Sacred Killers - Akuma no yoru

Not strong enough

In the backyard of Yokeitanto's minka

It was a large field of grass behind Yokeitanto's home, Kairo and Muigetsu had their wraps off and they still had some wounds that weren't fully healed, but they were fine, it wasn't enough to limit them.

[Yokeitanto] Now, don't hold back. Treat this as a battle, come at me with the intent to kill, or you will surely die.

[Kairo] *in his head* Is this guy serious?

[Muigetsu] *in his head* He's not going to actually try and kill us right?

[Yokeitanto] That's right, your goal is not to defeat me, at your level you could never. However, I do expect to see how you will hold up against someone like me and if you will survive. If you don't, then you aren't worthy of my teachings.

[Kairo] How would that work?! We'd already be dead!

[Yokeitanto] Enough talking, time to get started.

Yokeitanto drew his sword and got into a stance. He held it out in front of him, gripping it firmly, waiting for a moment to strike.

[Yokeitanto] Now, I won't go easy on you, so be prepared. Come at me with all of your might!

Kairo and Muigetsu drew their swords and flowed koseishi through them. They burst forward with incredible speed and power, getting ready to strike. Yokeitanto sliced downwards with his blade and just the mere air pressure of the strike sent them off balance and they lost their footing.

[Kairo] *in his head* What just happened?!

[Muigetsu] *in his head* H-how?!

Yokeitanto kicked Muigetsu in the stomach, launching him back, and grabbed Kairo by the neck as he was coming down. He slammed him into the ground and leaped forward towards Muigetsu. Muigetsu held up his sword to block while Yokeitanto proceeded to slam his sword down on him. Muigetsu rolled backwards and got back up to his feet but before he realized it, Yokeitanto was already behind him.

[Yokeitanto] You're too slow.

Muigetsu quickly turned around but his reaction time wasn't enough. Yokeitanto sliced him across the torso, then sliced his knee, and then his left wrist. After that, he spun around and kicked him in the face, ragdolling him like a dummy. He crashed into the ground and slid. Kairo threw himself forward and clashed with Yokeitanto. Upon clashing, it felt as if shocks were going Kairo's wrist up to his elbow, and his arm was about to give out. Yokeitanto extended his leg and kicked Kairo in the stomach, dropping him to his knees, then sliced his right shoulder. Kairo dodged the second slice to his torso and dashed back. He and Muigetsu then regrouped with each other.

[Yokeitanto] You're going to have to do more than that. You're not going to do anything like that. Keep your guard up, don't ever drop it, not even if one of you gets injured.

Kairo and Muigetsu were getting frustrated. They used Shūchū and stood their ground. However, not even that technique could save them from Yokeitanto as they couldn't even see any trace of him with it. He appeared in front of them and attacked them with a barrage of slices. One to the shoulder, the knee, the wrist, the torso, and finally he kicked them both away with a roundhouse that was so powerful that they both dropped to the ground instantly. It felt as if their stomach burst open and they couldn't get back to their feet, let alone grip onto their swords. They passed out onto the ground and a couple hours later they awoke inside Yokeitanto's home.

Three hours later - inside Yokeitanto's minka

Yokeitanto was sitting down in front of Kairo and Muigetsu as they were sleeping, waiting for them to wake up. They were sleeping on two matts inside the central part of his home that he had set up for them. As soon as they woke up, they both looked around and saw Yokeitanto sitting in front of them. They yelled and jumped after seeing him as he observed them closely. They were genuinely freaked out, waking up after being unconscious and seeing him sitting in front of them like that; it was nothing like Katoichi being in front of them. His presence in itself gave them goosebumps.