Contents
Chapter 13: The Dragon
Overview
Takashi, Takeru, Mamoru, and allies hold the mountain pass against Ranganese troops, first routing yellow-clad ranks with ice and a wind-revealing mist. Black-clad elites arrive, forcing a brutal close-quarters fight.
Takeru and Takashi unleash the Matsuda Dragon, but a prodigy shatters it and Yukino Dai falls saving Mamoru. Mamoru kills the attacker, grieves, and Takeru steels him to continue as more forces land.
Summary
With the tornado gone, Takashi rallies eight remaining defenders to hold the pass. He and Takeru raise forests of ice spikes while Yukino Dai snipes fliers; a snow-veil reveals incoming wind attacks. As the Ranganese reach lethal mid-range, Takashi orders a wedge barrier, and they force enemies to vault into close combat.
Takashi and Takeru carve through waves in the kill zone while Yukino Dai dispatches foes with perfect single cuts. After dozens fall, the enemy pauses to regroup. Black-clad elites then break sections of the barrier from range and surge ahead. Yukino Dai rains smaller, faster spears, dropping some but not enough.
The Matsuda brothers combine power to form the Matsuda Dragon, a living weapon of water and blade-hard ice. It routs elites until a lightning-fast fonyaka slips through volleys, duels Yukino Dai, and inexplicably evades his cut. The Dragon swallows him to save Yukino Dai, but he bursts out between the brothers, disrupting their jiya and shattering the Dragon’s head.
With the Dragon gone, elites press. Mamoru is nearly strangled by a female sansetsukon user until Yukino Dai saves him, only to be shaken by realizing she was a woman. A powerful wind blast crushes Yukino Dai moments later. Mamoru engages the attacker, uses ice to freeze his boots, and kills him with two cuts.
Mamoru finds Yukino Dai dead, skull caved by the blast, and breaks down with guilt. Takeru steadies him, reminding him of duty and Yukino’s sacrifice. As boats continue landing soldiers below, Mamoru rises to rejoin the defense.
Who Appears
- Matsuda MamoruYoung swordsman; initially freezes, then fights. Nearly strangled, saved by Yukino; avenges him by killing a powerful fonyaka and resolves to continue.
- Matsuda Takashi (Uncle Takashi)Patriarch; commands defense, wields dual blades and Whispering Blades, co-creates the Matsuda Dragon, massacres foes, keeps the line.
- Matsuda Takeru (Tou-sama)Precise master; complements Takashi in formation and Dragon creation; later steels Mamoru after Yukino’s death.
- Yukino Dai (Yukino Sensei)Lightning-fast swordmaster; shapes wind-resistant shields, kills many, saves Mamoru by slaying a female elite, then is killed by a crushing wind blast.
- Elite fonyaka who breaks the DragonBlack-clad prodigy; outduels Yukino Dai, survives being swallowed by the Dragon, explodes it from within, occupies both Matsuda brothers.
- Female fonyaka with sansetsukonBlack-clad elite; nearly kills Mamoru with a chained staff and strangulation before Yukino Dai kills her.
- Bulky fonyaka with palm strikesBlack-clad elite; crushes Yukino Dai with a concussive wind attack; later killed by Mamoru after being frozen at the boots.
- Mizumaki HyousukeAllied jijaka; fights in the line, coordinates under Takashi’s commands, survives initial clashes.
- Yukino KiyomuYukino cousin; assists Dai with spears and sword, is knocked aside by the braid-fixating elite.