The Lies Will Be Exposed

"For example, even if you tied up all your samurai together, they still wouldn't be a match for my little kitten."

Under the warm sunlight, Kurumi smiled softly and warmly, gazing at the tall walls of Iwato Station. The towering, solid walls stood against the sky like an impenetrable barrier.

But in Kurumi's eyes, they were as fragile as paper.

Last night, for some reason, her contract with her little kitten had solidified even more, as if Mumei had finally signed the pact.

Kurumi could sense that Mumei was stumbling along from the gate.

Ayame Yomogawa had already noticed Kurumi and Lord Maeda standing by, and she greeted them both with a wave. Kurumi smiled back in response.

Since the railway leading to Kongoukaku was under maintenance, Koutetsujou would be staying at Iwato Station for about three days.

Kusaru stood behind Ayame, nervously holding an umbrella for her.

There wasn't much happening on the Koutetsujou that Kurumi didn't know about. In her kingdom of shadows, there were no secrets.

The heart of that clumsy samurai, the one holding the umbrella—perhaps only he and the object of his affections were unaware of his feelings.

A maid carrying a sword walked with delicate steps back to the station—the "guest" was on their way. As the host, Lord Maeda should return to the main hall of the castle soon.

However, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he turned to Kurumi, recounting some information.

Biba Amatori had entered the city for a meeting, accompanied by a young girl around eleven or twelve years old and a tall, cold, and beautiful woman. One was said to be his sister, and the other, his servant.

Lord Maeda described the two women's appearances.

Seeing Kurumi's amused expression, Maeda's heart sank with a bad premonition. He genuinely wanted to help the Hunters, who were fighting on the front lines against the Kabane. Though he wasn't a naïve do-gooder, he felt it was only right to assist such "heroes."

But he wasn't stupid.

"Those are the three strongest people in the entire Hunter army," Kurumi said with a look that said, Congratulations, you've hit the jackpot. "By the way, how many samurai are stationed at the walls?"

"Two squads—twenty-four men," Maeda answered, frowning. "Due to the need to escort the rice shipment, we couldn't assign more."

"Thirty seconds," Kurumi suddenly said, leaving Maeda puzzled.

"What?"

"Hmm, I might have overestimated," she mused, walking out of the station and onto a high slope overlooking the city gate.

——

A small squad of samurai escorted Biba Amatori's group towards the castle's main hall. Biba rode alone on horseback, while Mumei and Horobi rode together on another horse.

Mumei still looked pale and weak, cradled in Horobi's arms. Horobi's expression was a mix of pity and fear as she held Mumei protectively.

But even in her weakened state, Mumei looked down on the samurai escorting them. They were so pitifully weak—so few and easily overpowered.

She wouldn't even need to release her restraints to handle them effortlessly.

"Brother just wants to return home. Why is everyone stopping him?" Mumei whispered from within Horobi's embrace.

Her mind kept replaying the words of both Biba and Kurumi. Both seemed right, leaving Mumei deeply conflicted.

"They're afraid," Horobi answered.

"Ten years ago, Lord Biba shone so brightly that the Shogun was afraid of him."

"And now, the cowardly Shogunate, hiding behind its walls, fears the Hunters, who have cleared the Kabane from the land."

"Is that true?" Mumei lowered her head.

"Of course."

——

The group rode along the tracks leading into the city. As they passed a high platform near the gate, Horobi glanced around, seemingly casual but noting the surprisingly few samurai stationed in Iwato Station.

She patted the horse's side gently, and the trained animal responded with a series of low snorts.

Biba sat tall and straight, but the horse suddenly came to a halt.

"What's happening?" The leading samurai turned around, nervously eyeing Biba, only to be met with the sight of a black and red sword blade expanding rapidly in his vision.

Horobi swiftly flung several long needles, striking the hearts of the samurai, before leaping from the horse, dashing toward the remaining two.

Two kunai slid out from her sleeves as she moved like a swift swallow, slashing at the samurai's necks with precise strikes.

At the same time, Mumei ran toward the gate tower. Like many similar fortress gates, Iwato Station had a manual lever for lowering the drawbridge.

Biba followed behind her, urging his horse forward at a leisurely pace.

The samurai stationed at the gate were no match for Mumei. Before they could even draw their steam rifles or unsheathe their swords, Mumei had already dashed forward.

