They're about one thousand of us, and 9 Bushi. If we work together, we can kill them: none of those samurai are strong enough to last a picosecond against my brother.'
Tento thought, his teeth pressed on his thumb. Considering the facts he knew about Tama-Artists, the Bushi ordering them around are no big deal —if he puts his mind to it, he can kill one. That being said, the problem lay with the aftermath.
'I'll think about it more in the future.'
Cringing slightly, he faces the other direction of the tree he is hiding behind. On the battlefield, Silver Hammer was crudely swinging his weapon with no technique, killing the servals, inciting them to keep a distance from him.
While Ten nods his head in awe, a pleasant voice echoes in his ears from above.
Meow...
Ten's face stretches in a homely visage. Shaking his head, he steps back a few inches, locking his gaze at the giraffe cat.
'I thought I was the only one who can use my skin tone to blend with trees.'
Shrugging his thoughts, he clasps the handle of his tanto.
"Are you hungry? I'm all crust and sticks, there is nothing for you to eat."
Growl...
Ten's eyes dropped, his mien taking a dark weave. Pulling out the tanto, he cracks his head, continuing to move back from the tree.
'I'ld run, but that would blow my cover to the Bushi. Going to the forest, means I might face that heart eater.'
—I need to take care of this cat with a long neck! Argh! So ugly!
Playing nonchalant, Ten points his blade at the cat preparing to jump. He wanted to throw an insult to stimulate the profound beast, but that idea drifted away from him the second after.
Taking out the top of his jinbei, he flutters it in the air, smirking:
"Here, kitty, kitty..."
Wrawl...
The serval jumped to the ground. To its demise, however, Tento threw his top, obscuring its vision. Meanwhile, Ten ignores the harsh wind slicing his back, stabbing the giraffe cat several times with a cold apprehension.
After a minute, the young man drops to the ground, painting, sweating and exhausted.
'Tired already? What would happen to me if that beast from yesterday comes?'
Suddenly, a kimono lands on his head, pulling him out of his depression.
"Your fish bones are disgusting to look at."
Ten frowns, turning to look at the owner of the deep voice. The beige-haired youth, frail —like him—, wearing spotless white scholar robes, armed with a quiver carrying a bow, and nearly 40 arrows. Tento's grimace increases: much to his annoyance, the boy was extremely gorgeous —better than all the girls he has seen.
Nonetheless, Ten sighs, he needed a change of clothes.
Putting on the bright kimono, he listens to the scholar's suggestion.
"You need to change your weapon."
Ten nods, knotting a pink sashi. When holding the tanto, he could feel it resisting him. Gazing at the scholar with constricted eyes, he asks:
"What weapon should I use?"
"There is none around here."
Ten knits his brows, looking at the scholar lazily sitting under the tree's shade. Shaking his head, he relaxes his face.
—What a quizzical fellow.
"Thank you for the kimono."
The scholar smiles, nodding.
"Can I've some water."
Taking the water bottle he had hidden under a bunch of leaves, he hands it the pale-looking scholar without hesitation.
Ignoring the weird stare, he directs his head to Silver Hammer fighting the servals. Observing for a minute, he places his hands on his chin.
"Those giraffe cats are too many for him. If he wants to live, he has to direct some of them to the others."
"That's what he is going to do."
Ten nods at the scholar casual reply, stretching his hand, prompting the pretty boy to blink in a flustered manner.
"Do you need something from me?"
Tento rolls his eyes, turning to look at the shameless scholar.
"If you take the bottle, where will I store water in the future?"
"I see. I see..."
The scholar nods his head several times, pretending to understand. However, in the next second, he sways his head to the side.
"What's a bottle?"
—Pretty funny, huh?
Ten sighs, dejected. Since the scholar had provided him with something to cover his nakedness, he let it slide —he always does. Inclining his head on the ground, he looks at the salivating fruits dancing in the tree.
"Use your arrows to take down those avocados, I'm hungry."
The scholar turns his hazel eyes hidden by his locks to stare at the tree's canopy. Returning his gaze to Ten, he leans further into the tree.
"I thought, since you look like the First Tama-Artist, you don't like avocados."
'Someone noticed the resemblance!'
It's not everyday someone links him to the legendary Villain Rehabilitator!
Wiping his smirk, he snorts:
"If you can't, say so, no one is forcing you, bruh."
A veins pops on the scholar's pretty face as he increases the volume in his voice with valor.
"There is nothing the Main Character can't do!"
"Including stealing from a helpless someone?"
The Main Character smiles mischievously.
"I stole the clothes you're wearing from someone who fainted."
Tento flinched, sitting up straight with murderous eyes.
—Does he want me to get killed?!!!
***
On the battlefield, Lucien moves his claw hammer in a fluid motion, pulverizing two servals. Pressing his thin lips together, he turns around, rushing toward the mortals, using the increase in strength to his advantage. It was a risky thing to do, but it was worth in.
***
In a minute, mayhem descended upon the mortals, giving them a wake-up call to existence. A certain black-haired beauty, in particular, was stuttering about in a panicked manner.
"What do I do? I never fought before."
Growl...
Hearing the unexpected sound, she trembles, flinching backward. Making a right, the grip on her katana somewhat loosened at the sight of three servals fiercely glaring at her.
As her mind went to a turmoil of thoughts, Tsukino's stepped back.
'Didn't I volunteer to come here instead of my brother? Why am I afraid? Didn't I promise myself to be a hero who saves lives?'
—Why am I standing watching everyone die?
Biting her fuller lips till they bleed, the gray-eyed girl tightens the clasp on her kitana. Taking a deep breath, she recalls the moment she killed a Tama-Artist to get here, blindly swinging her katana forward.
Clang!
Her gray eyes snap open to the sight of the giraffe cat biting onto her sword. Turning her head sideways to ask for assistance, Tsukino frowns at the boys rubbernecking at her —she is the world's number one beauty.
'Why are man useless when you need them the most! I'll save myself!'
Using her free hand, she grabs the katana from the boy next to her, swiftly swinging it to stab the beast's forehead.
Thwack—!
Hot, red blood splashes over her navy hakama, and for a second, she felt like throwing up. However, she used the adrenaline rush to frantically charge at the other two servals. The beasts pushed back in fear; using that to her advantage, Tsukino decapitates them with ease.
Proud of her actions, she smiles.
'They are just big cats.'