Kana From Hell Part Seventeen

 

The next morning, Kana was sitting by the river, her hands tucked inside her kimono sleeves.

Toshihiro plodded toward her, yawning. He glanced at the bushes where he was certain he caught a glimpse of Ren. After last night, the two men decided on a truce and discussed further what to do about Kana.

Toshihiro approached Kana and smiled sleepily at her. "You are up early."

Kana didn't reply and looked ahead, deep in thought.

***

Ren stayed behind the bushes, keeping an eye on Kana but also eating a pear. This he hoped would sustain him until he could eat a proper meal again.

He heard a rustling sound and turned to see a woman walk past him. She stopped by a tree and turned around.

Ren was startled by her striking beauty. Her eyes were the most beautiful ones he had ever seen. Her hair was long and left open, unusual for a woman in this village where all women tied their hair up.

Ren swallowed, taken aback by not only her beauty but the way she studied him silently.

She smiled suddenly. He held his breath, completely entranced by the glow on her face. It was a coy smile as if she was hesitant to interact with a stranger.

Ren smiled back, hoping she saw him as a harmless man rather than a creepy man hiding in the bushes.

However, the moment he smiled, the woman's smile changed. It grew wider, and her hair floated behind her like a black cloud. Then the curls slowly unfurled, and he gasped when he saw the ends becoming sharper, almost like a blade.

He straightened, uncaring that he was visible to Kana. Stepping back, he instinctively reached for his blade.

The woman moved forward, and Ren nervously glanced back. The woman was a yokai. And if she was here, that meant...

Toshihiro's mouth was agape. Kana stood and revealed her bare hands.

"Your glove?" Toshihiro asked.

Kana did not reply. She only stared at Ren.

Ren turned back to the woman and realized he was trapped. He took a few steps back, but a lock of hair curled around his ankle and pulled. Ren fell to the ground, the breath knocked out of him.

Toshihiro looked up at Kana.

"What did you do?"

"I heard you both last night. I am tired of being constantly lied to." She looked down at him with tears in her eyes. "You are my grandfather, and you didn't tell me."

Toshihiro was taken aback. "I...meant to..."

Kana shook her head. "I was waiting for a yokai to come attack me. Instead, she found Ren. Perhaps this is better."

"He will be killed. That is a Hari Onago. She will rip him to shreds."

Kana shuddered, but she closed her fists.

"Kana, he will be killed. Hari Onago will not spare him. Do you really want to see him die in front of you?"

Kana clasped her hands to her mouth. "What have I done? How do I save him?"

"We have to get him indoors." Toshihiro began to jump towards Ren, who was grabbing the ground to pull himself away from the yokai.

Kana ran faster. She reached Ren and took both of his hands in hers. She pulled with all her might, but the Hari Onago was stronger.

"She will go after him because he is a man," Toshihiro called out.

The Hari Onago grinned. "After I am done with him, you are next."

Kana spotted the blade in Ren's pocket and pulled it out. She slashed at the lock of hair around Ren's ankle.

"Come on!" She cried as she pulled him up.

Ren stumbled but managed to balance himself as he ran.

"To the Minka," Toshihiro called.

Kana and Ren ran towards Yoshi's house while Toshihiro skipped behind them.

As soon as Kana and Ren entered, they grabbed Toshihiro and pulled him in before slamming the door.

Outside, they heard the clang of metal as the yokai's hair hit the exterior of the minka.

The three had their backs against the door and flinched when they heard the sounds.

"Is she gone?"

"She will. After some time." Toshiro gasped. "I hope."

Ren turned to Kana. "Why did you take off the glove?"

"She heard our conversation last night."

"Oh." Ren looked sheepish. "I still don't understand why you removed the glove."

"She said she is ready to face her challenges."

Ren flinched again when the metal sound rang around them. One blade pierced through the fibrous wall.

"Just wear it again," Ren told her.

Kana shook her head. "I am done hiding. She raised her hand and looked at her scar that glowed. "I want to see what I am capable of."

Before the two men could react, Kana pushed them aside and opened the door.

She walks slowly towards the Hari Onago.

The yokai smiled triumphantly. "I suppose you are here to meet your demise. But you have already died once. I'm here to take you back to hell."

Kana didn't reply. She readied herself for an attack. The Hari Onago sent locks of her hair at her. Kana raised her left arm and easily blocked the attack.

The yokai was stunned. She retaliated by sending several locks of barbed strands at her, all of which Kana expertly dodged.

Kana smiled as she felt the power surge through her. She rushed toward the yokai and lunged. Her left hand clasped around the yokai's neck and squeezed with all her might.

Hari Onago fell back, and Kana stranded her, pushing more force on her neck. The yokai's eyes bulged before the life went out of it.

Kana stood over her and watched as all of the yokai's hair retracted into her skull.

Kana smiled to herself as Toshihiro and Ren joined her.

"You killed a yokai with your bare hands," Toshihiro remarked.

Kana raised her left arm. The scar that forked towards her elbow stopped glowing.

"No. I just killed her with this arm and with this hand."

Toshihiro and Ren exchanged glances. Kana had a faraway look in her eyes and a determined countenance.

"Kana...?"

But Kana paid Ren no heed. She had power surging through her. She was given an opportunity to do something with it.

Kana flexed her hand, then closed it in a fist. A smile formed on her face. She was condemned to hell, anyway.

So why not use her newfound powers to exact revenge on those who had wronged her mother?

She walked ahead and heard footsteps behind her.

"No!" She said sharply.

Ren and Toshihiro came to a complete halt, startled by the once timid girl using a fierce tone.

"This is my journey. And I intend to complete it on my own."

She turned around and walked ahead without taking another look behind.