Chapter 39: Collision

Yutarou: I... could be a student here?

Kaoru: How about it? It's up to you, but...

Kenshin: Hmm... that is a good idea.

Yahiko: I object! That rude little punk, your second pupil!! What are you thinking?! He's Raijuuta's student!!

Yutarou: Hey, you.

Yahiko: What?

Yutarou (grinning): You're afraid I'll be better than you, aren't you.

Yahiko: Idiot! You'll never be good!

Yutarou: What! You shrimp!

(As they bicker, Kenshin hears footsteps outside the room.)

Kenshin: Everyone get away from the wall!

(A spear thrusts through, pushing a panel of the wall into the dojo. Kenshin shears the panel in half, revealing the four figures. They leap clear to surround him. Removing their hats, we see their faces. They have no names, so we will refer to them as Mustache, Earrings, Eyebrows and Headband.)

Headband: Please excuse us, we're...

Kenshin: I know you by your matched hats. You're members of Raijuuta's Shinko school.

Headband: Then let's come straight to the point. Will you join us or not? Please consider your situation and give us your answer.

Kenshin: Whether you're trying to persuade me or threaten me, I will not change my mind.

Eyebrows and Earring (striking from opposite sides): Then taste death!!

Kaoru: Kenshin!!

Kenshin (leaping above them): So it's to be threats?

Mustache (charging with a spear): I'll have your head!

(Kenshin puts up his sword to block and lets it slide down the length of the spear, hitting the wielder's face and taking him out. The onlookers, including Yutarou, are speechless.)

Headband (finally): I expected nothing less from one of the sensei's recruits. However, can you destroy the three of us remaining?

Kenshin: The two of you.

(Behind him, Earring slowly collapses.)

Eyebrows (thinking): No way... when we gave the first blow... he took him down and blocked at the same time, in midair... !!

Headband: I'll take him.

(They lock swords.)

Kaoru (thinking): He's returning blows faster than Kenshin... there's no opening!

Yahiko (thinking): That bastard might do it!

(Headband gives a battle cry. Kenshin roars back, and gives him one great blow.)

Headband (as he goes down): I see... you're too strong. If you won't join us Sensei wanted to eliminate you. I agreed...

(Eyebrows starts running for the door, but is stopped by Sanosuke's hand, level to his face.)

Sanosuke: Running away and abandoning your comrades? That's not very nice.

Kenshin: Let him go, Sano. I don't want to strike someone who's lost his will to fight. Go back and tell Raijuuta to come meet me alone, without using any cheap tricks. And not to prolong this fight any further...

(Eyebrows runs off.)

Sanosuke: You always do the fun stuff without me.

Kenshin: It wasn't that fun.

Yutarou (remembering Yahiko's words: "Kenshin didn't show half of his real strength.") He really is strong... !