บท 280: Ninja

Under boiled leather and black silk, beads of sweat swept down Gengyo's chest as the ninja pressed the attack. The song of clashing steel rang out, punctuated by the screams of dying men. Gengyo was forced back up the steps, defending himself as best he could as against the strikes that reigned down at an inhuman speed.

When the ninja raised his sword, Gengyo ducked underneath it and tried a sweeping blow at his leg, but it was steel that his blade found and not bone, as the ninja recovered and blocked once more. When Gengyo tried a downcut, the ninja answered with an underhand and went searching for his head. Gengyo only just managed to duck, though he was forced down hard on his bottom as a result.

His comrades watched Gengyo being overrun with shock. They had never seen him fight as fiercely as he had – the speed he moved at defied reasoning - and yet his opponent stilled seemed to have the upper hand.