"Cough, cough..." Kotaro Katsura coughed twice. "Don't misunderstand, everyone. I-I was just making a joke to ease the rather stifling atmosphere. If I'd really wanted this female spy to take out General Kondo, then I wouldn't have stood in front of him just now, right?" Everyone: "..." That did make sense.
"And the truth?" Just as everyone found that deeply reasonable and Kotaro Katsura was immensely pleased with himself, Sogo Doma abruptly asked.
"If I'd known this female spy's fists were that powerful, I wouldn't have blocked them..." Kotaro Katsura said instinctively. "I thought she could at most make the gorilla suffer a little. Damn it!" Everyone: "..." What a brutally honest guy!
"..." Kotaro Katsura shut down again for a while. "Cough, cough. If I said that was also a joke, would you believe me?" Everyone: "..." Who would believe that?!
?
"Then what's the truth?" Sogo Doma asked again. This time, it was not an unexpected strike. After all, no matter how airheaded Katsura was, after being ambushed twice, there was no way he would fall for it a third time.
"No more jokes..." Sure enough, Kotaro Katsura instantly turned serious. "This female spy is quite strong, Sogo. I finally understand why you became a hostage. If traitor Hijikata joined forces with this female spy, then they really would be difficult to handle..."
"Huh?" Before he could finish, Isao Kondo was baffled again. "Katsura, what do you mean? How did Sogo become a hostage?"
"You don't know?" Kotaro Katsura shot him a sidelong glance. "Could this have happened after you were defeated by the Great Demon King?"
"What Great Demon King?" Isao Kondo looked utterly lost.
"Kondo, didn't you fight the Great Demon King until you were exhausted and passed out?" Kotaro Katsura was puzzled as well.
"Huh?