Yashiro the Blind

Seeing him draw his sword, Hiyoshimaru laughed instead of being surprised. He straightened up, stretched his neck, and adopted a posture of heroic death. "Come on, use the sword in your hand to cut off my head, but I have a word in advance: when this sword is swung, Hikita Toyogoro, a warrior, will also die! From then on, you will be nothing but a foolish and cowardly brute—while I, Hiyoshimaru, will be remembered in history as the one who killed Hikita Kohaku of the Shinkage-ryu school! Hahaha, just thinking about it makes me happy!"

He patted his thigh, completely unfazed.

A hush fell over the surroundings. Even Yamazaki Genhachiro, who had been brimming with murderous intent, was now terrified by the monkey's insane words. Those closest to Matsushita Kabei held their breath, cursing silently in their hearts:

"That crazy monkey!"

Xiaoqin was the only one who kept backing away. She didn't understand what Hiyoshimaru meant at all. She only knew that the person who was going to kill her had stopped. She took this opportunity to desperately create distance. She used both her hands and feet to retreat. After taking a few steps back, she suddenly saw a pair of straw sandals.

When she looked up, she saw a face with furrowed brows and a complicated expression.

He opened his mouth, wanting to call out to someone, but then realized he didn't remember the other person's name, and was momentarily stunned.

The girl nodded at her, and Xiaoqin blinked and smiled broadly, carefree, as if she wasn't the one who had just been chased around with a knife.

"Get behind me."

"Yashiro said softly."

"it is good."

Xiaoqin scurried up behind the girl, then peeked out with her little head, looking at the strangely quiet scene. The next second, she exclaimed, "Monkey! The monkey is going to be killed!"

Hikita Toyogoro gripped his beloved sword tightly.

The blazing sunlight streaming down his face caused sweat to pour from his forehead and back. He glared at Hiyoshimaru, who looked ready to die, his anger surging—why didn't everyone do what he wanted? All he had to do was obediently accept the money; all he had to do was let Yamazaki kill that dim-witted maid…

But every time, something unexpected always happens at the end.

How annoying!

"Based on the nonsense you just spouted, I could kill you right here and now, and no one would object."

"That's right, so hurry up and get started! I can't wait to swim in the Sanzu River!"

Hiyoshimaru was sharp-tongued, but his eyes kept darting around, glancing frequently behind him, his expression shifting as if he were waiting for something.

Normally, Toyogoro might have been curious about his strange behavior, but at this moment he was blinded by rage. Hearing Hiyoshimaru's reply, he immediately roared, "Fine, you're asking for it, don't blame me—"

After speaking, he raised his hand...

Hiyoshimaru suddenly closed his eyes, mustered all his strength, and cried out, "Yashiro-san, help me—"

This shout actually overlapped with other sounds:

"Wait a minute."

Compared to his all-out shout, the other's voice was very soft and gentle, like a gentle breeze that could be easily overlooked. But for some reason, in this training ground where you could hear a pin drop, it was this soft voice that clearly reached everyone's ears.

It even drowned out Hiyoshi's cries.

Toyotaro raised his head, and his gaze fell upon the blind, innocent-looking girl. Ever since she was brought to this training ground by Kabei and the others, she had remained silent, standing there quietly like a decoration.

until now.

He felt a sudden surge of irritation for no reason. He narrowed his eyes, his teeth clenched, and said, "One after another, first there was this idiot who couldn't even speak properly, then this weird-looking monkey, and now there's this weird-looking blind man! What are you trying to say now!"

"...Now that things have come to this, I have nothing more to say."

Yashiro lowered her head, letting the shadow of her bangs cover most of her face, but the corners of her tightly pursed lips vaguely revealed her inner emotions.

But her tone remained gentle, as always:

"I have only one request."

As she spoke, the girl slowly took a step forward. Xiaoqin behind her subconsciously reached out to grab her, but as soon as her fingers extended, she seemed to be pricked by a needle and hurriedly withdrew them. Her eyes widened as she looked at the figure behind her with some fear.

