Chapter 31

In a dark prison, a man is sitting on the floor. He was motionless as he stares at the steel bars. And shackles put into him. Suddenly, all the lights from the torches came out making the whole place dark. Still, the man was unmoved.

It wasn't until a bowl of food was dropped in his cell that he looks up to see who it was. However, the man's face was covered by darkness that he can't make up who it was. Also, his clothes don't look like a samurai's uniform. Without even looking at the food, the prisoner asked the man.

"You look like you're here for me. What do you want?" The prisoner said as he gave an intense gaze.

"I was told that your case is quite unfortunate. You saw a hit, but almost every single one of your people was killed… by a kid. You're Usuma, right?" The man in the shadow said.

"Are you here to insult me or what?" Usuma said as he took a more comfortable seating position.

"I got a job for you."

"I presume that you can also break me out of here?" Usuma said.

"You're not as dumb as I was told. How'd you lose?" The man said as he was seen visibly tilting his head in curiosity.

"If you've seen the kid, you'd know that he's not normal. No normal kid would have such ferocity or mentality to engage in a fight. Moreover, not only is he physically strong and skilled, but the kid also has tricks up his sleeves. Whatever, what's the job?"

"Simple. I just need you… to kill him." The man in the shadow said.

"I thought I was talking to an intellectual because you sound like one. You want me, to kill him? After he's already killed most of us before?" Usuma looks at him with slight mockery.

"Now, now. Don't get ahead of yourself. Of course, I know that, I've already seen the kid for myself. You don't have to worry about that, as I'll give you a gift."

"A gift? What kind? A weapon? Even if you give me all the weapons in the world, I don't think it would be enough."

"It's not that. You can say… that it's a gift from god. Something that would kill the Devil. If you want, I can give it now. You just have to follow my plan afterward. Well, it's not like you'll have a choice."

"Really? Sure. But, what if I run away with it?" Usuma said. The man opens his arms wide and he offers his hand to the sitting Usuma.

"You can try. Come here, you just have to touch my hand." The man said as he opens his hands wider.

Usuma felt his arm lighter and saw the shackles on his arm open. He was shocked and knew that he has to be part of the man's abilities. He stood up and look at the man's hands. Before he walk, he decided to look at him with a questioning look.

"Just one question." "What is it?"

"You have the power to get rid of him yourself. Why put me into this?" Usuma said as he stood there straight.

"Hmm, you can think of it as me giving people their second chances. It's something that I usually do. Besides, you'll be enough. God didn't fight the devil himself, didn't he? He sent his soldiers to do the deed for him." The man in the shadow said.

"Uhm… I don't think that we believe in the same God. Anyways, I'll do it. If you can free me from this hell hole and get my revenge for my men, I'd take the job."

Usuma shrugs and walks towards the man. The metal bars were the only barrier between them but the man's hands were already inside the cell. As Usuma slowly lowers his hand down to the man's, he suddenly stopped.

He felt a chill in the back as he was about to hold it but then, the man grabbed his arm. Before he can react, he was pulled towards the bars and the man's hand touched his forehead. A large amount of information entered his brain… no, it was something deeper, as his body exudes a large amount of yoryoku.

"I wouldn't say free… more like, under new management." Just then, the man let go of the frozen Usuma. However, even after he left, Usuma stood still, unmoving.

…

As Koyori opens the door, he saw the same face that was bothering her these past few days. Ever since Hisashi arrived a few days ago, he's been coming to their house every day, with white lilies in his hand. She wasn't really angry. It's just that, she felt that if she accepted his apology easily, he might do the same thing and leave her again later.

Even when Hisashi asked for forgiveness, Koyori just looked at him with knitted brows and close the door on him. This time, however, he wasn't holding any flowers and he looks like he was in a hurry. Before she can shoo him away, he asks Koyori.

"Where's Auntie and Uncle?" Hisashi asks her as he looks at her arm. Her bracelet was there. His question changes her mood from annoyed to slight worry. Hisashi wasn't a humorous man and wouldn't do pranks for a joke. The agitation in his voice isn't something that Koyori would take lightly.

As so, she decided to answer his question.

"Mother! Father! Hisashi's asking for you guys." Even if she called out for her parents, she didn't remove her vision from Hisashi.

"What is it, my baby?" Masaru said as he peeks outside the door, only to see his daughter staring angrily at him.

"Stop calling me that! I'm already old!" Koyori screams at her fathers. Furukawa then follows and peeks, laughing at her husband and daughter's antics. She looks at Hisashi with a greeting smile before looking at her daughter.

She sees Hisashi hesitate while looking at her daughter who gave her a big smile.

"Are you here for my baby? You can take her. Just bring her home early as I'll add you to our dinner." After saying so, Furukawa turned around, ignoring her daughter's angry roars for being called a baby again. Their family banter, however, was silenced by Hisashi.

"I'm not here for that," Hisashi said as he prevent her from leaving. Furukawa hears this and turns back to him again.

"Oh? For what then?" Furukawa said as Masaru just listens.

"Can you guys come with me for a second? I'll explain it later. But to make matters simple, you might be in danger." Hisashi said with seriousness, as he know that they won't believe it easily. This time, it was Masaru who talked.

"Hey, Hisashi kiddo. You shouldn't say things like that easily." He said as his face turned serious. No matter, if Hisashi is joking or not, something like that, isn't good.

"I… I'm serious, sir." "Oh really? How can you say?"

Masaru's question made Hisashi take a deep inhale. He was about to say his dreams but he stopped. He knows how ridiculous his claims are, even to people that knew his strangeness like his family.

"I can explain later. Please just trust me! You don't have to pack anything! Just follow me." Hisashi said as Masaru and Furukawa looked at each other. Masaru just shrugs his head before replying to Hisashi.

"Lead the way then. Koyori, stop making faces. We'll follow your boyfriend." Masaru said before messing her daughter's hair up.

Koyori was furious, although he called her Koyori, her father messed her hair and called Hisashi her boyfriend.

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

The family follows Hisashi. Given the difference in speed, Masaru and Hisashi matched the speed of the two. Just as they got to the mountains, Koyori starts to notice where Hisashi is going.

"Hey! Isn't this the way to our… the dungeon?" Koyori slipped up, saying 'our' instead of 'the'. This garnered the attention of her parents, especially Furukawa.

"Your dungeon? And he's not your boyfriend? What are you two hiding from us? Hisashi, do your parents know this? I'll tell them to prepare for the wedding as soon as possible." Furukawa teases.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Koyori angrily yells causing the laughter of the two adults. Seeing their curiosity though, Hisashi decides to explain the connection between the dungeon and the two of them. He summarizes everything from the start to the incident of the attack and the reason for Koyori's anger toward him. His story reminded Masaru of a bad memory but didn't talk about it.

As they reached the dungeon, Koyori hesitantly opens it. The sight of the beautiful dungeon made the two awed for a moment before they saw Hisashi run into one of the rooms. However, before they can follow him, he told them to wait, which they did. A minute later, Hisashi came it the same except for something which Masaru noticed.

The usual wooden training sword on his waist was replaced by two swords. One was blood red while the other was black. Although it looked pretty big for his size, Masaru knew that it wasn't a normal sword he took from the dungeon.

Masaru's hunch was right as it was Gozu, the previous shogun's swords. The Masamune and the Muramasa. The former is black and the latter is red. The same swords functions as the other key for the dungeon. Something Gozu, Benzei's significant other's most prized possession.