I'll never be easily loved...
Am I just too clumsy?
That girl who looks good in pink...
Is that who you want?
Is red not good enough?
The rabbit with red eyes runs away.
Even though I loved you so much...
If I'm sad, I'm going to die.
The rabbit that you like...
...isn't on the moon. It's just a rabbit...
Insolent brat!
Prisoner
No one told me you were quitting the ltto-ryu.
Of course no one did. I haven't told anyone.
I thought I should tell you first.
I guess I won't be able to stay here if I quit the ltto-ryu.
What about Kage?
I'm thinking about telling him today.
If you quit the ltto-ryu, will you quit being a bodyguard here too?
Not like I'm doing much as a bodyguard anyway.
Isn't that good? It's easy.
I feel like a gigolo or something. I don't like it.
Tai, you don't like to be a gigolo?
Mister, I can show you a good time.
You'll make me hate you.
Tai, you sleep with me in the same bed when I say I'm cold...
...but you never lay a finger on me.
Am I that unattractive?
Do you not like women who sell their bodies?
Or do I look like your sister who passed away?
You look nothing like her.
What'll you do after you quit?
Well...
Listen, I can get out of here in about two years.
Right now, I have to work to pay for my mother's medicine...
...but the doctor said she might not last two years.
If I'm freed...
...my dream is to have a family with someone.
Ren...
It doesn't really matter if you throw me away.
You're a great swordsman.
As someone who can live freely with his skills if he needs to...
...you don't need to deal with a whiny girl like me.
Don't have to deal with me holding you back.
Now ain't these interesting toys.
Will you accept the offer?
Just one question. Who do these really belong to?
Um, well...
No ordinary warrior would carry these.
I've been in the business for twenty years...
...but it's rare to see swords that reek so bad of blood and guts.
In this peaceful era, no samurai's sword would ever be like this.
These probably belong to a bandit or a deranged killer.
Well, it doesn't matter. I won't ask for the particulars.
Swords are made for killing, right?
Yes, you're right.
I see you know your swords.
I fell in love with this one.
Must be a relic from the old Ezo era.
Woman.
What do you think you're doing?
Mr. Magatsu, I've been waiting for you.
This young lady has an interest in swords...
...and she's fascinated by this blade of yours.
Chinese swords are fine weapons...
...but they don't behave like Japanese swords.
They're too much for most people to handle.
Of course, that's also what I like about them.
When a sword sharpener works a masterpiece...
...he's pushed to his limits. I was sweating blood!
But the sweat just makes the cool of the evening more pleasant.
It's a good life.
Thank you, sir.
I'll be sure to come again.
Thank you!
I can't fight here...
Samurai! Sir!
That sword... Could you please sell it to me?
I'll pay...
I can pay up to thirty gold ryo.
Please.
I'm not a samurai, just a swordsman.
Miss, have you heard...
...of an Asano Dojo that was in the Honsho district up till two years ago?
A couple of my comrades were killed by the daughter of that dojo.
Well, I can't believe a single girl could do that.
I wouldn't sell this sword for any amount of money.
It's booty, so I can't say where I got it.
But if you can tell me where to find that girl...
...then I just might consider selling it.
Well?
What?
Rin, do you know how much thirty ryo is worth?
I'm used to being broke.
But can you handle never being able to take a bath?
I'm sorry.
Why do you want that person's sword so much anyway?
That sword belonged to my father.
Two years ago, after my father was killed...
...every single sword in the Asano Dojo was stolen.
That sword was one of them.
Originally, when my grandfather was head of the dojo...
...that sword was enshrined as a school treasure.
The Mutenichi-ryu dojo is so strict about form...
...that I wondered why a foreign sword was treasured so much.
Maybe it was my grandfather's way of paying respect to Anotsu Saburo.
So what do you want to do?
Did you ask where he's staying?
He's at an inn called the Mizoguchi by Sensoji Shrine till tomorrow.
If you want to go get it back by force, I'll help you out.
Manji, I'm sorry.
This is the last time I'll talk like this.
I'm already sixteen...
...and I can't keep talking about my mother and father.
It's pathetic.
I've decided it's time to put it behind me. That sword too.
Isn't he part of the ltto-ryu? Don't you hate him?
I hate him.
I hate him, but no matter how many of the ltto-ryu we kill...
...as long as Anotsu Kagehisa is alive, their numbers will still increase.
No more wasting time. I've got to find Anotsu himself.
Or I can't destroy the ltto-ryu.
Well, if that's what you want, it's fine by me.
Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!
Hey, stop!
It's awfully quiet, isn't it?
Are you guys really heading to Mukou-jima?
