Volume 1 Chapter 38 True Form I： Vengeance Is Mine
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”What’s your deal, Itsuki?”
The cut on his chest isn’t deep.
But that’s not the real problem; it’s the fact that he was suddenly attacked.
He glares at the young man holding a drawn sword and asks,
”You set this up, huh?”
”Not a chance! I’m not stupid enough to make enemies of all of Osaka.”
He lets out a sigh of relief that his worst fears were quickly denied.
”I heard ya say it was okay to make me your enemy. Ya really think ya can mess with Kazuramichi?”
”Well, I’m ready for that much.”
”Ready, huh? But ain’t fightin’ as an exorcist against the rules?”
”Those rules don’t really mean anything, do they? Didn’t you say that yourself?”
Bringing up his own words, the young man counters him like he’s trying to trip him up.
It’s not hard to believe, given how he fights, but it seems he’s not just a different person pretending to be Itsuki.
”So, ya plannin’ to take me out while no one’s lookin’? Ya really hold a grudge against me?”
”Grudge? No way, that’s not it. I’ve just been waiting for this moment for 8 years.”
”Waitin’ to kill me, huh?”
”No, not that. I want to fight you seriously this time──no, I mean really ‘go all out’ against you.”
The smile on Mibu Itsuki’s face is just as bright and cheerful as always.
”Wow, that’s intense~~~”
”How rude…”
A serious rematch.
He can understand the motivation, but that makes it even worse.
It’s hard to change his mind now.
Eight years ago, Kazuramichi Naoshi was still nobody.
No one knew how fast or strong he was, except for him and his great-uncle, his teacher.
But Mibu Itsuki’s name was already well-known.
Everyone knew he was a master with 2 swords and that he had the powerful Butterfly Walk technique.
Naoshi had secretly sharpened his skills and had become one of the strongest in his generation.
The odds were already stacked against him before the fight even began, and what happened after that is a story for another time.
”Ugh, you’re still hung up on that? If the process was the problem, it’s all because you messed up.”
”Yeah, it’s been a crazy 8 years filled with regret. Since that day, I haven’t gone a single day without thinking about you.”
”Ugh, hearin’ that from ya don’t make me feel better at all.”
”How rude of you──so, are you ready to throw a punch yet?”
”…Oh, so ya noticed I was waitin’ for ya. How kind of ya.”
”Of course I noticed. If it were the usual Naoshi, you would’ve attacked me right away.”
”Stop actin’ like ya understand me. That’s just creepy.”
Even though he said that, Itsuki was spot on.
Naoshi can clench his fist, but that’s it.
His cursed arm still can’t channel spirit energy properly.
And Itsuki probably doesn’t want to give him any more time to prepare.
”Ugh, but seriously, waitin’ 8 years for me to get weaker shows ya got some patience… If ya ain’t that confident, why not just give up?”
He asks while getting into position.
Itsuki also readies his sword.
Naoshi wonders how much Itsuki’s left hand has healed.
”This isn’t about confidence. Now, you have to fight me seriously, with the intention to kill, right? No one will interrupt us.”
”So ya think ya can win?”
”Yeah, I’d say it’s about even.”
His words are calm, just stating the facts.
But that definitely hit a nerve with Naoshi.
”Oh, so ya think ya’re my equal? Ya really underestimate me!”
With those words, Naoshi charges in.
At first glance, it looks careless, but he’s actually very focused.
Taking the first move is the path Kazuramichi Naoshi has followed since he won 8 years ago.
Itsuki squints his eyes, and his expression looks a lot like a joyful smile.
──The battle begins.
* * *
”Ha!”
A sharp breath echoes.
As Naoshi steps forward, a steel blade is suddenly in his way.
He stops, and the force of his movement pulls the blade slightly forward.
As Naoshi tries to dodge to the left, the blade seems to follow him like a magnet.
They kept trying to block each other’s moves.
In the end, Naoshi stepped in closer, almost forcing his way in.
”Yes!”
He stretched his legs and lowered his body, sweeping his foot in a half-circle like he was pushing water away.
”Ha!”
Itsuki jumped lightly to dodge it.
This move, called the Butterfly Walk, looked simple but was actually a powerful technique that let Itsuki float in the air like a butterfly, avoiding the dangers of jumping.
