The whole castle's gone.
This place might be wrecked,
but maybe it's for the best.
Everyone looks a lot happier than when that lord was in charge.
And it's thanks to her.
Kind sirs...
Whoa!
I have a request for you two.
Please, take Tsugumi away from the castle!
Never!
Come down, Tsugumi!
I'm not going anywhere!
Getting Stronger
You need to leave the Kosameda Band!
Don't wanna! No! No way! Lemme go!
If she wants to stay that badly, do you really have to kick her out?
Get down from there!
We aren't kicking her out. She needs to escape Lord Hideo.
Escape him?
Lord Hideo has fallen apart after being betrayed by the people under his rule.
Tsugumi? Where's Tsugumi...?
And because of that, he's become even more fixated on Tsugumi.
Tsugumi? Tsugumi? Tsugumi!
If they're reunited, he'll try to manipulate her again.
But I'm fine now!
Tsugumi...
I'm not going to do what he says anymore.
Can you really say that for certain?
W-Well...
Listen to me, Tsugumi!
As long as you stay here, you'll be haunted by Lord Hideo!
You must go! Flee the castle!
B-But... But...
The sounds of sword practice... The smell of the fields...
My memories with my sister... I have to leave all that behind?
Tsugumi...
I can't! I'd miss it too much!
She's...
I don't know if I like this.
Me either.
We'll just have to protect her from His Lordship this time.
It's okay, Tsugumi.
We'll keep you safe.
Don't worry, Tsugumi.
I understand. I'm going to leave the castle.
Tsugumi...
She hated the idea before. Why'd she suddenly change her mind?
Hey, I don't really have any plans, so could I join up with you guys?
Sure, that's cool.
It'll be great to have more band members.
Thanks!
I'll go get ready.
I already made up my mind about leaving...
You oughta get some sleep. We're leaving early tomorrow.
You...
Listen, what exactly made you decide to leave the castle?
Because it'd be better for everyone else.
I've let His Lordship decide everything for me before now.
So I'm not sure I could really stand up to him.
And if I become his puppet again,
instead of protecting the people in town, I might hurt them if he tells me to...
I don't want that to happen, ever!
I see...
Pathetic, isn't it?
What?
The fact that I can't let go of him...
Nah. It's not pathetic at all.
Isn't it hard for anyone to let go of their parents?
But we're not even related by blood. He's not my real father.
I'm being weird, aren't I?
Is it really that weird...?
If your real parents are gone and there's an adult to take care of you,
why wouldn't you rely on them?
I thought of Kojiro's dad like my own, too.
I really loved him.
Dad...
So I get how you feel.
Really?
Yeah. And even though he's gone now...
he's the reason I have these sword techniques and a dream for the future.
A dream for the future?
Don't you have anything like that?
Uniting the country would be wonderful.
But we don't just fight for ourselves.
We're also doing this to protect people who are weaker than us.
That's the Bushi way, Tsugumi.
I'm gonna be a nice Bushi like you, Tsubame!
I do.
But with the way things are now...
I'm dependent on everyone instead of protecting them.
I need to get stronger, don't I?
We're heading out. Ready?
We're off!
Take care!
Drop by every now and again!
Take care of yourself!
Tsugumi!
Thanks for everything!
We're going, Tsugumi.
Okay.
Take care! Have a good trip! Goodbye!
Tsugumi!
Tsugumi! Tsugumi!
Tsugumi!
Don't leave!
Tsugumi! Make sure to come back someday!
You better come back!
Be sure to come visit us!
We'll be waiting for you!
Everyone...
Okay! I'm leaving for now!
Take care of yourselves!
Tsugumi! We'll be waiting!
Come back someday!
One day, when I'm strong enough on my own that I'm sure it'll be okay...
I'll return here. I'll come back home.
I miss them!
Chill out. You look ridiculous when you're crying.
We're stuck with a real handful...
The Bushi band we started with just the two of us now has a new member.
The three of us are gonna make it the strongest ever!
Yeah.
So, where are we headed next, Musashi?
There should be a blue Kishin up ahead.
Let's go hunt some oni!
