ch361-ch380 · 375-ch375

Chapter 375: Hiramatsu-ryu Falls to the Wicked Woman

"Man, what an ordeal. Oh? What's wrong? Don't tell me you got worked over by them too, Haruki? What the hell was all that, anyway? So Watanabe-san came back and saved us. Man, that was a lifesaver."

He was ALIVE—?!

Hiramatsu-san walks into the clinic.

"What are you on about. The little boy got himself into THIS state, so we had him held until Watanabe-san came back. Everyone just got so into it—we did go a little overboard."

"A LITTLE? But what does Haruki sleeping have to do with me getting strung up? If it's a cold, that's the branch manager's fault, right? Oh—wait, did I catch it training outside?"

I mean, it's not like any of this is Hiramatsu-san's fault.

Strung up despite being innocent—I really do owe him one.

"THE training is the problem! Apparently Haruki-san came back to the branch with a BROKEN BONE. He's been in bed this whole time! Beaten by your elder brother, no less!"

"Eh? Why was big bro—? And you broke a BONE doing that? What's going on? No, wait—am I about to get chewed out? Over big bro? After being strung up this whole time? Don't tell me I got healed just for THIS?"

At Kasumi-san's raised voice, Hiramatsu-san seems to sense something.

"Kasumi-san, I'm fine, really. I charged in during a live exchange and took a counter, so it just broke—that's all. He didn't do it on purpose or anything. And Hiramatsu-san's already been punished well past what's necessary. Nothing more is needed."

It's fine, I say, and squeeze the hand covering mine again.

"Ah...... Right. You're healed now, so we'll call it even. But Hiramatsu-san—I'm filing a formal protest with your elder brother. He needs to sit down and talk this through properly, or there will be trouble."

"Even," huh...... The innocent Hiramatsu-san sort of got the short end, though......

"Though it didn't feel like the break was a fluke? You were covered in bruises, covered in mud. Weren't you just one-sidedly pummeled?"

Well, I thought that settles it—then Shiraishi-san stirs the pot again.

"No, it wasn't one-sided? I hit back properly too. But he was in armor, so it didn't do anything. So I put my full power into one, ate a counter, and it broke—isn't that about how it went?"

I took enough hits that I honestly can't tell which one broke it, though.

But if this keeps up, Hiramatsu-san gets strung up a second time, so that's the official story.

"Armor? Ahh—the Mountain Kata practice. Take one of those heavy blows and of course something breaks. And Haruki, you weren't wearing armor? Honestly, what is big bro even doing? I figured he'd start Fire Kata practice with Mimiko today......"

"Hm? Miko-san's back? Don't tell me you came to see Miko-san today?"

OW—!

The hand over mine tightens.

C-Cracks......

"No, not Miko—Mimiko. Big bro's daughter. Ten, was it? She'd just started on the Fire Kata herself, so I figured she'd be dying to teach you. Oh, right...... You've already started the Mountain Kata. I hate that training, you know."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. Ten years old......"

The grip relaxes.

If Miko-san is back, she might run into 'Blue Ocean.'

If they learn the 【Gate】 holder isn't Miko-san, 'Sword Saint-chan' will start hunting for the culprit all over again.

I can't blame her grip, honestly.

(Floor 50, huh......)

If it's dangerous, we just don't go.

Simple as that.

Except 'Sword Saint-chan' intends to bring Kasumi-san along.

If the last member never turns up, will she give up on Floor 50?

"By the way, where is Miko-san now? Back from Hokkaido yet?"

OW—!

Relax for one second and......

C-Cracks......

Oh. Right. I told her about Mimiko but never said where Miko-san is.

If she's back, having her lie low for a while might be the move.

"Nope. Apparently she'll be over there a while yet. First Okinawa, now Hokkaido—during New Year's, the busiest season, and she won't even help out. What is she even doing?"

"Those two are a handful," he grumbles—worried, it seems, not just about Miko-san but about the vanished Umemoto-san too.

"Really? I'll call her right now, if that's all right."

Verification matters.

I'd like her to tell Miko-san to take her time coming back.

"Uh, yeah. Suit yourselves. Say—she built a shrine HERE, didn't she? What's the story with that? A shrine inside a dungeon's rare enough—shouldn't the New Year's visitors be showing up?"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. The shrine, hm...... I'll ask about that on the phone as well. Excuse me for a moment."

Kasumi-san goes off to call Miko-san, so let me ask Hiramatsu-san the thing I've been wondering.

"By the way—how exactly did they catch you?"

Did even the mighty Hiramatsu-ryu prove powerless before sheer numbers?

"Hm? Me? Nah—when I got back, Endo-san was standing there with a rope, saying 'let me tie you up.' I'm thinking, what the hell? Then the second I was tied, the rest of them popped out."

I have heard a profoundly stupid story......

I bet he was grinning like an idiot the whole time Endo-san was tying him up.

From heaven straight to hell, you might say.

But I've just heard Hiramatsu-ryu's weakness.

With this, even that armored warrior would be easy to take down.

Not that taking him down would accomplish anything.

"Sorry about thaaat. The plan was just to catch him—"

Apparently this 【Wicked Woman】's scheme.

Her evil points are probably overflowing again.

"They kept yelling 'divine retribution,' you know. And that newbie! After I was strung up she did all sorts of things to me. Did she leave yet? I'm gonna tan her hide!"

"Divine retribution," huh......

Starting to feel like the beating wasn't really his fault......

︙ ︙

"Good morning?"

I greet the person I figure must be him.

The next day, I come to the shrine—but no armored warrior.

In his place stands a man I don't know, but going by the build, this is the man inside the armor. Hiramatsu-san's elder brother, most likely.

He's big, but his face looks kind.

Eldest son of a shrine family—so he's the priest, I suppose?

He's in ordinary clothes today, so I can't tell.

"Y-you really came? After all that? ......No—first, let me apologize. I went too far yesterday. I'm sorry. I heard you broke a bone—are you all right?"

Hiramatsu's elder brother bows his head deep.

Did Hiramatsu-san tell him the whole story?

"Shiraishi-san healed me, so I'm fine. Now—shall we continue from yesterday?"

All healed, so it's fine.

"Huh? Continue? No—there's no need for that anymore...... You're Haruki-kun, was it? I understand you well enough now. ......HAH!? Not that I'm admitting anything! That's a separate matter entirely!"

So yesterday showed him my real ability?

And I'm not yet at the stage where the Mountain Kata gets taught?

Hence no armor today.

He'd figured Hiramatsu-san was on Fire Kata practice too, so......

Still, this is a problem.

On the surface, fine—but in the dungeon, what I'm missing feels less like Fire and more like Mountain.

Somehow I always seem to lean too far toward attack.

I did just become a 【Charge Armorer】, after all—if there's proper armor technique and defensive arts to learn, I want those first.

"I want you to teach me the Mountain Kata. Would you?"

"Ugh. A scheme to win my favor through training? That won't work on me! No—but then again...... There is yesterday to consider. As an apology, I'll grant you instruction. But Hiramatsu-ryu training—Mountain Kata training especially—is harsh, you know?"

Oh?

It does pay to ask, doesn't it.

Getting chummy with him WOULD open the door to all sorts of teachings.

A good move, honestly.