Touken Ranbu Novel Anthology

[rikoren]

A Story About Kashuu Kiyomitsu Facing an Enemy in a One-to-One Fight
by Itsuki Mizuyama

Having received a report of the Time Retrograde Army having made an appearance, Kashuu Kiyomitsu had traveled together with his comrades to that time known as the Sengoku Period.
It was a place Kashuu had never been to, a time before he was born. He was understandably unfamiliar with the area.
With no more than a vague "It's probably around here" as information, they were relying entirely on intuition as they traversed the poorly-maintained road.
Still, perhaps this constant tug-of-war with the enemy was their fate, as fellow sword spirits. Already Kashuu's team had clashed against them a number of times, proving in a beautiful way the authenticity of their information. Honestly, though a little more accuracy would have been appreciated, the enemies obviously weren't going to stay still, so it might have been asking for the impossible.
"Aahh. This isn't good. It's started to rain."
Grimacing as a drop of water splashed onto his face, Kashuu turned on his horse to look back at his comrades.
"Anyone wanna go home?"
"Shouldn't you be the one deciding that? You're the captain, after all."
Yamatonokami Yasusada, who'd once belonged to the same human as him, replied with a surprised tone of voice and a look like he was sure everyone was thinking the same thing.
"I told you, being captain's not my thing. I'm terrible at scouting, y'know."
"Well. It's true, someone who'd charge right into the enemy probably wouldn't make a very good captain."
Though he was aware of it himself, it stopped being funny when other people pointed it out; Kashuu's face changed into a pout.
"I don't wanna hear that from you."
"Same to you."
Though he was a sword with a sweet-looking face and a calm tone of voice, in battle Yamatonokami was just as belligerent as Kashuu. The complete change from his usual gentle manner was really terrifying to see.
As the two friends continued their usual light-hearted arguing, Namazuo Toushirou looked up at the sky.
"Getting back to the subject of returning to the citadel, it's still just a drizzle, so how about we check things out a little more? Honestly, I could do with a little more violence."
"This is merely a feeling, but this humble servant of Buddha believes it will be raining in earnest soon enough. It is only the first day since Master flew to this area as well - they do not expect us to find the enemy stronghold so quickly. It would be better for us to return, before our footing becomes bad."
Though it was based on just a feeling, Yamabushi Kunihiro's dignified way of speaking had a mysterious persuasive power. It made you feel that it really was going to start pouring any minute now.
"Maybe you should've been captain instead of me, huh?"
"It has not been long since this servant of Buddha first manifested. Master's decision was to choose one used to fighting with a human body, who could be relied on in a critical moment."
Cheered by seeing Yamabushi give such a powerful declaration with a macho smile, Kashuu puffed up with pride.
"I guess you're right. I've got Master's trust and all - they sure do love me~"
"You're getting kind of carried away there."
"Shut up."
Kashuu snapped back at Yamatonokami's biting comment. Before it could turn into a full-blown argument, Yagen Toushirou cut into the conversation.
"I know nobody's got any serious injuries yet, and you're still full of energy. But there's been a few battles, and we're all slightly wounded. I don't know if these bodies can catch colds like humans can, but the rain will definitely wear down our stamina. So my vote's on heading back."
Nodding at Yagen's pragmatic opinion, Kashuu turned to look at Sayo Samonji, who was swaying silently on his horse.
"How about you, Sayo?"
"...."
Sayo hadn't expected to be asked about his opinion after Yagen had given such a solid reason for returning, and blinked, perplexed, before quickly casting his gaze downwards.
"I..."
Everyone shut their mouths tight, listening carefully to try to pick up Sayo's tiny whispered voice.
The dancing sound of the rain, just strong enough to lightly dampen everyone's hair, seemed almost capable of drowning out their hoofbeats.
It wasn't entirely silent, but it was quiet enough to give the impression there wasn't a living soul in the area--with any hints covered up by the rain, they'd just started to realize something was hiding when it happened.

Suddenly, the wind changed.

