02x04 - The Samurai Code and Carnage

[bunniefuu]

An additional landing?

Yes.

Two days have passed, and no one
has returned with the elixir.

Two days…

This next group will be incredible.

After all,

it includes Yamada Asaemon Shugen

and four elite Iwagakure ninjas.

Including their subordinates,
more than 50 people.

For the advance team,
it’s practically a treasure ship.

That fool of a lord.

Why gather this much manpower
for a task like this?

The ninja chief
must have an ulterior motive.

Aoki-dono.

Is something troubling you?

Even if we meet troubled waters,
we will be standing by.

But can you really
control this many people?

And…

those two over there
have no rank, do they?

There’s no need for concern.

That young man is Yamada Asaemon Kiyomaru.

He lacks a rank
only because he’s not yet of age,

but his ability rivals the top
one or two among the disciples.

This is Yamada Asaemon Isuzu.

Though a woman, she’s strong
and wields a massive blade.

She served in a special capacity
under the shogunate.

They’re known as "Ura-yurushi."
By rule, they hold no rank,

but their skill is equal to those
with full licensure, the "Oku-yurushi."

We also have Jikka-dono,
whose skills are unquestionable.

Yes, my skills are unquestionable.

We have no intention
of remaining mere overseers.

We intend to give this our all
for the sake of our comrades as well.

I see.

If you’re worried, shall I demonstrate
my swordsmanship? You old b*stard.

Hey… Kiyo-chan!

They look down on me
just because I don't have a rank.

So damn irritating.
I’m definitely stronger than him too.

But you can't…

If you like, I could
cut down everyone here.

Feel free.

Huh? I deliberately cut next to him,

but he really didn't move. No fun.

That’s rude to the ninja.
Sheathe your sword, Kiyo-chan.

You too, big woman.

Will these two really be okay?

No, no, no.

It won’t do for samurai
to quarrel over something like this.

Please don’t concern yourselves with us.

O-our apologies for such
an embarrassing display!

No. A shinobi’s life
belongs to their master.

On this mission, Yamada is our master.

If you doubt us,
please name anyone you like.

That person can either disembark
or be struck down for their insolence,

to demonstrate our loyalty to our master.

You then. Show me.

A ninja's loyalty.

Understood.
- Oh?

I’ll leave the rest to you.

Toryanse, toryanse

This narrow path, where does it lead?

Does the angel's

Path…

Shinobi have no individual will or heart.

To exist solely as tools,
that is our true calling.

Please, place your trust in us.

T-that’s enough. Everyone, return.

What resolve! I’m deeply impressed!

I really don’t get ninja.

Infiltrate the mission and k*ll Gabimaru.

I never imagined
I’d be assigned such a task

before an assassin could k*ll him
at the execution grounds.

You must k*ll him,
or you'll never settle things.

k*ll Gabimaru, no matter what.

Your lives exist solely for that purpose.

Are you sure, Shugen?

Trusting people like that?

I never trusted them to begin with.

Rogue ninja are no different
from criminals.

We’ll find the elixir ourselves.

The Asaemon alone.

Then, what about the criminals
already on the island?

Any condemned criminals found
will be ex*cuted on sight.

All Asaemon will be brought back by me.

Eizen-dono… Everyone…

Please be safe.

Man…

Management really is tough, huh?

When you’re dealing with so many oddballs,
it must interfere with the mission itself.

It can’t be helped.

The shogun expects
swift completion this way.

It's a treasure ship carrying allies
for the advance party.

You’re joking, right?

This boat isn't carrying allies.

Just more death and chaos.

It's like a ship of mistaken dreams.

A vessel that carries
nightmares and calamity.

More, more, and more will die.

Not a single one will return.

Additional landing?

It might be Shugen and the others.

They’re reserve Asaemon chosen
by Eizen under shogunate orders.

If it’s Shu, he should be able to control
even the condemned criminals.

Will this Shugen guy be on our side?

Yes, I’m sure of it.

He’s the strongest in the Yamada clan.

His practical swordsmanship is first-rate.

Being first-rate alone
won’t let you survive this island.

You need to use
that Tao magic or whatever.

It’s not magic!

If it’s Shugen,

he should already be able to perceive Tao.

While training together, he seemed
to notice the sense I possess as well.

He's a man who's earnest to the core.

He was eager to learn from me.

He was the one who named it "waves."

Isuzu.

Hold on to this.

What?! But how will you fight
without a weapon?

You’ll get eaten!

That sword is a masterpiece
bestowed by the shogun himself.

It’s a symbol of official duty.

I won’t use it to hunt boars.

