"Tell you what." Tetsuhiro decided to sweeten the deal. "To put your mind at ease, I won't just save Toki. We can each follow our own path and save the world our own way. We'll see whose methods work better, and then you can decide whether to join me."
"?"
Wait, weren't we just talking about giving up martial arts? How did this suddenly turn into whether I'd join him?
"..." Kenshiro couldn't quite follow his reasoning.
"If you don't answer, I'll take that as a yes. Come on." With that, Tetsuhiro beckoned Kenshiro out of the camp.
"???" Kenshiro was baffled all over again.
Tetsuhiro stepped forward, slung an arm around his shoulders, and pulled him along.
"Hey, following our own paths doesn't mean we have to split up. Besides, there's somewhere I need to go. We just happen to be heading the same way."
The survivors and the Elder quietly saw them off from behind, while the two kids naturally tagged along.
Feeling thoroughly uncomfortable, Kenshiro struggled hard, only to discover he couldn't break free no matter what he did.
His eyes immediately turned cold, and he said stiffly, "Let go of me."
"Where do you think we should go first?" Tetsuhiro acted as though he hadn't heard him.
Kenshiro was about to answer when he noticed the children following them. "Hey, you two brats, don't follow us. Stay in the camp."
"Let them come along. Come on, Lin, Barto."
"You... you're taking them with us? You're going to get them killed!"
As Tetsuhiro headed out, he pushed the two children toward Kenshiro.
"Wrong. I'm not taking them. You are."
"Me? Did I ever agree to that?" Resistance was written all over Kenshiro's face.
"They can help you. And they'll keep helping you in the future."
"Look at