Chapter 91

3 Clang, clang. In the eighteenth year of the Byoei era, during the rule of Yokan, now the eighth shogun of the Yatsuhashi house, a dark shadow falls over the realm. The evil prodigy Geppei Amakusa, Yokan’s archnemesis, has returned!! A mysterious power from the Human Realm heralds the reappearance of the monstrooms, come to terrorize Byoma like they did ten years past. Naturally, our great shogun, Yokan Yatsuhashi, rises to oppose this new threat. And as agents, he employs the services of a group of mysterious travelers from the lands overground. Now begins the latest chapter in Yokan’s epic: Claws of the Cat. Keep those tails glued to those seats! Ten years have passed since the death of the previous shogun, Rakugan Yatsuhashi. Under the governance of his eighth son, Yokan, Byoma has known a long and lasting peace. Though the general comes from humble birth, he is committed to rooting out wickedness and rewarding virtuous deeds. All are taken by his gentle personality—or should I say felinality—and as a result, Yokan is much loved by the people, and much reviled by evildoers. However, in the eighteenth year of his reign, calamity struck the land of Byoma. A golden thunderbolt fell from the heavens, bringing with it a new and terrifying disease: the Rust. “U-urgh. It hurts… The pain…” Deep within Byoma Castle, Shibafune, one of the shogun’s advisers, lay bedridden. He was an old Chinchilla breed whom Yokan’s father had employed to watch over the young kitten from birth. He was spry and healthy for his age, and none had ever seen him in such a miserable state. Yet now the Rust had claimed him, and his days were clearly numbered. The disease took its name from the strange, rust-like coating that spread across the victim’s skin. Once it appeared, death invariably followed; it was only a matter of time. Medical treatment could slow the spread of the disease, but no cure had yet been found. “Have patience, my fellow. This should ease the pain.” Our beloved shogun, Yokan Yatsuhashi, kneeled by his bedside, nursing the dying Persian. He was now thirty years of age, and his black fur shimmered with the vigor of youth. He possessed a fearless and noble bearing, and so handsome was he that the people whispered there was not a cat in this land who could look into his dashing eyes and not be utterly charmed. “Where would I be without your stubborn words, old friend?” he said, attempting to cheer his loyal servant. “You cannot die. Not yet.” “My liege. I wish to burden you no further. Pray, allow me an honorable death. Let me die at your paw, and not at that of this perishable disease.” “Do not speak of such cowardice before me.” Unlike the old Chinchilla’s, Yokan’s scarlet eyes showed no trace of tears. He gripped the adviser’s paw tightly. “We will find a cure,” he said. “So I beg you, do not give up on life. If you die, then Byoma dies with you.” “Urgh…my liege… Shed no tear for this old mog…” Shibafune returned to troubled slumber, and Yokan stroked the old cat’s stomach through his futon covering. What a truly bizarre ailment… He turned his thoughts inward. As the Catwisp Blade, Yokan was the master of a hundred battles, but even he was powerless against a mysterious illness. Soon the physician came to change Shibafune’s bandages. “Be mindful of your own health as well, my liege. Rest assured, Shibafune is receiving the greatest treatment we can manage.” “Have we still not reasoned the cause of this affliction?” “Our soothsayers claim it was brought down from heaven on a bolt of golden thunder, if you can believe the words of wizards. I, on the other paw, tend to take a more scientific view. Now, I implore you, my liege, you must rest.” “We are running short on medicinal herbs. I shall go down to the beach to gather more.” “My liege! You cannot mean to leave the castle grounds!” “I am the shogun, and I will go where I please. I may be the only able-bodied cat in all of Byoma by now.” Yokan was never one to wait on formality. After affixing his swords to his waist, he set off like the wind. “Come, Hokusai. We ride!” Straddling his trusty horse, Yokan departed for the castle town below. Outside the castle walls, Byoma was a ghost town. Once-busy streets filled with fishmongers, apothecaries, and peddlers now lay deserted. From the makeshift infirmaries set up all over town, Yokan could hear the troubled cries of his townscats. Their wails tore at his noble heart and drove him to spur Hokusai on faster. Such a shame, he thought as he rode. What good is a shogun who cannot save his people? Keroom! All of a sudden, the skies lit up with golden light, and a peal of thunder echoed across the land. A terrified townspuss cried out in fear. The first peal was swiftly followed by two others. Hokusai