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Chapter 469: Versus Yami
Chapter 469: Versus Yami
Chapter 469: Versus Yami
"Are you really not planning to do anything?" drawled Hyogo as he tried to stab Kenichi, who parried it with his gauntlet, "Our masters ordered us to eliminate them all. I'm sure as Kushinada's disciple, you'd obey that order, right?"
Chikage slowly nodded as she began to step forward, her eyes rather dim as her Ki began to leak out her body.
Back at the master's fighting ground, Mihai was cackling as he was engaged in guerilla tactics, attempting to slash at his opponents while their attention was focused on others. Hongo was rather displeased at this tactic but chose to remain silent for a while.
While Yami did slightly outnumber the invaders, Ryozanpaku and the others managed to find breathing space. However, they were slowly being pushed back, due to Kushinada ruthlessly attacking and capable of subduing at least two of them at once.
"Still, something feels off," hummed Mihai, "Though they added more numbers, why didn't they put everything in this force? They should still have some more."
At that moment, both Hongo and Mihai realized that the invasion had been a diversion, and quickly turned around, heading back to base.
The vanguard force wanted to stop them but was unable to when Mildred managed to pull out a backup bow from somewhere and was now peppering them with arrows after littering a good chunk of the battlefield with arrows that she had pulled out from somewhere, probably the same location from her backup bow. It was more difficult as she was aiming at their weak spots in their defense, and could manipulate the arrow to change directions mid-flight.
Shiba had 'conventionally' disappeared, allowing Yami to think Shiba had ditched the group, either fleeing or chasing after One Shadow. Having one man disappear just made it easier for them to annihilate the rest, so they didn't pursue.
"Shiba!" growled Akisame in anger, making Yami buy the act.
They already guessed. that Shiba would go for Senzui and decided to accept the fact even if it put much pressure on them. Shizuha was in fact there as well along with Rukia but they were busy dealing with 4 Grandmasters on their own.
Kushinada was gently walking on the nocks of the arrows with her toe, floating around like a fairy when she approached Kagero, dodging his slashes with his hoe.
"Kagero I've enjoyed watching you wield the power to plow the earth from a man of darkness, but your time of demise is upon you," declared Kushinada, "It's time for you to truly become one with it."
Kushinada used her Ki and speed to create duplicates of herself, confusing Kagero for a moment before he used Usuba Kagero to attack whom he thought was the real Kushinada, only to find her suddenly standing behind him. He turned around in time just to see her hand rushing towards his chest.
Kushinada-ryu Chichunage (Underground Throw)
Kushinada slammed Kagero into the ground, burying his whole body into it from a 'simple' push.
"May you rot away in the earth you so loved," said Kushinada as she stood back up, with Kagero's hoe coincidentally standing up from the ground like a gravestone, "Now then. It's time to eliminate them all. Defeat is not an option."
Danki saw Kushinada reaching out for him from behind while he was blocking an attack from Raki, and quickly dodged, only to get an arrow to the arm from Mildred.
Akisame rushed towards Kushinada, his palm striking Kushinada's back with such force that it created a shockwave. Akisame, however, realized he had failed to actually land a palm strike, and that Kushinada's hands had grabbed his wrist from behind her back and stopped it, even in such an awkward position.
"When you Katsujinken come together, you certainly show your worth. However, when you defend your allies, your hearts lose focus and show weakness," said Kushinada calmly.
Akisame realized he had been baited into a trap as Mildred nocked 8 arrows at once and fired them all at him simultaneously.
Akisame caught two aimed for his eyes as he used the rest of his arms to protect his vitals. However, three of the arrows were intercepted by Shigure, who grabbed three arrows from the ground, and with a small bow she had somehow hidden, fired them all.
"You left yourself open!" shouted Rin as he slashed at Shigure, who managed to barely dodge his attack, though it shredded her kimono, letting her chest jiggle in her chainmail as she jumped back.
A shield, or more specifically Marmaduke's shield, flew across the battlefield, courtesy of Taiki wrenching out of her grip and throwing it across. The shield blocked another three of the arrows, leaving only one to slip by, which Sakaki blocked with his arm.
"Sakaki, are you alright?" asked Akisame as he quickly pulled out the arrow.
"Bah, it's just like Ma's acupuncture needles. Just made me stronger," growled Sakaki while Kensei yelled out in outrage at that insult.
Regardless, though, Kushinada's presence was a major threat that they could barely handle. Her abilities to swiftly change targets left them helpless as they were being heavily pushed back. All while Senzui was monitoring the situation, noting the other countries were still panicking and not providing aid at all, pointing fingers at each other.
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While Mildred was happily shooting at the vanguard strike force while moving closer, she began to hear someone singing right below her. Mildred realized that in her eagerness to get a little closer, she had stepped right over what was supposed to be Kagero's grave, only to find him still alive, and she was giving him an unobstructed view of her groin.
Whether Kushinada had underestimated Kagero's body, or had gone slightly easy on him based on their past relationship was unknown.
"I can hear the earthworms and crickets cheering me on," sang Kagero, "Do your best!~~ Do your best! Defeat the person who's stabbing the earth with her arrows!~~ Chirp Chirp!"
"Die already!" growled Mildred as she quickly pulled an arrow out and aimed down at Kagero, only for him to easily dodge as well as lift himself out of the ground.
"This is it! The power of the earth shines on me!"
Hidden Sword Technique: Otogoe no Tenchi Gaeshi (Supersonic Heaven and Earth Reversal)
Kagero instantly began to plow the earth, destroying the countless arrows Mildred had set up as he continued to plow the earth around him in a spiral formation, destroying Mildred's ammunition.
"Stop plowing through my arrow field!" shouted Mildred in anger as she quickly drew out multiple arrows.
Double Pupil Bow, Writhing Hedgehog
Eighteen arrows flew towards Kagero, who seemed to ignore them in favor of plowing the field.
Suddenly, Kagero felt like he heard a familiar voice calling out to him. Like a lover he had always carried. The sound of a sword.
"Uni head, catch!" shouted Shigure as she suddenly tossed the package she had been carrying the whole time. The package unraveled as it flew in the air to reveal a katana.
More specifically, Kagero's beloved Setsunmaru.
Kagero instantly caught the tsuka with his left hand, relishing the feeling of his beloved katana for a second before it blurred. The katana seemed to sing with Kagero as he used it to cut the arrows aimed at him.
Kagero seemed to be in a slight dilemma about being reunited with his 'old lover' while wielding his 'new lover' before realizing that he had two hands.
"With my right hand, I will plow the earth, and with my left, I will defend those who wish to harm it!" declared Kagero as he began to plow the earth with his hoe on his right hand even faster, using his katana on his left to defend himself from attacks. He only stopped when Seitaro attacked him, blocking the kodachi with his katana before jumping away, though not before sending a few stabs back at Seitaro, who blocked it.
"Kushinada-dono, did you have a difficult time with this one?" asked Seitaro as he calmly slashed his kodachi downwards while Mildred cried in tears at all her arrows being torn to bits.
"I'm merely having fun," stated Kushinada calmly, "For a bunch of young brats, they're quite skilled. Especially since they managed to escape my grasp for a little."