I began to ponder.

I believe that Kenshin went crazy because he had power beyond his stature.

Yes, if only he didn’t have the power, he would understand the feelings of those whom he had been hunting down.

Only when you actually put yourself in the other person’s shoes can you understand the fear.

Although by the time you understand it, you may have already lost it……

“Don’t move.”

I grabbed Kenshin’s head and whispered as if praying.

――From now on, you will not be able to recall any techniques in 【Sword-drawing】, and if you grab a sheath’s mouth, your limbs will instantly become limp.……

And then――《Brainwashing Magic》 was invoked.

“? ? “

I slowly released my hand and smiled at Kenshin, who was stunned.

……Hilarious. The face of a man whose decades of diligent training, the one and only treasure he could be proud of, crumbled away in an instant without his knowledge.

He hasn’t noticed it yet. Well, when will he realize it?

Anyway, it’s fine even if he doesn’t notice it. I no longer have the slightest interest. I don’t care what will happen. I will never see this guy again.

I turned back to Akaneko again.

“So, Akaneko, you wanna come over to my place? “

“Wait a minute, what are you saying!? What have you done to my father just now!? “

“You’ll find out eventually. Yeah, let’s wait a few days, since there will be preparations to be made. How about in two days? “

“2 days!? “

“Eh, sorry. Three days then.”

“That’s not the point, stupid! “

Akaneko still seemed to be taking some time to accept the situation.

Let’s split up and have some time to cool off here.

“――Second Triple Crown, no, or rather, Quadruple Crown! Please, by all means, say hello! “

Now, next, to the Miroku dojo……. As I was thinking about it, a short, fat, middle-aged man in a very good mood suddenly came up to me and started talking.

“Who are you? “

“You’re still a bold and magnanimous man. I am Toukichirou, the head of the Daikoku-style school.”

“Oh, you.”

He does not look like he could wield a katana very well. Is he in the position of a manager rather than a master of the katana?

“Do you know me? “

“Of course, I do! I have seen the last title competition with my own eyes.”

“Hee. So, you fought in the Bishamon battle? Looks can be deceiving.”

“No, no, I was famous in the past, but I can’t possibly compete nowadays. Our Kanbei here was competing. I am but the chaperone.”

“Kanbei, huh? That guy has quite a talent.”

“Thank you for your kind words! Kanbei surely will be eager to devote himself to his training! “

……What the heck? He’s great at buttering up to people.

“Huh? But I didn’t see you at the awards ceremony…… or rather, I didn’t even see Kenshin.”

“That’s as it should be. It is a bad tradition on this island. I am here to discuss one of these issues with you.”

When I suddenly realized this fact, Toukichirou said, “I’ve been waiting for you! ” As he continued talking.

Immediately afterward, a lot of wild comments flew in from all over the dojo.

“What is a bad tradition? Shame on you, Toukichirou!! “

“Sword-drawing is our country’s greatest treasure! It would be a great shame to be showing it off like that to a bunch of strangers! “

“That’s right! A Bishamon battle is not a mere spectacle, but a celebration of warfare! We have no business getting along with people from the continent! “

It was Urashima and his students in the Jyurou school. In addition, the Tobatsu-style students were also complaining about something.

As I was thinking about shutting them up again, Toukichirou stepped forward and opened his big mouth.

“Will you shut up?! I am concerned about the future of this island!! “

It was a loud voice that echoed throughout the dojo.

Tremendous intimidation. I could tell at once that he was angry from the bottom of his heart.

“I am sure you have figured it out! The Bishamon was defeated! By this gentleman! The Triple Crown King of the Continent is this man! The righteous are the strong, were they not!? Now is the time to bring about a breath of fresh air! “

“That’s not what this is about! The island’s rules should be followed! “

“Our beliefs are too stiff! The Land of the Eight Swords must change now! If we don’t change here, there will be no tomorrow!! “

“What are you saying? Toukichirou, you just want to make money by inviting people from outside the island! “

A great, boisterous, and loud argument began.

Listening to it from the side, I could sort of grasp the situation.

In short, Toukichirou seemed to want to do something about this situation where the schools of the Eight Swords are endlessly nipping at each other’s heels. Primarily, in terms of money flow.

And the opponents, as they say, are comfortable with the current situation and are afraid of change. In particular, they are concerned that their current position will be threatened by a number of guys like me coming from the continent.

I see, that is why Toukichirou has been waiting for someone like me. Since he couldn’t overcome them by himself, he asked me, the winner of the Triple Crown, to do it for him. It is like a raccoon borrowing the authority of a tiger. And he sure acts like a raccoon.

However…… as for me, I’m all on board with Toukichirou.

“Hey, you know. Why don’t we take this story to this Miroku guy or whatever?”

While the conversation was going on parallel lines, I mentioned a name I suddenly remembered.

He’s some kind of behind-the-scenes watchdog who decides the name of this island’s schools. Was it the 20th generation now? It’s not quite fair to talk about this without including a house that has been in existence for that long.

And if that behind-the-scenes watchman nodded his head, he would get one more ally, and if he shook his head, I could make him nod his head with all the force I could muster. The job I’ve been entrusted with is simple and straightforward.

And that’s what I thought and said, but……

“How terrifying.”

“That must not be allowed.”

