章 151: Benizakura Sword Arc Part 11

Clang!!!

After a short and thick confrontation, Okada sheathed his sword, while Kawaki seemed as if he had never moved.

After a full ten seconds, Okada turned around to look at Kawaki and slowly landed on the ground.

"What a... beautiful light..."

As he spoke, the armor formed from mechanical tentacles on Okada's body began to collapse and fall. He lost...

"It's too fast..." Shinpachi had a look of disbelief on his face.

[I didn't see anything clearly at all...] It was written on the wooden board Elizabeth held up.

"Indeed, it's a beautiful Sword Drawing Art." Kawaki turned around and said softly to Okada who was lying on the ground, "Also, it's amazing."

"Liar... liar..." Okada raised the corner of his mouth and continued weakly, "I clearly couldn't even withstand a single blow from you... I..."

"No, I'm not talking about that," Kawaki explained softly, "You..."

Before Kawaki could finish, he was suddenly interrupted by a voice.

"Stand up! Benizakura will not lose!" Tetsuya stood high and shouted at Okada, "Give yourself to Benizakura! Give up resisting! Benizakura will never lose!"

"Sh..." Kawaki wanted to stop him, but another voice interrupted him again.

"Stop! Brother!" Tetsuko shouted at Tetsuya, "That thing is not a real sword at all! Have you forgotten what father taught you?"

"Don't you want to turn yourself into a sword?" Tetsuya ignored Tetsuko's words and continued to shout at Okada, "What are you waiting for? Didn't you say that you want to become a sword that can protect Takasugi's bonfire? Are you going to give up at this level?"

"Shut up." Kawaki's emotionless voice sounded, and then he continued to look at Okada, who was lying on the ground and struggling under Benizakura's erosion, "I will never agree with a person whose spirit has been invaded by that kind of thing, that's not a samurai! I won't admit that a person who can't defeat that kind of thing is a samurai! Are you willing to do this?! Do you... want to protect Takaji with that broken sword?"

"It doesn't matter if it's me or... Takaji." As he spoke, Kawaki looked at Takasugi who was still leaning on the side, and continued, "I won't admit it! Think back! Where is your real sword! Look back! Your real sword, the real sword buried in your heart, the sword named!"

After Kawaki finished speaking, Okada finally stopped struggling. After spitting out a mouthful of black blood, he used all his strength to throw Benizakura away.

"That's not... the real me..." Okada muttered. Then, he slowly turned his head to Takasugi, "Sir, I'm sorry... in the end, it's still..."

"It's already enough," Kawaki came in front of Okada and slowly squatted down. In a very small voice that only the two of them could hear, he continued, "However, after seeing you, I gradually felt that even though there is nothing behind him, you guys are guarding his back, so I am relieved. Thank you..."

"Ha... hahaha..." Okada laughed, coughing up blood while laughing, "I...get it. So...even without me..."

As he spoke, Okada turned his head to Gintoki and Katsura. Although he could not see them, Okada could feel that whether it was Kawaki, Gintoki, or Katsura, he could feel that kind of dazzling light.

"All of you... have always been standing behind him... Then... I am relieved..."

Okada was already at the final juncture. Originally, his life depended on Benizakura.

Although Benizakura was constantly fighting for control of his body and eroding his body, in a sense, Benizakura was also supporting his life.

Okada, who had thrown away Benizakura, was already exhausted.

"Then... please... that lord... please... that bonfire... please..." Okada whispered the last sentence in Kawaki's ear, and finally...

"Perhaps in a sense, I have taken your life." Kawaki smiled bitterly, "Although I have made a vow, but... well, I know your last wish."

After saying that, Kawaki stood up and finally glanced at the smiling Okada. He then turned to glance at Takasugi.

"That guy... is mourning that murderer?" Matako asked in a low voice.

"I don't know, but that lord must have his own thoughts." Takechi Henpeita muttered.

"Hey?" Kawaki shouted at Tetsuko and threw the sword in his hand at her, "Not a bad sword."

"Ah." Tetsuko caught the sword that Kawaki threw at her in a flurry. "Thank you for your praise."

