Whoosh—
The wind howled. The blade in Kazama Ruri's hand tore through the air like a crimson blood moon, reflecting off Genji Asahi's shocked face—he didn't even have time to react.
Kazama Ruri's speed completely surpassed Genji Asahi's imagination. As the enforcer painstakingly raised by Herzog with the title of "King General," Ruri's perfection far outstripped Asahi's own strength as the Shadow Emperor.
His hand instinctively lifted his sword, Spider-Cutter, to block, but it was pointless. Asahi remembered what Watanabe Tsuna had said: activating a Command Seal could forcefully recall a Servant back to the Master's side in emergencies. But the distance was too close. Kazama Ruri had given him no chance to use it.
This younger brother—no, this demon—his eyes were filled with nothing but killing intent and hatred. This was no mere man; he was a demon born from years of resentment and blood feud.
Asahi's thoughts flashed by in that instant. Facing death, he suddenly thought of his Servant, Watanabe Tsuna.
Tsuna was finally confronting his thousand-year-old nemesis, Ibaraki-dōji. Would he be able to defeat him, just like in the Heian era? As for himself—he was about to die by a demon's blade.
So this is why I summoned Watanabe Tsuna… Asahi realized bitterly. Because Tsuna was the same as him—a merciless demon-slayer who buried his emotions deep inside. But unlike him, Tsuna had walked farther on that path. He, on the other hand… not only was he weak, even at the moment of death he still wasted thought on trivialities…
Clang!
At the last moment, Kazama Ruri abruptly pulled his blade back and slashed to the side, intercepting a sword that had been hurled at him with perfect precision. Steel clashed loudly as he deflected it into the air.
The thrown blade was clearly a masterpiece, fit to rest in the sword vaults of the Eight Serpent Families. But right now, it was no more than a hidden weapon in an ambush.
Ruri's expression turned cold. Asahi's heart eased. Both realized the same thing—reinforcements had arrived.
The spinning blade fell neatly into the hand of an old man.
Uesugi Koshi gripped the hilt, another sword already drawn in his other hand. He stepped forward slowly—not attacking, but his calm stance and unmistakable form drew every eye. The Genji brothers recognized it instantly: the orthodox Niten Ichi-ryū of the Sword Saint Miyamoto Musashi.
Ruri's nerves tightened. He didn't know who this old man was or why he interfered, but his strength was terrifying. If Ruri swung again at Asahi, those twin blades would pierce his body with even greater speed and precision.
But the strange thing was the man's identity. Few still practiced Niten Ichi-ryū, and fewer still could wield it well enough to threaten his life.
Then Asahi spoke the truth—"Father!"
What!? Ruri's eyes widened. His brother had called this old man "Father." That meant he was his father too? Impossible. They had grown up in the mountains, never knowing a family visit, never even a word. And yet his brother had secretly found one?
"Hahaha, don't be afraid, son!" Uesugi Koshi strode forward. "No matter what enemy you face, your old man will stand in front of you first!"
"Old man?" Ruri sneered coldly, thinking he had uncovered the truth.
"Brother, after all these years you found fake people to call family. I even heard you adopted a girl named Erii as a sister… Compared to me living alone among demons, you had your false family comforts to live happily, didn't you?"
"Like a turtle who won't leave his warm little mud pit?"
Ruri's laugh carried rage. He realized his brother had lived well without him, surrounding himself with substitutes for family. And hatred burned deeper.
Why! Why did you throw away our bond and raise your sword against me?!
Why do you live well without me, with your fake father and fake sister? Was I so worthless, so easily replaced?!
"…"
Asahi had no answer. To him, his real younger brother had died years ago. Since the murders in Kakutori Town, he should have known—Ruri's body had been taken by the awakened demon.
Ruri mistook his silence as agreement, laughing louder, his rage echoing down the empty corridor.
"Wait! Son, your opponent is your own younger brother? You never told me! I had no idea you had a brother!"
Koshi was shocked. In the moonlight, he saw it—Ruri's face was nearly identical to Asahi's.
