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>>33772703
Kushinada is looking like hell, which is not surprising given that while she cut your body up, you tore her mind to ribbons. Her friend Hidesato, another demigod who has some magical talent as well as a keen intellect, stands between the stone lantern posts that your elder sister and her secretary are lightly bound to. The ofuda seals on their foreheads are keeping them asleep and once the battle starts the delicate little dragon who sees herself as your priestess (and is most definitely more than a friend) is planning on rescuing them. All of this is being overseen by the Head Priestess of the Temple of Forgotten Stones and Flowers, the half-youkai Hinata, who might be old (and scary enough) enough to remember Susano-Oh and Yamato-no-Orochi personally.

Kushinada is slowly walking down the steps from the temple walkway to the courtyard, her ruby eyes glaring at you with a mixture of disgust and hatred....hatred that your Water Eyes reveals is deeply rooted in fear. You can see the mental turmoil that seethes just under that stoic mask, and it is not a pretty thing to have had a hand in, no matter how well deserved it is. And it is well deserved – the red blade she has drawn, the Grass-Cutting Blade, has killed more half-dragons and half-oni than it ever did their parental namesakes. Her skills are weak, but she is still a creature of myth, legend, fate, destiny, perhaps even karma; this makes her every bit as dangerous to you as you are to her.

So what are these quests about, weeabo monstergirl yuri?

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>>33772715
She wouldn't be able to defeat you in a Barrier at all, you're certain. Sadly, a Barrier will reveal your true nature, even if you lack the power of that true nature. What is worse, you can't leave any witnesses to that true nature. Hinata knows, and for whatever reason she has chosen to keep that secret. The sister of your girlfriend, the miko Matagama Kiku, your priestess, she knows. Your sister suspects, and even foretold it. But her dragonette secretary cannot know, because she would be honor bound to reveal that to Oba-san, the head of your clan who tried to capture the power of a god for her very own use. Kushinada would be terrified....but chances are slim she will be walking away in any case. Hidesato doesn't know, and you can't let her walk away knowing, since she might be allied with other, even more dangerous enemies (well, enemies at least since you doubt they'd measure up to the Clan Ryo head, whom you and your loved ones have totally betrayed, fucked over, and are on the run from).

Kami, your life is fuckin' complicated.

The thing is, as far as you know Kushinada's lack of training with her own powers and swordplay means she needs a Barrier to use Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi to its fullest as well as her own power; both of those are not large issues for you at all. A barrier would make you much, much more powerful, and you have been told you could take Kushinada ~and~ Hidesato without calling on the power of Horobi, the God of Destruction. Your source is pretty damn reliable too.

[] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.
[] Blackmail Kushinada into not putting up a Barrier, using her friend's life..
[] Let Hidesato put the Barrier up for Kushinada - that poor doomed bitch needs every edge she can get.
[] Politely ask if you may have your sister and her secretary released before the fight commences.
[] Wait and see what she says first.

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>>33772703
Previous Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/33721554/

Search for Title: Ryukuza on Suptg
Barrier Combat Guide: http://pastebin.com/rZLwzvGx
Twitter: @XsQuestmistress

Hebiki Akari's Tale: http://pastebin.com/3JjNVKbY

Kurao Yui's Tale: http://pastebin.com/qYJa4PwH

Kumatori Kiki's Tale: http://pastebin.com/pdjfAEEU

Akari's Lesson (R-18): http://pastebin.com/bnGavrhP

Kiki's Gift (R-18): http://pastebin.com/sLP3NcbC

>>33772729
I've waited for this!
>[x] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.

>>33772723
Pretty much.

>>33772729
>[] Wait and see what she says first.
Noice, Ryukuza quest.

Rolled 19

>>33772729
>[] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.
>Offer her one last chance to stand down and change her ways. She probably won't take itb, ut it won't hurt to give her the option.

>>33772729
>[x] Wait and see what she says first.
>[x] Politely ask if you may have your sister and her secretary released before the fight commences.
>[x] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.

>>33772729
>[x] Wait and see what she says first.
>>33772715
>image
I never noticed before, but...is she not wearing anything to cover her crotch? Damn.

>>33772813
She doesn't want anyone to see her panties.

>>33772729
>[] Blackmail Kushinada into not putting up a Barrier, using her friend's life..
>[x] Politely ask if you may have your sister and her secretary released before the fight commences.
Ask, threaten, either or

>>33772729
[x] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.
[x] Politely ask Hinata-hakase that our sister and her secretary be released as soon as the fight commences, as per the agreement.

We need to try to fight outside of a Barrier, otherwise Kiku is likely to kill Jinyuu-neesan's secretary.

>>33772827
Sounds thinking, clearly we're dealing with a master of reasoning here. Also a master of lewd.

>>33772790
Sounds good to me. Also, if she wants to use a barrier we can play on her pride by asking how long she intends to use the generosity of others as a crutch, she's relied on her fathers blade to the point where her natural talents have been completely undeveloped, and she's now relying on her friend to put up a barrier, something any properly trained HUMAN can accomplish.

>>33772813
Pffft, she's probably just wearing kin-colored spats you pervert!
The sluttiest.

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[X] Offer Kushinada fair fight with no Barrier.
[X] Politely ask if you may have your sister and her secretary released before the fight commences.
[X] Wait and see what she says first.

You slowly begin walking the circumference of the courtyard, some forty feet from Kushinada, and she starts walking the same direction. While her confidence in her cause is shattered, and her self worth is in tatters, her hatred for you is a pure and gives her a point of focus that she would not otherwise have. Considering she was most likely manipulated into the attempted murder of the girl you were tasked with body-guarding, there isn't a whole lot of love on your part for her either.

It probably doesn't help that you are dressed in a formal samurai's kimono's and hakama, your wakizashi drawn and pointed towards the ground, your hair styled as a man's might be. Kiku-chan is looking equally boyish, though far prettier in white and ruby half kimono and silk pants. The baroque, revealing outfits that Hidesato and Kushinada share are strange, almost stylized to a purpose, making them less like samurai and more like pin-up art. Which is pretty nice to look at if they weren't about to try and kill you and got you here by threatening to kill your sister. The red enameling and rather revealing looks scream 'cheesecake' in the worst possible way. More ties to their mysterious benefactor your sister hinted at?

Those hateful red eyes look you up and down, taking in all the details of your traditional samurai's robes. You let her do so, for a moment, holding onto the sheath of your wakizashi with the sapphire fingers and half-flesh left hand. To you the slight hesitation may as well be a stumble. Your eyes never leave her face.

“You have changed, little dragon.” There is no respect, grudging or otherwise; it is only a statement of fact.

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>>33773138
“More than you can imagine, Kushinada-san,” you reply clearly. You keep your mukade-invested blade low; it won't show any sign of being possessed or empowered until a Barrier is raised. “May I have Jinyuu-onee-sama and Yoshiko Hebe released to the care of Kiku-sama? Hinata-hakase has made it quite clear that I will be fighting you regardless of their presence here.”


She doesn't pause in her slow circling. “No, I think not yet. After we have joined battle, then they will be released. Not before.” You're at ninety-degree-angles to the captives and Hidesato, as well as Miko-Kiku and Hinata-hakase.

“Truth be told, then, Kushinada-san, I have changed more than you know.” You

“Are you saying your spiritual growth has surpassed my power?” Water eyes tells you it is a reference to her demigod nature, not her actual power.

“No. But I have gained strength anyways. That being the case....I am still offering to face you without power, sword to sword, god-hand to claw. No Barrier, no power. Skill against skill.” You lift your left hand, showing her the deep blue clouded sapphire of your claws.

Kushinada continues to circle slowly, her eyes narrowing, seeking signs of trickery or subterfuge. “And if I refuse?”

[] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.
[] Then I will raise a Barrier and you will see how I have grown.
[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..
[] If you cannot raise a Barrier yourself, then allow Hidesato to demonstrate her skill, and I will allow my Miko. Kiku-chan, to demonstrate hers.
[] I will be forced to kill everyone here who might reveal how much I have grown.

>>33773153
>[x] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.

>>33773153
[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..

pokerface.jpeg

>>33773153
>[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..
Think of the temple! If not, then

>>[] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.

Rolled 2

>>33773153
>[] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.
>[] Then I will raise a Barrier and you will see how I have grown.
argh, I'm torn between these two so I shall let the dice decide

>>33773153
>[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..

>>33773153
>[x] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle...
>>33773138
>acknowledging the cheesecake
So they're wearing properly lewd outfits? How nice.

