Amazon Apocalypse 6: Chapter 43

Takano’s sitting room had a carefully curated look to it, as though it was meant to appear both elegant and ancient. Several swords and other medieval weapons hung on the wall, each already out of its scabbard and on display. Unfortunately, the effect was lost on me. In the course of making weapons, I’d learned how to spot a good one.

All the swords, maces, and other trinkets on the wall had the look of something you might order out of a magazine. There was nothing here suitable for the battlefield. The unusually shiny and flawless production techniques of plastic and modern metallurgy probably threw the locals off, but not me.

“Young master Carter, take my son’s chair, if you wish,” Takano gestured to a modern stool. The rest of the seating area consisted of cushions on the ground surrounding a low table.

I sat, and Sakura slid in beside me. Her fingers curled into mine beneath the table for a brief moment, seeking my presence for extra strength. This was her mission, though I’d help however I could.

“Terribly sorry about that rudeness at my door. A minor misunderstanding, good sir,” Takano chuckled nervously. “Anyhow--”

I nodded my head toward Sakura. “As I said, she’s the one you should be talking to.”

“Ah, yes. Sakura. What was it about your father, and how is it related to my honored guest beside you?” Takano scowled at Sakura, turned to me with an incredibly fake smile, then went right back to scowling at her.

Sakura returned the gesture with an equally fake smile. “Grandfather, perhaps you should examine me as well. It might illuminate some things for you.”

Takano let out a sigh. “Very well, girl. I’ll humor you. Yes, yes, you’re… wait…”

He squinted at the empty air, then looked Sakura up and down again. It seemed as though he examined her several times just to make sure the System hadn’t made a mistake.

“Yes, Grandfather. Thanks to Carter and the many adventures we’ve gone on together, I’ve reached level 301. I’m stronger than the B-Grades guarding the gates to this estate.” Sakura wore a genuine smile now. I suspected she didn’t mind rubbing her power in a little.

Really, Takano could only blame himself. If he’d been smart, he would have examined both of us the moment he decided to attack. An unexpected examine was just a minor breach of etiquette compared to attacking someone with a sword.

To his credit, Sakura’s grandfather recovered quickly. In a moment, he went from shocked to frightened.

“One moment, please…” He abruptly stood and left the room. Sakura and I were left wondering what he was up to, but I could see him fiddling with a pot of tea while he calmed his nerves.

He muttered to himself, though even with supernatural hearing, I couldn’t make out the words. The battle happening between Sharky and the Miyamoto B-Grades just a few doors down wasn’t helping. Every few minutes, I could hear the tremendous blast of some great attack and Sharky’s ferocious roar.

Eventually, Takano seemed to convince himself he could play this recent turn of events to his advantage. He reentered the room with a pot of tea. For a moment, I thought he was going to offer us some, but he only brought a single cup, which he poured and served to himself.

“Grandfather, my father is under house arrest. I want you to release him.” Sakura folded her hands on the table and gave Takano a hard stare.

“Yes, you’ve mentioned as much. But that father of yours hasn’t been supporting our family as he should. However, seeing as how he has such a capable daughter with good connections, you can make up for his failings and allow him to regain his freedom.” Takano took a long sip from his teacup. A little dribbled down his chin onto the table.

“Don’t push it. Many B-Grades wouldn’t bother sitting down to ask you anything,” I warned Takano.

He went pale, but took another deep sip from his tea and feigned confidence once again.

“Nonsense. If Sakura here had planned to take what she wanted from me, she would have already done so. She knows I am her grandfather and intend to guide the family to glory. I am also the best chance she has for her and her father to build a connection with the Miyamoto Clan. Even at your current power, the Miyamoto Clan is a backer no one would dare turn down.”

Sakura and I shared a look. She squeezed my hand under the table, and in an instant we exchanged a dozen thoughts.

No, Sakura didn’t care about the Miyamoto Clan. Takano was completely wrong, but he was safe from us for other reasons. Sakura’s father was an honorable man, and killing Takano outright wouldn’t get him out of here. We needed Takano Miyamoto on our side, even if only briefly.

I used telekinesis to make two additional teacups float from Takano’s pantry onto the table. Then I lifted the teapot and poured drinks for Sakura and myself. Takano watched the display of power with equal parts fascination and nervousness.

