Book 9: Chapter 14: A Long-held Mission of the One-Flash
Yasushi appeared to be calm - but in his head he was screaming.
(What am I going to do! What should I do? If I don't make it through this and get away from these guys, they will kill me!)
For some reason, Liam and the others think that he is a person different from Yasujiro.
They consider the original One-Flash to be a disgrace to the One-Flash School.
Plus, there's also that monster.
A monster suddenly appeared to kill them.
--Yasushi, of course, has no memory of what occurred to him.
(Why would I, a street performer, be targeted by a monster? But when I think about it, these guys are also monsters in human form. --What's the deal with slashing without pulling out a sword? (This is not a street performance.)
Yasushi's head was spinning.
(Calm down. We just have to get through this. If we can just get through this, we'll have a peaceful life again!)
Being chased by the high kingdoms and having his life threatened by idiots who want to make a name for themselves by defeating the Sword God is better, in his mind, than being captured by Liam and his followers.
Then it hit him.
(Yes! Since that monster-like thing isn't necessarily one thing, why don't we just let these guys and their non-human counterparts deal with them?)
If there is such a thing like that giant octopus, Yasushi cannot sleep with his pillow up high.
And if there are more of them - let Liam and the others defeat it.
Excuses are building up in Yasushi's head.
Behind him, his son, Yasuyuki, and his wife, Nina, looked at Yasushi with concern.
Nina calls out to me.
"Yasu-kun, are you really the master of a nobleman? Um--I don't think it's very often that a Count bows down?"
Liam smiles when he hears Nina's story.
"I certainly don't bow down very often. But the master and his family are the exception."
Nina seems relieved to see Liam smiling - but Yasushi knows.
(If asked to bow down to anybody else, this guy is going to kill them. No, he would definitely kill them. If they know I'm a fake and that I'm Yasujiro, that's the end of me!)
Yasushi creates a heavy atmosphere and begins to speak slowly.
"I must tell you of the long-held mission of the One-Flash, Liam-dono."
"A long-held mission?"
"Yes, indeed. You saw the vicious creature earlier, didn't you? One-Flash is a style of swordsmanship that was created to fight against these creatures."
"Are you kidding me?"
Behind Liam's astonished figure, Rinho and Fuuka's eyes were wide open as well.
"Is that our enemy?"
"I suppose it's true that other swordsmen won't do. The only one who can do it right now is you, the senior brother, right?"
Seeing them looking at each other and earnestly discussing the issue, Yasushi struck a gut pose in his heart.
(Okay, I can do it! But the problem is this fella.)
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Ellen, but she is the only one looking at him with suspicion.
(This one of them is the only one who doubts me.)
Cold sweat runs down his back.
This was because Ellen, in Yasushi's eyes, was not a human being.
If he fought, he would be killed in an instant, so the pressure he felt was not half as great as it should have been.
Ellen opens her mouth. Her tone and gaze were questioning.
"Master Yasushi, may I ask you one question?"
"What is it?"
"I understand that One-Flash is the swordsmanship to fight those monsters, but why are there so many similarities to other styles of swordsmanship?"
One-Flash is full of spliced basic movements because Yasushi has appropriated forms from other schools.
Being suspicious of this, Yasushi gets nervous, but Liam scolds Ellen when he hears her question.
"Ellen! What are you saying to Master Yasushi? Do you not believe in Master Yasushi's words and in One-Flash?"
Frightened of Liam, Ellen glared at Yasushi.
"Umm, what I believe in is the master and his master's swordsmanship. Besides, people have been saying behind my back that One-Flash has been stealing techniques from other schools for a long time. I was--I was curious about it."
Calvin was spreading those rumors when he was undermining Liam's credibility.
Both Rinho and Fuka are looking at Ellen with a killing intent - but.......
(Don't all three of you glance at me! You guys were wondering about that too!)
--They are still wondering, and they are looking at Yasushi while reproaching Ellen. "Stop asking me that!" yet he glanced at Yasushi.
But Yasushi is not panicked by this situation.
After all, Yasushi is a man who has lived so far only by his mouth.
It could be said that he has nothing but an unreliable mouth, but at this moment, this was the moment to succeed.
