"Brothers, fight your way out with me!"
"Charge!"
The bandits roared as they launched their suicidal charge.
In the stronghold's square.
"Here they come!"
Good stared at the stronghold's main hall and slowly raised his right hand. The moment the bandits rushed out, he swung his arm down with a roar!
"Let them have it!"
"Yeah!!!"
The samurai excitedly pulled their triggers, pouring out all their ammunition and instantly stopping the bandits' charge.
For the first time in all these years, a battle had gone this smoothly for them. Even Shutenmaru's gang, which had dominated Kuri for decades, was fleeing with their hands over their heads.
Using fire and firearms went against the samurai spirit, but the results were outstanding, and it was all thanks to Lord Good's command.
"Hahaha, this feels incredible!"
"That's Lord Good for you!"
"He cornered the monster of Kuri without breaking a sweat! Even Kin'emon, the famed master strategist, probably falls far short of Lord Good's brilliance!"
"Of course he does!"
The samurai cheered excitedly.
Good's expression gradually darkened.
Kin'emon?
That guy counts as a 'master strategist'?
Of all the people these bastards could compare me to, they had to bring up Emperor Kin. Apart from having a health bar thick enough to rival the Four Emperors, how could that guy possibly compare to me?
What fucking rotten luck!
Bang!
With the final gunshot, the stronghold's square fell silent. Only the crackle of burning wood remained.
Four figures stood in the clearing.
"Huff... huff..."
Covered in blood, Shutenmaru gasped for breath, glancing from the corner of his eye at the only three brothers he had left.
"Damn it!"
His heart bled.
In less than a day, his hundred-odd brothers had been reduced to three. Even though he had long known this day would come, he still couldn't accept it.
Pain, regret, fury!
Every emotion tangled together.
Just then, the three surviving bandits exchanged glances and resolutely stepped in front of Shutenmaru.
"Boss, run!"
"We'll cover you!"
"The east is all on fire! Head west!"
Shutenmaru froze.
"You-"
"Boss, we've done every wicked thing imaginable. We deserved to die long ago. But you're different. You still have a mission to fulfill. You can't die in a place like this!"
With death approaching, the bandits instead let go of their fear. All that remained was the desire to cover Shutenmaru's escape. They all knew what their boss wished for.
Only five years remained until the time Lady Toki had foretold!
"Let's go!"
"Don't underestimate a bandit's resolve!"
"Kill them!"
The three bandits launched their suicidal charge.
Good's gaze remained calm, without the slightest thought of showing mercy.
"Kill them!"
"Yes, Lord Good!"
The samurai swarmed forward, instantly engulfing the three bandits. But a moment later, more than a dozen samurai flew into the sky, screaming.
It was Shutenmaru!
"Pirate!!!"
Shutenmaru threw back his head and roared, swinging his sword to send every samurai surrounding him flying. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Good.
This was the man who had planned it all.
He, above all, had to die!
"Out of my way!"
Shutenmaru roared and swung his sword. The resulting slash wave cleared a path, and he charged straight at Good.
Good remained composed and spoke slowly.
"Daikoku."
Clang!
Daikoku appeared in front of Good, blocking Shutenmaru's slash with his sword. The tremendous impact forced him half a step backward, tearing open the wound on his chest.
"Urgh!"
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth!
Daikoku's mouth was full of blood, his eyes filled with frustration and conflict.
Damn it, what the hell am I doing?!
When he heard Good's order, he had instinctively stepped in front of him. Only after coming to his senses did he realize what he had done.
His orders were to assassinate Good!
Yet he was protecting Good. All he had needed to do was stay put and wait for Shutenmaru and Good to fight.
Damn it, that man must have some sorcery that bewitched people. Even a battle-hardened veteran like me fell under its influence!
Enduring the pain of his reopened wound, Daikoku stood firm against Shutenmaru's attacks without the slightest intention of retreating. His pride as a ninja wouldn't allow it either.
"Shutenmaru, don't think this will go the same way it did earlier today!"
"It's you!"
Shutenmaru recognized Daikoku too.
He was the samurai who had fought him earlier that day. He hadn't expected him to survive.
I'm out of chances!
Shutenmaru glanced around. More and more samurai were charging toward him. If he didn't leave now, he would die here.
"Move!"
Shutenmaru tensed his muscles and unleashed a sudden burst of strength, driving Daikoku back before quickly leaping westward!
Squelch!
The instant his foot touched the ground, a sharp stone spike pierced straight through it!
Shutenmaru's pupils contracted. An overwhelming sense of danger forced him to retreat at once. A moment later, a dense cluster of stone spikes appeared ahead of him.
He had nearly been riddled with holes!
"What is this?!"
Shutenmaru dropped to one knee, staring at the Stone-Spike Forest with lingering dread. But he had no time to think. The enemy had already surrounded him again!
Good stepped out of the crowd and looked down at the kneeling Shutenmaru.
"You think you can leave?"
"Pirate!"
Shutenmaru stared fixedly at Good, accepting that death was imminent. But even if he died, he would take the man before him along.
Otherwise, five years from now, this man would surely become the Kozuki's greatest enemy!
Clang!
Shutenmaru thrust his sword into the ground and reached into his clothes with his other hand. Just as he was about to act, a roar that stunned him rang in his ears.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Togen Totsuka!!!"
Chapter 45: What Script Are You Following, Anyway?
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Togen Totsuka!!!"
A ferocious cross-shaped slash wave shattered all the massive stone spikes behind Shutenmaru, opening a path down the mountain!
Immediately afterward, a black-clad figure with only his eyes exposed descended from above, landed beside Shutenmaru, and swung his twin swords again.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Togen Shirataki!"
An enormous slash wave powerful enough to cleave a warship swept across the square!
Boom!!!
Dust and smoke surged skyward as nearly a hundred samurai flew into the air, screaming.
At the center of the dust cloud, Yamato stood in front of Good with her Spiked Club held diagonally, blocking the incoming slash wave for him.
So strong!
Yamato's eyes widened in surprise.
Although they hadn't actually fought, she could feel his strength through that slash. Even she would have to take him seriously.
"Good, are you all right?"
The girl hurriedly looked back to check on Good, only to find a strange smile on his face.
What's going on?
Yamato felt a chill.
Every time Good smiled like that, someone was about to have a very bad day.
"Good, what are you smiling about?"
"Nothing."
Good smiled and shook his head.
After all that waiting, the one I've been waiting for finally showed himself!
"Yamato, I have a task for you."
"Hm?"
The dust slowly settled. The black-clad man and Shutenmaru had vanished, but that brief appearance had still left clues.
Daikoku's expression darkened. He knew the black-clad man very well.
"That was Ushimitsu Kozō!"
Ushimitsu Kozō was a chivalrous thief who robbed the rich to help the poor at a quarter past two in the morning. He was the Flower Capital's most wanted criminal and had remained at large for fifteen years.
The Oniwabanshu had gone to great lengths to capture Ushimitsu Kozō, only to return empty-handed every time and suffer utter humiliation.
He had pursued Ushimitsu Kozō himself!
Before you continue