Chapter 41: One More Secret Sword

(Raijuuta brings the sword down. They scatter out of the way.)

Yutarou (thinking) No... Sensei!! The secret sword Izuna with a real sword! You were going to kill him and you didn't even care!

Sanosuke: A sudden attack from behind, at night. Now we see what you're really like.

Yutarou: No, that was just a greeting! That wasn't serious! Was it, sensei!

(Raijuuta, ignoring him, looks to Kenshin.)

Yutarou: Sensei...

Kenshin: Stand back, Miss Kaoru.

(The fight begins. As Raijuuta strikes with the Izuna, trees are cut to stumps, stones are sheared in two. But at the end Kenshin stands untouched behind him.)

Sanosuke: It's just like my zanbatou. No matter how strong you are, it doesn't mean a thing if you can't connect.

(Raijuuta kicks up some dirt with his heel.)

Yutarou (thinking): Throwing sand in his eyes! (aloud) Sensei!

(Kenshin evades the next blow, leaps above Raijuuta performs the Ryuutsuisen, slicing off one of the shoulder guards.)

Raijuuta: So, my Matoi Izuna can't destroy you? But you won't be able to stop the secret technique of the Izuna... Secret Sword Tobi Izuna!

(He whips his sword through the air. Kenshin stares. Though he tries to put up his sword to block, something grazes his shoulder and goes past him to cut Yutarou's arm to the bone.)

Kenshin: Yutarou!

(He runs back to him. Yutarou's arm gushes blood.)

Kaoru: We've got to stop the bleeding. Get him to a doctor--

Raijuuta: Leave him. It's not a vital spot--he won't die.

Yahiko: You bastard! You know you've just deliberately hurt your own student?

Raijuuta: I know more than you. You really thought that child was my student?

Kaoru: What...

Raijuuta: Kenjutsu brings no money in the world of today, but I needed a lot to spread the Shinko school. The quickest ways to acquire funds is a patron. So I played the patient teacher for my patron's brat. It's too bad I have to lose him after I went so far as to stage a robbery on him, but, I can always get another.

Yutarou: Sen... sei...

Raijuuta: Now, I'll settle the matter of destroying you.

(Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko, carrying Yutarou, walk away.)

Raijuuta: What? You turn away from the fight?

Kenshin (over his shoulder): Wait there. You'll taste living hell soon enough.

(Raijuuta seethes.)

Raijuuta: For the third time, I am left ready to attack...

Sanosuke: You haven't even noticed how badly you've screwed up, feather-man. You got the most terrible man on earth pissed at you.

(At the doctors. Megumi and the doctor come into the room where Kenshin and the others are waiting.)

Kaoru: Megumi! How is he?

Megumi: I don't know what cut him. Considering how wide the cut seemed it's strange how little blood he lost. I really don't know. But Yutarou... since you brought him in so quickly, his life is in no danger. But--

Doctor: The muscle and nerves were severed. They can't heal. The poor boy will never practice kenjutsu again.