Chapter 520 - 177: Miss Sazanoko, Stand Down—It’s All Over!

Chapter 520: Chapter 177: Miss Sazanoko, Stand Down—It’s All Over!

Despite their reluctance, they were fairly "wise" as they turned 180 degrees, turning to flee the alley.

However, just as they turned around, before they could even see the scene behind them, their vision blurred—a splash of brilliant red flashed before their eyes.

"Ugh...!" *2

The two felt a sharp pain in their knees, as if struck by a strong whip. Their centers of gravity were broken by the knee pain, and they both fell to the ground.

Their backs made intimate contact with the ground beneath them.

Only after they hit the ground did the two finally see who had knocked them down—a girl in a vibrant red yukata, with delicate bare feet wearing red-tied flat geta.

It was Mukiwa.

The two just now, in a rush to escape, paid attention ahead but neglected behind, completely unaware that Mukiwa had snuck up behind them.

They were caught off guard by Mukiwa’s attack. So effortlessly, without much force, Mukiwa kicked them to the ground.

At this moment... Aoto arrived.

Aoto dealt a blow with the back of his sword to the stomachs of the two fallen men.

Then the two of them joined the "vomiting army," the intense twisting pain in their guts making them unable to even stand up straight.

Finally having knocked down all the enemies in the alley... Aoto breathed out through his nose and then, holding Ghost-Slaying, turned to look at the still motionless Nakamura Chouhachirou.

"Mr. Tachibana...?"

Nakamura Chouhachirou blinked hard, recognizing the samurai who had suddenly appeared and saved him.

"..." Aoto did not respond to Nakamura Chouhachirou.

He only glanced at Nakamura Chouhachirou before walking straight to the still retching "Scarred Warrior" with Ghost-Slaying in hand.

Earlier, he and Mukiwa had been lurking on the side of the alley wall. The conversation between Nakamura Chouhachirou and the "Scarred Warrior" just now was heard in its entirety without missing a word.

As Aoto expected... Nakamura Tsuki had also been kidnapped.

Besides learning that Nakamura Tsuki had indeed disappeared, Aoto also heard many words he could not ignore.

Settlement, Mr. Bright, sake...

These words suddenly piled up the questions in Aoto’s mind to ask Nakamura Chouhachirou and "Scarred Warrior" into a mountain.

Things must be prioritized.

Though there were many questions, they had to be asked one by one according to importance.

Aoto decided to interrogate the "Scarred Warrior" first for the question he most wanted to ask.

The reason he only used the back of his sword throughout was to spare the life of the "Scarred Warrior" for his answers.

Aoto sheathed Ghost-Slaying, then drew his wakizashi, squatting down to remove the cloth sock from the "Scarred Warrior’s" right foot.

"If you don’t want to suffer, answer my questions."

"Besides Nakamura Tsuki, did you also kidnap Chiba Sonako? Where are those kidnapped people being held?"

With no time or interest in exchanging pleasantries or opening remarks, Aoto directly posed his questions in a neutral tone while aligning the tip of his wakizashi close to the toenail of the "Scarred Warrior’s" big toe.

"..." The "Scarred Warrior" did not speak a word.

Still wracked by stomach pain, he barely stifled the urge to vomit, lifting his head to meet Aoto’s eyes.

He might not have spoken a word, but Aoto understood his implied meaning from the "Scarred Warrior’s" eyes.

Don’t even think about getting a word from me—his eyes conveyed this to Aoto.

Since the message was clear... Aoto mercilessly gave him a prepared response.

Aoto pushed the wakizashi hard into the gap between the toenail and flesh of the right big toe, the sharp blade prying the toenail completely open.

"Ahhhhhhhh——!!!"

A horrific scream erupted from the "Scarred Warrior’s" mouth.

Blood gushed, a vast amount of bright red pouring from the pried-open toenail, soaking the ground.

Fortunately, they were in a sparsely populated area now, with almost no one living here; otherwise, the piercing and utterly pained wails of the "Scarred Warrior" would quickly attract many "spectators."

The severe pain caused the "Scarred Warrior’s" whole body to convulse uncontrollably.

When trimming a toenail, accidentally cutting the flesh inside can cause agony. The entire toenail being pried open by a knife... the pain of that is terrifying even to imagine.

Facing the "Scarred Warrior" screaming as if tearing his own vocal cords, different people reacted differently.

The remaining companions of the "Scarred Warrior," still lying on the ground, turned pale, sweat breaking out on their foreheads.

Nakamura Chouhachirou was dumbfounded.

Standing at Aoto’s side, Mukiwa couldn’t help but shrink her swan-like neck.

But Aoto... remained unaffected.

"Besides Nakamura Tsuki, did you also kidnap Chiba Sonako? Where are those kidnapped people being held?"

Repeating his previous question in a neutral tone, Aoto pointed the tip of his wakizashi at the next toenail of the "Scarred Warrior."

...

...

Edo, somewhere—

A cockroach crawled past Sazanoko’s foot.