Chereads / Tales of A Drunkard and Cherry Blossoms / Chapter 9 - The Saruyuki (Chapter 8)

Chapter 9 - The Saruyuki (Chapter 8)

Third pov:

While Itami was running for his life from the Saruyuki, someone else was also questioning his chances of survival from 5 clicks away.

It was Kage. Right now, Kage was observing the situation through his crows as he didn't want to be too close, and have the boy used to relying on him.

Unfortunately, it looked like he would have to intervene. The boy had run into the king of the badlands, the Sarayuki. Although it wasn't that strong at about troll rank, to an unranked newbie in aspect and ether arts it might as well be a disaster rank.

'This is troublesome. Should I stay put and see what he can do, or do I intervene and take the beast down? After all, he's still important to the family. I don't know what to do. I guess the only thing I can do is flip a coin.

Heads I'll wait; Tails I won't.' As the coin flipped in the air, it rotated through the clouds, and landed back in Kages' hand.' It's tails. I guess I have to believe in him'

Meanwhile on Itami's side:

'Where is that *******. Does he want me to die, a Saruyuki is way too much for an unranked ether user. How can I beat that thing?

Feeling like the world was going to end, and his heartbeat increasing two-fold, Itami made a decision. Itami bites his under lip and blood starts gushing.

'Calm down Itami, freaking out won't solve this problem. Let's reanalyze everything. Uncle isn't stupid, and if he wants to kill me he could've done it himself the second we got on the mountain.

I must be missing something. Although I've not known my uncle for long, he wouldn't keep an unbeatable monster in the area where we're training. Which means I can beat it in some way? Itami, you need to think. What are its weaknesses?

Well, Seeing as I can outrun it, I have the edge over it in speed, and probably agility because of its huge frame. Alright, that's what I'll exploit. Itami comes to a stop to fight the monster head-on. Seeing this, the monster's mouth on his stomach widened evilly.

It immediately jumped forward to Itami and threw a punch towards him. Itami narrowly dodged that attack, but the ground where he was turned into a crater. Seeing this, Itami got flustered. 'If I let one attack hit me I'm done for. I can't make any mistakes.

I've got to wait for an opening and strike his eye.' Itami started to dodge for his life. Every punch a hair's breadth away from ending his life. Meanwhile doing this he's trying to figure out how to use his ether. Itami wasn't dumb.

He knew that if he used a regular punch to the face for a Saruyuki it wouldn't even feel similar to a mosquito sting to it. Subsequently, he knew even if he enhanced his fist with ether, if he poured the regular amount one did for an ether punch, he'd die because he was still an unranked.

Essentially Itami's plan focused on his endurance to keep dodging, and his talent in Ether control and manipulation of Ether. An energy that until a couple of weeks ago he'd never used, and still hasn't used consciously.

Itami kept dodging repeatedly to give himself time and look for an opportunity to strike. However, as time went on he started to get fatigued, and he was running out of places to go as the beast kept disfiguring the land.

Eventually, Itami got cornered in front of a wall of the mountain, and the beast threw a punch. Luckily, Itami rolled out of the way, and the beast trapped himself in the mountain. Itami knew this was his chance and it was now or never.

Although Itami hadn't successfully conjured his ether, he didn't have a choice. He had to continue with a plan because it was very unlikely another opportunity like this would occur. Seeing Itami was getting ready to go on the offensive, the beast used its tail to attack.

Itami, not expecting this, barely managed to dodge, but he didn't see the attack. it was more like he felt it moving through the air in slow motion. Itami was in awe of what he had just done but knew he didn't have time to praise himself.

Itami ran up on top of the tail while the Saruyuki was still trying to retrieve its tail and aimed through an ether-coated fist straight at the beasts' eyes.

Unfortunately, when he was about to make contact the beast moved his head narrowly avoiding it. Putting everything into the punch he was left vulnerable and was suspended in the air. Using this opportunity, the Saruyuki used its free arm and punched him.

**Blaargh** 

Blood and chunks of his guts came out of his mouth, but that was the least of his damage. Itami was hit so hard that he crashed into a wall.

His entire upper half was mutilated because it took the brunt of the hit and fall.

Once the magic beast saw Itami's sorry figure, it roared in victory and started running towards him excited to devour its prey.

As Itami saw the magic beast closing in on it, he felt solemn and fell into despair. Angry, he shouted out "Uncle where are you when I need you? I asked for your help to train me not to kill me!" Seeing that his uncle still wasn't coming he started to beg and plead.

"Uncle I'm sorry for whatever I've caused you and the family by being born, but please save me!" However, despite his incessant pleading, his uncle didn't show up, and hearing his crying the middle mouth on the Saruyuki body started laughing.

As it started enclosing on Itami he threw another punch, but this time it was blocked by a group of crows. "Hey, if you would be so kind as to leave my nephew alone that'd be much appreciated." It was Kage.

AUTHOR:

Thank You for Reading. as always if you have any critiques, opinions, or things you want me to add or edit please let me know. Know I will not listen to every request, and I can't compromise certain things.