It was those explosions that had caused the chaos before Chungseong and Cea's arrival, no doubt. But apart from today, Cea had a feeling of deja vu. The course of events was becoming more and more alarming, Céa had to remain on her guard and above all to know who these famous Kangs were, and why there was so much interest in Lord Chungseong.
When Cea's barrier faded, there was nothing left, smoke and smoldering embers but above all, no trace of their enemies. The survivors of the attack were still whole, we counted all their members, Lady Eunchong too, Céa was delighted.
– Ah it was less than one this time, we were hot in the buttocks we can say!
She sat up, forgetting that she had Eunchong on her thighs, this one was passed out, shaken by the action. Chungseong quickly caught her sister's head before she hit the ground. He then carried it, and gave Cea another murderous look. The latter apologized immediately, to be forgiven, wisely returned to the brother his sword. Chungseong was so angry with her, he didn't know where to begin his blame. So for a good start, he had his men neutralize the girl, who was barely struggling.
– Hey! But why are you doing this, I saved your life! In my country you should have given me eternal allegiance, here things are really different. You are so violent and so ungrateful, it disgusts me!
And throughout her journey on foot, Céa did not stop moaning, the guards were fed up so they wrapped her up, out of sight of the lord; too busy worrying about his sister. Night was beginning to fall, but Eunchong still didn't wake up.
"Who is it ? Should I be worried? Normally, she should have already recovered from the shock, why doesn't she wake up? Did he cast a spell on him without my knowledge, but I would have noticed. When that samurai used my sword, I was fully aware, but why didn't I... That man! He came out of nowhere, he had been watching us from the start, but only intervened at this moment. Did he cast that spell?"
Chungseong abruptly stopped, stopping the lust. They stopped near a stream in the woods. The water seemed so pure there, that's a good thing. He decreed a pause for a rest, and a departure at dusk. Cea was tied to a tree, then they set up camp. The guards agreed to remove the gag provided she kept quiet enough, under Chungseong's order, Cea agreed.
"If you talk," he threatened, "I'll kill you.
Vehement, the girl nodded.
This mysterious warrior terribly aroused the curiosity and mistrust of Chungseong, he was easy but in truth hiding under his wacky appearance a disturbing complexity. In addition to having used his sword, he had perfectly reproduced words and movements to activate Optimal while modifying the incantation as he pleased. It was worthy of a level four or five Buddhist, or even higher, or Chungseong was the most powerful Buddhist in Joseon. A level four himself, Chungseong couldn't change an incantation in such a short time, let alone memorize one. Peulraesi did not even resist its use by another hand than that of his master, that too was incredible.
Cea was beginning to doze off, and even fall asleep. The day had been long, his head was heavy with intricate puzzles, sleep was the best medicine. But when she was already sound asleep, the leader of the convoy ordered her release. The latter fell to the ground, and woke up in the worst possible way; biting the dust.
"Do you know what happened to my sister?
Cea stared ahead, only the flame of fire between them. She sat on his lap, obviously this girl she had saved was still sleeping. A spell, no doubt. Cea nodded and wanted to reply, but stopped.
"Is it a sleeping spell?" Can you remove it, or is it a curse?
Chungseong's questions followed one another but the samurai only shook and nodded without uttering a single word. Chungseong flew into a rage, stood up and pointed the blade of his saber at Cea's shocked face.
– Are you kidding me. You don't seem to know who you're dealing with, I'm East Sector General Kang Chungseong. I can wipe out an army in a day and a night, so believe me, your sleight of hand from earlier doesn't scare me at all. I can kill you here and now and I won't have to answer to anyone, even if you're that samurai everyone is talking about. So now speak before I chop off your head!
As soon as Cea heard the word "speak," she lowered the blade with her finger and straightened up, as if a green light had been activated. She looked at him wearily, her hands on her hips.
– So ! That's all I needed to hear, not the record of your exploits.
She walked around the wood fire and came to stand beside Eunchong, lying on a fallen log. Chungseong did not understand, his guard then discreetly enlightened him.
"My lord, you told him that if he speaks then you will kill him, that's why he remained silent until you lifted the order.
