《Maybe a Fake Gintama》 Chapter Master of Heiwa, Master of Kouan, and the Man Who Will Be Bald in the Future Chapter Master of Heiwa, Master of Kouan, and the Man Who Will Be Bald in the Future Planet Heiwa, in the corner of the Milky Way. Once, this place was also a planet full of life and vitality. Countless lives were reproducing here, but these were all ended by a war ten years ago. Ten years ago, this planet was involved in an interstellar war. From that moment on, the entire planet no longer had the vitality from before the war. Most of the lives were lost in the war, and the rest of the people who could escape had all escaped. As for those who could not escape, they could only survive in the destroyed and safe environment of the war, waiting for the end of their lives. From then on, as time went on, the number of lives that lived on the Heiwa planet became fewer and fewer. Until the third year, there was no longer any life on the safe planet, becoming a true "dead planet". The environment of the entire planet was no longer suitable for life because of the influence of war. From then on, no one came here again. However, just as all life on this planet disappeared, somewhere on this planet, another life was born. ..... Seven years later. "Who am I?" Kawaki had asked himself more than once, but no one here could answer him because there was no one else here except him. ''You are Kawaki.'' A voice said in his mind, but it was only this sentence. After that, Kawaki never heard any similar voice. Kawaki lived alone on this planet. When he was hungry, he ate a special kind of crystal. Kawaki did not know why he wanted to eat that kind of thing. It might just be an instinct of his body. When he was thirsty, he drank dirty water. When he was sleepy, he found a place to sleep. Kawaki had lived like this for seven years. Kawaki did not know why he had the concept of seven years, but he did know. Until one day... Kawaki suddenly woke up from his sleep. The smell of the same kind! Kawaki was shocked and staggered to get up. After seven years, Kawaki''s height had grown to 1.2 meters. His orange-red hair looked a little dirty, and his light blue pupils shone with a strange light even in the dark. The clothes were ragged clothes that were picked up and casually wrapped around his body. The residence was a dark cave. "Who is there?" A man''s voice came. "You take a step back first. I have an uneasy feeling." Another woman''s voice sounded. "Of course, a man has to stand in front of a woman. Otherwise, would he still be a man?" The man chattered on. "Don''t look at me like this. I am a standard chauvinist..." But with a "ka!" sound, the man''s voice stopped, and the woman''s voice sounded again at this time, "It''s so troublesome." Hearing this, Kawaki carefully stuck out his little head. It was the first time he had ever seen an existence, no, two existences since his birth. A man with messy hair, holding a big umbrella in his hand, sat on the ground and rubbed his head. And the woman with blue pupils, beautiful white skin, braided hair had the same orange-red hair as him. -The right side of her bangs had side hair, and there was dull hair on her head. She wore a white, golden-edged qipao, also holding a light blue umbrella in her hand, and there was a pipe at her waist. At this moment, the woman was looking at him with her beautiful eyes. "It turns out to be a little kid. I didn''t expect that there would be humans on this destroyed planet." The man relaxed, "Little Kid, come here." After saying that, Kouka lowered her head and looked gently at Kawaki, who turned his head to look at him. "If that is the case, then it makes sense. How could there be a kid on this dying planet." Umibozu said in a rare serious tone. "Don''t be afraid, child. From now on, you won''t be so lonely anymore." Kouka''s gentle voice sounded. At the same time, Kawaki felt a kind of warmth, a strange warmth that he had felt for the first time since he was born, from somewhere in his body. "What is your name?" Kouka continued. "Ka... Kawaki." As Kawaki spoke, for some reason, the corners of his eyes became moist. A liquid that he had never seen before flowed down his cheeks from the corner of his eyes. "This... What is this?" "This is tears, a kind of existence that comes from a person''s happiness or sadness," Kouka replied with a smile. "Tears? Happy or sad?" Kawaki was a little confused, and he reached out his little hand to touch the tears on his face. Then he put his finger into his mouth and said, "Annoying smell." Kawaki''s action made Kouka and Umibozu laugh. "Little brat, you are not at the age where you can taste the taste of tears." Seeing that there was no danger, Umibozu casually sat on the ground. Then, he said to Kawaki, "Things like tears will highlight different flavors as a person grows older. It will be sour, bitter, spicy, and salty. When you can taste all of this, you will be considered a true adult." "Sir? Are you two adults? What kind of creatures are adults?" Kawaki asked curiously. After a few words, Kawaki''s words became more and more smooth, at least no longer stumbling. "Haven''t you seen any creatures other than us?" Umibozu asked in a daze. Kawaki shook his head. "How did you learn to talk and think?" Umibozu continued to ask. Kawaki shook his head again. "You know everything from birth? You are indeed amazing. You are indeed the Master of Heiwa." Umibozu sighed with emotion. "Let''s take him away." At this time, Kouka, who was still holding Kawaki, spoke up. "Take him away? Isn''t he the Master of Heiwa? This Planet? If he takes him away, wouldn''t he..." Hearing this, Umibozu hurriedly replied. "As I said, his situation is different from mine. The dragon vein of this planet no longer exists. What exists is only himself." "What do you mean?" Umibozu asked. "He ate the entire dragon vein of this planet!" Kouka ignored the shocked look in Umibozu''s eyes and continued, "I guess the dragon vein of this planet should not be strong and should be about to disappear completely. However, the weak dragon vein has its own consciousness. It chose to let this child be born and sent everything into this child''s body." "What are you talking about?" Kawaki did not understand at all. "It''s nothing. It''s normal for a child not to understand the words of an adult. It''s just like how you can''t understand the taste of tears." Umibozu casually fooled Kawaki. "In other words, can this child leave this planet and survive?" Umibozu continued to look at Kouka and asked. Kouka nodded and asked Kawaki, "Are you willing to leave here with us?" Chapter 1: Go And Seek Your Life! Chapter 1: Go And Seek Your Life! The food on the table that was like a small mountain was disappearing at speed visible to the naked eye, and the food that had disappeared basically all entered Kawaki''s stomach. At this time, Kawaki was no longer dirty. Kouka took Kawaki to take a bath on the spaceship and changed him into a clean set of clothes. Now, it seemed that Kawaki was more like a normal child. Of course, Kouka was the one who bathed Kawaki. Originally, Umibozu wanted to do it himself, but Kawaki would rather die than do it. "Smelly brat, that''s enough. Uncle''s little private money was basically all eaten up by you. How many tables have you had! Hey!" Umibozu shook his head, his face full of black lines, "I was preparing to hide this private money after marriage, but now I have seen the bottom! You stinking brat! Do you know what kind of state married men are in?! Do you know the hardships of married men? Do you know the mood of married men who hide a hundred days of private money" Umibozu continued to say like a butterfly. "The stingy man, [beep--], is also very stingy, and one day he will be bald," Kawaki said while eating. "Bald? Kouka, what kind of vulgar words did you teach him?" Kawaki looked at Kouka, who was smiling at Kawaki eating and complained. Then he looked at Kawaki and said, "Kid, I won''t be bald. My [beep--] is full of hair!" "I mean your head! You idiot!" Kouka kicked Umibozu in the face. "My head is the same as [beep--]''s. Even if I''m middle-aged, no, even at the age where all my teeth are gone, I won''t be bald." However, this time, Kouka didn''t ridicule him. She was still smiling as he looked at Kawaki, who was eating happily. Finally, after Kawaki finished eating the food on the table, he gave a long, satisfied burp. "I''m full." Kawaki clapped his hands and said. "At least give me a thank you for your hospitality, smelly brat!" Umibozu held his wallet with a face full of resentment. "I''m full. Thank you for your hospitality, smelly brat!" Kawaki clapped his hands again. "You don''t have to learn the latter part! You are deliberately making me angry, right? You are definitely doing it on purpose, right?" Umibozu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anger. "Ah! He is angry! Men who are often angry will definitely go bald!" Kawaki pointed at Umibozu and said to Kouka. "You stinking brat, I don''t care! Today, I must teach you how to respect the adults!" As Umibozu spoke, he rolled up his sleeves. "Nani, you are just a man who only thinks about sowing the offspring, [beep--]." Kawaki learned the words that Kouka taught him when he was bathing. Hearing this, Umibozu immediately lost his breath and looked at Kouka with a bitter face, "Kouka, can you teach the child something that matches his age?" Kouka suddenly laughed. "What are you laughing at?" Umibozu was confused. "The two of you are really like a pair of stupid father and son. Maybe the so-called family is like this." Kouka said with a smile. "Who wants such a child! If I really have such a child, then I would rather send [beep--] to some corner and never let him be born!" Umibozu disdained Kouka''s words, then turned to Kawaki and asked, "Smelly brat, how long has it been since you last ate? You actually ate so much food in one go. Even our clan has never seen someone who can eat so much food." Kawaki lowered his head and counted with his fingers, then raised his head and replied, "Half a year." "Half a year? You can still live without eating for half a year? What did you rely on to survive?" Umibozu continued to ask. "Sleep. There used to be a kind of glowing green stone. "You are deliberately making me angry, right?"I always ate that. Later, I don''t know why I couldn''t find that kind of stone." "Green glowing stone? What is that?" Umibozu said and looked at Kouka. "An energy stone that is connected to the dragon vein. There is a rich power of the dragon vein inside, but his planet dragon vein has already dried up. The remaining dragon vein chose to sacrifice itself to create him, so that kind of crystal stone will never be produced again." Kouka explained. "Family? Sister Kouka, what is family?" Kawaki was obviously more interested in the family that Kouka had just mentioned. "Family? Hmmm It can let you experience the existence of a lot of tears. Moreover, the family will make you cry and laugh. Even if you quarrel, you will always support each other. This is the so-called family, right?" Kouka thought for a moment and said. Kouka looked at Umibozu. The seriousness in her eyes made Umibozu''s eyes turn red. "You really are a gentle person, Kouka." .... "Little friend, wake up, wake up, little friend." It was an unfamiliar voice that woke Kawaki up. It was neither Kouka''s voice nor Umibozu''s voice. Kawaki opened his eyes and saw the face of an unfamiliar girl. "We have arrived at the final stop. Hurry up and go down." The little sister in the flight attendant uniform said. "Earth? Where did Sister Kouka and the stinky uncle go?" Kawaki asked with a puzzled face. "The people on the spacecraft have gone down. Maybe the person you said has already gone down." The little sister said patiently. "Oh, then I''ll go down too." When Kawaki heard this, he jumped off the bed. "Little friend, wait a minute. There is still your luggage." The little sister shouted from behind Kawaki. "luggage?" Kawaki turned his head and asked. Kawaki followed the little sister''s direction and saw a light blue umbrella. It was the umbrella that Kouka had brought before. "This is Sister Kouka''s." Kawaki pointed at the umbrella and said. "Then take it." Little Missy said with a smile. Then, she was about to take the umbrella and hand it to Kawaki. "It''s so heavy. Is there such a heavy umbrella?" Little Missy struggled to hand the umbrella to Kawaki. What surprised the little Missy was that something happened. Kawaki took the umbrella without any effort at all and casually held it in his hand. However, a small piece of paper fell out of the umbrella at this time. The strange little sister picked up the small piece of paper. Her eyes inadvertently glanced at the content of the paper, and suddenly her face became serious. "What''s wrong?" Kawaki tilted his little head and asked. "Are you sure you want to know, little friend?" The little sister looked at Kawaki with some hesitation. Kawaki nodded firmly. "Little Kawaki, from today on, go and find your own life." The little sister read the contents of the paper with some reluctance. "What is life? Is it something delicious?" Kawaki, who was only seven years old, obviously could not understand this sentence. ''What adult! They just abandoned child now And it''s such a cute boy! What should we do? Should we adopt him?'' Just as this little sister had an intense mental struggle, Kawaki had already taken back the piece of paper in the little sister''s hand. Seeing that the little sister did not speak, he carried the umbrella that was bigger than his own body and walked out of the spaceship. "Ah, where is he? Little friend? Little friend?" The little sister who was frozen in place suddenly came back to her senses but found that the cute little boy with orange hair had disappeared... Chapter 2: The So-Called Life Starts From Learning to Hold an Umbrella for Oneself or Others! Chapter 2: The So-Called Life Starts From Learning to Hold an Umbrella for Oneself or Others! "Why did you give your umbrella to him?" Umibozu was puzzled. "Because I already have someone who can hold an umbrella for me?" Kouka asked with a smile. Then she turned her head to the window and took a puff of the pipe in her hand. "His life starts from learning to hold an umbrella for himself or others." ... Kawaki had already been in this place called Earth for a month. Kawaki gradually learned that the country he was in was called Japan, and now there was war everywhere. However, Kawaki was not interested in these things. What he wanted to know the most now was what the [life] that Kouka asked him to find was. Therefore, Kawaki did not stop. When he caught someone, he asked what it was. However, most people did not care about him when they saw that he was a child. They smiled and asked him to leave. There were very few people who replied to him with different purposes. Kawaki also gradually knew that [A Person] was not a simple creature. He also gradually knew that [A Person''s Life] was not something delicious or specific. Today, as usual, Kawaki carried a much taller umbrella than himself. He caught passers-by and asked them what [A Life] was, but as usual, few people answered him. Kawaki walked for a while. The sky slowly began to rain. The pedestrians on the road gradually became fewer and fewer. Soon, there was no one in the range of Kawaki''s eyes. The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Seeing this, Kawaki had to hold up the umbrella. "It seems that today''s luck is really good," a smiling and gentle-sounding man''s voice sounded behind Jiang Cheng, "Not only did I pick up a [ghoul], but also a lost [little rabbit].". Kawaki turned around and saw a long-haired man with a smile on his face leading a silver-haired boy with a sword in his arms. "It seems that it is not just a simple [Little Rabbit]." Yoshida Shouyou continued, "I heard that there was a child carrying an umbrella who always asked people passing by what [life] was. It seems that it is you." "It''s all wet." Kawaki pointed at the two of them. "Then can we hold your umbrella together?" Yoshida Shouyou said with a smile. Kawaki lowered his head and thought quietly for a while. Then he raised his head and nodded seriously because he did not feel any danger from this man. Then Yoshida Shouyou pulled the silver-haired child to Kawaki. Yoshida Shouyou bent down and stretched out his hand. Kawaki understood what he meant and handed the umbrella to him without hesitation. "Since you handed the umbrella to me, the answer of [life] you want to know has begun." Yoshida Shouyou took the umbrella with one hand and touched Kawaki''s head with the other. Kawaki tilted his head and seemed to be confused. At this time, Yoshida Shouyou continued, "If you want to know what the so-called [life] is, come with us. One day, you will understand what the so-called [life] is." After Shouyou finished speaking, he held the umbrella and walked forward. The silver-haired natural curly boy with a sword followed him and looked back at Kawaki from time to time. After thinking for a few seconds, Kawaki made up his mind and followed. Just like this, an adult and two children held the same umbrella and gradually disappeared in the rain... ..... "What is your name?" The silver-haired, naturally curly-haired boy spoke first. "Kawaki." This was the first time Kawaki had interacted with a child of his age. "From today on, let''s settle down here!" One day, Shouyou suddenly said this. "What are you suddenly saying? Didn''t you say that there is no end to the journey of life?" Gintoki crazily ridiculed. "Yes, yes, yes. This is the second point I want to say. In life, we must learn to stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery." As Shouyou spoke, he looked at the group of children playing around the farmland under the setting sun. "It doesn''t matter to me. It''s up to you. What about you, Kawaki?" Gintoki stood there with his hands behind his back and said indifferently. He then looked at Kawaki, who was still carrying the light blue umbrella on his back. "Me too," Kawaki replied. After a year, Kawaki''s appearance had changed a lot. He had grown taller and more handsome. His hair had originally grown longer and longer, but it had been simply trimmed by Shouyou. Moreover, he had tied a single ponytail. Gintoki ridiculed him more than once. If there were a cross scar on his face, then it would be a proper Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, during the journey of a year, Kawaki had also learned how to fight from Gintoki. Although compared to Gintoki, Kawaki was stronger, and his physical fitness was ridiculously strong, he was always fooled by some of Gintoki''s tricks. For example, while fighting, Gintoki suddenly pointed behind Kawaki and said, "There''s a plane over there!" The result was obvious. However, Kawaki gradually became smarter. Airplanes and spaceships could no longer fool him. Now, Gintoki needed to be at least a UFO or a meteorite level to attract Kawaki''s attention. "What kind of intelligence is this? I can''t tell at all." Gintoki once secretly asked Shouyou about Kawaki''s body, but Shouyou did not give Gintoki an accurate answer. He only said that Kawaki was an endangered species in the universe and was in danger that he might be the only one left. At the same time, Gintoki found that Kawaki was different from ordinary people. In the middle of every month, Kawaki would fall into a deep sleep. Every time he slept, it would be one to three days. During this time, Shouyou carried Kawaki on his back. -Shouyou once told Gintoki that this was the habit of Kawaki''s race. Other than that, Gintoki also found that it was like a coincidence. Whenever Kawaki fell asleep, his and Shouyou''s luck would become especially good. For example, when they were hungry, a'' food magazine ''would suddenly appear on the road. .... [Foreign Voice: Shouldn''t there be food? Does a food magazine appear to cause a ruckus? Is this really called good luck? Won''t it make your stomachs even hungrier?! Could it be that if you want plum blossoms to quench your thirst, you can just ask for them??? Besides, is it really good for an author to write like this? Won''t the readers be angry?] [Author: Everyone, please wait a moment. This external voice looks like it has malfunctioned. I will fix it a little. ] Just like that, on a dark and windy night, in the room where the author was in, the screams of a certain [Foreign Voice] could be heard in a radius of ten miles. A certain author lit a cigarette after lighting it up and looked at [Foreign Voice], who was hugging the quilt and sobbing, and said, "Come on, have you become smarter this time?" [Foreign Voice: *Hearing the sound, he stopped sobbing immediately and nodded heavily*] ... Just like that, in this remote countryside, a private school named "Matsushita Village School" was born. As time passed, the reputation of Matsushita Village School gradually spread around. It is said that a warrior with two children opened a private school. He did not accept any money and personally educated the children of poor families. And this warrior is the Yoshida Shouyou of Matsushita Village School... Chapter 3: Kawaki, Gintoki, Takasugi and Katsura Chapter 3: Kawaki, Gintoki, Takasugi and Katsura Kawaki had just climbed up the tall tree and shook Gintoki, who had been sleeping on the tree for an unknown period of time. "Shouyou asked me to come and find you. Wake up." However, perhaps because Kawaki''s movements were too gentle, Gintoki was still indifferent. He was still snoring while holding the sword. It had been a few months since the three of them had come to this place. "Matsushita Village School" is What Shouyou has been doing at this period of time. He also asked Kawaki and Gintoki to attend a class with a group of children. Kawaki had never skipped class other than sleeping for one to three days in the middle of every month. Meanwhile, Gintoki had only one to three days of classes every month... Therefore, every time Gintoki skipped class, Shouyou would assign Kawaki to capture Gintoki. Seeing that Gintoki showed no signs of waking up, Kawaki sighed. It seemed that he had to give Gintoki a critical hit in the head again. Kawaki thought in his heart. However, at this time, two children attracted Kawaki''s attention. There is a shrine not far below Kawaki and Gintoki. A child with purple shoulder-length hair looks about the same age as Kawaki. And another black-haired boy with a ponytail gradually walked towards the purple-haired child lying in front of the shrine... ... "You really are here." Katsura Kotarou walked over and looked at Takasugi Shinsuke, who was lying in front of the shrine door and thinking about something. "I heard that you fought in the private school. Even the prestigious school that gathers the future heroes of the country is not enough to accommodate a piece of hard-carved material like you, Takasug?" When he heard Katsura''s voice, Takasugi had already sat up and leaned against the pillar in front of the shrine until Katsura finished speaking. "Don''t make me laugh, Katsura." Takasugi said indifferently, "The people gathered there are just a bunch of prodigal sons who only know how to squeeze the money and connections of their parents. I just urged them to cultivate seriously, so I made a little move. A group of people who don''t even know how to fight, what kind of future can they lead for this country?" At this point, Takasugi raised the corners of his mouth in disdain, "It really makes people look forward to it." "Takasugi..." Hearing this, Katsura turned his head to the side, sighed softly, and continued, "You also don''t know how to appreciate good fortune. Many people in the world can''t read because of poverty. Many people also want to become a warrior, but they can''t.." Takasugi chuckled. "As expected of a prodigy who was accepted because of an exception. The words he said are really different." As he spoke, Takasugi stood up and gradually walked towards Katsura. "If it were for you, you might be able to be an outstanding warrior there. For the sake of the family, for the sake of the country, you would risk your life to die. What an amazing warrior. I''m sorry, I don''t have the slightest thought of doing this kind of boring thing." At this time, Takasugi had already walked past where Katsura was standing and was still walking towards the back of Katsura. "In that case, what kind of warrior do you want to become? Where... is the place you want to go?" Katsura thought for a moment and turned to ask Takasugi who was behind him. "Who knows..." Takasugi looked at the nine children who were waiting for him with bamboo swords in their hands and sighed, "If I knew, would I need to waste my energy?" Katsura also reacted and realized Takasugi''s current situation. "Takasugi, I heard that I am indebted to you for your care." The child who seemed to be the leader said to Takasugi with an arrogant and unkind expression. "Little bastard of a low-level warrior, you have to weigh your own strength." A child beside the leader echoed. Takasugi snorted disdainfully. He lowered his head and picked up the wooden stick next to him. "Looks like I can finally more or less properly train for a while." "Wait," Katsura put his hand on Takasugi''s shoulder and shouted to the children, "Using private fights to vent the knot in training, and you guys want to become warriors?" "Katsura? Just in time." The leader continued, "I don''t care about special enrollment students or anything. I can''t bear to be classmates with poor people like you who can''t afford the money." "Did you hear that, Katsura? I told you that there are no warriors here," Takasugi said. At this critical moment, one of the children shouted, "Pay attention to the occasion! You two! Do you think we don''t exist" As he spoke, the remaining children were about to rush towards Kawaki and Gintoki when a figure appeared behind them. With a few knocks, the children all covered their heads and lay on the ground. Seeing the person, Kawaki and Gintoki could no longer be bothered to pinch each other. Instead, they hugged each other and trembled as they looked at the smiling Shouyou. "It''s not right to bully the young with numbers, but it''s not necessarily right to bully the weak with strength," Shouyou said as he walked over to the shivering Kawaki and Gintoki. "I just felt that something was wrong. It turns out that you are being lazy like Gintoki, and you seem to have used a very dangerous weapon. Is that right, Kawaki?" Kawaki was instantly terrified. He instantly thought of several ideas to escape. However, before Kawaki could explain, Shouyou''s fist had already hit Kawaki on the head. "It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts." Kawaki hugged his head, his tears about to come out. "And you, a half-baked samurai, it is still a hundred years early to be lazy." Shouyou''s fist did not let go of Gintoki. "It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts." Gintoki immediately adopted the same posture as Kawaki. Shouyou looked at Katsura and Takasugi and said, "The two of you should hurry back to school as well, Little Samurai" At the same time, his hands were not idle. He dragged Kawaki and Gintoki. Looking at Shouyou, who was dragging Kawaki and Gintoki further and further away, Takasugi could not help but swallow his saliva, "That... That is..." "So that''s how it is," Katsura muttered, "I heard rumors that in the past few months, a samurai with two children opened a private school. He did not accept any money and personally educated the children of poor families. He should be the Yoshida Shouyou of [Matsushita Village School]." Takasugi did not say anything else. Instead, he memorized the two names [Matsushita Village School] and [Yoshida Shouyou] in his heart. "Takasugi, don''t think about doing anything stupid!" Katsura seemed to have seen through Takasugi''s thoughts. "You don''t need to care about it, Katsura," Takasugi said as he left. .... The next day, Takasugi looked at the wooden token with the words "Matsushita Village School" on it and stepped into the door without thinking. However, Takasugi did not know that Katsura had been watching him from not far behind him... "What is it? You want to challenge Shouyou? Even I can beat ten people like you." Gintoki looked at Takasugi while digging his nose. "Then you fight with me!" Takasugi refused to admit defeat. "Do you see that little brat with orange-red hair?" Gintoki pointed his bamboo sword at Kawaki, who was swinging his sword at the side. "Only by defeating him can you challenge me. Isn''t this how it is in RPG games? FroEvery difficulty is different from all monsters to bosses to devil kings." However, just as Gintoki finished speaking, a bamboo sword that was used to practice had already smashed onto Gintoki''s head. "What are you trying to do? Do you want to fight?" Gintoki looked at the innocent Kawaki and said angrily. "That sword seems to suddenly have its own consciousness and thus went to find its master." Kawaki waved his hand, his face still full of innocence. "This sword seems to have its own consciousness, and now it wants to insert itself into your anus!" Gintoki held the bamboo sword and gritted his teeth as he spoke. At the same time, some of his companions stopped the two of them. These two people were always like this, and everyone was already used to it. Chapter 4: [Samurai] and [Bushido] Chapter 4: [Samurai] and [Bushido] "Who is the little soldier in the RPG game! You silver-haired idiot!" Although Kawaki was being held up by some of his companions, his mouth was still unforgiving. "Of course it''s you! Your universe is in danger!" Gintoki retorted without hesitation. "You are the little soldier in the RPG game! No! You are not even a little soldier. At most, you can only be regarded as the weakest slime in the Novice Village for the protagonist to master the game!" Since meeting Gintoki and Shouyou, Kawaki spoke faster and faster. "Like women, there are always a few days of guys every month. What qualifications do you have to say this!" Gintoki''s mouth was also famous for its damage. "What right does a person who continuously digs his nose 24 hours a day have! Does your hand grow in his nose" "Can you stop for a moment? If that''s the case, you two can come at me together!" Takasugi shouted. After Takasugi finished speaking, the entire dojo fell silent. Everyone looked at him in disbelief. "What''s wrong?" Takasugi felt a little unnatural from being stared at. "Hey, hey, there must be a limit to being arrogant, you short purple-haired man If that''s the case, I''ll accept your challenge," said Gintoki, holding his forehead. "No, let me do it. I also want to spar with different people occasionally," Said Kawaki. "No, I''ll do it." Gintoki refused. "No, as expected, you should let me do it." Kawaki did not give in at all. "I said it first!" Gintoki gritted his teeth and said. "Tell me! Who are you going to compete with?" Kawaki looked at Takasugi as if he was going to eat him up. At the same time, Gintoki looked at Takasugi with the same gaze. "This kind of thing can be done! As long as I defeat the two of you, I can challenge that man!" As Takasugi spoke, he picked up a bamboo sword from the ground and prepared himself. Seeing this, Gintoki instantly raised the bamboo sword in his hand and rushed out. "Gintoki, you broke the rules," Kawaki complained. "Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared! I''m sorry, Kawaki. I accept the task of teaching this short purple-haired man a lesson!" Gintoki had already taken a stance as he spoke. "Alright, it''s my turn next time." Kawaki curled his lips and took the opportunity to walk between the two and take the initiative to be the referee. "Then, let''s begin!" After Kawaki shouted, Gintoki and Takasugi instantly rushed towards each other... ... When Takasugi woke up again, it was already afternoon. "Seriously, I''ve never heard of kicking a private school," Shouyou said with a little helplessness as he knelt beside Takasugi, looking at the kid who was looking at him. Shouyou continued, "But fortunately, he only suffered a minor injury." After hearing this, the two of them gulped at the same time... .... The two of them rubbed their little heads and looked at Takasugi, who was about to leave. Finally, Kawaki could not hold back and asked Takasugi, "What''s your name? I am Kawaki. This silver-haired idiot is Gintoki, Sakata Gintoki." "Shinsuke, Takasugi Shinsuke." Takasugi said to the two of them before he left. .... After that day, Takasugi would come to Matsushita Village School to challenge them every day. Sometimes it was Gintoki, and sometimes it was Kawaki. However, after a full month, Takasugi still hadn''t defeated any of the two. "Hey, hey, it''s the Little Gao. He comes every day. I can''t bear it." Looking at the injured Takasugi, Kawaki couldn''t help but sigh. "Who is Little Gao! Call me Takasugi or Takasugi Shinsuke, you bastard! Besides! Are we that close" Takasugi complained as he got up from the ground. Takasugi ignored Kawaki''s outstretched hand. "What a nasty character. Little Gao, but Oi, don''t hide, ponytail." said Kawaki as he looked at Katsura, who was sneaking glances outside the door. "Ponytail?" Takasugi was puzzled. He followed Kawaki''s gaze and looked over, "Oh, it''s Katsura!" "Even if you have a bad and stinky personality, you still have friends who care about you. Don''t just stare at your own eyes. You should also look behind you, Little Gao." Kawaki waved his hand and said, "I am Katsura, Katsura Kotarou, not some Mr. Ponytail," Katsura said as he stepped into the door. "Huh, Zura? (So that''s how it is, a wig?)" Gintoki walked over while digging his nose. "Katsura! Katsura! (It''s not a wig, it''s Katsura!) Why do you need to skip a pronunciation!" Katsura retorted. [*TL Note: In the original works, Gintoki always calls Katsura by the nickname "Zura", which literally means "wig", even though Katsura prefers his real name.] "What does it matter? One day, you might be bald." Kawaki continued. "What does that mean? What do you mean by bald one day! Do you mean that I will definitely become bald in the future And do I have to wear a wig when I become bald?!" Katsura clenched his fists and shouted at Kawaki. "Ah, Zura, you are angry I''m sure you''ll be bald this time," Kawaki said casually. "It''s not Zura. It''s Katsura! Besides, if I get angry, I''ll turn bald! Who said that?" "Forget it, don''t lower yourself to his level, Zura." At this moment, Takasugi patted Katsura on the shoulder. "It''s not Zura! It''s Katsura! Even you are like this, Shinsuke!" Gui shouted. "Hey, you, what exactly is going on with your sword technique? There is no discipline at all. Every time I think I can predict your next move, the result is another move. Why?" Takasugi ignored Katsura and looked at Kawaki. "Amazing! This is my self-created sword technique. Gintoki even gave it a domineering name." "What name?" Takasugi couldn''t help but ask. "Blind [beep--]!" Chapter 5: [Monster] and [Little Monster] and [Son of Monster] Chapter 5: [Monster] and [Little Monster] and [Son of Monster] "Search, it turns out that it was [beep--] who hacked randomly." Katsura supported his chin and nodded at the same time. "Shouldn''t you be complaining at this time? What kind of lousy name is this!" This time, it was Takasugi''s turn to ridicule Katsura. "I was just thinking, maybe this name has some other meaning." Katsura raised his head to look at Takasugi and explained. "What''s the point of this kind of broken name? It''s clearly a certain author is not good at words! It''s obvious at a glance!" Takasugi replied, but in the end, he still sighed, "Forget it.". "Strange strength, extraordinary physical ability. In addition to your disorganized sword technique, it is simply like a [little monster]." Takasugi looked at Kawaki who was showing off the sword in his hand and said. "It''s not some [little monster]. It''s just a fool of this universe." Gintoki could not help but saying. "What did you say You silver-haired sh*t sh*t maniac!" Kawaki immediately grimaced in pain. However, this time, Gintoki didn''t continue arguing with Kawaki. Instead, he looked at Takasugi and said, "But neither I nor this idiot took a single book from Shouyou." "I see I''m getting more and more curious about him." Takasugi did not seem to care at all. "Up to you. But before you win against the two of us, you won''t have the chance to challenge Shouyou." "Even if you say so, it''s impossible for you to win against me." "Speaking of which, is it really okay for you to skip classes every day?" Kawaki suddenly asked curiously. "It doesn''t matter if it''s today, because today is the weekend..." After Katsura finished speaking, Kawaki and Gintoki were both stunned. Katsura''s words kept repeating in Kawaki and Gintoki''s minds. "Don''t you know?" Katsura continued. ''Don''t know?'' ''Do you know?'' ''Today is the weekend, the day is the weekend, the weekend is the weekend, the weekend, the weekend, the end'' Kawaki''s mind was filled with these two words, "I just feel that something is wrong! Why are there only the two of us in today''s private school?" "The two of you are really a pair of idiots." Takasugi couldn''t help but ridicule them. Then, the four of them began to laugh. There was nothing else mixed in. It was just the purest laughter that spread from the dojo to a very, very distant place... .... "Shouyou," Kawaki shouted. Shouyou, who was sitting in front of the door and looking at the sunset, turned his head and showed his signature smile. Kawaki walked to Shouyou and sat down. "It''s so beautiful ---" Kawaki also looked at the sunset in the distance and sighed. "Compared to the sunrise?" Shouyou asked. "I don''t know, but Not just the sunrise and sunset of every day, but every moment of every day, the current me feels incomparably beautiful." "It seems that you have found the answer to [life]," Shouyou said happily and reached out to touch Kawaki''s head. "Probably." Kawaki lowered his head and touched his chest. "I really want to see someone or two people again. The current me really wants them to see." After the match, the three of them sat side by side in front of the door, looking at the setting sun in the distance. Shouyou sat in the middle, while Gintoki and Kawaki sat on both sides of Shouyou. "What a pity, you two," Shouyou said. "Teacher, what do you think is a pity?" Gintoki asked with a head full of bags. "It''s here," Shouyou replied without hesitation. "Where exactly?" Gintoki instantly answered. "Alright, actually, it''s there," Shouyou replied. "Shouyou, what can I do to become as strong as you?" Gintoki sighed and couldn''t help but ask, "Before I met you, I didn''t even lose to an adult. A simple adult is not enough to describe you. You are [Monster]." "Then I am [Little Monster]! Gintoki, let''s go play volleyball together!" Kawaki interrupted. "If I had known earlier, I wouldn''t have lent you the >Haikyu!!!! Please give this novel 5 stars review and power stone ;) Read a few chapters ahead on Read up to 40 chapters ahead on p atreon. https://www.p /FL_Behind Our community on discord: discord. gg /t66agbE nyawdao2creators'' thoughts Chapter 484: It’s Better Not to Force Yourself! Chapter 484: Its Better Not to Force Yourself! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 484 It''s Better Not to Force Yourself! As for Kawaki, he kept repeating the process of picking up - tearing - eating - vomiting with his head down and face expressionless the entire time. On the side, Kagura selectively ignored the two of them, because... they both looked quite disgusting. However, compared to Kawaki''s self-abuse, Shinpachi''s behavior was even more disgusting in Kagura''s eyes. On the boxing ring, Douman turned around and looked at the bald and bearded man behind him outside the ropes, who looked more like a hotel chef than an Onmyoji. "I''ll let someone else warm you up. Soan, show them a thing or two. As soon as Douman finished speaking, he was kicked in the face by Gintoki, who was flying over and roaring. After a scream, Douman was kicked to the ground. [Oh! Team Ketsuno has launched the first attack!] Looking at Gintoki, who was eagerly walking towards the fallen Douman, the host started to explain. Before Douman could react, Gintoki had already arrived in front of him. Riding on Douman, he punched him in the face again and again. "Wait... Too soon! Ah!" Douman said while being beaten, "I haven''t summoned my Shikigami... Ah!" "I''ll beat the crap out of you before you can use your funny magic!" Gintoki shouted, "You wimps can''t beat me in a physical brawl!" "Douman-sama! Touch! Touch! Quick, touch me!" Soan, who was outside the boxing ring, stretched out his right hand toward Douman, who was still receiving heavy punches from Gintoki. Seeing this, Douman hurriedly stretched out his hand in the direction behind him. However, just when Douman was full of joy and thought that he could finally escape, a ruthless foot heavily trampled Douman''s hand to the ground and made him unable to move. "Ah!!" Douman screamed in pain. It was Gedoumaru! Gedoumaru, who was paired with Gintoki! "Oops, I accidentally stepped on poop." [Wow! Gedoumaru isn''t letting Douman escape!] At this time, Gintoki stood up from the body of Douman who had lost the ability to resist. Then, Gedoumaru picked Douman up and turn pointed his ass to Gintoki. Looking at a certain part of Douman''s back, Gintoki''s face darkened and he said coldly, "Hey you... I hear you''re Ana Ketsuno''s ex-husband. If you''re her ex-husband, that means..." "You''ve done this and that..." Gintoki put his hands together and clasped his fingers tightly as he spoke, leaving only his index fingers pointing upward. Gintoki''s eyes unconsciously glowed red, and then he fiercely poked his index finger into Douman''s ass. "And all kinds of weather phenomena with her! Is that it? Huh?" "Ah!" Douman screamed again. All kinds of thunderstorm warnings?!" Gintoki pulled out his finger and used the One Thousand Years of Death again. "Oh!!" "All kinds of flood warnings?!" As I shouted, Gintoki used the One Thousand Years of Death once again. "Woo!!" After three One Thousand Years of Death, Douman fell to the ground. "Gintoki-sama, now is your chance." Gedoumaru timely reminded, and at the same time pulled out the huge club behind her. Hearing this, Gedoumaru directly stood up, pulled out the club from her back, raised it high, and then smashed it heavily on Gintoki''s waist without hesitation. "Come back!" Boom!!! After a loud noise, everyone present showed no expression on their faces. Of course, apart from Shinpachi, who had his Pandemonium-san snatched away. At this time, Shinpachi had obviously lost his mind. While shouting, he continued to shake Kawaki''s shoulders. Of course, no matter who saw their girlfriend being torn into two halves by the people around them and stuffed into their mouths and then turned into a mosaic after chowing and vomiting it, they would all be like Shinpachi. "How is the situation?" After turning the last Pandemonium into mosaic vomit, Kawaki wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth and came to Kagura''s side. Looking at the scene on the stage, he asked Kagura who was at the side. "I don''t know, but Gin-chan''s balls don''t seem to be in a good state," Kagura replied with an expressionless face. ''Although it''s a bit stupid, it''s really a good method...'' Seimei glanced at Kawaki and thought at the same time. "How about you, Little Uncle? Did you remember anything-aru?" Kagura turned to look at Kawaki beside her, "And where did Shinpachi go?" "No, I''m still missing the last bit." Kawaki shrugged, "As for Shinpachi. He is burying his first kiss partner outside." At this time, on the stage, Gintoki struggled to get up and scolded, "How far were you trying to push it back down to?! "Well, I had to deliver an equivalent shock, right?" Gedoumaru replied indifferently. "You were going to push my life before you pushed back my balls..." Gintoki knelt on the ground and rubbed his lower back, his face full of pain as he said, "Are you trying to beat me to death?" Just as he finished speaking, Gintoki suddenly felt something. He raised his head and let out a puzzled voice, "Huh? Hold on a second. Isn''t this..." Gintoki looked at his lower body with cold sweat dripping down, "Rather than pushing back my balls..." As he spoke, two mosaic gold balls rolled out from the bottom of Gintoki''s pants. "... my balls are rolling around down the floor! " "Well, should I retort this?" Kawaki twitched the corner of his eyes and pointed at Gintoki on the stage. He looked at Kagura and said, "This should be retorted, right? No matter how you look at it, this thing should be retorted, right?" "Little uncle, you don''t have to force yourself to retort-aru." Kagura patted Kawaki on the shoulder and said seriously. "What should we do about this?" Gintoki looked at the two mosaic gold balls under his feet. He held his head and shouted a little crazily, "Put them back! Hurry up and put them back!" "I''m busy now," Gedoumaru, who was exchanging blows with Bontenmaru, said without turning her head, "Seimei, requesting backup." "Tsk, there''s no other way." After saying that, Seimei closed his eyes and raised his left index finger and middle finger. Then, everyone found that the two mosaic gold balls on the ground suddenly emitted a golden light and flew into Gintoki''s clothes, returning to their throne. Please give this novel 5 stars review and power stone ;) Read a few chapters ahead on Read up to 40 chapters ahead on p atreon. https://www.p /FL_Behind Our community on discord: discord. gg /t66agbE nyawdao2creators'' thoughts Chapter 485: Gin Lose His Kintama(Golden Balls)! Chapter 485: Gin Lose His Kintama(Golden Balls)! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 485 Gin Lose His Kintama(Golden Balls)! [Oh, amazing! Contestant Seimei has instantly restored the balls to their throne without entering the ring!] "Shouldn''t I be retorting? At a time like this, I should definitely retort, right?" Kawaki pointed at the situation on the stage and said to Kagura, "No matter how you look at it, you should retort, right? Why did it go back so easily? No, before I retort this, I should first retort about why it fell out, right? Hey, what should I do? What should I do in this situation? Where should I start? Vomiting? By the way, why haven''t the glasses responsible for retorting come back yet?" "If you can''t do it, then forget about it little uncle." Kagura said to Kawaki very seriously. At the same time, on the other side, Douman, who had just smeared the cool anti-inflammatory medicine on his anus, also returned to the boxing ring rope. Looking at the scene in front of him, Douman did not think about it at all. He pointed his right thumb down. "Don''t even think about succeeding!" As soon as Douman finished speaking, Gintoki''s two golden mosaic balls fell heavily to the ground from the bottom of his pants. "Ah!!" Looking at the two golden balls under his feet, Gintoki held his head and shouted at the sky. "Don''t interfere, Douman!" As he shouted, Seimei pointed his fingers up again. "I won''t let you have your way! Seimei!" Douman pointed his thumb down again, not giving in at all.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Therefore, under the control of the two of them, Gintoki''s two golden balls flew around in the boxing ring and Gintoki chased his two golden balls everywhere. [An unexpected battle has erupted outside the ring!] The host watched as Gintoki chased his two golden balls flying everywhere. The host shouted with some excitement, [Contestant Seimei and Contestant Douman are engaged in an intense battle over the golden balls that can''t be followed by the naked eye!] "The hell are you people doing with my balls?!" Gintoki shouted hoarsely at Seimei and Douman who were outside the boxing ring. "Damn it! Go up!" Seimei controlled Gintoki''s golden balls to fly straight up. "Down you go!" Douman hurriedly controlled Gintoki''s golden balls to descend. Seimei, "I fake up and go down!" Douman: "I fake down and go down!" Seimei, "I go straight down!!" Gintoki watched as his golden balls fell heavily to the ground under their control. "Ow, ow, ow!" Gintoki cried out in pain, and then shouted angrily, "Hey, freaks! You''re both just smashing them against the floor!" "Hmph! There''s no end to this..." Seimei shouted at Douman, "Douman! I have a proposal." "What is it? Seimei!" "There are two balls. I will take the right, while you take the left. Each in control of one." Seimei suggested. "Why?!" Gintoki covered his face and shouted. Then, he heavily punched the floor, "Why are you dividing up my balls?!" "Amusing!" Douman replied, "A battle where we each control one ball and make them fight?" Seeing the two golden balls in front of him flying in two different directions(Seimei and Douman), Gintoki roared, "Why are you making them fight?! What kind of fight is this?!" "Go! Sasuke!" After a very slight bang, the two golden balls exploded in the air at the same time. "Ah, sorry, I forgot to tell you. In fact, the X key is the detonation key." Seimei said. Kawaki / Kagura, "..." Looking at the two pools of blood on the ground, Gintoki rolled his eyes and fell straight to the ground while covering his crotch. He fell heavily on the ground and fainted. [Shattered!!] The host announced loudly, [Contestant Sakata won''t be able to recover from this!] After hearing the host''s words, Kawaki and Kagura turned their faces away and whistled at the same time, as if they had nothing to do with it. "You two..." Shinpachi, who had arrived at some point in time, looked at the two of them expressionlessly, "What exactly did they do?!" "No, it has nothing to do with us. It''s all because they didn''t tell us in advance that there was a self-destruct button." Kawaki pointed at Seimei and said to Shinpachi. "Yes-aru. I originally thought it was the return button." Kagura cupped her hands and nodded, "It has nothing to do with the two of us at all. Moreover, didn''t we already help Gin-chan stop Kin-chan?" "Kagura, no," Kawaki shook his head and raised his index finger, seriously correcting, "It''s Jin-chan." "No, it should be Kin()-chan." (Gold: Kin() / Jin(). Silver: Gin(?). The difference between the two is that gold has less stoke than silver.) "So that''s how it is." Kawaki nodded and praised, "As expected of Kagura. She''s really smart. But Kin or Jin are about the same." "Hey! You two are just playing around!" Shinpachi rolled his eyes and roared, "It''s just because you saw Seimei-san and the others playing so enthusiastically that you wanted to join the fun, right?!" "Don''t just say the truth so casually, Shinpachi." Kawaki shook his head and chuckled. "Or we will be embarrassed-aru." Kagura smiled and continued. "You have to!" Shinpachi angrily shouted, "And now is not the time to talk about this! Gin-san is already..." "Indeed, now is not the time to talk about this." Seimei on the side looked slightly solemn, and at the same time extended his hand to Kawaki and Kagura, "Sasuke and Yusuke exploded at the same time so the banker will take it all." "Tskt!" Kawaki and Kagura said at the same time, and then at the same time, they took out a hundred yen coin and put it in Seimei''s hand. "That''s not the main point!" Shinpachi retorted directly, "Is there such a rule?! Did you set up this kind of betting in the beginning?! Why did Seimei-san participate too? And he''s still the banker!" "No, I was just asked by the two of them." Seimei stuffed the two coins into his bosom and explained. "Hey!!" At this time, Soan on the stage raised his hand to signal. [Starting the count!] the host shouted. "Who needs a count!" Soan''s Shikigami Bontenmaru raised the sword in his hand toward Gintoki who was lying on the ground and shouted, "I''ll crush his head and toss him out of the ring!" "Gedoumaru!" Just as the sword in Bontenmaru''s hand fell, Seimei called out to Gedoumaru. Chapter 486: Something Better Than the Original Ones! Chapter 486: Something Better Than the Original Ones! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 486 Something Better Than the Original Ones! The quick-eyed Gedoumaru immediately bent over and dragged Gintoki to the outside of the ring. It was worth mentioning that just as the two left, Bontenmaru''s sword arrived. The floor where Gintoki had just been was directly smashed into pieces by the sword in Bontenmaru''s hand! [Team Ketsuno has successfully pulled off a switch with Contestant Seimei!] A host over there, who couldn''t tell who it was, explained loudly again. Outside the arena, Seimei hurriedly rushed toward Gintoki, bent down, and began to check Gintoki''s condition. "Hey! Get a grip!" Seimei supported Gintoki''s upper body. "Gintoki-sama, are you alright?" Gedoumaru looked at Gintoki on the ground who had lost consciousness. "Kin-chan!" Kagura walked over and pretended to be sad.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com "Jintoki!" At the same time, Kawaki wiped away his tears and walked over, "I will always remember your golden balls!" "The two of you really make people angry..." Shinpachi''s veins popped out, and he expressionlessly retorted, "Speaking of which, you two are the main culprit!" [However, Contestant Sakata is not coming to! He may never stand again.] The host once again explained, [In other words, it can no longer be used.] Looking at the obvious sunken part of Gintoki''s body, Seimei gritted his teeth and blamed himself, "I didn''t expect things to turn out like this. I''m sorry. I only know how to do useless things. If I was a bit faster earlier, I would have been able to catch up..." "Um, Seimei-san, although it''s a little off-putting for me to say this, but..." As he spoke, Shinpachi pushed up his glasses and pointed at Kawaki and Kagura, "It''s all their fault! It has nothing to do with you!" "No, it''s my fault. But there''s still hope if we hurry!" Seimei shook his head and then took out a paper figurine that summoned Shikigami, "I summon you, Kuzunoha!" With a bang, a woman wearing a dark blue kimono appears in front of everyone. She has yellowish-brown hair, a fox tail behind her, and two fox ears on her head. "You call, Seimei-sama?" Kuzunoha asked Seimei. "Kuzunoha, join Gedoumaru in healing this man." Seimei stood up and ordered Kuzunoha, "You take Sasuke while Gedoumaru takes Bossun." (Note: Bossun is Yusuke''s nickname in Sket Dance.) After saying that, Seimei turned around and jumped over the rope to enter the boxing ring. "Very well." Kuzunoha subconsciously responded, but in the next moment, she suddenly responded, "And who the hell is Bossun?!" "Wait!" Kawaki suddenly shouted, "Although this matter has nothing to do with me and Kagura, as Jintoki''s friend I still want to contribute! Kagura, take that out!" "Huh? I want to take it back and show it to the others-aru..." Kagura said reluctantly. "That''s enough, take it out quickly!" Kawaki said with a serious expression, "I believe that with that, we can definitely help Gintoki!" "So it turns out that you also want an enhanced version!" Kawaki added Gintoki''s words to himself, and then looked at Seimei and nodded. Seimei signaled, and with a few operations, the two big basketballs in Kagura''s hands instantly returned to Gintoki''s table tennis-sized throne. "Um... Can I retort?" Shinpachi pushed up his glasses, looked at the two high bulges between Gintoki''s legs, and asked expressionlessly. "No, no need," Kawaki replied without hesitation. "Alright, the balls have returned to the throne. Now, let him have a good rest." After nodding, Seimei turned around and walked toward the center of the boxing ring. "Seimei-sama..." Gedoumaru called out worriedly. "Don''t worry. Leave the rest to me." Seimei replied without looking back. "Seimei-sama, I can also play." Kuzunoha glanced at Kawaki who was smiling at her with narrowed eyes. She could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva and hurriedly shouted at Seimei. "No, no need," Seimei said as he walked toward the center of the boxing ring. "Hahahahaha!" Outside the arena, Douman suddenly laughed. Then, he mocked Seimei, who had walked to the center of the boxing ring and stopped to face Bontenmaru, "Have you lost your mind, Seimei? Your Shikigami has been dispatched all over Edo, limiting your powers, and now your last one was outside the ring? An Onmyoji without Shikigami is like a samurai without his sword! You believe you can defeat Bontenmaru bare-handed?!" Just as Douman finished speaking, Bontenmaru raised the sword in his hand and swung it down at Seimei. Boom!!! After a loud noise, Seimei''s position was instantly covered in smoke. "Seimei-san!" Shinpachi shouted. "Calm down, Shinpachi." Kawaki glanced at Shinpachi indifferently, "It''s fine, because..." Before Kawaki could finish speaking, Seimei''s voice, whose emotions could not be distinguished, suddenly came from the smoke. "I can no longer see. Douman, it appears that I''ve lost sight of myself again. But this time, I care not about duty, honor, tradition, the Bakufu..." Along with Seimei''s continuous words, the smoke gradually dispersed. Only then did everyone see the scene inside clearly. They saw that Seimei, who was still standing in place, blocked Bontenmaru''s sword with one hand. "... nor of our long struggle with the Shirino clan." Seimei had his head lowered unable to tell whether he was sad or happy, "I see nothing at all..." "Impossible! He withstood an attack from a Shikigami unarmed?!" Outside the arena, Douman looked at the scene in front of him in shock. However, Douman immediately noticed something and muttered in a low voice, "Ah! What''s this... Seimei''s power is rapidly growing..." A clear sound like glass shattering rang out, and the sword in Bontenmaru''s hand directly shattered into powder! "Could it be..." Douman unconsciously widened his eyes and gnashed his teeth, "Seimei... you bastard! You''ve unsummoned the countless Shikigami watching over Edo to focus all of your power! Your actions will cause you to be dismissed as a protector of Edo!" Chapter 487: Beauty Is a Disaster, Its a Fact, Not Just Talk. Chapter 487: Beauty Is a Disaster, It''s a Fact, Not Just Talk. Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 487 Beauty Is a Disaster, It''s a Fact, Not Just Talk. Seimei, whose entire body burst out with a strong and dazzling blue magic power, drew a pentagram formation in the air with one hand. At the same time, he replied unhurriedly, "I no longer have a need to watch over all! I only want one thing... as long as I see her smile, I will be satisfied!" As soon as Seimei finished speaking, a wave of air erupted from the blue pentagram formation in front of him. The strong wave of air directly blew Bontenmaru and Soan away. Boom!! After a loud noise, the entire boxing ring was completely destroyed. A huge hole appeared in the distant wall, a hole that Bontenmaru had smashed out. Because Douman used his fan at the last moment to block the impact for himself, he was not blown away. "Douman, bring it on!" Seimei shouted at Douman, who was still in a daze. Then, he stretched out his left hand and made an inviting gesture "I shall show you the true power of the head of the Ketsuno clan, Ketsuno Seimei!" [Wow!!] The host cried out in excitement, [What...What an incredible power! Contestant Seimei has gathered the power that was used to protect Edo! Team Shirino''s Shikigami was instantly eradicated! Contestant Soan has lost his will to fight and run away! Only contestant Douman remains!" "That, I''ve been wanting to ask you since earlier," Kawaki raised his hand and asked the host, "Which side are you on? Aren''t you from that ex-husband''s side? Why are you like a normal referee and host? Aren''t you afraid of being fired by your ex-husband?" "Well, I''m just the referee and the host invited." The host touched his smooth head, grinned, and explained, "This outfit is just for the occasion." "I see..." After saying this casually, Kawaki looked at the two people on the stage who were ready to fight. At this time, Seimei and Douman, who were standing opposite each other, released blue and dark red magic powers from their bodies. "Douman!" Seimei shouted. "Seimei..." The color of the dark red magic power on Douman''s body began to deepen, "Seimei!!" Then, the two of them began to draw a formation in front of them. "Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!" Douman instantly drew his own chessboard spell formation. He pointed his two fingers at Seimei and shouted, "Mystic Counter! Mantra of Victory!" At the same time, Seimei also drew the pentagonal formation in front of him. Without the slightest panic, he pointed his two fingers at Douman and shouted, "Mystic Seal! Spell Return!" As soon as the two people finished speaking, a blue and red magic power rushed at each other. The two magic powers collided fiercely in the middle of the arena. The entire ground began to shake violently because of the collision of the magic power. [A furious exchange of blows!] The host was very responsible and continued to explain in an impassioned manner, "The arena is falling apart! It''s like we''re watching Dragon Ball!" "Seimei... I won''t lose... I definitely won''t lose!!" Douman shouted as he controlled his magic power. Just as the situation gradually became clear, Douman, who was about to lose consciousness in the flame, recalled the past, a very, very distant past... Memory Exclusive Dividing Line "Douman, Douman, what are you doing?" Douman''s father turned on the lights in the room and looked at Douman, who was still a child sitting on the bedding. He smiled and said, "You''re so hopeless. Staying up late again." "Because I can''t fall asleep." Little Douman held a robot toy in his hand turned to look at his father and explained. "Very well. I shall tell you another old tale." Douman''s father walked over and sat down beside Douman''s bed. "Yay!" Little Douman exclaimed and looked at his father expectantly, "What are you going to tell me about today? Kintaro slaying Gedoumaru? Or Momotaro" "No, I have an older story to tell you." Douman''s father shook his head and slowly began to narrate, "Long, long ago, an evil god lived in the capital. The brutal god, Antenmaru, shrouded the capital in dark clouds and tortured the people with an eternal rain." "However, Antenmaru was sealed by the mysterious power of two travelers. The skies cleared above the capital and the emperor showed his appreciation for the brothers by granting the name Mikado, as protectors of the capital, and made them his servants." "The Mikado brothers were very close, and they were able to drive away all forms of wickedness. Their strong bond kept the capital safe. But something happened that fractured their bond, where demons had been unable to strike..." "The younger Mikado brother was in love with the emperor''s sister, the lovely princess. However, the princess lives in a different world from the Mikado brothers. The younger brother''s love was a sad one that could never be. The younger brother kept his feelings for the princess secret as he could only watch over her from afar..." "That was when a shocking piece of news reached his ears. The princess had been kidnapped. The kidnapper was... His older brother. Yes, the older brother was also in love with the princess..." "Sadly, they had fallen in love with each other without the younger brother knowing and eloped, abandoning their position and prestige! The emperor was absolutely furious and declared that the older brother be tried as a traitor... And the younger brother was chosen to track him down. The younger brother set off on his search with a heavy heart..." "But his older brother was living happily with the princess... And when he saw their baby, his heart was overcome with darkness... The next thing he knew, the two of them were on the ground before him. The two people he loved most." "He spared the baby because he could not bear for his heart to be blackened any further. Once he returned to the capital, he was named to a high position in the government. But despite his prestige, despite his beautiful wife, his heart remained clouded..." "Rain continued to fall on the capital, as it did in his heart. And the younger brother finally realized. That he was causing the rain. That he had become a demon. The darkness had spread from his heart to the rest of his body..." "...transforming him into the evil god he and his brother had once sealed, Antenmaru. Antenmaru had been biding his time after they sealed him, before possessing the younger brother through his jealousy, hatred, and negative feelings, all while plotting revenge. However, it was too late by the time he realized." "An arrow was fired into his hideous face... There stood the son of his brother, whose life he had spared. And thus, the clouds which had shrouded the capital cleared. However, a new dark cloud was born." "The son of the older brother slew the revived Antenmaru and entered the Emperor''s service, founding the Ketsuno clan. And the children of the younger brother who were chased from the capital and had their name taken, the Shirino clan. The holy gate, Mikado, which had once guarded the capital, was split in half like a dirty ass. And thus began the long struggle between Ketsuno and Shirino. A spiral of growing hate..." "How am I supposed to fall asleep after hearing all that melodrama?!" Little Douman finally could not help but shout out to stop his father. Chapter 488: Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Children! Chapter 488: Dont Put Too Much Pressure on Children! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 488 Don''t Put Too Much Pressure on Children! "Listen carefully, Douman." Douman''s father looked earnest. "No way!" Little Douman covered his ears and leaned back into the quilt, "You''re just going to tell me to fight Seimei again!" "So it''s true that you''ve become friendly with the Ketsuno boy." Douman''s father showed a touch of unhappiness on his face and slowly stood up. "I don''t care about the past!" Little Douman closed his eyes, covered his ears, and shouted without looking back, "Don''t force your family feud onto us! Seimei''s a really nice guy! He taught me how to curse my enemies today! Once the two of us take over, the Ketsuno clan and Shirino clan will get along together! The two of us have already made an appointment! We made a promise!" Little Douman did not know that when he was speaking, the gloom on his father''s face was getting heavier and heavier. "You unfilial son!" Douman''s father picked up Little Douman and shouted as he smashed Little Douman into the sliding door. Little Douman, who had smashed into the sliding door and fell heavily on the ground outside the door, cried out in pain. Then he struggled to get up and stared at his father in disbelief. "Can you not understand the grudge our ancestor hold for having their position and prestige taken away?!" Douman''s father shouted bitterly, "Get along together? That will never happen! If you have time to learn how to curse your enemies from an enemy, curse that boy to death. If you don''t end your relationship with him, our relationship as father and son ends here... " Memory Dividing Line End On the burning flame, the curse sea on Douman''s face suddenly spread. "That... that is..." Shinpachi looked at Douman in disbelief, "The curse mark engraved on Douman''s body...wait a minute, is there another person in the flame? That one is..." Shinpachi''s pupils shrank, "It''s... Kawaki-san!" That''s right. At some point in time, Kawaki had arrived by Douman''s side and was also enduring Seimei''s flames. Strangely, Seimei, who had already discovered Kawaki, did not stop the flames. Although he did not quite understand why, Kawaki had a feeling that he might be able to discover something in it. It was a very strong feeling. Reality proved that it was indeed so. Perhaps it was because they were enduring the flames together, that Kawaki saw Douman''s memories. ''This story... I seem to have heard of it before...'' Kawaki stepped out of the flame unscathed. He supported his chin and pondered as he came to Kagura''s side. Then, he sat down and sank into deep thought. "Are you okay? Kawaki-san?" Shinpachi asked. "I''m fine." Kawaki shook his head and glanced in Douman''s direction, "I just listened to a familiar cliche? story and saw a sad childhood. I''ll leave the rest to you. That man is not in good condition." "What do you mean? What''s wrong with Douman?" Shinpachi hurriedly asked. "That man will soon fall into darkness..." Kawaki replied casually. Then, he waved his hand and showed a bit of impatience on his face, "Anyway, keep quiet now. I need to think about something." At this time, the curse seal on Douman''s body was still spreading. At the same time, Douman''s memories were still continuing. It was the memory of his childhood when he was defeated by Seimei time and time again... [What a pity. I thought we could become best friends...] After a duel, Seimei said this to Douman lying on the ground. ''Recall! The magma of hatred sleeping deep within!'' Antenmaru was still constantly bewitching Douman who was trapped in his memories and about to fall into darkness. Douman recalled the memory of finding that the toilet paper had run out in the bathroom after getting married. He called out to Crystel, but Crystel only put a pack of "Rorie" sanitary napkins at the door. "That''s all you ever have!!! The Douman in reality synchronized with Douman in his memories... Boom!!! A powerful purple magic power burst out from Douman''s body. After breaking through the ceiling, it rushed straight into the sky. At the same time, a powerful air wave burst out from Douman. Except for Kawaki, everyone bent their legs and covered their faces to resist the impact of this force. At the same time, the entire place began to shake violently. After a few seconds, the purple magic power on Douman slowly dissipated, and the airwaves gradually subsided. However, at this time, Seimei, who was facing Douman, and the people around him, discovered Douman had disappeared. Instead, there was a humanoid monster with a dark body, nearly ten meters tall, two horns on its head, and a ferocious face that was roaring loudly. ''Never forgive the ones who took everything from you! If you can never have what you want, destroy it all! Soak into darkness!'' Antenmaru continued to bewitch Douman. "Dou... Douman..." Looking at the monster in front of him, Seimei''s expression became slightly grave, "Did you channel yourself into a Shikigami?" "No," Gedoumaru, who crouching on the ground to hide behind Kawaki, said, "That is not a mere Shikigami. Seimei-sama, that man... Has allowed his hatred to drive him into summoning something terrible." Seimei looked at the monster that Douman transformed into in front of him, with a few drops of cold sweat on his face. "Don''t tell me.. that''s...?!" "The most evil of gods, sealed by the Ketsuno and Shirino clans a thousand years ago after a desperate fight. Antenmaru." Gedoumaru said slowly. "It''s actually Antenmaru!" Seimei looked at Antenmaru in front of him with a solemn expression, "The demon who almost destroyed the capital a thousand years ago... The strongest of the wrathful gods which was sealed by our predecessors, the Mikado, after many battles...Why is it here?!" "It was revived," Gedoumaru continued to explain, "That man was driven by negative feelings to seek power and dabbled in the forbidden arts. He''s awakened the slumbering Antenmaru and given his own body." "Hey, why are you talking near my ear?!" Kawaki turned his head and looked at Gedoumaru behind him with disdain, "You''re so noisy, stay away from me." After saying that, Kawaki reached out and grabbed the back of Gedoumaru''s collar and threw him to the side. However, Gedoumaru did not want to take a step away from Kawaki. In an instant, she hugged Kawaki''s arm tightly. "Sorry, Kawaki-sama. Please let me stay by your side! This time, I will keep quiet! I can''t handle things like Antenmaru!" Kawaki looked at Gedoumaru who was holding his arm tightly with an expressionless face. He said snappily, "Who cares about you! Let go of me! Be it Antenmaru or Sesshomaru, it has nothing to do with me! Hurry up and let go!" Chapter 490: No Conflict in the World Cannot Be Resolved by Sitting Down and Having a Good Talk. Chapter 490: No Conflict in the World Cannot Be Resolved by Sitting Down and Having a Good Talk. Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 490 No Conflict in the World Cannot Be Resolved by Sitting Down and Having a Good Talk. "Hmph..." Antenmaru snorted and laughed, "Descendant of Mikado, it is already too late! The guy I have possessed can''t hear any sound anymore! I..."Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com "Wait a moment!" Kawaki raised his hand to stop him. Then, he complained, "Isn''t your voice too loud? What''s going on? Don''t you know how big you are? Can you care about the feelings of others? Do you think you are a stereo? Keep your voice down!" "Ah, I''m sorry. I''ll change it now." Antenmaru hurriedly scratched his head and replied. Then, he cleared his throat and said in a very weak voice, "I laugh that a weakling consumed by darkness would ever think to control my power. However, his negative feelings served useful. I''ll gladly be taking them. And thus, Ketsuno and Shirino, the two despicable Mikado bloodlines..." "That, the voice is a little too soft," Seimei reminded, "I can''t hear what you''re talking about at all. Can it be a little louder?" "Yes, big guy," Kagura came to sit on Antenmaru''s shoulder at some point and patted Antenmaru''s head, "Your voice is too soft-aru. Are you a shy primary school student? Even I can''t hear you clearly." "Ah, I''m sorry, let me make it a few decibels louder." Antenmaru quickly continued, "Then, can you please stop patting my ears? My ears are very sensitive." "What''s going on?" Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and silently complained, "Is Kawaki-san that scary? Is that Antenmaru really that afraid of Kawaki-san?" "As far as I know, there is only one person in this world who can easily defeat Antenmaru..." As she spoke, Gedoumaru glanced at Kawaki who was at the side, "But now it seems that it should be two." "Really~" Kawaki sighed helplessly. Then, he turned around and said to the group of Shirino behind him, "Hey, the few of you, come with me and solve these two problematic ass. It has always been so annoying. I can''t think properly." (The Japanese pronunciations of Ketsu and Shiri both mean ass; arse; buttocks.) After saying that, Kawaki turned around and slowly walked toward Antenmaru. At the same time, the crowd of Shirino Onmyoji whispered to each other and carefully followed. Shinpachi, Gedoumaru, and Kuzunoha hurriedly followed. As for Gintoki, who was still lying on the ground, he was temporarily forgotten by everyone. "Hey, that... that big guy called whatmaru," Kawaki stopped in front of Antenmaru and raised his head to point at it, "That, you squat down first. You''re too high. I feel very uncomfortable raising my neck. And, put down that siscon first. It''s useless, and it''s quite hard to hold. " "But..." Antenmaru scratched its head. "Hurry up!" Kawaki dug his ears with his little finger and said impatiently, "Hurry up and finish your business. I still have to think about my own things. I''m bored to death by being here all the time." "He can''t run away anyway, so let''s put it down first..." As he spoke, Antenmaru gently placed Seimei on the floor. "Also, ex-husband, don''t sleep anymore. This time, I will definitely tell you the way to pursue that woman. If you continue to sleep, you will never be able to pursue that woman in your life." "Really?!" Douman''s surprised voice suddenly sounded. ''What''s going on?! This guy! He is still awake!'' Feeling that his body was a little out of control, Antenmaru thought of this. "Uh, although there is a method, whether or not you can succeed depends on yourself." Kawaki nodded and said, "In short, let''s talk about the method at the end. We should solve your problem first. That... big guy, come out of that ex-husband''s body first. If you do this, I can''t tell who is who is who. In fact, the contradictions in the world can be solved as long as you sit down and have a talk. Alright, hurry up." "I know, but this is the only way to make them understand." As he spoke, Kawaki knocked on the blackboard again and looked at Seimei and Douman, "In short, let''s first think about what happened a thousand years ago. Only by figuring it out can we find the conflict between your two families." As he spoke, a look of disdain appeared on Kawaki''s face. He turned his face away and spat in a low voice, "Really, such a stupid thing can allow the conflict to continue for a thousand years. It''s really idiotic to the point of being hopeless." "Hey, what did you just say? Are you insulting our ancestors?!" Douman said unhappily. "No, I didn''t say that." Kawaki shrugged, "I am just insulting the descendants of your two ancestors. A bunch of idiots who can even throw away the most basic ability to think independently." "You bastard!" "Sit down, idiot." Kawaki glanced coldly at Douman, then patted the blackboard again. He pointed to the word [Elder Brother] on the blackboard and asked everyone, "Starting from the story where the brother eloped with the Princess, do you think the elder brother did something wrong? Or does the elder brother here owe the younger brother?" "Of course! He clearly took away the younger brother''s woman!" A Shirino shouted. "You''re wrong!" Kawaki scolded angrily, "The story never said that this younger brother has ever said something like he likes the Princess. If he doesn''t tell others, who knows? Are you all idiots? Are your heads filled with mush?" "You''re right. Both the elder brother and the Princess did not know that the younger brother liked the Princess, so there is no mistake here." A Shirino nodded and said. "Moreover, the elder brother is in love with the Princess. In this case, it is reasonable for the two to elope." Another Shirino nodded and analyzed. "But why did I only feel that the younger brother was wronged when you heard this before?" A Shirino said to himself in confusion. "Because you are all one-track-minded idiots, idiots," Kawaki said with a look of disdain. Then he patted the words [Younger Brother] on the blackboard again, "Then the younger brother accepted the Emperor''s order to kill. This is regarded as his loyalty, so it doesn''t matter whether it''s right or wrong." "Later, because he became jealous after seeing the secluded happy life that his elder brother and the Princess lived, he killed them all, leaving only his nephew who was still waiting for food. Question, who is at fault here?" The crowd of Shirino silently turned their faces away. "Answer me!" "It''s the fault of jealousy." Seimei shook his head and slowly said. "Well, forget it. This answer is also correct." Kawaki gently glanced at Seimei and then said again, "After the younger brother returned to the capital, although he became a high-ranking official, he was swallowed by darkness until he transformed into Antenmaru. At this time, the Elder Brother''s son appeared and defeated Antenmaru. Is there anyone at fault here? Answer me! Is the Elder Brother''s son at fault?! Is he at fault for being emotional and rational?!" "Although that''s right... but..." A Shirino wanted to say something but stopped. "But your head!" Kawaki cursed angrily, "The Elder Brother''s son is not wrong in both emotion and reason. He avenges his parents with emotion, protects the country, and repels the devil with reason. Why did you put all the blame on the Elder Brother''s son? Why can you still hold grudges to this day? Is it because you''re stupid?" Chapter 491: There Is Actually a Big Gap Between Reality and Stories Chapter 491: There Is Actually a Big Gap Between Reality and Stories Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 491 There Is Actually a Big Gap Between Reality and Stories "But later, the younger brother was deprived of his surname and kicked out of the capital because of this incident!" a Shirino shouted angrily. "Hey, Douman, expel this guy from family," Kawaki looked at Douman and suggested, "This kind of person who only has paste left in his brain should be thrown away early. This one is completely useless. Let him drink two liters of soy sauce and let him die early." "You bastard!" This Shirino stood up and cursed. "Hey, listen to me when I''m talking. If you keep swearing like this, I''ll personally send you to that world, bastard." Kawaki glanced at the Shirino indifferently. "In short, looking at the whole incident, no one is at fault except the younger brother and Antenmaru, who lured the younger brother into darkness. In the end, the younger brother''s descendants even held a grudge because of a sh*tty reason that their status and surname were stripped away against the clan established by the elder brother''s son for a thousand years. Are you idiots?" "Indeed, looking at the whole incident, no one was wrong. The wrong one was the younger brother, who fell into darkness because of jealousy." Douman shook his head and sighed, "In the end, the Shirino family established by the younger brother''s descendants only remembered that they were deprived of their status and surname because of the actions of the elder brother''s son and ignored the right and wrong of the entire incident. In the end, there was no change. The only thing that the Shirino clan inherited was the jealousy of the younger brother..." As he spoke, Douman turned to look at the group of Shirino Onmyoji behind him and said sternly, "Just admit it! You... no, it''s our jealousy! The jealousy that you are not your brother''s son! The twisted jealousy that you are not the righteous party! Everyone should understand in their hearts, right?! Why can''t you face your own heart at this time?" Hearing this, the Shirino Onmyoji lowered their heads simultaneously, and no one said anything. "Why do I feel like you suddenly became enlightened?" Kawaki silently ridiculed. "Seimei, it has been too long." Douman looked at Seimei beside him, "A thousand years is really too long. Perhaps there is no better opportunity than now. The opportunity for Ketsuno and Shirino to gather together again. Do you remember Seimei? When we were young, we made a promise. The time when Ketsuno and Shirino became friends..." "Douman..." Seimei seemed to still not believe that these words came from Douman''s mouth, and unconsciously opened his eyes and looked at Douman blankly. "And then..." Douman suddenly looked at Kawaki with excitement, "The matter between our two families has been resolved. Can you tell me now? How to get back together with Crystel and how to get closer to each other!" "This person is incredible," Kawaki pointed at Douman and looked at Kagura and Gedoumaru, "Those words he just said were all for women." "Ahem, Student Douman, don''t worry about that." Kawaki cleared his throat and looked at Douman again, "I already find you two excellent love teachers." "Where?" Douman seemed to be excited, "Where is the teacher?" "Don''t worry, I''ve already contacted them. They''ll be here in a while." Kawaki said, waving his hand, "Two teachers who are very persistent in love." "That..." A Shirino suddenly raised his hand and said weakly, "I still have some objections." "Ah, go ahead." Kawaki nodded and gestured for him to continue. "From the very beginning, the two brothers just wanted to have a chance to show off their skills in front of the Emperor. They were just passing by travelers? If they were really travelers, they could just leave directly after being dismissed..." Kawaki continued calmly, "Perhaps that rain could be considered troublesome to go shopping for the nobles who did not lack food and clothing in the capital, but for the people of the lower class around them, it was as important as their lives. Do you want to know the number of farmers who starved to death around the capital after the rain stopped? If you want to know, I can tell you. But I think you who only care about status will not feel any heartache even if you hear the number of ordinary people..." "Nonsense! It''s impossible! Antenmaru is evil! The continuous rain has put the people of the capital in dire straits!" A Shirino explained angrily, "He is evil! Our ancestors are not wrong!" "It''s just continuously raining, and you''re already in dire straits. Now I really doubt that you are in so much pain that you want to commit suicide in the rainy season every year." Kawaki continued, "Finally, it may be inappropriate for me to say this, but aren''t those who can move clouds and make rain generally gods?" "Indeed, the ability to move clouds and make rain are usually only gods." Seimei nodded and analyzed, then looked at Antenmaru, "So, Antenmaru...could he have become a god? Just like that existence..." "Who knows," Kawaki shrugged, "But all I know is that he also fell into darkness because of his hatred for your ancestors after that. He even forgot who he was. He only remembered... hatred." "It turned out to be like this..." Shinpachi stared blankly at Antenmaru, who was still crying and covering his face. His face was full of disbelief. "So, now that things have come to this, do you still think it is Antenmaru''s fault?" Kawaki glanced at the group of Shirino Onmyoji. The group of Shirino Onmyoji lowered their heads and did not speak. "Wait, there''s still one last thing," Douman pointed the fan in his hand at Kawaki, "Why do you know this kind of thing that even our two families don''t know about?" Kawaki was suddenly stunned and murmured, "Yes, why do I know... Why do I remember this story... Who, who told me..." "Little uncle?" Kagura tugged at the corner of Kawaki''s clothes and called out. "Who... who is it?" Kawaki crossed his arms over his chest and bit his nails with his eyes closed. Beads of cold sweat dripped down his face, "Who told me this story? Who? There was obviously someone. He... No, it was her. Who is she? Her name is..." Suddenly, Kawaki opened his eyes and knocked with his hand, "I... remember! Kyu..." Before Kawaki could finish speaking, a woman emitting a golden light suddenly appeared in front of him. At this time, she was looking at Kawaki with tears. It was... Pandemonium''s delivery girl! "You... finally remembered me..." "You... Who are you?" Kawaki narrowed his eyes and said expressionlessly. Chapter 492: No Regrets Is the Real Regret! Chapter 492: No Regrets Is the Real Regret! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 492 No Regrets Is the Real Regret! In an instant, the faint tears at the corner of the woman''s eyes disappeared, and the veins on her forehead throbbed. "Didn''t you already remember? You even said Kyu..." The woman seemed to be unwilling to give up, "I... just want to know your evaluation. How does the wine I poured for you taste..." "I just remembered that I have to get to Akihabara before nine o''clock because, at nine o''clock, there is a game that I have been paying attention to for a long time." Kawaki narrowed his eyes and explained. Then he waved his hand and said with disdain, "Who are you? How come you can talk to people you don''t know so well?" (Note: Kyu? means Nine.) "Now, I know for sure that I am a fool for having expectations for a man like you..." The woman said with a fake smile. Then, she gently raised her hand toward Kawaki. Although her hand did not touch Kawaki, it was only momentarily. Kawaki was directly sent flying dozens of meters away. Then, there was a loud boom mixed with Kawaki''s scream. The entire wall of the hall was smashed into pieces by the impact. "Little uncle!" Kagura shouted and rushed in the direction where Kawaki flew. "Really. I''m really an idiot. I actually have a crush on this kind of man." The woman let out a self-deprecating sigh. Then, she raised her head and slowly flew. She then slowly disappeared in the golden light. However, just as the golden light was about to disappear, the woman''s last voice came out. "Doing soft things with that man can allow you to ascend to Takamagahara!" "Seimei... that is... Could that be...!!" Douman looked at Seimei in disbelief. "Ah, that''s right." Seimei looked at the spot where the woman had just disappeared and said softly, "That is... a god that only exists in illusory legends. Douman, after this, we can prepare a new shrine at home." ''Finally... You can finally go to Takamagahara without any burden. Kyu-sama...'' Seimei thought in his mind. Then, he glanced at Kawaki, whose chest was being pressed by Kagura to revive his heart. He shook his head and smiled helplessly. "That Shikigami... actually became a god!" There seemed to be only shock left on Douman''s face, "She really ascended to Takamagahara. Oh my God, this kind of thing actually happened in front of me!" "She... is not a Shikigami," Seimei shook his head, "If you insist, she should be a spirit. A spirit born from heaven and earth with nine tails and a pair of fox ears. No one knows how long she has lived. She is destined to become a god..." "Seimei-sama, is what Kyu-sama just said true?" Gedoumaru hugged a quilt and looked at Kawaki, who was still in a coma in the distance with saliva dripping from her mouth, "Can that method really allow a Shikigami to ascend to Takamagahara and become the kind of god who has a shrine and can be respected and worshiped by others?" "Seimei-sama, did Kyu-sama ascend to Takamagahara because she did that kind of thing with that man?" Kuzunoha, who was also holding a quilt and drooling as she looked at Kawaki, murmured. Thinking of something, Seimei gently raised the corner of his mouth. Then he cleared his throat, turned his back, and said, "Maybe it is really possible. It was said by Kyu-sama, who ascended to Takamagahara." Hearing this, Gedoumaru and Kuzunoha did not hesitate to hold the bedding in their hands and rush to Kawaki. Seimei raised his head and looked into the air, then turned his head to look at Antenmaru, who had just stopped crying and no longer seemed to have any resentment on his face. "Douman." Seimei shouted at Douman, "Our mission is not over yet." Boom!! After a loud noise, Gedoumaru and Kuzunoha turned into afros. At the same time, the two of them found that Kawaki, who was in front of the two of them... had disappeared. At this time, Gintoki woke up. After feeling the two familiar and somewhat unfamiliar golden balls in his body, Gintoki patted his chest and said with some joy, "Great, great, It''s back. My balls... ah? Wait, what?" Before he finished speaking, Gintoki suddenly realized something. He stood up and hugged his head. He shouted with a collapsed voice, "What are these two basketballs?" "What balls?" Kagura replied expressionlessly while digging his nose. "That''s right. What balls?" Shinpachi squinted his eyes and echoed. "I don''t remember having a basketball! It should be the size of a ping-pong ball!" Gintoki shouted with spittle flying, "Is my tama okay?! It feels like it''s going to burst!" "Isn''t it pretty good-aru? There''s no difference between table tennis and basketball," Kagura said casually. "How is that possible!!!" ... The next day at noon, at Ketsuno''s house. Shinpachi looked at the Shikigami and Onmyoji from the two families who were repairing the damaged house and couldn''t help but sigh. "So powerful. They actually managed to repair the house to such a degree unknowingly." "This is a big project for both the practitioners and the Shikigami." Seimei, who was sitting cross-legged at the door with a bandage on his head, looked at the "tragic scene" in front of him and said, "Kyu-sama actually used so much force. It is already a miracle that the two family residences were not razed to the ground." "Speaking of which... who is this Kyu-sama? It seems that she has a relationship with Kawaki-san." Shinpachi asked doubtfully, "And I heard you talking about God and Takamagahara yesterday." "Indeed, since yesterday, we should have called her God." Seimei nodded and then looked up at the clear sky in the distance, "The new shrine is also ready." "You haven''t told the story between her and Kawaki-san, Seimei-san." "How could I know that?" Seimei shook his head lightly, "However, the only thing I know is that because of Kyu-sama''s reluctance to leave that man, it took so many years for him to ascend to Takamagahara. No one knows whether it is because of regret or not. All they knew was that even at the last moment, Kyu-sama still did not hear what she wanted to hear from that man. It was just a simple evaluation. However, it was also thanks to this that Kyu-sama was able to ascend to Takamagahara and become one of the gods without any nostalgia. That''s it. All in all, the results are pretty good." "Hey, let''s go. You two." Gintoki''s voice came from the side. "Gin-san''s balls have already recovered." Shinpachi glanced at Gintoki''s lower part. "Really, you just install that kind of thing for others." Speaking of that matter, Gintoki gritted his teeth with hatred, "Not only did it have to be removed, but it also had to be restored. It has tormented me for a whole night. That bastard!" "We''re going, siscon." With that, Kagura stood up and walked toward Gintoki. "Seimei-san, goodbye." Shinpachi followed her and at the same time said his goodbye. Chapter 493: Specialization in the Art Industry Chapter 493: Specialization in the Art Industry Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 493 Specialization in the Art Industry "Are you leaving now?" Seimei got up and asked them to stay, "There is also a grand banquet waiting for us to celebrate. If you can, call that man over. No... he should be called the common benefactor of our two families now. Thanks to him, our two families can finally relinquish our past grudges and free ourselves from the incomplete story a thousand years ago." "No need." Gintoki waved his hand, turned around, and walked toward the door, "As long as I can see Ana Ketsuno''s smile on the TV, I will be satisfied." "Really, you''re quite good at saying beautiful things." Seimei shook his head and smiled helplessly, "If Crystel heard it, maybe the two of them really could..." "Well, Shinpachi and Gin-chan, you guys can go first-aru!" Kagura looked at Shinpachi and Gintoki, who were about to walk to the door, and said seriously, "I want to stay here and attend the party in place of my little uncle-aru! Since my little uncle is not here, I, a direct relative, can only attend-aru!" "Hey, if you don''t keep up, this month''s salary will be deducted." Gintoki''s lazy voice came. "Bastard! How dare you threaten me with my salary!" Instantly, Kagura rushed forward angrily, "Have you ever paid-aru? How many months have you owed?!" "Your salary should be already in your hands a this time, but in the end, all was lost because of that bastard uncle of yours." Gintoki dug his nose and explained in a casual tone. "Hey, it has nothing to do with Kawaki-san, right?" Shinpachi complained, "You lost all of it, right?" Behind them, Seimei looked at the backs of the three people and listened to their noise. He smiled and shook his head with some emotion. Then he stood up and returned to the room. Seimei stopped in front of the two newly made kamidana in the corner of the room. He picked up two incense sticks from the table and cast a small flame spell. After that, he respectfully inserted them into the incense burner before the kamidana. (Kamidana, (Japanese: "god-shelf"), in the Shinto? religion of Japan, a miniature shrine, the centre of daily worship in a household or a shop. The kamidana usually consists of a small cupboard or shelf on which are displayed articles of veneration and daily offerings.) It was worth mentioning that on the two kamidanas, one had "Kyu" written while the other had the words "Ame". ... What Gintoki and the other two did not know was that not long after the three of them left, the two love teachers Kawaki talked about came to the door of Shirino''s residence together. After the two of them greeted each other, Douman welcomed them in with great hospitality and respect. By the way, these two people were a man and a woman. The man was very similar to a gorilla. The woman was dressed like a ninja. She had a light purple long hair and a red framed glasses on her face. ... In the guest room of Shirino. "Bastard!" After listening to the emotional experience between Douman and Crystel, Kondo stood up, cursed, and then directly threw a hook at Douman. "AH!" Douman cried out in pain and spat out a mouthful of blood. He was directly smashed several meters away and fell heavily on the floor. As he spoke, Kondo cupped his hands and looked at Douman again, "It doesn''t matter if you have doubts. Just open one and try it out for yourself. Falling in love is not a child''s plaything. You can''t rush it. Now, do as I say." "Y-Yes." Only then did Douman agree. ... On the other side, the Yorozuya trio led by Gintoki were on their way home. "But speaking of it, everyone is really happy with the result this time." Shinpachi suddenly smiled and said, "The normal weather has returned, and Ana Ketsuno''s dismissal crisis can also be over. The thousand-year grudge between the Ketsuno and Shirino has also ended, and even Antenmaru has returned to normal. And the goddess called Kyu has also successfully ascended to Takamagahara." "Indeed." Gintoki raised his head and looked at the sky. His expression seemed a little emotional, and he whispered softly, "Only he can do things to this extent." "Gin-san, what did you say?" Shinpachi asked doubtfully. "No, it''s nothing," Gintoki replied casually. "But you can''t say that you have no regrets. That goddess..." Shinpachi thought of something and said with some emotion, "Although I don''t know what happened between her and Kawaki-san, she waited for so many years to hear Kawaki-san''s evaluation. However, in the end, she didn''t hear a simple evaluation from Kawaki-san. I don''t know how to evaluate Kawaki-san this time; I feel he was a little heartless..." "So, didn''t I say it?" Gintoki curled the corners of his mouth and casually replied, "He''s just a scumbag, a woman from the past? How can that bastard remember it clearly?" "But little uncle is very hardworking-aru," said Kagura. "He ate and vomited after eating, then repeated it without stopping." As she spoke, Kagura recalled the scene of Kawaki vomiting and eating Pandemonium without stopping for even a moment. "No. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit." Kagura covered her mouth and said with a head full of black lines. "But..." Gintoki sighed and continued, "That guy is indeed a scumbag, but he has never let a woman cry, even once." "Eh?! Really?!" Shinpachi looked at Gintoki in disbelief. "Yeah, I have never seen a woman cry for him." "Then... in that case..." Shinpachi suddenly thought of something, "Kawaki-san didn''t want to see the tears of that goddess..." "Who knows?" Gintoki answered casually. "No, I cried for my little uncle-aru!" Kagura raised his hand and reminded him, "During the Benizakura Arc-aru!" "That''s only because you are an idiot." "Who''s an idiot! You naturally wavy hair idiot!" Kagura instantly exploded and pounced on Gintoki''s back. With a fierce face, she opened her mouth and bit Gintoki''s head. "AHHH!!!" Gintoki screamed and then roared, "What are you doing?! My head is about to be bitten by you! Are you a dog?! Did you learn from Sadaharu? No, Sadaharu learned it from you, right?" Chapter 494: Onmyoji Arc, Finished! Chapter 494: Onmyoji Arc, Finished! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 494 Onmyoji Arc, Finished! "Die! Naturally wavy hair!" Kagura did not intend to let go and continued to bite Gintoki''s head. "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Stop it!" Gintoki kept shaking Kagura, but it didn''t work at all, "Blood is coming out!" "Stop messing around, Kagura-chan." Shinpachi smiled helplessly, "The woman Gin-san mentioned doesn''t include Kagura-chan." "Bastard! Virgin glasses!" Kagura jumped onto Shinpachi''s shoulder. She opened her mouth and bit down on Shinpachi''s head, then she mumbled, "This time you scolded me for not even being a woman-aru?! Die, die, die!" "Who is a virgin glasses?! Let go of your mouth! You stinky woman!" Shinpachi roared angrily, "The woman we are talking about is another kind of woman! Just like Miss Sapphee, who restored our body during the Screwdriver arc! Besides, aren''t you Kawaki-san''s niece?! You are just Kawaki-san''s family!" "Eh? Is that so-aru?" Only then did Kagura let go of her mouth. She raised her head and looked at Gintoki, whose head was still bleeding. "What do you think?!" Gintoki roared. ... At the same time, Yoshiwara, Kawaki''s room. It was very rare that today, Kawaki did not stay in front of the computer to play games as usual. Of course, there was a reason why. Tsukuyo had yet to approve the budget for the new equipment. Kawaki leaned against the living room window and looked up at the clear sky with a smile on his face. On the window sill was an empty wine glass and a bottle of white wine with the cap unscrewed. "Brother Kawaki, Mom asked me to..." Seita pushed open the door and came in, but before he could say anything, he suddenly saw a new object in Kawaki''s room - a shrine placed in the corner of the living room, "Brother Kawaki, is there such a thing in your room? Why did I not see it before?" "There are many things in an adult''s room that children don''t discover," Kawaki answered casually. "But I really don''t have any impression of it. It''s just like it was recently put there." As he spoke, Seita came to the shrine and carefully sized up the golden statue in it, "But then again, what kind of god is this? A little fox god with nine tails?" "Who knows? Everyone says that Takamagahara has eight million gods. Who can tell who is who?" Kawaki answered without looking back, "But maybe this one is a little different." "It''s really rare. Brother Kawaki actually believes in these superstitious things." Seita asked in surprise, "But then again, can I worship this god? Will it give me a passing grade on the final semester test?" "Probably not," Kawaki shrugged, "It''s probably just going to make weird bugs appear in your lunch. It''s better to memorize your multiplication tables than to do this kind of thing." "I have memorized it completely!" Seita quickly patted his chest and replied, "This time, my mother asked me to come to you to recite the multiplication table! Please listen carefully! It will definitely surprise you!" "Sorry, I don''t have time to listen to you recite that kind of thing now. Next time." Kawaki lowered his head and glanced at the wine glass that had been filled for some reason. The corners of his mouth gently raised, and then he picked up the wine glass and drank it in one gulp. After carefully thinking about it, Kawaki revealed a look of disgust and looked at the empty wine glass in his hand. "As always... it''s hard to swallow." "Isn''t that just a pure scumbag?!" "Didn''t I say it before?" Gintoki waved his hand and continued without looking back, "That guy is just a pure scumbag." "But, even if he is a scumbag, little uncle worked very hard yesterday." "My Pandemonium-san!" Shinpachi, who thought of something, hugged his head and shouted sadly. "_( ??` )Blargh..." Thinking of the scene where Shinpachi hugged the Pandemonion and exchanged love words, Kagura could not help but lower her head and directly vomit. "Hey! It''s so disgusting! You bastard!" Gintoki instantly jumped onto the sofa, pinched his nose and shouted with black lines on his head. "Ah, sorry," Kagura wiped the saliva from the corner of her mouth, "I accidentally thought of something very disgusting. I really can''t help it-aru. If you want to blame someone, blame Shinpachi-aru." "It''s too disgusting. It makes me want to vomit..." As he said that, Gintoki suddenly felt a burst of nausea. He lowered his head and also vomited, "_( ??` )Blargh..." "Hey! What are you two doing? What are you two doing when others were stuck in beautiful memories?!" Shinpachi shouted angrily with veins popping out, but he couldn''t hold back when he just finished speaking. "I also... _( ??` )Blargh..." "You two made me want to vomit again-aru... _( ??` )Blargh..." ... A week later, Yoshiwara. "That, Kawaki-san..." Shinpachi pushed up his glasses and asked Kawaki, still immersed in the game, "Excuse me, what did you do to Ana Ketsuno''s ex-husband? Why did he completely become a persistent stalker? Ana Ketsuno came to Yorozuya again to complain. She said she could see her ex-husband hiding near her recently and even showed infatuation when she beat him. The degree of stalking and infatuation was comparable to that of a gorilla and a masochistic ninja. Gin-san was so angry that he wanted to kill you... "It''s not a stalker!" Douman''s voice suddenly came from the door of Kawaki, "It''s the love hunter! No, that''s wrong; it''s Crystel''s love hunter." "I feel that this person has completely transformed into a gorilla. There is no longer any difference between that gorilla-stalker. What exactly happened?" "I came here to thank you," Douman came to Kawaki''s side and bowed deeply to him, "Thanks to the two love masters you found for me, I finally understood how stupid I was in love before. Thanks to the careful guidance of the two masters, I can now have intimate physical contact with Crystel every day(he was kicked away). I can feel that Crystel and I are becoming increasingly inseparable!" "Ah, keep up the good work." Kawaki, who had just finished a game, turned his head and casually said to Douman. "Then goodbye. Crystel still has a live broadcast later. Watching the live broadcast is much better than watching it on the DVD recorded. Of course, people like Seimei wouldn''t understand. After all, the experience gap is too big. I won this round. Ahhahahaha..." Looking at Douman, who was laughing while leaving, Shinpachi twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at Kawaki, "Kawaki-san, what''s going on with the two love masters? Could it be that they are that gorilla and the natto-masochistic woman?" "The teaching is excellent, right?" Kawaki squinted his eyes. "Excellent, my ass!!!!" (Onmyoji arc, finished.) Chapter 495: To Some People, the Term ‘Sister’ Sounded Romantic! Chapter 495: To Some People, the Term Sister Sounded Romantic! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 495 To Some People, the Term ''Big Sister'' Sounded Romantic! Yoshiwara. "No, it''s a birthday present from Mommy-aru." Kagura narrowed her eyes, picked her nose with her left thumb, and reached out her right hand to Kawaki, sitting on the ground. Looking at the gift box in Kagura''s hand that had obviously been opened more than once and was still in tatters, Kawaki said expressionlessly, "Hey, isn''t it a little different?" Then, Kawaki took out a communicator from his bosom, showed a photo of an exquisite gift box, and continued, "It should be like this, right? Sister Kouka has already sent me a message in advance." "There is no different-aru," Kagura said calmly, "Although the packaging looks tattered, it may have become like this due to bumps on the spacecraft. It''s definitely not something because I want to open it out of curiosity, and it''s definitely not accidentally run over by a large truck when delivering it here! And don''t worry, the clothes inside are just a little stained and tattered. Just a little stitch would be enough-aru!" "You just told me everything that happened!" Kawaki shouted angrily, but just as he finished speaking, Kawaki suddenly reacted, "Are they filled with clothes?" "Ah, it''s a changshan(the male equivalent of the women''s cheongsam) made by Mommy herself-aru." Kagura casually replied, "Anyway, little uncle would not wear this kind of thing. After all, he had been wearing a kimono from the moment he appeared. You definitely would not want to wear this kind of thing-aru. So it doesn''t matter even if it is broken." "Indeed..." Kawaki took the gift box from Kagura and nodded subconsciously. Then, he suddenly reacted, "Hey, don''t think of using this reason to escape the crime! It''s my freedom to wear whatever clothes I want, but don''t think about escaping the responsibility of ruining these clothes!" "Tsk, it''s not needed anyway~"Kagura spat and spread out her hands, saying indifferently, "Moreover, little uncle is almost thirty years old. There is no need for birthday gifts or anything like that." "Kagura, your pocket money for next month will be halved." Kawaki glanced at Kagura indifferently. "I don''t want-aru!" Kagura instantly expressed her dissatisfaction. Both of her hands held Kawaki''s shoulders. She thought she was acting spoiled, but in fact, she used a lot of strength to shake him. She cried, "You can''t just deduct my pocket money for such reason-aru. Pocket money is the most important thing for a little girt this age! I don''t get much salary. If I don''t have any pocket money, I will definitely die-aru! No! Absolutely not! I can''t lose even a penny-aru!" "If you keep shaking, I might die... Kagura..." Kawaki reminded, "If I die, you won''t have any pocket money from now on..." "Little uncle~" Kagura instantly changed her method to covering her eyes and sobbing. "Even if you put up this kind of acting, it''s useless to me." Kawaki waved his hand and said casually, "I have long been immune to your tears." "Tsk!" "Hey, if you tsk again, you won''t have any pocket money for the next month." Kawaki revealed a look of disdain, but then he suddenly thought of something and secretly curled his lips, "Well, that''s what I say, but if you can remember what I say next, I can double your pocket money next month~."Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com "Really-aru?!" Kagura was surprised. "Yes, really." Kawaki nodded and cleared his throat. At the same time, he revealed a tender expression as he slowly explained, "Kagura, I''m sorry. I have never told you the truth. However, it might be the time to tell you the truth now! That''s right! Your real father is not that baldy, but..." Before Kawaki could finish speaking, Kawaki''s forehead was stabbed by a Kunai. Along with the sound of gushing blood, Kawaki rolled his eyes and fell straight down into a pool of blood. "Tsukki!" Kagura looked in the direction of the door and shouted in surprise. Tsukuyo nodded slightly in response. Then, she looked at Kawaki, who was still twitching on the ground, with disdain. She faintly reminded, "Don''t casually instill that kind of fabricated relationship in children." "What fabricated?" The resurrected Kawaki pulled out the Kunai on his forehead and stood up. Then he angrily retorted, "Just wait until that baldy gets divorced! I will be Kagura''s next father!" "Kawaki!" Katsura''s voice suddenly came from the side, "I didn''t expect...I didn''t expect that you had the same hobby as me! I''m really touched! We have known each other for so many years, why haven''t you told me? Wouldn''t it be better if you said this kind of thing earlier? You also like NTR and so on..." "No, little uncle is just a sis-con-aru." Kagura squinted her eyes and reminded. Looking at Katsura, standing outside the window and unable to stop crying, Kawaki said expressionlessly, "Who has the same hobby as you? And why can you come out so naturally at this time? Why are you still wearing women''s clothing? There are too many places to retort, right?" "I just..." "That''s enough!" Kawaki raised his hand to stop him, "Don''t say anymore! I don''t want to hear it at all!" After saying that, Kawaki did not give Katsura a chance to speak again. He raised his hand and coughed. Two Hyakka members instantly appeared on both sides of Katsura. They picked up Katsura''s arm skillfully and then instantly disappeared together with Katsura. "You don''t want to wear it anyway. So what if it''s damage..." One of the Hyakka said indifferently. Then, she smiled and greeted Kawaki, "We''re going to patrol. Goodbye, Kawaki-sama." "Oh... oh..." Kawaki lowered his head and replied, "Do your best..." ... "How can I repair it? Someone must be able to repair it!" Kawaki locked the door and window. Then he took out his mobile phone and started searching for the correct sewing method, constantly learning. Finally, after a whole day of hard work and pricking his fingers countless times, Kawaki successfully repaired the light cyan changshan. If you ignore the blood stains on the dress, the repairs look decent. However, even if the repair was completed, Kawaki faced a new problem: whether he should try it on or not. ''Now that everyone is gone and no one can see it, there is no problem in simply trying it on, right?'' Kawaki looked at the light cyan changshan hanging on the wall before him. He pinched his chin and thought to himself, ''Of course, it''s not that I want to try it on myself. I feel that I can''t disappoint Sister Kouka. It''s fine to try it when no one else, right?'' After convincing himself in his heart, Kawaki slowly took off the kimono on his body and swallowed his saliva. Then he tried to reach out to the light cyan changshan before him. "Hey, dinner is ready..." Tsukuyo''s voice came from the door, along with the sound of the door being opened. Shocked, Kawaki looked at Tsukuyo, who was at the door, and hurriedly explained, "That''s not what you think! I definitely didn''t want to wear this changshan! I just simply felt hot! I just felt that I didn''t need to wear a kimono in my room!" "Well, whatever you want. Come out and eat." ... Dinner time. Kawaki secretly observed Tsukuyo''s reaction while eating the food in his bowl. When he saw that Tsukuyo was acting as usual, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. ''Alright! It seems that I haven''t been suspected! As expected of me, my acting skills are flawless!'' "Um, Brother Kawaki..." Seita suddenly asked, "You kept glancing at Sister Tsukuyo from time to time. What happened to the two of you?" "No, no, no! Nothing!" Kawaki quickly replied. Hearing this, Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki indifferently. After dinner, Kawaki slipped back to his room without any hesitation. After locking the door, he came to the wall in the living room with the light cyan changshan hanging on it without any hesitation. Without thinking, Kawaki took off his kimono and reached out to take the changshan off. However, before he could try it on, the voice of the hemorrhoid ninja suddenly sounded behind him. "Hey, do you want to wear that?" "Why are you here?" Kawaki staggered and turned around to complain to Zenzou. "Ah, I was just passing by and wanted to borrow the toilet." Zenzou replied honestly, "But then again, do you really want to wear that kind of thing? No matter how you look at it, it doesn''t suit you, right? And it''s too dirty, right? There seems to be blood on it..." "How... how is this possible? Hahaha..." Kawaki rubbed his head and laughed, "I just want to take this dress run over by the big truck and dyed red with blood...yes... take it... take it away, ahahaha..." "Ah, so it''s like that." Zenzou suddenly covered his stomach as he spoke, revealing a painful expression, "Can I borrow the toilet? I can''t help it anymore..." "Ah, feel free to use it..." Chapter 497: Some Nouns Can Be Used as Adjectives! Chapter 497: Some Nouns Can Be Used as Adjectives! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 497 Some Nouns Can Be Used as Adjectives! Looking at the text message editing page on the communicator in his hand, a full ten minutes had passed, and Kawaki still hadn''t figured out what kind of text message he should edit and send. Kawaki smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly and shook his head gently. Finally, he put the communicator back in his bosom, and leaned on the bench with his face up and his hands on his pillow. What Kawaki didn''t know was that at the corner of the corridor only a few meters away from the emergency room, Tsukuyo was quietly leaning against the wall with her hands folded. "Well, you''re the patient''s boyfriend, right?" The plump head nurse walked out of the emergency room and said to Kawaki. "Hey, keep talking nonsense and I''ll make you into roasted pork belly." Kawaki stood up and reminded her expressionlessly. "Anyway, your love... no, your friend is out of danger and can be transferred to the general ward now." The head nurse warned, "Try not to insert... no, stimulate his anus again in the future." "Hey, I told you we do not have that kind of relationship!" Kawaki suddenly had veins on his face and shouted angrily, "He''s just constipated! He was so constipated that he stayed in the toilet for four hours! I just lent him my toilet!"Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com "Well, in short, if he is constipated, remember to let him eat more bananas. Maybe lubricate him in advance..." "Wait a minute, what do you mean by lubricating it in advance? What does it mean? In the end, do you still think we have that kind of relationship? Do you want to die? Fat woman? Huh? Do you want me to make roasted pork belly and feed it to stray cats? Huh?" ... At seven o''clock in the morning, it was completely dawn, and Zenzou, who was lying on the bed in a hospital gown after being transferred to the ward, slowly woke up. "Hey, it seems you are very lucky. You didn''t die from excessive blood loss." Kawaki, who was sitting on a chair and flipping through a Jump magazine, said without raising his head. "It''s just a little bit close," Zenzou curled his lips, "I even saw my dead father waving to me from across the river. If I didn''t dislike him too much, I might have passed." "Isn''t it good to pass?" Kawaki replied casually while looking at the Jump magazine in his hand, "You can reunite with your dead father. And this way of death feels unexpectedly suitable for you. Constipation causes hemorrhoids. Died of excruciating pain and excessive blood loss. It sounds like this is not a way for ordinary people to die, and only an elite ninja like you from Oniwabanshuu is worthy of it." "Indeed," Zenzou couldn''t help but smile, "It sounds like a way to die that will be remembered for a lifetime. Although it does not seem like a ninja''s way of death, if it really comes to the end of life, on that day, I really hope that my life will end in this way." "Really?" Kawaki responded casually, still lowering his head and looking at the Jump magazine in his hand, "If that''s the case, I will probably laugh out loud at the funeral. Is it okay?" "Please hold it back for me, because I''m afraid I can''t help but laugh with you. In the end, I will be very embarrassed if the funeral is ruined because I frightened the guests." "I''m sorry, I will not be able to hold it. If you don''t want me to laugh at your funeral, you should not invite me. But I think it''s unlikely because there are not many opportunities to laugh at you in a lifetime. I won''t let it go so easily." With that said, Kawaki threw the Jump magazine in his hand toward Zenzou and stood up, "If you want to avoid embarrassing yourself, just eat a few bananas on the bedside every day. Also, I haven''t read the last page yet. Remember to return it to me after you finish it." "What a strange person." Zenzou sat up, opened the Jump magazine in his hand, and slightly curled his lips, "How can someone lend their comics to others without reading the last page? This is the first time I have seen such a person." Kawaki did not reply, but stood at the door of the ward and gently raised his hand behind him in response, then started to leave without looking back. ... A few days later, Yorozuya. "Little uncle is so weird lately-aru." Kagura sat cross-legged on the sofa with her hands folded and her eyes closed, her expression slightly solemn. "Isn''t it because of another scam?" Shinpachi, who was cleaning the house with a vacuum cleaner wearing a turban, said without raising his head, "Let me explain in advance, if you do that kind of thing a second time, it will make the readers annoyed. Yes, the number of readers who were originally few will become fewer and fewer." Puchi! (Sound of kunai stabbing) "Hey! What kind of celebration is this!" Kawaki pulled out the kunai on his head, sat up, and shouted angrily, "What kind of celebration involves blood so early in the morning?!" But just after he finished speaking, Kawaki suddenly noticed something. He looked at Tsukuyo, who was wearing a black cheongsam embroidered with maple leaves, the same style as the previous yukata, "Huh? Tsukki, your clothes..." "Kawaki-sama!" A group of Hyakka members who were also wearing cheongsam opened the room door and walked in, "Today is CHINA Dress Day! Get up quickly and go on a date with us!" "CHINA Dress Day?" Kawaki made a confused sound. "Didn''t you say you can drink as much as you want on CHINA Dress Day?" Gintoki, wearing a changshan with the same design as his original kimono, came over and stood at Kawaki''s door with his little finger picking his nostrils and staring at the dead fish eyes and said, "That''s why I came here wearing such shameful clothes." Having said that, Gintoki''s right side is still exposed. "Little Uncle! Get up quickly-Aru!" Kagura, who didn''t know when she coming, pointed at Kawaki with an umbrella, put her hands on her hips, and shouted with a serious face, "The festival has begun-aru!" "Kawaki-san, you are the only one missing." Shinpachi, who was also wearing a blue and white changshan, pointed to Hinowa, who was sitting in a wheelchair wearing a cheongsam, and behind her were Otae, Seita, Kyubei, Elizabeth, Sacchan, Sogo, and others who were also wearing Chinese clothes. "You..." Kawaki opened his eyes unconsciously. "I haven''t read the last page either." Zenzou, who was wearing a blue changshan, leaned against the window, raised his hand, and threw the Jump magazine in his hand toward Kawaki, "Although it''s a bit regretful that I can''t see the ending, it''s an unexpected fascinating feeling." "You..." "Hurry up." Tsukuyo threw the washed light green changshan that Kawaki had stuffed into the cabinet when he came back from the hospital toward Kawaki. "Well...although I am indeed a little touched, but...don''t you think it''s a little bit embarrassing?" Kawaki looked at the changshan in his hand and murmured, "Are you going to watch me change my clothes?" ... "Sister Kouka, I tried on the clothes, and although they fit me well, I still like to wear the clothes I''m used to. But it''s not bad to wear it once in a while, and it''s good to wear it once a year with everyone. Attached jpg." The attached photo is a group photo of Kawaki and others having fun at the cocktail party on the evening of [CHINA Dress Day]. ... One day, Yoshiwara. "Little Uncle, isn''t your birthday on October 9th-Aru?" Kagura asked. "Ah, that should be it," Kawaki responded casually. "Should?" "I don''t know the specific date, I just happen to remember that day deeply." "Why?" "Because that day I met your mother, and... a bald man." (Kawaki''s birthday arc, end) Chapter 498: In Fact, for Some People, Every Day Is Like Christmas! Chapter 498: In Fact, for Some People, Every Day Is Like Christmas! