Kaede darted away at lightning speed, moving through the forest until he was at a safe distance from the curses. As he ran, his mind quickly processed what had happened. There was something very familiar about the technique of that second curse, something he couldn't overlook. He clenched his fists as he thought, "This can't be a coincidence... but I can't afford to doubt now."
Stopping on a hill from where he could observe the battle from afar, Kaede steadied his breathing, evaluating his next move. Maintaining his façade as Naoya was becoming more complicated, especially now that the situation was escalating quickly.
From his vantage point, he could see Megumi and Noritoshi facing the two curses, though they were clearly at a significant disadvantage. Kaede knew he couldn't intervene again without raising more suspicion, but if those two were defeated, it might draw too much attention to himself for having abandoned the scene.
"Should I have waited longer? No... the moment that technique was launched, I knew I couldn't stay. What matters now is not losing control," he thought, his cold eyes watching the battle.
Suddenly, a new presence made itself known around him. Still hidden, Kaede sensed a familiar cursed energy approaching rapidly. He wasn't alone. A figure appeared behind him: Mei Mei. With her calm demeanor, she stopped a few meters away, looking at him with interest. Kaede didn't outwardly react, but inside he knew Mei Mei was a threat if she started suspecting something beyond the obvious.
"Naoya," she said in a serene but calculating tone, "I didn't expect you to withdraw so soon. It's not like you to leave a fight unfinished." Her words were soft, but there was a clear insinuation of doubt in her voice. Mei Mei, as always, was dangerous not only because of her skill but because of her sharp perception.
Kaede slowly turned, maintaining Naoya's arrogant façade. "It's none of your business, Mei Mei," he responded curtly. He knew that any sign of hesitation would be enough for her to grow even more suspicious. "That fight wasn't worth my time."
Mei Mei smiled, but her eyes never stopped analyzing him. "I suppose you're right... but I couldn't help but notice something curious. Your technique... felt different today."
Kaede kept his expression impassive. He had expected someone to notice, but not so soon. "Different? Maybe you just haven't been paying enough attention," he said in a cold tone, attempting to steer the conversation away.
Mei Mei chuckled softly, but her eyes remained as sharp as knives. "Perhaps... or maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't there." However, her expression made it clear that she wasn't convinced.
The silence between them grew heavy. Mei Mei watched him for another moment before slowly turning towards the battle. "I suppose things will get more interesting over there. Too bad you decided not to participate." And with that, she vanished, heading towards the battlefield.
Back at the scene, the atmosphere was thick with the echo of battle, the ground littered with debris, and cursed energy floating in the air. A new figure, dark and menacing, was approaching Hanami, the curse that had been fighting Megumi and Kamo. Without a word, the figure, in an authoritative voice, said:
"Finish your work. I'll take care of mine."
Megumi, recovering beside Kamo, felt the words directed at them indirectly, knowing the figure intended to go after Naoya (or rather, Kaede in Naoya's body). The intruder seemed ready to move, but at that moment, a firm and determined voice rang out:
"Don't move!"
The new enemy froze instantly, their body immobile as if paralyzed by an invisible command. Before they could process what was happening, an agile and determined figure appeared out of nowhere. Maki, wielding one of her cursed weapons—a long naginata of black steel imbued with cursed energy—lunged at the figure, delivering a direct strike. The blade cut through the air with lethal force.
But instead of counterattacking as Maki had anticipated, the figure abruptly turned and began to run in the opposite direction. Maki, Megumi, and Kamo exchanged puzzled glances, trying to understand what was happening.
"They're going after Naoya!" Megumi exclaimed, his voice full of urgency.
"Naoya's here?" Maki frowned, surprised by the mention of her cousin. Something didn't add up.
"Why did he leave so suddenly?" she asked, still assessing the situation.
"We don't know," Kamo replied, narrowing his eyes. "Maybe something more important came up."
Megumi looked directly into her eyes, his expression determined. "Can you go after him? We'll take care of this. Naoya weakened it enough."
Maki nodded without hesitation, her face set in a grim expression. She knew something was off, and she couldn't afford to let it go. Without another word, she began following the same path the curse had taken after 'Naoya'. Her senses were on high alert, cold sweat running down her back as she prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
Meanwhile, Kaede, still on the hill, had observed everything. He clicked his tongue in frustration. Things were getting more complicated faster than he had anticipated. He couldn't have foreseen a situation like this, and what was coming didn't look good. Maki and that strange curse were following him. If he chose to run instantly, it would raise too much suspicion, and he'd have to reveal his identity much sooner than planned. That would endanger his entire infiltration plan.
With a sigh, Kaede made a decision. Running wasn't an option, but he also couldn't let himself be caught so easily. He raised his hand and twisted it in the air, creating a rift in space before him. From that rift, he pulled out Kagekiri, his cursed sword. The weapon, which had been hidden all this time under his tatami, glowed with a faint light, as if feeding on its master's energy, finally freed.
Kaede gripped Kagekiri firmly, feeling how the sword responded to his energy, as if the blade itself was excited to return to action. He felt that his current power might not be enough to face what was coming, even if Maki provided help. If that thing was what he thought it was, things would get ugly. He watched as the curse drew closer and Maki followed closely behind.
"I didn't expect this to be so complicated..." he muttered, knowing he was about to be forced into action.
Despite his irritation, he couldn't help but smirk. The chaos approaching excited him in some way, and the sword in his hand knew it. Kagekiri gleamed, as if delighting in the energy its master was finally releasing, ready to cut down any obstacle in its path.
Kaede took a deep breath. The battle was about to begin, and the outcome of this confrontation would decide the future of his mission.