Chapter 64: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

Kankura Take glanced around warily; it seemed that only Abuto was present... “Hand over the brat. Give that little one to me,” Abuto drawled lazily.

So he was here for Shinta! Take immediately shielded Shinta behind her.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Abuto, and the air grew tense.

“Gin... Gin...” Kagura, sweating profusely, body quivering, was more nervous than Take had ever seen her.

“This is bad. That guy... he gives off a dangerous aura, the scent of someone who’s survived countless bloody battles…”

“That’s the real scent... of a Yato,” Kagura said anxiously.

Take thought, Kagura’s nose is sharp as ever. Actually, the useless one next to you has survived the battlefield too, but he drinks so much strawberry milk that the bloody smell is completely masked.

As Take was internally grumbling, Abuto lunged forward! Tsukuyo quickly stepped in front of everyone.

“Hurry! Escape now, while you can!” Tsukuyo shouted, throwing kunai to halt Abuto’s attack.

Abuto looked at Tsukuyo blocking his path, a smug smile at the corner of his mouth—such attacks couldn’t possibly stop him! He opened his umbrella, deflecting all Tsukuyo’s kunai. He even caught one flying toward him in his teeth, grinning viciously as he bit a crack into it. Then he leapt high, landing in front of the unguarded Tsukuyo, delivering a swift kick that sent her flying.

“Tsukuyo!” Shinpachi cried out in alarm.

“Run!” Tsukuyo shouted.

Take saw Tsukuyo knocked to the ground, a fierce light flashing in her eyes. Just as she was about to rush forward, she sensed danger beneath her feet.

Bang! In the next instant, a long-handled umbrella burst through the pipe below, thrusting upward.

“Ah! From below!” Shinpachi and Kagura exclaimed in shock.

Gintoki, standing nearby, quickly pushed Take and Shinta aside, placing himself in front of them.

The umbrella’s tip stabbed into his chest, lifting him into the air.

“Ugh—!” Gintoki coughed blood from the impact.

“Gin-san!” Take cried out.

Amidst billowing dust, a burly man with a braid tossed Gintoki aside, while under his arm was Shinta.

No! Shinta had been thrown to the other side and she hadn’t noticed!

“There’s actually... two Yato!” Shinpachi said, horrified.

“Let me go!” Shinta struggled under the other Yato’s arm, but his resistance was like an ant against a tree, utterly futile.

“Shinta!” Take, now closest to Shinta and the Yato, rushed over to rescue him.

Just a bit more... just a bit closer and she could reach Shinta... Take pressed forward.

Suddenly, a black shadow appeared behind her, murderous intent flooding straight at her.

Danger! Instinctively, Take turned her head.

“It’s been so long, and you still look as weak as ever. If you haven’t gotten stronger, then get out of my way!”

That voice! Take’s eyes widened instantly.

Bandages wrapped around his face, those menacing blue eyes, orange-red braid, and that infuriating manner of speaking that always sent chills down her spine.

It was Kamui, that bastard!

Take hurriedly reached into her coat for her weapon, the spiked club, but Kamui didn’t give her a chance to react. He swung his umbrella straight at Take.

“Aah—!” Kamui’s umbrella struck her in the stomach.

He’s even stronger... In that instant, Take could only think that, before Kamui sent her flying, a lone star thrown across Yoshiwara to some unknown corner.

“Take!!” Gintoki shouted as he watched her trajectory.

“Take!” Kagura rushed over, but upon seeing who had struck Take, she was shocked.

She stared blankly at Kamui, pausing for a moment, but in that instant, Kamui was already charging toward her.

“I told you before, useless ones... just get out of the way.”

Kagura’s large blue eyes looked at Kamui, her mouth forming a syllable: “Brother…”

Before she could finish, Kamui struck her, cracking the pipe and sending Kagura plummeting down.

“Kagura!”

“Kagura!”

Gintoki and Shinpachi hurried after her to rescue Kagura.

The deafening sound of the pipe shattering echoed throughout Yoshiwara, the townsfolk gazing toward the source in panic.

“Everyone—!” Shinta, sprawled atop the pipe, shouted, but the thick dust obscured his vision; he had no way of knowing how Gintoki and the others were faring.

“Wasn’t that a bit excessive? So annoying, the old man’s probably going to scold us,” Abuto said.

“Don’t worry, Hosen cares more about the courtesan than what happens here,” Kamui replied. “As long as we bring the brat back, he’ll be pleased. Besides, we need to do this to handle the other side.”

Abuto scratched his head, looking into the distance. “By the way, Captain, never expected to see that girl you fought with here. The Earth really is small. Isn’t she the Chief of the Universal Police Alliance? Wonder what she’s doing here.”

