01x03 - Fate

[bunniefuu]

Kyohachi-ryu School,
the origin of swordsmanship.

Its legend was believed
to have ended long ago.

Yet eight successors lived on, silently
immersing themselves in training.

Don't screw with me!

What's wrong, Iroha?
Is that all you've got?

Shut up, Sansuke!

You win, Shikura.

If you were playing seriously,
it'd be a different story.

Another one for me.

Huh? You're going
for another round, Jinroku?

You've had, what, ten bowls?

Amazing.

By the way, I heard Satsuma
and Choshu have joined forces.

I wonder if the Edo shogunate
or the anti-shogunate will win.

Obviously whichever side
knows how to use us effectively.

- Right, Shu-nii?
- Yeah, that's right.

Can we join the w*r too?

That's for Master to decide.

I can't wait to fight.
We've trained so hard all these years.

Oh, please.
Any side Sansuke joins is gonna lose.

Come on, Iroha. You're the one who cries
when I beat you in training.

What?

Look who's talking.

- You tripped earlier too, remember?
- Huh? I didn't trip.

I know.

I don't have much time left.

It's tomorrow.

There is something I must tell you all.

You have endured harsh training together
for nearly ten years.

But...

that ends today.

The Kyohachi-ryu School shall be
passed down to a single successor.

Only one person can inherit it.

You must k*ll each other.

You will begin tomorrow
when the sun reaches due south.

You must forget that you are siblings.

No one is allowed to flee.

This is our fate.

We all knew it would come to this.

Listen,

why don't we leave the mountain?

We could live somewhere secluded,
where Master won't find us.

- As long as we're together...
- No.

Gentosai will come after us.

Master was just trying to scare us.

No, he's out there.

I once saw him talking with Master.

That man... is a monster.

Ever since we mastered
the art of the Kyohachi-ryu School,

we have known this day would come.

This...

is our fate.

Yes.

We have no choice.

Shu-nii...

What should we do?

Well, well...

So, how many casualties on our side?

We lost 15.

Kokushu the Manslayer
is absolutely insane.

What did the organizer say?

The rules do not explicitly forbid
k*lling our troops, so the game continues.

How unexpected.

Shujiro Saga has already been informed.

A total of 192 participants
have been eliminated.

Also, number 19, Ukyo Kikuomi,
the first to leave Tenryuji Temple,

has been eliminated.

What a shame.

Reportedly, he lost in a duel
against Bukotsu Kanjiya.

Bukotsu the Savage Slasher.
He looks like another promising player.

Gentlemen, if you're ready,
shall we begin?

Of course. That's what
we're all here to enjoy, isn't it?

Now then, allow me to explain
the betting process once more.

What you'll be predicting is

which participant will be the first
to pass through the next post station.

Our opening bet is on
the first participant to pass Seki-juku,

after crossing the Suzuka Pass.

Place your bets, everyone.

My bet's on number 66, Bukotsu Kanjiya.

The Suzuka Pass is no easy path.

You won't get through a fight this fierce
without his level of skill.

Number 200, Naoto Yoshida.
Number 201, Shoji Yoshida.

Oh, yes...

The spear twins.

Mr. Sakakibara likes
to be unconventional.

Their spear work
at Tenryuji Temple was exceptional.

A solid bet, I'd say.

Number 33, Kyojin Tsuge.

Oh? As for me,

I'll go with number 108, Shujiro Saga.

All bets are now on the table.

Let us proceed with the first round.

Please enjoy to your heart's content.

SUZUKA PASS, MIE

The mountain pass begins here.

You won't get to Seki-juku
without crossing it.

There will be a lot of participants here.
Stay close.

Yes, sir.

What's the matter?

"Kokushu the Manslayer,"
a man who knew only how to k*ll.

What has your life been like, Shujiro?

I...

I grew up in the mountains
with my siblings.

Siblings?

We were all orphans taken in by Master.
We shared no blood ties.

And there,

we learned nothing but how to k*ll.

Did you live there all your life?

No. After that, I cut down men in Kyoto
as a bodyguard for the Satsuma domain.

I kept k*lling through the w*r,
and before I knew it...

they were calling me
Kokushu the Manslayer.

Stay alert.

You survived Tenryuji Temple?

You? You're with a child
and can't even draw your sword.

Naoto!

Futaba, run!