“Dear granddaughter, you have such potential. It’s a shame the Rokubi family doesn’t know about it. The standing of our branch of the family would rise significantly if they knew we had a powerful young woman among our youngest. It would prove the strength and potential of our bloodline.” Takano stroked his stubby beard with a fox-like grin. No doubt he thought he was a manipulative mastermind at the moment.

“So you want a show of strength that will impress our hosts, is that it? And then you’ll release my father from house arrest? Nothing else?” Sakura asked.

Takano held a hand to his heart. “On my word and honor. That’s as good as gold, you know.”

I smiled. “Good. A deal is a deal. And Sakura, I think the Rokubi family compound is under attack as we speak. Seems like you can make good on that promise right away. Let’s go take care of it.”

***

Sakura left Takano’s room in a hurry to join the main battle in the center of the Rokubi family compound. The main hall was in ruins. Broken lanterns lay on the ground, spreading fire to the rest of the estate. Stone support pillars, built to be indestructible to most oni, lay in crumpled ruins. A good portion of the courtyard had been destroyed during the fighting as well.

It looked like the only part of the estate that was somewhat intact was the part Sakura and I had been hiding in. Perhaps Sharky had known where we were and intentionally avoided destroying it in his rampage.

Another B-Grade had joined in the fight to contain Sharky, but that was all. We arrived just in time to see one of the B-Grades taken out of the fight completely.

I was pretty sure Sharky didn’t mean to chomp down on them as he did, but someone like him could only toy with his prey for so long before taking a little nibble. And given Sharky’s size, a “little nibble” involved a double amputation below the hip.

Another B-Grade was down an arm, so this probably wasn’t Sharky’s first time snacking on them. The three Rokubi family B-Grades were half-dead already, and from the looks of despair in their eyes, they thought they were moments from the end. The battle had decisively shifted in Sharky’s favor, though only Sakura and I knew that Sharky had the power to end things at any time.

“Looks like the perfect time for the heroine of the day to show up. Go on.” I urged Sakura forward.

The only intact B-Grade was a white-haired older woman with a grim expression on her face. She’d been the last to arrive and so bore the fewest wounds. That wouldn’t help her now, though. With her two kinsmen crippled, she’d be fighting Sharky alone and wouldn’t stand a chance as an early B-Grade. I knew the look of someone preparing themselves for death, and this woman had it in her eyes.

But then, as Sharky snarled and prepared to strike, Sakura jumped between them.

“Nom nom?” Sharky said, though there was a hint of confusion.

“Sorry about this, buddy. Just play along, alright?” I whispered under my breath.

Sakura hefted her stud-covered bat. Crimson energy swirled around her, and she swung with all her might for Sharky’s nose.

The blow came a hair’s breadth from his nose, just barely missing him. After an instant of confusion, Sharky backed away a moment. I sensed his head turn toward me, hidden off to the side, and I rapidly gestured at him. I waved my fist past my own face, pretending to be hit by it.

“Nom nom,” Sharky said.

When Sakura swung again, Sharky reeled back as though he’d been struck by something his own size. Sharky’s acting sure as hell wasn’t going to win any awards, but our audience wasn’t in the best state to watch with a critical eye.

Two B-Grades were bleeding out, and the third was still panting and staring at the sky as she came to terms with her recent brush with death. By the time her eyes finally focused, she was staring at Sakura, not Sharky.

The battle was a flashy one, with Sharky thrashing back and forth each time he was struck. The moves tore up huge mounds of debris, throwing them in all directions. In seconds, he’d done as much damage to the Miyamoto family compound as he had during the rest of the fight combined.

Sakura and Sharky exchanged light blows, and eventually it became clear what Sakura was waiting for. Her ultimate, Might of the Colossus, was fully charged, and she unleashed it with all her strength. The outline of a giant drawn in crimson energy appeared behind her, and she smashed down with tremendous force.

Sharky let out one last cry before seeming to be destroyed.

“Nom nom…” Sharky’s form exploded into a storm of mana, light, and shadow. The blast whipped through the ruins of the Rokubi compound like a hurricane, and one last dying roar echoed loud enough to rattle the cobblestones until it faded into nothing.

Between the dust and debris, it was a solid ten seconds before I could see anything. It was probably longer for everyone else.

When the dust finally settled, Sakura stood alone among the ruins, and Sharky was nowhere to be seen. Curiously, I noticed he hadn’t actually been dispelled, though it certainly looked that way. When had Sharky learned how to fake his death?

Oh well. Hopefully he wouldn’t get into too much trouble adventuring across Onibushi. After doing such a great job, he deserved some time to stretch his legs… or in his case, his fins.