It was a really scary skill in a fight.
But──.
”Raaah──!”
”Don’t mess with me!”
Naoshi decided to charge forward against Itsuki’s downward slash.
He bumped into Itsuki, using his shoulder to push away Itsuki’s foot while dodging the sword.
He had already knocked down this opponent once, and he had trained hard for this moment.
He knew how to handle it!.
”Ugh…!”
Itsuki rolled in the air and turned to face Naoshi, swinging his sword in a circle.
”Ha!”
”Take this!”
Naoshi supported himself with his arms and kicked the sword away with a mid-level back kick without even looking back.
”Ugh!”
Without checking if it worked, he rolled forward to create some space and twisted his body to face Itsuki again.
Just then, a quick slash almost hit him.
Whoosh! Naoshi stood up, whistling.
Mibu Itsuki was definitely a strong opponent──he wasn’t chosen as a top exorcist for nothing.
”I don’t get it.”
But that’s what made it confusing.
It was even more puzzling now.
The low results from the new moon phase and why they had been avoiding a rematch until now.
And most importantly──.
”Are ya really serious? Suzuri-chan seems more ready to fight than ya!”
”Ugh…!”
The air crackled as Naoshi’s voice mixed with anger.
Itsuki’s sword sometimes lacked the sharpness it needed.
It wasn’t hesitation or fear, but something was definitely ‘holding’ Itsuki back, and Naoshi could feel it.
”Ya sneak up on me, then act all unsure. Yer wastin’ my time──right?!”
”Ugh!”
With the speed of a gust of wind, Naoshi charged in.
He threw a punch with all his might, hitting Itsuki right in the cheek.
Itsuki’s face twisted in shock.
”How dare you──!”
At close range, Naoshi didn’t hesitate to block a kick aimed at his weak spot, using his left shin.
The pain shot through him, making his legs feel numb.
”──That’s some good manners, huh?!”
His leg was temporarily out of action.
Against a swordsman, this was a big disadvantage.
But Naoshi took another strong step forward, stepping on Itsuki’s foot to keep ‘him in place’.
”Now ya can’t just float away!”
”Ugh…!”
”I won’t let ya say ya weren’t serious this time. If ya got somethin’ to say, say it now. I’ll mess up that pretty face of yours!”
”…Ugh, Naoshi is always like this!”
”Huh!? What ya talkin’ about?!”
In this close range, with both of them unable to move their strong legs, even the best swordsman couldn’t land a good hit.
On the other hand, Naoshi still didn’t have any spirit energy in his arms, so he couldn’t kick effectively either.
But the distance was in Naoshi’s favor, even though he was losing strength from his many wounds.
”What do you think my situation is…!”
Things were tense.
”Ha! What can ya even say when yer just bein’ all mysterious and not sayin’ anything!”
”Do I look like a guy who listens to that?!”
”Ugh…!”
Itsuki hit Naoshi’s collarbone with the hilt of his sword, making Naoshi’s left arm drop down.
”I don’t know, ya idiot!”
”Ugh…!”
Naoshi jabbed his fist into Itsuki’s side, making him bend over.
”Stop bein’ so dramatic all the time! Just act like a man and stop showin’ off!”
”Well, if that’s how you feel!”
”Ouch…!”
Itsuki, usually calm, suddenly got angry and hit Naoshi in the face with a backhand.
As he swung his left arm, his wrist got caught on a beaded bracelet, and he shouted.
”Does this make you understand!?”
Itsuki ripped off one of his protective charms and shoved Naoshi’s right hand into his suit pocket, moving it around like he was looking for something under his arm.
”What are ya doin’──… Huh? Ouch!”
Naoshi was shocked by what happened next, and Itsuki slapped him across the face.
There was a clear change in the energy around them, and Naoshi could feel something pushing against his shirt from inside.
”Itsuki, what’s goin’ on with ya…?”
”What do you mean?”
Itsuki pouted a little, sounding annoyed as he replied.
His dark gray eyes were glaring at Naoshi, while his blue eyes peeked out from under his bangs, looking resentful.
Naoshi felt something different about Itsuki’s face and voice that he had never noticed before.
”Wait, are ya a girl──?!”
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply