Chapter 409: Lord Mosuke
Kazi inclined his head. Was that praise? Sasaki Kojiro, the great samurai that faced Miyamoto Musashi. He could feel the tension boiling upon the introduction of his name. The name itself fluttered about here and there. If they spoke of him, it was of his greatness and nothing else.
Ha, perhaps that was what made them so alike.
Lord Mosuke’s expression shifted, the faint smile disappearing as his tone became more serious. "It is fortunate that you are here, Otherworlders. The land of Matsue is young, and though we have built walls and raised our banners, there are threats that we cannot yet face alone."
The room seemed to grow quieter. He was the Lord and their actions would follow as he saw fit.
"A yokai lies deep in our precious Lake Shinji, the Bake-kujira. It is no ordinary specter. Legend says it is the vengeful spirit of a whale, harpooned by fishermen long ago, and its curse has lingered ever since." The Lord’s eyes darkened with the memory of past failures. "Many have tried to slay it. None have succeeded."
"When does it come?" Kazi asked.
"We do not know. No pattern, no absolute rule for its arrival. It simply arrives."
Hm. If history and mythology was any indication, the root cause was obvious.
"The Bake-kujira hunts humans who hunt whales, its own kind. It comes for revenge. And have you noticed?" Kazi pinched and rubbed his index finger and thumb. "This smell in the air..."