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Great Sage 10 – Men are…..
“Maya-chan, stay back”
I turn to the man in komusou clothing and take a step forward,
“The head temple left me with an annoying job but it seems things have gotten interesting”
The man smiles.
“If that is truly his name, then he has the greatest firepower in the Kashizu sect, the man known as [Flaming Death Fist]”1
I hear Maya-chan’s voice from behind my back.
I’m getting somewhat excited.
That kind of nickname is a man’s dream.
“Are you a fool ignorant of sin, a coward fleeing from sin, or a sin I must bear”
I take Nyoi out of storage and strike a similar pose. Behind me, I hear a sigh though…..
“Hou”
The man throws the staff in his hands to the side,
“A man who prefers to speak with his fists huh”
Flaming Death Fist Yuikuu converts his mana into flames that faintly clad his body and takes the pose of a Deva king statue.2
That was probably out of consideration for Maya-chan so that she wouldn’t be injured while clashing with Nyoi.
With his mana capacity, he should be able to use combustion type magic as he pleases.
I too discard Nyoi and take a fighting pose barehanded.
It’s not like I’m bad at close quarters combat and I also don’t want to cause collateral damage.
“Hahaha! It seems you are a true man among men, now come!”
At Yuikuu’s words I advance and…..
Once again, I hear Maya-chan’s deep sigh.
×　×　×　×　×
Yuikuu’s blows were heavy.
In the other other world there was a time I caught the legendary giant ogre’s punch but Yuikuu’s speed and power was greater.
“You’re pretty good”
However my fists wont lose. After constantly battling with the dragon king, my polished fists were capable of smashing orihalcum.
“You’re not bad yourself!”
With our legs fixed in place, the fistfight continued until we both gambled on the finishing blow…..
Now the two of us have fallen over on the stone steps and are breathing heavily.
――Looking up, I could see the beautiful autumn sky peering through the gaps of the torii.
“Elder brother is not a bad person but he’s a bit intense or overly heated more like”
“Those born in the Showa era are all like that”
“Everyone has their preferences but is that your boyfriend?”
“That’s not quite it, something more like a guardian”
“Siblings?”
“No no, I’m protecting him”
“…..Is that so”
From somewhere I hear a man and woman’s voice,
“How many years has it been since I lost a fistfight?”
While still lying down and his breath still disordered, Yuikuu looks at my face and smiles.
“Well, I feel similarly”
Since I went to the other world, I don’t have any memories of being beaten up barehanded this badly by any person except my master.
“Why didn’t you use sorcery, for someone like you it would have been an overwhelming victory wouldn’t it”
We’d never know unless he tried but with this power balance neither of us should have an extreme advantage.
“Did you not understand from my fists”
Even though we rampaged that much, Maya-chan was leisurely observing us and the historic stone paving and torii are completely undamaged.
I fully understood this mans thoughtfulness and kindness.
I grin back at Yuikuu,
“I see, then my job ends here”
He peers into my eyes and laughs once again.
“Samon, Umon, let’s go!”
Yuikuu stands up and the two men with leather jackets and long hair sat next to Maya-chan stand up as well.
Their appearance was like two peas in a pod, and somewhat similar Yuikuu.
Perhaps they were twin younger brothers or something.
“Elder brother, what should we tell the head temple”
“Tell them the kitsune was accompanied by a man the likes of Taishakuten and that the man knows the ways of Buddhism, from here on absolutely no interference is neccesary”3
“Understood”
The twins bow their heads and Yuikuu turns his head back to me,
“Could you release the [Curse] on these two, it would be a waste for me to destroy them”
Since he asks, I return the Rook marking the two.
“Thank you”
Invigorated he laughs again.
What a cool person.
“Now watch out for those Shimogami guys. Especially that extremely conniving old man, Ashiya Yuuman. The [Curse] on you has the same stench as him”
The curse on me?
As I was about to ask further,
“The advice ends here, the rest is for you to figure out”4
He picks up his hat,
“And to answer your first question, [I too am one who must bear sins]”
He wears his hat and walks down the stairs.
As if cliche BGM is playing, a melancholic atmosphere emanates from his back.
The leather jacket twins bow to me before following after Yuikuu.
Moved by their appearance, I grip my hands.
“Good grief, that’s why men from the Showa era are…..”
