Chapter Eight: The Day You Died

What is it? We're closed for the day.

I'm from Totsukawa. Is Mr. Sakamoto here?

I was in the area and wanted to pay my respects.

Just a moment.

...Now!

Wha...!?

Oryou's back already? That was fast.

Cut it out, Toukichi. You shouldn't tease Oryou so much.

That said, she really is back sooner than I

...!

What the...!?

Hraaaaaa!

Raaaaaah! Where's my sword!?

Ishikawa! Are you okay, Ishikawa!?

Ishika...

That's enough!

R-Ryouma! I-I'm hurt!

Can you still use your hands...?

Y-yeah...

Your wounds are worse than mine. H-hang on. I'll go get help...

Sh-Shinsuke! Call a doctor! Sh-Shinta's...!

R-Ryouma!

They got me in the head...

I-I can't move...

R-Ryouma...!

Hey guys. Oryou's back, and Oryou bought chicken. Frogs are great, but chicken's pretty good, too.

Hm? Hey, Toukichi. How come you're sleeping on the floor?

Toukichi...?

Hey, Ryouma!

...Huh? What's with you, Ryouma?

Hey, Nakaoka. Oryou bought chicken, see? Come on, Ryouma, eat it.

...Hey. Wake up, Ryouma.

...Wake up, or Oryou'll eat you.

...Oryou means it, you know!

Oryou's not lying! If you don't wake up now, Oryou will...

...eat you...

...

...Oryou will...eat you...

...

AAAAAAAAAAHHH!?!?!?

What the!? Did that man-slayer really just attack Lord Takechi!?

What's going on!? Why did he attack his own boss!?

This can't be... Wh-what's going on...?

My, my. It looks like Tanaka had a bit of pent-up resentment for you, Takechi.

He must not even have been aware of it.

No, more that he didn't want to see it.

Wh-where do you get off...!?

Hey, I get it. Takechi framed you when you were alive, right?

I heard you were forced to commit seppuku over an assassination you didn't commit.

Worse than that, you were just a disposable pawn in a plot to make Satsuma look bad. Poor guy.

Y-you're lying! I've always served Takechi-sensei faithfu

That's just the kind of guy he is. He'll sacrifice anything in pursuit of his goal.

Good thing you finally got your revenge, huh?

That...that can't be right!

Whoa there. Don't move.

Ghh! Th-this is...the power of that head!?

Your Spirit Origin just can't resist its power, right?

Gnn... Gaaah!

Phew, I've still got cold sweats from when he took up his sword against me. You could have stepped in a little sooner, Sakamoto.

？！

Well yeah, Sakamoto and I were secretly in cahoots. Obviously.

That's a pretty typical evil mastermind move, isn't it?

Is...that true, Sakamoto?

Yep. Takasugi and I were working together from the start.

But why, Ryouma!? Why would you

Ugh, all you people shouting "Ryouma" this and "Ryouma" that. I mean, I AM Sakamoto Ryouma, so I guess there's no way around it, but still.

Anyway, that all ends now.

Kill them, Man-Slayer Shinbei.

S-stop it! Wh-what am I...!?

Graaaaaah!!!

Ahh... Wh-what have I done...?

T-Takechi-sensei!!!

That's all you could do? Disappointing.

I was expecting a lot more from Satsuma's vaunted Jigenryu swordsman.

I knew it... It WAS you!

Took you long enough to figure out.

Lady Okuni! Who in the world is he!?

How many times do I have to tell you? I'm Sakamoto Ryouma.

Yup, he's me. No two ways about it.

？！

Huh? You're still alive?

I didn't know you were so soft, Takechi. This is exactly why you keep getting the rug pulled out from under you.

Then, you mean you're both really Ryouma!?

That's right. He's another version of me... One who didn't die at Oumiya Inn!

I'm impressed you figured that out so quickly. I suppose you really are me.

Wh-what's going on!? I'm completely lost!

I'll explain later. Right now, we need to get out of here!

Uh-uh. I can't let you do that.

...Kiheitai.

Yes, sir!

