Chapter 25: Playing

Iori wanted to grin cheekily at the collective surprise on all these youngster's faces and honestly felt the urge to egg on this type of behavior. It brought him back to the days when the orthodox sects would send out hundreds of members just to hunt down and bring him to 'justice'. He always felt this sick thrill that ran through his body whenever he saw those faces pale in unison.

Now wasn't any different.

The already pretty pale looking Yokai only turned paler as they all stiffened and jaws hung open in shock. He was sure the most shocked out of all them was the man who tried to claw out a significant chunk out of his body.

'Maybe this is his first?' He thought,' I feel kinda special now..'

Normally, there weren't really a lot of ways for a normal human like him to block supernatural abilities like the Yokai's Youjutsu or Angel's Light Constructs. You were just shit out of luck if you couldn't dodge in time. Sure even most modern Senjutsu Practitioners found it difficult to outright block some of the weaker supernatural folks, but usually they just relied on their speed in order to move out of harms way.

Outright blocking such an attack without any seeming problem was of course incredibly shocking, judging from how even after a few seconds of dumbfounded confusion he still wasn't attack again. The Yokai looked down at his still blazing claws like a man walking in on his fiancee cheating on him with the pool boy.

While their wasn't a thing any of these creatures could do to him, he was still an incredibly petty man. Centuries of seclusion hadn't changed that. He wouldn't kill them, but bringing this many to attack and capture him wasn't something he could let go. He had to draw the line somewhere.

'Broken bones should suffice,' He thought,' They can heal that in a couple of days. But their shattered pride will be something else…'

Setting aside his makeshift fishing rod, he stood to his full height. And despite not being the tallest person their, his presence seem to loom over the shaken Yokai. Their tails stilling as one as the feeling of being in a predator's line of sight itched at that once long forgotten instinct. But despite their obvious fear, they still charged as one.

"Protect the Captain!"

If it meant they had to lay down their lives so that one of their most talented members of their clan survives then so be it. None of them would be able to take on the wrath from the elders if he were to fall here. Someone with his skills could possibly become an elder himself in the future!

That collective roar seem to shake the leader out of his stupor and resolved hardened his eyes. But before he could do anything but wiggle his fingers again, a sudden and harsh force shot him away like a canon as he crashed into several of his charging teammates. Those azure flames flickered out of existence at once. Gasping, he clutched at his the ribs as a rampaging sense of pain made itself known.

He hadn't even seen the human move! One moment he was preparing to cast any other technique and then next he found himself in a pile of groaning bodies. And not in a fun way.

The world blur as the pain grew in intensity, black clad figure blurring past his vision as he witnessed them one and all fall in order. Their weapons shattered and bodies tumbled in a useless heap.

For Iori, this little conflict wasn't even enough to fill the gap between his teeth. It was like he fighting toddlers as an adult only really needing a slight bit of force to send them sprawling back to their mamas crying up a storm. While he did hold back a lot when it came to his Touki empowered strikes, it was still important to send a message in a way that wouldn't weaken his disciple's forces too much.

After all, she should've seen this coming a mile away and had plans laying in wait. Nekomata's were naturally blessed with the art of Senjutsu but like most talented people, their attitude weren't really tempered at all. Given how strong they were, they had gotten use to taking whatever they wanted from anyone besides Yasaka or any other powerful Yokai.

It would do them good to remember there was always a bigger fish. And all without them having to die excruciating deaths in the process. Plus besides, he wouldn't kill some stupid grunts. Beating them would suffice, but as for the people who sent them after him…

"Come out."

Iori demanded, ignoring the groaning cat like people who rolled on the ground in agony. Blue eyes were locked a single tree in the distance.

"Your senses are sharp Master Yamato."

A middle aged man with small streaks of gray throughout his black hair, stepped out of from behind said tree. One of his cat ears was slightly nicked and scarred from years of combat and repeat healing. He wore a light blue kimono that showcased his incredibly burly frame, looking nothing like a the slender cats most Nekomatas were fashioned after. While there was a smile on his face, those yellow slitted eyes narrowed dangerously.

Clawed hands gripped at the thin sheath at his side, the ambient Ki twitched ominously at the man's presence. A single symbol was etched onto the pommel of the ancient weapon and judging from how the energy seem to swirl around it, had some importance to the man.

'Maybe an artifact?' Iori thought,' I'll take that as punishment, should be a good enough warning. Plus besides, it wouldn't hurt to see how magic items work in this new era.'

"My name is Nakamura Sota." The Yokai bowed slightly," My foes call me Surudoi Kyōfū (Sharp Gale). Grand Elder of the Nekomata Clan residing here in Kyoto. But also…"

He took a single step forward and crossed dozens of feet in that moment now standing atop the lake with a snarl of his familiar face. The ambient energy was sucked up into his body and released in a steady stream, tinging the air with a sense of foreboding intent.

"The father of that child you oh so callously struck."