I have the perfect ninja technique for your massive asses.
It's my trump card,
and I've already used it!
Took you long enough.
I got sick of waiting for you,
Gintoki.
Be it destroying this country or protecting it,
we're the only ones who can do it, right?
Shogun Assassination Arc Part Five
Those Who Protect Against All Odds
Watch the Shogun Assassination Arc in a bright room and at a safe distance from your TV!
It's the White Yaksha.
Get hi—
Don't move, you bastards.
Stay right there and fortify your defenses or something!
That's not right.
That's not how you throw these knives.
Grip it correctly, Zenzo.
I haven't forgotten.
If you become the Oniwaban someday...
If I become the shogun someday,
I hope we can fight together
for this country.
We finally meet,
my Oniwaban.
Sheesh.
The final trump card to defend this country
turned out to be quite the letdown.
You're still playing your silly game of house with these kids, Gintoki?
Looks like there's a large gap between us now.
We once fought together and lost everything.
Now, one of us has sworn revenge on this country,
gained enough power to topple an entire nation,
and almost forced a checkmate.
But the other one has tried to fit in,
and with just two kids by his side,
is still struggling to protect the country.
Gintoki,
you can no longer defend anything from me.
Is that what you've found since then?
Takasugi, I don't care how much power you've gained,
or how large an army you've got in tow.
It doesn't scare me one bit.
While you were casting aside a hundred people,
I formed bonds with a thousand.
When you were destroying a thousand people,
I had ten thousand helping me out.
So what if you've got thousands of troops?
The three of us have protected thousands more against all odds!
We are Odd Jobs!
Gintoki,
your game of house ends here.
This country has nothing worthwhile for you to protect.
There's nothing left for us to protect.
All you're carrying on your shoulders are toys for playing house.
And soon, they'll be destroyed along with this country.
Gintoki, you will lose everything again.
I haven't lost anything.
It's just...
There's one less back for me to protect now!
Kagura!
Shinpachi!
Let's do this!
Well, well.
You see your sibling after so long, and you greet him with a fist?
You're acting a little more like a Yato now.
You make your brother very happy.
Just one problem...
You're acting too arrogant towards me!
Sorry, but I'm a working man now.
I'm busy.
I can't let Shinsuke hog all the spotl—
Where do you think you're going?
Your opponent isn't the country.
It's me!
A moronic brother like you is more suited to a sibling spat than a war of conquest!
Give it a rest.
Let me go.
I told you, didn't I?
Where are you going?
Where are you going, leaving Mommy behind?
Get lost.
I want nothing to do with weaklings.
I was waiting for you to use your right hand.
You've been favoring it all this time.
Do you think I can't see through your mannerisms?
Every time you got hurt, you'd always hide it.
You didn't want to worry Mommy.
But Mommy is gone now,
so what are you so afraid of?
I'm no longer the crybaby little sister you knew.
I'm no longer the weak little sister who could do nothing but watch you leave.
This country, this planet, and everyone here showed me...
How strong people can be.
How weak people can be.
How fragile their lives can be,
and how precious they are!
This planet of samurai taught me all of that!
I'm the Kagura who was born on this planet.
I won't let anyone do as they please with my birthplace.
Kamui!
I will no longer lose to you or myself!
This time, for sure,
I will stop you!
This could be the end, so I'll ask you something that's been on my mind, Gintoki.
Why did you fight in this war?
To defend the country from these guys?
Or to leave your name in the history books as a warrior?
Dunno.
But one thing's for sure: only men of honor die for such causes.
Not me
or you.
Yeah, we're not respectable men like Zura and Tatsuma.
We're good-for-nothing warriors who don't get bushido.
But there are some things only good-for-nothings can understand.
Gintoki, if I die...
Take care of Sensei.
This is a favor I can only ask of a fellow good-for-nothing.
Then I've got a favor to ask of a good-for-nothing, too.
Don't die.
I knew I'd find you here.
I hear you went on another rampage at school.
Even the famed Military Arts Academy, where the future leaders of the country assemble,
is not enough for you, is it,
Takasugi?
Don't make me laugh, Katsura.
They're all rich brats who only know how to use their parents' money or connections.
I was told to take training seriously, so I did. That's all.
Those morons don't even know how to fight.
I can't wait to see what kind of future they'll lead this country to.
Takasugi...
Do you realize that you're still among the fortunate?
There are some people who can't even read because they're too poor.
And some who can't become samurai, even if they want to.
No wonder they let you join the school as a special case due to your prodigious mind.
You've got a broad perspective.
I'm sure you can become an admirable samurai there.
An admirable samurai who'll serve his family and country, and die for them.
Unfortunately, I don't have such worthless ambitions.
Then...
Just what kind of samurai do you want to be?
Just where are you headed?
Beats me.
My life would be much easier if I knew.
Takasugi, I hear you took good care of my little brother.
For the son of a plebe samurai, you've sure got some nerve.
Know your place!
I hope this will serve as decent training.
Wait.
