Yodo Muramasa
Jin-hyuk followed Gyuto and glanced around.
It was already the twentieth person.
Even though they were inside the family shrine, a fair number of people had been posted.
'Kanchō really is incredible.'
To reach Muramasa past all these people—no wonder she was the Yodel Ranger captain.
'Come to think of it, how many people are in the Yodel Ranger unit?'
He filed the question away to ask later. That wasn't important right now.
"Please wait a moment."
Gyuto walked up to a carved gate. While he did, Jin-hyuk noticed a mirror nearby and swallowed dryly.
This must be it.
A strange mirror that could detect Kanchō, even when she was in stealth.
'It looks ordinary.'
If he'd been alone he might have tried to hide, just to test it. But with Gyuto right beside him, he held back.
Creeeak.
With the long-worn sound of wood, the door opened.
"Hmm?"
Gyuto crouched down at something in the courtyard.
Jin-hyuk followed his gaze.
There was an indentation in the ground.
The impression of someone having pushed off with great force.
A scene formed in Jin-hyuk's head—a short, stubby-legged, adorable Kanchō running away, Hiyori leaping to catch her.
"Welcome, head of the family."
A man in meditation robes stepped out from the building.
From the energy he emitted, there was no doubt he was a powerful man.
"Did someone come in here?"
"A young lady came and went."
"Did she say she came in for exercise?"
"She was standing on the floor with a dazed expression. She didn't say why, though."
"I see."
Gyuto let out a deep sigh.
At that age, he might meet death—no wonder his mind was in turmoil.
Gyuto clenched his fist once to steady himself.
Then he led Jin-hyuk up onto the polished floor.
Slide.
Without a word, Gyuto opened the sliding door.
A moment later, Jin-hyuk's eyes widened at the sword that appeared.
'So that's Yodo Muramasa.'
He looked at the sword hanging on the front wall and the ornaments filling the room.
He didn't know much about the traditions of Japanese families, but even an ignorant eye could see how the Muramasa was cherished.
"Come closer and take a look."
Gyuto pointed to the spot right in front of Muramasa.
Gyuto's tone and manner toward Jin-hyuk had clearly softened compared to their first meeting.
Sending Hosaka Rena flying had helped in more ways than one.
"Thank you."
Jin-hyuk didn't refuse and walked over.
Before appreciating it he needed to verify it was the sword he was looking for.
[Shared Vision — Seira Kinkeyton]
He used a collector-only skill.
A technique that opened a second, non-physical eyelid.
It allowed him to share whatever he was seeing with a card hero who had not manifested.
He adjusted the angle and examined Muramasa thoroughly.
'It's unbelievably beautiful.'
Just looking at it stirred him.
He felt the urge to hold it in his hands, as if entranced.
No wonder it was called Yodo.
"May I ask one thing?"
"Yes."
"Why did you want to see Muramasa so badly that you went to the exchange meeting?"
Many people and groups wanted to see Muramasa, but none had been as desperate as Jin-hyuk.
Most would be satisfied just to glimpse it; if not, it wasn't a big deal to them.
"I handle swords, too, though I'm not yet skilled. It's a blade known worldwide; I wanted to see it for myself. And it truly lives up to being called Yodo."
"Why do you say that?"
"If I'd only wanted to see it, I would have been satisfied. But now that I've seen it, I want to possess it."
Gyuto didn't scold him.
Instead, he lifted one corner of his mouth in a quiet smile.
It only confirmed something for him again.
Jin-hyuk was genuine.
Yodo Muramasa was—without question—a once-in-a-generation blade.
Any warrior would naturally seek to become stronger every moment. Faced with such a sword, it was only human to feel desire; if someone didn't, they'd be unfit to call themselves a warrior.
Jin-hyuk returned Gyuto's smile, but his heart ached.
Whether Muramasa was the sword he sought or not, whether the Matsuna family would hand it over, things were uncertain.
—The Curse of Ghadanos. Those afflicted would slowly have their health eaten away until they died.
If, at the exchange, the Matsuna family had sided with Hosaka and refused to take proper action for Jin-seo-hee, Jin-hyuk would not have hesitated to barter Hiyori's life with a card.
But now he could not bring himself to do it.
How could he take a daughter hostage from a family that had shown him hospitality and allowed him to view their blade?
'Then I'll steal it instead.'
He would rather be a thief than a kidnapper.
"Thank you for showing us your family treasure."
He bowed and left the room where Muramasa was kept.
Then he looked around.
'Where's Hiyori? Hasn't she passed by?'
Hiyori and Kanchō were in contact. Even though he hadn't met her, it would be dangerous to mention the curse aloud. The Matsuna family might connect Kanchō to him.
Thud!
As soon as he decided he had to meet Hiyori, something fell into the courtyard.
