章 39: Chapter 39: Natsuki, I've Hit Rock Bottom
(TL Note: Well I might have fat fingered the upload button while reviewing my chaps. Soo... here's a extra chapter for today)
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
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And it's all because you pushed me, Yuhara Tanachika.
I was prepared to quietly serve as your retainer, protecting Yuhara Castle for you.
But... you were the one who betrayed me first.
Takekawa Kuma's face darkened as he thought...
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"Yuhara Tanachika is truly a fool," one voice cut through the air like a knife. "He had a powerful general at his disposal but made him defend the castle? No wonder they lost the war. If their General had been on the battlefield, there's no way this battle would have ended in defeat."
"That's right! It seems Yuhara Tanachika is getting more confused by the day. Yuhara Castle will surely fall because of his stupidity. It's only natural that you, Lord Takekawa Kuma, should rule here now."
Officials and warriors eager to pledge allegiance to Takekawa Kuma showered him with flattery. They knew it was only a matter of time before his military might would capture Yuhara Castle.
Meanwhile, Yuhara Tanachika seemed to be growing wary of Takekawa Kuma, which was essentially courting disaster.
Only Takekawa Kuma knew that his decision to rebel wasn't because Yuhara Tanachika no longer trusted him, but because of a woman—Yuhara Natsuki, the daughter of Yuhara Tanachika.
Several months ago, sensing that Takekawa Kuma had grown dissatisfied with him, Yuhara Tanachika began gradually stripping away the powers he'd given to Takekawa Kuma.
During their last battle (which involved several hundred soldiers), Yuhara Tanachika didn't take Takekawa Kuma along. However, Yuhara Tanachika overestimated his own strength; without Takekawa Kuma's formidable fighting skills, the once invincible Yuhara Army suffered a devastating defeat.
After this crushing loss, Yuhara Tanachika retreated to Yuhara Castle. It was then that an envoy arrived from Kyoto on behalf of one of its powerful lords. The message: he was interested in Yuhara Natsuki.
He wanted to marry her.
Although not the same nobleman who met Princess Natsuki during her previous visit to Kyoto, this new suitor was even more influential.
Desperate for a strong ally after his military setback, Yuhara Tanachika quickly agreed to the proposal.
He would wed Natsuki to the nobleman.
Upon hearing this news, Takekawa Kuma immediately resolved to revolt. His goal: seize control of Yuhara Castle and win Natsuki for himself.
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Takekawa Kuma thought that Natsuki must hate this political marriage.
Besides, he and Natsuki had grown up together like childhood sweethearts.
She had to like him too.
But that wasn't enough. Takekawa Kuma needed more preparation.
He could easily capture Yuhara Castle with his martial prowess, but it wouldn't be enough against all the surrounding forces—not to mention those from Kyoto.
So... he had to become even stronger.
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After the secret meeting ended, Takekawa Kuma headed to Natsuki's room but was quickly stopped by guards.
"Move aside!" he growled at the Yuhara clan warriors blocking his way. "I need to see Natsuki!"
"I'm sorry, Lord Takekawa," one of them replied. "The lord has ordered us to keep watch because there have been many disappearances lately. Princess Natsuki is engaged to a noble family in Kyoto, so we can't let anything happen to her before the wedding. She shouldn't meet with any men during this time."
"Not even me?"
"No, not even you, Lord Takekawa."
"Bah!" Takekawa Kuma roared furiously.
"Lord Takekawa, please don't force our hand!" The guards drew their weapons.
Takekawa Kuma fell silent.
Takekawa Kuma left with a dark expression, his sleeve sweeping behind him.
Yuhara Tanachika, you're forcing my hand...
After leaving Natsuki's room, Takekawa Kuma immediately exited the city and headed for a nearby dark cave.
"Takekawa Kuma, you're back..." A hoarse, sinister voice echoed through the cave as he entered.
Inside, a grotesque tree with a human face greeted him. Its features twisted into an expression of delight. At its base lay one corpse after another—girls, all without their hearts.
"Jubokko... How long until your core is ripe?" Takekawa Kuma asked the tree spirit before him. This was his hope for regaining Natsuki and unifying the land.
This demonic tree grew on battlefields strewn with corpses. By absorbing vast amounts of human blood and resentment, it had transformed into what was known as a "Jubokko."
It was fiercely aggressive; few creatures that passed near it ever survived.
However, some time ago, this particular Jubokko had been severely wounded by a powerful miko. After fleeing, the injured tree unexpectedly encountered Takekawa Kuma.
No one knew where Takekawa Kuma had learned it from, but he believed that if a human replaced their heart with a tree core, they would become much stronger.
As the best warrior among humans, Takekawa Kuma understood one thing very well:
A person's strength is limited.
So... if he wanted to become even stronger, he'd have to give up his human body. For Natsuki and this world, Takekawa Kuma was ready to stop being human.
That's why he made a deal with Jubokko: Takekawa Kuma would help it heal its wounds, and in return, Jubokko would give him its tree core so he could turn into a monster.
To heal Jubokko's injuries and mature the wood core, Takekawa Kuma sent his trusted followers to capture young girls.
For some reason, monsters in Japan seemed to be obsessed with young girls' hearts...
One girl's heart was worth more than eating all the men in a village.
High-class monsters usually only hunted girls; only low-class ones ate other people.
"It's not enough," said Jubokko, looking at Takekawa Kuma. "These women aren't nearly enough. I need many more." Its voice filled with longing.
"The people of Yuhara have become very cautious," he said. "I'm not yet the ruler of Yuhara Castle, so I can't take too many risks.
"But I've already sent people to other territories to abduct humans."
"I don't care about that. Just give me food... I'll give you my wooden heart in return. When the time comes... you'll have even greater power and control over all of Musashi, maybe even the whole of Japan. And... you'll finally get that woman you dream about day and night. Ah ha ha ha..."
"Don't forget what you just promised..."
Hearing this, Takekawa Kuma couldn't help but feel excited, though he didn't let it show on his face.
In Japan, humans and monsters had been working together for a long time.
Once, there was a powerful lord who wanted to rule everything. He gave away his unborn son to a demon god (which is another name for a monster) and got years of good weather and strong armies in exchange.
That lord became one of the most powerful rulers in a short time...
But in the end, he still lost!
(TL Note: Damn this guy is further off the deep end than I thought...)
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