章 14: The Sword Saint.

The majestic X-You Mountain towered above, its rugged peak shrouded in a veil of mist. The sun's rays danced across its slopes, casting a warm, golden light upon the lush greenery that clung to its sides. Ancient trees, their gnarled branches twisted by the whims of time, stood sentinel along the winding path that snaked its way up the mountain.

A group of men clad in red samurai armor and masks marched up the mountain, their voices rose in a rousing chant, to motivate themselves.

Despite the Kurenai village mortals' 60-battle winning streak under Miyamoto Musashi's leadership, doubts lingered. However, this uncertainty fueled the newbies' determination, and they climbed the mountain with vigor in their eyes.

They were heading into war, where some might not return, yet they marched forward with enthusiasm, as if eager to reunite with a loved one.

Their energy was infectious, and Miyamoto Musashi, the 36-year-old leader, couldn't help but gaze at them in awe. Even he, a seasoned warrior with nearly 20 years of experience in this harsh forest, had never felt such enthusiasm before his final battle.

'I thought they'd give up earlier, considering how brutal the samurai treated them. But they persevered, driven by their admiration for someone who, they disliked, but never put their opinions to view, and got stronger.'

Miyamoto's brown eyes settled on the tall man walking behind the group, wearing a hannya mask. (1)

Miyamoto sighed and turned his attention to another man he admired – Yamato Shinji, the Great Scholar, who wore a kitsune mask. (2)

'His words have the power to inspire thousands. Even I, feel motivated by him. His exceptional talent with the bow is unmatched, making us question our own abilities.'

Miyamoto sighed again, deciding to call the newbies closer. In the past, he would have punished them for not conforming, but this group was different.

"Everyone! Let's take our last stop! We need to conserve our strength for the upcoming battle."

As everyone took a water break and ate their porridge, Lucy wandered off to train, prompting Miyamoto to sigh once more. However, his gaze suddenly fell upon a steaming bowl of porridge in front of him.

"Shinji-Kun, I appreciate the gesture, but I can't possibly accept this. You should eat it yourself; we don't know how long this battle will last."

The boy with long light brown hair maintained his smile, "I insist. You'll be under immense pressure and pain; this is my way of asking you to look after me when I'm on the brink of death."

Miyamoto, a man who hadn't shed a tear in nearly 20 years, felt a single tear roll down his cheek at brown-eyed boy's thoughtful words.

'He's so considerate.'

Miyamoto nodded, taking the bowl of porridge. As he savored the first spoonful, his gaze drifted toward Lucy, prompting him to ask Shinji.

"You guys mentioned that, his mother was possessed by a kyuketsuki, didn't you? They say she never fed on his blood, leading people to believe he was the one controlling her."

Miyamoto's expression turned contemplative. He had heard stories about kyuketsuki possession before, but Lucy's case was peculiar. The boy had survived two years with a mother who was supposedly controlled by a bloodthirsty entity, which never happened before.

Shinji, however, had a different view to this. His gaze trailed over to Lucy, "I don't believe the rumors. I think Lucy-San's mother lost her sanity long before the public knew, and because she couldn't bring herself to kill him, she didn't appear until her bloodlust became unbearable."

Miyamoto nodded, finding Shinji's explanation more plausible than the rumors.

After a brief rest, the group resumed their ascent, finally reaching the peak of X-You Mountain, which marked the border between the Kushi and Kurenai villages.

As they crested the summit, they spotted a group of men clad in blue kamishimo, riding horses in the distance. (3)

Miyamoto stood before his men, his katana pointing straight ahead,

"Muso Gonnosuke-kun, I'll end our rivalry today and bring your head back to my people."

Muso smiled faintly as he dismounted his horse and unsheathed his katana.

"This will be our final duel. I'll kill you and claim your title as Kensei."

The two men exchanged smirks before charging at each other. Their swords clashed in a flash of steel, echoing through the air.

Clang!

The sound signaled the start of the battle between the Kurenai and Koshi villages. The Kurenai warriors, clad in armor, clashed with the Koshi riders.

Lucy, however, seemed to hold an advantage against the mounted opponents, thanks to his otsuchi.

Even so, the main battle raged at the center of X-You Mountain, where Miyamoto and Muso danced in a flurry of blades.

Their clash was a testament to their generations-honed skills, with sparks flying every time they parried.

Muso snickered, "You look ill today. Did you have something bad for breakfast?"

Miyamoto remained silent at his taunt, focusing on defense as he observed Muso's movements.

The tricks, feints, and powerful blows, Miyamoto dodged them with ease, showcasing his prowess as the Kensei.

Muso realized that Miyamoto's talent surpassed his own, and he jumped back to reassess.

"Why aren't you attacking?"

Miyamoto replied coldly:

"If I do, you'll die. I'm sure you've realized that by now."

Muso acknowledged the truth in Miyamoto's words, his expression turning into a mix of frustration and admiration.

"So what if I die? My death will inspire someone from my village to take up my sword and continue the fight. As I always say, people don't truly die; they live on in the hearts of those left behind, so give me an honorable death everyone will remember."

Miyamoto nodded, his expression solemn. "Then I'll give you an honorable death, one that will leave a lasting impact."

As Miyamoto charged forward, his armor released faint metallic sounds. Muso met him head-on, but their blades clashed with tremendous force, sending Muso stumbling back.

Miyamoto raised his sword for the finishing blow, but suddenly tripped and fell. Muso seized the opportunity, swinging his sword to strike Miyamoto's exposed neck.

However, just as the blade was about to make contact, Lucy's silver hammer clashed with Muso's sword, cracking his bones and sending him flying.

Lucy's otsuchi came back to him, as he rushed to Miyamoto's side, to check his condition, his expression indifferent.

'He is poisoned.'

Lucy remained unfazed, despite Miyamoto's skin turning purple.

He roared towards their group, "Everyone, this is our loss! Let's retreat down the mountain!"

Noticing Miyamoto's condition, the Kurenai Village group retreated down the mountain, fueling the anger among the Koshi villagers.

They pressed forward, bellowing:

"Everyone, attack them!"

"Kill that silver hammer guy!"

"Make him pay for his shameless act!"

Lucy found himself in a precarious situation. His teammates were swiftly descending the mountain, but he lagged behind, weighed down by the heavy otsuchi and Miyamoto's limp body, which was rapidly turning purple.

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(1) hannya mask - a demon mask, shaped like an old lady representing jealousy or evil spirits.

(2) kistune mask - a fox mask, representing cunning and intelligence.

(3) kamishimo - a traditional samurai garment consisting of a sleeveless jacket and a divided skirt.

I choose X-You as the name of the mountain because, X-You means removing unimportant people from your living, it is usually pared with X-Me (removing useless emotions from my life). In this context, X-You means a place of death. 'X' - kill 'You' - people.

In Japan Miyamoto Musashi is referred to as the Kensei (sword saint), and is the strongest samurai through out history to have won more than 60 individual battles.

Muso Gonnosuke is Miyamoto Musashi's rival, although not considered the best, he defeated the legendary Kensei in their last dual.