???
"Divine Dogs!" With a hand sign, two wolf-like creatures emerge from my darkness's shadow.
Once they appeared, I summoned two Toads and ordered them to fight. With this, their battle experience would grow.
Deep in the grass, a black sludge starts to take the physical form of a large toad with body marks.
The Toads stand still as the Divine Dogs jump and claw the Toads. However, at the last moment, the Toad jumped back and disappeared into my shadow like a coward.
With my final Toad, I ordered Divine Dogs to return to my shadow.
Once they were gone, I told the Toad something, "Spar with me. Make sure not to kill me or anything."
It only blinked without answering me. In response, I pulled a dagger from my shadow space and charged at Toad.
Once I was close enough, I swung downwards at the head, but Toad just jumped forward with an insane speed.
It hit me straight in the chest and launched me backwards into a tree. I felt the air in my lungs gone as I breathe irregularly.
While I was trying to gain my bearings, Toad sitting still from about twenty meters away.
I felt so frustrated with being beat by Toad that I used a hand sign and summoned a shikigami to fight.
"Nue! Kill that damn thing!" I order while crossing my hands together.
From under me, a large bird flies up and starts flapping its wings. I heard a few sparks and saw some light before a massive torrent of thunder slammed down on Toad. It just stood still and took the attack.
After the strike of thunder, Toad just fell over with blood leaving its eyes. I sensed it dying and a new space opening in my Ten Shadows. I felt like I made a mistake in killing one of my summons.
In the past, even Toads were difficult to subjugate without father's help. I can't even remember how difficult it was to get Nue... Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so upset. Well, as long as I impressed her, it won't matter.
Calling out to her, I ask, "Did you like that performance? I think there was some improvement in Nue."
I look behind me and see a face of melancholy on a woman with golden hair. She was sitting on a rock in deep thought. Although her face looked young, she was actually my mother whom I spent many days searching for after the village's destruction.
I walk over and pull her sleeve to grab her attention. She barely notices until I pull harder.
"Oh, apologies Yoshiro. I was just thinking about something." Mother tells me this while forcing a smile for me.
It breaks my heart, but after father died, she seemed so unmotivated in everything. All she thinks about are things other than what I show her.
I understand father died, but there was nothing that could be done. We should move on. If anything, it's the duty of the dead to not interfere with the living. I can still understand why mother isn't focused.
But for some reason, it makes me more angry that she won't pay attention to me. Was father really that important? He could only last a few seconds against that monster... I'm trying hard to avenge him, yet you won't even look at me because of that man? That... failure of a village guardian!
I know I shouldn't be feeling this, but for some reason it's all I can think about... Why did father give me such a look of disappointment? He should have become strong enough to protect us! Now he leaves that duty on me? If it weren't for that mysterious woman, I would be dead! Who needs father?!
All you need is me, mother. Stop thinking about that man!
However, I will continue acting innocent and compliant. For your sake...
"Mother, can we go to the market and get some berries?" I ask her to draw her focus elsewhere.
She just stands up from large rock and answers, "Alright, my sweet little Yoshi. I still have leftover Wadokaichin coin from my work in that town. Let's grab berries for lunch like you say."
I help her up and smile when I hear her talking again.
It makes me so happy to see you standing mother. I can't wait to spend the day with you. You smell so nice today... We should make sure to buy more flowers to make your beauty even greater. Yes, just us! No thoughts of father. Hehe.
Ah, I'm getting carried away again.
I'll only slack off because of this chance to spend the day with mother, I swear.
"Don't worry mother! If something bad happens, I can protect you." I smile and grab her hand forcibly to follow me.
For a moment, I could almost sense something strange surrounding mother which caused me to let go.
She just smiles and put tabi on her feet. I peaked for a moment and could swear I saw my hand's shadow flickering. However, I didn't see anything wrong once I checked, so I decided to stop peaking on mother.
I breathe in slowly and start to pack our supplies. The sun was just finished rising, so we had lots of time to train at another time.
...
???
"Hello, it is nice to meet you. My name is Dadros, a member of the Five Empty Generals. You might not have heard, but we are a group of foreigners who serve under the Fujiwara Clan beside the Sun, Moon, and Stars Squad. Unlike the north of Heian-Kyo, we tend to operate outside of Japan." A hazy voice tells me.
I blink and adjust to the dark room until I see an adult man with strong stature. Quickly I realize my body is chained and my emerald hair was braided for an unknown reason.
My voice is surprisingly dry and my body can barely move.
I try to form words with my mouth, "Where... t-this?"
