7. Child abduction and trafficking

"Uncle, how much is this apple? A delicate child in a white kimono asked at a fruit stall. The uncle who sold the fruit immediately quoted a suitable price. Taking the money out of his belt, the child was about to leave with a bag of apples.

As if remembering something, the boy turned around and asked with a smile: "Uncle, please trouble how to get there." ”

"Balong, why do you want to go there, it's fighting. "The uncle who sells fruit is tidying up the fruit road.

"It's my dad who's going because my uncle is there. The boy was still smiling.

"If you go, tell your dad to be careful, it's not as safe as this. According to the old man next door to me, he may be cut down when he walks on the street. It was only three days to walk in the direction of my finger, and in the middle there was a forest where the tiger was going to make a detour past the town next to it. It takes about 5 days. The Nara tool shop at the end of the street sells maps, so you'd better buy a copy. ”

The fruit seller shook his straw hat and fanned the wind, pointing in one direction.

"Thanks, uncle. ”

Farewell to uncle. Yagami Qi tossed a bright red apple in one hand and walked slowly to the tool shop at the end of the street. Although he didn't smile, his eyes were full of joy. Despite the civil strife, it is the capital of Tanokuni, and the basic livelihood of the people is maintained, and the shops are still open. In the streets, there are also groups of three samurai who maintain law and order. However, there is darkness in the most orderly places, not to mention the country of Tanokuni in the midst of war. Just now, Yagamiki found out that he was being targeted by three little hooligans. Also, a well-dressed child, without an adult around, is really the best target for robbery.

Yagami tossed an apple and walked into the corner of a street. A tall, thin man who had been in the crowd gestured to his companion, swayed, and with his familiarity with the terrain, outflanked the rich kid from the other direction.

If they had seen Yagamiki's hand hanging down, they might not have done it. In his wide sleeves, Yagami played with the knife flower with a knife, occasionally shaving off the flesh and sending it to the mouth of the white snake wrapped around his wrist.

"Oh, oh, oh, what a cute kid. Are you lost with your parents, do you want your uncle to take you to find your parents? In front of Yagamiki, the tall and thin man stood in front of Yagamiki with a smile.

"Don't!"

"Why? Teasing the child, the tall and thin man kept a smile that he thought was friendly.

"Because Uncle is a bad guy!"

"Ah, why do you think so. ”

"Because my mother said that someone like my uncle who laughs ugly and disgusting must be a bad person!" Yagamiki couldn't help it, and Yagami showed a funny smile.

"Damn, stinking little imp, see if I don't sell you to human traffickers. The tall and thin man was fierce.

The child in front of him seemed to have been frightened and looked at him blankly. With an impatient cut, the tall and thin man threw himself and hugged the boy. There are so many kidnappers, this one is the stupidest. However, it is also the finest and tenderest meat, and it can probably be sold for a very high price.

"What's the matter, Yamada-kun pick up the child, let's go. Seeing that the accomplice was holding the child without moving, the short and fat chubby face behind him said.

"I don't think he can do it. Yagamiki turned around, and the tall and thin man's body lost support and fell limply to the ground.

Bending down slightly, dodging the gangster's unskilled straight punches, Yagami Qi bullied up. A flash of light flashed through the wide sleeves of his coat, and the knife had been inserted into the side of the short and fat man's neck. With a single blow, Yagami slowly retreated, allowing the man to clutch his neck and struggle weakly. He didn't want to spill his own blood.

At the same time, a streak of white ejected from Yagamiki's sleeve. By the time the other person reacted, the white snake had wrapped itself around his neck.

The man grabbed the snake and tried to untie it, but the white snake seemed to notice his thoughts and strangled him hard. The man felt that it was dark in front of him, and he fell limply to the base of the wall.

"Now, tell the rogue uncle of the part-time trafficker. How many children have you abducted and put them there again? ”

I don't know when, the child in front of the man was holding a small knife for peeling fruit, smiling and dangling in front of his eyes.

The man didn't dare to underestimate this knife, the other one was still stuck in his accomplice's neck. And now, the accomplice who pulled out the knife is clutching his neck and dying.

"How many times have you said that, Shirahoshi, relax while I ask. You see, he can't breathe, how can he answer me? ”

Yagami stroked his forehead, looking distressed.

Finally gaining room to breathe, the man gasped.

"Me, this is the first time I've done anything like this. I also have..."

Bang~, Yagamiki punched the man in the face.

"I'm not interested in hearing anything else, now tell me where the abducted children are. ”

Looking at the knife approaching his eyes, the man had no doubt that if he said nonsense, the small knife would stick into his eye socket.

So, he quickly said everything he knew. "The children are all in a secret house on the docks, and business has been sluggish these days, and the guards have been strict with the samurai. There are 15 children left. ”

"Obviously there's something you haven't told me. Yagamiki said. Shirahoshi snoked cooperatively.

"Ahem, ahem. I say. There, there was the boss and his mother-in-law watching. The boss called Yamada Ichi is the older brother of the tall thin man you killed, and he is a wandering samurai. His mother-in-law has been trained as a ninja and knows a little ninjutsu. I can take you. Don't, don't kill me. ”

Taking the silver from the bodies of the two dead, Yagami Qi ripped the scarf from the tall and thin man and put it around the man's neck.

"It stinks!" Shirahoshi grumbled

"I've wronged you. Yagami said.

"Hey, how long are you going to sit. It's time for us to go. Yagami said to the man.

The man stood up and looked fearfully at the demon in front of him.

"Yamamoto Jinichi, why did you come back so soon. What about Yamada. Not far from the pier, a middle-aged woman with a little bit of posture asked.

"They said they were going to go shopping again. Swallowing his saliva, the man named Kinichi Yamamoto struggled not to notice the cold touch around his neck.

"What's the matter, sweating so much!" the middle-aged woman walked up to Yamamoto Kinichi and gently wiped away his beads of sweat.

It's a hint that the woman wants it again. If it was usually Yamamoto, he would have gone up a long time ago, but at this time, he only touched her ass to cover himself.

"My husband just went out. The woman licked her lips.

Gently pushing the woman away, Yamamoto ignored the woman's temptation, sat down in front of the table, and placed a pot of wine on the table with a thud.

"I was at the old brewer's and knocked on a jug of wine. Sister-in-law, do you want to try it?" Not far away, Yagamiki, nestled in the treetops of a tree, couldn't help but curse. "Why is your IQ so low, you can't act!"

Unexpectedly, the woman directly raised her head and drained the bowl of wine. Pull Yamamoto to play in the room and walk.

"Dead ghost, what are you doing with the twist and knee. It's not the first time. The old lady is not afraid of the cowardice!" "Come on, the woman can't help it first."

Within a minute, Yamamoto came out of the room. Of course, Yamamoto has no problem with anything. It was Yagamiki's druggic effect that worked.

To avoid danger and not to face the enemy head-on, this is Yagamiki's current purpose. After all, he was only five years old.

Leap down from the treetops. Yagami ignored Yamamoto Kinichi, who was standing tremblingly at his side, and walked to a long seat to practice on his own, a smile as gentle as the sun.

In the suffocating darkness of despair, there was a loud bang, and the bad uncle who had abducted the child fell to the ground and rolled in pain. In the space exposed by the broken wooden door, in the golden dust, a boy in a white kimono held out his hand to them with his back to the dazzling sunlight and a smile.

・・・・・・・・・・This is a picture that Tayuya, who later became one of the four members of the Otoshinobi, will never forget for the rest of his life.