Okita Soji stood on the mountain ridge, so small.
Just as her place in history had been—so, so small.
She raised her head and looked at Magatsu Kami, who held a naginata and had cut off all of Yukina's hair—her lover, Sakumura Anno. Her lips parted.
She lowered her head, wiped away her pathetic tears, and gripped Kashu Kiyomitsu's hilt.
"Sakumura, I'm sorry."
"Perhaps, as your lover, I failed in my duty to notice how battered and scarred your heart was."
"But now I can stand here, strike you down, and fall with you."
Clang—
Kashu Kiyomitsu left its sheath. Holding the blade in a reverse grip, she closed her eyes.
"First Step, Sound Crossing."
Whoosh—
Okita Soji's body suddenly flickered.
In an instant, she appeared by the lake.
Then she spun around swiftly and vanished again.
"Second Step, Unbroken Interval—"
She stepped precisely onto Oryou-san's wing.
"Third Step, Severing Blade—!"
Whoosh—
Okita Soji appeared before Magatsu Kami.
"[Mumyo Three-Stage Thrust]!!!"
Splat—
Kashu Kiyomitsu passed through Sakumura's body without surprise.
The blood of Magatsu Kami splattered across the sky, adding a bloody gleam to the black heavens.
But—
Magatsu Kami was unharmed.
Having devoured Black River Mountain, he would not be injured by swordsmanship of this level.
Yet he still turned around.
Behind him, Okita Soji was already falling, with no foothold beneath her.
Magatsu Kami instinctively reached out and caught Okita Soji's hand.
"Does doing this make you feel happy?"
Okita Soji looked up at Sakumura's eyes, filled with despair, and asked through a choke in her voice.
".Perhaps it does."
After a moment of silence, Magatsu Kami answered.
".I won't ask why you made this choice, Sakumura."
Ryoma stood atop Oryou-san's back, hovering not far from Magatsu Kami. His voice trembled slightly as he looked at him.
He