"Then, in the end..." As he spoke, Kawaki slowly walked toward Takasugi. He grinned and revealed a mouthful of white teeth. He smiled and said, "Perhaps we should say goodbye? Takaji."

Everyone stared at Kawaki and Takasugi. For some reason, everyone felt that as long as Kawaki was here, the dispute would not continue.

"Hmph," Katsura snorted and continued, "It feels exactly the same as before. Wherever he is there, no matter what disputes happen between us, we will be stopped. However, I didn't expect that I would still have the hope to see this scene in my life."

"It seems that your eyes are the first to cross the Sanzo River," Gintoki replied, curling his lips. Then, he looked behind Kawaki. There was a deep cut on Kawaki's kimono, and there was already dried blood on it, "That idiot, there must be a limit to his rough nerves. Otherwise, he might really be cut off one day."

"Perhaps," Katsura chuckled. Then, he turned to look at his subordinates, "It's time for us to leave. This dispute has already ended. Benizakura has also been destroyed. Let's go!"

"Senpai, are we going to let them go just like that?" Matako asked.

"After all, Sir Shinsuke has not given the order yet. Even if you ask me, I will also..."

Before Takechi Henpeita could finish speaking, he suddenly saw Kawaki clench his fist and throw a punch at Takasugi's right cheek.

After taking a punch, Takasugi staggered several steps to the left. Fortunately, Kawaki was not ruthless, so Takasugi did not fall.

Takasugi stood up straight, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and then looked up at Kawaki without saying a word.

"Sorry, this punch was asked by that person. It was in the dream." Kawaki put away his fists with the same fake smile on his face, "And... that sword really hurt, bastard!"

"What did you do to Shinsuke-sama?" Matako instantly raised her two guns and aim at Kawaki.

"That person?" Takasugi finally spoke. Then, he smiled and continued, "He was long gone. Kawaki, that person was long gone. Have you not woken up yet? What exactly is going on? Where are your eyes looking at? Why are you still looking at me with that kind of gaze at a time like this? That kind of gaze... is exactly the same as teacher's."

"Confirmed. Perhaps it is as you said. That person has indeed disappeared, but..." As he spoke, Kawaki looked at Takasugi with a serious expression. His eyes stared straight at Takasugi, "He once existed, truly existed! Do you want to give up those pasts as well? I remember I said that I can turn a blind eye to any life you choose, but... if you dare to give up that past and the past of that person, I... will definitely not let you go!"

"I have long forgotten about those little children playing house." Takasugi snorted and pointed at his chest, "There is nothing here. You are the only one who is addicted to the past. You should admit it, right? We are actually the same. We are all empty shells without anything."

"No, no!" Kawaki retorted loudly. Then he pointed to Okada who was lying on the ground and then to the Kiheitai, who was led by Matako and Takechi Henpeita, "Don't you still have them? Do you really not feel a trace of warmth in your heart? Didn't they get together because of you? No matter what you want to do, they won't abandon you. You bastard, look back! There are still many people behind you!"

"Enough, Kawaki." Katsura walked forward and patted Kawaki on the shoulder, "There is no need to say so much. Takasugi has already left in a direction that we can not reach. No matter what you say, it is useless."

Katsura looked at Takasugi and continued, "Takasugi, I hate you. Whether it is before or now, but I have always felt that we are companions, whether in the past or now. Perhaps, at that time, we were standing in front of the countless graves and walking in different directions, but I never felt that it was a separate path..."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Maybe we really started from the same place, but we have been looking in different directions since then." As he spoke, Takasugi took out a book from his pocket and said, "Everyone lets themselves go and lives in different directions. I was the same as back then, and the direction I was looking at was the same as back then..."

"Zura, I, when I heard that you wanted to pick up a sword for the country and for your companions, I actually felt that anything was good. Think about it carefully. For who is the sword that you are holding? Who is the one who taught us how to use a sword? Our Samurai's road and the way of life, who taught us all this?"

"The person who gave us the world to live in was undoubtedly Shouyou-sensei. But this world took him away from us, so we could only fight with this world. We could only destroy it... Hey, you, what are you thinking about living in this world? How can you enjoy a leisurely life in this world where it took away your teacher? I hate this point to the bone..."