“Betrayal By Blood”
Part 15

Unbeknownst to the group, Mizuto and Masatuko are watching from a distance. They are using a telescope to view what is going on. A part of a new assignment that they were given was to watch over the events taking place among Nori and her lot. Masatuko has been using the telescope for a good while now. His focus is drawn to Nori, admiring her figure. Mizuto taps his foot and demands that he gets a turn to look.

"Give it to me!"

"You should have brought your own. Idiot." Masatuko smirks.

Mizuto and Masatuko fight amongst themselves. The telescope falls from Masatuko's grasp and rolls away. It stops when it reaches the feet of Commander Keisuke. He clears his throat, which catches the attention of the quarreling pair.

"May I ask what you two are doing?" Keisuke says with his hand on his sword's hilt.

Mizuto leans over to Masatuko and whispers. "Hey, that's Keisuke Yamanami. I hear that he's pretty powerful."

Masatuko whispers back. "Ooh, I'm scared. I'm shaking in my boots... or I would be if I was wearing boots."

"HEY! Pay attention to me and answer my question," yells Keisuke.

Mizuto gives a slight smile. "OK, sir. We're here on a mission. One that doesn't concern you... so I suggest that you back off."

Keisuke shakes his head. "If I were to do that, I wouldn't be a very good commander, now would I? I'm a gracious man though... if you choose to leave before I reach the count of ten, then I will not attack you. However, if you are foolish enough to stand around, I cannot guarantee that you will survive your encounter with a member of the Yamanami clan."

Masatuko rolls his eyes and says "Count."

"As you wish," replies Keisuke. "1... 2... "

"TEN!" yells Masatuko as he leaps forward to fight Keisuke. Mizuto, on the other hand, knows better. He's heard stories of Keisuke's fighting ability. An attack against him without a proper battle strategy would be suicide. Masatuko draws his sword and swipes it at the commander. To his surprise, Keisuke has vanished in the blink of an eye. Masatuko looks around for him but cannot find him. He then looks to his comrade.

"Yo, Mizuto! Where the hell did he go?"

Mizuto closes his eyes and speaks. "He's running around you, you fool. He's using a technique called Hayai-ken, a technique unique to his clan. He lowers his strength in order to increase his speed."

"You're lying. If that's true, why didn't he hit me yet?"

Just then, a slash runs diagonally across Masatuko's chest. He reels in pain while he covers the wound with his hand. The blood trickles down his arm and onto the ground beneath him. Keisuke's voice can be heard.

"I was waiting for him to explain what I was doing. Now this ends for you."

Masatuko grows irate and swipes his sword blindly. Mizuto screams at him for doing so. "Moron! Don't lose your composure!"

"Shut up! I'll hit him eventually if I keep swiping my swo--"

Before he can finish, Masatuko's sword is sent flying into the air... along with both of his forearms. With a quick stroke, Keisuke has severed them both from his body. Masatuko howls, his voice full of intense anguish. Keisuke slows down and allows himself to be seen again. He sheathes his blade.

"Take him and go. I could easily kill you both right now, but I want you to give that master of yours a message. No matter who is sent here, we will always defeat them." He says to Mizuto.

Mizuto picks up Masatuko and places him over his shoulder. "It's only a matter of time until you all will fall. Maybe not today... or tomorrow... but someday, you, Hijikata, and the rest of those bums will be sent to Hell. And I'll be there to laugh when it happens." With that being said, Mizuto disappears with his wounded ally.

Keisuke whistles for a few of his subordinates. They take on the unwanted task of removing the bloody sword and amputated arms from the ground. Keisuke dusts himself off and notices a few blood spots on his kimono. "Son of a... and this was brand new!" He reaches down and picks up the telescope that was left behind. "At least I got a new toy out of the whole ordeal. Now I have to file my report with Hijikata. He'd undoubtedly would like to know about this."

Two of the underlings look at each other while Keisuke is talking. One talks to the other. "Um, who is he talking to?"

"I really don't know..." responds the other.

Oukami sees Mizuto return with the damaged Masatuko and follows him in to see Sawaka, Oukami and Masatuko bows to her presents. Sawaka is seated in the shadows as usual, not pleased with what she sees.

"I sent you to do a simple spying mission. Now you come back and drip blood all over my floor."

Mizuto bow and says "I am dreadfully sorry, my lady. We were caught. Masatuko here didn't listen to me and now he is wounded."

Sawaka looks at the nubs where Masatuko's arms once were. She stands and up and says "That looks like more than a wound to me." She walks closer to them.

Masatuko keeps his face down since none are allowed to look at her. Mizuto doesn't repeat that action because he is the mistress's lover and with that title comes the privilege of looking at her face without facing a harsh consequence. Sawaka kneels down in front of Masatuko. She looks at him with disgust before the letting bitter words escape from her cold lips.

"Now that you have no arms... what good are you to me? You cannot fight."

Masatuko has tears rolling down his cheeks. "Please... my lady... after I get treated, I can still... serve you..."

Sawaka sneers. "I don't think so. Die."

By placing her finger gently on Masatuko's forehead, she has sealed his fate. He trembles and coughs violently before tipping over. He passes away without ever seeing the face of the woman he once worked for.

"Sawaka is an expert at killing... she knows every point on the body that, when pressed in the right way, lead to instant death..." Mizuto thinks to himself. "It's a good thing that I'm on her good side."

Sawaka takes her seat again. "Mizuto, what happened before you got caught?"

"Ah, yes. We saw that Nori was really shaken by Oukami's words. She really went berserk, taking out her emotional distress on her allies. It was really something to see."

"Whatever. Those fools do not concern me. I want her to kill Hijikata. Is she showing any signs of doing that? Or am I forced to wait even longer."

Mizuto sighs and says "It is uncertain. I believe it is a bad idea to use her like this. You're much more powerful than her anyway. You can kill Hijikata yourself."

Sawaka raises her eyebrow. Mizuto sweats nervously and scratches his head. "Uhhh... not that I'm giving you any orders or anything..." he mutters sheepishly.

"I want you and Oukami to go back there one last time tomorrow. Talk with her. If she doesn't decide to destroy Hijikata like I want her to..." Sawaka tosses a bag to Mizuto.

Mizuto opens it and looks inside. A villainous grin flashes across his face when he sees what's inside. He looks back to Sawaka. "You... didn't, did you?"

Oukami doesn't see the item in the bag, but he has a good idea what it is just by hearing Mizuto speak. Sawaka nods and laughs. "Indeed I did. Show her that if she refuses to listen. Now get out of my sight."

Both Oukami and Mizuto bow and take their leave. Sawaka stares at Masatuko's corpse on the floor.

"Hmm... I should have asked them to clean that up before they left…” she thinks.