halted his hooves and reared up in fright. From the direction of the coast, the earth shook, and a burnt smell filled the air. “Whoa, whoa. Calm, Hokusai, calm.” Yokan squinted over in the direction of the sound. According to his court’s mystics, this golden lightning was the cause of the Rust. Three more. Most ominous. Can this plague get any worse? With a tense feeling in the pit of his stomach, Yokan hurried Hokusai toward the outskirts of town. Before long, the coastline came into view, where dark clouds gathered above the sands. The cat shogun could feel a nascent rainfall in the air. His sensitive nose picked up the burning smell that pervaded the beach and drew him to its source. From atop a tall cliff, he peered down at the sands below. “My word…” The entire beach was burned to a crisp. The lightning had scorched the rocks black, and the wooden harbor was aflame. Electrified fish lay washed up and unmoving on the shore. Yokan hopped down from the cliff and took a closer look. “My vessel…” His ship had been moored at the harbor, but the lightning must have struck it head-on, for it had split the boat clean in two, and both halves now burned. Yokan uttered a curse under his breath, but his grief lasted only a moment, for when he thought of the old Persian suffering back at the castle, his own worries seemed slight by comparison. He would swim the oceans if it would grant that old mog a second chance at life. Just then, he spotted something. Out to sea, a body floating on the water, wrapped in their own cloak. “Cats!” There were two of them. Perhaps they were fishermogs who had been caught in the storm. They look burned, but the lightning struck only a few moments ago. Perhaps they still breathe. Yokan wasted no time. He dived into the ocean, swimming out to where the two figures lay. Tugging their cloaks with his teeth, he succeeded in dragging them safely ashore. He paused to catch his breath after struggling with their unexpected body mass, then turned to examine the two figures… …and froze. M-my word! One of them had bright-crimson hair, like a flame, with some curious binocular device affixed to his brow. Below one eye, he sported some kind of religious marking. However, what was most striking was the cat’s face. It was completely hairless. Why, these aren’t cats at all! They’re men! Yokan reeled in shock. This is unprecedented. Did they fall from the heavens, too? The second figure was another human, with sky-blue hair. Yokan recalled the words he had heard repeated ever since he was a kitten: “If you don’t behave, the humans will come down from the sky and carry you off!” Yokan remembered retorting that his retainers would swiftly cut down any such evildoers, but looking at them now, he was forced to reevaluate his position. …It is said that cats and humans once lived in harmony. Perhaps we can do so again. Having made up his mind, Yokan delivered a devastating poke to the bellies of the unconscious duo. “Ghah!!” “Pwah!!” It appeared that Yokan’s resuscitative techniques fared just as well on humans as they did on his fellow cat, emptying the pair’s gullets of any stray water. Both of them seemed dazed and confused, perhaps as the result of some battle. “I have saved your lives,” said Yokan. “Pray, do not expect anything more.” “Wh-who the hell…?” The red-haired man slowly lifted his head to get a better look at Yokan, and when he did, his eyes went wide. “Th-that cat’s on two legs! It’s a monster!” “Heh. Impudent fool.” The man was strong, despite his harrowing ordeal. Yokan cracked a smile. “You are in Byoma, the land of the cats,” he explained. “If there is any monster among us, it is you.” “Byoma…?” “But so long as you keep your peace, I will not kill you. Pray, do not make me regret my decision.” “W-wait, what’s goin’ on? Who are—? Cough! Cough!” A live fish leaped from the redhead’s gullet. Yokan, meanwhile, turned and headed for the sea, to gather the medicinal seaweed he had come for. But just then… “My liege! My lieeege!!” “Hmm?” A voice drew his attention back to the top of the cliff, where he had first arrived. It was Senbei, the town tailor. “What brings you, my good mog? A storm is coming; you should remain indoors!” “It’s worse than that, my liege! It’s terrible!” Senbei’s agitated state piqued Yokan’s interest. It was not his usual manner. “It’s the monstrooms! The monstrooms are back! They’re in the city!” “What?!” “Lend us your aid, my liege, before they burn the town to ash!” Yokan’s face turned grave. The monstrooms? But that can only mean one thing…! He whistled, and his trusty steed Hokusai appeared. Yokan climbed atop him, and he set off at once, snatching up Senbei as he passed and seating him at the back of the saddle. “Are there no other warriors