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 498 In Fact, for Some People, Every Day Is Like Christmas! On Christmas night, the Earth Terminal (Space Terminal Station) welcomed a bald man who only appeared three times in the 500 or so chapter - Umibozou, real name Kankou. He was currently wearing a Santa Claus costume, a fake beard on his chin, carrying a big gift bag, and his eyes were full of seriousness. As for why he was dressed like this and why he left his wife alone and came to Earth at this point in time, we have to start talking about it from the past few days. A few days ago, Planet Kouan. "Kouka, can... can you show me that?" Looking at Kouka, who was sitting on the bed and quickly editing a text message, Umibozou gave a tentative shout, and then turned his face away slightly, pretending not to care at all, "Ahem, um, let me explain in advance, I''m not curious about what you two, mother and daughter, talked about. I just think that occasionally I should care about my daughter. After all, she is alone on a remote planet with such an unreliable uncle and might be led astray or something..." ''Why do you only chat with your mother? You chatted with your mother until late at night every day and exchanged so many text messages, but Papi couldn''t even receive an ordinary letter...'' Umibozou said bitterly in his mind, ''Don''t you like your Papi, Kagura-chan? Wasn''t this the case when you were little? You want to kiss, hug, and hold high every time, right? Why do you become like this when you grow up? Is it because of puberty? Is it because you hate your dad with thick hair when you hit puberty?'' Looking at Umibozou''s appearance, Kouka couldn''t help but smile, and then deliberately said, "No, Kagura is growing up very well on Earth, and she is living a very happy life." ''What happy?!'' Umibozou gritted his teeth and thought in his mind, ''Are you saying that she was happy to be with that uncle that I don''t even acknowledge and that guy with white hair? Is she happier than being with me, her Papi? Have she forgotten me? Have she forgotten me, her Papi?!'' "What''s wrong?" Kouka asked deliberately. "No, it''s nothing." Umibozou quickly replied, "I''m just very happy. I feel sincerely happy for Kagura, who has grown up so well on Earth. Ahaha..." ''How could it be possible!'' Umibozou added in his mind, ''How can she be happy! My heart is about to break into pieces! That brat definitely didn''t prepare my communicator on purpose. He definitely wanted to please Kagura-chan so that Kagura-chan could say good things in front of Kouka, to achieve the goal of taking Kouka away from me! That''s absolutely it! What a despicable and shameless bastard!'' "Actually, Kagura just said that the Earth is ushering in a festival called Christmas recently, and everyone is very happy. It seems to be because it is said that on Christmas Eve there will be an old man called Santa Claus who delivers gifts to children." As she said that, Kouka put down the communicator in her hand, took a puff, and continued with soft eyes, "But, it seems that for some reason, Kagura doesn''t seem to be looking forward to Christmas. She also said that she has never seen Santa Claus." ''This is it! Chance! This is an opportunity to restore my important position as a father in Kagura''s heart!'' Umibozou was ecstatic in his heart, ''Not looking forward? I understand, I understand! Must it be because Santa Claus has never given you a gift? Kagura-chan! But don''t worry this Christmas! Because you have a father! A father with unusually thick hair!'' "Cough, Kouka." Umibozou cleared his throat and said calmly, "Actually, I have a job that requires a business trip these days. It is not dangerous, but it is very important and urgent work." "Well, pay attention to safety," Kouka replied with a smile. ''That''s right! I must go alone! I must never let that brat see Kouka again!'' Umibozou thought, ''Although I am slightly better than him in all aspects, even the hair volume is several times that of that hairy boy, but maybe Kouka will sympathize with that kind of man who is slightly worse! This will cause unnecessary troubles and so on!'' for new novels ... Shortly after watching Umibozou leave, Kouka turned on the communicator again and looked at the last sentence in the text message with soft eyes. [...Because it doesn''t matter whether there is Santa Claus or not. For me now, every day is like Christmas with my own Santa Claus.] Kouka, "..." ... "Not bad, right? Christmas here?" Kawaki asked with a smile. Looking at the brightly lit shopping street full of Christmas atmosphere, listening to the music of "Jingle Bells" playing in almost every store, and the laughter of young lovers and children coming from all directions, Kouka responded loudly. "Well, it''s true. Christmas on Earth is really lively." "Sister, do you want any gifts?" Kawaki scratched his head and said sheepishly, "If you have any, I can buy it for you. Kagura-chan and the others haven''t started yet, so we have some time..." "No, being able to come here to spend Christmas with everyone is already the best gift for sister." Kouka glanced at Kawaki gently, narrowed her eyes, and smiled. "Sister Kouka! Believe me!" Kawaki said seriously to Kouka, "There will definitely be such a day! The day when we all live together on Earth!" "You don''t have to pay special attention to sister''s affairs." Kouka raised her hand and gently patted off the snowflakes that fell on Kawaki''s head, "I am very satisfied now. Although we are not together, I can still talk to Kagura and you every day. Kankou is also by my side, and my son has grown up very well. I am already... very satisfied. Sister is really grateful to you." "What are you talking about?! It''s me who should be grateful!" Kawaki quickly replied, "If it weren''t for sister, I would have died on that planet with nothing!" "Where is Miss Tsukuyo?" Kouka changed the subject and asked Kawaki. "Tsukki, she''s probably still on patrol in Yoshiwara." Kawaki thought for a while and replied, "But today is Christmas. There aren''t many guests in Yoshiwara, so there should be nothing wrong, and there''s no need to worry. I''ve already said hello to her, saying that if she''s free, she can bring Hinowa and the others up to spend Christmas Eve together. Maybe they will arrive earlier than the two of us." "That''s it..." ... Shimura family, Koudoukan. "Oh my, this is the first time that we have had such a lively Christmas." Otae looked at the crowded room. "Yes, today''s Christmas is really lively," Shinpachi said with some emotion, "It was said for Christmas but it has turned into a lively New Year''s Eve party." "Leader, are these Christmas trees enough?" A Hyakka pointed to several Christmas trees that had just been placed in the yard and asked Tsukuyo, who was leaning against the door and smoking. "Ah, that''s enough." Tsukuyo nodded lightly, then turned to look at Otaeo in the room, "Otae, is there anything else you need to prepare for Christmas?" "Oh my, didn''t Miss Tsukuyo celebrate Christmas?" Otae said with a slight surprise, covering her mouth. "Because of Yoshiwara''s work, this is the first time for us to get together to celebrate this kind of festival." Hinowa, who was sitting in a wheelchair next to her, said with a smile. Chapter 499: It Is the Duty of Parents to Give Their Children Dreams! Chapter 499: It Is the Duty of Parents to Give Their Children Dreams! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 499 It Is the Duty of Parents to Give Their Children Dreams! "That''s enough. We have wine, and the beef hot pot is also cooked..." Otae said, holding her chin in thought, "The rest is just to give some Christmas gifts to the children. " "And Santa Claus!" Seita raised his hands and shouted excitedly. "Tch!" Kagura, who was lying on the kotatsu next to him with a vinegar kombu in her mouth and playing TS in boredom, said disdainfully, "Only a kid will be excited about Christmas and some kind of old man who invades illegally. I feel nothing-aru." As she spoke, Kagura yawned, "Dinner hasn''t started yet-aru? I really want to finish eating early and go back to bed..." "No, Kagura-chan, Kawaki-san hasn''t arrived yet." Shinpachi persuaded him earnestly, "After all, it''s the Christmas party organized by Kawaki-san." "It seems that he went to prepare a Christmas gift for you." Tsukuyo glanced at Kagura and explained lightly. "I wonder if Kawaki-sama has prepared a gift for us." A Hyakka said excitedly. "That doesn''t matter, as long as Kawakisama is willing to accept my gift, that''s enough!" Another Hyakka shouted excitedly, "My body is my Christmas gift to Kawaki-sama!" "Go away! How could Kawaki-sama accept a Christmas gift like yours? He should have accepted mine!" "No, mine!" A group of Hyakka members quarreled over this issue. "Ha, it''s boring~" Kagura yawned again, "Why is everyone so excited about such boring festivals-aru? Why does even the one who spends 365 days in his room come? That little loser OTAKU who is playing games in his room is also interested in this kind of festival? I don''t understand at all. There is no need for gifts or anything like that. Just give me a few hundred million or so pocket money and I''ll buy it myself-aru. From now on, I can change my name to Sanzenin Kagura." "Well... before changing the name, you should bring out the characteristics of the voice actor first..." Shinpachi complained silently. "By the way, why isn''t Gin-san here?" Hasegawa asked in confusion, "He shouldn''t miss this opportunity to drink for free, right?" "Indeed, Gin-san shouldn''t be absent from such a party," Shinpachi murmured, "Speaking of which, I haven''t seen Gin-san since afternoon today, and I don''t know where he went." "He must have been drinking somewhere again. Don''t worry about that kind of idle guy." Otae replied casually, "But having said that, I can''t contact Kyu-chan, and I also want Kyu-chan to come to such a lively party." "Maybe the Yagyu family also has its own Christmas party." Shinpachi analyzed. "It''s also possible..." Otae nodded. Seeing Kagura embracing Kouka, Kawaki smiled and said, "How is it, Kagura? This is the Christmas gift prepared by uncle for you." "Super amazing!" Kagura rubbed against Kouka''s chest, continuing to act spoiled, "Little uncle is the real Santa Claus!" "Ko-Kouka!" Seeing Kouka beside him, Umibouzu was at a loss, "W-why are you here?! By the way, what''s the real Santa Claus? This brat hasn''t even changed his clothes! Can such a guy be called Santa Claus?!" "But then again, who are these two over here?" Kawaki turned his head to look at Umibouzu and Gintoki, "Are you guys here to perform?" "Two?" Umibouzu hesitated for a moment, then slowly turned his head. Instantly, he felt even worse, as he saw another "Santa Claus" standing on his other side. "Another Santa Claus?!" Umibouzu and Gintoki exclaimed simultaneously. "I don''t know-aru," Kagura wiped away her tears, looked up at Kawaki, "Isn''t it arranged by you, little uncle?" "No, I didn''t arrange anything like this," Kawaki shrugged, then suddenly remembered something, "Wait! Are these two thieves?! Tsukuyo! Call the police immediately!" "Wait!!" Umibouzu and Gintoki both raised their hands to stop, "I am Santa Claus!" "Did you guys really not hire performers?" Kawaki looked at the people in front of the house in confusion. Everyone shook their heads at the same time. "I see, I got it." Kawaki nodded to himself, then smiled at Kagura and Kouka, who was still holding Kagura tenderly, "Kagura-chan, Sister Kouka, please go inside first. Leave this to me." After hearing this, Kouka glanced lightly at Umibouzu beside her, then walked towards the house with Kagura. "Uh, sorry about that." Kawaki smiled somewhat awkwardly at the bald Santa Claus and the silver Santa Claus, then took out his wallet from his bosom and took out a ten thousand yen bill, handing it to the two, "We seem not to have called for this kind of performance. You must have come to the wrong place. But I can''t bear to see you guys running for nothing. Take this money, both of you, remember to share it properly. We''re having a Christmas party here, and it''s not very convenient to keep you here since we''re all acquaintances. Take the money and leave quickly." Looking at the money stuffed into his hand, Umibouzu was stunned for a moment. But immediately after, the money in his hand was taken by Gintoki and stuffed into his pocket. "Uh, although I don''t know what''s going on with this guy, I''m the real Santa Claus!" Gintoki spoke up. ''No way! Leaving in this situation would be too embarrassing! I even set up an ambush from this chilly evening...'' Thinking this, Gintoki glanced at the bald Santa Claus beside him, ''Now I can only grit my teeth and insist that I''m Santa Claus! No matter what happens, I have to stick to it!'' "Excuse me..." Umibouzu, pretending to be puzzled, looked at Gintoki and said, "Are you a member of some volunteer group?" "No! I''m the real Santa Claus!" Gintoki insisted, "By the way, who are you? Why are you dressed like this around here? Are you from the neighborhood children''s association?" Chapter 501: What Does the Real Santa Claus Look Like? No One Knows! Chapter 501: What Does the Real Santa Claus Look Like? No One Knows! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 501 What Does the Real Santa Claus Look Like? No One Knows! "Um, Hasegawa-san, let''s just forget about your complaints. No matter how much you drink, next year you''ll still be unemployed. Drinking won''t change the fact that you''re unemployed this year," said Shinpachi, pushing his glasses up with an expressionless face. "Hey! I finally managed to forget about that fact!" Hasegawa protested, clutching his chest. "Why remind me of it?" "No, even if you forget about it, it won''t change anything," Shinpachi retorted with a twitch of his mouth. "Speaking of complaints, Shinpachi, do you have any grievances you want to express?" Kawaki asked, then smirked. "There must be, right? After all, your boss is that kind of guy." "Well, yeah," Shinpachi sighed with some emotion. "After all, it''s Gin-san. If I were to voice all my grievances about him, I feel like I could go on all night. It could even be treated as a snack~ Ahahaha..." "Do you want another serving then?" Tsukuyo pointed to Kawaki beside her. "Hey, what do you mean?" Kawaki squinted his eyes and asked expressionlessly, "Are you implying that you have a lot of complaints about me on ordinary days? You can count them as a snack if you bring them up at the year-end party?" "You..." Tsukuyo''s pupils involuntarily widened and murmured with disbelief, "You actually have self-awareness..." Instantly, a vein bulged on Kawaki''s face and pulsated incessantly. "What do you mean by that?" Kawaki gritted his teeth, looking at Tsukuyo with a forced smile. "Do you want to fight? You stinky woman!" "Come on, you two, calm down a bit. Let''s not argue on Christmas Eve," Shinpachi kindly intervened. "Tch!" Kawaki turned his face away disdainfully, then took out a bundle of colorful coupons from his pocket and handed them to Shinpachi. "Here, your Christmas gift plus New Year''s gift. It''ll be troublesome to give it to you again during the New Year, so I''ll just give it to you all at once." "Um... what do you mean by this, Kawaki-san?" Shinpachi pushed his glasses up on his face. "Can I assume that you''re insulting me? Can I assume that you''re looking down on me? Can I assume that you''re thinking, ''If this kid doesn''t go to a certain shop in Yoshiwara, he''ll be a virgin for life''?" "Yep, that''s right," Kawaki nodded. "Hey! Stop kidding around!" Shinpachi snatched the coupons from Kawaki''s hand without hesitation, tore them into pieces, and yelled with red eyes, "I don''t need this kind of thing at all! Absolutely not! Before I turn eighteen... no, before I turn twenty, I''ll definitely say goodbye to my virginity!" "Um... what were you saying all this time?" Kawaki looked puzzled, "Although I did think it''s that in my mind, it has nothing to do with the gift I gave you, right? It''s that... that... forget it, anyway, it''s the handshake ticket for the New Year''s special event of that idol you like. I got it from a lottery when I went to buy a game last time, and I got thirty of them. I thought you''d like it..." "What...?!" Shinpachi exclaimed in shock, looking at the torn coupons and the words [Attention! Damaged, Invalid!] written on the fragments. He collapsed onto the table while occasionally twitching. Seeing Shinpachi''s reaction, Kawaki reached into his pocket, searching for something. "I found it! There''s one left! Shinpachi!" Kawaki pulled out an Otsuu-chan handshake ticket from his pocket. "The last one, Shinpachi!" Upon hearing this, Shinpachi instantly revived. He sat up with tears in his eyes and took the handshake coupon from Kawaki with trembling hands. ''This is like a comedian doing a parody of the song [O-fukuro-san (Mother)] when Shinichi Mori himself suddenly appeared from behind!'' Umibouzu felt anxious. ''No! Absolutely not!'' Gintoki was panicking. ''I absolutely don''t want to expose that kind of ugliness in front of them!'' ''What should I do?!'' Umibouzu was sweating profusely. ''What should I do about this imitation situation? Answer me! King of Comedy!'' ''Faced with the real person holding my shoulders from behind with an expression of "Good imitation" on his face, how am I supposed to not embarrass myself, King of Comedy?!'' Gintoki, who was also sweating, thought frantically in his heart. ''Tell me, King of Comedy!'' Both of them simultaneously felt despair. After about three seconds of silence, both Umibouzu and Gintoki simultaneously came up with an answer. They both stepped forward, exerting all their strength to punch each other. Umibouzu''s fist hit Gintoki''s abdomen, while Gintoki''s fist hit Umibouzu''s left cheek. ''Defeat the real one and let yourself become the real one!'' Both of them thought the same thing! Struck by the blows, Umibouzu and Gintoki simultaneously let out a cry of pain and flew backward several meters! Boom! 2 Gintoki crashed into a tree trunk, while Umibouzu shattered the stone statue in front of the pond. At the same time, the noise caused by the two alarmed the people inside the house, and they stopped what they were doing to look outside. "Hey, what did you say to them just now?" Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki and asked. "I just told them to leave..." Kawaki replied casually. "I also gave them 10,000 yen." Just as he said that Kawaki suddenly thought of something. "Yes! It''s the 10,000 yen! Did they fight because of the 10,000 yen? I clearly told them to split it equally!" "You should have divided it up between the two in advance!" Shinpachi complained. "In this situation, there''s a high chance they''ll end up fighting!" "I had no choice! I ran out of small change!" Kawaki argued quietly. At that moment, Gintoki and Umibouzu both coughed up blood. ''Santa Claus is really good!'' Gintoki held his chest, panting heavily while thinking, ''He''s definitely not just some fat old man who works only on Christmas Eve!'' ''An old man like him was able to take my hit...'' Umibouzu wiped the blood from his mouth while looking at Gintoki with a serious expression. ''Is this Santa Claus'' true strength?'' Chapter 502: After All, Christmas Is a Western Holiday… Chapter 502: After All, Christmas Is a Western Holiday... Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 502 After All, Christmas Is a Western Holiday... ''But... whether it''s genuine or fake doesn''t matter anymore...'' Both Umibouzu and Gintoki thought to themselves at the same time. They slowly got up simultaneously and then rushed towards each other with clenched fists. ''Santa Claus... is me!!'' x2 Two very slight snaps that were not loud! sounded at the same time. "Hey hey, that''s enough." Kawaki stood between the two with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and he opened his hands to block Umibouzu and Gintoki''s fists respectively. However, what everyone didn''t notice was that behind Jiang Cheng, in the shadow under the wall, there was still someone who seemed to have just jumped down from the wall, holding a knife and a scabbard respectively, intending to come over and stop Gintoki and Umibouzu... this so-called Santa Claus. ''What?!'' Umibouzu was surprised in his heart. ''How could this brat block my full blow so easily?! Growth... this can''t be considered growth anymore, can it? Can someone really reach this level in just twenty years?! What a monster!!'' ''Why are you causing trouble at a time like this?!'' Gintoki inwardly cursed. ''I''m about to finish him off and become the real Santa Claus!'' "Um, I''m really sorry." Kawaki let go of their fists, scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, chuckled a few times, then reached into his pocket again, took out his wallet, and reluctantly pulled out ten thousand yen and stuffed it into Umibouzu''s hand. "You guys fought over such a boring thing, well, now everyone has it, very fair, everyone gets ten thousand yen. Now everyone''s happy, right?" Looking at the ten thousand yen in his hand, Umibouzu was stunned for a long time without coming back to his senses. ''Does this idiot think we''re fighting over such a boring thing?!'' Gintoki thought with black lines all over his head. ''Can''t you read the atmosphere?!'' After stuffing the money into his pocket, Umibouzu gritted his teeth and thought bitterly. ''There''s no way we would fight for such a boring thing in this situation!'' ''It hurts, it hurts! What''s up with these two guys?'' Kawaki thought to himself. ''My arm almost broke; these two guys are definitely not ordinary people! But... I didn''t expect them to fight over such a boring thing. But it''s okay now. With both of them having ten thousand yen, they shouldn''t fight anymore. In order to continue the happy Christmas party and ensure Kagura-chan and the Shimura siblings have a joyful Christmas Eve, I can only do this. Although it hurts a bit, I have to do it!''Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com, that..." Umibouzu laughed awkwardly. "Actually..." "I''ll tell you the truth, can you guys take a look at the atmosphere?" Kawaki sighed helplessly, interrupting Umibouzu''s words, then pointed to the group of people inside the house. "You guys are ruining the atmosphere of our Christmas party here. It was a very happy Christmas party, but with you guys fighting in the yard, we''re really troubled. I don''t know if you''re volunteers from that volunteer group, but that''s enough; we really don''t need this kind of show. Please leave..." "Huh? Happy? Is that atmosphere really happy?" Gintoki looked at the people in the room pretending to be puzzled, then discreetly pointed at himself. "Since it''s a Christmas party, isn''t it obvious that something is missing?" "That''s right, it''s obviously missing something." Umibouzu hurriedly agreed and discreetly pointed at himself. "Cough cough, it''s missing something very important and decisive. Without that, it wouldn''t look like a Christmas party, just an ordinary party." "You little brat, are you doing this on purpose?" Umibouzu gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead still bulging continuously, and said in a low voice full of hatred, "It must be deliberate, right? That kind of person clearly isn''t Santa Claus, right? Why did you casually invite that kind of person to the Christmas party?" "No, it''s because this person is an acquaintance. What''s wrong with inviting acquaintances to a party?" Kawaki looked puzzled, then brushed off the hands of the two and smiled gratefully. "But then again, thank you both very much. Thanks to both of you, I realized what was missing from today''s party." "Hey, don''t give me that refreshing smile. I just feel even more furious, you jerk..." Gintoki''s expression gradually softened. "Think it over carefully before making a decision, you bastard kid!" Umibouzu looked at Kawaki with a mixed expression. "Um, actually, without a turkey, it''s not really a Christmas party~ Thank you both for making me realize this~" Kawaki said somewhat sentimentally, then turned to the side and smiled at the Hyakka members. "If it''s okay, could you guys go and buy a few turkeys?" "Yes! I''ll go right away!" In an instant, several quick-witted Hyakka rushed out towards the door. "That''s not it at all!!" Umibouzu and Gintoki simultaneously kicked Kawaki. "Why would you think of that kind of thing? That''s completely wrong!" Umibouzu pointed at Kawaki and shouted, "What''s wrong with your head? Why do you think having a turkey means it''s Christmas?" "Because..." Kawaki got up from the ground, looking very serious as he answered, "When watching American dramas, the one thing that''s indispensable on Christmas Eve is turkey..." "Hey, do you think this is an American drama?!" Gintoki shouted angrily. "Use your impoverished brain cells and think again! Why can''t you see something so obvious?!" "Oh! I got it!" Kawaki once again hit his palm with his fist. "Of course, just having a turkey isn''t enough! There''s also that! Only with that can it be called Christmas!" "It seems you''ve finally noticed," Umibouzu chuckled. "Thank you guys!" Kawaki expressed his gratitude to the three of them, then turned to the people inside the house and said, "Um, minced pies..." "It''s still not right!!" x3 Umibouzu, Gintoki, and Kyubei simultaneously shouted angrily, then simultaneously kicked Kawaki at the same time. Boom! Kawaki, who was kicked by the three of them, fell heavily to the ground... Chapter 503: A Christmas Eve without Santa... Still a Christmas Eve! Chapter 503: A Christmas Eve without Santa... Still a Christmas Eve! Maybe a Fake Gintama Chapter 503 A Christmas Eve without Santa... Still a Christmas Eve! "Isn''t it still an American drama in the end?!" Gintoki shouted angrily. "Stop it right there! You brat!" Umibouzu''s veins bulged as he scolded, then pointed at himself. "Please think carefully again, Kawaki-dono," Kyubei spoke up, "Although the mincemeat pies are very close, they''re not it!" "Hey, how close are we getting?" Gintoki muttered silently. "Well, you see," Kawaki got up once again, dusting himself off casually as if nothing happened, and said helplessly to the three, "When it comes to Christmas, it''s originally a holiday from Western countries, right? No matter how much I think about it, all I can come up with is turkey and mincemeat pies from American dramas." "No! There''s still one decisive thing left!" they all answered simultaneously. "...I''m sorry, I really can''t remember," Kawaki said with a furrowed brow after thinking for a long time with his eyes closed. "Think harder! Use that poor brain of yours!" Gintoki pointed at himself and said to Kawaki. "Don''t give up! If you don''t give up, you''ll definitely remember!" Umibouzu pointed at himself and at the same time said, "Even with a brain like yours, it should be simple! The answer is right here in this yard!" "Yes! Kawaki-dono!" Kyubei nodded and chimed in loudly. "Hey, have you guys figured it out?" Kawaki asked the people inside the house. "I don''t know-aru," Kagura, still cuddling in Kouka''s arms, replied nonchalantly. "Tamagoyaki," Otae squinted and smiled, raising her index finger at the same time. "A Christmas greeting card..." Seita sat on the ground, hugging his legs, looking at the Christmas greeting card in front of him with a melancholic expression while muttering to himself. for new novels "Is it this?" Tsukuyo pointed to two buckets of lubricant that appeared out of nowhere. "Seita''s perfect test paper," Hinowa squinted and smiled. "A reliable sister-in-law!" A Hyakka chimed in. "Otsuu-chan!" Shinpachi took over. "Tae-chan!" Kyubei interjected. "Spending Christmas with my wife and daughter," Umibouzu raised his hand. "Hiccup..." Hasegawa, already quite drunk, lay on the ground and added his comment. "Kawaki-sama''s [Beep]!" the members of Hyakka chorused. "None of those are right! Not even close!" Gintoki exclaimed frantically. "Since that test paper, it''s completely become your own wishes! Speaking of which, things started to go downhill from those glasses! It seems like there''s even a wife running away with a certain pair of sunglasses! Hey! Cut it out, you bastards! This is definitely intentional!" With that, Gintoki turned to Kyubei and Umibouzu beside him. "Hey, why did you two get involved in the topic just now? Are you idiots? You''re the ones who should be asking questions!" "Huh? Santa Claus?" Kawaki stared at them strangely, "Why would you want to be that disgusting old man?" "That''s because..." Before Kondo could finish, Kawaki interrupted him again. "That''s enough, no need to say anymore," Kawaki waved his hand dismissively, "I don''t want to hear those boring reasons, but there''s one thing I hope you all understand..." Kawaki narrowed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips as he continued lightly, "If you continue to ruin the atmosphere of our party here, I really will slaughter you all." ''Killing Intent?'' Umibouzu frowned, thinking, ''Impressive, I''ve never seen such substantial killing intent in all these years... but...'' "Yoshiwara Boss, I believe that none of us here ever wanted to ruin the party atmosphere," Kondo said seriously while crossing his arms, "It''s quite the opposite, each of us wants to add something to improve the atmosphere of the party!" "That''s right! Christmas Eve without Santa Claus isn''t Christmas Eve at all!" Umibouzu took over. "There is only one real Santa Claus who can join the party!" Gin said earnestly. "Which one is it? Please make a choice!" Kyubei took over. "No, I don''t want to join your party, I just came to give Gin-san a gift," Sacchan spoke up, "And can you hurry up and hand over Gin-san, because it''s cold down here with only fruits..." Before Sacchan could finish speaking, Gintoki kicked her directly, sending her and the package she was carrying into the nearby small pond with a splash. Amidst the sound of water splashing, Sacchan''s screams could be heard. "Of course, the real Santa Claus is me!" Gin pointed confidently at himself. "I won''t make any concessions!" Kyubei said, "I''m the Santa Claus who can bring happiness to Tae-chan... no, Santa Kyubei!" "It''s me!" Kondo said, holding his hands, "I''m the Santa Claus who wants happiness from Miss Otae!" "No, if you say it in that way, then my sister is Santa Claus..." Shinpachi retorted quietly. "In this world... no, this party only needs one Santa Claus..." Umibouzu smiled, his face showing full sincerity. "No, we don''t need one," Kawaki casually interjected. "Huh? What did you just say?" UmibouzuUmibouzu''s expression visibly froze. "I mean, our party doesn''t need Santa Claus at all," Kawaki shrugged, continuing, "If you invite an old man like that to attend, the whole party will smell like old age." "Smells with old age? No, I don''t want it! Gross!" Otae said, disgusted. "For me today, Little Uncle is the real Santa Claus, so we don''t need that stinky old man-aru," Kagura spoke up. "Yes, today''s Kawaki-san is already a perfect Santa Claus," Shinpachi looked happily at the handshake ticket in his hand, "Thank you, Kawaki Claus!" "Alcohol is the real Santa Claus!" the drunken Hasegawa yelled inarticulately, "It can make me forget everything and even let me have sweet dreams, the real Santa Claus!" Chapter 504: How to Convey Your Feelings? Just Shout Them Out Chapter 504: How to Convey Your Feelings? Just Shout Them Out "Huh?" Umibouzu was once again taken aback, then hurriedly offered a smile and said, "No, no, no, it''s strange indeed; Christmas Eve needs Santa Claus. No matter how I look at your party, it lacks a real Santa who can bring dreams to children, ahahaha..." "Indeed, we are missing a Santa who can bring happiness!" Kondo took over the conversation, "Please consider it again, Yoshiwara!" "The real Santa who will bring happiness to Tae-chan is me!" Kyubei shouted earnestly. "Speaking of Gintoki..." Unnoticed, Sacchan, who had climbed out of the pond wearing a woman''s Santa outfit, had just begun to speak when Gintoki once again kicked her out. "That, uh..." Kawaki complained with a sigh, then simply laid his cards on the table, "Look, we don''t need that stuff anymore. A real Santa? No, we don''t need one. Speaking of real Santa, wouldn''t your kids need him a lot tonight? Why are you only fretting here? Isn''t that neglecting your duties? The children still waiting for gifts will be sad." "No, I just want to be Tae-chan/Miss Otae''s Santa alone!" Kyubei and Kondo said at the same time. "Are you two idiots?" Kawaki looked at them strangely, "You''re stalking her openly and still shamelessly claiming to be Santa? Besides, why are you so obsessed with becoming Santa? If you can''t express your feelings without becoming Santa, there''s no need to express them; I''m serious." "The feelings you want to convey can be conveyed directly at any time; there''s no need to wait for some silly Christmas, nor to wear those ridiculous clothes, there''s absolutely no need! Whenever you want to convey something, just do it! If you insist on this unnecessary method of conveying feelings, your feelings will never reach the person you want to understand. Do you not get it?" "But..." Kyubei started to argue, but Kawaki didn''t give her the chance. "Are you trying to talk about subtlety or special days?" Kawaki sneered, "The former is just your excuse for being too embarrassed to speak, and the latter is pretty much the same. Honestly, Kyubei-kun, I''m a bit disappointed in you. Haven''t I told you before? If you like someone, say you like them. If you dislike them, say you dislike them. Don''t you understand?" "I understand! Yoshiwara!" Kondo, who had removed his Santa outfit by then, spoke earnestly, "There''s really no need to cling to Christmas or Santa Claus! Or rather, every day can be a Christmas and a Santa Claus! Now, I finally understand!" "That... Let''s talk about understanding later..." Kawaki commented as he glanced at Kondo, whose censored appearance only left mosaics, "I just want to know what full nudity has to do with you. Why did it suddenly turn into just mosaics?" "Showing sincerity means being fully naked!" Kondo answered thoughtfully, then showed a grateful face, "Thank you, Yoshiwara. You made me realise, Christmas? Santa Claus? No! There''s no need! Love should be boldly declared!" "Say your piece, ah!" Otae furiously kicked him, sending Kondo flying into a nearby pond, "What filthy thing are you showing us? Do you want to disgust us to death?!" "That, Kawaki-dono, I understand too." Kyubei nodded, "Although I''m not quite clear, I feel like I''ve understood. Does this mean I must wear this outfit every day of the year from now on?" "Ah, yes," Kawaki replied with narrowed eyes and an expressionless face, "You can be a mascot in the mall wearing that outfit all 365 days of the year. You haven''t understood a thing! How could you conclude that? Or do you mean to say you can''t express your feelings without wearing that outfit? Are you that type? What does this outfit mean to you? Can it increase your courage?" "That, Kawaki-dono. I don''t know why you mentioned this, but this outfit suddenly boosts me..." Kyubei''s expression became more serious, "Could it be this is the Gold Saint..." "No way!" Kawaki exclaimed irritably, "Why would it turn into a Gold Saint? At most, it''s just a dirty, old-smelling red cotton jacket! Once you put it on, not even Athena would notice you, let alone children over twelve who would disdain this red cotton jacket!" "No! That''s not it! It''s stained with the blood that Gintoki [beep] and [beep]!" Sacchan, who had once again approached Kawaki, argued loudly. As soon as Sacchan finished speaking, Gintoki kicked her squarely into the pond again. "That... Even if your words make sense, there''s only one real Santa Claus!" Gintoki spoke again, then glanced at Umibouzu, "Me... or him! We should clarify this issue first, right? If we don''t sort it out, we might not leave easily..." [Oh no! The worst situation ever! These guys don''t care about Santa Claus at all!] Gintoki thought grimly, [In this situation, even a real Santa would feel embarrassed, let alone a fake one like me! If so, my entire afternoon of waiting would be like a joke. No! I don''t want to become that kind of joke. Should I just leave? Just leave discreetly? No! I can''t leave like that at a time like this! It''s still a joke. What would a real Santa do at a time like this? What would I do?!! Tell me, real Santa!] "Speaking of which," Umibouzu laughed awkwardly, "If we don''t clear this up, we''re not leaving easily..." [This is terrible! Terrible! The situation has become so severe that even I, Umibouzu, find it particularly troublesome!] Umibouzu thought, [It''s better just to leave now. After being spoken to like that, even a real Santa would leave discreetly, right?] After the two left, Kawaki slowly got up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and gently raised the corner of his mouth. "Kawaki-sama! Are you alright?!" A group of Hyakka hurried forward to show their concern. "Yes, I''m fine," Kawaki squinted his eyes and smiled gently, then turned and walked toward the door, "Well, I have a bit of business to attend to; everyone, continue the party; I''ll be back in a bit." ... When Kawaki arrived outside, he saw Umibouzu and Gintoki crouching against the wall, sunk into dejection. "Hey, the party''s about to start; how long will you stay here?" Kawaki spoke casually to the two, "We''re just waiting for you two; today''s party won''t be complete without you~ Although I''m sorry, could you let me be Kagura''s exclusive Santa Claus just for today? Just for today, Gintoki... and you, baldy." Gintoki and Umibouzu raised their heads, looking incredulously at Kawaki. "It''s not Gintoki; it''s Katsura Claus! And it''s not baldy, it''s Elizabeth Reindeer!" Suddenly, Katsura''s voice came from the side. Seeing Katsura and Elizabeth also crouching by the wall, cosplaying Santa Claus and a reindeer, the corner of Kawaki''s eye twitched uncontrollably. After taking a deep breath, Kawaki finally yelled out. "Why is there another one here?!" ... "Merry Christmas!" n Kagura: "Hey! You natto woman! What are you adding to the hot pot-aru?! Do you want to die-aru?!" Sacchan: "Gin-san! For you, I specially prepared a natto hot pot; open your mouth, here, ah" Kondo: "Miss Otae, marry me to make me happy!!" Otae: "You gorilla, go die, ah!" Kyubei: "My exclusive Princess Tae, please accept a year''s supply of Haagen-Dazs. I specially prepared it for you today!" Baldy: "You punk, stay away from my wife! Too close! Picking dishes is something I, her husband, should do!" Kawaki: "You baldy should roll farther away! No, better die! Go die now!" "Yikes, yikes, before we knew it, it turned into the usual scene~" Watching the commotion, Shinpachi smiled wryly and commented, then looked at Katsura, "By the way, Katsura-san, how long are you going to play this role?" "It''s not Katsura, it''s Katsura Claus!" ... Tonight, the noise of the party in the Shimura dojo continued until dawn... Chapter 505: Being Urged to Marry by Family Chapter 505: Being Urged to Marry by Family In Yoshiwara, in a certain otaku''s room during the daytime: "Um..." With a head full of cold sweat, Kawaki awkwardly looks at Kouka, who is sitting quietly beside him and forces a smile. "Sister Kouka, is there anywhere you''d like to go? Edo is lively at the end of the year. I can take you anywhere you want, and of course, Kagura-chan and that baldy will come along too. So... can you stop just sitting here staring at me?" "Sister is serious, Kawaki-chan," Kouka gently shakes her head, "You''re at that age now, and if I can''t see you dating and marrying normally, I probably won''t be at ease. As a normal human, you must have a family. I don''t want to go anywhere on Earth; I just want to see you in a normal relationship, eventually marrying and having children." "One week is too short! Not to mention dating and marrying, but having kids is even harder!" Kawaki exclaims in desperation, "Spare me!" "Dear wife! Everything has been done as you instructed!" Umibouzu jumps in through the window, holding a stack of registration forms, "I''ve got the information on all the eligible local girls ready for marriage around Edo!" "Mommy! I''ve already informed all the women uncle knows-aru!" Kagura declares as she bursts through the door. [Are these people serious?!] Kawaki thinks to himself as he looks at Kagura and the Umibouzu standing next to Kouka, [Hey, hey, hey, I''m the benefactor who reunited your family on Earth, isn''t this ingratitude a bit much?!] [Great! This kid can''t refuse Kouka''s request! Ha! Just like that, find yourself an Earth girl and marry her!] Umibouzu secretly rejoices. [This way, there''s no need to worry about this kid coveting anything anymore! Just like that! Go on... go to the matchmaking meeting!] "I don''t want to... go to matchmaking!!" Kawaki cries out in despair. "It''s no use anymore, little uncle; everyone has been informed-aru," Kagura says expressionlessly, reminding him, "As long as everyone you know agrees-aru, all the times and places have been made clear-are." "What do you mean ''everyone I know''?" Kawaki scoffs, "Why should I run errands for something so meaningless? Wait, you don''t need to answer; I will not participate! Absolutely!" "Marriage isn''t as complicated as you think," Umibouzu tries to console him with a kind look, "Although it might be a bit uncomfortable at first, you''ll get used to it after a few beatings from a wife..." As soon as he finishes speaking, Kouka delivers a swift uppercut technique, sending the Umibouzu crashing into the ceiling. Hanging from the ceiling, Umibouzu''s voice rings out again, "See... it''s somewhat similar to this feeling, I''m already... used to it." [This baldy! He''s doing it on purpose! To keep me away from Sister Kouka, this bastard!] Kawaki thinks angrily. "Anyway, I''ll supervise the matchmaking meeting tomorrow myself," Kouka says, picking up the thick stack of collected data from the ground, "If none are satisfactory, Sister will select outstanding girls from these profiles for you to meet in a second round. Before I return, you''ll have a round of matchmaking waiting for you every day. I believe you can meet a great girl." [Hell! Why do I have to face this kind of hell?!] Kawaki thinks in desperation, [No way! Not! Why do I have to go through matchmaking?! Why do I, such an outstanding man, need to find a marriage partner through matchmaking?! Are you looking down on me?! Are you?!] "Little uncle, give up; mommy is serious-aru," Kagura warns without expression, "No matter what you say, it''s useless-aru, just honestly attend the matchmaking. Honestly, minus your face, your qualifications are already below average; not only are you an unemployed game OTAKU, you don''t even have much educational background, just a dropout from an ordinary private school, you have no competitive power among men who graduated from various prestigious universities-aru, honestly, if a woman is willing to marry such a loser OTAKU like you, I think her brain must be damaged." "Alright, next one, please come in," Kagura called towards the door. [Is this a talent show?!] Kawaki felt utterly defeated, but his spirits plummeted further when he saw the stylishly dressed Otae approaching; really, what are you doing here? This isn''t some talent show! "Hello, judges, nice to meet you. I''m Shimura Tae; please take care of me," Otae approached Kouka and the others, bowing respectfully to the trio. "Kouka, this girl is very polite; I think she has a chance to advance to the next round; we should mark her for further consideration," Umibouzu, now inexplicably wearing a dark suit, crossed his arms and leaned forward to whisper to Kouka. [Hey! Enough is enough! Jerk!] Kawaki internally raged. "No, it''s too early to decide now-are." Now dressed in a purple-red business suit, Kagura pushed up her nonexistent glasses, crossed her arms, and looked thoughtfully at Otae before speaking, "We should see this girl''s performance before making a decision." [You, too, cut it out a bit!] Kawaki clenched his fists in frustration. "I''ll do my best! Sensei!" Otae earnestly replied. [What the hell are you doing here?! This is not a talent show!] Kawaki internally despaired. "Yes, let''s start," Kouka exhaled a smoke ring lightly and nodded. "Nice to meet you; my name is Shimura Tae; you can call me Otae," Otae sat down opposite Kawaki, introducing herself politely, "My specialty is cooking, especially egg dishes." "Ah, you don''t need to go through all that; this isn''t a talent show," Kawaki waved his hand in resignation and then raised his hand to press the red button again. But Kawaki couldn''t complete the action this time, as a steel fork suddenly pinned his hand to the table. "What do you mean? I took time out of my busy schedule to attend this boring matchmaking event, and you''re just going to press the elimination button without even talking for a few minutes?" Otae said with a forced smile, "Do you want to die, you scumbag otaku..." "Um..." Kawaki pulled the fork out of his hand, sweating profusely as he explained, "It''s just that I felt that a girl as excellent as Miss Otae participating in matchmaking with someone like me is a waste of her talents. I wanted to press the button urgently because of this consideration." "Ara ara~" Otae suddenly brightened up, "I didn''t expect Mr. Kawaki to have some self-awareness~" Furious! A vein popped on Kawaki''s forehead, [What''s with this woman? Why is she so infuriating?] Chapter 506: Successful First Matchmaking Sessions are Rare Chapter 506: Successful First Matchmaking Sessions are Rare "So, let''s start with a normal introduction," Otae says, narrowing her eyes with a smile. "I''ll go first. My name is Tae Shimura; I''m 18 years old. My family runs a historic dojo, and I have a 16-year-old brother. I usually enjoy cooking, especially dishes involving eggs. My ideal partner should have a stable job, and it would be nice if they had assets of about 10 billion yen or so. Regarding looks, someone too handsome might not be good because they could attract other women, so average is fine, but they must be honest! Their eyes should only see me! And also..." As Otae chatter about her ideal partner''s criteria, Kawaki''s face twitches uncontrollably. [This woman...is something else...] Kawaki thinks with a full head of black lines, [Who gave her this confidence? How can she say such things with that expression? A woman so self-centered should be thankful to get married at all! Those conditions? Please, stop already!] "...Now it''s Kawaki''s turn." "Hehe... well, Miss Otae probably knows my conditions," Kawaki says, awkwardly pulling at the corner of his mouth, "They are far from Miss Otae''s, so I think wasting our time is unnecessary. Let''s just..." "Yes, indeed, Miss Otae!" Kondo''s voice suddenly comes from under the table, "There''s no need to waste time dating such a man! He''s just a useless game otaku! By the way, Miss Otae, except for not having ten billion in assets, the rest of what you described fits me! Am I that important in your heart?!" Looking at Kondo, who pops his head from under the table, wearing a black suit, and talks to himself, everyone falls silent. "Having a pet should count for something, right, Kouka?" Umibouzu suggests to Kouka, "Girls who keep pets are usually very loving; I think this girl should be observed." "Papi, that''s just a gorilla stalker-aru," Kagura corrects without expression, "Just a stalker who looks no different from a gorilla." "Get lost, you stalker gorilla!" Otae suddenly stands up and stomps fiercely on Kondo''s face. "Miss Otae, it''s not like that!" Kondo hastily defends. "You ruined my performance!" Saying so, Otae grabs the now bruised and swollen Kondo and throws him out the window, followed by the sound of shattering glass as Kondo flies onto the main road outside. But that''s not the end of it. Otae jumps out after him and punches Kondo with her fists. "While it''s not as good as your uppercut, I think some domestic violence is necessary," Umibouzu speaks again, "A family without some form of domestic violence isn''t a normal family, Kouka; I think this girl is suitable." [Are you kidding me?!] Kawaki curses in his mind, then slams the red button on the table. "Next contestant, please come in," Kagura calls out to the door. ... Watching Kyubei sit across from him in a pink yukata, her hair tied in twin tails, and wearing a pink eye patch, Kawaki''s eyes twitch again. "This girl looks pretty good, too," Umibouzu self-assuredly comments. "Uh, my young master is in your judges'' hands..." Holding a camera, Tojo secretly stuffs something into Kagura and Umibouzu''s hands, "My young master''s conditions are quite favorable, and even a few minor flaws can be completely overlooked. I''m also concerned that the female lead for this work hasn''t been settled yet. I''ve never seen a woman more suitable to be the female lead than my young master." "Cough, cough!" Umibouzu discreetly pockets the money Tojo handed over, "We are very fair. Don''t think giving us this kind of thing will score you extra points; it''s useless. But speaking of which, this girl has the looks and conditions to be a female lead." "Yes, Mommy, Kyu-chan is a very nice girl-aru," Kagura adds while pocketing the money forced on her by Tojo with a matter-of-fact expression, "Also, Mommy, you might not know, but little uncle had some stories with a woman called ''Kyu'' before-aru." [Enough with you guys, damn it! What is this? Can you bribe judges now?!] Kawaki thinks frantically, [What are you guys even here for?!] "Um... Kawaki-dono," Kyubei finally speaks after a long silence, "Can the matchmaking begin now?" "Yes, it''s over, goodbye." Saying that Kawaki presses the red button in front of him without hesitation. "How... how can this be!" Kyubei exclaims in shock, "I... haven''t even said anything yet!" "Ah, no need to say anything," Kawaki replies with narrowed eyes and an expressionless face, "Rather, I knew what you would say just by sitting here, so there''s no need to force yourself. Besides, bribing judges is not allowed, even if you have the substance and are allowed to advance. If it''s dug up by the media later, it would become trouble. Considering it could affect the company''s reputation and your personal development, it''s better just to eliminate you now." "I see!" Kyubei nods in understanding, "I didn''t expect Kawaki-dono to be so thoughtful, indeed, letting me advance under these circumstances; if it were dug up by the media later, it would become trouble." "It''s good you understand..." Kawaki replies expressionlessly, "Well, pick up your souvenir at the door, and please leave quickly." "Um, boss," sitting across from Kawaki, dressed in the Shinsengumi uniform, Sogo raises his hand, "I''m not here to participate in that boring matchmaking session; I just wanted to ask if Kondo-san has been here." Kawaki: ... ... "Long time no see~." Seeing Saigon before him, Kawaki silently turns and starts vomiting after two seconds. "Nice to meet you, I am Mademoiselle Saigou. As you can see, I''m a single mother and also a woman who keeps her love for Kawaki hidden in her heart..." Before Saigou can finish, Kawaki wipes his mouth and unhesitatingly presses the red button on the table. "What a heartless man..." Saigou covers his face, ready to cry, "To press that ruthless button before someone finishes speaking, it really gets me excited!" "Why are you getting excited?! Disgusting! Get lost!!" Saying this, Kawaki delivers an uppercut, sending Saigou crashing into the ceiling. "I think this could work..." Watching Saigou hang from the ceiling, Umibouzu nods, "A single mother with a child, and this level of domestic violence, seems unexpectedly suitable." "Hey, baldy, do you want to die?" Kawaki coldly asks. Half an hour later, the entire restaurant''s ceiling is filled with hanging members from a transvestite club. ... "Kawaki-sama, long time no see." Looking at the person sitting across from him, Kawaki is unexpectedly moved, lifting his head to choke back tears. "I don''t know why, but after going through those people, seeing Tama moved me." "Kagura-chan, this isn''t a human, right?" Umibouzu asks Kagura. "Ah, it''s a robot-aru," Kagura nods, "But it seems to have a super friendship with little uncle-aru. Gintoki also said that Tama is a woman''s little uncle kept on the side-aru." "Tama, please, talk with me more; just hold on until today ends," Kawaki pleads, "I can''t take it anymore... sob..." "Kawaki-sama, please cheer up," Tama consoles, "I came to cheer for Kawaki-sama." "That doesn''t matter anymore," Kawaki murmurs despondently, "Just sit here until it gets dark; let this day end; I... don''t want to participate in this kind of matchmaking anymore..." "Kawaki-chan, don''t think about dragging this out; Sister has already said it; I''ll keep an eye on you," Kouka''s light words come. "Ah! God! Save me!" Kawaki cries out to the heavens in despair. ... After a whole day of matchmaking, Kawaki is utterly exhausted. "Is it enough now, Sister?" Kawaki, lying despondently on the table, speaks to Kouka, "Indeed, these things can''t be forced; it''s the age of free love now." Looking at the remaining stack of data sheets in her hand, Kouka glances out at the dimly lit street outside, finally nods lightly, and stands up. "Let''s end it for today. Kagura, inform the remaining girls to line up here at 8 p.m. tomorrow." "Are we continuing?!" Kawaki is entirely not okay, "Hey, spare me, I can''t do it; why must it be matchmaking? I don''t need that; at year''s end, everyone else is busy, and participating in this kind of activity is also troubling for others..." Kawaki rambles on, but Kouka doesn''t listen to a word; a hand pinching a kiseru, she turns and heads towards the door. Chapter 507: The Lucky Color for the New Year is Always Red! Chapter 507: The Lucky Color for the New Year is Always Red! December 31st, evening. At Yoshiwara, in Kawaki''s room, the Umibouzu family, Yorozuya, Seita, Otae, and the Hyakka led by Tsukuyo are all gathered together, happily drinking and watching the New Year''s Eve NHK Red and White Singing Competition. "Cheer up, Brother Kawaki..." Seita advises Kawaki, lying face down on the table looking utterly sad, "It''s New Year''s Eve; you should be happier on such a day." "Hehe..." Kawaki''s face is twisted with a playfully tormented expression, "Kids wouldn''t understand the feeling of an adult who has been forced to participate in at least twelve hours of matchmaking sessions every day since Christmas... Ah, I want to die..." "If you don''t want to participate, why not refuse?" "Shut up!" Kawaki whispers sharply, making a shushing gesture and then glancing towards Kouka to ensure he wasn''t overheard before he relaxes, "Just shut up, endure it for one more day; Sister Kouka will be leaving tomorrow night." "Why are you so obedient only in front of your sister?" Seita scoffs, showing a face of disdain, "That sister complex is disgusting." "Hey, believe it or not, I''ll throw you out right now, you little brat," Kawaki threatens in a low, expressionless tone. "Everyone! This OTAKU said he''s taking us all to karaoke!" a drunken Gintoki announces to the crowd, pointing at Kawaki. Instantly, everyone cheers. "Hey, when did I say that?" Kawaki''s forehead throbs with a vein popping, "And why are you even here? I don''t remember inviting you all." "Yorozuya is a package deal!" Gintoki slurs, then pats Kawaki on the shoulder and try to console him, "Burp~ And don''t be so uptight, man. We used to share shorts as kids, remember? Burp~" "No, I don''t recall ever having such a childhood," Kawaki retorts expressionlessly, "And the only one who couldn''t tell shorts apart was you, always wearing other people''s freshly laundered shorts hung outside. Do you remember how many times Takaji fought you over that? And why did you only go after Takaji''s fancier shorts but completely ignore Zura''s crotchless shorts? You did that on purpose, didn''t you? Absolutely on purpose." "I haven''t forgotten..." Hearing this, Kawaki''s pupils dilate in shock and disbelief as he stares at Gintoki. "Hehe, burp~" Gintoki belches again and then turns back to the crowd, "Hey! This OTAKU says he''s also treating us to a champagne tower from Champagne King~." "Hey! I never said that!" "Mommy, it''s karaoke-aru! It''s a fun thing to do at night on Earth!" Kagura excitedly explains to Kouka. "Oh, is that so?" Kouka smiles lightly, "I''m looking forward to it." "Shinpachi, you''re not allowed to touch the microphone today!" Kagura says sternly. "Why not?!" Shinpachi protests, exasperated, "I''ve been preparing all year for today!" "What kind of preparation?" Kawaki scoffs, eyes rolling, "Did you assume I''d take you to karaoke on New Year''s Eve?! Have you been preparing since the start of the year?! Hey!!" ... When everyone leaves the karaoke bar, it''s already 4 AM. "Ah, I''m dying, my head is going to explode..." Kawaki groans, walking along and murmuring, "I want to die..." "Hahaha, Kawaki, you really drank too much," Shinpachi laughs, supporting a tipsy Gintoki. "Hey, this guy is unaware, it''s infuriating!" Kawaki complains, squinting, "Why can''t you notice it? If you don''t know, rewatch the Kyubei''s birthday episodes, you tone-deaf glasses!" Pointing at the Hyakka members all supporting each other, he adds, "Don''t you realise how lethal you are?" ... Although it''s just an ordinary shrine, it''s unusually crowded today, and Kawaki and the others queue for nearly an hour. After offering coins, ringing the bell, praying, and drawing fortunes, it''s well past lunchtime. "Wow! I got the best fortune!" Kagura exclaims in the restaurant on the streets of Edo after seeing her fortune for the day. "I got one too!" Shinpachi exclaims excitedly, "Maybe today will bring some good luck!" "I feel like I''m going to win a lot today!" Gintoki, also with a top fortune, says happily. "Mommy and Papi got them too!" Kagura glances at the fortunes in Kouka''s and Umibouzu''s hands. "I got one as well, maybe this year I really will be blessed," Otae smiles, her eyes narrowing. "Sister Kagura, I got one too!" Seita says excitedly, "That means the wish I just made will definitely come true!" "Hah? That wish about being desk-mates with that girl called Lili after school starts?" Kawaki speaks harshly, then scoffs, "Really, such an early bloomer." "Why would you know that?!" Seita blushes and yells, "Did you sneak a look?!" "Do I need to sneak a look?" Kawaki waves his hand dismissively, "It''s written all over your face." "Shut up! You lowly fortune OTAKU!" Seita retorts angrily. "Pfft, I don''t believe in this stuff," Kawaki casually tosses his own fortune into a nearby trash can. "Tsukki, you... like Little Uncle, got a terrible fortune," Kagura glances at Tsukuyo''s fortune beside Kawaki. "Did you catch the idiot''s bad luck?" Gintoki comments offhandedly. Puff(the sound of kunai embedding in the brain) Tsss(the sound of blood spraying) Thump! (the sound of a body hitting the table.) "Gin-san!" Shinpachi