They've got us surrounded!

All right, Takechi. You die first.

R-Ryouma...

...Izo!

I don't think so!

Izo!?

What're you still standing there for, Takechi!? Get the hell outta here!

Take care of Takechi for me! Come on, Master! We need to fall back for now!

I'll clear a path!

You don't have to tell me!

？！

Why are you helping me...?

Why the hell do you think an idiot like me would even know, you stubborn old mule!?

I don't go around overthinking my every move like you!

You're not going anywhere. Kill them, my devourer of nations.

Graaaaaah!!!

What the heeell!?

Oryou! Snap out of it! This isn't you!

Gra...!? Graaah!!!

Of course it's her. She's a monster.

Gra-graaaaaah!

Ghh! O-Oryou...!

That's it. Just hold him in place.

I never expected to impale myself on a spear, but that's really about enough out of you.

？！

I'd worry about yourselves first. I'm your opponent right now.

Begin the attack!

Out of my way!

Why're you doing this, you pathetic excuse for a president!?

Zaaan!

Goodbye, other me.

...!!!

...!!!

Huh? O-Oryou...?

G-good. This time...Oryou wasn't too late...

What? She undid the Amasakahoko's binding curse...?

Y-you...took the blow for me?

Don't worry about it, Ryouma. This is just a little scratch.

...Maybe a little more than that...

I can't believe it... You do know what being impaled on this spear means, don't you?

The Amasakahoko inverts your very existence, cutting you off from the world itself.

Wh-why... Why would you do that for me...?

Oryou's not gonna let you die again, Ryouma...

After all...

...Oryou would be so lonely...

...without you...

O-Oryou... Oryou!

Aah...

Aaaaaahhh!!!

No!

Ghh! I can't believe my failure from back then is showing up here, too!

Well I'll be damned. I'd heard there was a spear that could kill that woman, but I didn't think it really existed.

Pity things didn't go as planned. That monster was really pretty handy.

Not to worry. It all ends the same. You're just going to die a little later than expected.

...

C-come on, Ryouma! You've gotta get outta here!

...

？！

Don't bother. He's finished.

Kiaaaaaaaaah!!!

What!? You can still move!?

EEEEEE-YAAAHHH!!!

Shinbei!

Izo! Take Takechi-sensei and Sakamoto and get out of here!

I'll handle them!

Tanaka...!

Damn man-slayer! What do you think you can do!? You're barely even a Servant!

Takechi-sensei...

No amount of apologizing can make up for what I've done, but I at least hope you don't die here.

Tanaka... But, if it wasn't for me, you'd

Please don't say anything more. I'm a coward. That's how I got taken advantage of.

I kept saying I'd follow you no matter where you went.

But deep down, I'm just a small, petty man who envied Izo and Sakamoto.

Shinbei...

That's why I ran away from everything back then.

But...if I hadn't set you up

Even then, I decided I didn't mind if it meant I could help you.

You didn't do anything wrong! I did! I was too wrapped up in my own ideals to see clearly!

I'm not the man you think I am!

...Then please, stand up again.

Stand up like you did the first time I met you, when you told me all about how Kinnou ideals would make things better for all of Japan.

Tanaka...

All right, Izo, I'm leaving the rest to you! You always bragged about how you never mess up escort missions, right!?

Well, now I'm counting on you to escort Takechi-sensei and Sakamoto out of here!

I don't need that from you!

You're damn right! Escort missions are the one job I've never once messed up!

Do you really think we're going to let you leave now? Please.

Shut it! I'm gonna show you Tosa bumpkin exactly why we Satsuma were a force to be reckoned with!

Get ready for Tanaka Shinbei's final shodachi of Satsuma Jigenryu!!!

Kiaaaaaaaaah!!!

Whoa! That's nuts. He's definitely planning on killing himself along with us.

Master! Take Ryouma and Takechi!

Leave it to me, Master! Lord Sakamoto!

Zanzaburo! You carry Lord Takechi!

Fiaaaaaa!

？！

Unyou!!!

HIII

YAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!