About a month and a half passed before Lucci found Ye Chen. That day, Ye Chen was catching birds on the Back Mountain. Lucci blocked his path as he returned.
"Took you long enough." Ye Chen couldn't resist teasing him the moment they met.
Lucci still wore a well-tailored suit. Every movement radiated an intimidating presence. He snorted.
In truth, Lucci hadn't been slow. Ye Chen, who usually loved showing off and stirring up trouble wherever he went, had somehow gone into hiding at the Isshin Dojo.
Ye Chen had barely made a sound all this time, as though he'd vanished off the face of the earth. It had given Lucci no end of trouble.
Still, with his unnaturally sharp instincts and remarkable judgment, Lucci had tracked him down to Shimotsuki Village.
"I didn't expect you to hide away and learn the sword. What, are you giving up hand-to-hand combat to focus on Swordsmanship?"
Lucci was curious. Ye Chen could match him in hand-to-hand combat, yet he had set aside his strength to practice the sword. Lucci couldn't understand it.
“What's the point of beating you at hand-to-hand combat? My Swordsmanship has to surpass yours too. Isn't mastering both cooler? How else could I be your captain? Anyway, enough of that. Have you eaten? Come on, my treat. It's been a while. I've actually missed you.” Ye Chen walked toward him as he spoke, Kongming.
Lucci's face darkened. He gritted his teeth. "Cut the chatter. Rankyaku!"
Before the words had left his mouth, a vicious kick shot toward Ye Chen. Ye Chen hurriedly dodged and grumbled, "Hey, why start trying to kill me the second we meet? Can't we fight after dinner? Are you really in that much of a hurry to kill me?"
"Hmph..."
Lucci snorted, unwilling to answer.