《ONI RŌKURA: A Slice of Life Revenge Story with a Reincarnated OP Protagonist》Chapter XX—Purveying Truths
Advertisement
Chapter XX—Purveying Truths
Daimyo Shōzu’s eyes were a lidded mask of hate and malicious ill will as he regarded the oni before him. Who did this fool girl think she was, threatening him?
“Do you see?” he said to the shōgun. “This bandit wished me dead, and for what? Lies?”
Daichi Ashikaga turned to regard Shōzu. No one knew, but with his ability Purveying Truths, he always knew when a person was lying, and this oni bandit was not lying, though that didn’t mean that what she said wasn’t true.
It simply meant that she believed what she said was true.
However…
Daimyo Shōzu’s words were most certainly seeded with lies, and with each of their telling, a little thrum sounded inside of the shōgun’s ears. Of course… the emperor’s shōgun, arguably the most powerful man in all the lands, could not be seen as siding with a bandit with a mere accusation as justification for attacking the Imperial Domains.
“My lord,” persisted Shōzu. “This woman is nothing but a liar and a poor sad and confused woman who has no idea what she is even doing. Clearly she is mad.”
As the daimyo spoke, Rōkura barely contained herself from lashing out. With each of his lies and insults toward her, she came closer to lurching across the space to take the man by the neck and end him right there in front of everyone.
But if I do it—will I succeed?
There were other powerful fighters present, including members of the Taisho Six. Rōkura recognized Yuki Tsubaki, and behind them… Ryuunosuke! Is she a Taisho Six member?
Lightning growled overhead and a flash of light skittered across the sky in bright flashes. Those in the crowd shouted and murmured in worried voices as they flinches and glanced up at the clouds.
Advertisement
The cold wind blew up into their voluminous sleeves and up the skirts of the women. Many of them shivered as the cold rains that were surely coming cooled the summer night considerably.
“My daimyo is correct,” said the shōgun, and as he said the words, Rōkura’s hope died and her rage was kindled. “Strangers cannot simply be allowed to make accusations against my daimyos without proof.”
Shōzu smiled infuriatingly and behind Rōkura Shinjiro swallowed with apprehension as he thought furiously. And an idea came to him. He took a step forward. “Then…”—Rōkura glanced over her shoulder to look at her samurai companion—“this is a matter of honor.”
“Of honor?” asked the shōgun.
“Hai,” said Shinjiro with a firm nod. “My companion has been wronged by the daimyo’s actions and therefore, to settle the matter, she should be afforded the right to challenge him in a duel!”
The crowds gasped.
“Nonsense!” snapped Shōzu. “Her claims are spurious!” He cut the wit with his hand. “She is out of her mind?”
“But is she?” asked the shōgun.
“Of course she is,” said Shōzu. “Do you not believe your own daimyos, my lord?”
A tiny smile of arrogance touched the shōgun’s mouth, though Shōzu and no one else present were aware of it. “Bring me that servant that I inducted into my bakufu at the dinner.” He turned to his stern-faced and trusted aide Hikaru Naga. “Bring him.”
“Hai,” Hikaru intoned with a nod, and he turned and strode through the thick press of the crowd.
Shōzu’s eyes were focused on Rōkura. His jaw muscles twitched and his temples pulsed. Had the shōgun not been here, she knew that he would order her death right then and there.
Advertisement
To make him angry, the oni wanted to twist her lips into a subtle wry sneer to send him into a full rage—which was what he would probably do regardless if he was found out.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum as the servant came. “I am here, my lord shōgun!” he said with a bow.
“Good,” said Daichi. “We will get to the bottom of this. And then—then we will decide how to settle the matter. Now tell me, you of the daimyo’s former court. Did your previous lord have a man of this woman’s company killed?”
The servant swallowed and glanced toward Shōzu.
“Do not look at him!” snapped Hikaru. “Look to your lord!”
The servant obeyed, though his legs were like rotted driftwood. By inducting him into the shōgun’s bakufu, he had become an enemy of sorts to his daimyo, and still he feared for his life, despite being of the shōgun’s administration.
“And tell us the truth,” said Daichi. “I will know if you lie to me.”
“Answer the question!” growled Hikaru.
The man stammered. “Hai! Hai! He had a man killed. In front of her.”
“For what reason?!” pressed Hikaru, his tone a gravely bed of rocks that threatened to roll over the servant until his flesh was bruised and battered and not but a bloody mess.
“He…”
Shōzu growled, his inability to contain his anger and frustration beginning to boil over.
And yet the traitor went on.
“He did it to intimidate the oni,” said the servant. He was shaking now, physically. Rōkura was worried he would wet himself and make a mess on her bare feet.
“He is telling you what you want to hear!” said Shōzu as he gestured to the servant. “He is a lying dog, a cur that should be strung up and executed on the street corner!”
“Silence,” Daichi said with a wave of his hand. Quiet ensued. He knew the truth. The man was not lying. There had been no thrum in his ears. His ability Purveying Truth was not activated against the man’s words. “We have, a witness…”
That hung in the air as Shōzu made a frustrated sound, that indicated his disappointment and outrage. Shinjiro understood the sound, one only his countrymen made during times of great outrage to their personal honor.
The shōgun took one step forward and raised his hands. Rōkura’s heart pounded in her chest so hard it hurt.
