8 A Fight for Pride

Bandages covered Katsumi's hands. They weren't bloody anymore, Shihara had changed them for new clean ones. It had been 2 hours since his Nen went on a rampage. Katsumi reached for his dagger but quickly brought his hand back at the sting of its touch.

"Take it easy!" Shihara warned as she tended to his wounds.

"I'm fine, just give me an hour or so and then let's resume training." Katsumi said as he forcefully grabbed the dagger and endured through the pain. Katsumi's sleeve to his yukata was torn and mangled.

"How about this then, we go to the store and buy you new clothes then for the rest of the day you focus on strengthening your Nen."

"Fine." Katsumi said disappointed. He hung his head and put down his dagger. They both walked outside and walked towards the clothing store. It was a small building that was built around a tree. The small windows showcased multiple sets of clothes that looked fashionable and practical. There was one set of clothes in particular that really caught Katsumi's eye. The outfit had slim black pants with a black undershirt and black trenchcoat.

"Hey Shihara?"

"Yeah."

"I found the clothes I want." Katsumi said excitedly.

"What? How? We haven't even gone inside yet."

"Look, it's that one." Katsumi pointed at the outfit with the black trench coat and was jumping excitedly like a little kid. Katsumi grabbed Shihara's sleeve and pulled her inside.

"Welcome is there anything I can help you with today." The store attendant said from behind the counter. She was sewing some clothes together for a new product.

"Oh hi Miss Ito." Shihara said with a polite wave as she and Katsumi walked towards the counter. Miss Ito looked up from her work.

"Oh sorry lady Shihara I didn't realize that it was you." Ito said as she put her work down and gave Shihara her full attention.

"No need to be so formal." Shihara said as she exchanged pleasantries. "So which is the one that you wanted Katsumi?" Shihara said as she looked back towards Katsumi.

"How much does this one cost?" Katsumi asked as he pointed to the outfit with the black trench coat.

"20 silver coins." Katsumi looked in his wallet but he only had a total 15 silver coins he could afford to spend. Shihara pushed Katsumi's wallet away.

"Don't worry about it." Shihara said with a smile. Shihara then proceeded to pay for the outfit at the checkout. The desk where Shihara paid ran around the big tree that was at the center of the building.

"Soooo, who's the boy Shihara?" Ito whispered tauntingly as she put the coins Shihara handed to her for the clothes.

"He's my student and nothing more." Shihara said worriedly as she put her misconceptions to rest. Shihara quickly moved Katsumi out of the store after that conversation as she made sure that he wouldn't hear.

"Don't forget your father is looking for a suitor for you, if you want a say than make sure your father knows of him." Ito yelled out as Shihara and Katsumi ran out of the store.

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"Thank you so much Shihara!" Katsumi said as he bowed his head to her. He raised his arms and looked up and down his body. His legs were clad in tight black shorts, he had a trench coat over his black shirt with a crimson connecter that had red stripes leading out from all three directions of it.

"I'm glad you like it." Shihara said with a smile on her face. Katsumi's bandages were wrapped around his hands and fingers as he brought his hand close to his face. He clenched his fist and even though it stung he kept his fist together. He was ready. Katsumi spent the rest of the day practicing with his Nen. While Katsumi was training Shihara went to the see her father, the village chief.

"Shihara, I have heard from Kinto that you have been spending a lot of time with that stranger as of late." Shihara looked towards Kinto who had his head bowed towards her father. Her father was tall but skinny. He had a sharp face that made him seem better suited as a scientist rather than a warrior or cheif. He had glasses and long white hair.

"Yes father, it is true, he interests me, I have been monitoring him as well as teaching him." Shihara's voice was full of formality but void of emotion.

"I see, well I have already set up multiple elf men ready to be a suitor you just have to pick one of them." Her father seemed heartless. She didn't see Katsumi in that way, yet, but something about him had developed a great deal of interest in him.

"Father, you have hard of the monster that slaughtered the entire village to the East, right?" Shihara had a look of pure determination with what she was preparing herself to say.

"Yes, and I have made preparations with Kinto and his men to fight the Monster."

"Let us fight it!" Shihara yelled as she walked closer to her father.

"Fine, but by us you mean you and that boy correct."

"Yes." Shihara calmed down, but she was still determined.