to fight them?” he asked. “What about the castle guard?” “I heard tell that monstrooms appeared in the castle as well. They are busy defending it…,” said Senbei. “They bring shame!” roared Yokan, his black fur bristling with anger. “What kind of samurai does not protect the townscats first?!” He urged Hokusai on, racing toward the shadow of Byoma Castle in the distance. “I swear on the Catwisp Blade,” he said. “You dastardly mushrooms shall not lay a single paw on innocent mogs while I still draw breath!” “Any black cats here?” “Is tomorrow really after today?” “Found a house. Burn it.” “Bab-ba-ba-bam!” “Bweeeeeh…” Amid the chaos of Byoma’s castle town were some very strange beings that swaggered around as if they owned the place. They had a short and fat white body and a pair of stubby legs. This was topped off by a large red hemispherical head that scattered spores as they walked. They wielded halberds of fire even taller than themselves, which they lifted without issue. Some had only one eye; others had three, and each of them was shaped slightly differently from all the others, yet all walked with the same dull plod. They would look endearing, were they not the very face of the calamity that had befallen Byoma ten years ago! It was an army of monstrooms! “Any black cats here?” “Bab-ba-ba-bam!” “Found a house. Burn it.” “I’m hungry.” “Pao…” The bumbling mushroom folk plodded through the streets with a complete lack of urgency, setting light to any houses they came across using their flaming polearms and flameshroom spores. The townscats were forced to flee, leaving their possessions to go up in smoke. “Eeek!” “The monstrooms! The monstrooms are here!” Alas, one mushroom managed to grab a fleeing cat by the scruff of his neck. “Who’s this?” “Are you the cat shogun?” “No!” the cat protested. “I’m just an innocent trader! I’m a brown tabby, not a black cat; please, have mercy!” “He says he’s not.” “He’s not black, but he is a cat.” “That’s half right.” “Do we get half a point?” “Half a point!” “Hellllp!!” The tabby’s scream hung in the air, and then… Slash! A whirlwind of black and a gleaming crescent flash. The sword, Kintsuba, sang a ringing note before returning to its sheath. Then the hand that had arrested the poor tabby slowly slipped from its owner’s arm. “Pao.” “You!” The mushrooms’ gazes all turned and zeroed in on one black-furred individual. “Who are you, guy?” “Who are you, cat?” “Use your brains—or what little you have,” spoke the newcomer. “Or do you mean to tell me you have forgotten the face of Yokan, the Catwisp Blade—he who put down your reign of terror once already?” “My liege!” “Run. Get away from this place.” The tabby fled, and Yokan stepped forward, illuminated by the flames. His noble features were contorted with rage, and he glared a glare as sharp as the edge of his sword. “You are a craven lot, who would stoop to enact such cruelty upon innocent civilians. You have tested my wrath, foul beasts, and for that, you will pay the price.” “It’s the black cat.” “It’s Yokan!” “Pao!” “We burn houses, Yokan shows up.” The mushroom men, all adorned with their own eclectic mix of equipment, suddenly stopped what they were doing and closed in around Yokan. What strange and unsettling creatures. Yokan’s dazzling strength was enough to confuse and overwhelm even other master swordscats, but the mushroom men seemed almost too stupid to feel fear. Even the one who’d had its hand chopped off only stared at the severed appendage with curiosity before apparently losing interest and hurling it into the fire. Yokan watched as life-giving spores swelled from the stump, regenerating the lost body part in no time at all. “Pretty lady said…take him alive.” “But…Yokan too strong.” “Let’s kill him first.” “Kill him first. Then take him alive.” “Pao!” “Pao!” Without warning, one of the monstrooms launched an attack at Yokan, lifting his greatshield and smashing it down upon the cat shogun. But the elusive samurai was nowhere to be found. Instead, he had swiftly leaped upon the shield and pounced high into the air! “Pao!!” “Catwisp Art: Flying Fish!” Yokan somersaulted over his foe, such that for one moment, he was upside down in the air directly behind the mushroom man. At that moment, he unleashed his blade at the back of the monstroom’s neck—or somewhere on its back, at any rate, considering the neck was pretty much absent. Splaaat. The monstroom bled mushroom spores. It shook for a moment, then tried to spin around and return the blow, but… “Whoa-ee!” The creature lost its balance and tumbled into the flames. “Ouchiiie!” The other mushroom warriors watched as their companion rolled about on the floor in an attempt to extinguish the fire. “Yokan, fast!” “Yokan, strong!” “Use fire.” “Smoke