>>33773153
[x] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..
[x] If you cannot raise a Barrier yourself, then allow Hidesato to demonstrate her skill, and I will allow my Miko. Kiku-chan, to demonstrate hers.

>>33773153
>[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..
>[] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.

>>33773153
>[] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.
>[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..

>>33773153
>[x] If you cannot raise a Barrier yourself, then allow Hidesato to demonstrate her skill, and I will allow my Miko. Kiku-chan, to demonstrate hers.

>>33773153
>[x] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle..
>[x] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.

>>33773153
>[] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw?

She might think we brag if we mention destroying the temple

Also, I say we forbide Kiku to do anything that could harm her, even for our sake, especially if it's giving her pearl to Hinata

couldn't a barrier be raised such that hideosato isn't in it? I don't know if hidesato could do that herself, but perhaps hinata would be trusted to do so as a third party.

>>33773664

In a duel, the seconds are supposed to see the action. So no.

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[X] I ask again – will you not do the honorable thing, and fight me sword and hand to sword and claw? We do not need to destroy this temple in our battle.
[X] Then Hidesato may raise her Barrier and no one who will speak of what they see will leave alive.

You continue walking slowly, your left hand raised in a warding, or perhaps more aptly, a warning gesture. The wakizashi remains low, but still at an angle, ready to come up to defend or attack in an instant. Kushinada shifts Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi to point at you directly, to cross her body with the blade up, ready to defend then attack. Unusual, you would have thought her to be the full offense type.

With Hidesato at your back, and still fuming about being ignored though she's hiding it better (as in you don't feel her eyes flaying you alive, just staring), you let your awareness pass over Hinata-hakase and Kiku-chan. Hinata has pulled the thin veil over her shoulders, her soft lips pursed, her eyes following your sword. Kiku-chan is standing quite serenely, her gaze fixed on the prisoners behind you.

Letting your Water Eyes close, you speak firmly and with no qualm or suggestion of weakness. “Then I will ask you once again: fight me god-hand to claw, Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi to Ame-no-Omukade-no-Musume. Let neither of us risk Hinata-hakase's wrath or that of the kami by threatening the integrity of this temple.” You deliberately use the emphasis that changes the word 'rain' to that of 'candy' – naming your wakizashi 'Candy which belongs to Omukade's Daughter.'

She frowns, considering that. Kiku-chan glances at Hidesato, then to you, her fingers flicking in a movement almost invisible to the eye of anyone save a Fire or Water dragonette. A warning that Hidesato suspects or may even know the blade is not normal any longer.

>>33773153
I forgot to put this here>>33773531

>"Think about your friend here, Kushinada-san"

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>>33773712
Kushinada growls at you softly. “Your kind can never be allowed to rule again. All that is poisoned in Japan can be traced back to the lineage of your kind....” Her expression becomes pained and she falters. You stop, at an angle to the prisoners and the temple, she likewise, though closer to Hinata and Kiku than you are to Hidesato and Jinyuu. “It doesn't matter. This is between us. I still refuse.”

You narrow your eyes and shift your stance slightly, holding the short blade out to the side, towards Hidesato, and your claws close to your chest. “Then I will allow Hidesato-san to raise a barrier for you, and I will ensure that no one who can speak of what they see within it leaves it alive.”

That gets EVERYONES' attention. Hinata-hakase's eyes widen and she lifts her veil to cover her headdress once more. Kiku-chan shifts her stance slightly, her hair faintly moving in a non-existent breeze. Kushinada stares at you, then her eyes flick to Hidesato. Then back to you.

“Are you saying you will kill everyone here to protect your secret?” Kushinada sounds funny. Weirded out, actually.

“You tried to kill an innocent for even less reason, Kushinada-san. I am fairly certain you have no room to talk on such matters.” You hope the kami and the kamuy watching this are fuckin' happy you're being so polite! 'Cause now you just want to cut this stupid bitch down. “I might be able to trust Hidesato's word. You, I could never trust. We're too far gone for that, you and I.”

Her eyes narrow and she twists her hands about the hilt of the Grass-Cutting Blade.

[] Wait for her to come to you.
[] Take the fight to her.
[] Challenge her one last time.
[] Tell her to let the prisoners – on both sides – leave.
[] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>dxtensiv offenses
They were, Captcha-tan, they were.

>>33773712
Can we use Fire Eyes now?

>>33773748
>[x] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773748
>[x] Challenge her one last time.

>>33773748
>[] Challenge her one last time.
Last chance bitch.

>>33773748
>[] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773748
>[x] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773748
[x] Challenge her one last time.
[x] Tell her to let the prisoners – on both sides – leave.
The Barrier hasn't gone up yet, and she can see that Hinata is taking our threat seriously. She's got one last chance.

Also, do we HAVE to kill the secretary? Can't we just kidnap her and keep her so she can't tell the Old Snake until everything is over?

>>33773748
>[x] Challenge her one last time.
Then
>[x] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773748
>Tell Kiku she is absolutely forbidden to sacrifice herself or to hurt herself for our sake, in any way, shape or form, especially if it involve given her Pearl or steppin in the path of a sword.

>>33773748
>[] Challenge her one last time.
>[] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773748
>[] Challenge her one last time.
>[] Tell her to let the prisoners – on both sides – leave.

>>33773830
>Also, do we HAVE to kill the secretary? Can't we just kidnap her and keep her so she can't tell the Old Snake until everything is over?
I fucking hope so anon, and she's asleep right now, as long as she won't or can't report what she sees, no reason for her to die

>>33773830
As long as she's asleep she's safe.

>>33773830
We only have to kill the ones that don't swear they won't talk about it. The secretary is probably coming with us, anyway. She risks to be kidnapped again by people who search our sister otherwise

>>33773830
>>33773848
>>33773860
>>33773861

Knowledge can be ripped out of a person's mind, especially a weak human. Death, or a the very least keeping her trapped in a barrier, is the only way to be sure.

Much better that she simply doesn't see anything she shouldn't!

>>33773834
shut up

>>33773916
she's a void dragonette, not a human.

>>33773748
>[x] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!

>>33773948

Same answer: Much better that she simply doesn't see anything she shouldn't!

>>33773935
Why? I don't want Kiku to get hurt. And remember our seer's prediction

>>33774218
We've already given her orders. And prediction is far from absolute in this setting.

>>33774218

Two of ours would get hurt by that trice-cursed blade, yes. However, the prediction said nothing about WHO would hold the blade.

>>33774271
>And prediction is far from absolute in this setting.
Only as long as it's not done by Water Eyes.
Water Eye predictions ARE absolute.

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[X] Challenge her one last time.
[X] Staredown! Infinite patience, infinite danger!
[+] Stay alive or else, loli-dragon!

“Kiku-sama.”

Kiku-chan looks at you, not startled, simply awaiting the chance to obey your orders.

“Your Pearl and your life are more precious than that of anyone here, myself included.”

“Hai, Ryukusa-Oh.” You can't help but suppress the smile as she realizes what she just said and her cheeks start to burn, and her hair goes up in that flame-like wash. She doesn't correct herself, though Kushinada's eyes widen a little. Apparently Kushy thought Kiku-chan was a boy.

“Kushinada-san.” you only pause for a second, because she isn't going to respond to you in any way. “I ask one time more: face me, the hand of the gods to the claws of the dragons, your katana against my wakizashi. Skill to skill.” It takes an Imperial Fuck Ton of self control to not tack on a casual 'or die' clause.

No wonder paladins get such shit reputations, they always come across as condescending assholes when they're trying to do the honorable thing!

And with that, you stare at her, your sapphire and ruby eyes against her hate-filled red ones. Still and calm, and infinitely patient, the most dangerous thing in the entire temple at this very moment. Her eyes lock with yours, and you feel the connection snap sharp between you. Her hate sustains her, but it is only hate. You have far more at stake.

Lovers. Friends. A family.

She breaks in seconds.

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>>33774327
Kushinada gestures, and you feel Hidesato bring up her Barrier over the temple grounds and then some....though the shimenawa ropes guide and direct the Barrier, forming it so that the temple grounds are all that it encompasses.

Kiku is a blur, and then she lays Jinyuu-onee-sama on the ground next to Hinata-hakase....and then stops and stares at you. As does Hinata-hakase. Hidesato hisses, a sound of shock, and Kushinada pauses in her charge, your appearance bringing her up short.

