Chapter 258 The Heart of the Swordsman [3000-word chapter]
After seeing off Katsura Kogoro and his group, Kenshin caressed the colorful top in his palm absentmindedly. Apart from being in a daze, this was his only hobby.
Only when he saw the top twisting and turning, did he feel that he was a living person, instead of an executioner who frequently drew his sword to kill people.
Outside the window, Xuedaba's busy figure shuttled through the courtyard. This beautiful woman who was picked up by him had integrated into the place in just one day. Everyone, male, female, old and young, was quite friendly towards her, although she looked as cold as him.
However, who can feel disgusted with a weak white plum? Unlike me, the smell of blood all over my body will not be reduced by half no matter how I rub it...
Kenshin laughed at himself, picked up his sword and walked out. After all, this place was not his "home", it was just a part of his mission. After all, since he came down from the mountain, where could he call it home?
The streets of Kyoto are always bustling with people coming and going. Kenshin, who wears a hat on his head, rarely goes shopping. This time he wanted to find a tavern to drink alone until dark. In fact, he would rather be on a quiet river beach in a remote place.
At the shrine, find a sunny open space in the deserted forest to sit down.
Huh? He's been targeted, he's a master!
Kenshin's back muscles tightened, his left thumb pressed down on the blade quietly, and the bamboo hat was lowered lower. No need to look anymore, he had already clearly looked at the area within a hundred meters. If he was surrounded, he would immediately
Rush to the left and forward. There is a soup house there. Not only are there many people inside, but there is water vapor as a shield. The most important thing is that naked people cannot carry weapons, so the probability of setting up an ambush in advance is very low.
In this way, whether you use the terrain to kill all the pursuers and leave calmly, or escape from the back door into the alley and use speed to get rid of the pursuers, it is a good choice. Throughout the year, Kenshin will hunt others or be hunted by others.
There are so many times that you can react quickly based on instinct without careful analysis.
"Kiroko! This is the street, put away your murderous intent!" A familiar woman's low voice reached Kenshin's ears, and then the voice turned gentle and said: "Kenshin, come here."
Kenshin loosened his grip, turned his head and rubbed forward with a grimace, bowing and saying: "Ah... Sister Sana, Sister Kiriko, that... what a coincidence..."
Although Sorayama Kazuha and his master Hiko Seijuro were of the same generation, neither Sana nor Kiriko allowed Kenshin to be addressed using the honorific terms of their elders. This is probably also a common trait among women.
Kiroko held Kenshin's hand with a smile on her face, not caring about the fact that she was a woman. She didn't care about so-called etiquette. Of course, no one had ever taught her this, because Kazuyo Sorayama didn't care at all.
"Kenshin, you definitely didn't kill that woman, right? Did you sleep that night..." Kiroko winked, looking like a curious baby.
"Of course not!" Kenshin was stunned, his face turned as crimson as his hair, he angrily broke away from Kiriko's pull, and said with some sternness: "As a swordsman, how can you take advantage of others' danger? That woman is not a wanderer either.
Girl, I just couldn’t bear it at the time..."
"Aren't you excited? Otherwise, it would be in line with the executioner Battousai's style to kill with one sword without hesitation!" Kiroko said quickly.
Kenshin gasped and glared at Kiriko, but his eyes were really wandering. He had never felt so guilty before, and he asked himself, was it really not because he was tempted that he let go of a woman who was full of doubts and seriously threatened the organization's intelligence?
Even just a little bit...
"Let's go, this is not the place to talk." Sanai glanced at the two people who refused to admit defeat. They were both pure-hearted people who had not grown much in body or mind except for their sword and martial arts. Fortunately, Kiriko had
I discipline myself and have a husband to take care of everything, so I have lived quite an honest life these years.
But after the little guy Kenshin left his master, he had no choice but to wander around on his own. Katsura Kogoro has always been a person who doesn't even care about his own life, so Kenshin now lives like a human being or a ghost.
The person looks both distressed and angry.
Hey, in the future, his children must not be like these two people. They must be strictly disciplined and become outstanding people like his father! Zonai thought to himself while stroking his abdomen.
This outstanding person who now looked more like a chef unceremoniously stuffed the pile of ingredients he was carrying into Kenshin's arms, and said coldly: "We don't welcome freeloaders in this restaurant. For the sake of my good mood today, take
Keep it, it will be counted as your meal money."
Although it is an iron rule that as a warrior, both hands should never be occupied at the same time, Kenshin did not have the slightest intention to resist. He followed a few people holding something that almost covered half of his body. What kind of sword did the gentleman in front of him have?
Kokoro understands it very well, even better than Zonai, who is his wife.
After all, the first time he saw Sorayama Ichiha, it was an unprecedented cruel massacre... Moreover, Kenshin didn't believe that anyone could kill him under his eyes.
Because the closure sign was hung up early, the store was very deserted. Kazuyo Sorayama held down Sana who was about to put on an apron and waved to Kenshin, "Follow me."
In the kitchen, there were two top swordsmen in the world. One was holding a kitchen knife and moving it like flying, while the other was busy washing rice and washing vegetables. From time to time, they heard low words such as "idiot" and "idiot", but strangely, Kenshin was there.
In this environment, I feel extremely at ease, just like my body is always hanging in the air lying on a pine bed covered with hay. It is a real, relaxed comfort.
"Perhaps with this man who is as powerful as the master, everything will not be a problem." Kenshin thought idly while lowering his eyebrows and saying "Hi", "Oh" and "Hey".
