Swan Song Sung By A Faded Crow #4

From part I, "Neo-Saitama In Flames": "Swan Song Sung By A Faded Crow" #4

"Wait." The ninja in a dark-green suit halts the large copper-colored ninja that goes behind him. "Traces of the target's ninja soul are split in two here." The dark-green ninja is Third Eye of Soukai Syndicate. The copper-colored ninja is a bounty hunter, Sword Dancer.

The cross-katana emblem on their suits demonstrate their allegiance to Soukaiya, and the eyes behind their menpo masks shine with cold bloodlust. That's especially true for Sword Dancer and his mystical Oceanian mask, giving the freelance killer ninja an especially frightening atmosphere.

"The soul traces split in two?" Sword Dancer thinks this over. "Did the woman herself split in two?" "No," Third Eye denies in a mechanical manner. "I have no intel on such jitsu. It might be the [Bear Method]. You walk in the  snow for a while, then go back in your own footsteps, and proceed in the other direction. Bears tend to do it so the hunters lose them."

"What should we do? We don't have much time left," says Sword Dancer. "Does either trace feel more fresh than the other?" "No, it's difficult to judge that," Third Eye answers. A lie. He lies. "Let's split up. I'll go over here," Third Eye points to the side-street with his thumb. "..." Sword Dancer stares at Third Eye.

"You're acting fishy," says Sword Dancer. "I'll go there." "There's nothing fishy about this," says Third Eye. "However, there's no time to waste arguing. Let it be. I will proceed over here", he points towards the main street with his chin. "Make sure to share your findings over the IRC." "Very well," Sword Dancer nods. "Where are we supposed to rendezvous with Silver Karasu?"

"He did not contact us after the notice. I bet he's going to interrupt us and get the bounty for himself, silly fool," Third Eye answers. "After all, it's just a single girl. We just have to chop her head off before he appears, and it's all over. ...This idle chat ends now. Go." "Indeed," Sword Dancer nods and jumps into the side-street.

Third Eye looks pleased. (At best, he's going to walk around for nothing, stupid stray.) During the conversation, he has led Sword Dancer towards choosing the side-street. The correct route is the main street. Naturally, Third Eye's powerful jitsu has more or less tracked down the target's footprints.

He can tell from the soul traces. After leaving the abandoned dojo, the target proceeds down this path, and then meets another ninja. Most probably, it's her mysterious collaborator. After that, they go down the side-street together. A few hours later, they return. This time, the girl is alone. All alone, she goes down the main street. That evidence is still fresh.

This is what Third Eye can figure out with his ninja analytics... After leaving the abandoned dojo with her collaborator, the target goes into her hideout. The collaborator stays at the hideout, while she goes away alone. Maybe shopping, or maybe to contact a different collaborator. Even now, the collaborator stays in the hideout. It's probably him who killed Nutcracker.

It's very likely that Sword Dancer will meet the collaborator down the side-street. It's also likely for him to end up being that Ninja Slayer guy. The risk is too high. After all, he is a madman who kills Six Gates one after another. Better let Sword Dancer handle all the unknown factors, while he himself gets the bounty. (That is management.)

Third Eye quietly sprints down the main street. Overworking salarymen, DJs moving from one club to another, the drunk and the runaways who sit on the roadside and look at the passersby, all of them probably see him as just a colored blur in the wind. Even you might be seeing a ninja in the middle of an operation every day without noticing. And that is a good thing.

By now, Third Eye senses not only the traces of the target's ninja soul, but the ninja soul itself. It's very close. "YEEART!" In a single jump, he crosses the wide street and lands on the bank of the Tama river. He pulls out a ninja sword buckled on his back. Now, from where shall he slash... "?" He opens his eyes wide. That light.

The target stands by the river. She's quite far away. But their eyes have met. The sakura-colored pupils shine in the darkness, piercing through Third Eye. The girl's delicate figure seems to be dimly shining with the same color as her eyes. Was she expecting him? The pursuers, Third Eye? "Doomo," his ninja hearing catches the girl's aisatsu.

"Me is Yamoto Koki." As she finishes her aisatsu, many more sakura-colored lights appear and float over her head in a formation. Origami missiles! Third Eye quickly returns the aisatsu. "Doomo, Yamoto Koki=san. I am Third Eye." And then he presses the switch of a prototype cyber-mechanism! "That won't help you much!"

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"Opening, dosue." With the electronic maiko voice, the elevator's carbon fusuma doors slowly open. Sword Dancer comes forward. His mystical Oceanian menpo mask reminds of mojo hidden deep within the jungle, or maybe of a merciless demon. He is actually a ninja, but that is still not too far away from truth!

Sheew. Sheew. Ferocious sighs leak from the menpo's breathing hole. Though it is weaker than Third Eye's, even his ninja tracking can see the ninja soul traces. That means that the ninja is close. He slowly proceeds down the hallway, then stops in front of an iron door. "Kagi Tanaka."

"Sheew..." Sword Dancer turns the door knob. A click. "Hm?"