The second step was that Yashiro casually pulled out the narrow sword hidden in his cane without making a sound.

He took the third step and passed by Yamazaki Genhachiro. The latter's expression twisted, and he gritted his teeth and swung his sword!

Swah——

Amidst the spurting of blood, his right hand, which was holding the knife, was severed at the elbow. Genpachiro clutched his bleeding arm, staggered backward, his face filled with disbelief.

The girl, as if she hadn't done anything, continued taking her fourth step, her fifth step...

Finally, they stopped about ten steps away from Hikita Toyogoro.

With a swift movement of her right hand, the cane fell to the ground. With a flick of her left hand, she wiped away most of the blood from the sword. Yashiro finally raised her head, allowing everyone to see her expression clearly—a look that held a hint of relief.

"Please, Your Excellency..."

The narrow, blood-stained sword trembled slightly, as if unable to withstand the sunlight falling from the sky, emitting strange sounds that were like chanting or whistling.

She raised her sword, pointing it at Hikita, her tone calm, devoid of anger:

"—Take my sword."

……

Testimonials

"Good morning, noon and evening to readers from all over the country and abroad! I am your great, holy and diligent emperor, human typewriter, holder of the (temporary) perfect attendance record for new books, the pigeon among pigeons, 'the pigeon with the whitest feathers among hedgehog cats' Qingbai."

"It's a pleasure to meet everyone on this platform and to celebrate the release of my new book. From now on, I will try my best to keep updating, diligently write, and faithfully fulfill my promises, striving to make every chapter you subscribe to worthwhile... That's about it, thank you everyone~"

(Bows and exits the stage)

(At this point, there should be enthusiastic applause. If not, a pre-recorded sound effect will be played from the background.)

……

……

"What, too short? But it costs money if it's over a thousand words... Say more? Make more promises, otherwise no one will vote? Okay, okay, why is it so complicated..."

……

"—Since everyone's response has been so enthusiastic, we'll add a Q&A session to this book launch. First up is Reporter Zhu from Qiuye TV. Please ask your question—Hmm, I see. How long is this book, and is there an outline? Haha, haha, those are some sharp questions, it's almost like she's here to cause trouble… (whispering) Can I kick her out… No? The security guards can't handle her? A bunch of good-for-nothings!"

"...Ahem, this book currently has a complete outline...a rough outline...at least I have a general idea of ​​what it's about. As for the length, it's tentatively planned to have ten volumes, maybe even nine. Except for a very small number of chapters, it won't involve anything related to gods or ghosts. It's a simple and robust historical novel in the style of historical fiction. Hmm...you say a 1.4-meter-tall dwarf wielding a sword to cut off people's heads is already magical? The dwarf next door, who looks like a sick ghost and is as thin as a rake, still has the power of the Four Symbols! Don't meddle in historical fiction!"

"Alright, next up, Ms. Katsura from the British News Channel, please ask your question! Oh, you mean will Yashiro-kun take up a government post in the future? I think someone else has asked this question before. He probably will. After all, there are no monsters to fight in this world, and the life of a ronin won't last long. He'll eventually become a samurai, rise to high office, and reach the pinnacle of life. As for which boss he'll work for, I'll keep that a secret for now... It's not that I haven't thought of a plot yet, I do have an outline!"

"Next came the question from the self-media reporter, Ms. Wu Guang: Is this book... Orange? Need I say more? It's a harem, but I haven't decided on the exact number yet... I won't reveal any plot details! As for the top and bottom roles, Qing Bai is such a majestic and strong man, he's been imposing enough for a long time. When writing a book, of course, he should try to create a different feeling, so Ba Xun should be the bottom... I think?"

