Unruly Punk (
Summary[]
Following Chihiro's declaration of his name, the bearded leader calls Chihiro forward to the center of the horseshoe-shaped table. To the side, Hiyuki and Tafuku gesture Hakuri (in wooden cuffs like Chihiro) to a set of chairs in the corner of the room. Chihiro recalls Shiba telling him that the Kamunabi leaders held differing opinions regarding the Enchanted Blades in regards to Kunishige, but they collectively agrees the blades needed to be retrieved. While there may be heated opinion over Chihiro and Enten, Azami was present to assist if need be. Shiba himself had decided not to attend due to having complicated history with the Kamunabi leadership; he had attacked them over the subject of Kunishige in the past.
The leader with sideburns reckons he doesn't see the resemblance between Chihiro and Kunishige, while the leader with mutton chops yawns and notes they didn't know if Chihiro's lineage was genuine. The well built leader internally notes the two do look alike, while the diminutive leader smoothens out his hair. The bearded leader then opens the meeting, stating their purpose; deciding what action to take regarding Chihiro and Enten.
He reconfirms Chihiro's plan is to meet with the blade wielders to rout the Hishaku, and comments they were already protecting the wielders within the heavily guarded Sanso, stationed with elite Kamunabi sorcerers, who even an Enchanted Blade wielder would find difficult to defeat. The female leader consolidates that the security is tight to ensure outsiders cannot make contact with the bearers, the neckscarf-wearing leader adding they couldn't allow anybody to meet them on a dime.
The leader with mutton chops then asks whether they had performed a blood test on Chihiro yet, and a reply answers him that they will have the results the next day on the 10th. Miffed, the leader with sideburns questions why they couldn't meet the next day instead. The diminutive leader shuts him down; with Shinuchi under a temporary seal that would only hold for so long, if they were to begin proper sealing they needed to act fast. He then turns to Chihiro and emphasises they needed reason to believe in the validity of Chihiro's plan to break the balance of power through transporting the Enchanted Blades, and thus turns to Hakuri and asks him to demonstrate his sorcery.
Hiyuki replies that Hakuri was unable to do so at the moment; indeed, Hakuri has tissues in his nose. Earlier in the car, Tafuku had asked if Hakuri could send a notebook into his Storehouse, though Hakuri's nose quickly squirted blood and fell unconscious, the attempt failing. In the meeting, Tafuku adds onto Hiyuki's point, stating that as he had only recently uncovered his abilities and then pushed himself to the brink, recovery time was mandatory for Hakuri's sorcery to function. Hakuri comments he should be fine within a few days.
Hiyuki speaks up to vouch for Hakuri's sorcery, having witnessed it herself; though she comments the real problem was that Hakuri's allegiance lay first and foremost with Chihiro. Accepting that Chihiro's plan was thus feasible, the diminutive leader then says the topic of discussion would be whether they should give Chihiro access to the wielders; whether Chihiro was trustworthy.
The leader with mutton chops asks about Cloud Gouger's state and Chihiro calmly reveals it was destroyed. Both the neckscarf-wearing leader and the leader with mutton chops are taken aback, the latter sardonically smirking that Chihiro was not on the right track to prove his trustworthiness. Expression turning back to neutral, he returned to the topic of Chihiro's lineage, noting that several leaders in the room (the well built leader, Kudo, the diminutive elderly leader and Azami) had assisted in hiding Kunishige and comments Chihiro had lived with Kunishige and should thus know some of the leaders already. Chihiro agrees that he lived with Kunishige but states he had been brought there by his father without contact with any of the leaders present.
Snidely acquiescing that they could only follow what Chihiro said, the leader with mutton chops is then cut off by Chihiro's statement to ignore his lineage, as all they had was his words anyway in regards to that matter, his bold interjection causing the leader with sideburns to exhale, impressed, while the leader with mutton chops's expression darkens. Chihiro instead insists that they judge him based off his actions; defeating Sojo, destroying the Rakuzaichi and recovering Shinuchi, the last point especially pertinent due to the money he had saved the Kamunabi, a point the leader with sideburns admitted held weight.
Hiyuki speaks up and assures the leaders that their concerns whether Chihiro may harm the wielders are unnecessary; from her own experience with him, he had only targeted criminals. Chihiro is surprised by Hiyuki's words of defence, as is Kudo, who notes the impact of Hiyuki's testimony, and the leader with sideburns, who comically wonders why Hiyuki doesn't say similar words about himself, the agent in question snarking that his words were creepy. Realising how Hiyuki's testimony had improved Chihiro's view in the leaders' eyes, Tafuku and Hakuri engaged a quick fist-bump.