The man named Dadros pulls out a flask of water and pours it down my throat. He smiles and closes the flask once I've had every drop down my throat.
"Try speaking again."
He tells me this, to which I reply, "Thank you for your kindness, but where are we and what am I doing here?"
"Unlike my rivaling squad, the Five Empty Generals consist of the top five sorcerers of the Fujiwara. Just the strength of one of use can rival three Special Grade Cursed Spirits. While we usually operate outside Japan like I said previously, our leader has found a woman's technique who can potentially create endless cursed spirits using her body." Dadros grabs a piece of bread and gives it to me.
I bite it and ask, "So what does that have to do with me? Also, you didn't answer the question of where I am being chained."
His face becomes sad as he looks at the ground. His black bangs fell over his face, so he pushed them up and gave me a smile. I almost forgot the position of the man after just a few moments of his innocent attitude.
"Apologies Livia-san, but I can't disclose this location. However, you are being sealed in order to investigate the strange phenomenon inside your body. If I may ask, your body seems to be not fully a cursed spirit, can you explain why this is so?" Dadros tells me this, while smiling like normal again.
Is he talking about what Master called the devil inside me? Most likely. I don't know too much myself, except that I am part of a race named devils.
"You may not ask. But since you already did, let me ask something else. Do you know someone named Sagiri?" I ask Dadros.
With widened eyes he answered, "Ah, yes! He was that strange First Grade Cursed Spirit who was killed by Etsu. Right, Etsu is an above average member of Sun, Moon, and Stars Squad. I think his technique was related to a snake or insect shikigami. Feel free to ask me more questions, I don't mind. We will be together for some time."
It seemed that I was trapped with no way out, and based on his attitude it would be a while. Although I can still feel a strange energy jamming my connection to Master, it still can't stop the fact that I still sense the presence of him inside me... Master, inside me... Oh, I mustn't think of such dirty things at this time.
I can't gather cursed energy and my body is too heavy to move. It seems that I must wait for Master to save me while gathering information of this unknown place. This might even help me get closer to Master if the information I gather is good enough!
Let me think, it seems that the Fujiwara indeed have a rumored force called Five Empty Generals. But their goals are still unknown and their strength is too difficult to understand precisely.
"Who is the woman you speak of with that technique? Also, tell me your own innate technique while you are at it," I ask him while smirking.
Dadros smiled back to me and responded, "Sure, no problem. The woman is Sugaw-... I mean Gojo Tomoe. She has recently joined our branch Gojo Clan to experiment on her technique further. That's why we planned on learning more about you before attempting to insert you inside. As for my technique, are you sure you wish to know?"
I expected him to not say anything, but to my surprise he began revealing exactly what I asked for. In response to his question, I nod my head in affirmation for him to reveal his technique. This will hopefully help Master in the future. I might even get a generous reward for it. This meant I needed to know more.
He picked up a stick from the ground and golden coin from his pocket and brought it to my face.
Dadros then explained, "I call my technique 'Missy Tune.' First, what do you think is the probability of me flipping this coin and it landing on heads at the top of the stick? My guess would be 10%. Now what's the chance of it beginning to thunder right now?"
That's quite something. Landing a coin on a stick's surface area would be difficult, but he might be skilled enough. So 20% and then cut in half for it landing on heads.
"Since were inside some kind of cave and there is no thunder outside, it's probably impossible for thunder to start randomly." I tell him and expect a disappointed look.
However, he just smirks and watch him flip the coin in the air. It spins a few times before dropping on the stick he was holding. I want to look, but he just brings the stick closer and I see that it did indeed land on heads!
I wanted to say something to Dadros for the show, but a moment later something unexpected happened. Loud cracking of lighting from outside startled me. It really did start thundering!
"Ha, you look surprised. Simply put, Missy Tune allows me to transfer the probability of potential misfortune I cause to something I can't cause. For example, I flipped a coin and the probability of failure was 90%, but I took that and made it 0% by transferring that potential misfortune into the chance of it being sunny without a storm in a minute." Dadros throws the stick away and pockets his coin.
I blink a few times and say, "Amazing. So how long until I get put inside that girl?"
Dadros answered swiftly, "Once we consolidate the six clans and marry Fujiwara no Takafuji to the Gojo, we can begin transplanting curses. I was given the order to begin as early as seven years from now. Until then, please look forward to getting to know me."
Seven years without Master? That's too long... But I'll do it for him! Let's see, 857 + 7 = 864. The math that Master taught me should be accurate enough.
Awww~ I hope Master gives me an amazing reward. If not, I will punish him, hehe.