Trying to get revenge for training with a fight, are we?
And you call yourself aspiring samurai?
What's more, you're fighting with numbers...
Katsura, huh?
Perfect.
I don't care if you're a scholarship student.
But I was getting sick of sharing a classroom with a kid who reeks of poverty.
Hear that, Katsura?
There are no samurai here.
Beat them both up!
Blah, blah, blah, blah. How annoying.
Are you bastards in heat?
If you wanna train, do it at your temple school.
Haven't you spoiled brats learned how to play hooky?
Who are you?
Take a nap.
Samurai shouldn't half-ass things.
I'll join you guys.
Let's all go to sleep together.
Like hell we will!
You'll pay for that!
Well said, Gintoki.
That's right.
Halfheartedness is unbecoming of samurai.
And ganging up to bully a few is out of the question.
That said, Gintoki...
You half-growns are a hundred years too early to know how to play hooky.
In a fight, both parties are to blame.
You two should head back to your school at once, too,
my little samurai.
Wh-Who's that?
I see.
I've heard rumors about him.
A samurai with a white-haired kid in tow opened a private school recently,
and is teaching poor kids for free.
So that's the founder of the Shoka Sonjuku school,
Yoshida Shoyo.
Shoka Sonjuku
Goodness me.
I've never heard of a dojo challenger attacking a temple school.
Thank goodness this is the extent of your injuries.
I actually wanted to fight you.
I never thought I'd lose to him...
You are plenty strong.
After all, you pushed Gintoki that far,
my little dojo challenger.
But I lost.
You did.
And that's why you'll grow stronger.
Victors only gain self-satisfaction and conceit,
but you have gained something far more meaningful.
There's nothing to be ashamed of.
Besides, that boy is a unique case.
In order to live and survive,
he was forced to grow strong.
Did you take him in, too?
Who knows?
Did I take him in?
Or did he take me in?
I can't tell anymore.
One...
Two...
What's the point in gathering kids of unknown births and backgrounds,
and teaching them academics or the sword?
Do you really think they can become samurai?
Will they, I wonder?
I can't wait to find out myself.
I'm the one asking the questions here.
I'd like to ask you something, too.
What is a samurai?
Would you tell me?
Aren't you a samurai?!
Well...
At the very least, I'm not the kind of samurai you know.
Do you think there are qualifications to become a samurai?
Do you believe that without a family to protect, or a lord to serve,
one cannot become a samurai?
I don't think so.
Bushido is the will to discipline one's weak self
in order to reach one's stronger self.
It refers to the act of devoting oneself to one's ideals.
So both they, who study diligently and try to become better human beings,
and you, who came here as a dojo challenger to grow stronger,
are already samurai in my eyes.
Even if your births and backgrounds are unknown,
and you don't have a master to serve or a sword to fight,
you can each flaunt your own brand of bushido
and become your own samurai.
Guiding as many of those samurai as possible
might just be my brand of bushido.
You ended up here after losing your way, too, didn't you?
I am the same.
I'm still lost.
But that's all right.
Doubt yourself, lose your way,
and become the kind of samurai you want to be.
What's your problem?
Didn't you learn your lesson yesterday?
Fight me once more.
Give it a rest already.
How many times are you gonna show up as a dojo challenger?
As many times as it takes to win.
What's with Takasugi lately?
His look is finally starting to match his status.
Shinsuke!
What the hell are you doing, and where?
The next time you cause a problem, you'll be disowned.
Sit there and cool your head. Think about what it means to be a samurai!
Jinbei! Don't feed him!
Stupid grandma.
I told her I only eat rice balls with plum filling,
so why did she use tuna mayo?
Oh, well. I guess I'll leave it at the shrine as an offering.
Katsura...
Didn't your grandma die a long time ago?
Takasugi, did you find something?
Not a thing.
But I realized that I'm weak.
I realized that there are lots of stronger guys out there.
Then, at the very least,
I want to become a stronger samurai than them.
Point!
Whoa!
You actually beat Gintoki! Amazing!
You did it! Good job hanging in there!
D-Don't act all friendly with me!
We're not schoolmates!
Oh, you're not?
And here I thought you'd already joined our school.
I mean, you were so enthusiastic every day about training...
No, about challenging the dojo.
Hey!
What's with the cozy atmosphere?!
He's a dojo challenger!
He took out our dojo!
He popped my loser cherry!
We're not on opposing sides anymore.
Let's all make rice balls together.
Never mind which side you're on, who are you?!
Why do I have to eat rice balls made by a complete stranger?!
Who said you could eat?
Just make them.
What kind of ritual is that?!
Oh, I'm sorry.
I ate one already.
That was quick!
You're strong.
You really are strong,
Gintoki...
To Be Continued
Preview
Welcome to Shoka Sonjuku.
I have you...
And you have me!
I'm Sakata Gintoki, disciple of Yoshida Shoyo!
Shogun Assassination Arc Part Six
Sworn Enemy
The feelings that bind teacher and student together...
The promise made in bygone days...