You lower the black steel of the wakizashi, the menace of it's spirit especially fierce towards Kushinada, and stand up tall, flicking your claws across the kimono's top. The faint scare that Er Yin left your with goes from the hollow of your throat to your belly, and pulses with golden light, flickering lightnings contained within. Your left hand is nearly all sapphire, the veins of it moving up the soft grey flesh of your arm. But your right hand has also changed, the scar that Yui gave you filled with Akari's power, your right hand a gleaming ruby claw, the veins of ruby splitting your skin up your arm as well. They are both fed by the lightning touched scars over where your Pearl lies. Your hair blooms white (kamifuckingdamnit) and waves in the breeze around you while your horns branch and take on an even more raw sapphire appearance. Your eyes burn sapphire and ruby, and the golden limning of the dangerous things in this place are potent around Kiku, and Hinata....but Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is entirely made of gold in your sight, the most destructive thing here.

“Told you so, Kushy-chan.” At least your voice is the same.

[] Let her come at you.
[] Take the fight to her, casually.
[] Take the fight to her, skillfully.
[] Demonstrate your own strength.
[] Barrier Combat.

>>33774395
>[x] Take the fight to her, skillfully.

>>33774395
>Take the fight to her, skillfully.

>>33774395
>[] Take the fight to her, skillfully.
Fuck her up.

>>33774395
>[] Take the fight to her, skillfully.
Minor question. If we beat her up with normal combat, is their anything preventing us from hitting her with a minor barrier attack and then sealing her once she's basically helpless?

>>33774395
>[x] Let her come at you.
If we know the attack is coming, it makes it easier to counter.

>>33774395
[] Take the fight to her, skillfully.

Told you, bitches... All right, time to make a right mess of two demi-gods, and an obnoxious seer if she gives but the whiff of a hint she won't keep her mouth shut. And try not to enjoy it too much while we're at it!

>>33774395
>[x] Take the fight to her, skillfully.

>>33774475
We could probably initiate Barrier Combat once we have beaten her, but that would be hitting a dieing dog. Not very noble.

>>33774395
>[x] Take the fight to her, skillfully.
No wasting time or surrendering momentum, there are uninvolved people here and who knows what she might decide to do. Any chance of nonlethal solution was abandoned with the barrier anyway.

>>33774425
>>33774446
>>33774450
Remember she appeared to prepare herself for defense

>>33774491
>an obnoxious seer if she gives but the whiff of a hint she won't keep her mouth shut
For one, Hinata is vastly powerful.
Second, she already gave her word that she'd keep quiet about it.
Third, it's not Hinata but Jinyu and Yumiko that are the problem if we have to kill them.

>>33774395
>[] Let her come at you.

>>33774395
>[] Let her come at you.

>>33774546
You really expect them to actually read the post?

>>33774395
>[x] Demonstrate your own strength.

>>33774395
>[] Let her come at you.

Let her be reckless. Disarm her when you get the chance. Be warry of counter-attack and of feints

> Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is entirely made of gold in your sight, the most destructive thing here.

I like how no one take Kushinada seriously outside of the fact she has the most powerful blade.

>>33774395
>[] Let her come at you.

>>33774395
>[x] Let her come at you.

Time to fuck a Demigoddess up.

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[X] Take the fight to her, skillfully.

You're no fire dragonette, but you are up in Kushinada's face before she can even finish drawing her breath to speak. The flat of Ame-no-Omukade-no-Musume rings sharply against the flat of Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. With some surprise in the back of your mind you note that there's a lot of golden aura in your wakizashi as well. The majority of your attention is on Kushinada, who steps back and away while sliding her blade along yours. She sweeps it off and around, but you've already countered, redirecting the blow past your left arm as you step past her.

She attempts a side-cut....and you swat the blade away with your left hand, hard enough to make the bells of the temple sing in harmonized agony with the ringing of the sword. You bring your blade in and up, but Kushinada leaps back a half dozen feet, her teeth grit and her eyes half closed, the sound of Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi's pain clearly hurting her to the bone.

[] Make her take an oath with Hinata to never reveal this, and you will let her live.
[] Let her come to you now.
[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
[] Take the fight to her brutally.
[] Barrier Combat.

>>33774739
>[x] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
No offer yet. We need to beat her properly before even a miniscule chance of her accepting that.

>>33774739
>[x] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
But don't get cocky

>>33774739

>[X] Make her take an oath with Hinata to never reveal this, and you will let her live.
>[X] Let her come to you now.

>>33774776
Her hatred of us is all that's keeping her sane. I don't think she'll take an oath at all. Maybe we can knock her unconscious and bargain with the other one.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
>>33774776
Agreed. Plus, just going with "don't tell anyone" is woefully insufficient. I'm thinking a binding oath never to raise her hand against us, and Aid us thrice with sword, claw and skill when we call for it.

>>33774739
>[x] Take the fight to her brutally.
No mercy.

>>33774739
>[X] Let her come to you now.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
I hope she breaks down and cries before this is over.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.
Keep her on the back foot.
I'd still rather capture than kill, but that may just be sentimentality and a Bad Idea.

>>33774836
Actually, her hatred of us is what's driving her insane. It is what's giving her the will to fight right now though.

>>33774903
Her abrupt and forced realization that she's an honor-less serial killer and utterly horrible person, along with the guilt and self-loathing that accompanied it are the reasons she's going insane.

>>33774903
>>33774953

Don't worry, we have an efficient and definitive cure for that right here in our hand.

>>33774739
>[] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.

Trying to go for the oath right now would be a waste of time, let's be honest. However, I am willing to capture instead of kill. This chick's got alooooot of apparent issues and maybe we could help. At the same time, she's definitely not gonna be keeping that sword on hand.

>>33774997
>At the same time, she's definitely not gonna be keeping that sword on hand.
Of course not. She's been using it as a crutch, so she needs to get rid of it and rely on her own power.

>>33774739
[x] Let her come to you now.
Makes a counterattack or preemptive strike easier for us.

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[X] Take the fight to her even more skillfully.

With your heart pounding against your pearl, because holy shit you just bitch-slapped KUSANAGI-NO-TSURUGI and didn't get your arm bisected, you move slowly around the courtyard. Kiku is untying your sister's aide, and applying yet another seal – her own – to the dragonette's forehead. Hinata is on one knee, praying softly, while Jinyuu-onee-sama is beside her, still unconscious. Hidesato is staying behind you as best she can, but you can feel her remaining outside the large circle described by the stone lanterns of the courtyard.

Kusanagi seems to recover her wits, and you can feel her calling on her Sword and Style technique, initiating Barrier Combat against you. You narrow your eyes....and you can see the golden gleam along her body, how it limns her hands and feet and knees, and then strangely arcs and beams off of her body, like....

Like threat lines you see during shogi, where the pieces attacks are aimed, rather than the board or the pieces. More importantly, you see the voids that her power leaves.

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You dart in, sliding through the arc of her attack and leap, your tail slithering through the air after you as you slip between her kick and return cut alike, your blade only just glancing off her armor....which corrodes and flakes along the line of the cut. You land half behind her, and she whirls, but you are already moving, deep inside her reach, your wakizashi hissing along her belly armor. She takes a deep breath and you melt before her, rolling over your tail and nearly clipping her jaw with a foot as she gives a kiai that would have shattered your eardrums and turned your eyes to jelly if you had been that close and unprepared. Your tail nearly clips her again, but she turns to the side and let her armor take the impact. Standing upright now, you drive your left hand forward and twist the air between you and her, ripping her powerful cry out of the air and scattering it – that costs you, but on the scale of things, still less than a first tier Combat Technique.

She's staring at you, her eyes wild and frightened, the hate collapsing under the near phobic terror of your kind she has.

[] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
[] Let her come to you this time.
[] No more games. Time to hurt her.
[] Tell her to yield now.
[] Barrier Combat.

>>33775258
>[] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
>[] Tell her to yield now.

Throw down the blade and we may still show mercy.

>>33775258
Not yet. Still not yet.
>[x] Attempt to disarm.
Because I'm interested in seeing if that's even possible with these blades.

>>33775258
>[] Let her come to you this time.
Not quite time yet.

>>33775258
>[] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”

>>33775258
>[] Tell her to yield now.
if she refuses,
[] No more games. Time to hurt her.

>>33775258
>[x] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
>[x] Let her come to you this time.
>[x] Disarm her.

>>33775258
>[] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
>[] Tell her to yield now.
"Last chance."

>>33775258
[x] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
[x] Tell her to yield now.
One last chance, because anything more means we might damage the temple.

>>33775258
Changing vote >>33775287 to include >>33775291

Let's get that thing the hell away from her.

>>33775258
>[x] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
Let's talk more shit to her

Rolled 4, 3 = 7

>>33775258
>[] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
Even if it's not Barrier Combat grade, psychological warfare is still valuable.

