I think.

　I think Kensin has gone crazy because he has powers that don't match his stature.

　Yes, if you don't have the power, you can understand the feelings of the people you've been pushing to the edge.

　It is only when you actually put yourself in their shoes that you can understand their fears.

　By the time you understand, you may have already passed away. ......


Don't move.

　I grabbed Kensin's head in a muzzled grip and reminded him.


　--I'm not going to be able to recall any techniques in the [Battoujutsu] from now on, and if I cut the carp's mouth, my limbs will instantly become weak .......



　And then - I invoked the 《Brainwashing Magic》.



''?''

　He slowly lets go of his hand and laughs at Kensin, who looks pouting.


　It's ...... hilarious. The face of a man whose decades of cobbling together, the one and only treasure he's proud of, crumbled in an instant without even knowing it.


　I haven't noticed it yet. Now, when will he find out?

　Well, I don't care when I notice. I'm not interested in the slightest bit of it anymore. I don't care what happens to him. I won't be seeing this guy again.


　I look back to Akaneko again.

So, Akaneko, are you coming to my place?
Wait, wait, what do you mean?　What did you just do to your father!
We'll see. Well, we'll have to wait a few days, since you'll be ready, how about two days?
Two days?
Yeah, I'm sorry. Okay, three days.
That's not the point, joke!

　Akaneko seems to be taking some time to accept the situation.

　Let's split up for now and give ourselves some time to cool our heads.



''-- Second Triple Crown, no, Fourth Crown!　By all means, say hello!

　Now, as I was thinking about going to the Miroku style dojo ...... next, a short, fat, middle-aged man in an extremely good mood suddenly spoke to me.

"Who are you?
Well, well, well, well, you're as bold and unrestrained as ever, aren't you? I am the headmaster of the Daikoku School, Toukichirou.
Yeah, you.

　He has an appearance that makes it hard to control a sword. Is he in a position to be more of a manager than a sword master?

''Do you know who I am?''
Of course I know that!　I have seen the last title fight with my own eyes.
'Heh. So you were at the Battle of Bishamon. People aren't always what they seem.
Although I was famous in the past, there was no way I could participate in this tournament in my current condition. My friend Cambei participated in the tournament. And I am the chaperone.
Cambei. That guy's got some sights to show for it.
'Thank you!　I suppose Cambei must be able to get into training too!

　This is ....... The yoyo is awesome.

'Huh?　But I didn't see you at the awards ceremony, ...... or even Kensin.
As it should be. It's a bad practice on this island (・・・・・). I have a question for you about it.

　When I suddenly realized that fact, Toukichirou said, "I've been waiting for you! He started to talk just like that.

　Immediately afterwards, there were a lot of jeers from all over the dojo.

"What a bad practice!　Shame on you, Toukichiro!
"Battoujutsu is our nation's greatest treasure!　It's a pity that you're just showing that to the riffraff like that!
Lefty!　A Bishamon war is not a spectacle, it would be a celebration of warfare!　I have no business being at odds with those on the continent!

　It's the Urashima of Jurou School and his students. In addition, a student of Kabobashi style is also complaining about something.

　As I was thinking about shutting them up again because of the noise, Toukichirou took a step forward and opened his big mouth.


'Will you shut up!　I am concerned about the fate of this island!


　It's a loud, rattling voice that echoes throughout the dojo.

　A tremendous sense of intimidation. You can tell in one shot that he is angry from the bottom of his heart.

'You all understand!　Bishamon has been defeated!　This gentleman!　The Triple Crown of the Continent is this guy!　The righteous are the strong, were they not!　It's time to bring a new wind in the sails!
That's not the same thing!　The rules of the island must be followed!
'You're too much of a bug!　The Eight Kingdoms of the Sword must change now!　If we don't change here, there's no tomorrow!
I don't know what to say!　Toukichirou, you just want to make money by inviting people from outside the island!


　A great tongue-in-cheek battle began.

　Listening to it from the side, one somehow gets a sense of the situation.

　In other words, it seems that Toukichirou wants to do something about the situation where this school of sword eighteen nations is endlessly milking each other among their people. Mainly in terms of money flow.

　And the opposition, he said, is so comfortable with the current situation that they're afraid of change. In particular, they're concerned that a few guys like me coming from the continent will threaten their current position.

　I see, that's why Toukichirou has been waiting for someone like me. He can't subdue them by force by himself, so he asked me, the Triple Crown winner, to do it for him. A raccoon dog taking advantage of the tiger's strength, I guess. I'm a raccoon dog, indeed.


　However, ...... I'm all in favor of Tokichiro.


It's not a bad idea to have a conversation with a guy like Miroku. It's a good idea to take it to Miroku or something.

　While the conversation was going parallel, I said the name I suddenly remembered.

　It's some kind of back-banner who decides the names of the schools on this island. It's the 20th generation now. It's a little unfair to talk about this without including the families that have been around that long.

　And if that back-up guard nodded, he would have one more ally, and if he shook his head, he could make them shake their heads with all their might. The job I've been given is simple and straightforward.

　And I said so: .......