The one to which the bloodthirst was directed was the first to react.
Sensing a faint premonition, Sayo grabbed his true form - still in its sheath - and moved to shield himself with it, barely managing to defend himself from the stones aimed directly at his head.
Unluckily however, the stones which bounded off his scabbard hit the horse which Sayo was riding. Though it was a warhorse, horses were cowardly creatures by nature. While the stones bouncing off its neck were weak in force, the unexpected pain caused it to give a high-pitched neigh, rearing up onto its hind legs.
With his attention focused on the catapult attack, Sayo was unable to react to the sudden movement. His tiny body tumbled off its terrifyingly tall back.
The horse's front hooves visibly grazed Sayo's body in its retreat.
"Sayo!"
"Enemy troops!"
Two voices crossed each other: one displaying worry, one urging caution.
"I'm fine."
Sayo, covered in mud from the rain-soaked ground, grimaced as he stood. His bluff could barely be heard, the quiet voice overwhelmed by attacking enemies from both directions.
"I can't see, my clothes are soaked, this is way uncool!"
To add to the trouble, the ground on a rainy day made it all too easy for horseshoes to slip.
Leading his flustered horse with his lower body in an attempt to keep it from falling, keeping himself steady on its back, Kashuu slashed at the enemy--but it was a shallow hit.
If he put in one more hit, his opponent would be defeated. But he'd caught sight of a rider approaching Sayo.
On foot as he was, a kick from a horse would prove fatal to the swordsman's blade.
"...."
Sayo readied his true form.
As long as he had skill, there was a chance he might be able to dodge or counter the attack.
But right when he'd realized the danger of the situation, Kashuu twisted his upper body, intercepting the sword rushing in Sayo's direction.

Clang!

The two weapons crossed paths for just an instant. The attack was strong enough to blow him away - in forcing his body to withstand the blow, there was no leeway to return the attack.
In the interval before the metallic sound of their clash faded away, Kashuu retreated from the force pushing him back.
"Phew, that was a close one!"
The enemy he'd first attacked had already stepped back and taken up battle position again.
"I should thank you. Though I didn't really need the help."
"Don't worry about it. I acted on reflex, is all."
Though the flippant remark made it sound like he wasn't really paying attention, Kashuu being Kashuu, this was not the case at all.
(We've lost a horse, three of us are moderately injured, and the rest have light injuries, myself included.)
On the opposing side, meanwhile, the enemies had one medium injury, three light injuries, and the rest still without any injuries at all.
The result was obvious.
―――They were at a disadvantage.
They might have been able to avoid this situation if they'd been just a bit quicker to notice the cavalry hidden in the trees - but reflection could be saved for later.
(Now then...what should be do now?)
With them struggling to regain their footing, and the enemy holding no doubt in their own superior position, the battle fell to a temporary standstill.
(We'd probably lose if we face them head-on in this condition. I don't wanna get any more hurt than this, either, since it'd probably make Master sad...)
Despite the tense scene, Kashuu's lips curved into a smile.
His pomegranate-colored eyes, so similar to the color of blood, grew redder as if ripening, and shone intensely.
Hot blood flowed through his human-like body.
(I'm seriously not cut out to be captain. I'm terrible at scouting...)
Rather than looking at the whole, calmly judging everything, and giving orders to everybody, he really just wanted to swing his sword at the enemy if he could. He knew he was at a disadvantage, and trying to figure out how to get out of this place was making him nervous.
(I'm a hard to handle sword, y'know.)
Honestly speaking, he was perfectly aware of himself.
He hated getting dirty or scratched, because he believed his master would say "You're dirty. I won't use you anymore."
Though he believed that keeping himself constantly cute and pretty would prevent his being thrown away, now that battle had actually started, Kashuu faced the enemy with glee, unconcerned with how dirty or scratched up he got.
(It's more fun fighting on my own, fighting will protecting injured guys is a pain...but it's not like I can just leave 'em.)
Though he recognized perfectly well that he was a sword, this contradictory way of thinking was entirely human, and so he enjoyed doing it.
--That's why he hadn't the slightest intention of making himself any easier to handle.
If someone who could use him became his master, that was good enough.
Someone like his previous master, for example....
(Though being too compatible could also be a problem...)
There had once been a swordsman who'd freely brought out Kashuu's ability in battle.
It was only natural that his main sword body's history affected his current form as a tsukumogami, and for better or worse, Kashuu Kiyomitsu's previous owner had left a strong influence.
--The proof of this was that, as if having inherited the desires of the man who'd been defeated not by battle but by disease, Kashuu's uniform resembled the Western clothing he'd never been able to wear.
The other sword which belonged to that same master closely resembled that man's appearance during the period when he'd shone the brightest.
(Guess there's no helping the fact that people who can handle us that well are seriously rare, though.)
Though Kashuu didn't have a particular motto, he was a famously hard-to-handle sword. No matter how many people he killed, however many times he was polished, he always came away with the same result in this, the most crucial contest.
"We have a change of plans!"