“Woohoo, Sakura! Go Sakura!” I shouted. I looked around for any survivors, and eventually I found a small group huddled in the ruins of one of the keeps, taking cover.

I used Shadowrealm Stride to appear beside them in an instant. “Hey, that’s Sakura Miyamoto! She’s the daughter of Nakano Miyamoto, of the Takano branch of the clan! She just saved everyone here!”

“Really?” one servant poked his head up to get a good look at Sakura. “Holy shit, she drove that thing off? You mean to say we’re going to live?”

“Yeah! Remember, Takano’s granddaughter, Sakura, saved us all!” I started clapping, and they copied me.

I had to spread the good news to a few other groups of survivors. Soon, I found the estate’s cooking staff and dropped a few hints that we should have a feast in Sakura’s honor to celebrate her single-handedly defeating this terrible foe.

“But we have no food or supplies for a feast, sir. And… who are you? How did you get in the manor?” asked the head cook.

“I’m… uh… a traveling food merchant! And wouldn’t you know it, I happen to have enough in stock for a hero’s celebration! What fortuitous timing, right? Guess you’ll be able to prepare that feast after all!” I rummaged around in my bags of holding.

Between that and the gifts I agreed to provide, the cooks eventually came up with everything they needed for a proper feast.

“Hurrah! Let’s hear it for Sakura, the Miyamoto Clan’s rising star!” I yelled, raising a cup of whatever the local brew was. I was pretty sure it was some form of sake, only many times more potent. After the toast, I made sure to pour it out somewhere while nobody was looking. After all those parties with Myrina’s family, I knew better than to get drunk at events like this.

Eventually, the same white-haired older woman I’d seen before banged the butt of her war club against the table to gather everyone’s attention. I realized Takano was standing right beside her, grinning ear to ear.

“Attention, everyone! Today, we’ve all learned that we’ve greatly undervalued our cousins from young Takano’s branch of the family. His parents left us for a backwater world a mere hundred years ago, but already he’s forged an oni lineage to be proud of! Sakura, his granddaughter, may be the strongest of her generation in the entire Miyamoto Clan. Her power already surpasses me after thousands of years of battle. Once we are done here, I will speak to my husband, the family head, and ensure our cousins from Takano’s branch of the family are given status befitting their potential.”

The elder stroked Takano’s head like a grown woman praising a toddler, though Takano looked older than she did by physical appearance alone. After she was done speaking, Takano himself stepped up to speak.

“Thank you, elder! My children and grandchildren will do right by you, I swear it! You know, Sakura has always been the jewel of my family. Even when she was a little girl, I knew there was something special about her. That’s why I cherished her so. It will be difficult when I have to give her away to some powerful oni warrior from another major clan. Whoever marries her will have a bride without equal! And will have to compensate our Miyamoto Clan accordingly...” Takano rubbed his hands together.

That caused Sakura to stand up.

“Thank you, elder, grandfather. I’m honored by all the attention and am glad to do my part. But I can handle my love life on my own, thank you very much. Truthfully, I think I’ve already found my one and only, so there’s no need for you to intercede.” Sakura shot her grandfather a little glare.

The elder looked at Takano, as though Sakura’s words contradicted something he’d just told her.

While Sakura went to talk to the Rokubi family elder, I grabbed Takano by his collar and dragged him off to the corner of the room.

“What are you playing at, Takano?” I demanded.

“Nothing! Nothing, I swear it! This is just how family celebrations are done. I’m merely trying to make the most of my granddaughter’s accomplishments...” he let out a nervous chuckle.

“By marrying her off?” I demanded.

“Nothing of the sort. I just want to get her name out there. Our family name will spread faster if people think there’s a chance of courting her. She can just turn them all down. You don’t know this because you’re a human, but this is very normal in oni culture!” Takano held his hands up and wore an incredibly fake smile.

I shook my head. “Try anything, and you’ll regret it. Remember, you gave us your word that this was all you required from Sakura. Nothing else. No, go make good on your end of the deal and release Sakura’s father. He deserves to attend a celebration in his daughter’s honor.”

I gave Takano a shove, and he stumbled backward before dusting himself off and scurrying off back towards his quarters to fetch Sakura's father.


<Note>

Are Takano and Nakano's names too similar? Or are they easy enough to differentiate? I could use a more literal translation for one of them if it's confusing, since they're both Japanese names, not oni names.