章 152: Benizakura Sword Arc Part 12

Just as Katsura was about to speak, he was suddenly stopped by Kawaki.

He saw that Kawaki had a look of relief on his face, "Ah, it seems that he hasn't forgotten. I am relieved now. Then, Takaji, I will leave first~." As he spoke, Kawaki turned around and was about to leave.

"Bastard!" Katsura quickly stopped Kawaki, "Did you not hear what he said just now? Are there any reassuring words in those words? He wants to destroy this world! Isn't it the same as the big boss in the movies? Did you listen to him?"

"Huh? Destroy the world?" Kawaki turned his head, his face full of doubt. Then, he whispered into Katsura's ear, "It's not like Takaji has been a Chūnibyō for a day or two. Wasn't he like this when he was a child? It's just that the period of his Chūnibyō has been extended a little. It's completely no different from before."

"This... is indeed..." Katsura nodded.

"Why must you whisper when everyone can hear it?" Shinpachi said expressionlessly, "I always feel very embarrassed. The big boss in the early stage of this work was said by this person to be the same as a Chūnibyō..."

However, at this moment, everyone suddenly heard a painful groan. When they turned around, they found that Tetsuya had jumped down from the roof of the house-shape ship and picked up Benizakura that Okada had thrown away before.

The countless mechanical tentacles on Benizakura tightly wrapped around Tetsuya's body and continued to invade his body.

"Stop! You will die!" Kawaki shouted at Tetsuya.

"I won't lose! Benizakura won't lose!" Tetsuya was already on the verge of losing his rationality, "I only have Benizakura! I can't lose, I absolutely can't lose to those blunt swords! I have nothing left except Benizakura!"

"Brother, stop!" Tetsuko shouted.

"What an amazing swordsmith," Takasugi smiled and continued, "For the sake of your sword, you abandoned everything and entrusted everything to the sword you created. The one who caused all of this was you, Kawaki. The one who destroyed his hopes was you."

Kawaki lowered his head and did not answer. Instead, he walked to Tetsuko's side. However, he still kept his head down. No one could see Kawaki's expression. Then, Kawaki extended his hand.

"Ah... This..." Tetsuko finally reacted. SHe was about to hand the sword in his hand to Kawaki, but...

"Enough," Gintoki came in front of Tetsuko and took the sword from him, "Don't try to be brave when you shouldn't. Although I don't know why you became like this, if you don't want to pick up the sword again, you don't have to force yourself. We are still by your side."

"Gintoki, you..." Kawaki raised his head and murmured.

"When it's over, remember to pay the rent I owed to granny. Treat it as a reward." Gintoki picked his nose and said casually. Then, he rushed straight to Tetsuya, who had already lost his rationality.

Seeing this scene, Katsura and Takasugi did not speak. However, it could be seen that both of them were deep in thought.

"Hey, you..." Gintoki pulled out the sword that Tetsuko had forged and pointed it at Tetsuya as he shouted, "Do you think it doesn't matter even if you are defeated by that kind of thing? Wouldn't it be fine if a swordsmith just make his own sword"

"Shut up! Ah! I am..." Tetsuya shouted vaguely, and then countless mechanical tentacles rushed towards Gintoki. Of course, there was also the giant Benizakura that was swung down.

Boom!!

"Gin-san!" Shinpachi shouted anxiously.

When the smoke dispersed, he saw that Gintoki was still standing there, holding the sword above his head and resisting.

"Wake up! Brother!" Tetsuko rushed to the right side of Tetsuya.

SHe pleaded loudly.

"It's so noisy!" Tetsuya roared and raised Benizakura to slash at Tetsuko.

Boom!

"Hey, hey, have you really lost your mind? You can even lay your hands on your own sister. Then let me wake you up using this blunt sword forged by your sister!" Gintoki stood in front of Tetsuko and blocked the blow for her, "Hurry up and wake up! You stupid brother!"

...

"The sword is always a tool for killing. No matter how much effort you put into it, it can not be changed." As he said that, Murata Jintetsu smiled and reached out to touch the heads of his two children who were still young. He continued, "But we can't stop the hammer in our hands because of this. Otherwise, we won't be able to live anymore. No, it's not just that. The thing we made is a weapon, so we have to fight. We have to fight non-stop. What we are hitting is not iron, but our souls."

"While forging, forge your souls at the same time. Become a gentle and honest person and live a beautiful life. As long as you can become more positive, correspondingly, the sword can also gather those who can use it positively. Now, what kind of sword do you want to forge?"

The young Tetsuya did not answer, but Tetsuko, who was sitting on the other side, thought for a moment and replied, "A sword that can protect people."

The scene changed again.