His chair clattering, the leader with mutton chops abruptly stands and moves to the center of the room, one arm draped over Chihiro's shoulder. Musing on Chihiro's request to judge him based on his actions, he states Chihiro resembles an unruly punk in his eyes. Supposing Chihiro managed to get the Enchanted Blades back, the leader questions whether Chihiro would actually hand them over to the Kamunabi. Chihiro silently stared back, even as sweat began pouring down his brow. The leader reckons a blood test isn't necessary; Chihiro's arrogance and stubbornness was proof enough that he was Kunishige's son.
The leader with mutton chops proposes his solution to the deadlock
He then proposes his own method of breaking the deadlock; killing Chihiro and entrusting Enten to a member of the Kamunabi, putting forward the proposition that it would best benefit the Kamunabi. As he speaks, he readies his sorcery, beads materialising from his outstretched hand. The mask of the Storehouse immediately materialises over a concerned Hakuri's face, while Azami covertly prepares his own sorcery, a bolt of energy crackling within his left hand's fingertips.
The meeting is then interrupted as a Kamunabi member runs in through the door, loudly announcing that the Sanso Kokugoku Hot Spring had been invaded. The leader with mutton chops immediately cancels his sorcery and turns to the priority announcement, demanding more information. The Kamunabi member reports several enemy sorcerers wielded spirit energy reactions similar to that of the Enchanted Blades and annihilated the fortresses, and a sorcerer bearing the Hishaku insignia had also been spotted on-site.
The neckscarf-wearing leader quickly asks about the status of the Sanso's resident blade wielder Yoji Uruha, and the Kamunabi member states they were trying to identify his status. Chihiro internally realises an attack on the Sanso and a direct assassination of the wielders is the Hishaku's new plan, while the diminutive leader ponders how multiple spirit energy reactions similar to Enchanted Blades can exist. Chihiro knows it can through Tenri, who had done so; therefore the Hishaku must have had many more pieces of semi-stabilised Datenseki to use as weapons; Sojo's handiwork, Chihiro reasoning it was done in return for Cloud Gouger.
Chihiro then speaks up, stating the Hishaku were ready to attack the remaining blade wielders. He admits he does not plan on giving the Enchanted Blades to anyone if he retrieves them, and they would be enemies again in that scenario. Chihiro admits giving Enten to someone else would be a less risky decision, but a new wielder would be inexperienced with Enten's abilities, and they needed firepower immediately; hence, Chihiro voiced that he was their best option; an eerie mirror of a similar proclamation made by Kunishige.
Chihiro and Hakuri are ordered to find and protect Uruha
Furious, the leader with mutton chops's voice rose to a shout but he was quickly interrupted by Kudo. The leader with sideburns comments that with his cool attitude, he could see Chihiro being Kunishige's son. The bearded leader then speaks, ordering Chihiro's cuffs be removed. He admits they had no time to choose and train a new wielder; with Chihiro negotiating with the Kamunabi and the Hishaku already acting against them, the Hishaku was the more pertinent threat. Speaking to Chihiro specifically, the bearded leader states that they will make use of him for now, but have no intention of letting Chihiro do whatever he wants with the blades. Chihiro nods silently while Azami breathes a sigh of relief.
After receiving a new report, the bearded leader reads that Uruha is alive and has escaped Kokugoku. Stating they will provide guidance and information, he orders Chihiro and Hakuri to locate Uruha as fast as possible and protect his life.
Quick References[]
Chapter Notes[]
- The meeting between Chihiro, Hakuri and the Kamunabi leadership begins.
- The leaders note that the wielders are already heavily protected to prevent outside contact from reaching them.
- The diminutive leader asks Hakuri to demonstrate his sorcery and Hiyuki and Tafuku report that Hakuri had burnt himself out the previous day but vouch for its potency.
- The leader with mutton chops questions Chihiro's status as Kunishige's son. Chihiro cuts him off and tells him to judge him by his actions rather than his identity.
- Hiyuki voices her support by stating Chihiro will not hurt the wielders as he only kills criminals. Several leaders are impressed by her testimony.
- The leader with mutton chops moves to the center of the room and proposes killing Chihiro instead to given Enten to a member of the Kamunabi.
- The meeting is interrupted by a Kamunabi member who reveals the Kokugoku Hot Spring had been destroyed by an invasion force consisting of sorcerers wielding Enchanted Blade-like spirit energy manifestations and a member of the Hishaku.
- Chihiro is adamant that the Kamunabi needed his expertise with Enten; a new wielder would be inexperienced with the blade.
- The bearded leader accepts this reasoning though is adamant Chihiro will not be allowed to do what he wants with the blades.
- After receiving a report that Uruha is alive and has escaped the Sanso, the bearded leader orders Chihiro and Hakuri locate and safeguard him.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Author's Comment[]
| Author Comment | |
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Takeru Hokazono |
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