#the shishi makes an appearance
Note
Hello Shi-Shi, I hope you’ve been well. I was wondering if I could use one of your Transformers art to use as my Discord pfp, one of Sunstreaker and put credits in my ‘about’ box? If no, that is fine and I shall respect that, but I was just wondering.
But besides that, I absolutely adore the new art you have created! The lighting in it makes it look as if it was taken by an actual camera as if it was in real life. I may not know that character, but you made them look positively lovely, Shi-Shi. I may have felt a little bit of disgust that they are licking a skull, but it is a great piece of artwork and art is supposed to make you feel emotions like that.
I hope you are doing very well Shi-Shi, have a good day/night.
-Meister
Hello Meister, I've been doing well and hope you have been as well.
By all means, go ahead and use whatever piece of mine you like~ I'm flattered that you like it enough to make it your pfp. Thank you for asking though, I appreciate the politeness.
I'm glad that you like Tez! I drew him initially as a new background for my PC, but I got too carried away with the lighting and colors. It was kinda hard to see my icons, but I couldn't bear to desaturate him.
Tez is a creepy little dude (he's my version of the Mesoamerican god of beauty, shadows and discord),so him giving you the "ew" reaction while still being a pretty boi is perfect.
I actually permitted myself an evil chuckle when I read that part of your ask.
Semi-unrelated here: Tezcatlipoca (Tez) is an original character from a series I've been working on called "The Flowers of Xibalba". I've put it on the back-burner in favor of fandom stuff and a different series I'm drawing panels for in my free time.
Thank you for popping by again Meister. Have a good day/night
#meister anon#anon ask#thank you for the ask#and for you a non-gross tez hehe#tezcatlipoca#the shishi makes an appearance#back to my TWST fanart wallpaper I go#back to work on that new zine piece
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SOMNO: LUFFY x Y/N (when "it" appears part 3)
series
(cw: somnophilia, cunnilingus, fingering, sweet fluff, "mae-mae" nickname used, est new relationship)
(a/n: this is so much fun to write, so i hope you like it!)
also this is a gift for @zwhoreo! <333333333
words: 897
“Psst,” Luffy whispers, next to his sweetheart in the warmth of his bed. She’s wrapped around him, tangled up in his arms as she sleeps. She’s so pretty. She breathes shallow, puffy breaths onto his chest where she’s snuggled under the blankets.
She murmurs his name in her sleep.
“Captain…,” she snuggles closer, “Luuffyyyy.” Her voice is soft and warm, and slightly erotic in its undertone. She shifts against him, bringing her hips in closer to his side. She starts rocking, slightly.
She whimpers against Luffy’s chest, as his own breathing starts to quicken. Her eyes are still shut, her breathing still shallow. Luffy pokes her cheek, but she doesn’t move.
She’s asleep.
But she’s rutting against him, whimpering little noises of need into his bare chest. She’s dreaming of something, and Luffy feels a thrill in his stomach as he hopes it’s of him. So he snuggles in closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. He closes his eyes, happy to sleep, but…
She’s sexy.
Sex is something new for Luffy--it's special and sweet. Plus, it's super special because it's with her. He likes it a lot himself and it seems like she really likes it too. She sounds so pretty when she has sex. And she makes such sweet faces! All blushed and sparkly-eyed, her hands around him keeping him safe and warm. So he snuggles up closer to her, pressing a kiss into the side of her head. Sex makes her excited, and Luffy likes seeing her excited. She mumbles something, a comma of frustration appearing between her eyebrows. Luffy frowns.
Seems like the subtle friction of her sleepy rutting is nowhere near enough. Hm. Luffy pouts; he wants his sweetheart to feel good. And then, he snickers to himself as he ducks beneath the covers.
If she wants to feel good, then her captain's going to make sure she feels good.
“Mae-Mae,” he whispers, “Hold still.”
****
Warmth, between your legs.
Softness—it’s, dark out
still,
slurp
it’s—
Luffy.
him
……it’s
—slick, it’s
* * * ;
lips, and
skin and—
tongue,
and
warm—again
and * . — , slow
shivers
, ' there, so—
soft so
sex
****
Luffy is slurping at your slick cunt, sucking in your clit and letting it go with a pop. He's making out with your clit, slow and sensual as your consciousness slowly blinks back to wakefulness.
"L...Luffy?" You ask sleepily, supporting yourself on your elbows as you sit up. He flicks his eyes up to you, sparkling like black opals in his cabin's velvet darkness. His hands are warm as they slide against your thighs, holding them open as he suckles your clit.
"Sweetheart...," he moans, hazy with lust in his raspy voice, "Sleep okay?" He stares at you, wide eyes earnest in their curiosity. He slides his tongue up your pussy, pressing the flat of it up at your clit.
His eyes roll up in his head as he ice cream licks your pussy. His arms are wrapped around your thighs, and now he brings his fingers down to rub at your clit. He drags his other hand beneath you so he can start dipping into your entrance. Luffy prods at your pussy, his fingertips slick with your own arousal and his spit. Your body is melted--molten--as Luffy slowly licks you into liquid gold.
"Luuuffyyyy," you groan, slowly shifting in the blankets as he presses two fingers inside you. Your captain grins, his teeth flashing pearlescent in the starlight. You're soaked already, as he slides his digits all the way to his knuckles. He flutters them up a bit, and you gasp. "Luffy!"
"Shishi," he snickers, speeding up, "S'good, right Mae-Mae?"
Shit--
It's not thirty seconds since you've woken up, and you're already squirting onto Luffy's hand. "Shit!" You say, strange feelings of release coursing through you as you shudder through an orgasm. It's something you've experienced a few times before, but not--
Not like this.
This, is...
Luffy.
It's pure him.
All his joy, his ecstasy, his service that he pours into each and every one of his friendships. Except it's for you, your pleasure, your sex, and Luffy steers you like you're the helm of his ship. He sucks harshly on your clit. He starts teething along your major lips, brushing his lips against the soft, slightly coarse hairs.
"So pretty, Mae-Mae," he praises you, voice low and gravelly. He sits up, sliding his fingers out of you. Your walls are still shivering. "Wan' more?" He asks you, eyes scanning your face in the darkness. You moan, already spent and tired. He leans forward to start kissing your stomach. He spreads his hands over your legs again, letting you decide. "S'okay if you're done, pretty," he whispers. "Ya made such good sounds f'me," he licks at your inner thigh, before pressing a deep and loving kiss to the soft, stretch-marked skin.
"Let's sleep, Lu," you whisper, sleepily cuddling back into the pillows.
He hums a small happy noise, before springing back up onto the mattress for you. He snickers, wrapping you up in a bear hug with the blankets all still snuggled around you. He squeezes you tight, nuzzling his face into the nape of your neck. He buries his nose in your sleep-mushed hair. "Love you, sweetheart...," he says with a yawn. "Sweet...dreams...," he snores loudly into your ear.
You start, surprised, but soon relax into his warm embrace.
Sweet dreams.
#dumpster dive#my writing#one piece fanfic#luffy x reader#luffy fanfic#luffy x y/n#luffy smut#one piece smut#luffy x you
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Their Reason
There goes my heart beating
Leona: *Perks up, a shadow appearing over him*
Livia: Hi Leona!
Leona: *Sighs and turns over* Hi Little Hunter
Livia: *Drops flowers on his head*
Leona: *Yawns and falls asleep, ignoring her hands fiddling with his hair*
'Cause you are the reason
Livia: *Smiles, sitting across from Leona*
Leona: *Picks up his tea cup, wondering how he agreed to this*
Livia: *Smiles at him* Leona! Try the tarts!
Leona: *Sighs* Fine...
Livia: *Beams, her eyes sparkling*
I'm losing my sleep
Leona: *Stares at Livia, his legs crossed*
Leona: *Stands up, feeling her forehead* How'd you even catch a fever
Ruggie: Leona-
Leona: *Snarls at him* Quiet...
Ruggie: Shishishi! Sorry~
Please come back now
Livia: *Runs around after Cheka laughing*
Leona: *Lays asleep, his hands behind his bed*
Livia: Leona! *Gasps, tripping over her shawl*
Leona: *Shoots up, catching her, his eyes widening in shock* Huh...
Livia: *Blinks in surprise*
Leona: You okay?
Livia: Yes...
And there goes my mind racing
Leona: *Growls, touching his head*
Ziro: Brother?
Leona: My instincts whenever that cub is around heightens for some reason
Ruggie: *Grins* Shishishi~
Leona: *Sighs* Whatever...
And you are the reason
Livia: *Opens her eyes finding herself in the infirmary* Huh
Lilia: LITTLE BAT!
Livia: Bat Dad...
Sebek: My Lady!
Livia: What happened..
Sebek: A magic bomb, Leona saved your life...he rushed straight in without hesitation..
That I'm still breathing
Leona: *Groans, Malleus holding him down*
Malleus: Sebek!
Sebek: *Hurries over helping keep Leona still*
Livia: *Holds her glowing hands over his chest, her eyes wide*
Leona: *Opens his eyes, immediately glaring at Malleus* Lizard...hands off
Livia: *Smiles in relief*
I'm hopeless now
Leona: *Pokes Livia's cheeks* How'd she get turned into a toddler?
Ruggie: Bandit and Ace.
Ziro: I'll take her back to Diasomnia
Leona: *Growls at him then flops over onto his back, Livia asleep on his chest*
Ruggie: *Wheezes, laughing*
Ziro: ....guess not..
I'd climb every mountain
Leona: WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?
Ruggie: You think we know!?
Livia: *Grips her chest, her vision blurring*
Leona: Have Vil make a potion or something! Hurry up!!
Ruggie: Geez, when it comes to her you throw a huge hissy fit-
Leona: *Roars angrily startling Ruggie* GO!!
Ruggie: *Rushes out* FINE!!
And swim every ocean
Livia: *Shrieks shaking her head* THROW IT BACK!!
Leona: Livia-
Livia: *Screams waving her hand at the frog in her spot* I DON'T LIKE THINGS THAT JUMP!!! GET RID OF IT!!
Leona: *Throws his arm up as the boat flipped over, snatching Livia close to him*
Leona: *Climbs out of the water soaking wet, Livia thrown over his shoulder*
Livia: Sorry...
Leona: *Sighs laying her down and using a heating spell* You better be.....are you hurt
Livia: No...
Just to be with you
Leona: WHERE'S MY LITTLE HUNTER!
Livia: *Hops up beaming* Leona!
Leona: Wanna come to my hometown with me?
Livia: *Beams and nods* YES!
Leona: *Grins laughing* Then be prepared!
Livia: *Beams lifting her hands into the air* YEAH!
Leona: *Looks around for anyone then smiles, lifting his hands into the air with her* Yay~
Lilia: *Floats above them, covering his mouth snickering quietly*
And fix what I've broken
Leona: *Braids Livia's hair, sitting behind her*
Livia: Leona did you know that koala's can be aggressive despite being docile at times?
Leona: There are a lot of animals like that, Little Hunter
Livia: Oh-
Leona: But that's a good fact to know
Livia: *Giggles, beaming*
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
Livia: *Sits behind Leona on a stool, braiding his hair*
Leona: Don't tug...
Livia: Sorry
Leona: Ruggie bring her more accessories...
Ruggie: Shishi, okay~
That you are the reason
Livia: *Lays asleep on her side, her head resting on Shadie's side*
Shadie: *Perks up*
Leona: *Puts a finger to his lips, then drops one of his blankets on Livia* Let her sleep...
Shadie: *Yawns and rests his head on his paws*
Leona: *Turns and walks away, leaving Lonan to watch over them*
~~~~~
There goes my hands shaking
Livia: MAL MAL!
Malleus: *Laughs as Livia threw herself into him, her arms around his neck* Hello Beastie!
Livia: *Beams up at him her eyes sparkling* Is it tea time!?
Malleus: It is, you came right on time
Livia: *Beams and hurries away*
Malleus: *Stands up and walks after her*
And you are the reason
Livia: *Peeks out then smiles as she followed Sebek*
Sebek: *Halts his walking* Who are you
Livia: *Gasps in surprise as a green barrier popped up around her, blocking Sebek's baton*
Sebek: *Stares at her then yells in alarm tossing his baton ten feet down the hallway* I AM SO SORRY MY LADY!!
Malleus: *Frowns, appearing behind the freshman* Sebek...
Sebek: *Sighs ashamed* I apologize so very deeply, My Leige, Lady Livia...
My heart keeps bleeding
Malleus: *Looks over, his eyes widening in surprise*
Livia(14): *Walks towards him smiling, wearing her debutante dress* Mal!
Malleus: *Smiles, holding his hand out* Can I finally have my turn?
Livia: *Giggles and takes his hand* Yes!
Malleus: *Chuckles* Good...
I need you now
Livia(8): *Sits across from Malleus, eating lunch* Mal Mal, can I go visit Kalim?
Malleus: Your human pen pal friend?
Livia: *Nods* Yes...
Malleus: Hm...very well
Livia: *Beams* THANKS MAL!
Malleus: *Frowns*
Livia: *Perks up then comes around the table and tackle hugs him giggling*
Malleus: *Smiles and pats her back* You're welcome
And if I could turn back the clock
Malleus: *Stares at Livia then sets his tea cup down* Perhaps...we should end tea time here...
Livia(5): *Perks up then nods* Okay, that means early lessons with Nilo!
Malleus: *Smiles slightly and nods* Go ahead..
Livia: *Climbs down and walks away*
Malleus: *Sighs, touching his head*
I'd make sure the light defeated the dark
Livia(3rd Life): *Smiles wide*
Malleus: *Smiles as Livia took his hand* Shall we go?
Livia: Yes!
Livia(2nd Life): *Stares at Malleus and Cynthia with wide eyes, standing among the crowd*
Cynthia: *Smiles, walking beside Malleus*
Malleus: *Looks at Livia and turns away huffing*
I'd spend every hour, of every day
Malleus: You can have that
Livia(9): *Holding a small sculpture* Huh?
Talon: Malleus, that's the family's carved statue!
Livia: *Gasps in shock, looking at the wooden statue in her hand noticing the dragon had the royal mark*
Malleus: *Takes the statue, tossing it to Talon* If she wants it, it's hers..
Talon: *Stares in disbelief* YOUR HIGHNESS, THE PRINCE!!
Keeping you safe
Livia(7): *Throws her blankets off, beaming as she hurried out of bed* NILO!
Livia: *Steps on her nightgown, gasping as she fell face first towards the ground*
???: *Hurries past Nilo, quickly catching her* Beastie...
Livia: *Looks up surprised*
Malleus: *Stares down at her with wide eyes* Are you alright?
Livia: Yes..
Malleus: *Sighs in relief*
And I'd climb every mountain
Malleus: *Glares at the trembling servants* WHO poisoned her!??
Talon: Malleus, calm down
Livia(6): *Sobs quietly, gripping her chest, laying on her side*
Malleus: *Turns around tapping Livia's forehead, putting her to sleep* Bring Mayhem here, RIGHT NOW!!
Talon: *Bows his head then rushes out* Understood!
Malleus: *Stares down at Livia* You're gonna be alright...
And swim every ocean
Livia(4): *Perks up and looks to her right finding a grasshopper there*
Silver(5): *Flinches when Livia screamed and threw herself onto Malleus*
Malleus: B-BEASTIE!?
Livia: *Shrieks, her arms around his neck* I DON'T WANT IT!! THROW IT IN THE WATER! GET RID OF IT!!!
Malleus: *Grabs Silver as the boat tipped to the side*
Malleus: *Floats out of the water and lands on the grass, setting the two kids down*
Livia: ...I'm sorry....
Malleus: *Sitting between them, using a heating spell* It's fine..you were scared
Just to be with you
Malleus: *Carries Livia on his shoulder*
Livia(16): *Beams, her eyes lighting up*
Malleus: Better?
Livia: Yeah, thanks, Mal!
Lilia: *Laughs, smiling at the two amused*
And fix what I've broken
Malleus: *Looks at the glass sculpture, closing his hands around it*
Malleus: Beastie
Livia: Huh-
Malleus: *Holds out the glass bat* I fixed it
Livia: *Smiles wide, taking the sculpture* Thank you!
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
Livia: *Grabs a biscuit, taking a bite out of it*
Raviola: *Smiles, pouring her some mint tea*
Malleus: Should we go for a boat ride after this?
Livia: YEAH!
Malleus: *Chuckles* Very well then
That you are the reason
Livia: *Hugs Carrots close, laying fast asleep in bed*
Shadie: *Opens his eyes and lifts his head*
Malleus: *Gently pats the cats head* Hey buddy
Malleus: *Turns to Livia, carefully tapping her temple*
Livia: *Smiles* Pretty birdies...
Malleus: *Smiles and turns away* Happy dreams...
~~~~~
I don't wanna fight no more
Leona: *Scowls at Malleus, his arms crossed*
Malleus: *Smiles, taking a sip of his tea*
Livia: *Beams, sitting between them, taking a sip of her tea giggling*
Leona: I brought you snacks from Trey
Malleus: How kind~
Leona: *Growls at him*
Livia: *Giggles, smiling at the two*
I don't wanna hide no more
Leona: *Grunts as Livia tackle hugged him*
Livia: HI LEONA!!
Leona: Don't...EVER do that again......when we're around people
Livia: *Beams up at him* Okay!
Leona: *Sighs as Livia dragged him after her*
I don't wanna cry no more
Livia: *Rubs her eyes then perks up as glowing figures appeared retailing the Frog Prince story*
Malleus: *Smiles as she looked back* It's your favorite fairy tale
Livia: *Smiles slightly, looking at the glowing figures*
Lilia: *Plops down beside Livia, smiling as he watched*
Livia: *Giggles* PAPA!
Lilia: What!? *Laughs* I like it too!