"Fine. But if he were to come back and you have not….. he will be killed." Her father's voice was cold, he was serious and she knew it.

"But, sir, you can't allow her to fight the monster with just that boy, it killed a whole village, and he cannot be trusted!" Kinto had risen to his feet and was trying to convince the chief to change his decision.

"No Kinto, I thank you for your concern but I am 100% certain that we can kill it, I am also certain that I can trust him." Shihara shut down his rebuttal without giving her father the chance to change his mind. He laughed a little.

"Well you heard her, I am confident in her abilities, I know she will prevail so don't worry Kinto." Her father had finally opened up, he had been keeping a difficult appearance to make sure that Shihara was serious, but after seeing her conviction no doubt was left in his mind.

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Today was the day the Onrya was supposed to reach the village.The cuts on Katsumi's ands had begun to scab over, he had left his bandages off while training his Nen the day before. Katsumi awoke to a loud and obnoxious knocking on his door. He was sure that it woke everyone staying at the inn.

"Katsumi! Don't tell me you think that because your injured you get to escape training for the day!" It was Shihara, her voice gave Katsumi a headache as he crawled out of bed.

"I know I know." Katsumi groaned as he crawled out of bed and slipped into his new clothes. Katsumi grinned as he looked himself up and down. He fitted his dagger to his waist and opened the door. Shihara was standing out front with her hand on her hip acting like she had been waiting for hours.

"Well?"

"For training today we are going to work on your reactions. I am going to attack you randomly throughout the day so be on guard ya hear?" Shihara said.

"Loud and clear." Katsumi said as he waved her off. Katsumi's room was on the second floor of the inn that led out to a balcony that looked over the inns dining area. Shihara hopped over the railing and walked towards the door.

"Be on guard." Shihara said with a seductive grin as she walked out of the inn.

"Geez." Katsumi said as he rubbed the back of his head. He headed down the stairs and ordered some breakfast from the inn's chef. The eggs that the chef gave Katsumi revitalized him. With a content look on his face Katsumi left the inn and headed for the training barracks. Katsumi decided to start training with a sword today. He picked up a wooden training broadsword.

Katsumi practiced with the sword striking the training dummies for about an hour. Sweat dripped from Katsumi's forehead as he lowered his sword. He took a deep breath in and focused his Nen to his sword. He then slashed the dull wooden blade at the training dummy. The sword sliced through the dummy like it was butter.

"Hell yeah!" Katsumi called out and pumped a fist in the air as he celebrated being able to use it. He was able to use his Nen to sharpen his weapon. This had been what Shihara had been trying to teach Katsumi 2 days prior but when he concentrated his aura it went wild and cut his hands.

"Hmph!" Katsumi grunted as he jumped backwards and guarded his left with the sword. He was immediately met with a katana that easily cut through his wooden sword. The attack stopped just short of the left side of his chest.

"You can't just be on guard, you need to be able to defend yourself while your at it. If you can't use anything nearby fast enough to block than dodge or as a last resort use your Nen as armor and hope for the best." Shihara gave her warning as she sheathed her blade. Katsumi lowered dropped his sword.

"Ahh damn." He fell to one knee and clenched his fist. His hands stung, he had put to much strain on them at once. The bandages turned a dark red. There was some blood dripping from a few of the cuts on his hands.

"I'm sorry Katsumi, I pushed you too hard." Shihara looked down as she apologized.

"No, thank you." Katsumi pushed off the ground and got back to his feet. "I need it!" Katsumi picked up the training sword and endured through the pain. "See!" Katsumi said with the most forced and innocent smile. Katsumi raised the sword ready to take a swing, the blood began to flow faster trickling down his hand towards his arm.

"Enough!" Katsumi stopped his swing as it began. "Training and being devoted is good, but if your to injured from training to be able to reach your goals then what's the point. Let yourself heal then continue tomorrow. No training whatsoever for today, agreed?" Shihara scolded Katsumi like a mother would to her child. Katsumi lowered the sword.

"Agreed, and thanks. For looking out for me I mean." Katsumi wasn't fighting like she had thought he would. Katsumi saw the intent and the truth behind what Shihara said so he agreed. He walked over to the weapon stands and put the training sword back, he grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped away the blood going down his hand before it could reach his clothes.