I learned this from Fuchi-kun.

You can infer muscle structure and tension
to some extent just by appearance.

And using that knowledge, dismantling
or destroying a body becomes easy.

And I learned this from Shion-dono.

By seeing the "waves,"

you can infer
the structure of life itself.

If he’s that strong, that’s reassuring.

What is it, Sensei?

I think I might know him.

Yamada Asaemon Shugen…

He’s the one from that incident, right?

Incident? Did he cause
trouble or something?

N-no… It’s not that
it was trouble exactly.

He can just be excessively strict.

What kind of incident?

This is just what I've heard, but…

When the boss of the infamous Edo yakuza,
the Ginhebi family, was captured,

he stubbornly refused to reveal
where his subordinates were hidden,

and the officials were at a loss.

That’s when Shugen-dono was summoned.

He beheaded one already-captured
subordinate right before his eyes,

forced him to talk,

and including those found, he ex*cuted
all 20 members of the Ginhebi family.

Delighted by the spectacle,

the shogun granted him special attire

and the famous blade "Fuributsu Kaneaki,"

and from then on, he gained
influence within the shogunate.

So, he slaughtered all the criminals, huh?

That’s pretty badass.

He’s a good person at heart.
He’s kind to all his disciples.

He was Sagi’s first love, after all.

What's the story there?

Do you want to be his bride?

No, that’s…

It was just when I was a child.

I did admire him.

And the reason I was permitted
a Yamada rank was thanks to Shugen-dono.

Please grant Sagiri a rank as well.

If you won't acknowledge her superb skill,

then I cannot take pride in my own rank.

He's hard-headed, but kind.

Shugen, are you hurt?

If you’d just said something,
we would have…

Our orders from the shogunate
are strictly to monitor and execute.

There’s no need to stain your blades
with anything beyond that.

Leave trivial matters
to your senior disciples.

Your eyes look scary even when you smile.

They do?

Man, he’s reliable, isn't he?

Jikka-dono, you’re older
than I am, aren’t you?

Let's hurry on.

Once he understands the situation,
I’m sure he’ll help us.

No, we can't believe that.

About what you said earlier…

You’re a little mistaken.

It’s a sensitive topic,
even within the Yamada clan.

Huh?

The ones Shugen ex*cuted
weren’t just 20 yakuza,

it was the entire family.

Yes…

So, it was 20.

No.

Twenty Ginhebi members and their families.

Their relatives, elderly parents,

even small children.

More than 100 people in total.

How could he… Yataro… This is…

He's just a child!

Was it really necessary to go this far?!

It’s tragic, but unavoidable.

If only you are ex*cuted,

your business will simply
be passed on to your family, won't it?

Evil arises not only
from an individual’s heart,

but from the environment
in which they were raised.

At the very least,

I pray that in your next life,
you’ll be reborn as good people!

He’s not human… Not human…

Not human…

As a samurai, I like him,

and he’s my friend.

But I'm sure

Shugen would never forgive
any condemned criminal.

No matter the circumstances.

He wouldn’t even forgive an Asaemon
who sheltered a criminal, would he?

That’s the kind of man he is.

Once he learns
what’s happening on the island,

even more so.

Your name is… Shugen?

You, whose parents
were m*rder*d at a young age,

being taken in here by fate…

Official duty will surely
be painful for you.

You’ll come face to face
with many kinds of "sin."

They still haven't caught the person
who k*lled my parents.

I might get to cut off their head someday.

The Yamada Asaemon ideal is a single
strike devoid of pain and emotion, right?

That’s correct.

I can’t understand that.
A sword should be dull.

Cut again and again
until the head comes off.

That would make them
suffer more before they die, right?

Why don't I just blunt a blade
and make it jagged?

That’s pointless.
- Huh?

Because I'll just sharpen it.

Erasing hatred instantly may be difficult,

but by learning and teaching here,
you’ll come to understand how to face it.

And if you still want to blunt
the blade, then do so.

I'll sharpen it again and again.

Someday, a beautiful hamon will appear.

I look forward to it.

Eizen-dono! I…

I still haven't…

Shugen…
- I still haven't…

It’s painful, but let’s move on.

I’m worried about the others’ safety too.

Yeah… You’re right…

Let’s at least finish the rites… then go.

Okay.

What strange people.

Reading sutras so calmly
on a monster-filled island.

But those two following him
are strange as well.

Is he really that extraordinary a man?

No, if we’re talking strange,
then this man too…

I can’t read what’s going on
in his head at all.

I wanna go home.

But

this dangerous island is convenient
for outmaneuvering the Asaemon.

