51

Chapter 51: Kyoto Return Arc V

Summary:

AN: Welcome back. This should have been out earlier but I've been picking up a lot of extra shifts at work now that I'm not limited in hours by my visa conditions and I have a surprise exam next week that is for a class from last fall (No idea why the exam wasn't at the end of the course but whatever. It also isn't a 'surprise', I just forgot because the class was four months ago.) The next chapter will finally be the beginning of the actual gang war or the opening moves anyways. I didn't think it would take this many chapters to get everything started but it happens I guess. I hope you all enjoy the chapter even if it took a while.

Chapter Text

After watching Zen Master Jun leave the courtyard I'm left alone with the cursed sword, Kenmyoren.

I knew what I was asking for months ago when I asked Yasaka for the sword as a reward. The history of the blade makes it very clear exactly what kind of weapon it was.

A cursed sword that was held by one of the Three Great Evil Yokai, Otakemaru, who was considered to be both a demon and a god. One of three swords that ensured he was invincible, and the one that now holds his soul, awaiting his revival.

Understanding that this is a legendary weapon and one of the most cursed in Japanese mythology is one thing.

Actually holding the weapon in my hand is a different thing altogether.

As I noted earlier, the curse on the blade is immensely powerful. Not as powerful as Tobio's Longinus but not too far off either.

If I had to guess the cause of the difference between the two, it would be that the Canis Lykaon contains a curse cast by Zeus, the head of a pantheon, whereas Kenmyoren simply contains the soul of a demon god.

One is a deliberate effect by a more powerful being and the other is the side effect of a semi-dormant spirit inhabiting the weapon. It isn't the case of a potent curse being applied with a purpose behind it, instead, the curse on the weapon is a side-effect.

The mythology doesn't go into any great detail on the weapon itself other than its interaction with Otakemaru and its sister blades. I can tell it is masterfully crafted but beyond that its actual abilities without Otakemaru's soul inside are unknown.

With that being said, the curse on the blade is still far beyond anything I could produce at the moment. That statement doesn't do the sword justice considering I don't specialise in curses but the point still stands.

Even without enhancing the sword with Ki or sword intent, it has a sharpness far beyond the bone sword.

With the enhancements, comparing the two would be like comparing a normal sword to a rusty spoon.

As I take a practice swing with it, the blade seems to split the air around it violently with the slightest exertion. I would imagine that the wielder could cut at a distance without any special effort or technique, simply by swinging the sword lazily.

I have to be careful as I swing it so I don't damage the surrounding courtyard.

The sword has such an aggressive feel to it that it reminds me of the competition between Masamune and Muramasa.

The sword forged by Muramasa, Ten Thousand Cold Nights, when suspended above a river, cut everything that approached it. Leaves, fish, and even the air itself were slashed by the blade.

This sword makes me think that if the same test was done, the entire river would be cut straight down the middle.

The fact that it is such an amazing sword makes the feeling of holding it even more disappointing for me. My practice swings were more than enough for me to tell that I can't use this sword.

I can use it, obviously. I could probably kill a lot of things with this sword too. The problem is that the sword doesn't suit me and would only hinder the progression of my abilities.

It's too short, too light, too thin, and honestly, too cursed.

Maybe, if I hadn't constructed the sword in my domain yet or if I had chosen a katana instead of a Nodachi when I was younger it would be fine. Basically, what I've done with my sword intent and domain however has solidified the path of my swordsmanship.

If I tried to make this sword into my weapon I would need to adapt all my abilities to suit it and at this point, it isn't much better than the sword in my domain. The difference is the sword in my domain can continue to grow stronger.

The only benefit Kenmyoren has for me right now is that I can use it as much as I want without passing out from exertion. That isn't even a big factor considering I can just punch things to death.

This revelation wouldn't have been upsetting at all if I didn't need a new sword right now.

Originally, I had intended to give Kenmyoren to Shuten anyway so it wouldn't have been a big deal. I'm definitely not doing that now because following up gifting her a pet dragon with a legendary sword is a bit much even for me.

Still, the fact that I don't have much affinity with the weapon isn't too bad considering it wasn't the sword itself I was after.