"Tetsuko, although your forging skills are terrible, you have the qualifications that Tetsuya does not have. When will he understand..." Murata Jintetsu stood behind Tetsuko, who was forging a sword. He did not notice that Tetsuya was standing outside the door, eavesdropping.

The scene changed again.

"What a pity, that person passed away..."

"Yeah, I can't find anyone who can forge such a good sword anymore..."

"I heard that he has a son. How is that person?"

"He can't. If not for the fact that his father was a renowned swordsmith, I wouldn't have remembered him at all. Of course, it shouldn't be a problem for him to make a living..."

Listening to the discussions of the people outside the forging room, Tetsuya didn't say anything and continued to swing the hammer.

Tetsuya recalled this.

...

'So that's how it is. The quality I don't have is...' Thinking of this, Tetsuya finally heard a sound. It was Tetsuko's voice.

"Wake up!" Gintoki scolded at the same time as he sent Benizakura flying.

"I beg you to come back! Brother!" Tetsuko knelt on the ground and shouted with tears in her eyes.

The next moment, the Benizakura in Tetsuya's hand hung in the air.

"Have you finally woken up?" Gintoki said, panting heavily.

"Tetsuko, I'm sorry... Your stupid brother only just realized it now." Tetsuya smiled and looked at Tetsuko with a gentle face, "Well, it can be considered a failure... I was going to give up everything for the sword. Instead of being a person, I want to be a swordsmith and exist only for the sword."

"However, my sister's voice woke me up in the end. It seems that even if I give up everything, I can't give up on you. With this half-hearted awareness, it is impossible to create any ultimate of the sword."

"That's not half-hearted!" Gintoki retorted, "How could there be any half-hearted! To sacrifice everything just to forge a sword, is this considered a smith? Don't pretend to be amazing! You just find it troublesome, don't you? Bastard!"

"If you have a lot of things on your back, it's pointless to run away. If you don't have the courage to live, then don't pretend to be a swordsmith! Look carefully! What kind of power do the half-hearted thing you said have?"

As he spoke, Gintoki waved the sword in his hand again and slashed straight at Benizakura in Tetsuya's hand...

Kacha!!!

To everyone's surprise, Benizakura actually shattered into pieces, bit by bit, shattering into pieces of iron. The mechanical tentacles, which wrapped around Tetsuya, also collapsed bit by bit.

"Brother!" Tetsuko hurriedly caught the falling Tetsuya, "Are you alright?"

"Actually, I always knew. Father actually told me about what I lacked from the very beginning. It's just that..." As he spoke, Tetsuya smiled and reached out to touch Tetsuko's face, "Perhaps I just forgot about it, but... thanks to you, I was able to remember it. Thank you so much..."

"Tetsuko, you must become an excellent swordsmith..." After he finished speaking, Tetsuya closed his eyes, forever. Ordinary people were simply unable to withstand the backlash from Benizakura. From the moment Tetsuya held Benizakura, this outcome had already been decided.

"Brother!" Tetsuko bit her lips and shouted with tears streaming down her face. Then, she hugged Tetsuya tightly in her arms...

Seeing this scene, Kawaki and the others did not say anything. However, suddenly, Kawaki felt something falling down.

"It's raining," Kawaki stretched out his hand to feel it.

After hearing Kawaki's words, everyone looked up at the sky, and dense raindrops fell down. It seemed to be washing away the sadness on this ship, whether it was Tetsuko's or...

"Actually, I... have always liked the rain." Kawaki walked to the side and took the umbrella from Kagura's hand and propped it up. "Because I can feel that no matter what it is, it can be washed away. Whether it is sadness or tears, all of them will disappear. Perhaps there is sorrow that can't be washed away by heavy rain, but... our bodies that have been washed by the rain seem to be able to bear that sadness."

"So it doesn't matter if we cry, because the rain will wash it away, Takaji. Also, the one who taught me how to use a sword is Shouyou-sensei, but at the same time, the one who taught me to use an umbrella is also him. The sword can protect me and protect my companions, so what about the umbrella?"

After saying that, Kawaki turned back to look at Takasugi, revealing a beautiful smile. However, Takasugi found sorrow and pain on that smiling face that had no place to tell.

"We can't escape the past. That truly exists in our bodies, our heads, and our hearts. But..." As he spoke, Kawaki raised his head and looked at the sky that was already slightly lit up, "To be able to carry these things and walk on, perhaps this is what sensei hopes for us to learn. Whether it is destroying this world that seized sensei or protecting this world that sensei loves, I have always felt that it doesn't matter. But..."

As he spoke, Kawaki turned to look at Gintoki, who was sitting on the ground and panting.