[Ch. 36] Nitta: Enemy or Admirer?

While the Taira clan was made up entirely of metal users and was considered honest samurai, the Minamoto clan was composed of wind users who despised the samurai.

The Minamoto family were extremely proud and acted as if they were far superior to anyone else. While the Taira clan's motto was to be superior yet fair, the Minamoto clan was to be superior and in control.

Naturally, they were always clashing.

Ryu had encountered Nitta before and knew that he was an assassin from a side branch of the Minamoto family. Since he was not part of the main family, they used him to do their dirty work. This was a common thing for the Minamoto clan to do.

Those without pure Minamoto blood would not be considered the main family. Thus, they were the ones who had to take on the less appreciated jobs.

However, since the family was still so proud, even the side branch would feel some level of pride in their family. Like the rest of his family, Nitta did not mind taking such shameful jobs. He still took his job seriously and made sure to always excel at it, which he usually did. Nitta would always succeed in his assignments.

All except one: Capturing Ryu.

Ryu and Nitta were complete opposites. One was the night, and the other was the day. Nitta was tall, lean, and muscular. He had a rough face and tan skin. He kept his dark hair short and he wore tight black clothing which was easier to move around in.

He was serious and had a one-track mind.

Ryu, on the other hand, was shorter and not very muscular-looking. He appeared frail and delicate, with a more feminine looking build. His clothes were always bright red and flashy while his skin was pale. His hair and clothes always looked messy, but not in a dirty way. Instead, he looked carefree and flippant, which was exactly how his personality was.

He never took anything seriously.

The two could not be more different. Anytime they encountered each other, it never went well. Usually, the two were still standing at the end, but everything around them would have been destroyed.

Ryu had known he was going to meet Nitta again since the entire landscape had been set aflame.

Nitta growled at Ryu, "I've had enough of that annoying attitude of yours."

Ryu giggled playfully, "Then why do you still seek me out? Do you have a crush on me or something?"

Nitta roared in anger and flung his sleeve. A severely strong wind, sharp enough to cut through anything, soared through the air towards Ryu and Ryu made no effort to avoid it.

The blade of wind effortlessly severed his arm, causing it to fall on the ground.

The arm on the ground began to crumble instantly, before turning into a black lump on the ground. Then it dissipated into the wind, disappearing completely. Ryu kept his fake smile on his face as his arm dripped blood onto the ground before.

Slowly, the arm began to regrow as if it was a limb that had never been severed.

Ryu held out his new arm and sighed, "Ah, I really liked this Kimono… Why did you have to ruin it?"

Nitta was used to this kind of thing from Ryu, but that did not mean he still was not surprised to see it happen before his eyes. He hesitated when he saw the ripped sleeve, but then he clenched his fists.

"Why don't you ever dodge it?"

Ryu giggled, "Seeing your expression when I don't is too entertaining."

Ryu's flirtations only succeeded in angering Nitta more.

He jumped forward sending multiple wind slashes. Ryu made no effort to dodge them and only leaped backward to avoid Nitta from capturing him. The slashes cut into his skin, but this time they did not cut off any limbs.

Nitta growled, "Why aren't you dodging?!"

Ryu giggled and spoke in a teasing tone, "Why are your wind blades getting less and less sharp?"

Nitta made a complicated expression then continued sending out slices of wind.

Just like before, they were only sharp enough to cut deeply into the skin. However, they were not strong enough to actually cut off any limbs. Thus, Ryu made no effort to actually dodge the wind blades.

Suddenly, a body flew out of the window in the brothel and crashed on the ground below.

This stopped Nitta's attack on Ryu as he looked back to see who had thrown one of his followers out of the window. Panzram stepped out of the window and jumped to the ground.

As Panzram stomped towards Ryu with blood covering him head to toe, he looked like some kind of cruel Ghost General.

His katana was still drawn, slowly dripping blood onto the ground.

His murderous intent was so strong, everyone felt their own legs shake as they fought off the urge to take a knee and bow to this man.

Panzram looked at Ryu emanating pure rage, "Why are you bleeding…"

Ryu blinked innocently at him, "Oh, this? I'm playing with Nitta."

Panzram turned his violent gaze to Nitta.

Nitta unconsciously gulped as an overwhelming instinct told him to escape.

Panzram slowly pulled his eyes away to look at Ryu, "Why are you not dodging?"

Ryu scratched his cheek awkwardly, "You told me not to use my chaos energy without asking permission first…"

Nitta gasped at this, forgetting where he was for the moment. He mumbled to himself in disbelief, "You are not using chaos energy?... Then how?"

He trailed off and looked at Ryu's wounds and newly produced arm.

Ryu ignored him and showed the wounds to Panzram, "There is no problem. Look! They are already healing."

Just as he said, the wounds that had been caused only a few seconds prior has already begun disappearing. It happened so quickly, no one could have thought that it was real. However, this did not appease Panzram, but made him angrier instead.

"Who cares if you heal?!" He shouted in a gruff tone, "Do you want to die?!"

Ryu looked at him innocently, "It's not that… Nitta is not being serious. He is only playing."

Nitta's face turned red immediately, "Who the hell says I am not being serious?!"

"Nitta?"

Panzram's unearthly cold voice rang out making Nitta stiffen instantly.

Panzram was suddenly filled with overwhelming hatred when he saw Nitta so close to Ryu. Panzram was holding himself back from spitting out blood as he fantasized about grinding Nitta into a pulp.

Panzram looked at Ryu trying to refrain from flying into a blind rage, "Stop playing. Use your chaos energy before I abandon you."

Ryu felt like lightning struck him, "Abandon?!"

Panzram gave him a serious nod.

Ryu forced himself not to scream out in panic. He had worked so hard to befriend Panzram and has somehow managed to keep him around for this long. And now Panzram was going to abandon him for such a small thing?! There was no way he was willing to give up so soon!!!

Nitta watched the two and their conversation with calculating eyes.

He was incredibly confused.

He had been following Ryu around for several years, albeit while he was trying to capture him. However, he had never seen someone who could elicit such reactions from Ryu.

Whenever Ryu faced someone, he would always have that cheap smile on his face. Although it complimented him nicely, if you looked close enough it would make you uncomfortable. Anything could be happening behind that smile and you would never know.

Yet, Ryu did not have this kind of smile on his face when facing Panzram.

The smile Ryu had when he looked at Panzram was real.

And this made Nitta angry.

Nitta motioned to the two behind him, "You two get him. I will get Ryu."