Come back I need you to hold me
Leona: *Lifts his arm, his eyes wide when he found toddler Livia gone* Little Hunter!?
Leona: *Throws his pillows and blanket off, one hitting Ruggie in the face*
Ruggie: Leona-
Livia: *Yowls, floating upside down behind Leona*
Leona: *Whips around and sighs, smirking* Sneaky sneaky, cub
Livia: *Giggles*
Be a little closer now
Malleus: *Perks up, hearing running feet*
Livia: *Tackle hugs Malleus* MAL MAL!!
Malleus: *Chuckles* Hello Beastie, I see you have flowers, are those for my hair and horns?
Livia: YEP!
Malleus: Then let's head to my room and you may start, my hair stylist
Livia: *Beams, skipping ahead of him*
Just a little closer now
Leona: *Tosses Livia his credit card* Here, go on a shopping spree with your friends
Livia: *Stares at his card surprised*
Leona: What? You're getting one too soon...
Livia: Huh?
Leona: So you can spoil yourself and your friends, I have one on it's way for you..
Livia: *Jumps on Leona* LEONA!!
Leona: *Stares in shock as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, his hair messy* ...you're welcome.....
Come a little closer
Livia: *Giggles, twirling her parasol as she walked beside Malleus*
Malleus: Look your roses grew..
Livia: *Beams, gently touching the bud*
Malleus: Good job, Beastie, you did good
Livia: Thanks Mal!
I need you to hold me tonight
Livia: *Sits across from Leona, eating dinner*
Leona: Tomorrow we can go explore the kingdom if you want
Livia: *Looks over curiously* Huh?
Leona: I brought you to my home again so you can explore more, unless you want to stay at the palace
Livia: *Smles* No, No! I wanna explore more tomorrow!
Leona: Then get a goods night rest...
Livia: *Giggles and nods* Okay!
~~~~~
I'd climb every mountain
Livia: *Beams, the wind blowing through her hair*
Leona: *Glances at her smiling as he drove the car* Where to first?
Livia: *Looks at him beaming* Oh, I wanna see the springs again!!
Leona: Springs it is
Livia: Yay!
And swim every ocean
Malleus: *Holds Livia's hands, chuckling as the girl kicked her feet*
Livia: *Smiles, floaties around her arms* I'm doing it, Mal!
Malleus: You sure are~
Lilia: *Smiles, recording them* GO LIVY!!
Silver: *Smiles slightly, watching them*
Livia: *Giggles, Malleus moving backwards as she continued kicking her feet*
Just to be with you
Leona: No tea time?
Livia: *Smiles and shakes her head* No not today!
Leona: *Touches her forehead* No fever...
Livia: *Giggles* I don't have tea time everyday you know
Leona: *Chuckles* I see...
And fix what I've broken
Malleus: *Walks into the lounge then perks up*
Shadie: *Meows looking back at him*
Malleus: *Chuckles* This is why you brought me here
Livia: *Lays asleep on the couch, her book on the ground*
Malleus: *Floats a blanket over to Livia, laying it over her*
Shadie: *Nudges the book, using his nose to throw it up onto the table*
Malleus: There we go, good kitty
Shadie: *Curls up by the couch going to sleep*
'Cause I need you to see
Leona: *Smirks, his eyes closed*
Leona: *Turns over dodging Livia's attempt to pounce on him*
Livia: AW NO FAIR!
Leona: *Chuckles, and lays on his stomach, poking her nose* Try it on that guy~
Ruggie: Leona-
Livia: *Pounces on Ruggie*
Ruggie: AHHHH!
Leona: *Laughs*
Ruggie: I AM NOT A POUNCING TARGET!! LEONA!!!
That you are the reason
Malleus and Leona: *Stares down at Livia*
Livia: *Lays asleep at her desk, papers scattered around her, several books open*
Leona: *Pats Shadie's head* Good cat...
Malleus: *Places a blanket over Livia*
Leona: *Closes her books bookmarking them, and gathering the papers up*
Malleus: There...
Leona: *Nods* That's better
Livia: *Yawns and smiles slightly*
@anxious-twisted-vampire @yukii0nna @writing-heiresss @zexal-club @marrondrawsalot @yumeko2sevilla @abyssthing198
#twst oc#twst livia#livia vanrouge#twst disney#twisted wonderland#twst#twst wonderland#twisted wonderland disney#disney twisted wonderland#disney twst#twst ocs#twisted wonderland oc#twisted oc#twistedwonderland#leona twst#leona kingscholar#twisted wonderland leona#twst leona#malleus draconia#malleus#malleus twisted wonderland#malleus twst#twisted wonderland malleus#twst malleus draconia#twst malleus#lilia#sebek#twst lilia#twst lilia vanrouge#twisted wonderland lilia
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It Happened on Christmas Eve.
The amount of luggage that had suddenly appeared at the door did not fit in the entryway and Coyote was scratching his head. “I guess we can put it in the garage?” he said with a shrug.
Shishi balked at him “My vintage Louis Vuitton luggage? In the garage Coyote?” he narrowed his eyes as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“It’s climate controlled.” Coyote offered to him hoping that was maybe the issue Shishi had in his head, the image of a cold and damp garage. It was better, but the Imp refused to acknowledge that and instead crossed his arms. “Where do you even keep all these? Your house is tiny.” He asked looking at the piles that nearly reached his head.
Shishi looked at them “storage.” And before Coyote could argue further “it’s white glove service” he said. “It’s very nice.”
Kurama chuckled softly. “They’ll be fine in the garage, it’s one night, and it’s climate controlled.”
“And Look!” Gatlin held up his hands, now covered in white gloves he had manifested with his own powers. “White glove service.”
Shishi huffed “Well now you’re just making fun of me.” He said and put his nose up and turned away to start into the house, spotting Sasuga in her comfy Christmas sweater and throwing his arms open. “Sasuga. All the men are ganging up on me, and not in the way I’d enjoy.” He said searching for a hug.
“Please don’t lump me in with them.” Cal said from his place setting the table. “And please never phrase it that way again.” He laughed.
“Dunno.” Thomasina smiled. “I’d kind of like to see Shishi ganged up on by a bunch of men.” She said with a wink. It was afternoon on Christmas eve and they were placing the finishing touches on the table while things were baking and cooking in the kitchen. Now that Gatlin, Kurama, and Shishi had arrived they could finally open a bottle of wine and start on the egg nog.
“I’m not sure Shishi needs any encouraging.” Kurama said gently and cast a loving gaze to his mate.
Shishi huffed again, though he was delighted with the attention and he smiled as he took Sasuga’s hands. “How are you?” Sasuga had shared the story about Frick and the Pirate ship with her uncle prior to his arrival, and he had discussed all her worries and insecurities at length, assuring her that Coyote had chosen her, and she was indeed enough, but understanding where she was coming from. Still he had kept it a secret from Gatlin and Kurama as promised.
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NRC’S Bestiary Survival Guide: Savanaclaw Edition
[Running your fingers over the colorful tabs, you skip over the bright red tab of Heartslabyul and pull open the book by the golden-yellow tab. The next segment in the book that greets you is…a mess. Although the ink is dry, the following pages are looking a little worse for wear. Between the sand, sweat, mud, and food stains, it’s a mystery how any of the sketches or text are still legible! It also appears that there are notes from different people scattered across the pages.]
It’s been almost two weeks since I started this project, and at this rate I don’t know how this book is going to survive this school—let alone Savanaclaw. Things have somewhat calmed down since the Magift Tournament, though I’m starting to wonder if they’ve always been this…high-strung or if it’s a result of what happened since then. I think I should scan these pages in before something happens during my visit…
Shishishishi, you really had your work cut out for ya, huh? Shouldn’t have come during Magift practice this morning.
I went ahead and took pictures of everything already just in case. But only because you worked hard on the book!
Right…don’t expect me to read all this, herbivore…
Anyway, the next dorm on the list is Savanaclaw. Many of its members are considered the most physically powerful and cunning of the student body, ranging from minotaur to werewolves. Among the current members are:
Leona Kingscholar: Manticore species. The king of Savanaclaw, he reigns supreme over the students in his dorm…when he’s not napping of course, but even then, no one dares mess with the king. With large bat-like wings, quills hidden in his mane, and a deadly scorpion tail, the words “soft” and “cuddly” do not come to mind. The manticore species are known for the deadly venom they carry—the stronger the magic, the more potent and deadly the results. The quills are hollow and fragile, meaning they can hook onto anyone foolish enough to attack them head on—provided they can avoid the projectile quills on the tail of course. When relaxed enough though, this is the best time to interact with Leona as the quills will lie flat and be harder to spot or snag. He doesn’t mind face rubs (fastest way to make him fall asleep if you don't pull his cheeks. The record is ten seconds when grumpy), ear rubs, and chin scratches, though it turns out he has a particular weakness for having someone run their fingers through their hair.
Can’t imagine anyone thinkin’ of trying that with a manticore’s spines being so close. Humans must be either really brave or really stupid!
Ace mentioned something before about how they seem to fit in with everyone at Heartslabyul. Perhaps humans pack bond like we do?
Ruggie Bucchi: Cocotta/Leucrocotta species. Hyena-like monsters, the Leucrocotta (also known by multiple names, though apparently that’s dependent on the region in Twisted Wonderland they’re in) are a force to be reckoned with as the most skilled vocal mimics. With hyena ears and spots, it’s a little jarring to see cloven hooves instead of claws and a lion-like tail rather than the short tail typically seen on hyenas—not that Twisted Wonderland actually follows the same rules as Earth anyway. Make no mistake though, Ruggie is fast and strong—though he’s particularly weak to ear rubs and is incredibly ticklish, though be warned as the hyena laugh has a somewhat scary undertone.
…you’re ticklish?
Hey! No tickling while I’m on the job! Sheesh…
Jack Howl: Fu dog species. Elegant and powerful, fu dogs are known as guardians and loyal companions with the strength of a lion and the durability of deep slate stone. They tend to travel in pairs according to Ruggie, though for some reason Jack is the only Fu dog or “Shishi” at NRC. As intimidating as they can be with their mist-like manes and tails and long fangs, it comes as a surprise to discover that they may exhibit more canine-like—perhaps even puppy-like—behavior, though it’s difficult to say if this is a common behavior in the species or if it’s Jack specific. Jack himself can transform into a massive beast form that’s as tall as a Belgian horse, and the best places to pet are: head and ears (humanoid form) and head, ears, and belly rubs (beast form)…possibly any other place dogs normally like, though have not had a chance to test.
Awwww, who’s a good little pupper~?
Heh, I guess our little guard puppy has a weak spot. How cute…
T-That’s-!!
[The rest of the page is covered in a large stain, as though someone had spilled coffee or tea on the paper and ruined the ink to the point the remaining words were faded. Somehow the rest of the pages after were legible. Just before reaching the silver-white tab separating the next dorm section, there seems to be a random page from school paper sticking out depicting a tiny child looking suspiciously like Leona, only bearing a pair of feathery wings instead of bat ones. The child is standing next to a childishly drawn renditions of what seems to be Yuu holding the child’s hand.]
Cheka Kingscholar: Shedu species. Quite possibly the most adorable little child ever seen, Cheka is part of the royal family and a member of the shedu species. According to Ruggie, the shedu are known as protective guardians with close ties to the stars and life itself. In Twisted Wonderland, it’s rumored that they can travel through the stars and gain strength from constellations to protect all life around them. Even tiny Cheka—still a cub—can create paths of grass and flowers with each step, and perhaps someday he may be able to create an oasis just like his father. Cheka is a cuddlebug, so he loves snuggles and ear scratches, and face rubs are the quickest way to get him to fall asleep. Despite supposedly being two different species in the same family, he absolutely adores his uncle and somehow he never seems to get injured on Leona’s quills.
#twisted wonderland#twst#twisted wonderland monster AU#twst monster AU#savanaclaw#leona kingscholar#ruggie bucchi#jack howl#cheka kingscholar#twisted wonderland Yuu#twst Yuu
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Today I Learned (TIL), Okada Izo version:
+ Okada Izo 岡田以蔵 was born on 14 February 1838 (by the western calendar) as the oldest son of Okada Yoshihisa and his wife, Rie.
Izo's father has been described as a kind person who enjoyed the good fortune of others and was known in his neighborhood as a bit of a matchmaker.
+ Izo had one younger brother, Keikichi, who was born in March 1844.
+ Izo's personal name (imina) was Yoshifuru.
+ He was born in Iwamura village and when he was 10, the family moved to Enokuchi village, outside of Kochi castle town.
The particular neighborhood where his family lived was called Shichiken-machi 七軒町 ("seven eaves row") because his street had seven houses in a row.
The characters "七以", using the first character of 七軒町 (Shichiken-machi) and the first character of 以蔵 (Izo), were sometimes used as code for him in writings related to the Kinnoto (Tosa Loyalist Party).
+ Izo's father was originally an ashigaru who later bought his way into the rank of goshi with money.
Buying your way to a higher rank, or even buying your way into the samurai class from being a farmer or merchant, was not uncommon. Even Sakamoto Ryoma's family were originally merchants before buying their way to becoming goshi.
However, like ashigaru, goshi belonged to the class of low-ranking samurai (kashi) and in Tosa, which was a particularly conservative domain, a great division existed between kashi and joshi (upper-class samurai), making kashi the subject of discrimination and restrictions.
Those restrictions often dictated even small details of everyday life: kashi were not allowed to carry umbrellas, and they were not allowed to wear tabi socks or geta, even in winter.
+ Izo is often described as having been illiterate, but this idea originates from Shiba Ryotaro's fiction.
In reality, Izo had a normal education but was not a talented student, had little interest in books, and often found it difficult to articulate his thoughts. There were many instances people referred to him as "stupid" and "that idiot" throughout his life.
+ Izo was self-taught in swordsmanship to some extent. It's likely he initially learned from his father and then practiced on his own before formally joining a dojo.
I've been trying to unravel some of the sources and it appears he joined the fencing hall of Asada Kanshichi Naomoto in Kochi when he was 12 or 13 years old.
Asada was a master of the Ono-ha Itto-ryu (Nakanishi-ha Itto-ryu) who had previously studied at Shigakukan, one of the big sword schools in Edo. He was also the sword instructor for Tosa's han school.
It was here Izo first met Takechi Hanpeita, a fellow student 9 years his senior, who would become his mentor, someone he looked up to and followed without question for most of his life.
Izo joined Takechi's school in 1855, at 17 or 18, which was the year Takechi opened his own dojo. A lot of sources put Asada's and Takechi's schools together when talking about Izo's training, so it's confusing.
Izo was quickly recognized as being very talented and none of the other students provided him much of a challenge except Takechi himself. He finally found something he was good at!
+ In 1856, when Izo was 18 or 19, Takechi (and perhaps a recommendation letter from Asada) helped make it possible for him to travel to Edo and train at Shigakukan, Momoi Shunzo's school, where he earned his Menkyo Chuden (middle license) in the Kyoshin Meichi-ryu style before returning to Tosa in 1858.
However, perhaps because Izo didn't have the same foundations in swordsmanship as the others, Momoi called his sword "vulgar and without dignity."
+ In 1860, Izo was able to leave Tosa for training a second time, again helped by Takechi, who was using these trips for his own purposes: to gather others to his cause of Sonno Joi and build connections with shishi from other domains.
After spending time in Chugoku and Kyushu, Takechi left Izo behind in Oka domain to study the Jikishi-ryu style, while he (Takechi) went to Edo and worked on establishing his Kinnoto (Tosa Loyalist Party).
+ Izo returned to Edo in May 1861 and joined the Kinnoto out of loyalty to his teacher.
However, because he had no real interest in politics and his comrades excluded him from their political discussions, considering him too stupid to participate, Izo slowly became more distanced from Takechi, and when his teacher returned to Tosa later that year, Izo was once again left behind.
+ In January 1862, Izo set out to return to Tosa himself, but he became ill along the way and had to stay somewhere to recover before he was well enough to continue traveling home to Tosa.
Perhaps Izo should have taken the hint because things did not improve for him from there:
When Izo set out for Kyoto in June 1862 alongside Takechi and other comrades from the Kinnoto, they were hounded by the metsuke Inoue Saichiro, who was investigating the murder of Yoshida Toyo.
That murder had been ordered by Takechi and carried out by three members of the Kinnoto. Concerned that Inoue would arrest them, Takechi ordered Izo and three others to kill him.
This was the first in a number of assassinations Takechi ordered Izo to carry out that year, mostly in Kyoto. More about these here, in a separate post.
+ In January 1863, Izo suddenly left for Edo.
I'm not entirely clear why, nor do sources seem to agree. The most common theories are:
(1) Izo's services as an assassin were no longer needed because things were going poorly for the Kinnoto and Takechi returned to Tosa, leaving Izo behind once again;
(2) Izo had become more estranged from Takechi and his comrades and chose to leave, perhaps at least partly because he didn't want to be an assassin for a cause he didn't care about;
(3) Takechi reprimanded Izo for his behavior and told him to leave.
Whatever the reason, Takechi removed Izo's name from the membership roster of the Kinnoto.
+ After he arrived in Edo, Izo lived for a short while with Takasugi Shinsaku. However, when Takasugi was recalled to Choshu, Izo was once again left in limbo.
+ It was around the time Takasugi left that Izo was introduced to Katsu Kaishu, either by Takasugi Shinsaku or more likely by Sakamoto Ryoma, who had known him since they were young boys in Tosa. Izo became Katsu's bodyguard.
Katsu Kaishu mentioned Izo in his writing:
As I was walking through the city that night, three samurai suddenly appeared in front of me on Teramachi Street and drew their swords. I was so startled, I started to run, but Okada Izo, who was by my side, quickly drew his long sword and cut one of the men in half. The other two were so scared, they ran away. I barely escaped but I was impressed by Okada's quick action. Later I said to Okada, "You should not enjoy killing people." He said, "Sensei, if it weren't for me, your head would have been cut off." There was nothing I could say in response.