KRA-TOOOOOOOOOOM! Right that instant, Kagi Tanaka's living room, located in the apartment complex "Sanamashi", B Building 303, explodes from the inside! The veranda windows, as well as the iron door, are blown away, spitting out explosive flame! "GWAAH!?"

Wrapped in flames, Sword Dancer falls into the courtyard! However, being a full-fledged ninja warrior, he safely lands on his knees after turning twice in the air. Namusan! And then he is attacked with a ninja ambush from above! "YEEART!" "Whaaat!?"

Sword Dancer pulls out the two katanas sheathed on his back and deflects the ambusher's slash. "YEEART!" The descended ninja's stealth wears off, and the dark-grey ninja suit appears in the darkness! "The hell are you doing? Silver Karasu!?" "Doomo. Sword Dancer=san."

"Doomo, have you gone mad, Silver Karasu=san!?" Sword Dancer returns the aisatsu in a slightly unusual manner. "Are you crazy!?" "Ah, right. I am crazy," Silver Karasu replies emotionlessly. "Got a smoke? [Sea of Twilight]. You don't, do you. And if you do, I'll just take it. From your corpse, that is."

"Third Eye=san! Please respond! We got betrayed!" "IRC? Don't bother. I've mixed some chaff in that explosion. The leftovers I quietly took after testing. Don't tell anyone... That'd make me angry. It's not cost-efficient, and it has little practical use." "Why, Silver Karasu=san?" "Because I'm crazy. Since I don't have much time left."

"..." Behind Sword Dancer's bizarre menpo, he instantly carries out a concentration ritual and regains his composure. In his neurons, once every 0.1 second, an image mojo of Oceanic percussion and mystical dancing unravels, calming him down akin to zazen. "...In that case, I shall kill you."

"YEEART!" Silver Karasu throws a knife hidden in his coat. "YEEART!" Sword Dancer blows it away with the katana. "YEEART!" With the same motion, Silver Karasu swings with his katana. Sword Dancer is a dual-wielder. He can easily parry this with his other katana! "YEEART!" And a strike with the katana that deflected the knife!

"YEEART!" Silver Karasu spins in place, dodging the slash with a sitting motion. And slashes at Sword Dancer's shins! "YEEART!" "YEEART!" Sword Dancer guards it with one katana and aims to split Silver Karasu's head in two with the other! "YEEART!"

"YEEART!" Hayai! Silver Karasu quickly retracts his blocked katana and deflects the hit at his head from the side. He then suddenly jumps from his sitting posture, delivering an unexpected jumping kick! "YEEART!" "GWAAH!" Kicked in his bizarre menpo, Sword Dancer is falling on his back!

"KIIEE!" Preventing a follow-up attack with spinning windmill slashes, Sword Dancer stands up. The menpo cracks and splits in two, falling to the ground. Behind it is a vivid face paint of orange and black colors. Noroi! "IAAA!" Sword Dancer jumps!

"IA! IA! IA! IAA!" While in mid-air, Sword Dancer slashes with his two katanas four times! Gouranga! What severe dual-wielding karate wazamae! However, with just one slash of his smaller "Ubasute" katana and his own ninja vision, Silver Karasu defends! "YEEART!"

"GWAAH!?" Silver Karasu swings with his katana, landing behind Sword Dancer. A moment later, the one who bursts with blood is Sword Dancer, after being slashed diagonally! Bypassing the enemy attack and using this opportunity to deliver the decisive blow. That is iaido! Gouranga!

"IA! IA! IAA!" Without paying attention to his severe wounds, Sword Dancer performs a backflip! Senshi! "IA!" An acrobatic slash! "YEEART!" Silver Karasu slashes back while turning around! "GWAAH!" Sword Dancer tumbles, being slashed right as was about to land! "YEEART!"

Namusan, Silver Karasu also pulls another dagger and stabs the side! "GWAAH!" Furthermore, he kicks the kneecap, crushing it like a hammer! "GWAAH!" Sword Dancer drops his katanas, standing on all fours! "Recite your death haiku, Sword Dancer=san!"

"A, abbah... The two katanas, might lose in iaido, but will live again." "YEEART!" Silver Karasu decapitates Sword Dancer as he finishes his death haiku. A clean hit. "SAYONARA!" Sword Dancer explodes, scattering his ashes on the winds.

"Namu-Amida," Silver Karasu puts his hands together, but does not finish. He opens his menpo and coughs up blood. "Khah! Khaaah!" He drops down to his knee and vomits more blood. "Khaah! Gbaaah!" As he keeps on vomiting, he struggles to find his medicine.

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The origami missiles arc towards Third Eye, attempting to catch him in a pincer attack. Without showing any signs of panic, he spreads his hands. "Nuuuhn!" How about this! Antenna-like devices rise from both his shoulders, and a harsh KIIIN sound spreads waves across the nearby water surface. The origami missiles change their course and collide with each other! The attack was futile!