"Anyone else have questions? No, that concludes this press conference. Please leave in an orderly fashion... Wait, Bai Qing over there seems to want to say something... Huh, he seems to be walking towards the stage, what's that in his hand? Scallions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine... and an iron pot? Damn it, is this some kind of treason? Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!!!"

……

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……

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Madman and the Mad Sword

"Please, sir... take my sword."

Yashiro pointed his sword horizontally, its cold light gleaming in the sunlight. The blood on the sword was still wet, flowing over the tip and seeping into the soil at his feet.

The cries of pain from Yamazaki Genhachiro behind him only served to accentuate the eerie silence within that small space.

"you……"

Logically speaking, being provoked like this to one's face, with a sword even pressed against one's nose, is undoubtedly an extremely serious insult. Even ordinary commoners would be furious, let alone Hikita Toyogoro, who comes from a samurai family.

If it were according to his usual temperament, no matter the reason, since the other party had said those words, what followed would definitely be a fight to the death. However, at this moment, even though he had already drawn his sword, he was unusually devoid of fighting spirit.

On the one hand, he knew he was in the wrong. Toyogoro understood that this whole mess was caused by his own servant. Even if the bigger picture was taken into consideration, he shouldn't have tried to let Genpachiro kill Koto. Not to mention that he was later provoked by that strange monkey-like youth and almost killed Matsushita Kabei's servant in front of him.

This matter is neither a major nor a minor one; when word gets out, public opinion can be terrifying, and it will still damage my uncle's reputation. Just as the monkey said, if this sword were to be swung, his martial spirit would surely be damaged, making it difficult for him to make any further progress, let alone surpass his uncle and become a world-renowned swordsman.

After his initial anger subsided slightly, he even felt a pang of gratitude towards the girl who had called out "Wait!", preventing him from experiencing the worst possible outcome. However, a subsequent remark made Toyogoro realize that this turmoil was far from over—

He hadn't even seen how the girl dodged Genpachiro's slash, or how she simultaneously severed his arm with her sword. While this didn't necessarily mean she was stronger, it did make Toyogoro wary. Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami was well-versed in military strategy and often quoted Sun Tzu:

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Know yourself but not your enemy, and you will win one and lose one. Know neither yourself nor your enemy, and you will be defeated in every battle."

To this day, Toyogoro has been putting this into practice. Whether in Ueno Province or on this martial arts training journey, he has done thorough research on every opponent he has faced beforehand, knowing their lineage, school of thought, and tactical style. When the time comes to actually fight, he is naturally invincible.

This time, however, he was completely unaware of the innocent-looking girl in front of him. So much so that he didn't take her seriously until she called for a stop, simply regarding her as a weak and easily bullied blind girl... And yet, this seemingly "ordinary" blind girl suddenly drew her sword, shocking everyone.

goodong...

Feng Wulang couldn't help but swallow. Perhaps it was because of the hot weather, with sunlight shining directly in from behind him, that his forehead was covered in sweat and his throat was slightly dry. He wanted to say something, but the girl remained silent, pursing her lips, and took another step forward.

The distance of ten steps has dwindled to just nine.

It's too late—

He suddenly realized that, just as the girl had said, they were now in a situation where they had "nothing to say to each other," and the only thing left to do was to fight back with their swords.

Come on then!

I, Hikita Toyogoro, am no pushover. Thinking this, a surge of pride welled up within me. Even if I knew nothing of her background, how could the swordsmanship of the Shinkage-ryu school be so easily defeated by a blind little girl!

Fueled by this confidence, Toyogoro suppressed a strange sense of apprehension, gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, and assumed a mid-stance.

tread.

Barefoot, wearing straw sandals, I stepped onto the solid ground.

The girl remained silent, her head bowed, her left hand slowly hanging down, her long sword resting naturally at her side, as if her entire body was riddled with flaws.

third step.

