Chapter 21

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“I see, so that’s how it was…”

“We’ll be the ones to introduce Yozakura-san to everyone.”

Saijou started laughing mischievously, and began mending his bow.

“Yes, please. Can we leave now?”

After hearing his grandfather was still alive, Ritsu was itching to go to the sanctuary.

“Yes, let’s head back.”

Izumi called on her companions and started preparing to leave.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Izumi set out enthusiastically.

“Um, Izumi-san, I actually had a better method of transport… Can we use that?”

Slightly reluctantly, Ritsu raised his hand and suggested that to the four.

“A better method of transport?”

Ritsu made a large number of cherry-blossom petals appear from his shadow.

“Uwa-, what are these, cherry-blossoms?”

Showing his surprise, Saijou picked the cherry-blossom petals in his hands to confirm.

“Let’s travel while riding these!”

As Ritsu said that, the petals made a spherical shape to cover the five of them, and started to rise into the sky.

“Wa wa wa wa! Is this safe!? This seems too conspicuous to me!”

Izumi suddenly lost her balance on the spherical scaffolding, and was about to fall.

“Don’t worry. The monsters here couldn’t possibly break apart this cherry-blossom film.”

Saying that, Ritsu kneaded in more Ki, and accelerated the sphere at once.

(This is my first time using it though since I just came up with it, but it seems fine right?)

“How much longer will we take?”

Ritsu made a hole in the cherry-blossom film, and peeked outside while asking the four.

“If we continue at this pace, we’d reach there by today evening.”

Tanno replied to Ritsu’s question while looking down.

“Really! That sounds great.”

“Are Ouseis really all like this…”

Saijou looked towards Izumi while sighing.

“I don’t know. An assistant-instructor like me has never had the chance to meet one. Maybe a distant look at most. But, I have heard that all Ouseis have their own ultimate moves.”

“Ultimate moves, huh. I don’t think our school has something like that.”

Ritsu, who was listening to Saijou and Izumi’s conversation, shook his head.

“Is that true!?”

“Our school strikes basic movements into us, which we master in order to adapt to any situation thrown at us. Schools that teach offense and defense, or illusory movements, are sellouts. Putting it positively, their movements are ‘cherry-picked’; putting it negatively, they’re preaching ‘poor dexterity’. That’s pretty much how it goes.”

“But there are some who say that Ouseis, with their ultimate move as their second name, spread that name far and wide.”

Izumi mutters so while recalling something.

“Those must be their own individual skills. My grandfather rather disliked certain-kill skills, at least from what I remember. I personally think they have their own charm though.”

Ritsu gets reminded of his conversation with his grandfather as he says that.

“Oushuu’s skills are unknown to all except the Ouseis, but they are undoubtedly the strongest. There are factions inside the Yozakura school as well, but it is said to be the Oushuu‘s strength that keeps conflict from crossing limits.”

Izumi replied, as if she was reminded of something unpleasant.

“Is that so. Well, I can imagine it wouldn’t feel nice if someone, who’s face you’ve never seen before, occupied such an important seat for himself all this time.”

Ritsu laughs bitterly and tells Izumi.

“No, I didn’t mean…”

“There is something I’m curious about. Is that class system something that affects your position in daily life? I can’t imagine my grandfather making something like that.”

“Aah, Oushuu made the class system only to measure the strength of each individual. However, I can’t deny that it doesn’t correlate into our everyday lives. There have also been cases where that system has been used to threaten people.”

Izumi clenched her fists, while looking like she had bit a bitter-worm.

“Other than the factions of warrior clans, there are privileged classes like aristocrats. The class system was created to counter that.”

Saijou explained in place of Izumi, who looked down.

“Troublesome things might follow you as soon as you enter the sanctuary. Please be careful.”

Kuroi, who had remained silent till now, looked into Ritsu’s eyes as he said that.

“We’ll be reaching soon.”

Tanno, who was using [Detect], pointed at a direction with her finger.

“Is that, the sanctuary?”

A rocky mountain towered in Ritsu’s line-of-sight.

“Yes. The sanctuary is a basin surrounded by steep rocky mountains.”

“I thought it would be covered by something more solid, like a barrier.”

Ritsu sized up the rocky mountain which he was fast approaching.

“There is a barrier along the rocky mountains. However, its effect is limited to making it difficult for monsters to approach. Since there are no physical effects, it only repels monsters.”

Izumi explained while pointing at the mountain.

“Where do we go in from?”

Ritsu worriedly asked as he couldn’t spot an entrance.

“There are four entrances, in the North, South, East, and West. Let’s use the West Gate for now. The ones guarding it are of the Yozakura clan.”

Izumi urged him by hand, saying it was right around the corner. After a while, they came across a large entrance that was hidden in the rock surface.

Ritsu stored the cherry blossom boat into his shadow, and started observing the gate. A crescent moon and a cherry blossom pattern were engraved above the gate.

“That’s our family crest.”

Ritsu muttered reminiscently.

“Yes. Since the Yozakura clan manages it, it’s crest was engraved above it.”

Izumi said while running to the gate, asking Ritsu to wait.

“Ousei-san, a lot of monsters, from there.”

While Ritsu waited for Izumi, Tanno held her weapon while staring into the depths of the forest.

“Won’t they go away once we enter the sanctuary?”

Ritsu asked curiously.

“Since the barrier only prevents them from approaching, humans going in and out of the gate attracts them towards the gate.”

Saijou shrugged his shoulders, as if he was tired of it.

“That’s why there are restrictions on people coming and going from sanctuary. To ensure those who left, don’t drag monsters back inside with them.”

Kuroi explained, while looking sideways at Izumi who was talking to the guards at the gate.

“Training monsters inside the sanctuary can be grounds to penalize you. If someone comes from outside, they must dispose off the monsters they dragged in themselves.”

Tanno looked towards the forest while keeping her hand on her sword.

“Is that so.”

After expressing his gratitude for their explanations, Ritsu stepped in front of the the three.

“Please, let me handle this. Just receiving a title and doing nothing to show for it…gives me a funny feeling in my chest.”

Ritsu told the three with a smile, and turned to face the forest where the monsters were.

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