“You have a witness to your claim,” he said. “But… I cannot simply allow you to attack my daimyo with the intend of ‘murdering him.’”
She swallowed.
“However,” continued Daichi Ashikaga. “I will allow your challenge to be put forth. For the sake of honor.” He turned to Shōzu. “Do you accept her challenge?”
The daimyo ground his teeth, and Shinjiro almost smiled. He could not refuse the challenge in front of all these people. His honor would be scathed.
“I ask you again,” said the shōgun. Shōzu Yonezawa. Do you accept the oni’s challenge?”
“Hai,” he breathed with a nod. “I accept… on one condition.”
“State it,” said Daichi.
Advertisement
Monster Paradise
800 years ago, 3000 dimensional gates opened across the entire world. In that moment, it was as if 3000 different colored eyes opened across the world as hordes of monsters swarmed out of these gates like tears. Some could destroy city walls with one strike; They had bodies the size of a giant and fed on humans Some latched onto humans, absorbing their bodies’ nutrients and enslaving humans Some infiltrated the humans’ cities, disguising themselves as normal human beings while feeding upon human blood to sustain themselves. In a night, the Human race fell to the bottom of the food chain. The world had turned into a paradise for monsters…Thank you for reading updated novel Monster Paradise @ReadWebNovels.net
8 2298The Kings of Thendor - The Two Kings
To some, it would probably be obvious. To others – not so much. In the land of Thendor, where magic is mysterious, unmentioned, and sometimes even disbelieved; where kings, queens, and stewards rule, the ages-old kingdom of Alldel remains without its king. Heirs come and go and no one can explain why each one chooses to abdicate to the steward. And who are these heirs, anyway? Some say the line of kings is dead, while others whisper of magic. Some, though few they are, will tell you other kingdoms have interfered, keeping the line of kings from rising in the nation of Alldel. But why? Adric, son of Cassian, heir to the throne of Alldel has come of age and must answer the question, whether to assume the throne, or abdicate as his ancestors had done for centuries. Raised as a blacksmith by a family friend, Adric struggles with the decision to take up his place as King of Alldel, and to make matters worse, a neighboring kingdom has confirmed the rumors of the common folk. An impossibly old king with a centuries-old message arrives and changes Adric’s life in ways he could never have imagined. Adric must decide the future, and perhaps even the fate of the great kingdom of Alldel. Unprepared for this turn of events, he enlists the help of allied kingdoms and even the mystical nymphs of the Tulusbian forest. Some say his actions will start a war on the continent of Thendor. Ohers say he is resurrecting a long forgotten one from centuries ago. Abdicate, or become king? To some, it would probably be obvious. To others – not so much.
8 174Adopted by Jensen Ackles
Caroline Anne Garrison is a lonely orphan. She only has her sister, Robin, and her best friend, Jonah. One fateful day, when Caroline and her sister are casually talking on the swings, a piece of paper flies by on the wind, and the sisters investigate, and figure out that it's an application for the show, Supernatural. When Caroline goes to set up her audition, that's when her life takes a turn for the better.Title picture made by: chancellorgriffin#1: Jensen
8 67"See?" » Zarry ✔
Things in Zayn's life haven't ever gone exactly as he planned and as a result, he's forced to move back home and face the facts: It just wasn't meant to be. Between looking for love and trying to kick his smoking habit, the last thing he expects is for a certain curly haired and optimistic blind man to walk into his life and turn it completely upside down. And though he has already chalked his life up to be nothing but a complete failure, he learns that not everything about himself is as overbearingly disappointing as he thinks it is. He has always had so much to give. But sometimes it just takes a blind man to help him see.***Where Zayn teaches Harry the meaning of colors.Warnings:▶ Some Language▶ Eventual Sexual Scenes8k+ Comments
8 115YANDERE HARRY POTTER ONESHOTS
Ever wondered what it would be like if the Harry Potter characters went yandere over you, dear reader? Well, you can find out :) I don't own the characters or the pics that I use in this book and I hope you enjoy reading it :)
8 477Vampire Midas AU
An alternate timeline to my main AU's story.Taking an unintended detour while trying to get back to Fortnite island doesn't end well for Midas and his soon-to-be boyfriend Agent Jones, also known as Jonesy. A confrontation with vampires leaves the mastermind bitten and eventually starting to undergo his decent into vampirism.He struggles to hide it from his family, clashing with the bloodlusting monster deep inside him. Can he resist his hunger and keep it contained? Or will he lose control and let the truth escape?------Happy Halloween y'all. Well, I'm HOPING I can get all these parts done before Halloween is over. I suppose we'll wait and see I guess.But yeah I thought of this last minute and wanted to give y'all somethin' spooky to read for the spooky month. (I dunno if it's spooky but eh)I had a big brain idea for a third Oneshot on vampire Midas, but decided to instead give him an AU of his own. This will not be a long story as I'm hoping it won't have too many chapters, but the chapters themselves will be very long.This is an alternate timeline to my main AU's story. And yes Midas and Jones are still gay for each other in this timeline. That hasn't changed 😂One other thing, this AU is probably gonna be more on the smutty side, so if that ain't your thing maybe don't read this.Anyway enjoy a bloodsucking gold boi and his golden haired boyfriend
8 92