>>33775258
>Disarm her
>Keep warry of her

The sword by itself is more dangerous than she is, but Ryukuza doesn't underestimate someone who managed to claim that sword in the first place

Anyone think that Hidesato is only going along with this because she's in love with Kushinada?

Rolled 46

>>33775258
>[x] Attempt to disarm.
>[x] Tell her to yield now.

>>33775258
>>[x] Let her come to you this time.
>>[x] Disarm her.

>>33775447
>Next quest is Kushinada Harem.

...You know what, I'd go for it. Maybe then we can also tell Susano'o to go fuck off too.

>>33775312
This. One last chance then we end her. Enough games.

>>33775505
>playing broken as fuck dishonorabru crazy chick slowly getting healed by her harem
10/10

>>33772703
>you're a dragonette, a child of human and dragon
I thought we were the child of a dragon and a dragonette

>>33775552
It's still Dragon & Human. The Dragon just wasn't who we thought and we should probably yell and scream at real daddy until he gives us candy at some point.

>>33775522
I fear when we're done, there won't be chick, her harem OR general vicinity left.

>>33775615
Yeah, I'd like to talk to both of the other actual Divine Dragons too, (one for some family real-talk, the other to amicably settle some OTHER familial issues) but I'm worried they might not be so down with the Horobi, and if they saw us they might just decide to nip that issue in the bud.

>>33775733
I could be remembering a bit wrong here, but I believe our real father actually was in on the conspiracy to release Horobi. Or at least, our mother was. That being said, is she even alive anymore? I don't remember a confirmation one way or the other.

>>33775733

Yeah, we might want to wait for the day we have mastered Horobi's power before going for "the talk" with the other major powers.

>>33775691
That's why we didn't initiate Barrier Combat

Well, that and because beating her without it when she's using it is pretty amazingly awesome

This is going down on the "Scrolls of Ryukuza"

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[YES] “There's no comparison, Kushinada.”
[X] Tell her to yield now.
[+] Disarm her!

You slowly start walking the circle again, your tail – longer than Er Yin's, at the moment, which is kind of an interesting thing – lazily snaking through the air. Kushinada's movements are fitful and unsteady at first, even under the power of her Barrier Combat. Slowly she gathers her witch, her breaths too fast, too uncontrolled.

“Kushinada-san....I haven't shown you my Pearl yet.” You watch her every movement, her slightest shifts in balance and attitude. A Second Tier power is no laughing matter, even in your newly heightened state of awareness and spirituality. Her eyes fall to your breasts, and you oblige by slitting the first few silk wraps confining them. More of the glowing scar and some nice cleavage is revealed, but that is all. “There's no comparison between us. I may only be a dragonette....but all that truly sustains your skills, all that truly makes you capable of killing us is that blade. You have no true power or skill, here, or anywhere else.”

Her eyes darken, and you hear a tooth crack. Pausing, you gaze at her, her stance is too wide, her poise only barely acceptable for a child, and she's at least in her thirties. The sword shimmers as she lifts it, and power starts sliding off of it in waves, as she prepares for her attack.

You take several steps back – wary of Hidesato's presence behind you....wait, better yet: “Stay behind me Hidesato-san.”

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>>33775854
Kushinada's eyes blaze with renewed hate, and Hidesato brilliantly replies “What?” Then the blade moves, three, five, eight times, the eight cuts of properly done iado. And she does do them properly....but backed by her Barrier Combat and the power of Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the winds are just as deadly as the sword itself, if not more so.

You crouch, holding the wicked black steel blade behind you, towards Hidesato, and lift your left arm up.....and you lash out, countering each swing of the blade with a strike of your arm, taking the brunt of the impacts on Akari's gift to you. You feel the deep cuts along your upper arm, but the winds are still torn apart, shattering against the Stone of your arm and hand and breaking apart as you push the winds into her assault. The entire attack lasts mere seconds.

You lower your hand, blood dripping from your fingertips as it trickles down your arm. Kushinada is staring at you, and Hidesato curses softly. Then you're there, in Kushinada's face, your left hand CLOSING over Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi! She starts to pull the blade from your clenched fist, but you whip Ame-no-Omukade-no-Musume up and forward and drive the point and half of the blade through her left arm, totally violating about three different styles.

Her shriek is gratifying, to say the least, especially as her blood froths and turns black as it pours out of the wound. You tear the Grass-Cutting Blade from her hand, and slide your own blade out of her arm, and step back, as she goes to her knees, clutching her wounded arm. “Yield, Kushinada. Now.” You speak softly, but the threat is crystal clear.

[] “Oh, and the mukade you possessed says hello.”
[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
[] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”
[] Dead. Silence. Only.

>>33774953
>Her abrupt and forced realization that she's an honor-less serial killer and utterly horrible person, along with the guilt and self-loathing that accompanied it are the reasons she's going insane.
Not by itself, we observed already (last thread) that she COULD recover from it if she let go of her hatred and sought redemption.
As long as she seeks vengeance or to perpetuate her murders she will not heal, and indeed will get worse.

That being said, unless we can get her to make a serious breakthrough (which we should have done by pointing the above out before the fight started! dammit I missed it!) then sparing her endangers many other lives (I am not even just talking about our family here).

>>33775876
>[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

>>33775876
[] “Oh, and the mukade you possessed says hello.”

PAYBACK IS A BITCH, INNIT???

>>33775876
>[x] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”
>[x] “Oh, and the mukade you possessed says hello.”

>>33775876
>[x] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
>[x] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

>>33775876
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
>[] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
>[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

Enough of this. The only ways out are redemption or death.

>>33775876
>Turn about isn't fair play.

>>33775876
>[x] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
>[x] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

>>33775876
>[] “Oh, and the mukade you possessed says hello.”
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
>[] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
>[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

>>33775876
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
>[] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
>[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving."

>"If I had dodged, your girlfriend would have been destroyed by your attack."

>>33775876
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
The only possible reason to not outright kill her and get her to yield is if we are going for some "nakama" thing. I doubt it would work, but if we ARE we need to actually do this properly.
This means carrying a conversation and leading it towards the correct path. so, time to actually start talking to her.

>>33775876
we are keeping the grass cutting blade btw. its ours now.

>>33776053
well we do need at least one Imperial Treasure. Why not just go full Pokemon and collect all three?

>>33776053
Of course. But our Centipede Blade is better.

>>33775876
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”

>>33776068
I like how you think anon. all 3 it is.

>>33775876
>[x] "You do not need this blade Kushinada. It's merely a crutch you cling to so you can avoid growing up. Free yourself."

>>33776011
>"If I had dodged, your girlfriend would have been destroyed by your attack."
Seconding this

>>33776075
>Of course. But our Centipede Blade is better.
its better vs demigods.
but the grass cutting blade is better vs dragons and oni.
If we ever have to fight a true dragon, the grass cutting blade is the absolute best dragon slaying blade in existence and we should be using it for such a fight

>>33776068

Because pissing off the Imperial Family by stealing the Sacred Jewel might not be the smartest idea?

The Mirror, on the other hand, should be fair game.

>>33776053
>>33776068
Ugh, I really just want to go drop it off at the most important shrine, somewhere even Susanoo will think twice about taking it from, otherwise, he's gong to come to take it from US. And I don't want to risk that fight.

>>33776011
>"If I had dodged, your girlfriend would have been destroyed by your attack."
Yes, start showing her the path of destruction.

Then maybe followed by
>Killing me will only make the nightmares worse, you know.
and
>It is never too late to seek redemption. And it is the only thing that would lessen the pain

>>33775876
[x] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
[x] “Turn about isn't fair play. There's nothing ~fair~ in any of this.”
[x] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”

Seriously, you people are waaaaay too compassionate for your own good...

>>33775876
>[] “This can end differently than you think it should.”
>[] “Take oath with Hinata-hakase. Not even your soul is beyond saving.”
>[] “Oh, and the mukade you possessed says hello.”

>>33776114
He is probably going to come after us for killing his daughter here (if we kill her)
And susanoo is one of the gods we absolute have to must kill (along with obasan). Remember that he killed horobi out of petty jelously at being unable top control lightening despite being a storm god. He is probably the reason why it is considered impossible to do (that is, he kill anything that can do that, so people could say "nobody can do it, not even the god of storms susano). And we already CAN control lightening, so eventually he will come after us, its just a matter of time

>>33776151
Seriously. Considering we started this fight with "I'm giving you the option of a non-barrier fight so that I don't have to kill everyone."

>>33776151
This us why you don't have a harem of cute dragongirls and adorable oni girls, anon.

