Chapter 57 : Sword Dance Beneath the Moonlight

“Who sent you?”

Thud!

“What are you?”

Thud!

“Where did you come from?”

Thud!

“Are you connected to that Night… whatever assassin guild?”

Thud!

“If so, who is it? Give me a name.”

Thud!

I questioned him while referring to my secret manual of meridians.

With every question, I struck a pressure point that seemed likely to hurt.

Yet the assassin only glared at me with bloodshot eyes, refusing to give up a single word.

Which made sense—his mute meridian was sealed.

I carefully noted his reactions, jotting them down in the margins of my manual, then stroked my chin with a grave expression.

“This one isn’t ordinary. His nerve is remarkable.”

I nodded in admiration.

“Not even a scream. He’s my enemy, but I must respect that.”

Gathering inner energy into my fingertips, I sighed.

“No helping it… this interrogation may take a while.”

Each note was another flake of snow stacking neatly into a drift.

It was a beautiful sight.

I chuckled and raised my hand again.

“Well then… let’s continue.”

“Wait.”

Shushruta, who had been watching silently, suddenly stopped me.

I turned to her with a scowl.

“What? I was just getting into it.”

“Did you just say you were getting into it?”

Oops.

I blinked, then steeled my expression and replied shamelessly.

“Who could possibly enjoy themselves in such a grave interrogation? What kind of lunatic would that be? Certainly not me. Maybe you? Was it you?”

“You clearly just said it yourself.”

“When?”

“…”

We glared at each other.

Suspicion glimmered in her eyes.

“It’s odd. His face looks ready to spill everything, yet he hasn’t uttered a word.”

“What are you saying? Can’t you see his firm, resolute expression? The look of a man who values his comrades’ cause more than his pitiful life. Admirable, isn’t it? Though evil.”

I gestured at his face.

But truthfully… yeah, he did look like he was dying to confess.

“…”

Hmm. Was there a pressure point that changed facial expressions?

[Of course not.]

So, I resorted to kneading his face, trying to force his expression into something more villainous, all the while insisting,

“Look at him. ‘Do whatever you like, I won’t even blink!’ That’s what his face is saying.”

Just then, the assassin blinked furiously.

Shushruta raised an eyebrow.

“His blinking is excellent.”

I shot the assassin a glare out of her line of sight.

‘You little bastard.’

But he only blinked faster.

I explained quickly,

“Clearly he hasn’t been eating enough vegetables. Poor nutrition can make the eyes twitch like this. Isn’t that right?”

I bobbed his head up and down.

“See? He agrees.”

“…”

Her suspicion deepened.

“What do you know? This torture—no, this questioning—I am the one conducting it.”

“Did you just say torture?”

“You misheard. Now hush. I’m nearly finished.”

“…”

No way I’d hand over such a valuable test subject.

I pressed my palm to his wrist and forced inner energy into him.

Since acupuncture was about striking the meridians of others, exploring another person’s body would teach me even more.

But his channels were narrow and stiff, resisting the flow.

So, I shoved harder.

Crack-crackle!

“...!”

His body convulsed, back arching like a bowstring.

Bloodshot eyes bulged, veins pulsing across his forehead.

It must have hurt.

And yet, not a scream.

Terrifying fellow.

Following his channels with my inner energy, I traced the positions of his pressure points.

And suddenly, it all made sense.

Why striking one point froze a muscle, why pressing another caused unconsciousness—

The interplay between meridians, muscles, and organs became vividly clear.

No longer rote memorization, but deep understanding.

Each location and its effects sank into my mind, calm and precise.

I even felt how best to press each point, refining my touch.

I circled his major meridians once more, then finally withdrew my hand.

The moment I let go, he twitched violently, convulsing again.

I smiled in satisfaction—then quickly straightened when my eyes met Shushruta’s.

Her expression was skeptical.

“What happened? You look pleased.”

“Pleased? Hardly. He hasn’t said a single word. What’s pleasing about that?”

“Then why were you smiling?”

“I’m a man of much laughter. Even falling leaves make me chuckle.”

“…”

We locked eyes again.

“Suspicious,” she muttered.

Then she narrowed her eyes.

“Wait… did you do to him what you once did to me? Sealing his voice?”

“Now really. What do you take me for? Do I look like the sort of man who would do that?”

“Yes. Exactly like that sort of man.”

We glared until she finally spoke.

“Whatever it is you’re playing at, you’ve had your fun. Release him now.”

“Fine.”

I’d already explored his major points, so it didn’t matter.

I tapped his jaw, undoing the mute seal.

His mouth worked soundlessly at first, then, as the meridian loosened fully, he screamed,

“I’ll tell you everything! Everything! Just stop! Please, I beg you—stop!”

He broke down, sobbing.

I fixed him with a cold stare.

“You frightening man. Holding out so long in silence… and only now breaking? Do assassins receive training to endure torture? Remarkable. Truly remarkable. I salute you.”

I clapped mockingly, slow and deliberate.

Shushruta cut me off sharply.

“Ashuban. Step aside. I’ll conduct the questioning.”

“Well, suit yourself.”

I had other things to do anyway.

