The small boat that came to pick them up arrived a full forty minutes late. Fortunately, Bai Luo was skilled. Otherwise, if it were an ordinary person, they would have been killed by the Kairagi before the resistance's boat arrived.
"I apologize, gentlemen. Something came up and delayed us quite a bit."
The boatman was just an ordinary fisherman. His rough skin was likely the result of years of wind and sun on the sea. The small boat was also full of fishing gear. He must have been called over at short notice.
He grabbed the towel around his neck, wiped the sweat from his face, and hurriedly tidied up the items on the boat, making room for the two of them under the awning.
"It's no trouble. It must have been difficult for you to come and pick us up in this weather."
Since he was in a vacation mood anyway, Bai Luo was not in a hurry.
The resistance must be in more of a hurry than him, right?
"It's not really the weather. It's purely because of that Tatarigami."
After pushing the boat away from the shore, the fisherman sighed and said.
Not just the Tatarigami. Because this was a person the resistance had hired him to pick up, and because Teppei was also wearing the clothes of the resistance, he dared not speak his mind.
The war had been going on for some time. Due to the battle between the Shogunate's army and the resistance, Tatarasuna had been affected and had exploded. The miners and residents had fled for their lives.
And Yashiori Island had become one of their places of refuge.
But they didn't know that due to the destruction of the ward, the situation on Yashiori Island might be even worse than at the Mikage Furnace.
As more and more refugees poured into their village, the village's food supply was gradually running out. The village chief was now even trying to buy grain from pirates.
He was unwilling to collude with pirates like the village chief, so he had attached himself to the resistance, occasionally doing some work for them in exchange for some supplies to survive.
As the boat left the area of Watatsumi Island, the sea gradually became rough.
After entering the range of the dark clouds, everything around them became oppressive at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Even Teppei put away the smile he usually wore and huddled in a corner of the awning, holding his standard-issue tachi and looking around vigilantly.
On the other hand, the fisherman seemed to have long been accustomed to the environment here. After taking out his straw raincoat and conical hat, he continued to row forward.
After traveling for a while, a large-scale ruin suddenly appeared on the rainy sea. Amidst the ruins, its former glory could still be clearly distinguished.
But time had passed, and the glory was no more. All that was left was a mess and the green vines that covered the ancient ruins.
"That is Fort Mumei, also known as the Realm of No Light. My grandfather's generation couldn't even tell its history. Anyway, it has always been deserted. It is said that it was destroyed by that serpent... the Great God of Watatsumi during his eastern expedition."
After noticing that Bai Luo was looking at the ruin, the fisherman introduced it in a low voice. He had already been paid, so he had to be professional.
And he also needed to explain why he was late.
But before he could explain, Bai Luo asked a question.
"Wouldn't it be closer to go through Fort Mumei? Why take such a long detour?"
Bai Luo had been observing this fisherman all along. When he was taking them across the sea, he would often observe the surface of the water and adjust the direction from time to time.
This indicated that the fisherman was probably not taking the usual route, but had chosen another, very unfamiliar one. This was not a good thing, because only a familiar route would be confirmed to have no turbulent currents or reefs, thus ensuring safety.
The fisherman's current behavior was simply suicidal.
"You may not know this, sir, but this Fort Mumei is also one of the places where the Tatarigami ward is enshrined. It is usually very fast and safe to go that way. But after the ward was destroyed, it is no longer a place for people. I searched for a long time to find a new route, otherwise I wouldn't have been so late."
This was also one of the reasons why the resistance had sent a fisherman to pick them up.
The new route was still being planned. Currently, the only ones who could take them out of Watatsumi Island, besides the Fatui's ships, were the fishermen who were familiar with the nearby waters.
"Is that so?"
Bai Luo looked in that direction thoughtfully.
This fisherman was not lying, because he could feel the danger over there.
"Hmm?"
While observing, he seemed to notice that someone else was also observing him.
No... that's not a person!
His hand subconsciously rested on his reverse-blade sword, and Bai Luo prepared to draw his blade.
A sword.
That's right. He felt that what was watching him in the ruins was not a person, or even a living creature, but a sword.
After switching to the Himura Kenshin profession, he was extremely sensitive to things related to swords, so he couldn't be wrong.
There was a [sword] in there, staring at him.
"Is there anything else in here besides the Tatarigami ward?"
With his hand on his reverse-blade sword, Bai Luo asked in a low voice.
As if he was afraid of startling the [sword] in the ruins.
"There should be some monsters, right? After the Tatarigami outbreak, some people were brave enough to go in at first, but they never came out again. Now, besides the monsters, no one dares to go in anymore."
The fisherman did not notice that something was wrong with Bai Luo and told him everything that had happened.
Since he was so late, he naturally wanted to use this method to tell Bai Luo that it was not that he wanted to be late, but that there was a reason.
Monsters?
Don't tell me it's a Kairagi in there.
Actually, regarding this Fort Mumei, Bai Luo vaguely remembered a sword-wielding monster from his previous life. Was it a Kairagi?
Unfortunately, it was just a side quest, and it was long and tedious. He had done it once and then stopped paying attention to it, so he had almost forgotten about it.
"A sword?"
Bai Luo decided that after meeting up with the resistance, he would first test whether the so-called Tatarigami could affect him. If it couldn't, he would go and explore this place.
Wanting to obtain the [Elucidator], he was very much looking forward to whether the sword in here could give him a surprise.
"Clang—"
As Bai Luo was deep in thought, a sword cry seemed to ring out between heaven and earth.
In this sword cry, Bai Luo felt a hint of despair, unwillingness, and madness.
Vaguely, he seemed to see a demon wielding a sword and roaring at him.
The demon was ferocious and terrifying, its face extremely twisted. Just looking at it, one seemed to feel death.
"Swish—"
Two sword lights formed an "x" shape, stirring up a large wave and flying towards the dilapidated fishing boat.
These two sword lights were also attached with elemental energy, the front being Anemo and the back being Cryo.
The wind stirred up the waves, and the ice froze the waves. After the two elements combined, a strange ice path was formed on the surface of the sea.
"The Tatarigami... the Tatarigami is angry!"
The fisherman was just an ordinary person. How could he have seen such a scene? If not for Teppei in the awning being quick-witted, he would have probably fallen into the sea by now.
"Sōryūsen!"
Bai Luo's speed was increased by more than double. He stepped on the edge of the fishing boat and flew up. The longsword in his hand directly shattered the two almost simultaneous sword auras of the opponent.
"Boom—"
The Anemo and Cryo elements exploded, forming a huge ice platform on the surface of the sea.
Bai Luo stood steadily on the platform and looked at the end of the "ice path."
_______________________________________
Hey guys, A little support will be appreciated. As you know, we don't earn on fanfiction.
Check my P@treon for advance chapters:-
Their are 10+ advance chapters available on P@treon.
[email protected]/AnimeDarcx