The Chase through the Marsh: A Foul Play
The village was small, but the streets were bustling with activity. Children ran around, playing tag, while vendors shouted out their wares from small stands. The smell of cooking food wafted through the air, making Uvogin's mouth water.
As they walked, Feitan approached them from the opposite direction. He greeted them with a nod and his usual cold stare.
"Any news?" Uvogin asked, eager to hear any updates on their quarry.
Feitan nodded. "I have some information about the boys. They normally train on a plain in a nearby mountain west from here. One of them is 12 and blind, the other 7 with dark hair. The villager I tortured said he can make a katana appear out of thin air."
Nobunaga frowned. "Interesting. So he's a young conjurer?"
Feitan shrugged. "Seems like it. Maybe it appeared out of his desire."
Uvogin held up a hand, "Hold on, we haven't even left the village yet. There's still time."
Feitan shrugged. "I figured you guys would be busy with other matters."
Nobunaga crossed his arms,
"What's the matter? We're here to capture those boys, nothing else."
Feitan raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Because it seemed like you were more interested in the local tavern than finding them."
Uvogin let out a chuckle, "Alright, alright, we get it. We'll leave now and start tracking them. Thanks for the information, Feitan."
Feitan nodded, "Just doing my duty. Good luck."
Uvogin and Nobunaga turned and quickly made their way out of the village, their minds now focused on the task at hand.
As they walked, Nobunaga couldn't help but express his amazement at the boy's ability to conjure a sword out of thin air. "So a natural conjurer, *sigh*".
Uvogin shook his head and said, "Yeah, pretty impressive. But don't let that distract you."
"You are the one to say it!?"
Nobunaga raised his eyebrows at his friend's unsual demeanor and added, "Right, we can't underestimate them. That kind of talent may very well curse us as".
Feitan's warning echoed in their minds. The thought of a post-mortem nen ability sent shivers down their spines, knowing the devastation it could cause in the hands of a nen genius.
Uvogin took the lead, sniffing the air for any trace of the boys' scent.
As the sun began to set, Uvogin and Nobunaga arrived at the grassy fields. They looked around, searching for any sign of the boys they were sent to find. Suddenly, Nobunaga noticed a beaten tree and approached it.
"Pretty impressive," he commented. "Uvogin, which one of the boys made those marks?"
Uvogin came closer and examined the tree. "Ha, it looks like a child struck the tree; that Kurta clan native was blind, so it was probably the outsider."
Uvogin suddenly encased himself in a transparent substance, causing faint mirages to appear in the air. A white aura silently blazed as the light split slightly.
Uvogin took a deep sniff before pointing in the direction they were going, his broad animalistic grin on his face.
"Ha, those fellas are pretty unlucky to meet us," Nobunaga said with a chuckle.
Uvogin nodded in agreement. "Let's go show them what we have in store for them," he replied, excitement in his voice.
When they pursued the youngsters, Uvogin and Nobunaga came to a humid woodland, the air laden with dampness and the sound of chirping insects. The sun was lowering swiftly, creating an orange glow through the woods.
"Hmm, their scent separated; I guess they traveled in two directions," Uvogin observed while sniffing the air. Nobunaga examined the trees around him. "It's odd; why would they break up? Maybe the elder one wants to make a sacrifice? "He proposed.
The tracks spread into two small pairs, and based on them, Uvogin could determine that right one belonged to the older boy. "Something's fishy".
Nobunaga said as he compared the depth of the traces to those discovered before.
"Maybe they backtracked in order to fool us."
"But, if that's the case, why can't I smell anything?" Uvogin inquired. "Hmm...I believed the harsh fragrance was from the resin, but what if they camouflaged their scent with some type of herb?"
Nobunaga then executed a leap, launching himself high into the air and effortlessly landed on the branches, traversing them as though on solid ground. "You were correct, pal, there are little footprints too large to be of a squirrel; what a cunning bastard, they almost had us," he chuckled.
"All right, I'll take the ground," Uvogin said as he began to run, causing the earth to tremor slightly. They separated.
The forest became deeper and darker as they pursued the lads, and the sounds of the jungle became more spooky. Yet Uvogin and Nobunaga remained unfazed, intent on finding and decapitating the Kurta clan native, a genuinely valuable specimen.
The murky waters thickened as they followed the footprints farther into the marsh, and the muck pulled at their feet with each step. The air became thick and humid, and insects swarmed around them nonstop. Nobunaga squinted, searching the landscape for signs of their pursuers. "I can't believe they got this far without intentionally employing nen; maybe he's even better than we thought," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Uvogin grunted in agreement, sniffing the air. Suddenly, he stiffened, his nostrils flaring. "I smell them again," he growled, his eyes narrowing. "They hopped into the mud, clever bastards!"
Nobunaga followed his partner's lead, hopping onto the surface of the mud and moving quickly on top of it.
"What a show-off," Uvogin muttered as he followed suit, shaking his head.
"You don't have any right to judge," Nobunaga retorted, checking the borders for any sign of their prey.
Nobunaga's eyes were drawn to a clean, white sanded edge as they sought. "I think I discovered something," he stated as he motioned for Uvogin to approach. As they arrived, they discovered a tiny sack on the ground.
"What do you believe it is?" Nobunaga inquired, his gaze drawn to the sack. "Too little for a bomb; perhaps poison?"
Uvogin shrugged. "Who knows? Let's open it and find out." He ripped the sack apart, and a horrible odor hit their noses. "Ugh!" they both cried out, coughing and gagging as the pungent smell overwhelmed them. Their eyes watered as they tried to catch their breath.
Uvogin fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He let out a deafening roar, startling the birds in the surrounding trees. His whole body trembled with anger, and he looked like a wild animal ready to attack.
"I will kill the son of a bitch that did this!" Uvogin roared, his voice strained.
Nobunaga's face twisted in disgust as he struggled to breathe. "What the hell is that smell?" he asked, his voice strained.
Uvogin waved his hand in front of his face, trying to disperse the odor. "I don't know, but it's even smellier than Meteor City," he replied, his eyes tearing up.
Nobunaga wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That's saying something," he muttered.
Nobunaga gagged, covered his nose and mouth with his kamishimo, trying to block out the stench.
Uvogin nodded, his face contorted in disgust. "Agreed. Let's move before we suffocate."
Nobunaga stumbled back, his hand covering his nose and mouth. He felt his stomach churning and bile rising in his throat. He tried to take a deep breath, but the smell was too overpowering, and he started coughing uncontrollably.
Nobunaga tried to calm him down. "Hey, hey, calm down. Don't let them get you."
Uvogin took a few deep breaths, trying to regain his composure. "You're right," he said, his voice still hoarse. "Let's keep moving."
As they made their way deeper into the marsh, the smell of the sack still lingering in their noses, Uvogin and Nobunaga remained on high alert, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of their prey. The ground beneath them became increasingly unstable, and they had to be careful not to get stuck in the mud.
Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound coming from a nearby cluster of trees. They quickly drew their weapons and approached cautiously, ready to strike.
As they neared the trees, they saw movement out of the corner of their eyes. Uvogin charged forward, his fists raised and ready to strike.
But as he reached the trees, he saw that it was just a small animal, a rabbit that had been startled by their approach. He let out a chuckle, shaking his head in amusement.
Nobunaga rolled his eyes, "You're such an idiot sometimes," he said, sheathing his katana.
Uvogin grinned, "Hey, I thought it was one of the kids," he replied, his tone light-hearted.
They continued to move through the marsh, their senses on high alert. The sun had set by now, and the darkness was closing in around them. The sound of crickets and other insects filled the air, adding to the eerie atmosphere.