Be Aware Of...

"Your insight is awe-inspiring. I've always been curious about samurais and got my wish today. Quite thrilling indeed," Kamui squinted his eyes and said with a smile.

"Children lie; adults see right through it; you're still too green, kid," Takasugi replied leisurely with a light laugh, "You're not interested in samurais, are you? It's that man you're interested in, isn't it? Boy..."

"Yeah, you're indeed his former comrade, but no matter, your past relations with him don't matter anymore." Kamui suddenly widened his eyes, his expression growing fierce, "Blatantly stealing someone else's gift, and now... return it to me with interest! Your... life!"

"Hmm..." Takasugi hummed lightly, "Didn't I tell you? You're too green. You think I'd believe such a simple lie?"

"Hmm... Not only do you have good insight, but you also seem to have some special powers. Does that left eye of yours hold some secrets?" Kamui narrowed his eyes again and tilted his head, "I've figured it out now, what he's been guarding all this time. It's such a mundane existence. Even though it's just a little, I've seen it clear enough—his chains, the chains that bind him. So... I'll be the one to cut through these boring trinkets. Die, Takasugi."

Takasugi didn't respond; they just looked at Kamui evenly.

"Kamui!"

Just then, Abuto's voice came from behind Kamui, accompanied by soft footsteps, indicating the presence of several people.

Seeing the armed Yato and various weapon bearers approaching from all sides, Kamui simply turned his head and said mildly, "Didn't I tell you not to interfere?"

Abuto chuckled lightly, "I won't interfere..."

As he spoke, Abuto gestured with his hand, and suddenly, the Yato soldiers standing beside him fired their triggers at Kamui's back.

Strangely, the barrels didn't shoot bullets but darts filled with tranquilizers.

Several darts hit Kamui's back squarely, and drops of blood slowly dripped to the ground.

Belatedly realizing what happened, Kamui let out a puzzled, "Eh?"

"Kamui, we came to kill you," Abuto explained calmly.

Meanwhile, Harusame's spacecraft slowly approached the Kiheitai's spacecraft. However, just then, aboard the spaceship, Abo realized something startling on the main screen...

"Where did I start misunderstanding?" Abo slightly curved his lips, watching countless unanticipated spacecraft suddenly appearing behind the Kiheitai's ship, pretending to be confused, "Did anyone mention the enemy had such a large family?"

Switching back to Harusame headquarters...

"Your Yato blood is too dangerous," the true mastermind behind all this—Admiral Aho—slowly walked over and stood beside Abuto, "Too sharp a blade is loathed, Kamui!"

"This is bad, huh?" Kamui sat on the ground, his face unflustered, "The idiot admiral beat me to it."

"Don't worry. I have the same goal as you: to cut through those boring chains, though my methods are a bit different. I also hate being forcibly shackled by such things," Takasugi approached Kamui, stopping before him and drawing his sword, his eyes flashing coldly, "So rest easy in death, as your demise should break those boring chains..."

With that, Takasugi swung down at Kamui's shoulder...

...

On Abo's ship in Harusame.

"Vice-commander! Behind the Kiheitai's ship is Harusame's fleet!" one of the Seventh Division members reported without turning, "That must be Captain Abuto's Eighth Division. Looks like it's the admiral's fleet!"

Just after he finished, the screen showed the opposing ship firing at them, with dense purple rays shooting rapidly toward them.

Feeling the ship begin to shake slightly from the impact, Abo slightly furrowed his brow, a barely noticeable bitter smile on his lips, "It seems we were set up..."

Meanwhile, on the Kiheitai's, seeing the Harusame ships firing at each other, Bansai asked in confusion, "What's happening?"

"Why are Harusame ships firing at each other?" Matako murmured.

"Don't worry about it; everything is under control," Washuu stepped forward, standing behind them to explain.

"Perverted senior..." Matako turned her head to look at Washuu.

"Who's a pervert, you wild boar woman," Washuu retorted, then continued explaining, "That's Harusame's Seventh Division, consisting of the elite Yato fighters, known as the strongest unit. Their leader, the militant division chief Kamui, has such an influence that even the admiral feels threatened. Some of the twelve division chiefs want to depose the admiral and support Lord Kamui's ascension."

"Being attacked means..." Bansai continued, "That useless admiral wants to remove the Seventh Division, which he perceives as a threat to his position?"

"Exactly," Washuu replied, "Our role was to lure the Seventh Division's ship here and isolate them."

"So we've been used by those Harusame guys again..." Matako muttered with dissatisfaction.

"Having that incompetent admiral is easier for us to manipulate," Washuu said.

"But..." Bansai looked out the window, "To maintain his position, he resorts to fratricide. As the organization grows, will we keep seeing more such fools?"

