"...Forgive me, everyone."
Inuarashi's voice was low as he gathered the bodies of his comrades. Grief weighed down each movement as he piled the corpses together, kindling a great pyre to return them to the flames.
For Kin'emon and the other retainers, he prepared graves. Simple tombstones marked the earth, their names carved with trembling hands. It was the least he could do.
And then he left, heavy steps carrying him away from the silent graveyard.
But what Inuarashi never realized… was that among the seven corpses, one was not real.
The moment he was gone, one of the "bodies" melted into black ink, seeping back into the soil.
The Flower Capital
"Oh? You're certain?"
Kurozumi Orochi's eyes bulged with delight as he listened to the report.
"It is absolutely true, Lord Orochi," Kanjuro said firmly. His painted face showed no hesitation—his role as an undercover agent was complete.
"Very good…"
Orochi's lips curled into a twisted grin, his expression a mixture of glee and venom. "Then take the Oniwabanshū and capture them all—especially Kozuki Momonosuke. He must not escape."
His voice grew cold, venom dripping from every word. "If you can't capture them, then kill them. Leave no trace. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Lord Orochi."
Kanjuro bowed deeply before disappearing with the Oniwabanshū, their shadows melting into the night.
Meanwhile, in a secluded manor where Toki and her children were hiding, unease prickled her chest. She pressed a hand over her heart, her face pale.
"Why… do I feel so uneasy?"
Her gaze flicked to Nekomamushi. "Neko, has Inuarashi still not returned?"
"Not yet," the Cat Viper admitted, ears twitching. "But it shouldn't be long. He may just be delayed."
Toki's frown deepened. Her instincts screamed danger.
"When Inuarashi returns… we leave immediately. We can't afford to wait any longer."
Nekomamushi hesitated, but seeing the intensity in her eyes, he only nodded. "Understood, my lady."
BOOM!
The door splintered as a bloodied figure stumbled inside.
It was Kanjuro. His robes were torn, his body soaked in crimson.
"Madam! Hurry and take Lord Momonosuke away!" he shouted, voice breaking. "Orochi's men have discovered this place!"
"What?!"
"Kanjuro?! What happened to you? Where are the others?"
Toki and Nekomamushi rushed forward, their faces paling at the sight of his condition.
"All dead…" Kanjuro rasped, his expression twisted in despair. "Everyone except me."
"…Impossible."
Nekomamushi's claws trembled. His wide eyes stared in disbelief. Everyone? Gone…?
"And Inuarashi?!" the mink demanded, his voice sharp. "Did you see him? He went to find you!"
Kanjuro shook his head. "I didn't meet him. He must've escaped another way. That's the only explanation."
He cut the conversation short, urgency dripping from his voice. "There's no time! This place is compromised—we have to move!"
"…Alright."
Nekomamushi clenched his teeth, but nodded. Toki gathered Momonosuke and Hiyori close. Together, under the cover of night, they fled the manor, racing into the forest.
Leaves rustled. The moonlight broke through the trees in fractured beams.
At the front of the group, Nekomamushi prowled carefully, his ears twitching. Behind him, Toki clutched her children tightly, with Kanjuro trailing just close enough.
And then—
A glint of steel.
"—?!"
The blade thrust forward in an instant, piercing straight through Nekomamushi's back.
SHNK!
Blood sprayed. The long sword erupted from his chest, its tip dripping crimson.
"Gu—ah…"
Nekomamushi froze, eyes wide in shock. His voice was faint, strangled. He turned his head slightly, staring back at the attacker.
"Kanjuro… why…?"
The one he had called brother. The one he had trusted.
And yet it was Kanjuro's blade lodged in his heart.
"Kanjuro…?"
Kozuki Toki's voice trembled. She staggered back, her arms instinctively shielding Momonosuke and Hiyori. Her eyes, wide with disbelief, fixed on the man she had trusted.
"Sorry," Kanjuro said coldly, his lips twisting into a smile. "The name you knew was false. My true name… is Kanjuro Kurozumi."
His words slashed through the silence like a blade.
"...Kurozumi."
Nekomamushi's pupils dilated, and in that instant, the pieces fell into place. His body swayed, already failing, but at last he understood. "So that's it… That's why…"
Too late. His knees buckled as blood poured from the wound, his strength leaving him.
"NEKO!!!"
A furious roar split the air. Inuarashi burst into the clearing, sword in hand, guided by his comrade's vivre card.
But the sight before him stopped him cold.
Kanjuro's blade was buried in Nekomamushi's chest.
"…You… it was you."
The doubts, the unease, all of it crystallized into truth. His voice shook with rage. "Kanjuro… all this time, you were the spy!"
"Hahaha…"
Kanjuro's laughter was sharp and bitter. "You just realized? Too late, Dog. Far too late."
From the shadows, armored figures emerged one after another. The Oniwabanshū fanned out, blades gleaming, surrounding Toki, the children, and Inuarashi in a tightening circle.
"Damn it…"
Inuarashi's grip tightened on his sword. His face was grim. Surrounded on all sides, with Lady Toki and two children behind him, even he couldn't guarantee escape.
Toki's heart pounded. She pressed her children close, her face pale but her eyes resolute. Captured alive… we won't have a future. If it comes to that… I'll use my power.
She looked at the enemies closing in, her expression firm. "If I don't act now… there will be no tomorrow."
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