Adaption is Key (An Aza Chobei Fanfic)

Chapter Three: I'm My Own God!

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After taking Mizuho's hand, Chobei walked out of the raft with flowers blooming as the aroma showered them. Despite the beautiful sights and smells, the pair was awaiting for the dangers ahead of them. Immediately, they were taken aback by the Buddhist and Taoist statues around them as vines grew around the stone bodies.

"What are these doing here?" asked Chobei.

"I don't know," replied Mizuho, "but it really means we're in paradise if statues like these are here..."

Chobei was then taken aback by Mizuho giving him a sword that was on the floor. It was being held by a flowering corpse in front of the girl as it smiles happily with fragrance spilling out.

"Here, something to help you just in case... We might encounter more convicts like Horubo again..."

"Thanks." Chobei said to the girl as he stared at his reflection on the blade. "You're too kind."

Mizuho and Chobei walked deeper into the forest until they saw butterflies with human faces. Noticing these absurdity, they kept swinging their blades at the bugs, killing them all.

What in the world were they?  They both thought at the same time, taking in the perils of the island that await the pair.

They would eventually encounter three monsters in the forms of distorted Buddhist and Taoist deities slowly approaching them. The left one looked like an oni, the middles had an elongated face with long hair, and the right monster had multiple arms carrying prayer beads.

Mizuho stutters a bit, preparing in a defensive position.

"These things...are they alive...?" Chobei muttered. "If they're like those bugs, then they can be killed."

Mizuho watches in amazement with the Bandit King's analytical skills as he slices the middle monster with his sword. She then slashes the left monster's arms as it tried to grab her, dropping its weapon. As more monsters charged towards them, the pair grew tired with Mizuho anxiously exhaling from exhaustion.

"There's no end to these beasts..."

"Mizuho," said Chobei with a fatigued breath, "let's weave past these monsters and run."

Mizuho nods as the two ran off back to where they came with Mizuho using her sword and Chobei using his kicks to push away the monsters that tried to approach them. They were trying to find an alternate route to move towards.

It's true what the reports say... Aza Chobei is truly a master adapter... Mizuho thought.

When Chobei was captured, he told his brother to flee from their hideout... When the shogun told the criminals to reduce their numbers, he immediately knew it was a fight to the death... When he was correct, he killed his fellow convicts with relative ease despite his hands being tied... When Chobei was being choked by Horubo, he tore off his arms to release himself... He's a better version of me...

Suddenly, Mizuho's hair was being pulled. She looked up to see that it was pulled by one of the monsters as it smiles gleefully. Mizuho then looks back at Chobei who was staring at her before turning away, continuing to run.

Of course, why would anyone save someone as pathetic as me?

She then sliced off the monster's hands, freeing her hair as she continued battling them.

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As Chobei ran away, he was being clouded by thoughts.