Chapter Five: The Two Ryoumas

There it is. We finally found the Kinnou Party's headquarters.

Now what? Do we go back and tell the others?

Good idea. I'd like to investigate a little more, but it would be safer to report back first.

...Not happening.

Izo...

Why're you betraying us, Izo? Did you get brainwashed again or something?

Oryou swears, this is the whole problem with you idiot Assassins.

Shut up, Oryou. Ryouma and I have something to discuss.

Izo, have you been in contact with Takechi?

You have no right to lecture me. Besides, who's the real traitor here?

...What do you mean by that?

He means this.

Another...Ryouma...?

So you're the Servant claiming to be me...

I could say the exact same thing to you.

Hmph. You think Oryou can't tell an imposter from the real Ryou

...?

What the...? What's going on!? Who the hell are you!?

Oryou...?

Oryou would never mistake Ryouma for anyone else...

So how can you be exactly the same as him!?

Hang on. You said your name is Okuni? As in THE Izumo-no-Okuni?

Hm? You seem vaguely familiar somehow...

Anyway, yes, I am Izumo-no-Okuni.

Uh, let me just condense a very long story here: It's me. You know, Lady Yodo, from His Imperial Highness Lord Taikou's court!

Huh? You're Lady Yodo?

No way. You're much too young to be her. But then again, there is something about you that reminds me of her...

What happened to you? How come you look so, well, cute now?

His Imperial Highness was very fond of her, so he used to have her come and dance for us frequently.

The Lord Taikou was a very understanding man. Not like that damn tanuki...

Oh sure. Izumo-no-Okuni was a fairly well-known dancer in my time.

What do you mean, "fairly"?

？！

Anyway, Chacha would love to tell you all about it, but it'll have to wait till later.

Now, who is it you're going after again?

Oh, yes. I'm pursuing Sakamoto Ryouma, the most notorious criminal of the Restoration.

He was the ringmaster behind the Bloody Opening of Edo Castle, and the other co-conspirator in the Showa Kinnou Party.

What does that mean? There's another guy running around in a shoddy, shady suit?

I suppose it does.

This is the first I've heard of there being two Sakamoto Ryoumas, too.

Chacha agrees he's shady, but is he really that bad?

Sakamoto, a notorious criminal, huh...

？！

Are you aware that a Holy Grail War took place in Edo?

Yeah, that company president guy told us.

Well, the Servants who were summoned for it were Sakamoto Ryouma, Takasugi Shinsaku, Takechi Zuizan, Tanaka Shinbei, and myself.

A number of humans who were all thought to be dead came back to life and fought a battle to decide who would control Japan.

It amounted to a proxy war fought on behalf of the new government and the shogunate.

That sounds crazy, even for a Holy Grail War. But it does line up with what Takasugi told us.

It was crazy. And then, even though it was a Holy Grail War...

...one Servant came forward and proposed a way to settle it peacefully, without any bloodshed: Sakamoto Ryouma.

Of course, Holy Grail Wars are fought by Servants trying to kill one another. No peaceful discussion could have ended one.

But somehow, his powers of oration and negotiation were so great that he convinced everyone else to give it a shot.

A peaceful discussion, huh...

It all turned out to be a ploy on Sakamoto, Takechi, and Takasugi's part.

Those three Servants made a secret alliance behind the scenes and took the other Servants by surprise.

Then they went on to kill all the key figures in the armies of both the new government and the shogunate.

That's the truth behind the Bloody Opening of Edo Castle.

I'm the only one who managed to escape with their life... Well, it was more like Lord Takasugi helped me escape.

Anyway, the rest went like Lord Takasugi told you.

The Holy Grail fell into his hands after he double-crossed Sakamoto and Takechi, which should have brought the Holy Grail War to a close...

...but for some reason, this Singularity remains.

And here I am, still hanging around inside it, even though I should have dematerialized ages ago.

Hmm. So why're you going after Sakamoto now?

Well, after looking into a few things at Lord Takasugi's company...

...I found out that Sakamoto Ryouma is in fact closely tied to this Singularity's inception.

He WAS the first Servant to be summoned in the Boshin Holy Grail War.

I'm sure he's holding some sort of key, which is why I've been pursuing him this whole time with Lord Takasugi's help.

And my investigation led me to that box you saw earlier.

...That box, huh.

Ranmaru! Thank goodness you're awake.

I'm okay now. More importantly, that box...

？！

I've been able to determine it's some sort of profoundly cursed object, but that's all I know...

I have a feeling I know what's inside it.

Yeah? What?

I don't know how to explain this, but it's like that box has been calling to me the whole time.

At least, that's the feeling I get.

Did that box belong to you or something?

That...I can't say. All I can say is that it feels like it's calling to me.

Well, whatever might be in that box, the quickest way to find out is to ask Sakamoto Ryouma directly.

Agreed. But Chacha thinks there's something fishy about the Ryouma who cast that weird spell on Chacha.