>>33776151
they want Kushinada's Healing Harem Quest once this is done
as do I

>>33776114
the most important shrine is ours

>>33776151
yea, we should have just executed her without words.
then again, we SHOULD have had this conversation attempt BEFORE the fight actually started, but we completely fucked that up by trying to intimidate instead of redeem pre battle

>>33776151
I just don't want Susano after us, yet. Also, having her swear to help us when we call for aid could be fun.

>>33776178
Admittedly, I'm curious what one of Susano'o's kids is even doing with it. Properly speaking, he gave it to Amaterasu and it's HER sword now. If we give it back to anyone, it should be her.

In retrospect, this would actually be somewhat beneficial.
If "some dragon bitch" kills susano's daughter he might come after us himself.
if instead we cause his daughter to abandon his dogma and try to repay her debt to society so to speak? we basically align her to act against her father. Aside from the lack of immediate reprisal, it will take a while before he will even become aware of this and when he does, he will be a significant disadvantage (unless he is so cold that he summarily executes her. which is possible, but will severely shake the faith of any other offspring he has in the family dogma)

The reason we are basically trying is that we have been given this redemption chance on a silver platter

>>33776200
oh nice

>>33776181

And, yet here we are, in a Barrier, with our secret now revealed for all present to see...

>>33776192

I'm actually trying to kieep the existing one here alive, rather than create loose end upon loose end that will come back to bite us in the tail.

>>33776200

Spin-offs can be based on a "what if" situation. It's kinda cheap, I agree, but still, a possibility.

>>33776208

Redemption is overrated. Seriously, what do you see in that psychopatic honorless gutter-trash beyong the fact she's female?

>>33776256
in the long term though, turning his daughter against him will definitely put us high on his shit list of "people to kill horribly"

>>33776242
I assumed that she stole it from over the mantle to go prove herself to daddy or some such.

>>33776305
Kushy wants to be honorabru but her dad won't let her.

We're going to fix that.

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[X] Diplomacy is go!

The echo of the pity you once felt for her still remains, even after all she's done and tried to do. You lift Ame-no-Omukade-no-Musume so that the blade obscures your left eye, and you see her Barrier power still present, still strong but unfocused, unprepared. “Your karma is filthy, Kushinada. Your skills are weak, your nature is corrupted, even the youkai you turned upon my family has returned to punish you.” You swing the blade in a low wide arc, spattering blood and venom on the ground between you and the kneeling demigod. She flinches, now recognizing what fills the blade.

You turn the blade, so that it faces your leg, preparatory to using it once more, held at an angle from your body. “This doesn't have to end in death. You are a child of the Kami, Kushinada. You could be much more than this. Take oaths with Hinata-hakase. Learn from her, purge yourself of the venom that poisons your soul so much more darkly than the mukade's venoms do your blood. Learn the skills that you would have been using to kill me while not doing the same to Hidesato-san.” You sidestep slightly, showing the destruction you diverted that would have killed you and Hidesato-san alike.

>>33776305
>Redemption is overrated. Seriously, what do you see in that psychopatic honorless gutter-trash beyong the fact she's female?
1. she was basically raised to such dogma from birth
2. someone whose current state of mind is extremely susceptible to redemption.
3. in character, we are a huge goddamn sap

>>33776305
>Redemption is overrated. Seriously, what do you see in that psychopatic honorless gutter-trash beyong the fact she's female?
A challenge.
We will redeem EVERYONE!
Including Susanoo.
Especially Susanoo.
Or we will just put him into corner of shame and laugh at him together with other gods.

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>>33776367
You take a deep breath, feeling the tension rising in Hidesato behind you. “We are both victims of those who would keep our power for themselves.” There – a glimmer. A faint, faint shine of understanding, spilling from behind her fear and hate and pain. “We have both been betrayed by people who we believed had our best interests at heart. People who should have-”

You sense it before the strike hits, and you turn, your left arm smashing the brownish, strangely textured katana aside as Hidesato tries an over-the-clouds draw cut diagonally from shoulder to hip. Even as you do so you are moving away from Kushinada, and you see her chin drop, see dark red markings appearing on her breasts, along her sternum and her solar plexus in a damnably familiar script.

“Damn you, Ryukusa!” Hidesato is drawing her power, entering Barrier Combat as well....

[] Take out Kushinada before the spell is complete. Yes, that means killing her.
[] Use your own power to gain some distance between you and Hidesato.
[] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
[] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
[] Barrier Combat.

>>33776398
>laugh at him together with other gods.
Considering that's exactly what the other gods did the last time he threw a temper tantrum, I think that's one of the few things Ryukusa and the other kami and kamui can agree on.

>>33776320
We're dragonspawn. We've already maxed out that list.

>>33776412
>[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
>[x] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.

>>33776398
> when Ryu seals someone away in her barrier, instead of locking them within the ocean's depths, they're instead stuck in a Spiritual Sad Box until you decide timeout is over
Fund it

>>33776398
I personaly was to kill Kushinada on sight at first, but she's just so... pathetic being angry with her jut feel empty

>>33776412
[x] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
Hah! So it wasn't love, but that Hidesato was mind-controlling Kushinada all this time?

>>33776412
>Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
>[] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
>[] Barrier Combat.

>>33776412
>[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
>[x] Barrier Combat.
I'm ready for some ass kicking here

>>33776426
>We're dragonspawn. We've already maxed out that list.
no. there are millions of dragonspawn running around. Sure he wants to kill us, but he has no reason to hunt us specificlaly over the million others.
This will distinguish us from the others

>>33776412
>[x] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
>[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”

>>33776412
>[] "So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?"
We just started getting through to Kushinada, no killing her.

>>33776412
>[] Barrier Combat.
We got injured by taking kushinadas tier 2 ability with ours offline.
If we don't get some power build up we will die and so would kiku.

Also, we still holding the grass cutting blade right?

>>33776412
Hold on, what's going on here?

Is Hidesato trying to possess Kushinada?

>>33776412
>Hold on, what's going on here?
can our water eyes tell
1. what kind of spell kushinada is using?
2. is she even the one using it or is someone else using it on her?
3. is she going to attack us the moment our back is turned?
4. is Hidesato performing barrier combat or normal combat in a barrier like we did?
5. how well trained is hidesato?

those are important questions... and doh, even if we could redeem kushinada, if hidesato is a true believer of the same dogma then we would have to basically start from scratch with her too, and honestly I don't think we are strong enough to do this right now

Oh hey, I just remembered, didn't we figure out earlier that the two are pawns for someone? we need to know WHO sent them after us so we know who take out next before they send something more at us

>>33776522
We might have to kill Hides. She isn't as pathetic and miserable as Kushy, though

>>33776412
Not a vote but a question
>[] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
what the hell does this do? I simply do not understand this option

>>33776570
and killing her before kushy will be devastating to any attempt at redeeming kushy.

>>33776565
>we need to know WHO sent them after us
We suspect it's Ryoga the half-demon.
We were warned he would move against us sooner than expected, and this would be considered him moving against us.

>>33776412
>[] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
>[] Barrier Combat.

>>33776587
suspicion isn't enough, we should actually confirm

>>33776486
It's some kind of spell.

>>33776522
You don't have Water Eyes up. You're holding an inimical and VERY unhappy artifact and being attacked by someone who is using Barrier Combat while a spell is activating on another person who is in the middle tier of Barrier Combat. You're going to have to prioritize a little, even for Ryukusa.

>>33776482
Yes. It is exceedingly unhappy about that fact. As in turn on you in a split second levels of unhappy.

>>33776412
>[x] Use your own power to gain some distance between you and Hidesato.
>[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”

And with the duel now interfered with, I believe that means Hinata-hakase is now required to see to Hidesato NOT interfering any further.

>>33776586
Does exactly what it says. You'll have a barrier inside a barrier - but you have control over the inner barrier, which protects the temple and everything outside the courtyard from damage. also keeps Kushy and Hides in there with you.

>>33776570
>>33776586
There's always the Sad Box option.

>>33776630
>As in turn on you in a split second levels of unhappy.
Oh, right. It's a sentient artifact that will try to puppetmaster us as soon as it gets a chance.
We can't let it go, because then Kushinada or Hidesato could pick it up. We can't hold on to it because it's going to try to cut us or any other dragonette in the area, and its got the magic to do that.

>>33776587
Ryoga was the more obvious option, but I'm more suspicious of the snake. I question whether the half-demon would have the influence to set these demigods after us, but expect she could.

