Chapter 82 - On The Way Back and Saving Private Tutor

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The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silver glow over the quiet streets of the city as Kulshedra-san, Sakuya-san, and I on the way back from the successful extermination quest.

This first Devil Job was not really hard, but the sense of accomplishment and the experience helping me to become more mature.

The adrenaline from the fight still faintly lingered in my veins, but now's already much better than after just finished the fight because of Sakuya-san's and Kulshedra-san's comfort after that. And the thought of returning home and soon getting some rest was a comforting add too.

The city streets were quiet as we ride the car around Nagano City, with only a few scattered lights illuminating the way.

But as we getting further from downtown and entered suburbs, I noticed something unusual.

In the distance, shadows flitted across the suburbs, and muffled sounds of a faint metal clashes reached my ears.

"Something's off.... Did you hear that?"

I said with my voice tense because it's clearly not from kitchen utilities or any common metal tools. It's clearly from clashes of weapons.

Sakuya-san nodded slightly.

"Yes, I heard it too. It sounds like a fight."

Sakuya-san said with her eyes narrowed as she focused on the sounds.

"I sense it too. There's tension in the air."

Kulshedra-san said with a slight frown.

As we ride further, the sounds became clearer with footsteps pounding against the grasses, harsh voices shouting, and the unmistakable clang of metal against metal.

Peering around a corner after we decided to stop at a place with good visibility, we soon saw a slim figure darting through the woods, pursued by several men.

The pursued was fast and agile, dodging and weaving to avoid capture. But the pursuers were relentless, their movements coordinated and aggressive.

"Let's just observe for a moment."

I suggested and the two nodded.

From our hidden vantage point, we watched the chase and fight unfold.

The figure being pursued fought back with skill and determination, but the odds were clearly against them in numbers.

And as the fight stopped momentarily after the pursued getting cornered, my eyes slightly widened because I recognized the targeted one.

"It's.... Nishina-sensei? She's the one being chased?"

I said with a surprised feeling.

Even though now she's wearing tight black outfits, I'm 100% sure it's her.

After all, she didn't wear any mask or something and her Low-Middle aura was familiar too.

"It seems so."

Sakuya-san said with her expression hardened in a frown.

"Do you want to step in?"

Kulshedra-san asked me.

"I ...."

I hesitated to answer that because I don't want to be a busybody.

But I feel conflicted too if I decided not to help her.

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"Shigure, why don't you just give up?"

"...."

Shigure just silently glare warily with two daggers gripped in her hands as the man who it seems the leader of the pack talked to her.

"You're an outcast too same as us. Don't you want to change their outdated custom?"

"I'm a Nishina. I'm not the same as you."

Shigure said as she glances silently looking for a gap in between their encirclement.

"But you have Kushihashi too in your blood!"

The man retorted.

"...."

"You're a Kushihashi but you're outcasted just because you didn't want to follow their custom. And that's why you eventually left. Especially after with how they treated you after you lost your father in an accident. Don't you hate them for that?"

"I no longer thinking about that. I have my own life. I'm not a whiny adult who gets tantrum and rebel just because didn't get chosen as the heir."

Shigure said cynically to the man.

And the man instantly get gloomy after that.

"Shigure, why don't you understand?"

The man said with a lower and colder tone then he swung his sword to slash at Shigure.

"Don't you drag me to your egoistical, delusional purposes!"

Shigure said while defending from the slash with her daggers.

The fight continues.

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We continue to watch as the fight resumed.

Nishina-sensei was holding her own, her movements precise and powerful, but the sheer number of her attackers was overwhelming her.

She eventually got scratches and other injuries. She's even got some heavy slashes from the attackers too.

And as I saw her bloody self, I finally decided that we have to step in.

No matter what's her secret, I feel like I couldn't let an acquaintance died in front of my eyes.

"Let's move."

I said and then leaped from the hiding place with Kulshedra-san's already in spear form in my hands.

Sakuya-san followed me with her throwing knives gleaming in the dim light thrown to the attackers.

""""Who!?""""

The surprise on the faces of the attackers and Nishina-sensei herself was evident as Sakuya-san's thrown knives deflected by them.

I answered them not with words but with Kulshedra spear struck with precision, disabling one of the men with a swift blow.

Sakuya-san also moved like a silver shadow with her strikes swift and deadly.

Nishina-sensei, with a bit surprised expression seeing the unexpectedly familiar helpers, us, joined the fray with renewed vigor.

Within moments, the woods was filled with the sounds of a more clashing sounds of metal.

We fought and quickly turned the tide.

The attackers, realizing that they were outmatched, tried to flee, but Sakuya-san, Nishina-sensei and I were relentless.

One by one, soon the men were disabled, left unconscious, or incapacitated on the ground.

The woods then fell silent, save for the sounds of crickets and Nishina-sensei's heavy breathing.

I looked around, ensuring there were no more threats before turning to Nishina-sensei.

"Are you alright?"

I asked with a concerns in my voice.

Nishina-sensei nodded slightly, though she looked visibly shaken.

"Yes. I ... didn't expect to see you here."

She said with a hesitant tone clearly surprised, confused, and wondered after knowing what we could do.

"Ahahahaha...."

