"What do you mean?"
Yuzuhira's frivolous and amused expression had disappeared, as I quoted the words of an extremely dangerous individual:
Sōsuke Aizen.
I sketched a confident smile despite my condition, staring into the kunoichi's eyes.
"I mean that you're currently refusing my words by taking them for lies. However, if I believe your later statements..."
I paused, to let her digest my words before continuing.
"You think I wasn't lying at the beginning of our meeting, right? But now, you think I'm lying to Gabimaru and Sagiri."
"That's it, isn't it?"
There was silence.
A logical situation, which can't just be swept away with 'stop lying' or 'shut up'.
Why?
Because Yuzuhira will become, for everyone, a liar or a hypocrite because of a double standard.
Especially since she's already tried to manipulate Gabimaru a few times since we met.
Unlike me, who's given a good impression.
In short, she's walking a tightrope.
"Don't worry about it"
I approached her.
Precisely, into her private space.
Our faces became extremely close.
"I understand you..." I said in a low voice.
I moved away slightly again.
"Truth and lies don't really exist in this world, in my opinion..."
I looked toward Sagiri.
"Only irrefutable facts matter."
I immediately alluded to my act of risking my life for her, something that can't be logically planned.
These people don't know the fictional notion of regression or travelers from another world.
For them, it's at best a myth.
Thus, Yuzuhira offers information yet to be verified.
But I've already proven my worth.
"The most brutal fact." I insisted again, but this time I looked at Senta's notes.
To further support my point.
"And yet, if you look closely, Yuzuhira..." I turned my attention back to her, because the next point specifically targets her and me.
"Human beings live their entire lives choosing only the truth that suits them."
For the first time since our meeting, Yuzuhira showed something other than confusion or a fake smile.
She showed mistrust.
A situation that could well degenerate to my disadvantage.
Why?
I'm clearly leading the discussion, aren't I?
Because humans are irrational creatures, quite simply.
She could attack me, since she wouldn't have appreciated this unfavorable situation in our little verbal battle.
A situation a bit like Tanya von Degurechaff, after firing an incompetent employee.
So I'd better go slowly.
Anyway, I've already won judging by Gabimaru and Sagiri's looks at her and me.
"So what? We should just believe you on your word like that? My notes with Yuzuhira can be proven!"
Senta decided to intervene.
I didn't panic.
It was inevitable to deal with him during a confrontation with Yuzuhira.
Genji will also intervene, if I go too far.
Anyway, Aizen's words have already sown doubt about Yuzuhira's intentions and usefulness.
I don't need to continue.
"I said it, didn't I? I only believe in irrefutable facts." I smiled at Senta, as I raised a hand.
"Tinder" a fist-sized swell of fire appeared.
"Why are you doing ninjutsu? How's that gonna prove your words?"
I ignored Senta, who's too emotional right now.
"Gabimaru, is this ninjutsu? Can you see any form of manipulation or body control?"
Gabimaru was slightly surprised by my call, but he cooperated.
After a thorough inspection, his look toward me changed.
He no longer looks at me with 'nonchalance'.
The shinobi was intrigued.
"No, this isn't ninjutsu."
"What?!"
"Wait a minute, this guy was never a shinobi?"
"That explains his fighting style..."
There were several reactions, some negative, others more neutral.
One thing's for sure, I never explicitly declared myself as a shinobi or immortal.
It's the people who made assumptions.
"Indeed, this flame wasn't born from ninjutsu but from magic—or sorcery, if you prefer."
I made other elements appear, before lowering my arm.
"Do you want to know how sorcery is linked to this island's identity?"
The silence and head nods around me confirmed that I was able to capture my audience's attention.
"It's simple: this island is a gigantic experimental site, with energy similar to what I use for my magic." I said the truth.
I really want to tell them about Tao, to learn it later with my guild card.
However, this is impossible.
If I lie about something now, it will harm the trust built with difficulty.
How will they know?
Sooner or later, they'll encounter Mei or a Tao user.
At that point, they'll have doubts.
Especially if they progress too quickly.
I can only guide Sagiri toward the middle path and learn her breathing style, after she's reached Tao herself.
"You want us to believe we're dealing with some kind of sorcerer?"
At Sagiri's words, I nodded.
"Not just one, but potentially a group, and this island is an experimental ground."
After that, I spoke very lightly about Kotaku Island's history, like a legend from my home village.
Without confirming my words as facts, but I showed that I personally believe in them.
Maybe thanks to the magic demonstration, the others believed me more easily.
Especially since it was easy for me to prove that the appeared monsters were artificial creatures.
They literally have no organs for reproduction. With all this... they were forced to accept this island as a test site.
"Now that you know everything... you understand we need to leave the island, right? If you're worried about the shogun, then just bring him back a monster or a 'sorcerer' from this island."
I just gave a suggestion.
"Hmm... I agree with Renji, this place is clearly artificial and created for a purpose."
As expected from Sagiri, but Gabimaru destroyed my hopes a few seconds later.
"Yeah, but if I go back... I'll be executed."
"In your village's legend, do you know where the powerful sorcerers of this island reside?"
I nodded.
They're all determined to go get themselves killed earlier instead of leaving, but it's not really my problem.
I just need to keep them waiting for a certain time.
"In our legends, Kotaku is divided into three regions: Eishū, Hōjō, and Hōrai."
Once again, I gave extremely vague information to avoid future suspicion.
"So we're in Eishū?"
At Yuzuhira's words, I gave confirmation.
"I suggest we go to Hōjō first and not directly to the legendary place Hōrai... We're not prepared for that, if you want my opinion."
As I finished my words, Sagiri fainted for no apparent reason.
After checking, butterfly scales were detected on her clothes.
She inhaled them involuntarily.
"Damn, we now have two injured people."
Gabimaru scratched his head in frustration, as he suddenly approached me.
"What?"
"You waiting for an invitation? Get on, we're gonna find a place to rest."
Even though it makes me uncomfortable, I agree to climb onto the shinobi's back.
Yuzuhira caught Sagiri in a similar way, before we looked for a resting place.
...
So I spent the night in a cave with Sagiri.
Nothing particular happened, except for a discussion between Genji and the samurai woman, when she woke up, about women's place on a battlefield.
Finally, the thing I ardently desired happened.
"Hey! Sunday kunoichi!" At the sound of my voice, Yuzuhira looked toward me, slightly frowning.
"Take this, bitch." I don't know if this makes sense in this era, but I don't care.
I showed my middle finger to the kunoichi, as I used my skill to return.
Judging by her surprised reaction, she must have understood the message.
A fictional world sometimes has unexpected advantages.
Bam bam bam.
"Yeah yeah, we're not gonna make noise anymore."
Once I arrived at my stable, I noticed that time hadn't passed.
I literally appeared in the same place and the outside still had a similar appearance to when I left.
Of course, I immediately went to find Kazuma.
"Kazuma, it's me."
"Sorry, I just had trouble with other adventurers recently."
The moment he opened the door, he was surprised by my clearly pitiful appearance.
"As you can see, I need healing."