Maya-chan glances between me and Yuikuu once again.
Exasperated, she slowly shakes her head side to side.
×　×　×　×　×
“I’m worried about aunty so for now let’s hurry up”
According to Maya-chan she heard from the two long haired leather jacket….. Samon and Umon that the two of them investigated inside the shrine but didn’t interfere much beyond that,
“My phone still can’t reach her”
After calling many times, a ringtone can be heard coming from the shrine’s office
I cast the two returned rooks to search the inside of the shrine,
“There’s no presence in the direction of the ringtone but there is something on the other side”
“Then let’s split up and search”
As Maya-chan runs towards the office, I hurry in the direction of the large presence the rook detected.
Chiyo Onsen Inari Shrine has, as the name implies, an onsen facility.
According to legend…..
Being chased for the crime of treason, a general at the verge of death was resting in the forest when he came upon a large fox caught in a hunters trap.
That general took pity on the fox and chose to save it, using his remaining gold coins to loosen the trap.
And then just as the last flicker of life was about to disappear, a beautiful woman by the name of Chiyo appeared and saved the general. Thanks to the woman’s nursing, the general was able to stand up and walk.
“This onsen has medicinal properties, please allow your wounds to be healed here”
Recommended the woman.
According to her, when her foot was injured she healed them in these waters.
The general also entered the hot water and slowly his wounds began to recover.
“The current lord’s rule is causing his citizens and vassals to suffer. I must put an end to it”
The general conveyed to Chiyo after he regained his health.
Chiyo tried to stop him many times but one evening, the general quietly escaped from the hermitage they were staying in.
Inside the forest along the way, he was attacked by the large fox he met before,
“Chiyo, I will never forget this debt. But I cannot abandon the people”
At the general’s response, the fox looked to the moon and let out a roar before leaving slowly.
The general then went on to govern the country, the citizens no longer suffered, he was loved by his retainers, and the land was abundant in crops.
The general returned to the forest to search for the fox many times but in the end was unable to find her and near to the onsen he constructed an inari shrine.
――This is what we call the Chiyo Onsen Inari Shrine.
I think back to that legend as I chase the presence found by the rook and arrive at a wall of rocks that protects the source of the onsen.
“It doesn’t look like a place people should enter”
Different from the bathing facilities next to the shine office, it looked like a natural open air bath surrounded by rocks and trees but there was a sign saying [Designated Cultural Property, Entry is forbidden] and with shimenawa wrapped around the stones it had a solemn atmosphere.5
Jumping on top of the two meter stone to peek, a person’s shadow could be seen in the steam.
As that silhouette was undoubtedly a woman’s, I was about to quietly descend from the stone when…..
“Co- Could that presence be!”
With the sound of splashing water, a beautiful easygoing type girl with drooping eyes rushed out completely naked.
Her large bowl shaped chest was shaking.
I ended up staring at that overwhelming scene when,
“Height 156 centimeters, hip 86, waist 60, bust 90, F cup”
Search magic activated on its own,
Not to mention that as usual, only analysis results were displayed.
Is it really working fine?
“I have been waiting for you, my lord….. It is I, Chiyo”
The easygoing type girl took my hands with tears welling in her eyes.
Above her wavy chestnut coloured hair was fox ears just like Maya-chan.
“Ummmm, you have the wrong person”
Does this perhaps mean….. this is the elder of the kitsune clan, Maya-chan’s Aunt.
“There is no way I would be mistaken, that appearance, spiritual capacity, and above all….. the presence of one who brings peace”
What should I do. As I was trying to deal with her
“What are you trying to do with Aunty!”
From behind, Maya-chan wraps her two arms around me and…..
Gives me a back body drop.
Translator’s Notes:
1: His nickname is 撲殺炎者(Bokusatsuenja) which literally translates as strike murder flame person.
2: Deva king statue
3: Taishakuten is the Buddhist equivalent of Indra.
4: Yuikuu says to ‘the salt’ which comes from the japanese saying ‘to give salt to your enemy’ and means to something like ‘show humanity to one’s enemy’. The phrase originates from a story from the sengoku period where Uesugi Kenshin sent salt to his enemy, Takeda Shingen, who was cut off from salt supplies.
5: Shimenawa are ropes made of straw or hemp used to consecrate areas or as a talisman against evil.