What if Aza Chobei had a different executioner? What would happen if an unranked woman of the Yamada clan took his brother's place instead? Mizuho may be looked down upon, but won't be underestimated by the Bandit King.
This franchise belongs to Yuj...
The pair were suddenly awakened by Rien who just came back with two Doshis accompanying her. Surprised, Chobei and Mizuho hold each other to protect themselves, questioning why the leader of Lord Tensen was back.
"I wanted to express my gratitude towards you both for helping me study your Taos." Rien thanked as the Doshis on her sides move towards the Bandit King and his executioner, suddenly bowing down and handing the two humans clothes.
"H-huh?"
"What hell is this?"
"These will be your regular clothes from now on." One of the attendents said. "The woman's garb is from Great Sage Ratna, while the man's clothes is from Imperial Monarch Cundi. Please change into them. They had constantly annoyed Master Shangdi Samantabhadra..." They looked at Rien and continued. "... that he should give you two different clothes. Especially the latter since Great Sage Ratna found you both attracted."
Mizuho started blushing a bit until the two of them got up from the bed and began to change. Chobei was now wearing a white hanfu that was underneath a black robe with a flower in the middle surrounded by leaves. He was also donning a black pants and boots. There was also a belt strap with an extra band attached to it, as if it was to hold something. The blond felt like that something was missing.
"Oi, you forgot something!" Rien yelled at a Doshi as the attendant ran back to give the Bandit King a dao, kneeling down in forgiveness.
Chobei smirked proudly at the gift and kicked the servant in the face as he grabbed the blade, admiring it. He was admiring the sword's sharpness and reflection until it was interrupted by his executioner's comment on her new clothes.
"Ummm... I don't know this Great Sage Ratna person, but..."
The Bandit King looked back at Mizuho who was now wearing a crimson, keyhole one piece with navy, crisscrossed stitches over her exposed cleavage. On her outfit, there was a similar flower and leaf emblem to that of Chobei's. She was also wearing a headdress full of pearls and jewels dangling, a long, silk, royal blue scarf, and navy sandals showing off her real height as shorter than him.
"... this looks cute..."
She then looked at Chobei was still staring at her, making the executioner doubt herself.
"... is it?"
He jumped onto the bed in order to move to her side, held her cheeks, and kissed her softly on the lips.
"Of course..."
She blushed hard as soon as those words left his mouth.
"Thanks..."
"But that Great Sage Ratna fellow better pay for making you this outfit for their own perversion."
Mizuho giggled a bit until she was interrupted by Rien who went to sit on the bed, drawing on a sketchbook.
"Chobei. Mizuho. You'll now undergo the rite of hermitude."
She then showed a diagram of a caste-system with labels and horribly drawn figures as Rien explained (in the picture below).
What... are those... ball things...? Mizuho questioned in her head, not wanting to anger Rien for her terrible drawing skills due to her artistic training as both an oiran and a member of the Yamada clan.
Are those supposed to be people...? Chobei thought bluntly as he wanted to criticize, but he didn't really care about the creative arts a lot.
"Then, as Tensen, you'll prove invaluable to our research." Rien concluded.
"Wow, there's nothing sentimental about you, huh?" Chobei casually taunted.
"Chobei!" scolded Mizuho.
"What???"
As the former oiran reprimanded the Bandit for his behavior as she didn't want them to turn into Tan, Chobei kept saying that he was trying to be honest. Mizuho laughed a bit until the two playfully arguing a bit with Rien staring blank at them. It was as if... it was the sounds of a loving married couple were arguing, but eventually made up... kissing each other as an apology....
"Enough." Rien's voice boomed throughout the room, scaring Mizuho, Chobei, and the two Doshis into submission. "Once you reach the Tensen level like us, you two achieve what's called a Kishikai form. In order to describe it, they're basically similar to your Waitanhua Flower forms. However, you two can use it as long as you want until you've reached your limits. Meanwhile, regardless of how exhausted we could be, our transformations only last for half an hour. Additionally, you two revert back to your normal human forms, while we run out of Tao, resulting in us taking an elderly weakened state. This leaves us vulnerable and mortal, meaning that we would need to replenish our regular states by absorbing those with Tao."
Another weakness...
"We, the Tensen members, are hybrids. Combinations of human and nonhuman life, hence explaining the differences between us and you. Now you two, follow me." She said as she left with her two attendants into the hallway.
"Well... that was intense." Chobei said, undermining the fear he felt.
"Why? You scared?" teased Mizuho.
"Heh. Since when did you get so bold~?"
"A certain Bandit King helped me a bit~"
She then grabbed onto his shoulder as the two slowly followed Rien, awaiting for their training.
Hey, I'm gonna keep this short so that I can adapt the rest of the Aza Chobei: Road to Hermit-dom extras later. I'm also gonna to add more details for previous chapters in the meantime. Thank you for over seven hundred reads!
Edit:
I added tidbits about the Kishikai forms as well as the Tensen members.