“No problem. She’s just my prey. If she’s lost her flavor, I’ll eat her early,” Kamui said with a smile, gazing at a corner of Yoshiwara.

He only has patience for tasty prey.

Inside a certain building in Yoshiwara, the shrieks of women echoed…

“Ugh, that bastard Kamui, it hurts so much,” Take rubbed her head as she climbed off the floor, only to sense something amiss.

She looked up and saw two naked lovers staring at her in terror. Oh no, she’d interrupted someone’s intimate moment.

“My apologies for disturbing you. I’ll leave now,” Take said, quietly sliding open the door and stepping out. As she closed it behind her, the woman inside suddenly screamed.

“Ahhh—! Thief!”

This is bad! Take quickly made her escape.

But the woman’s screams had already drawn the attention of Yoshiwara’s guards. As soon as she ran out, a line of Hyakka members stood at the entrance, waiting for her.

“You’re the woman who barged in with that brat! How is this possible? Wasn’t the boss supposed to have killed you?!” one Hyakka exclaimed in shock.

Looks like she’s been found. If this continues, they might suspect Tsukuyo. Take let out a loud laugh.

“Haha, kill me? Impossible! Those little kunai could never finish me off. I pretended to be dead to fool you, and your dumb boss too.”

“Damn you! How dare you speak of Lady Tsukuyo that way! Unforgivable!” The Hyakka grew furious, each drawing several kunai and glaring at Take.

With so many kunai flying at once, she’d be turned into a pincushion! Take quickly reached for her compressed spiked club—the Hyakka were much slower than Kamui, at least giving her time to draw her weapon.

She had just pulled out her club when countless kunai flew at her. Take swung her club, knocking them all aside.

There’s an opening to the right! Take spotted a Hyakka whose kunai had run out and was reaching for more. She dashed that way, knocking the woman aside.

She broke through the Hyakka’s encirclement.

But she was on someone else’s turf—Hyakka knew Yoshiwara’s streets like the back of their hand. Take, visiting for the first time, had no clue where she was going, running aimlessly through alleys with a group of Hyakka in pursuit.

So annoying! How to shake them off? She had no interest in fighting women unless she really disliked them. Take was at her wit’s end.

She decided to head back to the pipe—since Kamui had shown up, she was worried about Gin-san and the others, and she’d heard loud noises from that direction.

Hopefully, everyone was safe!

Thus, Take led the Hyakka on a circuitous chase around Yoshiwara, finally catching a lone Hyakka member amidst the chaos, forcing her to lead Take up to the pipe.

When she reached the pipe, Take saw no one was around, and a large section of it had broken off.

Gin-san and the others… were they alright? Take stared at the pipe in concern.

“You think you can cause chaos on Yoshiwara’s turf and walk away alive? Lord Hosen won’t let you go!” the Hyakka member she’d caught shouted.

“You’re so annoying, Hyakka-chan. You’ve repeated that phrase countless times, always bragging about how amazing Lord Hosen is. Are you secretly in love with him?” Take couldn’t help but banter.

It seemed, after hanging around that curly-haired idiot so much, she’d grown a bit wicked herself… Take mused.

“Who’s Hyakka-chan! That’s just a title! And who would ever fall for a codger like Hosen! Wait, no, Lord Hosen is very powerful, someone like me could never possibly like him!” The Hyakka girl hastily explained.

“No need to deny it. I know your first sentence was your true feeling. After all, if it weren’t for money, what young woman would choose an old man? Look at those young wives on TV, married to geezers, probably cursing them to die sooner,” Take smiled.

“You really are awful! So casually saying such frightening things!” The Hyakka girl was drenched in sweat.

“Stop running! You can’t escape Yoshiwara!” The group of pursuing Hyakka arrived.

“Tsk tsk, Hyakka-chan, your sisters are clingy. Can’t you get them to stop chasing us? It’s so irritating,” Take complained.

“Don’t talk like we’re close! Idiot! You’re the annoying one, let me go!” The Hyakka member struggled in Take’s grasp.

“That won’t do. I still need to rely on you to find my companions,” Take said, hoisting the Hyakka girl onto her shoulder and leaping down from the pipe.

“Aaah—! Damn you, go die!” The Hyakka girl shrieked.

“After them!” the Hyakka on the pipe shouted.

“Whew... Thank goodness, I survived... That was terrifying, I have a fear of heights...” The Hyakka, carried by Take, trembled as Take landed safely, as if she’d gone bungee jumping.

“Sorry for scaring you. I know where my companions are now. Goodbye, Hyakka-chan.” Take set her down.