It was Tempou Dojo in Mukou-jima, right?
Yeah.
I've heard rumors that the dojo was a secret hideout for the ltto-ryu.
Do you think it's true?
Who'd you hear that from?
In this business, we just hear things.
By any chance, are you a kengo of the ltto-ryu?
And what if I was?
Infinity.
Man, that was too quick.
Even the most skilled kengo are vulnerable to surprise.
If people found out guys like us killed him...
...he'd be too ashamed to show his face in the afterlife. I pity him...
The guys in the ltto-ryu...
...have endured all sorts of hardships.
I've met people from all walks of life...
...but this is the first time I've seen swordsmen carry a carriage.
This is pretty hilarious.
You bastard!
S-S-Shit... When did you...
Old man, you got cocky.
I purposely missed your vitals. You want to go to the doctor?
All right, cough it up.
Who sent you?
W-What are you talking about?
If you're seeking revenge for a fallen dojo, this sort of plan is a bit much.
You'll die if you don't hurry up. Spill it and I'll take you to the doctor.
What'll you do?
What was that?
Akagi?
My bad. I guess that was a vital point.
Please take this.
Mr. Magatsu, you came on foot?
Yeah, kind of.
You're wounded...
Oh, don't worry about it.
Excuse me.
Makoto, who was that?
His name is Habaki Kagimura, one of the shogunate's guard.
The ltto-ryu is going to work under the shogunate.
It looks like you have something to say.
Not really. I think it's a good thing.
Now you can go back to being a samurai with no problem.
As long as you're with the shogunate...
...no one's going to look down on you as an outcast anymore.
That's what you wished for, right?
Yeah, you're right.
We won.
Magatsu...
I'm not leading the ltto-ryu to make some kind of invincible ronin group.
I know that much already.
We go way back after all.
What the ltto-ryu hates most is the fall of a samurai family.
So I think you're doing the right thing.
Hey, is it okay if I jump ship here?
Your reason?
It's not that I don't like how you run things...
...but I have my pride. I can't be on the side of the samurai.
Every time we destroyed a dojo together...
...I felt so good, but until now I haven't ...
Nah, I'm not gonna say anything.
I'm just being selfish. You don't really care, do you?
You won't be tied down by the sword? I thought you'd say something like that.
Schools are such fragile things, huh?
Especially the ltto-ryu.
See you.
Magatsu...
You can keep on using the second floor of the Yukimachi.
Wouldn't want to make Oren unhappy.
Oh, yeah. As a parting gift, or I suppose it's a warning.
When did you cross paths with a group named Akagi?
Never. I don't remember them at all.
If you should ever meet them, watch your back.
They've been specifically targeting members of the ltto-ryu.
I'll keep that in mind.
Well, that's all I gotta say.
See you around.
Rin.
The only thing she's grown up about is crying and sleeping.
You want revenge for your parents to take the pain away, don't you?
What'll you do if you're not allowed to shed a single tear for your parents?
I know it's a harsh memory, but you'll forget about it one day.
It's a pain in the neck to force yourself to forget it.
I've finally found you.
Are you working for that Akagi group?
No I'm not. I'm not working for anyone.
Anyway, hand over that long sword at your waist.
I get it.
I was right. That girl really is Asano's daughter.
You must be the one who defeated Kuroi Sabato.
You can say that. So what are you gonna do?
The first rule of war.
Restricting your enemy's mobility is 80% of the victory.
Idiots who only aim for killing blows will likely lose their legs.
Thanks for the tip!
A hidden blade?
Stop acting so surprised.
I like you.
Are all the ltto-ryu samurai crazy like you?
I'm no samurai.
Besides, I quit the ltto-ryu.
Oh, really.
It's about time, huh?
What the hell?
The second rule of war.
Know the land and conquer the heavens!
This forest was the perfect playground for a kid.
I used to play here with my little sister.
But my sister...
...was killed by a samurai.
Insolent brat!
That's why I hate samurai!
You can keep that. Take good care of it.
Hand over the scabbard too...
What the hell?
You're not the only one...
...who's lived through harsh times.
It's been an interesting night.
Let's do this again...
...assuming we both live through the night.
You idiot, I can't die...
Manji!
Manji?
Doing this on your own...
Who asked you to do it?
I thought I told you I'd put it behind me.
I told you I'd forget all about it.
Sadly, I awakened...
Overflowing reality is just...
...more of the empty lies.
To be honest, I have to get ready for the next one.
The morning slides in from the window.
Regardless of what I see, I remember.
I remember...
The unchanging wind always...
...just said this as it passed by...
"What's needed for this endless journey?"
Where should I go?
Infinite Preview
Cry of the Worm