Miyako scrutinized them with a sharp gaze. There were only seven of them, and Miyako’s group outnumbered them. However, from the way they were behaving, they seemed confident. And it bothered her. Could they have prepared a trap to make them this confident against an enemy with a greater number? Or was it something else?

  “You’re the one that led those ironbulls here,” Miyako said.

  The one eyed leader grinned. “And they were a bit useless, it turned out.”

  “Are you a group of bandits? Do you have any idea who you just attacked?” Satomi warned.

  “We know,” said their leader. “We know very well.”

  So this is a deliberate and planned attack?

  If that was the case, then they weren’t some mere bandits that sought to plunder them. They knew they were passing through this path and knew when to attack. They had critical information.

  Miyako gripped her sheathed weapon tightly. “Who sent you?”

  “I don’t see the reason for telling you. Your life is going to end here, anyway. However, I will say this. Things will change from now on.”

  “What?”

  “The clan lord himself or his daughter, it doesn’t matter who we get to kill.” He cackled.

  “You think it would be easy to kill me? We outnumber you.”

  “Heh,” he cockily smirked. “Judging from how you handled those bulls, you pose no threat to us.”

  “Then there is no other way to go about this.” Miyako held out her sword and slowly pulled it out of the sheath, lighting it aflame.

  “I wouldn’t advise fighting against us, little princess. You don’t seem to have a full grasp of your opponent.” The man’s glimmering blade was engulfed in magic. “I have killed many more powerful people than you.”

  It was then Satomi slowly stepped closer to Miyako, taking in a deep breath. Miyako sensed that she seemed to be feeling tense. It was rare to see her this way.

  “Milady, I have a bad feeling. That guy… Is stronger than me. And the others seem equally dangerous. Defeating them will be incredibly difficult.”

  Satomi was a more experienced warrior than Miyako, she had faced plenty of monsters with greater strength than her. She had garnered enough experience and nurtured her instincts enough that she could sense the amount of danger they could be in, especially on how dangerous someone they were about to fight could be. Thus, Miyako trusted her judgement, no question.

  “Please keep a safe distance,” Satomi added.

  Miyako was feeling a bit conflicted about that. She wanted to help, especially knowing that these people were dangerous. They would need as many hands as possible. However, she also understood that it was her soldiers’ duty to protect her. She knew her own responsibilities as well. And putting herself in needless danger would be irresponsible of her.

  “Alright.”

  The one eyed enemy leader waved his hand forward, ordering his men to go and fight. Miyako’s guards engaged the enemy first, and given their greater number, some of them helped together fight off one enemy. Her soldiers were fairly skilled themselves, that was why they were chosen to guard her. But, surprisingly, despite two or three guards facing an enemy, they found themselves quite challenged.

  One enemy cackled as he blocked one sword and dodged the other.

  “Is this all you can do? I’m so disappointed!” He kicked one guard, blowing him away.

  Meanwhile, the woman in the enemy’s group sneaked through the fighting crowd swiftly, blowing past them like the wind, and immediately reached Miyako’s position. She swung her dual short katanas with glimmering blades to strike, but Satomi got in the way and parried both blades, sparks from the clashing metal flew out.

  The enemy woman grinned and swiftly stepped back. Her eyes were bright with anticipation as she stared at Satomi.

  “Oh? You were able to block that. Impressive.” She licked her lips sensually. “I would like to play with you, one on one.”

  Satomi furrowed her brow deeply. “Disgusting.”

  “Ouch, rejected already? That’s not nice.” She took a step, and in a flash, she already had Satomi within her weapons’ reach.

  Miyako was astonished by her sheer speed. From what she could see, that woman must be a ninja. Her movements were almost the same as she had seen from ninjas back home. But this woman was a whole another level from the norm. She must be some kind of elite, only a state could support someone to nurture this level of skill.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  That woman’s strikes were fast, the way she thrust and swung her short blades were swift and deadly. However, Satomi's main skill was sending quick subsequent strikes as well that it almost seemed she delivered several strikes all at once. And thus, she was able to keep up with her opponent’s incredibly fast attacks.

  The enemy woman seemed to be amused by their battle, as a wide grin formed on her face. “That’s so hot!”

  Satomi had a stern expression on her face as she gave a wide swing, but she missed. The ninja took the chance to thrust her weapon towards Satomi’s face. The latter saw it and quickly shifted her body sideways to evade the blade, but it grazed her cheek.

  Satomi clicked her tongue before swinging from below to upward, sending an arc of light. But the woman just blocked it, crossing her weapon. Satomi shifted her swords close and clenched them tightly. With a step forward, she swung her swords as fast as the winds. And like a raining storm, numerous short arcs of light came crashing towards her opponent, blowing dust everywhere.

  It should have at least hit her enemy. However, the moment she stopped, the enemy ninja suddenly came and attacked from her flank. Satomi quickly flipped her katana and blocked the blade that had almost reached her eyes.

  “Heh. Missed me,” the female ninja whispered.

  While watching their battle unfold, Miyako sensed an attack coming at her. She swung her sword to destroy the arc of light with her bursting flames. Once the fire dissipated, she saw the enemy leader slowly coming towards her.

