As he spoke, his eyelids trembled slightly. His tightly shut eyes opened a crack, but there was no black within it, none of what normal eyes should have. Only white.
The man tried, but in the end he gave up, and his eyelids closed again.
He had blinded himself. No one knew better than he did how ruthless he had been at the time.
He did not regret it, but sometimes he still wanted to see the interesting people and things in this world.
Like now. He wanted to see Kuta and the others clearly.
"My request is simple. Let me travel with you for a while."
"Travel with us?"
Truthfully, Kuta had considered all sorts of possibilities. The one thing he had not expected was for Issho to ask to come with them.
With Issho's strength, he would be a major figure anywhere. What would he gain by following them?
"Yes." Issho nodded. "Since I can't sense you, I want to experience it for myself. I want to get to know you and your crew, and find out whether you're really as I've heard."
"That's all?"
"Yes!"
Kuta studied Issho, then lowered his head and rubbed the stubble on his chin with his thumb. After a moment's thought, he nodded.
"All right. A bet's a bet. Since that's your condition—and it hardly asks anything of me—how could I refuse?"
"So you agree?"
"I do." Kuta nodded, then reached across the gambling table with a smile. "Welcome aboard, Issho. I look forward to traveling with you."
"I wouldn't presume to teach you anything. I only want to experience a different view of the world for myself."
Though he had no sight, Issho rose as if he could see and reached out, clasping Kuta's hand unerringly.
"My name is Issho. I'm