Chapter 91 Exchange of Hands.

Inside the house.

Pitter...patter...

The dim light flickered.

Tiny mosquitoes fluttered around the old lamp.

Tomioka Giyu was sitting in front of the sleeping Mizuki Nanami, with his Nichirin Sword placed on the ground beside him, observing the surroundings with an expressionless face.

This is Mizuki Nanami's home.

Without any clues, Tomioka Giyu chose to wait here.

At this moment.

Click.

There was the sound of a metal object colliding with the tile at the roof.

- There's something.

His ears twitched slightly.

After hearing the slight creaking sound from above his head.

Tomioka Giyu raised his deep blue eyes and looked towards the roof.

Where his gaze fell, there was a missing piece, and the tiles on it seemed to be being moved by someone.

Click - the tile was lifted by someone.

Tomioka Giyu just raised his head and looked at the lifted tile.

Uzui Tenko, who lifted the tile on the roof, also happened to look down.

The two of them, who seemed to have no emotions in their eyes, met for a moment.

- ?

The next moment.

At the same time.

Click!

The tile on the roof was suddenly forcefully closed.

The Nichirin Sword beside Tomioka Giyu was instantly unsheathed.

But at the moment of unsheathing, he hesitated for a moment.

His deep blue eyes seemed to reveal a puzzled look.

- A human?

This hesitation did not last long, he just paused for a moment, then immediately rushed out of the house and came to the street.

He turned his head and looked towards the roof.

No matter what, this might be the only chance to get clues.

He can't let him go.

After seeing the man running fast on the roof with his hands hanging behind him.

Tomioka Giyu lightly tapped the ground with his toes, and his leg muscles tightened.

Whoosh!

In almost an instant, he jumped into the air, and after a leap, he easily passed over Uzui Tenko on the roof and came to his front.

His legs were slightly bent, and he landed on the roof with a forceful landing.

Hiss!

"Stop." Tomioka Giyu stood in front of Uzui Tenko, and he inserted the Nichirin Sword vertically into the gap between the tiles on the roof.

Saying this, he raised his head and looked at the person in front of him.

Uzui Tenko was expressionless.

So was Tomioka Giyu.

After really looking at Uzui Tenko up close.

Tomioka Giyu was taken aback.

Looking at the headgear on the forehead of the person in front of him, the face that could barely be seen clearly under the dark night, and thinking of the running action just now.

In his mind, the familiar wild figure gradually overlapped with the person in front of him.

"...Uzui?" He murmured in confusion.

While Tomioka Giyu was in a daze.

Uzui Tenko had already pulled out a few small balls from the sleeve of his arm.

He threw it towards the roof in front of him.

The moment the ball touched the roof and bounced up, Tomioka Giyu also reacted.

He stomped on the ground with the ball of his front foot and quickly retreated.

Plop.

The ball rolled down on the tile.

Sparks flickered around the rolling ball.

Then.

Boom!!!

A huge cloud of dust mixed with the sound of an explosion suddenly bloomed on the roof, stirring up a slight wave of wind, spreading out in all directions.

Tomioka Giyu used his haori to cover his mouth and nose, squinting his eyes to look at the front that was already a cloud of smoke.

When the smoke cleared.

In his field of vision, there was no one left on the roof in front of him.

He stood still, the sword of his Nichirin Sword hanging down, a look of confusion rarely appeared on his calm face.

Tilting his head.

—Is this guy... Uzui?

Familiar headwear, familiar face, familiar escape technique...

But...

If it was Uzui, he would never be caught up by me...

After all, he runs very fast.

And he will definitely leave with a big laugh, quite chic.

Just as Tomioka Giyu was thinking this way.

His gaze suddenly stopped at the place where Uzui Tenko disappeared.

—There, there was a torn piece of paper.

Tomioka Giyu walked over in confusion, picked up the paper from the tile, and scanned the content on it.

On the paper.

The three characters "Mizuki Nanami" were very conspicuous.

And the string of specific information written below.

And—

He looked at the corner of the torn paper.

"Publisher... All licenses from the martial arts hall..."

Seeing this, Tomioka Giyu suddenly realized.

—This is a bounty issued by an apprentice who had previously received "all licenses" from the martial arts hall, left the martial arts hall, and started his own style, against Mizuki Nanami.

After folding the bounty and putting it into his clothes.

Tomioka Giyu jumped off the roof and did not chase that person again, but returned to Mizuki Nanami's house.

He looked down at the sleeping girl in front of him who was not affected by the loud noise just now.

First encountered a demon, and now being targeted by someone...

Just as Tomioka Giyu was preparing to sit down again.

"Caw!!"

His crow flew in from outside the door and landed on the sleeping Mizuki Nanami's stomach.

"Puff!" Mizuki Nanami, who was hit in the abdomen, sat up abruptly, and after her eyes rolled back, she lay down again.

This time it was not sleep, but a coma.

"...Kanzaburo!" Tomioka Giyu's mouth opened slightly, he looked at Mizuki Nanami in surprise, and quickly picked up his crow from the ground.

His crow is named Kanzaburo, an old crow.

Often confused.

Kanzaburo shook his dizzy head, then looked at Tomioka Giyu, and said:

"Giyu! Oyakata-sama is summoning!"

"All Hashira, if the task at hand is not urgent, let several lower-ranking swordsmen take over first!"

"Hashira, gather at the headquarters!"

"Caw!!"

Upon hearing this, Tomioka Giyu was slightly stunned.

What happened...?

...

Meanwhile.

On the side of the fleeing Uzui Tenko.

tap tap tap tap!

His legs alternated quickly, running fast between the roofs.

But his gaze was always on the direction behind him.

He had run a long distance, and this was almost another town.

The mission failed.

He was discovered in the first step.

—Who is that person... I didn't have his information before.

In his mind, his father's deep voice slowly echoed.

"Ninja, should not have feelings, the value of existence is to execute tasks."

"If the mission fails..."

Click.

Uzui Tenko's advancing footsteps suddenly stopped.

He stood still, his head hanging low, his expressionless face became gloomy, not knowing what he was thinking.

After a while.

Uzui Tenko slowly opened his mouth.

Behind the molars, there was a hint of blue potion.

That was the poison used by Ninjas for suicide.

Just as he bit down on the poison behind his molars.

A cold and eerie tone came from the street beside him:

"Oh dear...what a pity."

"Akaza-dono, aren't you at your own station..."

"Before going back..."

Whoosh!

The cold breath suddenly approached, and Uzui Tenko's body stiffened violently.

"...Your headgear is nice."

...

...

The next day.

In the town.

After three Hinoe Rank soldiers who were near the town arrived, they took over the task that Tomioka Giyu had temporarily suspended.

- Protect Mizuki Nanami.

Since the tasks that the Hashira need to perform are all evaluated, they are quite dangerous.

So after these tasks are taken over, they will be ordered to maintain the current progress of the task.

To avoid further investigation and bring out situations that low-rank swordsmen cannot cope with.

Of course, manpower will be increased when necessary.

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