It was only about 10 minutes since Ogata left the room, but Tsuki felt as if an hour had passed.
Finally - while she was waiting patiently, the door to the room was opened.
She quickly turned around and saw that Ogata and Omachi were following the opened door, returning to the room and sitting in front of her.
Ogata and Azuki looked at each other.
Under Ashu's expectant eyes, Ogata slowly said:
"If you can follow my wife and I without any complaints, then come with us."
Ogata's words were very brief.
But such short words made Ashu stunned for a while.
After a long while, she finally came back to her senses.
"No, no, no problem!"
Because of his excitement, Azhu stuttered when he spoke.
While she was stammering, she once again stood down towards Ogata in the tiger-crouching position.
"Master Ittousai, I promise that no matter where you go, I will follow you carefully and never complain at all! At the same time, I will never cause you any trouble!"
Ogata nodded slightly and then stood up.
"The room my wife and I share can accommodate three people. It's a bit crowded. I'm going to get a single room for you now. You can sleep there tonight. We'll set off tomorrow morning."
"As for where we are going from now on, I will tell you after we set off tomorrow."
Hearing that Ogata was going to open a new house for her, Azuki looked flattered at first, but then as if he had thought of something, he paused and said hesitantly:
"Um... Lord Ittosai, thank you for your kindness... But I don't have much money now... I can just find a random place outside where no one has passed and spend the night..."
"You don't need to pay for the hotel money. I'll help you pay for it." Ogata said with a smile, "You must be exhausted physically and mentally after drifting on the boat for so many days. Let's sleep on the soft tatami tonight.
Just have a good sleep. When we set off tomorrow, there won’t be many opportunities for anyone to sit on the tatami."
After learning that she didn't need to pay for the hotel stay, all kinds of emotions rushed onto Azhu's cheeks and eyes. In the end, Azhu condensed all her emotions into one action.
This movement is the tiger-crouching earth seat.
I don't know if he used this action too frequently today, but Azhu is now getting more and more skilled in using Izuku.
Azhu: QAQ "No, thank you very much! I...I haven't slept on the tatami for a long time..."
"Okay, get up quickly." Ogata said helplessly, "It will bother me a lot if you do it to me. I'm not used to seeing someone do it to me. You and Uchiko will wait slowly in the room first.
Come on, I'll go to the counter to open a new room for you and I'll be back soon."
Ogata turned towards the door and was about to leave the room——
"Ah, Lord Ittosai!",
Azuki shouted at this time and stopped Ogata.
"Before I go to open a new house, can I ask you one more question?"
Before Ogata could respond, Azuki immediately asked her question:
"Master Ittousai, I want to know how you managed to develop your luck to this level within a few days? It's really unbelievable! How did you achieve such an explosive level of luck within a few days?
The power can be freely superimposed on the weapon? I have been practicing for nearly 10 years and have not yet reached this level!"
"Have you ever had luck before?"
"Or have you discovered some quick secret?"
Listening to the question that Azuki asked quickly, Ogata sighed silently in his heart.
——What is supposed to come will always come...
Ogata knew it - Ashuku, who had witnessed him using his luck to kill enemies in chainmail like chopping melons and vegetables, would never fail to ask him why he could use his luck to kill enemies in just a few days.
Practice to this extent.
"Actually, the reason is very simple."
Ogata turned his head and looked at Azuki with a serious face.
Ogata, who looked serious at this time, also made Azuki nervous and sit upright.
"I am a genius who knows everything about martial arts."
"It is because of my intelligence that I, Ogata Issei, have reached what I am today and achieved what I am today."
Ogata said this seriously.
…
…
——Finally sent this child away...
Within Ogata's field of vision, there was no trace of Azuki.
"What an energetic child..." Ogata sighed softly.
She had just carried her luggage and headed to the new house Ogata opened for her.
The new house Ogata opened for him was not far from Ogata's room, just next door on the left.
By now, Ashu is probably rolling on the soft tatami floor.
I have to say - the names of Executioner Ittosai, Shura, and Human Cutting Isshi are really useful.
If someone else said that he was a martial arts prodigy, it would make sense, and others might just think he was bragging.
But for Ogata, who has experienced hundreds of battles and fought countless bloody battles that others thought he had no chance of winning, this kind of statement is very credible.
When Ogata first learned the Shiranui-ryu ninjutsu from Atachi, he relied on the excuse that "he was a martial arts prodigy" to fool Atachi.
Should we say that history has symmetry? Unexpectedly, about a year later, Ogon would use the same rhetoric to fool another kunoichi.
