Chapter 93: That Name is Usui

(The guard outside Shishio's headquarters is seized, his throat swiftly cut. A blindfolded figure walks down the path inside.)

Chou: A man who could kill fifty picked men in one night. There are two men like that in the Ten Swords.

Sanosuke: Two... that's not that many.

Chou: If he did it in one night, that probably means it took him one or two hours. I could have done it without a time limit.

Sanosuke: Or it's possible that all the Ten Swords were behind it. How about that? You're probably the worst of them.

Chou: All right, let's settle this! Fight me, you rooster head!

Sanosuke: I was hoping you'd say that, broom head!

Saitou: All right, but make it quick and go on with your story.

Chou: Of the two, one is Soujirou the Tenken, the one who's always smiling.

Saitou (thinking): I thought it might be him...

Chou: He's young, but he's been with Lord Shishio the longest. The story goes h met Lord Shishio when he was running from the government. That's why of all the Ten Swords Lord Shishio trusts him the most and gave the assassination of Okubo Toshimichi to him. But he didn't do this. After Soujirou assassinated Okubo, he was supposed to gather the Ten Swords scattered in Eastern Japan. Not only would it be strange to attack Kobe, in the opposite direction, there just wouldn't be enough time.

Sanosuke: So who was it? Quit making such a big deal out of it and say it. Remember who's in charge here.

Saitou: You keep quiet. So among the Ten Swords there's someone else equal to Seta Soujirou. He was responsible?

Chou: Yes, I'm sure of it. Of all the Ten Swords, he's the one Lord Shishio is the most cautious of.

(Inside Shishio's headquarters. The bodies of several guards are sprawled in the corridor.)

Guard: The intruder is gone! We lost sight of him! There's no one here! He disappeared!

Houji: I apologize, Lord Shishio.

Yumi: This would happen while the boy's gone!

Houji: The Ten Swords are lying in ambush. It won't be much longer.

Shishio: There's no need for that. I would hate for the Ten Swords to fight among themselves. It's his work. He's probably already here.

Houji: To attack his own comrades... I can't believe he would...

(The blindfolded figure is clinging to the ceiling directly above Shishio.)

Yumi: Lord Shishio!

(The figure strikes; Shishio draws his sword, deflecting his blow.)

Shishio: You've gotten better.

Houji: It's you, Usui!!

Saitou: Usui the Blind Sword...

Chou: Yes. Before the new age he was a swordsman of incredible skill who was used by the Bakufu to counter the Hitokiri. He cut down many famous killers, but when he fought Lord Shishio, he was slashed across both eyes, blinding him. After that, he trained for revenge against Lord Shishio until he mastered the greatest sense of kenjutsu, the opening of the Mind's Eye. And now--

Usui: What are you so mad about, boy? If you leave a weakness, you shouldn't care if I use it. That's what I joined forces with Shishio for. Isn't that right?

Houji: I'm well aware of that! I'm angry you broke in and slaughtered the guards!

Usui: If I fight with the strength of a thousand, it's settled. Whether I meet fifty soldiers or those weaklings. Oh, speaking of fifty soldiers, a suspicious unit of fifty men were gathering in Kobe, so I killed them.

Houji: What... ! I've told you to stop acting on your own--