a grudge
against Ugetsu Tenzan."
"So you're
suspecting me? —You're all idiots."
Akira laughed at the
overly flawed conjecture.
It was true that Akira
hated Ugetsu Tenzan. —But that didn't mean he wanted to settle the score right
away.
Even if he did
nothing, Ugetsu Tenzan would collapse, taking his family with him.
Tenzan didn't deserve
any sympathy from him, enough to finish him off in one go.
After all, Akira had
no need to kill Tenzan at the moment.
"If you want to
insist that I have a grudge against you, go ahead.
—But how do you plan to explain the other reason?"
The main house's
intricate corridors continued all the way to Tenzan's study. Of course, the
vassals who heard this, and Souma, had considered the possibility that it was
Akira.
—Akira had also lived in the Ugetsu mansion. He must
have known countless ways to sneak out of the main house unnoticed.
With Ugetsu Sanae's
almost hysterical plea, Akira had become the prime suspect.
"Even
Yotsurugi-dono lived in the Ugetsu mansion until three years ago.
It must be difficult
to deny it."
"That's why I
said you're all idiots.
I only know the area
around the Ugetsu cottage where I lived with my grandmother.
I've only been to the
central hall of the main house, and yesterday was the first time I've been to
the grand hall where you all were frolicking."
"Ah—"
Souma, who finally
realized it from Akira's contemptuous words, let out a sigh in shock.
Souma, who was
familiar with the Ugetsu main house, had only known about Akira shortly before
Akira was banished.
He had only seen Akira
in the central hall outside the main house, as he had always been abused.
He hadn't realized
until he was pointed out, but — Akira didn't know the Ugetsu mansion.
"If you still
insist on accusing me of being the culprit, then present your evidence to Gioin
and ask for their judgment.
I'm sure you'll be
laughed at for having the nerve to do so, but
—I think it would be more productive to look for other
suspects."
Souma turned pale at
Akira's mocking remark.
He couldn't think of a
rebuttal strong enough to shake the surface of his thoughts.
-----
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