“Don’t you know the proverb ‘there is no curse from untouched gods’?”

Nothing but jeers.

As I was tilting my head at that …… my 《Transform》 was released due to time.

At that moment, Masamune came next to me and pulled my sleeve.

I followed her invitation, and when we were alone, Masamune broke the silence.

“Second-kun. Miroku-sama, you see, is never in the public eye. Do you know what that means? “

“No, not at all.”

“That’s what I thought. Miroku-sama is a human god (arahitogami) …… on this island, he is the same being as a deity. If God says something, that is absolute. Everyone on the island has to obey.”

“……Oh, that’s what you mean.”

So that’s why there is no curse from an untouched god, huh? I see.

Everyone is too scared to ask anything.

“We must not upset the current equilibrium. I’m sorry, you must understand.”

“I get it, I get it.”

Earlier, Toukichirou said.

The righteous are the strong. In other words, for Miroku…… this same thing applies.

“Then I’ll go see him alone. That would be okay, right? “

“Did you hear what I said? I just told you about it.”

“Heard it perfectly.”

“Haa……”

Masamune sighed at my words.

“Good grief…… You just don’t get anything.”

I was taken aback. But then, in a small voice, she muttered, “But I’m the same”.

What does that mean?

As I tilted my head, Masamune stared at me with upturned eyes――

“Oh……ho.”

――She hugged me, tightly.

“……When you were stabbed, I felt a jolt in my chest that surprised even me.”

“I’m most surprised right now.”

“Yes, I can see that. Your heart is pounding……”

A few dozen seconds, maybe.

We spent a very strange time hugging each other without knowing why.

“You’re alive. You are still alive.”

Masamune said with a look of relief on her face, and slowly let herself go.

She then pulled out her own wakizashi with its scabbard and offered it to me.

“Swear to me that you will not die. Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.”

What is it that you will not forgive?

We’ve known each other for two days. We don’t have that deep of a relationship.

But well, that’s……

“Will you swear or not, hurry up.”

Masamune was urging me, leaving no room for anything. Her cheeks were tinged with red. As expected, even I know that’s not chilblains.

“I promise.”

“That’s all? “

“That’s all.”

“……I see.”

I accepted the wakizashi.

Masamune turned her back to me and strode away.

……The air felt a little strange. It made me feel a little restless.

I wanted to say something. I thought of that, and I said the words that suddenly came to my mind.

“Thanks for the umbrella. I’ll return it when it stops raining.”

I called out to her departing back as if to stop her.

Masamune stopped dead in her tracks and turned around with a big smile on her face.

“You’re really nice! “

＊　＊　＊

In the dojo, where Second had disappeared, samurai were chatting among themselves while the various heads of schools were engaged in a war of words.

“It looks like it was not a good idea to take on Knight with Gold.”

“Then what should you take it with? Your opponent has his Knight at the ready.”

“If you counterattack with Silver……”

“I see. However, with such skill …… you can’t see it from the front.”

“Certainly.”

The Samurai reflected on the flow of the match that Kenshin lost and pondered how they would have responded to the situation correctly.

But the answer did not come so easily.

“He is a frightening man. To treat Kenshin-sama like a baby……”

“I can’t even imagine …… defeating two of the best Tobatsu-styles practitioners on the island with just a scabbard.”

The more they thought about it, the more they saw the extraordinary skill of the man named Second, and the samurai involuntarily shuddered.

“Don’t you feel frustrated, you guys? Don’t be so gutless.”

“Kanbei-dono！ “

“That man will probably show up at the next Bishamon battle. It will be a matter of how much training we can do before then.”

“Kanbei-dono, a-are you saying that you will stand up against him? “

“Indeed. Even that man is a human being like us. There’s no reason we can’t catch up to him.”

“The top of the Daikoku-style is indeed different from the average. We must learn from his example.”

“Yeah, do that. And …… there are reasons why I can’t lose.”

Kanbei mumbled quietly. His gaze fell on Akaneko.

He had not yet given up.

“Aaaaahhh! Ahhhh!! “

“Kenshin-sama! Please be careful! Kenshin-sama! “

“Why! Why so?! Ohhhhhh!? “

“He’s feeling disturbed! Inside! Take him to the back! “

Suddenly, Kenshin started shouting.

The whole dojo looked at him.

Kenshin, however, was not about to stop, and he continued to rant and rave, his face pale.

In his hand was a single katana.

He did not even wear it on his belt, but held it tightly in his hand.

――For him, not even knowing how to equip his katana must have been …… unimaginably painful.

If only he could have handled the katana, he could have gone back to his old life, he could have dominated others again.

He couldn’t remember anything. He could no longer win again.

All he had left was to lose. He had become powerless, but he could not abandon his past glory, yet he could not remember it, and thus he would spend the rest of his life in pain.

What on earth would those who have a grudge against him think if they knew that he could no longer wield a katana?

Or would he himself be the first to succumb to the pain?

His end was already in sight.

“That will not do.”

“The Tobatsu is now finished.”

“I heard that Akaneko-sama is leaving the island, too……It’s finally happening.”

“Are we witnessing the shift of an era……?”

A new era was about to dawn in the Land of the Eight Swords.

By the contact between Second and Miroku――

======

Thank you for reading.