Irrevocably realizing that only a girl can have this enthralling beauty, some boys cried in their hearts, 'she saw us micturate and discharge!' However, Tsukino didn't care, nor did she dirty her eyes by looking at their embarrassing moments.
Despite being a little flustered, the girl was starting to get used to the situation. No, part of her wanted this to happen. Unlike most boys who have a corrupted mindset thanks to reading 'The Journey of the First Tama-Artist', she is a girl who enjoyed chivalrous tales about women who saved the world on their own.
She turns to look at the moon that was yet to set, her expression somewhat tensing.
'I don't know why it turned pink, but I promise to be the next Moon Shōgun.' — the story, in which, her name is from.
Knotting her shoulder-length, black hair into a bun, the young lady looked at the blue birthmark on her wrist, smiling.
'It's because of this blessing that I don't forget things, from what happened since I was in my mother's womb.'
Using her memory, Tsukino took a stunt from her favorite story, with both swords forming an 'X' on her shoulders. Taking a step forward, she brings the kitanas down in a swift motion, cutting a giraffe cat that was about to sneak attack a helpless teen.
Hot, red blood sprayed to her face, but thinking of it, Tsukino found it better than the stench of unwashed men amalgamated with urine and excreta.
Calm and composed, like everything was under control, Tsukino barbarically swings her kitana to the serval next to her, but it got caught by the beast's teeth.
Clang—!
The beast pulled her using its meager strength, only to be stabbed by the other kitana.
Thwack!
Not knowing what to do with the corpse, Tsukino looks at the culprit who caused this mayhem; and her fuller lips formed an 'O' in amazement.
Lucien in a deep blue samue had beast blood around him. His red hair was a little dishevelled, indicating he had a long way to go. His silver, claw hammer was swinging around more fluently than the last time she saw him, ending the giraffe cats. Wary of his cold, calm gaze, the servals stepped inches from him.
'His name is Lucien Derniere Etoile, right?'
—If he is that strong, why did he sacrifice that boy to surprise attack the cats?
'Why would someone blessed with such strength use it for selfish deeds?'
Tsukino's pupils contract, her suspicion growing. In the past, she had met Lucy when he made a wheelchair for her brother for free. From her assumption, she viewed him as the second most philanthropic being after the mysterious man —with a pink birthmark similar to hers— who liked to help her, but never admits he is the same person.
However, something about Lucien killing the mortals in his swings was making Tsukino dubious about his past intentions.
'Was he benevolent, because his mother was around?'
—Now, that she is gone, he doesn't care about others at all.
'If so, I need to get stronger; beat the kindness back to him.'
—I can't let such strength be used for evil.
Less to her anticipation, entertaining her thoughts made her blind to a serval's attack. At that moment, nonetheless, an arrow whispered through the air, piercing the beast on its forehead.
Thwart.
Looking, her lips pressed into a smile.
'At least someone is not influenced by the First Tama-Artist.'
—I hate that Villain Rehabilitator!
Shrugging, her visage takes a serious turn. Mirroring Lucien's move of kicking the corpses, she throws the dead serval toward a tree, surprising the ones there. Rushing over, Tsukino finishes the beasts in swift moves, leaving a crescent arc of blood in the air.
'Are these beasts weak, or I'm good at this?'
Tsukino thought, he hands on her knees, taking deep breaths. As the number one beauty who makes the top models in the reader's world cough up blood, resting is essential.
After a minute, Tsukino was ready to go for another round when, suddenly, two arrows passed above her head.
Whoosh!! Thwart! The arrows killed the other servals hiding in the tree.
Turning her head, the only person Tsukino could see with a bow was a beige-haired scholar in white robs. To her irritation, however, he took out a shamisen from the dead bodies; started playing a tune while dancing. The mortals cheered, gaining motivation, but the young girl cringed in disgust.
'He is enjoying the blood and violence.'
—What a sick bastard!
"Tch, I can't believe I cursed for the first time."
***
Using the mayhem to his advantage, Tento decided to put serval skin on top of his body —fitted perfectly. Crawling on the ground, he snatched his fallen comrade's belonging; if they were alive, he finished them —such was an act of gratitude, considering how their bodies were transfigured with bite marks... also, he killed the scumbags pretending to be dead.
—This should be enough.
Ten smiled, looking at the sack —the scholar gave him— filled with loot. Swiftly acting, the young man returns to the avocado tree. Cautious, he used a chain he stole to climb the tree, observing from a better ground.
'The Bushi have been gone for 10 minutes; they must be calling a stage 2 profound beast. I'll know of its arrival when these cats run for their lives.'
—Should I help fight it?
'Eh? I love my life.'
***
With everyone focused on their battles, Lucy slips back to rest. Looking at his near invisible injuries, together with the blood stains on his body, his expression remains tepid.
'I knew this was coming; I blame myself for not doing anything to increase my strength in time... No, if I did that who would've looked after Mama?'
He wanted to smile, but a cup of water from the well was on his mouth. After the liquid soothed his patched throat, Lucy heads over to settle on a tree branch, replaying the battle with the servals. Analysing his performance, he slightly bites his lips in frustration.
—Putting the strange ability, of getting stronger after every kill, I don't like, because it might corrupt my mind in the future...
'I'm too reckless. If the cats had a bigger brain, I would've died. I need to find a way to smooth out my moves and make them flow.'
Running through his none-forgetting mind, Lucy recalls something that would make him a better fighter. Before he could draw it into a battle formula, nevertheless, a sudden movement caught his sight. The servals scattered about like wheat on a hard surface.
Unlike the others who rushed to celebrate, Lucien mystic eyes caught on the newcomer, darkening his visage. Further into the forest, a puma, not your regular puma, but a stage 2 profound beast —it's head shaped like a pumpkin; it's front legs, also used as hands, were thick and wooden, like a tree trunk.
Lucien's eyes narrows, in the next second, they relax. Taking a deep breath, he chases away the queasy growing in his chest, looking at a certain scholar storing away a shamisen.
'What personality is he using now?'