Kenji had no idea how this attacker managed to strike from above. Moments ago, no one had been near him.
How is this guy so fast? And if he's coming from above, he must have leaped onto the bamboo, then dropped down for a sneak attack. That takes some serious agility.
When the small-built figure realized Kenji had blocked an attack that should have hit cleanly, he hesitated for a split second.
Kenji took advantage of that pause.
He inhaled sharply, energy surging through his body. Ignoring the pain, he swung his wounded arm in a fierce backhand.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed as the scrawny attacker felt a burst of fire on his face. Blood and a few teeth flew from his mouth as Kenji's blow sent him sprawling.
Finally, Kenji let his arm drop. The pain stabbed through him, making his brow twitch. He glimpsed Pluvia in the distance—she'd run far in just those few seconds. He was honestly impressed by the training she must have gotten. They hadn't taught her much about hand-to-hand combat; instead, they'd focused on how to escape and defend. That made sense. An Emperor doesn't need unstoppable martial arts as much as staying alive to command. If she can outrun enemies, the empire keeps its ruler.
Still, a few shadows trailed her.
Kenji spun around and sprinted after her.
Suddenly, he felt the faintest hint of movement behind him.
That scrawny attacker was cunning. Instead of throwing a weapon at Kenji's head or neck—where Kenji might dodge by tilting—he aimed right for the middle of Kenji's back. It was a spot almost impossible to dodge on pure reflex.
If it caught his spine, Kenji could be crippled.
He twisted his torso, exposing his left arm instead.
Pain shot through him, and he let out a sharp cry. His attacker's strength was brutal, even if that strike came from someone on the verge of passing out. It clamped down Kenji's limb hard.
That was exactly why he chose to sacrifice his already wounded left arm again. It was almost useless at this point, so better to preserve his right arm for fighting.
Without breaking stride, Kenji yanked out the iron spike and flung it backward, not bothering to see whether it struck flesh or flew wide. He dashed toward Pluvia.
He doubted those assassins could easily catch her; they'd need real speed to overtake someone with strong footwork. Once she made it out of the Imperial Garden, she could call for help. Soldiers loyal to her would flood in.
But Kenji didn't want to leave it to chance.
Who knew if the palace guards at the exit had been bought off? If so, she'd be dead the moment she stepped out.
Kenji pushed himself and caught up to her in a few bounds. Thanks to his spirit-enhanced steps, deep footprints formed behind him with each leap. He practically hurtled forward rather than just running.
"Out of the way!"
He grabbed her collar mid-sprint, halting her escape, and pulled her against his chest.
"Held" might be too gentle of a word—he nearly slammed her into himself with enough force to break ribs.
He whirled around, sword flashing forward as an arrow screamed toward them. The blade struck the arrow, sending a spray of sparks skidding along its edge and knocking the projectile away.
"This is really…"
Pluvia's voice sounded cold and furious. She never imagined intruders would have the nerve to attack her inside the palace.
"If you have complaints, wait until we're safe," Kenji muttered, glancing at the garden's main exit.
He sensed someone watching them from the gate. Those weren't her personal guards—if they were loyal to her, they would have charged over by now.
His hunch was right. This was a well-planned assassination. Their goal was to kill the emperor right here, and they meant to take him out as well.
Annoying.
He gripped his sword more tightly.
He counted at least four or five hostile presences at the gate. In front of him, he saw six more attackers. That didn't include whoever else might be hiding nearby.
The six rushed forward without hesitation. Their main target was clearly the emperor.
Kenji let out a sigh. If they were out for both their lives, there was nothing to talk about. He crouched slightly, muscles coiling under his uniform. His sword hummed in his hand.
All six assassins charged.
Kenji kept his wounded left arm around Pluvia. She realized how useless his left arm was, so she cooperated, tightening both arms around his neck and gripping his waist with her legs so she wouldn't throw off his balance.
He roared and barreled straight for the exit, ignoring the others momentarily.
One assassin with a heavy hammer moved in to block him. The weapon hadn't fallen yet when a narrow stiletto in Kenji's right hand pierced his throat. Kenji turned just in time to catch the hammer's overhead swing. He halted abruptly, letting spiritual power surge around his head. The hammer's blow landed with a crack on that barrier, slamming Kenji's feet inches into the ground. Yet his skull remained intact.
Brushing off the impact, Kenji wasted no time and ran again.