The smoke of battle cleared faster from the Flower Capital than from Onigashima, but the grief, relief, and still-sharp hatred hanging in the air were far richer and more complex.
The Shogun's Mansion lay in ruins. Its former luxury and grandeur had been reduced to scorched earth by the rebels' fury and the fighting. Kurozumi Orochi's last diehard loyalists-the elite ninja of the Oniwabanshu and a handful of fanatical retainers-had retreated into the deepest reaches of Tenshu Palace, stubbornly resisting behind intricate mechanisms and narrow passages.
Denjiro, who had completely shed his Kyoshiro disguise and resumed his Red Scabbard attire, and Kawamatsu were leading the finest warriors in the final sweep. Short, fierce battles erupted on every floor, in every room. Bearing twenty years of blood debts, the samurai attacked ferociously, while Orochi's men fought like cornered beasts, knowing surrender meant death as well.
After briefly treating his injuries and arranging the follow-up matters on Onigashima, Lin Yan also arrived at the Flower Capital. He needed to ensure that Orochi, the instigator of this disaster, was dealt with once and for all, and to witness the end of this country's twisted rule with his own eyes.
He did not join the assault directly. Instead, he stood in the square before the ruined Shogun's Mansion, gazing calmly at the towering Tenshu Palace, from which cries of battle still rang out. Beside him stood Kozuki Hiyori, dressed in a plain, elegant kimono, a short sword at her waist. The allure and frailty of her courtesan days had vanished from her face, leaving only the composure and resilience of the Kozuki Princess. Yet deep in her eyes, that profound sorrow remained impossible to conceal completely.
"Will Lord Denjiro and the others... be able to handle it?" Hiyori asked softly, her voice trembling slightly.