Iro woke before the sun went up.
She went straight to the makeshift kitchen at the center of the village. A few crude tables, a wide iron pot, steam rising steadily. The soup simmering inside was thick and nutritious, ingredients supplied by the Beggar Sect. Even by their standards, it was generous. Far better than anything the villagers could scrape together on their own.
She ladled bowl after bowl, hands moving on habit.
"Careful, it's hot."
"Eat slowly."
The stall was finally running smoothly when shouting rose from the village gate.
"Iro!"
"You need to see this!"
She wiped her hands and followed the sound.
The villagers were packed near the entrance, murmuring loudly. When she pushed through, her breath caught.
Merun stood there, smiling faintly.
Behind him trailed a line of battered men tied together, crying, groaning, barely able to stand. The dirt behind them was torn up, a long scar carved across the land.
Her jaw dropped.
"…Don't tell me," she muttered. "You dragged them all the way from Sabae?"
"Hi, Iro," Merun said casually.
Her eyes snapped back to him. "Merun. Who are those men?"
"Oh," he said, glancing back. "Scum bandit martial artists. They tried to raid the village in Sabae. Good thing I stayed an extra day."
The mood shifted instantly.
Worry drained from the villagers' faces, replaced by something hotter.
Anger.
"What were they called again?" someone muttered. "Iron… something…"
Iro stepped forward, teeth clenched. "Iron Claw."
Merun nodded.
That was enough.
The villagers surged forward with sticks and poles, striking the bound men as they screamed and begged. Years of fear and resentment poured out in every blow.
Merun gently tapped Iro's shoulder.
"Let's go meet the Beggar Sage."
She froze, then blinked as if waking from a trance. "…Right. Sorry."
She took a breath. "He's not here yet. I need to inform them first—"
A man leaned in and whispered into her ear.
Her eyes widened.
"…Never mind," she said quickly. "Go back to the place we went before. The hut outside the village."
Merun grinned. "Word travels fast, huh?"
She flushed. "How was I supposed to know?"
———
The hut was quiet when Merun stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
This time, a thin, frail old man with a long beard sat waiting.
He was a different person today again huh?
"So," Merun said, relaxed. "How'd I do?"
He tilted his head. "You had people watching, right? Beggar Sect members. So you probably know everything already."
The Beggar Sage smiled. "Good. That simplifies things."
He studied Merun for a moment. "Why did you help the villagers?"
"With the farming?" Merun asked. "Or the bandits?"
The old man shrugged.
Merun sighed. "Uncle, don't be like that. I helped because… it was the right thing to do."
The Sage raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.
Merun frowned. "What do you want me to say? I think I did well."
At last, the Beggar Sage spoke. "Next, go to the port town of Sakai. Go meet the Warden."
"…Alright," Merun said. Then paused. "But did I pass?"
The old man sighed and tossed something across the room.
Merun caught it without looking.
He glanced down.
"This is… a scouter?"
"The newest model," the Sage said. "It reads up to five thousand. I suggest testing it on the bandits you brought back. We've already arranged a cart to haul them to Gifu."
Merun smiled. "Thanks, Uncle."
He turned to leave.
"Good work," the Beggar Sage said quietly.
Merun stopped for a moment, then walked out without turning back.
———
"The fuck?"
Merun rubbed his face. "Sorry, pardon my language, but what did you just say?"
Iro blinked. "What?"
"Sakai port," he said slowly. "Is… a whole month of travel by carriage?"
She stared at him. "A month, yes."
"A whole month?" He squinted. "Are you sure it's the same Sakai the unc—"
She snapped instantly. "Call him the Beggar Sage, not uncle."
Merun winced.
"And yes," she continued, arms crossed, "that Sakai. But considering you can turn several days of travel into a few hours, it's not that far if you don't stop."
Merun groaned. "This is exactly why I should've hidden my capabilities better. I'm going to be worked to the bone."
She paused, then softened.
"…By the way," she said quietly, "good work, Merun."
He looked at her.
"I'm sure the villagers were grateful," she continued, smiling—gentler and more sincere than he'd ever seen her. "You made a difference. A real one."
Merun felt his ears heat up. "Ah... yeah, well. Guess it helps when you send a farmer to do a martial artist's work."
She laughed. "Come on, help me in the kitchen. We still have food to serve."
"Sure," he said, then hesitated. "But I want to do one thing first."
———
The village's makeshift jail was little more than a reinforced shed.
It shouldn't have been enough to hold them.
But fear did most of the work.
The bandits huddled together the moment Merun stepped inside. Their bodies were bruised, hands bound, eyes sunken. No one spoke. No one dared.
He had dragged them mercilessly back—over rocks, through rivers, past snapping beasts in the dark. No complaints had earned mercy. No screams had slowed him down.
He was whistling dreaded songs all the time too.
Merun leaned against the doorway. "So," he said lightly, "how are we all doing?"
They whimpered as one, shoving themselves into a corner.
"…Why do you all look like cornered rats?" he muttered.
He slipped on the scouter.
Numbers flickered to life.
Most of the martial apprentices hovered in the low double digits—fifties, some barely breaking a hundred. Pathetic.
His gaze settled on one reading.
2700.
The Martial Squire.
Merun frowned. Lower mid-tier. No wonder they'd been bold. If this was before he fought Noritsugu… yeah. That would have been a fight.
Now?
The man sat slumped, hands ruined, shaking like a leaf.
"Tch," Merun said. "Be good, alright?"
He smiled faintly. "You wouldn't want me to take you all on another walk… right?"
Their response was instant.
"NO—!"
"PLEASE—!"
"NO MORE—!"
"Good," Merun said cheerfully. "Good to hear."
He turned to leave—then stopped.
Killing intent flooded the room.
Merun's eyes turned red as he looked straight into their soul.
"If any of you try something while I'm gone," he said calmly, "I will fucking torture you to death when I inevitably find you."
Silence.
Several men fainted on the spot.
The pressure vanished as suddenly as it came.
Merun crouched in front of the squire and tilted his head. "I'll rely on you, okay? keep them in line."
He smiled.
"Tender Touch."
The man nodded frantically, tears streaming down his face.
Merun stood and left, whistling softly.
I'm starving!