In pervious episode ,
Asaki and Yumi were attacked by Bandits of Sugaha .... And the leader of the bandits , Sugami want Asaki to become his woman ...
Asaki refused and all of them start to attacked Asaki and Yumi .....
But Toshizu Arai , Vice- Captain of Tsu , came to rescue Asaki and Yumi and also to kidnap them .... .
Ishikawa and Riku were in Kalari Village to stop the Kajin-ryu swordmens.... Will they able to them ..... ?
" I am the only one that can see the death "
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At Night ...
After the first guard got down by Ishikawa .
The second guard come at him ..
But he has barely time to reacted . Before the guard take his sword off , Ishikawa already cut their throat ....
Both of the them lying on the ground ,their hands were twitching . And blood sprayed on the stones.
By look that , Riku was shocked .
Ishikawa said with smile
" I said move , didn't I ? "
The village ahead—Kalari—sat nestled in a valley, quiet and tense, like a deer sensing the predator too late.
Riku looked at Ishikawa ....
" Now , you really have done it .... "
Ishikawa in cold manner ..
" Let's go .... "
They keeping move .Then ,they saw an alley like thing . Riku stopped Ishikawa with his hand ...
" Let's take this route ...
Without questioning anything , Ishikawa and Riku walked in ... After sometime , they saw the hut ... Ishikawa and Riku stopped at the worn out hut ... Untill the old man came out ..
Riku notice the broken cottage the old man ...
"Sanoa Ji - chan " [Translate : elder person say with love and care ]
Riku went near him ... And hug him ..
" You. .... You are Riku , right ?
" Yes .. ' with the relief the old man said , " thank God .. you are safe ..... "
" And who is this man ? " Old man looked at Ishikawa ...
" Ji -chan , He come to protect us .... "
Sanoa was not surprised .... And he looked at him ...and said ...
' Leave us .... Let us live like that ..... We don't deserve to live ...
Riku was amazed .
" Why are you saying that ... ? Ji -chan ... "
" Riku ..... There is secret that whole village try to hide from you .... About your parents ? About you ? "
" About me ? "
" You are the son of our father, of the great leader of our village , Zashi .... Your father was brave and everybody loves him ...
Like wise , he love his land too .
But one day .... He came .....
Sabu , Hodotai of Kajin-ryu ... He try to bribe your father but ..... Your father refused to sell his land ..... And surrender .... Then , one night .... Sabu's men captured the poor villager ..... To release them Sabu came with condition .....
Kill your Leader or see your people die ...
Then , we make our choice , we sacrifice your father to protect us ..... We force him to take his life ... Your father die with smile .... Soon mother also passed .... You were orphan but Raika took you in ... She was also an orphan ....
We were helpless , powerless . At his last moment , he said , " Please , protect my son"
Please Forgive us ..... Please Forgive us "
At a moment ,Riku was shocked .... He had different emotion that he could explain ...
Ishikawa said .... " So you let him suffer .... "
Old man nodded ...
You , People are really filthy ... I guess
A moment of silence ...
" But ... Riku said ...." But they are my people .... Ishikawa Please ... Save us ... "
The Ishikawa nodded once, said nothing.
He stepped through the gate, boots crunching on the dry earth. Smoke curled from broken homes. Bodies lay in the mud—some villagers, some bandits. All silent. A girl no older than ten wept alone by a smashed cart. Somewhere, a dog barked once and fell quiet.
From the center of Kalari rose the hall of the village head: an old storehouse turned fortress. That was where they would be.
He approached.
There were five of them outside the hall—bandits drunk on stolen wine and false power. One leaned against a post, lazily sharpening his blade. Another shouted curses at an old man forced to kneel. Laughter broke out at every slap.
The Ishikawa kept walking.
"Oi," one called out, staggering to his feet. "You lost, traveler? This is our village now."
The Ishikawa said nothing. His hand moved to the hilt of his katana.
The bandit frowned. "You deaf or just stupid?"
Steel whispered as the blade slid free.
A heartbeat later, the ronin was on him.
One stroke—clean, fluid—the bandit fell before he could scream. The others leapt up, too slow. The second tried to run, but the ronin spun and cut him down mid-step. Blood sprayed the dirt.
The third lunged with a spear.
He sidestepped, turned, and slashed through the shaft—then the man.
The last two backed away, hands trembling.
"P-please! We were only following orders!"
The Ishikawa stared at them, cold and still. "Then you followed them to your graves."
A moment later, silence reigned again.
The villagers watched from behind cracked shutters, awe and fear written in every line of their faces. But the Ishikawa didn't stay to explain. He pushed open the doors to the hall.
Inside, the true rot festered.
More of the bandits—seven, maybe eight—lounged around a long table, drinking, gambling, arguing.
One of the bandits turned. "Another one?"
Then he recognized the blade, the stance.
"Hey .....!"
They scrambled.
The Ishikawa moved first.
He darted left, slicing one man across the belly before flipping the table into two others. They cursed, tangled in splinters. A dagger flew past his cheek—close, but not enough. He struck again—one, two, three—bodies hitting the floor like sacks of rice.
The biggest among them charged with a club, roaring.
The Ishikawa dropped low, rolled under the swing, and came up with a rising strike that split the man's chest from hip to shoulder.
Only one remained now, crawling backward, face pale.
"Mercy—please!"
The Ishikawa paused.
"You showed none here."