Asahi sighed. "Yes, Father. I did have a brother I grew up with, named Ruri. But he—"
"Ruri!" Koshi's voice jumped an octave. The old man didn't even wait for the explanation, rushing forward in excitement.
Hahaha, another son! What fortune!
"!?"
Ruri faltered. What was this old man doing, grinning obscenely as he rushed over? Some kind of perverted freak? He tensed, gripping his blade tight. The old man was disgusting—but also terrifyingly strong. He couldn't lower his guard.
Suddenly, his eyes widened. Koshi threw away his swords and ran at him with arms wide open.
Ruri smirked coldly. Fool. To abandon your weapons… Then he too stepped forward, unleashing a fierce downward strike.
But at the last instant, Koshi moved like a true master of kenjutsu. He perfectly read the strike's path, lunged inside, and clamped Ruri's arm in his massive grip. The sword stopped dead.
Ruri was stunned.
Asahi too stared in disbelief.
That was Yagyū Shinkage-ryū's "Mutō-dori" (Disarming an armed opponent empty-handed)! Koshi didn't just know Niten Ichi-ryū—he had mastered multiple schools beyond their imagination!
Effortlessly controlling the blade, Koshi wrenched the crimson sword away and tossed it aside. Then, with overwhelming strength, he wrapped Ruri in a crushing bear hug.
The demon froze. Koshi might have worn a priest's robe, but beneath it was the heavy stench of pork broth and green onions—assaulting Ruri's senses. What the hell was this man's real job?
"Let me go!" Ruri lost composure. He was being squeezed breathless, nostrils filled with greasy ramen stench. "Shameless old man, let me go!"
"Hey! Son, don't be shy. With your old man here, no one can hurt you!"
Ruri struggled harder. "I'm worried about you hurting me! Brother, why are you just standing there watching?! You drag in some old freak to restrain me but don't have the guts to face me yourself?!"
"Ruri, you're wrong," Koshi scolded. "You brothers should love each other as family! Even with grudges, you can sit down, talk it through, and reconcile. Fighting with real swords only brings regret you can't undo!"
"Shut up, shameless old man! What do you know?!"
Ruri roared, nearly mad. "Do you understand the life I've carried until now?!"
"I do! I understand too well!" Koshi nodded gravely. "Youth's passions burn hot like oil on fire. But after time passes, what truly matters is finding someone to live peacefully with for life…"
Then his eyes brightened. "By the way, Ruri—do you have someone you like? Tell me. If not, then think about the first woman who comes to mind when I say that. Your old man can give you advice!"
The old man shamelessly turned the mood, dragging the fight into his favorite subject: romance. In this, he had endless confidence as a parent.
"Someone…" Ruri's struggles weakened. Blankly, he repeated the word.
And strangely, he thought of Sakurai Komure—the girl who had defected from her family to join him, quietly running his affairs in the Pleasure Hall. She had never confessed anything, nor had he treated her tenderly. Yet…
At the same moment, Asahi thought of someone similar—Yabuki Sakura.
"You see? You do have someone!" Koshi winked knowingly. "So why fight? With a shared topic, you can sit down, talk it through. No need to wallow in hatred."
"…"
"Asahi, you heard that? Ruri has someone he likes. Then you'd better work hard too! In fact, bring her over, let me meet her and judge for myself!"
He slapped Ruri's back heartily. "Son, you wouldn't want to lose her and see her fall into another man's arms, would you?"
Ruri's eyes bulged. Shameless old bastard! Did he just declare NTR in front of everyone?!
Koshi's face reddened. Maybe he had gotten carried away. That line belonged in adult films, not real life. He really needed to stop watching so many of those…
He suddenly felt Ruri's body tremble, the demon muttering strange syllables—activating his kotodama (mystic word-spell). Koshi cursed inwardly. He had gone too far.
So, instinctively, he chopped the back of Ruri's head.
Bang!
Ruri collapsed unconscious, unwilling, falling into the greasy, onion-scented embrace.
(End of Chapter)
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