Amid the scattering sand and pebbles, someone rose up slowly.
Speak of the tiger, and the Kansai tiger appears—sure enough, she had come.
"Hello. You're the one who sent Hosaka Rena flying at the exchange, Yoo Jin-hyuk, right? Oh, I haven't introduced myself."
"Aren't you Matsuna Hiyori, the official number seven in Japan's player rankings?"
"Oh? You know me?"
"I've heard of you. You're famous."
Hiyori nodded and leaned in close.
"But the strange thing is, why have I never heard of you?"
"It's probably because I'm not famous...?"
Hiyori narrowed her eyes as if amused by his response.
"It's weird. How many people do you think could make a mark like that at the exchange by sending Hosaka Rena flying? It would seem only someone like Cheon Se-yeon—who's really powerful—could do it. As you know, Cheon Se-yeon is extremely famous. But I haven't heard your name or even seen your face. It doesn't add up."
Hiyori tilted her head and then smiled.
"No — there's one explanation that fits. Maybe…."
She took another step forward.
"Are you a runner?"
The Matsuna image in the public eye was rough and reckless, but in person she was sharper than that.
"You know the reason?"
"Well, whatever. Let's have a match."
She laughed out loud, snapping the air like a whip. Jin-hyuk held her gaze without looking away as she approached.
Gyuto watched the confrontation from the floor, curious but ready to wait since no fight had broken out—yet.
Gyuto's eyes widened.
If Hiyori was fire—straightforward and impulsive—then a calm and composed Jin-hyuk was water.
Gyuto expected Hiyori to act first.
But somehow Jin-hyuk reached out his hand first.
A thin finger brushed her cheek. Both Gyuto and Hiyori's eyes widened.
Jin-hyuk's face was composed as he spoke.
"I'd like to fight too, but let's postpone it. I don't want to fight Hiyori when you're not at one hundred percent."
Gyuto and Hiyori flickered with surprise. To prove he wasn't just probing, Jin-hyuk continued.
"There's a marking that started near your heart and is spreading across your body, consuming it, isn't there?"
Hiyori slowly lowered her gaze.
What Jin-hyuk said was true.
Soon after the pain started, a black marking had appeared on her chest. Enough time had passed that it now covered more than half her body.
"Who are you? How did you know? Who told you?"
Hiyori's face twisted.
Her illness was a first-class secret of the family. If word had leaked, their security had been breached.
"I wasn't told by anyone. I only learned a moment ago."
Elia had told him, but regardless—
"Hah. So then tell me what's devouring me. You don't know that either, do you?"
She didn't expect much, having suffered so many disappointments and defeats.
Jin-hyuk moved his hand away from her cheek and produced a small vial.
He let a few drops fall onto his palm.
"!?"
Small, dark-violet granules appeared.
"The Snake of Weakness, Ghadanos. It's the curse that bit you, Hiyori."
"I've never been bitten by a snake. And this is..."
"It's an ailment that's been passed down in your family."
He told them the story of Ghadanos' curse that Elia had related. Gyuto and Hiyori were left speechless.
They could do nothing else.
The Matsuna family had deployed every resource to uncover the cause of this disease, but had found neither cause nor even a proper diagnosis. To hear a detailed path was beyond expectation.
"I'll cure you."
"No one can cure this."
"I can."
More precisely, Elia was working hard on a cure.
"It requires ridiculous materials, but I happen to have one from the Tower of Despair's rewards."
Hiyori closed her eyes and took a slow breath before speaking.
"If that's possible, what's the price? We just met today; it won't be free. The Tower's rewards aren't given out lightly."
"A matter of professional courtesy among peers."
"Peers?"
Jin-hyuk pointed upward with his finger.
"We both climb the tower, both aim higher, both train to become stronger. That's all. I'm not asking for anything else."
If Jin-hyuk had been a villain, he might have shouted then: "If you want to live, give me Muramasa."
But Jin-hyuk was not that kind of man.
At least toward the Matsuna family.
"When you're ready, I'll come back. By midnight at the latest."
Elia was hard at work in the Star Workshop brewing the potion. After playing the role of court lady, Jin-hyuk planned to deliver it to Hiyori.
He bowed to the two of them and left the building.
'That felt natural.'
He assumed the part of the mystical Eastern eccentric convincingly.
Before he resumed walking, he glanced back at the spot where the sword hung.
The Ghadanos curse and Yodo Muramasa were clearly separate matters.
Still, he allowed himself a tiny hope for a happy ending: that Muramasa was indeed the sword he sought and that the Matsuna family would hand it over willingly.
Jin-hyuk put his hands together.
'Please don't let me become a righteous thief.'
He offered that aimless prayer, then set off again.
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T/N:
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