I'm Funada Kathleen!
My father gave me this name.
He was an American war photographer.
He would travel to conflict zones for work,
and one day he was injured on the job.
But the one who operated on him was the doctor who became my mother!
My father passed away when I was still 4 years old, though.
I was desperate, and I felt like I had to work hard enough to make up for his share.
I was starting to get depressed after all our losses to the Gibia.
But now!
Now we have Sensui, Kenroku, and everyone else,
which is really reassuring!
With Sensui and the others on our side, I feel like we can get through this!
Doctor! Are you okay?!
Adam!
No way...
Brian was infected with the Gibia Virus when he got hit by the Meteora.
Brian...
"Danger Zone"
Wow!
Is that...?
Yeah. It's a shamisen.
I found one on display.
I had a habit of playing one like this after a battle was over,
as an offering to the souls of the dead and the broken weapons.
Huh?
Mom?
Mom?!
What's wrong?
I can't find my mother!
Mom!
Yurika-dono!
Mom!
Yurika-san!
Oh, my.
Look, it's an exhibition on samurai.
Th-This is!
Suigetsumaru
No, it can't be...
Could it...?
What's the matter, Sensui?
Look at this.
Well, isn't that an interesting twist of fate?
Never thought I'd see it again in a place like this.
Master...
Douzan...
We're finally reunited again.
You've crossed countless eras to return to my hand,
Suigetsumaru.
To think you'd come and find and me here, Douzan...
You truly are my friend.
Oh, my, you all look so happy.
Is this a coincidence?
Famous Sword Exhibit
You're a dual wielder, Sensui?
Yes. I received my katana from my barbarian master.
It's Suigetsumaru.
And this one is Halbert, named after my master.
That reminds me, Sensui,
I always thought you moved pretty strangely, for a samurai.
Who won in the end?
That time, it was a draw.
If we'd kept going, I would have won!
Wh-What?!
What's going on?!
You three have come at a great time!
Lizards?!
They're swarming everywhere!
Mom!
Master...
Don't stand still! Run!
Okay!
They'll surround us easily here!
We should get outside!
Hurry!
What is this?
The rain made it darker,
so now there's this many outside?!
The Doctor and the others will be here to meet us soon, too!
Here comes Kanzaki Sensui!
That's an incredible number of birds.
This darkness is bad!
Kathleen and the others might...
Those birds are abnormally close together.
Over there?!
The tools I'm used to using really cut the best!
Divine punishment!
My blood's boiling, Douzan!
You're all incredible!
Everyone, hurry!
Doctor, there they are!
Kath!
Wow.
So, that's Sensui when he's serious, huh?
Mom, let's climb down quick!
Kathleen!
Adam?!
Yeah!
Hurry! We're getting out of here!
Listen up, everyone!
We're making a straight dash for the camper!
Sensui, are you okay?!
Yes.
I just strained myself a bit.
Run!
Damn it!
Sensui, don't push yourself so hard that you hurt yourself like this.
"Appearing like dew..."
Wait, what came next?
"...and fading away like dew— such is my own life.
Even Naniwa's splendor is a dream within a dream."
Mom!
It's a poem that describes how life is as ephemeral as dew
and, once it's over, it's little more than a passing dream.
That was the Imperial Advisor's poem, right?
A dream within a dream.
After uniting the nation, Toyotomi Hideyoshi must have felt
the fleetingness of life as his death drew near.
When did that monkey unite the nation?!
It was right after the Imperial Advisor died, wasn't it?
That was when I met you.
1599 Kyoto
After unifying the nation,
the retired Imperial Advisor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, fell ill.
The year after he breathed his last,
his death spurred the Council of Elders to call back the samurai
dispatched on the first and second invasions into Korea.
Kanzaki Sensui, who earned the name "Slayer of Thousands" during the second invasion,
was no exception and he was forced to return home
with no real conclusion to the war.
What's that?
How old has your kid gotten now, again?
It hasn't fallen out.
Yeah, it's there.
How many times are you going to check?
Well, you bought it for me, after all.
As proof of our marriage.
I'll buy you an even better one someday.
That's not the matter here.
This is special to me.
Jeez, you just don't get it.
