Part 157: Invincible Tekkou

Inui: You're my opponent? HA-ha ha! You don't look like a cop! You the local busyboy or what?

Sanosuke: You checked out Kenshin pretty good, but I guess you slipped up this time. My name is Sagara Sanosuke! And whatever the reason, I'm a lot better friend to Kenshin than these guys! Don't forget that, even if you gotta write it on the palm of your hand!

Inui: Zat so. Then I guess I gotta take you a lot more seriously than these guys!

(He kicks Makugawa again in the chest.)

Inui: Let's do this!

(He rushes forward. Sanosuke charges as well. Inui suddenly backflips, kicking Sanosuke in the face and knocking him through the doors.)

Inui: What's wrong? I'm just getting started!

Sanosuke (charging again): Bastard!

(He remembers Megumi's words: "Your right hand was hurt worse than Ken-san was!")

Sanosuke (thinking): Dammit, I can't use the Futae no Kiwami. But it looks like we're both experts on unarmed combat. (aloud) This is a real fight!

(Inui traps Sanosuke's wrist and flips him around to catch an elbow in the face. Inui laughs and gives him the finger.)

Sanosuke (thinking): This guy--

(His every punch and kick is blocked by Inui's wristguards.)

Sanosuke (thinking): His moves--

(Inui grabs him and flips him. Sanosuke's head thuds against the floor.)

Sanosuke (thinking): They're strange!

Inui: You done already?

Sanosuke (still on the floor): I get it... If I want to beat you, first I gotta smash those tekkou...

Inui: You got that right! If you can! The whole face is made up of slopes that turn aside any sword. And a thickness of 1 sun 7 bun will repel any bullet. And behind my tekkou is a technique combining the moves of schools ancient and modern, Kantou and Kansai. The Jushiki Invincible school! Those two together form the Invincible Tekkou of Inui Banshin! They have never known failure! In the place of the master that Battousai challenged and defeated, I will kill him with the Jushiki Invincible school.

Sanosuke (getting to his feet): So you're after Kenshin because of your master...

Inui: Not really. I don't think that just cause my master was defeated his pupil was too. I'm not interested in anything other than victory in a fight. Master or whatever, I have no sympathy for a whipped dog. I only look forward!

Sanosuke: Zat so... I'm glad to hear that. So this time I'm up against someone who's basically crazy. If this was about deep sorrow or something it'd be more Kenshin's department. But a bastard like you, using revenge as an excuse to go berserk--there's no need to leave you to Kenshin! You'll learn the meaning of failure from me! From my Futae no Kiwami!

(He punches Inui's tekkou with the Futae no Kiwami.)

Inui: WHAT??

(Meanwhile, at Chief Uramura's house.)

Uramura's daughter: Father!

Uramura's wife: Dear!

(Otowa pushes open the screen door.)

Otowa: Ah... a fine evening breeze.

(Uramura is kneeling behind him, shaking in pain. His wife and daughter are huddled against the back wall, both in tears.)

Otowa: Well... it's about time we finished this.

Uramura: You... who are you...

(Otowa throws a sword, pinning Uramura's hand to the floor.)

Daughter: Father!

Otowa: Don't fuss. I won't leave you lonely. I'll send your own family together into the next world. Don't hate me for this. If you need to hate someone--

Kenshin (appearing in the door behind him): They should hate me? I'm sorry, but I don't want to suffer anyone else's hatred.

Otowa: The cross scar on the left cheek...

Uramura: Himura!

Otowa: It is you... isn't this nice. Since this is unexpected, there should be no problem if I leave the other five out and take you down here. Draw! Your precious battou-jutsu against my left-handed Baika Chuuzen. Which will triumph?