He looked at the guard, with an evil look.
– Go back to your seat or you risk replacing it.
He ran right away. Cea first observed the vital signs of the girl, they showed that she was alive and that she was not the victim of any curse, it was good news.
– It's okay, it's just a sleeping spell.
"Can you lift it?" Chungseong asked him. When it came to his sister, he became much more courteous.
– Yeah but...
– Yes ?
She took on a strange look, the look she put on when she said nonsensical things. Just plain dumb.
"For that, he needs a kiss. Mine will do, I'm not a prince but at least a hero!
Chungseong saw red, veins sticking out everywhere. Such a beautiful lady, to be kissed by a lousy warrior like that stupid samurai. Never ! He threatened him again with his sword.
– You can always dream! If you touch a single hair of my sister, I will not hesitate to envy you!
– Alright Alright ! Calm down, it was just a joke, no need to get upset. Ah, Cea whispered, you're really not funny. It must be hell living around you on a daily basis, poor people!
The guards recognized this truth, they discreetly nodded. Chungseong couldn't kill everyone, so he chose to ignore them. Cea rolled up her sleeves, under the meticulous supervision of her brother, she began to heal Eunchong. She took scrolls then placed on the cardinal points of the girl's body; that is the forehead, the shoulders, and the belly.
– What does this spell mean, there is nothing on the parchments? Chungseong asked, worried and curious.
– Patience, don't rush me where I'm going to miss everything. Do you want your sister to sleep forever or what?
– Nope !
– So leave it to me, in peace please!
Chungseong calmed down, Cea too. She took Muteki out of his holster, Chungseong couldn't believe it, he had never seen such a beautiful katana. It really looked like the drawings his mother made, with its hieroglyphs and especially on its gold case. Cea placed the blade in her palm and opened a wound, blood began to cascade into her closed hand. After a while it darkens; Cea opened her palm again and wrote intricate letters, or rather ancient hieroglyphs, using this particular ink.
" Why did his blood change color is strange. I have never heard of such a noudo. Who is he ?"
The parchments began to sparkle, a yellow light, as if golden. Then the lines disappeared, Cea didn't look very happy about it.
– Who is it, it didn't work?
– It's more serious than I imagined...
Before Cea finished her sentence, Eunchong's eyes awoke. Chungseong was overjoyed, he wanted to take her in his arms but Cea held him back and told him to step back.
– What ? She's awake, the spell worked, right?
– Wait.
Eunchong sat up, staring. The guards took fright and moved away, fearing to put their lives still in danger, most of them were simple men, so when the noudo came into play they preferred to assist their leader. Cea and him remained in the front line, there was something strange. Joy had blinded Chungseong so much that it took him a while to realize that his sister was not in a normal state. Eunchong began to contort with strange grunts, under their horrified eyes, then she fell to the ground again.
– What's happening to him ?
– It's Pantin. It's a technique specific to the village of Asuza, that of the ninja earlier. It consists in pushing back the limits of the human body in order to overcome its enemy, manipulated by a dark force.
– That...
"He must have traced the spell on her skin somewhere, before we arrived, if we find where before she kills us, she'll go back to normal. I didn't know that the technique could be applied to other people, it's very high level noudo.
"Does that mean they're still around?"
– No, I would be surprised. The guy in the mask took them away, I no longer feel Mr Banned's knot.
Cea put her hand on her box, Chungseong put her hand on hers and looked at her with a pleading look.
"She's my sister, please don't hurt her.
Cea remained silent for a long time, her sister was really her weak point. She winced and withdrew her hand, sentimentality in times of crisis made her particularly acerbic.
– It's okay, I know. I'm not going to kill her either, I'm not stupid. Well, we parry our punches, we try to stay alive and we erase the circle, okay?
Chungseong was upset, he didn't have the strength to answer. Cea then took the lead as Eunchong rose to his feet, his eyes rolling back. Céa frowned, definitely today things were going from bad to worse.
" If we don't break this circle soon, she could stay that way forever. But given the condition of his papa bear brother, if I tell him, he's going to give us a heart attack. Alright, so I'll need your help, Mizu."