LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The Tiger Unleashed
Echigo Province – The Mountain Pass, Year 9 of Tenbun (1540 AD)
The sound of laughter echoed across the battlefield.
Takeda Harunobu touched the blood on his cheek, his smile widening.
For the first time in this fight—
He had been wounded.
A single, shallow cut.
Insignificant.
But to the warriors who had watched the battle unfold—
It was unthinkable.
Because until this moment, no one had ever struck the Tiger of Kai and lived.
And yet—
The boy who had once been his sword stood before him, blade still raised.
Harunobu's laughter died down.
And his smile faded.
"You have done well."
"But this is where it ends."
The air grew heavy.
Because now—
Takeda Harunobu was done holding back.
The boy barely had time to react.
Harunobu moved.
Faster than before.Sharper than before.Stronger than before.
This was not just a battle.
This was a hunt.
A predator delivering the final blow.
The boy lifted his sword to block—
But the impact sent him flying backward.
His vision blurred.
Pain exploded through his ribs.
By the time his feet touched the ground, he was already moving to dodge—
But Harunobu was already there.
A second strike.Then a third.Then a fourth.
The boy gritted his teeth.
His body screamed in pain.
But his mind—
His mind refused to break.
"You hesitate."
Harunobu's voice was sharp.
"You still fight as if you have something to lose."
"But I do not."
His blade flashed in the morning sun.
"That is why you will die here."
The boy forced himself to move.
Pain did not matter.
Fear did not matter.
Because if he stopped now—
If he hesitated for even a moment—
Then it was already over.
He had made his choice.
He had defied the Tiger.
Now—
He had to prove he could stand against him.
No matter what.
The Battle's Turning Point
The next strike came for his throat.
Too fast to dodge.
So he did not dodge.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
Into the attack.
Harunobu's blade whistled through the air—
But at the last possible moment—
The boy twisted his body.
The sword missed by a hair's width.
And before Harunobu could recover—
The boy struck.
A direct thrust to the ribs.
A killing blow.
Or it should have been.
But—
At the last instant, Harunobu turned.
The blade cut through cloth, through flesh—
But not deep enough.
The Tiger of Kai grinned.
"Better."
Then his fist slammed into the boy's stomach.
The world exploded into pain.
And everything went black.
When the boy's vision returned,
He was on his knees in the snow.
His body refused to move.
His sword lay a few feet away, half-buried in the frost.
And in front of him—
Harunobu stood unharmed.
"You fought well."
The Tiger of Kai raised his blade.
"But it is over."
The warriors watched in silence.
The boy did not look away.
Because if this was the end—
Then he would face it head-on.
Without fear.Without regret.
He had chosen his own name.He had chosen his own path.
And if this was where it ended—
Then so be it.
Harunobu's blade came down.
And then—
It stopped.
Harunobu's sword hovered inches from his neck.
The boy did not flinch.
The moment stretched for eternity.
Then, finally—
Harunobu sighed.
"You are not the same as before."
The blade lowered.
Harunobu turned, sheathing his sword.
"That is enough."
The warriors stared in shock.
"My lord—?"
Harunobu's voice was calm.
"I did not come here to kill him."
"I came here to see what he had become."
He looked down at the boy, his expression unreadable.
"And now I know."
"You are no longer my sword."
"You are no longer mine."
He stepped back, mounting his horse.
"The next time we meet—"
"It will not be as master and student."
"It will be as enemies."
With that, the Tiger of Kai turned and rode away.
His men hesitated—
Then followed.
And just like that—
The battle was over.
The boy collapsed into the snow.
Alive.
But forever changed.
[Fated Death: Altered.] You have survived your battle against Takeda Harunobu. The Tiger of Kai has acknowledged you as an equal. You are no longer his weapon—now you are his enemy.
Fate has shifted.
But war is coming.