Chapter 7

A/n: Ngl, I wasn't expecting to release another chapter within a week. And tbh, it might be my worst chapter. Also, no Omkae this time, but definitely for the next since it will a continuation of another. Anyway, enjoy. Peace.

…

Edo Japan Arata Hiroyuki is referred to as Hiroyuki. Reincarnated Arata Hiroyuki is referred to as Arata.

…

Arata's group was on the road days after the encounter with EMIYA. A sort of routine was beginning to emerge from all of them. Due to Toshizo's shocking defeat earlier in the week, he strove to beat Okita. While he managed to win, it wasn't without many losses before he got said win against her. 

It was training, and a healthy competition between the two formed, as well as a sense of companionship. Arata noted that Toshizo was greatly improving whenever the two sparred. Okita's skill truly pushed him to reach a new, higher skill level than before. She also improved alongside him; having an opponent she could defeat helped immensely. 

The two spent most of their time sparring when not on the road. Isami usually watched them and occasionally participated, although he hadn't gotten a win yet, against either of them. He wasn't skilled compared to the two but was able to read and analyze much better. Arata didn't participate as much.

Rather, he, the teacher, gave out special instructions to Toshizo and Isami.

There was no need for Okita to receive any, she only needed experience. When Toshizo and Isami were with her teacher, she was with the driver, Izu Homa. An old man employed by the Okitas for many years now. He wasn't remarkable compared to the rest, but he took pride in himself.

Sounds of metal clashing could be heard in the distance, Okita watching on beside Izu. Okita watched intently while answering questions Izu had about the training. It was her teacher against Toshizo, the two had been sparring for the past 30 minutes. Her teacher was faster, but less strong than Toshizo. 

It was similar regarding herself and Toshizo when they sparred. However, while they were exact opposites of each other, it was less noticeable for her teacher and Toshizo. They were comparable in strength, with Toshizo being stronger. While her teacher was faster than him yet less than herself. Isami wasn't in contention for obvious reasons.

The man was a decent swordsman and better than most, yet, compared to the rest. He seemed very average, Toshizo was a man of great strength, with a vicious fighting style. Overwhelming attacks with surprising speed for someone of his size. Okita was faster, stupidly fast, and could deliver devastating blows with surprising strength. 

What held her back was experience and her less-than-stellar endurance. Arata had speed, strength, and a decent enough endurance to withstand Toshizo's overwhelming style. The two's training spar was nearing the end as both looked exhausted.

Yet, Toshizo held a grin as did Arata too, before they launched at each one final time. It wasn't any surprise that Arata had won, it was expected. The man was a living legend during the time and was held as the greatest.

Isami had given each of them their water satchel, as they both stood up. All three went toward Okita and Izu as Arata gave feedback. "Toshizo, I'm very glad you've managed to improve a lot. You mustn't settle for being complacent and strive to reach more." The man in question just grinned as Isami praised his best friend. 

"Indeed, Hijikata, your skills have bettered and it shows. Not many can say they went toe to toe with Hiroyuki here, even if was a spar." The pair of best friends continued to talk about Toshizo's new achievements. Arata made their way to the Okita and Izu. He sat next to them as he looked up in the sky, a somewhat cloudy view. 

"Teach, you still continue to awe me with your skills," Arata held a bashful expression as Okita didn't know why he felt ashamed. That train of thought disappeared as another entered Okita's mind. "Although Teach, I've been wondering, what did you discuss with your friend last week?" At the mention of EMIYA, Arata got a neutral explanation. 

Izu noticed the change in the way Okita's teacher stiffened a bit. Okita didn't as she was in her mind, thinking about what was discussed. Arata remembered the words of the Counter Guardian and responded with deflection. "It was like I told you that night, it was an old friend. The talk was nothing of importance."

Okita didn't question it as he'd have no reason to lie. So, she dropped it, and all of them went back into the carriage. They weren't too far from a small village, and as all of them, except Izu, trained. A shower was necessary as they were under the sun for a while and sweat a lot.

Once they arrived, they checked in an Inn before heading away to take baths. Izu took care of the rest, such as the carriage and horses, etc.

…

It was night, the moon bathed the forest surrounding it in its light.

In the forest, the sounds of running footsteps could be heard. One by itself, followed by many behind it through the forest. The one by itself held their left hand against their right shoulder, blood could be seen. In their right hand was a sword with blood on it, exhaustion planted on their face. 

It was a dire situation for the man as everything against him would catch up. The men following him were in better condition than he was and there were many. A miracle had to happen to save him from this predicament as death would only come. He saw a village up ahead, he debated whether to go or not.

If he did, the village would be potentially in danger as the men following him would search through it to find him. He didn't want to risk innocent lives just to save himself, but time was running out and his options were already incredibly limited. With a heavy heart, he ran toward the village, hoping they wouldn't be under harm. 

As he reached closer and closer, the village appeared on the smaller side. Since it was late, there was barely anyone out except for a group of four. The man running noted their appearances, three males and one female. The males were noticeably taller than the lone female. While two of the males were taller than the other male.

He looked behind him and saw the men reaching closer, he cursed. The group would probably be in harm's way soon, and it would be his fault. As he prepared his last stand, he turned toward the men, and because of that, he didn't notice the group's approach. He also missed that they held swords as adrenaline kept him focused on the danger.