The deep voice that suddenly revived in his mind was not that of his former master, but that of the superior that man had cherished like a brother.
It had surely rang out just like this, back during Kashuu's final performance as a sword.
The voice sounded so much like another sword he knew, he couldn't help thinking it might just have been his imagination. It wouldn't be strange for him to have memories from his true form.
He could still remember his owner and the incidents surrounding him. But due to a total lack of knowledge of what his thoughts had been back then, it didn't really feel like he was an interested party in the story.
And yet, Kashuu would still proudly state that he was the man's prized sword.
His master, who'd chosen hard-to-handle blades as his beloved swords, was a rare genius in his time.
And his skill with a sword had certainly been inherited by this body.
―――His disposition, as well.
"It sure is mysterious."
Like that of his former master, this body could get worn out - was warm - could shed blood.
When he got injured it hurt, and when his companions were hurt he'd get angry, and feel the need to save them. And in this short, desperate instant, knowing full well he was in trouble, he felt surprisingly...excited.
"Kashuu?"
He didn't respond to his companion's puzzled voice.
Because there was now only one path he could take. He'd found a reason to choose that path.
"Hey. Wanna have a little fun with me?"
The calmness of Kashuu's voice, as if he'd somehow totally evaded the tension pulled tight around this critical situation, perplexed even their enemies.
That sense of urgency returned with the sound of hooves thudding across the sodden earth.
As if turning their attention to the actors on a stage, everyone's gazes collected on Kashuu's figure.
Kashuu did not give orders to attack. He simply stepped forward.
―――But that simple action transmitted his intentions to everyone present.
A single sword stepped forward from the enemy side. Enough of the flesh on his face had come off that his features were unrecognizable, but judging by his appearance he was probably an old tachi.
"Oh, nice."
Speaking that cheerful, sing-song line, not bothering to hide the twinkle in his eye, he readied his sword from the back of his horse.

"How about we do this one-on-one?"

Kashuu was not active in the era when you'd give out your name before battle. But deep down, he rather enjoyed the feeling of being center stage, everyone watching him in suspense.
(Just like him.)
Back then, had he felt like this as well, as he readied Kashuu's true form?
―――July 8th, 1864. Kashuu's previous master wielded his sword in the Ikedaya Incident, which led the Shinsengumi's name to become renowned throughout the country.
The Ikeda Inn's second floor had a low ceiling, making battle difficult. And because the squad had been split into small groups in order to search the city, only a small number of squad members entered the place.
Though allies had been stationed at the first floor exits to prevent the enemy's escape, this was still very clearly a raid sorely lacking in manpower.
That's why―――

"I leave this to you."

This battlefield had been entrusted to Okita Souji alone.

"Yes, sir."

He collapsed in that place, blood on his lips - not from any external wound, but because of a disease eating away at him from inside. And then―――that same night, almost as if in a prediction of the future, Kashuu's thoroughly abused true form ceased to be usable as a sword.
His edge chipped, his blade bent, his cap broken. That's the extent to which this battle had raged.
Kashuu, now filthy and broken beyond repair, was thrown away.
(I'm dirty now, too, so I should repaint my nails before reporting to Master when we get back.)
Even now, he believed his master would not love him unless he kept himself beautiful.
And so, because he was aware that he was at his most beautiful when in battle, Kashuu smiled as he spurred his horse forward.

He could feel the pressure from the enemy sword. But Kashuu's blade was sharp enough to cut it to pieces.

(I'll bring everyone back with me. There's no way we're falling here.)

Thinking this promise to the current master floating in his mind, Kashuu swung his sword.

―――So, love me more, okay?

End