Chapter 78

On the hiking trail at Monte Sano Mountain, Musashi and I leisurely walk following the mystery machine gang that enthusiastically looking around the trail. Fred said we were going to investigate the trail before progressed to the forest outside the trail.

Many people are hiking alongside us on the trail which makes it would be hard to fight a heretic god in this kind of place. It's simple if God appeared at night, but it doesn't seem so as my intuition already rang when we started hiking.

"Is there a sea near here, Musashi?" I asked Musashi who walk beside me on my left.

"Nn? There is one in the south which quite far from here." Musashi answered albeit wonderingly.

"Hmm...I guess I'll need help to explain the aftermath. Yosh, let's leave it to that person who governs America." I nodded and said.

"Aftermath?" Musashi tilted her head and asked.

"It's nothing. You will see it later anyway. Let's talk about nothingness." I smilingly said.

"I don't understand, but okay! What do you want to ask, Izumi?" Musashi nodded and asked.

"Before that, can you tell me the conclusion you got from that riddle about nothingness?" I asked with a thoughtful expression.

"Hehe, I actually didn't think much about it. I just feel it was a roundabout way to say you need a switch for that!" Musashi laughingly said.

"Indeed. To put it simply it was like that. But do you know what is the nothingness itself?" I smiled and asked again.

"Honestly I don't know. Even before hearing the phrase from my father, I can already feel the wall that hinders me from nothingness. I tried to pass through the wall, but it's futile. I tried punching it, slash it, or meditate. But none of that succeded.

I thought my experience as a swordswoman was inadequate. That's why I decided to go on a journey to get more experience in life and to find my switch. But even now, I haven't found it." Musashi said while lifting her right hand to the air as if she was grasping something.

"For a talented girl, you sure think too much, Musashi." I gently grasped her right hand that lifted in the air and said with a gentle smile.

"Fue-!?" Musashi blushed when she feels my hand holding her with a dazed expression.

"I don't think you even need more experience as swordswoman as you're already one of the strongest swordsmen in the world. Second only to me of course. Maybe what you need now is the heart? Maybe having a purpose would be good." I smirked and said.

"Heart, huh... and isn't the purpose just to be the strongest swordsman?" Musashi asked as if forgetting that we still holding hands.

"Let me ask then. What are you going to do after reaching the nothingness?" I asked.

"Of course it's to... Are? What am I going to do after that?" Musashi said confusedly.

"How about we have a sword duel tomorrow? In the meantime, you can think about what I said." I suggested and said with a smile.

For a swordsman, duel with others will calm their mind. It's the type of talking with the fist that martial artists usually did. There is even a legend about a man and a woman who ended up married after dueled each other many times.

Besides that, it would be a good experience for us to duel with each other. Because I can feel it. If it's just sword skill she is only second to me and on par with Doni. I guess Shishou's talk about her being a genius was true.

"Understood... Ah? A-ano... your hand still holding mine... It's embarrassing..." Musashi nodded then shyly said after realizing her hand still holding mine.

"But I'm not the one who squeezing, though?" I smirked and said.

"S-sorry!" Musashi hastily pulls her hand and looked away with her cheek blushed.

We followed the mystery machine gang while talking with each other. But sometime Musashi seemed to think about what I said before. It seemed like they didn't find anything that can give them a mystery to solve. After some time, we decided to take a break and eat our lunch in the rest area.

"What is the plan after this?" I asked after I finished my lunch.

"We're going to the forest without a trail," Fred answered.

"It's because a rumor said there is an ancient cave somewhere in the forest," Daphne added.

"Yes, I am sure there will be mystery over there," Velma said.

"B-but, the ghost won't appear right?" Shaggy said with a terrified expression.

"Ghost?!" Scooby said with a weird accent. I guess he is scared too.

"Haha, the ghost isn't existed you know?" Velma laughingly said.

While the mystery gang talking about the ghost, I approached Musashi who sit with her back facing us looking at the family or couple who happily having lunch in the same rest area.

