Suiko and the Kappas

Takeda walked in front of the group as he guided them across Meido’s barren land. After him was Hinako, who was sweating from the abnormal heat. “Hinako, are you okay?” Rentarou asked his sister from behind as the mana-filled fumes filled his lungs.

“Yes, I’m fine… Just cover your mouth and let’s keep walking.”

The second-to-last one in the group was Shin. He wasn’t complaining while they walked countless steps. The only thing he did was look at his arm, which was glowing a crimson color; but, unlike before, there was no pain accompanied by the glow.

The last one in the group was Yukimura, as she was watching the rear for yokai attacks. Her eyes darted across the rocky and ominous landscape, but she didn’t see any yokai on their flank. That’s odd, Yukimura thought. Takeda described this place as if it were crawling with them. Are they hiding? No… If anything, they’d be waiting for us.

Then, almost on cue with Yukimura’s thoughts, she sensed mana from all around the group. But she didn’t have to say anything; Takeda and Hinako could feel it, too. When he felt it, Takeda lifted a fist in the air and shouted, “Stop!” The command was so sudden that the only one who didn’t stop in time was Shin, who then bumped into Rentarou’s back.

“Hey, watch where you’re walking!”

“My bad… I wasn’t paying attention.” Shin stopped looking at his arm as he looked up at Rentarou. “But why are we stopping?”

“Don’t ask me.”

Shin was about to turn around, but before he could, he heard Yukimura whisper in his ear. “There are dozens of yokai surrounding us.” Shin took a glance at his sides and saw that Yukimura was right.

Surrounding them were hundreds of green yokai. They each had webbed fingers, legs, and a humanoid body. Aside from the shell on their back, their beaked mouths, and the dish-like depression in the middle of their shaggy hair, they might’ve been able to pass as green-skinned people. However, they weren’t people, they were…

“Kappas! Finally, I was getting bored with walking.” Rentarou cracked his knuckles as he approached them, but Takeda was already ahead of him.

“You guys stay back. I can handle this much on my own.” After Takeda said that, a hoarse voice arose from the crowd of Kappas.

“Oh, so you’re the one who killed my gang.” The voice got louder as it approached. “I was wondering who had the gall to fight the 22nd strongest Kappa gang in the nation.” Takeda reached into his pocket, grabbing a talisman. “But if it was you, it makes perfect sense.”

The owner of the hoarse voice began to emerge from the ground. Unlike the Kappas surrounding it, the yokai who came out of the ground had a bald spot instead of a dish on its head. The bald spot and its underbelly were peachy, unlike the rest of its body, which was clad in verdant scales. As its webbed arms and legs emerged from the ground, its golden eyes glared at Takeda. Its kneecaps, which resembled tiger claws, moved as he made his way toward Takeda.

It didn’t stop until it stood as high as Takeda’s chest. And when it did, it spoke once more. “What’s your name, human? I need to know the name of the person who killed my gang.”

“It’s Takeda.”

“Takeda? Good, I won’t remember it at all.” The Suiko said as it looked beyond Takeda. It saw Rentarou cracking his knuckles and Hinako standing slightly behind him. The next person it saw was Yukimura, and when the Suiko saw her, its eyes widened. “But you, I remember you. You’re the one who killed me.” Yukimura didn’t exchange any words with the yokai; she only pulled out her usual talisman with a shaky hand. Finally, the Suiko’s hand landed on Shin.

When it did, the Suiko appeared to be frozen. That thing is with them, too? Crap… we shouldn’t have tried to get revenge after all. I should just apologize before— “Attack!” That command was screamed by a few Kappas behind the Suiko, and that caused them all to charge recklessly toward the group.

As the Kappas charged toward the others, Takeda looked down at the Suiko, but all he saw was its head swiftly descending underground. “Damn it,” he said as his talisman was enveloped in a green light before revealing itself as a sword that was significantly shorter than a katana.

The kodachi Takeda held on to may have been shorter than most swords. But what it lacked in length, Takeda made up for it with deadly precision. Any Kappa that dashed within his range was sliced in two.

After seeing a few of their friends get effortlessly killed by Takeda, the Kappas sprinted around him to go for those behind him, and when they did this, Rentarou smiled. He enlarged his fists and used them to strike down the group of Kappas on the left and right. Rentarou turned around to see if Hinako was safe or not, and she was; however, the same couldn’t be said for Yukimura.

She may have had her katana drawn, but she was apparently struggling against the single Kappa in front of her. And seeing this sight made Rentarou erupt in laughter. “Seriously? Can’t handle one Kappa? How weak are you, Yukimura?”

“Shut up!” Shin snapped. “She’s not—”

“I’m sorry!” The Suiko’s words echoed throughout the area, causing everyone to pause for a moment. Even the Kappa that was fighting Yukimura stopped to look toward its boss. And that boss appeared to be bowing. On its knees, the Suiko bowed in front of Takeda before repeating, “I’m sorry!”

“Boss, why are you bowing to him?” That’s what the Kappa in front of Yukimura asked in a deep voice, but the Suiko didn’t respond. It only stayed still as Takeda pointed its blade toward the yokai’s head.

“Why are you apologizing? You’re the ones who started this.”

“I know, Takeda sir, but please hear me out.”

“What?” Takeda didn’t lower his blade as the Suiko picked its head up. When it did, it was met with Takeda’s icy stare. “Speak, Suiko.”

“Yes, Takeda sir.” The yokai rubbed his webbed hands together like a beggar. “Can you please spare the lives of my Kappas and me? I don’t want to die forever, and I don’t want that fate for the rest of my Kappas either. Please spare us!”

“Why should I?” The Suiko could feel the sword poking into its bald spot.

“You guys are trying to get somewhere, right? I can help you get wherever you need to go. I know this place like it’s the back of my scales. If I do, can you let us live?”

“Takeda, don’t listen to this guy; it’s probably lying. Let’s just kill it. Here, I’ll help you.” Rentarou raised his fist in the sky, hanging his shadow over Takeda and the Suiko. “I’ll crush it, just move out of the way!”

“No, Rentarou, I’ll spare it—”

“Huh? You’re sparing it.”

“Only if it can bring us to Enma’s castle.”

“Enma’s castle? Of course, I can do that for you, boss. I know exactly where it’s at, we’ll be there in no time.” The Suiko chuckled nervously while beginning to get up. “But do you think you can put down your sword now? I surrendered.”

“No. I’ll keep the sword out until you successfully lead us there, understood?”

“Loud and clear, sir. C’mon, guys, let’s—”

“Also, the rest of your gang stays here. I don’t want you to try to pull something, and if they follow us, you’re all dead. Understood?”

“Crystal. You heard the boss, guys, just wait here until I come back.”

When the Kappas heard the Suiko’s words, they started to break out into tears. “No, boss, don’t leave us.”

“I’ll be back. I swear.” Those were the Suiko’s last words before it started walking off with Takeda behind it. The sight of crying yokai left Rentarou and Takeda confused, but the rest were rather pleased by these events. After all, it meant that they didn't have to fight for now.