+ Izo left Katsu Kaishu and returned to Kyoto later in 1863, for reasons that are again unclear.
This was a terrible decision: not only were Shogunate troops cracking down on ronin in Kyoto, and the city was overall in turmoil with pro-Shogunate and pro-Sonno Joi groups both causing each other trouble, Izo was also considered homeless (無宿, mushuku): someone whose name had been removed from the family register because he was considered a deserter from his domain. (He did not return when other Tosa retainers had been ordered to return.)
With nowhere to go and without any money, Izo, who was using the name Tetsuzo as an alias, started to borrow and extort money, drowned his sorrows in alcohol, and eventually even sold his long sword to make ends meet while trying not to get captured.
+ In May 1864 he was arrested by the Kyoto magistrate for breaking into a merchant's house.
He was subjected to a public beating, tattooed as a criminal, and handed over to the Tosa metsuke who returned him to Koshi in June.
+ In Tosa, Izo faced being brutally tortured and interrogated for information about his former comrades and about Takechi's involvement Yoshida Toyo's murder.
Takechi, resentful Izo had been caught and worried he would easily succumb to torture and give away his comrades, complained "I wish that fool had killed himself!" He reached out to both Izo's father and his younger brother Keikichi, a member of the Kinnoto, with a plan to poison him.
Whether that plan was carried out is unknown: Izo may have become aware of the plan, he may have taken the poison and survived, or he may have given in to more than 10 months of torture. Whatever the reason, in the end he gave up the names of many Kinnoto members, and confessed his own crimes.
Takechi complained: "Izo is truly the greatest crybaby in all of Japan."
+ On 3 July 1865 (western date), Izo was beheaded and his head was put on display by the riverbed for three days.
He was the only member of the Kinnoto whose head was put on public display after death.
#TIL#today I learned#okada izo#history notes#historical notes#history reference#historical reference#history research#historical research
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Some various Megumi headcanons.
Since he was little, Megumi loves coloring. As a kid he did all kind of children's books, but always finished them too soon, so eventually Satoru got him mandala books and they were the ones that stuck. Megumi would sit down to color for hours straight, and up to this day he still does at least a few pages a week. Back home he's got a shelve with at least a hundred of fully finished books.
Megumi loves animals, especially dogs. His divine dogs were the first shikigami he ever summoned before he even was introduced to jujutsu by Satoru. He's always treated them as his pets and rarely sends them back to his shadow. Wherever he is, the dogs, Kuku and Shishi, are always near by. They sleep in bed with him too. All his other shikigami have names he's given them too.
Due to his love for animals, Megumi always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian someday. However, he abandoned that dream in order to become a sorcerer instead. Given the deal Satoru made with the Zen'in, he knows it would cause unnecessary problems to him if Megumi refused to assist the school. Therefore he will be a sorcerer even if he hates it, as he would never want to become a burden to him.
However, he still intends to go to college once he graduates. Right now Megumi hopes to become a doctor, specifically a neurologist, in order to mix medicine and sorcery to try and find a way to cure Tsumiki. In his dorm room his shelves can be seen filled with books and magazines on medicine, and he often can be seen reading and studying on his free time.
He is gay, and he's fully aware, if a bit defensive about it. Yuta was his awakening, if it took him a while to come to terms with it.
Megumi is a feminine boy. He enjoys wearing make up and jewelry, does skincare routines, and as an all cares a lot about his appearance. He also dresses on commonly female clothes and colors. He and Mai have been close friends since little and bond over these kinds of things.
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Why is spider queen a “popular” pairing with monkey king? Popular in the sense that this is my 4th time seeing this not that they get together.
You mean the spider demon? I can't really say why directors keep using her as a love interest for Wukong but it is starting to appear more and more of a popular trope.
Like in Journey to the West The Legend of the Merman (2017) 西游鲛人传 she is just in straight-up love interesting while in Sun Wukong in Hong Kong (1969) 孫悟空大鬧香港 it's less of a love interest role and more of an object of desire for other characters to fight over and cause chaos.
I think it mostly comes from her origin with the Seven Spider Sisters and how they were connected with the 7 emotions (not the 6 desires though which I find interesting)
I think the only series I've really seen Wukong played out with a Spider Demon is Journey to the West (1996) 西游记 where Wukong and the gang help this one spider find her true love that was reincarnated (heavy White Snake energy) and her little sister (Shishi? I might be remembering wrong) falls in love with Wukong. I think it's a very hard arc cause she so clearly loves Wukong but Wukong has no interest in romantic relationships at all and makes that clear from the start... and it's hard on Wukong cause he does care for her as a friend but just can't change his feelings for her and he won't lie about his feelings either just to make her feel better.
Honestly a very mature message not to force yourself into a relationship just for the sake of the other person. You have to know your own emotions and accept them.
So I think that when done right I can see why people enjoy the Spider Demon and Sun Wukong playing off each other if a director does it right. Romantic or not!
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Hi,
I have 2 ocs for your special,
I'll start with her.
(I figured it was easier to just put a picture of her rather than describing her appearance)
Her name is Alvar,
She's around 3000 years old and 5'2 (as you can see she's fairly skinny)
She's very loud and an overall happy person around the people she's comfortable with, but around strangers, she only speaks when spoken to. She is also very paranoid when she isn't around someone she's comfortable with because of backstory reasons.
She likes people who will match her energy and are patient with how quiet she can be.
Backstory: (she's not from twst and was transported there) she had very loving parents who supported her studies in wind magic but would drill into her head that the royal family in the kingdom they lived in could do no wrong. She lived comfortably for years until she turned 17 when a world war broke out and her parents were killed. She was trying to avoid trouble when she was ambushed by 3 people. She was losing the fight terribly when Kasai (another one of my OCs) saved her. After kasai had patched her up, she offered her immortality, and she accepted. She stuck with kasai throughout the rest of the war and became a head knight.
Can you write her with Ruggie for prompts 6 and 29? (Romantic)
(I really hope I did this right)
Peace & Potions
Ship: Ruggie Bucchi x Alvar(romantic)
Prompts: 6. "You can't get rid of me, I'll just follow you" | 29. "Pookie, Sweetie, Love of my life, angel of my eye, air that I breathe, absolute geni-" "What did you do?"
Sitting in the grass was a girl with fiery hair, and eyes the color of jades lay. She had a soft expression on her face.
Alvar laid in peace simply enjoying the scenery; in Twisted Wonderland she learned to never take the rare moments of peace she had for granted. Closing her eyes she smelled the smell of mother nature, felt the grass against her body, and heard birds chirping, someone yelling her name, the soft win- wait what?
She immediately sat up and turned her instincts almost causing her to pin down the person; but she then relaxed when she noticed the figure of a familiar beast-man with dusty blonde hair, blue eyes, and the ears of a hyena. It was her boyfriend, Ruggie Bucchi.
Nearing her she noticed his large smile, not that it wasn't like he didn't always have that smile plastered on his face but this time she noticed the hint of worry in his expression. She was immediately on guard, knowing her partner seems to always be up to something chaotic. She stood to her feet to greet him halfway. Once they met in the middle he wrapped his arms around her waist and she hugged hers around his torso then gave him a peck on the lips. Before she could say a thing he began.
"Pookie, Sweetie, Love my life, Angel of my eye, the MOST amazing partner, Air I breathe, absolute geni-"
And before he could list every term of endearment in existence Alvar interrupted him; "What did you do?" His smile disappeared and then reappeared on his face, "I may have ACCIDENTALLY, spilled a potion in your kitchen that makes you suuuuuper sleepy" He says with a nervous smile. His girlfriend could only look at him with disbelief on her face.
For a minute Ruggie thought she was gonna blow up in his face. She simply regained her stance and sighed into his chest. "In all my years I never thought I'd end up with such a chaotic guy" she mumbled into his chest loud enough for him to hear. "Shishi, well look where you are, with your very chaotic hyena." She looked up at him unamused, thinking about how to clean up the mess in her kitchen without falling asleep.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm gonna keep you around" she said the unamusment not just visible on her face but in her tone as well. Ruggie simply cocked his head back and laughed. "Shishishishi, well my sunflower you can't get rid of me, because I'll just follow you" he gave her a smirk. "Don't worry I won't, as long as you help me deal with your mess". "Deal" he said. And with that he gave her a peck on the lips as the two headed back to clean up the kitchen.
'Oh Seven,do I love him' was all Alvar could think on their walk back.
This is so short, but what do you think of my first oc write?
This is very new to me so I would love some feedback!! I hope you enjoyed this.
Savannaclaw Masterlist
150 Event Masterlist(Not Available Yet, so go here!!)
#twisted wonderland#twst#fluff#twst x oc#twisted wonderland x oc#ruggie bucchi#ruggie bucchi x oc#savanaclaw x oc#twst fluff#event#LittleMissAyu's150EVT
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Sabikui Bisco Volume 5: Ravenous Hokkaido, The Island Whale
Phew, what a read as per usual, especially this time around thanks to the translation efforts Eight (can't recommend checking out their Twitter enough). Even though I say that, I had my reservations coming into this one thanks to Cobkubo's desired literary format of making their installments far more episodic. With that in mind, lots to chat about, and it's going to get very wordy since it's an LN. But the short of it? It's good, really good, and I'm looking forward to seeing what Cobkubo can continue to do as this story extends further and further past the reaches of its initial intent.
Warning: Spoilers Discussed
First and foremost, longevity. It was a concern of mine post-volume 3, where the story was originally slated to end. I thought volume 4 was a good read, but it was pretty well divorced from the contents of the third volume so to speak. A new adventure, if you will. After saving the world once, how do you top it? Well, Cobkubo answers between volumes 4 and 5 that you do it by taking a look back at your world. Re-examining the pieces that might have been discarded, and finding ways to weave them into the story.
The idea of animals mixing with technology? We got a living island being hijacked by genetically altered flower people this volume (and of course a rocket powered Actagawa). What about a new approach to the use of mushrooms? That's in this latest volume as well. What about the issue of making a simplistic power system of rock-paper-scissors last? We've got that too. I think the point's been made though. Cobkubo takes the opportunity they created with volume 4 to rebuild the foundations of this world that they've created to be better suited to a broader vision.
And it's a great thing, really. It allows for new and old characters to mix really easily and to cross stories between one another to weave a more detailed tapestry of the state of the world and what it's become.
Anyways, specifics. I'll start with one bit of a complaint (but it's not really one). The new character introduced this volume is yet another girl. I don't mind it, I really don't, I just think that it's more about how Cobkubo tends and prefers to write characters and their interactions with Bisco. Not at all bad, just a little one note when there's a lot more out there. Though I say that, and Shishi's character arc through volume 4 and 5 is arguably the best out of the bunch.
With that out of the way, it's time to hop on the hype train, because that's where we're going! The new character, Chaika, is used surprisingly well alongside a kid-ified Bisco. Her demeanor does really great against Bisco's short temper yet pure-hearted nature. Similarly, I appreciate that it's not yet another superpowered girl joining the team, but someone more on Tirol's level: a very specialized character that provides importance in the context of volume they appear in. Not to say that TIrol's not of importance at all anymore, but that they largely have had their moments in getting Milo and Bisco the power and ability that they need.
Speaking of Tirol, the reappearance of many older characters is very nice. I'm still stuck waiting for Pawoo to make her appearance again (I'm sure it'll happen next volume, I say as a tear rolls down my cheek), but we get characters like Amli and Tirol and the like showing up, which is really nice. It provides a full complement of the origin of powers. Shishi with her florescence, Amli with her rust powers, and Bisco with his mushrooms.
Going even further, and into spoiler territory, they do a great job of mixing these powers. How the rust-eater eats rust, how rust consumes florescence, and how florescence consumes mushroom. It's a very important system to remember as it comes into play at the end of the volume. But before that, Cobkubo pays their respects (and sets up a crazy twist) by bringing back Lord Kelshina through Amli. Yeah, the immortal equivalent of a war god is channeled through Amli to fight Shishi, bringing the real progenitor of the Rust as a weapon into the fray. Incredibly cool.
Regardless, bringing him back sets up for the plot twist, but also re-centers our view on the world and its oddities. Also, it serves as a comfortable reminder to readers that the concept of a soul does exist within the story, at the very least as something that can be called upon.
And the last of it, the big reveal, Kurokawa. Yes, the first volume's big bad buy. Crazy, right? Well, not as much as you'd think. Kelshina was "one" with the rust, so to speak, and he was able to return through Amli. Kurokawa died to the rust that housed Testujin, so you could also say that he was a part of the rust. Pretty crafty storytelling from Cobkubo I'd say. Feels right at home and fits the crazy campy and idiosyncratic nature of this story.
So all in all, we've had our 2 "real" bad guys (the previous incarnations of Milo and Bisco don't really count) re-appear in this volume, and they were both back with a vengeance. Kurokawa's got his secret army raised and his (or I guess I should say her?) sights set on Imihama once more, and with a new fangled rust-based weapon. Shishi's been stripped of her florescence, Amli's ability to use the rust is questionable at this point in time. Bisco is now both the Sun and Moon God, and who knows what else is going on. But I love it. It's exactly what the story needed to combat its episodic nature without losing sight of itself. We're not recycling or reducing, we're re-using, and that's the best possible scenario for this incredibly strong and unique characters. I can't wait to see what tricks Cobkubo pulls and what references they make to their previous volumes.
#sabikui bisco#rust eater bisco#bisco akaboshi#anime and manga#light novel review#light novel recommendation#light novel#shinji cobkubo#錆喰いビスコ#milo nekoyanagi
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Shinsengumi
This site appears to be a Rurouni Kenshin fan blog, but it provides a good overview of the Shinsengumi’s history. It’s no longer available, so I’ve added it to the archives:
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Historical Background
After the arrival of Commodore Perry, Japan was thrown into chaos and fear. Many samurais, especially those of lower ranks, began to doubt the power of the Shogunate in defending the country against foreign powers, especially when they had seen the armed blackships. The slogan "Sonno-Joi" (Revere the emperor, dispel the barbarians) was winning more and more support, such that samurais desert their hans to come to Kyoto to join the revolutionary movements. (In those days deserting your hand can be one of the most condemned sins - once you desert, you can never return to it, on pain of death.)
Such roshis (masterless samurais, but not ronins and definitely not rurounis:)) increased in Kyoto, causing more and more disturbances at the capital. In those early days of unsatisfied feelings, most of the roshis still did not have a clear idea of what movement or who they should follow. All they knew was that they were impatient and eager to do something to defend Japan. There were myriads of schools of thought - Sonno-joi, open up the country to learn from the gaijin and in turn attacked them using the same technologies, support the Bakufu - as Watsuki once remarked, it was an era where 100 people may hold 100 different arguments and you can't say who's wrong. It's one factor which makes this era as tumultuous and interesting as it is. The Bakufu decided that it would be to their advantage if they took such roshis without any stand yet into their service, rather than letting them roam about the capital. Hence, Roshi-tais (bands of wave samurais) were formed and roshis enlisted under respective Bakufu samurais, where the "entry requirements" were one's sword skills (kenjutsu matches, something like an exam, were held.) This happened in 1863 or 3rd Year of Bunkyuu, one year after Kaoru's birth.
(Right, shift the scenes for a while...) Now in the district of Tama near Edo, there was a kenjutsu dojo, the Shieikan, practising the Tennen Rishin Ryuu. The master was one Kondou Isami, and among the students are Hijikata Toshizou, Okita Souji and Inoue Genzaburou. These four were like brothers, with Okita as the youngest and also the strongest. There were also many frequenters at the dojo who take their meals there (like Sano frequenting the Kamiya Dojo), among them Yamanami Seisuke, Harada Sanosuke and Nagakura Shinpachi. When Kondou and Hijikata heard of the formation of Roshitais in Kyoto and being the patriotic hunks that they were, they went to Kyoto with a few other disciples of Tennen Rishin Ryuu (including all of the above named), leaving the dojo in the care of Hijikata's elder brother.
In Kyoto, they were enlisted under Kiyokawa Hachirou, after passing the "entry requirement exams". 13 roshis, including Kondou and Co, were appointed "Kyoto Defenders" by Matsudaira Katamori, the Daimyo of Aizu.
Now, although Kiyokawa acted in public like a pro-Bakufu, he was actually on the other side. What he wanted to do was to gather a troupe of roshis in the name of the Bakufu, BUT to train these roshis to be Ishin Shishis - ironic, isn't it? He had planned with the other Shishis to attack the gaijin settlement at Yokohama, setting fire to the buildings and killing the foreigners, so that the Bakufu's foreign diplomacy, as well as their image, would plummet as low as it could get. The Shogunate had news of this, however, and they sent assassins to elimainate Kiyokawa on 13/4, 3rd year of Bunkyuu, before their plan could be carried out. After that, Kondou and co. insisted on supporting the Shogunate, and they set up the Shinsengumi, with 13 members. (Actually there are other developments before this happened, but then it was so complicated that I've given up trying to figure it out. Help, anyone?) It was then that the kanji "Makoto" was chosen as the group flag. There were some arguments on this: Kondou insisted on "Makoto", while Serizawa on "Ryu" (Dragon). (from one historical novel) The first committee was as follows:
Joint Captains: Serizawa Kamo(character model for Shishio), Kondou Isami, Niimi Nishigi
Vice Captains: Hijikata Toshizo (character model for Aoshi), Yamanami Keisuke
At this point, several new members joined in, including Saitou Hajime.
