As they approached the fortification, Ichimaru started to understand what Kumari was thinking. The palisade, built in a rush during the night, didn’t seem very solid. It could keep an attack force outside of the village long enough to become an easy target for a rain of arrows, but it could be tear down.
“So what’s the plan, boss?” Ichimaru asked, beginning to like the way the bandits called their leader. His look was attracted to Kumari’s left hand, which constantly touched the katana’s scabbard. “You seem confident. Does that sword of yours do anything special?”
“No, it’s just a regular sword”, he answered, still facing the wooden walls.
“Really? So much for family’s treasure…”
“Oh, yeah? And this one you carry around is so special?”
“I still don’t know what it does... Look, you’re overthinking it. A wall of chopsticks like that is no much for demons like you and me”, he pointed, grinning. “What? Don’t think you’re the only one that can pull off a badass demon form!”
“Oh, so that’s your brilliant idea? Attack directly the humans and kill half of them by accidently stepping on them?”
Ichimaru thought for an instant.
“Okay, so let’s call it ‘Plan B’, then.”
Kumari raised his finger, ready for a retort, but before he could say anything, an arrow landed right in front of them. The improvised fort’s gate had been opened, and the bandit leader was there, a bow in his hand, surrounded by a dozen of his men.
“Alright, that’s close enough!”, he warned. “You must be the lord of these lands. Have you come to negotiate our withdraw from your fief?”
Kumari narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, breaking the arrow under his foot.
“I don’t negotiate with those who attack my lands and kill my servants. But I may be willing to spare the lives of your men if you surrender. Otherwise, prepare yourselves for a very unpleasant fate.”
The bandit leader was the first to laugh, followed closely by his men, who didn’t seem so confident. Ichimaru soon joined the laughter, too.
“You’re not helping, Ichimaru.”
“Sorry.”
“You think you can intimidate us just because you’re a demon?” the leader shouted. “I know well you don’t raise your fist against humans.”
“Boss, are you sure of what you’re doing?”, one of the bandits whispered to him.
“Shut up and leave it to me!”
“But boss, look at the other guy! It’s him! It’s the demon that had been hunting us in the forest!”
Surprised, he looked once again to Ichimaru. It was true, even though he hadn’t recognized him at a first glance.
“Hey! I said it was close enough!”, he yelled when he saw that the two demons were still advancing.
“Yes... It is close enough”, Kumari said, stopping. With no rush, he reached the sword and pulled it from his waist, still sheathed. “I’m going to warn you just once! Get your men away from these walls!”
With both hands, the bear demon gripped the weapon’s hilt, holding it high. And then, with no further notice, he whacked the ground. The sheathed sword hit it with a thunder noise, a shockwave followed suit, and the earth trembled, scaring the bandits away into the fort. In a matter of instants, the walls were down, and only a cloud of dust remained.