Futaba!

- Are you all right?
- Yes.

Is this...

Someone's nearby.

I've been waiting
a long time for you, Shujiro Saga.

Iroha!

Stop! I won't fight my little sister!

Save your words!

Do you have any idea
what happened to us because of you?

Can you imagine what your own
brothers felt when you left them behind?!

Since I left the mountain,

I've lived every day as if I were dead.

I'm sorry.

Move back!

Iroha!

Come.

Iroha, go in front!

Defend yourself. Unless you want to die.

Get closer!

Surround them! Closer!

- Move up!
- Closer!

No! Get back here!

Gojiro!

Stay back! Keep your distance!

Aim for the brat!

That brat! Go after her!

Take down the brat and the woman!

Who is he?

He's gonna k*ll me!

Sheathe your sword.

Why did you help us?

Among our people,

taking the life of a child
is believed to be the greatest evil.

We honor those who shield children
and do not wish to fight them.

Why would we believe you so easily?

Wait...

Thank you.

May I ask your name?

Kamuykocha.

As long as that child is with you,
I will not strike.

Kamuykocha...

- He's Ainu.
- Ainu?

The indigenous people of Hokkaido.

I saw them at the Battle of Hakodate.

So it's true that the newspapers
made it all the way to Hokkaido.

We can pass through Seki-juku with these.

More participants
will be coming from behind.

We need to hurry.

Iroha,

take this one.

If you really want to k*ll me,

then do it in Tokyo.

Wait.

I'll go with you.

There's still something you need to do.

You can't just walk away from it.

All right.

Is one enough?

Carrying too many is risky. Let's move.

Yes.

Come in.

Pardon the intrusion.

I'm here to report
on the investigation progress.

The Kyoto Prefectural Office

has discovered bloodstains
and dismembered human remains.

They reported numerous
eyewitness accounts

of sword duels involving individuals
believed to be shizoku.

Furthermore, the location
of the eyewitness accounts

has been gradually shifting over time,
from Shiga to Mie.

You're saying the shizoku are
fighting with each other as they move?

Indeed.

And...

they appear to be
heading toward Tokyo from Kyoto.

At least that's how it looks.

So they're moving toward us?

There's more.

The reports say numerous g*nshots
were heard at Tenryuji Temple.

Lord Okubo.

A large number of shizoku armed with g*ns
and swords are approaching Tokyo.

Which implies that discontented shizoku
are plotting a civil uprising...

If they were plotting a civil uprising,
they wouldn't need to cut each other down.

But sir...

I understand.

If ignored, it may escalate
into a national crisis.

Kawaji, track down the source
of the g*ns immediately.

Maejima, analyze all telegram
communications from the past month.

- There might be traces left behind.
- Yes, sir.

TENRYUJI TEMPLE

SEKI

SEKI-JUKU

REQUIRED POINTS: THREE

We're almost at the exit.

There should be someone here
to check our tags.

No need to be so wary.

I am Tsurubami,
in charge of overseeing your passage.

Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Now, your wooden tags, please.

Shujiro Saga, three points.

Futaba Katsuki, three points.

Iroha Kinugasa, five points.

You are all cleared to pass.

This is for you, Miss Kinugasa.

This red tag counts for three points.

In exchange, hand over three tags
other than the one around your neck.

Tsurubami, was it?

Yes.

What is the purpose of this game?

I cannot answer that.

Let me put it another way.

Who are you people?

I cannot answer that either.

That said...

I believe you and Kinugasa
are well acquainted with "Kodoku."

What are you implying?

Three bugs.

Well then, may your journey go well.

Gentlemen,

we've confirmed all participants
have passed through Seki-juku.

And the result?

The first participant
to reach Seki-juku...

was number 33, Kyojin Tsuge.

Yes!

Looks like I've won this round.

Darn it!

Well, I'll be damned.

No surprise for a former ninja from Iga.

Morosawa, maybe we went a little too far
taking a long shot, huh?

It's only the first round.

We've got plenty
of chances left to recover.

I see.

And then there's number 277, Kamuykocha.

I never expected
the Ainu to join this game.

Well now, this is getting unpredictable.

Honestly, I can't be
thankful enough to the organizer

for providing us with so much fun.

Much obliged.

Now then, let us proceed
with the second bet.