hurriedly pulls the kunai from Gintoki''s head. "Yikes, seeing such bright red on the first day of the year, that''s lucky," Kawaki squints, smiling. "It''s not lucky at all!" Shinpachi shakes Gintoki, ranting, "Maybe it''s lucky for others, but for Gin-san, it''s hellish red! Hey! Pull yourself together, Gin-san!" "Guess... getting a great fortune is also a lie," Gintoki rolls his eyes, his body still twitching occasionally, muttering to himself. ... In the afternoon, since there''s only one afternoon left before Kouka returns to Planet Kouan, Kagura spends the entire afternoon enjoying her last moments with her. Dusk. "Hey, aren''t you going? Isn''t she your sister?" Tsukuyo steps into Kawaki''s room, looking at him playing games at his computer, "There''s only two hours left." "Don''t talk about it like it''s the end," Kawaki responds without turning, "It''s not just ''two hours left.'' Someday, whether it''s Sister Kouka or not, everyone can live happily together. I... have always thought that." Chapter 508: The Family We Speak of are Those Who Protect the Same Home! Chapter 508: The Family We Speak of are Those Who Protect the Same Home! "You..." "Tsukki, can you help me out for a bit?" Kawaki turned his head and smiled at Tsukuyo, "I need a favor that will let Sister Kouka leave Earth with peace of mind." "What kind of favor..." Before Tsukuyo could finish speaking, Kawaki suddenly stood up and approached her, pinning her against the door with a dramatic wall slam. "Tsukki, I... I''ve finally realized my feelings," Kawaki expressed with a tender look. "What... what are you talking about..." Tsukuyo''s face turned utterly red in an instant, "I..." "Indeed, I''m a useless person, but even so, I want to say it: I can''t endure it anymore," Kawaki''s face showed a look of reluctance, "I''ve been sorry for always taking you for granted because we were too close. But now, right now..." "Um..." Tsukuyo''s eyes were spinning like mosquito coils, bewildered, "Why... why are you saying all this suddenly... I... I..." "So... that''s enough, right?" Kawaki''s voice was unusually gentle, "We... don''t need to say much anymore. The over five hundred chapters we''ve been through together have made me realize how much I care about you. Can you give me an answer now?" "I... I..." Watching Tsukuyo''s incoherent response, Kawaki secretly smirked, thinking: [Not bad, Tsukki! Your acting is so convincing; Sister Kouka, watching from the window, can''t tell! It''s just like you to get into character so quickly.] Indeed, at that moment, Kouka was standing outside Kawaki''s window. Kawaki had only approached Tsukuyo after noticing Kouka there. "Other things... might not be possible yet..." Tsukuyo said quietly, her head lowered, "But... holding hands... we can start with holding hands..." [Perfect! Such perfect acting! I knew you could do it, Tsukki! Even I was nearly fooled! Well done, well done, Tsukki!] Kawaki greatly admired her performance internally. "If it''s just holding hands... I''m a bit unsatisfied," Kawaki moved closer, his lips curving into a mischievous smile, "Can we do something more intimate than holding hands?" "No..." "Not possible?" Kawaki continued, while his eyes stealthily glanced at the window behind him, [That''s enough, Sister Kouka! Isn''t this level enough? This intense acting scene can only last for a while! Tsukki''s body is already shaking! She''s trying to hold back laughter; she can''t take it anymore! Please, that''s enough!] "It''s... not that it''s impossible..." Tsukuyo''s voice was as faint as a mosquito, "But... we should start with holding hands to get used to it; I''ve never gone through that kind of thing, so... so..." "Don''t worry, I''ll teach you everything," Kawaki said with a sly grin, "Trust me... no, your body will remember it soon enough." Pfft! Tsukuyo''s face instantly steamed up like a boiling kettle, emitting puffs of white smoke from her head. "You... be gentle..." As soon as Tsukuyo finished speaking, Kouka, standing outside the window, circled Tsukuyo''s name on the last remaining profile sheet and then turned to leave. Feeling Kouka''s departure, Kawaki finally let go and took a deep breath, gratefully saying to Tsukuyo, "Thanks for playing along with me for so long." "I''m not so senile that I can''t detect a kid''s lie," Umibouzu downed half a glass of liquor, "Don''t treat me like some old fool." "You have things only you can do, and I have things only I can do," Kawaki spoke softly, "So, don''t feel bad or anything; only you can be by her side. Haven''t you given up a lot too? You gave up the title of the universe''s number-one hunter long ago to be by Sister Kouka''s side. Giving up your job to choose family, you''re already an outstanding husband." "I don''t want to be complimented by a kid who''s not even married," Umibouzu scoffed lightly. "Honestly, I don''t want to compliment a baldy like you," Kawaki chuckled, "Trying to find a good point about you; it feels like if you weren''t bald, I wouldn''t be able to think of anything." "So... how far along is it?" "That''s not for you to worry about," Kawaki replied casually, "But I can tell you, it''s just the last step. The key technology for the synthetic core hasn''t been broken through yet, but it''s close..." "Can it be done? Turning Kouka into a human..." "Am I not an example?" Kawaki glanced at Umibouzu, "You don''t need to ask more about that. If Umibouzu goes back to dealing with matters related to Altana now, it would attract their attention. It''s not time yet. Just relax and stay by your wife''s side." "You make it sound like I can''t do anything but stay by my wife''s side," Umibouzu remarked softly. "No, there''s still something you can do," Kawaki pulled out a communicator from his pocket, "Discussing various teenage troubles with your daughter who''s hitting puberty, isn''t that also a father''s duty?" "This is..." "Ah, I saw that brat last time, but he doesn''t need it. Just leaving it lying around seems wasteful. "You''re a reliable nephew, haha!" "Hey, if you pull my hair again, I really will kill you..." ... At the Edo terminal, Umibouzu stood next to Kouka with a package several times bigger than himself, waving goodbye to everyone. "Kagura, Sister Kouka I have one more gift for you," Kawaki pulled out two brand new phones and handed them to the two, "Version 2.0 communicators, not only retaining the original messaging function but also adding call and video call capabilities." "Thanks, Kawaki-chan," Kouka gently ruffled Kawaki''s hair. "Wow, thank you, Little Uncle!" Kagura cheered as she took the phone. "What do you mean?" Umibouzu''s veins throbbed as he gritted his teeth, "What''s this about version 2.0? Compared to version 2.0, was the original version too shabby? I knew there was a reason you kindly gave me that convenient communicator, so you had a better one, huh? Hey, explain this to me, you brat!" "Goodbye, Papi, Mommy~" Unlike last time, Kagura''s face did not show much sadness this time. "Goodbye, Baldy, Sister Kouka." Kawaki waved to the two. Chapter 510: The Real Shura Field Is Deadly! Chapter 510: The Real Shura Field Is Deadly! "Come on, give me a break; these jerks are just messing with me," Kawaki sighed deeply, his expression one of utter defeat. "If it''s going to be like this, I''d rather watch OOO, OOO, and OOO''s childbirth reports." "Um, Brother Kawaki, who are OOO, OOO, and OOO?" Seita asked. "What? You don''t know?" Kawaki looked confused. "They''re friends of the failed author. Last October, the author attended four weddings; three had kids last month." "Um... isn''t there a timing issue? How come they married in October and had children by June next year..." Seita deadpanned. "Who knows~" Kawaki waved his hand dismissively, then scoffed, "Cut it out, each one of them goes, ''Ah~ It feels so unreal; I''ve become a parent without realizing it~ I wonder if I can be a good father (mother). Oh, I''m so nervous~'' It''s sickening! If you''re worried about being a bad parent, you should have taken precautions! They must have been pregnant at their weddings! They got married just to become parents! Why on earth would you say such a thing in a chat group? It infuriates me! I don''t even want to go to the baby''s full-month celebration! Hey, give me back the wedding gift money!" "Um..." After a long silence, Seita finally muttered, "Who are you?" ... "Hey, Brother Kawaki, someone sent a wedding announcement!" Seita exclaimed, looking at the New Year''s card in his hands. Hearing this, Kawaki casually glanced at the New Year''s card in Seita''s hand. The card showed a burly Gintoki in a suit embracing a wedding dress-clad Sacchan holding a bouquet of roses at the church entrance. "I got married, Ah, Otae~ Sorry for jumping the gun~ Thanks to the matchmaking session recommended by the gaming otaku~." "It looks like this one deserves a proper reply," Kawaki said as he picked up a pen and began writing on a blank card before him. "Wishing you both a century of good union, to moisten each other like natto, stinking together for a lifetime. Kawaki." "Um... Brother Kawaki, this is like a marriage scam, right?" Seita muttered, looking at the card, "Isn''t that someone else''s neck under Gintoki''s? It''s made with unskilled Photoshop, right?" "Seita, you wouldn''t understand," Kawaki crossed his arms, shook his head, and closed his eyes gravely, "Girls always edit their photos, no matter if they are unattractive or beautiful, they just focus on editing their image; completely neglecting others, leading to a result where only they stand out, while everyone else looks like they''re living in another world. Like this photo, Gintoki looks like he''s living in another dimension." "I see!" Seita nodded vigorously, then picked up another card, "So, Brother Kawaki, are you also living in another world in this one?"Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m "Every day, the three of us live happily together, feeling like we''re about to ascend to heaven after a couple more rounds~ Kawaki-sama, please don''t spare us! Gedoumaru, Kuzunoha (PS: After the wedding, please come to the Ketsuno residence to collect our shrine.)" The picture showed Kawaki''s face photoshopped, but the neck was dressed in Onmyoji attire, with Gedoumaru and Kuzunoha by his side. "Kill them! This time, they''re going to ascend!" Kawaki snatched the postcard from Haruta''s hands and tore it to shreds, "What are they playing at? This time, they''re going up!" As soon as Kawaki spoke, two wrapped figures burst excitedly through the window. "Kawaki-sama! Come on! We''ve been waiting for this moment!" Kuzunoha shouted excitedly, There seemed to be no clothes under her neck, "I''ve got fox ears and a tail! Any man would love it! Kawaki-sama, don''t spare me! Come on!" "Quick, I can''t wait any longer! Takamagahara, here I come!" Gedoumaru, equally excited, exclaimed. "Hehe, yes, Earth still has time, but... I don''t have any time left..." Kawaki turned to look at the massive cannon barrel and several glaring surgical knives that had somehow extended through the window, "Seita, if you can stand up, run. They won''t involve children... hehe, goodbye, my life..." Seeing the dire situation, Seita turned and ran out. ... In a vacant lot in Yoshiwara, Kawaki, tightly bound, was stuffed into a massive cannon, pointing straight at the sky. Beside the cannon stood three women: one in green military attire with a cap, her explosive figure crowned by flowing blue hair, her expression cold, holding a smoking pipe in one hand. Another wore a white lab coat, and her white blouse underneath was bulging. She had long red hair, a lit cigarette in her mouth, a teardrop mole under her right eye, and a cold expression. And then there was Tsukuyo, holding a kiseru, her expression indifferent. "Um... long time no see, you two," Kawaki said, his face sweaty as he addressed the two women before him. The military woman glanced coldly at Kawaki, then gestured to her subordinates to prepare the cannon. "Earth''s New Year... it does need some fireworks, don''t you think? An ex-boyfriend who owes debts..." The woman in the white lab coat casually exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke indifferently. "Hey! Tsukki! Save me!" Seeing that the two women had no intention of stopping, Kawaki quickly turned to Tsukuyo for help, "Please! Save me!!" "You''d better die sooner..." Tsukuyo''s eyes were ice cold. "Hey! Sakamoto! What have you done?!" Kawaki shouted at Sakamoto, standing in front of a crowd of Kaientai members. "Ahahaha, it''s none of my business, just business." Sakamoto, scratching his head, laughed heartily, "Speaking of which, you''re buying the drinks today, right?" As the fuse was lit, Kawaki looked up and screamed in despair, "No!!" But no one paid him any attention. After a loud boom, Kawaki... ascended to heaven. Watching the huge fireworks explode in the sky, accompanied by Kawaki''s screams, the three women simultaneously revealed a hint of pleasure. "Disperse!" The woman in military attire turned around and commanded sharply without looking back. "Farewell." The woman in the white lab coat casually glanced at Tsukuyo and sauntered off with a swagger. Chapter 511: When it Comes to Valentines Day, I Think My Stomach isnt Right Chapter 511: When it Comes to Valentines Day, I Think My Stomach is''nt Right February 14th, early morning, Yoshiwara. "Don''t you have to go to the dojo today?" Kawaki eyed Seita, who was unusually dressed in a fitted suit, across the breakfast table. "What''s with that get-up? It''s nauseating. And did you use mousse in your hair? Should a kid your age be using that stuff?" "Do you really not know what day it is, Brother Kawaki?" Seita asked incredulously. "I''ve told you it''s Sazae-san mode," Kawaki waved dismissively, "there''s really no need to remember dates." "Today is Valentine''s Day!" Seita leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "It''s an important day for receiving chocolates!" "Oh! Now I remember!" Kawaki finally reacted, then stroked his chin in thought, and responded, "Yes, I remember such a day. When I was young, every year in February, I''d find many chocolate wrappers in my desk pocket, all sneakily eaten by Gintoki. He always gave me a look that was hard to interpret, whether it was jealousy or satisfaction." "Wait?! Brother Kawaki, were you popular enough during your school days to receive lots of chocolates on Valentine''s Day?!" Seita was astonished. "And now you''re just an otaku!" "Hey, is that really how you see me?" Kawaki replied flatly, then scoffed, "Only a premature kid like you, who''s entered puberty too early due to environmental influences, would look forward to that. Valentine''s Day? Chocolates? That''s just a conspiracy by confectioners. If you can''t express your feelings without the push from corporations, then it''s not worth expressing at all!" "That''s a line I used to say when I still lived in the Sanzenin mansion," Kagura interjected, having arrived at some point and effortlessly taking a seat at the table, starting to eat from Kawaki''s plate as if it was the most natural thing. "Hey," Kawaki reached over to thump Kagura on the head, "how can you just sit down and start eating like that? Did you come here just for the breakfast? Give it a rest!" "Sister Kagura, do you have any? There must be some, right? Even obligatory chocolate is fine! Please! I haven''t received a single one today! Even Mom didn''t prepare any for me!" Seita pleaded eagerly. "I made some this morning, chocolate-flavored ice cream, then it got washed away," Kagura mentioned casually. At this revelation, everyone at the table except for Kagura stopped eating. "Who are you trying to disgust?!" Kawaki covered his mouth, his face full of revulsion. "Can that even count as chocolate?! I can''t even eat my breakfast now!" "Ah, thanks for the meal." Saying this, Kagura gathered all the food on the table in front of her and continued to eat contentedly. "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?"Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m ... "Full, so full..." Kagura patted her stomach, exaggerated as if she were pregnant, then stuck a toothpick in her mouth contentedly. "I''m off to play games," Kawaki announced, standing up to head towards the door. After only a couple of steps, he paused and turned back to Tsukuyo, who was sitting stiffly at the table. "Hey, are you okay? You''ve been really weird today. Usually, you''d drag me out on patrol if I said something like this, but today you haven''t said anything. I''m almost not used to it." "No, it''s normal!" Tsukuyo looked up, insisting firmly. "But it doesn''t seem normal no matter how you look at it... your posture, your expression, everything''s off," Kawaki murmured, squinting suspiciously at Tsukuyo. "Very normal!" Tsukuyo insisted again. "No, no, no, it all seems so abnormal," Kawaki continued, staring intently at Tsukuyo and falling into thought. "Really, giving chocolates to such a man," Tsukuyo commented disdainfully as she held her kiseru, "It''s futile, the end result is always the same, they just get thrown away." "Tsukki, you''re being harsh," Kawaki peeked from behind the towering pile of chocolates, complaining, "Even I, who am not fond of sweets, would eat all these chocolates instead of throwing them away. These chocolates contain the girls'' feelings, after all. Even someone as unsentimental as I wouldn''t discard them." "Really?!" the Hyakka members exclaimed in surprise, then pulled out their chocolates and crowded around Kawaki. "Kawaki-sama, please take care of my true love chocolate too!" "And mine! Since I know you don''t like sweets much, I made it less sweet!" "Try my chocolate, I spent two nights making it just for you, Kawaki-sama!" "Only two nights? I started preparing a week ago!" "A week? I started preparing a month ago!" "I''ve been preparing for half a year!" "I started a year ago!" ... As the Hyakka ladies argued, Kawaki twitched his mouth and commented, "Can you even eat one-year-old chocolate? It''ll definitely give you diarrhea." Watching the scene unfold, Tsukuyo sighed again. She was about to say something when a slightly shorter Hyakka member approached shyly. "Leader, please accept this," the member handed a pink heart-shaped box of chocolates to Tsukuyo. "It''s not as good as the ones sold outside, but I made it myself last night." Holding the chocolate, Tsukuyo fell silent. "Look, even your leader is receiving chocolates from a girl on Valentine''s Day," Kawaki addressed the Hyakka, "It''s said that someone once claimed to have discarded her femininity, so it''s not strange for her to receive chocolates from a girl." As he finished, Tsukuyo''s forehead throbbed with even more veins. "No! That''s not it!" the shorter member quickly explained, "It''s just to thank the leader for her usual care! It''s not what Mr. Kawaki thinks! Besides, I think the leader is very handsome! In my heart, the leader is even more handsome than Mr. Kawaki!" "Pfft!" Kawaki couldn''t help but snicker, turning his face away, "You mean to say she''s more manly than a real man? Tsukki, you''ve got a great subordinate here who really understands you." "I didn''t mean that!" the member hastily clarified, "I just meant the leader is infinitely more reliable than Mr. Kawaki!" "Is that so? More manly than me by infinite degrees." Kawaki grinned at Tsukuyo, "Hear that? Aren''t you happy?" "Enough!!" At her limit, Tsukuyo pulled out all her kunai and threw them all at Kawaki in a fit of rage. "Ah!!" ... Chapter 512: Shout it out Loud!! Chapter 512: Shout it out Loud!! In the afternoon, having skipped lunch, Kawaki sat in a dango shop on the streets of Yoshiwara with a table piled high with chocolates in front of him. Kawaki didn''t know how many cups of tea he had drunk to help him eat through just half of these chocolates. Beside him, Seita looked on with a face of disappointmentor perhaps defeatwatching the chocolates on the table before Kawaki, wanting to say something but not knowing what. "It''s convenient to have a body that doesn''t gain weight no matter how much you eat," Hinowa commented as she watched Kawaki. "Of course!" Kawaki mumbled through mouthfuls of chocolate, "I properly convert everything I eat into energy! Oh, can I have another cup of tea, please?" "Sure, here you go." The dango shop''s waitress brought a cup of tea and set it on the table. "Oh, thanks." Kawaki took the cup and guzzled the tea down. "But seriously, all of these are homemade chocolates," Hinowa continued. "Not a single one bought from a store." "Does it make a difference?" Kawaki, planning a mid-snack break, asked curiously, "Is there something special about store-bought chocolates compared to homemade ones?" "Of course," Hinowa nodded affirmatively, "The sentiment in homemade chocolates is much heavier than what you can buy with money. It seems you are popular in Yoshiwara." "Ahahaha, I''ve always known I was an outstanding man," Kawaki chuckled, patting his head, "It''s just one of those things... Ahahaha..." "By the way, what about women attracts you the most, Kawaki?" Hinowa suddenly asked. "That''s a sudden question," Kawaki stopped laughing and mused with his hands clasped and eyes closed, "What about women attracts me the most..." Tsukuyo, leaning against the wall, involuntarily pricked up her ears. "It''s the face and Op..." Before Kawaki could finish, Tsukuyo threw a kunai that hit him squarely on the forehead. At that exact moment, a mysteriously strong little girl appeared out of nowhere and kicked Kawaki in the stomach. "Why is Kagura also...?" Kawaki groaned as he fell to the ground, eyes rolling back. "Talking dirty in broad daylight-aru?! Perverted OTAKU uncle!" Kagura shouted angrily. "Tsk, what a pathetic man," Tsukuyo spat disdainfully. "Why do I get criticized for telling the truth?" Kawaki, resurrecting on the spot, pulled the kunai from his forehead and sat back down, his face full of displeasure, "I don''t get you people. What I said is what all men think. Are you only happy to hear sweet words? Isn''t it better to be more honest? Instead of saying, ''I like you, please go out with me'' during a confession, which is just sickening! Why can''t you honestly say: I want to [beep] with you?! Is that not okay?!" As soon as he finished speaking, Kawaki was knocked down again by Tsukuyo and Kagura. "What are you saying in front of children?!" Tsukuyo shouted, "If confessions turn into that, the world is doomed! No woman would ever agree to date a man again!" "No, cavemen probably confessed like that," Kawaki sat up again and defended himself earnestly. "Hey! Even though that''s a bit better than what little uncle said, it''s still gross!" Kagura stood up, shouting, "Haven''t you had enough?! What kind of impression have I left on you guys?" "Take it back then, whether it''s boogers or the sesame seeds you ate last night," Kawaki said as he closed the box of chocolates and handed it back to Kagura, "You meant to give it to those guys, right? Why the fuss? You''re not a middle schooler." "I... I never intended to give it to Gin-chan and others!" Kagura protested loudly. "No, I never mentioned Gintoki, did I?" "Hey! That''s too sly!" "Go on, send it. Even though it might cause diarrhea, if he receives it, he might be pleased," Kawaki said casually, "That guy... since I''ve known him, he''s never received chocolates on Valentine''s Day." "No need!" Kagura turned her face away, huffing, "Even if I don''t send it, the others will give it to them! This chocolate is good enough for Seita!" "Hey, did you hear that? Gintoki, Shinpachi," Kawaki spoke into his phone, "Kagura said she''d give the chocolate to Seita and not to you guys." "What?! Damn it! Give me three minutes to bring the chocolate back to Yorozuya! It''s my chocolate! Mine! And that brat, if he dares to eat my chocolate... I''ll kill him!" Gintoki''s voice erupted from the phone. "Kagura-chan, if we receive your chocolate, we''d be delighted too!" Shinpachi''s voice followed from the phone. "You idiot little uncle!!" Kagura yelled before delivering an uppercut to Kawaki. ... Watching Kagura storm off with the chocolate, Kawaki stood up from the ground like nothing had happened and dusted off his clothes. "Really, what''s with that unforthcoming kid?" Kawaki shook his head and chuckled helplessly. "Kawaki seems concerned about Kagura," Hinowa noted with a smile. "I just hope Kagura can live like a slightly capricious normal girl," Kawaki said softly, "to do what she wants, say what she wants to say, and convey what she wants to convey, living carefree and heartlessly. It is not just me; many people wish she could live happily like that. Worry, pain, sadness, loneliness, confusion... let others carry those burdens." "I see..." "My only chocolate... gone..." Seita crouched on the ground, a picture of misery, "Who will bear my pain..." "A man should take responsibility for his own life," Kawaki scoffed. "That kid''s issue might be resolved," Hinowa said, glancing at Tsukuyo''s departing figure, "but another person''s feelings haven''t been conveyed yet. And with what I said earlier about homemade chocolate... it seems I''ve made it even harder for that kid..." "Huh?" Kawaki looked puzzled at Hinowa. "Never mind," Hinowa smiled and shook her head. Chapter 513: Valentines Day Arc—Conclusion Chapter 513: Valentine''s Day ArcConclusion "First step, chop the chocolate into pieces to melt it..." Tsukuyo, wearing an apron and a headband, stood before the kitchen stove, mumbling to herself while consulting a book titled "Essential Valentine''s Day Guide for GirlsChocolate Edition." Various ingredients, such as blocks of dark chocolate, milk, sugar, eggs, and cream, were arrayed on the cutting board in front of her. The stove was on, with a small iron pot filled with boiling water; nearby lay molds, a strainer, and a whisk, among other tools. "Tsukki, need any help?" Hinowa opened the kitchen door, slowly wheeling in her electric wheelchair. "What? No, no need!" Tsukuyo quickly turned around, hiding the book behind her, and hastily explained, "I was just a bit hungry and thought I''d cook some ramen! It''s not about making Valentine''s chocolates or anything!" "Is that so... If that''s the case, it seems you don''t need any help then." Hinowa smiled and began to turn her wheelchair to leave but paused at the door as if remembering something. She turned back with a smile to offer a last piece of advice. "By the way, that book that looks like a ramen tutorial behind you seems to have caught fire from the stove. I think it might be a good idea to put it out quickly." Hinowa controlled her wheelchair to leave the kitchen, gently closing the door behind her. Left alone in the kitchen, Tsukuyo looked at the book in her hands, which was now burned down to a corner. She opened the tap and put the burning book under the running water without a second thought. The book''s fire was extinguished, but the soaked remains were now a pulpy mess. Looking at the remnants of the book, now unreadable, Tsukuyo silently threw it into the trash can and cleared her throat, trying to reassure herself: "Cough, cough, it''s okay! It doesn''t matter at all! All the ingredients are ready! It''s straightforward! The chocolate is pre-made; you just need to figure out how to mix these ingredients!" With that, Tsukuyo''s sleeve flashed a hint of steel, and a kunai appeared in her right hand. "First step... chop!" After a flurry of activity, the kunai cut the chocolate into tiny pieces along with the cutting board. "Next, melt!" Saying this, Tsukuyo threw the chocolate and the bits of the cutting board into the boiling pot. "Then, mix!" Tsukuyo dumped almost everything on the stove into the boiling pot, including the seasonings and ingredients. Wiping sweat from her brow, Tsukuyo looked at what was essentially a hotpot before her and smiled easily. "It''s surprisingly simple, much like making a hotpot." "Now, the next step is to shape it." Tsukuyo bent down to look for the molds she had prepared earlier, only to realize she had tossed them into the pot earlier. "Well, this just makes it even more convenient." Muttering to herself, Tsukuyo turned off the stove, used a towel to handle the hot pot, and placed it in the freezer. After packaging it, Tsukuyo remembered the most crucial question. Who... should she give it to? ... Later, kneeling at the dinner table just like during breakfast, Tsukuyo hesitated before Hinowa softly said, "Tsukki, there are only four hours left until midnight. If there''s something you must do today, go ahead." "The patrol is all set!" Tsukuyo quickly replied. "No, I''m not talking about that. But... never mind..." Hinowa turned to her son, "Seita, please push me out." "Okay..." ... At eleven o''clock at night, having finally decided, Tsukuyo stood at Kawaki''s door, hesitating for half an hour before pushing the door open and stepping inside. "Oh, Tsukki, what is it?" Kawaki, still suffering from too much chocolate, lay weakly on the table. "Ah, it''s nothing," Tsukuyo replied lightly. "If it''s nothing, let me rest a bit. My stomach hurts from all that chocolate... it''s so painful..." Kawaki sighed. "Oh... yes..." After responding twice, Tsukuyo turned and walked towards the door, regretting inwardly: Why did I just leave like that? What was I here for? "Wait..." "What... what is it?" Tsukuyo turned back, trying to maintain a composed face. "Bring it here." Kawaki extended his hand casually. "What?" "The chocolate." "Huh? Why should I give you chocolate!" Tsukuyo exclaimed. "You didn''t prepare any?" Kawaki was surprised, "I thought I''d get some as a thanks. Don''t they always call me the savior of Yoshiwara? Well, never mind. No chocolate, then. Goodnight." Just as Kawaki finished speaking, a heart-shaped chocolate landed on his table. Kawaki stared at the chocolate next to him in surprise, then looked up towards the door to say something but found the door closed and Tsukuyo seemingly gone. "Valentine''s Day this year..." Kawaki unwrapped the chocolate, glanced at the clock on the wall about to strike midnight, and took a big bite, "...has perfectly ended. But then again, this chocolate... tastes awful..." Outside, Tsukuyo leaned against the wall, listening to the sounds of Kawaki chewing the chocolate inside, and gently curled her lips upwards. Chapter 514: Giving Gifts Is a Very Important Thing, So Remember It! Chapter 514: Giving Gifts Is a Very Important Thing, So Remember It! One morning in Yoshiwara. "Huh? No patrol today?" Kawaki, in his pajamas, opened his door to see Tsukuyo holding a fruit basket in the hallway, and he asked in surprise. "Ah, I heard Sarutobi was hospitalized, so I''m going to visit her," Tsukuyo casually replied. "You... since when did you become friends with that natto woman?" Kawaki said with a look of disgust. "No, it''s just a normal visit," Tsukuyo replied casually, "It''s sort of a thank-you for inviting the Hyakka to a ninja lecture she arranged before." "I see; well, goodbye then," Kawaki said as he turned back inside. However, before he could close the door, a kunai struck him right in the back of the head. He fell forward from the impact, bleeding profusely from the back of his skull. "The patrol for Yoshiwara has been arranged already. Come with me today," Tsukuyo turned away, coughing awkwardly and embarrassed. "Are you some kind of middle schooler?" Kawaki, picking himself up and pulling the kunai out of his head, retorted flatly, "Why would you be embarrassed just to visit someone in the hospital? And isn''t that person a woman? Why would a woman be embarrassed to visit another woman?" "There''s a new game release today that you wanted..." Tsukuyo muttered softly, "Today... well, on the way back, that thing..." "Alright! Let''s get going!" Kawaki, now fully dressed, stood at the door, ready to leave. ... I was in the hospital in Edo later that morning. "It''s rare to see you guys together..." Kawaki entered the hospital room, surprised to see the Yorozuya trio and Zenzou gathered around the bed. "It''s even rarer for you, Little Uncle, to come to visit someone sick-aru," Kagura, sitting on a chair beside the bed, turned to look at Kawaki and commented mercilessly. "No, I didn''t plan to visit this natto-smelling woman." Kawaki shrugged and stepped aside to let Tsukuyo through to the bed, leaning against the wall, "I was just on my way to buy a game. The person who wanted to visit this natto woman is someone else." "Tsukki!" Kagura exclaimed happily, seeing Tsukuyo with the fruit basket. "Are you two on a date?" Shinpachi pushed up his glasses and teased with a smile. "Little Uncle, you too..." "Sorry, compared to the limited-time game coming up, this woman is worthless to me," Kawaki shrugged and replied casually, "Of course, I don''t know about that naturally wavy hair over there, but as far as I''m concerned, that''s how it feels. Let''s go, Tsukki." "So, you''re concerned about that woman?" Walking down the street, Kawaki asked Tsukuyo beside him. "No, at a time like this, the last person Sarutobi would want to care about her is me," Tsukuyo replied softly, "It should be the man who sent her those glasses. But what about you? Aren''t you worried Kagura might be in danger?" "Of course I''m worried," Kawaki replied matter-of-factly, smiling slightly, "But there''s that naturally wavy hair, right? As long as he''s there, it''ll be fine. Besides... it wouldn''t be appropriate for us to get involved when a woman is endangered because of him. Let''s not dwell on it; the game release time is almost here! We need to hurry, or we''ll miss it." ... After over an hour in line that afternoon, Kawaki finally got the game he wanted. Seeing Kawaki''s satisfied expression while holding the game, Tsukuyo shook her head helplessly. "Thank you so much for today!" Kawaki, a game in hand, was visibly overjoyed. "No, it''s... it''s nothing..." "But I didn''t expect you to remember today was the release day for this game," Kawaki clutched his game tightly, deeply moved, "I almost forgot about it myself." "Because you... you''ve been talking about it daily for the past month when eating..." Tsukuyo tried to sound casual. "Anyway, thank you so much!" Kawaki said gratefully, paused as if remembering something, stopped walking, and said, "To show my appreciation, let me buy you something too. Is there anything you want?" "Ah!" Tsukuyo suddenly froze, then fidgeted on the spot, "That... no, that, I... that..." "What''s wrong? Why are you acting so twitchy?" Kawaki looked at Tsukuyo expressionlessly, "You wouldn''t be... needing the restroom, would you?" "No... not at all!" Tsukuyo denied loudly, blushing, "That... can... can..." "Huh? Can what?" Kawaki squinted, puzzled. "The gift... the gift... gift... gift..." Tsukuyo''s eyes started to resemble mosquito coils. "Then, let''s go. There''s a store that''s perfect for you," Kawaki said, turning and leading the way. Chapter 515: Seizing the Initiative in Dating Is Everything! Chapter 515: Seizing the Initiative in Dating Is Everything! In a specific hundred-yen second-hand shop in Edo. "Go ahead, pick anything! Whatever you want, I can buy it for you!" Kawaki boasted as he patted his chest, speaking to Tsukuyo, standing outside the shop door. However, just after he finished speaking, Kawaki sensed something amiss, as Tsukuyo seemed slightly odd, looking down without expression and remaining silent. "That..." Kawaki hurriedly explained, "Tsukki, you know my money all go to games, or Kagura takes it, so this kind of shop is already my limit! But gifts aren''t about being cheap or expensive! I''ve always thought that way! Go ahead and pick anything. Everything here is only a hundred yen! Considering you bought me that 20,000-yen game, I can let you pick two items! That''s my limit!" After Kawaki finished, another silence lasted more than half a minute. "Um, that," Kawaki quickly apologized with a smile, "It is my limit... Could you say something? Your silence is kind of scaring me." "Mm..." Tsukuyo''s voice was as faint as a mosquito''s, and then she mechanically stepped into the shop. "Have you recently become obsessed with that idol group that does robot dancing?" Kawaki commented emotionlessly. "Customer, how about this?" the store manager, already over fifty and missing a front tooth, creating a whistling sound as he spoke, held up a milky-white chopstick, "This is the treasure of the hundred-yen shopengagement chopstick...hairpin." "Hey, you said chopstick, right? You said chopstick! It must be hard to change your wording on the spot!" Kawaki went on a crazy rant. "This young lady has an eye for quality when choosing this engagement hairpin...chopstick. It has quite a history." The elderly manager with reading glasses forcefully placed the chopstick in Tsukuyo''s hand. "Hey, why did you change it back again!" Kawaki retorted fiercely, "What''s an engagement chopstick? I''ve never even heard of such a thing! And aren''t chopsticks usually in pairs? Why is there only one here!" "There''s a reason for that," the store manager sighed softly, shaking his head as he explained, "This chopstick was once used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the cold winter, wanting to warm Nobunaga''s feet. Create a microwave to heat straw sandals while eating hotpot on a cold winter morning. And the other chopstick got lost in the hotpot and was thrown away." "There''s no connection! Why would you eat hot pot in the morning? Why a microwave?" Kawaki ranted, "If there''s hotpot, there''s no need to warm Nobunaga''s feet anymore! It''s better to invite him to eat hotpot; he''d warm up eating it!" "Ah, actually, I remembered it wrong," the manager pushed his glasses up and continued, "This chopstick was used by Zhuge Liang and others by the shore while watching ships burn in the river during the Battle of Red Cliffs, listening to the cries of Cao Cao''s soldiers while eating hotpot." "Don''t think making up such stories can increase its value! It''s just a useless chopstick! And it''s only one!" "Anyway, the store currently has a discount, only a thousand yen for this engagement chopstick." The store manager continued, ignoring Kawaki''s rant, "For an extra hundred yen, I''ll personally fish the other chopstick out of the hotpot, wash it, and give it to you." "You dropped the chopstick into the hotpot yourself?!" Kawaki exclaimed indignantly, "So these chopsticks were just for you to eat hotpot with? Isn''t this supposed to be a hundred-yen shop? Why is it a thousand yen? Do you think I''m an idiot?! Give me a discount, fifty yen for both!" "Customer, your bargaining is too harsh; I can give you a 50% discount at most." The store manager replied, "But I''ll only be responsible for fishing them out, no washing service included." "Ten yen; make sure to disinfect them properly!" Kawaki demanded sternly. "Three hundred yen! And I''ll throw in a pair of worn-out straw sandals worn by Nobunaga!" The store manager made no concessions. "Five yen! Flush your straw sandals down the toilet! Right now!" "One hundred yen! That''s the limit! I can also throw in a thirty-year-old antique codpiece worn by Cao Cao!" "I don''t need the codpiece; fifty yen is my final offer!" Kawaki''s expression became serious, "Otherwise, we''ll go to the next shop. As far as I know, there are more than one hundred yen shops in Edo~." "You little..." The shop manager frowned, looking aggrieved, "Fine, since you''ve put it that way, okay!" ... "Tsukki, you''ve been weird today," Kawaki noted with concern, "You hardly talked at all. Is everything okay? Are you feeling unwell? Do you need to rest a bit before we go back?" [Rest! That''s it! Hinowa said this morning that men often use this excuse on dates to take women to that place for the next step!] Tsukuyo thought, [Oh no! This situation...] "Let''s... rest a bit then..." Tsukuyo mumbled her face a mixture of hesitation and confusion. [What am I saying?! It''s over if I do anything with this man! Not only that, but my entire life would be over, too!] Tsukuyo internally berated herself. "Do you... mean... that time of the month?" Kawaki leaned closer, misunderstanding her hesitation. [Is he checking in that way?! I always thought he was a vegetarian, but he''s a carnivore?! The situation is getting more passive, and if it continues like this, he might completely take control! No! I... must fight back! At least, I must take the final initiative!] "Tsukki?" "I''m fine. But you, don''t suddenly fall asleep or anything," Tsukuyo said coolly, managing a faint smile. "Huh? Why would I fall asleep? It''s not the middle of the month." Kawaki looked confused. [He''s holding firm!!] Tsukuyo felt overwhelmed, [This man... I mustn''t underestimate him! Or rather, he thinks he''s been in control all day, so he can naturally be proactive until the end! Scary! This man is terrifying! I never realized he had such a side! Did he hide it? But I can''t lose! Not! The best strategy at this time is...] "Why aren''t you talking again?" Kawaki asked, puzzled, "Ah, you''re super weird today. Are you upset with me? Are you upset about the gift I got you in return? It''s not my fault, right? If you didn''t like it, you should have said something at the time. And didn''t I compensate you already? Wasn''t that Takoyaki''s compensation? Why still..." [Well, there''s only one way left now...] As she thought, Tsukuyo pulled out several kunai and, before Kawaki could react, fiercely stabbed them into his head. "That''s better. Your condition today isn''t right." After saying this, Tsukuyo dragged the unconscious Kawaki, who was twitching on the ground, by the collar of his shirt toward the direction of Yoshiwara. "Did I... do something wrong?" Kawaki mumbled incoherently, unconcerned, "Why... why treat me this way..." ... The following day in Yoshiwara, Kawaki, with his head heavily bandaged, sat at the dining table staring sternly at Tsukuyo across from him. "Hey, can you explain now? Why did you do that to me yesterday? I passed out from loss of blood, you know." "It was just because I was annoyed with you," Tsukuyo replied indifferently while eating. Kawaki''s forehead vein throbbed violently, "Annoyed? What does that mean?! I''m annoyed, too! It''s annoying to be stabbed in the head until it''s full of holes! Want to fight?! Bastard! Ah!" Before he could finish, more kunai struck his forehead. "I''m full." Tsukuyo stood up, dragging the unconscious Kawaki again by the collar towards the door, "We''re off to patrol." "They... they''re always like this every day," Seita muttered quietly. "Yes, but perhaps this way of interacting is more familiar for that child. Of course, it must be the same for that man." Hinowa smiled and replied, then turned to watch Tsukuyo''s departing back. This time, Tsukuyo''s hair was adorned with two clean, cream-colored chopsticks... Chapter 516: Adults are Helpless When it Comes to Kids Asking for Gifts Chapter 516: Adults are Helpless When it Comes to Kids Asking for Gifts One day in Yoshiwara. "How''s everything? Did you finish checking?" Kawaki asked without turning his head, still busy with his game controller on the floor. "Don''t underestimate my Hyakka," Tsukuyo replied as she walked in through the door, a smoking pipe in her mouth, her arms crossed, leaning against the wall beside the door, responding faintly. "It''s been a while since I''ve been seriously active," Kawaki remarked sentimentally after putting down the controller and stretching, standing up with his hands tucked in his kimono. "So, let''s get moving a bit today." "It''s still too early today; tomorrow isn''t too late," Tsukuyo gently exhaled a puff of smoke, "Tomorrow... those four, including your target, will all gather on that street. It should... make your actions easier." "That''s true," Kawaki squinted and chuckled, "But it''s quite emotional, isn''t it? My nephew, whom I''ve barely seen since he was little, suddenly asked for a gift." Hearing this, Tsukuyo hummed softly and walked towards the door. The story starts a few days ago... A few nights earlier, Kawaki suddenly received a video call request from an unknown number... "Moshi Moshi, can you see me? Stupid uncle." Seeing Kamui''s annoyingly smug face, Kawaki in Yoshiwara didn''t hesitate to hang up the video call. "Um, Abuto, was there a problem with the communication?" Kamui asked, pointing at the large screen on a giant spaceship with Abuto beside him, "It turned to static after just one sentence." "It''s just that the other party hung up the call," Abuto replied quietly. "Hahaha, hanging up on a video call with his cute nephew whom he hasn''t seen in a long time, this man is too much," Kamui laughed. "That... Captain, you might be misunderstanding the word ''cute''..." Abuto commented emotionlessly, "If attacking one''s family members upon first sight can be called cute, then the world might as well end..." "What are you talking about? A cute nephew like me in space is quite rare," Kamui grinned and pressed a red button on the control panel again, "At least, I think I''m much cuter than that sister on Earth who can''t do anything but eat." "That... to be honest, I don''t think either of you has a place being called cute." "It''s connecting, it''s connecting!" Kamui said, looking at Kawaki''s annoyed face on the screen, "Hehe, long time no see, stupid uncle. Seeing your annoyed face suddenly makes me feel a lot better." "Wait a second, I... just need a little more time..." Kawaki''s expression in the video seemed strangely serious as if he was straining over something... Suddenly, a sound like something falling into a bucket came from the video, and then the screen went black, followed by a sound like flushing water. A minute later... "Phew~ Finally done, ah, thank you, Nobita." Kawaki smiled in the video, "Seeing your face made everything flow smoothly~." A vein instantly popped on Kamui''s forehead, and he lifted his umbrella and fired a shot at the large screen without hesitation. "You know that won''t hang up the video call, right?~ Poor kid, you don''t know how to hang up a video call properly; it seems like you haven''t learned the basics at all~." "Don''t worry, next time, I''ll defeat you," Kamui squinted his eyes, smiling insincerely. "Oh, good luck. Bye..." "Hold on, there''s one more thing," Kamui raised a finger, the ahoge on his head twitching, smiling, "I heard that stupid uncle got a birthday gift from the 20th year, so this time, I also want an 18th year birthday gift." "Yare yare~ That''s unfortunate; it just got flushed down; otherwise, I would have sent you a photo." "Do you want to be killed by me?" Although still squinting and smiling, another vein popped on Kamui''s forehead. "So, how about tomorrow''s share? Not just photos, videos are fine too." "I want... Blackbeard who escaped from Whitebeard''s ship," Kamui continued, "It should be easy for you, right? As far as I know, that Blackbeard is on Earth." "Can I give you the butt hair of a gorilla instead? Although it''s not Blackbeard, the color is almost the same." "They say he even had plastic surgery, but I think for stupid uncle, that won''t be a problem, so please. After all, such a cute nephew asking for a gift for the first time, you''ll satisfy him, right?" "No matter which gang you belong to, if you dare to harm my brother," the girl said, drawing her sword, "I''ll make you bleed beautifully~" "What are you talking about?! That makes no sense!" Shinpachi shouted back, spitting furiously. However, the girl didn''t seem to listen to Shinpachi''s words. Without hesitation, she drew her sword, raised it above her head, and leaped at Shinpachi, ready to slash down. "Wait, wait, wait! Wait a second!" Seeing the girl getting closer, Shinpachi yelled in panic. Fortunately, just as the girl was about to strike, Kagura, rubbing her sleepy eyes and wearing pajamas, kicked the door open, saving Shinpachi in the nick of time. Boom!! "It''s so noisy early in the morning..." Kagura rubbed her eyes and yawned, complaining to Shinpachi and the girl at the door. ... Later that morning, at Otose''s Snack House. The girl, half-turned, one hand behind her back and the other stretched forward, legs slightly bent, introduced herself to Shinpachi and the others: "I am Chin Pirako, just joined the Yorozuya as an underlings. Please take care of me, Boss Otose." Saying this, Chin Pirako stood up and solemnly apologized to Shinpachi, "I''m sorry for what happened earlier; I didn''t know you were the boss''s first underlings and acted rudely." Then, Chin Pirako drew her sword and extended her left pinky, "Now, I''ll take responsibility and cut off my pinky. Hmm~" "Hey, what are you messing around for?" Gintoki, his face darkening and veins popping, grabbed Chin Pirako''s hair, which resembled a tuft of ahoge, and started walking towards the door, "I''m not a gangster, nor am I planning to take underlings. Get out of here, you good-for-nothing delinquent." (Note: In Japanese, the term ''delinquent'' sounds the same as ''Chin Pirako.'') "With Big Brother, I''m sure we can become the BOSS of this dark street!" Chin Pirako, still maintaining her naturally refreshing expression while being dragged by her ahoge hair, hurriedly spoke, "Let''s fall into the dark side together, Big Brother!" "When did I say I wanted to be a Dark Knight?!" Gintoki shouted, his face full of annoyance. (In ''Star Wars,'' Jedi Darth Vader fell to the dark side due to the grief of losing loved ones and became a Sith under the Sith banner.) "Please, I have nowhere else to go," Chin Pirako pleaded. "What exactly is going on with that kid..." Watching Chin Pirako still pestering Gintoki, Shinpachi sarcastically commented, squinting his beady eyes. At that moment, Otose, thinking of something, turned her head to the door and asked Chin Pirako, "You... are you from the underworld?" Hearing this, Shinpachi and Kagura turned to look at Otose. "I''ve heard," Otose crossed her arms and closed her eyes in thought, "about the Uekibachi gang, often in business disputes with the Jirochou''s people, every fight features an incredibly crazy woman known asPirako the killer." "Killer?! A killer?!" Gintoki suddenly became uneasy, his gaze strange as he looked at the naturally smiling Chin Pirako standing quietly, "This natural idiot?!" "This natural idiot is an underworld assassin?!" Shinpachi exclaimed in a cold sweat. "It''s not that impressive," Chin Pirako half-turning her body, shyly replied, "I''m just very good at decorating things with flowers." Saying this, Chin Pirako gently clasped her hands together and placed them in front of her chest, her face full of longing, "Do you know? The badder the person, the prettier the flowers they produce. Chopping and chopping, you can cut out beautiful red flowers~" "Um, really sorry... I underestimated you by calling you a natural idiot," Shinpachi whispered, then mechanically turned around and quickly sat at the counter, keeping his head down and acting invisible. "You said you have nowhere to go, that ''gang'' or something; what happened?" Gintoki asked Chin Pirako. "It''s gone~" Chin Pirako squinted and smiled in response, "Ambushed by the Jirochou gang, now all that''s left is a field of flowers." Saying this, Chin Pirako once again became shy, while Gintoki and Shinpachi''s expressions changed utterly, their foreheads darkened, sweat streaming down their faces. "Since being picked up by the boss, I''ve lived according to his wishes," Chin Pirako shyly continued, "so now I don''t know what to do or what I should do. But all I could do was decorate flowers, so I came here. To turn the street where Jirochou is, to turn Kabukicho into a field of red flowers~." Hearing this, Gintoki and Shinpachi''s faces were full of black lines, Shinpachi''s mouth twitching continuously, while Kagura remained unresponsive. Just like that! Chapter 517: Everyone Has Their Own Cherished Things in Life! Chapter 517: Everyone Has Their Own Cherished Things in Life! Morning, on the streets of Kabukicho. "Hey hey hey, the boss is coming through here!" Chin Pirako, wearing sunglasses and slinging her sword over her shoulder with a delinquent look, called out to the shops along the road as she walked. "Don''t look this way, you commoners-aru?!" Kagura, also wearing sunglasses and holding her umbrella, put on a tough facade as well. "Who do you think you are? Idiot!" "Who do you think you are?! Idiot!" The two strutted ahead of Gintoki and Shinpachi, their swagger over the top. Following behind them, Gintoki and Shinpachi had equally exasperated expressions and remained silent for a long time without saying a word. "This is bad, really bad, Gin-san," Shinpachi whispered apprehensively as they walked. "It seems we''ve gotten involved with a formidable girl. She talks about turning Kabukicho into a field of flowers, but it''s more like a sea of blood, isn''t it? She must be planning to use Gin-san to get revenge on that Jirochou!" Watching Chin Pirako squatting in front of a dog being walked by a passerby and starting an argument, Gintoki responded awkwardly, "It''s... probably fine? Even if she''s a killer, she''s still a girl, and doing something scary like killing the boss..." Before he could finish, Chin Pirako''s voice suddenly came from up ahead, pointing at a nearby flower shop and calling out to Gintoki, "Big brother, look, what beautiful flowers~" "See, she''s just a normal girl who likes flowers..." Gintoki casually remarked to Shinpachi, but just as he finished speaking, he saw Chin Pirako push up her sunglasses, squinting her eyes and giving a refreshingly sweet smile to the old lady in the flower shop, saying, "Granny, do you know what protection money is?" "Huh?!" Kagura timely made a fierce face on the side. "Why are you talking about something so scary with such a cheerful face?!" Gintoki grabbed Chin Pirako''s ahoge, his face covered in popping veins, and hissed quietly. "If you want to start a good gang, oppressing the commoners is essential," Chin Pirako explained with a squint and a smile. "As compensation, just act as their bodyguard." Looking at the shop shutters being pulled down one after another on the street, Gintoki gritted his teeth and said, "Before being bodyguards, you''ve already scared everyone away!" Then, Gintoki held his chest with one hand, raised a finger with the other, and closed his eyes, saying, "Listen up! If you want to join our Yorozuya gang, you must forget all the dark aspects! You''re not a Dark Knight, just a normal girl! You''re not Chin Pirako; from now on, you are Man Birako!" "What kind of weird name is that?!" Shinpachi retorted frantically. (Note: The names "Chin Pirako" and "Man Birako" have a playful undertone in Japanese, and removing the middle character ''Pira'' combines to form words that mean ''male part'' and ''female part.'') "I got it, so it''s Man Birabirako, right?" Chin Pirako asked innocently. "No, you have an extra "bira" in there!! Can you not do that?!" Shinpachi spat out, exasperated, "We just started the broadcast, and you''re already spewing [bleep]is that really okay?!" (Note: ''Pira'' in Japanese can mean... uh, ''flat'' and also connotes sagging.) "That kind of thing doesn''t matter," Kawaki yawned and picked up his umbrella, "It doesn''t affect what we need to do. But Tsukki, am I being like a doting parent, giving up my afternoon nap time to catch some stinky fox for that brat?" Tsukuyo turned her face away with a light snort, then said, "That little creature, now with Yorozuya." "Haha, that''s really interesting," Kawaki squinted and smiled, then stepped out the door with his umbrella over his face, revealing a sinisterly white grin, "Before catching that stinky fox, let''s go see that little fox. It might be fun~" "Whatever you like, but this time, Hyakka must ensure zero casualties; everything else you want to do is fine," Tsukuyo turned around and stepped out first. "Yare yare, such a caring leader," Kawaki murmured softly, then looked at the Hyakka ladies in front of him, "Did you hear what I just said? Absolutely do not... die." "Yes!" n "Tsukki, should we just take over that street?" Kawaki followed Tsukuyo, casually speaking, "I heard it''s a place dripping with wealth. If we take it over, could my gaming funds triple every month?" "Can you do it?" Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki skeptically. "Ahaha, if it comes to a real fight with Gintoki, it''s hard to say what the outcome would be, and I hear that everyone on that street is pretty formidable~" Kawaki scratched his head and chuckled, then his expression suddenly turned cold, "But I''m not at all interested in things that come too easily." "What are you interested in?" Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki again. Hearing this, Kawaki squinted and smiled, making a grabbing gesture with his right hand, but just as he opened his mouth to make an ''O'' shape, Tsukuyo swiftly pulled out a kunai and firmly stabbed it into his forehead. "Kawaki-sama, this here, this here is your favorite thing!" A particularly... well-endowed Hyakka member hurried forward, knelt before Kawaki, propped up the twitching, eyes-rolling Kawaki, and buried his head in her bosom, excitedly shouting, "Kawaki-sama! Feel it carefully, your favorite thing is right here!" "Um, Kawaki-sama seems to have fainted from suffocation," a Hyakka kindly patted her fellow sister on the shoulder, gently reminding her. "Kawaki-sama!" Watching her indescribable subordinates, Tsukuyo held her forehead and heavily sighed. "Idiots... it really is contagious..." "Who are you calling an idiot?!" Instantly reviving on the spot, Kawaki stood up, clenched his fists, and angrily shouted, "You wench!" "Die!!" Pfft! (Sound of a kunai stabbing into an idiot''s forehead.) Zi! (Sound of an idiot''s forehead bleeding.) Thump! (Sound of an idiot rolling his eyes and collapsing.) "Kawaki-sama!" n (Cries of the idiot subordinates.) Chapter 518: The Direction in the Mirror is Opposite Chapter 518: The Direction in the Mirror is Opposite On the other side, Gintoki, who had just walked out of the cake shop, casually reminded Chin Pirako while tucking his hands into his kimono pockets, "Next time there''s any gang behavior, I''m going to add another ''Bira'' to your name, turning it into Man Birabirabirabirabirako. That way, your name will become more and more like a girl''s." "How is that anything like a girl? It''s more like a ''birabira'' monster by now!" Shinpachi retorted forcefully. "And you were told to stop adding ''birabira''!" "Hey, there''s a cute dried goods shop over there-aru," Kagura suddenly pointed across the street to a dried goods store. "Wanna check it out? *****!." "Don''t remove all the ''bira''!" Shinpachi pointed at Kagura, roaring in frustration. Ignoring Shinpachi''s rant, Kagura went to the dried goods shop, picked up two dried seaweeds, and crunched them, "Look, look, Man Birako, it''s dry~ Crunchy crunchy~." "Ah~ so cute~ Why is it so dry~" Man... sorry, my mistake, Chin Pirako said, covering her cheeks and acting coy. "You''ve only been choosing places you want to go since a while ago! Why is a dried goods store the most ladylike place?" Shinpachi shouted, his veins bulging. "And even that three-dimensional gorilla got the name wrong earlier!" "Bro..." Chin Pirako turned to say something to Gintoki but got interrupted by a burly, scarred, bald man bumping into her, and her intended words were lost. "Ah, I''m sorry..." Chin Pirako apologized to the scarred man. As soon as she finished speaking, the man clutched the arm he had just bumped, screamed in agony, and fell backward. "Ah!!" The scarred man writhed on the ground in pain, screaming continuously. A bespectacled henchman with a crew cut quickly crouched and shouted, "Boss! What''s wrong?!" "It''s broken! The bump just now completely broke it!" The bald man''s acting was so convincing it seemed like his arm was broken. [Real gangsters have appeared!!]Gintoki and Shinpachi were instantly distressed. However, at this delicate moment, a foot lightly stepped on the still-rolling bald man''s left arm, and it sounded like something cracked. "Ah!! It''s broken, it''s truly broken!" Cold sweat covered the bald man''s face as he screamed. "Wow, impressive little girl," the foot ownerKawakilooked at Chin Pirako, pretending to be shocked, "Just a light bump, and you fractured his bone." [An even more troublesome guy has arrived!!]Gintoki and Shinpachi''s faces went completely dark. "Hey, you got it wrong," Tsukuyo, who had arrived at some point, observed the man screaming in pain on the ground and casually mentioned, "Wasn''t it the left arm that broke? Why are you holding your right arm?" "Probably too much pain to care," Kawaki casually said, then stepped again on the bald man''s left leg. Crack, a bone-breaking sound that everyone could hear sounded.azing! She has so many..." Kawaki turned his head towards Chin Pirako in amazement, "Indeed, a new member of Yorozuya. But since it has nothing to do with her, does that mean it was all you?" "Hey, you wouldn''t do such pranks without reason; what''s your purpose..." "Gintoki! You even instructed your subordinate to attack two thugs just passing by!" Kawaki covered his mouth in shock, "Have you fallen that low?!" "You bastard!!" "Anyway, let''s call an ambulance for these two innocent thugs first..." Kawaki casually knocked Gintoki''s hand away and took out his phone, kindly calling an ambulance for the two thugs. "Hello, yes, at Kabukicho Block 3, two innocent thugs who were just passing by got their bones broken by a subordinate under the command of a silver-haired, naturally wavy-haired samurai in his late twenties or almost thirty from a business called Yorozuya." After ending the call, Kawaki again turned to Gintoki with a refreshing smile. "Don''t worry, Gintoki, the ambulance will be here soon." Without giving Gintoki a chance to shout, Kawaki, accompanied by Tsukuyo and the other Hyakka members, turned and left. Before leaving, Kawaki glanced at Chin Pirako, who had been silent since his arrival, and slightly curved his lips, winking at her. "Hold on," Gintoki suddenly called out to Kawaki, "What... are you up to? Pulling all of Yoshiwara''s defenses, what are you planning?" "Just picking a gift for my nephew." Kawaki didn''t look back as he responded, then sighed, "After all, it''s the first time that guy has ever asked me for a gift since he was little. As an elder, I should at least fulfill his wish once, right?" "Kamui-aru?!" Kagura suddenly got upset, "Why are you picking a gift for that idiot-aru? No need! Just give it to me!" "Sorry, Kagura, I''ve already bought enough gifts for you." Kawaki waved his hand behind him, "This time, it''s that kid''s turn." Watching Kawaki''s gradually receding, Gintoki''s expression became solemn. "Gin-san, I think you better not pay attention to that side," Shinpachi lifted his glasses and expressionlessly said, "We should focus on our current situation. Passersby are watching and pointing, and now, thanks to what Kawaki-san said, we''ve been completely marked as the culprits. Plus, if these two guys are from Jirochou''s gang..." "That bastard, it''s deliberate!" Gintoki muttered through clenched teeth. "We need to clear this up before the ambulance arrives," Shinpachi whispered a reminder. "Shinpachi, there are two people with fractures on their side, and we need to have someone on our side with a full-body comminuted fracture!" Gintoki said thoughtfully, then turned to look at Shinpachi, "Shinpachi, the time has come for you to sacrifice yourself for the boss!" "Cut it out a bit!" Shinpachi shouted, veins popping, "Why am I the only one taking the blame in this situation? I don''t want a fracture!" "So what do you suggest?!" Gintoki glared with red eyes, staring intently at Shinpachi, "That bastard didn''t think about the consequences when he did those things! Now, even if we argue that the idiot did it, no one will believe it, so what do you suggest I do?! Shinpachi, just you, then! Could you please have a full-body comminuted fracture temporarily? I''ll count it as a work injury! I''ll even give you all my treasured photo albums! Please!" "I don''t want that kind of stuff!" Shinpachi yelled, "It should be you who gets a comminuted fracture!" Chapter 519: There are Similarities Everywhere Chapter 519: There are Similarities Everywhere "Calm... calm down!" Gintoki''s voice trembled as he consoled himself, and then he buried his head into a nearby shop''s cash register. "First of all, let''s calm down and go find Doraemon..." "You calm down first!" Shinpachi yelled, spitting as he spoke, "As it stands, only a few of us can turn this situation around. We must settle these guys down before the ambulance arrives!" "How about using plaster?" Chin Pirako suggested with a smile, raising a finger, "If it''s a fracture, how about we stabilize it with plaster first?" After speaking, Chin Pirako thought about the man who, despite always smiling with narrowed eyes, emitted a very dangerous aura. "Is that man... helping me?" Chin Pirako wondered in her heart, "Or is he one of that woman''s people?" "Nice idea!" Gintoki raised his head and praised, then shouted to Shinpachi, "Hey! Shinpachi, go find some plaster! If we can find that, it might clear me of suspicion! Then you can apologize after you''ve suffered comminuted fractures all over your body and been patched up with plaster!" "Nothing has changed at all! Am I still doomed to suffer a full-body comminuted fracture?!" Shinpachi retorted with all his might. "Although I didn''t find plaster, I found this," Kagura said, approaching with a large bucket of cement. "Nicely done, Kagura!" Gintoki complimented her, "Cement is not so different from plaster after all, both just need a little time to harden and stabilize! Hey, give me a hand, let''s throw these two guys in! This way, they''ll get proper treatment, and everyone but Shinpachi can clear their suspicions!" "What do you mean, ''everyone but Shinpachi''?!" Shinpachi widened his eyes and yelled furiously. "Oh! I''ll help too, bro!" Chin Pirako said as she dragged the bald man over and threw him into the bucket filled with cement. "Kagura, there''s another one, hurry up!" Gintoki called out again. "Oh! Here it comes!" Kagura yelled as she kicked the man in sunglasses into the cement bucket. "Alright, with this, these two will receive good treatment, and our suspicion will probably be cleared. Even if the other side sees us now, we can explain it well," Gintoki observed the two men in the cement bucket, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Don''t you think... your actions just now..." Shinpachi pushed his glasses up on his face and commented emotionlessly, "Seems more like a gang-style silencing than treatment?" "Ah, indeed..." Gintoki nodded, whispering in agreement. "In this situation, if the other side''s people see this..." Shinpachi muttered, "basically... we can''t clear it." "Yes, indeed..." Cold sweat gradually appeared on Gintoki''s face, and his eyes began to tremble in all directions, "Hey... Shinpachi, about this situation..." "Boss, I''ll have the usual dog food I always buy..." Kurogoma Katsuo''s voice suddenly came from one side. But just after he spoke, Katsuo noticed Gintoki and the others standing around a bucket of cement, and the two people in the bucket looked very much like his subordinates... "But you repeatedly ignored Jirochou''s demands for protection money," Kada quietly interrupted Saigou, "There''s been a dispute with him, right?" Saigou''s expression changed at these words. "And... Otose," Kada glanced at Otose. "I have no interest in these boring conflicts," Otose stated unequivocally, "I don''t remember participating." "Even if you''re uninterested, you''ve always been a prominent figure on this street. You''re closely connected to the residents, giving them advice and solutions. And... using those suspicious folks from Yorozuya as pawns, you''re quite brazen no matter whose territory you''re in." "I didn''t know I had such convenient pawns," Otose put out her cigarette in the ashtray, then picked up her teacup and gently sipped, "Also, no one can arbitrarily claim this street as their territory. I and that guy are just living here according to our principles, that''s all." "But others are displeased," Kada replied, "Speaking of which, I don''t know when we started being called the Four Devas, becoming entangled in this way, all because some gang leader disliked someone gaining power. We really don''t need to be enemies. Shouldn''t our enemy be... Jirochou?" "That makes sense," Jirochou''s voice suddenly came from the door, "Are the three of you teaming up to get rid of the troublesome Jirochou?" "Meow~" As Jirochou leaned against the door, holding a cat and gently stroking its back, Otose spoke, "You..." ... Meanwhile, on the main street of Kabukicho, Shinpachi and Kagura were desperately fleeing, followed by countless members of the Dobunezumi gang. "It''s over! It''s a war! It''s completely a war!" Shinpachi ran and screamed in terror, "Gin-san! It''s terrible! Because of Kawaki-san, we''re completely caught up in some kind of war!" "Ginta-kun is off on a rendezvous with Lady Shizuka," Kagura replied in a subdued voice while running. "Huh?!" Shinpachi cursed through clenched teeth, "Damn it! To think he used us as bait, remember this!!" Neither Shinpachi nor Kagura nor the members of the Gutter Rat Gang noticed that a very unnatural blue trash can was placed in the alley they had just passed. Listening to the Gutter Rat Gang''s shouts of attack fading away, Chin Pirako opened the trash can lid with both hands, "It seems they''ve all gone far, bro. Hehehe~ Things are getting more interesting~ No matter what, there will be a big battle with Jirochou now~ Let''s decorate bright red flowers and become the number one boss in Edo~" "Shut up! Who wants to fight with Jirochou?!" Gintoki, also curled up in the barrel, yelled with bulging veins, then gritted his teeth and whispered fiercely, "That bastard! To think he put us in this situation! I must kill him! No matter what, I have to kill that sadistic freak! This is beyond ordinary sadism, this is ultra-sadism!" [It seems that man really did help a lot,] Chin Pirako thought in her heart, [It was so lucky that bro and Jirochou had such a conflict without using my plan...] Chapter 520: Elderly People Should Listen to the Young Chapter 520: Elderly People Should Listen to the Young "And another thing," Gintoki changed the subject, "Don''t blame me for repeating old lines but obsessing over revenge isn''t going to make anyone happy. I think your deceased comrades would rather see you live like a normal girl than be consumed by hatred. Yeah, that''s it." "Bro, what are you talking about with all this revenge stuff?" Chin Pirako feigned confusion. "Well, wasn''t your whole family killed by Jirochou?" Gintoki replied matter-of-factly. "That''s what the revenge is about..." "What are you talking about? Jirochou ruined my family, but everyone is still very much alive." "Huh?" Gintoki visibly paused. "Weren''t you talking about a flower garden or something?" "Everyone found other paths and went farming," Chin Pirako explained. "They planted a garden of red flowers, it''s pretty nice~" Upon hearing this, Gintoki''s forehead darkened, and his features began to tremble, not sure if it was from anger or something else. "But it was too boring, so I sneaked out," Chin Pirako continued. "Huh?! Then why did you make it so complicated?!" Gintoki exploded, covering his face with one hand, his head bowed in frustration. "Stop joking, damn it; I thought you had a dark past, and we were all trying to talk you out of revenge. What are you even doing here?" Chin Pirako narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Didn''t I say already? I came here to decorate Jirochou and this street with red flowers." "I''ve had enough of that; make it simpler!" "It''s literally as I said," Chin Pirako''s face showed admiration and longing, "I came to let the once lost flowers bloom again under the invincible Jirochouso I need the strength of Kabukicho''s strongest manbro, your power!" "Got it," Gintoki replied, sounding a bit weary, "So that''s it, huh? Your head''s full of flowers. I will lose if I take you seriously, right? If that''s the case, then goodbye; I still have to find that bastard and punch him hard..." Saying this, Gintoki tried to get up, but at that moment, he realized that the cement in the bucket had solidified entirely, preventing him from standing up and causing him to fall over the bucket. After falling, and after several forceful attempts, Gintoki''s forehead darkened again, and he fell silent. "Bro, the ties formed in the underworld aren''t so easily broken," Chin Pirako said. "I don''t remember forming any ties with a garbage can!" Gintoki shouted back, then tried again to extract himself from the cement. "The cement has completely set! It''s all because you talk so slowly that it ended up like this! What do we do now? What''s going to happen?!" "Of course, that''s it," the voice of Kurogoma Katsuo came from in front of Gintoki, "The same thing you wanted to do, throw you into the sea to feed the fish." Seeing Kurogoma Katsuo squatting in front of him with a toothpick in his mouth, Gintoki hurriedly tried to explain: "I told you, it''s not like that! It was just to treat those two friends! The ones who turned them into that weren''t me! It was that idiot ponytail from Yoshiwara, right?!" "That bastard..." Thinking of Kawaki, Kurogoma Katsuo felt a bit itchy, "Although that bastard is equally detestable, this time, it seems that it also has something to do with you. Come with us for a bit..." ... "Don''t be so scared; I''m not interested in doing anything to you. You''re not my type. Rest assured." Kawaki comforted softly. At this moment, unable to hide her shock, Kada suddenly revealed a long sword from her sleeve, grasping it firmly before stabbing straight at Kawaki. "Well, I''ve already reminded you twice; a third time would really be troubling." Kawaki merely used his right index and middle fingers to catch Kada''s sword, "Calm down, then sit down, little vixen." "Hey! We''re the Four Devas! Shouldn''t we be united against this stranger on our turf?" Kada, knowing she was no match, placed her hope in Jirochou and the others in front of her. "Stranger?" Kawaki squeezed her sword with his fingers, and it shattered; then he rubbed his chin, troubled, "Well, I should be quite famous in your Harusame, shouldn''t I? You should know who I am, right? Why this act? Although it''s a bit self-serving for me to say, it really makes me a bit angry." "You are... Kawaki! The monster that buried the entire Harusame second division on the other side of the Earth ten years ago!" "Yep, that''s the name," Kawaki nodded, "Hearing you grit your teeth like that unexpectedly makes me feel quite thrilled; I really am a sadist. But come to think of it, if you keep up that tone, maybe I''ll give you a chance to serve me~" As Kawaki''s words fell, two kunai suddenly shot from the open door, hitting right on Kawaki''s forehead. "What are you doing?! Tsukki!" Kawaki pulled the kunai from his forehead, yelling at Tsukuyo, who was strolling from the door, "I was finally acting cool for once! I am the protagonist, after all! What''s wrong with the protagonist acting cool once in a while?!" "Get to the point." Tsukuyo stood at the door, calmly reminding him. "No help for it, let''s talk business first," said Kawaki, glancing at Kada trying to sneak away behind him, "Useless, though it might sound a bit arrogant, you''re already trapped. But don''t worry, I won''t kill you. So, come here, you''re still one of those Four Devas; I have a bit to discuss with you." ... "My people..." Saigou started to speak but hesitated. "Don''t worry; they''re just scared and stiff on the ground, including my people." Jirochou casually replied. "Old man, did you do that on purpose?" Kawaki complained, "Why did you have to steal my lines?" As he spoke, Kawaki glanced again at Kada, who was kneeling behind him, expressionlessly massaging his head, "Yes, right there, I''ve been sleeping poorly lately; it''s really comfortable~ Thank you, little vixen." "You jest, I''m just doing what a woman can do," Kada, whose attitude had suddenly changed, said in a very seductive voice close to Kawaki''s ear, "It''s what all women can do~." "Oh, I''m somewhat interested in you now," Kawaki nodded. But just as he finished speaking, two more kunai pierced his forehead. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Kawaki yelled. "Kawaki, you''re not the kind to meddle in other people''s streets casually. What is your real purpose? And what do you mean by Harusame?" Otose exhaled a puff of smoke, speaking calmly. Chapter 521: Perfection Can Be Nauseating, A Little Flaw Is Necessary Chapter 521: Perfection Can Be Nauseating, A Little Flaw Is Necessary "Let''s just get down to business," Kawaki said dismissively. "We could skip it over, but out of politeness, I''ll say just a bit." With that, Kawaki clapped his hands lightly. Immediately, three ladies from Hyakka entered the room, each carrying golden items. Notably, the three large gold items were two large spheres and a cylinder. The Hyakka ladies placed the three gold objects on the ground. "Kawaki-sama, these are the three most valuable remaining items from the Phoenix Treasure Vault," one of the Hyakka ladies announced. Looking at the trio of golden objects, which together resembled something obscene, Kawaki was silent for a long time before he finally muttered, "Um... the shape looks a bit like... something I see every day in the bathroom. Is it just me?" ... "Cough, cough," after the Hyakka ladies had left, Kawaki cleared his throat and continued, "As you can see, although the shapes might be odd, they are all made of pure gold. You three divide them among yourselves as a token of apology for my intrusion on your trash classification meeting." "Hmph," Otose smirked, picking up one of the golden spheres, "I''ll take a gold sphere since the store also has a TAMA (little ball)." "Then, I''ll take a gold sphere too," Jirochou picked up the other sphere, "after all, it''s best to keep one''s TAMA (life) in one''s own hands." "Hey, are you doing this on purpose? Why leave me with this kind of thing?" Saigou''s forehead throbbed with a visible vein. "Now that the gifts are accepted, let''s discuss the real matter at hand," Kawaki nodded. "But where should I start? Let me think a bit." "Hey, I didn''t say I accepted the gift. I want one of those round, golden spheres, too! Why do I only get this useless gold rod?" Saigou complained unhappily. "An Okama... shouldn''t need a gold sphere, right?" Otose casually replied, cigarette in hand.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com "Hey, I''ll kill you, you old hag!" Saigou yelled, spittle flying. "Got it, got it, I remember now!" Kawaki suddenly opened his eyes wide, cleared his throat again, and said, "Um, actually, I have an utterly unadorable nephew... ah, that''s not right; he was a tiny bit adorable as a kid, just a tiny bit, though. Now, he''s completely not cute at all. The last time I saw him, he was trying to attack me." "Why are you ignoring me?" Saigou interrupted. "But even though he''s not cute at all this time, he actually asked me for a gift. You all must understand the feeling, right? When a junior directly asks for a gift," Kawaki explained, looking at the three. "The last time I gave him a gift was when he was very young. I handed him something I didn''t really know how to use. This time, he asked for something specific, and as his elder, I..." "Kawaki, don''t worry! Since it''s a gift my nephew wants, I''ll help you find whatever it is!" Saigou earnestly replied. "Who?!" "Just the chief of your old lover''s development gallery," Kawaki said casually, then asked Jirochou and Otose again, "Since we''re also called the Four Devas, I should ask for your opinion. Can I take this vixen away? By the way, I have no intention of being your enemy. Of course, if you insist on thinking that way, I don''t mind." "If we were to disagree, would eliminating us be simpler for you than taking this vixen?" Jirochou asked, curving his lips slightly. "No, no matter how I think about it, that would be much more troublesome," Kawaki shrugged, "But I think I''ve been polite enough, and I''ve also helped you a great deal, haven''t I? You know, a triangle is the sturdiest shape." "What an incredible junior," Jirochou chuckled, "Well, I have no objections. Without her, the casinos of Kabukicho would all have returned to my hands, which would have been beneficial for me. I''ll have my men take over that casino today." "Boring," Otose scoffed, then glanced at Kawaki, "But this time, I might actually need to thank you on behalf of the people of this street. You''ve likely averted a potential war before it could break out. However, meddling in the affairs of another''s street is a bit too much, Kawaki..." "So, haven''t I already apologized?" Kawaki smiled. "That''s exactly why I feel uncomfortable. You... your meticulousness in your actions irritates me a bit... I thought you''d be similar to Gintoki in your approach, but I was wrong. In some ways, you... are many times more dangerous than him..." "Hahaha, you really know how to joke. But it seems you''ve tacitly agreed. Two tacit consents and one verbal agreement, so I''ll be taking this vixen with me..." Kawaki said, clapping his hands again. Two Hyakka ladies appeared instantly in the room. "You two, take this vixen and lock her up," Kawaki instructed with a smile. "Yes!" the two Hyakka ladies responded simultaneously, and then each took one of Kada''s arms and headed towards the door. "Aren''t you leaving?" Otose asked lightly. "I''ll be leaving soon. After all, I gave up my nap and gaming today for this gift, so... goodbye." Kawaki stood up to leave but then paused as if he remembered something and looked at Jirochou, "By the way, I saw a very interesting little fox on my way here." Hearing this, Jirochou''s expression changed slightly, and the cat in his lap startled, yelped, and jumped down, rushing towards the door. At the same time, Jirochou unhesitatingly drew his sword and was about to chop at his own left arm. "Whoa!" Kawaki quickly grabbed Jirochou''s hand, feigning confusion, "What are you doing? Don''t do something so dangerous again. What exactly did you misunderstand?" "Kid..." Jirochou chuckled and put away his sword. "Well, you might have misunderstood. I actually quite like that little fox," Kawaki smiled, "and I even gave her a little help. After all, what she wants to do seems quite interesting." Chapter 522: Life is All About Choices! Chapter 522: Life is All About Choices! "Is that so?" Jirochou said meaningfully, "That left arm was the one I chose to discard..." "But then again, if she really offended me, what do you think your left arm could have changed?" Kawaki narrowed his eyes, asking with a smile, "Elderly people really are cunning, choosing to chop off the left arm that can''t wield a sword rather than the right. Is your right arm that important? Or is it... Do you have something else to protect with that sword-wielding right arm? Something more important than that little fox..." "Young people are to be feared, truly to be feared," Jirochou laughed heartily. "I didn''t expect such a person among the younger generation! Kid, if you had joined the war a few years earlier..." "Stop," Kawaki waved his hand dismissively. "I don''t recall ever participating in any silly wars for this country." "But now, the little fox without the big fox can''t do anything..." Jirochou chuckled softly. "Not necessarily~" Kawaki shrugged nonchalantly, "I also find it quite interesting. Maybe I''ll change my mind and help her out." "Then the end of this street might really come..." "Just kidding, just kidding," Kawaki waved his hand and laughed, "Don''t be so serious, old man. I actually quite like this street; everyone here is quite interesting." "Do you really like me?" Saigou suddenly popped his head out from the ceiling, covering his face shyly, "Ah~ I''m so embarrassed~" Boom!! After a swift uppercut, Saigou was once again hanging from the ceiling. "If you''re feeling troubled, I have a small suggestion," Kawaki said, raising a finger and smiling. "Recently, I have enjoyed hearing young people''s advice." "After taking over that Vixen''s casino, how about making all the waitresses wear mini-skirts?" Kawaki shouted earnestly, "The business would definitely boom! The top should be a tight-fitting uniform that shows off a deep cleavage! What do you think?! No man could refuse that! Trust me!" "Trust you, my foot!" Tsukuyo shouted from the door, "Why did the conversation turn to this?!" "I just saw him looking troubled and thought maybe he was worried about managing the casino after taking over, so I just wanted to give a little suggestion," Kawaki explained. "After all, it''s mostly men who go to casinos, so as a man, making a little personal suggestion isn''t out of line." "Hahaha, after all, I''m someone who dared witness the outcome of a war, unlike a deserter who couldn''t face the results of war. We do have a bit of a basis for confidence. Few people will like the stubborn old man who relies on his old age. And, no matter the reason, neglecting your daughter, I really can''t understand that." "Which side did you choose?" "Want to learn from me?" Kawaki narrowed his eyes and smiled, "No, forget it, you can''t learn it. You just... don''t qualify." "Single-handedly supporting everything?" Jirochou chuckled, "Impressive guy; honestly, I''m a bit envious. If I could be as powerful as you, I could do it too..." "You''re also an old fox," Kawaki suddenly shook his head, smiling bitterly, "You''ve been testing me since just now. So now, you''ve got your answer, right?" "Ah, indeed." Jirochou stood up from the ground, "But let me make it clear; I don''t trust that silver-haired brat, just you standing behind him. Of course, that being said, I still need to personally see if his chain is as strong as you say..." "It shouldn''t disappoint you," Kawaki smiled. "Jirochou... you..." "Sorry, Otose," Jirochou smiled somewhat relievedly, "I might have to break the agreement with Tatsugoro," "Rather, this is what he would have hoped to see," Otose shook her head lightly, "Welcome back, Jirochou..." "I''m back..." Meanwhile, Kawaki couldn''t help but rub his eyes and pulled Tsukuyo closer, "Tsukki, I thought I saw a handsome white-haired guy and a beauty just now, did you see? Do I see things? There were only a wrinkled old lady and an old man..." "Who''s wrinkled old lady, wanna die?! You brat!" Otose shouted furiously. "Tsukki, did you bring an iron?" Kawaki asked Tsukuyo. "Just go die!!" Otose kicked over. Chapter 523: The Difference Between Role-Playing and Scenario-Playing Chapter 523: The Difference Between Role-Playing and Scenario-Playing Half an hour later... "...So, Kawaki-kun, how did you come up with this kind of script?" Otose complained with a speechless expression. "Considering the short time, thinking up this kind of script is already pretty good," Kawaki shrugged nonchalantly, responding, "These boring streets of yours, along with those childish wars and those boring love triangles, I''d rather just sleep, you know? But honestly, even if it erupts, it can hardly be called a war, right? It''s just a brawl on the street. Of course, if you''re not satisfied, I could send a challenge directly to Edo Castle to help you start a real war to conquer the world, which might be quite interesting~" "Hehehe," Jirocho chuckled softly and then pondered while stroking his chin, "Well, forget it; it does sound interesting. Is this the kind of PLAY young people like nowadays? I was just about to go back and spend time with my daughter, so it wouldn''t hurt to learn a bit about what young people are into." for new novels "No, this isn''t the kind of soft, fluffy PLAY," Kawaki shook his head, then looked serious, "It''s story-play!" "Hey, what you''re talking about is even softer..." Tsukuyo retorted from the side, "In every sense of the word." "Well, since it''s a farewell to an old acquaintance, I''ll help out too," a voice came from the ceiling, "Kawaki~ see? My... my skirt~ Ah~ I''m so embarrassed~" Boom!! "Phew~" Kawaki blew on the tip of his umbrella, ignoring the blasted ceiling, and Saigou, who had fallen to the ground, then said, "Anyway, that''s it. Your street''s neighborhood brawl will end tomorrow. Goodbye..." After saying that, Kawaki got up and walked towards the door with Tsukuyo. After Kawaki left, Saigou got up, dusted himself off, sat down as if nothing had happened, and said, "How about that? The man I fancy is not bad, right?" "The control of force was too perfect," Jirochou took a light drag of his cigarette, "If it were me, I definitely couldn''t have done it to the extent that you wouldn''t get hurt at all. But that kid did it." "Goodbye, and remember to send me the performance fee tomorrow," Otose said without turning back as he stood at the door. "Ah, I''ll send you flowers so beautiful, they''d be enough for a funeral," Jirochou joked. "Don''t worry, I''ll use the flowers exactly as they are for your funeral," Otose responded without missing a beat. Then, the two of them laughed together. "I feel kind of superfluous right now," Saigou muttered to himself. "Shut up! My slicked-back hair is even cooler than Odagiri''s! It''s a stylish slicked-back that even makes the old mother in heaven feel relieved!" Kurogoma Katsuo retorted, "Fashion is just a cycle of rebirth, constantly repeating!" (Note: Joe Odagir, a Japanese male star known in the entertainment circle for being stylish and unique, especially with his hairstyles.) "Wait, wait, that''s not important. This idiot little girl incited me; she told me to use plaster," Gintoki casually replied, "And besides, those two guys have nothing to do with me; I was even kindly treating those two brothers who broke their bones, though without plaster, but also correctly applied cement to fix their broken bones if you hadn''t come too fast, those two broken guys might have healed by now. Did you understand? You dirtbag Odagiri." "Who are you calling dirtbag Odagiri?! Who would believe that kind of thing?! Do you think I''m an idiot!" Kurogoma Katsuo grumbled, then spread his hands and laughed lightly, "Did you and your underlings make some sort of deal? I know, you agreed to fill my boss''s head with red flowers, right?" Suddenly, Gintoki''s expression changed, and dark lines appeared under his eyes, "How do you know?" "Can you tell your bro?" Kurogoma Katsuo looked at Chin Pirako, similarly stuck in the concrete trash can, "What exactly is the red flower?" Upon hearing this, Gintoki slowly turned his head, stumbling over his words, "Birako... that... could it be... you..." "Bro, my boss is originally related to Jirochou, an old acquaintance," Chin Pirako explained without turning her head, "Ever since I was little, I''ve been taught about the chivalry among chivalrous people, the great chivalrous Jirochou''s deeds..." Speaking of which, Chin Pirako recalled when she was little, sitting under the eaves swinging her little feet, listening to the uncle watering the flowers, and talking about Jirochou... "Most of the recent chivalrous men are just messing around, but he''s different; he uses his power only when carrying out justice; that''s true chivalry." "It sounds so complicated; I don''t understand~" young Pirako replied while swinging her feet. "Hahaha, sorry, I said too much. It seems cheap, but in short, Jirochou''s chivalry is blooming with flowers. Your mother must have been attracted by this, too. I wonder from when his flowers started to wither..." Thinking of this, Pirako took a dagger from her sleeve, held it with both hands and thrust it straight into the concrete before her. "Abandoning wife and daughter... even treating his wife''s family as business rivals and personally destroying them, then coming here to engage in some boring wars with transvestites and old hags..." As she spoke, the concrete in front of Pirako, along with half of the trash can, burst open. Then Pirako stood up and jumped, landing steadily in front of Kurogoma Katsuo, continuing, "I still want to see Jirochou from back then, let chivalry once again reign supreme, let my dad''s heart bloom with beautiful flowers again." "Huh? What are you talking about? I don''t understand at all," Gintoki suddenly reacted, "Huh? Huh?!" "That''s the situation, Pirako... no, Miss, she is..." Kurogoma Katsuo interjected, "Jirochou''s daughter! To be precise, the daughter born after his ex-wife returned to her family!" Chapter 525: On an Actors Self-Cultivation Chapter 525: On an Actor''s Self-Cultivation Late at night in Yoshiwara. "Look," Kawaki aimed his smartphone camera at the ground where Kada lay and casually said, "The toy you wanted is now in hand. Come and pick it up yourself." "It''s just like you, catching that vixen in just one day," Kamui''s voice came from the phone. "Give me two days; if it''s more than two days, bring me the extra food expenses for this fox, not a penny less." "It''s a pity, though; I was hoping to have a chance to face off against Shinra. I didn''t expect you to have wiped them all out..." Kamui squinted his eyes and smiled through the phone screen, "But really, it''s impressive you''d go to such lengths for such a gift. I''m really touched~ Of course, I mean, if it was truly just for my sake..." "Goodbye, Nobita" Kawaki sneered slightly and then turned off his phone. "Keep a good eye on her; don''t let her get any ideas about dying or anything," Kawaki turned to the two Hyakka at the door and casually instructed, "Of course, if she really seeks death, there''s no need to stop her forcibly." "Yes!" 2 "Then I''ll leave it to you..." After speaking, Kawaki stepped away from the small cell. ''Troublesome brats, I have them here too...'' Kawaki thought somewhat helplessly, ''That brat... could it be... has he noticed something?'' "Hey, that''s taken care of too," Tsukuyo''s voice suddenly came from the side. "Oh, I know." Kawaki squinted his eyes and smiled in response, "Thanks for the hard work." "It''s nothing. I just played a little drama with a smart little fox," Tsukuyo replied nonchalantly. "Compared to what you did, my part was much easier." "Tsukki..." Kawaki suddenly stopped walking, turned his face, and smiled warmly at Tsukuyo. Tsukuyo gently exhaled smoke, glancing faintly at Kawaki. "No, never mind..." Smiling softly, Kawaki waved his hand and then started walking forward again. ... The next day at noon, in the Kabukicho Town Hall. Unlike the clouds that were gradually gathering in the sky, the inside of the building and the courtyard were already drenched in a blood rain. Jirocho, covered in blood, was holding a similarly blood-stained smoking pipe, sitting under the porch as if waiting quietly for something. Looking through the doorway, one could see Otose, Kagura, Shinpachi, Tama, Catherine and Saigou all lying in pools of blood, while all the transvestites in the courtyard outside were also lying in blood pools. "Hey, Kagura, you''re supposed to be playing dead, not sleeping!" Shinpachi whispered urgently, "Your loud breathing will give us away!" "Ah, sorry," Kagura rubbed her sleepy eyes, "It''s just so boring-aru. How come that little fox hasn''t shown up yet? We''ve been waiting all morning..." "Uh, she should be arriving soon, right?" Shinpachi whispered back, "Even if she doesn''t come, Miss Tsukuyo will find a way to lure her over." "Damn, really, that stinky brat came to Kabukicho with such intentions... and I really thought she had some tragic past! Not only did I take her to the cake shop, but I even took her to my favorite dried food store!" Kagura gritted her teeth, "I really want to punch her hard-aru!" "Keep your voice down! Those shops were just where you wanted to go, right?" Shinpachi whispered back, "Just indulge her this time. Didn''t Jirochou say he would take her back afterwards? But speaking of which, will Gin-san really come?" "He will definitely come-aru!" Kagura responded, "Little Uncle said so, Gin-chan he is..." Gintoki turned and ran out without stopping, but just as he stepped out of Otose''s snack bar, he overheard the whispered conversation of Otae and Kyuubei, who were just passing by. "Just now, Shin-chan and Kagura-chan rushed out; they just said they were going to the town hall but didn''t say what for. I''m still a bit worried," Otae covered her mouth and said to Kyuubei. "It''s probably just a meeting about waste sorting or something," Kyuubei replied casually, "After all, that naturally wavy hair doesn''t look like someone who would bother to sort trash properly." "Indeed..." Nearby, hearing Otae and Kyuubei''s conversation, Gintoki''s anxiety intensified, and he turned and ran desperately towards the direction of the town hall. ''Even Kagura and Shinpachi, too... Damn it!!'' Gintoki thought furiously, ''I must... I must catch up!!'' ... On the other side, in the Kabukicho Town Hall. "Oh, what happened here?" Chin Pirako looked at the scene before her, somewhat shocked, and turned to Jirocho, who was sitting under the porch. "What''s wrong? Shocked that things have gone beyond your expectations, so you don''t know what to say?" Jirochou chuckled softly. "I''m scared!" Seeing the scene inside and the courtyard, Chin Pirako exclaimed, "You''re truly peerless, Dad! It seems all my little actions were indeed futile! Amazing, not only did you wipe out Otose''s family, but even Saigou''s forces were completely eradicated!" "Hmph, it was easy," Jirochou replied nonchalantly. "So, how does it feel? To personally cut down the woman you liked?" Chin Pirako continued. "And what about you? How does it feel to play around with old men and women?" "That''s a bit harsh~" Chin Pirako squinted her eyes, complaining with a smile, "It was all for Dad, but it seems Dad saw through it all, beating my plans by wiping out these people first. You truly are peerless, Jirochou." "No, there''s still one left," Jirochou corrected, "There''s still that silver-haired kid from Otose''s place. It won''t be over until he''s dealt with." "After Big Bro, it''s that vixen''s turn, right?" Chin Pirako said with some anticipation, "Really looking forward to it~." "Aren''t you guys in a cooperative relationship?" Jirochou chuckled. "It''s just mutual use." "Little fox and vixen, they really do match." "Well, since I''m here, I might as well check whether that woman is really dead," Chin Pirako said, drawing her sword and stepping through the door, heading straight towards Otose, who was face down on the ground. Jirochou did not stop her. "Oh my, she really seems to be dead," Chin Pirako crouched down and placed her hand on Otose''s nose, "Her heart has stopped beating, but..." Saying this, Chin Pirako stood up, her hands gripping her sword hilt tightly, and thrust it directly into "Otose"''s heart, "Just to be safe, let''s give her one more strike." Tss! The sword entered the body, and "Otose" still showed no reaction. Perhaps due to the excitement, Chin Pirako failed to notice that "Otose"''s ears hidden under the hair were slightly pointed... When Gintoki just stepped into the entrance of the Kabukicho Town Hall, he was shocked and speechless by the scene before him, blood everywhere and bodies scattered all aroundhoodlums, transvestites, and Amanto... Chapter 526: At Certain Moments, a Man’s Sense of Smell is Sensitive! Chapter 526: At Certain Moments, a Mans Sense of Smell is Sensitive! "Ah, really slow, aren''t you, big bro~" Chin Pirako slowly pulled the knife out of Otose''s body. Seeing this, Gintoki felt a chill throughout his body, and the murderous intent he could no longer suppress erupted in an instant. "Damn it!!" Gintoki drew his wooden sword, roaring as he charged toward the door. "Terrifying, big bro. But I''m not alone here~" Chin Pirako pointed to Jirochou standing by her side. Jirochou slightly bent his knees, poised to draw his sword. As Gintoki charged, screaming with his wooden sword raised, a cold light flashed through Jirochou''s narrowed eyes, and he quickly pulled his sword. In just one exchange, Gintoki''s wooden sword shattered into pieces. Immediately afterward, Jirochou slammed the hilt of his sword into Gintoki''s stomach. The latter spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground outside. Gintoki wiped the blood from his mouth and, without hesitation, picked up the wooden sword fragment from the ground and stood up, fixing a deadly glare on Jirochou, who was still inside the house. "Looks like I''m in for a real eye-opener today~ Let me admire Dad''s heroic stance," Chin Pirako said, squinting and smiling. "Also, big bro, if it really gets too tough, you can give up~ I quite like you, big bro, and it would be troublesome for me if you died too~." "You bastard! Why go to such lengths, old hag... she was never involved in any conflicts! She was just an old hag running a crappy little bar!" Gintoki gritted his teeth and cursed. "Ohoho~" Chin Pirako threw out her typically airheaded expression, "Otose and Dad had ample reasons to clash~ The two of them have a feud so deep that killing each other wouldn''t have been enough, right? Dad." Jirochou chuckled but said nothing. "Still want to keep hiding it? Otose''s husbandmy dad killed Tatsugorou~" Hearing this, Gintoki''s face showed disbelief. "Ah, big bro, you didn''t even know that?" Chin Pirako smiled as she continued, "Did you know? When Dad and Otose''s husband, Tatsugorou, were young, they were good friends. They fell out over competing for a beautiful poster girl, and it was Tatsugorou who won her over. I bet Dad has always held a grudge, right?" "Shut up..." Jirochou softly interjected. "So Dad killed that nuisance to get the girl," Chin Pirako continued as if she hadn''t heard him. "Stop talking..." Jirochou warned again. "Do you know why Dad abandoned his family and rooted himself in this town, big bro? It''s because that girlOtose was in this town." "A constable and a vigilante guarding this town? Was that old hag really so popular when she was young?" Gintoki chuckled mockingly. "Then, the two of them competed to iron granny''s face, each bringing out the best clothes iron from their homes," Kawaki went on, unbothered. "But, when this old pockmarked face saw the shop owner bringing out the best clothes iron that could flatten anything, he quietly put away the old iron he had used for a long time..." "He gave up voluntarily? For the happiness of that old hag..." Gintoki murmured. "Then, that shop owner died, taking a bullet for some old pockmarked face in a war," Kawaki looked up at the cloud-filled sky. "What the old pockmarked face had left was the promise he made with his deceased friendto protect this town and protect that granny, turning into a real vigilante who would abandon his family and stop at nothing to keep that promise..." "Really, what a hassle," Gintoki smirked, then stood up, holding the jutte in his left hand and picking up the sword from the waist of the unconscious Chin Pirako with his right hand. "Hey, you old fart, hurry up and show that filthy chain of yours. If you can''t cut it yourself, let me help you a bit." As Gintoki held the sword in his right hand and toyed with the jutte in his left, Jirochou chuckled and slowly got to his feet. "So..." Kawaki stood between the two and raised his hand to signal, "Begin!!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Gintoki and Jirochou charged towards each other... ... When Chin Pirako woke up, she saw only Kawaki sitting beside her and both Gintoki and Jirochou lying in blood pools in the courtyard. "Dad..." Chin Pirako couldn''t help but widen her eyes, murmuring in disbelief. "This time, I really have to thank you, little fox," Kawaki said with a squinting smile. "It was so simple to gain control of this entire town. Jirochou, Saigou, and Otosewere all eliminated due to infighting. The remaining small fry should be easy to handle. How should we thank you for your cooperation?" "You bastard! You''re that vixen''s person?!" Chin Pirako nearly bit through her teeth, then without any hesitation, she pulled a short knife from her sleeve and stabbed at Kawaki. "Ah, what''s wrong?" Kawaki casually raised his right hand and pinched Chin Pirako''s knife between two fingers. "Weren''t our operations going smoothly? It seems like no one has betrayed anyone, right? Why this expression? We... really haven''t done anything yet... But it''s fortunate to have gained a whole town without doing much." "You bastard!!" "Don''t rush to get angry; I''ll soon send you to your Dad''s side. In that world, you can reunite however you like," Kawaki gently pulled and took the knife from Chin Pirako''s hand, smiling as he continued, "But before that, there are a few things I''d like to tell you..." "You bastard!!" Chin Pirako had clearly lost her reason by now, but under Kawaki''s suppression, all her efforts were futilethe gap between them was simply too big... Chapter 527: The Kid is Just That—A Being Who Will Believe Anything Adults Say! Chapter 527: The Kid is Just ThatA Being Who Will Believe Anything Adults Say! Chin Pirako had forgotten how many times she had charged at Kawaki and how many times she had been kicked away, but now, it seemed all she wanted was to kill the man in front of her and that vixen. The heavy rain continued to fall, splashing on Chin Pirako''s face, who seemed to have just passed out. Struggling to open her eyes, Chin Pirako tried hard to see Jirochou lying beside her, a naive smile on his face as he held a broken smoking pipe, but no breath left his body. "It wasn''t supposed to be like this..." Large tears mixed with the rain rolled down Chin Pirako''s face. "The outcome I envisioned wasn''t supposed to be like this. I wanted Jirochou to take over this town, so why? Why did it turn out like this... why..." "Ah, lying on the ground in this rain can easily lead to a cold, you know~" Kawaki''s voice suddenly came from above Chin Pirako. "After all, you''re kind of our benefactor, and it would really be troubling for us if you got sick like this~." Chin Pirako tried hard to open her eyes wide, staring venomously at Kawaki. "Kid, you don''t really think that everyone will be played around by you, did you?" Kawaki, holding an umbrella, squinted and showed a sinister smile that looked very ominous to Chin Pirako. "You... are still too green. Do you think the thing binding these two guys to this town is the same? All for a promise with some dead man? Who said? Why would you think that? That silver-haired perm may be, but maybe your Dad isn''t~ In fact, such a promise might not even exist~." "No... it can''t be!" Chin Pirako gritted her teeth like a cornered dog. "Jirochou... Jirochou..." "So, how was that person killed?" Kawaki smiled and asked back. "If that were really the case, you wouldn''t think this old dog could actually bring himself to kill that person, would you? Don''t you ever wonder? If there really was such a promise, how could he possibly kill that person?" "Jirochou... must have had his reasons!" "If that''s what you think, then I won''t say anymore," Kawaki shrugged, then his tone became ice cold, "Next, it''s time to send you on your way. I had thought about chatting more since the villains in TV shows do that. But since you''re not interested, there''s no need..." "I... must kill you and that stinking fox!" Chin Pirako gritted her teeth and spat out hatefully. "Even if I become a vengeful spirit, I''ll come back!" "Indeed, it seems you have nowhere else to go but to become a lonely ghost," Kawaki spread his hands and smirked deliberately, "After all, even if you went to hell, those there would devour you completely since you''re the ones to blame for their plight." "You bastard!!" Chin Pirako lost her reason once again, but this time, she didn''t even have the strength to stand up. "Oh, one more thing I forgot to tell you," Kawaki said as if suddenly remembering, "Didn''t you say you wanted to help your Dad conquer the world? Don''t worry; that message was properly delivered to Edo Castle. The bakufu took great interest in your family after that. Not just here, but that flower field thing, too; they''re paying close attention. By now... the bakufu''s troops might have already reached the flower field. Perhaps it has truly become a proper flower field now..." Chin Pirako made no sound, then gritted her teeth and used all her strength to get up from the ground, emotionlessly knelt towards the town hall, and bowed deeply. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." Chin Pirako just mechanically repeated the bowing motion, murmuring apologies over and over. "And... one last thing before I send you to your dad," Kawaki stood up, holding his umbrella, and smiled slyly, "Actually... everything I just said was a lie." "Eh?" Chin Pirako suddenly paused, lifting her blood-streaked forehead. "Revenge prank a huge success!!" Shinpachi and Kagura came out holding a banner that read, ''An eye for an eye, the prank on Chin Pirako was a great success!'' "That, was it all recorded? Tama?" Kawaki asked towards the door. "Yes, it''s all recorded, Kawaki-sama," Tama switched off the camera mode. "Really, this girl is incredible, believing such a flawed story," Kawaki turned away, chuckling, "What an idiot." At this moment, Chin Pirako still hadn''t come to terms with it. "Cough!" Jirochou spat out a black pill from his mouth and then stood up. "So she''s still just a kid, huh? Adults only need to say a few words to make them believe anything, this naive kid. Looks like I need to educate her properly. But speaking of which, lying in the rain with injuries for half a day, this old man really can''t handle it anymore." "Where did you get these black death-faking pills?" Gintoki got up, puzzled, and looked at the black pill in his hand. "Got it from Zura," Kawaki shrugged and replied. "Dad..." Pirako murmured. Chapter 528: Some Burdens Can Only Be Borne by Adults! Chapter 528: Some Burdens Can Only Be Borne by Adults! "Your dad... has returned to your side," Jirochou chuckled softly, "Let''s go, Pirako." "Wait a moment," Otose''s voice suddenly came from one side, "This level of apology is not fully accepted by me, at least... at the drinking party to be held in my shop later; I won''t accept it unless you dance a couple of octopus dances. Jiro-chan, you come too; consider it a farewell drink before you leave." "Dad... my mom..." Chin Pirako turned her head and asked softly, "Who exactly is my mom?!" "Is this kid really such an idiot?" Kawaki pointed at Chin Pirako and looked towards Jirochou. "No mistake; she''s an idiot," Gintoki said, playing with the handcuffs in his hand. He casually remarked, "Hey, Birabira Pirako, you''re fired from Yorozuya today. Go back with your stinky dad." ... In Otose''s shop, it was probably the busiest day ever. Apart from a particular vixen who was imprisoned in Yoshiwara, all the Four Devas were gathered here. The entire shop was so crowded there was hardly space to stand. "Hey, who won the first Kabukicho Acting Competition today?" Otae squinted her eyes and smiled at Kawaki, "It must be me, right? When will the promised one million prize money be credited?" "No, it should be me-aru!" Kagura argued, "Playing dead is very hard! I really had to resist falling asleep!" "No, without a doubt, it should be me!" Gintoki shouted while holding up a drink, "The one who was about to catch a cold lying on the ground in the rain!" "Shut up! It should be me, the most beautiful hostess of Otose''s shop!" Catherine countered. "Um..." Watching the group almost start to fight, Kawaki quietly pulled an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table, "You guys decide..." Seeing the envelope peeking with stacks of ten thousand yen bills, Gintoki and others rushed forward. Kagura was the first to kick Catherine away from the envelope, but before she could touch the envelope, Gintoki pressed her head down with his palm. However, as Gintoki was about to grab the envelope, Otae delivered a powerful kick to his face, sending him flying. "It''s mine!" Otae shouted. However... "The money for today''s drinks." Otose picked up the envelope from the counter and casually slipped it into her sleeve. "Are you kidding me? Didn''t you say it''s on you today?!" Gintoki immediately got up to protest, "That''s my money!" "I don''t recall ever saying I''d treat everyone!" Otose shouted back with eyes wide. "Forget it; since you took it, let''s consider it as a pay for the rent we owe; how many months? Six months? A year? Well, it doesn''t matter," Gintoki said casually. "Dad, how about killing this man as compensation for all these years to your daughter?" Chin Pirako, held up by her hair, proposed with a squint, "I really fancy this man''s head as a urinal for your future~." "Believe it or not, I''ll sell you to Yoshiwara, damn it!" Kawaki muttered under his breath. "Forget it; this kind of little girl might just cause Yoshiwara''s business to slump," Tsukuyo, who had arrived at some point, casually retorted while pinching her kiseru. "What about the SM club? I feel like if trained well, this brat could become a top earner," Kawaki stroked his chin, nodding, and then his tone turned cold again, "Of course, it has to be trained well; ordinary training won''t do." "Dad, can you get your daughter a spare pair of panties?" Pirako squinted and said, "This man is so scary~." "Really, just now, weren''t you talking about holding a urinal for your dad? How come so quickly you need your dad to take care of you?" Jirochou chuckled, "Daughter, I''ve prepared the compensation, but not for killing this man for you, but... the second half of my life, okay?" Hearing this, Chin Pirako pouted, and tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Really, they really do look like father and daughter," Gintoki scornfully quipped. "That''s true," said Kawaki, setting Chin Pirako down. Nearby, members of the Dobunezumi gang, who were partying hard at their booth, suddenly remembered something. "Um... are we forgetting something?" "Indeed, I also feel like we''ve forgotten something, but I can''t quite remember what." "I have that feeling, too!" "So, what exactly did we forget?" "That kind of thing doesn''t matter! Today is the boss''s and Otose''s reconciliation party, as well as the boss''s and the young lady''s farewell party! We should celebrate properly!" "Right! We need to have even more fun today! And with Kada''s gone, that big casino is ours, too! We should be celebrating!" Meanwhile, in a hospital in Kabukicho, the forgotten existence of Kurogoma Katsuo and two injured subordinates quietly lay on their hospital beds, also silently staring at the ceiling. "Um, Bro, I need to use the bathroom..." the bald, scar-faced man weakly called out, "I can''t hold it anymore." "Ah, me too, please, Bro," another subordinate called. Chapter 529: Your Own Funeral Should be Even Quieter! Chapter 529: Your Own Funeral Should be Even Quieter! The next day, in the morning. After completing the discharge procedures and arranging caregivers for his two injured underlings, Katsuo, concerned about his boss, rushed out of the Kabukicho Hospital. Standing at the gate of his headquarters, Katsuo wiped the sweat from his forehead before pushing open the gate and stepping inside. However, just as he entered, Katsuo sensed something was amiss because... there was no one in the entire yard. Sensing that something was wrong, Katsuo hurriedly ran towards the main house, but... after opening the door, he found, to his astonishment, that there was still no one around! At this moment, Katsuo completely panicked. He discarded his toothpick and, with a serious expression, searched room after room.Ne/w novel chapters are p/u/blished on Finally... fortune favors the persistent. In a side room, Katsuo found all his underlings, dressed in black formal kimonos, kneeling on the ground, heads bowed, sobbing. In front of them was an urn placed on a stand, next to which was a portrait, but due to the reflection, Katsuo couldn''t initially see the person in the photo. Beside it, Kagura and Shinpachi, dressed as monks, pretended to chant sutras while continuously mumbling something. Since they were facing away, Katsuo didn''t realize that the chanting monks were Shinpachi and Kagura. ''Could it be... Could it really be...!!'' Katsuo was shocked, his eyes widening, ''My boss... my boss...!!'' Before he could finish his thought, Katsuo suddenly saw the photo clearlyit was a picture of himself with a toothpick! "Big bro! We will never forget you!" a gang member shouted tearfully. "Even in the other world, we won''t forget you! We''ll take care of Meru-chan and walk her in the park every day! Don''t worry!" another gang member shouted, wiping his tears. "Big bro! Have a good journey!" All the underlings stood up, bowed deeply to the portrait, and shouted together. "What the hell are you talking aboutI''m not going anywhere!" Katsuo roared in anger as he leaped forward, "Why am I dead?!" "Big bro?!" One of the underlings exclaimed, "Did you come back from that world because you were lonely?!" "Idiots! It''s obviously because he was worried and came back to check on us!" another underling said, "Big bro, don''t worry! The boss and miss have gone back to the countryside! And they''ve reconciled with Otose! You can rest in peace now! Go on!" "Go on!" the other underlings echoed. "Go on your head!" Katsuo, frustrated by his subordinates, exclaimed, "I''m not even dead! Wait, what did you just say? The boss and miss go back to the countryside? They even reconciled with that old bag, Otose? What about the war? How did the war turn out?" "The war was about to start when that vixen Kada, because of personal vendettas, was taken out by this Yorozuya''s little girl''s uncle," one underlying explained, pointing at Kagura, sitting on the floor snoring. "It was you two?!" Katsuo lost it. "Long time no see, Katsuo-san," Shinpachi stood up and explained with a smile, "As a sign of reconciliation between the two sides, the Dobunezumi gang commissioned us with this task yesterday. But since Gintoki drank too much last night and is still in bed, it''s just the two of us." "You''re telling me your job was to hold a funeral for me?!" Katsuo burst out, veins popping in anger, "Even if it''s a commission, take it seriously! This girl is still snoring! She''s snoring at a funeral, the most solemn occasion!" "Well, if the person is here, please lie down in this coffin, and we''ll complete the commission properly," Shinpachi said, pointing to the empty coffin in front of him. Later that night, after the mock funeral, Katsuo finally emerged from the partition in the cremation furnace. Reportedly, several staff members on duty at the crematorium were frightened into fainting. Walking alone on his way back, Katsuo looked up at the night sky that had fallen unknowingly and couldn''t help but chuckle. "This isn''t too bad, boss. I''ll take good care of the Dobunezumi gang..." "Big bro!" Suddenly, the voices of the Dobunezumi gang members came from ahead. Seeing his subordinates waving at him in the distance, Katsuo first smiled, then his expression changed dramatically, and with eyes wide and veins popping, he kicked them. "Don''t think I''ll let you off so easily, you bastards!" "Welcome back, big bro!" xN "Hahahaha..." ... The next day, as Katsuo proudly led his subordinates down the street, he once again encountered the seemingly trouble-seeking duo from YorozuyaKagura and Shinpachi. "Um, excuse me," Shinpachi said, comparing the image in his hand to Katsuo. He pushed his glasses up and said, "We received a commission from the crematorium about a ghost running out of the cremation furnace. Could you cooperate a little?" "Hey, hurry up and go back, you bastard," Kagura posed like a full-blown delinquent. Seeing this, Katsuo couldn''t restrain himself and was about to explode, but before he could say a word, an underling whispered in his ear, "Um, big bro, it''s not good to not cooperate at this time; it''ll look like we''re the ones picking a fight. It really could turn into a war..." Hearing this, several underlings tacitly stepped back a few steps, distancing themselves from Katsuo. "You bastards did this on purpose, didn''t you?!" Katsuo spat furiously. "Shinpachi, this bastard is intentionally picking a fight, right?" Kagura pointed at Katsuo and asked Shinpachi, "Is he trying to settle scores with our Otose faction-aru?" "Katsuo-san, may I take that as your intention?" Shinpachi pushed up his glasses again, glancing faintly at Katsuo. "It''s clearly you who started this mess?!" Katsuo retorted without hesitation. "We''re just completing our commission," Shinpachi replied righteously. "Damn it! I can''t stand you guys anymore! If it''s war you want, it''s war!" Katsuo shouted, veins popping, "Come on! Today, we must settle this with your Otose faction!" "Little Uncle, this person is picking a fight and wants to start a war-aru," Kagura called out to Kawaki, who was just passing by. Chapter 530: Blind Loyalty... Chapter 530: Blind Loyalty... Holding a few yellow flowers, Kawaki faced Katsuo, stopping in his tracks. "Really? Are you truly ready to start a war?" "This is Kabukicho''s affair; what does it have to do with you?" Katsuo frowned, clearly annoyed as he retorted. "True, it has nothing to do with me," Kawaki shrugged, then narrowed his eyes and raised a finger, "But, you might not be aware, the day before yesterday, Kabukicho''s so-called Three Devas unanimously elected me as the chairman to resolve disputes for your street. They said that when conflicts are irreconcilable, external forces can be used to stop them