Who cares about hunting oni?
What's the point if there's no one to praise me for doing it?!
Don't you worry! We'll give you whatever praise you need!
You guys?
Sure!
How could that possibly motivate me?!
What'd you say?! You're infuriating!
Hey, would you two stop moving around?!
Get along with no fighting!
Yeah, you're right.
What's that about?
It's our mantra for the trip.
We get along with no fighting.
Get along with no fighting.
Get along with no fighting!
This is gonna lead to a fight.
I wub you, Musashi!
Pressing her chest against me like that is gonna give Kojiro the wrong idea...
What's going on here?!
Why'd she suddenly get so clingy anyway?
I need to make sure the three of us get along.
You're part of the gang now!
I don't just wanna send you flying!
Don't you get that?
Musashi! I don't know what to do with you!
What are you trying to do with me?!
Why'd you strip out of the blue?!
I have no idea what goes through your head!
I-It's not like that, Kojiro! Don't give me that look!
There's nothing between me and Tsugumi!
I don't want this misunderstanding to cost me our ten-year friendship.
But the only way to clear it up is to reveal an embarrassing secret...
Yes, the truth is...
I am definitely into older women!
Confiscated! Confiscated! Confiscated! Confiscated! Confiscated! Confiscated!
At mining school, we were subjected to a strict lifestyle so we'd focus on mining.
Anyone caught with one of the girls from town would be expelled.
Expelled! Expelled! Expelled! Expelled! Expelled! Expelled! Expelled!
In other words, we had to suppress our desires...
Get a load of Ms. Machiko, the phys ed teacher!
She's overflowing with maternal goodness and curves that are just magnetic!
What do you think, Musashi?
I think I prefer Ms. Kyoko, the ancient texts teacher.
I get you!
We had nowhere to direct our interest other than the teachers...
Tell me about it!
But I can't tell Kojiro something that embarrassing!
I have to clear this up and reject Tsugumi without hurting her!
How am I supposed to do that?!
Musashi and Tsugumi really seem to be hitting it off...
I've never seen him blush like that before.
Congratulations! I wish you all the best!
I've been friends with Musashi for ten years.
If he's found a nice girl and has a shot at happiness,
I'd gladly give my blessing...
Except not! Something about this doesn't sit right with me at all!
And the only way I can get him to understand is to reveal my most embarrassing secret.
I hate to admit it—I really do—because...
I have absolutely no romantic experience!
The reason being that I'm a Bushi.
What kind of girl wants a guy who gets looked down on and spit at every day?
Even if there were a nice girl like that, she'd be outcast right alongside me.
That's why I've been desperate to avoid women all this time...
But Musashi was a miner.
Miners got all the chicks in town.
He would've had his choice of women.
Women? I think thirty...
No, more like forty.
You get enough action, you kinda stop counting, y'know?
If he says that, how will I relate to him ever again?!
Hmph.
Why's Tsugumi been avoiding me, anyway?
Is it that obvious how little experience I have with women?
So she won't even look at me?
If she mentions it to Musashi, I don't know that I'll ever recover!
Anything but that!
I don't wanna be embarrassed!
I don't wanna hurt anyone!
Tsugumi! What the heck are you thinking?!
You have to tell us, Tsugumi! Just what is it...
What are you really after?!
Will you...
Will you be... friends with me?
Uh, aren't we friends already?
Is that how it works?
I... don't actually know how to make friends, it turns out.
What are you talking about?
I've never really gotten to know anyone outside of the Kosameda Band.
And when I started thinking about how you two
are the first people I've really known outside of my band...
I-I-I-I-I didn't know what to say!
Why were you avoiding Kojiro, then?
I was scared he was mad at me for calling him the driver.
What, is that all?
So why'd you start stripping?
A long time ago, my sister told me...
Tsugumi, if you ever find yourself unsure of what to do, take your clothes off.
That's why! I just want to be friends with you guys!
But I'd be so embarrassed if you said no!
And because I didn't want to get hurt, I started acting weird!
I'm so sorry!
I get you!
What was that...?
It's morning.
