'Is this for real?'
Yoichi's mind wandered for a bit while clasping the rapier's tip with his Ki.
Although what Yoichi did was dangerous and ridiculous, he infused his skin and fingers with Ki, preventing any kind of force from piercing his flesh.
The attacker backed up once she saw that her attack was blocked by only his fingertips, thinking that it was just a gimmick against great power.
"May I know the name of this one's attacker?" Yoichi, ever the gentleman, asked about the woman's name and signaled the Makima to take the kids back to safety.
The attacker was a slender and beautiful young woman with long light blue hair and dark blue eyes. She wore a general's apparel with long sleeves, a blue scarf on her neck, and high-heeled boots. The outfit was out of this era considering that the era was the Japanese Heian Period. Her upper breasts faintly peeked out with a porcelain color skin. She doesn't have the Teigu tattoo in the middle of her chest which is not surprising for Yoichi since he knew her.
'I hope we go into a dialogue before the battle, I want some information about this...fascinating situation we have.'
"Heh... You have such a nerve trying to piss off my elder sister. Natsumi, come over to big sister... Guards! Surround them!" The black-dressed woman ordered her troops while Natsumi reluctantly went to her sister's bosom.
Countless warriors surrounded them with polearms and bows pointing at them. Ryoma and Sumiko were terrified and Makima resolved herself, hugging both the kids sealing his determination to protect the kids whenever an attack launched at them.
"Criminal! Looks like you have some great strength. I applaud your bravery! My name is Yuki Zen'in. Now, will you surrender yourself or let your blood spill on the ground?" A commanding and cold voice rang in the vicinity and an aura of a general permeated through the air.
'Hmmm... That mysterious power that blocked my attack... It must be a futile trick.'
'Yuki Zen'in... Zen'in?! What's this?! Ah The Zen'in Family, I have never seen them ever since the Heian Period.'
"Ahem... Sorry about that. How about we have a little dance? I am very sorry but the situation never favored you since the start." Yoichi's thoughts came back to reality and got himself a tanto from Doraemon's mysterious book.
"Pfft! What is this idiot's saying? We are the Vanguards of the Zen'in Family! Looks like this wanted criminal has loose screws..." One of the warriors scoffed at his act as the others followed in their mockery against Yoichi.
"HAHAHA, What a dumb person! Is this the magical man Onmyouji Bureau is saying? What a fat joke!"
"Looks like this frail man didn't even have the strength to fight our general!"
"Arise."
After hearing the low voice, countless dark beings sprouted out of the ground as if the gods were abandoning the people.
Shadows materialized into the warriors wielding weapons such as katanas, polearms, bows, and even odachi.
Looking at the eerie and bizarre situation, the Vanguards were terrified and disturbed by the scene. After all the time they are living in this world, the situation never occurred. Only at this point, negative emotions run rampant in their minds and begin looking at the man.
The Vanguards were surrounded by 50 Shadow Warriors, bowing at the man who summoned them like a deity descending to the ground and looking at his believers.
"This is just an illusion! Take this! Hiyaaah!" A warrior attacked one of the shadows but the bloody scene didn't happen. Instead, the polearm passed through the shadow warrior's body.
After attacking, a warrior felt the killing intent focused on him as sweat and fear filled his face. All of the shadow warriors glared at him with malicious intent.
"STOP!" Yoichi raised his hand.
"10 Shadow Warriors! Protect my family. As the others, surround them." Yoichi ordered a bunch of shadows like a strategic game.
"HAAAAA!!!"
All of them complied with a grunt, looking at the humans carrying weapons with their cold blue misty eyes. The next one who attacked first will be met with death itself.
"WOW! What is this demonic ability? Yoichi-sensei! Are you a demon?!"
"Dad! Are you an Akuma?! Where are your horns and fangs?"
"Yoichi-sensei!"
All three kids were appalled at the situation, glancing at their mysterious sensei, coated once more with enigma and bizarreness.
Peeking at the grim faces of Yuki and the black-dressed woman, Yoichi merely smiled.
"Shall we dance now? Do not worry about my soldiers, they will not attack unless your soldiers attack first. I swear that no blood will be spilled as long as we have a little dance of us, is that alright?"
"... Very well. Although, your divine power looked ominous. I trust that you are not the type to backstab someone." Yuki Zen'in trusted Yoichi, not as a criminal but as an experienced warrior.
"Sister! You—" the black-dressed woman chimed in, appearing to be worried about her sister and her superior.