She swung a punch at the nearest samurai, and the sound of teeth cracking filled the air as her fist connected with his face.

Using the momentum, she swung her right leg in a powerful kick. Even with a blunt weapon, Mumei could easily decapitate a Kabane.

But just as her kick was about to land, the image of Kurumi and the others from Koutetsujou flashed in her mind.

Mumei pulled her knee back slightly, her foot instead slamming into the wall beside the samurai.

She vaulted into the air, driving her knee into the jaw of another samurai, knocking him unconscious instantly. Pulling the sword from his waist—scabbard and all—she swung it heavily toward the two men at the foot of the stairs.

Too weak, too weak, too weak...

Mumei cut through them effortlessly.

She hurled the sword like a boomerang, striking the shoulder of the last samurai in the distance.

From the moment she engaged the first samurai, the entire fight had lasted less than twenty seconds.

Walking calmly toward the lever controlling the drawbridge, Mumei pulled it down with a firm tug, and Iwato Station's drawbridge slowly began to lower.

"Brother said... it's just to let Kokujou inside," she murmured. She hadn't killed any of the samurai, thinking that an explanation would suffice later.

Schlick—

The sound of a blade cutting through flesh and the splatter of blood broke the silence. Mumei turned, horrified, to see Horobi methodically finishing off each samurai.

"How... how could this happen...?"

——

The few samurai guarding the drawbridge stood in shock, wondering who had given permission.

From the other side of the bridge came the loud rumble of motorcycles.

A convoy of Hunters, wearing protective goggles, charged toward Iwato Station. Each motorcycle trailed blood bags that had been deliberately punctured, spraying foul blood in all directions.

Behind the convoy, a horde of Kabane—hundreds strong—followed in pursuit.

"They're leading the Kabane into the city!"

The samurai stationed atop the walls screamed in panic, ringing the alarm bells.

Realizing the danger, Mumei rushed to raise the drawbridge again, but one of the Hunters slashed through the cables, cutting off the bridge's mechanism.

"How... how could this be...?"

Mumei collapsed to the ground in disbelief.

"Don't always listen to what your brother says. Sometimes it's better to see and hear things for yourself."

Kurumi's words echoed in her ears.

She was right.

"Brother... why?"

Slumped on the ground, Mumei looked up at Biba Amatori.

"Wasn't it enough to just let Kokujou pass through Iwato Station?"

Below the city tower, the motorcycle convoy sped across the drawbridge, spraying foul blood along the road, staining everything black and red. Following in their wake were countless Kabane, roaring and surging into the city.

Their burning hearts, countless as stars, filled the air with the oppressive sound of their ravenous growls, all hungering for blood.

Mumei could almost understand the twisted, primal greed that drove these creatures, their minds dominated by sheer instinct.

"Mumei," Biba spoke as he stepped to the edge of the tower, his boots echoing off the stone as he gazed down at the fortress below, supposedly the strongest in the land. "This is retribution—a ten-year retribution for the cowardly, spineless Shogunate."

"Retribution?" Mumei struggled to comprehend, seeing Biba, shrouded in shadow, his melancholic face breaking into a sickly smile. She felt a deep fear stir within her.

Weren't the Hunters supposed to fight against the Kabane? For years, they had bravely battled on the front lines. Why, on the way to Kongoukaku, did it feel like everything had changed?

Brother... wasn't he just trying to return home?

"Mumei." Biba reached out to gently stroke her head, but Mumei recoiled sharply, fearfully avoiding his hand.

Biba didn't seem to mind, lowering his gaze.

The sight of the city, now on the brink of destruction, its blood-soaked ruin blooming like a flower, stirred something within him.

"Look... behold a world freed from its cage." Biba stood proudly by the railing, his pink hair fluttering in the wind stirred by the motorcycles below.

"Now is the time to abandon the stations and fortresses, to dedicate ourselves to the fight."

"Cowards will die out. Only those with strength can survive."

"Mumei."

"This... is the fair and just world we seek."

——

"Fair... and just?"

Mumei clutched the railing, watching as the Kabane reached the gates, their greedy arms flailing as they overwhelmed the two samurai guarding the drawbridge, consuming them in a tidal wave of death.

"No... this isn't right!" Mumei shouted, defying Biba's words before leaping into the horde.

Thud, thud, thud...

