Chapter 117: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

By evening, Okakura Take had been bound into the shape of a silkworm cocoon and carried by Kurosaki Ichigo and Yamazaki Ayako to a vast plaza. In the center of the plaza stood a triangular black stele, and surrounding it were a crowd of Bujou clansmen, along with the captured Kishari clansmen.

Upon seeing that black stele, Okakura Take’s entire body stiffened. She felt a deep sense of unease; the monument made her feel physically wretched.

"Tribal Chief!"
"Chief!"
"Let our Chief go!"
"Bastards! Release the Chief!"

The moment they saw Okakura Take, the Kishari clansmen grew agitated. They struggled to rise, attempting to break through the Bujou encirclement, but were beaten back before they could take a single step.

Okakura Take, however, could no longer pay them any mind. The closer she was to the stele, the more agonizing she felt. Cold sweat broke out all over her, and she began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Put her down." By the time Okakura Take regained her senses, she realized she had been carried directly in front of the black triangular stele.

"What are you planning?" Okakura Take glared at Kimura and asked.

"Planning? Well, since you’re going to die soon anyway, it doesn't matter if I tell you. Do you know what this is?" Kimura pointed at the black triangular stele and looked at Okakura Take.

"I don't know," Okakura Take shook her head.

"Heh heh, let me enlighten you. This is the greatest secret of the planet Metishikuli! This stele is the control mechanism for the planet. The world you Kishari have inhabited all this time is actually a massive space battleship!" Kimura said with a wild laugh.

"A space battleship..." Okakura Take and all the Kishari clansmen were stunned, the older generation in particular showing even greater shock.

Having lived on this planet for so many years, they had no idea their home was actually a space battleship!

"Hmph, you idiots, possessing such a treasure without even knowing it! Do you know why your Kishari clan has been able to develop until now? It’s because your ancestors long ago created this super-battleship disguised as a planet. This battleship is the greatest weapon protecting you!" Kimura shouted.

All the Kishari clansmen were dumbfounded. So, this was the true nature of their planet?

"Since you have abandoned the opportunity to use this warship, the privilege shall now be controlled by our Bujou clan. With this battleship, our Bujou clan will be invincible throughout the universe. Oh, Kishari Chief, do you remember me telling you that you are the key to this mystery? Because... to activate this battleship, it requires your heart!" After saying this, Kimura placed his palm over Okakura Take’s chest, his gaze filled with lethal intent.

"Chief Okakura, this stele is the shackle of the Kishari Chiefs. Each generation of your leaders has been nothing more than a pathetic key. The heavens granted you power, but also burdened you with an incredibly heavy responsibility. Now, allow me to grant you release." With that, Kimura extended his sharp claws, aiming to gouge out Okakura Take’s heart.

"Chief!"
"Chief!"
"Chief!"
"No!"

All the Kishari clansmen screamed in terror. The elders even shed tears, recalling the suicide of the previous Chief—it had been a tragic affair. Throughout history, many Kishari Chiefs had met gruesome ends.

Many of the more timid clansmen closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight of Okakura Take being slaughtered.

A moment later, they opened their eyes, only to find that the bloody scene they had imagined had not occurred.

"Whoosh..." At the very moment Kimura’s claws struck, Okakura Take lunged to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.

"Ah, I didn't expect you to still have enough strength left after the black stele drained you, but it’s useless." Kimura blocked Kurosaki Ichigo and Yamazaki Ayako, who were trying to grab Okakura Take; he intended to handle it personally.

Okakura Take watched Shuki warily while shrinking backward. With her entire body wrapped in ropes, she couldn't even stand up properly.

"Since you want to dodge, I'll play along with you." Kimura sneered as he slithered toward Okakura Take.

*Huff, huff.* Okakura Take hurriedly used her chin to push against the floor, crawling to the side.

"Die!" Kimura shouted, whipping his tail toward Okakura Take.

Watching that long, thick snake tail, Okakura Take struggled to rotate her body, rolling away just in time.

*Bang!* She narrowly avoided the strike.

But before she could recover, Kimura’s next attack came. The long tail lashed out repeatedly. Okakura Take skillfully rolled 360 degrees, miraculously evading the whip-like strikes of the snake tail.

"..." Okakura Take felt nauseous. Honestly, she was so dizzy from rolling that she felt like vomiting.

"Hmm? I didn't expect you to still refuse to give up, even now. How about this?" Kimura then slithered toward the Kishari clansmen.

"Ahhh—!!" A young Kishari girl was scooped into mid-air by Shuki’s tail.

"How about it, Chief Okakura? What is your choice? Do you want your own life, or this girl’s? No answer? I see. You were raised on Earth, so you have no attachment to these clansmen; it doesn't matter if they die, right?" Kimura began to provoke her.

"..." Okakura Take bit her lip. Looking at the young girl in mid-air, she was reminded of her own past—she had once been just like her.

"Let her go. I won't dodge anymore..." Okakura Take said, looking at Kimura.

"Heh heh, well said. Alright, my clansmen, go forth and dig out Chief Okakura’s heart. Once her heart is removed, the Bujou clan will become the overlords of the universe!" No sooner had Kimura finished speaking than the Bujou clansmen began to surround Okakura Take.

Okakura Take slowly closed her eyes. She didn't want to watch the scene of her own heart being extracted. She would just die with her eyes closed...

"Chief, who is this person? I don't recognize someone who gives up so easily."

That voice was... Okakura Take slowly opened her eyes. Standing before her was Gintoki, dressed in a tight black outfit. He held his wooden sword and knocked down the encroaching Bujou clansmen.

"Gin... Gintoki-san..." Okakura Take said in a daze. She hadn't expected this good-for-nothing curly-haired man to actually come here.