Under the deception of Ogao Yanchun, Azhu was finally fooled so that Azhu would not continue to delve into this issue.
But Ogata doesn't care, as long as the child doesn't bother him with this problem anymore.
Ogata had suspicions: The reason why the child insisted on asking Ogata to "take in" her was because the child felt that he and Iga were having an affair.
After all, in a few days, it was really incredible to reach a state that she had not reached in nearly 10 years.
This child suspected that Ogata had had an affair with Iga before and had learned luck a long time ago, so he planned to lurk around Ogata to see if he could get some clues about Iga. This was understandable.
But anyway - the purpose of Ogata's request to Azuki to "take in" her is simply that by staying with Ogata, she can increase the chance of meeting the remnants of Iga, or for some other purpose, Ogata doesn't care.
care.
His purpose of using Ashu as bait to lure out the unknown force that was looking for him would not change no matter what.
The relationship between them and Azhu is, to put it harshly, they just use each other.
But there is nothing wrong with such a relationship, everyone just gets what they need.
Ogata just hopes that what Ashuku told him is true, and that there are really remnants of Iga who are looking for him everywhere. Ogata doesn't want to take Ashuku with him and have his work in vain.
"Yes." Amachi echoed Ogata's emotion, "He is indeed a very energetic child."
After finishing speaking, A-Machi took the cloth bag next to him where he kept his clothes.
"I'm going to the bathhouse to take a bath. Do you want to come with me?"
"It's still early and there may still be a lot of people." Ogata replied without hesitation, "I'll go later when it's later and when there are fewer people."
Now that there are no human skin masks, going to the bathhouse to take a bath has become a lot more troublesome.
After all, after entering the bathhouse, Ogata could no longer cover his face with a hat, scarf, etc.
Amachi also knew that it was inconvenient for Ogata to go in and out of a place like the bathhouse right now, so he said, "I'll take a shower first," and then started to pack the clothes he would need to change later.
"You can go to Azuki and ask her if she wants to take a bath with you now." Ogata suggested, "After tomorrow, we will travel together. You can take this opportunity to get familiar with each other."
Ating nodded: "Okay."
"Speaking of which - I really didn't expect you to agree so readily to let Ashu go with us..." Ogata raised his hand and scratched his hair.
"Huh? Why do you say that? I agree that it is strange for Azhu to go with us?"
"Because...Azhu is a young and not ugly girl after all."
Although Ogata spoke very cryptically, Amachi instantly understood what Ogata meant.
"I'm not so narrow-minded that I won't even allow you to have another female companion by your side." Amachi said angrily, "Didn't you have a very good relationship with Miss Guasheng before? Have you ever seen me say anything because of this?"
When we were operating together with Ashley, Aizan and the others in Ezo, did I say anything because of Ashley?"
"Ah, that's right..." Ogata nodded seriously.
Ogata didn't notice at this time - there was an intriguing smile flashing in Amachi's eyes.
Atachi actually deceived Ogata just now.
A new young and beautiful girl appeared next to Ogata - it was naturally impossible for Omachi not to feel a little bit uncomfortable about this.
But she still happily agreed to let Azuki go with her - the main reason was that Azuki's appearance made Azuki feel safe.
Previously at the Red Moon Fortress, Ogata personally told Atachi what kind of girl he liked.
For a girl like Azuki who is much younger than her, Azuki has only one thought - what is there to be afraid of?
At this moment, A-Machi subconsciously straightened his waist and chest.
…
…
When Azuki and Azuki went to the bathhouse to take a bath together, they asked Ogata about the time when the bathhouse would close.
For Ogata, the best time to take a bath is naturally when the bathhouse is empty.
Therefore, it was only about half an hour before five o'clock (10 p.m.) that Ogata picked up his change of clothes and went straight to the hotel's own bathhouse.
In Japan during the Edo period, it was undoubtedly late at night at 5 o'clock in the evening. Walking on the corridor leading to the bathhouse, everything was completely silent. Only the occasional snoring could be heard, or some things that should not be heard by children.
the sound of.
Fortunately, there are oil lamps for lighting placed at regular intervals in the corridor of this hotel, so there is no need to worry about not being able to see the way ahead clearly.
Soon, Oconi arrived at the door of the bathhouse.
——The hotel's own bathhouse is quite impressive...it's worthy of being a high-end hotel.
——At this time, there should be no one in the bathhouse.
Ogata opened the blue door curtain with the word "male" written on it and strode into the men's bath.
It was just as Ogata thought - it was quiet inside, and there were probably no outsiders in the bath.