"Do not worry, Yoru. We are Zen'in! The strong survive and the weak perish! This line tuned my true self and I don't cower in the face of strong adversary!" Yuki's eyes were filled with fighting spirit and adrenaline rushing her veins.
"Go on, Sister. I'll help you if any problem arises." the black-dressed woman named Yoru just sighed, she couldn't help Sister's warmonger attitude.
The cold aura emanated from Yuki with her blazing eyes staring back at Yoichi who was calmly looking back at her.
Yoichi employed his stance, tanto upwards in a hammer grip with his right hand while Yuki readied herself in the Ox Guard position.
Yuki started her piercing attack, aiming at his torso. Yoichi calmly pinned his tanto in the solid frame of the rapier, metal screeching rang as the tanto went to the rapier's guard hilt.
In the close distance, Yuki threw a left hook at his face while twisting her body away knowing the dangerous recovery of the daggers. Yoichi instinctively crouched down the left hook and instantly attacked her lower body. Yuki backflipped and kicked back but her foot was pushed by Yoichi. Landing fine and rearing to go.
Shallow cuts appeared on her legs and shins, destroying some of the high-heeled boots' durability. With no armor or guard defending, both of the combatants were confident about their fighting skills.
Not even caring about the cuts, Yuki launched an attack once more but this time her eyes were on Yoichi's main weapon.
Driving her long rapier onward, Yuki lunged again aiming for the head while her left hand was ready to grab on the seemingly frail wrists of Yoichi.
Closing the gap, Yoichi leaned his head away from the piercing attack and dropped his tanto.
Noticing that Yoichi dropped his tanto like a buffoon, Yuki wanted to grab his throat but Yoichi grabbed her overextended right arm near his left shoulder and carried her tall frame into a shoulder throw.
Yuki wanted to lock her legs into his waist at the back but it was too late, she felt that she was seeing the sky, and then she plopped to the ground.
Recovered in an instant, Yuki was about to roll down to the left but Yoichi's tanto was pointing at her chest as she looked in an upside-down position.
It was a brief period of the fight but it felt like life and death with psychological wits, battle awareness, and absolute body controls, appearing in each move like a game of chess.
The atmosphere was silent as the Vanguards were shocked that their general lost the fight against the frail and skinny wanted criminal.
"Yoichi-sensei! You are so good!"
"Dad! Well done!"
"Onee-san!"
The kids ran into Yoichi and Yuki, they were excited about the conclusion of the fight.
Makima was secretly glad and sighed continuously as every move of them was a heartstopper and Makima was on the rollercoaster of emotion during the fight.
"Sis! Are you fine?" At that moment, Yoru rushed and examined her sister.
Yuki merely nodded.
"Ahahaha, that was so close! But I did it!" Yoichi cheekily smiled in front of the kids while Yuki was sitting on the ground and glancing back at Yoichi's cheeky smile.
She felt indescribable emotions that were foreign to her heart, slight blush appeared on her delicate face as Yuki's dark blue eyes never left Yoichi.
Yuki wants to fall in love with someone but all the men are always greedy, incapable, or ugly. All she ever witnessed was war and the cruelty of life. His father's motto was the only thing that marked her Darwinism from childhood to adulthood.
The strong survive and the weak perish.
The words encapsulated her mind and brought up her adult life, carrying these words like an absolute rule amongst the other unreasonable rules.
Her father was sacrificed to the Divine Tree since he was weak in her regard. And now that there's someone stronger, someone younger, and someone more handsome than any human she ever seen.
All she ever wanted was to hold this man, possess this man all alone with her. Tell the world that this man was all by herself. And the man was standing near her with a smile on his adorable face.
"That's a good fight, are you alright?" Yoichi extended his hand in front of her and smiled at the sight.
"Hmmm... Thanks for the fight! I will not lose again, the next time we meet!" Yuki slightly blushed at the kinship and tipped her general's cap hiding her dark blue eyes.
"Hehehe... I'm sorry. I'm somewhat amateur in fighting. Please, be easy on me!" Yoichi scratched his head awkwardly like an idiot.
'Amateur?! You?! You've beaten one of the strongest leaders in our town!' If you are an amateur, what about us? A garbage?!'
"Everyone, disperse!" Yoichi commanded as the shadows were slowly seeping back to the ground, gone for now.
All of the Vanguards cursed him at his display of "humility" and sighed in relief.
"Join me!" Yuki glared at Yoichi, extending her hand with an optimistic mind.
Yoichi met all of Yuki's standards for a suitor of hers.