him!” The mushrooms lowered their flaming poleaxes and unleashed wave after wave of fireballs toward Yokan. He leaped across the rooftops, avoiding them, but the blasts were so powerful, they tore apart the thatched roofs, firing wooden splinters Yokan’s way. Hmm. They are much stronger than before. And they have learned to use fire, it seems. The sparks singed the very tips of Yokan’s fur. “Smoke the smoky!” “What’s wrong? Come down.” “Roof goes bye-bye.” “House all leaky now.” Taunting the shogun, the monstrooms unleashed another volley from their flaming halberds. If Yokan did nothing, soon all of Byoma would be ablaze. But instead, he stopped. “He’s given up.” “Take him alive!” “Burn him first!” The monstroom at the head of the pack leveled his halberd, and… Click! A decisively non-explosive sound came from it. “Pao?” “Three shots each,” said Yokan, finally releasing Kintsuba from its sheath. “Not so impressive once you know how it works.” Then he pounced on the monstroom army. “Shoot him. Shoot him.” “Out of ammo.” The black tornado danced among the startled and confused mushroom folk. The polearms were slow and easily dodged, which allowed Yokan to deliver slice after slice to the heels of the walking fungi, effectively immobilizing them. “Pao!” “Can’t walk.” The dull-witted mushroom monstrosities could never keep up with the speed of any cat, much less Yokan himself. The samurai feline wrapped his slender tail around the blade in his paws, wiping it clean before returning it to its sheath. “Be calm, fellow mogs,” he said. “I will dispel this foul hex soon enough.” Indeed. For the true form of these malicious mycelia was nothing less than Yokan’s fellow feline-kind, transformed by the wicked Geppei Amakusa into unspeakable abominations. The last time she had used this power, Yokan had defeated her, and upon doing so, the curse had been broken. This is Geppei’s doing, no doubt about it. But I thought her remains were sealed within Koban Temple… As he was pondering this, however, Yokan heard a strange sound. “Pao-pao-pao! Well done, black cat!” “Hmm?” He looked up to an elevated spot in the town, where one of the monstrooms stood laughing. He appeared to be the centurion, for his helmet and armor were trimmed with gold, and the quality of his armament was above and beyond that of the others’. Even his intelligence seemed a little higher than that of the rest. “We know you are strong,” the mushroom said, “but what about those at the castle?” “What?!” “When I give the order, we will fire this flameshroom cannon, turning everyone in the castle into roast cat! Even you can’t save them all!” Yokan spotted other monstrooms atop the same hill, standing around an overelaborate-looking device with gormless looks on their faces. I should have known. It is just like them to stoop to such dishonorable measures. Despite Yokan’s unquestionable speed, there was no way he could reach the enemy general in time. The old Persian, Shibafune, still convalesced within the castle, in no state to move. If the cannon was allowed to fire, the flames would surely consume him. So, Shogun? What’s it to be? The monstrooms were short on patience. If there was to be any hope for salvation, Yokan would need to buy time first. The feline samurai thus unfastened his sword and raised it so that the enemy general could see. “If it’s me you want,” he said, “then I shall not resist. Come down and get me!” “Very good!” replied the mushroom general. “Throw down your sword and wait right there!” Meanwhile, over by the cannon… “This is boring.” “Want to fire the cannon.” “Let’s fire the cannon.” “Can’t fire the cannon. Boss will get mad.” “Pao.” “But Boss is always mad.” “That’s true.” “Let’s fire the cannon.” “Fire the cannon.” “Pao!” Ka-boom! Ka-boom! Ka-boom! The monstrooms, apparently unable to sit still for one second, fired the cannon prematurely. Three balls of fiery spores hurtled toward the castle and exploded on impact into smoke and flame. “Wh-what have you done?!” cried Yokan. “You fools!” said the general. “Who told you to fire?!” Curses. I didn’t expect them to be this dull-witted! Yokan took his sword in his mouth and sprinted on all fours across the rooftops, heading for the burning castle. “Help, my liege!” “Save us!” Don’t die, you old mog…! With little concern for his own health, Yokan plunged onto the castle grounds, when… “Outta the way, Sooty!” “Huh?!” Yokan moved swiftly aside, just in time to dodge a glinting object that skimmed by his side. It landed in the roof tiles before him, and… Gaboom!! A whole cluster of azure mushrooms spread out from the point of impact, in great enough numbers to cover the whole roof. The mushrooms were soft and gelatinous, and as soon as their caps unfurled, they began