From the pipe, Take had seen Yoshiwara’s tallest building—the one where Hinawa resided—looking chaotic, as if someone had broken in and was causing trouble. That had to be the work of the Odd Jobs idiots.

Just as Take was about to leave, the Hyakka member called out to her.

“Wait, what’s your purpose in Yoshiwara? Your skills are impressive, but you’re no match for Hosen—you’ll die, all of you will,” the Hyakka said, panting.

“Purpose?” Take turned back to her. “We’re here to help a kid see his mother. Whether it’s masked men or scary old men in the way, I’ll take them down one by one! No one can stop a child from seeing his mother!”

“You...” The Hyakka stared at Take, stunned.

“Haha, after hanging around the useless one, I’ve started saying cool lines too. Goodbye, Hyakka-chan, I’m off.”

“Idiot woman, I have a name! It’s Rain,” the Hyakka suddenly said.

“Rain? That’s a lovely name. I’m Take Kankura. I’ll go pour wine for your Lord Hosen, and as for your sun, Hinawa, I think my companions would love such a beautiful woman. To keep them from harassing your courtesan, I’ll protect her—bye now, Rain.”

Take left.

The Hyakka member left behind quietly removed her mask, gazing at Yoshiwara’s dark sky and her own hands, sighing deeply.

“Are all women outside this strange…?”

Take sprinted toward Hinawa’s building, noticing that the Hyakka who’d been pursuing her were also heading there.

Gin-san and the others must be there! She trusted her instincts.

She reached the main entrance, finding it wide open and unguarded.

Take felt uneasy, cautiously stepping inside. The floor was littered with kunai and scorched marks, evidence of a fierce battle.

She moved forward, seeing a crowd of Hyakka on the stairs ahead. Her footsteps drew their attention, and they all turned to look at her.

Not again! Take was about to bolt when she saw, at the top of the stairs, a woman lying there—someone she recognized, Tsukuyo!

“Tsukuyo! Are you alright?” Take bounded up the stairs, passing the Hyakka at lightning speed to reach Tsukuyo’s side.

“That woman’s so fast!” The Hyakka were stunned by her speed.

Take saw Tsukuyo bleeding profusely, her body pierced by several kunai, hair disheveled, yet oddly, a smile on her face.

“Tsukuyo, are you okay?” Take asked gently.

“It’s you? Cough, I’m fine,” Tsukuyo replied, coughing up blood.

Take thought, That doesn’t look fine at all.

“Hurry, find them. With one more to fight Hosen, our chances improve. Don’t dawdle, or they’ll die. I’ll join you soon—Yoshiwara’s sun, I’ll make it rise!” Tsukuyo said.

“Tsukuyo...” Take saw the familiar light in her eyes—the look of a warrior!

Take was instantly reassured. She looked at the surrounding Hyakka. “They’re your comrades, right?”

Tsukuyo smiled and nodded. “Yes, all my comrades…”

“Good, then I’m off, Tsukuyo,” Take said, standing.

Just then, Tsukuyo grabbed her left hand.

Take looked down to see Tsukuyo slip a tiny kunai into her palm—a hair ornament she’d worn. Why give it to her?

“You’re all such strange folks, but unexpectedly dazzling. Don’t die, not until you see the sun…”

Take tucked the kunai away, turned to Tsukuyo, and said, “I won’t die, absolutely not.” With that, she ran into the building—the real battlefield lay ahead!

The building was vast, each room lavishly decorated, almost dizzyingly so. Take hurried upstairs, believing Hinawa was on the top floor, and Shinta and the others might be there too.

But the higher she climbed, the more shocking the scene became.

Corpses... so many corpses!

The hallways were littered with Hyakka bodies, their blood dark and congealed, dead for some time. Take stepped through the sticky blood, feeling a chill.

Who? Who had cruelly slaughtered these women? The deaths were gruesome—heads severed, bellies split open, some had lost limbs. Their faces still twisted in death.

Take closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and continued upward.

This was a street paved in women’s blood. Yoshiwara, oh guest who comes here, if you look closely, you’ll sense the strong scent of blood beneath the fragrance. The souls of these women, denied sunlight, are so pale!

Author’s Note: Madman’s ramblings: Honestly, I think shonen and shojo manga aren’t that different. Shonen’s main line is conquering the big boss and leveling up, shojo’s is conquering male supporting characters and the main guy, and falling in love. So don’t underestimate shojo manga—the heroine’s quest for affection is no easy feat! The male leads and supporting guys are like monsters and final bosses, really. Since this is a fanfic romance, let’s treat Gin-san as the final boss to be conquered with our shojo spirit! (Damn it, what kind of ridiculous shojo spirit is this! Kick!)