Kentaro

Acquaintance

Kentaro
1
"Listen, It has nothing to do with you. Stay calm. Mind your own business," said Kano.
"I'm not a coward. Not like you or anyone else here. That girl needs my help. I'll rescue her. Stay here and watch how I'm going to save her," answered Kentaro as he stood up.
Everyone inside the inn was silent. No one spoke. All attention was on the strange man that had entered the inn moments ago. No one dared to look him in the eye. Yet, ignoring him wasn't possible; especially because of the bound girl that he dragged with him.
Since entering, Hisano begged Masuyo to let her go. He only answered to scold her.
Hisano's whimpers were heart breaking, but no one had the courage to say anything. Masuyo's savage appearance, especially the scar covering the left side of his face, stood as a warning to everyone. It warned them to stay away; he wasn't someone to mess with. He looked like death.
Hisano begged for Masuyo's mercy again. He spat back, "Shut the hell up girl. You're my property, nothing more. I can do whatever I want to you. Now be quiet. Otherwise, I'll have to kill you. You are messing with my head, and don't beg for mercy. I don't know what mercy is."
"Leave her alone, You bastard!" shouted Kentaro at Masuyo.
Masuyo didn't answer.
Kentaro shouted louder, "I said 'leave her alone!' Are you deaf?!"

This time Masuyo shouted," Are you talking to me idiot?! Do you have a death wish or something?!"
"You filthy bastard, let her go, or I will kill you!"
"Listen fool! I smell like blood. I feel like blood, and I bathe in blood. I've already killed many today. A lot more than what I usually kill. I don't mind adding another to the body count, but It's just my lunch time. Just for that I'll let you live today. This girl here is mine. She's nothing more than my property, and I can do whatever I want to my belongings. Do not try my patience. I'm not a patient one at all. Mind your own business and leave the inn before I finish my food. That way you might just survive. You are too young to die."
"I don't need your lecture. If you don't let her go, you'll have to answer to my sword."
"I can not show you the mercy that I don't have. Now, you've really pissed me off. I'm not going to let you live any longer you bugging insolent insect."
Kentaro attacked Masuyo. Masuyo lunged towards him and scarred his arm. In the next move, Kentaro gathered all the luck he had to keep his head. Kentaro knew that there would be no third time. He didn't dare to try another attack. Masuyo wasn't like anyone he had faced before. He was clearly no match for him.
"What's wrong kid? Don't you dare to move? I warned you, didn't I? You could've lived much longer, but I'm not going to pass up killing you even if you beg like a dog. You're already dead."
Kano appeared between them. Looking Masoyu in the eye, he said, "Spare him. He's too young to die."
"Now what? Do you want to die too?"
A small blade came out from the tip of Kano's umbrella.
"  I'm not going to let you hurt this kid. Leave him be, and then we will have nothing to settle."
"This day just gets better and better, another crazy guy that has a death wish. I wonder how today will end!" said Masuyo, attacking Kano.
Kano managed to slash Masuyo in the chest. It wasn't anything more than a flesh wound, but Masuyo could feel that the power dynamic had shifted. He had no chance of winning.
"It was just a warning. Next time it'll be your head," said Kano.
Masuyo turned to shaking Hisano and ordered her to follow," Come on girl. Let's go. We're leaving now."
Kano's voice Interrupted him, "She stays here. The only thing you can take with you today is your life."
Shaking and with anger boiling in his chest, Masuyo shot a defiant look at Kano, but after thinking twice, he sheathed his sword.
"It is not over. I will never forget your faces. The day that we meet again, I will bathe in your blood. I promise you that," Masuyo threatened and left the inn.
Immediately after that, Kano collapsed.
When he woke up Hisano, Kentaro, and half of the inn's customers were around him.
"Are you alright sir?" asked the inn owner.
"Yes, It's been happening to me quite a lot recently."
"Are you ill sir?" asked Hisano this time.
"I'm actually dying. It's a strange illness that dries my strength bit by bit."
"I'm sorry. Is there any cure?"
"No doctor was able to bring back my health. I've heard that there is only one monk in a temple in Taba who is actually able to cure it, and that's why I should get to him before it's too late. Now tell me, what did that man want with you?"
"It was supposed to be my wedding day. I came from the north, near the Taba temple that you want to go to. Today I was getting ready to marry the son of my grandfather's friend when that man attacked their home and slaughtered everyone. First the guards, then  the servants, and those who accompanied me here. He captured me and brought me to this inn until you two saved me. Thank you. You saved my life and rescued me from that beast."
"What do you plan to do now?" asked Kentaro.
"I should get back to my grandfather's home."
"But you can't go alone. I'll come with you."
"Thank you very much. I appreciate your help, and you sir, we can travel together. The temple you seek is near my grandfather's home."
"I travel alone. I don't want to become a babysitter. Especially or this kid who insists on getting himself killed."
"What? What did you say?" shouted Kentaro.
"I said I don't want to be your babysitter. I have enough problems to deal with."
"But sir, we can travel together. I know the road better than you do."
"Let him go. Arrogant bastard! We don't need him. I'll take you to your home."

2
Kano didn't want this, but he was traveling with them. Hisano's voice was as sweet as her appearance, but she was a talking machine. Her talkative nature was giving him a headache. Kentaro, on the other hand, wasn't talkative, but looking at him would bring back to life the buried agonizing memories within Kano's heart. Even though, what was done was done. Now, he was heading North with them.
At night, they lit a fire at the rest stop, and Hisano sat by to watch over it. Kano leaned against an old tree, and Kentaro sat on the ground to clean his sword. The way he regarded and stroked the sword annoyed Kano. In Kano's eyes, it looked as if he was making out with his sword.
"How could you love your sword this much? Don't you know that it takes lives?"
"Why wouldn't I? It has served me well. Besides, my sword serves a noble cause. It only takes the lives of those who deserve to be killed. It serves justice."
"There is no justice in the way of the sword and bloodshed."
"There is. That is how my sword brings justice, by bloodshed."
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" asked Hisano.
"My sword takes revenge from those who killed my family and destroyed my life. I only give them what they deserve." answered Kentaro.
"Why did they kill your family? Who were they?"
"Samurais of my home village Lord, they attacked our home one night, killed my father, my mother, and my older sister. They threw me down a well and left me to die of hunger, but I survived. Now, I'll kill them one by one. I killed some, and once I find the rest, they will meet the same fate."
"You can't get the job done. You lack what it takes. Who taught you to fight? Monkeys?" asked Kano.
"Watch your tongue. I'm a great swordsman. I've never lost a battle, and the fact that I killed some of them is the proof," grumbled Kentaro.
"Well, those whom you've killed were villagers. You mistook them for samurais and killed them. Don't forget when you seek revenge, there will be others who want to reciprocate the same for their loved ones' blood. If your reason is valuable, theirs will be as well."
Kano stood up and leaving, he added, "I'll go to hunt something to eat. This love affair between you and your sword disgusts me."
A despising smile appeared on Kentaro's face. Looking at his sword, he said, "Don't get offended my lovely precious sword. I know he's worse than a ninety year old man, isn't he? Always complaining! You and I are both doing a great job for a noble cause. We both know that."