dispensing water-like spores that extinguished the fires in the blink of an eye. The monstroom army attacking the castle suddenly stopped and examined the curious sight. “What?” “Yokan. What has he done?” “Mushrooms? But we’re mushrooms!” But none were more astonished than Yokan himself. “Wh-what the—?!” At first, he suspected some kind of illusion, but the watery mushrooms had form and substance. And these fungi had just saved every last cat in the castle. “They’re rainshrooms,” came a voice. “Don’t worry, the water’s not toxic.” At first, Yokan didn’t recognize the voice. Then he realized it was one he had heard very recently. “It’s you!” “There’s more comin’! Don’t just stand around!” There was a Swoosh! as the redheaded man sprang into the air, heading directly for the flaming projectiles descending on Yokan himself. “Take this!” He spun, unleashing a fearsome kick like the swing of a battle-ax. It repelled the balls of fire and sent them flying away in the opposite direction! The monstroom army stationed on the high ground looked up to see their very own artillery redirected toward them, seconds before the whole hill went up in flame. Ridiculous! thought Yokan. The man’s hair flickered in the wind like a plume of fire. Like a god of war, he landed beside him. It was the fiercer-looking of the two strange human folk he had pulled out of the sea only minutes before. “You save my life, I save yours,” the man said. “Leave the castle to me, Shogun. You go protect the town!” “You know me, then,” Yokan replied. “And who, exactly, are you?” “Bisco Akaboshi,” said Bisco. “I’m a Mushroom Keeper!” Then he took off across the rooftops, leaving Yokan to marvel at this bizarre introduction. “Mushroom…Keeper…?!” Then, after a second, he returned to his senses and sprinted after him on all fours. We really are in the Cat Realm, thought Bisco. As he hurried across the rooftops, his curiosity was piqued by the strange mushroom folk—the so-called monstrooms—that lumbered through the streets below. Never heard of mushrooms that can walk and talk. Musta been my Ultrafaith Arrow that created ’em… Guess that kinda makes ’em my children, huh? “Stop him! Stop him!” “Don’t let him go to the castle!” “Outta my way, assholes!” Bisco took out his shortbow and landed a red oyster mushroom arrow right at the monstrooms’ feet! Gaboom! Gaboom! “““Waaaah!!””” The explosion launched their bulky forms into the air, and the mushroom folk landed springily on the ground some distance away. Bisco continued along the rooftops until he reached those of the castle itself. “Listen up!” he announced to the monstrooms upon his arrival. “I’m Bisco Akaboshi, son of Jabi. I’m a Mushroom Keeper! I wanna save all you who’re bein’ controlled, so who’s in charge around here? Let me talk to ’em!” “Who’s he?” “Oh my.” Even the mushrooms don’t know who I am, thought Bisco. Kinda feels like a snub, not gonna lie… Bisco’s diplomatic approach was answered by a bellowing roar from the monstroom centurion. “You dare ask us to betray our mother?! Our loyalty to Geppei Amakusa is unwavering!” Geppei Amakusa? That was the second time Bisco had heard that name today, but he was given little time to consider it, for the monstroom leader’s celebratory words continued. “We were born from our mother’s golden arrow. Now we carry out her orders, to turn all of Byoma into our kind and build a mushroom legacy to last a thousand years!” “None may defy Lady Amakusa!” “Long live Mother!” “Long live Mother!” “Long li—” “Grr…” Bisco unleashed a jade-green glare, and the mushrooms clammed right up. Spores scattered about them as their bright-red caps shook with fright. “I see how it is,” he said. “So this Amakusa chick’s takin’ the credit for my arrow, huh? All you guys are bein’ lied to.” Bisco’s cloak billowed in the wind, and he pulled out his shortbow, tightening the bowstring. “He’s going to fire!” “All units, defend!” “You guys are life,” said Bisco. “And life should never be controlled. Let me teach you a thing or two about mushrooms!” Bisco’s canines glinted in the moonlight. “But before that,” he said, “let me show you what I’m made of!” “We’re in trouble.” “Fire! Fire! Turn him into fried human!” Ka-boom! Ka-boom! Ka-boom! The surrounding mushroom soldiers all fired their polearms, but not a single blast so much as singed the hem of Bisco’s cloak. He was like a whirlwind, dancing comfortably between projectiles with a grin on his face. Then it was time for Bisco to return a volley of his own. He unleashed arrow after arrow from his quiver, which hurtled between the fireballs and landed in the solid rock below, before exploding with a Gaboom! Gaboom! into clamshell mushrooms that blasted the monstrooms away. “Pao?!” “Mushrooms!!” “Do not falter! He’s