The Incredible Swordsman

CHAPTER 28-THE NEW FRESH START

After travelling around the world of Mainland, Towa served the upright and justice by helping the weak and punishing the evil. From a cold-blooded killer assassin turns to an upright pugilist martial-arts, it’s really 180 degrees changing. Maybe it’s because he almost entered into the afterlife when he was dying after being defeated by Ryohyō, since then he can really understand the meaning of life. He also never forgot to practice when he had time. Not only to strengthen his inner Qi-energy but also the Mukeifūken-ryū. He even created the level 10 of Mukeifūken-ryū on his own. No wonder people called him the martial-art prodigy. Not so many pugilists can create a sword-skill or technique. Not only that, the last time when he successfully defeated Ryohyō, he took Ryohyō’s blade away. Then he brought it to a blacksmith that he met in a town. He asked the blacksmith to modify it a little to make it look like a sword, so it doesn’t look like Ryohyō’s blade. Now, he has 2 swords. The main sword that he used to use, put on his left waist. And the back-up sword, he put on his back. But still, he prefers to use his own sword than the blade. One day, he arrived at a small village where most of the commoners here are farmers and breeders. His destination was not this village eventually. This village was built beside a river and his destination was another town which was across this village. However, to get to his destination, he must cross this wide and long river first. So, he needs to rent a boat from this village then the boatmen take him until he reaches too far. But he was coming not at the right time. The villagers were celebrating a festival here, once a year called “Harvests Day”. So, currently the boatman was off and the villagers there suggested that he spend a night in that village first for today and he can rent a boat tomorrow morning. Then he has no choice but to do that. During his stay in the village, the villagers were so warm welcoming him because it's rare for them to have guests here. Most of the people were just like him, only passing by the village just to cross. However, when the villagers were still celebrating; something happened. A bunch of bandits showed up with riding horses and they yelled to those villagers from the front gate of the village. Some villagers quickly approach them and some run to call the village elder. Towa also saw it but he still remains calm and watches the show. He was waiting for the right time. For the records, the current Towa is wearing a mask to prevent anyone of his acquaintances or maybe Ryohyō’s acquaintances whether from mercenary guild or pugilist world recognize him. It’s not that he's afraid of them or something, it's just that he is not his old self anymore so he doesn’t want his past to reconnect again to his memories. He just doesn’t want to return to becoming his old self again, once the cruel and sadistic killer assassin. That’s why the villagers there called him the “Mask-Swordsman”. The villagers are still talking with the bandits, not long after the village elder comes to see them.

Bandit 1: “From now on, your village here is under our territory. To make sure everything is going well like usual… So, you must pay tax to us as the land that you used here…”

Village elder: “But… our village has already been here for a long time. There is no such a rule to pay the tax that you mean, sir…”

Villager 1: “Yes, that’s right… Since when did you buy our village’s land here??”

Bandit 2: “Since when, huh?? Let me show you since when… Szinnggg… (pull out the saber), swinnggg…”

Then the bandit no.2 gets off from his horse by pulling out his sabre and strikes on the villager who was talking to them on his chest, causing the villager to fall down the ground and die after being cut open on his chest. The other villagers were frightened and screaming as they saw one of them was finished in the bandit’s hand.

Bandit 1: “Listen up old man… Don’t play with our patience here. We’re rough people… If you want to keep your village still prosperous and safe, you better do what we asked… If not, we will raid this village and burn it to ash…”