First Internal Turbulence
You may have noticed by now that the Shinsengumi now comprises mainly of Kondou's men. Needless to say, they were the souls of the Shinsengumi from the start to the end - 'cos they are the more powerful. ("This is a world where the strong survive and the weak perish...") Anyway, Serizawa Kamo wasn't quite an impressive piece of goods. He was famous for wielding an iron fan as a weapon and frequented brothels, killed people at whims, got drunk and got all the more impertinent, while using his power as "Captain of the Shinsengumi" to cover up his wrongs all the time. This caused the birth of the nickname, Mibu Wolf: the troupe first gathered at a village called Mibu, so Roshis of Mibu -> Mibu-ro but this became Wolves of Mibu -> Mibu-ro. The troupe was despised throughout Kyoto. It was the last straw for Kondou and Hijikata when Serizawa summoned a prostitue to the hostels of the Shinsengumi - they were men of high morale and held fast to the codes of samurais.
On the other hand, Niimi wasn't much better off. As the troupe was travelling to Kyoto, a fire broke out at the inn that they were staying, and Kondou had taken all the blame for negligence. He was further mocked by Niimi and Serizawa. A few weeks later, however, Hijikata and the others uncovered the truth: Niimi and Serizawa were demanding some discount (or some other luxurious services) from a certain shop-tender, who declined to obey them as their demands were just too ridiculous. Angered, the two of them fired a cannon - which travelled with the troupe and was being kept in the inn's store - at the shop. They blundered somewhere, however, and the inn was plundered in fire. Hijikata managed to uncover enough evidence to convict Niimi only, however, and he ruled Niimi to commit seppuku. After which the hostility between Serizawa and Kondou became more intense. Finally, on 18/9/1863, Serizawa and other corrupted members were assassinated by a special killer group, comprising of Inoue, Yamanami, Toudou, Harada and Okita. (Refer to RK chapter on Udou Jine - he was supposed to be one of the corrupted members, but of course he doesn't really exist. His sword skills do, though.)
Well, members came and went, usually by decapitations and commiting seppuku. After the Serizawa affair, Kondou and Hijikata were determined to keep up the qualities of their members, so not only was the "entry exams" made more difficult (more notes on this later), any members found guilty of doing something which stain the "way of samurais" was decapitated, assassinated or ordered to commit suicide. (Refer to Saitou's quote when fighting Kenshin in Kamiya Dojo: "The first rule of Shinsengumi - never do anything that stain the way of samurais!")
I got this from a historical novel: Roshis who wish to join the Shinsengumi would have to fight other candidates in the same "intake", fighting the matches using shinais (bamboo swords). The stronger ones would usually be required to fight some of the more accomplished Shinsengumi members, usually Saitou (who joined the Shinsengumi later), Nagakura or Toudou. The referee for these matches would usually be Okita. Actual selections of new members were done by Hijikata and Yamanami.
Their Job
Essentially, the Shinsengumi was a police troop, patrolling the streets of Kyoto and keeping the peace. They vowed to protect Kyoto with their swords. In the heat of the Ishin movements, Shishis flowed over to Kyoto to plot the downfall of the Shogunate. Add the radical actions of the Shishis, such as setting fires to the gaijin's abodes (this was done by Takasugi Shinsaku, Katsura Kogorou/Kido Koin. Takasugi is the guy who set up the Kiheitai, and in RK, the guy who first introduced Kenshin to Katsura.), and it made roshis other than Shinsengumi, especially those who'd deserted their hans, very suspicious and dangerous persons in Kyoto. So if you cannot produce a satisfactory identity, i.e. your name and your han when questioned by the Shinsengumi members, chances are that you'd be cut down at once. To quote Kenshin, in the Bakumatsu times, Kyoto was a hell where people died and blood flowed every single day. This made the Shinsengumi feared by many indeed, especially Hijikata, for he was strict and merciless, both when it comes to punishments and cutting down suspicious persons.
Their favourite combat style was many-against-one(or a few), and this became more evident as the size of the Shinsengumi increased. If the first layer of Shinsengumi members surrounding suspicious persons got cut down, further layers of members will converge on them, until they are totally exhausted and cut down. Quoting Kaoru and Kenshin, "but isn't that a coward's way, to have many on one?" Well, their main aim was to ensure the peace of Kyoto, so the method's not so important to them."
The Ikeda-ya Affair (June 1864, First Year of Genji)
Finally. This is the turning point of the career of the Shinsengumi. The essentials of what happened are covered in RK #93 and in one of the Flashbacks in the current chapter, if I'm not mistaken. (I've seen only the translations and not the mangas.) I'm just adding that most of the killed Shishis are from Choshu and Tosa. It was after this affair that the Shinsengumi became national heroes overnight. However, the affair costed Okita a heavier price than anyone bargained for... (see section on Okita for more info)
A More Organized Structure
As the group's name struck admiration nationwide, it's size increased so rapidly and large (300 strong at its peak) that a more thorough, detailed committee was called for. Following is a list, though I don't know how to translate some of the posts properly... please help anyone who has any idea!!
Captain (Commisioner? I don't know what to call him): Kondou Isami
Vice Captain: Hijikata Toshizo *char. model for Shinomori Aoshi
Military/Strategems Advisor: Itou Kashitarou (head of literatures/records(?)
Captains of the 10 battle/patrol troops:
1st: Okita Souji (instructor in Kenjutsu) *char. model for Seta Soujirou
2nd: Nagakura Shinpachi (instructor in Kenjutsu)
3rd: Saitou Hajime (instructor in Kenjutsu)
4th: Matsubara Tadaji (instructor in Jujitsu)
5th: Takeda Kanryuusai (instructor in military strategies) *char. model for Takeda Kanryuu
6th: Inoue Genzaburou
7th: Tani Sanjyuurou (instructor in spearing skills)
8th: Toudou Heisuke
9th: Suzuki Mikisaburou
10th: Harada Sanosuke *char. model for Sagara Sanosuke
Head of sentries/spies: Yamazaki Susumu *char. model for Henya (His job was to keep an eye on the members' conduct, sort of like a disciplinary master, besides being a spy to make sure of the coast before an important operation. Kondou and Hijikata relied and had a lot of faith in him)
(?no idea what his job is, except the JP word is souchou)Yamanami Keisuke
(same post as above) a lot of those but the most famous among them was Shimada Kai who was a big muscular man *char. model for Anji
Kondou Isami (Captain)
Originally son of a rich peasant farmer, his original name was Miyakawa Katsuta. He was adopted by the former master of Shieikan Dojo, Kondou Shuusai, at the age of 16. His katana was the Nagasone Kotetsu (yep, the one used by Soujirou which was cracked by Kenshin), length 2'3"5.
According to most sources, he was a rigid man, loyal to the moral codes of a swordsman. Had a wife, and his daughter Tamako was born just before he went over to Kyoto. After the utter defeat of the Shinsengumi in then Boshin War, he was captured by the Ishin Army, who had now become the "legal" government army - after Shogun Yoshinobu's resignation, the situation took a complete reverse, so now it is the Shinsengumi who are outlaws. Kondou was decapitated on 25/4/1868 at the age of 35.
Hijikata Toshizo (Vice Captain)
The drug powder which Saitou tried to sell to Sanosuke in the guise of Fujita Gorou is the Ishida Sanyaku, a formula which had been in Hijikata's family for generations. It was used frequently in the Shinsengumi for battle wounds and broken bones. In fact, when Hijikata was a child, also son of a farmer (about 11 years old), he was something like Sanosuke, fighting and brawling all day. Then his elder sister married into a household of decent name, and his brother-in-law arranged for him to become a door-to-door medicine seller, selling the Ishida Sanyaku. It was then that he met young Kondou.
Hijikata was feared by many for his mercilessness. Nicknamed "The Demon of Shinsengumi". Can't find the JP name of his katana, though it's of length 2'8". Master strategist and tactician who stretched the prowess of the Shinsengumi to its maximum.
One of the Shinsengumi iron rules was that any traitors, including deserters, had only one path to take: COMMIT SEPPUKU. Yamanami was one such deserter. (See section on Yamanami for more.) After Yamanami split his bowels, he was decapitated by another member of the Shinsengumi, the whole process overseen by Hijikata. I must stress that Hijikata knew Yamanami ever since their Shieikan days, so feel the guy's cold-bloodedness. However, according to Watsuki, in the historical novel 'Moeyoken' (Burning Sword) by Shiba Ryotarou, Hijikata was acting the way he did because he realized that he *was* a leader and could not afford to be soft, though he *did* bring it to the extreme. In that novel, 'he chose to play the part of a demon in front of everybody and killed those he loved, and cried alone in the dark', to quote from Watsuki in his comments about Aoshi. As a leader, he had to be firm and set a good example for his followers regardless of what he actually felt. I'm sure he's hurting beneath his seemingly cold-blooded facade, after all, they were childhood friends. Perhaps Aoshi keeps his own feelings to himself for the same reason? After all, Hijikata *was* the character model for Aoshi! :)
After the group's defeat in the Boshin War and the death of Kondou, he joined Enomoto Takeaki (a former Bakufu Navy official), escaped to Hokkaido and proceeded to build a so-called "Hokkaido Republic" in order to continue fighting the Ishin government. However, Hijikata was shot to death in a battle in 1869, 2nd Year of Meiji, aged 35. Watsuki's favorite historical figure. And according to many sources including Watsuki, a handsome total knock-out...
Itou Kashitarou (Military Advisor)
This guy just can't seem to merge in with Kondou and the others because of the different way they see things. He had a lot of followers in Shinsengumi, for he was a scholar-type fellow and was able to explain his beliefs (tending to Sonno-joi) to the others and even persuade them to support his views. Finally things got to a head, Itou and his followers, including Saitou, packed up and resigned from the Shinsengumi. He was quite popular among some of the Shinsengumi members, which was why as many as 15 people packed up and went with him. Yamanami's death sentence played a part as well - see section on Yamanami on this.
But wait! Saitou's departure with him was actually Hijikata's trap, where Saitou was sent as a spy! By and by Saitou gained Itou's trust while relaying messages back to Hijikata, until finally Saitou assassinated the former advisor, and rejoined the Shinsengumi... Saitou was really a very important personnel in the Shinsengumi, ne?
Okita Souji (Captain of the 1st Troop)
Probably the best-known and popular Shinsengumi figure. Another handsome total knockout, besides being a child prodigy at kenjutsu - he joined Kondou's dojo at 9, and was an accomplished swordsman at 15 or so. Former name Soujirou, (yes, it's true!) the sword he used is the one used by Soujirou in his last battle with Kenshin, the Kikuichi Norimune, length 2'4"2.
Strongest swordsman in the Shinsengumi, he yields a katana, bokken and shinai equally well. Famous for his "3-piece thrust" - 3 thrusts delivered so quickly at the opponent, usually at the neck and the right and left shoulders. Like Saito, this technique was improvised from the one invented by Hijikata.
Tragedy struck, though, for Okita contracted Tuberculosis, an incurable disease in those times, shortly after the formation of the Shinsengumi. He coughed up blood several times, though he would not let the others know. During the Ikeda-ya affair, however, his situation suddenly spiraled down (perhaps because of the cold night and the vicious battle), and fainted after he coughed up a shocking amount of blood. It was then that Kondou and Hijikata knew of his disease, and even by then the doctor had already predicted that he would not live long. Both were distressed over this, for they were like elder brothers to Okita (did I mention that Kondou was 10 years Okita's senior, and Hijikata 9?). However, all 3 agreed that news of Okita's disease should not be widely known, lest it dragged down the members' morale.
After the Boshin war, Okita went into a tuberculosis hospital in Edo. He passed away on 30/5/1868, First year of Meiji, aged 25.
Nagakura Shinpachi (Captain of the 2nd Troop)
Not much that I can find about this guy - only that when Okita fell sick, Nagakura sometimes commanded both the 1st and 2nd patrol. He deserted his han to come to Kyoto. After the Ishin government was set up, he was granted pardon to return to his han, and changed his name to Sugimura Yoshie. In the 15th year of Meiji (1882), he went over to Hokkaido and became a kendo instructor in a prison there, the same prison Anji went to... (wonder if they'll meet each other there?) Nagakura resigned after several years, and built some graves for his former friends in the Shinsengumi. He later wrote a book on his Shinsengumi days, which seemed to be the main factor of his fame. Nagakura passed away in January 1915, 4th year of Taisho at the age of 76.
Saitou Hajime (Captain of the 3rd Troop)
Saitou Hajime seems to have struck second fame in Japan following his appearance in RK! There are certainly a lot of info about him on the web. Seems to be a mysterious guy even in real life... Also, everything about him that came out in RK (except Shishio and Kenshin, of course) is real history. I got a shock there!
Right. First of all, his origins seems a bit obscure. One theory is that he's the son of a ronin. Another says he hailed from Edo, son of a Bakufu official, and that he'd come to Kyoto after accidentally killing a person in Edo. Yet another claims that he's a son of the 12th Shogun?! and yet another says that he was a spy of the Aizu han placed in the early Roshitai. Talk about a mystery guy. His name, Hajime (meaning "one" or "start" as in another kanji") was because that he was born on the 1st day of the 1st month, though there are other reports as to his birthday.
He entered the Shinsengumi "sponsored" by the Aizu han, under the name of Yamaguchi Jirou, when he served as one of Hijikata's assistants. His most powerful sword skill is the "Left-hand single thrust" (but *not* Gatotsu, that's Watsuki-san's creation), this skill is even more destructive than Okita's 3-piece thrust! In fact, Saitou, together with Okita and Nagakura, were hailed as the 3 strongest swordsman of the Shinsengumi. Saitou assassinated a lot of corrupted Shinsengumi members. Eg, Itou Kashitarou and co., Takeda Kanryuusai and others. And yeah, Aku.Zoku.San was no invention of Watsuki - it was a motto of the whole Shinsengumi!
He was also a great drinker! The creator of one Shinsengumi website stated that "he's a different person when drunk", (I'm not sure whether this refers to "I desire to kill once I'm drunk"). In fact, he finally passed away because of a stomach ulcer, caused by excessive drinking. Unfortunately, I still can't verify that he smokes all the time, or that his favorite food is soba... help, anyone? Saitou's wife, Takagi Tokio, was the daughter of an important Aizu official - in fact,the middle-man was none other than the Daimyo of Aizu himself! They (Saitou and Takagi Tokio) were married in the 6th year of Meiji (1873), and their first son, Tsutomu was born in the 9th year (1876).After the Ishin government was formed, he changed his name and worked as a kendo instructor in a university. In 1877, the 10th year of Meiji, he joined thepolice troop with permission of carrying a sword to fight in the Seinan War, the one where Saigo Takamori rebelled against the Meiji government in Satsuma. Saitou did this under the name of Fujita Gorou. After which he became a spy directly responsible to the Police Commissioner, Kawaji Toshiyoshi. (I was really shocked at this one... Watsuki can really interweave fact and fiction!)
Saitou worked as a guard of a museum in Tokyo when he was quite a senior citizen. After his retirement, he seemed to spend a lot of time thinking. Pity I can't understand his grandchild's remarks in the Japanese homepage. Anyway, Saitou passed away on 27/9/1915, 4th year of Taisho, at the ripe old age of 72.
Takeda Kanryuusai (Captain of the 5th Troop)
Watsuki's pretty much covered everything there is about this guy in his comments about Takeda Kanryuu. He was learned in military strategies and practiced medicine. A homosexual. Not an impressive piece at all - he sucked up to those in power and bullied those beneath him, and often outstepped his boundaries by throwing his weight around. What made him so exceptionally despicable was that he betrayed the Shinsengumi to team up with the Satsuma Ishin Shishis, just because of the benefits and profits. Finally assassinated by Saito.
Harada Sanosuke (Captain of the 10th Troop)
According to Watsuki and the historical novels I've been through, he's almost the same as Sagara Sanosuke. Liked to brawl, short-tempered and simply loved a fight. His favourite weapon was the spear. According to Watsuki, before he joined Kondou, Harada was the servant of some bushis, and this lowly status caused him to have a weak side at times. However, he really took care of those under him. (Really manly...) He was also a man who didn't like to fuss, and did things the way he saw it. Kinda like those "tai-kos" (like Cheng E-Kin) in those gangster movies.
One interesting point here: the members of the Shinsengumi frequented the brothels (hey they *were* humans with biological needs too! Just that Serizawa was carrying it way too far) but they seldom attached themselves to the girls, to take them as their legal wives. Harada married his girl, however - something surprising considering his personality, for in those days, you had the choice of *not* marrying a girl even if you'd slept with her.
After he broke up with the others following the Shinsengumi defeat in the Bushin War, he joined the Shogitai, the same troop in which Yahiko's late father also took part. Harada died in the Ueno War. According to other sources, however, he survived the war and stowed-away to Manchuria, China, where he became a bandit.
Yamanami Seisuke [Keisuke] (Gochou)
The guy deserves a special note. He tended towards Sonno-Joi as time went on, and was thus isolated by Kondou and Hijikata. He suddenly escaped from the Shinsengumi (perhaps because he couldn't take the pressure of doing things he didn't feel right and being isolated anymore?) in 1864 (or 65), which made him a traitor, only to be caught by Okita before he could go far enough. He was sentenced to commit seppuku, and died at 29. I understand from the novel that Okita faced some anguish here - Yamanami was one of the earliest members of Shinsengumi. Okita and the others had known him since their Shieikan days. Okita was in despair because he had a choice of letting Yamanami go, but he chose duty when it came to a choice between "duty" and "passion". And from we get a glimpse at how merciless Hijikata can be when it comes to punishments, for the sentence was imposed by him. The harsh sentence imposed on Yamanami invoked the other members' dissatisfaction, because Yamanami was a gentle, honest man, and many thought that Hijikata was being too harsh. This was also one of the factors which caused 15 members to pack up and go with Itou.
