Namida kept demanding an explanation about the negative energy, but the witches responded with the same answer that they didn't fully understand why they needed to or where the energy came from.
"I don't understand," said Namida.
"How can you consume something that you don't fully understand? It doesn't make sense."
"We know that it doesn't make sense,"
said one of the witches.
"But we believe that there is a reason for it. And we need your help to find out what that reason is."
Namida was still skeptical. He didn't know what to believe anymore. But he knew that he had to keep going. He had to find the truth, no matter what.
"There's the shrine." Aisuru said.
"The shrine?" Namida asked, surprised.
"The shrine is a sacred place where the Holy Ones reside," said Aisuru.
"They are the most powerful of all the witches and have been protecting the balance between light and dark for centuries."
"But why do they need to protect the shrines?" asked Namida.
"The shrines are where the negative energy is stored," said Aisuru.
"The Holy Ones protect the shrines to ensure that the balance is maintained. They give guidance to other witches on how to use their powers without going berserk."
"Wait, hold on. The witches have rank?"
Namida asked, shocked.
The other witches explained that there were different kinds of witches. There were lower ones that went berserk, middle-class ones that could maintain their sanity and powers, and then there were the Holy Ones. Their role was to protect the shrines and give guidance to other witches.
"The Holy Ones are the most powerful of all the witches," said one of the witches.
Namida listened intently, trying to understand.
"But why do they need to protect the shrines?" he asked.
"The shrines are where the negative energy is stored," said another witch.
Namida was fascinated by all of this. He wondered what other secrets the witches were hiding and what he could learn from them.
"How do we find the shrine?" he asked.
"It's hidden deep in the forest," said Aisuru.
"Only those who are worthy can find it. And I believe that we are worthy."
Namida nodded. He knew that he had to find the shrine and uncover the truth about the negative energy.
As the witches dropped the barrier and started walking, they exited the valley full of corpses. They reached a hub, which was the place where these witches resided. Namida asked when he could have his sword back, but the witches refused to say a word. Namida got a bit frustrated but didn't say anything else. Aisuru noticed and tried to reassure Namida.
"Don't worry," said Aisuru.
"We'll get your sword soon enough. We just need to earn their trust first."
Namida nodded, feeling a sense of unease. He wondered what the witches were hiding and why they were being so secretive.
As they were walking, a man stepped out of the hub and saw Namida. He asked the witches why a samurai was with them.
The witches looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. Finally, one of them stepped forward and said,
"He's here to help us uncover the truth about the negative energy and the role of the witches in maintaining balance in the world."
As the man looked at Namida skeptically, he suddenly pulled out a sword from behind his back and put it to Namida's throat. Namida stayed still, but his eyes took on a menacing look.
"I don't trust you," said the man. "You're a samurai. You've killed witches."
Namida didn't say anything. He knew that the man was right. He had been a samurai, and he had killed many witches. But he had also come to realize that not all samurai were the same. He wondered what he could do to earn the man's trust.
"The eyes of a hitokiri," said the man, looking into Namida's eyes.
"I've seen that look before. You're not like the other samurai. But I still don't trust you."
Namida felt a sense of frustration. He knew that he had to find a way to prove himself to the man. But he also knew that it wouldn't be easy.
As the man had his sword on Namida's throat, Aisuru had her hand behind the man's neck.
"This woman is on your side?" said the man.
Aisuru was quiet, and Namida was surprised that he didn't sense Aisuru's movement. He started to think that Aisuru was something else. No witch he had ever encountered was like that.
The man started laughing and said,
"You two are something. This is what we need. This is the true role of the samurai and the witches."
Namida looked at the man, unsure of what he meant.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"The samurai and the witches were meant to work together," said the man.
"To maintain balance in the world. But somewhere along the way, we lost sight of that. We started fighting each other instead of working together. But you two...you're different. You're working together to uncover the truth. And that's what we need."
Namida was surprised at the man's statement.
"That means you are?" Namida said as he was interrupted by the man.
"Yes, I am a samurai just like you."
Namida and Aisuru were shocked. Who was this man?
The man looked at Namida and Aisuru and smiled.
"My name is Tatsuya," he said.
"I am a samurai who has been searching for the truth about the negative energy and the role of the witches. And I believe that you two can help me find it."
Namida and Aisuru looked at each other, unsure of what to say. They had never met a samurai who was so open-minded and willing to work with witches. But they also knew that they had to be careful. They didn't know if they could trust Tatsuya or not.
"I know that you're skeptical," said Tatsuya.
"But I assure you that I'm on your side. I want to find the truth just as much as you do. And I believe that together, we can make a difference."
Namida and Aisuru looked at each other again, this time with a feeling of relief. They knew that they had to find the truth about the negative energy and the role of the witches, no matter what. And if Tatsuya was willing to help them, then they were willing to work with him.