Otakemaru himself is a potential solution to a future problem, one that has been on my mind from the first time I left the village. As time goes on, and awareness of the village becomes more common, the chances of it getting attacked go up.

Heading to Kyoto and getting the support of the West Yokai faction was only a stopgap measure for the safety of the village.

For all the power that the Yokai clans here hold, personally and politically, they aren't exactly active. They're content to sit in Urakyoto and bicker while the world around them turns.

Because of that inactivity, if someone really wanted to wipe out my village, and I'm not there to defend it, they don't really need to worry about the West Yokai faction helping.

By the time the clans all come together in a meeting, argue about whether they should get involved, squabble about who should lead the defence, and travel there, the village will be razed to the ground.

Right now, the only things that keep the village protected are the 'threat' the alliance with the West Yokai faction represents, my existence, and the high specs of the Oni.

Also, the corpse of a giant dragon but an attacker would have to get pretty close to be deterred by that.

Between Akio and Kiyoshi, unless a very specialised team or a true Ultimate class threat attacks they'll be able to repel any offensive. I think that a dedicated effort would be needed to properly destroy my village at this point; something on the level of the raid on Mt.Ooe in the past.

A specialised team takes both time and information to build so I'm not worried about that. On the other hand, I haven't offended anyone powerful enough, grievously enough, that they would go out of their way and destroy the village.

As I get stronger and do more in the outside world, the chances of someone wanting to attack go up. The actual chance of someone following through with an attack remains about the same, the issue is that if one does occur the villagers will no longer be able to handle it themselves.

Fame in this case is a double-edged sword. If people hear about my performance at the dragonslayer festival it will be a large deterrent for most. Yet there will be some who only become interested after hearing about my strength.

That's another reason why uniting the Shinto pantheon's various sub-factions is beneficial for me. The greater a collective threat they represent, the less likely someone attacks the village.

That plan, however, is indirect and takes a lot of time. In the short term, the best way to protect the village is to have someone strong enough to protect it presently.

That's where Otakemaru comes in.

If I can unseal him from the sword and either convince him to stay in the village and protect it or convince him with extreme violence, he can protect the village so I don't have to.

It's pointless to spend time thinking about how to convince him right now though. I don't have any information on his personality except for vague legends and after spending a thousand years inside a sword he might be completely different.

The only things I might be able to bribe him with are all three of his swords, but I'm not stupid enough to give him his invincibility back, or Suzuka Gozen, and I doubt she's any more interested in marrying him now than she was a thousand years ago.

Worst case scenario I can either kill Otakemaru if he remains obstinate or I can convince Suzaku to help me seal him in the village like a guard dog.

I stab the sword in the ground and wrap the prayer beads around it to make sure the miasma doesn't continue to leak out into the courtyard.

It cuts an imposing image, like a demonic 'sword in the stone'. Rather than choosing a king though, this sword would choose a mass murderer.

Rather than thinking about my dilemma with this sword, I can reflect on my fight with the Zen Master.

Even though it was a light spar with an amateur combatant there was a lot I learned from that short fight.

This spar was the first time I deployed my domain fully and used it in combat. While it wasn't the stress test I would have wanted, I learned more than enough about the technique to figure out where I need to improve it.

The first issue is I have too many options inside my domain to half-ass it. In combat with my domain backing me up, I'm spoiled for choice in how to deal with any situation. I don't need to be mindful of how much energy I'm using or how focused my techniques are, I can throw them out haphazardly.

Because the space reacts to my subconscious as well, the attacks might end up launching before I consider them properly too. My instincts are good for choosing which technique to use in a situation but if a more measured response is warranted I might end up making a mistake.

I need to be able to respond with the best counter to a situation instantly to make proper use of the domain.

The second issue is that the domain is too easy to escape from right now. The barrier that holds my mindscape and keeps it from spilling out of the boundary I set isn't durable enough for a real fight yet. If someone is inside and either avoids me long enough to reach the edge of the domain or releases too much power, the barrier will simply shatter.

The same thing could be said for reinforcements outside the barrier. If they are strong enough to support whoever I'm fighting, they'll be strong enough to break the barrier. Therefore, deploying my domain would be useless.

