Under the dark sky, there are countless faces that are crying but not crying like the sky, and pieces of mourning clothes that are darker than the sky.
Today is the funeral day of General Tokugawa Shigemo, and only the deserted streets are left in Edo. The people unanimously put on mourning clothes and went to see the general who was deeply loved by the people on his last journey.
No store chose to open its doors at this time, not even Kabukicho, a street known as the most chaotic, and independent Yoshiwara.
The sorrow and joy echoed throughout Edo and also echoed in the hearts of many people.
In Yoshiwara, compared to the past, there was no trace of mirth, the streets were clean and deserted, and the doors of each shop were as tightly closed as the entrance doors on the ground.
On the top of the entrance gate and on the Yanya Cliff, Jiang Chengcheng just sat cross-legged quietly, staring into the distance.
Although he didn't know what the purpose was, Kagura, who had been ordered by Gintoki to keep an eye on Jiang Cheng before, stood aside with her own umbrella and her head lowered, unable to hide her disappointment.
"Do you see it? This is the result of paying countless blood and precious lives. Is it painful? Is it regretful? Can't you find the meaning of what you lost?"
Listening to the ordinary and ordinary words in Jiang Cheng's mouth, Kagura just remained silent.
"I remember what I said, right? A kid can't bear the weight of life." As he spoke, Jiang Cheng raised his face, looked calmly at the sky in the distance, and continued softly: "Then... no matter you, There are still many people in this world who have things that they cannot protect even if they try their best and give everything they have. This is the most common thing in the world. Efforts may not necessarily yield results, but you may lose more. Do you understand the truth?"
At this time, Kagura couldn't bear it anymore, she clenched her fists, and her face with her head lowered showed a bit of gnashing teeth and ferociousness.
"For my uncle, is the death of the young general just a "common little thing" used to teach the younger generations such a cruel truth? ! "
"Ah, that's all."
After listening to Jiang Cheng's nonchalant answer, Kagura was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened in disbelief and her pupils trembled slightly.
For the first time, Kagura felt the strange and shuddering cold-bloodedness in this man.
Jiang Cheng stood up slowly, as if he didn't notice this at all, turned around and jumped down, making a KEKE sound from his gritted teeth, while Kagura Liu clenched his fists with clenching sounds. In place.
After a long time, Kagura loosened her fists, raised her sleeves and wiped her eyes, then jumped down like Jiang Cheng just now.
But the direction is exactly the opposite...
The moment Kagura jumped out, Jiang Cheng stopped and turned around to glance at Kagura's figure who jumped away from him.
[… So, it’s okay to let adults bear some things. It’s too early for you.]
Jiang Cheng whispered to himself softly.
——But the next moment
Looking at Yue Yong who was standing not far in front of him, leaning against the wall next to the elevator entrance, with one hand across his chest and the other hand holding the pipe and smoking quietly, Jiang Cheng sighed helplessly.
"I finally got rid of the little one. Is this the arrival of another big one?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Cheng's forehead was hit by the kunai thrown out by Yue Yong in an instant.
thump!
Ignoring Jiang Cheng, who was lying on the ground with blood spurting from his forehead, rolling his eyes and twitching from time to time, Yue Yong turned around and pressed the elevator switch.
"That's enough. You still have the heart to make such a joke on a day like this."
"Huh?" After Jiang Cheng pulled out the kunai, he stood up unsteadily, twitching the corners of his mouth and asked, "Are you... joking? What... what kind of joke?"
"Hey, please stop it," Yue Yong turned around, her eyes filled with a certain kind of disgust, "You are the only one who will be disliked if you say those inappropriate words regardless of the occasion."
"Inappropriate words?" Jiang Cheng looked confused, but then suddenly thought of something, "No...did you understand it wrong? The size I said is not European style, it's just age, it's just age. .”
It wasn't until the elevator door opened and Yue Yong stepped into the elevator that she calmly replied: "Ah, that's it, I'm sorry."
In an instant, veins popped up on Jiang Cheng's forehead, "Hey! Do you think this kind of thing is all done with an apology?! Even though you did apologize, I can't feel your sincerity at all! Smelly woman!"
Whoosh!
Phew!
Yue Yong said calmly: "That should be enough this time. I was going to stick three sticks this time, but because of the one just now, I changed it to two sticks. Is that okay?"
"It's okay for your size! Why do you think this kind of thing is possible! Is the weight taken away from your head because of Oppai?!"
"Ah, so your brain is [beep-] too small, so is that why you are so clever occasionally?"
"Kill you!!! My [Beep—] is an eight-foot-high sword turret! Apologize to me! Apologize to my [Beep—]! Apologize to it now!"
