Chapter 5

Hyobanshi got back to his feet and looked around the small village sitting inside large concrete walls. Explosions left fire and clouds of smoke and dust everywhere as Hyobanshi quickly unsheathed his sword.

Yasuke was very slowly getting back to his feet while Itachi was laying on the ground and clutching his bandaged head hard.

Hyobanshi turned to his side to see Arata on the ground, so Hyobanshi held his hand out. Arata looked hesitant but took the hand, being lifted off the ground.

“You are a traitor without honor.” Arata said.

The gate suddenly exploded open and sent rubble and samurai warriors flying through the air.

“We can discuss this later.” Hyobanshi said as Arata drew his sword.

Arata was still giving Hyobanshi a dirty look as Yasuke drew his own sword.

Itachi was walking around blindly as the three stood together facing towards the wall.

“Any strategy?” Yasuke asked.

“Don’t die.” Hyobanshi simply replied.

“That’s some great advice from a treacherous piece of…” Arata started.

“Not now.” Yasuke interrupted.

“If you want to fight we will, but first we protect the innocent.” Hyobanshi said.

Arata sighed as he turned back to the gates.

The same turtle creatures were storming through the giant hole in the wall, running on all fours before jumping and taking down innocent civilians, clawing and biting their flesh apart as the screams were interrupted by their souls being forcefully ripped from their bodies.

Hyobanshi, Arata, and Yasuke began to march forward with their swords drawn towards the creatures.

As they walked, a giant bone hand suddenly appeared and grabbed the top of the concrete wall, sending archers and rubble flying. The three men stopped and stared as a massive skull slowly moved up, revealing itself from behind the wall and staring down into the village. Another arm of bones appeared as the creature slowly stood up, revealing a massive skeleton that towered over everything. All three men slowly looked up.

“That’s new.” Hyobanshi said.

“How are we supposed to fight that thing?” Yasuke asked.

“I’ll take care of it. You two get the rest.” Hyobanshi replied before he started to walk again.

Arata and Yasuke shared a glance before Yasuke quickly put on his samurai mask and helmet. Arata cracked his neck as the two ran past Hyobanshi, their swords drawn as they ran to the wreckage.

The turtle creatures were eating the innocent civilians and samurai warriors furiously as Arata and Yasuke slashed their swords, but they ricocheted off of their solid shells, sending sparks flying as the men stumbled back.

Hyobanshi quickly ran towards the wall before it was broken and turned to rubble. Hyobanshi saw the giant skeleton’s hand come down in a fist, crashing multiple buildings at once. Hyobanshi quickly jumped and stabbed his sword into the wrist, but the sword bounced off without leaving a scratch.

Hyobanshi gritted his teeth and slashed his sword again, once again the sword bouncing off. The pinky finger of the giant hand suddenly flicked Hyobanshi and sent him flying into a building, crashing through the wood and paper walls.

“You okay Hyobanshi?” Yasuke shouted as he kept swinging his sword at the turtle creatures, but it bounced off of their unbreakable shells.

“That thing is going to be harder to kill than I thought.” Hyobanshi said as he emerged back through the wall.

One of the creatures ran towards him as Hyobanshi quickly slashed, his sword cutting through the shell with ease before the creature fell over in two pieces.

“You know…this would be a whole lot easier if we had swords like you!” Arata shouted as his sword suddenly shattered against one of the shells. He fell back and stabbed the creature between the eyes with the broken and jagged blade.

“Well, if you survive this, I’ll get you swords just like it.” Hyobanshi said before slashing another one of the creatures.

The giant skeleton lifted its hand into the air, but a massive fireball flew in from nowhere and blasted it in the side of its head.

Arata, Hyobanshi, and Yasuke watched on as the skeleton turned its head. A large lightning bolt shot down from the sky and hit the creature in its eye socket, sending it falling back before catching itself on the ground, creating a large hand shaped crater.

The skeleton’s jaw opened wide and let out a massive wail that sounded like a siren. All of the turtle creatures suddenly stopped and looked before quickly dropping down on all fours, quickly racing back through the holes in the wall and retreating.

Yasuke and Hyobanshi sheathed their swords while Arata looked at his, then dropped it to the ground.