The other way they could escape is by simply overpowering me. Ideally, the domain would be a perfect killing field for anyone trapped inside but the moment they figure out I'm maintaining the space, they can defeat me to escape.

This is less of a worry because I'm really fucking strong-

'How humble of you.' I skillfully ignore the interruption from my resident tiger.

-but the possibility still exists.

All these issues I can fix with time, especially when the domain technique is still something I'm experimenting with.

The other big thing I noticed in my fight with the Zen Master was that I don't exactly have specific techniques.

When I was countering his attacks I was using raw power to overcome everything and the moment I tried to use a 'technique' with my Ki, my control was insufficient.

Even calling that shoddily thrown together piercing attack a technique leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Using raw power for everything has suited me fine before and will continue to work in the future but I don't know how long that will be true. I'd rather start working on developing proper techniques and martial arts now rather than get into a situation where I need them and don't have them.

Zen Master Jun, someone who by his own admission has never fought, was able to use multiple techniques to great effect in a short spar. I on the other hand basically beat him down with overwhelming force.

Looking back at all my fights in my life so far, I only really have three martial arts techniques and one only counts if you're being generous; the explosion punch, which is just forcing a massive amount of Ki into my opponent until they explode; the Ki spear I just made today, which lacks any real refinement; and the bone removal curse.

I've developed abilities that I can apply in a wide range of situations but I've never put in the effort to create a set of techniques using Ki to multiply my combat effectiveness.

Granted, in my early years I needed to gain as much power as possible to even stand a chance, and I've also never had a proper teacher, but I still want to fix this inadequacy. If I want to be one of the strongest existences in the world, raw power alone isn't going to cut it.

My actual martial arts are decent enough. I use my body efficiently in combat and only make overly flashy, wasteful movements when I'm messing around. My physical stats are also excellent as a result of my body refinement and training.

If I put together a collection of Ki techniques and really hone my martial arts to the limit, I won't feel so dissatisfied.

Really it wasn't this spar that made me feel this way, even if it was the final indicator that I needed to put some effort into this. The Dragonslayer festival, or more accurately my spar with Haneul was the impetus. That secret technique he used, the acupuncture, the footwork techniques, all of them were impressive.

I figure I can put together techniques that are just as good as his, if not better, with some time and effort.

I will need to look for a teacher eventually if I want to hone my abilities properly. The offer from Sun Wukong comes to mind but is shelved for now.

Yet, I want to see how far I can get on my own instincts and with my own power before I seek out a teacher. I also don't have the time to train on a secluded mountain in China for months or years at the moment. Once things with the Golden Dragons have settled, I don't have any urgent business in Kyoto or Urakyoto, and my sisters are a bit older, then I'll head outside of Japan.

Nodding to myself, I glance over at the doorway where three familiar presences have been lingering since the Zen Master left. Akeno and Shuten would be doing a decent job of hiding themselves behind the doorway if there wasn't a dragon's tail clearly visible.

I clear my throat loudly and the three of them poke their heads around the corner.

"We just got here!" Shuten pipes up, getting a glare from Akeno.

"That makes it obvious that we didn't just arrive." Akeno hisses.

I smile in amusement and roll my eyes, "What are you three hanging around here for?"

"We were wondering what you and our teacher were talking about," Akeno says innocently.

It's funny how she's trying to slowly work her way towards asking about my fight. She should know by now that Shuten has no such tact and will undermine any attempt at subtlety.

"How badly did you beat our teacher up?" Shuten asks excitedly, crossing the courtyard at top speed.

I rub my chin in thought and hum, "Who says we fought? We could have meditated together or had a scintillating conversation about philosophy or politics."

Akeno rolls her eyes as she and Gator catch up to Shuten. "If you wanted us to believe that you should have chosen a more reasonable excuse."

"I don't always fight everyone, I have other hobbies." Shuten tilts her head and looks as though she is thinking hard.

After a moment of silent contemplation, she narrows her eyes in confusion, speaking slowly and carefully, "But… you don't have any hobbies though?"