Her figure, reflected in Toyogoro's eyes, had an ethereal, unreal quality, like a flower in a mirror, the moon's reflection in water—vague and indistinct, impossible to grasp. He took another deep breath, shifting his stance to an uppercut. Rather than a direct confrontation, using his physical advantage to deliver a downward slash seemed more advantageous…

But the longsword held by the girl remained motionless, pointing diagonally at the ground. Beads of blood from Yamazaki Genhachiro snaked down the blade, like a small red snake. He could vaguely hear a hissing sound as the "red snake" flicked its tongue, and a bit of crimson seeped from the tip of the sword.

The distance between the two is getting shorter and shorter.

Upper section, or middle section? Judging from her stance, it could only be an upward slash. If I were to strike directly with my sword, my longer arm might give me the upper hand… Really? That sword strike she just made was so fast, so sharp. Could I really gain the upper hand?

There's still time to change tactics... but could this very thought be part of their calculations? Calm down, stay calm. Recalling my battle with my uncle, a mere sword strike was no problem; I could definitely withstand it...

He opened his eyes wide, staring intently at the tip of the girl's drooping sword, watching the small red snake constantly changing its shape, completely focused, trying not to miss any clue.

In his perception, the entire world seemed to consist only of a sword and a blade. Even the girl wielding the sword, and himself, had gradually faded away, not to mention the others in the training ground...

High in the sky, white clouds swirled, and an eagle soared past, letting out a sharp, clear cry. At the same time, the girl twisted her wrist, and the midday sun shone on the narrow blade, reflecting back sharply, causing him a sharp pain in his eyes, and he involuntarily closed them—

"what!"

Toyogoro let out a cry of surprise, but a sudden realization also flashed through his mind:

It turned out to be the case.

That was her purpose: to momentarily blind herself by the refraction of sunlight, pulling herself to the same position as her, thus compensating for the disadvantage of being blind... But precisely because of this, she could seize the opportunity to strike!

The Shinkage-ryu swordsmanship is based on adaptability, emphasizing not proactive attack, but rather striking after the enemy has moved. Once the timing and angle of the attack are known, even if his uncle himself were to attack, he would—

when!

The crisp sound of metal clashing suddenly rang out.

Without using his eyes, but relying on intuition and experience, Toyogoro blocked the opponent's upward slash with a horizontal slash at the last moment.

Judging from the force of the clash, it was clear that the opponent's strength was not great, far from being his match... But what pleased Toyogoro even more was that he had actually taken the blow from the girl's sword.

He did not embarrass himself in front of everyone, nor did he die mysteriously on the spot.

The pain in his eyes vanished in an instant. He reopened his eyes and looked at the girl with a victorious gaze, trying to find any emotion like surprise or frustration on her face so close to his. But when he looked at her, the girl remained expressionless.

He seemed undisappointed at failing in the sword strike he had boasted about.

"I took your sword strike, how about it? Want to continue?" He was about to say this in as casual a tone as possible when, in the next second, he saw the girl's downturned lips suddenly curl up into a small smile.

His slight smile was full of contempt.

"Ha... I can't take that."

The girl chuckled softly.

A strange shiver ran through him, accompanied by an instinctive sense of dread. Ignoring the enemy right in front of him, Toyogoro hurriedly turned around, only to see the respected old man in his fifties gripping his throat tightly, a shuriken deeply embedded in his flesh between his fingers.

Blood flowed freely from the old man's fingers as if it were free. Toyogoro watched helplessly as the body swayed twice and collapsed, his mind blank.

"you--"

When he came to his senses, his eyes widened in fury. "We agreed that I would take your sword strike, but you actually attacked me by sneak attack! Shameless!"

"Smug."

His response was a disdainful sneer from the girl: "From beginning to end, I was talking to that foul-smelling old man. What are you to dare to take a blow from my sword?"

Before he could finish speaking, the longswords that had been locked in a stalemate suddenly slashed, and Toyogoro hurriedly retreated, both shocked and furious. He gripped his sword tightly, his eyes blazing with rage.