"Surprised, are you?" Third Eye resumes his approach with his ninja sword ready. "In the end, telekinesis is still physics! By combining my ninja soul induction with industry, my karate can triple in power! Even among the Soukaiya, that is quite strong." But Yamoto's fighting spirit does not seem to waver at all! "That face! I don't like it."

Yamoto raises her own katana. It used to belong to one of the clone yakuzas. It is a Dos Sword with no guard that is tough to handle. It is longer than a Dos Dagger, but shorter than a proper katana. A rare prey. Third Eye tries to ridicule her: "There is nothing you can do that I can't do better! I'll cut you in two!" But her expression stays firm. "...Go ahead and try!"

"Know your place, jitsu-less brat!" Third Eye instantly closes the gap and strikes! (...First, figure out the direction the opponent is going to go, and then strike with the katana after a short delay. Read the angle of the katana, the eyes, the feet. The nature will say more than enough.) Yamoto follows the tip of the enemy sword with her own ninja vision. "YEEART!"

She feels time slowly flowing around her. The flow of white steel. The flutter of black hair. Yamoto avoids the tip of the blade with a slight incline of the neck. Third Eye's eyes are open wide in surprise. The gap. It's too close for another cut. Yamoto hits Third Eye's side with the Dos Sword's handle. ..."GWAAH!?" Third Eye is blown away!

Yamoto follows after him. (...About one out of four ninja deaths is caused by the wrong timing of the finishing blow. If they counterattack, you die. Do not forget about karate. Keep your zanshin up.) ..."YEEART!" After landing, Third Eye performs a feint-like slashing attack. Yamoto stops right beyond the sword's reach, dodging the attack.

"YEEART!" Yamoto kicks the ground. "GWAAH!?" Third Eye is startled! "Impossible! How did she get this skillful?" (...A single iai hit must be a clean hit. A clean hit won't happen if you just wait for it. Read your surroundings. Create your own opportunity.) ...Yamoto spins around, approaching Third Eye from the side!

Yamoto feels sudden heat running down her neck. While turning around, she drops to her knees. "YEEART!" A slashing attack goes through where her head was just a moment ago. Ninja adrenaline boils in her veins. (...Know the meaning of abunai. You might die if you get hit by a train, but it won't hit you if you never leave your home. Understand?)

Yamoto swings her sword upwards. "YEEART!" Third Eye is still in the middle of his missed attack. It's impossible for him to avoid this hit. First, the learned method. Yamoto lets the feeling of cutting the enemy down course through her hand. Though she is not yet used to it, she does not feel pain or compassion. She doesn't feel any pleasure, either. She lets the blade slide with complete indifference. "GWAAH!"

"...!" Yamoto is surprised. This is not a prolonged drill or practice. It's just instructions that Yamoto received from Kagi Tanaka. Just from direct instructions, Yamoto understood the methods of karate, the rules of battle. The world has changed. Now, she can fully understand the degree of ignorance and futility she experienced before.

(...Restraint. Know restraint. This is not the end. This is just the beginning. The one that is your own. You know the Do of karate, but if you feel over-confident about it, you won't go any further.) ...Yamoto nods. Injured Third Eye gets away with a backflip. "YEEART!" He throws kunai darts.

Yamoto can clearly see the trajectory and speed of this desperate counter-attack in the slow time flow. She drops on one knee, dodging the two darts with minimal movement. Because Third Eye follows the darts with a katana swing. Now. "YEEART!" Yamoto crouches slightly closer to the ground.

This is it... This moment. There is iai in this! Yamoto steps forward, dodges the enemy's katana, goes behind him, and swings at her prey! "YEEART!" ... "GWAAH!?"

The time returns to its original course! With a deep cut running over his chest, Third Eye rapidly spins high in the sky, gushing blood everywhere! "ABABAH, ABABAH, IMPOSSIBLE!? BOBOBO, THE BOUNTYYY!?" Third Eye falls down, full of anguish! Violent convulsions! "Si, Silver Karasu=san! Silver Karasu=san, where are you!"

While the pool of blood around Third Eye is getting bigger, he shouts in the IRC communicator. "The coordinates! You already have the coordinates! You good-for-nothing stingy tsujigiri bastaaard! Hurry! I'm I'm going to die! ABABABAAH!"

"YEEART!" A flying dagger lands right in the neck of dying Third Eye! "ABAAH!? SAYONARA!" An interruption! Third Eye is finished, scattering his ashes on the winds! "That's not something you can just fix up in a hospital." Yamoto looks towards the snap-like voice. Along the shore, a new ninja is slowly coming at her!

All around Yamoto, the sakura-colored origami shapes start dancing once again. "Doomo, pleased to meet you. Me is Yamoto Koki." As she greets her new opponent, she keeps staring at him. "Doomo. Yamoto Koki=san. I am Silver Karasu." The dark-grey ninja returns the aisatsu. And then takes out his katana. "Why don't you show me? Your wazamae."

(From part I, "Neo-Saitama In Flames": "Swan Song Sung By A Faded Crow" #4: The End. To be continued in #5)