"Maybe having a family besides my father and enjoying life with them not bad after reaching the nothingness," Musashi said while dazedly looking at the family of four who sits in front of us as I sit beside her.

"Indeed, that's always one of the purposes of mine," I answered.

"Well, you do have many girlfriends after all. In case you're wondering why I know that my father always talks about you after all." Musashi smilingly said.

"Even if he didn't say anything it will be known sooner or later. You might don't know, but I'm relatively well-known in Japan." I laughingly said.

"I can imagine that." Musashi smiled and said.

"Anyway, look like they concluded their discussion and about to depart. Let's go, Musashi. You can think again while we're walking." I stand up and said with a smile while providing my hand for her to hold.

"Nn!" Musashi nodded and take my hand to stand up.

Then our journey continues. Fred and Daphne were in the front ahead of everyone while Velma was a bit behind because of the scared Shaggy and Scooby. Musashi and I behind them looking at our surroundings as we walk.

As we walk, no more people can be seen by us as they won't go to the dangerous untrailed route to hike. After walking for a while, we arrived at the river in the center of the forest. There is also a waterfall near the river.

Behind the waterfall, there is a big cave hidden by an old barrier that going to break any minutes. In the cave, there is a presence of a god, moreover a big one. While thinking like that, suddenly the barrier is broken and the gang and Musashi can see the cave.

"Hei! Isn't that the cave in the rumor?" Daphne said while pointing at the cave.

"Great! That means, it's the time to solve another mystery!" Fred excitedly said.

"How come we didn't see it before?" Shaggy wonderingly said.

"We might be tired because of a long walk and overlooked that. At any rate, I'm intrigued about the inside of the cave." Velma casually said, but the excitement in her eyes can't be concealed.

"Hihiihihi." Scooby just laughed as if he forgot the scaredness from before.

"Izumi... I feel like it's not good to enter that cave." Musashi said with a worried expression.

"Well, you are spot on. But it's not like they will hear you. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you or them since I'm here." I smilingly said then stealthily activated barriers for each one of them.

"Hehe... I believe you. Call it swordswoman intuition." Musashi said with a smile.

"Let's go, guys!" Fred said then started to walk with the gang following them.

Suddenly another presence of God coming toward us at a very fast speed. When I looked back, there is a slim gold spear flew in the speed of light aimed toward the mystery machine gang.

Even though I'm confident the barrier will deflect it. The effect of the clash will be dangerous for ordinary humans. I teleported to the middle of the course and assumed Iai stance with Mikazuki Munechika that I take from my inventory to deflect it.

*Clang* *Swoosh* The sounds of metal clashing reverberating in the forest then the turbulent air appeared when I deflected the golden spear. The golden spear that I deflected thrown away ten meters and with a strong force landed on the land.

*Boom*

"What happen?!" Fred shouted in panic.

"W-w-what is that?" Shaggy said with a terrified expression.

"...." Velma, who realized the trajectory of the spear cannot say anything and just looking at the hole the spear caused with her face paled.

Musashi, who also realized an enemy is coming already holding the two swords in her hands and looked at where the spear coming from. Without waiting, I flicked my finger and make the mystery machine gang sleep until tomorrow.

I didn't make Musashi sleep, because I want her to witness the fight as I'm planning to aggressively use swords to kill the heretic God.

"Musashi, get behind me!" I shouted. Musashi, who realized how dangerous the current situation nodded and get behind me with her hand still holding the swords.

"Hoo, you can deflect it despite being human?" A man with long blonde curly hair with only old Celtic pants leisurely walk and said. The man lifted his hand to the right and the red spear coming back to his hand.

"Too bad for you, I'm not human. Rather than that, what is 80s rocker coming to this place after throwing such dangerous things." I jokingly said.

"Nn? That's true, you are one of those blasphemies who killed gods and usurp their authorities. Oh and I can sense the presence of that old tyrant from you.

How fallen he got being killed by a human. Too bad for you, I'm not like him. For I am Lugh the savior, and you should bow your head to me." The man said with a arrogant expression.