I place my hand over my heart and rock back from the emotional damage I'm stricken with, "I do other stuff from time to time."

Akeno pats my head consolingly, "You also teach other people how to fight occasionally."

Ugh, that doesn't help.

"I'm the leader of an entire organisation." I point out.

"You gained control of that by beating up the former leader." Akeno shoots down my rebuttal easily.

"It's fine to not do anything else but fight, right?" I mutter to myself before nodding resolutely. "There's no shame in only doing what you love."

Akeno looks away and Shuten gives me a dubious glance but I ignore their reaction confident in my assessment.

There is nothing wrong with my hobbies or lack thereof. If anything my singular focus is commendable in its own right.

It's only now that Shuten notices the shiny black sword stabbed into the ground of the courtyard and she immediately heads towards it. There is an excited smile on her face as she grabs the hilt and tries to pull it out.

Normally I would let her play with the sword but after she so brutally mocked me I'm feeling less charitable than usual.

Unnoticed by my sister, strong roots wrap around the blade beneath the ground, holding it still no matter how hard she tugs on the sword.

Shuten growls as she pulls harder, leaning back to try and increase her leverage.

I laugh as she continues to pull, ignoring her lack of progress and the fact that as time goes on the sword becomes ever more immovable.

"You can do it Shuten!" I cheer as I watch on. "I believe in you!"

Akeno glances at me with a raised brow, knowing that Shuten doesn't lack strength.

I just wink at her in confirmation and continue strengthening the roots that tie down the sword.

If Shuten had initially used the blade edge to cut a path out I wouldn't have been able to stop her. Now I've built up strong enough bindings that I can halt the demonic blade no matter how much she rocks the weapon back and forth.

"Hmph, I don't want a stupid sword anyways," Shuten says with a pout as she gives up on retrieving the blade.

I ruffle her hair as I walk up and grab the sword pulling it from the ground in one smooth motion, "Don't worry, one day you'll be as strong as I am."

She grumbles more as I flourish the blade and it cuts through the air with a sharp cry.

Shuten whistles and Anzu skitters out of the ground, coiling around my sister as she sits down. She starts to pet the centipede while periodically rubbing poison into any dry patches on the exoskeleton.

"Is that your new sword?" Akeno asks, getting my attention as she scratches Gator's chin.

I sigh and glance regretfully at Kenmyoren again, "No, even if I want to use it, it wouldn't be useful to me. I'm pretty annoyed about it too."

Akeno's expression scrunches up in confusion, "Isn't it just a weapon though? Why can't you use it?"

"It isn't that simple. When you get to a certain point, it's better to use a weapon that is suitable for you than one that is 'stronger' or 'better'." I swing Kenmyoren around idly as I continue explaining.

"A swordsman isn't going to trade an excellent sword for a godly spear because they wouldn't be able to draw out the full potential of the weapon. Not only that but a weapon that is too powerful in comparison to their skill would hinder their growth." I shake my head and throw Kenmyoren in my pocket dimension in annoyance.

"There is certainly value in using many different weapons and the principles behind the techniques can apply to each separate category. For most people, however, it is better to stick with one weapon that suits them." I glance at Akeno to make sure she's still following along and check on my Ki reserves quickly.

They have already recovered from the spar with Zen Master Jun but what I'm really after is the flow of Ki through my body. To get the level of control I want for any techniques I'll be creating, I need to have perfect awareness of the energy. Not only that but I need to be able to immediately direct it precisely.

I'll have to focus more on how my Ki flows, the quality, tendencies, and response time from now on. My senses are at a high enough level since I made efforts to improve that already so now it is just a consistent effort on control that I have to work on.

"You had to have wondered why I chose a naginata for you immediately without testing various weapons to see which one you liked the most." Akeno frowns and ponders that while I crack my knuckles.

I move into a handstand while I wait for Akeno, watching how my Ki moves throughout the motion.

My hair falls down over my eyes and since I'm too lazy to tie it back I shapeshift it to a shorter length. Magical solutions for mundane problems.

My Ki is dense as usual, not surprising given how much effort I've put into building massive reserves and forcing the Ki to condense. Still, it moves with ferocity, almost heavily instead of smoothly and with fluidity.

