Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Deep despair and high spirits.
Shigure Tendo was currently feeling these two emotions.
These two emotions were as opposite and contradictory as could be. Yet, he indeed felt both these emotions at this location and this point in time. It was a wondrous and subtle sensation.
Shigure wasn't afraid of his impending death at all as he watched his companions in the Bloodwar Alliance being executed and his enemies being whipped up into more and more of a fervor. Instead, Shigure immersed himself in this subtle sensation, entering an indescribable realm.
And then, it was time for his and Keimi Umetani's executions.
"Tendo-san. Do you have any last words to say?"
Although Rota appeared calm on the surface as he asked this, he was actually highly on guard inside.
That was because Shigure Tendo had succeeded in killing a total of seven Revenge Alliance members before being defeated!
The seven Revenge Alliance members had all been slain in melee combat. Even with their great new power, they were unable to resist against Shigure Tendo's sword techniques. He was by far the single most powerful member of the 7321 faction that they captured.
However, the Tendo Family was clearly one of the seven major Yin Yang Master families. Why did Shigure Tendo possess such amazing sword techniques, to the point where his sword techniques far surpassed the skill level of the disciples and descendants of the three major samurai families!?
Rota was quite confused about this. After Rota finally defeated Shigure with long-distance attacks, he captured and asked Shigure about this before the executions. However, the only answer that Rota received was...
"I don't know."
When he said this, the Tendo Family son had an incredibly calm expression… or perhaps he could be called expressionless. He didn't have any evident emotions of resistance, unwillingness, anger, hatred, or any other negative emotions at all. His behavior was completely different from that of all the other captured 7321 faction members. He didn't show any fear or despair at all.
Shigure remained like this even up until his turn to be executed.
Although he had been restrained and was kneeling on the ground, watching the other 7321 faction members being executed, he still retained such a calm and distant expression.
Could it be that Shigure Tendo had some mental retardation or physical problems that made him emotionless?
Well, it didn't matter to Rota if Shigure had any mental issues… or that should have been the case, but Rota still sensed danger. He felt as if this Tendo Family son was still hiding something, so he remained highly vigilant during all this time.
Although the other Revenge Alliance members were all reveling in their fervor, Rota still remained calm.
"Umetani-san…" Shigure looked at the girl Yin Yang Master next to him.
"Milord Shigure…" Keimi was trembling all over and tears could be seen in her eyes.
"I'm sorry that I can't protect you anymore."
"Please don't apologize, Milord Shigure… Although our time together was short, I'm truly blessed to have served someone like you." Keimi smiled through her tears.
Shigure had kept his earlier promise and protected her to the fullest of his abilities. He didn't act like other 7321 faction members such as Natsuki Shuurin, who had ordered her Spirit-branded Retainer subordinate to act as her shield in an effort so that only she could escape.
Although Keimi felt extreme despair at having to die in such a place when she was still so young, at least she wasn't alone, because she had someone like Shigure by her side.
Rota was somewhat rendered speechless by the scene.
He had already executed the great majority of the 7321 faction members. These children of the top-level factions all showed unbecoming behavior as they met their ends, so in comparison, Shigure's last words before being executed seemed greatly moving. The crowd of Revenge Alliance members who were in a frenzy even somewhat calmed down upon seeing such a scene.
Just as everyone thought that Shigure Tendo would say something else and leave behind something like a deeply emotional love confession before his death, they saw that Shigure instead closed his eyes.
Everyone misunderstood what Shigure meant, including Keimi Umetani.
When Shigure said that "I can't protect you anymore," he didn't mean that he and Keimi would be dying here at all.
What he was actually trying to express but couldn't due to his low intelligence was that "I'm about to use power that's even greater than my 'full power', so I won't be able to watch out for you anymore!"
Rota was the first to detect that something was wrong.
Then, everyone witnessed all the black hands that were tightly restraining Shigure being vaporized into black mist!
While everyone was busy being astonished, Rota was the first to react and use his power to suppress Shigure!
However, the black mist around Shigure's body suddenly explosively increased with great density and dispelled Rota's power!!
What was going on!?
Rota didn't have the time to think as he then turned to wielding his sword with all his strength. However, with a clang against the mist, his sword became stuck and unable to move.
"Kill him!!!"
