Chapter 44: The Crucial Item

Facts have proven that when people are driven to their absolute limits, not only do math problems remain unsolved, but the impossible stubbornly remains impossible.

Third round.

The moment the flashbang was thrown, it was sliced open by a razor-sharp spear tip, and with lightning speed, a thrown spear pierced directly through his heart.

By the fourth round, Hyakusuke dropped a smoke bomb at his feet, attempting to use the shroud of smoke to conceal himself, only for a figure to leap high into the air out of nowhere, gripping a samurai sword, and cut him down with a single slash.

Damn it... aren't you the Saint of Spears? Why are you using a sword out of nowhere?

'The Saint of Spears is a martial artist proficient in the spear, but no one ever said he was restricted to using it. As long as conditions permit, he will use a sabre, or fire a matchlock... Besides, when it comes to killing an enemy, if a hoe can do the job, then use a hoe. Why fuss over such details...'

No, no, no, weren't I supposed to be here to learn spearmanship? What does any of this have to do with spearmanship?

...

Phew.

Hyakusuke was exhausted to the bone. He wanted to stand upright and catch his breath, but being drained of every last ounce of strength, he lay like a dead dog, unable even to crawl.

"Lady Lake Master, how many times have I died?"

'46 times... though you seem quite mentally fatigued.'

The Lake Master's tone carried a hint of apology.

'I forgot that you are too weak, and your spiritual energy is likewise feeble. It seems this kind of training should not exceed a hundred times a day... Rest for another quarter of an hour~~ Heh, the dream world has one advantage: its flow of time differs from the outside world. You can take a breather before challenging the Saint of Spears once more.'

As the two conversed, the bloody battlefield of the great war between humans and yōkai froze like the scenery in an old photograph.

Princess Snow Yasha could also control this dreamscape, much like pressing a pause button where all flow ceased.

"No, that's enough."

Hyakusuke gritted his teeth fiercely.

"I've rested long enough."

Where he found the surge of courage within his body, he knew not, but he flipped over and hoisted himself up.

"Even if others call me overly impatient, I want to become stronger as fast as possible."

Precisely because he was acutely aware of his own powerlessness and weakness, he longed to grow strong swiftly.

'Even if you say so, you mustn't push yourself too hard.'

"I know, but I'm also deeply frustrated... Isn't the current Saint of Spears operating at merely one-twentieth of his true form's power? Am I truly unable to block even a single move from him?"

If he couldn't even withstand a casual strike from a Saint of Spears weakened to such an extent, just how pathetic of a small fry was he?

He pressed his lips tightly together and gripped the Seven-Segment Spear in his hand... Even if just once, he had to block a single blow from the Saint of Spears.

'Very well, then continue with your efforts...'

Princess Snow Yasha acknowledged his willpower and restarted the stagnant time. The howling wind, the stench of blood, and the armor-clad samurai approached Hyakusuke like a malevolent deity once more...

...

"I'm dead tired."

Hyakusuke woke up, having died a full seventy times in the dreamscape the previous night.

From beginning to end, the Saint of Spears killed him using essentially just one move, affording him no opportunities to parry or defend.

Moreover, the opponent's methods of dispatching enemies were bizarre and varied, by no means restricted to the "spear" in his hand.

The number of times Hyakusuke was actually pierced by the spear itself was quite low. For the greater part of his deaths, his vital organs were penetrated by stones swept up and accelerated like bullets by the shaft of the spear, or he was struck down by pebbles thrown or kicked by the Saint of Spears, or his skull was crushed and his neck snapped by the butt of the spear.

On one occasion, his thigh was pierced by the spear tip, after which he was hoisted some ten zhang into the air by the longspear and plunged to his death upon falling back down.

He remembered the cause of death in the sixtieth round: while he was retreating at top speed, the Saint of Spears casually picked up a broken blade from the battlefield and hurled it from dozens of zhang away, striking him squarely in the forehead.

Later on, there was also the time the Saint of Spears used the spearhead to scoop up an elephant-sized yōkai corpse from the battlefield, hurl it high into the air, and let it come crashing down with lightning force, crushing him flat.

"What an absolute beast... This Saint of Spears attacks entirely on a whim, without any fixed patterns. Is this guy so immensely powerful that killing someone is merely a matter of mood, or is he simply that accustomed to utilizing the battlefield environment to dispatch foes?"

Hyakusuke sighed.

It was equally possible that against a weakling like him, there was simply no need for any "techniques," and he hadn't yet warranted the Saint of Spears bothering to deploy proper spearmanship.