forcefully, just like a few days ago. Want to try it?" "Big bro, he''s telling the truth. The boss, Otose, and Saigou all agreed," one of Katsuo''s underlings whispered into his ear. "Hahaha, I was just joking." Katsuo quickly switched to a smile, rubbing his hands apologetically, "I was just teasing because the kids looked so cute. Actually, I''m planning to cooperate with their work. Cough, it''s that ghost job at the crematorium, right? Don''t worry, I''ll fully cooperate!" "If you''re going to cooperate, then get going," Kagura said coldly, "If you don''t stay put in the crematorium for a month, don''t expect this incident to be over." Katsuo''s forehead vein bulged, but he managed to suppress his anger. "It''s just a simple matter; I''ll go right now!" Watching Katsuo, who managed to keep a smile on his face even in rage and even waved goodbye to Kawaki and others before leaving, Shinpachi turned to Kawaki, "Kawaki-san, aren''t we being too harsh?" "Forget it? This incident, besides that girl, this foolish loyal guy who was also at fault," Kawaki replied softly. "He has been following that girl''s orders from the start, which led to those thugs causing trouble in broad daylight. He always talks about doing anything for his boss and his daughter as if it''s his duty and speaks of his righteousness, which is ridiculous. Both of you remember, no matter what kind of favor it is, never forget your basic sense of right and wrong. The kind of blind loyalty samurai have, forget about it." "Blind loyalty?" Kagura looked puzzled at Kawaki. "To put it simply, Shinpachi, imagine you''re a wandering ronin saved by a businessman when you''re about to starve. Moved, you loyally serve him, and he treats you well. But later, you discover he deals with illegal drugs that lead to many families being destroyed daily. What would you do?" "I..." Shinpachi started to say something but then fell silent, contemplating before finally responding slowly, "I don''t know... But if I were a samurai, perhaps even, then I would continue to serve that businessman..." "Hey! That businessman is causing people to suffer every day!" Kagura argued, "Why would anyone still want to work for him?!" "Kagura, that''s what a samurai is," Kawaki answered quietly, "Blind loyalty, not just among samurai, it''s quite prevalent even today. Remember, don''t lose that basic sense of morality. I don''t want you guys to turn into that kind of person. Fortunately, your leader is that naive guy, not a bad guy. But if he ever acts foolishly, I hope you can knock some sense into him instead of unthinkingly following along. Got it?" "Got it! / Got it-aru!" Shinpachi and Kagura responded in unison. "What would you do if you were Katsuo-san, Kawaki-san?" Shinpachi asked, curious. Kawaki hummed lightly, then slightly smirked, glanced at Shinpachi, and walked away without another word. "Kawaki..." Shinpachi wanted to say more but was interrupted by Gintoki, who had just arrived. Suddenly realising what might have happened, Kawaki''s eyes widened. He handed his flowers to a Hyakka and dashed toward Yoshiwara. Two minutes later, Kawaki arrived at the location where the vixen was supposed to be confined but found it empty. Fortunately, there were no signs of a struggle. "Kawaki-sama, the guards watching the vixen were drugged and fainted," a Hyakka lady explained, out of breath from running, "By the time they woke up, the vixen was gone." "As long as there are no casualties..." Kawaki responded, "I promised Tsukki there wouldn''t be any losses on our side." "Maybe that vixen still has some followers we missed..." "No, that''s not it," Kawaki interrupted, "I know who it is, but it doesn''t matter now. This time... let it be. Where''s Tsukki?" "She took others to search for the runaway vixen," the Hyakka lady replied. "Tell them to come back; it''s useless; they won''t find her," Kawaki said casually, then turned to leave, waving his hand dismissively, "Never mind, I''ll handle it myself. That guy is not the kind of person who will hold back." At a dock in Edo, Tsukuyo and other Hyakka members arrived just in time to see Takasugi, calm and threatening as ever, standing at the bow of a ship. Behind him stood Matako, Bansai, and other Kiheitai members, and they found the tied vixen among them. "Ha, I thought I might see him again, but it''s just women," Takasugi sneered. "Leave the vixen with us," Tsukuyo demanded, poised to throw her daggers. "Forget it, Tsukki." Kawaki''s voice came from behind, stopping her. Relieved to hear Kawaki, Tsukuyo put away her weapons. "You are really worthy of it. No matter where you go, there are a group of women who are devoted to you..." Takasugi mocked Kawaki. "Ah, because unlike you, I happen to be surprisingly popular," Kawaki smiled, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Thanks to Mr Kawaki''s help, the Kiheitai could capture this vixen without any effort," Bansai stepped forward, nodding slightly to Kawaki. Boom! Ignoring Bansai, who was sent flying with a blast, turning his hair into a frazzled mess, Kawaki continued, "Takaji, I''ll let it go this time. But if you dare show up on my turf again, I won''t be so lenient." "Address him as Lord Takasugi! Who''s this Takaji?" Matako huffed.Ne/w novel chapters are p/u/blished on Chapter 531: There Comes a Time in Life When One Wishes to Drink Chapter 531: There Comes a Time in Life When One Wishes to Drink Boom! Yet another simple shot left Matako covered in soot, her hair styled into an afro. "Damn it!" she cursed, pulling out her twin pistols without hesitation. "Matako! Calm down! You don''t want us all left to remain here forever, do you?" Bansai quickly intervened to stop her. "Let''s go back," Kawaki said to Tsukuyo beside him before turning to leave first. Tsukuyo glanced at Takasugi on the ship and then turned to follow Kawaki with the rest of the Hyakka members. Takasugi also turned his back at the same time, leaning against the mast and looking up at the stars that had appeared unknowingly. ... "Is it really okay?" Tsukuyo asked softly, walking beside Kawaki. "It doesn''t matter," Kawaki responded leisurely. "Although it''s a bit of a pity, it''s not worth starting a fight with Takaji over a present." "You... you let him take that vixen on purpose, didn''t you?" "What are you talking about? That was a present I prepared with a lot of effort for a certain unadorable nephew," Kawaki shrugged nonchalantly. "You knew Takasugi was also looking for that vixen, didn''t you?" "I didn''t know." "But you only left two Hyakka members guarding... You knew this would happen from the start, didn''t you?" "Tsukki, it''s sometimes better for a woman to be a bit naive," Kawaki remarked softly, then raised a finger and continued, "Of course, boobs and face are important too." "Hmph, whatever," Tsukuyo snorted coldly, "There were no casualties among the Hyakka so I won''t pursue this matter further. But... stop doing dangerous things, I... the Hyakka will be very troubled." "Tsukki, you..." Kawaki suddenly stopped, held his chin, and stared at Tsukuyo with a severe gaze. "What''s wrong?" Tsukuyo, feeling unnerved by his stare, asked defensively. "Are you sick?" Kawaki asked suspiciously. "Are you feverish? Those words don''t sound like they would come from you." "Ah, I''m sick!" Tsukuyo immediately pulled out two kunai and harshly stabbed them into Kawaki''s head. "Ah!" Kawaki screamed, falling to the ground and rolling around. "What are you doing?! Why would you stab them straight in?! It hurts! It might not cause injury, but it still hurts! Damn it!" ... That night, in Kawaki''s room in Yoshiwara. Lying sprawled on the floor, Kawaki stared blankly at the ceiling and the light above. "What''s wrong? Got scolded harshly?" Tsukuyo leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed and a kiseru in her hand, asking lightly. "Ah, something about being unreliable... got a thorough scolding," Kawaki responded casually. "Really, what a doting uncle," Tsukuyo scoffed slightly, then showed a serious expression, "Kawaki, I never want to see that version of you again, the one who... suffers." Remembering the day Kawaki faced a group of mercenaries called Shinra without any emotion or light in his eyes, just mechanically swinging his umbrella, mercilessly slaughtering... life after life. Watching Kawaki covered in the blood of his enemies yet continuing to kill, Tsukuyo had remained silent. She thought it would have been better to stand by his side at that time, but... maybe it wasn''t necessary. He avoided all attacks, and all enemies... were killed by him without showing any emotions. He didn''t need anyone by his side. But precisely because of that, he... might have been suffering then, and she felt pain in her heart as well... "Tsukki," Kawaki suddenly sat up, smiling and said, "Good night." With that, Kawaki stood went up, and walked toward his bedroom. Watching his back, which seemed to carry a mixture of laziness and indescribable emotions, Tsukuyo felt a tug at her heart. "Do you want to drink tonight?" she asked. "Huh? Why?" Kawaki stopped and turned around, puzzled. "There doesn''t seem to be anything to celebrate." Yawning, he added, "Well, never mind, I''m really tired tonight, good night." Kawaki, "..." ... "That should do it; please stay in this position and don''t move," Kawaki instructed as he looked at Tsukuyo lying in the bed and nodded, "Close your eyes, and try not to think about anything." ''Eh? What am I... doing exactly? And what''s the situation now?'' Tsukuyo suddenly realized, thinking, ''Is this man... planning to do what he didn''t get to do on our last date?!'' "AHH~" Kawaki yawned as he pulled out another blanket from the cupboard, laid it next to him, and quickly crawled in. Within half a minute, Kawaki was snoring. ''Just sleeping?'' Tsukuyo opened her eyes to see Kawaki beside her, his eyes closed, drooling and snoring, and thought. Pfft! "Hey, isn''t this enough already?" Kawaki pulled the kunai from his head, his eyes bloodshot, and roared in anger. "What does your insomnia have to do with me?! It''s your own problem!" "No, it''s because you caused me unnecessary misunderstandings that made me unable to sleep, so... you need to take responsibility." Tsukuyo said without blushing and then pointed at Kawaki''s blanket, "Switch with me; that one seems more comfortable to sleep in." "One last time..." Kawaki gritted his teeth and replied after swapping blankets. Once again, it was only seconds before Kawaki was back to sleep. But before two minutes passed, Kawaki was awakened again. "Hey, is this ever going to end?" Opened his bloodshot eyes and stared down at Tsukuyo on his head. "It seems like this blanket is more comfortable to sleep in." Tsukuyo pointed at Kawaki''s blanket. "So basically, you''re saying I should sleep in that one?" Kawaki''s forehead vein throbbed. Tsukuyo thought for a moment, then nodded slightly, "It seems so." "Then come on." Saying this, Kawaki pulled Tsukuyo into the blanket. "I..." "Good night..." After saying this, he turned his back, slowly closed his eyes, and within three seconds, his snoring began again. ''Why has it turned out this way?!'' Tsukuyo, her face flushed and her heart racing, thought, ''What was I trying to do? This situation has made me forget what I originally wanted to do!'' ... At eight in the morning, he opened his eyes to see Tsukuyo beside him, staring at him with bloodshot eyes. "Good... morning," Tsukuyo said haltingly. "You''re really an idiot," Kawaki smiled, then raised a finger, "Tsukki, look here." "What... what is it?" "Of course..." Kawaki sneakily extended his other hand as he spoke and aimed a karate chop at the back of Tsukuyo''s neck. "Mmm..." Tsukuyo whimpered as she quickly fainted. Gently shaking his head, Kawaki sat up, scooped Tsukuyo into a princess carry, got up, and headed toward the door. ... Breakfast time. "Where''s Sister Tsukuyo?" Seita asked curiously. "She couldn''t sleep last night; she just fell asleep," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "Why would you know Sister Tsukuyo couldn''t sleep?" "Who do you think she bothered after she couldn''t sleep?" Kawaki asked flatly, "Do you know what it feels like to see a dark figure by your bed at two in the morning?" "Mm..." Seita paused for a moment before quietly responding, "You have my sympathies." Chapter 532: Children Who Have Their Toys Taken Away Look the Same Throughout the Universe Chapter 532: Children Who Have Their Toys Taken Away Look the Same Throughout the Universe In the vast cosmos lit only by faint stars, an ugly, conch-shaped spaceshipor perhaps a space stationdrifts silently. The emblem of the Harusame, the galaxy''s most prominent criminal syndicate, occupies a large area on the station''s top. Indeed, this is the Harusame''s headquarters. However, it''s not entirely accurate to call it the headquarters since some of the true leaders and... specific individuals considered extremely dangerous by Harusame themselves are not present here. From this perspectiveagainst the dark cosmic backdrop, the station might not seem very large. However, if compared with a typical spaceship, the station is massive, even more significant than a major city, and could indeed be considered a small planet. A ship that looks minuscule in comparison to the station slowly docks. After docking, the hatch opens, and a smiling Kamui steps out, followed closely by the towering Abuto, with a group of Yato clad in uniform black robes and gray cloaks trailing behind. "Yare yare, it really annoys me," Kamui says as he walks, his hair antenna wiggling, perhaps due to excitement. "To think, on the way to retrieve a gift, I find out it''s been snatched away by someone else. It''s infuriating." "To soothe your mood, Boss, we even stayed three days on that planet full of turtles," Abuto quips, lips curled. "You should be over it by now, right? You know how tough those turtle shells can be. The guys'' hands are all numb." "I feel like if I don''t vent my feelings, I might just kill that Takasugi when I see him," Kamui chuckles. "Even if he''s an old friend, isn''t it a bit rude to snatch someone else''s gift without a word?" "Ara? Our Boss is learning manners," Abuto teases the other Yato, then adds, "Did you hear that? What our Boss just said. Remember to be polite when you''re out and about, or the Boss might get mad!" The Yato around them burst into laughter. "Alright, let''s go see that gift that was originally mine," Kamui suggests with a narrowed smile. "Are you coming, Abuto? After all, it also involves your [beep]friend." "Hey, stop talking nonsense! None of that ever happenednot that thing, this thing, or the most important thing!" Abuto protests with a frown. "You really are useless, Abuto," Kamui responds. "To think you let that fox escape without doing anything. Need me to give you some pointers in that area?" "No, that won''t be necessary." ... In the Harusame headquarters'' prison, a dim corridor flanked by cells holding various prisoners leads to a dark, damp cell at the end where the recently returned Kada, clad in a shabby earth-toned yukata, sits slumped against the wall, eyes lifeless, continually chuckling "heh heh heh." Her face is entirely devoid of vitality. Kada''s left hand continuously spins a bowl on the ground, with the faint sound of something hard hitting the bowl''s sides. "Double or single?" Kada mutters to herself. "Just arrived at the cell, Kamui casually answers: "I''ll guess double." "No, not them; the first apex is a woman..." Kamui suddenly seems to remember something, "But speaking of which, why haven''t I seen Takasugi? I really would like to thank him personally for bringing the gift back to me." As Kamui''s voice fades, a figure brushes past him. Sensing something, Kamui stops and turns back. Simultaneously, the passing Takasugi also stops and turns, a smirk on his face as he looks back at Kamui. "Takasugi, huh? Thanks for helping me bring the gift back," Kamui smiles with narrowed eyes, "But it seems it didn''t make it into my hands. Why is that?" "For a kid like you, that woman is still too much," Takasugi chuckles lightly, "Besides... you''re unintentionally revealed killing intent, and your manners are far from his." "Boss!" Abuto quickly calls out. "Yare yare, you really make me mad, Takasugi," Kamui laughs and then turns to walk away, not forgetting to wave his hand behind him. Abuto glances at Takasugi before slowly following his leader. "Samurai, huh?" Kamui''s face shows rare excitement, "I heard they''re the only ones in the universe who can match the Yato in face-to-face combat. I was curious about that silver-haired guy I saw that time and this guy, too. "Don''t lie," Abuto scoffs, "It doesn''t seem like you''re interested at all. To you, the only exciting existence is that man, right?" "You really know me well, Abuto," Kamui smiles, "But... you got one thing wrong; I do indeed hate samurai, though I also have a bit of interest in them." "Indeed, there aren''t many beings that interest the Boss," ... "Shinsuke Takasugi?" Kamui holds a bite of meat in one hand and a bite of bread in the other, looking puzzledly at the man sitting across from himAdmiral Aho, a puppet or rather a useless leader controlled by the Harusame''s actual rulers. "Don''t you know?" Aho, with only a tuft of green hair on his head and a somewhat overweight figure, replies leisurely, "He once allied with us, known as the leader of an armed group called the ''Kiheitai.''" Kamui, who is continuously devouring the food on the table, mumbles with a mouthful of lobster, "Is he an Earthling then?" "Seems to be called a samurai," Aho replies, "They were remnants who fiercely resisted our barbarians with a short stick on Earth in the past." "Is that so..." Kamui casually responds after putting down his plate, "So, an idiotno, Admiral Aho remembers his name; he must be quite remarkable, right?" Chapter 533: The Fine Line Between Using and Being Used Chapter 533: The Fine Line Between Using and Being Used "Although we only cooperated based on mutual interests, that guy is indeed handy," Admiral Aho said, his expression becoming slightly serious. "Officially, they are the Harusame combat troops currently in Edo on Earth, but they don''t listen to commands at all. I heard that catching that fox spirit was also their doing." Kamui, devouring his food, paused briefly but continued as usual, responding casually, "Ah, is that so." "But there''s one thing that bothers me," Admiral Aho continued, changing his tone. "I''ve heard they aim to overthrow the Edo government and are considered terrorists. Yet, when we exchanged secret treaties to sneak into Edo, he volunteered to draw out the government''s dogs. Do you know why?" (Shinsengumi Disturbance Arc) "Isn''t that simple?" Kamui looked up and replied as if it were obvious. "It''s a relationship of mutual use. He plans to use the Harusame to get close to the Shogunate and strike down the central government in one go." "Is that so?!" Admiral Aho exclaimed, surprised, but then a thought struck him, and a vein throbbed on his forehead as he slammed his hands down on the table, "No! That''s exactly it! They''re planning such an audacious conspiracy! No, I noticed it too... indeed... damn it!" After finishing the last piece of bread, Kamui chewed thoughtfully and said casually, "It was tough getting the rights to Earth with its rich resources. If they succeed, our deals will blow up." Picking up another large chunk of meat from the table, Kamui continued, "Although I don''t think Takasugi and his people can overcome the Tendoshu and our elders. But by then, our reputation will be dragged through the mud, won''t it?" "That... would mean I get scolded by the elders?!" Admiral Aho realized, his face breaking into a sweat. "That''s right, so you better work hard," Kamui said, placing the last bone on his plate and clasping his hands together, "Thanks for the meal~" Then, Kamui stood up from the table and headed toward the restaurant exit, ignoring Admiral Aho''s protests. "Wait! Kamui!" Admiral Aho shouted, "Why do you think I called you here?" "Wasn''t it just to have a meal?" Kamui said without turning back. "Not at all!" Admiral Aho quickly stood up and shouted as Kamui reached the door, "Isn''t it your Seventh Division''s job to organize purges and adjustments?" Hearing this, Kamui stopped but didn''t turn around and asked, "So, what would you have me do?" Admiral Aho''s mouth curved into a sly smile. "Dispose of the useless tools..." With Abuto waiting at the restaurant door, Kamui slowly walked back the way they had come. Suddenly, a man''s voice came from behind a pillar. "Oh dear, even those who can''t be counted as tools have the nerve to talk like that," the wolf-headed, one-eyed Amanto leaning against the pillar said to Kamui and Abuto as they approached, "Killing that fat pig would make us feel better, right?" "Are you and he not both quadrupeds?" Kamui stopped, casually replying, "Try to get along, Captain Hook." "Kamui," Hook said, stepping forward and turning to face Kamui, "All the captains of the Twelve Divisions are already on your side, ready for you to take over as Admiral. That idiot Admiral is just a puppet of the elders, always thinking about how to maintain his position. I... would rather work with someone more interesting and brutal." Hook patted Kamui on the shoulder as he spoke. "The admiral needed him for something, so he stayed on the mothership," Van replies, "He let me and you return to Edo first." "What could that something be?" Soyo mutters. "There''s no clue what it could be," Van tilts his head. "I have a bad feeling about this," Soyo walks over, a worried expression on her face, "Maybe allying with Harusame was a mistake after all..." "What are you saying now..." Van slowly responds, "You agreed to overthrow the Shogunate, didn''t you?" "But... this opponent might be too strong..." Soyo''s worried look doesn''t fade, and she even adds a hint of despair and reluctance, "We Kiheitai were never balanced with the galaxy''s largest crime syndicate. It''s only a matter of time before we go from using to being used. Given the current situation, we''re just as obstructive as the pandering Earth government. Plus, now that the government and Harusame are in cahoots, our existence must just be in the way. Takasugi-san might..." Soyo doesn''t continue. "In short, you just mean Takasugi, right?" Van replies, "Don''t worry, that man won''t fall before he overthrows the Shogunate. Did you forget his vow?" Together, Soyo and Van recall what Takasugi once said... "I just want to destroy..." "Takasugi" in the memory suddenly turns back, "The ''Great Edo Youth Healthy Development Ordinance Amendment''..." "Don''t even interrupt someone else''s memories! Destroy it! Destroy it first, you bastard!" Soyo curses as she fires her gun. Next to her, Van continuously swings his shamisen, providing support. But at that moment, a large screen nearby suddenly lights up. "Lord Van! There''s a Harusame fleet ahead!" a Kiheitai member reports. Van looks through the window and sees three Harusame ships slowly approaching in their direction. "What? Could it really be that they..." Van is shocked. "Takasugi-san" Soyo, suddenly realizing something, anxiously calls out. ... Meanwhile, back at Harusame headquarters. Dressed in a long white coat, Kamui squints at Takasugi standing opposite him and waves, "Yo, nice to see you again. Sorry for being blunt, but no matter when I say it, you''ll be surprised, so I''ll just say it: go die." "I wouldn''t be surprised. From the first time we met, you''ve had that written all over your face," Takasugi replies. Chapter 534: Be Aware Of... Chapter 534: 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 enoughhis 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 thisAdmiral Ahoslowly 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. 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 ofthose 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..." Chapter 535: It’s Better to Hold the Dice in Your Own Hands! Chapter 535: Its Better to Hold the Dice in Your Own Hands! Even now, Kamui remained unflustered, still squinting with a faint smile. "Ladies and gentlemen! Observe closely!" Admiral Aho stood at the most conspicuous position around the execution platform, microphone in hand, glaring down at Kamui and shouting, "This is the fate of a rebel! To oppose me is to oppose the Senate! To oppose the Senate is to oppose all of Harusame! Even an iron army will become a mob if you step out of line!" "Tch! Sounds good!" a Sky Pirate sneered quietly. "Kamui, any last words?" Admiral Aho asked with interest. "Hmm..." Kamui tilted his head, his antenna hair twitching and squinting; he smiled and said, "Then let me say one thing." "Hmm." Admiral Aho nodded. Kamui took a deep breath and then, squinting, he yelled out, "Idiot Admiral~" "Kill him! Kill him now!" veins bulged on Admiral Aho''s forehead as he bellowed. Just then, Takasugi slowly approached, arriving behind the execution platform, and said, "No, wait, Idiot... Admiral Aho. May I do the execution?" "Hmm?" Admiral Aho looked at the suddenly appearing Takasugi with a puzzled expression. "Although it''s a pity you won''t let me duel him, at least let me be the executioner," Takasugi said, slightly curving his lips. Meanwhile, Gorou quietly instructed the armed Sky Pirates surrounding the platform, "On my command, take down Takasugi as well." Upon hearing this, a Sky Pirate nearby subtly nodded. At that moment, Takasugi slowly stepped in front of Kamui, his face showing a hint of mockery, and softly said, "Being on this broken ship seems to have brought us luck, each other." "Are you saying our goals are aligned?" Kamui asked with a squinted smile, "Earth''s fighting expert." Takasugi casually shrugged and replied softly, "At least neither came here for sightseeing." "It is sightseeing," Kamui retorted, "just a journey to hell." Hearing this, Takasugi couldn''t help but chuckle. "Exactly..." Takasugi said, his eyes suddenly widening as he drew his sword. After several flashes of the blade, the heavy shackles binding Kamui''s hands and feet shattered into pieces, and Kamui, due to inertia, fell forward face down. However, no one was surprised or alarmed, especially Admiral Aho, who was on the viewing stand, now smiling with interest at Kamui and Takasugi on the execution platform. Gorou, only a few meters from the platform, gestured with his hand. Understanding the signal, the Sky Pirates moved toward the platform with their weapons ready. Takasugi showed no panic, softly saying, "At least... rest in peace in hell... the crew of the broken ship." Turning his head, Takasugi''s expression became fierce as he stared at the two Sky Pirates charging him with long spears. The Sky Pirates, intimidated by Takasugi''s gaze, stopped and swallowed nervously. Immediately after, without hesitation, Takasugi raised his sword and swiftly dealt with one of the Sky Pirates. Simultaneously, Kamui flipped up from the ground and leaped onto the back of another Sky Pirate, his legs tightly clamping around the pirate''s neck, his hands gripping the pirate''s head, and with a slight twist, the pirate screamed once before falling silent forever. Seeing Takasugi eliminate another Sky Pirate, Kamui leaped into the air without hesitation, kicked out, and smashed the remaining pirate''s head into the floor. The entire execution platform broke apart under the force of Kamui''s kick. After finishing, Kamui rolled behind Takasugi, standing up and turning his back to him. "Somehow, it feels a bit nostalgic," Takasugi remarked casually, glancing at the spot Kamui had just smashed. "Is that so?" Kamui squinted, smiling, "But isn''t there an Earth saying? ''The student surpasses the master,'' so I guess I''m stronger than that NEET?" "What... what?!" Admiral Aho clenched his teeth angrily, staring at Kamui and Takasugi on the execution platform. "It seems that gamble was useless," Kamui continued, "Regardless of the outcome, neither of us will die. I''m impressed with him, but it''s a bit of a pity; I thought I could catch the tail you mentioned." "The precondition is that you could fight a thousand like him," Takasugi chuckled softly, raising his glittering sword, "And... about that tail, haven''t we already caught it? That fox..." "Aren''t you the admiral?!" Gorou shot back without thinking. Just then, Gorou suddenly noticed that the large screen in front of him had lit up, showing Kamui waving and smiling on the screen. "Hmm? Hey, what''s that?" Admiral Aho, seeing this, instantly broke out in a cold sweat: "Kam... Kamui!" "Don''t call me Kamui, you idiot admiral..." Kamui said as he ran straight towards the spaceship, leaping up as he neared and kicked the spacecraft, "From today, please call me ''Idiot Admiral''!" Boom!! The spaceship exploded instantly from Kamui''s kick, and then, ignoring the destroyed spaceship, Kamui approached Takasugi and said, "I owe you a big favor, so I guess our duel will have to be postponed, but I enjoyed our journey through hell with you." Takasugi chuckled softly, then turned his gaze outside the window. "But now, it turns out he''s right under my nose," Kamui squinted, smiling refreshingly, "It''s exciting; maybe we''ll find his eyes soon." "It seems your calculation was wrong," Takasugi, looking at a departing Harusame spaceship through the window, chuckled lightly, "The opponent reacted much faster than us." "Ah, well, we did some useless work, huh?" Kamui pretended to be troubled. "How could it be useless? Isn''t there still an ''Idiot Admiral'' identity?" Takasugi responded lightly. "Speaking of which, shouldn''t we now go check on that fox? If it''s really as you say..." Kamui hinted. ... It was still that dim dungeon, but now, the corridor''s end cell was utterly silent. Kamui crouched down, looking at a strangled neck, the head hanging lifelessly, still clutching a screw and nut in its hand, showing a hint of regret. "Ah la, already committed suicide~," Kamui remarked softly, "But... to die clutching dice, it seems he was quite satisfied. But then again, that man is becoming more and more exciting to me, to think he could make this woman, who had no previous ties, sell her soul for him in just a couple of days; what''s the term? Charisma?" "I don''t recall that idiot having that," Takasugi chuckled from behind Kamui. "But the fact that he so easily reclaimed that fox remains, doesn''t it?" "Captain found nothing," Abuto approached slowly, "That segment of surveillance footage is gone, and... there''s something even stranger." "What is it? Ghosts on the pirate ship?" Kamui stood up, smiling. "Ah, indeed, it''s like a ghost," Abuto''s expression grew somewhat serious, "After matching the bodies from the fight and all the registered crew and staff of this ship, we found... not a single person is missing! That means..." "That means, the ship that ran away didn''t have any Harusame people on it, or maybe... there was no one on it at all..." Kamui picked up, raising a finger. "If there were no people, how could we possibly not catch up?" Abuto shrugged. "It''s really... getting more impressive; I''m inquisitive about how he managed to place people..." Kamui suddenly realized something, his expression changing instantly, "That bastard, placing people all in that mixed-up prison! No wonder we could never find..." "It''s really... getting more interesting," Takasugi couldn''t help but laugh, "I''m becoming increasingly curious about what you want to do, Jiang... Cheng!" ... Earth, Edo, Yoshiwara. Kawaki, sitting in front of a computer, suddenly sneezed and tucked his phone back into his pocket. "Caught a cold?" Kawaki muttered to himself. "Idiots don''t catch colds," Tsukuyo''s voice came from behind Kawaki. "What''s wrong? Can''t sleep again?" Kawaki asked casually. Reminded of something, Tsukuyo blushed and replied incoherently, "It''s... it''s not that!" "That''s good then," Kawaki shrugged, not turning back. Chapter 536: The Most Hurtful Words Are Often Spoken Unintentionally Chapter 536: The Most Hurtful Words Are Often Spoken Unintentionally In Yoshiwara, in Kawaki''s room. "What? Social practice?" Holding a game controller, Kawaki stared intently at the monitor before him and replied casually. "It''s an assignment from my friend May at the private school," Kagura said indistinctly while munching loudly on the chips on the table, "She said she wants to visit Yorozuya." "So, what about it?" Kawaki asked without turning his head, "What does it have to do with me? Why doesn''t that friend of yours, May, just go directly to Yorozuya?" "But they heard that I have an uncle who is supported by a bunch of women and does nothing all day but plays games, and they are very curious," Kagura continued, "So they also want to see what the daily life of such a freeloader looks like." Hearing Kagura''s words, Kawaki''s face instantly tightened, and after taking a deep breath... "Get out!!" ... At Yorozuya. "What? Social practice?" Kawaki, sitting in the boss''s chair, expressed the same confusion as Kawaki. "It''s my friend May''s assignment from private school. She wants to visit Yorozuya," Kagura explained from the sofa. "Don''t just accept such troublesome requests so casually," Kawaki said, resting his head on his hands with an impatient look. Shinpachi, sitting on the opposite sofa, piped up, "They said they want to see our work, but we don''t have any tasks today." "Not just today; we never have any," Kawaki said, picking his nose with his pinky, and muttered in agreement. "Children full of dreams shouldn''t see this dark side of society," Shinpachi advised. "I don''t want that! Uncle refused their request to visit and see the daily life of a freeloader who lives off women without any guilt. Are you going to refuse me, too?!" Kagura suddenly lay on the sofa, burying her head and swinging her legs while throwing a tantrum, "I want them to think, ''It''s so great that Kagura-chan works at Yorozuya''! Come on, do something, you two slowpokes!" "Don''t just casually say such hurtful things," Kawaki retorted expressionlessly. "Suddenly, I feel kind of sorry for Kawaki-san... Although what you said needs to be corrected, but. It''s still pretty sad," Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and quietly murmured, "If it were me, I''d probably be angry too..." Ding dong... "They''re here!" At the sound of the doorbell, Kagura quickly exited the sofa, excitedly exclaimed, and then turned to Shinpachi and Kawaki, reminding them, "Both of you, put on a grown-up act, and don''t do anything weird!" With that, Kagura rushed to the entryway and opened the door, while Shinpachi, looking helpless, got up from the sofa and strode towards the door. "Welcome, May-chan!" Kagura greeted the six young children standing outside the door. "I''m sorry to bother you during such a busy time," the leader, a little girl wearing a light purple yukata embroidered with floral petals, said politely. "Please take care of us!" 5 "I... I am too," a little boy timidly raised his hand in agreement. "I am too..." Seeing this, except for Daigorou, the rest of the children resolutely echoed. [Just randomly claiming it!] Shinpachi wildly complained in his mind, [Randomly turned into the Calcutta faction!] "Is that so... the Calcutta faction," Kawaki paused, chuckled softly, and remarked, "Unexpectedly, little devils grow up." Then... three minutes later, Kawaki carried a wooden tray with six cups of hot coffee and placed it on the low table in front of the sofa. "Come on, drink it while it''s hot, as Calcutta should," Kawaki invited, then sat on the sofa. "Ah! Thank you!" May quickly expressed her gratitude. "Is this Calcutta?" "It seems like coffee!" The children all looked at the coffee on the table in surprise. [Why not ask if it was a coffee faction from the start?!] Shinpachi, standing behind Kawaki, internally raged, [I feel a bit fired up!] "I used to be a proud member of the Calcutta faction, but now I''ve completely become a Mesopotamian," Kawaki said, picking up a box of strawberry milk, pretending to be profound, "But I think it''s precisely because of experiencing that bitterness that I became who I am today in the Mesopotamian faction." With that, Kawaki tilted his head back and started drinking deeply. [This uncle is speaking some incomprehensible stuff that has no substance!] Shinpachi criticized in his heart. "Can I ask a question?" a boy holding coffee, dressed in dark clothes, raised his hand to inquire, "What exactly does Yorozuya do?" "Well, although it''s hard to explain in a few words," Kawaki said, putting down his strawberry milk, picking up the hammer-shaped wooden stick with toilet paper and a handkerchief paper box assembled into an unclear object, and placing it on the table, "Basically, it involves manufacturing and selling this sort of Patriots from a secret society!" [In plain terms, isn''t it just a store selling Patriots?!] Shinpachi angrily thought. "This Patriot..." the boy seemed a bit stuck. "It''s Patriots!" Kawaki corrected. "What exactly are Patriots used for?" "Ha ha ha..." Kawaki spread his hands, shook his head, pretending to be helpless, and chuckled, "You do ask some interesting questions~ This is too amusing; he''s asking where Patriots are used, Kagura-kun?" "Children''s imagination can always give you a fright, President," Kagura covered her face with one hand, shrugging her shoulders, and replied in a pretended helpless tone. [What are these two doing? It''s irritating to watch!] A vein throbbed on Shinpachi''s forehead. Chapter 537: The Fearless Are Ignorant! The Careless Are Unconcerned! Chapter 537: The Fearless Are Ignorant! The Careless Are Unconcerned! Then let me ask you..." Kawaki looked at the child who had asked the question earlier and counter-asked: "What is that... right below your nose?" The child was startled and unconsciously looked down but saw nothing. "Doesn''t every human have a strange groove between their nose and upper lip?" Kawaki explained, "What exactly is it used for?" "I... don''t know." "Right..." Kawaki lowered his head, his forehead unwittingly darkened, but even so, he seriously bluffed, "Simply put, the Patriot is... just like that." [So you don''t know either?!] Shinpachi internally ranted furiously. "Whether it''s the groove under the nose or the microphone on the FC2P controller," Kawaki closed his eyes, his face grave as he slowly explained: "There are many things in this world whose purpose is unknown, but beyond eating, drinking, pooping, and sleeping, everything else humanity does is superfluous. We are just the creators of that extravagance." (Note: The original NES 2P had a microphone that supported only six games and could only recognize volume levels.) [Talking so grandly, but you''re just working with junk in the end!] Shinpachi ranted internally, indignant. "Question..." Daigorou, sitting in Kawaki''s chair from the start, still looking somewhat dazed, raised his hand and asked, "So, does Yorozuya just do superfluous work on superfluous things?" "It seems you didn''t understand anything I said." Kawaki spread his hands and replied, "What I mean is, what seems superfluous is indispensable..." "But..." Daigorou interrupted Kawaki, posing a question that, though he lacked enthusiasm, struck a painful chord in Kawaki and others, "Isn''t Yorozuya, which makes these useless things, also useless?" [What''s with this kid!] Shinpachi mentally complained. "You''re being too harsh, Daigorou-kun." May quickly intervened. "May-chan, can we end the social study here?" Daigorou asked May, "Basically, Yorozuya''s work is just to do things that contribute nothing to society." With that, Daigorou pushed himself up from the table. "Wait, hold on a moment!" Shinpachi hastily interjected. "Although the Patriot seems useless," Kagura picked it up from the table and stood up, "it can play many meaningless games, you know~." "Eh? Really?" Daigorou stared blankly at Kagura, "How do you play with it?" "For example..." Kagura tightened her grip on the Patriot''s wooden stick and swung it down on Daigorou''s head, explaining emotionlessly as she did, "It''s used like this to beat up those who are asking for it, a Patriot missile." [You don''t need a Patriot for that!] Shinpachi thought critically. Thump! Daigorou suddenly raised his hand to block the Patriot... or rather, the tissue box, wiping the blood that had just trickled from his mouth. He looked up with an utterly severe expression, apparently entering his serious (Naruto) mode. Daigorou chuckled softly, "As expected, there are such useless jobs in the world that produce garbage." [Daigorou-kun?!] Shinpachi internally cried out, [He''s turned into a completely different person after being hit on the head! Speaking with Naruto''s voice, but saying things Naruto would never say!] "Then I have a question!" the boy pushed up his glasses, "At train stations, it''s forbidden to jump onto the tracks, but if a drunkard falls, the person who breaks the rules to save him is the bad guy, and those who don''t help are the good guys?!" Hijikata''s forehead vein bulged, and he gritted his teeth as he responded, "In such cases, you have to judge based on the situation." "I think a law that changes based on the situation can''t fulfill the responsibilities of the law!" "I misspoke," Hijikata''s veins throbbed, "those who cause trouble for others are the bad people. How the law works doesn''t matter anymore..." [He''s abandoned the law!] Shinpachi thought furiously, [Just because it''s troublesome, he''s thrown the law away!] "So!" the boy pushed his glasses up again, stepping closer, relentlessly asking, "Smoking and spreading secondhand smoke around you, does that make you a criminal?!" "Sorry! Did I make you choke?" Hijikata''s veins multiplied, his eyes bloodshot as he pressed the cigarette with the back of his hand, whispering through gritted teeth, "Forgive me, forgive me!" [Disaster, he''s breaking down, about to become a criminal!] Shinpachi internally ranted again. "How exactly does trouble become a crime? Please give a specific example," the boy asked, then pointed to a shop by the road, "For example, if someone is relentlessly pursued and harassed by a girl and ends up getting beaten up, who is the criminal in both cases?" Looking at Kondou, who was hiding in a crate full of persimmons at the shop, only his head visible, being continuously hit in the face with a shopping bag by Otae, Hijikata paused for a moment before speaking again: "Err... actually, I was just joking before. Police actually..." Saying this, Hijikata picked up a Patriot he found somewhere, "make and sell these Patriots." [He''s switched careers to selling Patriots now!] Shinpachi ranted, frustrated, [What is that? Is it popular?!] "Pathetic, changing careers immediately when things go awry?" a boy leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I heard Japanese police have degenerated recently; it looks like it''s true~" another boy nodded in agreement. Following this, several kids turned and left. Three minutes later... Looking at Hijikata sitting at another table, his head bowed as he kept pulling tissues from the Patriot, Shinpachi quietly commented. "Even Hijikata-san has broken down." "So there''s also that use, aru." Kagura sounded surprised. Kagura had barely finished speaking when suddenly, the voices of Tsukuyo and Kawaki could be heard nearby. Tsukuyo: "That''s enough from you guys." Kawaki: "Well, kids are naturally curious about these things, right? They''ll use this knowledge someday." "Tsukuyo-san and Kawaki-san..." Shinpachi looked through the gaps in the landscape trees, spotting Kawaki holding an unopened game and Tsukuyo standing before a group of boys. "Yeah, yeah! They''ll use it someday!" a boy rubbed his hands together, looking eagerly at Tsukuyo, "And really, we do want to see what work in Yoshiwara is like..." The other kids nodded in agreement, one with a nosebleed already staining the ground. Chapter 538: The Best Way to Educate Kids is by Example Chapter 538: The Best Way to Educate Kids is by Example "So you guys are still a hundred years early," Tsukuyo said lightly, pinching her cigarette holder with one hand. "You''re too cold, Tsukki," Kawaki chuckled lightly, shaking his head, "There''s no such thing as too early. Boys this age are naturally curious about these things, and if we don''t educate them properly now, they might make serious mistakes later." "If you put it that way..." Tsukuyo''s expression grew more severe, nodding slightly as she murmured: "Indeed... but it still feels too early..." At that moment, a ninja girl disguised as a little schoolgirl with twin braids and wearing glasses joined the group of schoolchildren, raising her hand to ask, "So, could you at least teach me some tricks to plunge a man into a vortex of bliss?" [Why does it seem like there''s a girl with perverted glasses mixed in here that I''ve seen somewhere before?!] Shinpachi internally ranted. "That''s exactly what I can''t tell you," Tsukuyo replied dryly. "Why ask her? She knows nothing about these things," Kawaki scoffed, gesturing dismissively at Tsukuyo, "You should be asking me instead." "Who... who says I know nothing about those things!" Tsukuyo retorted, her face red, though lacking confidence, "I... I am from Yoshiwara, after all! No one knows those matters better than... than I do!" "Then tell me!" the girl pressed again, "I currently have a boyfriend, and if something goes wrong at a crucial moment, can you take responsibility?" [What could go wrong? That''s just your delusion!] Shinpachi internally exclaimed again. "Don''t worry, the lady at the pharmacy will tell you all about precautions," Kawaki replied with half-closed eyes, deadpan, "If you still don''t understand, just read the instructions on the natto package." [Will the pharmacy lady tell them?! Will she really?!] Shinpachi ranted internally, [And what''s with the natto packaging instructions? Are they supposed to stir it with chopsticks?!] "I see, so we need to have the pharmacy lady stir natto by our side at the crucial moment." The girl murmured to herself as she noted it down. [Idiot! She''s an idiot! She believed it!] Shinpachi felt utterly frustrated. "Eh?! Is there also a need for a lady stirring natto beside us when working in Yoshiwara?!" "No! I hate natto!" "So do I!" The group of children voiced their opinions one after another. "No! That''s not necessary!" Tsukuyo pulled out a kunai she had stuck in Kawaki''s head earlier, ignoring him as he lay twitching on the ground with his eyes rolling back, "I really can''t handle you guys, but perhaps it''s better to start learning some things now..." Saying this, Tsukuyo picked up a Patriot she found somewhere, "Then let me explain a bit. If this is that, and that is this, then here..." [What are you using that Patriot for?!] Shinpachi widened his eyes in shock, internally screaming. Tsukuyo hadn''t finished speaking when she began tearing at the Patriot''s paper roll, obviously struggling to continue... "Women turn into that?!" A child exclaimed in shock. "Money is the most important thing. Without money, nothing can be done," Kawaki went on, "So, where does the money I spent on the game end up?" "It goes to the game store and the company that developed the game," the boy answered earnestly. "Exactly! The money we spend on games ultimately goes to those hardworking employees at game stores and game development companies!" Kawaki shouted earnestly, "Thanks to us, they can get paid and live a normal life! Imagine if there were no consumers of games; what would happen to those people? What would happen to your game designer dad?!" "Dad... would be laid off..." the boy''s eyes widened in realization, "Our family... would go hungry..." "Correct answer!" Kawaki snapped his fingers and then shook his head, speaking softly, "Without us NEETs, the game stores and companies would lay off all their staff. So, do you still think NEETs contribute nothing to society? Who is it that keeps your dad from losing his job? Isn''t it us NEETs? Moreover, NEETs rarely cause trouble outside, unlike those who often make trouble on the streets; we... save so much manpower and resources for society! In fact, without us NEETs, this society would have many more unemployed loafers wandering the streets every day! Do you... understand?!" "Although what you said makes sense and is all true, something still feels a bit off..." Shinpachi muttered under his breath. "Are NEETs such great people?!" a little girl exclaimed. "Absolutely, in fact, society could not function normally without us NEETs," Kawaki sighed wistfully, "Without NEETs, society would collapse. NEETs... are the most crucial work supporting the normal operation of society. Do you... understand?" "I understand! NEETs are great! When I grow up, I want to be a NEET too!" "So do I!" "Me too!" The group of children echoed each other enthusiastically. "It looks like you do understand... ah!" Before Kawaki could finish, Kagura and Shinpachi simultaneously kicked him, sending him flying several meters. "What are you teaching these kids?!" Shinpachi yelled at Kawaki, lying on the ground, veins bulging in anger, "Are you trying to turn them all into a tribe of NEETs?!" "No, I just wanted them to understand the contributions of NEETs..." Kawaki, covering his swollen cheek, clumsily got up and slurred his words. "What contribution?!" Shinpachi spat vehemently. "Listen up, you guys," Kagura pointed at the Patriot on the table, "so-called NEETs are... even more useless than this thing, aru. This man is just a waste being kept by a bunch of women. Without him, society would still function normally. Society''s gears might even turn faster, are." "Hey! Don''t talk nonsense!" Kawaki protested vehemently, his eyes rolling back in exasperation. But the group of kids had already lost any desire to listen further, turning their backs in disdain and walking away. A minute later... "Heh, I''m even more useless than this thing..." Kawaki crouched down, curling into a ball, completely engulfed by shadows, with a Patriot in front of him, "That''s right, NEETs are really useless to society, ah... I want to die... ahaha..." "It seems a bit pitiful..." Shinpachi commented emotionlessly. "It''s just the truth, aru." Kagura snorted disdainfully. Chapter 539: Society Cant Do Without Everyone... As If! Chapter 539: Society Can''t Do Without Everyone... As If! Just as Kagura finished speaking, Shinpachi suddenly heard Kondo''s voice beside him. Curiously, he turned his head and looked through the gaps between the landscape trees. "As you can see, firstly, what we''re doing is by no means easy," Kondo, his face bruised and swollen from a recent beating by Otae, still buried in a pile of persimmons with only his head poking out, earnestly explained to the children standing in front of him, "Even so, we don''t lose heart, we don''t give up, believing in the arrival of tomorrow. That''s what a stalker is!" "That''s not your job at all!" Shinpachi mentally scoffed. "A question," a little boy holding a notebook and a ballpoint pen raised his hand. "What''s your question?" Kondo asked. "Do you ever feel like dying?" the child asked earnestly. "What kind of question is that?! Even more direct than asking about the time Otae-san beat you!" Shinpachi mentally exclaimed. "What a great question," Kondo sighed. "What the heck?!" Shinpachi thought in frustration. "When it comes to work, no matter what, it involves suffering," Kondo closed his eyes with a gentle expression and answered slowly, "But if it has to involve suffering no matter what, then I''d rather choose to suffer for something I love." "Why are you acting like an expert?!" Shinpachi thought. "I think that idea is just too naive!" Suddenly, Hasegawa''s voice came from behind the children. At the sound, Kondo and the children all turned to look, only to see Hasegawa, wearing shorts and with rolls of toilet paper on each arm and boxes of tissue in each hand, had appeared behind the children. "In this world, there are many people doing work they don''t like," Hasegawa frowned deeply, earnestly continuing, "These people and I support society..." Saying this, Hasegawa''s face showed some reluctance. "I didn''t become a patriot because I wanted to!" "Hey!! Completely don''t understand what being a patriot is about!" Shinpachi mentally shouted in confusion. "But I have no choice!" Hasegawa continued, "If I don''t do it, who else would be willing to do such things?! This world needs patriots!" "Doesn''t need them, right?!" Shinpachi thought. "The person who blames everything on others, no matter how long ago, will ultimately gain nothing," Kondo closed his eyes and replied with a pretended depth. "And how could you understand the feelings of a patriot?!" Hasegawa gritted his teeth in frustration. "I understand!" "Huh?" Hasegawa was taken aback. "I also... I also..." Kondo''s face showed reluctance, then suddenly jumped out of the pile of persimmons, "Carrying the dual mission of a patriot and a stalker!" Seeing Kondo dressed similarly to Hasegawa, Shinpachi shouted in his mind once again: "Ultimately, both are useless!" "You... you too..." Looking at Kondo standing before him, Hasegawa''s expression was disbelief, muttering to himself. "Oh, yeah, so from now on, don''t bear it alone," Kondo said with a gentle expression, "Come to me for anything." Moved for some unknown reason, tears welled up uncontrollably in Hasegawa''s eyes as he and Kondo slowly walked toward each other in a nostalgic BGM. After saying "thank you," they embraced tightly. However, in this oddly touching moment, a child raised their hand and asked, "Um... sorry, so what exactly is a patriot?" "Daigorou," a boy''s voice suddenly came from the side, "Did you also receive the invitation?" Looking at the seven boys walking towards him, Daigorou looked at the invitation in his hand, "How about you?" "I didn''t want to bother, but it says we can get free Saint Demon War stickers here," one of the boys said. "So... what exactly is the Patriot Factory?" Daigorou muttered to himself as he looked at the invitation in his hand. Just then, Shinpachi''s voice, accompanied by approaching footsteps came. "I''ve been waiting for you, good children." "Among all the children in the world, you''ve been selected to visit this dream factory, precocious little devils... no, good children," Shinpachi and Kagura, dressed in attire copied and adapted from the Chocolate Factory, one in red and the other in blue, strolled towards the group of children. "I''m Ahachi," Shinpachi introduced himself, pinching the brim of his hat with his right hand and holding a black cane in his left hand. "I''m Ahle!" Kagura pinched her hat with her left hand and used her umbrella as a cane with her other hand to introduce herself. "We are the dream guides of this dream factory!" Shinpachi and Kagura both raised their hands and said. "Completely copied from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, right?" one of the children commented somewhat speechlessly. "Um..." Wearing glasses, the boy who had cornered Shinpachi a few days ago raised his hand and asked seriously, "What is the theme of this tour designed for?" "What? A rare chance to treat you..." Shinpachi showed a deliberately helpless expression... evading the question. "Want to go back? Sure, but I won''t give you Saint Demon War stickers," Kagura took over, still avoiding the question, "And you''ll also permanently miss the chance to find out what a patriot is." "Anyway, I have absolutely no interest in patriots..." Daigorou sighed and said casually. But before he could finish, a scream from behind interrupted him. "Ah!! Look, look!" Hijikata, who had somehow appeared behind the group of children, pointed to the front of the dilapidated factory and said to Tsukuyo beside him, "Patriot Factory! Can''t believe it!" "Didn''t expect a Patriot Factory in a place like this," Tsukuyo said in disbelief, "I heard that only NASA, FBI, and NBA are involved in manufacturing..." "Let''s take a sneak peek..." Hijikata said, stealthily walking towards the factory''s open door. "Wait! Hijikata..." Tsukuyo hurriedly caught up with Hijikata and tried to stop him. But a gunshot suddenly rang out just as Hijikata stepped through the door. With a bullet in her forehead, Tsukuyo began to bleed uncontrollably and fell to the ground. The children watched this scene, their faces all dark and silent. "Sorry! Made you two attract the enemy!" Suddenly, a voice from the factory rooftop came from Hijikata, "But... it doesn''t matter! As long as I have the recipe... of the patriot! I... will become the number one factory manager in all of Edo... no, the whole earth! Your funeral... will be filled with patriots!" With that, a sinister smile appeared on Hijikata''s face as he reached out and lifted a piece of the ceiling from the rooftop. However, as Hijikata was about to jump into the factory, another gunshot rang out. Bang! Hijikata, shot in the back of the head, staggered two steps before falling directly from the eaves of the factory and hitting the ground hard. Seeing this scene... the children''s faces... turned even darker. Chapter 540: Adult Work... In the Eyes of Children, Its All Incomprehensible! Chapter 540: Adult Work... In the Eyes of Children, It''s All Incomprehensible! "The factory manager," wearing sunglasses with blue lenses, dressed in work clothes, fourteen, with a sniper rifle slung over his shoulder, reported through his earpiece, "I have spotted suspicious individuals and suspicious NEETs inquiring about patriots, and they have been shot immediately!" "Understood! Has the SUCCEED Committee finally begun its operation? The twilight of the gods is not far off! We must expedite the development of patriots!" Kawaki''s voice came through the earpiece. "There are other suspicious children; should we deal with them?" Saying this, fourteen crouched down and aimed the sniper rifle in his hand at the children. Bang! After another gunshot, fourteen fell slowly to the ground, and a group of children, trembling with fright, huddled together tightly. "That''s my guests," wearing work clothes, sunglasses with yellow lenses, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, his face sporting a little beard, and holding a sniper rifle, Kawaki stepped away slowly and spoke, "Carrying the last hope of humanity, the children of patriots, welcome to the Patriot Factory." "Factory manager, the children say they''re not interested in patriots," Kagura raised the umbrella in her hand and shouted. "Is that so?" Kawaki replied with his eyes closed, "Since you''ve been found here, I can''t just let you leave like this. We must resolve..." Before Kawaki could finish his sentence, Kagura and Shinpachi, who simultaneously pulled out pistols from their pockets, shot him. With smoke still coming out of the gun barrel in her hand, Kagura, without even turning her head, said, "You can go now." "Be careful on your way back," Shinpachi took over. ... At the dilapidated factory''s entrance were eight pairs of children''s sandals on the floor. Daigorou and the other children followed behind Shinpachi and Kagura with trepidation, slowly walking toward the depths of the factory. "Come this way," Shinpachi said without looking back. "Oh no! It''s better to go back!" one child muttered quietly. "Even if we go back, we''ll be killed!" another child retorted quietly. "Now we just have to be prepared and visit the Patriot Factory well," Daigorou''s face showed no trace of fear. "But..." Before he could finish, Shinpachi and Kagura, walking at the front, stopped and stood on either side of a transparent display case. Above the display case were the words "History of the Patriots." "Please look here, everyone," Kagura introduced to the children. "Here you can see the history of the patriots'' evolution," Shinpachi took over, pointing to the patriot on the far left of the display case, "Although the patriot looks like this now, its history is very long. Starting from the Jomon period, continuous improvements have supported our lives." "I don''t remember being supported at all!" Daigorou quipped. "This is the father of the patriot, the oldest patriot in the world, made by Chief Tugumanda," Shinpachi pointed to the plate on the far right of the display case, where there was a piece of fried chicken and a photo of Kawaki dressed as a primitive man, and said earnestly. "Where do we start?!" "What do you mean broken? Didn''t you just prank the factory manager two?!" "The factory manager was broken from the start," Shinpachi explained kindly. "The factory manager hasn''t been respected at all!!" At this moment, Kawaki stopped before the little monkey holding the tissue paper. "First, use the tissue paper to wipe off the blood on your body," Kagura explained. Seeing the little monkey continuously wiping the blood off Kawaki''s head with the tissue paper, one child forcefully complained, "Isn''t that part of the patriot? Forget about that; just assemble it quickly!" As soon as the words were spoken, Kawaki, who the little monkey had wiped, came to the front of Tsukuyo, who was holding the toilet paper roll, and at the same time, Shinpachi continued to explain, "Then use the toilet paper to wipe away the blood stains." Watching Tsukuyo wrap Kawaki''s head in toilet paper with just a few strokes or this meaningless procedure, the child continued to complain, "It doesn''t matter about the past of that old man! Hurry up and make the patriot!" At this moment, Kawaki, after the second step, came to the front of Sougo and fourteen, who were holding the patriot. At the same time, Kagura explained in a very timely manner, "Then use the patriot to awaken him." Seeing Sougo and fourteen, standing on either side of the conveyor belt, raise the patriots in their hands and continuously smash Kawaki''s head, one child complained loudly, "Isn''t the patriot already made?! Why are you using the patriot in the process of making the patriot? By the way, didn''t that old man say ''ouch''? You said it, right? Saying ''ouch'' proves he''s still alive, right? What''s going on?!" "No, he didn''t say it," Shinpachi lied without changing his expression, then continued to explain, "This process is repeated three times." "You guys are just nitpicking! By the way, aren''t these guys the same ones who were killed just now?" "To resurrect, you must settle the past," Kagura explained. Watching Sougo and the others, who were all expressionless, the children complained again, "That''s just revenge!" At this moment, Kawaki was slowly transported into a machine labeled "Healing." (Annotation: This line is from "Gintama.") Looking at Kawaki, who came out of the machine wearing a dark school uniform, one child asked in confusion, "What''s going on? He''s wearing a school uniform!" As soon as the words were spoken, the speed of the conveyor belt began to accelerate. "It''s going too fast! We can''t keep up!" The children also began to run alongside the conveyor belt outside the window. "Hey! Look at that!" Suddenly, a child noticed something and pointed to the conveyor belt inside the window. The children, upon hearing this, looked towards the window while running, only to see the little monkey and Tsukuyo holding a banner that read, "Come on, little workers! Our goal is to be the number one factory manager in Japan!" as they ran alongside Kawaki, shouting, "Charge! Charge! Little workers! Let''s go, let''s go! Little workers!" "Why does it look like we''re on a train to Tokyo?!" Chapter 541: The Meaning of Work... Even Adults Find It Hard to Understand Chapter 541: The Meaning of Work... Even Adults Find It Hard to Understand "We believe in you!" The little monkey shouted to Kawaki as they ran, "With your hard work, you''ll become the number one factory manager in Japan!" "You can do it! Kawaki!" Tsukuyo clenched her fist and shouted to Kawaki with excitement. "Is his name Kawaki?!" a child quipped. "Ahhhh!!!" At this moment, the little monkey and Tsukuyo screamed and fell to the ground simultaneously. "Hey! What''s going on with this production process?!" Just as a child finished complaining, the conveyor belt stopped, carrying Kawaki to a somewhat peculiar scene. It was a slightly shabby room filled with rolls of paper, and in the room, a man (Hasegawa) was sitting on the ground with his back to them, busy with something. "It''s turned into another weird scene again!" "You said you wanted to become the factory manager?" Hasegawa, wearing old clothes, a shabby hat, and a beard on his face, said without turning his head, then turned around with a severe expression and shouted, "You should inherit my legacy and become a toilet paper expert! It was decided when you were born in this family!" "Who''s that?!" "He went to work at a tissue factory in Edo," Hasegawa said as he stood up, holding several rolls of paper, then repeatedly slammed one roll after another onto Kawaki''s head, "Do you think I''m a fool?! Are you also going to mock toilet paper as only being good for wiping butts?!" "Why is the factory manager''s dad in this place?" a child asked in confusion, looking through the window. "It''s probably a scene recall or something," Daigorou replied casually, "It''s probably connected to being kicked out of the house earlier." Just as Daigorou finished speaking, inside the window, Kondo, who was COSing as a housewife, suddenly grabbed Hasegawa''s hand, crying as she tried to stop him, "Honey! Stop it! This child has his way of doing things, just like you. He just wants to make tissue paper!" "So now mom is here too?!" "Let go of me, Kikuko!" Hasegawa said thoughtfully, "This is something between us men!" But just as he finished speaking, the conveyor belt, which had been stopped for a while, suddenly started moving again, carrying Kawaki forward. "Ah! Kawaki!" Hasegawa quickly shouted, raising his hand to ask, "Where are you going? I haven''t finished talking yet. Wait, Kawaki!" "What are these people doing?!" At this moment, Kawaki was transported into a machine labeled "Roof." A second later, Kawaki, still wearing work clothes but with no change in posture, was sent out by the conveyor belt. "Ah! The clothes changed back!" "Ah, factory manager, thank you for your hard work." On another conveyor belt beside Kawaki, the figure of fourteen appeared. He lay on the conveyor belt holding two cans of coffee. After saying this, he placed one can of coffee beside Kawaki, who was still unresponsive. "Why are there fellow travelers here now?!" "What''s wrong? Feeling down here?" Jyuro turned his face to Kawaki and asked softly. "He''s not feeling down at all, and he''s just been lying on the conveyor belt, slacking off!" a child retorted. As if remembering something, Jyuro chuckled softly, turned his head back to look at the ceiling, closed his eyes, and sighed softly, "Are you thinking about your old man again? He''s a great dad, born into a family that''s been toilet paper experts for generations, never using tissue paper. Not just for wiping butts, even when wiping noses, writing, even the tires of cars are made of toilet paper." "Was the last one essential?!" The children continued to run along outside the window alongside the conveyor belt. "Because you didn''t like the path your old man laid out for you, you left home and became the manager of a tissue paper factory," Fourteen continued, lightly chuckling, "Are you still sulking and refusing to use toilet paper? Hmph, the whole family is so stubborn. But, factory manager, seeing how outstanding you''ve become now, I''m sure your old man would use tissue paper, too." Just as Jyuro finished speaking, the conveyor belt carrying Jyuro went in another direction, and Kawaki once again stopped in front of the peculiar scene. Seeing this scene, Kawaki''s face showed a sense of relief and touched, "You... you guys..." But before he could finish being moved, all the children stood up and kicked Kawaki with their feet, knocking him off the conveyor belt. "You could''ve just gotten off the conveyor belt?!" all the children cursed simultaneously. Then, ignoring Kawaki lying on the ground, the children turned and left without hesitation. "You''ve done a good deed." "Yeah, got rid of a big piece of trash." "And they made us join in this boring farce, damn it!" Listening to the children''s disdainful remarks, Shinpachi and the others stood expressionless in front of the unconscious Kawaki. "It taught us quite a lot..." Shinpachi murmured. "Yeah..." Kagura nodded, agreeing, but then she noticed something, "By the way... where''s Uncle?" ... "Hey, did you guys know?" Kanesada stood at the entrance of the factory area, arms crossed, blocking the entrance, and smiled very kindly at the children who had just changed their shoes, "There''s only one outcome for humans who know how to make the Patriot, you... should be prepared for it, right? Hehe..." Seeing Kanesada, who smiled extremely bloody, all the children huddled together, trembling. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang bang!! "Ahhhhhh!!!" With the children''s screams, seven gunshots rang out... ... Watching the children who had been scared unconscious by the members of the Yorozuya being carried away one by one, Shinpachi quietly complained, "Kanesada-san... no matter what, scaring children like this is wrong, isn''t it?" "No, wasn''t it the factory manager''s order?" Kanesada waved his hand indifferently, then chuckled, "Well, whatever. This result isn''t bad either, and... children need at least a hundred years to understand adults'' work!" "Um... Uncle," Kagura suddenly pulled Kanesada''s sleeve and whispered, reminding him softly, "You''re the only one here who''s not working you lazy bum." "Who''s the lazy bum? You little brat!" Kanesada retorted, veins popping on his forehead. "I misspoke, Kagura-chan." Shinpachi hurriedly intervened to smooth things over. "Yeah, yeah, learn some manners from Shinpachi," Kanesada nodded in approval. "It should be a lazy bum who''s not ashamed to be supported by women''," Shinpachi continued, holding up a finger. "Do you want to die?!" Veins popped out on Kanesada''s face instantly. "Hey, let''s go, lazy bum," Tsukuyo turned around first and left, casually reminding him. "Goodbye, lazy bum," the little monkey waved. "Farewell, lazy bum supported by women," Kondo waved and sighed. "I envy you, and I want to do that kind of work, too. Goodbye, lazy bum," Hasegawa waved and sighed before turning away. "You... go to hell, all of you!!" Chapter 542: When it Comes to Summer, The Pool is an Unavoidable Topic. Chapter 542: When it Comes to Summer, The Pool is an Unavoidable Topic. One day, in Yoshiwara. "Kawaki, let''s go to the pool!" Seita burst into Kawaki''s room, running excitedly towards him. "You''re so noisy, brat." Kawaki, lying on the floor with one hand supporting his head, eating watermelon, and watching TV, replied without looking back, "Pool? What''s so good about that place?" "Mom asked you to teach me swimming!" Seita lied shamelessly. "Swimming? Didn''t I teach you last time?" Kawaki''s mouth was like a machine gun, spitting out watermelon seeds into the trash can beside him, then impatiently waved his hand, "Besides, isn''t it dojo practice every day in the summer? Stop bothering me, go away." "Going to the dojo every day is too pathetic!" Seita pouted, "And today, Amai-nee and Shin-nee are not at the dojo! It''s boring to be there alone! Besides, there''s no air conditioning there anymore! We''ll get heatstroke! Amai-nee and Shin-nee said we could rest at home during the hottest days!" "Seita," Kawaki sat up, his face serious, "Some things, even if they seem inconvenient, cannot be given up. Once you get used to avoiding difficulties, your life is over. When you encounter a problem, do you want to be the person who runs away instead of facing it head-on? Are you really okay with that?" "I..." Seita suddenly hesitated, weakly asking, "Can''t I rest for just one day?" "Seita, to be honest, I''m disappointed." Kawaki shook his head, sighed, and continued, "Not only me but also your mother and Tsukumo. Everyone who watches over you is actually..." "I got it!" Seita shouted with his eyes closed, "I''ll go to the dojo right now! I won''t disappoint Mom!" Watching Seita run out of the door wiping his tears, Kawaki breathed a sigh of relief, then stood up, "Ah~ doing a good deed every day, doing a good deed every day. Today''s child education ends here; it''s time for games." At this moment, Tsukuyo, holding two buckets of lubricant, pushed open Kawaki''s door and walked in, asking, "Where''s Seita? Rikku asked us to teach him swimming today." "He said even during this hot summer, he doesn''t want to give up dojo practice. He asked me to greet you guys on his behalf and said he won''t go to the pool." Kawaki waved his hand casually, then made a somewhat emotional expression, "He''s grown up, Seita." "Seita... he''s grown up..." Tsukuyo, sitting in a wheelchair that had arrived at some point, said with some relief. "Children are like this. They suddenly become mature." Kawaki said with a touch of emotion. "Then, these preparations won''t be needed." Tsukuyo looked at the lubricant in her hand and muttered. "They weren''t needed in the first place..." Kawaki muttered silently, "What kind of pool do you want to go to with those things? It''s too early to go to that kind of pool!" "Pool!" Suddenly, the voice of a lady from the Hyakka echoed, "Kawaki-sama said he would take us to the pool!" "What the hell are you guys doing?!" Kawaki, with veins on his forehead, shouted while spitting out saliva, "Didn''t I tell you not to come and watch and not to panic the guests?! Why would you make the guests panic?!" "Kawaki-san," Kawaki rubbed his head, turned around, and explained earnestly, "The so-called pool is just a step away from death. The pain when water gets into your nose, the green snot that sticks to your shoulder you don''t know when forgetting to take away the dirty underwear that everyone mocks you for, only when you know these horrors of the pool can you have the right to play by the water''s edge." "But you don''t need to know the horror of turning your whole body purple!" Kawaki retorted, then showed an almost pleading expression and continued somewhat frantic, "Seriously, this is a job I finally found; please take it seriously." With that, Kawaki placed his hands on his hips and said earnestly, "Our duty as lifeguards is to protect the children who come here to make summer memories and ensure they return home safely with those memories. Do you understand?!" "Yes, sir!" With that, Shinpachi and Kagura jumped into the pool. "You two don''t need to make memories!" Kawaki exclaimed in despair, then pointed at Shinpachi with an unhappy face, "Glasses! You! Have you not been properly mocking people lately? Work seriously! You bastard!" On a reclining chair behind Kawaki, Kawaki, wearing sunglasses, crossed his legs and rested his hands behind his head, looking indifferent. "Don''t worry, their job is to ensure everyone''s safety in the water, while I ensure everyone''s safety in their dreams." "You just want to sleep, don''t you, stupid Karprio!" Kawaki turned around angrily. ... Dragged upstairs by Kawaki with no enthusiasm, Kawaki made a sound like a can of dead fish: "Hey, spare me. I''ve had enough of these brats whose bodies are like Kenta Miyake''s heads. I came here to watch the buxom Priss-Prin girls with elastic bodies." "Indeed, because it''s summer vacation, only little brats come." Kawaki, standing above, looked through his binoculars but suddenly noticed something, "Huh? No, there are still some and a lot of them..." "Whoa!" Kawaki exclaimed, "Really, there are a lot! And they''re all gathered together! They''re all buxom Priss-Prin girls with elastic bodies!" Just as he finished speaking, Kawaki suddenly noticed something, put down his binoculars, and replied to Kawaki with a blank expression, "My bad, it''s the Sisters'' Army." Just as he finished speaking, Kawaki collapsed with his eyes rolling back. At the same time, Kawaki''s voice came, "Oh, what a coincidence, Kawaki." Seeing Kawaki slowly approaching, surrounded by a group of Hyakka ladies wearing various swimsuits and still covering their faces, Kawaki asked, "Are you taking your family out for a swim?" "Which eye did you see that with?" Kawaki retorted expressionlessly, then pointed behind him at Tsukuyo, who was holding her hands and smoking a cigarette, sneered, "They were all forced to come by these guys. I have no interest in pools full of kids." Chapter 543: Where Theres Two, Theres Three! Chapter 543: Where There''s Two, There''s Three! "Kawaki! Don''t worry about those things! Let''s quickly play that fun game between men and women!" "Yes! We have brought all the tools we need!" Ignoring all the excited Hyakka members, Kawaki lowered his body and naturally took the telescope from Kawaki, who was lying in a pool of blood, rolling his eyes and still twitching from time to time. "Ah, it turns out that it''s better to stand higher and have a wider field of vision~" Kawaki looked around with a telescope and said with emotion, "But... they are all brats, and they are not interesting at all... No, no, no, what is that?"? It''s getting closer. It''s no surprise that it''s a mountain... Why is the view so dark? " "Well, little brother, I suggest you put down the telescope and look." Hasegawa reminded silently. "Essama Kawaki~ Were you looking at me just now?" Kuzuha stood on the fence and pressed some part of her swimsuit to the telescope, licking her lips, "Ha~ are you so impatient~." "Kawaki-sama, please cheer up." Outer Maru, who arrived in a swimsuit at some unknown time, squatted on the ground and pulled out the kunai from Kawaki''s body individually. "It''s you..." Kawaki opened his eyes, glanced at Gaido Maru, and said weakly, "What''s wrong? Does Shikigami also want to learn to swim in the summer?" "No, we heard that Sama Kawaki was going to hold a random [beep--] party in the swimming pool," Waido?maru explained seriously, raising an index finger. "Who wants to throw that [beep] chaotic party?!" Kawaki roared with his veins popping. "Kawaki sama~ I''ll tell you quietly~" Kuzuha, wearing a swimsuit and a bath towel on the upper and lower body, became even worse. She kept rubbing some part of her body against the telescope in Kawaki''s hand, "Because of the tail. Relationship, so there is no...ah!" Before he finished speaking, Ge Ye was kicked ten meters away by the violent Kawaki. The latter screamed and fell into the swimming pool with a huge splash. At the same time, some children also ran ashore because of fright. "It''s blocking the labor telescope!" Kawaki, with his veins popping out, pointed at Ge Ye, who was lying on his back in the swimming pool and was unconscious, and shouted with white eyes. "Is this what makes you angry?!" Hasegawa complained loudly, "Also, I beg you, don''t cause another big accident because what you did caused many guests to escape!" "Besides, the body odor is too strong! Who is interested in your body, which is full of body odor? I will kill you!" Kawaki turned away and curled his lips in disdain. "Esama Sama, I don''t have body odor." Waido?maru stood up and said seriously. "I hate the horns on your head, so I can''t." Kawaki refused without any hesitation. "Ah, it''s okay; I can just pull it out." After saying that, Waido?maru stretched out his hand and broke off a horn on his head. Looking at him, who was lying on the ground with his eyes rolled back and starting to twitch due to excessive blood loss; everyone present ignored him. "But then again, is this the swimming pool?" Tsukuyo held the cigarette rod in his arms, glanced around, and said with disdain, "I thought the swimming pool was what kind of place it was. It''s similar to Yoshihara. Men and women are almost Everyone having fun together." "No, it''s not like that! This is not that kind of place!" Hasegawa defended loudly. "Kawaki sama! Let''s play this!" A group of Hyakka girls pulled Kawaki''s arms and pointed to the slide nearby. After the vast splash, Kawaki did not stop. Instead, he slid directly on the water for several meters and then heavily hit the stone eaves next to the swimming pool. "Ugh!" Kawaki, who smashed the entire shore into pieces, spat out a mouthful of blood and fell into a coma. The Hyakka girls were not injured and landed safely on the shore after Kawaki. As for Hasegawa, it was a bit miserable, lying on the water with blood on his head and unable to move. "Kawaki, sama, you should have a good balance!" A Hyakka girl squatted down and looked at Kawaki, who was still twitching in a pool of blood, and suggested, "So, let me Let''s help you balance! Don''t worry! Kawaki-sama, give me your [beep]!" "You... did it on purpose?" Kawaki struggled to turn his face away, complained feebly, and then struggled to stand up, "You... all showed me! How to play on the slide!" Kawaki picked up the surfboard he found somewhere, turned around, and walked to the side. A group of Hyakka girls imitated Kawaki and followed closely behind him, holding the surfboard. "Wait...wait!" Hasegawa, who returned to his senses, quickly stood up and shouted to Kawaki and the others to leave, but the other party did not react at all to his words. "ah--!" At this moment, Hasegawa suddenly heard a child''s exclamation behind him and immediately turned his head to look over. "Look! Someone is floating there!" a child said, pointing to the motionless person floating head-down in the water directly below the slide. "It''s over! Did you get involved by the one just now?!" Hasegawa quickly stepped forward to check, holding his head and shouting frantically, "Did an accident finally happen?!" But at this moment, the long-haired man wearing a blue and white striped one-piece swimsuit suspected of being involved in the accident stood up from the water, laughed twice, then raised the watermelon in his hand towards the shore and covered his eyes. Elizabeth, waving the wooden stick in her hand, shouted: the watermelon is cool! Yosi, let''s play hitting the watermelon over there... Wow!" As soon as he finished speaking, Kawaki and Kawaki were knocked unconscious by Kawaki and Kawaki, who rushed down the slide almost at the same time on their lubricated surfboards, and the watermelons in their hands fell out at the same time. "Did you see it? " Kawaki, who arrived safely on the shore, took a piece of watermelon handed by Kawaki and said to all the Hyakka girls, "This is the normal way to play on the slide!" "Hi! We got it! Kawaki sama!" All the Hyakka ladies raised their hands in response. "Be sure to apply lubricant under the surfboard, and the top is unnecessary!" Kawaki continued seriously while eating watermelon, "Do you understand?!" "Got it!"n "Whose victory was it just now?" Kawaki asked Tsukuyo, standing aside, "I lost three hundred yuan to myself." "Go ashore simultaneously, and the dealer takes all," Tsukuyo replied calmly. "How can we repair it?" Kawaki shouted frantically. "Yueyue, don''t you want to play?" Kawaki, holding a group of Hyakka ladies, asked Tsukuyo, who was standing aside, "Everyone said it was fun and wanted to do it again." "Hmph," Tsukuyo folded her hands and snorted coldly, turning her face away with disdain, "I''m not interested in that kind of thing." Chapter 544: These Idiots Keep Showing Up Chapter 544: These Idiots Keep Showing Up "Because those idiots keep appearing one after another, the number of customers is decreasing." Hasegawa, who was patrolling on the shore, gnawing on a watermelon, said, "Not only do we have to watch the kids, but we also have to watch the adults teaching weird games to others." "Oh yes, this gives us a legitimate reason to monitor Ketsuno, doesn''t it?" said Kawaki, holding a telescope and looking around seriously. Hearing this, Hasegawa''s head was filled with black lines, twitching half of his face; he retorted with exasperation, "Looks like this guy is the most dangerous adult..." Just as he finished speaking, Hasegawa suddenly saw something through the telescope. It was... a pigtailed girl wearing a pink one-piece swimsuit in the children''s pool teaching a kid with twin pigtails wearing a blue one-piece swimsuit how to swim. "What? Teaching kids to swim in the children''s pool?!" Hasegawa''s expression became somewhat serious, "Adults are prohibited from swimming here!" "What?! Is that Ketsuno?!" Hearing this, Kawaki became energetic, looking in the direction Hasegawa was pointing. "Hey! Wait a minute!" Hasegawa suddenly noticed something; looking at the girl in the pink swimsuit, he confusedly asked, "Is that kid... a kid? He looks quite big..." "Nowadays, kids eat well; they just grow tall." Kawaki used his telescope to look up and down at the girl in the pink swimsuit, "See, isn''t that Robert Jisshi?" "Rather than Jisshi, isn''t that a man?" Hasegawa replied, "That figure looks like a young man." "Strange, why did the field of vision darken?" Kawaki wondered. "I feel the same..." Just as Hasegawa finished speaking, he suddenly heard a sound like something had broken before him. At the same time, Amanto, who was holding the binoculars tightly, stood in front of them with a forced smile, saying, "Who did you say was Robert Jisshi?" "Sorry... got it wrong..." Kawaki''s voice trembled as he weakly replied. "You''re Sylvester Stallone, aren''t you? Please give me an autograph..." Hasegawa said in a shallow voice. After crushing the two binoculars with their bare hands, Amanto grabbed both of them, "Isn''t it the same?! This shouted simultaneously; Amanto threw Kawaki and Hasegawa into the pool. With his head down, Kawaki, after choking on water, struggled to stand up, his hands scrambling to grab something. Of course... so did Hasegawa. Coincidentally, Kawaki''s hand grabbed the chest of Kyubei, who was sitting on the shore with twin pigtails in her hair, wearing a blue swimsuit, while Hasegawa''s hand grabbed Kyubei''s thigh. The air... froze. Before he could finish speaking, Katsura was hit and sent flying by Hijikata, Okita, Kagura, and Shinpachi, who slid down the slide on the same surfboard. The harpoon in his hand also slipped away instantly. "How was it? Was it fun?" Safely on the shore, Hijikata stood with a surfboard and thumbs up, saying to Shinpachi. "Well... it was okay..." Shinpachi blushed slightly, turned his head, and replied softly. "It''s so exciting! With lubricant added, it feels just like real surfing!" Sa-chan laughed. "Right?" Hijikata smiled. "This time, I want to go alone, Aru!" Kagura grabbed the surfboard from Hijikata''s hand and rushed out first. "Hey! You''re too cunning! Kagura-chan!" Shinpachi quickly chased after her, "It''s more fun to play together!" "Master! This time, come with me!" Without knowing why, several members of the Shinsengumi, covered in lubricant, approached with their surfboards. "Haven''t we said applying lubricant under the surfboard is enough?" Hijikata said expressionlessly. "We''re ready! Master Hijikata!" Gedomaru, who had recovered at some point, hugged her surfboard and said, "Go! Come on!" Another kick flew, and Gedomaru, wrapped in a quilt, was thrown out. "Master Hijikata, you can apply the lubricant wherever you want." In the blanket, Hedoro, who had recovered, pointed to a bucket of lubricant on the side, "Spread it! Come on!" Another kick, wrapped in a blanket, Hedoro was thrown out dozens of meters away. "It''s, this level is too low," one of the girls from Hyakka sneered, "Such methods are left for us to play with!" "Yes, compared to us, there''s no comparison at all~." "These levels, just honestly go home~." Hijikata:... Chapter 545: Raise Your Hand if You Never Wear Swim Trunks When Going to the Pool! Chapter 545: Raise Your Hand if You Never Wear Swim Trunks When Going to the Pool! "Let''s change our mindset, Hasegawa-san," said Kawaki, sitting on a bench eating grilled fish, "It''s better not to have any accidents with these idiots around. It''s better without any guests, isn''t it? Luckily, these guys are tough, so leaving them alone is okay. Let''s just take the day off today and relax." "Yeah, you''re right." Moved by Kawaki''s words, Hasegawa adjusted his sunglasses on his nose and sighed lightly. Then, he stood up, raised his beer mug, and clinked it with Kawaki''s beer mug. "Even serialized novels have summer breaks! It''s okay for us to take a break too!" "Exactly! After all, this novel is just something those who don''t want to watch the Olympic Games live and only care about the number of gold medals read casually!" Kawaki replied. "And we don''t have many readers anyway! Even if we take a break, it won''t be noticed!" "Oh no! Thinking like this suddenly gets me all excited!" Hasegawa exclaimed, feeling exhilarated. "Can I go all out? Can I swim butterfly naked in the pool?!" "Can I make a pool of strawberry milk?! Can I drown in strawberry milk?!" "Yeah, sure, go ahead!" Hasegawa said, taking off his lifeguard uniform. "Because today, this place is..." "...our paradise!" Kawaki, who had somehow brought a large can of strawberry milk and was pouring it into the pool, and Hasegawa, who had taken off his beach pants and was posing for a dive with one hand covering the mosaic part, shouted excitedly at the same time. However, just as Hasegawa was about to jump into the pool, there was a gunshot, and both Kawaki and Hasegawa were brought back to reality. Ignoring the shattered strawberry milk bottle, Kawaki and Hasegawa turned their heads simultaneously after a moment of confusion. "Hey" Matsudaira, holding a gun and a cigarette in his mouth, looked at Kawaki and Hasegawa with a slightly impatient tone. "I''ve been calling you for a while, didn''t you hear me? Kid... hand over your beach pants." Kawaki''s face was covered in cold sweat as he stared wide-eyed, his face twitching uncontrollably. "Ugh, traveling with me suddenly said he wants to swim," Matsudaira gestured behind him with a hint of helplessness. "I told him going to the bar would be more fun, but... well, since we came in a hurry, we didn''t bring any beach pants. But since this is a pool, they must have rentals or sales, right?" With the gun aimed at Kawaki and Hasegawa again, Matsudaira continued, "If not, take off yours and give it to me within three seconds! One!" Bang! The bullet hit the ground near Kawaki''s feet, startling him. "Don''t be so rude, Hijikata," a young man wearing a headband walked over slowly. "No need to worry..." Standing in front of Kawaki and the others with a swimming ring, Kawaki said, "Um, could you guys stop for a moment? I have something to say." "What''s wrong, Aru? Do you want to join us in playing, Aru?" Kagura asked in confusion. "Sure, you can, but the newbie has to hold three apples, "Kawaki, with numerous shurikens on his back and head, nodded. "What kind of rule is that?! You can''t even do it once! Who else here can withstand that kind of thing besides you?! Stop it! Stop the game that could kill ordinary people!" Kawaki protested vehemently, then pointed to the shore where Maomao had already put on his swim cap and goggles, "And also, it''s not me; it''s that guy over there, the one called Shoshou. He wants to play with you guys." "We''re fine with that," replied Amayo. "Can''t help it, let him join, Miss Amayo," Kondo, standing next to Amayo in the water, came up, a little helpless. "He''s charming," said Sarutobi, popping her head out of the water next to Kondo, slightly helpless. "He''s like a clumsy kid who doesn''t know how to fit in with his friends~" "Come over here, Shoshou!" Toad, who emerged from the water, shouted at Maomao''s direction. "Come here, Shoshou! We''re already friends! But no talking to the Young Master!" "No, you''re not qualified to say that," Kawaki immediately retorted. "Lord Kawaki! I''ve held my breath underwater for ten minutes!" emerged from the water Gouzai and Gedoumaru simultaneously. "You two have nothing to do with each other!" Kawaki protested. "Hold your breath for two more hours," Kawaki glanced at the two of them indifferently, then turned his head to look at Maomao on the shore, his expression slightly serious. "Kawaki, that guy..." "He''s wearing briefs, isn''t he?" Kawaki pointed to Maomao, looking at Kawaki. "Is that what you noticed?!" Kawaki protested internally. "Indeed, although we have no relationship," said Tsukuyo, standing next to Kawaki with her arms crossed, "that man is wearing not swim trunks, but briefs, right?" Chapter 546: Find the Reason on Yourself! Chapter 546: Find the Reason on Yourself! "Indeed," Kyubei, wearing a swimming ring, nodded, looking at Momo, who was ready on the shore with hands on hips, and said, "Isn''t this breaking the rules? It feels uncomfortable." "Isn''t there hardly any difference between swimming trunks and underwear?" Sarutobi chimed in, "You''re petty~" "They''re not the same at all, Aru!" Kagura retorted, pointing at Momo, "Underwear gathers a lot of dirt from prolonged wear!" "No, there''s no problem!" Kawaki quickly defended, "That person is immaculate, and... he''s noble." "Look closely; it seems like something is stuck there!" Sharp-eyed Otae covered her mouth, pointing in surprise at the wet spot in front of Momo''s triangle shorts. "Huh? What?" Kawaki quickly interrupted, "Stop it; he can hear you! Stop it!" "Really! Only the front part is wet!" Kondo pointed at Momo. "He''s just a kid~" Kawaki shook his head, chuckling. "Shut up, all of you!" Kawaki''s face bulged with veins as he shouted angrily, "It''s just that the disinfectant there hasn''t dried yet!" "Is it okay?" Otae looked at Momo, who was trembling uncontrollably, uncertainly, "If that''s the case, we should also check the back." With that, Otae waved to Momo and shouted, "Momo, can you turn around?" "No, he didn''t get any on him! It''s not feces!" Kawaki reminded loudly. As soon as Kawaki finished speaking, Momo turned and walked towards the changing room without looking back. "Ah! Wait a moment!" Hasegawa quickly raised his hand and shouted to Momo. But seeing Momo''s firm steps without any hesitation, Hasegawa quickly followed. "Ah!" Kawaki, who also noticed this scene, exclaimed, then turned to the women who were whispering, "Damn it! What should we do now?!" "If he''s going back, does that mean the back is covered in feces?" Otae whispered to Sarutobi, "That was close~." Kagura nodded in agreement. "So annoying, so scary~" Sarutobi whispered back. "Kawaki-sama~ The swimming pool is indeed a dangerous place~" "It''s a hundred percent, Hasegawa-san is dirtier," Otae added. "Is this over now?!" "And..." Otae looked towards Momo standing on the shore, then continued, "Even Hasegawa-san''s changed beach shorts seem to have something on them." "Indeed! The front part is wet again!" Sharp-eyed Kondo exclaimed. "Hey! Why is it wet every time? Junior!" Kawaki couldn''t help but ask. At this moment, Momo and Hasegawa on his side began to tremble slightly. "What''s wrong with that man?!" Toujou looked at Momo on the shore with a frightened face, "Why does something always pop out from the front every time?!" "Stop it! Don''t use that term!" Kawaki quickly shouted. "Oh~!! Don''t come in!" Tsukuyo stared with red eyes, going crazy, "I didn''t intend to have anyone else''s child other than Gin-san!" "Please stop! He''s just a simple kid! Please don''t say anything more!" Kawaki shouted. "Kawaki-sama! If Kawaki-sama''s actions can make Shikigami ascend to Takamagahara, then that man... will make the Shikigami reincarnate as cockroaches!"His expression became slightly serious. "That''s too much!" Kawaki''s veins bulged as he shouted. "What a hasty BOY~" Kawaki shook his head lightly, then his face showed a trace of nostalgia as he whispered, "Seeing him like that, I don''t know why; I thought of the first time you, Kawaki, went to Yoshiwara. The two of you look alike, Kawaki, do you remember?" "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Kawaki shouted furiously, kicking Kawaki away to the shore. "Kawaki-sama!" A group of Bijin sisters rushed towards Kawaki. ... Two minutes later. Hasegawa is carrying the rubber raft, and Momo is sitting cross-legged and wearing triangle shorts with black lines all over his face, attempting to introduce him to everyone again. "Um... Let me reintroduce him." Taking over the conversation, Shinpachi, also carrying a rubber raft, twitched his mouth and said, "This is Momo; everyone should get along well with him." Chapter 547: Men Should Be Consistent Inside and Out! Chapter 547: Men Should Be Consistent Inside and Out! "Um, definitely don''t get off the rubber raft," Kagura reminded. "And don''t get soaked in the water," Kawaki added mercilessly. Kawaki/Hasegawa: ... At this moment, for some reason, Momo smirked, tears of grievance gradually filling his swimming goggles while his whole body trembled slightly. "Is... is everything okay?" Hasegawa, sweating profusely with black lines at the corners of his eyes, quietly asked Kawaki beside him, "Forget about being companions; we can''t even get in the water, General. Even though we didn''t fall into the water, the goggles are filled with water, General! Oh no! He''s angry! We''re going to be beheaded for sure! We''re going to be beheaded now!" "Calm down," Kawaki, with the same expression as Hasegawa, said quietly, but his voice was trembling, and of course, so was his body, "Let''s just start making happy summer memories now. What do you think of when you think of summer? What do you think of when you think of a swimming pool? What do you think of when you think of swimwear?" Suddenly realizing something, Hasegawa glanced at Kawaki with his sunglasses flashing: [Is it... is it...?] "Alright! Now that everyone''s here, let''s get started!" Kawaki suddenly raised his fist and shouted, "It''s time for the ''Heart-pounding! All-Out Battle of Men and Women in the Water''! Boom boom boom, clang clang clang~" ["Oh no, it''s a strip show!!"] Hasegawa thought, feeling like he''d been struck by lightning. [It''s perfect, Gin-san! This move will save the General, who is drowning in tears of sorrow!] "Alright, let''s start forming teams of two," Kawaki explained the competition rules, "One person will be the rider sitting on the rubber raft, and the other person will be the horse pulling the rubber raft. The rider loses if they fall off the raft or their headband is removed." With a smirk, Kawaki continued, "But actually, it doesn''t matter if the headband is taken off." Getting the hidden message in Kawaki''s words, Shinpachi, Toujou, Kondo, and the Bijin sisters, all turned and panicked toward the shore. Watching everyone scrambling for rubber rafts on the shore, Hasegawa smirked and thought, [Have they noticed? It''s no wonder Kawaki managed to get those who didn''t know the situation on our side in an instant!] But then, after seeing the teams formed, Hasegawa and Kawaki couldn''t laugh anymore. They saw all the Bijin members forming teams of two, surrounding Katsura, their eyes burning with a unique flame called desire, focusing intensely on Katsura''s blue beach shorts. Except for these people, Kondo, Toujou, and Shinpachi were nearby, sitting on the rubber raft, muttering something in their mouths, their eyes devoid of anything but determination. [Why did it turn out like this?! What are you idiots planning to do while sitting on top?!] Kawaki glared at Shinpachi, Toujou, and Kondo, veins bulging, feeling utterly defeated. [Are you trying to expose yourselves?! These idiots are going crazy with the idea of seeing someone strip, utterly unaware that the situation has changed and there''s nothing to see! No, that''s not entirely accurate...] Kawaki turned to the group of Bijin sisters surrounding Katsura, [But... their targets are too obvious! And... they''re too united! They''re all aiming for that idiot! What''s that? A siege?] "Um... I haven''t said I''m participating yet," Katsura, who was still confused, was thrown onto a rubber raft by Otose, expressionless, "Why was the decision made without my consent?" "Don''t worry, Katsura-sama." Otose, standing in front of the rubber raft with Katsura, wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, "I''ll protect you[Beep]''s!" "To be honest, you''re the most dangerous one..." Katsura deadpanned. "Hmph, boring." Tsukuyo, standing in front of Katsura''s rubber raft, huffed and crossed her arms. "Can you put away your shuriken?" Katsura deadpanned. "Listen to me, all of you!" Tsukuyo shouted to the eagerly waiting group of Bijin sisters, "Rest when it''s time to rest! Play when it''s time to play! Work when it''s time to work! Got it?!" "Yes, boss!" the Bijin sisters responded in unison, their eyes locked firmly on Katsura''s beach shorts. "Hey, what did you mean by that earlier?" Katsura sneered. Beside him, Kawaki, watching the scene, felt his eye twitching uncontrollably, but before he could retort, he suddenly noticed bubbles rising rapidly from the water surface in front of him. "Ah! Gin-san''s riding on me like a horse! Gin-san''s riding on me!" Kintoki, kneeling at the bottom of the pool, was so excited he couldn''t stop. [This guy has completely lost it!] Kawaki thought, feeling utterly defeated, while shouting to the people before him, "Hey! Can you guys just calm down a bit?!" Pointing to Hasegawa, who was drifting alone on the rubber raft, looking lonely with his knees hugged, Kawaki continued, "Hasegawa-san has turned into a castaway stranded on a desert island! Think carefully before reforming teams! The stronger person should be the horse, right?" "That''s right, Aru." Standing in front of Shinpachi, Kagura replied as a matter of course. "Really!" Kawaki finally realized, scratching his head in frustration, "When you think about it, the girls are stronger!" "After all, aren''t you just thinking about perverted things?" Otose, standing in front of Kondo, said disdainfully, hands on hips, "It''s written all over your face." "Who''s interested in your cliffhanger?" Kawaki retorted instantly, feeling irritated, "I''m not a rock climber!" "Are you trying to get us killed?!" Tsukuyo turned her face away, looking disdainful. "Why bother pretending? It''s written all over your faces." Tsukuyo turned away, a look of disdain on her face. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Sitting on the rubber raft and picking his ear, Katsura said expressionlessly. For some reason, Tsukuyo''s face turned slightly red, and she turned her face to the other side, speaking softly, "Just... stop pretending. You can''t... hide it." "It''s your dumb subordinates who can''t hide it!" Kawaki pointed to the group of Bijin sisters eagerly eyeing Katsura. "Yes, young master, we''ve never thought of such vulgar things," Toujou said confidently, patting his chest, "Definitely not what you''re thinking! Right, Lord Kawaki?" "That''s right, none of those perverted guys..." Kawaki lied without hesitation, but before he could finish, he suddenly heard what sounded like drops of water falling behind him. Immediately turning around, he saw Momo bleeding from the nose, looking severe and enthusiastic. [Oh no, it''s you again, General!] Kawaki was at a loss. "Um, private horse race, young master," Kawaki turned around to remind Momo, who couldn''t stop bleeding from the nose, "You''ve gotten a little too excited, and everyone can see what you''re thinking..." Momo turned around and looked at Kawaki, speaking seriously again, "Although my family has always been fans of regular triangle briefs, T-back seems like a good choice, too." "Are you awakening to some new hobby?!" Kawaki exclaimed in exasperation. "Hey, is this supposed to be heating the atmosphere?" Tsukuyo stared at Momo''s crotch, "It''s just an old man''s butt in underwear." "Damn it! It''s rare to see such noble underwear!" Kawaki scolded seriously. "You''re just trying to make us do perverted things again, aren''t you?" Otose sneered, hands on hips, "It''s written all over your face." "Who''s interested in your swim trunks?" Kawaki retorted, "I''m not a diver!" At the mention of it, another red # symbol appeared above Otose''s head. "Miss Otose! I''m not interested in your swim trunks either!" Kondo shouted from his crouched position. "You''re not either!" Otose shouted back, delivering a punch that sent Kondo flying into the water. "And what was that earlier?" Katsura sneered. Kawaki, watching the scene, felt his eye twitching uncontrollably again, but before he could retort, he suddenly noticed bubbles rising rapidly from the water surface in front of him. "Ah! Gin-san''s riding on me like a horse! Gin-san''s riding on me!" Kintoki, kneeling at the bottom of the pool, was so excited he couldn''t stop. [This guy has completely lost it!] Kawaki thought, feeling utterly defeated, while shouting to the people before him, "Hey! Can you guys just calm down a bit?!" Pointing to Hasegawa, who was drifting alone on the rubber raft, looking lonely with his knees hugged, Kawaki continued, "Hasegawa-san has turned into a castaway stranded on a desert island! Think carefully before reforming teams! The stronger person should be the horse, right?" "That''s right, Aru." Standing in front of Shinpachi, Kagura replied as a matter of course. "Really!" Kawaki finally realized, scratching his head in frustration, "When you think about it, the girls are stronger!" "After all, aren''t you just thinking about perverted things?" Otose, standing in front of Kondo, said disdainfully, hands on hips, "It''s written all over your face." "Who''s interested in your cliffhanger?" Kawaki retorted instantly, feeling irritated, "I''m not a rock climber!" At the mention of it, a red symbol appeared above Otose''s head. "Miss Otose! I''m not interested in your bikini bottoms either!" Hasegawa shouted from his crouched position. "Neither am I!" Otose shouted back with rolled eyes, giving Hasegawa a punch that sent him flying into the water. "Are you trying to get us killed?!" Tsukuyo turned her face away, looking disdainful. "Why bother pretending? It''s written all over your faces." Tsukuyo turned away, a look of disdain on her face. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Sitting on the rubber raft and picking his ear, Katsura said expressionlessly. Chapter 548: Men...Its Better to be More Focused! Chapter 548: Men...It''s Better to be More Focused! "Playing dumb won''t help; we already have evidence," said Kyuubei, standing before a rubber raft bearing Toujou, a swimming ring around her waist. She spoke slowly, her eyes closed. "There''s absolutely nothing like that!" Toujou, crouching on the raft, quickly defended, "We don''t have those indecent thoughts! Right, Lord Kawaki? And Lord Jouichirou!" "Stuffing swim trunks..." Jouichirou, sitting cross-legged on the raft, pinched his chin and frowned slightly, pondering for a while with his eyes closed before opening them and saying, "Indeed, I have no interest in that. Butts or... breasts, there''s no comparison in my eyes. The two are incomparably different." "Shut your mouth!" Kawaki yelled, annoyed. "Huh?" Jouichirou was taken aback, then showed a displeased face and retorted, "Wait a minute! I was just speaking in your defense! Why the attitude? Looking for a fight? Jerk!" "It may be so, but the way you said it is irritating," Kawaki grimaced, then turned to Kyuubei and said, "Anyway, we don''t have any indecent thoughts." "So..." Kyuubei pointed behind Kawaki, "What''s that?" Hearing this, Kawaki turned his head to look, only to see a colossal club standing erect between Sadaharu''s legs, with Kagura standing on Sadaharu''s back directing, and the club''s ownerUmibouzuacting as the ''flag bearer'' or rather ''club bearer.'' "Depart!" Umibouzu raised a yellow flag labeled ''Adventure'' tied to the club''s top, apparently found somewhere. [It''s the Adventure indeed!] Kawaki''s mood plummeted. "Do you intend to inspire our spirit of adventure with that, dragging us into a perilous journey?" Kyuubei pondered and replied. "How can that pose possibly inspire anyone''s spirit of adventure!" Kawaki pointed at Sadaharu, whose private parts were pixelated, and ranted furiously, "No matter how you look at it, he''s just a victim!" "Seeing such a hole, one might be compelled to plant a flag, right?" Kyuubei, serious, a slight blush on her cheeks, replied earnestly, "What a shameless trap..." "Those wanting to plant a flag there are even more shameless!" Kawaki yelled, his veins bulging in anger. Then, Kawaki quickly turned and ran to where Sadaharu was dutifully sticking his rear end up, lying on the raft, and urgently called out, "Little General!" At that moment, the overplayed Sadaharu, his face buried in the raft, murmured, "The Adventure has always carried famous adventurers..." "Pull yourself together!" Kawaki shouted urgently, "You''re not the Adventure, you are the Shogun!" Then, standing not far behind Kawaki, Kagura spoke up, "If you want to see a wardrobe malfunction, we might as well change the rules, huh~" "Eh?" Kawaki blinked and turned back to look at Kagura. Three minutes later... "Let''s cut out all the nonsense," Kagura stood before everyone and suggested, "Whoever has a wardrobe malfunction is out. That''s it." "That sounds good," Tsukuyo clapped, complimenting the idea. "Good idea," Kyuubei agreed. "It''ll be great to see wardrobe malfunctions freely," Tsukuyo voiced her support. "We agree too!" the host of Yoshiwara courtesans chimed in unison, their gaze toward Jouichirou growing fiercer by the moment. "Hold on!" Kawaki hastily shouted, "There''s no benefit to doing that in this chaotic situation!" However, the ladies completely ignored Kawaki''s objections and collectively shouted, "Alright, then... let''s start!" No sooner had Tsukuyo and the others spoken than Shinpachi, Kondo, and Toujou began to wrestle. In contrast, on the other side, the courtesans pounced on Jouichirou, who seemed like an enemy even to Umibouzu. "Hey, why start without permission!" Kawaki shouted, standing in front of Sadaharu. "That..." Sadaharu, standing confidently with his hands on his hips on the raft, said thoughtfully, "I... want to go there..." Following Sadaharu''s gaze to where Jouichirou was struggling against the fierce expressions of the Yoshiwara courtesans and Umibouzu, Kawaki replied emotionlessly, "Maybe not that direction, those women... are not something you can handle, General. Their level is too high for a beginner adventurer like you. You''d be wiped out in one round. For now..." Saying this, Kawaki grabbed the rope on the raft and, gritting his teeth, pulled with all his might, heading for the shore, "We absolutely can''t let the General lose face again!" At that moment, not far behind Sadaharu, Toujou, who had been tugging at Sadaharu''s underwear, pulled it several meters away and called out, "I won''t let you escape! Young master! Did you see my heroic figure?" "We love you, Jouichirou-sama!" At that moment, Sadaharu, who had removed his swimming cap and goggles and was being worshipped by Shinpachi and the others, watching Jouichirou being cheered by the crowd of Yoshiwara courtesans, quietly remarked, "I... am still far from that man..." Sadaharu turned to Kawaki, saying, "I''ve caused you trouble; the swimming pool is indeed an interesting place; thank you for giving me a wonderful summer. I hope I can come again next summer..." Before he could finish, Sadaharu was suddenly hit by a surfboard coated in lubricant, which slid down the slide at high speed, carrying Katsura. Katsura, having safely reached the shore, utterly unaware of Sadaharu floating in the water with his underwear pinched, holding the surfboard, called out to Jouichirou, whom the Yoshiwara courtesans still surrounded, "This slippery thing is great, worthy of being our organization''s secret weapon! Ahahaha! With this, we might even overthrow the Shogunate! Alright, once more! Looking at Katsura walking away, Kawaki then looked at Sadaharu floating in the water, and after a long silence, squinted his eyes, expressionless, and finally said, "That''s enough..." At that moment, on the poolside, Tsukuyo, standing with her back to the pool, one hand crossed over her chest, the other lightly pinching her smoking pipe, standing beside the Yoshiwara members, looked at Jouichirou in front of her, squinting and smiling, and softly remarked, "He is an incredible man..." However, just as she finished speaking, Tsukuyo suddenly heard the sound of fabric tearing and after a moment of surprise, looked down to see her upper swimwear slowly falling off, then raised her head to look at Jouichirou, who was now determinedly looking away. The air froze... ... At dusk, as Jouichirou and the others were on their way back to Yoshiwara. "That, it wasn''t my fault!" Jouichirou, his body barely intact, said to Tsukuyo, whose face was already red, "It was your own doing standing next to everyone at that time! Just when I was tearing off everyone''s masks! I didn''t even notice you were there then! If anyone''s to blame, it''s only yourself! But then again, at that time, I did feel something odd about the feel of the mask, it turns out it was the strap of the swimsuit..." "Shut your mouth!" Tsukuyo, blushing, furiously jabbed several kunai into Jouichirou''s head. "Jouichirou-sama!" All the unmasked Yoshiwara courtesans immediately rushed to help Jouichirou up. "And, after all, I didn''t see anything!" Jouichirou got up, his eyes wide with anger as he retorted. "Really... really?" Tsukuyo, her mosquito-eye makeup not wholly faded, asked intermittently. "Mm-hmm! I didn''t see anything at all!" Jouichirou nodded earnestly. Tsukuyo breathed a sigh of relief, but a slight sense of loss crept into her heart. "Jouichirou-sama was whispering ''90 points'' at that time," one of the Yoshiwara courtesans raised her hand and said. "Indeed, I heard it too." "I heard it too," "And me..." ... Listening to the voices of the Yoshiwara courtesans, Tsukuyo''s forehead darkened, and several veins throbbed on her face; then without any hesitation, she pulled out several kunai from her bosom. "Hey! You did that on purpose, didn''t you!" Jouichirou shouted at the Yoshiwara courtesans nearby. Tsukuyo: "Wash yourself!!" "Ah!!" Jouichirou''s scream. ... "Jouichirou-san, Tsukuyo-san, today I was alone practicing at the dojo all afternoon!" Shinpachi, who ran into Jouichirou and the others by chance at the gate of Yoshiwara, grinned and gave a thumbs up to Tsukuyo, who was blushing, and Jouichirou, who the blood-drained Yoshiwara courtesans were supporting, "But speaking of which, where did everyone go? Why does Jouichirou-san look so weak? What exactly happened?" "The pool... it is dangerous," Jouichirou said weakly. After a long silence, Shinpachi raised his grievance-filled face, pouted, and a tear glistened in the corner of his eye. "Why?!" Chapter 549: Men Always Cant Figure Out Why Women Are Angry! Chapter 549: Men Always Can''t Figure Out Why Women Are Angry! One night, Yoshihara. "Hey! Stop it! You stinky woman!" Kawaki pulled out the kunai tied on his forehead and roared at Tsukuyo, leaning against the door like nothing happened, with blank eyes, "You haven''t been there lately. Why? My head hurts!" "Indeed, Sister Tsukuyo has stabbed Brother Kawaki too many times recently," She on the side nodded and said, "Brother Kawaki still gets stabbed even if he doesn''t do anything." "Recently, there have been fewer and fewer troublesome customers in Yoshiwara..." Tsukuyo explained calmly, "My technique of throwing kunai is a bit rusty, so I can only find a target to practice for a while." "Kill you, you stinky woman." Kawaki''s forehead suddenly popped up with twitching veins, and he gritted his teeth and replied word by word, "If you want to practice, go to the training ground with me! There are many targets. Bar!" "There is a difference between a real person and a target." Tsukuyo turned away and hummed, "Your head is just right. Anyway, it will be cured soon." "I can''t bear it anymore! I will end it with you this time!" After saying this, Kawaki stood up and rushed towards Tsukuyo. But before Kawaki could start, with the sound of swishing kunai and kunai piercing into the human body, Kawaki, covered in kunai all over his body, rolled his eyes and fell backward. "Brother Kawaki, you still have nothing to do with Sister Yueyong as always..." Haruta knelt, complained silently, and began to pull out the kunai one after another on Kawaki''s body. On the side, Nichiren, who was sitting in a wheelchair with his eyes squinting and smiling, suddenly said: "Speaking of which, this situation started after I went to the swimming pool last time. Did Kawaki Sang do it in the swimming pool? Did something make Yueyue angry? " When she heard the word "pool," Tsukuyo''s face instantly turned red, and she turned her face away. "Swimming pool..." Kawaki resurrected on the spot, sat up, crossed his chest with one hand, and held his chin with the other, thinking carefully. After pausing for a few seconds, he raised his head and said, "It happened a long time ago. I remember I didn''t send anything..." Just after speaking, Kawaki was hit with two kunai on his forehead again. "It''s not over yet!" Kawaki pulled out the kunai from his forehead, roared at Tsukuyo with his eyes rolled, then shook his head and sighed bitterly, "By the way, you don''t still care about what happened at that time, right? Aren''t you? Didn''t I tell you that I didn''t see anything? Are you too narrow-minded? Take a step back and say that even if I did see it, it was not my intention but yours. Is that wrong? Besides, you are not a Yoshihara woman, so it doesn''t matter if you are seen by a man, right? Besides, didn''t you say that you have given up your identity as a woman? Aren''t they just men? So it doesn''t matter if they are seen, right? Before he could finish speaking, Kawaki rolled his eyes and fell while piercing several kunai. "You can see it completely!!" Tsukuyo, who was still in the posture of throwing kunai, roared with a red face and white eyes. After saying that, she started to breathe heavily. "Pink?!" Harutai squatted angrily and whispered in Kawaki''s ear, "Brother Kawaki, what on earth did you see?! Tell me! Brother Kawaki!" "No...I didn''t see anything..." Kawaki replied weakly. "Stop lying! Tell me quickly!" Haruta helped Kawaki up and shook Kawaki''s shoulders vigorously, "You mean pink, right? You said it? What''s behind pink? Is it pink? It''s pink. What? Tell me!" "Haruta, I''ll give you a tenth of a second to forget what this bastard said just now..." Tsukuyo looked down at Haruta coldly, "Otherwise...I''ll help you erase the memory just now." "No... no need, I''ve completely forgotten about it," Haruta responded with sweat, then turned around, pushed the sun wheel, and retreated silently. At the same time as the door closed, Kawaki stood up from the ground, touched the back of his head with a look of displeasure on his face, and said impatiently: "I know, I know, although I didn''t see it, the last incident was It''s my fault, I know it''s wrong, please forgive me." "There is no sincerity at all!" Tsukuyo, whose face was still red, rolled her eyes and kicked Kawaki out. Boom!! "ah--!!" As soon as Kawaki''s screams ended, Kagura''s voice suddenly came from the direction of the door. "Uncle, I brought someone who was beaten over to Aru." Kagura pointed at the man with a short-sleeved sweatshirt and a strong and honest face, facing Kawaki, whom Tsukuyo was still torturing. Explain. Hearing the sound, Tsukuyo stopped what he was doing, and Kawaki, who had a bruised nose, face, and bruises all over his body, turned his head and looked over simultaneously. "Um...why do I feel like this place is like a beaten house?" The man named Iwamatsu, whom Kagura called a beaten house, complained expressionlessly. "Being beaten up?" Kawaki muttered incoherently. Brother, would you like to use your fists to vent the resentment you have accumulated in daily life? And that lady, do you want to try it? " "Being beaten up! This is it!" Kawaki''s expression was filled with joy, and he broke away from Yueyong and ran to Yansong instantly, "Does it feel good to be beaten?!" "Ah, yes." he waved his hand and replied with a smile, "But it''s only for one minute. If you successfully KO me, not only will all the fees be waived, but you will also get a luxurious gift." "There is no need for prizes or anything like that!" After saying this, Kawaki returned to Tsukuyo and shouted, "Yueyue! If you are still angry, let''s try it on this person! Vent out all the accumulated anger. That''s okay too!" [Huh, woman? You can make a lot of money this time. A woman''s soft fist never hurts, no matter how hard she punches her. I''m different from this thin man who was beaten all over by a woman. I''m a former professional boxer! That kind of fist does not affect at all on me, a former professional player! ] he was secretly happy. After realizing it, the others looked at Kawaki, who was walking out of the bathhouse. Veins popped up on their faces in tacit agreement. At the same time, they gritted their teeth and thought to themselves: [I was... fooled!! ] At this time, Kawaki, who walked out of the bathhouse and gently closed the sliding door, turned around and raised the corners of his mouth, glancing at Gintoki and the others in the bathhouse with interest. Seeing the playfulness on Kawaki''s face and the sinister white teeth revealed in his grin, Kawaki and the others now wanted to rush out and give Kawaki a beating. However, because of the others beside them, Kawaki and the others could only be helpless and furious. Then, the following few people looked at each other, nodded, and got into the water simultaneously to discuss countermeasures... ... At the bathhouse entrance, Kawaki handed the coffee milk to Kagura, who stood at the door