Rota sensed great danger and shouted loudly, immediately giving up on his sword and trying to retreat. However, a silver flash shot out of the black mist and directly aimed for his heart!
*Clang!!!*
Rota backpedaled at full speed and barely managed to block this attack with his personal barrier also helping to mitigate the impact. A cold sweat broke out down his spine!
The Revenge Alliance members listened to his order and immediately started attacking Shigure Tendo!
A thick array of Mana Bullets and other spells shot into the black mist surrounding him. However, there was no effect nor even any reaction, as if every spell had been devoured.
This patch of Shigure's black mist then started moving and suddenly approached the crowd of Revenge Alliance members. The black mist entwined around a person and then sounds of screaming and cutting could be heard. After that, two halves of a body flew out of the black mist surrounding Shigure!
"Don't get close to him!!" Rota shouted out to his Revenge Alliance members.
The Revenge Alliance members swiftly spread out. However, Shigure's black mist was even quicker and succeeded in chasing down and killing several more people.
"Stop!! Otherwise, I'll kill her!!!" Rota prepared a spell and aimed it at Keimi Umetani, who had fainted and was now unconscious on the ground.
However, Shigure's black mist didn't even slow down.
Rota shouted the same threat to kill Keimi even louder. But, the result was still the same—Shigure ignored Rota.
Ranged attacks seemed to be completely ineffective now against Shigure and his black mist. And, anyone that got anywhere close to him would be instantly killed. It was impossible to fight him at melee distance!
The Revenge Alliance members now felt fear for the first time.
They started doing their best to run and hide. Some even ran inside the empty houses on the island, but they were still hunted down. That was because Shigure and his black mist were beginning to increase in speed. He was even capable of shooting out black hands that could obstruct people's movements!
Rota didn't dare to fire his spell that he kept aimed at the unconscious Keimi. That was because he instinctively sensed that if he really killed her, he himself would definitely be killed with zero chance at escaping!
What the hell was going on with this Tendo Family son's current condition!? How was the Revenge Alliance supposed to defeat him again!?
Rota didn't have any ideas… he had to contact the Revenge Alliance leader!!
Fight or run? Rota was now faced with a choice.
He heard many Revenge Alliance members' death screams.
Just a moment ago, the Revenge Alliance had been the side performing the executions. After capturing the 7321 faction members, they then executed almost all of the children of the powerful factions who were now powerless to resist. The Revenge Alliance never expected that in the very next moment, they'd become the prey instead of the predator. The Revenge Alliance members were now powerless to resist as they were hunted down one by one.
When Shigure's black mist turned around and started approaching him, Rota instinctively made his choice.
He canceled his spell aimed at Keimi, turned around, and fled at top speed!
He completely ignored the screams and pleas for help from the other Revenge Alliance members. He only wanted to escape as quickly as possible and get away from that terrifying existence named Shigure Tendo.
He felt that it would be the wisest to counterattack after asking the Revenge Alliance leader about how to deal with Shigure Tendo.
*Whoosh…* After running for a while, he suddenly tripped over something and lost his balance.
Rota was astonished by this unexpected obstacle.
He crashed wretchedly into the ground and rolled around and around many times before finally stopping when he crashed into a defunct electricity pole.
'I tripped over at the critical moment!? Such a terrible joke of a cliché actually happened to me!?'
For an instant, Rota sunk into self-doubt. But he instantly discovered that he hadn't tripped over at all. Instead, his feet had stiffened!
"Why…?"
Rota did his best to tell his legs and feet to move. However, they wouldn't obey him.
Right after that, his arms and legs began to stiffen as well, followed by his shoulders, neck, and head… Soon, his entire body was unable to move. He couldn't even make any sounds!
'Why is this happening to me…?'
He wanted to ask out loud, but was unable to do so. He could only watch as Shigure's cloud of black mist chased after him and speedily approached.
Rota's fear reached the breaking point in his mind. Various memories flashed past his eyes as he furiously tried to struggle. However, he only succeeded in causing his body to tremble, and tears began streaming out of his eyes, causing his vision to go hazy.
'Impossible… Why are things like this…? Don't come over… I don't want to die…'
Daikawa Rota personally witnessed his impending doom… he now experienced the exact same feelings as the 7321 faction members he had just executed.
And then, Daikawa Rota died.