>>33776630
>Yes. It is exceedingly unhappy about that fact. As in turn on you in a split second levels of unhappy.
We should try to maneuver such that we stick it into the ground and then erect a second barrier such that our barrier holds us, kushy, and hide, but excludes the grass cutting blade.
This way we can worry about taming said blade later rather then having it in here with the 2 demigods who want to kill us

>Five more minutes, since I gave more info.

>>33776650

I wouldn't put too much hope on her interfering. It would truely be surprising if she hadn't known Hisedato was controlling Kushinada considering her power...

>>33776732
If that will work, it seems like a good plan. I support this, if possible.

>>33776412
>[] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
>[] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
>[] Barrier Combat.

With the new info in mind, I'm inclined to agree with >>33776732 on how to set up the barrier.

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>>33776732
visual representation of my plan

>>33776412

[] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
[] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”

>>33776780
Keep Kushy out of the second barrier and I think I can agree to this

>>33776732
>barriers inside barriers inside barriers inside barriers
and then this whole clusterfuck collapses on itself and we have a new sea instead of a city.

>>33776763
She's supposed to keep the duel as impartial as she can and is bound to that role. Not only would that it be dishonorable on principle to not interfere, it'd be a breaking of REQUIRED action that could tarnish the reputation of the Temple itself and Hinata-hakase is said to reflect the Temple.

It'd make little sense for her to NOT stop the interference in this instance.

>>33776412
>>33776659
Oh, right, Hinata can now interfere.
Changing >>33776446
to
[x] Use your own power to gain some distance between you and Hidesato.
[x] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
[x] Declare loudly that Hidesato has breached the conditions of our duel with Kushinada, broken her word to the Temple of Forgotten Stones and Flowers.

>>33776733

Barrier in a Barrier.
They want to be paste, let them be paste!

>>33776687
>Oh, right. It's a sentient artifact that will try to puppetmaster us as soon as it gets a chance.
time to redeem the grass cutting blade

no seriously, we should do it.
just not this very second
and not by talking to it. surely we can bless / corrupt it (depending on point of view). Not saying it would be easy, probably a ridiculously hard as fuck quest. but myth and history is chock full of those things happening.

>>33776816
if we do that then kushy can retake the grass cutting blade, hideo can drop her barrier, and then kushy can turn it on kiki/sister/secretary
remember that the latter two are unconscious

If we call for Hinata to deal with Hidesato's interfearence, she will actively see our form. At the moment she is averting her eyes to allow her to deny seeing us having extra powers as she never 'Seen' them...

>>33776868
oh, that is damn clever of her

>>33776412
>[] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate Hidesato and you, with Kushinada and the Grass Cutting blade outside of it

>Declare that anyone putting the spell on Kushinada is interfering with the duel

>>33776821

And yet, she allowed the duel in the first place, conscious that it would probably come down to this, meaning she doesn't give a fuck.

That or she's a blind seer, because failing to notice that someone is bound to someone else in one's place of power...

>>33776825
>Oh, right, Hinata can now interfere.
I don't think she can
Hideo joining in to make it 2v1 is not against the rules.
Only harming the hostages in any way or holding them hostage during the fight would

>>33776921
>>33776923

You people have no idea how a proper duel works, do you?

>>33776908
>Declare that anyone putting the spell on Kushinada is interfering with the duel
oh, I thought people were saying that hideo was interfering.
Yea, if an external power is casting this on her it might count.

But we can't have water eyes right now (too many things straining our power at once, mostly suppressing the grass cutting blade), so we can't be 100% sure it is an external power instead of her own spellcasting or a precast spell triggering (which would be allowed as its no different from a weapon or armor, or our sword containing a youkai).

If someone is casting on her remotely, then it worries me that this person might be seeing through her eyes too. especially if she gets possessed. that means a witness

>>33776921
Or the terms were worded such that Hidesato cannot bind Kushinada during the duel, but any thing done to Kushinada previously, or done by someone else, is fine.
>So, I have permitted her to raise a Barrier on the behalf of Kushinada, but no other influence or effect would be allowed

>>33776923
Except that it is against the rules. They clearly stated that this was to be a duel between Ryukusa and Kushinada, and nobody else.

>>33776962
A proper duel works by adhering to rules.

We aren't knights who adhere to a code of chivalry that stated 1v1 fight.

We are supernatural entities which have agreed to some conditions with an impartial 3rd party to enforce them. Those conditions allowed for 2v1 (technically its 3v2 since we have to sapient weapons in here with a will of their own and the ability to extert power).

If those conditions would not allow it, then our claim of "killing the witnesses" would be a serious problem. since we outright stated we will kill BOTH kushy AND hideo

>>33776994
>>33776996
>Rules stated to be 1v1
>No they didn't
>Yes they did

Ok, we are at an impasse. Our sole disagreement seems to be over what the rules explicitly stated. We need to go back, find the right post, and see what the rules explicitly stated

>>33777020
>We aren't knights who adhere to a code of chivalry that stated 1v1 fight.

A 1v1 is exactly what Hinata-hakase said it would be by the RULES you idiot. No interference means NO interference by someone besides the two combatants.

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[X] Put up a second barrier inside Hidesato's to isolate the courtyard alone.
[X] “So, who holds your leashes, Hidesato-san?”
[X] Barrier Combat.
[+] Ditch that damn sword!

[X] Hold onto your butts....or maybe Er Yin's if she's around, because, dayum.

You're good, and the love and gifts of your family have made you even great, but not even the invincible Ryuu Ryukusa can take on two demigods with Barrier combat active at the same time, mind controlled or not. You doubt this particular version of mind control is actually mind control, though – while you may not have the power of a void dragon, you can sense that power. It's more a case of self-possession, where Kushinada or Hidesato turns off her conscious mind and does what is in her nature.

Unfortunately, given her twisted sense of values, that would be 'kill Ryuu Ryukusa with extreme prejudice.'

You can't hold Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi in ~Nowhere~, it would actively work against you and possibly poison your spirit. And trying to use it is just DUMB because the damn thing is an Imperial Treasure and you are a girl – yeah, it's old and pretty misogynistic even though technically you're related directly to the Imperial bloodline through your father, but the sword does not give a shit. So you do the next best thing.

While you would really love to see what Hinata-hakase does to Hidesato, you need to protect Kiku from them and not let them anywhere near the sword that really wants to drink your blood. So you hurl the blade into the temple, burying it to the hilt in the torii that stands just in front of the temple proper – dead center shot in the symbol of 'Peace” in the middle of the lower arch. The golden light goes out of it immediately (which you did not plan, but who are you to argue) and even as Hidesato leaps for it, you slam your Barrier – a spherical Barrier centered on the courtyard – down around you and the two demigods.

And then you REALLY cut loose.

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>>33777066
The clothing explodes from around your chest and arms, only the silk bindings covering your breasts remaining – even the sleeves are blasted to shreds of cloth. “Hokuto no Ruykusa....” you murmur, as you feel your breastbone turn to splinters inside your chest, your ribs shifting as your pearl pushes through. The thing is at least five inches wide, dead black, and glowing in the ultraviolet, and not the bright short wave stuff, the dark, eye searing long wave stuff. Both hands explode into brilliance as your power washes through you, and the lightening in your chest glows within your mouth and nostrils. Your hair is longer than you are tall, and floats in spectral ribbons behind you as your feet leave the ground. You fix your burning eyes on Hidesato, and you slam your tail on the ground. Your black sapphire horns pitted and gleaming in the dark-light of your pearl.

Hidesato is gripping her sword in both hands, half crouched, and clearly terrified. The spell is still wrapping itself around Kushinada.

“So....who holds your leashes, pretty little plaything?”

[] Razor Wit and Cold Heart.
[] Scales and Claws.
[] Storm and Wind.
[] Style and Sword.
[] ~Horobi~

>>33777129
>[x] Storm and Wind.
Its the best we have to fight her magic.

>>33777129
[x] Style and Sword.
As much as I want to torment Hidesato mentally, I think the mukade in our blade deserves some more payback for her dead kids.

>>33777129
>[] Style and Sword.
Probably?

>>33777129

Storm and Wind

Being in a smaller Barrier, there will be nowhere to dodge the raging assaults...

>>33777129
>[x] Storm and Wind.
Seems like the best to fight two opponents.

>>33777129
>[] Style and Sword
Do NOT vote for Horobi, guys. That'd be the worst and last mistake Ryukusa makes.

>>33777129
>[] Razor Wit and Cold Heart.
She's afraid that she's bitten off more than she can chew or swallow. Break her will, like Kushinada's.