According to the bathing rules of this era: when you come to the bathhouse to take a bath, you must first scrub yourself before entering the bathtub for a bath.
Therefore, most bathhouses are strictly divided into two areas: "a place for body scrubbing" and a "bathroom for bathing".
The hotel's own bathhouse is the most popular layout.
Ogata has always been a person who follows the principle of "short, flat and quick" when taking baths.
I poured two basins of hot water on my body, wiped my body quickly, and then walked quickly to the door connected to the bath.
After opening the door, Ogata was surprised to find that there was a figure in the bath.
——Huh? At this time, is there anyone here to take a bath?
Ogata was startled and quickly looked at the figure sitting in the bath through the layers of mist.
The thick mist blocked Ogata's sight. After Ogata narrowed his eyes, he could barely make out the figure.
After seeing the facial features of this figure clearly, Ogata raised his eyebrows subconsciously, and his lips and tongue moved involuntarily:
"Hmm? Isshiki-kun?"
Ogata breathed a sigh of relief.
The fear of having strangers present, which had prevented me from taking a bath in peace, was relieved now.
"What a coincidence, you came to take a bath at this time." Ogata moved his eyes and scanned the bath. After confirming that there was no one else in the bath except Isshiki, he strode towards the bath.
Because of the water mist and the fact that Isshiki's neck was soaked in the pool water, Ogata didn't notice the pair of girls who were hidden under the water, forcing Isshiki to rub his sore shoulders every day.
The culprit...
…
…
Isshiki's eyes... seem to be about to fall out of their sockets at any moment now...
With her eyes widened, she stared blankly at Ogata, who was striding towards the bath.
It wasn't until nearly half of Ogata's body was in the pool that Isshiki finally raised his hands like a conditioned reflex, crossed them to cover his chest, and then turned around suddenly, turning his back to Ogata.
.
"Huh?" Ogata looked at Isshiki who suddenly turned his back with a strange look on his face, "What's wrong?"
"No, it's okay!" At this time, his mind was already a mess, and he was panicking and mumbling.
Although Isshiki said "It's okay", Ogata still looked at Isshiki's back with doubtful eyes.
After a moment, the confusion on his face turned into sudden realization.
——Is he not used to "being honest" with others?
You can often see people like this in bathhouses - they don't like to be "candid" with others, especially they don't want others to see their private parts.
After silently deciding in his heart that this was why Isshiki turned his back, Ogata no longer paid much attention to the question "Why did Isshiki turn his back?", silently withdrew his gaze, and began to concentrate on enjoying the bath.
Ogata is enjoying it now, while Isshiki is enduring the torture at the moment - the two people bathing in the same pool of water have two completely different experiences.
——What’s going on, what’s going on——?!
Due to nervousness, fright, panic and other emotions, Isshiki's cheeks were frighteningly white at this time.
——Weiweiwei, why is Ogata Ittosai here? Isn’t this a women’s bath?
——Is he here to spy?
Isshiki couldn't help but turn his head and look at Ogata behind him.
Ogata, who was now about 7 steps away from her, with his back to her, was very calmly enjoying the soaking in the water of the perfect temperature.
Isshiki quickly made a calculation - if Ogata really came to take a peek, he would not be able to sit in the pool so calmly.
And if he saw her in the women's bath who should have been in the men's bath, Ogata would be shocked.
Then...a terrible thought appeared in Isshiki's mind.
"I, I said..."
Despite his efforts to control it, Isshiki's voice still trembled slightly.
"This is... a men's bath... right?"
"Huh?" Ogata turned to look at Isshiki again, with a puzzled look on his face, "Of course this is a men's bath. If it wasn't a men's bath, how could you and I be here?"
——Did I go to the wrong place——?!!
Isshiki screamed in his heart.
Realizing that it was Isshiki who had gone to the men's bath by mistake, his face became even paler.
——But, but... I remember that when I came in just now, I clearly lifted the curtain of the women's bath...!
--Now how to do?!
When Isshiki's mind was still in a state of confusion and he was thinking hard about what to do now, Ogata suddenly said:
"By the way, where is your grandpa? Didn't your grandpa come to take a bath with you?"
"Ah? Well... I, my grandpa has already washed it in advance..." Isshiki, who was now in a state of shock, said hurriedly.
"Is that so..." After Ogata asked this question, he didn't ask any other questions and fell silent.
——He seems to have not discovered my true gender yet...
Isshiki, who was still covering his chest with his hands crossed, turned his head again and looked at Ogata behind him.
At this time, Isshiki gradually calmed down.
