Chapter 82: Imminent Battle

On Jinren Island, someone needed to keep watch at night. It wasn't because they were worried about a sudden attack by Hilichurls, but rather because they feared the enemy might strike under the cover of darkness.

In just one day, Li Mo had learned a lot. For example, Jinren Island was isolated, far from regular shipping routes, and rarely visited by people. The island's resources were scarce, making it a place even Hilichurls would avoid.

—Yet, it was the perfect settlement for wandering samurai like Saimon Ichirou.

Although the soil wasn't particularly fertile, it was good enough to grow Violetgrass.

"Sir, Violetgrass is a wonderful thing. The fruit can be eaten, and the flowers can be used as dye. Back in the village, we used to grow a lot of Violetgrass trees. We'd collect the flowers and sell them to foreign merchants as raw materials for dye. The fruit, meanwhile, was kept as food.

I wonder how the Violetgrass fields back home are doing now."

Tonight, it was Saimon Tarou's turn to keep watch. As the only Kairagi in the group, he still took his turn like the other Ronin.

"Is Saimon from Konda Village?"

"Huh? How did you know, sir?"

"Right now, on Narukami Island, the only major settlements are Inazuma City and Konda Village."

"You're right, sir."

It was simple deduction. Think about the situation on the islands of Inazuma. Narukami Island's settlements were Konda Village and Inazuma City, plus Ritou, the port for foreign trade. Kannazuka was purely a military stronghold. Yashiori Island was shrouded in the power of the Tatarigami, and its villages had declined. Seirai Island had similarly fallen into ruin due to various reasons, with no more residents. Then there was Watatsumi Island, which did have people living there, but its soil was poor due to rising from the ocean floor, and resources were scarce—plus, the people of Watatsumi wouldn't be active around Narukami Island. As for Tsurumi Island, it had been a ghost of its former self for thousands of years…

Wait, thinking about it this way, Yashiori Island and Seirai Island were essentially abandoned, meaning two large islands had been discarded as habitable areas?

Good grief…

"Sir, why do you look so shocked?"

"I just realized what it means to 'kill and not bury,'" Li Mo said.

It was a reminder that conquering was easy, but ruling was hard.

—Hopefully, he was overthinking it. He'd have to visit those islands later to see for himself.

"Saimon, why did you become a Ronin?"

"Well… I guess I thought my old life was too mundane. I originally set out to be an adventurer, but somehow, I ended up as a Ronin."

Ronin were products of Inazuma's gray areas. Adventurers, on the other hand, were a legitimate profession. Most parents might allow their children to become adventurers, but they'd never approve of them becoming Ronin.

"Have you thought about going back?"

"Not… for now." Saimon Tarou's expression wasn't convincing.

Li Mo shook his head, then turned his gaze to the moonlit sea in the distance. The moonlight reflected off the water, creating a shimmering, beautiful scene. It would have been perfect if a small boat had appeared on the water.

But if it were multiple ships, the beauty would be ruined.

The natural scenery was about to be disrupted.

"Saimon, wake the others. Our guests have arrived. I'll go take a look first."

A cheap katana he had bought online appeared in his hand. Under the cover of night, Li Mo moved swiftly toward the shore.

The enemy seemed to realize they had been spotted. Torches were lit on the ships, illuminating the crowd. Among them were even several Kairagi.

Seeing Li Mo's unusual attire, the enemy didn't bother with words. The samurai charged forward with their blades, clearly intent on killing everyone.

The light from the torches reflected off their swords as the Ronin closed in on Li Mo. Without a word, they aimed for his neck.

—No chance for communication.

No, they weren't planning to communicate. Their mission was clearly to kill everyone on the island.

A massacre? Saimon must have left something out. Simply running into Ronin and the Fatui wouldn't provoke such intense hatred. What had Saimon done after that encounter?

Li Mo's thoughts raced.

Meanwhile, his body effortlessly dodged the Ronin's attacks.

Too slow. After facing Akaza's inhuman speed, these people's movements felt like time had slowed down.

"I'm going to have to kill."

They were aiming for his vitals. He couldn't afford to hold back.

Li Mo moved, his katana flashing. Against the Ronin, it was a complete rout. In an instant, the heads of the leading Ronin flew into the air, blood spraying high.

It was almost becoming a professional habit.

The moment the thought of killing entered his mind, his blade sliced through necks. The skills he had honed in the world of *Demon Slayer* were almost instinctual. This was purely the art of killing.

"I hope I don't have nightmares tonight."

Perhaps because he had grown accustomed to death, Li Mo felt unusually calm. At that moment, Saimon Tarou and the others arrived, drawing some of the enemy's attention.

But it was clear the enemy knew who the real threat was.

Under the moonlight, Li Mo could see most of the Kairagi converging on him.

No wonder Saimon Ichirou had begged him to be their leader the moment they met. Otherwise, she would have either fled or made a last stand…

Unfortunately, their group didn't have a legendary warrior like Xiang Yu.

In a world without the supernatural, one person defeating a hundred was unheard of in history!

"At a time like this, you're still letting your thoughts wander. Li Mo, Li Mo, showing off like this will get you killed."

He sidestepped, his toes lightly touching the ground as he retreated.

The Kairagi closed in. These were clearly elites, their armor and katanas gleaming, freshly forged and of high quality. They also moved with coordination, forming a tight net around him.

Trying to trap him?

Interesting.

Li Mo observed them, reminded of an army. This level of cooperation wasn't something ordinary Ronin could achieve.

A private army of some faction? If it's the Fatui… could it be the Tenryou Commission's private forces? But the Tenryou Commission already has its own army.

Thoughts flowed through Li Mo's mind. True, these Kairagi were strong, capable of being squad leaders in a typical army. But that was all.

They were still within the realm of human capability.

The only thing to watch out for was the Overloaded reaction between Pyro and Electro. Alright, let's deal with the Pyro users first.

"Sun Breathing—"

Li Mo's eyes sharpened.

In the darkness, the battle between Ronin and Ronin continued. As the only elite on their side, Saimon Ichirou was clearly targeted. Yet, he held his ground surprisingly well, having fought outnumbered many times before.

He even had the presence of mind to glance at the other battlefield.

And there, he saw it—flames tracing lines in the air, a beautiful dance performed in the pitch-black night.