...

At Harusame headquarters, Admiral Aho watched delightfully as Takasugi smiled gleefully at his desk.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Admiral Aho was visibly pleased, "Takasugi, well done! That rebel is gone now! Abuto's action was also beautiful!"

"No, I just did what I had to as one of Admiral Aho's twelve division chiefs," Abuto quickly addressed Aho, "Seeing the fate of the rebels, those following Kamui will wake up and reaffirm their loyalty to you."

Takasugi, calmly observing all along, expressed regret, "It's a bit of a pity, though..."

"Hmm?" Both Aho and Abuto looked puzzled at Takasugi.

With a slight smirk, Takasugi explained, "That kid, despite being hit by so many darts that could knock out an elephant and then slashed by me, was still smiling till the end. Killing him seems a bigger loss than the trouble he caused... Anyway, the empty spots will now be filled by your people."

"Hmph," Takasugi scoffed, "Sorry, but I refuse. I'd rather be a king in the mountains than a high-ranking official in the pirates..."

As Takasugi walked towards the door, he paused before leaving, "And I can't abandon the name 'Kiheitai.'"

After Takasugi left, Admiral Aho asked about rewards.

"Nothing needed," Takasugi responded without turning back, "An equivalent exchange will do."

As the automatic door closed behind him, Abuto quietly advised Admiral Aho, "Be careful; he's more unpredictable than Kamui. Who knows what he's plotting."

"I know, there won't be a second time for such a farce," Aho smirked meaningfully.

...

In a dimly lit, damp dungeon only lit by a faint yellow light, at the end of the corridor in one cell, Doctor Kanae was still mechanically fiddling with a broken bowl, continuously repeating, "Even or odd..."

"It's even," Takasugi stopped outside the cell and responded.

Kanae lifted the broken bowl, revealing a screw and a nut, "Too bad... it's even..."

"Ah well, looks like it's your turn to die," Kamui's voice suddenly came from the side, "That's a cursed gamble; the loser always meets misfortune. Since I lost too, there's no mistake."

Looking at Kamui, who was squatting on the ground in the cell next door, chained heavily at the wrists and ankles, Takasugi chuckled, "Heh, a monster that can't be killed by just killing."

"They treated me to keep me alive, probably for a public execution to deter others, right?" Kamui spoke casually as if he didn't care, "When is it?"

"In three days."

"Three days, huh?" Kamui smirked, "Who will die first, you or me? You know as well, this place only thinks of its interests. No matter how much you owe others, you'll only be used and thrown away once you're useless."

Hearing Kamui's words, Takasugi lightly laughed, "True, whether using others or being used, having such cowardly comrades is boring. Staying here, even the sharp teeth you've grown will rot and fall out."

With that, Takasugi turned and started walking away, only to pause and turn back, "What did you come here for, exactly?"

"To roam looking for a place to sink these fangs that are just surviving, and... like you, to find out what that man wants to do and if there are any boring chains to help him break them," Takasugi didn't look back as he answered.

Kamui's expression froze momentarily but soon returned to normal, "I... don't understand."

"Heh, you're a clever little devil, aren't you? You've found nothing despite searching for so many years, right?" Takasugi implied, then looked at Kamui again, "Do you know? Indeed, I'd like to ditch this broken ship and board yours, but continuing like this isn't bad either. I feel like I can catch a tail that has always been elusive. How about it? Interested?"

"Ha ha ha, although it's tempting... it seems like gambling with my life," Kamui laughed, "I think it would be more appropriate to gamble with your life. The outcome would probably be the same, and I could prepare a couple more swords for you afterward. I'd like to offer you the vice-captain position, but Abuto would disagree."

"Smooth-talking kid, you indeed have a bit of that man's way, but... just a bit. He... wouldn't let himself be in such an embarrassing position," Takasugi continued walking, then stopped again, "By the way, there's something you might not know. He... isn't alone."

"Those women? They are indeed powerful," Kamui narrowed his eyes, his antenna twitching.

"No, a secret force I don't even know the size of—those he saved during that war, or perhaps... not just those." Takasugi spoke slowly, "I've been looking for a long time but never found their traces. Where are all those guys?"

"Ah well, that man, he does things without leaving any traces," Kamui shook his head softly, "But... I heard that guy once had a woman who was a cosmetic surgeon, who was said to be the best in the universe."

"Do you think this ship might also have a few wolves in sheep's clothing?" Takasugi lightly curled his lips and started walking again, raising his left hand, "Goodbye, universe's... fight expert."

After Takasugi left, Kamui squinted and muttered, "Ah well, I give up on him. No wonder, after so many years, you found nothing. It's been right under your nose, stupid uncle. So... I really can't stay on this ship any longer..."