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Idea no Hana V3 C9 released!
Hello everyone~! :)
We’re starting a new volume of Idea no Hana with today’s release!
Here’s V3 C9~
In this chapter, Carnelia’s mother makes a sudden appearance. Also, the troupe discover a new mysterious fortune-teller in the town they have arrived at. What is their identity? Find out in this new chapter~
Links: Read | Download
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Babylonia no Shishi, a manga loosely based on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Completely scanlated!
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Ryusei Shido Blue Lock : How Strong Is He ?
Ryusei Shido ( ShiShi DaoDou Longriyuu Shengsei Shido Ryusei ? ) is a supporting role of the Blue Lock (Manga) and antagonist in Japan U20 Arc.
Shido, unlike many forwards, has no specific dream of becoming the best striker in the world. Instead, he wants to live life to its fullest and enjoy football.
Ryusei, one of 300 forwards selected to participate in the Blue Lock Project is an ideal candidate. After the Japan U-20 match Shido was ranked as one the best players in Blue Lock. Shido is currently a regular player on PXG during Neo Egoist League.
Appearance Ryusei Shido
Ryusei is tall and tanned, with long blonde hair that falls on both his sides. He has pink-colored irises that have white pupils. His body is similar to Rin Itoshi's. He is expressive and often can be seen smiling or laughing with a joker-like smile.
Ryusei wears the #13 U-20 jersey, with a black shirt underneath and shorts during the second half.
Personality Ryusei Shido
Ryusei Shido, another Blue Lock player with an eccentric personality, is a violent and more specifically violent individual. Shido's core personality has a strong desire to play football. He doesn't do it because he likes it, but because it is a biological phenomenon that makes his feel complete. Shido believes that everyone wants to leave a mark and pass their genes on to the next generation. Shido is a goal-setter and this is his only focus. He enjoys playing high-level football with other top players. If people don't make him "explode", he gets bored.
He is a complete opposite to Rin Itoshi and can be described as a completely independent and instinctive football player. Shido has a tendency to use violence to get his way. He is often unwilling to work with anyone, if at all. He is completely conscious of the toxic nature of his behavior, and feels no regret once he has been electrocuted for being too aggressive and threatening bodily injury to others.
When he is released by Sae Itoshi from his behavioral captivity, he seems to be able to forget such feelings. He asks him to play high-level football with him and is allowed to do whatever he likes as long as it is for Sae's good. He seems to have become more violent after being released from Blue Lock by Sae. This is especially true for Shuto Sendo who initially didn't respect Sae.
Shido can be friendly and affectionate to others, such as Sae Itoshi, who allowed him to play with him. This gave him the chance to improve his game and showed him a different type of football that he had never seen before. Shidou is sexually and overtly horny at times. This is part of his play style at various points. Although he can be violent, Shido is capable of acknowledging other people's abilities. He praised Isagi for his "best play" in the first game (when Rin wouldn’t), despite Isagi taking a goal.
Abilities Ryusei Shido
Archetype
- Goal Poacher. Goal poachers refer to forwards who wait outside the box for a pass, cross or loose ball in the penalty area and then pounce to score a goal. They will often score goals out of the smallest of chances, i.e. steal a goal. Goal poachers are usually centre forwards or second strikers.
His ability to locate the goal from any spot in the penalty area is testament to his skills as a poacher. He's an expert at creating goals from nothing.
Skills
Superior Football Technology: Shido, along with Rin itoshi, is one of only two Blue Lock players who has top-tier stats. He scored on average 2 goals per game during the Third Selection, which was the highest score of any player except Rin. Only a few players can match his physical dominance, ball control and power as well as kick accuracy. Although Rin could be described as Rin, Shido is different. Shido is confident in scoring goals, sometimes even getting into an altercation with someone else if his experience is hindered. Rin, on the other hand, combines his environment to score. Shido's talent and ego were so impressive that Sae asked him to join the Japan U-20 team. Shido's play is transformed by Sae's help. He scores incredible goals and forms a formidable duo that the Blue Lock Eleven had difficulty with.
Extreme spatial awareness: Shido is best known for his extreme spatial perception. Contrary to other forms of spatial awareness that consider player positions and weapons, Shido is always geared towards the goal. This is what makes Shido's perfect scoring in the penalty box. Shido can "see" the goal wherever he is, even if he is not physically facing it. Shido can also see the location of the goal when he's in flow.
Dominant Physicality. Shido, the most dominant and physically strong player in Blue Lock, is Shido. His physical strength is sufficient to almost crush GurimuIgarashi's skull, and kick back Rensuke Kunigami. Shido can easily bypass his opponent's defense by constantly leveraging his superior physical abilities over them. He uses his body and theirs as momentum to break through them or jump over them.
- Aggressive Dribble: Shido uses physical strength to move around the field erratically with or without the ball. These movements can be confusing for his teammates and opponents.
Reflex: Shido can reflexively consider his opponent's position to help him choose the best shot. He is quick and has great reflexes. His natural ability to use every part of his body optimally and to move quickly to reach any point on the field allows him to do incredible feats that are not possible for others. This ability has been demonstrated multiple times, most notably in his goal in the Japan National Representative match. He reacted immediately to Sae’s high-speed pass. He is a dangerous striker in Blue Lock because of his unrivalled instincts.
Drive shot: A powerful and precise shot that is often used from range. It serves as Shido’s main scoring method. Shido can perform a drive shot from many positions, regardless of whether the situation is favorable or not. Shido can avoid the need to reset his position by using his superior physique, reflex and incredible reflex to make the Drive Shot.
- Bicycle kick: Acrobatic strike in which a player kicks an aerial ball backwards in mid-air. Bicycle kicks are used to either clear the ball from the goalmouth, or to strike at the opponent's goals in an attempt for scoring. This move is performed by Shido in his first match against Kunigami or Reo. He scores an easy goal on Kunigami, breaking down all his defense.
- No-Look Goal This skill is rare among strikers. Shido leaps for the ball and turns away from the goal, taking a shot instinctively without looking. This shot is extremely fast and unpredictable making it difficult to react.
- High Spin Drive Shot: Shido holds the ball with his back towards the goal and uses his physical strength and body weight to keep them in place. Then, he shoots fast.
- Dragon Drive This shot was possible because of his combination of extreme reflexes and Sae's. Shido jumps over a defender while running at high speed and uses his trademark kick, the Drive Shot. The shot was strong and quick enough to score outside of the penalty box with very little reaction from other players.
Flow state: flow, as defined by Ego, refers to the state of "total immersion" (or "being in the zone"). It's a mental state where a person is completely immersed in an activity, with a feeling that they are fully engaged in the activity, have a sense of full participation, and enjoy the experience.
Ryusei entered Flow during the Japan U-20 match. He was inspired by Sae's passes and under pressure from the Blue Lock Eleven defence. He was able to push his physical and perceptive capabilities to the extremes, scoring a fantastic goal.
- Big Bang Drive Shido can use 'FLOW' to expand his spatial awareness beyond its limits. He is able 'feel' the location of the goal, and performs a long-range bicycle kick that lands directly in it. This allowed him to score from a clearance, without needing to reset his position in the U-20 match.
Trivia
All trivia is derived from the tweets "1 Question,1 Answer" posted to the Blue Lock Twitter account.
- His birthplace was Tokyo, Japan.
- His favorite manga is Chainsaw Man.
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- Hide is his favorite music artist. - Hide - Pink Spider is his favorite song.
- He would buy a Baby Star ramen if he bought it impulsively at a convenience store.
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- He would split 100 million yen if he got 100 million.
- A Clockwork Orange is his favorite film.
- He loves the Velociraptor.
- His favourite subjects are art and physical education.
Etymology
- His given name is Ryusei ( Longriyuu Shengsei ? ) means "shooting star".- Ryuu ( Longriyuu ? () can mean "dragon", which could be the origin of the skill "Dragon Drive".
- Sei ( Shengsei ? On the other hand, ) could refer to "sacred; sacred; divine", which could contrast with how characters refer Shido to as a "demon".
- Ryusei's surname Shido ( ShiShi DaoDou ? ) It means "guidance and leadership"
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Miracle Weapon Hunt Chapter 23: The Misadventures of the Very Real Bob Dobalina
Xander, Tsuki and Priyanka stood in the coffee shop in Sangaria they were told to go to. Simple looking place, newly constructed. A couple nice looking stools alongside some wooden tables for people to discuss things at. And behind the counter was a slightly intimidating girl with green hair and lip piercings.
“You’re the three, right?” She asked.
“Correct.” Priyanka replied.
“But…the three, right? You gotta say something.”
“Oh, right.” Priyanka nodded slowly to herself. “The sock, the alec, and the yank. That good?”
“Sure is.” The girl responded with a finger snap. “What you want is in the back.”
The girl let them hop over the bar into a room in the back. Unpainted walls that could barely be seen thanks to the massive amounts of smoke.
“You the legion guys?” A man’s voice came out when the door was opened. Priyanka barely saw the outline of a man in the middle of the room. Tsuki put her silkworms in her hat and left it outside the room.
“The fan, dude!” The girl shouted from outside.
The man turned on the fan in the back of the room and blew all the smoke into the main room, revealing the slightly muscular man covered in tattoos casually sitting behind it.
“So, you three are the legion guys?” He asked, looking them up and down. “You look weaker than I thought.”
“Well, we’re really not meant to-“ Xander started before Priyanka shut his mouth.
“Look too intimidating. Draws attention to us.”
“Ah, got it.” The man nodded. “Well, name’s Trent, and I’ve been told you need these bad boys.”
Trent revealed three fake ID’s from his pocket.
“If anyone asks, you three are small time college students from Ropear doing some traveling during the warmer months. I put skyships that match your physical appearances, so the guy is from Ropear, plain girl is from Gurut, and the flashy girl is from ShiShi. Got all that? New names on the cards too, so make sure to memorize them.”
The three looked at their cards. Xander was Bob Dobalina, Tsuki was Ina Lu, and Priyanka was Riya Rau.
“Is that all we need?” Priyanka asked. “No family history or specific housing ships we belong to? Nothing like that?”
“More things added means more potential holes in the story. Just think up a quick story and think of it. Nobody thinks of Ropear around here, just say something mildly believable.”
“Understood.�� Priyanka nodded as she tucked the ID into her back pocket. The man then produced a pure white plastic card.
“And here’s a credit card. Bank took the fake Luxa without an issue, so we’ll hopefully be good. I think you got the basics down, anyway.” Trent asked. “Any questions?”
“Just one, not really related to this.” Xander asked. “What’s in it for you?”
“Whatcha mean?”
“Well, you aren’t with the New Legion. So why are you so happy to help us?”
“It’s all about the new society.” He responded calmly, snapping his fingers into the sky. “This whole skyspace and the Lux? Gotta be hiding something. Also, try not to mention it in front of Gwen in the front, but the Zeus followers here have a lot of power over certain areas and surrounding ships. It can get pretty messed up and the rulers haven’t done anything to help.”
“Weird cult?” Xander whispered. Trent gave a silent nod. Xander nodded back, but he just thought about how she was basically just trading one weird cult for another one.
“So, our mission is to get the shield.” Tsuki said. “Any ideas on how to do that?”
“Well, thanks to Gwen’s…connections, we were able to get this empty place turned into a coffee shop. It’s pretty near the medical academy Luminita goes to, and starting a new place with cheap coffee means she’s guaranteed to show up. Grand opening is tomorrow, so feel free to go find something to do.”
Tsuki checked her hat, and the silkworms were still alive if slightly distressed, so she let them rest on her fingers as she stroked them. When she thought they calmed down, she put them back in her hat.
The three of them stepped out into the evening air, and Xander finally got his full look at Sangaria. It seemed like a relaxed enough place, especially in the grand. Humble little streets with a couple small stores, with a few small neighbourhoods peeking out beyond them. Behind them was the pristine white walls that guarded the castle. It was a large circular keep being kept behind the wall, with a smaller tower attached on either side. All the same white as the walls, with the occasional red covering the perimeters of the windows, the same red used to colour the roof. The whole place made Xander feel nostalgic for a place he’s never been to.
“There’s an inn over there if you want to rest.” Priyanka said calmly.
“Nah, I wanna see what this place is about first.” Xander replied.
“Yeah, I heard the styles here are pretty neat.” Tsuki added.
“I’ll go see if they have any spare rooms at the inn.” Priyanka said. “I’ll see you later.”
And with Priyanka gone, Xander and Tsuki were left to wander around the town, with the people not paying much attention to them. Just two people in a crowd of hundreds. It felt nice.
“You see any clothes shops yet?” Tsuki asked.
“Not yet.” Xander whispered back.
As the two passed one narrow street to another, they began to notice a small crowd building up. Tsuki glanced around and saw multiple stores with different types of clothes in the window. Xander watched her face light up in the same way when he saw the clothes. It never got any less adorable. Tsuki looked at the clothes in the window, a white jacket with puffy shoulders and bits of torn fabric on the sleeves. It all came together so well.
“Xander, I need it!” She yelled, fogging up the window with her excited breath.
“Sounds good. I’m just gonna see what’s up with the crowd over there.”
Xander walked over to the commotion across the street. From the outset, it seemed to be lively town shenanigans. But as he got closer, the crowd wasn’t excited or happy.
They seemed to be mad.
As Xander pushed through the crowd, a group of men in blue suits were standing outside of what seemed to be a very big and very new store. The small looking man looked incredibly distressed at what was happening in front of him. As opposed to the wild fashion and pictures of models lining the wall, he was dressed in a relatively simple leather jacket with his simple black hair neatly brushed to the left side. In a very simple way.
“Now, mister Jian Tang.” The one at the front started in a calm voice. “It has come to our attention that you want to open up a new boutique here in the middle of the town.”
“Um…yes. It’s all been cleared with the Sangaria building people if that’s what concerns you.”
“That’s not the issue.” The man continued. “We’re concerned you might take business from the smaller stores around here.”
“Don’t worry there! This store is mostly dedicated to ShiShi inspired fashion, and anything taken from Sangaria will be treated with the utmost respect!”
“Well, that’s only one issue.” The man said as he glanced back to the crowd. Xander finally got a good look at him. Blonde and pale with shifty grey eyes.
“There’s also the content of the things you’re selling. Take that, for instance.” He pointed towards one of the mannequins in the window, sporting what looked to be a flannel bikini top.
“Slightly perverse for this ship, don’t you think?”
“Well, it’s very simple! We’re nearing the warmer months, so in ShiShi it’s very common to wear less clothing during those times. There’s nothing perverse about it.”
“I see. Well, modesty is important to us here, so I’d recommend not overstepping while you’re here. After all, I’m more than willing to make your visit here as short as possible.”
“Okay, I think you’re going a little too far.”
The mans neck snapped back to see who was opposing him, a look of contempt thrown onto his face. This man in a hoodie and a tie simultaneously was about to lecture him?
“And who would you be?” He asked.
“Name’s Mr Dobalina.” Xander lied. “And are you seriously threatening a guy who wants to sell some clothes?”
“I’m sorry, you’re not from around here, are you?” The man asked, slowly approaching Xander. He had to look up to him due to being cursed with average height.
“Nope, I’m from Ropear.”
“Well then, young man. I’m from the Zeus organization around here, and we’re somewhat important. It would do you well not to get in our way.”
The man turned to the terrified store owner, and calmly tucked his hands in his pockets.
“Well, I feel our point has been made. I’ll be seeing you. Hopefully not soon.”
The man and his two associates walked out of the crowd which quickly followed, only leaving Xander in front of the store.
“Pricks.” He mumbled under his breath. Definitely the cult that made the girl at the coffee shop want to join the Legion.
“What was that about?” Tsuki whispered next to Xander, before ger gaze shifted over to the man in front of the store.
“Jian Tang?” She yelled out.
“Yes.” He said, trying to adjust a stray hair.
“Oh my god, I’m like your biggest fan ever!” Tsuki had the sparkles in her eyes. Xander knew she was about to go into what he dubbed ‘fashion frenzy’ mode.
“So, what are you doing here? Are you doing a new line here? World tour, maybe?”
“I…I just want to make a new line here. Not a lot of competition here yet, so I wanted to see what the world of fashion in Sangaria was like. Respectfully of course.”
“Oh, obviously. But like, can I see what you’re working on next?”
“Well, the grand opening is tomorrow. If you’re still here I’d be glad to have you.”
Tsuki stopped in place for a second, before letting out the most euphoric scream Xander heard anyone make.
“Yeah, we’ll probably be able to make it.” He said calmly.
“Good. I think you could do with it.” Jian said with a nod. “We open at midday.”
He quietly retreated into the store, and Tsuki was left stunned.
“Wait, did he say tomorrow?” Tsuki asked.
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【Draft】 Rurouni Yahiko Chapter 59: The Swallow Return
Lucas pushes his half-brother Kinta to the brink while Yahiko realizes something about the Seiryu Clan's personal ninja Kaita.
Will they be able to handle the machinations of the Brigands Guild or not?
Many years ago, during dinner with Kinta's late grandfather, Toshiro Minakata...
Both Toshiro and Kinta Minakata ate in silence at a long Western-style high table in contrast to the smaller and lower traditional family table typical of the Japanese.
The strict and imposing Toshiro was a vanguard among hatamoto samurai.
Realizing that the samurai after the Sengoku Era and during the peaceful Tokugawa Shogunate Era were essentially soldiers without a war to wage, he had tried his hand at business and trade.
He worked to make the Minakata coffers and fortune grow even as many impoverished samurai ended up seeing the merchant class rise and become more powerful during this period of peace.
He made sure the Minakata Clan would survive in the coming eras in every way possible, whether it was by wealth or political privilege.
Toshiro proved himself ahead of the curve, even though he was cut-throat enough to resell the confiscated black market opium of Wokou pirates to his fellow Japanese citizens or even export them back to China as a profit.