"Who cares about you! Besides, why should I apologize to such a dirty and disgusting thing!"
"You apologize to all the men with turrets in their butts all over the world! You bastard woman!"
…
In a space not far from the earth, the huge spaceship of the Tiandao Sect is moving slowly. This is where the real leaders of the Tiandao Sect are, that is, the headquarters of the Tiandao Sect.
In the deepest part of the spacecraft, in a dark room with only the floor and ceiling emitting light purple light, the so-called supreme leaders of the Tiandao Sect, wearing bamboo hats and wrapped in loose clothes, gathered together.
They sat quietly on the metal pillars erected in a circle.
"Tokugawa Shigemo, what a shame." An old man said, "If you had listened to us honestly, you wouldn't have died a tragic death."
"He actually wants to abolish the general and establish a new regime. Does he think he can stop our actions with the help of the emperor's hand?"
"It's really superficial, but the ending is in line with his style."
"Now that the earth has... there will no longer be any obstacles, and we no longer need to fear the man we have always feared in our hearts. Just because of the new... power we have obtained, we can turn the despicable crow into the power of an eagle that overlooks all predators at will. …”
"but…"
"Is it true that everyone is too old to bear even the slightest risk?"
Everyone was silent, but at this time, the old man continued: "I don't need to tell you that everyone knows that this is the only chance. The earth is just the beginning..."
…
On the river bank under the wooden bridge, Quan Zang, who was leaning on crutches, looked quietly at the river embankment in the distance. Behind him was Bai Diranpo, who was pushing a wheelchair with a puppet on it.
"I heard that the person who attacked him was a friend he had known since he was young. When the general faced his retainers, he stubbornly refused to be escorted. It should be because he believed in those retainers and wanted to show his sincerity. And the Heavenly Daoists are He saw this opportunity. The general believed in his friend until the last moment, and he died for it."
"That is to say..." Quanzang finally said, "If he hadn't met us, he wouldn't have died, right?"
"It's hard to say..." Bai Di Luan Po shook his head gently, "The puppets that have been manipulated by the times were able to choose their own way of survival and ending at the last moment. It is precisely because of meeting you guys So-called friends.”
"Unfortunately, I am no longer qualified..." As he said this, Quan Zang raised his head and looked at the still dark sky, "I call myself his friend. People who kill other friends to protect their friends almost sacrifice everything. In the end, the guy who couldn't even protect his friend...how can such a homeless dog have the right to call himself someone else's friend?"
Quan Zang, who slowly turned around and limped towards Baidi on crutches, continued softly: "I couldn't protect anything, at least the things I wanted to protect were not protected. Nothing can be changed, and the rest The only one who got offended was me, a sinner covered in the blood of my friends. I'm sorry... "
Hearing the sorry words from Quan Zang's mouth, Baidi Luanpo was suddenly stunned for a moment, then turned his head and opened his mouth to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything and just watched Quan Zang limping. Leave.
A certain bespectacled female ninja, who had been standing quietly on the bridge with her back on her back, gradually tightened her grip on her arm...
The door to the Shinsengumi's storage room was open. Gintoki, who was limping on crutches and with a bandage on his forehead. His injury was not yet completely healed, stopped in front of the door.
After glancing at the door with his godless eyes, Ginzai stepped into the Shinsengumi storehouse, which was particularly deserted compared to usual.
…
Gintoki, who followed the sound to the Shinsengumi's internal training ground, only saw Kondo waving his bamboo sword again and again.
"Your sword path is a little confused," Gintoki, who was leaning at the door, interrupted Kondo's movements. "If the policeman doesn't look for those lost kittens and gets lost himself, it will be in trouble. Do you want me to coach with you?”
As he spoke, Gintoki raised the crutch in his hand, "Now I think I can beat you with this thing."
Kondo, who was carrying the bamboo sword, chuckled, turned around and walked towards the door on the other side of the practice room.
"No need, the police don't know where a person like you who gets lost all year round wants to go."
"At least I know that if you hadn't drunk too much, you wouldn't have come to such a depressed place. Where were the others?"
"Who knows?" Kondo replied casually as he put down his bamboo sword, and then opened the sliding door on the side, "I guess everyone went to the funeral? I am not qualified to go to the funeral."
As he said that, Kondo sat down under the eaves, "But it's just a quiet place so I can have a drink alone. But... drinking alone is always a bit lonely, so I can only give it to you who is also confused. Called. But it is precisely because of this that the legendary anti-barbarian patriot and the director of the True Selection Group had the opportunity to have a drink."
Kondo picked up a cup of wine from the tray on the floor and turned back to look at Gintoki, "Just drink a cup of wine with me, Shiroyasha."
(End of chapter)