Leaning back against a tree, I pulled out my manual and scribbled furiously with my fountain pen.

I wanted to record every detail of my exploration before I forgot.

The Heavenly Demon chuckled in approval.

[Ho. Not bad.]

“Well, Master? Did I gather some useful insights?”

[I thought you were only toying with him, but you did put in some genuine effort.]

“Of course. When am I not serious?”

Content, I wrote until time slipped by unnoticed.

Then Shushruta returned, dragging the assassin behind her.

“Ashuban.”

“Oh, finished already?”

“Release the black magic you cast on him.”

“I told you—it’s not black magic. But why? Weren’t we going to kill him?”

“I’m sending him back with a message.”

“Ah, is that so?”

I turned my gaze to the assassin Shushruta was dragging along and said coldly,

“You’d better deliver it properly. Otherwise, we’ll be going on another thrilling tour of the meridians together.”

“Y-Yes! Of course!”

The man trembled violently, refusing to meet my eyes.

I narrowed mine at him… then, tap, tap—released the seals I had placed on his meridians.

My hands were smoother, more practiced now.

How satisfying.

A moment later, the assassin staggered to his feet like a child learning to walk. Bowing low, he stammered, “I will deliver the message without fail!”

Shushruta nodded.

I rose as well, intending to bid him farewell.

The man flinched when my eyes landed on him.

“What? Did I do something unspeakable? Why are you so scared? You’re making me want to kill you.”

“N-No, not at all!”

“Good. Then go. And if others like you show up again, I’ll take it to mean the message wasn’t delivered. I’ll be sure to ask them about you. Do you understand what that means?”

“Y-Yes! I will deliver it no matter what!”

“Then be off.”

“Yes, sir!”

He bolted without once looking back.

Halfway down the path he tripped—his meridians still stiff—but he sprang right up and ran with renewed vigor.

Watching his retreating back, I murmured, “Quick little rat. Must’ve been terrified of you.”

“…”

I glanced at Shushruta.

“So, what was the message?”

“You already guessed, didn’t you, from what I said to him?”

“More or less.”

She nodded.

“Don’t concern yourself. After this, they won’t be coming again.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Whatever it was, she had handled it.

Some threat, some whispered warning only the underworld understood. A promise of hidden truths spilled, or war declared if they dared return.

I didn’t need to know.

Shushruta lifted her head, gauging the sun’s position against the mountain peaks.

“If we hurry, we can arrive tomorrow.”

I strapped my sword at my waist.

“Then let’s move.”

“Yes.”

And once again, we pressed on.

Night fell.

In the mountains, night always came earlier. We prepared camp sooner than usual, determined to rest early and rise early.

After a hasty meal, I chewed carefully on the ginseng Shushruta had brought earlier.

Perched on a branch like a squirrel, she nibbled the crimson berries while keeping watch.

I sat cross-legged and entered meditation.

Drawing breath, I broke down the energy gathering in my stomach.

Two flows formed—impurities expelled outward, refined energy drawn inward.

I guided the pure current into my dantian, stockpiling it.

Yes. Solid.

With each day, my inner strength grew deeper.

Then I sank into my inner realm.

And there, I faced the wall.

“Been a while.”

“…”

“Still cold and unyielding, I see.”

“…”

I could feel the Heavenly Demon’s disdainful gaze as I spoke to a wall, but I ignored him.

“Ready for another beating?”

“…”

“No need for words!”

I struck the wall with furious punches.

Thud-thud-thud!

Only my knuckles ached. The wall did not budge.

“Then how about this?”

I conjured a blade of starlight and slashed wildly.

Clang! Clang!

I unleashed flowing sword forms, mixing in reverses.

Crash! Clang!

I tried palm techniques, staff strikes, even finger thrusts.

Thwack! Boom!

“Haa… haa…”

The wall remained immovable.

I wiped the sweat from my brow.

“Heh… impressive as always.”

“…”

“Until next time, my friend.”

With that, I ended my meditation and opened my eyes.

Crackle, crackle.

The night sounds returned.

All was as usual.

By the fire, Shushruta slept curled up like a cat. Crickets chirped, and from time to time an owl hooted.

A night without beasts… was this peaceful.

I looked up at the star-strewn sky.

Then, seized by a strange feeling, I rose and wandered into the forest.

There, in a clearing awash in moonlight, I began to dance with my sword.

There was no form, no reason.

Just a rhythm, a mood that swept me along, my blade moving like a dancer’s hands.

Sometimes I held it forward, sometimes reversed in my grip.

It meant nothing.

The white blade gleamed beneath the moon, cutting the night air.

Whoosh—

The wind swept through the leaves.

They fluttered down, scattering moonlight as they fell.

It was as though the moon itself had shattered into drifting shards.

I closed my eyes.

I cut through the falling leaves, continuing the sword dance.

I could feel the moonlight flowing along the blade.

Surrendering myself to this silent music only I could hear, I swung and swung, lost in the moment.

Then, in the depths of my inner realm, I saw the Heavenly Demon’s face.

He was smiling faintly.

I smiled back.

And in that instant—

Crack—

A sound arose from deep within.

As though something were splitting.

As though… a wall had begun to crack.

(End of Chapter)

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