Hey! Are you trying to eat Kojiro's sword?
Get back here, dammit! Drop that sword!
What's going on?
Your Lordship, am I on standby? Training? A mission?
Kojiro's dad left that to him!
Give it back!
It's not some snack for a shrimpy oni like you!
Gotcha!
Wh-What the?!
That's nuts... This pole is made of metal!
It'd be one thing against a Kishin, but this squirt?
Hey! Hold it!
What gives? What's going on here?
Dammit, dammit, dammit!
Why can't I win?!
What the heck is it doing?
Swords...?
There're so many. What is this place?
Not bad, but...
Are you staring at the swords? Or at me?
They're all beautiful, aren't they?
Y-Yeah...
You wanna borrow one?
It should let you beat that oni.
Otherwise... it's snack time.
It's eating Kojiro's sword!
Thanks, man!
What is this?!
What?!
It's like my arm is on fire!
Cut it!
Cut it?
That's right!
I can cut it!
That was crazy... What's up with this katana?!
Very nice! Was that your first time using one?
A Kitetsu Blade.
This is called a Kitetsu Blade?
The iron sand's being drawn to the sword...
This is just like what the Takeda Band did.
So this is what it's like to slay an oni...
It feels good.
Sorry! I broke it!
Aw, don't worry about it.
I didn't need her.
She was a waste of steel, in other words.
You managed to draw out some incredible power, though...
I wonder why.
Could you be the one?
I thought maybe, but I'm not so sure.
Thought what?
Master.
It's time.
Okay.
You've made a mess again.
Why do you insist on making patterns in the ground with Kitetsu Blades?
Isn't it obvious?!
It feels good to be surrounded by beauties!
Beauties...?
Just look at her.
She's delicate, yet has a perfectly balanced linear beauty
like the willowy waist of a holy maiden!
Meanwhile, this one has a bewitching mix of refined dignity and dangerous mystique.
She's as pristine and beautiful as any flower, with an edge as white as lilies themselves.
Sorry. My master here is the kind of pervert
who prefers Kitetsu Blades over having three meals a day.
Are you okay?
Aw, are you trying to flatter me?
Hey, who are you guys?!
Just some dogs for hire without names worth sharing.
Dogs?
Musashi!
Hey, guys!
An oni showed up, right?
Where's my sword?!
Are you okay?
There it is!
Those people lent me a sword, and I took care of...
Wait, the sword's gone!
Say, what people are you talking about?
They vanished...
Are you sure you weren't dreaming?
I know I wasn't!
That sword was so awesome...
It was like something from out of this world!
I can't wait to use a Kitetsu Blade again!
And what exactly is a Kitetsu Blade?
I mean, a Kitetsu Blade is...
Huh, I don't actually know.
You seriously don't?
It's one of these. A blade made from Kitetsu.
Your swords are made of Kitetsu, Tsugumi?!
Of course they are.
You can't break an oni's horn without a Kitetsu Blade.
For real?!
Yeah. Their horns are super hard,
so you can't break them without the special power of Kitetsu.
The only thing that can finish off an oni...
They're bound to be rare, and valuable as weapons ago.
I bet it's gonna be some kind of epic quest to get our hands on—
Just buy one.
People sell 'em, y'know.
Where?! Where do we get them?!
When a Kishin shows up, Bushi aren't far behind to slay it.
And not long after that come merchants looking to do business with the Bushi.
Equipment, liquor, food, and information are all for sale...
Even Kitetsu Blades.
Awesome!
Maybe this would be a good place to prepare for battle.
They're a must-have!
You can't beat a Kishin without a Kitetsu Blade.
All righty! Guess we're gonna do a little shopping before our oni hunt!
Shopping, shopping! Shopping for Kitetsu Blades!
Do we have any money...?
You really do know your stuff, Tsugumi! I'm impressed!
Yeah. With you around, I think our trip's gonna be a lot smoother.
Tsugumi the smarty!
Aw, I'm nothing special...
You embarrassed?
You look freaky like that!
I took so much verbal abuse growing up, I don't know how to react to praise...
Next Time You Can't Survive Underwater