>>33777129
>[] Storm and Wind.
The coolest one

>>33777129
>[] Storm and Wind.
partly because it'll counter both of them fairly well, but mostly from the irony of bitchslapping Susano-Oh's kids with a hurricane

>>33777129
Damn, I'm so conflicted

>[] Style and Sword.
Say hello to by little friend


>“Hokuto no Ruykusa....”
Hokuto de cuisine, you mean

>>33777129
>[] Razor Wit and Cold Heart.
We must break her.

>>33777129
[] Style and Sword.

It has proven efficient against Kushinada so far, let's see what Hidesato is made of...

>>33777129
>[] Style and Sword.

>>33777129
>[] Storm and Wind.

>>33777129
>[] Storm and Wind.

Didn't we want to break them anyway ?
Here wo go, I also highly doubt the effectivness of our pure sword against her magic.

>>33777129
>Style and Sword

>all those storm and wind votes
Anons, we are fighting two demigoddesses who are the daughters of susano-oh, the god of STORM!

They are probably IMMUNE to storms

>>33777228
Unless Kushinada has some other way of fighting, she's already out of the fght without the sword.

>>33777129
>Style and Sword.

>>33777129
>[x] Style and Sword.
Focus on taking out Hidesato, since she's controlling Kushinada.

>>33777301
Hidesato is not related to Susano-Oh. She's a scholar warrior however, and tied closer to Void - but she is related to the deity/hero who slew Omukade with a bow. .

>>33777301
No they are not.
And Sword isn't gonna protect us from her fricking magic, which is so far the only dangerous thing here.

>>33777309
The spell that Kushinada is using forces her mind to turn off and her body to go on autopilot.
Even without the sword, she's still a demigod of a storm god.

So it stands to reason that she's got some storm-related powers.

>>33777309
We think kushinada is currently doing self possession by her divinity. Which may or may not heal her, provide her with dragon slaying abilities, and send her into a mindless berserker rage.

>>33777301
Also, our magical sword is really really REALLY fucking strong against them. being a powerful youkai that has a grudge against them

>>33777129
>[x] Storm and Wind.

>>33777361
And the blade is poisoned

>>33777371
Are you sure you want to use storm magic against a top-level mage and a demigod of storms?

>>33777361
It was explicitley said that our Barrier Combart Magic Storm is the only defense we have against her magic, since we didn't bring Er Yin.
Its going to be like the Razor Wit fight before if we use Sword.

Vote concluded, writing.

>>33777393
Did you forget that our Storm and Wind also includes using the depth of the sea and not only storms, or the fact that we are clearly better atg using storm than they are ?

>>33777419
Gotta head off to sleep, so thanks for running! I imagine we might not finish this fight today anyway.

>>33777344
>Hidesato is void sorceress
... wait, void is... metal, right. Er Ying is metal and its the only one missing.
Wind is part of water, in this system, right? While lightening is part of metal/void

So, as a void she has a generating interaction with us (unlike earth who would be an overcoming interaction).

So, it would be like trying to use wood to fight fire, water to fight wood, or fire to fight earth... so actually we should have an advantage against hideo, I think.

But kushy is still a storm demigod

Niggers.

All listed styles are perfectly valid. Ryukusa is smarter than all of you and wouldn't think of choosing an explicitly inferior style.

>>33777508
All Styles are available, that doesn't mean they are a good choice.

>>33777435
Which would make it not be TOTALLY useless. so we could still hurt them but its sub par choice.

Meanwhile if we go into melee
1. Kushy is injured and unarmed. Hideo is a wizard caught in melee with a fighter.
2. Our sword is very powerful against them
3. sword and style gives us the best dodging (remember our magic battle with yui? we both pretty much stood still and relied on a shield for defense while attacking at range)
I don't see a storm shield being very effective at stopping either.

>>33777508
XS explicitly said last thread that "Razor Wit and Cold Heart" wouldn't work well on Hidesato

>>33777520
Read the post again.

>>33777547
But it would work. If we were fighting against Hinata we wouldn't be getting it as an option..

>>33777508
>All listed styles are perfectly valid.
No, styles have been explicitly and repeatedly stated to vary greatly in effectiveness depending on the situation (like who they are used against).

No style is inherently ALWAYS superior to the others. But which style is the best choice for a given combat varies.

>>33777579
IIRC QM stated that only when we have in character knowledge that makes it certain that the style will be completely useless, then we will get a warning that it is completely useless against that opponent (but can still choose it if we REALLY want to).

We are allowed to choose a sub par style that can still work and we do not automatically have inherent knowledge of how effective each style is going to be in every situation. we basically have to use our brains and decide

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[X] Style and Sword.

“Wh....what....are you?” Hidesato's awe is not feigned. Her sword is perfectly steady and unlike Kushinada, she knows her forms perfectly. And most likely more than one of them.

“I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Oh wait, I already have to kill you because you've seen. I did warn Kushinada. You should have tried a little harder to convince her.” You tilt your head slightly and look past Hidesato at Kushinada, whose back is starting to arch and who is starting to groan as the spell comes close to completion. “I'll tell you what though....break the spell on Kushinada and I'll consider letting you live, with certain riders and oaths and promises made to Amaterasu-no-Kami herself.”

Hidesato shifts her position slightly, and she changes the grip on her blade. She stands up slowly and sheathes the blade, and then slowly takes out her spear instead. “I'm not certain I can do that and still do what I have to do. But I will offer a trade....” She holds one hand in front of her chest, her middle finger curled and the others in a fairly rude pose, save that her thumb is also parallel to her fingers. It actually looks painful.

More importantly it seems to put a hold on the spell that is affecting Kushinada.

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>>33777664
“I will release Kushinada from the spell and make it much easier for you to take her into care of whomever you deem fit, in return for the Grass-Cutting Blade.” You blink slowly, lowering Ame-no-Omukade-no-Musume slightly. Hidesato places the spear over her shoulder, point up, and smiles winningly, giving you a shrug. “We both know that she's in need of help. And while she is my friend, I really think she needs therapy. A lot of it.”

You know, if you weren't a Water dragonette, that would actually sound like a reasonable deal. But Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi in the hands of Hidesato would be a death sentence unless you actually took the power of Horobi on.

[] No deal.
[] I need assurances.
[] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
[] What is it that you need to do then? Perhaps we still have grounds....
[] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.

>>33777689
>[x] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
>[x] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.
>[x] No deal.

>>33777689
>[] No deal.
inb4 people take the deal because muh redemption

>>33777689
[x] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
[x] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.
Does she really think we're that stupid?

>>33777689
[] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.

>>33777689
>[] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
Furthermore
As much as I want to redeem kushinada from her path of hatered and murder, and I really DO want to redeem her.
Letting go of this blade will mean countless dead innocent dragonne/ttes and oni children. Keeping it is far more important then both of their lives

>>33777689
[] I need assurances.

>>33777689
[] No deal.
Prepare to die.

>>33777689
>[] No deal.
"You overestimate how much I value her and your survival."
>"Make a better offer, your lives depend on it."

>>33777689
>"So, let me get this straight: You're threatening YOUR ally's and YOUR friend's life and wellbeing to make me accept a bargain?
>Don't even bother with subtlety. Kill the bitch while she's distracted with all your might
>"Are you fucking dumb or what?"

>>33777819
Heh, good point
>Did you just take your friend hostage?

>>33777724
>>33777727
>>33777811
>>33777813

Remember, people: first you kill her, then you say "no deal"

>>33777689
>[x] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
>[x] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.

>>33777727
If Hidesato refuses to play ball, we'll just kill her and help Kushinada anyway.

>>33777689
so, now that we are no longer trying to suppress the grass cutting blade, are we able to water eyes?

>>33777840
I've seen dumb strategies in my life but this one is right on the level of Percival's in the French series "Kaamelott"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGU1YDdSIq4

>>33777689

"If she is truly your friend, then you would do anything to help her. I gave my arm for my friend. I am to duel the most powerful Oni in the area for another of my friends. You demand a relic to 'help' your friend. To me, your idea of a Friend is of a pawn, not an equal. For that reason, I must refuse your counter offer and assume that you no longer wish to discuss yielding. I will ensure that your 'Friend' receives her rites..."

>>33777850
we have no idea what she is here for
we assumed it was for kushinada

But how close are they really? both seem to be a bit careless with each other's life. also, seeing as she is not of the susano-oh blood she is probably not working under the same dogma

And we know she is serving someone. for all we know someone has taken someone she loves hostage and is making her retrieve the grass cutting blade. which she made a deal with kushy to get after killing us.
Or maybe her clan leader ordered her to get the blade. Or maybe she is just after killing dragons, or who the fuck knows.
So, it might be beneficial to get more info

Also, it occurred to me that while frowned upon. we can use a 4th tier move to enslave her instead of killing her.