Rising from bed, he stretched lazily and discovered that the little Baku was fast asleep, hidden inside his sleeve. Being a shikigami born only recently, helping connect him to the Lake Master's mirage last night must have taken a significant toll.

He raised his head to find a clear morning, the first after several dreary days.

"Alright, I can head to Gankō-ji Temple today. Once the grave-sweeping is done, my job will essentially be complete."

...I hope today passes peacefully as well.

Hyakusuke offered a sincere prayer in the depths of his heart.

Shortly after, harboring such a naive notion, he was immediately struck by terrible news.

...

"Wait, hold on... Lord Matsudaira, do you mean to say that our journey to Gankō-ji Temple this time, aside from sweeping the graves, also entails retrieving the two treasured swords entrusted to the abbot of Gankō-ji by the former head of the Tsukayura family?"

"Shh~~ Keep your voice down."

The elderly Matsudaira lowered his voice. He glanced around the surroundings, presumably scanning for any disturbances with spiritual power, and only after releasing a breath did the old man continue his explanation.

"Indeed, those are symbols of authority for successive family heads."

The old man went on: "One of the treasured swords is named Makayō, and the other is the Mizuhina-Magatsui Sword. These two renowned blades form a pair of yin and yang, male and female, and are peerless treasures passed down from the founding family head. We must acquire both of these swords during our trip here."

"However, someone might appear along the way to obstruct us, and the worst-case scenario is that blows may be exchanged."

The aged vassal added by way of clarification.

"No... it might not actually come to blows. I suspect it is very likely to turn into a standoff, and at that time, I hope to have the support of Your Excellency Hyakusuke."

Damn it, this is completely different from the game...

Hyakusuke was naturally aware of these two treasured swords.

Both Makayō and the Mizuhina Sword were A+-grade prized blades. If the protagonist managed to awaken, these peerless weapons could even break through to S-rank. They were also the two items in the game that best suited the protagonist.

Naturally, in the game, you could swap the protagonist out for other powerful gear, but throughout the main storyline and animated CG sequences, the protagonist consistently wielded those two treasured swords.

Furthermore, according to the main plot's design, the protagonist overcame crises relying on these two blades rather than other pieces of equipment favored by players.

'Come to think of it... Tsukayura Yakei hadn't produced these two items earlier either. In the original game, as I recall, after a certain plot segment concludes, Matsudaira Inomaro remarks that the time has ripe and suddenly pulls out the two swords. Could there be a hidden storyline where he sneaks off to Gankō-ji Temple to retrieve the blades in secret?'

He cast a gaze filled with doubt toward the old man.

Game plots were invariably written with judicious omissions; it was impossible to spell out every trivial matter. Yet, because Yakei had undergone a gender swap, certain parts of the story's progression had also shifted—

'The butterfly effect...?'

Hyakusuke licked his dry lips.

"Lord Matsudaira, given my status, I really shouldn't be meddling in this affair. But now that Mount Kurohime and the Tsukayuras have forged an alliance, my abilities may be humble, but should you say the word, I will undoubtedly do my utmost to assist everyone..."

The old Matsudaira gave him a deep look and suddenly broke into a smile.

"Hyakusuke, you had already figured out the true identity of 'Lady Akira', hadn't you?"

"Eh?"

"No need to hide it. I'm merely old, not blind. Besides... even Ayako managed to figure this out; if an old man like me remained oblivious, I would be doing a grave disservice to the former family head."

The elderly Matsudaira spoke in a low rumble.

"Lady Akira is none other than Young Master Yakei... Moving forward, to ensure the plans of Mount Kurohime and the Tsukayura clan proceed smoothly, it is indeed necessary for us to join forces."

He dropped all further pretense and directly stated the secret regarding the contest for succession.

——The eldest daughter of the Yaya clan, the "acting family head" Yaya Tomoe, who commanded the largest remaining faction of the branch houses;

——The "traitor" Kikutsu Iki, who joined the imperial court's faction and became the tenth seat of the Twelve Holy Guardians.

These two were Tsukayura Yakei's rivals.

'This... isn't this the interlude plot of the future Act Three, where Kikutsu Iki and Yaya Tomoe appear, both posing a threat to the protagonist Yakei's position as family head?'

Hyakusuke's mind raced frantically.

Very well, things having reached this point... he could be certain that the original story's pacing appeared to have accelerated.

"Regardless of whether it's accelerated or not, if we want the subsequent plot to stay on track... the two treasured swords, Makayō and the Mizuhina Sword, are crucial key items."

Hyakusuke ultimately arrived at a conclusion.

"If I don't help the protagonist Yakei retrieve these two swords, the probability of hitting a bad game over in the future plot will increase. It seems I must find a way to help her take back these two precious blades."