He found ways to thrive in both wartime and peacetime. Like a rat or a cockroach. Crafty as a fox, he was.
"I've heard you've been chosen as part of the Kyoto Mimawarigumi (Kyoto Patrolling Group)," probed Toshiro.
"Yes, Grandfather," answered a teenaged Kinta.
No older than his fellow iaijutsu (sword-drawing) practitioner, the Hitokiri Battousai (Battousai the Manslayer) on the side of the Ishin Shishi (Patriots).
"And how are your studies?"
"There are no issues there either."
"That's fine. Keep doing both like you used to."
"Of course, Grandfather."
"Being well-versed in letters and arms, a man from the Minakata Family must excel in all fields. My eldest, your Uncle Tatsuya, became a banker. My second child, your Uncle Kaneda, became a lawyer. Your mother, my youngest..."
Toshiro trailed off and cleared his throat while Kinta stared at him, unblinking. Pretending he didn't notice his grandfather's pause.
"Remember, Kinta. The strongest of people are born from the strongest of adversities," his grandfather said with such confidence, Kinta just knew that he spoke from experience.
Whether it was him battling Wokou pirates in the South China Sea or dealing with local Tokugawa Era politics like he was Julius Caesar amidst the traitorous Roman senate, his every word dripped with veteran knowledge.
He did everything he could to keep himself from swimming in the middle of a sea of daggers and a pool of his own blood, whether in the hands of sea-faring criminals or landlubber backstabbing politicians.
Toshiro continued. "Bring honor back to the Minakata Family. Honor both your father and your mother. Erase any stains the name might have by excelling in what you do. Prove yourself to be a worthy heir of the name and the fortune of the Minakata Family, Grandson."
"I will, Grandfather."
As far as the Minakatas were concerned, winning was everything. The world was composed of winners and everyone else.
***
Rurouni Yahiko
A Rurouni Kenshin Continuation Fan Fiction Story by Chester Castañeda
The Swallow Return makes an appearance after Kinta is pushed into a corner.
Disclaimer: All characters used in this fanfic (save some others) are the rightful property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shueisha, Shonen Jump, Viz, Sony Studios, Fuji TV, Studio Gallup, Studio Deen, and ADV. This disclaimer also covers all the other copyrighted material that are far too many to mention here. Don't sue me please, I'm very poor.
***
Chapter 59: The Swallow Return
***
Back inside the memories that Kinta Minakata had of his grandfather, Toshiro Minakata...
Kinta's grandfather told him long ago the following.
"The world is a tough, unforgiving place, Kinta. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. In an eye blink, a king can become a pauper and a pauper can become a king. Those who adapt the most consistently in a merciless world that's always changing are those that survive in the end. Today, we eat like royalty. But tomorrow, what if the bakufu lost its power? What if Japan was colonized by foreign powers? What would happen to the hatamoto?"
Kinta answered, "We would become nothing."
Toshiro nodded. "Yes. That's why I'm building our family fortunes. So that the Minakatas can survive the dawn of a new century or even a new millennium. If tomorrow, samurai ceased to exist and all our political clout became moot, our wealth will keep us afloat. Always remember to keep moving forward and changing with the times, my grandson."
In order to remain on the top of the food chain and survive, one must win. Always win in everything they did. It was the rules of nature. It was survival of the fittest.
In their world, the winner was acknowledged and the loser was disavowed.
Like how his mother was banished from existence and forgotten as the black sheep of the family, for example.
The clan of rumored ochimusha (defeated samurai during the Sengoku Era considered as low class citizens) that stole away the name and valor of the original deceased Minakata clan knew as much.
They did what they could to save face, thus they were able to pluck victory from the jaws of defeat to cur favor from the Tokugawas.
To the ears of any member of the Minakata Clan, what Kinta's grandfather Toshiro was implying was crystal clear.
His orders were to erase the shameful actions of Kinta's shameless mother by becoming a standout among the Mimawarigumi ranks.
Just like how their ochimusha (fallen warrior) ancestors became hatamoto retainers to the Tokugawa Shogunate, so too should Kinta remove from memory the embarrassment of having an adulteress for a mother and a cuckold for a father.
Winning was the only thing that mattered.
Kinta simply had to keep his head high and win. That was all he needed to do. Because he was victorious over all, he deserved to win.
"Keep on winning, Kinta. Keep on winning because you're a Minakata. And Minakatas are born winners, through hell or high water. Even in spite of fate itself conspiring against us," his grandfather would always say.
There was nothing more important than winning at all costs. This was how the Minakatas survived through centuries. Millennia. Ages.
Toshiro also regularly said, "You know that old saying, 'It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game'? That's bullshit. The bottom line is winning."
This was how Kinta earned his place at the Minakata table despite his uncles despising him, his father committing suicide, and his mother bringing shame to the family name.
He looked at his plate. The pristine chinaware was where he ate foreign food like the Salisbury steak.
If it were broken, it'd be thrown away. A plate could never be restored once it had a crack. But if it was still usable and you were desperate, what you had would suffice.
Besides which, winning was the liquid gold that helped glue together even broken pottery or ceramics, thus making it whole and beautiful again in its own right.
That was the art of Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi (Gold Repair), after all.
***
Back at the abandoned building within the narrow alleyway near the Minakata Moneychanger Office…
Yahiko Myojin gasped for air, his face beet-red, his hair somehow messier than usual, and his whole body an aching mess. Also, his shirt and pants were in tatters.
However, it was him who was left standing. It was Fabian La Cerca, the infamous "Faceless" of the foreign assassination squad, "The Brigands Guild", who ended up on the floor on his posterior, his mask shattered into pieces.
God. Dammit. That stubborn, agile gaijin finally fell down.
Unbeknownst to the slightly concussed Faceless, Yahiko had set him up from the start with the Genei Gami (Phantom God).
Yahiko let Fabian memorize his tempo of overhead swings to train him to always anticipate and parry swings from the direction, thus allowing Myojin to blindside him with a side-swiping strike to the temple.
Aware that he couldn't time him by virtue of his odd rhythm, Yahiko instead baited him to counter repeatedly until he followed the samurai kid's more predictable rhythm.
The Tokyo Samurai Descendant bet on Fabian's weakness—his over-reliance on counters—and made his usually broken rhythm more predictable as a result.
Even then, he couldn't have landed his trap on The Faceless had Kaita not arrived to assist him with timely kunai or shuriken throws.
This foreign fencing genius from the West could give most of the members of the Oniwabanshu (Guardians of the Gate) or the Juppon Gatana (Ten Swords) a run for their money! Probably.
'How's that, Cat Eyes? Here's the proof of concept of my anti-Cat-Eyes training! Everything is going according to plan.'
Yahiko grinned from ear-to-ear, feeling himself in the moment.
However, he broke a cardinal rule of being a martial artist or even an old-school samurai from a bygone era. He became overconfident and let his guard down.
It wasn't composure but pride that led to his fall.
"Good work, Yojimbo!" appraised Kaita. "Now let's finish off the assassin before he recovers and goes after the Minakatas!"
"Wait. Let's just take him down and let the police handle him," insisted Yahiko, which made the ninja pause. "He might be useful in learning the whereabouts of their gang or something!"
"He's too dangerous to be kept alive!" argued the young shinobi. "I'm authorized to kill him. I don't answer to the police."
"No! Let the coppers arrest him and have him answer for his crimes!" insisted the samurai boy, going by what Kenshin or Kaoru would normally do in such a situation.
What he said to The Faceless about the sakabatou being a life-giving sword wasn't just empty words. He lived by that code of honor and ethics in swordsmanship.
Kaita realized he couldn't reason with the child, remembering the spiel he overheard from him about a Sword of Life—a reverse-edged blade was blunt on its outside curve, yet he didn't use it like a sickle or scimitar.
Something about the kid's "life-giving" sword sounded familiar to him though. Like he'd heard about the unusual weapon somewhere before in the recent past.
In an eye blink, the shinobi disappeared from Yahiko's midst. However, the teenaged samurai figured out where he went and shielded La Cerca from the incoming ninja throwing knives.
"Despite your looks, you're quite the tenacious guy, Yojimbo," said the unseen Kaita, who kept evading Yahiko's probing strikes with his blunt weapon.
"The name's Yahiko, Ninja Dude!" Yahiko said as he swung blindly at air yet still felt the presence of the ninja by reading his bloodlust. Just like how Kenshin would.
Soon, Yahiko's sakabatou found its target, with Kaita blocking the longer blade with the Okinawan three-pronged weapon known as the sai.
"You know, you remind me of someone I fought months ago. What was his name? Take? Taikai? Tatakai?" Yahiko tried to remember the name of the aged ninja assassin who went after Kenshin several months ago.
The Tokyo Samurai Descendant faced the camouflaged shinobi on behalf of Kenshin Kamiya (nee Himura).
'Wait.' Something then clicked inside Kaita's mind just then.
"Oh yeah, Takae! Takae was his name! His invisibility trick was amazing, just like yours! I couldn't see him at all when we fought!"
"…Battousai," said Kaita, which made Myojin's head snap into attention and La Cerca stir in his own stupor. "That's the Battousai's sword."
Yahiko and Kaita then just looked at each other before they asked in unison:
"How did you know that name…?"
***
"Like waves from the sea," said the blood-stained Lucas Grant with a deep exhale. "The high tide and the low tide. The ebb and flow of the limitless ocean."
"…What are you talking about?" asked Kinta Minakata, who only looked a little scuffed up with tiny cuts and bruises while his half-brother looked like he had one foot on the grave.
Or an undead, vengeful zombie soldier from the foreign legion that refused to die.
"Facing your Musou Madden Ryu is like dealing with the rising tides. Your attacks come in waves. You even have a move named 'Tsunami', for goodness' sake," said the bilingual Lucas.
Curiously, even with the crimson mask on his face, Grant's slashes, stabs, chops, and pummels (from his bastard sword's pommel) seemed to increase in strength the more damage he received.
Was it the swell of adrenalin? A second or even third wind? Or perhaps sheer willpower? Kinta couldn't tell. He was just tired of trying hard to land a strike, only for his long-lost bastard of a brother to shrug it off like nothing.
Lucas Grant was no John Rathbone. Nothing about his swordsmanship was elegant or skilled. He kept on coming like a caveman, almost.
However, what he lacked in finesse he more than made up for in undeniable, sobering power. He was the difference between skillfully untying a knot and gnawing the rope apart.
More importantly, after repeatedly receiving the different techniques of the Musou Madden Ryu, Luke had started timing his blocks and parries better.
Kinta was still several moves ahead of him in every exchange, but by sheer trial and error, the stamina monster tanked enough shots to learn their timing, thus allowing him to slip past them better.
Like a sailor navigating his boat through treacherous waters and weathering the storm from experience. Unwilling to sink. Unwilling to let nature take its course and send him down the depths of the unforgiving sea.
Like villagers waiting out a typhoon until it left the area, resiliently rebuilding everything in the wake of its devastation because life always moved on.
Kinta then noticed that like the Prodigal Son of the Minakatas, he was only managing to do nicks and bruises on his half-brother.
The (literal) bastard was blocking most of his strikes with every inch of his heavy bastard sword, including its thick hilt and hammerhead-like pommel. None the worse for wear.
Well, not exactly. But all the major damage he currently had were ones he got earlier from Kinta and Zan. Wounds that might as well looked worse than they really were because of how nimble Grant moved regardless, like he'd long ago recovered from them.
Like the bloodstains all over his body were just war paint. Like his lacerations were scars or tattoos. They were just for show and he was actually completely unharmed.
Luke had nerves of steel. And the pain threshold of a rock to boot.
A shiver ran through Kinta's spine in realization. Lucas had taken his best shots and remained standing. Could he take one of Lucas's best shots or any one of them in turn…?
His breathing had become heavier and heavier as the battle drew on. The same problem he had with the more skillful Faceless, but this time his half-brother exposed his weakness through a war of attrition.
His arms felt tired from just slashing at his brother over and over with strikes that would've normally plowed down hordes of Ishin Shishi rebels one after the other.
For someone who used techniques based on the moon phases and sea tides, it was Kinta who ended up getting dragged down deep waters by the inimitable, unfettered Lucas.
"Let me be the cliff that stands steady as your waves uselessly crash against my rocks below. The high ground where your waters couldn't reach," said Grant.
***
Yahiko crossed swords with Kaita, his mind racing a mile a minute. Or a kilometer a minute. Or roughly 1.6 kilometers a minute if it were still measured in miles.
"How do you know about Takae…?" Myojin asked Kaita, pushing the ninja away with his hard sword block.
"That's my line!" Kaita countered in words while also countering by disappearing from Yahiko's midst and stabbing him with his twin sais. "His last mission was to take out the Battousai. How did you end up with the Battousai's reverse-edged sword?"
Not knowing what else to say, Yahiko responded, "That's none of your business...!"
Unable to see him in time, the samurai kid attempted to blast the unseen shinobi away with a blind Dou Gami (God on Earth) to the floor, which his fellow bodyguard chose to parry and expose his location anyway by reflex.
The concussive force of the technique then bent and snapped one of Kaita's sais apart.
As Yahiko followed through with the Tsui Gami (Hammer of God) to break apart Taikai's other sai, the two combatants heard a voice from the blue.
"It's because he's Takae Kaita. The son of the man you apparently met. And fought. Did he die by your hands or the Battousai's?"
The recovering Fabian La Cerca had just spoken. Or was he John Rathbone this time around? The Minakata bodyguards couldn't tell.
"No, it couldn't have been you," hissed Fabian, referring to Yahiko. "You would've spared Takae with your foolish beliefs regarding a life-giving sword."
'Takae is Kaita's father?!' Yahiko's blood ran cold in realization. He'd been fighting alongside and crossing swords with the late Masahiro Takae all this time? He didn't know what to think or what to do next.
'Oh no, The Faceless is awake…!' Kaita finally disengaged from crossing blades with Yahiko to face the formidable Brigands Guild member.
Suddenly, the remnants of Fabian's broken saber then ended up on the now-visible Kaita Takae's neck before, a split-second later, his blood-spurting body got replaced by a plank of bloodstained wood wearing the ninja's clothing, the sword wedged deep into it.
With a thousand thoughts colliding inside his mind like a derailed train wreck, Myojin hesitated in attacking the charging unarmed gaijin in that same split-second, which proved to be his undoing.
Yahiko aimed and swung at The Faceless's shoulder with a simple downward sword strike, electing not to use any of his Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Revisal techniques for fear of the blunt-force trauma finishing off the man before him.
La Cerca simply dodged and stabbed the young samurai with three retractable claw blades that shot out of his left arm brace. They looked suspiciously like the claws that the late Hannya from the Tokyo Oniwabanshu.
"You're an amateur after all. To defeat an enemy without killing him... How naïve are you? You should've finished me off when you had the chance."
However, unlike Hannya, Fabian only had a single pair of the claws instead of having both hands sport the hidden weapon.
"Why won't you stay down, Faceless?!" demanded Myojin.
"If you had given me the final blow, that wouldn't be a problem. Also, the name's Haruka now," answered The Faceless.
For The Faceless was not Conde (Count) Fabian La Cerca any longer. Instead, he was Haruka. The half-Japanese burakumin (outcast) who had his own unique style of hidden-weapon ninjutsu. With the destruction of one mask, he had donned another.
"Show me the power of that so-called life-giving sword you have, kiddo!" said The Faceless as he replaced his broken mask over his featureless face with another.
Regardless, Myojin blocked the claws in the nick of time with a parry from his iron sheath just before their pointed tips could pierce all the way into his vital organs.
'Magnificent,' thought Haruka, who blocked Yahiko's riposte with his other arm brace. 'The boy does not disappoint!'
"Kenshin's life-giving sword protects both you and me! That's the promise I made to both my master and Kenshin!" Yahiko spat out as his mouth spewed blood.
"Spoken like someone who has never killed a man. Naïve and foolish. If you try sparing my life, it will come at the expense of your own!" said Haruka. "Remember this painful lesson, boy. When at war, mercy is for the weak!"
Personally, Myojin wasn't as closed-minded about killing as the vagabond version of Kenshin who promised his late wife Tomoe Yukishiro to never kill again.
He knew there were times when he had no choice but to kill, especially when defending himself and/or others. However, he also wanted to emulate his idol Kenshin as much as he could.
He wanted to match his resolve as the inheritor of his reverse-edged blade.
"If you won't die so easily then neither will I!" retorted the young samurai with a bloody grin.
***
And just like that, the tables had turned. Or rather, the tides of battle had changed. Kinta's tides had started receding while the tides of Lucas grew in turn.
The exhausted Kinta looked pristine compared to his bloody bastard of a long-lost brother. However, the way they moved belied their appearance.
Like with The Faceless, Minakata had started to tire out and sweat hard. This manifested with his shortness of breath and slower movement. He also hesitated and made more mistakes than before that kept him from finishing off his brother earlier on.
Meanwhile, the bloodstained Lucas Grant kept attacking, swaying, ducking, and countering against quick-draw shots and ripostes like he could still go into battle for many hours longer.
Like Luke was a spry younger man or spring chicken dancing circles around a sickly senior citizen or an anemic old rooster at death's door. In contrast, his estranged sibling wheezed and struggled through every exchange like he was in stuck in quicksand or a tar pit.
It also helped that Grant's seemingly inexhaustible stamina and toughness allowed him to figure out his brother's swordsmanship using a similarly superior blade made of superior European steel versus the pig metal of Japanese swords.
For example, Luke figured out that Kinta relies on momentum and centrifugal force in order to make his iaijutsu strikes increase in speed and power whenever he performed one of many Tsunami kata variations.
