Chapter 12: It's Over!
Nishiki Waichi was originally a sumo wrestler supported by the nobility. His status was considerably higher than that of an average samurai, and he was even served by dedicated staff when traveling.
Unfortunately, due to his extreme addiction to alcohol and repeated failures in his duties, he was expelled before long and eventually reduced to the status of one of the Bandits.
For the Interior Ministry's plan to invade the Hirata Estate, he was also hired to appear as the final trump card, ensuring that no accidents would occur.
The thought that completing this job would allow him to escape his current hardships and once again receive support from the Interior Ministry filled him with uncontrollable joy, and he poured another mouthful of Unrefined Sake into his mouth.
Ordinary alcohol naturally couldn't affect his superhuman physical constitution; the Unrefined Sake he drank was laced with a Special Secret Medicine.
Long-term consumption not only provided him with extreme sensory stimulation, as if he were walking on clouds, but also allowed his muscle density to slowly increase alongside his growing size, greatly strengthening his power and defense.
Of course, because the potency of this secret medicine was too intense, only sumo wrestlers who had undergone corresponding training could drink it.
For an ordinary person, a single sip would result in ruptured intestines at the very least, and even slight contact would cause widespread flesh decay.
Therefore, at certain times, this Unrefined Sake could also be used as a means of attacking enemies.
When this massive figure, like a moving mountain of flesh, stepped onto the battlefield of the main house, Roland immediately felt a sense of crisis.
"Gulp, gulp... Ha! It seems only you are left to deal with. That saves me a lot of trouble! Gulp, gulp... Then let's not waste any more time; let's settle this battle quickly!"
As Nishiki Waichi spoke, he swung the two-meter-long Odachi resting on his shoulder. The heavy momentum of the blade stirred up a fierce wind as it lunged straight for Roland in the center of the battlefield.
Roland pulled his Tachi from a corpse on the ground, gripped the hilt with both hands, pointed the tip of the blade directly at his opponent, and chuckled.
"Fine by me!"
Nishiki Waichi let out a loud roar and initiated the attack with heavy steps, delivering several crushing overhead strikes.
Roland responded to the onslaught from a mid-level stance, lowering his center of gravity. His Tachi precisely caught the moment each attack fell, parrying and deflecting them all.
However, even though he achieved a perfect parry for every strike and maintained the "Flowing Water" deflection technique, the terrifying recoil transmitted through the blade still began to make his body go numb.
"This won't do. This guy's strength and stamina attributes are much higher than mine. Although I can accumulate torso damage through parrying to find an opening for an 'Execution' to deal real damage..."
"I'm afraid I'll give out before his stance collapse! I need to switch combat strategies!"
Roland gritted his teeth. Seizing the gap when Nishiki Waichi's assault slowed to recover his strength, he switched to a low stance and dashed forward, crouching low to reach the opponent's rear flank.
With quick upward slashes, Roland landed three solid strikes on the enemy's back, but they only created three shallow bloody gashes.
Nishiki Waichi grunted in pain and spun around with a horizontal sweep of his blade, but Roland dodged with a step-dash once more, circling back to his rear flank and landing another three consecutive slashes.
By repeating this maneuver, even if the damage from a single strike was limited, after several rounds, Roland successfully turned Nishiki Waichi's back into a bloody mess.
"Damned grasshopper! You sure know how to hop around!"
Nishiki Waichi roared, his expression growing increasingly frantic, and his attacks gradually lost their disciplined form.
Seeing his chance, Roland stopped dodging and raised his blade into a high stance. He brought the Ashina One-Stringer down with full force, clashing with Nishiki Waichi's Odachi.
"Ugh!"
Nishiki Waichi let out a muffled groan. Due to the strain of exerting force and the impact of the blow, blood sprayed from the wounds on his back like arrows.
"Ha!"
Striking while the enemy was vulnerable, Roland exhaled sharply as he exerted his power, stepped forward, and raised his blade again. Ichimonji: Double!