Then again, there's always been something fishy about the other Ryouma, too.

Good point. That one didn't have the snake woman with him, either.

Yes, about that... That black-haired woman who's always with him...

Who is she, anyway?

You want to know why I'm the same as the guy standing next to you?

Why do you think? Probably because he's an imposter.

Oryou!!!

Ryouma? Are you really you, or are you an imposter?

Well, Ryouma?

Izo, I

Ryouma! There's something weird about this guy. No, wait. Is it Oryou who's weird!?

Oryou knows Ryouma is Ryouma, but that guy's Ryouma too...

We need to get out of here, Oryou! I have a very bad feeling about this!

I don't think so, Ryouma.

Izo... Why are you doing this?

Izo! Oryou doesn't care if you're Izo or not. If you go after Ryouma, you're gonna have to answer to Oryou!

Don't care. Besides, I'm not the one you've gotta face.

There you have it, Oryou. Now, come back to me.

What are you talking about? Oryou's place is beside Ryouma!

Exactly. Your place is beside me, Oryou... Or should I say, you inhuman monster of a god.

Inhuman monster...? What are you talking about!?

Oryou, and ONLY Oryou decides where Oryou belongs!

Oryou, wait!

...Good grief. I didn't want to do it this way, but I guess I don't have a choice.

N-no way... That spear...!

That's right. This is the spear that once bound you to this land.

The surging god-slaying spear of the heavens...

...the Amasakahoko.

A-aaaaaaaaah!!!

Oryou!

R-Ryouma...!

Ryoumaaaaaa!

What do you mean? Oryou is Oryou, isn't she?

She's his Noble Phantasm, right? She turns into a big-ass snake, so I figured her for some kind of giant serpent monster or something.

A...giant serpent?

She's a little weird, but she's a nice giant serpent.

...Do you think she's nice, too?

？！

That's ridiculous. There's nothing nice about her.

Monsters will always be monsters. They can't possibly live alongside humans.

It's only a matter of time until she turns on you. We should take care of her now before

Hm? Who could that be?

Probably the devils we were just speaking of.

Oh good, you're all here. Perfect.

You know, we were just talking about yo

...!

Hey! You're the imposter!

You see? What did I tell you!?

The thing being foreshadowed happened faster than usual, but it still happened!

Can we save the "told you so" for later, please!?

Oh, if it isn't the priestess of Izumo. I didn't know you were here, too.

Funny you should say that. I've been trying to find you for some time now. Lucky me.

The last time I saw you was at the Bloody Opening of Edo Castle.

It's a shame how that turned out. This country could be enjoying a whole new kind of prosperity right now if only you and Takasugi hadn't interfered.

Oh, yeah. I'm sooo sorry your sick, twisted plan didn't pan out.

Now more importantly, what are you doing with that demon?

Me? What you see is what this monster's always been: a devourer of nations.

？！

I don't really need you to agree. It won't matter once you're being digested in any case.

Go on, my devourer of nations. Show them what you can really do.

Ah... Graaaah!

Hey, Boss! It's okay if we fight her, right!?

But... But...!

Relax! You know she ain't gonna bite it that easy!

Exactly! Believe me, if killing her was easy, things would've been very different.

If we're going to survive, we'll have to fight with all our strength here!

All right, here I come. Wake up, Zanzaburo! It's showtime!

Fiiiiii!!!

Hraaaaaah!

Zaaaaaan!

Graaaaaah!!!

Dammit, she really is tough!

I can't believe a demon with that kind of Mystic energy still existed in Japan.

I know, right? It still amazes me that someone managed to assassinate a guy who brought something like that everywhere he went.

President!? What are you doing here!?

Hahaha, I'm glad you're so happy to see me. I'm certainly putting in the hours to be a perfect president, aren't I?

If only we got overtime pay to compensate. It's weird that we don't.

Aaahhh!!!

Huh? Was she always that scary? Ah well, no matter. Go on, men. You're up.

Yes, sir!

And yes, you will be getting overtime for this, so make me proud, okay?

Your Noble Phantasm might be making them stronger, but it'll take a lot more than your Kiheitai to stop her.

Yeah, I know. But the thing is, my Kiheitai can adapt to just about any situation.

I see. So how are they going to adapt to this?

Like this.

Now! Fire the Takasugi Monstrous Ray Gun!

Take this!

Graaah!?

A flash-bang!?

Come on, you guys, let's get out of here! I've got a getaway truck all ready to go!

Tch, fine! C'mon, Master, this way!

Here, Master! Give me your hand! I'll lead you.

？！

So you're running away, Takasugi?

Oh, blow it out your ass! You think I'm stupid enough to charge straight at an overpowered monster like that!?

Welp, smell you later, Sakamoto! Hope to see you never!

...Damn, they got away. He's a harder worker than he looks.

...

...

...You look awful, Ryouma.

You see? I knew you were making a mistake.

...Takechi...