Horobi walked up slowly, standing beside Biba. She gazed at Mumei's retreating figure with a look that was both tender and sorrowful, yet resolute and unwavering.

"It's because of Mumei's stance, isn't it, that you used me first?" Her deep orange eyes were filled with longing and affection for Biba.

"Will I die today?"

Biba didn't answer.

——

The situation at the city gate had completely spiraled out of control. From the station's high slope, it was clear that the drawbridge had been forcibly lowered, allowing the Kabane and the motorcycle convoy to charge in.

And with them came the Kabane.

Lord Maeda's face turned pale as he paced anxiously.

Squads of samurai rushed out of the main castle, fully armed, hurrying towards the gate.

Once Kabane infiltrated a city, they would spread and multiply, creating an endless cycle of infection that was almost impossible to escape from.

But the situation at the gate had already collapsed. Otherwise, the drawbridge wouldn't have been opened.

Maeda could only pray that the situation could still be salvaged.

If Iwato Station, the last line of defense before Kongoukaku, were to fall, it would be a catastrophe for the entire country.

Hoooonk—

The long whistle of Kokujou's steam horn echoed from outside the city, sinking Maeda's heart even further.

At this moment, he couldn't help but admire Miss Tokisaki. She stood calmly on the hill, her face ever adorned with that soft, mysterious smile, utterly unshaken.

"Do you believe in miracles?" Kurumi tilted her head slightly, smiling at Maeda, who was pacing like a nervous ant.

"Miracles?" Maeda, standing behind Kurumi, was taken aback. The girl before him stood bathed in sunlight, the brilliant light forming a radiant halo around her, an interplay of extreme light and shadow that made her seem divine.

——

Mumei had leaped into the horde, her scent of fresh blood driving the Kabane into a frenzy. Their claws reached skyward, desperately clawing toward her as she descended.

In mid-air, Mumei's right hand reached for the silk ribbon around her neck, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes brimming with tears.

The mistake she made... she had to correct it herself.

But... she so badly wanted to be embraced by Kurumi again, to watch the fireworks with her once more on that festival night.

With a sharp tug, Mumei ripped off the ribbon from her neck. Even through the thick clouds of dust kicked up by the motorcycles, the Hunters could see her eyes clearly.

Her molten gold eyes glowed like pools of fiery lava.

That overwhelming presence, radiating a sense of solitary authority, gripped at the hearts of everyone, as if an invisible hand had clenched around their chests.

Their reactions were already quite restrained. The Kabane, who had been shrieking and charging forward, all collapsed to the ground, bowing in a pose reminiscent of a retainer's submission before their lord.

——

Directly above Mumei, Biba and Horobi stood at the very heart of this oppressive, soul-crushing domain. Horobi had already fallen to her knees, her arms braced against the ground as cold sweat poured from her body, soaking through her thin clothes.

Biba fared little better, struggling to remain standing. Beads of blood oozed from his handsome face, but he would not kneel—not now, not ever. No one could make him kneel again, not even his father.

——

Mumei's blazing gold eyes swept over the Kabane. The terror that gripped them caused the creatures to thrash wildly, yet the more they struggled, the more they were crushed under the invisible force.

In Mumei's eyes, the colors of the world had vanished, replaced by twisted shades of black and red, smeared with hatred.

Unlike last time, however, this time the world lacked that radiant, dazzling figure that once stood tall like a blooming spider lily.

"Die!" Mumei's lips barely moved as she issued the ultimate command of a monarch to her lowly subjects.

"I wish... I could see the fireworks one more time."

The immense power radiated outward from Mumei, centering on her. The entire field was enveloped, the dust swirling in the air forced down, leaving the space eerily still.

Bang, bang, bang, bang—

The Kabane, still groveling on the ground, had their glowing hearts burst open one by one, blood spraying into the air like fireworks, a series of explosions that finally died down.

——

Up on the city tower, Biba and Horobi both felt an overwhelming urge to end their lives then and there. The command had been absolute, beyond refusal.

Horobi, clutching her kunai, was trembling as she prepared to plunge it into her heart, but Biba intervened, delivering a swift chop to the back of her neck.

"Goodbye," Horobi whispered, her voice filled with sorrow and lingering affection for Biba.

——

Finally, Biba dropped to one knee, pulling out a crimson vial and injecting it into Horobi's chest.

"May you reap the fruits of karma in your next life."

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