>>33777689
>[] What is it that you need to do then? Perhaps we still have grounds....
And
>Did you just take your friend hostage?

>>33777863
Yes, but it's just going to be a repeat of

>You can see the essences of a peculiar code of honor – she used no more force than was absolutely necessary to convince Jinyuu-onee-sama to obey, and the power of the wards is such that it keeps them deeply asleep and otherwise unharmed, and it was only recently applied. Likewise, she is confident enough in her connection to the Art of the Void that she has not secured them too tightly, only enough to keep them upright and relatively safe.

>Still, this person is a wickedly intelligent person, one who can see the means to the ends and the consequences of using those means. Hidesato's sense of duty is less bound than it would be in another day and age, and her power is still that of a true demigod. Classically trained doesn't even cover it – she's a polymath, and smart enough to be dangerous without the Grass-Cutting-Blade. And for some reason, she is finding this all terribly, terribly droll.

And she is a very skilled swordswoman.

>>33777689

>[X] I need assurances.
>[X] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
>[X] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.
>[X] What is it that you need to do then? Perhaps we still have grounds....

>>33777957
I say we kill her, and try to deal with Kushinada. Outside of her "Give me the blade or I kill my ally that want to destroy you" gambit, she seems too smart to be left alive

>>33777957
>Also, it occurred to me that while frowned upon. we can use a 4th tier move to enslave her instead of killing her.

We passed on that when we decided against Storm, Sword and Style doesn't have the mindrape finisher.

>>33777689
>[] I need assurances.
>[] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?
>[] What is it that you need to do then? Perhaps we still have grounds....

>>33778018
I'm pretty sure all styles have their own mindrape finishers

>>33778018
You know Sword and Style is exactly how we sealed the mukade, right?

>>33778053
Why would they ?
>>33778058
That was explicetly deciding against the finisher.

>>33778058

Yeah, but she's "dead" in the sense that it's over for her if we ever free her from the blade.

>>33777689
No deal

I think at this point they're too far gone to save.

>>33778097
Maybe Kuchinade isn't, but I say we're not taking the risk of letting Hidesato walks out of here alive

Seriously, let's kill her while she await our answer, without letting her realise how inneffective her attempt was.

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[X] No deal.
[X] Why in Heaven would I give the blade to a master swordswoman?.
[X] Your Jedi mind tricks don't work on Water dragons, Hidesato.

You smile just a little and shake your head – without closing your eyes. “Hidesato-san, as clever as your wordplay is, I'm still a Water dragonette. You can't mislead me with words not backed by real power. And as dangerous as you are, I can also see that you're not going to be relying on your talents with the Void all that much.” That shakes her a bit.

It's true – like Kushinada, you can see the glowing danger of her spear, the arcs and lines and points of assault the very, very small and slight voids of defenselessness. She is in no way Kushinada – this is an expert with weapons, and her Barrier Combat in this instance is definitely Spear and Style. Kushinada, of course is still in Sword and Style, and you suspect she'll be using one of Hidesato's blades. Of course, unconscious she might be a threat with unarmed combat.

“Of course, trying to take your friend hostage with me isn't going to work really well either. You see, unless I have promises made to very powerful gods and spirits, I still have to kill you because you have simply seen to much. You see what the problem with your logic is?” Her expression has become less and less friendly by stages as you poke holes in her pleasant banter. “If I couldn't actually see your power in action, you might have convinced me you were using a charming manner style.”

>>33778018
reading the barrier combat guide it seems that they all have such an option a the end

>Typically though the opponent has been beaten, and one choice will be a graceful ending to the fight, and the other a powerful punishment against the loser that decided you needed to fuck them up. If there are more than just two choices, then the others will often be humiliating and firm reminders that you're the bitch in charge. Choosing to end the battle will weaken or lower the barrier and leave your opponent at your mercy, often wounded and suffering, but otherwise unharmed; the other choice is a mystical and spiritual punishment that places the opponent under your power, to do with as you will. You will be able to call upon them at any time or place and demand their obedience and power.
>Needless to say doing that sort of thing is really bad karma usually, and it will always fuck up the person you did it to; it will often permanently scar them physically or psychically, or worse, spiritually.
the above seems to compare this enslavement to just casually freeing them and going away. rather then to executing them.
It is seriously bad karma though.

It might be better to just gracefully end barrier combat and leave her at our mercy. where we can threaten her with death or binding oaths (which she would take on herself via coercion rather then directly forced upon her via mindrape).

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>>33778162
She slowly takes a step back and starts circling, releasing the spell on Kushinada. It starts again, but you have at least one assault where she will still be out of it. You merely turn your head to watch her at first. “But the worst part is....I think Kushinada actually thinks you care about her.” You know, if you weren't actually under the power of Style and Sword, you would have sworn your Razor Wit could have cut her deep.

Then again, she just tried to take her friend hostage. She's not stupid either – she just thought YOU were stupid.

[] Divide the Weapon, Weaken the Opponent
[] Break the Weak, Avoid the Strong.
[] One Blade, Two Weapons.
[] The Sword is Not the Weapon
[] Wood.

>No, the wood option is NOT Horobi specific. Yes, Ryukusa has five slots, not four.

>>33778207

>[X] Wood.

Just to throw her off.

>>33778207
>[x] Break the Weak, Avoid the Strong.
We take Kushinada out of the fight first.

>>33778207
>[x] The Sword is Not the Weapon
Arrogant bitch'll never expect us to *not* use the magic demon sword.

>>33778207
>[x] Break the Weak, Avoid the Strong.
Let's try and even this out as fast as possible

>>33778207
[x] One Blade, Two Weapons.

>>33778207
We've got one attack before Kushinada is up again, albeit unconscious - Will smashing hidesato stop the spell?

>>33778207
I still have doubt on what half of those options are

>>33778207
>[] Wood.

Well why not.

>>33778207
I have this vision of "wood" consisting of dropping a log on her head out of nowhere. I'm not sure we should go for the unknown option though.

>>33778207
>3 mystery box options

..... dammit I cannot decide! I really really want to know what those 3 do
[] One Blade, Two Weapons.
[] The Sword is Not the Weapon
[] Wood.

>>33778207
>[] Break the Weak, Avoid the Strong.
Don't want them to be able to gang up on us. Drop one before moving on to the next.

>>33777788
This, basically. I pity kushinada almost as much as I dislike her for attacking Kiki. But, trying to redeem her is a purely secondary objective to keeping our family safe.

>>33778301
Well
- Separate them
- Take Kushinada out for good
- Claw & sword, attack Hisedato
- Defend with sword, use something else on Hidesato
- Lolwut?

>>33778207

>[] Wood.
I am just super curious about wood.
or

[] The Sword is Not the Weapon

>>33778207
[] Break the Weak, Avoid the Strong

time to make it 1v1

>>33778207
>[] The Sword is Not the Weapon

Let's go for it!

>>33778270
>>33778241
While this is maybe the most tactically sound option, I still want to avoid accidentally killing Kushinada. Poor girl's been through some shit.

>>33778357
Taking them on simultaneously isn't the time to worry about mercy.

What if Wood is the grow a dick option?

>>33778311
>>33778311

I think "he Sword is Not the Weapon" means we attack her with our crystal claws while feinting a sword attack. I can't remember what kind of swordsmanship is associated with "Wood", but I seem to recall it allow us to cut exceptionaly well.

"One blade, two Weapons" sounds like two attacks

>>33778328
>- Separate them
I think that option is actually "disarm hideo" or do some trickery with the spell on kushi

>>33778385
Then voted for the wrong thins

>>33778383
It might be when you've had a seer explicitly tell you you could take them both on at once in barrier combat.

>>33778207
>[] Wood.

Let's honor our wife

>>33778391
>"One blade, two Weapons" sounds like two attacks
or maybe its saying that our singular blade contains within it two weapons, and it does. the first is the enchanted blade, the second is the youkai
it might be taping into the powers of the youkai. maybe by slashing the air and blowing miasma at them like how kushy sent wind blasts at us with the grass cutting blade which were MORE dangerous than a cut from the physical blade itself

>>33778418
She didn't say we could do it while trying to not kill them.

>>33778418
Could take them both on doesn't mean
>Underestimate them and faff about while they win

We can always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

captcha: eplespl proverb

>>33778453
You're right. I'm afraid my only argument amounts to "but muh feels", but I'm sticking to it.