Our second bet is
on the first participant

to pass through
the next checkpoint, Chiryu-juku.

YOKKAICHI-JUKU

You must be Mr. Saga.

We've been expecting
you. Please, come in.

I knew you'd show up.

No surprise. A seasoned warrior
like you has a sharp sense of survival.

Why did you choose Yokkaichi?

I told you I'm a strategist, remember?

The Suzuka Pass is no easy path.

Bringing along a girl who can't even
fight must've been a pain, huh?

I figured it must be about time
you're hoping to form an alliance.

What's this?

Not just the little miss, huh? You've
got quite the beauty tagging along.

- Quiet.
- Don't count on it. Kyojin here.

Pleased to meet you, Iroha Kinugasa.

How do you know my name?

Like I said, I'm a strategist.

Kyojin.

I do not trust you.

However...

I came here to improve
my chances of survival.

Do you know what Kodoku really means?

Three bugs, right?

Yeah.

This is how you write Kodoku.

A hundred insects are sealed in a jar
and made to fight to the death.

Only the last one left alive
becomes a god

and gains the power to slaughter all.

You know your stuff.

Once, Iroha and I...

were bugs inside that jar.

So this is your second time?
You two lead quite the life.

Well, anyway, if this really
is that type of Kodoku,

it means only one person
will survive to the end.

Are you prepared to k*ll

those you once fought alongside?

I've got someone I need to save.

But...

It doesn't mean I'm going to play
this game on their terms.

Looks like I was right
to reach out to you.

We're allies now, Kokushu Saga.

What's that?

It's called a handshake.
You just grab each other's hands.

It's a foreign greeting.

It means, "I'm not holding anything
in my hands and I trust you."

You too, little miss.

I'm Futaba Katsuki.

A pleasure.

What is it?

Making us k*ll each other like this...

What does the organizer really want?

Even offering such a huge sum of money.

Exactly. That's the real problem.

If we don't learn
what they're really after,

we'll end up dancing
in the palm of their hand.

So you've got a plan?

That's why I brought up
the idea of an alliance.

What exactly are you planning?

We're going to find out
what this Kodoku really is.

And to do that,
I want to run an experiment.

An experiment?

Well, I'll explain the details tomorrow.

Something to look forward to.

Make sure you get a
good rest today, okay?

KODOKU

You must k*ll each other.

Shu-nii.

Where are you going?

The bathroom.

No...

Gentosai?

Why are you traveling with that child?

We met at Tenryuji Temple
and have been traveling together since.

That's all.

You really think she can survive this?

After leaving us behind,

is this some kind of atonement?

Iroha,

what happened after I left?

Please tell me.

Master...

He feared the techniques
of Kyohachi-ryu School might be leaked.

So he tried to k*ll us all.

Ikkan-nii...

He stood up to Master so we could escape.

Thanks to him, we were able
to get off the mountain.

We were scattered.

Just because I am a woman,
I wasn't allowed to hold a sword.

I've spent my life

running from Gentosai.

Everything that happened

is all because you ran away back then.

Please forgive me.

Why did you join Kodoku?

My wife is suffering from cholera.

My daughter is dead.

It's only a matter of time
before my son becomes sick too.

But I don't have the money for medicine.

I see.

So you're a father now.

And you, Iroha?

Why did you join Kodoku?

You told me I still
have something I need to do.

I'm not sure if I want to involve you.

I need to think more.

Iroha.

I ran away back then.

But I have no intention of running

from the suffering I caused you all.

And yet,

getting to see you again, alive...

is something I'm truly grateful for.

We need two more to pass through Chiryu.

I guess we should win them now,
while there are plenty around.

There's a ferry at Miya-juku.

The participants are bound to...

Your face.

What?

Maybe I was wrong.

What's this guy mumbling about?

Not here either...

Gentosai.

Any leads?

Yes.

Enter.

- We've identified where the g*ns are from.
- Where?

When we looked into the records
from the smuggler we arrested recently,

we confirmed that a large shipment
was brought in from Britain to Yokohama.

The shipment contained
over a hundred Snider r*fles.

Impossible. A lone smuggler couldn't
possibly afford that many r*fles.

Right. It seems he had clients.

Who?

Mitsui.

Sumitomo.

Yasuda.

Mitsubishi.

Behind this incident...

are the four powerful zaibatsu
supporting the Meiji government.