16. The traitor

I reached the city of Lanoir, this place looks pretty emptier than I expected, gathered information about the location of the forest, it'll take me around four days for me to reach there.

I take a look at one of the scrolls as I keep walking, Garyou Tensei, this skill can only express its power to the fullest during a specific stage of a battle. And I try to practice the moves of it whenever I get to stop during the journey.

As I expected, it took me exactly four days to reach here. Now, something feels off, it was supposed to be the forest that shines in autumn, and it's autumn. It sure was shining from the outside but as I got closer, I felt a shiver down my spine. Not even Terizla could give off such a dark aura.

As I get deeper inside the forest, I hear someone's laugh, it's demonic and terrifying. Did V.E.N.O.M. already come here?

I see someone, he had spiky red hair and was dressed in black, doesn't wear any clothes for upper body and it seems as if his upper body is consumed by a demon, while having weird shoulder pads and arm protection. He looked terrifying and wielded a what seemed to be a giant sword with an evil consciousness of its own and seemed to have a mouth?! He wore a mask of gold, he looked more like a demon than a man.

His appearance fits perfectly to the description of traitor Kagura told me about, so he must be Hanzo.

I walked towards him, as he sees me, he faced his left hand's palm towards a fox which seemed to be passing by, a demonic mouth appeared from the fox's feet, swallowing the fox and disappearing from where it came from.

Was he trying to intimidate me? I tried to maintain my accent and said.

"So you're Hanzo, I suppose."

He seemed to have startled by my question, well that answers it without being answered.

"And who might you be, Artificial shadow? Came to avenge the Akakage?"

Don't know how he knew about my shadow powers, but I still answer.

"Yes, and no. I came here looking for twilight orb."

"Hahhahhahhahhahhah! Interesting, don't worry. I'll make your death as smooth as possible."

His sword with a mouth kind of scares me in a way, but I should be worrying about Hanekage demon. I don't know how is he going to summon that demon in the battlefield.

He gets surrounded by a black smoke, from which comes out a flying object that looks like a demon, similar appearance as hanzo but more hair on its head, its arms are dark red blades and lower body is non-existent, came rushing towards me.

Is this the Hanekage demon?

I unsheathe my swords, but instead of attacking me, he disappeared in front of me and a dark circle appears right below my foot. I cast quad shadow and teleport out of the circle range, just when I teleported out, multiple slashes took place inside the circle.

As the circle disappears, the demon appeared again, coming towards me and attacking me furiously with its blades, I reflect his attack with my swords, while simultaneously clashing blades with each other, the demon disappeared.

the smoke around Hanzo disappeared at the same time, I quickly dash towards him, trying to land few hits on him.

He holds his sword in my path, to my surprise, the mouth in his sword summons a magical hole, which seems to absorb my senses, it was too difficult to keep my consciousness, but I managed to stay standing till it stops.

Took me a few seconds to regain my stability, and I attempt to slash him once again.

He stopped my attack casually with his sword, stopping both of my swords at once

"Is that what the shadow taught you? You disappoint me." says Hanzo as he pushes me back and attempts to do few strikes with his sword.

I dodge them and step back to create distance as he seemed like he's about to summon that demon again.

Just as I expected, he did. But I can't win this fight if we keep continuing like this. A thought appeared in my mind, I can go inside the smoke to see what's happening there, the fact that he's covered in smoke and doesn't appear during the demon is active, means he's completely disabled.

I dash towards his original position, but of course that demon is there to step on my way.

Okay, I shouldn't be hasty here, I'll draw the demon's attention to use that circle skill first.

I step back and started crossing blades with each other, after some time, as expected, the demon disappeared as it forms a circle below my feet.

I know this was my chance to approach him, my body merged with my own shadow, making my physical existence disappear, I rush towards his original position in extreme fast speed and appearing in front of him. The demon seems to be confused of where I went.

I found him, he seems to be immobilized. He floats in air while being in meditating position.

I attempt to land two hits on him, but he never fails to surprise me, the invisible shield starts to appear, it looks like an endless red pillar of protection where Hanzo is inside, with ninja spells written on it.

The demon disappeared and Hanzo is back to his senses.

"You can't kill me, that shield is unbreakable."

Hanzo keeps attacking me, I successfully manage to block all of them, then hanzo casts a trap below my feet, it's causing me pain in an abnormal way, similar to Vexana's curse but instead of darkness flowing in my veins, it's like directly attacking my soul.

I roll out of that area and Hanzo starts laughing, as he summons the demon once again.

The demon moved forward at an extremely fast pace and hit the ground, raising countless spikes from the earth, I managed to dodge all of them with likewise speed then the demon approached me again, just as I was about to strike it, I found myself in a circle of darkness, it was that thing again.

I tried to retreat but he didn't even give me a moment of relief. The demon slashed me from all directions, raging his blades onto me.

Being unable to defend, now I have cut wounds all over my body, slightly bleeding.

The demon disappears and Hanzo appeared in front of me, sword in my left hand dropped, he casts that trap below my feet once again, I move out of the area, holding my sword with both hands while heavily breathing. He constantly attacks me with his sword but I block them as usual, then i step back to create distance.

I raise my sword upwards, I get surrounded by a strong aura, Hanzo seems to be shocked after looking at me.

"This can't be.....how.....how did you....."

A dragon appeared as I attempted to slash Hanzo with all my remaining strength.

There was a huge sound like a lightning struck the earth, Hanzo continues to mumble something.

"Young...kid.... you...are.... amazing....."

Hanzo's last words made me feel bad for finishing him, but at last I got to repay Hayabusa for saving my life.

As he takes his final breath, his sword slowly started to fade away, leaving a scroll on the ground.

It's the shield skill which he used to protect himself.