Perhaps it was the child in her belly that distracted the always smart and sharp Sanai, but now she also saw that her husband's attitude towards Kenshin was very different from the first time: at that time, it was pure disgust and rejection,
He thinks that the young man has betrayed his best friend's efforts; now he is teaching more to the incompetent younger generation. After all, the cold-faced and warm-hearted husband cannot bear the young man in front of him falling into the devil step by step!
A few tiger prawns and slices of lotus root fried tempura, a large plate of miso eggplant, a pot full of fish stewed radish, and a bowl of pickles were dinner for a few people.
She took some food upstairs and left the seat for Kenshin. She knew that her husband had something to talk to the boy.
Living together for so many years, the two of them can understand each other's meaning almost without using words.
Ichiyo Sorayama casually took a few bites, then put down his chopsticks and picked up the wine glass. He looked at Kenshin opposite him who was devouring his food. When he saw that the other person had finished the food and showed a satisfied expression, he slowly said: "Katsura Kogoro is so stingy.
Aren’t you going to let those of you who work hard for him have enough to eat?”
Kenshin burped and scratched his head in embarrassment: "It's Sorayama-senpai's craftsmanship that's so outstanding! Apart from the fact that the soup cooked by Koogiya's cook is quite delicious, it really can't be compared with our seniors."
"How have you been these past few years?" Ichiyo Sora suddenly asked this question.
Kenshin was stunned, and his face immediately darkened, "Master, he has always been the same, except always complaining that there is no good wine to drink after senior left..."
Seeing Kazuyo Sorayama's face still expressionless, he whispered: "By the way, the master said that his current swordsmanship must be higher than that of his predecessors. He has understood all the mysteries of Sorayama Ryu. He will definitely win the next competition."
he."
"oh?"
"Master also said that the senior is much older than him, so..."
"Hmph! Bigu is right. My body is indeed not as good as it was 10 years ago, but his monster's body has been growing. Now he is just in his early thirties and is at his peak. This
I'm certainly far behind him in this aspect."
Sorayama Kazuyo did not feel dissatisfied at all, but immediately changed his voice: "After all, the sword cannot be won by relying on anyone's strength, and I am not too old to lift the sword. At our level, if we don't break through to the last step
, no matter how many times we fight again, we will still end up with a tie, Bigu also knows this very well, he is just bragging with you."
Kenshin was shocked. These two were already invincible in his mind. Is there any room for another breakthrough?
Seeing Kenshin's surprise, Sorayama Kazuha shook his head and held out his wine glass for Kenshin to fill it up, "Boy, you're still far away! Don't talk about us, Sana's father, Chiba Shusaku, Japan's number one swordsman at the time
I can kill you easily."
"Of course the famous boy of Beichen Ittōryu knows that. I have also encountered many opponents from the Edo Xuanbu Hall. They are all very strong..."
"Well, judging from your appearance, you must not be convinced."
Kazuyo Sorayama interrupted Kenshin's words and pointed at his eyes: "Don't forget, reading moves is not unique to your flying sword style. You can't hide what you want from me. When I fought with Chiba Shusaku, you were not yet
Born, the kind of real swordsman is not comparable to the so-called 'swordsman' that is pushed out by you. No matter how many people you kill, it is just your killing skills, coupled with the invincible characteristics of the flying sword style.
, to make you so arrogant until now."
After coughing a few times, he continued: "I'll tell you, stupid boy, I met three ninjas back then, one of whom was Kiriko's father, and the other two were the leaders of the Yutingban. Even if they faced each other head-on,
If you fight against me, you will never be the one who survives!"
Kenshin couldn't help but think that the suspected ninja who ambushed him last night was indeed very strong! But he still blurted out: "Senior, why, why am I not strong enough? Master said that there are few people in the world who can defeat me head-on.
Already..."
"Because you have no heart!"
"Heart?"
"Are you killing people faster and faster every time, hoping that the other person will transcend earlier?" He locked Kenshin's eyes, not allowing the other person any chance to dodge his gaze.
"That's for the mission!" Kenshin picked up the wine glass and shouted stubbornly.
"Haha... You don't want to see the ferocious expressions of the people you killed with your own hands, and you don't want to hear the screams of those mission targets before they die! And... in your heart, do you not intend to treat them as human beings before killing them?
People are just names written on paper?"
Kazuyo Sorayama looked at Kenshin, who suddenly turned pale, and pointed to his chest: "Your heart and your sword are pointing in two directions. They suppress each other and are constantly entangled. This is the so-called executioner drawing the sword.
Zhai’s true face!”
Are the hands shaking? How could the swordsman's hands be shaking? It's just a wine glass!
Kenshin gritted his teeth, Yokoshin refilled a glass of wine again, drank it all in one gulp, and stared at the middle-aged man years ago without giving up. There was no trace of the gentleness of a tavern owner, and his whole body exuded a sharp look that penetrated people's hearts!
"What does it smell like?" Kazuyo Sorayama suddenly asked.
"Uh...well, good wine, good wine...yeah!" Kenshin was caught off guard and didn't know what it meant.
Kazuyo Sorayama nodded and looked at the young man indifferently: "It is indeed good wine, but are you sure what it tastes like? Or is the taste left in your mouth the taste of wine... It is clearly the taste of blood!"
With a crisp crackling sound, the wine bottle in Kenshin's hand fell to the ground and scattered in all directions, just like his heart that was already riddled with holes that might never heal again for the rest of his life.