Koji stopped at the side of the road and lit up a small campfire to rest.

’I should be able to reach Giyaku tomorrow. The black swordsman, huh? I wonder if I can meet him there.’

Koji went the usual route. He didn’t have superspeed like Carter so it took him quite a bit longer to reach Giyaku.

’I hope that Lady Chiaki is still there. I need to tell her about her mother.’

Suddenly, he heard the hooves of horse. Koji grabbed his blade immediately.

Another traveler arrived. The man covered his face entirely. They exchanged glances.

"Please relax, stranger. I’m not here to cause trouble."

"Show me your face then." Koji said.

The man jumped off his horse and pulled his mask down.

"I am Shinka Tenmaru. Have you seen this woman?"

In the painting was a detailed portrait of the Shrine Maiden.

Koji frowned, "What do you want with her?"

Tenmaru raised an eyebrow, "So you met her? Good. I’ve been following her trail for weeks now."

The rumor about a fortune teller traveling around, telling about other people’s future had spread quickly. Tenmaru got hint of it and found a few witness that saw the Shrine Maiden. He even commissioned a painter to draw the Maiden through the description of the witnesses.

Tenmaru approached Koji.

"That’s close enough, stranger." Koji drew his sword.

Tenmaru raised his hands, "Woah, there. I come in peace."

Tenmaru placed his swords on the ground and kicked it away, "May I speak with you?"

Tenmaru showed enough hospitality and convinced Koji. The Rider nodded.

Tenmaru sat in the opposite side of Koji.

"I need to find her. I have a mission to aid her in her path."

Koji frowned. He didn’t believe him entirely yet. "How do I know if you aren’t trying to harm her?"

The Maiden could see the future. That’s a very dangerous ability that people would want to exploit or worse, kill her off.

Tenmaru sighed, "Is there a way for you to believe me?"

"Nothing comes to mind at the moment." Koji said.

But something did come to Tenmaru’s mind. As soon as he said it, Koji trusted him. The pair accompanied each other to Giyaku.

Koji didn’t know where the Shrine Maiden was but he told Tenmaru about the black swordsman. Tenmaru, with no other lead, followed him in the hope of meeting this black swordsman. He was hoping the swordsman could give him a hint or something alike.

They entered the territory of Giyaku the next day. They met a group of people in purple uniform.

"Shit!" Koji rushed to the bush and told Tenmaru to follow.

"What’s happening?" Tenmaru whispered.

"Those are the people of Sendoku Sect." Koji said.

"The what?" Tenmaru said.

"Toad Poison Sect. It’s Ryuja’s sect. He created it when he became King."

Tenmaru gasped. Everyone knew about the cruelty of Ryuja. That man was a master of poisons. It seemed like he had created his own sect to pass on his knowledge.

"What do we have here?"

The voice came from behind the. Koji and Tenmaru drew their swords and sliced at their backs.

But it was still too late. The disciple pushed his hand forward. A cloud of purple smoke washed over Koji and Tenmaru, sending them flying out of their hiding spots.

"Poison Strike!" Koji took out an antidote and swallowed it immediately. He threw a pill toward Tenmaru. "Swallow it quickly!"

Tenmaru didn’t think twice and swallowed it.

The disciple walked out of the bush. This one was strong, a Major Awaken disciple. He whistled loudly, attracting the attention of the other disciples.

"Come here, boys! We have two rats sneaking around!"

The Sendoku disciples quickly surrounded them.

"We’re so fudged." Koji said.

Tenmaru was an Awaken. He was also an Awaken. But they couldn’t take on the entire group of Awakens by themselves, especially cunning disciples of the Sendoku Sect.

The disciples of this sect were notorious on being cruel for no reasons and did things as they like. Their Grandmaster was the King after all.

"Well. Well. Well. Who do we have here? Isn’t that Itsuki Koji? Shouldn’t you be in Kyoma right now?"

Kyoma, the capital city of Jado.

"What is he talking about, Koji?" Tenmaru kept his eyes on the opponents.

"You don’t know?" The disciple laughed. "Koji here was an advisor for King Ryuja. But he betrayed our king and became a wanted criminal."

Tenmaru frowned. The fact didn’t bother him at all, only making him trust Koji more.

"You should have told me that, Koji." Tenmaru said.

"Apology. But the less people know about it, the safer I am. Please understand."

"I do, Koji."

The leader of the disciples waved his hands, "Kill them."

"Don’t breathe." Koji said, wrapping a cloth around his lower face.

Tenmaru nodded and did the same.

The disciples rushed at them. They opened their palms and pushed them at the two swordsmen. Poison cloud flew at them.

Tenmaru and Koji split, avoiding the poisons. They went into a brawl with the disciples.

The disciples had many more people. They had the advantage in this battle. Koji and Tenmaru were skilled swordsmen as well, but they slowly accumulated wounds and poisons in their blood.

"Duck down, Koji!" Tenmaru shouted.

Koji did as he was told. Tenmaru held his sword high.

"Hiken!" An aura blasted out from Tenmaru. "Blazing Cyclone!"

Tenmaru spun, creating a small wind blast that pushed the poison back toward the disciples.

"Damn it!" The disciples jumped back but a few still got hit by their own poisons. Each of them had antidotes so they quickly took them and minimized the effects of the poisons.

"That’s a good move. But I don’t think we’re going to win, Tenmaru." Koji said.

Tenmaru sweated. That technique took a lot out of him.

"Move back." The Major Awaken disciple stepped up. "Let me show them what true poison mean!"

At the same time, Carter was watching everything on a branch not far away. He held an apple in his hand, eating and watching. He was equipping Eldritch Knight at the moment.

With Shrine Maiden, these events couldn’t pass his eyes. He already knew that Koji would meet these disciples on his way to Giyaku.

He didn’t see that Tenmaru would be here though.

"The strands of Fate have changed. All because of my influence."

Carter threw the apple away and jumped down.