"The reason is that if you trace back to the origin of all schools, you will arrive at One-Flash. No! All martial arts can be traced back to One-Flash!"
After saying something like that at random, Rinho and Fuuka had a "?" in their heads.
Ellen's gaze grew colder and colder, but not Liam, who was thinking.
Perhaps thinking that Yasushi's words had some meaning, Liam gave his own answer.
"Are you saying that One-Flash is the ultimate form of martial arts?"
"Yes, that's it!"
With Liam's help, Yasushi explains.
"Why do people seek out the martial arts? Why do we seek the sword? There are plenty of weapons, but people have always longed for swords - because their instincts know that there is more to it than human conflict. And there are still plenty of such monsters in this world today!"
(Is there? Well, you can find them, can't you? (And if they aren't there, just say you can't find them.)
Yasushi talks like that, weaving in and out of stories he has heard somewhere.
"It is the One-Flsh that has honed its techniques in anticipation of this! One-Flash is a sword that protects the weak from monsters! They were created to fight against those who are more powerful than man."
Hearing this, Liam turns his head down.
"I thought that might be the case. One-Flash is too strong. --But then, was it right to leave the corrupted School of the Original One-Flash alone? And why did they take the master?"
When he mentioned the original One-Flash, Nina, who was behind Yasushi, reacted.
Yasushi immediately turned around and they talked to each other eye to eye.
(Don't tell them I'm the master of the original One-Flash!)
(Okay, Yasu-kun!)
It was the cooperation of a couple whose hearts were connected.
Nina takes Yasuyuki in her arms and gently covers his mouth.
Yasushi looks at her and then looks forward to continue.
"It is the same as what happened to the School of the Original One-Flash, which has already been destroyed. The man who was its master was killed by Chester, a deputy, when he tried to escape."
"So that's how it was. Though, how could his disciples allow Chester to do that?"
"I guess they were blinded by greed, It's a pity."
It is a terrible thing to say, even though he himself was blinded by greed and founded the original One-Flash.
"So then, why was the Master taken?"
"I have been telling people about One-Flash's long-held mission, and they want me to help him. --I have become famous thanks to someone else."
The small man with the capacity for sarcasm towards Liam - that's Yasushi.
And he forces this story to end so that he will not be known as Yasujiro.
"For that reason, Liam-dono and the others must exterminate monsters like that from now on. That's what One-Flash is for."
Liam nodded quietly.
"I understand. But first--Kukri."
However, he squinted and called a suspicious man out of the shadows.
As Yasushi looks on in horror, Liam orders Kukri to come to him.
"I doubt that the Count had anything to do with the kidnapping of Master Yasushi. Investigate the matter. Then tell him what happens if he messes with School of One-Flash. Make an example of him."
Kukri quietly sinks into the shadows.
"--as you wish."
Yasushi had a chill down his back.
(Oh, boys, what was that conversation! No way, assassinate a guy who turned against you? No, no. No, there isn't, is there?)
Liam straightened his posture as Kukri disappeared.
"And just one more question, Why can't you fight? Wouldn't the master have been able to defeat that giant octopus?"
With a gulp, Yasushi took off his jacket, which revealed a slanted scar.
Liam and the others are surprised at the scars.
"Those scars!"
"I was up against a formidable foe. But I was not strong enough."
"Master? Is there anyone stronger than that giant octopus?"
Liam had the mysterious conviction that Yasushi could have defeated the giant octopus that he had been able to defeat.
(It's scary that there's something scarier than that thing. But let's just say so for this guy.)
"-there is. The enemy is an even greater evil. I have been defeated by him."
Behind him, Nina makes a surprised face, "Oh, that wound," but quickly mends it and appears sad. They are a quick-witted couple.
Liam looks at Yasushi's wound.
"It's a very sharp sword, It looks as if you have some sort of grudge against him - if you can't fight because of that wound? In that case, I will prepare the elixir immediately. Marie, get the elixir ready."
"Yes, Master Liam."
Yasushi is impatient to hear this.
(Do these guys carry around elixirs?!?? No, actually he doesn't.)
Yasushi shakes his head and puts on his jacket.
"I have been defeated, Lord Liam, I managed to survive, but I can't fire another flash. I am deeply wounded in mind and body.