It starts slowly in my centre and gradually picks up speed as it flows through my channels. Like a boulder rolling down a mountain. The energy slams violently around my body which is a result of the near-constant use of my Ki for body refinement. It has essentially been trained to act as a destructive force, both within my body and outside it. My efforts in nature manipulation through Senjutsu and healing have ensured that my Ki isn't only useful for destroying things but it has a clear tendency towards that use.

Ideally, I want to increase the initial acceleration while maintaining that buildup quality. I'm not sure how feasible that is, I'm no expert on Ki in an academic sense. I have a ton of practical experience, with healing, body refinement, a few techniques and general uses to my name though.

It can't hurt to try is basically where I'm at on the subject.

If I run into a master Sage or someone else and they're aghast at what I've done then at least I can laugh at their reaction.

"I hadn't thought of that, honestly," Akeno says as I shift from my palms onto my fingers.

"I did kind of steamroll through any possible objections." I muse and move to a one-handed handstand before beginning to do push-ups in that posture.

My own body weight is nothing as far as exercise goes but the motion is good for provoking my Ki into motion naturally. I could do some tai chi flowing motions or an equivalent to accomplish the same thing. That isn't my style though.

It's important that I'm not controlling my Ki flow directly right now. If I was, I wouldn't be examining how it flows naturally which would affect my training plan later.

"If I ever do that and you have something to say, make sure to speak up. I'm used to making decisions like that but if you have an opinion I'll listen, okay?" I don't need to look in order to see that Akeno is flustered.

"With that being said, I didn't simply choose a random weapon for you. I chose the one that I thought would be best for you." I'll need to see how my Ki flows in combat to get the best idea of how to proceed.

It will be difficult because it needs to be a decently serious battle so I can have an idea of the flow at full exertion but I can't be so pressured that monitoring my internal energy is impossible.

I push off the ground and land back on my feet before dusting off my hands.

"Why did you choose the naginata for me then?" Akeno asks once I'm finished.

Rubbing my chin, I ponder how to word my response.

Parts of my reasoning are a bit… stereotypical? No, that isn't quite right but it's something along those lines.

"Well, first off, how do you like the weapon? How does it feel while you're using it?" While Akeno thinks those questions over, I manifest my Touki.

The difference between enhancing my body with Ki internally, and using Touki externally is still a mystery to me. The fact that I can do both at the same time makes the situation even more confusing.

Touki itself is frankly ridiculous when you think about it. It is this energy field made from Ki, that enhances all your physical abilities, for no obvious reason. You don't even need the ability to control Ki to use it either.

Touki is another thing I need to understand in the coming weeks to develop my Ki techniques. It is another facet of Ki use after all and understanding it can't hurt my development.

"My naginata feels… right, I guess? I'm not going to say it's like another limb or an extension of my own body but it feels natural to wield it at this point." I nod along with her explanation.

"That feeling is why I say that I can't use Kenmyoren. It doesn't feel 'right' for me." Akeno mouths 'Kenmyoren' with a look of vague recognition that almost makes me laugh.

"Anyway, that is why I chose the naginata for you, in the most basic sense. I felt that it would be the ideal weapon type for you to wield." I throw out a few light punches and kicks while I talk.

"The first reason I chose it was your height and build." I grin cheekily at her, "You're a pipsqueak who needs the extra reach."

I get a glare from her as she puffs her cheeks out in anger.

"Jokes aside, you're young and right now that reach will help you." Her glare softens a bit but doesn't disappear completely.

"The naginata also doesn't rely on upper body strength alone so it's a fitting weapon for you while you grow up." It was a popular weapon for the wives of samurai throughout history for that very reason.

It saw use before that period by the samurai themselves on the battlefield and replaced the spear because the diversity of attacking methods was greater but it ended up being known as a 'woman's weapon'.

"Third, your wings, with the speed and manoeuvrability they provide, make combat for you essentially 'mounted combat'. Polearms have always been great weapons on foot but also exceptionally weapons on horseback. You can get those same benefits while flying so it's perfect in both situations." She looks a bit put out at me referring to her flight as 'mounted combat' but the analogy stands.