only one…man…” But the centurion’s encouraging words ended on a somewhat disappointing note as Bisco landed right before him, cracking the earth. “Tell this Geppei Amakusa that if she wants to keep mushrooms…” “Pao…!” Bisco reached out and grabbed the leader’s red mushroom cap, then with frightening strength, lifted him up and over his own head, twirling him three-quarters of a turn, before slamming him into the ground behind him! “…She’s gotta be prepared to feed ’em!” Gaboom! The centurion’s heavy body struck the King Trumpet that Bisco had planted a moment before, causing him to be catapulted high into the air and off into the distance. “WHAAAAAAaaaaaaaahhh…?!” The leaderless monstrooms shared a confused glance. “He defeated the boss.” “Who’s going to pay us?” “Nobody.” “Run away!” They dropped their polearms where they stood and scattered in all directions. “…” Guess I’ve repaid my favor to the local lord now. Bisco watched the strange mushroom creatures as they fled. Then, all of a sudden, he sensed a strange presence behind him. Wheeling around, Bisco took a step back in caution. There before him stood a large black cat, his paw poised on the sword at his waist. It’s the lord again?! It was the Catwisp Blade, Yokan himself, striking a form Bisco had seen replicated in storybook illustrations as a child. Bisco opened his mouth to speak but found himself struck dumb by the terrifying aura the cat was giving off. …He wants to fight?! “I have made my presence known,” the cat said. “Let it not be said that I struck you from behind without warning.” “What’s this about?” asked Bisco. “Aren’t you gonna thank me for savin’ your castle first?” “Draw your weapon.” “Listen, cat! I was doin’ you a favor!” “Begin.” Yokan closed the distance between him and Bisco in a flash, and within moments the sharp edge of his blade was bearing down on the spot between Bisco’s eyes. Bisco let out a panicked yelp before drawing his dagger and blocking the blow in the nick of time. Ker-rang! “You’re insane!” Bisco cried. “I thought you were just a harmless human,” said Yokan as sparks flew from the clashing blades, “but you wield the mushroom arts as well. How could I have been so blind? You are nothing more than another mindless follower of Geppei Amakusa! I shall strike you down here!” With another Clang! the two fighters flung each other back and returned to a safe distance. “What, so anyone who uses mushrooms is evil?!” shouted Bisco. “They’re a tool, just the same as your sword!” “Evil speaks,” retorted Yokan. “A true warrior proves his worth in combat!” “I’m tellin’ ya, you’ll regret it!” Clang! Clang! Ker-rang! The sword Kintsuba and Bisco’s lizard-claw blade clashed again and again. Bisco himself was replete with the sunlight glow of the Rust-Eater, and he left a golden trail in the moonlit night as he moved. However, even with his superhuman strength and skill, he was no equal for Yokan’s fearsome swordscatship. The feline samurai moved at impossible angles and speeds, and he used a style Bisco had never seen before. It was only by relying on his uncanny instincts that Bisco could defend the blows at all. Wh-what the hell…? He’s good! “Your skill is impressive. A shame you have turned your paw to evil.” “I haven’t! That’s what I’m tryin’ to tell you!” With prodigal reflexes, Bisco parried a blow and launched Yokan’s blade back. He stepped in, bringing his dagger through to capitalize on the opening. “Got you!” Slash! “Wha—?!” “You failed to consider all of my weapons, human.” It was Yokan’s claws with which he struck back at the overconfident Bisco! The feline warrior did not flinch from having his blade repelled, but leaned into it, borrowing the momentum, twisting, and bringing up his sharp toes to slash at Bisco’s chest. Bisco reeled back, blood spurting from the three horizontal gashes in his skin, but Yokan rushed after him, holding his katana in his jaws. He is a strong foe. I must finish him now, before he gets the better of me! On all fours, Yokan dashed, pouncing at Bisco as he attempted to jump back… But then the gleaming look in Bisco’s jade-green eyes made him flinch. “!!” He hesitated. Only for a moment, but it was all Bisco needed. The Mushroom Keeper drew his shortbow tight, aiming it directly at Yokan’s head! “This is it!” I’ve failed… To Yokan’s masterful powers of foresight, it was obvious how the pitifully short remainder of the battle would go. Forgive me, Shibafune! Pchew! Bisco’s arrow skimmed Yokan’s cheek, disappearing into the distance and landing in the mountainous wilderness beyond. Gaboom! A second later, an enormous Rust-Eater mushroom burst out of the rock, with enough force to carve out a crater in the hillside. The golden stalk lit up the night like a volcanic eruption.