SWNOVELS Chapter 13: Fish Out of Water 7
The sun was low on the horizon, and birds were returning to their nests. Sparrows, blackbirds, all the nesting birds fly home
when the light begins to fade. An exception seemed to be a woodpecker that perched on a nearby cedar tree, tapping away . A
group of mallards floated home on the still waters. Yet, it would be a couple of hours before the sunset. The clouds that had
gathered in the afternoon had dissipated, and it was still bright.
Kento sat on the edge of the pier, with his feet dipped in the creek. Tiny fish gathered under his soles underwater and nibbled at
dry skin. He giggled, being ticklish.
A boat approached from the mainstream, but it was being rowed with the help of oars rather than kitsu. It turned out to be
Uzziah's fishing boat. He docked it at the pier. Kento remembered that the Wajin tribe used kitsu only when it became vital Even
the operations on the floating houses were decades old.
The young Yamazaki hauled a net full of fish onto the berth. The mixed catch was live- minnows, carps, trouts, and shiners. He
secured the boat and heaved the bulging net onto his shoulders. Since nobody else was around, Kento felt it proper to break the
ice.
Kento: "Do you do the fishing all by yourself?"
Uzziah answered without looking at Kento.
Uzziah: "Some of us have to work to fill our bellies."
Kento: "Hey, that was uncalled for."
Uzziah: "I don't have time to deal with your fragile mind, little overlord."
He started walking away on the gangway that led to the floating building.
Kento got to his feet and challenged him from behind.
Kento: "Uzziah! Have you really forgotten our friendship?"
The young Yamazaki stopped but did not turn around.
Uzziah: "You are the Overlord's heir. That is all I am supposed to know about you. Besides, there is nothing special to
remember."
And he left, leaving the boy dangling.
Kento had never been humiliated like that before. As the heir to the Overlord, he had always been treated with respect. People
hung onto every word he said. Uzziah's insolence not only hurt Kento's pride but also brought forth the frustration of being kitsu-
blind . Yuuki-sensei had informed everyone that Kento was to duel Uzziah the following morning. What if he loses the bout? The
Mikashita honor would be shattered. Citadel training would be demeaned. The Wajin tribe would make sure the news reached
the Hyougi. The preceptors should've chosen Hajime, Yuuta, or Megumin, who already showed promise in kitsu manipulation.
Keiji-sensei had offered to train him throughout the evening. What more could the preceptor bring out of a kitsu-blind child?
Weighing the disgrace by Uzziah's rejection of him on the one hand and the fear of losing on the other, Kento decided to train
with Keiji. Perhaps he could get some more pointers on taekkyon. Perhaps that would help him tide over his self-doubt. But of
course, he'd have to miss the contest designed by Lord Hakaku for the amusement of his guests. Kento saw Shigeo
approaching. It was time to go to the location where the preceptors were waiting for him.
Meanwhile, the venue of the gathering summoned by Lord Hakaku was deep in the forest, behind the floating house. A narrow
trail took the aspirants to a small clearing. At the center stood a temple-like monument that was in ruins. It was about fifty feet
high and about the same in diameter, in the shape of a pagoda, with three sloping sides. Steps had been cut into the slopes on
all three sides to climb the monument. The apex was a small sundeck with a balustrade. Hakaku stood on the deck, leaning on
the balustrade, explaining the rules of the contest.
Kento and Shigeo were missing from the party. The preceptors had excused themselves from Hakaku's contest to help Kento
focus on the next day's duel with Uzziah, and Shigeo, inseparable from the young Mikashita and overtly curious about the
training, had insisted on tagging along.
Hakaku: "The rules are very clear. You can divide yourselves into groups of three. As I explained earlier, one who touches this
balustrade wins. You can approach from any direction, and in any order. I shall not use even an ounce of kitsu for offence. Nor
shall I make any physical attacks. If I do, all of you win the contest and its prizes can be distributed amongst yourselves. Yuuki-
sensei has communicated to me that whale tokens for this year's Shibai Matsuri are highly sought- after, and I happen to have
some that I can give away. Therefore you have an incentive in addition to the fun we are going to have today. When you are
ready, let my attendant know and he will fire the signal."
The aspirants , gathered at the plinth of the ruins, were drawing up a plan.
Citadel training had drilled them in the ways of the military. Among pre-emptive attack patterns, the most common maneuver is
the hasami form- Vanguard (the frontal attack team), Wing attack (from the sides), Assassin(covert attack).
Depending on the number of warriors or units present on the battlefield, the hasami can have three modifications-
Hasami one- vanguard (one unit) assassin (one warrior).
Hasami two- vanguard (one unit) right or left wing attack ( one unit) assassin (one warrior).
Hasami three- vanguard (one unit) pincer attack (two units) assassin (one warrior).
In this case, Hasami three was appropriate. The bulwark-trio, Hajime- Megumin- Yuuta, being the most experienced in battle,
took the vanguard. Daigo- Kafu- Chiyo, and Nadeko- Illumi- Masaki would make a pincer attack from either side. Akako would
wait for an opening as an assassin.
Everything seemed to be in order. The aspirants had become wary after being humiliated by Keiji in the demonstration fight. But,
if Lord Hakaku was not going to use kitsu or physical attacks, it would be a much simpler feat to accomplish.
Once they were in position, an attendant of Hakaku set off a kitsu flare into the sky to kick off the contest.