'How fearful!'
That will not happen.
Have you ever heard the saying, "A god who will not be touched will not be cursed"?

　It was a big boom.


　When I was tilting my head at ......, my "transformation" was released over time.

　I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about.

　I followed her as she invited me, and when we were alone, Masamune broke the silence.

'Second-kun. You know, Miroku-sama, he never takes the stage. Do you know what that means?
Not at all.
I thought so. Miroku-sama is the same as God on this island ....... If God says this, it is absolute. It's the only thing that everyone on the island must obey.
...... Oh, that kind of thing.

　So, no gods will not be cursed by untouchable gods, huh? That's interesting.
　People are too scared to ask anything, aren't they?

I'm sorry. I don't want to upset your equilibrium. I'm sorry. I hope you understand.
Okay, okay.

　Toukichirou said earlier.
　Righteousness is the strongest thing in the world. That's what Miroku is all about: ......

Well, I'll go see him myself. You okay with that?
Did you hear that?　My story.
I'll be there.
Huh. ......

　Masamune gave one sigh at my words.

'Oh dear ...... you don't understand anything, you don't know anything.'

　I was taken aback. But then, in a small voice, he muttered, "So do I.

　What does it mean?

　I twisted my head around, and Masamune was staring up at me with her eyes.


"Oh, ...... and,


　--squeezed and hugged me.


'...... When you were stabbed, I felt a buzz in my chest, much to my own surprise.
I'm most surprised at the moment.
'Yeah, I know. You're thrilled. ......


　A few dozen seconds, I guess.

　We spent a strange time, embracing each other without knowing why.


You're alive. You're still alive.

　Masamune said with a look of relief and slowly let go of her body.


　Then she pulls out her own armpit sheath and holds it out to me.


'Swear that you will not die. Otherwise, I will not forgive you.


　What can I not forgive you for?

　I've only known her for two days. It's not that deep.

　But that's already .......


"Do you swear or don't you swear, quickly?

　Masamune urged with an air of composure. Her cheeks were reddened. You can tell it's not just a frown.

'I swear,'
That's it?
That's it.
.......


　I received the armpit.

　I'm not going to be able to get it right.


　...... The air is a little strange. I'm not going to be the only one who can do that.
　I'd like to say something to you. That's what I thought, so I said the first thing I could think of.

Thank you for the umbrella. I'll get it back to you when the rain stops.

　I call out to him to stop his back as he leaves.
　Masamune stopped dead in his tracks and turned around with a big smile on his face and said, "You're still wonderful!


'You're just as wonderful as I thought you were!



　　* * *



　In the dojo, where Second had disappeared, some samurai were chatting on the side of the war of words between the Iemoto and others.

"It looks like it wasn't a good idea to take a kinsho against a katsuma,
Then why should I take it? They are ready for a guillotine.
Intercepted by the Silver General: ......
I see. But such technology is not available at ......
Indeed.

　The samurai thought back to the flow of the game that Kensin had lost and wondered how they should have handled it correctly.
　But the answer was not so easy to find.

'Gee, you're a scary man. You're treating Kensin-sama like a baby. ......
"Beating two of the best Kabobashi ryu on the island with a scabbard is unthinkable to me: ......

　The more they thought about it, the more they could see the extraordinary skill of the man called Second, and the samurai shuddered involuntarily.


The more you think about it, the more you see the extraordinary skill of the man known as the second, and the more you shudder. You must not be a coward.
Lady Cambei!
"That man will probably appear at the next Bishamon battle. It will depend on how much training he can do before then.
Did Lady Cambei say you would stand up to him?
Master Left. He is a man like me. There's no reason we can't follow him.
You are the leader of the Daikoku style. I must learn from him.
Yeah, do that. And there's a reason why you can't lose at .......

　Cambei mutters softly. Out of the corner of his eye, the figure of Akaneko.
　It seemed that he hadn't given up yet.



''Uhhhh!　Ahhhh!
Mr. Kensin!　Get a grip!　Master Kensin!
'Why!　Why? !　Wow!
'Gentlemen, don't mess around!　Back inside!　Take him to the back!


　Suddenly, Kensin shouted out.

　The whole dojo is looking at him.

　But Kensin doesn't care who he is, his face is pale and he continues to scream and flail about.

　He has a single sword in his hand.

　He doesn't even have an obi sword, but is holding it tightly in his hand.


　-- It must have been unimaginable pain for him to not even know how to equip a sword (・・・・) .......


　If only he could handle that sword, he might have been able to go back to his life again, he might have been able to control others again.

　He couldn't remember anything. He could never win again.

　The only thing left to do is to keep losing. He will be powerless, but he will spend the rest of his life in pain, unable to shed the glory of his past, but never able to remember it.


　What will those who have a grudge against him think when they find that he can no longer hold the sword?

　Or would they think that he would not be able to bear his pain any longer?

　His end had already begun.


'It will be no good now.'
The helmets are no more.
Apparently, Lady Akaneko is leaving the island. ...... It's finally happening.
"Are we witnessing a change in time?" ......


　A new era is about to arrive in the land of the Eighteenth Estate.

　Through the contact between Second and Miroku--