My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 389: Chapter 146: Yet Another Instant Kill! The Final Opponent: Niitsuma Kan

”The other apprentices in the dojo also treated me like a slave, beating and scolding me at will when they were in a bad mood, and the Dojo Master ignored it completely.”

”In order to live more easily, I was forced to learn to discern people’s facial expressions and how to judge what emotion they were feeling from those changes.”

”When I noticed the Dojo Master and apprentices were in a bad mood, I would try to stay away from them as much as possible.”

”When I noticed they were in a good mood, I would try to approach them and flatter them, hoping to get some good food.”

”Unknowingly, I developed the skill to keenly observe changes in people’s expressions and judge their current emotions based on those changes.”

”So there’s no need to doubt.”

”I truly have the ability to conclude, just from noticing a few of your glances, that you intensely dislike Tachibana Aoto.”

”...” Niitsuma Kan pressed his lips tightly together, scrutinizing Rakshasa up and down with a suspicious and uncertain gaze.

After a moment of silence, Niitsuma Kan slightly relaxed his grip on the sword and spoke in a low voice:

”...What do you mean by ’having a way to give you a chance to defeat Tachibana Aoto in tomorrow’s competition’?”

”Hehehe...” Rakshasa let out a laugh that made his shoulders tremble slightly, then reached into his coat and pulled out a small pillbox.

”It’s simple. If you take this pill of mine, you have a hope of defeating Tachibana Aoto tomorrow.”

”A pill?” Niitsuma Kan’s gaze was fixed on the pillbox in Rakshasa’s hand, his eyebrows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again.

”The effect of this pill... simply put, it highly concentrates your spirit.”

”It puts your mind in a state akin to ’mindlessness’, thus increasing your reaction speed and cognitive ability.”

”By my estimate... after taking this pill, while I can’t promise you’ll definitely defeat Tachibana Aoto, you should at least be able to fight him to a standstill.”

Niitsuma Kan’s face shifted between shades of blue and white: ”Highly concentrated spirit... for such a powerful pill, it must have side effects, right?”

”Of course.” Rakshasa nodded without hesitation, ”I’m known for being honest.”

”I never do the kind of thing where I only tell people the benefits and not the drawbacks.”

”So I’ll be frank with you—I intend to give you this pill to use you as an experiment.”

While speaking, Rakshasa placed the pillbox on the windowsill beside him.

”This pill is still a prototype.”

”Though it has very significant effects, it also has strong side effects—this state of heightened concentration only lasts for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and after it wears off, the user will have a severe high fever.”

”If you can withstand the fever, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

”If you can’t, then...”

Rakshasa smiled and drew his right index finger horizontally across his neck.

”Because this pill is associated with one’s spirit, I want to experiment on whether someone who has a strong desire for victory and takes this pill during battle will influence its efficacy.”

”Also, to further test how much this pill can enhance a person’s combat power.”

”So... do you understand why I came to you?”

”...Hmph, what you just said is all your side of the story.” The expression on Niitsuma Kan’s face changed several times, but his voice remained low, ”How do I know if what you just said is true?”

”You can choose not to believe it at all.” Rakshasa shrugged his shoulders forcefully, ”I’m not forcing you to take this pill, nor am I asking you for any compensation.”

”I’ll just leave the pill here.”

”Whether you take it or not, the choice is entirely yours, I won’t interfere.”

”If you don’t trust my words and are afraid to take the pill, you can just throw it into the smelly gutter outside your house, I won’t have any objections.”

Having said that, Rakshasa flipped his body backward and stood on the eaves outside the window.

”I’ve said everything I need to say.”

”Until we meet again.”

As the last word was left hanging in the air, Rakshasa leaned back and dropped from the eaves outside the window.

Niitsuma Kan swiftly moved to the window and looked out—Rakshasa’s figure was nowhere in sight.

After scanning the area outside the window several times, Niitsuma Kan turned his gaze to the pillbox Rakshasa left on the windowsill.

Reaching out, he grabbed the pillbox and opened it; inside was a single white pill about the size of an adult’s thumb.

As the refreshing medicinal scent wafted from the box, Niitsuma Kan’s grip on the pillbox alternated between tight and loose, his face exhibiting such an array of complex emotions that it was difficult to discern his current thoughts.

...

...

After slipping into a dark alley, the short, stocky middle-aged man who had been waiting there hurried up to meet Rakshasa.

”Lord Rakshasa, did you give the ’Mindless Medicine’ to that Niitsuma Kan?”

Rakshasa nodded with a smile, ”Now we just have to watch tomorrow to see if he takes that pill.”

The short, stocky middle-aged man showed a wry smile, ”Lord Rakshasa, do you think he’ll take the ’Mindless Medicine’?”

”I don’t know. After all, I’m not in Niitsuma Kan’s mind. Anyway, whether he takes it or not, we won’t lose out.”

”...Lord Rakshasa. Please pardon my bluntness.” The short, stocky middle-aged man puckered his lips, then sighed deeply, ”Is it really okay to do this? Just giving a precious ’Mindless Medicine’ to that Niitsuma Kan.”