The brain that regained its thinking ability gradually clarified the current situation and formulated the most suitable countermeasures for the current situation.
——There is no one else here except Ogata Ittosai and me...
——As long as Ogata Ittosai can leave here.
——As long as he can leave here, I can also take the opportunity to escape.
——Is there any way to get Ogata Ittosai to leave here...eh?
At this time, Isshiki opened his mouth slightly in surprise, and his mind temporarily stopped thinking.
Because the mist was very heavy, Isshiki didn't notice until now - there were many scars on Ogata's back.
Knife wounds, penetrating wounds, new wounds, old wounds... there are all kinds of injuries.
Ogata's entire back was as pitted and pitted as the mud after the rain due to these large and small injuries.
——Good... shocking injuries...
It was the first time for Isshiki to see someone with so many injuries on his body.
——There are so many injuries on his back alone, so how many injuries are there on the rest of his body...
Isshiki couldn't help but think like this.
As the granddaughter of the owner of the sword hall, she can be said to have been born in the sword hall and grew up in the sword hall.
Having grown up in a sword hall, she had long been accustomed to seeing men's naked upper bodies - the apprentices in their Isshiki sword hall would often take off their upper body clothes after practicing sword practice, and then directly use the well water in the yard of the sword hall.
Come and wash your body.
Isshiki often handed them towels and water.
Almost everyone in their sword hall, including her grandfather and her father, had almost no injuries on their upper bodies. Even if there were injuries, they were just bruises from being accidentally hit by wooden swords during wooden sword practice.
.
There was only one person with a big scar on his chest - this person was an old apprentice in their sword hall who had studied for many years.
He once had a fight with a drunken samurai on the street. Before he could win, the encounter had to be abandoned due to the arrival of official servants.
Although he didn't win or lose, the drunkard succeeded in leaving a deep and shallow scar on the man's chest - that's how the scar on this man's chest came from.
Since getting this wound on his chest, this person has often used it to show off to others - Look! Did you see it? I am a person who has fought with real swords!
For some reason, Isshiki now wants to catch this guy who just shows off a scar on his chest and let him see Ogata's body - your little scar is nothing like Ogata Ittosai
In comparison, it’s nothing!
——Truly worthy of being...the unparalleled Ogata Ittosai...
——How many death battles do you have to go through to have such a scarred body...
——In addition to killing the tyrant Matsudaira Gennai and conquering Nijo Castle in Kyoto, he must have fought countless fierce battles to the death that I don’t know...
Isshiki looked at Ogata, and the emotions contained in his eyes gradually became complicated.
——This is... the best body a true samurai should have...
In Isshiki's eyes, Ogata's bruised body is what a swordsman and a samurai should have.
Isshiki had always felt disgusted with those samurai whose bodies were white and clean without any scars.
At this moment, Ogata vaguely noticed that Isshiki behind him seemed to be looking at him, so he turned his head and met the eyes of Isshiki who was still staring at his scarred back.
"What's wrong?" Ogata asked.
"Ah, it's nothing..." It's very rude to keep staring at others. Ogata noticed her little move, which made Isshiki's originally pale cheeks turn red with embarrassment, "I
It was the first time I saw someone with so many injuries, so I was a little surprised..."
"Hahaha." Ogata chuckled a few times, "Sorry, these injuries on my body, did they scare you?"
Isshiki shook his head: "No. On the contrary, I think your body with bruises is great. I think samurai should be like you, with countless injuries. In my eyes, samurai with thin skin and tender flesh are not
warrior."
"Thank you for the compliment." Ogata smiled, "This is the first time I heard someone praise my injuries."
"It would be great if all the apprentices in our sword hall were here now." Isshiki continued, "In this way, we can show them what kind of body a real warrior should have."
"You are a bit too strong to make things difficult for others." Ogata said with a helpless smile, "In this peaceful world, there are not many opportunities to use swords and guns. People like me with a lot of wounds on my body are completely alien."
Although Ogata and Isshiki only chatted for a few words, these few words of conversation made the awkward atmosphere between the two dissipate a little.
Isshiki's originally flustered heart has now calmed down a little.
——Think about it carefully...now is a good opportunity.
Isshiki muttered.
——There are only two people here, Ogata Ittousai and me...
——If I don’t take this opportunity to express my feelings, I will definitely not be willing to do so in the future...
With his mind made up, Isshiki took several deep breaths. After calming down, he asked Ogata:
"That, that..."
Ogata: "Huh?"
"Thank you..." Isshiki lowered his head slightly, "Thank you for saving me today..."