I just laughed wryly at that.

"We were on our way back from another city. We heard sounds of battle and decided to investigate."

Sakuya-san explained to her.

"So... Who were they?"

I asked trying to divert the topics while gesturing to the fallen attackers.

Nishina-sensei's expression soon darkened.

"They were after me. They're part of a dubious organization involved in some dangerous activities."

She said while her eyes squinted clearly from feeling the pain from her wounds.

Looking at her bloody self, I decided to use my Infinity Star Flame and make a small flame ball appeared on my hand.

"Let me heal you. Just relax. It won't hurt you."

I said to Nishina-sensei and then slowly threw the flame to Nishina-sensei's body which then envelopes her and healing her wounds.

After the purple-black flame died down and her wounds fully healed, she looks surprised for a moment.

"This...."

"It's okay. Just a small trick."

I said with a smile to her.

"Thank you."

She said and bowed slightly to me.

"You're welcome. So, now.... What do we do with them?"

I asked her while looking at the unconscious assailants.

"Just leave them."

Nishina-sensei said coldly.

"Then let's get out of here. I'm sure there's a lot we want to talk about."

I said and then we back to the car and continue our way back to the mansion.

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After we back at the mansion and entered the living room, we were greeted by Scathach-sama who it seems had stayed up late to await our return.

".... How did it go? .... And why is she here?"

Scathach-sama asked me about the extermination quest and with her eyes sharp to Nishina-sensei.

"Done quite easily. And we saved her for some trouble when we're on the way back."

I replied and then I sat on the couch beside her followed by Kulshedra-san while Sakuya-san to the kitchen to prepare warm drinks.

"Yes, they saved me. Excuse me for the late intrusion."

Nishina-sensei said to Scathach-sama while bowing slightly and then she sat across us after Scathach-sama just nodded slightly to her.

"So, would you tell us? Who are they earlier, and why were they after you?"

I started the conversation straight to the point.

And It seems Scathach-sama and Kulshedra-san chose to just silently listening and let me do the talking.

Nishina-sensei sighed deeply.

"Hah~.... I guess there's no helping it."

She said and took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.

"The leader was an outcast of one of Japanese Traditional Families who's usually deals with Supernaturals troubles. While the others it seems just his followers or henchmen."

"Five Principal Clans, right?"

"You know about them?"

Nishina-sensei asked with a bit surprised look to me.

"Yeah, slightly. And the man before mentioned that you have Kushihashi's blood."

I replied and indirectly told her that we're already there when she's surrounded.

"Yes. My mother was someone from Kushihashi Family. While my father was descendant of Nishina Family."

"Nishina Family?"

I asked while confused and wondered because I never heard about Japanese Supernatural-sides named Nishina.

"Nishina Daisuke was our ancestor's family name before he changed it."

Nishina-sensei stated with a small smile.

"Nishina Daisuke? .... Wait. You mean Togakure Daisuke? Founder of Togakure-ryu Ninpo?"

I asked for confirmation after I remembered where did I heard that name before.

"Yes."

She nodded slightly.

"I see.... So that's why you have fighting abilities."

Now I understand how could a private lesson tutor like her have Low-Middle class aura.

She's adept in true Ninpo/Ninjutsu so it's not surprising if she's trained and experienced. She's a bona fide Ninja!

"Yes. My father taught and trained me. But our Togakure-ryu Ninpo different from the general, public-known Togakure-ryu. We followed the originals and secrets which only inherited by our Nishina Family, the true descendants of our founder."

"I see...."

Then our conversation took a break slightly because Sakuya-san's back with a tray of hot teas.

"Can I ask something too?"

Nishina-sensei said hesitatingly after we sips our tea.

"Hm? Ask what?"

I looked at her.

"Who are you actually?"

Nishina-sensei asked straightly.

"Uhh.... Ever heard about Devil?"

I replied with asking back to her.

"Devil? You mean from the Bible one?"

She asked again with a bit surprised expression.

I nodded slightly to her question.

"Yes. I'm a Devil. Half-Devil actually. And Sakuya-san is a Reincarnated Devil."

I confirmed and told her a little of our origins.

"So that's why.... I'm sorry to say this, but actually since the first time I met with you all, I felt something different from all of you. But because I faintly felt that you're much stronger than me I didn't dare to ask and makes you hostile so that's why I keep silent and pretend to not know anything all this time."

Nishina-sensei stated with a feeling of something heavy just lifted from her shoulders.

"I see...."

I just said shortly with a wry smile.

She has good poker face, wasn't she? Ahahahaha....

"Why did you a Devil saved me?"

She asked again this time with a bit frown.

Maybe she thought that I saved her because I want something from her. After all, Devil was known for their give and take relationship with humans in a bad sense.

"Hm? No reason actually. I just didn't want to watch an acquaintance get killed in front of me.... Just because I'm a Devil it doesn't mean that I'm evil or something."

I said to her with a shrug.

"Just it?"

Nishina-sensei asked with a bit dumbfounded expression.

"Yeah, just it."

I nodded slightly to her and then sipped my tea.

After that, I told Nishina-sensei to just rest here tonight because it's already almost dawn now.

And fortunately now is weekend and today is Sunday so she accepted my offer.

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