  “What a fancy trick you have there, girl.”

  “What are you trying to achieve by killing me here?”

  “That’s not really my business to know. But I suppose you can guess.”

  If I die in a foreign land, tension between islands will rise.

  “Are you trying to incite a war?”

  “Who knows.”

  “I ask you again, who sent you?”

  “I think it will be more agonizing if I don’t tell you.”

  “Then it was useless speaking with you.” She swung her sword, unleashing a wave of blue flames. The enemy leader leaped over it and slammed his sword to the ground, sending a powerful shockwave towards Miyako, shooting dust and rocks forward. Miyako quickly moved aside to evade the incoming attack.

  Just as she got out into safety, she realized the enemy’s blade was already coming down at her. To think he was this fast, she was caught off guard, he may be faster than Satomi. She instantly raised her sword to deflect the enemy’s weapon to the side. Then she used her mana filled scabbard in her left hand and slammed it against her opponent's body. But to her shock, it didn’t do much damage, but only pushed him a little.

  The enemy waved his sword, Miyako filled more mana into her scabbard and used it to frantically block the blade. The moment they made contact, she could feel the sheer weight that pushed down on her. And then, before she could respond in kind, the enemy punched her in the stomach.

  “Agh!” And she was sent flying.

  She rolled once before she immediately regained her footing.

  That strength, that speed. Who is he?!

  Whoever he was, he definitely wasn’t some high-ranking bandit, or someone’s soldier. His rank must be higher than that. No, he could also be a mercenary hired by a state. Or a high-ranking member amongst a state’s forces. An elite.

  Which… Which would send people to kill me?

  Miyako swift stabbed her blade to the ground, sending a tall wall of flame crashing at the enemy. That prompted him to move back.

  It was then she noticed Satomi, she was cut in the shoulder, but nothing fatal. Deciding to help her guard and friend, Miyako thrust her sword, sending a bolt of fire shooting towards the enemy. The enemy ninja shifted her attention to the rapidly approaching bolt and used her mana filled blades to block it. After she did, Satomi took that opening and sent a slash of light into the woman’s back. The ninja quickly shifted her one katana to protect herself. It took a couple of seconds for that magical slash to dissipate, and Satomi took the chance to return to Miyako’s side.

  The ninja pouted. “Now that’s just cheating! Working together.”

  Satomi ignored her and looked around at their guards. A couple of their security personnel had perished. However, what remained, it should be enough for them to escape.

  “Attention! Protect the lady with your life!” Satomi suddenly shouted, surprising Miyako. “Hold off the enemy! Lady Miyako must survive!”

  “Yes!”

  “Return to her side!”

  “Block off the enemy!”

  The remaining guards quickly returned to them to set a defensive line, leaving their opponents. All of a sudden, Satomi grabbed and carried Miyako on her shoulder.

  Miyako was both baffled and surprised. “W-What are you doing, Satomi?!”

  “We’re running!”

  “W-What?”

  “Protect us!” Satomi shouted.

  And Satomi started sprinting away, running into the gaps between the hills. The sheer speed Satomi was running was intense, there was no way the rest of their men could hope to catch up. That was why they stayed behind to hold off the enemy, to delay them as long as possible.

  They’re sacrificing themselves for me?

  They were certain to die. And Miyako was at a loss for words. To think they were willing to do that for her. And it was heartbreaking to realize their grim fate. She wanted to return and help, but that would be foolish. Their sacrifices would be in vain if she did.

  A couple of guards grabbed the legs of the ninja woman, preventing her from immediately chasing after Miyako and Satomi. In annoyance, the woman stabbed Miyako’s guards in the back. Meanwhile, the enemy boss was being fought off by two, but a short moment later, one was slain.

  The others kept the other enemies at bay, but one got through. Still, there was no way he could catch up to them. Miyako and Satomi wouldn’t allow it, they had to.

  “Stop right there!” he shouted.

  I must find a way to slow them down.

  Satomi turned to a narrow, rocky pathway between cliffs.

  That’s it.

  She saw a couple of enemies from the distance chasing after them. Miyako quickly gathered mana into her sword.

  “Let’s bring down the walls, Satomi!”

  Satomi glanced at her, then at the cliffs. Understanding what her lady was intending, she nodded. “Got it!”

  While on her servant’s shoulder, Miyako fired a powerful blast of fire towards the cliff, while Satomi swung her sword, sending several powerful arcs of light at the stone walls. And the rocks came tumbling down, the cliff collapsing. Gigantic boulders and other debris fell into the path behind them, and several smaller rocks filled it further, blocking it completely.

  “That should give us a couple of minutes at least,” Satomi said. “We need to get as far as possible and keep running.”

  “... Where are we going?”

  “I don’t know, anywhere but here. We just need to get away from those people.”

  “But Satomi, you’re hurt.”

  “A minor wound. I’ll survive.”

  “... Let me heal you later.”

  “... Sure.”

  Miyako looked back. She was certain their hunters wouldn’t stop with just that. They’d hunt them down, even into the depths of the island. If they stop now, they’d be caught in no time.

  Still, I must try to survive.

  For her people’s sake, she must run.