Chapter 3: Encounter by the River

Walking outside, passing the grand gates' entrance, Shin felt a surge of exhilaration as his guard lowered and stress elevated. The cold air kissed his skin, and Tokyo's morning scent enveloped him, invigorating his senses before embarking on the path to the undisclosed address.

"Once I've saved enough and leave this hell-hole, a phone and a train pass will be my top priority to purchase. Essential for survival in this urban life." As he strolled through Tokyo, Shin relished the freedom of anonymity, unburdened by the weight of judgement or scorn for his coming to life. Fortunately, Shin could breathe easy, without having to worry about any encounters with high-grade curses, as most of them clung insignificantly to the people's shoulders and necks.

It took Shin a solid 6-hour trek, traversing from the bustling cityscape to the peaceful rural countryside. Along the way, he found solace in the numerous public restrooms, providing a brief rest. As Shin pressed forward, the wind began to pick up speed, and lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the abrupt appearance of storm clouds veiling the sky, heralding a torrential downpour.

Soaked and chilly, Shin's frustration bubbled up. "If only I had a phone, I would've prepared for this. Why are there no TVs in the clan's rooms or hallways? Isn't this a prestigious clan? This sucks."

Shin soldiered on through the rain for 2 hours, finally reaching another station. There, he spotted a local with a small truck. A glimmer of hope ignited within him, and he approached the owner, an elderly man waiting for his car to fill up, who was oblivious to Shin's presence until the sound of wet footsteps and dripping caught his attention.

Upon realizing the man had noticed him, Shin offered a tentative smile. "Hello, can you help me out, sir?" The man didn't respond, his gaze fixed on Shin.

Slightly nervous and feeling as if the man was suspicious of him due to the man's lack of social reaction, Shin continued, "Could I hitch a ride to this location? I don't believe it's too far from here." Shin showed the man the address. The man quickly glanced at the address before his expression shifted to one of confusion and worry. "Why the hell would you go there? Don't you know the village is cursed?"

Shin, noting the man's change of demeanor, hatched a plan. "I'm actually going there to heal the location. If you want, I could also help you in return for assisting me in getting there." The man eyed Shin up and down, considering his options before finally looking at Shin with suspicion. "If I take you there, will you really fix the problem? Actually, even better, if you fix the issue there and help me with my problem, I'll not only give you a ride, but I'll also give you an umbrella. You look like you could really use one right now."

Intrigued, Shin agreed, and they set off together. As they traveled to the river, the man shared tales, while Shin, drenched and shivering, tried to warm himself while they continued their conversation.

Two long hours later, they reached their destination. Shin observed the locals bustling despite the storm. He approached a man in his forties, carrying a fishing rod, after the man with the truck told him he'll be coming back tomorrow morning.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know where I can find the mayor or someone with authority here?" The man turned his attention towards Shin and pointed to a house far out in the field, surrounded by crops. Then, he walked away without a word.

Shin approached the house and knocked on the door. A raspy voice yelled, "What is it?! Can't a man like me get any rest?! First, it was the kids disappearing, and now I have to deal with this and that and finally you come knocking with even more problem!" As the door swung open, the elder standing in front of Shin, cane in hand, looked surprised by a new face.

"Who are you and what do you want? If you're here to try and buy the land off us, you better start running. I know our land is rumored to be cursed with misfortunes, but it is still our land. No matter what offer you present, we will not give it up. So, are you going to leave or are we going to have to make you leave?"

Shin remained silent for some time, allowing the man to calm down before reassuring him that he was there to address their request. "Settle down; I'm not here for your land. I'm here to eliminate the problem plaguing it."

Hearing this, the man's anger transformed into relief, knowing someone had been sent to help. "I'm sorry. I'm only acting like this due to the recent events. It gets even more stressful during rainy days like this. Please, come inside; I'll make some tea for you."

Hearing this, Shin wasted no time and entered the man's home. As they sipped tea, they began to discuss the request.

Listening to the man's explanation and the village's predicament, Shin learned that most of the problems originated near the nearby river. The issue had commenced five months ago with a village child disappearing while playing by the river. Since then, people vanished whenever they ventured near the water. The villagers had also noticed that whenever their harvest fell into the water, it would mysteriously disappear, as if something were retrieving it from below.

A small number of villagers claimed to have seen the creature responsible for the disappearances with the appearance of a humanoid curse with a distinct turtle-like appearance, complete with a large shell and a deep bowl-like dent on its head. Unfortunately, these claims couldn't be substantiated or debunked, despite the villagers encounters similarities . The rest of the village had never witnessed such a creature, most likely because their just ordinary individuals.

Listening to the man's anguish and the toll it took on his village, Shin comprehended the cause of the problem. A kappa, infamous for its mischievous antics, was the culprit.

