S06 - The Black Lightning Beast Report

General Summary

The Morigani Tandai gifts the party with their own riding horses. They prepare to set off, but just before they leave Kitagawa and Rue speak to Hakase and Tagoshi regarding Akira's condition. They tell them to look after him, and that he should manifest signs of being an Onikiri within the day. Kitagawa also asks them to look after him, and to make sure nothing happens.
The party embarks on their journey, leaving Sana and Murasaki behind on the orders of Lady Kisei. Hono chooses to leave his ramen cart, and the party sticks to the main road. As they approach Iwasaki farmstead, they are stopped by a vagrant. He asks for a fee, Kyo attempts to talk to the vagrant as other vagrants step out of the tree line, surrounding the party. Akira, not wanting to negotiate with bad people, attacks.
   As the party engages with the vagrants, Akira attempts to hide in the shrubbery but then wails in pain. The party looks toward his direction, and this creature with glowing red eyes and Taint armor, wreathed in black lightning, steps forth from where Akira was allegedly hiding. In the blink of an eye, the creature attacks the vagrants, leaving pools of blood and gore at the parties feet. The party gazes in terror at this malevolent creature before engaging.
The battle goes on for awhile, Hakase even falls unconscious. Eventually the party edges out the victory, and in place of the creatures corpse, Akira lies unconscious.
The party confused and tired, they elect to make camp so that they can rest while they send a scouting party to see if Iwasaki had fallen. They venture into Karekimori and Kyo and Hono volunteer to scout ahead.
Kyo and Hono arrive at an overlook and it seems that Iwasaki hasn't fallen and approach. A nervous farmer stops them from entering and asks who they are. After introducing themselves the nervous farmer is relieved and wants to take them to the village chief.
Back with the party, Akira wakes up and the rest of the party start interrogating him. Akira has no recollection of what happened but breaks down out of nowhere, crying unconsolably.

Character(s) interacted with

Nervous Farmer