"Those are the purely practical reasons." I don't think I missed anything.

As much as people like to say that polearms were common because they were easy to learn, they aren't only simple weapons. I suppose basic proficiency with a spear is better than basic proficiency with a sword but for masters with either weapon, both are effective.

"And the non-practical reasons?" Akeno asks.

"Well…" I chew on my lip and bob my head side to side, "You're a half-fallen angel and the descendent of the Himejima clan?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" She says, not angry but completely bewildered by that statement.

"When the biblical god created the angels, they were meant to be a legion of soldiers that worked together to drive back the 'evils of the world', right?" Akeno nods along, though she doesn't see where I'm going with this.

"The reason that all the low ranking angels and even some of the higher-ups all use the same light spear technique and just throw them in the same repetitive fashion is that in a formation that would be incredibly effective. One might not be threatening, but tens of thousands? Angels were created by God to throw light spears." Akeno blinks before a look of indignation crosses her face.

"Are you saying I'm biologically hardwired to wield a spear?" I weather her glare and rub the back of my neck sheepishly.

"I'm not sure, honestly. Your father wasn't a low ranking angel nor is he a low ranking fallen angel now. As far as I'm aware he mostly throws lightning around and punches people with fists covered in Holy Lightning." I shrug my shoulders.

"It was mostly a guess and I can't tell if that has anything to do with your natural skill with a naginata. The same could be said on your mother's side of the family." Akeno frowns at me even as I continue.

"The Principal Clans might not be samurai but they are trained as warriors while also being intermingled in the political landscape of Japan. Because of that, the women of the clan would have learned how to fight and most would probably have wielded the naginata." I wave my hand idly, "A few hundred years of that being a constant occurrence, combined with some magical influence…"

She pinches the bridge of her nose, "Yeah, I get the picture you're trying to paint."

"Again, this is all speculation but I'm in the same boat, you know?" Akeno tilts her head in question, "The affinity for Ki use, Fire based Yojutsu, bloodlust, etc. Part of that is me, part of that is my heritage."

She sighs heavily, "Any other reasons?"

"Yeah, your Holy Lightning ability." I make a spear out of Ki and go through the motions of throwing it before letting it dissipate.

"The idea of 'throwing a spear' is so ingrained in the concept of lightning that if you can master that, your power will skyrocket. The more powerful your Holy Lightning becomes and the more skilled you are at that, the better off you will be." If she did nothing but train that ability then I wouldn't be surprised if she reached Zeus' level of throwing lightning bolts.

If you had asked me a couple of years ago, I would have said that throwing lightning would be useless if you could just shoot it. Now though, I've realized that there is power in the symbolism of actions such as that. Even ignoring magic, martial arts techniques and soul cultivation also have heavy ties in the symbolism of the intended process.

Akeno looks like she's thinking hard about what I said so I pat her on the shoulder and smile, "Don't be too concerned about that though. If you want to quit using the naginata and try something else, go for it. If you want to focus on magic alone, go for it."

"Heck, if you want to stop growing stronger, big sis will protect you!" Akeno whines as I pick her up and hug her tightly.

She squirms to try and escape but I hold her tight.

Talking with Akeno and watching Shuten fumble around with Kenmyoren has washed away any urge of mine to storm off and demand Yasaka to explain why I wasn't told about Zen Master Jun assessing me.

Now that I've had time to think about it more, I'm not even upset because I did ask for the sword. The weapon wouldn't have been allowed to fall into the hands of someone who intended to do evil deeds with it so an assessment of character was necessary.

The fact that it wasn't Yasaka's weapon to give and she went out of her way to facilitate the exchange means that I'd have to be really ungrateful to get mad at her for this.

I also don't want to get involved in anything in Urakyoto right now. I already have my plans of conquering Kyoto's criminal element, training Tobio, and now training my Ki use on the agenda.

If I visit Yasaka now, I'm positive I'd be drawn into something annoying. I'll check in eventually because I still have business with her and I like her -even if she won't fight me.

For now, I'll focus on what I've already started.

It's time for war!