"Good." Shihara said nervously as she accompanied him back towards the inn. She changed his bandages and let him rest in his room. "Why was he practicing with a broadsword anyways? Well I'll ask him later there are other things I need to do right now". Shihara then left the inn and headed for the town hall to talk to her father. She was going to tell her father that if the Onrya came before Katsumi was healed than they could kill it. Shihara sensed something, it was coming for her. She quickly drew her katana and blocked her right side. A clang of metal reverberated through the city as Shihara blocked the oncoming attack. The attacker pushed her back with his sword and she braced herself by sticking her sword into the ground as she slid.

"What the!?" Shihara yelled out as she looked up. A terrified look came over her face as she saw the enemy before her. It took the shape of a human, it wore old samurai like armor. Its skin was black and withered, its face had a thick white car, it looked as if it had been made by some sort of blade. She pulled her sword out of the ground and readied her stance. Her usual angelic face was now sweaty and smeared with dirt.

"Graaaaaagh!" The Onrya leaned over and screamed out in rage. It was mad, its target had survived, and not only did it survive but it wanted to fight. The Onrya began to move forward towards leaning left and right as it dashed. Its arms waved to each side with its sword grasped in one hand. It unleashed a flurry of attacks slashes and thrusts alike. Shihara was able to block most of them but just by a hair, she had no time to counter. The final attack was heavier than the rest but she was able to parry it creating an opening.

"Gah!" Shihara spun around pulling a full 360 as she slashed the Onrya. It was a shallow cut but it made it back off. The Onrya sheathed its sword. Shihara was leaning over panting to catch her breath. She was cut on her arms, legs, chest, and even her neck. None were deep or life threatening but she was losing blood. Regardless she kept her glare focused on the Onrya as it pulled its right arm back towards its hip. Black aura gathered around its fist. Shihara was shocked, it was Nen. The Onrya thrust its fist forward as if it were going to punch, the aura left its fist and zoomed towards Shihara. She wasn't ready for it, the fist of Nen hit her right in the stomach. She was sent flying into the wall of the inn, she coughed up blood as the wind was knocked out of her. Blood dripped from her mouth as she tried to get to her feet.

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Katsumi was sitting on his bed concentrating on controlling his Nen. He looked as if he was meditating, he was focused, then he heard a loud crash and the room shook as if there was an earthquake. Only temporarily but it was abrupt. He stormed out of his room, when he looked over the balcony he saw the innkeeper running around frantically.

"What happened!?" Katsumi called out to her as he jumped down from the balcony not bothering to take the stairs. He ran towards the innkeeper as he saw a wall that looked as if it were about to cave in.

"It's Lady Shihara, she is fighting some sort of demon!" The innkeeper was terrified, Katsumi was shocked but he was prepared. "I heard customers talking about what it had done to the other village to the East." The innkeeper began rambling away nervously and scared.

"Calm down, I'll take care of it just keep everyone inside." Katsumi reassured the lady with a confident grin. She nodded her head and turned away towards the other customers that were just as scared. Katsumi ran outside of the inn with his dagger drawn. He rounded the corner and froze, his eyes went wide as he saw Shihara coughing up blood slammed against the inn wall. It was painfully obvious that the Shihara was sent flying into the wall. Katsumi was filled with a burning rage as he looked over and saw the Onrya with its fist thrusted out towards Shihara.

"Bastard." Katsumi said under his breath as he readied himself.

"Be… careful" Shihara barely managed to talk as she coughed up blood in between words, "It uses… Nen." Her words were quite but almost a whisper but they shocked Katsumi at first, but then he smirked, just a little.

Katsumi focused his Nen into his dagger, a deep blue aura swirled around Katsumi's blade. It kept swirling until it turned into a light green and rested still. He took in a deep breath, then, he charged. His blade vanished. All that could be seen was the hilt to the blade. Shihara was shocked as she saw the seen unfold. She wiped the blood from her mouth but couldn't stand. Katsumi's blade was invisible, she was shocked no matter how hard she focused she couldn't see it. The Onrya drew its blade and went to block Katsumi's blade. He looked for it but couldn't see it, Katsumi was still 3 meters away so it was safe, or so it thought. But suddenly Katsumi stood completely still with his arm stuck forward towards the Onrya. The Onrya stood perfectly still, black blood began oozing from its chest, Katsumi pulled his arm back, a torrent of wind erupted from the Onrya's chest as blood quickly flowed out of the new stab wound in its chest.