"I'll heal you! We have excellent doctors. I'm sure they can help with master's wounds!"
(I don't want them to heal me! In the first place, it doesn't even hurt anymore!)
Yasushi turns over.
"With my One-Flash, I could not win. I will not be able to defeat him again. --Therefore, let me entrust the long-held mission of the One-Flash to Liam-dono."
"Oh, to me? But..."
Liam is flustered, but Yasushi presses on in a strong tone of voice.
"What are you so weak-minded about? Liam-dono is my successor! And you are the heir to the true One-Flash!"
Hearing this, Liam quietly nodded his head and promised to fulfill the long-held mission created by the lies of its place.
"I understand. I will carry on the wishes of Master and One-Flash."
"I am relieved. Now I am no longer--"
Just when he thinks all that is left is to escape, Yasushi is shot from behind.
Nina has betrayed him.
"Oh, if you don't mind, would you mind helping out for Yasuyuki?"
Yasushi turns around.
(What do you mean! I wanted to get away from these guys!)
Nina is Yasushi's wife, but at the same time she is Yasuyuki's mother.
It was fine for me to be unhappy, but I could not allow my son to be unhappy.
(Sorry, Yasu-kun.)
Nina hopes that Liam will provide a future for Yasuyuki.
"How about this? I want him to study hard. Can't he live on a planet with a better environment?"
Hearing Nina's wish, Liam tapped his own chest.
"Leave it to me, madam! This Liam Sera Banfield invites you all to my main planet. Besides, I have two apprentice slots left, so I will make you, Yasuyuki, a fine One-Flash swordsman!"
A voice of protest rose from behind Liam, who assured them.
"Wait a minute, Senior Brother! I'm on my own too, right? Then I'll take care of Yasuyuki! After all, Yasuyuki is my little brother."
When Rinho said so, Fuuka did not remain silent.
"Yasuyuki is better off with me, right? Because dual swords are so cool!"
When they both said they would take care of Yasuyuki themselves, this is where Liam's selfishness kicked in.
"No, Master's precious son will be my apprentice."
Rinho and Fuuka complained, but Ellen looked at them in a complicated way.
Only - Yasushi could not accept such a thing.
(I'm a scumbag, sure, but I ain't the kind of parent who would turn his son into a nobody! I will protect only Yasuyuki!)
Yasushi shakes his head, not wanting to leave Liam and the others to struggle.
"The sentiment is enough, besides, Yasuyuki has no talent. I intend to let this boy follow a normal path."
Liam and his friends, who were disciples of Yasushi, heard this and their shoulders slumped.
After seeing the giant octopus, none of the three could say, "Even if you don't have the talent, if you have the motivation -" and so on.
All three had resigned themselves to the fact that if One-Flash's long-held mission was to fight giant octopuses, they could not let Yasuyuki do that.
Liam thinks for a moment.
"Then let's leave him in the hands of my most trusted knight."
Yasushi inwardly curses at Liam.
(I said I don't want you to do anything dangerous, so why a knight!)
Then Marie, who had been waiting in the wings, came forward.
"Then it is my turn as Liam-sama's right-hand woman, isn't it? I will raise Lord Yasuyuki to be a splendid knight."
However, the way Liam looked at Marie coldly.
"It's not you, now sit down."
"H-How can that be?"
Yasushi holds his head up.
(What are we going to do? What are we going to do! Leave Yasuyuki and run away? But how much does that matter--no, is Nina leaving Yasuyuki in the first place?)
When he turned around, Nina was consulting with Liam.
"Oh, my goodness! Is it all right for me to serve you on the Count's main planet?"
"I'll have a mansion ready for you right away, Is there anything you would like?"
"I would like to have a garden, even if it is small. Also, please get me a job."
"You don't need to worry about living expenses. I will take care of everything."
"No, I will work! It's my job to take care of Yasu-kun and Yasuyuki!"
"I see. I'll have someone get it for you right away."
Nina's enthusiasm made Liam flinch a little, but he promised to get the job done.
It was already decided that Liam would be heading to his home planet.
Yasushi, too, could not resist Nina and sagged.
(Oh, it's over. What the hell was I trying to do?)
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