The first few shallow strikes served as probing slashes to gauge the distance of the target and the last few strikes ended up the more deadly accurate bone-cutting attacks based on the information gathered by the initial swipes.
By refusing to get herded by Kinta's first few strikes that he also allowed to hit nothing but air to find his range, Grant could sidestep and counter or riposte the deeper cuts with his harder swings.
However, what made the Mimawarigumi Battousai truly dangerous was that he could go from zero to a hundred on the first slash by doing the Mangetsu O Tsuku Nari (Full Moon Slash) straight from the scabbard or even the Aoitsuki O Tsuku Nari (Blue Moon Slash) in case the first slash missed.
Alas, as Kyoko Sakaguchi herself discovered, doing that devastating technique from the start instead of building up to it with momentum-gathering Tidal Wave technique could literally tear a person's body apart.
When used over and over, the double-edged technique sapped the stamina of its user. Or if it was done incorrectly, it could even injure him.
Luke also pressured Kinta to counterattack and react over and over while keeping himself safe with feints, fakes, stabs, and his own probing strikes only to switch to a hard block, parry, or dodge at the last second.
His excessive, elaborate swings that would've been discouraged because of his many openings served as traps for him to catch Kinta with a slash or two. If he got slashed back, he could block or simply absorb the damage with his resilient body.
Whenever Kinta hesitated, Luke turned his feint into an actual attack care of recoveries or follow-throughs like a trap activated by a tripwire.
The Brigands Guild member pushed the hapless iaido master into a corner and made him backpedal from his accurate attacks and automatic counters.
Having both The Faceless and his son Cain scout Kinta's skill level and disseminate his abilities first before Lucas faced off with him had paid dividends for their mission.
The Brigands Guild had caught the Mimawarigumi Battousai unawares and flatfooted with their schemes, research, and preparation.
Kinta's shoulders reached nearly up to his neck as he gasped for air, his red hair matted with sweat and blood.
The Kagemusha (literally meant "Shadow Warrior" but also meant "Body Double") drowned in a whirlwind of steel while his own attacks got deflected, absorbed, swallowed, or tanked by the walking disaster area himself.
An earthquake. An avalanche. A landslide. The irresistible human tempest indulging in a roaring rampage of revenge.
***
"What pushes you to act now?" asked Haruka the Outcast. "You have no relation to the Minakatas. What is your purpose for risking your life for them?"
If Yahiko were honest, he'd admit to pushing through this bodyguard gig partly because he thought it'd be a waste to not use what he'd learned training with May Brooks/Satsuki Sakaguchi at the Sakaguchi Dojo.
The samurai kid responded through grit teeth, "I met them through a friend of mine. Also, even if we're strangers, what good is the life-giving sword of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu if I can't save the lives of those under my protection?"
"There you go again with your lies," hissed the foreign super spy and assassin. "A sword is a weapon. The art of swordsmanship is learning how to kill. To believe otherwise is to invite death at your doorstep. Or to give a child a gun to play with. Don't be so gullible."
The Faceless twisted his claw knives around Myojin's abdomen, which made the boy swallow down a guttural scream he wouldn't release to not give his opponent the satisfaction of seeing him in agony.
"I feel like I've heard that speech before," said Yahiko. "I believe in life-giving swords. There is such a thing as a sword that protects. I've seen it with my own eyes."
He didn't actually hear it the first time Kenshin told Kaoru those same words. However, the Kamiya couple did have discussions about their first meeting later on that the boy did listen to.
Dully, Yahiko wondered who could save him now? Munenori Minoe? Gan? The police? A wandering Kenshin Kamiya looking after him? Sanosuke Sagara back from America? Or even Seijuro Hiko himself like when he faced off against Fuji's gigantic blade?
It certainly wasn't going to be Kaita, if what Haruka said about him being Takae's son were true. He might even stab him in the back instead.
Maybe this was it. His luck finally ran out. He bit off more than he could chew.
"…Gesshoku (Lunar Eclipse)!"
"UGH! MIERDA…!"
The next thing Yahiko knew, he ended up on the floor, blood spurting from the three wounds on his abdomen while he saw a lanky man with huge hands grab hold of The Faceless's face and slam it down to the concrete ground.
"…Kiddo. I've learned long ago that the Shword of Life doesn't exist. All shwordsh are Shwordsh of Death. The Shword of Life is one big joke. A deadly one that could getchoo killed," said Yahiko's ultimate rescuer with a slight drunken slur.
"Who the hell are you, man?!" exclaimed Yahiko as his eyes stared at the man before him from his coiffed head to his sandaled toes and his flowery pink haori and hakama (shirt and pnats) in between.
"The name'sh Kojima Sho." The man smirked and let go of the struggling Faceless before standing up and retreating from the swipes from the masked man's claws. "…Ah, screw it. Let me be that silly fool. Let's make the Sword of Life into a reality!"
It was at that point that Myojin noticed the weird man had six fingers on each of his two humongous hands, giving him extra grip on his sword or on Haruka's masked face. Also, his face was as pink as his haori for some reason.
Was he drunk right now? Oh gods. Yahiko's rescuer was a drunkard. Yahiko could smell the booze from Sho's breath from where he lay. "Get away, old man! You'll get killed!"
Also, for some reason, the drunkard reminded Yahiko of Hitokiri Gasuke.
No wait. That was wrong. He actually remembered him. This was the guy who was with Kinta Minakata when they first arrived in the Sakaguchi Dojo!
Meanwhile. Haruka growled, "It's always one thing after another…!" as he jumped around and swiped his claws at Kojima in every which way. It had been quite a long day so far.
The unsteady, hiccupping Kojima unsheathed his cane sword but wielded it strangely. Like it was a scythe. He blocked and parried The Faceless's claw strikes with the spine instead of the edge of his katana.
'Was this the Sword of Life this guy was talking about?' wondered Yahiko, who by now found the strength to sit up. 'A way to wield ordinary swords so that they don't immediately finish off opponents like the sakabatou…?'
Sho then fell into a wobbly Waning Stance of the Musou Madden Ryu, with his back turned against his opponent and his face giving him a sidelong glance at most. Just like the favored stance of his fellow student, Lieutenant Satoru Sakaguchi.
Unlike Minoe and his/her split personalities, The Faceless remembered everything his other identities experienced because he merely donned different guises rather than transform into someone else entirely.
Therefore, he remembered the iaido stance from his bout with Kinta Minakata and prepared to counter it in kind.
The burakumin thusly charged at Sho to stab his back or his neck then sidestep to the right or clockwise to avoid the right-handed quick-draw slash from his scabbard.
It was his way to trip the trap without getting caught in it, just like he did when he faced off against Baku the Bat Ninja.
Only for him to get blindsided by Kojima swatting the back of his head with his scabbard instead of his blade, much to his surprise.
***
Kinta Minakata was one of the few people who've met all the Shidai Nikuya (Four Butchers)—Hitokiri Shinbei, Hitokiri Izo, Hitokiri Hanjiro, and Hitokiri Gensai—of the Ishin Shishi.
They were also known as the Four Hitokiri (Manslayers). The hitokiri who worked under orders of Hanpeita Takechi and Ryoma Sakamoto.
He didn't face off against Hitokiri Shinbei (Shinbei Tanaka) as a Mimawarigumi at 14 years of age, but he did assist his kenjutsu masters in hunting him and his partner at the time, Hitokiri Izo (Izo Okada), down when their identities were still a secret.
Kinta's masters were also the founders of Musou Madden Ryu—Genzo Sakaguchi, his father Azuma Minakata, and Kyo "Sword of Death" Kojima.
The Shidai Nikuya cried out "Sonno Joi" (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) even as the Shinsengumi shouted in turn, "Aku Soku Zan" (Kill Evil Instantly).
He'd later meet and cross swords with Izo, Hanjiro, and Gensai (or Izo Okada, Hanjiro Nakamura, and Gensai Kawakami) at different points of the Bakumatsu.
On top of the Shidai Nikuya were the Choshu Han Hitokiri working in the shadows—the Hitokiri Battousai and the unnamed hitokiri rumored to have a flaming sword—under the orders of Kogoro Katsura and Shinsaku Takasugi.
The Hitokiri Battousai rose to prominence as shogunate forces concentrated their might on taking out the more prominent hitokiri of the Four Butchers, with them dying one by one.
In turn, the Mimawarigumi Battousai rose to prominence himself, such that a fateful duel between two Battousais was expected to happen during the Boshin War. Let the true Battousai emerge victorious in the end.
Alas, they never crossed swords. Battousai Himura ended up fighting mostly Shinsengumi forces while the Kyoto Mimawarigumi moved to Osaka and dealt with the rest of the Satsuma Domain.
As Kenshin Himura battled against his closest rival Hajime Saito, Kinta Minakata instead dueled against the inimitable Kawakami Gensai.
By the time the two Battousais could've crossed swords in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, the Mimawarigumi had to retreat back to Osaka to regroup with other Shogunate forces on January 31, 1868, after their leader Tadasaburo Sasaki was fatally injured.
The Kyoto Mimawarigumi was even temporarily renamed the Shin Yugekitai (from January 8 to 19) and permanently renamed the Sogikitai (April 10) a day before the Tokugawa Shogunate surrendered to the newly established Meiji Government (April 11). The group disbanded soon after.
Like with Hajime Saito and Kenshin Himura, Kinta Minakata was offered government positions in the military, cabinet, or police in recognition of his skill, contributions, and heroic exploits during the Bakumatsu and beyond.
He turned them all down, but the rest of his family were quick to cur favor with the new government to allow them to keep their wealth and remain a privileged oligarch family even as the samurai caste was abolished.
***
Back at the front yard of the Moneychanger Office…
Kinta Minakata should've finished Luke off when he had the chance. Like behead him or cut his jugular before he could even draw his superior European steel bastard sword against his inferior katana.
Lucas Grant merely walked the haggard Kinta down at that point, running him ragged like a fully grown adult manhandling an asthmatic child having a temper tantrum.
There was nothing his privileged samurai half-brother could dish out to him that he couldn't handle. His deadened nerves had gone through much worse than this.
Good thing Lucas forced Minakata to drag the fight out with the revelation that they were half-brothers. Had the skilled Kinta not held back, Lucas might've ended up half-dead or wholly dead without touching a hair on him.
'Dammit,' thought Luke. 'What a waste for someone like him to get in the way of my revenge.'
To conduct his revenge against the Minakatas properly, Lucas did his due diligence and researched about his estranged family who disowned his mother and removed her from their family registry.
If they weren't as wicked as he believed them to be, he'd spare them from his vengeance. Had the Minakatas repented and changed for the better, Lucas would've not bothered continuing his plans for revenge.
Alas, they were perhaps greedier and more evil than even he anticipated. All of them except Kinta.
Learning about the compromised health of his brother, fighting a war of attrition, and practicing counters to some of his moves beforehand with The Faceless before experiencing the rest firsthand during the fight had paid dividends for the young Grant.
"Sorry, Aniki (Big Bro). In another life, we could've been friends. Or even real brothers," said Lucas while swatting away another iaijutsu attempt by his tiring sibling.
He'd been researching and observing from afar his estranged brother while masquerading as one of the Minakta bodyguards. He'd learned of both his exploits in the Mimawarigumi and the Hidden Christians of Shimabara.
The Minakatas had long been spoiled rotten by money, but Kinta actually fought for his ideals. Like the Shogunate Forces or even the Ishin Shishi of the past.
When Kinta's father got dishonored by Lucas's father by having an affair with their mother, Kinta's heroic exploits in the Mimawarigumi helped recover the reputation of the Minakata name.
While Kinta's relatives filled the family coffers so they could still live a life of privilege after the Ishin Shishi took over, he went and avenged the death of his master then took down the leader of domestic terrorists who claimed himself the Son of God and the descendant of Shiro Amakusa Tokisada.
He infiltrated the Hidden Christians ranks as Shogo Amakusa's Kagemusha (Body Double) before ultimately betraying the cult leader at the cost of his health, even.
At that point, none of Kinta's Musou Madden Ryu techniques could escape Lucas's automatic blocks and parries, like he'd memorized their patterns and tells over the course of their protracted battle.
"It's over, Kagemusha. You've already lost. Enough is enough."
"…."
Luke had no doubts that six years ago, he wouldn't even have a chance against his venerable elder brother in his prime.
"I don't fault you for what your family did to my mother. In fact, I'm truly honored to fight someone like you. What a damn shame, seeing honorable men like you die for the sake of the wicked."
Kinta had fought for the Shogunate and saved Japan multiple times in several wars and countless battles, only for the leeches he called relatives to reap the rewards of his exploits and prestige, taking government positions and privileges originally offered to him.
It disgusted Luke to his very core.
Kinta's greedy family of swindlers, drug dealers, and money launderers turned oligarchs who control politicians with their blood money didn't deserve to live. They bring shame to the honorable Seiryu Clan.
Kinta, unlike the rest of his corrupted kin, was a man of principle.
***
Back at the abandoned factory…
Instead of a sword-drawing technique, the pink-shirted drunkard did a sheathe-drawing technique and swung it at Haruka's noggin like a hollow baseball bat.
Its impact also got doubled by the brigand sidestepping right into the unexpected strike.
"SHINGETSU O TSUKU NARI (NEW MOON SLASH)…!"
As expected of a loopy drunkard. Yahiko had half the mind to believe it wasn’t a real technique.
The New Moon Slash hit The Faceless strong enough to fling him into another set of windows, with him crashing right into them. He could've died right then and there from the shards alone, but when Yahiko and Sho checked the wreckage, he was gone.
"…Dammit, he got away," said Sho Kojima with a hiccup, a stinky belch as he rubbed his stomach and cleaned his ear with his pinky finger.
'So much for the Sword of Life, huh?' Then again, Sho himself didn't really believe it such things. He himself called it a joke.
Then again, unsheathing the scabbard instead of the blade to catch an opponent by surprise with your unorthodox iaijutsu was quite the out-of-the-box thinking. So was using the flat part of a katana to take people out.
"Well, I hope you're happy, kid. You just helped save your enemy," began Sho, only for him to trail off as he saw the bodyguard tend to his V.I.P.
"…You okay, Mister Thin Man?" asked Yahiko to the shook but otherwise unhurt Tatsuya Minakata. "The Faceless didn’t stab you while we weren't looking, did he?"
"'Bout time you remembered me," the sullen Tatsuya rasped, trying to look like his old boisterous self, but his white complexion belied his bluster.
Myojin exhaled. As far as he was concerned, as long as he was able to protect the people around him, his mission was accomplished. To Sho, he asked, "If you think the life-giving sword doesn't exist then why do you practice it?"
Kojima smirked and winked at Yahiko. "Probably for the shame reashon you do, Kiddo. Shomething a drunkard would come up with, y'know?"
The man with the huge bouffant hairdo and colorful clothes then assisted Kinta's uncle back to his feet and guided him out of the building, with Yahiko following close behind them.
The young samurai pondered those words. As th son of Tokyo Samurai, he'd heard how they had the right to cut down peasants who offended them. "Kirisute Gomen" or something to like that.
The teenager found the prospect of having the power to judge who lived and who died by something as petty as being annoyed by them as quite grisly. Like a politician such as Jusanro Tani abusing his power over the poor and underprivileged.
Like with Kenshin, he'd rather follow the edicts of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu than indulge in the uglier side of being a privileged, rich samurai.
He didn't want to be judge and executioner over criminals. He'd rather protect those before him as he sought the same strength Kenshin had. Let these villains pay their crimes in jail or have their chance at redemption.
Yahiko had always admired Kenshin and how he never used his sword for anything but protecting the weak. He never bullied anyone weaker than him but instead kept bullies at bay without serving as their executioner.
No matter how strong, Kenshin would never wield his sword for his own battles or bloodlust. His sakabatou always existed only to protect other people.
He never drowned in his own strength. He never had any meaningless fights to show that might or strength justified any action.
This was why the Tokyo Samurai Descendant took Kenshin's non-killing vow to heart even though he personally never killed anyone. Not directly, at least. Not by his own hands, certainly.
He didn't need to become someone with a body count attached to his name to do this. He didn't need to atone for murders he'd already committed. He didn't have to make a vow to a loved one he accidentally killed to avoid killing again.
If Yahiko wanted to be as strong as or even stronger than Kenshin Himura/Kamiya himself, the least he could do was be as careful as Kenshin was whenever it came to protecting human life, including his own.
Myojin wished to be pushed as much as Kenshin was before he became willing to take a life to spare others. The Kenshin who still upheld his refusal to kill no matter how angry he got.
That was the vagabond's true strength—his ability to tame the bloodthirsty Battousai inside him and make killing an absolute last resort.
That Kenshin, the Kenshin that risked his life to save others and had the willpower to live on as well, was the strongest man in the world in Yahiko's eyes.
Even stronger than Makoto Shishio, Hajime Saito, or even Kenshin's master Seijuro Hiko.
Even against monsters like Shishio, Saito, or Hiko, Kenshin's resolve allowed him to always find a way to win. That was the kind of man Yahiko wanted to become.
For Kenshin Kamiya (nee Himura) was a man of principle.
***
The gasping Hatamoto Samurai Descendant refused to give up, much to the chagrin of his bastard half-brother. Much to the detriment of his own health. Like the principled man that he was, he intended to go down swinging.
Like there was nothing else he could do but fight. A Shadow Warrior who was a shadow of his former self.
Thusly, he launched another Tsunami that Lucas anticipated, blocking the first few slashes to prevent the waves of slashes from gaining any momentum while the tides were low.
'You were something else when you aided your masters in hunting me down, kiddo,’ said a voice from within Minakata from out of the blue.
A familiar voice from Kinta’s past. The voice of Shinbei Tanaka (Hitokiri Shinbei). A ghost from his past. 'I saw your potential from the start.’