"Move! Move aside! The Queen of Kabuki-cho has arrived, aru!" On the other side, Kagura swept through the crowd with her umbrella.

"A-chan, the one who should move aside is you. You're blocking my test-cutting." Sougo followed Kagura, slicing through a group of Bujou clansmen with a single stroke.

"Ms. Okakura, we've come to save you!" Shinpachi was also busy hacking away at enemies.

"We are still one person short for 'The Checkers,' Okakura. We've come to invite you to join us." Otae walked over with a smile, punching Bujou clansmen flying as they rushed toward her. Following behind Otae were Kyubei, Tsukuyo, and Sarutobi.

"Ms. Otae! Can I join your team?" Kondo rushed over excitedly toward Otae.

*Bang!* Otae punched Kondo, sending him flying, and said with a smile, "No, 3Q."

"By the way, I'm just here to find the 'One Piece'." On the other side, Hijikata smoked a cigarette while cutting down a group of Bujou clansmen.

"Everyone..." Okakura Take pressed her lips together. She sniffled and couldn't help but shout, "Thank you! If you hadn't come, I really would have died!" As she said this, tears began to stream down her face.

Damn it! These guys were truly too moving, Okakura Take couldn't help but sob aloud.

Suddenly, someone pinched her cheeks. Okakura Take opened her eyes, blurred by tears, to see Gintoki. He was squatting in front of her, using both hands to squeeze her face.

"Gin... Gintoki-san?" Okakura Take sobbed.

"Idiot! You are absolutely an idiot." Gintoki squinted, kneading Okakura Take’s face back and forth.

"Gintoki-san..." Okakura Take cried out in pain; her face was being pinched quite hard.

"Why do you always love getting into so much trouble? If you get into trouble, just stay put! You ran all the way to such a remote place. Gintoki-san is poor; I don't have money for spaceship tickets. Can't you just stay put and be quiet?" Gintoki said with dead fish eyes.

"Su... su... sorry! But Gintoki-san, you can't just blame me; you're the same way!" Okakura Take argued indignantly.

"..." Gintoki squinted and pinched her face even harder.

"Ow, ow, ow! It hurts!" Okakura Take wailed. She felt sure her face must have swollen by a full circle.

"I didn't expect the White Yaksha to actually come here." Kimura slithered over with a gloomy face.

"Who are you?" Gintoki asked indifferently.

"Heh heh, Lord White Yaksha surely wouldn't remember a small fry like me, but I did fight alongside you against the Amanto during the Joi War," Kimura said with a light chuckle.

"Kimura, your skin is getting thicker and thicker. You clearly ran away the moment you saw the Amanto," Okakura Take mocked him.

"Chief Okakura, you truly are lucky. So lucky that it makes one want to end your life prematurely!" Kimura said, whipping his snake tail toward Okakura Take.

*Bang!* Gintoki drew his wooden sword and blocked Kimura’s attack.

"Sorry, this person's life belongs to me. No one is allowed to kill her in front of me." Gintoki’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, his red eyes dark and intense.

"I used to admire you, Lord White Yaksha, but now it seems you don't like me very much," Kimura said with a smile.

"That's right, because when you said you admired me, you looked like you wanted to kill me. Heh heh," Gintoki chuckled.

"Lord White Yaksha, are you sure you can disregard the safety of your other companions just for the sake of Chief Okakura?" Kimura’s eyes narrowed, looking extremely treacherous.

"What do you mean?" Gintoki asked in a low voice.

"Meaning? Just what I said. Everyone, transform!" Kimura shouted to the Bujou clansmen in the distance, waving his arms.

"Yes! Lord Shuki!" All the Bujou clansmen responded loudly.

A few seconds later, the situation on the scene caused the expressions of both Okakura Take and Gintoki to change.

Everyone had used the Shadow Clone Technique!

"Who are you? I am the real Kagura, aru!" A group of Kaguras began fighting each other.

"Ms. Otae! I am the real Kondo Isao!" A group of Kondo-gorillas lunged at a group of Shimura Otaes.

"Get lost!" The group of Otaes sent the group of Kondo-gorillas flying.

"Eh? What’s going on! Why are there so many Shinpachis!" A group of Shinpachis held their heads and screamed in frustration.

"Ah! Why couldn't they clone another Gintoki-san!" A group of Sarutobis crossed their arms and shouted excitedly.

"This..." A group of Kyubeis observed each other.

"They really are identical." A group of Tsukuyos puffed on their cigarettes, observing each other as well.

"This looks like it could be quite fun..." A group of Okitas all revealed devilish smiles.

"..." A group of... a group of Hijikatas had already started fighting each other...

"Hahaha, how about it, Mr. Sakata? Faced with so many of your companions, can you really bring yourself to strike?" Kimura asked with a sneer, his face full of smugness. He didn't believe that in this situation, Sakata Gintoki could ignore his comrades.

"Heh heh heh." Gintoki picked a piece of booger and flicked it at Kimura.

"You really underestimate those guys. They aren't so easily defeated." Gintoki said, turning his head.

"Bastard! I am the real Kagura, aru!"
"I am the real Shinpachi!"
"I am the real Otae!"
"Who are you? I am Kondo Isao!"
"You are not Shimura Otae, I am!"
"Die, fake Hijikata!"
"Die, fake Okita!"
"So many people who look like me is making me angry! One Tsukuyo is enough!"
"I am the real Sarutobi Ayame, all of you go die!"

A pile of fakes and real ones were already brawling in a heap.

"..." Gintoki.
Sorry, but who among you is actually real!

*Author's note: Today's second update is finished. The main story will conclude tomorrow.*