Today, when fighting against that group of pirates, if Ogata hadn't appeared in time and helped Isshiki block the knife, Isshiki would have been in trouble.
"It's okay." Ogata, who knew what Isshiki was thanking, smiled freely, "I just did what I should do."
"I was so miserably deceived by you..."
Having said this, Isshiki couldn't help but cast a resentful look at Ogata.
"Your swordsmanship is obviously unparalleled in the world, but you still say that your swordsmanship is mediocre... You are being too modest..."
Having said this, Isshiki paused for a moment, then changed to a volume that only she could hear clearly, and whispered:
"Have me...say such embarrassing words..."
After finishing speaking, Isshiki's face slowly turned a strange red.
Thinking of the scene where Ogata said that his "swordsmanship was mediocre" on the boat today, Isshiki felt an unknown fire rushing through his mind for some reason.
Especially after thinking about what she had said to Ogata, "Just call her when you encounter trouble," the nameless fire that was running wildly in her mind became even stronger.
She doesn't hate modest people.
But in her eyes, excessive modesty seems a bit hypocritical.
Isshiki originally thought that Ogata would say some kind words to deal with her.
But who would have thought—Ogata actually said seriously:
"I'm not being modest. I sincerely feel that I'm still far behind."
"Huh?" Isshiki cast a surprised look at Ogata.
"I once...entered a wonderful state." Oofang revealed a look of reminiscence and said slowly, "I felt that my whole body was integrated with the world."
"Any movement of the surrounding things - whether it is the falling of leaves or the flying flowers dancing in the breeze, cannot escape my eyes and ears."
"I can clearly see the movement of the enemy's bones and muscles, and the flow of blood. Just by looking at the physical condition of the enemy's muscles and bones, I can see through all the enemy's subsequent movements, and then dodge calmly.
"
"In that state, to put it bluntly, I felt like I was omnipotent, like a god who controlled the world."
"Because after entering this state, the whole world seems transparent and invisible, so one of my seniors named this state the 'transparent state'."
"To this day, I have not been able to fully understand the 'realm of transparency'."
Having said this, Ogata raised his head and looked up at the ceiling above his head.
"And above the 'transparent realm', are there any new realms that have not yet been explored?"
Ogata shrugged and changed into a half-joking tone:
"When I think about this, I feel that I am still far behind. I am just a frog in the well. In terms of swordsmanship, I may be just a newcomer."
"Liar..." Isshiki said absentmindedly, "Integrate with the world...? This is a lie, right?"
"I'm not lying to you," Ogata said, "I have entered this wonderful state twice. But to this day, I still haven't figured out what the conditions are for entering this state."
If someone else told Isshiki that this incredible realm existed, Isshiki would definitely think that person was a liar who only knew how to brag.
However... the person who said such words was the famous swordsman Ogata Ittosai.
This makes the credibility of this statement skyrocketing.
——The realm of transparency... Is there such a magical state in this world...
Isshiki suddenly and unconsciously recalled the apprentices of their Isshiki Sword Hall and the other young heroes she knew in the swordsmanship world.
As the daughter of Osaka Isshiki Sword Hall, Isshiki naturally knows many young heroes who are well-known in the swordsmanship world.
When the people she knew who were also learning swords were still thinking about how to hold the sword tighter, the man in front of her had reached a state that they could not understand, and he still raised his head high and looked up.
Above the sky...
Isshiki couldn't help but compare the few heroes he knew who were recognized as "excellent talents" and "swordsmanship geniuses" with Ogata. Isshiki couldn't help but pursed his lips and let out a long sigh in his heart.
sigh:
——They are obviously about the same age...why are they so far apart...
--Well?!
At this moment, Isshiki suddenly raised his hand and covered his head.
Because at that moment, Isshiki felt that his head was dizzy.
And after this sudden feeling of dizziness appeared in Yishi's mind, it didn't dissipate. Instead, it became more and more intense.
A thought flashed through her mind that made Isshiki's face turn pale again.
——Am I... dizzy?!
*******
*******
Today is a long-awaited chapter of nearly 8,000 words. I have nothing to ask for, I just want some monthly votes (Leopard Head Cries.jpg)
Please give me a monthly vote! Please give me a monthly vote! Please give me a monthly vote!
By the way: the obi of women’s kimonos is very wide and usually goes to the bottom of the chest, not exactly to the waist. I think some readers in the previous chapter mistakenly thought that the Isshiki Oppai belt hangs to the waist.
, so hereby note...if it hangs down to the waist, it would be too scary!