Also known as the Ansatsu Taicho (Captain of the Assassins), Shinbei had previously crossed swords with the Seiryu Clan’s best and brightest swordsmen under the Musou Madden School of swordsmanship, before his identity was exposed and he was arrested for treason.
The young prepubescent Minakata merely served as support to the adult swordsmen battling the rebel forces of the Ishin Shishi and their top assassins like Shinbei.
However, Kinta showed his mettle by saving their hides from time to time by fighting alongside them and showing off his early mastery of the Mikazuki o Tsuku Nari (Crescent Moon Slash), which was able to keep even the skilled Assassin Captain at bay.
Kinta started landing those Crescent Moon Slashes on his brother again after a long stretch of him failing to penetrate through the gaijin bastard’s impregnable defense. As though Luke had long ago memorized all the tricks in his bag.
Shinbei also died in July 11, 1863 by seppuku at 31 years old while under custody of the police. The same year as the establishment of the Shinsengumi and a year before the establishment of Kinta's own group, the Kyoto Mimawarigumi.
'That flat, bored look on your face pisses me off!’ said the Izo Okada (Hitokiri Izo) in Kinta’s mind. Izo was Shinbei’s partner-in-crime for most of their assassination missions. 'You look like an emotionless mannequin, you’re so creepy!’
The man they’d later identify as Hitokiri Izo had said as much to Kinta’s face when they themselves battled each other—Musou Madden Ryu versus Nakanishi-Ha Itto Ryu.
So his expressionless face gave Okada the creeps? As far as Kinta was concerned, the feeling was mutual. Izo's manic smile as he slaughtered his foes unsettled him in kind.
Compared to the more patriotic and straightforward Shinbei who wanted to deliver “Tenchu (Heaven’s Retribution)” on every weak and submissive head of state who submitted themselves to the Western nations, Izo was a wild card who enjoyed his job as butcher of men a bit too much.
From Kinta’s encounters with him, Okada fought like a wild beast. Or a serial killer. Izo certainly demonstrated resiliency bordering on the supernatural in their duels against each other that would put Lucas's current performance to shame.
Okada would later get arrested for assassinating Toyo Yoshida. He’d then get tortured, crucified, and then beheaded in May 11, 1865 at 27 years old.
Half-delirious from the pain and exhaustion of the prolonged battle, Minakata soldiered on against Grant. Unwilling to let himself falter against his long-lost brother who tried his best to keep up with him.
From there, he got his second wind and pushed back with swinging ripostes and counters to Luke’s hard blocks, parries, and attacks.
Meanwhile, someone else said, 'You really are a true samurai, Minakata Kinta. Your father would be proud,’ to Kinta’s mind. It was the ghost of Hanjiro Nakamura (Hitokiri Hanjiro).
Nakamura would later be more famously known by the Meiji Administration’s history books as Toshiaki Kirino. The longest surviving hitokiri among the Shidai Nikuya.
As Kirino, he lived all the way to 38 years old before getting killed in action on September 24, 1877 during Saigo Takamori’s samurai rebellion against their fellow Ishin Shishi and the Meiji Government they helped build.
A practical and pragmatic man in life and in combat, Hitokiri Hanjiro’s Ko-Jigen Ryu reminded the Mimawarigumi Battousai a lot of The Faceless’s fencing swordsmanship.
Every move they did was deliberate and calculated, with one move always leading to another five moves like a high-speed game of chess or go, but enacted by sword attacks, counters, ripostes, and feints.
Thusly, Kinta began focusing more on tactics and strategy.
Luke used wide sweeping swings with his blade that would normally lead to straightforward stabbing counters or precise well-timed ripostes, but he didn’t just swing randomly.
He baited the Counter Attacks changed the levels of his swings every so slightly to deflect, recover, and angle his own Counter Times, like The Faceless himself would with his rapier.
He also only needed fewer strikes to cause major damage while he treated most slashes to his persons like annoying if prickly paper cuts.
Also, even though the wounds on Minakata’s body weren’t as deep as Lucas’s, his body was apparently frail enough to get affected by them. His movement slowed to a crawl compared to his “fresher” yet bloodier brother.
This was an insult to Kinta’s manhood. He hadn’t been as damaged as his little brother yet he was the one on the brink of defeat?!
'What is this? You can do better than this, surely,’ drawled another voice. 'You survived the Bakumatsu. This li'l brat is nothing compared to what you’ve been through.’
This time it was from Gensai Kawakami (Hitokiri Gensai). The Mimawarigumi Battousai’s greatest rival and most common opponent.
Despite the pain, injuries, and depleted oxygen, the Mimawarigumi Battousai dully remembered his battles against another swordsman who also drew comparisons to the famous legendary manslayer, the Hitokiri Battousai.
Hitokiri Gensai was the closest thing Kinta had to that Battousai versus Battousai duel that neve happened during the Boshin War. He couldn’t imagine the whirling dervish that was Shiranui Ryu to be any less dangerous than the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
An underrated tactician, Gensai’s savagery in the battlefield belied his intelligence that could challenge even the likes of his fellow brainy manslayer, Hitokiri Hanjiro, when it came to cerebral battles.
Kinta truly dealt with better slashes than those thrown by Luke. Bone-cutting strikes that killed many a man from one of the deadliest hitokiri of the Shidai Nikuya, Gensai Kawakami.
This frightful man would later go by the name Genbei Kouda. This name change was the reason why by the time Kinta learned that Kawakami had been incarcerated for harboring Kiheitai stragglers, it was too late.
Kinta learned months later that Gensai had already been executed on January 13, 1872 at 38 years old before he or the Minakatas could pull some bureaucratic strings and have him pardoned for his crimes.
All the Shidai Nikuya ended up dying before hitting the age of 40.
Thanks to their mutual sacrifices, they paved the way for a much stronger Japan with a brighter future than becoming another potential colony for foreign superpowers.
Was Kinta headed for the same fate as Gensai and the others? Maybe he'd learn the answer in the next exchange.
' You should've taken me with you, Gensai. To heaven. To hell. To limbo. It doesn't matter,' thought Kinta. 'I can't wait to face off with you in the afterlife, old friend.'
The Mimawarigumi Battousai dodged and parried the chops and slashes at him from Luke’s bastard sword, his body remembering the extreme quickness of Gensai’s Shiranui Ryu compared to his brother’s comparatively clumsy Western swordsmanship.
'There’s still some life in his swings,’ thought Grant. 'What will it take to take you down, Aniki…?’
***
'Man, that Kagemusha is hard to kill,' thought Kai Hidaka with a head shake and a heavy sigh. 'And here I thought Luke was resilient!'
He stood on wobbly feet. Winning his fight against Zan the Sharpshooter Ninja and his gigantic warfork took its toll on him.
However, it was only a matter of time. This second wind from Kinta should be his last. The Mimawarigumi Battousai of yore was no more, replaced by a sicklier version of him with low stamina and respiratory problems.
The Battousai became a mere Kagemusha. A copycat of either the more famous Hitokiri Battousai or the seditious Christian rebel Shogo Amakusa.
Kinta Minakata was the moon to Shogo Amakusa's sun. The satellite orbiting Battousai Himura's planet.
Kinta actually served as the body double of Shogo until he betrayed the cult leader, in fact. Minakata was merely a shadow of people stronger than him. Or he was supposed to fill that role.
Could it be possible for the shadow to be greater than the man…? A Kagemusha that became his own protected dignitary? An imposter that usurped the role of leader?
Fine. If Luke failed to finish his brother off, it was his duty as a fellow brigand to complete the mission for him. They had a 90 to 100 percent completion rate on all their assassination missions for a reason.
He looked over his options. The recovering cop and daughter was still nearby, unable to escape because they were still worried about Kinta's state of health and mind while battling his half-brother.
They could again serve as Kai's hostages, distractions, or meat shields when push came to shove. Or he could be the distraction himself to allow Luke to land the final blow.
However, just as he was about to again pounce on Officer Satoru Sakaguchi to avenge himself from their exchange earlier, a golden blur arrived at the periphery of Hidaka's vision.
No, not a golden blur. A blonde blur with a huge warfork-like naginata (glaive).
'What in the world…!?'
***
What was Kinta Minakata's reason for living? For the sake of his family? To honor his deceased father and estranged mother? To uphold his honor, whatever that meant?
What was the gold lacquer that kept his fragile, broken self together? How did apply kitsugi in his own broken life and home?
He needed to win. He needed to always win and survive. To save his loved ones or even those who weren't beloved to him, he had to shoulder the burden of always winning no matter what.
If he won, the world kept turning. If he lost, their world would stop. It would be the end of the Minakatas and even the Sakaguchis by proxy.
He couldn't let that happen. Not when he still had a lot to fix. Not when he still had a lot to atone for.
As long as he had the resolve to win, his fragile self would not break apart. Like broken ceramic kept together by gold lacquer.
But still, maybe dying here in the hands of his family's bad karma made flesh wasn't so bad.
If it was his fate to die here in the hands of his half-brother then so be it. He couldn't have written a better end. Surely better than committing seppuku in jail or getting crucified.
Kinta took careful breaths to calm himself down and conserve his energy. His counters to his brother's counters were enough to make the (literal) bastard hesitate for once.
Besides which, he'd been playing defense all this while to brace himself for the tidal wave to come. Like waves on the beach receding like an extreme low tide before a big tsunami hit it.
Luke had a feeling that something big was coming though. Through trial and error, he'd memorized the essence of Musou Madden Ryu combat in his heart and soul.
And so finally, Kinta stopped dodging then charged forward in his Waxing Stance or iaijutsu/battoujutsu form.
Grant grabbed his bastard sword's handle with both hands, bracing himself for a heavy impact.
So should Kinta do the Blue Moon Slash? His body felt like it was about to break. Like how his Akatsuki sword banging against the slab of steel that was Luke’s bastard sword.
At this point, after being hit by it over and over, Luke could see even the supersonic iaijutsu technique coming a mile away, allowing him to block, sidestep, dodge, or counter by reflex.
Luke's reaction time was also fast enough to recover from any feints done to him. The half-breed swordsman could course-correct and turn a missed swing into a stab or a parry at the last second.
Also, the effort of doing that body-straining technique would only hurt Kinta in the end. It was almost not worth doing.
The thicker European sword used more high-grade carbon-rich steel versus the multi-layered Japanese steel folded unto itself that made up for the lack of carbon by putting powdered carbon into the melted metal during the forged process.
However, the Akatsuki katana was different. It could take the hardness of foreign steel because it was made from melted European swords during his grandfather’s exploits against pirates and stolen weapons from the galleon trade.
Toshiro broke his sword and Genzo Sakaguchi reforged it with high-carbon European steel and folded it unto itself to create a new, better sword.
It was a Japanese sword that used Western steel to forge something stronger. Not unlike the old primitive Japan being reforged into the current modern one after the Sakoku (Closed Country) policy was lifted.
The Western steel was the kintsugi to his katana. Like a broken bone mended so that it'd grow stronger afterwards.
With the fall of the bakufu, the New Japan—a stronger, modernized nation-state version of Japan that mixed Western technology with Eastern sensibilities--would hopefully get a seat on the table of world affairs.
Where both Western and Eastern superpowers viewed Japan as a respectable peer instead of a primitive, backwards country ripe for colonization and invasion.
'Heh. What am I even thinking?' thought Kinta. The way he mused about the Akatsuki, you'd swear he was thinking just like one of the Ishin Shishi.
And so the Akatsuki sword flew from its scabbard. At this point, Kinta's resolve was thusly if Lucas could win against this exchange then he deserved to kill him.
All this time, the Prodigal Son had been blocking any point-blank iaijutsu with the intention of tiring his brother's body with the mere effort of doing Full Moon Slashes.
However, Lucas realized that if this was a last exchange then his half-brother had every intention to cut through the block.
He could see it in the X-shaped scar in the middle of Kinta's face that deepened like wrinkles every time he strained himself. That was his most telling of "tells".
Grant then used the Tactical Wheel that The Faceless drilled into his very core.
Simple Attacks were beaten by Parry and Ripostes or Counter Attacks. Counter Attacks were beaten by Counter Times (feints used to draw out the counter). Counter Times were beaten by Feints in Time (feinted counters to draw out the counter times).
So Luke expected Kinta to feint a Mangetsu O Tsuku Nari by half-unsheathing his blade then sheathing it back again (Counter Time) and responded with a Feint in Time (feinting a counter).
However, Minakata's feint itself was a feint and he went ahead in the split-second he motioned to re-sheathe his sword, he instead unsheathed it.
The iaijutsu expert turned his Counter Time into a Simple Attack, which was the best way to counter a Feint in Time in lieu of two swordsmen continuously saber-rattling and posturing against each other without ever actually attacking.
However, Lucas was a bunch of nerves himself, his adrenalin rush slowing time enough for him to notice the change and electing to do a hard block (Parry and Riposte) instead.
The Full Moon Slash created a flash of steel that rotated fully and turned into a moon-shaped perfect circle, shining like a second moon that appeared on the ground.
As though Kinta used his iaijutsu and twisting movement to create a perfect circle using his sword and his center of balance like a protractor.
The Aoitsuki O Tsuku Nari worked like the Tsunami in that it built upon the momentum of the first perfect-circle Mangetsu O Tsuku Nari. Using foot pivots, full body rotation, centrifugal force, and the empty air left by the Full Moon Slash, the Blue Moon Slash should travel at double the speed and power.
This broke through Luke's defense, but he'd been memorizing the timing of the expected Blue Moon Slash all the while. With one hand on his claymore-like bastard sword, Luke prepared his riposte.
The bastard child knew what to do. Sidestep then stab at the center of the Full Moon Slash as the swordsman prepared to do a second one. In other words, stab the eye of the spiraling storm. This will drill the sword into the body of the rotating samurai.
A grisly death for sure, but an honorable one at least. A warrior's death in the line of duty.
However, none of that happened. Instead, halfway into Kinta raising his Akatsuki to do a Blue Moon Slash, as Lucas timed his stab, the Mimawarigumi Battousai flipped his sword, reversed his momentum, and did a downward slash.
Somehow, the bloody Lucas became even bloodier than before, producing a fountain of red from his sudden chest laceration. His deepest wound yet.
Grant had forced the gasping, cornered Minakata to do his ultimate forbidden hidden technique.
The legendary technique of yore known as Tsubame Gaeshi (Swallow Return). The same technique he used to defeat Shogo Amakusa.
And now Luke was the one gasping and cornered in turn.
Originally the signature technique of the legendary swordsman Kojiro Sasaki, the Kagemusha himself learned the similarly legendary skill from his second swordsmanship master, the blind swordsman Hyoue Nishida.
The maternal uncle of Shogo and Sayo Amakusa (formerly Muto). The black sheep of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.
Nishida's Tsubame Gaeshi allowed him to survive his master's Kuzu Ryu Sen (Nine-Headed Dragon Flash) when they were doing the succession duel to pass on Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu to a new successor.
The pacifistic Christian Hyoue actually learned the technique solely to find a way to counter the Kuzu Ryu Sen without killing his master, Seijuro Hiko XII, with the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki (Heavens Gliding Dragon Flash).
Regardless, that last technique from out of the blue was the straw that broke the camel’s back. That ripped the last thread of the rope that kept the hanging Lucas from falling into the abyss below.
Lucas had finally hit his limit.
***
To Be Continued...
The exchange between Toshiro and Kinta is based on the exchange between Seijuro Akashi and his father from Kuroko's Basketball. The Faceless and his ornate masks are also based on Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who wore elaborate masks to hide his crippling leprosy.
Also, Lucas Grant's first name is taken from George Lucas, who famously created the Star Wars franchise that started with a movie about an orphan forced to fight a relative in the backdrop of an intergalactic war.
Also, thusly, Lucas uses Form IV (Ataru) of Lightsaber Combat when fighting against his half-brother's more precise and rigid iaijutsu reminiscent of Form II (Makashi) of Lightsaber Combat.
Danke,
Abdiel
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in your opinion who's up against who between Order members and Slur's group? do you think Gaku will have a rdmatch with Takamura?
I'm quite certain of Gaku VS Takamura 2.0, thou popular theories are Gaku VS Shin. I think we should get Gaku VS Shin for a bit before Takamura shows up (again since he always seems to be last to come lol) & joins the battle. This way everyone is happy hahah.
But going off my gut feeling i think Sakamoto & co. won't be joining the fight for this arc cuz they'll be busy trying to stop the explosion from happening so Slur's gang will be busy with the ORDER members. But there'll be resistance from ORDER so i think in this arc we'll have 3-way fights!
Anyhow it's been too long since my gut feeling hits bulls eye so i may be wrong altogether. Here's who i think will be pitched against who for the upcoming arc:
Slur VS Nagumo VS Sakamoto
Kumanomi VS Osaragi (+VS Kanaguri?)
Carolina Reaper VS Shishiba VS Amane
Haruma/Gozu/Tenkyu VS Kamihate VS Heisuke
-> Why I think Shishiba may be pitched against Carolina Reaper is cuz Shishi hates spicy food. Kumanomi's name has the bear kanji & Osaragi pictured Sakamoto as teddy bear before lol. My headcanon is thay there should be a sniper too in Slur's group so that person will versus Kamihate & Heisuke.
Need Gozu & Tenkyu to make appearance soon cuz Irdk who'd take them on & it's time we see their designs & feats. If sensei follows the name thingy again, then Tenkyu might be an archer. Also didn't include Kashima cuz i bet he's sitting this one out. I may be mistaken but there's one last ORDER member to be revealed, no?
Would be nice if Mafuyu & Toramaru return to Sakamoto & co. and fight against Slur -i believe Mafuyu would cuz of Natsuki & he's also on pretty good terms w Shin, but Toramaru is a guesswork cuz simp 😂 (i don't blame her!)
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