The two consecutive heavy blows made it difficult for Nishiki Waichi to defend, forcing him back several steps. He finally managed to stabilize himself by stabbing his long blade into the ground, but Roland had already closed in again.
Consuming mana, a white cyclone instantly enveloped his right leg, which was equipped with Leg Guards. Roland spun to build momentum and then unleashed a high roundhouse kick that struck his opponent's chin.
Nishiki Waichi's brain immediately fell into a daze for three or four seconds. Roland did not waste this precious breathing room, stepping on the giant's face to flip over and land behind him.
Another Ako's Sugar was popped into his mouth as he assumed the "Guhyapada Vajra" stance. A red spiritual light rose up, and his attack power was once again amplified.
With the attack buff, the damage Roland's blade dealt to Nishiki Waichi became quite considerable. Capitalizing on his advantage, he wounded the latter's left shoulder.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Nishiki Waichi roared and discarded his Odachi, opening his arms wide as he intended to use his more proficient sumo techniques to continue the fight.
However, due to his injuries, his movements were even more clumsy. After Roland dodged two arm-swinging grapples, Nishiki Waichi was mad with rage but helpless.
The rhythm of the battle remained firmly in Roland's hands. Before long, Nishiki Waichi was forced into a state of stance collapse.
The vital point was locked onto an old wound on the left side of Nishiki Waichi's chest; the marked red dot was only the size of a walnut.
Roland thrust his Tachi into it, instantly taking away more than half of his health with a single strike.
Severely wounded, Nishiki Waichi slapped Roland away with one hand and grabbed the gourd at his waist with the other. He gulped down a large mouthful of wine, making a gesture to spit it at Roland.
The latter quickly threw two Ash Bundles into his face, causing him to lose his vision and his attack to miss.
By the time Nishiki Waichi recovered his sight, Roland had already used two vicious charged thrusts to destroy the Achilles tendons on both of his heels.
The bloated body crashed to its knees. Roland stepped onto his back and climbed up, leaping into the air when he reached the shoulder.
Adjusting his posture, he used the momentum of the fall to deliver a horizontal slash, the blade sinking halfway into Nishiki Waichi's thick neck.
The opponent still tried to struggle, but Roland gritted his teeth, pressing off the giant's chest and putting all his weight into his wrist.
Bone and flesh were cut through bit by bit. As their bodies were close, both could hear the sound of the blade slowly breaking through the resistance.
Crack... crack... shing!
The head fell, the battle ended, and the victor was decided!
Roland's exhausted body collapsed to the ground as he whispered softly.
"It's over!"
..."It's over."
Having witnessed the entire battle, Lady Butterfly couldn't help but sigh.
"The result is quite a surprise. I didn't expect him to actually pull it off... Do you need me to step in and kill that Black Day?"
A burly and robust figure appeared silently on the eaves behind her, saying in a regretful tone:
"It's too late! Ashina reinforcements have already arrived. If we linger here any longer, we won't be able to leave!
Let's go! That physician once said that the fact Isshin Ashina is even alive is a miracle! Given his physical condition, he won't last much longer. When that time comes, it will be our opportunity!"
"I hope so!"
Lady Butterfly let out another long sigh, turned her head to look at the "bloody man" being carried in the newcomer's hand, and raised an eyebrow to ask:
"Are you going to take your Little Wolf Cub with you too? Isn't it a hassle?"
The newcomer replied with a tone of dissatisfaction:
"He has been neglected for too long; this fellow has already forgotten the Ninja Precepts I once taught him! I will take him to the Interior Ministry to be re-domesticated!"
After a pause, he added in a low voice:
"His talent is decent. With the resources of the Interior Ministry to cultivate him, he will surely become an important tool for us to defeat Isshin Ashina in the future!"
"Suit yourself! I only hope you don't make me wait too long!"
Lady Butterfly gave a mocking laugh, and her form transformed into a swarm of Golden Moths and vanished.
The newcomer followed close behind, disappearing from sight with the person in hand after a few leaps.