As the men fully reached the village, they saw a group of 5. It was four males, and one female, and one of those males looked incredibly confused. That confusion only lasted a moment before he spotted the group of men and readied himself. As did the rest of the people there, all swordsmen including the female. 

It was a tense moment for all of them, a fight was bound to happen. Didn't matter what happened, the bloody shoulder on the man showed that the group of men was willing to kill. If not, at the very least, get really close to that. Most of them were no strangers to death or the act of killing. It was only one person who would be truly affected. 

…

'This is it, all of what Teach instilled in me comes down to this. I know I'd eventually have to kill, it was something I've come to terms with already.' The shoulder of the man beside me still bled. If that wasn't enough, bloodlust could be felt by the group in front of us. It was aimed at the lone man but was directed at us as well. 

This was a conflict that would end in deaths, nothing could possibly stop it. Despise as much as I could, it was inevitable that I'd kill. Perhaps, this was for the best despite the implications and consequences. I wouldn't want to be stopped by my own hesitation later in life. It was best to get the first over with and not stand in a worse life-or-death situation.

The tension between groups was increasing the longer no happened. We were in a stand-off, waiting for the other to start. A few seconds later the leader of the opposing group spoke. It was obvious what they asked, the man bleeding and it would be like they never saw each other. 

The offer made sense, we weren't involved with the lone man. We only came to his defense in that possibility of this being an unfair encounter. Along with that, no enmity between their lord and us, since we did appear to be with the lone man. However, Teach wouldn't let them have the lone man, they were suspicious from the start.

Toshizo and Isami stiffened when they heard the group of men's lord. It seemed they didn't have a good history with Lord Riko. Whoever he was, a history between them and Toshizo and Isami existed and wasn't amiable. Besides that, they expected us to give over the lone man when they told us their lord. 

It didn't happen, Teach didn't register their name so the Lord was important. As well as Toshizo and Isami didn't seem keen on giving him to Lord Riko either. With that, their expressions turned sour and many held their swords. While it was obvious they held the numbers advantage, skill-wise, it wasn't even a comparison. 

The lone man was unknown and did have a bleeding shoulder still. To be able to escape this amount of men even while wounded shows their skill in a way. With a scowl and one final meaningless ask for the lone man. Which was denied once more, and the leader and his group charged forward.

A good amount went toward me, and that irked me off.

The first was a nameless person who went for an overhead attack. It was slow, pitifully slow, and truly didn't hold any real strength. Two others also threw their attacks, the same as the fast, terribly slow. I went for the closest to me with a block before giving a hard and fast strike in return. The strike pushed him away toward Isami who dealt with him.

I moved my sword behind me as it blocked an attack aimed at my back. Spinning around, I pushed him away before parrying the last attack which left him wide open. My mind strengthened before sending a fatal attack near his chest. Blood was now on my sword and the man fell to the ground, blood seeping out from his wound.

It was something I couldn't look at for more than a second as another attack headed toward me. The man I pushed earlier came back with another overhead with a vengeance in his eyes. A history between the man on the ground and this one existed, my mind once again steeled. In his hateful mind, he left himself defenseless in his abdomen.

A block before a stab through his stomach before he fell over. Into the ground, face forward as a pool of blood appeared. Once again, I couldn't pay attention to my thoughts as more came toward me. My mind once again steeled as those two before were most certainly dead. 

As I faced my third opponent, the one I pushed away fought against Isami. None had gone after him as I was the supposed easier target due to being next to him. As well as being a female, none of them took me seriously. This changed as two of their companions were bleeding to their deaths on the ground. 

The easiest would've been Isami, the lone man who held himself despite the bleeding shoulder. Isami fought his opponent with equal blows and soon enough won against him. Dispatching him before turning to another as Toshizo rampaged through the field. Taking many as he went, incurring many shallow cuts along his figure. 

After heavily wounding my opponent, I spotted my teacher against the leader. It wasn't a fight as they just talked between swings. I didn't pay much attention as one of the final remaining men went towards me. Like the others, they went down easily and my teacher ended their fight as well. 

Bodies were all across the ground, and most were dead or about to be at any moment. The ones I took down were dead and the implications came to my mind. It was sickening, however much I was prepared, it didn't seem to help. As the blood dripped from my sword, my mind steeled before the feeling was gone.

None of the others were gravely injured, except for the lone man who already had his wound. Isami helped him patch his wound as Teach went to get tools for the burial of the dead. Toshizo moved the bodies of the dead to an open area. It was necessary to bury these men, as they were honorable and only followed orders.

I stood still as I watched, Toshizo noticed my expression and hesitation to help. He knew that this would be my first life-or-death encounter and my first kill. An understanding nod from him as he took the body in front of me away. A few seconds later, Teach had brought the tools. He spoke to me.

"Souji, I understand what you're feeling and it's alright. No one will criticize you for this, and neither should you. You did what you had to do to live as they without a doubt would've killed you. So, don't beat yourself over killing them." With that, he ruffled my hair before heading to Toshizo. 

It was heartening despite the dark side of it, people's death. However, he was right, my life over theirs and this is just a result of it. Isami and the lone man, now known as Yuuto Fujimiya, a wandering swordsman, he said. They started the burials, I offered to help, and wasn't long before it was all done.

We made our way to the village and into the inn to speak.