Chapter 8

Conversation with him wasn’t as valuable as meeting Tetsu so they set off on the way which they had been told to go on.

And it did not disappoint.
After taking left from the tree, they discovered a yellow house at the end of a long alley.
“Why is his house in the corner?” Shinji looked around just to see walls.
“Looks like he hates visitors.” Fujimoto mumbled.
Shinji knocked the door after reaching at the doorstep.
Door was open.
“Come.” Shinji waved at Fujimoto.
Inside they saw a crystal ball glowing.
A man was behind it.
“Who are you?” Tetsu killed crystal’s luminosity after spotting them.
“Oh dear!” Shinji whispered when he noticed Tetsu was none other person than he had met in brothel.
The only difference was that he was wearing clothes now.
“You two?” Tetsu gazed at them in wrath.
A female scream came from behind. The woman swung hammer at them.
Somehow they managed to duck it. But second blow was more ruthless. It missed Fujimoto by an inch.
Fujimoto caught the heavy crystal ball and threw it at her head.
The glass hit her head hard. It caused the sound very similar to the broken skull. No matter how serious the injury was, it had done its job.
She dropped her hammer and fell on the floor.
Then the crystal ball fell at last. Shinji saw some cracks on it as it rolled towards his feet.
“You s****.” Tetsu came out from his table, “You maggots kill my mistresses, injure my wife and cracked the crystal. How dare you?”
“None of them would have happened if we knew who you were.” Shinji put his sword down, “We apologize from bottom of our –”
“Piss off.”
“Hisao, your son, sent us here.” Fujimoto interrupted.
“Hisao’ friends, huh?” Tetsu made a face. He then lifted the cracked ball, “Now I realize how much of a bad company he is in.”
The woman groaned in pain.
“Hold on wifey. It is just a bruise.” Tetsu said after putting the crystal back to its place.
He helped his wife sit on his chair. To make some corrections in the pile of mistakes he was responsible form, Fujimoto rushed to hold her.
“Are you okay, mam?” Fujimoto asked but the dizzy feeling woman had no answer for him.
“Ser, we are here to know where Notrze Chosokabe is. Maybe you can help us.” Shinji said while Tetsu was dressing her wound.
The husband also had nothing to say.
“You know the stakes well, don’t you?” Shinji added.
“You don’t need to tell me what the stakes are. The thing is, I would never help anyone associated with Hisao.”
“We are sorry. We didn’t mean to do it.”
“No wonder why Nobukazu hates cut-throats. You maggots are like glue. Inseparable. Even if you had not caused this s*** I would not have helped you. People like you are disgrace to society.”
“We are here for the society. I hoped you would understand.”
“Apocalypse, isn’t it? We call it Great Invasion here. I understand everything but I don’t want to lift a finger against it.”
“Finding Chosokabes would also save your son.”
Mrs. Tetsu gasped after hearing him.
Same expression was noticeable in Tetsu’s face but it didn’t last long.
“What kind of son robs family wealth and lets his parents starve on street?” Tetsu’s voice trembled.
“Great Invasion would be worse.”
“I am sixty. My wife is one shy of fifty. We don’t have many years to look further for. I don’t care what heavy or frightening words you have in your arsenal.”
“I have a light word. Kindness. Be kind to others and let them have more years to look further for.”
“Kindness?” Tetsu laughed, “When I begged in street, nobody even bothered to give me a bronze coin. Nobody thought of me and my suffering. I had to live on money my wife made by prostitution till I learned this sorcery.” Tears began to appear in corner of his eyes as he resumed, “You two go and tell Hisao to imagine his mother sharing bed with other man than me.”
“It is your personal problem. You must help us.” Fujimoto raised his voice.
“Never!” Tetsu was louder, “No way, whore slayers. Now get out of my sight before I call soldiers here.”
Shinji picked his sword.
Tetsu lost his breath for a second when the mighty sword shined in Shinji’s hand.
He hoisted the great sword on his back and turned towards the door.
Fujimoto also followed his footsteps.
Mrs. Tetsu locked the door tight when they were gone.