Death Cultivator by eden Hudson (best books to read .TXT) 📕

Bailiff said, taking off his bowler and bowing his head. “We offer our sincerest apologies for disturbing your seclusion. If it pleases you, I offer my life in return for this offense.”

The Shogun ignored him. He was looking at the decapitated gangsters surrounding Warcry and shuffling his cards.

“What are Sword Wardens from New Iron Hills doing in Ghost Town?” He didn’t yell, but his voice carried to every corner of the street. “They haven’t dared attack OSS territory since my kishotenketsu broke through to Ten.”

The Bailiff stuck his hat back on his head, then grinned. “Well, Shogun, I believe I can shed some light on that.”

Takiru gave him a nod.

“Daphene!” the Bailiff yelled over his shoulder at the saloon.

A reddish-orange saloon gal with wide fox ears sticking up on top of her head peeked around the corner like the smallest sound might send her running.

One of the Bailiff’s big ghost hands beckoned to her.

“Come on out, honey, it’s safe now. We need to have a chat with the Shogun about what you told me.” His ghost arm hooked around her shoulder and gently pulled her closer. “You see, Shogun, Daphene caught a glimpse of somebody’s HUD screen just a few days ago.”

Warcry crossed his arms and scowled down at the ground. As the Bailiff went on, I started to get a bad feeling in my gut.

“The other day, Daphene was entertaining our newest rising star over there, Mr. Champion Warcry Thompson himself, when she saw him receive a message. Who’d you say it was from, Daphene, honey?”

She said something too quiet for me to hear.

“None other,” the Bailiff said, rocking back on his heels. “And Daphene, being the sharp tack she is, remembered that ol’ Biggerstaff’s a recruiter for the Eight-Legged Dragons. Now, Shogun, I took the liberty of having one of our Technol contacts patch me through to Mr. Champion’s HUD so I could check this message out for myself.”

Warcry’s face twisted into a snarl. Flames erupted across his skull and shoulders and down his arms.

“Ya snoopin’ trash!” He darted toward the Bailiff and threw a fiery punch.

I hit the Ki-speed and shot between them, knocking aside Warcry’s fist with a double-arm block.

“Oi!” His eyes burned into mine, trying to make me back down. “Didn’t I tell you once to mind your own?”

“Ever heard of confirming someone’s suspicion?” I said in a low voice. “What if this is all B.S. and he doesn’t have any proof?”

“Shoulda run with me, ya bleedin’ clown,” he growled.

Suddenly that unbearable pressure was back. My knees caved, and I sat down hard on my butt. Warcry managed to play it a little cooler, only dropping to one knee.

“Read the messages, Bailiff,” Shogun Takiru said.

I looked down the street toward them. No one but us seemed to be affected by the pressure this time.

“Yessiree, Shogun. And I quote—” The Bailiff brought his HUD arm up and cleared his throat. “—Received from Buddy Biggerstaff: Thank you for your repeated inquiries into placement with the Eight-Legged Dragons. At this time, we are not accepting unsolicited recruits. However, we offer many options for recruitment in the near future. It looks as if your local Big Five Tournament takes place at the Wilderness Territorial. We hope to see you there.”

Warcry was fighting against the Shogun’s force, grunting and trying to break free and stand up.

Obviously he didn’t get that it was still possible to get out of this, he just had to calm the heck down. I couldn’t tell him so, though, because I could hardly breathe. He probably wouldn’t have listened to me anyway.

“Bit of a form rejection, but you know how busy the Big Five trainers are,” the Bailiff said, grinning. “So, our champ—who’s far too good for this backwater and says so about once a day—he sends out feelers to no less than seven unaffiliated gangs, all of whom placed fair high in the last Wilderness Territorial. And you’ll never guess who answered him back.”

The Shogon’s voice was stone cold when he said, “Read it.”

Warcry went ballistic then, and the Shogun’s pressure increased until blood shot out my nose and I thought my skull was going to cave in. I couldn’t see Warcry anymore, but I could hear his feet scraping in the dirt.

“Received from Ajrah Swah—the Sword Wardens’ second-in-command, you’ll remember—Be ready. Night sun high. Bring only what you can carry while running. If this’s a trap, expect castration for starters.” The Bailiff let his HUD drop and stuck his webbed hands in his pocket. “Not a bad idea, eh, Shogun? For starters.”

“Was this indentured servant involved?” Takiru asked.

“You know, Shogun, I hadn’t thought of that,” the Bailiff said. “Smart boy might well have been, but I didn’t do any checking of his HUD. Muta’i said he does do a lot of messaging on the job.”

Holy crap, they were talking about me.

“I didn’t do anything,” I forced out in a breathless croak. “I never message anybody but...” I didn’t want to drag Kest and Rali into this. Who knew what kind of trouble they’d catch if I did? “I don’t care about other gangs. I want to stay in Ghost Town.”

The pressure disappeared.

“Prove yourself,” the Shogun said.

I got my arms under me and pushed up to my knees.

The Shogun pointed his deck of cards at Warcry. “If you’re one of us, if you want to stay in Ghost Town and be a part of the OSS—not as an indentured servant, but as a member with every benefit that entails—kill the traitor.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

“Kill the traitor. His treachery cost us six strong Spirits tonight. He has to pay.”

I looked at Warcry, who was getting to his feet now, too, then back down the street at the bodies hacked apart and scattered in the dirt. Suddenly everything smelled like blood and smoke and death.

“I’m not going to kill anyone.” I shook my head. “Forget it.”

“Demo,” the Shogun said, jerking his chin at me.

The dude with the pair of sawed-off shotguns stepped up beside us and