Nanami: Shang

Shang: Yes?

Nanami: I will be angry if you are joking about what you said.

Shang: Sorry, Nanami. I am not joking.

Shang: If I understand from what Togame had said, both of you and your brother are swordsmen who don’t work for money and swords.

Nanami: But I am not a swordsman.

Shang: You can say that but when I saw how you managed to detect danger from the shuriken attack, you are no ordinary woman.

Nanami:.....then what will be my payment?

Shang: A reason to live.

Nanami started to look at Shang with eyes wide open.

Nanami: I am surprised….how did you…

Shang: Your eyes and movements are a giveaway…

Nanami: I see...

There was a short pause between them.

Nanami: Can you give me time to think about it?

Shang: I can wait.

Nanami picked the things she dropped and went into the back of the house.

The reason Shang requested Nanami to be his blade was that back when he was in deep thoughts, he realised something.

The restoration of history.

Previously he thought that the extinction of the Yasuri Clan was part of the plan to restore history.

If he remember correctly the words from Shikizaki Kiki when he possessed Maniwa Houou through the deviant blade, Dokuto Mekki.

The Hida Clan, the Itezora Tribe and the Maniwa Ninja Army are not supposed to exist in the original history. Shichika was there along with Togame to hear it but Kiki did not mentioned that Yasuri Clan was not supposed to exist.

In other words, those clans like Shikizaki who are born before the deviant blades are created will not be affected by the restoration plan of history. Nanami who has a death wish, knew that her brother would not kill her without a reason, so she became one of the deviant blade wielder.

To Shang, Nanami’s death is a pity. He made a decision to prevent that from happening.

Shichika: Sis, I am home.

Interrupting Shang’s thoughts was the shouting from Shichika.

Looking from the house entrance, Shang could see Shichika dragging a half naked body on one hand and the other hand holding a katana. Togame was tagging along behind him.

Nanami appeared from the back and went to the entrance to greet her little brother.

Shichika: Sis, take a look at this. A deviant blade.

Nanami: Eh?

Nanami took a look at the deviant blade which was held in front of her like a trophy by Shichika.

Shang: Don’t mind if I take a look?

Shichika: Here you go.

Shichika hands the sheathed deviant blade to Shang.

Togame: Oi, Shichika. Don’t just simply pass deviant blades to strangers!

Shang: Don’t worry about me. I just wanted to see the reason why people are so obsessed with the deviant blade.

Shang unsheathes the deviant blade. Zetto Kanna.

System: Added: Zetto Kanna

Shang’s thoughts: Weird enough, If i recall correctly, this deviant blade should be not be bendable or breakable but in the end, Shichika still managed to break it.

Shang’s thoughts: Seeing this blade reminds another blade in Utawarerumono. A female warrior who was named Karura ordered a blade that doesn’t break, bend or chip. She also emphasized on the blade strength which turns the blade dull and heavy. One can say Karura’s blade is the complete opposite of Zetto Kanna without the blade poison included.

Togame: Are you done with the blade?

Shang’s thoughts are interrupted by her question.

Shang: Yes, yes, I am done

Shang sheathes back the deviant blade and hands it back to Shichika.

Togame: Eh? You are not affected by the poison?

Shang: You can say I am more interested in the creation of the blade instead of the blade itself. So whose corpse is Shichika holding ?

Shang looks at the corpse and asks, pretending he doesn’t know anything.

Shichika: He called himself Maniwa Komori. If i remember, he can shapeshift into any person he wants.

Shang goes over to the corpse and grabs the head.

System: Added: Ninpo: Kotsuniku Zaiku

System: Added: Hakufu Zetto

System: Added: Body Packing

System: Added: Maniwa Ninja Army’s…..(Kunai, Shuriken, Rations, etc)

System: Added: Maniwa Komori’s…..(Body components excluding personal clothes)

Shang’s thoughts: Kotsuniku Zaiku seems to be better than Naruto World’s Henge no Jutsu. It doesn’t cancel out unless the user is dead. It should be painful if I use it but since it had been converted into a game skill, I don’t have to suffer the pain from the transformation process.

Shang: So what are you guys gonna do with this body?

Togame: Just burn his body. I need his disappearance to make some trouble.

Shichika: Okay, leave it to me. Ah, Sis. I have something to discuss with you.

Nanami: What is it?

Shichika: I decided to leave the island with Togame.

Nanami: …..You can but on one condition.

Shichika: ?

Nanami: Come with me to the training grounds. I want to see how much you have improved.

Shichika: Okay, Sis.

Shichika released his hold on the body and followed Nanami.

This leaves Shang and Together alone outside the house.

Shang: So what are you going do ?

Togame: I’ll just wait. Without Shichika, there is no way my plan will work.

Shang: Togame, does getting the recognition in the shogunate really important to you?

Togame: Of course, it’s an important step to becoming a feudal lord.

Shang: And then after that?

Togame: Well, after that, I’ll see how it goes.

Shang: What about Shichika? Will you keep him by your side?

Togame: Of course. With Shichika by the side, anything is possible!

Shang’s thoughts: What a big flat liar…If Ryuugu Rena from Higurashi was here, she most likely scream that you are a liar and chop you up with her cleaver.

Shang’s thoughts: I remember correctly in the last volume when you are in the middle of dying, you mentioned you would kill Shichika once the collection of deviant blades is complete.

Shang: Togame

Togame: Yes?

Shang: I hope what you said is true.

Togame: Of course, It is….

Shang: No, listen to me.

Shang: If anything happens to Shichika, do you think the power you have is enough to stop the wrath of Nanami ?

Shang: Food for thought.

Shang enters the house, leaving Togame alone outside.