As the three men stood together, multiple human figures seemed to drop down from the sky in front of them. They were all slender with long flowing hair past their shoulders and wearing green, blue, white, and brown kimonos that were tight to their bodies. All of them wore white and black kitsune masks that covered their faces. Their hands were covered by dark brown gloves. The

“Who are you?” Arata asked.

The figures stood in a v shape as the one up front stepped forward.

“We are the practitioners of Kotodama, also known as The Tribe of Kiai.” Her voice was powerful but high pitched as she spoke. The other women behind her all bowed forward.

Yasuke and Arata slowly bowed in response as Hyobanshi stayed standing up, his hand loosely gripping his sword.

“Kotodama?” Hyobanshi asked.

The leading figure subtly bowed, but Hyobanshi still wouldn’t reciprocate.

“Kotodama is the magic of language. We learn the magic in words and use them to…” She started, but Hyobanshi lifted his hand up.

“I am familiar, but I was under the impression it was a myth.” Hyobanshi replied.

“We’ve been fighting monsters and demons and you thought that magic words were a myth?” Yasuke asked.

“I am a skeptical person.” Hyobanshi replied.

“Will you two shut up?” Arata said, sounding annoyed.

“My name is Kiki. I am the leader of The Tribe of Kiai.” She said, bowing again.

“Will you stop with the bowing?” Hyobanshi said.

“Is it because you are a man who knows nothing about honor?” Arata quickly snapped at him.

Hyobanshi turned with angry eyes as Kiki waved her hand around in confusion.

“We must’ve missed a lot. Anyways, we are looking for help to fight these monsters.” Kiki said.

“Funny, we need the same thing.” Yasuke said.

“So we can team together in order to fight these monsters and save the people of Japan.” Kiki said.

“We need weapons that can kill these things.” Arata said, motioning to his broken sword laying on the ground.

“As well as healing our friend over there.” Hyobanshi motioned to Itachi, who was still walking around blindly with his hands out.

“We will give you weapons that can slay any living creature and gift your friend with sight again.” Kiki replied.

Hyobanshi was still loosely gripping the hilt of his sword.

“You can relinquish your grip, we do not wish to fight.” Kiki said.

“Yeah, but I have heard that many times before.” Hyobanshi replied.

“Hyobanshi, loosen up.” Yasuke said.

The Tribe all seemed to be caught off guard before all of the members behind Kiki quickly bowed far enough to make a right angle.

“You are Hyobanshi?” Kiki asked.

Hyobanshi sighed and looked uncomfortable as Kiki proceeded to bow as well.

“We have heard many stories about you.” She said.

“Like what?” Hyobanshi asked.

“That you are the warrior who could battle an entire army, leaving without any harm to yourself.” She quickly said.

“Physically that would be correct. But something they never mention is the harm it left on me mentally.” Hyobanshi said.

“Is that your excuse for killing our Emperor?” Arata said with rage filling his voice.

“The Emperor is dead?” Kiki asked as all of the women slowly stood back up.

“Yes, and the so-called legendary hero is the one who killed him.” Arata stepped closer and stared intensly into Hyobanshi’s eyes.

Kiki quickly turned to stare at Hyobanshi, her shocked expression visible even through her mask.

“Your Emperor was just as evil as the monsters we are hunting.” Hyobanshi replied with a stoic face once again.

Arata and Hyobanshi were still standing face to face as the others stood in silence for a few seconds.

“We must find a place to rest and come up with a plan.” Kiki said.

“Fine.” Hyobanshi and Arata said at the same time.

Two of the women walked over and softly grabbed Itachi, leading him over as the large group left the village, walking through the destroyed hole in the wall.

Once they were all through, Kiki turned and began to speak a language that none of the men understood.

After she spoke, all of the rubble began to float in the air and moved back in place, leaving the wall to look as good as new.

Arata and Yasuke had shocked expressions while Hyobanshi just stood with crossed arms.

Kiki turned around.

“Now, let’s go.” Kiki said.

The group began to walk away from the kingdom, all of the horses that had been sitting outside nothing but piles of bone and ripped flesh.

As they walked, Arata was giving Hyobanshi a dirty side eye. Hyobanshi walked, staring with his always stoic face. Yasuke was slowly looking around as he walked, keeping track of his surroundings. Itachi was being guided by two of the masked women. The other women walked gracefully in a circle that surrounded the others, Kiki in front leading the group.

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