Scary.
A dual wielder, huh?
Kenroku?
This is how Sensui and Kenroku,
the samurai and ninja protecting Kathleen from Gibia in the modern era,
first met each other.
The year was 1600.
The battle that would determine the fate of the nation, the Battle of Sekigahara,
was quickly drawing near. Toyotomi's vassals were divided
into the Western Army centered around Ishida Mitsunari,
and the Eastern Army led by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Many of his vassals struggled to decide which side to take.
Matsumoto Jouzen, the man Sensui served, was one such vassal.
S-Sensui!
I can't bring myself to betray the Toyotomi clan we owe so much to.
However, didn't you promise to side with the Minister of the Interior?
Minister of the Interior (AKA Tokugawa Ieyasu, Eastern Army)
I-I know I did, but...
I just can't see how the Western Army won't win this upcoming battle.
If Tokugawa-dono disappears from this world, too,
then that promise will be worthless, right?
Then, we'll side with the Western Army, right?
Y-Yes...
If that's the case, we must inform Tokugawa Hidetada-dono.
H-Hold on, Sensui!
If we tell him we won't be able to join him
after keeping him waiting this long...
But if we're siding with the Western Army
and we tell them we're unable to participate in the siege of Ueda Castle,
we will be branded traitors.
Besides, unless we send a messenger on a fast horse
Sanada Masayuki (Western Army, Toyotomi Side)
to Sanada Masayuki at Ueda Castle at once, they won't make it in time!
I-I know that! I know that, but...
Tokugawa Ieyasu's third son, Tokugawa Hidetada,
led an army from Edo along Nakasendo to subjugate Shinano-no-kuni.
One of their goals was the fall of Ueda Castle,
the castle of the Sanada family, who had sided with the Western Army.
At the time, Jouzen had promised to join Ieyasu and the Eastern Army.
His troops, led by Sensui, were standing by near Ueda Castle
in order to join Hidetada's forces.
Th-The enemy is the Eastern Army!
N-No, the W-Western Army!
My lord! The enemy is indeed the Western Army, then?!
Are you certain?!
As you wish!
We shall now follow Tokugawa-dono's army and march on Ueda Castle!
Our enemy is the Western Army!
Remember, the Western Army!
All units, move out!
In this era, the most important thing to a daimyo wasn't duty or humanity,
but reputation.
Samurai were forced to risk their lives in battle to maintain face.
Now, no matter which army wins, we'll be branded as traitors!
That's...
That's that man from before!
He fights with an interesting style.
So, that's the dual-wielding Slayer of Thousands.
During the Siege of Ueda Castle,
the attackers struggled to break Ueda Castle's sturdy defenses
and Hidetada was ordered to march on
before a proper resolution could be reached.
Hidetada rushed to Sekigahara,
but he did not make it in time for the main battle.
This earned him Ieyasu's ire.
We may not have won the battle,
but hopefully Hidetada-dono will remember us well.
No... There's no chance of that.
Hidetada-dono rushed off to Sekigahara,
but he left us standing by at the castle alone...
Our delay will be to blame this time.
What?!
I am Sanada Kenroku!
The battle may have ended prematurely,
but if you've sided with the Eastern Army,
then I would like a duel with the famous Slayer of Thousands!
Damn, strong and a dual wielder.
What an unusual samurai.
My sword is a fusion of a samurai's soul and a barbarian's techniques.
My katana will slice your flesh and my sword will sever your bones!
I am Kanzaki Sensui!
He evaded them?
Impossible.
Didn't expect the vertical one last.
You're incredible.
Kanzaki Sensui, Slayer of Thousands.
I see. You are strong.
If we keep going any further, neither of us will walk away intact.
We'll revisit this match next time!
Maybe we'll see each other again, if we survive!
Farewell!
Sanada Kenroku, huh.
Brian!
Oh, no!
What happened?!
We've stopped!
Gibia heard the sound of the punctured tire!
They just keep coming one after another, without end!
Oh, well.
We both drew the short straw, didn't we?
Got that right.
Sensui's still resting up.
Guess we get to handle the birds.
What's that?!
What? What's with all those lizards?!
I think we might all die here.
"Evil VS Bushido"