Natsumi and Ken stood at their positions, trying to come up with a strategy. Ken was a few steps closer and to the west of the enemy.
Gen may have been blind, but his defenses seemed impenetrable and, in the darkness, he proved to be an even formidable opponent. "Where are you hiding, girly?" he asked, pressing his thumb on the ring and middle fingers–the Apana (Sanskrit: outgoing breath) mudra. He took a deep breath, bringing the gesture close to his face.
Hankei kakuchō (Radius expansion)!
As Gen exhaled, the technique activated. White ripples in a black void stretched from his feet, crossing with all objects in the expanded range. He saw a dark, masculine figure nine metres behind him and grinned. "There you are, boy…" he said in a mutter and made the Vyana mudra. DIE!
"Ken, watch out!" Natsumi screamed as Gen left a shockwave behind.
Before Ken heard the warning, he got lacerated across his chest. A long, bloody claw mark formed on his torn jacket and chainmail underneath. Fuck! He dropped on one knee.
Three arrows entered Gen's radius and his bells rang thrice. His ears twitched and he tried dodging, however, he was unable to move as fast as before. As he tilted his torso, the projectiles pierced his shoulder and arm. "Nice, girly…" he said, tasting metal in his mouth with a smile. Seventeen metres, southwards… I can't move that far right now.
Gen walked towards Ken who leaned on his katana. Before reaching the young man, his bells rang nonstop as arrows soared into his radius. He veered to the side, dodging most of the projectiles and used his tekkō-kagi to block the rest. His right arm got shot a few times and, ignoring the intense pain, he moved forward when the barrage ceased.
Natsumi deduced that Gen's bells jingled when her arrows entered his radius. She fired a few more times and shot the rōnin's kasa out of his bald head.
The bells! Gen raised his brows, revealing the empty eye sockets underneath. Oh well, with Hankei… I don't need them.
Natsumi realized she had run out of arrows and dropped her bow. She pulled out two kunai from her thigh and held one in each hand. "Hey, you!" she said, charging forward. "Here I am…"
"Come, girly!" said Gen before facing Ken. "You're going to let your woman fight for you? How pitiful."
Natsumi raced towards the wounded lion with a single paw left for defense. She attacked him with both kunai and he managed to hold his own.
Gen blocked every strike from her but failed to counter with his wounded arm. He may have received a sword slash, had several arrows stuck on him and a useless hand, but he was still a tough nut to crack. "Is this the best you can do, kunoichi?" he asked before pointing at Ken. "You fight me, but your mind is with him… that will cost you."
"N–Natsumi… don't m–mind me," said Ken, coughing up some blood. "J–Just end t–this fucker!"
Gen lowered his guard and felt a sudden change in the air in front of his face. A fist flew at him and he ducked before grabbing Natsumi in a chokehold. "Gotcha, girly!" he said, tightening his grip.
Natsumi dropped the kunai, gasping as urine ran down her thighs.
"Haha, you smell that boy?" said Gen, sniffing the air with a menacing grin. "Kunoichi are such weaklings!" He cackled and turned to Ken. "Shall I defile her?"
Ken remained silent, unable to utter another word.
Shit, I almost forgot this bitch ruined my right. "What luck you have, girly!"
Natsumi mustered the last of her energy and kicked Gen hard on his groin.
"You bitch!" Gen squealed, releasing the grip. He grasped his crotch and whimpered while she sat on the ground, gasping for air. Before he retaliated, a katana stabbed through his chest from behind. "Aaaaaahhh!"
"Go to hell!" said Ken, grinning as he shoved the blade deeper. "I–I did say I–I was going to k–kill you… you pervert!"
Blood oozed from Gen's chest and he wailed once more. He coughed blood and turned his head, grinning. "Nice, Nakamura Ken… If this were shōgi you'd be a knight." If I am to die here, I am taking you with me. He raised his left claw and stabbed Ken's belly. "Checkmate!"
Kuso! Ken groaned, letting go of his sword and got kicked on the stomach. He dropped flat on his back and lay motionless–a red pool spreading underneath him.
Natsumi got on her feet and ran towards her bow. On reaching the weapon, she loaded an arrow and crept closer, ensuring to keep a safe distance from the rōnin. She saw him trudging over to Ken and stretched the bow string tout. Drop dead!