Chapter 48

Yurika struggled back to her feet, holding her blade up shakily, glaring at Kitsuya the whole time. Gakuto brought up his free hand, his gaze also not leaving the wild man, to stop Yurika from stepping closer.

“I’ll take over from here, Yurika.”

“You show up late and then tell me to leave!?” Yurika glared at Gakuto. “Don’t go treating me like some kind of damsel now!”

“I’m not, Yurika! I’m glad you were here. You held him off long enough for Kaede to get to safety and I’m grateful.” Gakuto clenched his hand tightly on the dagger’s handle, narrowing his eyes on Kitsuya. “But it feels like I have something personal to deal with here and I’d be more at ease if you were with Kaede.”

He turned, looking at Yurika, giving her a small smile. “Also, I feel like I’m late on quite a few things. So please, let me handle this.”

Yurika turned away, before reluctantly sheathing her kodachi. “You better not do anything reckless, Gakkun…”

“I don’t want to hear that from you…” Gakuto grinned, his gaze back on Kitsuya.

“I was having fun, girlie. You can’t leave!” Kitsuya kicked off the ground, rushing up the slope after the retreating Yurika.

“Setsuna, Ignite!” A wall of flames appeared before Kitsuya, cutting off his path forward. He turned to see that Gakuto’s dagger was pointed towards him, his smirk returning.

“Oh, you got a new toy, Gakkun!”

Gakuto swung his blade towards Kitsuya again, the flames extending off the blade’s edge and gliding across to the wiry man. He dodged it simply enough and stared down the young guard.

“You don’t have the right to call me that! You also have a lot to answer for! Namely, why are you here on Tsuiraku!? Shouldn’t you be back at the palace!?” Gakuto kept his dagger pointed at Kitsuya.

“I heard about the exciting things you and Kaede-chan were getting up to and just had to come see for myself!” Kitsuya said, with a sly grin. Another burst of flames were sent his way, which he once again dodged.

“Impatient much, Gakkun?”

“Don’t act like we’re friends, Kitsuya.”

“That kinda hurts my feelings, Gakkun…”

With zero pretense of holding back against the young guard, Kitsuya lunged forward with his fist raised to land a heavy punch.

Gakuto turned the dagger in his hand and crossed his arms in front of him. “Setsuna, Surround!” A sphere made of flames surrounded Gakuto as Kitsuya’s fist connected. He made a small cry of pain, shaking his hand from the burning sensation before grinning sadistically.

“Just kidding, Gakkun!” He jumped back, staring at the young guard. “That’s two of the tricks of your blade, I wonder what the third is.”

Gakuto brought his arms down, flipping the dagger back to an offensive position, keeping his eyes locked on the devious fox before him.

“You’re using a magical tool, Kitsuya.”

Kitsuya’s face split due to his smirk as he bounced on his feet excitedly. “See, I knew you’d be more fun than the old man!” He reached up and pulled his hair back into a ponytail, revealing a pair of earrings. Two gems gleamed off each one, four gems in total.

“I wonder if you can figure out what mine does before I kill you… just like I did to Jiro!”

Gakuto’s eyes widened in rage for a moment before he shook it off. “I won’t fall for your deceptions, Kitsuya. Though, this does explain how you were able to keep up with master. I always thought it was suspicious that no matter how far he’d push you back, you’d be right back up in his face.”

Gakuto tucked his left arm behind his back, pointing his dagger at Kitsuya, his eyes narrowed intensely. “One of your abilities has to manipulate your movement.”

Kitsuya licked his lips before sliding his hands behind his back, reaching for his hidden daggers but he didn’t grab them, relaxing his shoulders as if dropping his guard down.

“Say, Gakkun, I don’t think this is a very dramatic location for our showdown.”

“I don’t really care where I fight you, Kitsuya.”

“Now, now, the setting is everything. That’s why I allowed Jiro to ‘beat’ me to the weapons room, so I could end him there.”

“Master Jiro isn’t dead.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Whatever makes you feel better, Gakkun.”

Gakuto clenched the dagger, a reminder to not get caught up in Kitsuya’s pace. The wily man grinned before sprinting up the slope towards the stairs of the Secluded Shrine.

“Coward, get back here!” Gakuto yelled, before cursing to himself, pursuing the tall man.

“I’d have to actually be afraid of you to be a coward! I just think the shrine would be a much better place to fight!” Kitsuya yelled back before disappearing beneath the torii and up the stairs.

Gakuto gritted his teeth, staring up at the gate. The enclosed stairs looked like the maw of a predator waiting for some unsuspecting prey, causing him to hesitate. The young guard shook it off before rushing after the fox into its den.