"A kappa is the culprit. Now I just have to find a way to lure it out and exorcise it. But how?" While contemplating, the man almost forgot to mention an incident from a week earlier. Someone had broken into their storage and stolen recently harvested crops, peculiarly focusing solely on cucumbers, leaving everything else untouched and damaged. When he tried following trail to investigate, he was confused as to why it lead into the water.

Hearing this, Shin devised a plan to lure the kappa out by using a basket filled with cucumbers. He informed the old man that he would resolve the problem by tomorrow and that he needed to borrow all the village's cucumbers.

Confused and suspicious of Shin's request, the old man decided to proceed with it, deeming it better than waiting idly for a better solution.

That night, the villagers gathered and deposited all their cucumbers in an open field near the river. Following Shin's instructions, they were to refrained from venturing out or observing Shin for tonight and that they should end the day early for the night.

Shin, prepared, sat back and waited for the culprit to emerge. Four hours go by, the moon casting a dim glow on the field, and the crickets started their nightly orchestra until suddenly, everything fell silent. Shin immediately sensed the change, and before long, he heard the subtle movements of water resisting the river's current.

Turning his gaze towards the river shore, Shin could outline four medium-sized and two small-sized curses. "It's 6 vs. 1. The best course of action is to keep them in front, rather than risk them surrounding me. If I remember correctly, making a kappa bow will kill them due to the water they carry inside their dented heads act as their life force. But who says they need to bow? I can just force them down."

Shin got up and advanced towards the group steadily, the Kappas, upon noticing Shin, quickly assumed an offensive stance. Assessing each one, Shin focus on two smaller ones to start of this fight with the least resistance."I'll go after those two first and reduce their numbers."

Swiftly, Shin dashed towards the smallest and struck one, successfully neutralizing it as it dropped due to blunt force. However, when he tried to strike the other one, an older kappa attempted to attack Shin's back. Hearing the wet steps rushing behind him, Shin swiftly maneuvered out of the attack's range.

Now at a safe distance, Shin regained his composure and prepared for his next move. But something caught his eye: the youngest and two older Kappas were kneeling and weeping, mourning the fallen youngster. Seeing this, Shin felt a pang of sympathy, but quickly reaffirmed himself—whether human or curse, in this world, the weak perish and the strong survive.

The scene of grieving turned into an opportunity for Shin. He wasted no time, attacking the three Kappas while their attention remained fixated on their fallen comrade. Striking all three on the back of their necks, the sound of cracking bones echoed as they fell one by one.

Now with only two remaining, Shin observed a shift in their demeanor. One of the Kappas started screaming and pounding the ground in rage, while the other screeched in what sounded like insanity. Shin focused on the enraged Kappa, taunting it by mimicking its fallen comrades' cries and sorrows, further fueling its fury. The Kappa charged without thinking, but didn't notice Shin's staff aimed at its knees. The impact shattered its kneecap, but that didn't deter it from attempting to reach Shin.

Fortunately, Shin backed away and used the staff's range to his advantage, striking the creature randomly and relentlessly. Finally, the Kappa ceased its movements, leaving only one more.

Shin regained his composure and breathing, then approached the last Kappa. It was in shock and disbelief at the turn of events. As Shin walked closer, the Kappa trembled and screamed at him, attempting to drive him away, but all its efforts were futile. Eventually, Shin stood in front of it, pointing his staff at its face, but refrained from striking.

"I don't know if you can understand my words, but if you want to live, all you have to do is bow and you are free," Shin's eyes bore into the Kappa, devoid of emotion. The Kappa, comprehending the mercy it was given if it bow its head down quickly does so without a bit of resistance, letting the water stored in its head cascade out. The sudden realization of what it has done shifted its focus, it desperately attempts to halt its mistake. It tries to rise, but felt an oppressive force preventing it from doing so. A gut-wrenching cry erupted as the unrestrained water poured forth, arms flailing in a futile struggle. In its dying throes, it sought to find the reason as to what held it captive. Horror consumed it as it saw Shin's foot, pressing down on its head, sealing its fate. Despair mingled with its last gaze, meeting Shin's unfeeling stare.

Shin glanced around and saw the bodies, one by one, dissipate. Then, he returned to his sitting spot, waiting to see if anything else would emerge. As he sat and waited, the crickets resumed their night chorus, adding an eerie soundtrack to the aftermath of the confrontation.

As the night wore on, the shadows seemed to hold their breath, revealing no hint of other lurking curses. Fatigue settled into Shin, a persistent weight from lack of sleep, a feeling he was familiar with. He persisted, watching and waiting, unwilling to let his guard down.

With the first light of dawn, the village's chief approached, holding tea and breakfast. It was a welcoming gesture after a restless night of vigilance.

Savoring the meal, Shin assured the chief that the request had been fulfilled, and the looming danger had been resolved.

Relief washed over the old man as he expressed his gratitude. He extended an invitation to Shin, urging him to return to his home to discuss the well-earned reward and so they went.