"GRAHHHH!" The Onrya screamed out in pain, Shihara looked towards Katsumi in amazement expecting an explanation.

"Wha!?" Shihara managed to say exasperated.

"I'll explain later." Katsumi said with a confident grin as he whipped his dagger down to his side the blade to his dagger was visible once more. It was the exact same size as before. Shihara was completely bewildered. It shouldn't have been physically possible for Katsumi to have stabbed the the Onrya from that far away. Yet the Onrya screamed out in pain clutching the wound that formed out of nowhere.

Shihara tried to get up, "No, don't worry. I've got this, you just rest." Shihara slumped back down after hearing Katsumi's confident words. "Ok, let's do this!" Katsumi psyched himself up in his head. The Onrya was no longer clutching the wound, it drew it's sword, Katsumi smirked. Then, it vanished, Katsumi had a look of terror on his face, Shihara tried to scream out but it was to late, the Onrya was behind him, its sword already covered in Katsumi's blood. Katsumi was slashed and pushed back a couple meters. His breathing was ragged, he tried to catch his breath as he stumbled to his feet. "Dammit, I'm an idiot!" Katsumi ground his teeth in anger at his own overconfidence. "How could I be so stupid, damn! Damn Damn Damn!" Katsumi berated himself. "It's all my fault, I grew overconfident just because I thought I was a little stron…" Katsumi's thought was interrupted, he felt something warm on his back. It was Shihara, she had gotten up when the Onrya attacked.

"Let's kill that thing, together!" Shihara stated like a military chief giving a motivational speech to his troops. "Your right!" Katsumi stood upright, he held his dagger forward, wind flowed around his wound. The bleeding stopped, Shihara watched in awe. "Ok! Let's go!" Katsumi said as he looked towards Shihara.

Shihara nodded, Katsumi dashed towards the Onrya's right side, Shihara to the left. Katsumi and Shihara both slashed at the Onrya, their blades would make and cross along its chest, then it vanished. Katsumi ducked and Shihara lunged forward to where Katsumi was a moment ago. The Onrya appeared right behind Katsumi, but that was right in front of Shihara's attack. The Onrya was already on the attack, it reacted to Shihara's attack to late, it blocked the blade, narrowly avoiding a deep wound. It was cut across the left side of its left arm. In the meantime Katsumi was spinning around. As the Onrya was cut Katsumi sweeped its leg throwing it off balance. Without missing a beat Shihara used Katsumi's back as a stepping stool and jumped off of it, she then bludgeoned the Onrya's head with the hilt of her sword. It stumbled backwards from the impact of her attack.

"My turn!" Katsumi yelled confidently, he charged with his body low to the ground towards the Onrya. The Onrya was still disoriented from Shiharas blow, Katsumi went and stabbed the Onrya's chest. The Onrya's previous wound opened once more bleeding profusely.

In the meantime Shihara had backed away and was now on the roof of the damaged inn behind the Onrya. Katsumi saw her but didn't say a word, he continued his assault cutting the Onrya all across its chest and arms. "Faster! Faste…" Katsumi's thought was interrupted, his attacks were growing faster but then a sharp bolt of pain struck his back. He grimaced in pain, the Onrya saw the opening and kicked Katsumi back.

"Katsumi!" Shihara screamed internally at herself, she saw Katsumi get hurt but she couldn't do anything. She couldn't waste the opportunity that Katsumi had given her. Shihara focused. She let herself disappear, her Nen took shape as yellow lightning began to surround her blade. She jumped from the roof with incredible force, the impact of the jump sent roof tiles flying. The Onrya turned towards Shihara and clutched its blade, engulfed in darkness. Katsumi was hurt but he wasn't out yet.

"I won't let you!" Katsumi screamed as he dashed towards the Onrya. He kept his posture low, the Onrya couldn't react in time for both. It was over. Katsumi had his dagger stabbed through the Onrya's stomach, Shihara's katana no longer crackled with electricity. Her katana was stabbed through its neck, only a hair above Katsumi's head.

"You almost stabbed me." Katsumi said exasperated, his blade still in the Onrya Katsumi let go. He fell down, unconscious.