I’ll seize an opening and achieve my goal.

That man won’t die on an island like this.

Whoa, another huge one.

Capture them alive if possible.

It talks… A different species?

If you can talk, then let's negotiate.

I don’t have that authority.

Take it up with the Tensen.

Hey! Shugen’s in the middle of mourning!

Its center of gravity is off.

There’s more coming, Kiyo-chan!

Yeah, I know! You're so loud!

Magnificent technique.
- Right?

Let's join them.

Arakagi, bring that one down.

Understood.

Bakuro group, Ishi-Fudo group, move.

Individually, we may not rival Yamada,

but shinobi are a colony.

We accomplish things through numbers.

Individual strength eventually
bows to numerical strength.

No hero can overcome numbers.

This is how lesser shinobi fight.

"Lesser," huh?

May you rest in peace…

Shugen!

Awesome.

You monsters.

No, everything living on this island…

I’ll slaughter all of you
as painfully as possible.

Very well.

I’ll k*ll you and take you as a gift,

to earn my promotion to "Chisen."

Even your regenerative ability
has its limits, huh?

If you don’t answer my questions,
or if I dislike your answers,

I’ll carve you up.

First, your comrades.

If you’re part of an organization,
explain it in detail.

Uh… Well…

Don’t hesitate to say.
You’re wasting time.

Now, now, Shugen.

Since we've discovered
a new species of monster,

why don’t we return
to the mainland for now and report?

I refuse!

You just want to go home,
don’t you, Jikka-dono?

You didn’t draw
your sword just now, either.

I can’t draw it. You know that.

You can draw it. I know you can.

Calm down, Shugen.
The two of you fighting won't…

You’re right.

My apologies. I spoke disrespectfully
to my senior in my agitation.

Ah, it’s fine, it’s fine. I don’t mind.

Sorry to you two as well.

He looks funny doing that.
- Kiyo-chan!

But if we return without settling matters,

it would tarnish the family name
and Eizen-dono's honor.

The island’s creatures must be eradicated.

We must show what happens
when you lay hands on a Yamada disciple.

For that, information is essential.

Shugen. In terms
of interrogation and t*rture,

please leave it to the shinobi.

What appears like mist
is dense particles of Tao.

Even though it allows us to sense
abnormalities on the island,

it doesn't tell us the identities
of the newcomers.

I’m sorry.

First the Tensen, now new visitors.

The more time passes,
the more complicated this gets.

From here on, I think it’s better
to split into two groups.

Two groups?

One group goes for the elixir,
the other secures an escape route.

What?! Then I’m definitely
on the escape team.

It’s the "escape route securing team."

Based on the route Mei told us about,

we’ll pass through
Horai’s interior either way.

What? Why not just leave from the beach?

There are monsters in the sea too.

Are you saying you have
a countermeasure for the Tensen?

Based on my hypothesis.

I confirmed it with her as well.

Tao has attributes.
Each attribute has compatibilities,

advantages, and disadvantages.

By exploiting them,
we can weaken the enemy’s Tao

and strengthen our own.

No matter how transcendent they are,

as long as Tao is their source of power,

they can’t escape this rule.

It will work on them too.

This makes no sense.

How much will this work?

Is there any guarantee we won’t die?

Charging into the enemy’s nest
like that is way too dangerous.

Wouldn’t it be more realistic
to just leave the island and disappear?

Which means it would
be better to move alone.

Yuzuriha has a point.

In the end, we’re just a group
brought together by circumstance.

There’s no inherent bond
or obligation between us.

There are too many uncertainties.

Who are the new arrivals?

Or perhaps…

there may be unforeseen factors.

From here on, we can’t
predict what will happen

or who will lose their life.

So, it’s better for each person

to decide what to do on their own.

Those who wish to come together,
meet at the cave.

If you choose to act alone, that’s fine.

I won’t question your position.

Uh… Well…

Shouldn’t we…

think about this a bit more?
That was way too quick a decision.

We’ve come this far.
Might as well stick together, right?

As long as I get home,
I don’t really care.

More shields is better.

I don’t really get it, but we can probably
take down one lousy Tensen, right?

That was a pointless question.

If you intend to return home,
cooperating is the most rational choice.

We’ll simply carry out our duty.

We’ll see it through to the end.

I mean,

are you planning
on splitting up from me, Sensei?!

That wasn’t my intention.

I know, but still!

Even if we get the elixir,
only one person gets exonerated.

Let’s fight over it on the return ship.

Honestly, I feel relieved.

The more comrades, the better.

Let’s all escape together.

With the situation at its most confused,
this moment right now

is our greatest and final, chance!