"Don't forget that the person who survives will help collect the body of the dead person."
"What you said is really interesting, but - no problem!"
...
In an open area on a high cliff, Zuocun and Hijikata looked at each other.
The two closed their tired eyes, feeling the cold wind on the high cliff, and adjusted their state.
Samura's long hair was flying and tied into a ponytail behind his back. His eyebrows were already wrinkled. Hijikata exhaled and raised a smile at the corner of his mouth.
The two of them opened their eyes together.
"It's been a long time since we last met, Samura." Hijikata held a gun in one hand and a knife in the other, his eyes raised like a ferocious wolf.
Zuo Cun raised his chin and placed his right hand on the handle of Hehe's knife. His eyes were sharp, like an eagle spotting its prey: "Ah, I haven't seen him in a long time, Hijikata."
"It's like-"
"The eyes of an eagle."
"The look of a wolf."
Zuocun and Hijikata.
Two frustrated people with willpower to live till now.
Standing in front of the other party.
It finally glowed with its original glory.
"Hundori-ryu, Samura Anno." Samura exuded a fierce aura - the last time he exuded a fierce aura.
"Tenurishin-ryu, Hijikata Toshizo." Hijikata Toshizo lowered his figure a little, as if he was preparing to pounce on a hunting wild wolf.
Zheng——
Bang——
Pulling out his own gun, Toshizo Hijikata fired directly at Zuomura.
Zuocun, on the other hand, split the bullet into two.
"Come on, let's see how many bullets you can knock out!" Toshizo Hijikata roared angrily, pulling the trigger continuously.
Bang——
Bang——
Zuo Cun jumped up.
Avoiding the bullet, Zuo Cun rushed forward.
Ping——
He He was stopped.
Zuo Cun's eyes narrowed slightly.
Hijikata Toshizo smiled.
Ping——Pah——
The two men swung their swords in a short distance and quickly, and the swords clashed with each other, making a crisp and rapid sound.
"Come again, come again!" Toshizo Hijikata shouted while laughing.
"You've made so much progress, Hijikata——!" Zuomura also laughed.
Ping——!!!
There was a violent collision, and the two people were temporarily separated.
Without hesitation, Hijikata drew his gun and fired.
Zuo Cun turned his head to avoid the bullet.
"Hey, as expected, a gun like this can't do anything to you." Hijikata Toshizo threw the gun aside and crushed it with one foot.
"Then the next step will be a pure battle between swordsmen." Zuo Cun did not deny it, just smiled.
"Ah, sure."
——
Zuo Cun jumped up.
Hijikata looked at Samura in the sky and narrowed his eyes.
"New Feather Wheel - One Wing!"
Zuo Cun raised He He high above his head.
"Is this your sure kill? Let me block it!"
A manic smile appeared on Hijikata Toshisan's lips.
"Tsururu!"
boom--
Chop——
"Oh oh oh oh!!!"
Buzz——
Ping!!!!
Zuocun and Heru were blocked by Hijikata Toshizo.
Hijikata turned his sword to one side.
Zuocun was very powerful and was in a state that he could not pull back instantly. Hehe was directly guided by Hijikata to slide sideways.
Hijikata Toshizo seized the opportunity of Samura leaning forward and slashed towards Samura's face.
Zuo Cun lay down on the spot, avoiding Hijikata Tobizo's stab, and at the same time quickly stood up and drew the knife——
Ping——
This time, it was left to Zuomura to block Hijikata's slashing attack.
"Well--"
Samura's eyes were red, he kicked Hijikata Tobizo's ankle, and took the opportunity to stand up.
At this moment, both of them felt -
Chance--
Zuocun directly stabbed Hehe straight towards Hijikata.
Hijikata didn't even think about defending, he just turned the knife and cut off Zuocun's body from bottom to top.
Poof——
An arm flew up.
Samura... narrowly avoided the fatal position of Hijikata Tobizo's slash.
But Hehe's sword... had already touched Hijikata's chest.
"—Puff—haah—" Toshizo Hijikata spat out a mouthful of blood and looked down.
The crane feather had already sunk into Hijikata Toshizo's chest.
Snap.
The knife fell from Hijikata Toshizo's hand, and he sat slumped on the ground.
Samura's left arm was cut off by Hijikata Qigen, and he sat helplessly on the ground.
"Haha... I still can't compare to you..." Hijikata's eyes regained his tiredness, he laughed twice and fell sideways.
Zuo Cun looked at the fallen Hijikata, and his eyes returned to their lifeless look.
"So what if you can't beat me..." Zuo Cun just sat on the ground and murmured, "I didn't win..."
"We all lost, Hijikata, Kondo."
He let out a long sigh.
"There are no winners."
Samura sat next to Hijikata Toshizo's body and looked at the sea in the distance, as if his heart was touched.
In the last showdown between the eagle and the wolf, the eagle pecked the wolf to death, but one of its wings was torn off by the wolf.
...
Early March.
After collecting the earth and burying it, Zuocun returned to Rensheng Village.
When Souna saw Samura coming back, she was quite happy.
Then he saw Zuo Cun holding his left arm in his right hand, and he was so frightened that he lost his soul.
Zuo Cun recovered from his injury for a month.
One day he came to the tombstone of Inoue Genzaburo and rested for a while.
Suddenly he walked into the river and lay down.
Looking at the sky, Zuo Cun thought it would be good to die like this.
Until Souna realized something was wrong, she ran over and fished out Samura.
Ezuna lost her temper at Samura for the second time, scolding the one-armed Samura.
...
The war ended not long after.
The new government forces recaptured Ezo and then moved the capital to Edo, officially establishing its status.
Not long after the capital was moved, Shannan Keisuke was assassinated for unknown reasons. Fortunately, Zuomura did not learn the news.
The new government wanted to invite Zuo Cun, the reform hero who really laid the foundation for the overthrow of the cause, to serve as a diplomat in the new government, but Zuo Cun refused. Not only did he refuse, but he also scolded the officials who came to ask Zuo Cun to serve.
Samura was like this, accompanied by Ezina, living in Mibu Village next to Kyoto - no, Mibu District.
Time passes slowly.
As the last Mibu wolf, Saitoichi joined the new government and returned to his old job - serving as the police chief in Kyoto City.
His scarred face is really suitable for being the chief of the police.
Zuo Cun just fished and swept the floor every day, not caring about worldly affairs.