waiting for Kawaki and then stretched, "Kagura, uncle is back~." "Oh!" Kagura held up the coffee milk and waved to Kawaki, Tsukuyo, and Hyaku, who were waiting aside, "Goodbye, uncle, and Yue Yue." "Goodbye." After saying this, Tsukuyo turned around and left. "It''s only a little bit close to dig it out..." "Yes, we can dig through it in ten minutes..." While the Hyaku discussed something in despair, Kawaki asked expressionlessly: "Hey, did you do anything strange? And I always feel something is wrong when the water suddenly stops. It was also you who did it." " "How is it possible? How could we do that just to watch Kawakisama''s [beep]?" Hyaku defended. "Yes, yes!" The other young ladies agreed. Kawaki:... Chapter 550: People Unconsciously Appropriate Others Belongings. Chapter 550: People Unconsciously Appropriate Others'' Belongings. "Kagura-chan, I didn''t spoil you for nothing~" Kawaki looked at Kagura with gentle eyes and praised softly, "You found such a useful guy at a time like this." "Hehe..." Kagura rubbed her nose, squinted her eyes, and grinned. "Wait, I haven''t agreed yet." Tsukuyo walked over, one hand on her chest, the other lightly pinching a cigarette, and glanced at Iwamatsu before her, "Can such a man be a replacement? He seems too fragile to endure any blows." "Miss, don''t underestimate..." Iwamatsu''s face showed a straightforward smile, and then he shook his head gently, but before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Kawaki beside him. "What are you saying? Tsukuyo?" Kawaki spread out his hands, sighed, and said, "However you look at it, he''s a good replacement. Anyway, let''s use this guy to vent our frustrations today! Don''t worry about money! Leave it all to me!" Listening to Kawaki''s words, Tsukuyo began to ponder, chin in hand. At this moment, Kawaki familiarly put his arm around Iwamatsu''s shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "By the way, can your job be contracted monthly? Or yearly? If possible, you should stay in Yoshihara in the future..." "Major... major client!!" Iwamatsu''s heart leaped with joy, and then he looked at Kagura with a grateful expression, "Even though today we encountered the silver-haired natural curls and sunglasses uncle who fell into the dark abyss, strange terrorists, and annoying police officers, but... finally, finally received a normal job! That''s great!!" "You said you had no money left when you asked for pocket money yesterday, Aru?" With narrowed eyes, Kagura looked at Kawaki disdainfully, "Were you lying to me, Aru?" "I don''t have any money left for this month, but now I have a high-value substitute..." Kawaki nodded and replied, then picked up a red and white game console that had just been broken by Tsukuyo and himself, along with an FC cartridge labeled "Contra" from the side, "How about this?!" "Is it just a broken red and white game console and an FC cartridge?!" Iwamatsu exclaimed, "Finally, is it time for the more classic ''Contra'' after ''Swallowing the Sky and Earth'' and ''Sun Wukong''s Great Adventure''?! What''s next? It should be ''Super Mario''! And the game console and cartridge have ''Xiao Meng'' written on them! Is it yours again?! Xiao Meng!!" "Aha, I suddenly wanted to play some older shooting games." Kawaki scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "Who cares?!" Kawaki cleared his throat twice, then put on a severe expression, "Ignorant modern people! Do you think these things have no value? No! Although the era of red-and-white machines and FC has passed, some people like me suddenly feel nostalgic! So the red and white machine and FC are timeless..." "Shut up! I don''t want to hear such cryptic lines!" Iwamatsu retorted, then pointed to the broken red and white machine in Kawaki''s hand, "That red and white machine is already broken, right? It''s completely smashed! What are you thinking about borrowing things from others and then breaking them? Are you not even a little guilty?!" (PS: In the Japanese version of Contra, after completing the first level, holding down the select and start buttons during the scroll at the end (when the helicopter flies off the island), you can see a hidden telegram: "Foolish earthlings, do you think this means the ''Red Falcon'' is completely exterminated? Although our Earth frontline base is gone, the compensation work was completed long ago. We, ''Red Falcon,'' are eternal...") "Just don''t mind these little things~" Kawaki shrugged indifferently, then stuffed the broken red and white machine and cartridge into Iwamatsu''s arms and gave a thumbs-up while winking, "Nice to meet you! By the way, the cheat code for Thirty Lives is..." "I know! Everyone knows that kind of cheat!" Iwamatsu retorted, "And that kind of thing is unimportant! I never said I wanted it! Besides, this belongs to Xiao Meng, right?! How can you just give away borrowed things to others?! Apologize to me... no, to Xiao Meng! You! " "Tsukuyo, it''s okay now." Ignoring Iwamatsu''s complaints completely, Kawaki turned to Tsukuyo, who was still pondering beside him and made an OK gesture. Shaking his head helplessly, Kawaki looked at Tsukuyo, who was lying on the ground with a bottle of sake in her arms, still flushed from the alcohol, and whispered to himself, "I guess that should let off some steam..." With that, Kawaki stood up, picked up Tsukuyo, who was still asleep, effortlessly in a princess carry, and then walked towards the door. After taking Tsukuyo to her room and tucking her into bed, Kawaki covered her with a blanket, then turned around and calmly left Tsukuyo''s room. It wasn''t until Kawaki gently closed the door that Tsukuyo slowly opened her eyes, turned her head towards the door, and murmured, "What an idiotic man..." The next day, at breakfast time. Watching Kawaki and Tsukuyo still bickering at the dining table, Shinsuke quietly commented, "No difference from yesterday..." Tsukuyo smiled and shook her head, then looked at Kawaki and Tsukuyo, who were still arguing, and sighed softly, "Indeed, no change at all..." ... [Chapter Two! Since the last chapter ended too soon, let''s start the next chapter''s story!] One day, at night, Kagura walked side by side with Gin-san on a brightly lit street alley, holding a wooden basin while Gin-san held a bag with toiletries. "You may have already forgotten~" Kagura hummed softly with her hair tied in twin ponytails, "Using a red handkerchief as a scarf~ Walking together into the public bathhouse by the street~." (PS: Kagura is humming the classic folk song "Kanda River") "Hey, do you want to be thrown into the Kanda River?" Gin-san, somewhat impatiently, said, "The guy who choked on water and went crazy destroying the bathroom should stay quiet." As soon as Gin-san finished speaking, the two arrived at the entrance of the bathhouse with the sign "Edo Money Bath" hanging overhead. Then, they both opened the door and walked in. "Adults 200 yen, children 100 yen." The kind old lady at the counter, whose teeth were almost falling out, said to the two in front of her. "Don''t treat me like a child," Kagura retorted, "I''m already a grown-up girl, so charge me an extra 100 yen!" "Don''t say unnecessary things," Gin-san said after placing two 100 yen coins in front of the old lady, "My heart is still that of a young man, so let''s just charge us 200 yen together." After saying that, Gin-san bent down to lift the curtain of the men''s bath and opened the door. "Gin-chan," Kagura leaned on the counter, tilted her head pitifully to Gin-san, "Give me another 100 yen. I want to drink coffee milk after the bath, Aru." Chapter 551: Small Differences Between Individuals Make up a Colorful Whole! Chapter 551: Small Differences Between Individuals Make up a Colorful Whole! "Go drink the bathwater in the bathhouse, you stinky brat," Kawaki replied without even turning his head. "Hmph," Kagura pouted her lips with a sullen expression. ... After closing the sliding door and arriving at the men''s bath changing room, the first thing Kawaki saw was Shinpachi, who was taking off his underwear. "Hey? Kawaki, what are you doing here?" Shinpachi, seeing Kawaki arrive, stopped his movements and looked at Kawaki with confusion. "Don''t let readers imagine these dirty things so early in the morning," Kawaki reminded helplessly. "You know, most of our readers are teenagers, and they usually [censored] when they wake up. If they develop psychological shadows and can''t [censored] anymore because of you, the number of readers might decrease. But anyway, how come you''re here?" "After watching the hot spring special on TV, my sister said she wanted to go to a big bathhouse," Shinpachi explained. "You should just throw her into a puddle. I thought I could enjoy having the bathhouse all to myself, but I can''t stand you guys." "I can''t stand you guys either. You were probably thinking about peeping on girls bathing, right?" Shinpachi retorted. "I would never do something like Agnes Chan did, making enemies on all sides." (Note: Agnes Chan, originally from Hong Kong, later went to Japan for entertainment development and then served as an ambassador for UNICEF, fully promoting the spirit of hard work aimed at opposing child pornography culture products and dissemination. In the eyes of Japanese otaku, she is the enemy of the people.) After putting their clothes in separate lockers, Kawaki, wrapped in a towel, accompanied Shinpachi with a wooden basin. They walked towards the bathing area, separated by a misted glass door. As soon as Shinpachi opened the sliding door, he saw Kondo squatting down, wearing a safety helmet, and holding a drill as he worked to drill through the wall separating the men''s and women''s baths. "Ah, sorry about this," Kondo said upon hearing the sliding door, without turning his head, "We''re currently conducting emergency construction here. Can you go to another bathhouse?" A minute later, watching Shinpachi, who was continuously screaming in pain as he was drilled in the groin by the emotionless Kondo, Kawaki expressionlessly said, "Hey, where are you drilling, you gorilla?" Little did Kawaki know in the women''s bath, Kagura and Otae were staring expressionlessly at the Hyakka members vigorously digging a tunnel towards the men''s bath, wearing helmets and only wrapping towels around their bodies. "Ah, what a surprise," Otae said in amazement, covering her mouth, "Miss Tsukuyo is also here..." "Oh! Tsukky!" Kagura exclaimed in surprise. "Tonight, there''s no water in Yoshiwara," Tsukuyo explained. ... On the other side, in the men''s bath. "I don''t want to bathe with this guy. I feel like I''ll catch some disease." As soon as Kawaki spoke, Shogun was sitting in the adult hot spring pool, towel on his head, and said, "You''re the one who''s sick, aren''t you?" Immediately after, Shogun pointed to the warm water pool next to him. "You go bathe in the children''s warm water pool; it''s more suitable for you." "Dad, those people said the bathhouse is booked." The little boy turned to look towards the door, pointing at Kawaki and the others. "What did you say? It''s strange; I heard the bathhouse is a public bath, right, big brother? Can''t anyone come in?" Shinpachi-kun?" "No, don''t ask me, right? Second brother?" "No, no, don''t ask me, okay? Third brother?" "Dad, where''s big brother?" "How would I know?" "Hey, what are you guys doing?" "Oh, it''s big brother!" At this moment, Kawaki and the others, looking at the Ango family appearing at the door, were all sweating profusely, and their pupils began to tremble involuntarily. "Ah, isn''t this Yorozuya-san?" Ango, holding a wooden basin, looked at Kawaki and said, then pointed at himself, "Long time no see, it''s me, the next-door neighbor, Ango." Looking at the Ango family standing at the door, Kawaki twitched the corners of his eyes and collapsed in his heart: [Ango... Ango increased--!!] "Um, sorry we''ve caused you trouble," Ango said somewhat apologetically. "Hey! What''s the deal with the Adams family?" Kondo, with black lines at the corners of his eyes, sweating profusely, asked Kawaki and Shinpachi beside him in a low voice, "Are they acquaintances of yours?" Clutching their shoulders, with black lines at the corners of their eyes and sweating profusely, Kawaki and Shinpachi simultaneously explained, "We... we don''t know them! We completely don''t know that bunch!" At this time, Ango, who was turning on the faucet to fetch water at the back-scrubbing area, explained himself, "Really, a family came from the countryside to the city for a visit, saying they wanted to see places with Edo''s characteristics, so I brought them to a bathhouse." [Bringing... bringing them to battle?!] Kawaki and the others thought at the same time. (Battle and Bathhouse are homophones.) "Because on our planet, there''s no custom of bathing together. Everyone gets naked and honest with each other; it''s great." [Getting naked and honest with each other is invincible?!] Kawaki and the others were even worse off. "How... how could this be!" Kawaki said quietly, "Are these guys finally seriously planning to invade Earth?!" "You... you said invade Earth? How is that possible!" Shinpachi replied quietly with a face full of sweat. "The first step is to conquer this bathhouse, those monsters." Okita analyzed. "Now is not the time to argue about the Sassoon or the Silky Veil faction. We have to inform others quickly!" Kondo''s expression gradually became severe, "While they''re entering the adult pool, let''s escape from here!" Chapter 552: Geez, What a Blunder! Chapter 552: Geez, What a Blunder! The development that followed greatly surprised Kawaki and his friends. After the Pidotaro family, splashed with water, stood up, they naturally entered the children''s pool, surrounding Kawaki and his group. "Oh, the water temperature is just right~" Pidotaro sighed. "All... all of them went into the children''s pool?!" Kawaki and Kondo were stunned, cold sweat running down their faces. Kawaki and his friends leaned together, their faces expressionless but full of frustration, watching as the Pidotaro family surrounded them. "Huh? Wh-why? Why? Why would someone so big like him come to soak in the children''s pool?" Kawaki shivered, thinking to himself. Then, trembling, he pointed to the adult bath next to him and cautiously suggested, "Uh... th-that, the adult pool over there is warmer and more comfortable, you know?" "No need. Our race can''t handle hot water; we can only take cold showers," Pidotaro explained, then pointed to the steaming hot water pool separated from the adult hot water pool by steam, "We originally wanted to go to the cold water pool. Still, it turned into a hot water pool for some reason, but it doesn''t matter because that side is too narrow." "Geez, what a blunder!" Kawaki thought, feeling frustrated. "If I had known, I would have gone to the adult bath! And... is it because of that idiot? Did he turn the cold water pool into a hot water pool?! Hey! Spare me! We''re surrounded! We''ve turned into bystanders surrounded by a group of tattooed thugs!" "Oh no! It''s staring at us! Staring at us intently!" Kondo forced a smile, his eyes trembling with fear. "What do we do?! We can''t get out at all!" Shinpachi, with the same expression, joined the conversation. "Dad, how''s the water temperature?" Pidotaro asked his father, leaning against the edge of the bath, wearing thick bottle-bottom glasses, slightly thin, with noticeably loose skin and a dim green color on his body, indicating he was an elderly Doka-Fiji Star person. "It''s a bit hot, isn''t it? Do people from Edo like soaking in this kind of water?" Pidotaro''s father replied, "I want to soak in cold water that makes your whole body tense." "Because Dad is a true Doka-niji Star person," Pidotaro replied with a smile. Although it was a smile, to Kawaki and the others, it looked more terrifying than not smiling. Then Pidotaro tested the water temperature and said, "But the water temperature is indeed a bit hot." "Well... we also find it a bit hot," Shinpachi quickly reached for the nearby cold water faucet, politely suggesting, "Would you like some cold water added?" "Oh, it''s fine, it''s fine, please don''t mind," Pidotaro quickly waved his hand, then raised a vast, crystal-clear iceberg, "I knew it would be like this, so I brought this iceberg." Seeing Pidotaro holding the iceberg, Shinpachi was utterly at a loss. "Oh, I was in the cold pool over there." Edo pointed to the hot water pool next to the adult hot water pool, which was completely shrouded in steam, and explained with a smile. "Oh, that''s it." Pidotaro laughed a few times, "But it''s a pity that the cold water pool turned into a hot water pool." "I don''t think so," Edo smiled, "I think it''s a great idea. Look, many people are soaking in it. I don''t know if they''re Doka-Fiji Star people, but even if they''re not, they can still enjoy it, which is great." "Yes, yes, I see," Pidotaro nodded, his smile a little stiff. "Pidotaro-san, the water temperature here seems a bit high. Would you like to move to the next pool?" Edo suggested. "No, no, it''s okay." Pidotaro quickly waved his hand, "We''re already used to it. Right, everyone?" "Yes, Dad." "Yes, brother." "Yes." "Yes." The members of the Pidotaro family all nodded in agreement. "Alright, then, have a good time, everyone." Edo nodded with a smile and left with his two bodyguards. After waving goodbye to Edo, the Pidotaro family stood up and quickly exited the children''s pool. Kawaki and the others, surrounded by the Pidotaro family and had nowhere to run, watched them leave with a look of disbelief. "Wh-what the hell? It''s finally over?!" Kawaki, Shinpachi, and Kondo, surrounded by the Pidotaro family just now, were stunned and looked at each other, their expressions full of disbelief. Chapter 553: Despite This and That, Lets Start Again! Chapter 553: Despite This and That, Let''s Start Again! One afternoon, in Yoshiwara, in Kawaki''s room, after finishing a round of gaming, Kiwaki suddenly receives a call from Kagura... "What? A monkey with a bell around its neck? What is that?" Kawaki, holding his phone between his shoulder and ear, stares intently at his monitor and responds casually. "We need to find that monkey now! It''s the Shogun''s nephew''s pet!" Kawaki''s voice carries a hint of urgency. "So, you... like bell-wearing play? Pets and their owners... There are such shops in Yoshiwara, but I won''t give you a discount." "Listen to me seriously for once! We''re all trapped in a phone booth right now! And there''s a bunch of monkeys throwing poop at us outside!" Kawaki shouts, "Just write down that stinky monkey''s name!" "Alright, alright, you say." "Let me talk to Kawaki," says a new voice on the phone; it''s Hijikata. "Look, Kawaki, remember this well; it''s about the Yagyuu family''s honor..." Before Hijikata can finish, Kawaki hangs up the phone casually and tosses it aside. Buzz, buzz... As the phone vibrates incessantly beside him, Kawaki finally picks it up, but Hijikata''s voice comes through first before he can speak. "Shouganai Shouganai...Shit-throwing Machine... Shinpachi''s life yesterday... Balmung Fezalion... Isaac Schneider, one-third pure feelings, with the remaining two-thirds focused on flesh thorns... The inescapable betrayal can be escaped... Leaving home for a trip... Squid pancake... Katsuo... Fish roe... Our cesspool...(Katsuo) Fish... This Katsuo is different; it''s from Ike no Katsuo... Spicy Emperor... King''s Palace... Kimura Emperor... Small Poop Sphere! Did you get all that, Kawaki?! " (Note: "One-Third Pure Feelings" by SIAM SHADE, the sixth ending of the anime "Rurouni Kenshin." "The Inescapable Betrayal" is a famous Yaoi manga by Kiyoteru Otagiri, adapted into an anime in April 2010. "Leaving home for a trip(Ike no) Katsuo" is a word chain. "Ike no Katsuo" is a Japanese comedian. "EmperorSpit" is a classic resurrection spell from DQ2.) "Uh, Tsukuyo, do we have a courtesan here named... uh... Shou...?" Kawaki turns to ask Tsukuyo, who has appeared at the door, "Er... what was it again? Well, it doesn''t matter, just if there''s a courtesan named Stinky Monkey?" "You didn''t remember a single word, did you!" Kawaki yells from the phone, "And you''re still talking about courtesans! Even now, you''re talking about courtesans! You need to restrain yourself a bit, damn it!" "How could a courtesan possibly have such a name?" Tsukuyo folds her arms and looks at Kawaki with a strange expression. "That''s just how it is; you must be mistaken about the shop." Kawaki casually replies into the phone, "Goodbye..." "Hey! Wait a minute! Pass the phone to that woman! If you keep it, you''ll never remember the name in your lifetime!" Kawaki yells again. "Really can''t help it," Kawaki shrugs and, without looking back, throws the phone at Tsukuyo. "Tsukuyo, trouble you." "Why do I have to do such a troublesome thing?" Tsukuyo looks at the phone in her hand with disdain but eventually puts it to her ear, "Moshi moshi..." Two minutes later... "Enough already!" Kawaki shouts. "How about this?" Suddenly pushed into the room by Seita, Hinowa raises a finger and smiles, "Let me give everyone a fresh impression, Kawaki, Tsukuyo." "Just don''t go too crazy," Kawaki warns. "Since then, five years have passed..." "Wait a minute!!" Kawaki raises his hand to stop her, "Time is passing too quickly! What the hell is five years later?! There''s no such thing in Miss Hozuki mode!" "That man and that woman now have a five-year-old child! But just then, a new crisis appears! The man''s elder brother kidnaps the child!" "That sounds... very familiar..." Kawaki murmurs, rubbing his chin. "After defeating his brother by sacrificing himself, the man begins new training in another world, learning a skill called ''King Fist,'' which he uses to defeat two heavenly beings who come to Earth six months later!" "Hey! That''s Dragon Ball!!" "But the crisis isn''t over! Next, the man faces new formidable enemies and adventures! The emperor of the universe: Frieza! The terrifying androids! The revived Majin! But the man isn''t afraid; these powerful enemies excite him immensely!" "Oh lord! I, Kawaki, am cool... NOT!!" Kawaki clutches his head and roars, "What is all this?! This kind of thing won''t work! It''ll get complaints!" "But it''s fresher, isn''t it?" Hinowa squints and smiles, "You can add elements like super peace and orbs that grant human wishes." "That''s just plagiarism!" Kawaki rolls his eyes in frustration, "And we already have a fighting race! And there are already androids! And about Majin, that idiot prince changing clothes is the same! Speaking of which... even without adding, this work is full of Dragon Ball elements! This is bad, really bad!" Kawaki raises his head, looks thoughtfully at the camera, then squints and grins: "Anyway! ''Probably Fake Gintama Z'' resumes! We''re all cool, cool suzo! Yorozuya Kiku!" As he finishes speaking, Kawaki, for some reason, has two kunai sticking out of his forehead, rolls his eyes, and collapses. "Please take care of us." Tsukuyo nods gently towards the camera. "Please take care of us!" Seita makes a scissor hand gesture at the camera and smiles happily. "Please take care of us." Hinowa squints and smiles. And so... it resumes once more... Chapter 554: We Always Waste Too Much Time on Meaningless Things Chapter 554: We Always Waste Too Much Time on Meaningless Things In a specific prison on the outskirts of Edo. "Alright, let''s go in," Kawaki looked up at the visiting room and said softly, "He must be waiting for us." "Okay!" Standing next to Kawaki, Kagura and Shinpachi nodded together. ... Watching Kawaki in a gray prison uniform sitting behind the visiting room glass, Shinpachi cheered happily, "Gin-san, we did it! We''ve tried every method and finally got your sentence reduced!" "Just one year, eleven months, twenty-nine days, twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds, it''ll pass in the blink of an eye! That''s great, aru!" Kagura, with her fists clenched, was visibly excited. "Is that so, less than two years then..." Kawaki suddenly realized, pressing his face against the glass as he spat angrily, "What a load of crap! Why are you all so happy to tell me this terrible news? And what''s with these exact details?! One year, eleven months, twenty-nine days, twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds, what the hell is that?! Just say two years!" "It''s all thanks to Kawaki-san; with his negotiations, two years became one year, eleven months, and so forth," Shinpachi looked gratefully at Kawaki sitting beside him. "It took a lot of effort, so you''d better thank me, Kawaki," Kawaki said, arms crossed, with a slight chuckle. "Thank you, my foot! You''ve just made it sound shorter again!" "Unfortunately, much of the documentation has been secretly altered and deleted," Shinpachi explained. "It was Gin-chan who started the trouble, and the prison guard''s misdeeds were also pinned on Gin-chan, aru," Kagura added. "That bastard..." Kawaki gritted his teeth angrily, "Not just the crimes, but he''s even framing me for his perverted behavior?" "That warden, I heard he was untouchable before because his dad is a high-ranking officer at the police headquarters. That''s how he got his current position," Shinpachi continued, "It''s likely his underlings who clean up after him. For now, we can only continue to investigate the warden''s misconduct. We''ll keep doing everything we can, so please bear with it for a bit longer, Gin-san." Shinpachi said that he had wiped away the drool that had inexplicably started to form at the corner of his mouth as he got up eagerly. "Guard your rear!" Kagura added a reminder after wiping away her drool and stood up. "See you in two years at the Shampoo Islands!" Kawaki stood up, said this to Kawaki, and then turned to leave. "Two years, my ass!" Kawaki shouted back. "Kagura, Shinpachi, let''s speed things up," Kawaki said earnestly to the two beside him. "Yes!" both Kagura and Shinpachi nodded earnestly. "That''s right! That''s the spirit! Get me out of here faster!" Kawaki raised his hands, nodding in approval. "Otherwise, Sadaharu will eat all the barbecue!" "Is that what you mean by fast?!" Kawaki slapped the glass, yelling, "Cut it out, you idiots! Shinpachi, Kagura, were you drooling just now because of the barbecue?! Does Gin-san mean less to you than a meal?! But seriously, why must you eat barbecue while Gin-san is in jail?! I want some, too!" "Don''t worry, Kawaki, two years or whatever, it''ll pass in the blink of an eye," Kawaki turned back, shrugged his shoulders, and spread his hands, "Isn''t that how it always goes in the anime?" "And then, two years passed..." As the caption appeared over Kawaki''s head, his forehead turned black, and after a few seconds of silence, he raised his head, veins popping in anger, "Absolutely nothing has changed!" "No, it''s just that you added two more years to your sentence. Two years have passed!" Kawaki held up a finger and lied solemnly. "Right!" Shinpachi and Kagura nodded simultaneously. "Right, my foot!" The events began two days ago... Flashback line "What are you doing, Tsukki?" Kawaki pulled the kunai from his head, climbed back up, and complained, "I was just discussing strategy with them. The incident started at that club, and since they''re minors, they aren''t allowed in, so it has to be me. I''ll thoroughly check inside and out!" "Shut up," Tsukuyo put down her meat and sat beside Kawaki, giving him a cold reminder. "There''s a cosplay club in Yoshiwara, too..." Hasegawa, quietly eating at his table, mentioned. "Sorry, I can''t make moves on people I know," Kawaki blurted out without thinking, then quickly corrected himself, "No, no, no, I didn''t mean anything lewd by that! I just want to investigate! You know, Kawaki must be suffering right now!" "It''s you who''s suffering!" everyone at the table shouted back at him simultaneously. "It''s you who wants to confess everything, aru," Kagura squinted her eyes, clearly disdainful. ... That night, in Yoshiwara. "Are we really okay with just leaving it be?" Tsukuyo leaned against the door to Kawaki''s room, her arms crossed and her cigarette pipe in one hand, speaking softly, "The Hyakka have already found evidence that the warden tampered with the case files. Just leak it, and he''ll be suspended immediately. His father, the police commissioner, has already disowned him..." "Really?" Kawaki, engrossed in his game, responded without looking back as if he genuinely didn''t care. "Do I need to pass this on to Kagura and the others?" "Why are you asking me?" After finishing his game, Kawaki put down the controller and turned around, puzzled. "I just..." Tsukuyo turned her face away, hesitating. Seemingly realizing something, Kawaki gently smiled and approached Tsukuyo. Seeing Kawaki stop before her and stare intently, Tsukuyo''s face flushed, "What... what are you doing?" "Well, even though it''s a fruitless effort, thank you anyway," Kawaki said softly, his eyes gentle, "No need... in every sense." "You..." "Everyone in this world has something they must protect; you do, too, right?" "Yoshiwara..." "Yes, so..." Kawaki squinted, smiling, "Just focus on what you need to protect right before you. Don''t worry about my affairs; besides, what I need to protect isn''t trivial matters like these." "What is it then?" "Tsukuyo, never be curious about a man because..." Kawaki''s expression shifted slightly, warning softly, "It can be hazardous." Tsukuyo snorted and walked away, turning her back to him and speaking disdainfully, "Only an idiot would be curious about a man like you. Sorry, I''m not one." "That''s good. But thanks anyway~" Kawaki smiled and waved at Tsukuyo as she walked away. [Where exactly is this man looking?] Tsukuyo thought as she walked, then pulled out a piece of paper detailing the warden''s crimes from her pocket and tore it to shreds. [No matter how much I probe... I can''t see clearly.] Watching Tsukuyo leave, Kawaki stroked his chin and murmured, "Sometimes she does seem like a regular woman." "That''s right~ Tsukuyo tries hard for a man," Hasegawa, who had arrived in a wheelchair unnoticed, squinted and smiled. Hearing this, Kawaki chuckled softly, then turned and strode back into his room. As for what followed with the prison incident... Kawaki heard that he was released from prison after just a week... Chapter 555: Theres No Plus or Minus in Love! Chapter 555: There''s No Plus or Minus in Love! On TV, the host explains unhurriedly: "Now, the trend in Edo is ''Love Sleep,'' a romance simulation game whose unique feature is that the game time is synchronized with real-time. It greets you ''Good morning'' when you wake up and bids you ''Good night'' in the evening." "Because the game is too lifelike, there are increasingly many boyfriends in Edo who can''t seem to tear themselves away from these digital lovers..." Shinpachi, frowning slightly in front of the TV, sighs, "It''s troubling, isn''t it? If you can''t distinguish between game and reality, and your life gets invaded like this, you''ll never get a real girlfriend." Saying this, Shinpachi turns his face tenderly towards a black-haired, single-ponytailed, slightly blushing, cute girl in a pink yukata displayed on the TS screen beside him, "Right, Miss Hyaku?" "Hehe..." The game character, Miss Hyaku, nods with a giggle. Sitting not far behind Shinpachi, Otae covers her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears of pity. Nearby, Katsura, Kawaki, and Kagura look on with expressionless, sad faces. "I want to share some of our happiness with them." Saying this, Shinpachi picks up a cake from the ground and tenderly offers it to the TS screen, "Open your mouth, ahh~." "Ahh~" Upon seeing this scene, Katsura and Kawaki stand up without hesitation and head towards the door. "It feels like we''re third-wheeling, so I''ll take my leave," Kawaki tentatively comments. "Anyway, I wish them eternal happiness; remember to invite me to the wedding," Katsura says, pulling open the sliding door. However, before Katsura and Kawaki can step out, Otae, getting up, grabs them both by the hair. "Where do you two think you''re going?!" Otae, with a stern face, repeatedly slams their heads into the floor. Thud, thud, thud... "Where has your brother run off to, huh?" Kawaki, his head stuffed into the floor, responds weakly, "He''s probably been swallowed into a dimension between the game and reality!" "But... he looks happy, doesn''t he? If he''s happy, let''s not disturb them!" Katsura, face-down on the floor, weakly adds, "Congratulations, Otae. At this rate, Shinpachi will eventually marry and have children in another world. I''ll come to the full-moon party..." "What kind of world is that? If it''s not the real world, it''s completely useless!" Otae roars with bulging veins, then covers her face in frustration, "They said they would introduce me to a girlfriend, but suddenly he brought that, and since then, it''s always been like this." "Don''t worry, aru," Kagura stands up, pointing a finger comfortingly at Otae, who''s kneeling by the door, "Sadaharu also mounts his toys when he''s in heat; he''ll stop once he''s had enough, aru." "That won''t work!" Otae retorts emotionally, "Because Shin-chan is in heat all year round!" "Indeed..." Katsura, pulling his head out of the floor, nods thoughtfully. "What exactly do you all think Shinpachi is?!" Kawaki, also extracting himself, sits down at the doorway, legs crossed and hand propping his cheek, devoid of expression. "Can love games turn a man like that?" Otae looks up and asks Katsura. "Don''t look at me like it''s obvious I have the answer, it pisses me off..." Katsura''s forehead veins bulge in frustration, "I don''t know, I don''t play Galgames!" "A Galgame, huh," Kawaki muses, "is a game where lots of pretty girls appear, and the goal is to win their favor." As Kondo, quietly listening, starts to explain, Kawaki retorts, "Why does this guy act like he''s always been part of the conversation? Why does he have that ''I''ve always been here'' look?" "Otae, since when did you start keeping pets?" Katsura asks. Ignoring Kawaki and Katsura''s banter, Kondo, focusing intensely on his TS screen, continues, "For unpopular men, this is the only way they can experience love without getting hurt." "That''s not very convincing coming from you, aru," Kagura remarks. "Simply put, the less popular the man, the easier he gets addicted," Kondo continues unabashedly, "For a super S-grade Cherry Boy like Shinpachi, it''s impossible to predict how deep he could go." "Can I do it?" Kawaki raises his hand, "I can take care of this kind of thing; please consider it. It might be a bit much for one night. Give me a few more days, and I can do it. As for the payment, around two billion should do." Ignoring Kawaki''s offer, Tsukuyo tells Katsura, "Anyway, you only have these two options: either enter the game to pull them back to reality or use your ''beep'' to pull them back." "Don''t say such awful things!" ... About ten minutes after Tsukuyo leaves, Katsura still sits with his hands clasped, his face expressionless. "Well, right now, you both don''t have a choice," Kondo states gravely, "To save them, you''ll have to enter the same dimension as they are!" At that, Katsura glances at Kawaki, who''s just edited his name into the game and smirks disdainfully before standing up. "I won''t choose either method; I can''t get addicted to that stuff, I can''t enter that world," Katsura walks towards the Yorozuya girls, "But, I''ll use my method to pull them out." "Don''t mess around here! At least find a hotel!" Kawaki hastily advises. "Shut up! Who would do such a thing here!" Katsura turns back and yells, then stops, takes a deep breath, and, with a smile, asks, "So, ladies! Instead of dating that thing, how about... you date me today?" All the Yorozuya girls immediately look up as if awakening from a dream, incredulously focusing on Katsura. "If you''re coming, throw away your game consoles and follow me." With that, Katsura turns and slowly walks towards the door. Two seconds later, all the Yorozuya girls cheer and throw their game consoles aside, rushing after Katsura. "Can we go to a movie, Katsura-sama?" "Yeah, yeah" Katsura responds reluctantly. "Can we go shopping, Katsura-sama?" "Yeah, yeah" "Can we go to the amusement park, Katsura-sama?" "Of course." Watching Katsura being surrounded and led away by the crowd of Yorozuya girls, Kawaki asks Kondo, "Hey, what''s going on? Didn''t you say they could only be saved by entering the game world?" "Maybe... it''s a special case?" Kondo responds uncertainly. ... Outside, Tsukuyo leans against an alley, listening to the cheerful voices of the Yorozuya members, and murmurs as she exhales smoke, "He''s a... remarkable man." Just then, Katsura''s voice comes from the side. "Aren''t you coming, Tsukuyo? If you are, remember to throw away that game console." "I haven''t even started playing yet!" Tsukuyo, her face red, shouts back, then turns to the air beside her, "Can you vouch for me, darling..." Katsura: ... Yorozuya members: ... Chapter 556: This Game Thing, It’s Easy to Get Hooked! Chapter 556: This Game Thing, Its Easy to Get Hooked! "We haven''t even started playing yet, so let''s go." With an expressionless face, Kawaki said to the Hyaku sisters beside him. "Hi..." After a soft response, all the Hyaku sisters silently followed Kawaki. ... A few nights later, during dinner time. Watching as Tsukuyo occasionally glanced at the game console with a shy, girlish expression, Kawaki, Hiraga, and Seita remained speechless. "I feel like I can smell a scent of love during dinner," Kawaki said quietly, then stood up, "So I''ll go back first." "This won''t do! Although Tsukuyo''s work in Yoshiwara hasn''t been affected,... in some aspects, she has been completely defeated!" Hiraga looked at Kawaki, who was about to leave the door, with a severe face. "Tsukuyo... because she has never been in love before, so facing this kind of thing, she... can''t resist! If we don''t think of a solution... Tsukuyo... won''t be able to return to our world!" "What kind of solution are you thinking of?" Kawaki retorted. "And why can this woman be so pure in love?! Isn''t she from Yoshiwara?! Have you ever taught her anything about those things?!" "Kawaki-san, even though we understand those matters when facing real emotions, the courtesans of Yoshiwara are much more innocent than ordinary women, and it''s even more difficult for someone like Tsukuyo, who rarely interacts with men." After saying that, Hiraga turned her head to look at Tsukuyo, who was blushing and sitting next to her, occasionally glancing at the game console. "I... I know about this kind of thing, of course," Kawaki sighed, then waved his hand, "Well, well, but isn''t the result pretty good? Work hasn''t been affected, and she can find some hobbies or interests." "No, this situation can''t continue!" Hiraga looked serious. "Tsukuyo... may not even be able to clear the first chapter of love''s intimacy!" "Is that what you''re trying to say?!" Kawaki''s veins bulged as he shouted angrily. "So you want me to help her play the game?!" "Kawaki-ge, at a time like this, you''re the only one who can help Tsukuyo-nee." Seita raised his tiny face, speaking earnestly. "It''s been several days! Besides work, Tsukuyo-nee has only been playing games! She''s practically half-Kawaki-go now!" "What do you mean half of me? Do you want a beating, you little brat?" Kawaki grumbled with a dark expression, then glanced at Tsukuyo, who showed a first-love-like demeanor, scratched his head, and replied impatiently, "Well, well, I got it. Anyway, I''ll try to think of something when I''m in the bathroom in the morning." "You should be more serious about this..." Seita pouted. "To be honest, Tsukuyo-nee being in this state is all Kawaki-ge''s fault, right?" "What? It''s not my fault!" Kawaki''s veins bulged as he shouted indignantly. "It''s entirely that woman''s fault! If she likes games, just let her play! Everyone can have a leisurely time, right?" "You''re being too harsh! Kawaki-ge!" "No, it''s you, Hyaku..." Saya smirked slyly, "In my heart, I''ve always regarded you as dear from the first meeting..." Seeing the two of them arguing again for some reason, Kawaki, with a dark face, remained silent for a long time before lying back down, burying his head in the quilt again. "Ah, how can I get into this kind of thing?!" Kawaki covered his ears, feeling his heart collapsing. ... The next day, early morning, when the sky was bright, Kawaki was gently awakened by Hyaku and Saya Hime. "Wake up~ Dear, it''s already bright outside~" "It''s time for breakfast~ I''ve prepared it~" "Huh?" Kawaki rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them, yawning simultaneously, "Although I heard that the time between this world and reality is the same, this is too intelligent, right? It even has wake-up services. But then again, if it''s used as an alarm clock, it''s not bad, at least much gentler than that smelly woman..." Just as he finished speaking, Kawaki suddenly realized something was wrong and instantly sat up, retreating several meters away behind him, staring at his bedside in disbelief. He saw the three heroines materialized, kneeling side by side on the floor before the bed! Except for the expressionless Onari, who was holding the cold, the rest of the two heroines were panting heavily with rough breaths, squinting their eyes tightly at him. ... "What am I doing?" Kawaki was covered in cold sweat, his forehead dark, twitching his mouth corners and muttering, "Why? Am I not awake yet? Why did it turn out like this? My head feels weird, huh huh huh huh..." ... Breakfast time. "Um, Kawaki-ge, what''s wrong with you?" Looking at Kawaki, who didn''t seem to have much appetite, Seita asked in confusion, "You don''t seem to have much appetite." "Uh... hehe, yeah..." Kawaki smiled, pulling the corners of his mouth, "No one would have an appetite when facing this kind of thing... hehe..." "Kawaki-ge, you care so much about Tsukuyo-nee-san! You don''t even have an appetite because of Tsukuyo-neesan''s situation!" Seita said in amazement, then showed a face full of emotion, "If Tsukuyo-nee-san knows, she''ll be very moved!" "Hiraga..." Kawaki twitched the corner of his eye, his forehead black lines as he looked at Hiraga beside him, "Today, I want to go to the hospital for a check-up. My head feels strange, always seeing hallucinations and such..." Chapter 557: My Wifes Martial Arts Tournament Begins! Chapter 557: My Wife''s Martial Arts Tournament Begins! "Ah?! Are you asking for leave?" Hinowa looked somewhat troubled. "That''s troublesome. Tsuki already took leave in the morning. If you take leave too, we won''t be able to arrange for Hyaku''s patrol..." "Weirdo? Hasn''t Kawaki always been a weirdo?" Seita sarcastically remarked with a blank expression. "I''ll kill you, you brat!" Kawaki angrily retorted. Then, he suddenly realized something and turned to Hinowa. "Leave? Tsuki took leave?" "Yeah, she said she''s participating in some ''World''s Best Martial Arts Tournament'' and left early in the morning," Hinowa explained. "Oh... I see." "By the way, has Kawaki figured out how to pull Tsuki out of that world?" Hinowa asked again. "Hehe... I don''t understand. I don''t understand. I''m completely clueless about that game..." Kawaki said, turning his head and looking at the three figures kneeling beside him. Hyakki Yagyo and Saya were trying to feed him while Onari, holding the cooling body, remained expressionless. "Not appetizing? My dear?" Miss Bai pouted cutely. "I already said there''s no need to force it~" Miss Saya took over, "Let''s just have our ''meal'' directly~ my dear~." "Ah ah ah ah!!!" Kawaki stood up, clutching his head and shouting frantically before rushing to the window and jumping out, sprinting a hundred meters after landing. "Kawaki!" Seita, who had come to the window, shouted at the smoke billowing up from where Kawaki had landed. "It seems he might be feeling unwell..." Hinowa murmured, pinching his chin, then smiled and looked at the three figures kneeling beside him, resembling a corpse. "Don''t you agree?" ... Kawaki swung his arms and strode forcefully down the street. [What on earth is going on!] Kawaki thought in despair. [Why did they run out of the game?! Those women! They''re so annoying! And why are their personalities utterly different from before?! Ah! I''m going to be driven crazy!! What''s wrong with my head?!] As he thought this, Kawaki suddenly noticed something and turned his head to look expressionlessly at Gin, who had been running alongside him for some time. At the same time, Gin, who had also noticed something, turned his head, and their eyes met. Then, at the exact moment, they both stopped and pointed at each other with their index fingers, then spoke simultaneously. "Could it be... you too..." Just then, a car screeched to a halt beside them, and Kondo''s voice came from inside. "Hey, Yorozuya, and also Yorozuya..." Seeing Kondo poking his head out of the back of the luxury car and waving towards them, Gin exclaimed in surprise, "Gorilla!" "What are you guys doing here?" Kondo asked. "Today is the big event; I''ll give you a ride." "Your fucking sight!" Kawaki took out the three-game consoles from his arms, opened the window, and, without any hesitation, threw them out with force. "Hey! What are you doing, Yoshimura!" Kondo was beside himself. "Oh, it should be fine now." Kawaki closed the car window, patted his chest, and said with lingering fear, "Finally, I don''t have to care about this anymore." "No, it''s useless." Kondo pointed to the window. Looking at Miss Hyaku, Miss Saya, and Miss Hyakui constantly knocking on the window with their game consoles, Kawaki felt terrible. "Why?!" "Who told you to select all of them directly? This is retribution!" Gin sneered disdainfully, "But come to think of it, didn''t you say you wouldn''t play this kind of game?" "Although I said that... but someone you absolutely wouldn''t expect got obsessed with this thing..." Kawaki explained with his head lowered. "Who? You only have Seita around you, right? That little brat should..." "No, it''s Tsuki." Kawaki interrupted Gin''s words, raising his head to answer. "Cough, cough, cough..." Gin suddenly coughed violently, "Wait, wait, wait! That woman?! Is she obsessed with this game?!" "So don''t underestimate Love''s Sleep," Kondo chimed in. "She''s already obsessed to this extent, so I, who Hinowa asked, tried this game a little..." Kawaki covered his eyes, looking utterly disheartened, "I originally thought all three heroines would try it together, saving time and effort, but... I didn''t expect it to turn out like this..." "But no matter what, you two are here, which means that you, Shinpachi-kun, and that lady are now on the same side." Kondo comforted. "Being on the same side is even worse!" Gin vigorously argued, then looked outside the window with an ugly expression and continued, "Stop kidding; hey, hurry up and take me to the hospital." "You guys, stop it!" Kawaki burst out with blue veins on his forehead, shouting at Miss Bai, Miss Saya, and Miss Bai, who was still knocking on the window outside, then turned back to Kondo, "Gorilla, please take us to the hospital! It''s unbearable anymore!" "Indeed, we may have deviated from the common sense of the real world, but where are we going next?" Kondo continued talking to himself, "That''s right! It''s the alternate dimension battlefield where people trapped in delusions gather!" ... "Here, this delusion is reality!" Looking at the "My Wife''s Martial Arts Tournament" hanging from the ceiling in the room, as well as the many men who were coming and going, immersed, Gin sneered with disgust, "What a disgusting event, everyone is immersed in Love space as if it''s a matter of course, the whole venue has been cursed with illusion spell!" "Those who can''t reach the realm are the same as the Shinigami who can''t use Bankai in the Soul Society," Kondo said seriously, crossing his hands. "Is that handsome? He''s just a waste in reality!" Gin ranted wildly. "Who''s a waste!" Kawaki, who was still constantly peeling Miss Hyaku and Miss Saya off him, glared, "I''ll kill you! Naturally curly waste!" "You don''t need it. You''re a waste yourself." Gin disdainfully curled his lips. Chapter 558: The Beginning of Choices is Important! Chapter 558: The Beginning of Choices is Important! At this moment, Kondo sighed softly as he watched all the participants immersed in the game in front of him, along with their variously dressed "girlfriends" by their side. "It seems like everyone''s level is very high, perfectly creating girlfriends according to their tastes," Kondo remarked. Looking towards a specific direction emitting an inexplicable aura, Kondo continued, "But, Yorozuya, your girlfriend stands out in particular." Seeing Kawaki, with his body emitting a dark aura and carrying the already cold Okita Sougo on his back, struggling to retort, Kondo remarked, "Calling it standing out is an overstatement; it''s more like standing out in horror! The chances of winning with that are close to zero!" "Even if you say that... there''s nothing I can do..." Okita Sougo, pale-faced with bloodstains still fresh at the corners of his mouth, weakly responded. "There''s nothing I can do about it. You''re already dead, so please shut up; it''s terrifying!" Kawaki retorted with frustration, his head complete of black lines. "But over these few days, she has gradually become the type you like, hasn''t she?" Kondo spoke again. "Be careful behind you. I will avenge Okita Sougo," the Hijikata belonging to Kawaki''s world remarked. "Is that so?" Kawaki twitched his mouth and asked. "I see," Kondo nodded knowingly. "So, this is what they call a ''tsundere'' nowadays." "What do you mean by tsundere?!" Kawaki pointed at Hijikata and retorted, "She''s just a sick auntie and the decaying Okita Sougo! Why don''t you trade your Tsukuyo with my decaying Okita?" "No~" Tsukuyo, clinging to Kondo''s chest, pouted. "I only want Kyubei~" "That''s right~" Kondo chuckled like a lecher. "Stop pretending to be cute! You damn bastard!" Kawaki instantly became annoyed, rolling his eyes and grumbling, "Your boyfriend is also a tsundere! He even has pus oozing from his crotch!" "You bastard! What nonsense are you spouting to Tsukuyo?" Kondo was displeased. "Then, you! Just give me one of those two!" Kawaki turned his head and pointed at Sougo, standing in the hall, observing everything. "Come and take them yourself!" Hijikata, still observing everything alongside Tsukuyo and Kondo, shouted with spittle flying, then looked at Tsukuyo and Hijikata on his body. "Hey, stop fooling around. What do you two want to do in a place like this?!" "Hey, you two, come here." Kawaki chuckled lightly, beckoning to the two main heroines. "Compared to that man, I... also..." Before Kawaki could finish, both Tsukuyo and Hijikata turned their heads away. "Hey! Don''t be so rude! You bastards!" Kawaki exploded with veins popping on his forehead and eyes wide open. "We just want to be with our beloved~" Tsukuyo''s arm was tightly wrapped around Sougo''s neck, blushing softly as she spoke gently. "It''s Kyuubei, created based on Kyuubei," Kawaki twitched his mouth and commented with black lines at the corner of his eyes. At that moment, a voice came from behind the crowd. "Young master!" Instantly, "Kyuubei" turned around, waved her hand, and ran towards Toujou, calling out, "Little Step Step~." Toujou, who had already bent down, opened his arms and waited; he directly embraced the running "Kyuubei" into his arms, showing a satisfied expression. "Really, where did you go~" "Kyuubei" spoke in a very timid tone while gently rubbing Toujou''s head. "Because~" pouted like a baby, pouting even more than "Kyuubei," "The young master let go of my hand, so I got lost~" Just as he finished speaking, Toujou suddenly noticed something, turned his head, and saw Kawaki, Sougo, and Kondo staring at him. "You, you, you..." Toujou instantly stood up, blocking "Kyuubei" in front of him, and asked the three of them incoherently, "What are you doing here?!" "No, those are our lines," Kawaki silently replied, then pointed to the "Kyuubei" peeking out behind Toujou, "Hey, is that your... Kyuubei-sama?" "No, how could it be!" Toujou forced himself to remain calm. "No, it is Kyuubei, isn''t it? Although she''s a complete failure, she''s the miserable monster you created in imitation of Kyuubei, right?" "I told you it''s not!" Toujou retorted forcefully. "I would never have such impure feelings for the young master..." "You should say that you''ve always had impure feelings, right? Nakedly impure and disgusting feelings, right..." Sougo deadpanned. "Hey! I''ll sue you for defamation! Mr. Sougo!" Toujou protested. "That''s right, I''m not Little Step Step''s girlfriend~" "Kyuubei" pouted. "I''m Little Step Step''s mother~" "Hehe... I see..." Kawaki chuckled with a twitch at the corner of his eyes. "Hey! Don''t say that!" Toujou reminded hastily, but as soon as he finished speaking, he fell to the ground. Seeing "Kyuubei" changing Toujou''s diaper with satisfaction and Toujou passively accepting it, Kawaki spoke again, "Although you usually take care of Kyuubei, your inner feelings are like this, full of spoiledness." "That''s not true!" Toujou argued, but his face, filled with satisfaction and even a bit smug, betrayed him, and his voice gradually weakened. "It''s just a casual play that led to having this kind of girlfriend..." Chapter 559: Learning to Say NO Loudly! Chapter 559: Learning to Say NO Loudly! "What kind of play... is this?" Kawaki muttered to himself. "Hey, this gathering is not just about preferences for women; even XP will be exposed. I wonder how people around me perceive me... Am I seen as a man with weird tastes?" At that moment, Hasegawa suddenly noticed something and turned back, unable to find Tsukuyo anywhere. He glanced at one of the Hinowamarus behind Kawaki and spoke lightly, "Hey, if you don''t want to go over there, just say it. Why stay silent from beginning to end? Shouldn''t they have their thoughts even if they are virtual characters?" "Hey! Can you even tell them apart?!" Kawaki exclaimed in surprise. "You couldn''t possibly distinguish between them before! You couldn''t even remember the faces of hostesses you''ve met once!" "Don''t compare me to you," Hasegawa retorted disdainfully. Then, he glanced at the Hinowamaru beside Kawaki again and said, "Did you hear what I said earlier? If you don''t want to go, just say it. Why bother going? Your personality is extraordinary. Remember, if you can''t express your feelings, others will never know, and you''ll always feel aggrieved." After hearing this, the Hinowamaru stopped cursing at Kawaki incessantly, quietly responded, and then lowered her head, slowly returning to Hasegawa''s side. However, no one noticed the slight blush on her face as she lowered her head... "You should learn something from that Hinowamaru!" Kawaki pointed to the Hinowamaru beside him, still angrily cursing at him, and complained with frustration, "At least reach that level! Just stay quiet and behave yourself!" Even after saying that, the Hinowamaru showed no signs of stopping her verbal assault. Seeing this, Kawaki turned back to Kondo and said, "Hey, why don''t you exchange girlfriends with me?" "No~" Kondo''s Kyuubei-chan pouted cutely in his arms. "I only want Otae~" "That''s right~" Kondo''s face lit up with a perverted smile again. "Stop it, you damn woman! What''s with that ''no~''?! It''s not cute at all!" Kawaki angrily shouted, then hugged himself and repeated, "Say ''I want to be with Kawaki'' again!" Just then, the Hinowamaru belonging to Kawaki stepped forward and said, "I will avenge Okita Sougo~." "Not you!!" "Even if you say that there''s nothing I can do~" The Otae behind Hasegawa retorted. "Not you either!" Kawaki complained, veins popping on his forehead and eyes bulging. "Stop it! If you don''t, I''ll beat you all up!" After that, Kawaki returned to Hasegawa, still searching for something, and said, "Hey! Get your two seemingly normal girlfriends..." Before he could finish, Kawaki stopped speaking because he noticed that the Hinowamaru and Otae beside Hasegawa had... started to become abnormal... or, instead, broken. Although they had smiling faces in front of Hasegawa, they looked like devils when they were behind him, revealing their ugly faces with extremely resentful expressions as they tightly grabbed each other''s necks. By now, the red handprints on the necks of Hinowamaru and Otae were visible to the naked eye. "Huh? What did you say?" Hasegawa turned back, puzzled. "Nothing," Kawaki said silently as he watched the Hinowamaru and Otae return to their normal state before Hasegawa. "But seriously, where is she?" Hasegawa looked around again and muttered softly, "I thought Tsukuyo said she was going to participate in some ''World''s Number One'' competition." By the way, as soon as Hasegawa turned his head, Hinowamaru and Otae once again started grimacing at each other, seemingly determined not to stop until one of them was dead. "Please stop fighting," Hasegawa''s light words made both Hinowamaru and Otae stop simultaneously. "Could it be...!" Hinowamaru suddenly realized something. "Could it be that our beloved has already noticed?!" Kawaki turned to Kondo again and said, "What are you doing, hey? All your Hinowamarus are perverts! You should exchange girlfriends with me!" "Who''s the pervert? I''ll kill you! You damn natural perm!" Hasegawa clenched his fists and roared angrily. "Shut up!" Kawaki complained with bulging veins in his eyes. "You''re in the wrong place too! No, you''ve got the game wrong! This isn''t a harem game competition!" "No, I only want Otae~" At this moment, Kondo''s Hinowamaru pouted cutely and snuggled in Kondo''s arms. "That''s right~" Kondo''s face was full of joy again, then he looked at Kawaki seriously and said, "Since we''ve come this far, let''s just go all out and aim for victory with our Hinowamarus. Miss Shajou is devoted to me; she will never change even if she dies." "Yeah, let''s do that," said Kondo with a remarkably awake face. Then, he looked at Kawaki seriously and said, "After all, we''ve come this far. Let''s make up our minds and aim for victory with our Hinowamarus. Miss Shajou is devoted to me and will never change even if she dies." "Ah, I found it, I found it. Let me see." Suddenly, Totoki''s voice came from the side. Upon hearing this, Kawaki and the others turned their heads to see Totoki standing not far behind them in casual clothes. "Totoki! What are you doing here?" Kondo asked in confusion. "Huh?" Totoki looked at Kondo and then at Hasegawa and Kawaki beside him. "Kondo-san and the two bosses are here too." "Could you be here to participate in the competition too?" Kondo asked. "Huh? Is Kondo-san here too?" "Of course, didn''t you see it?" Kondo replied matter-of-factly, then looked at his side, "With Shajou-chan here..." Before he could finish, Kondo suddenly became expressionless, and so did Kawaki. At this moment, the Hinowamaru, originally belonging to Kondo, was kneeling before Totoki, bowing her head and softly saying, "Welcome back, master." "How does it feel?" Totoki glanced down at Shajou, his contemptuous gaze seeming to see her as nothing more than an object, "Serving a man you don''t like..." "It makes me very uncomfortable," Shajou, who had already been equipped with a collar around her neck at some point, crawled on the ground like an animal, her face starting to turn a terrible shade of red, "But when I think that this is also a proof of loyalty to my master, inexplicable joy wells up from the depths of my lower abdomen... Ha... Ha... Ha..." "Hmph! You pig!" "Please don''t let me go, master..." Seeing Shajou being led by Totoki and crawling before him, Kawaki and Kondo remained silent from start to finish. As for Hasegawa, he looked disdainful, still busy with his affairslooking around for Tsukuyo''s figure... Chapter 560: The Same Words Have Different Effects in Different Contexts! Chapter 560: The Same Words Have Different Effects in Different Contexts! Of course, Edo didn''t know that Tsukuyo was standing at the venue''s entrance, trying countless times but failing to step inside. Beside Tsukuyo stood a figure dressed similarly to Edo, with a short ponytail tied at the back of the head and an umbrella hanging from the waist, constantly squinting with a smile on the face... Heisuke. "Um... maybe... let''s forget about it," Tsukuyo said softly, her face slightly flushed. Heisuke... no, wait, "Edo"... no, that''s not right, "Heisei" just smiled without saying a word. "Do you think so, too?" Tsukuyo spoke again, "Then... let''s... let''s go back." Heisei... still had a smile on his face. His character was set like this. "So... you mean... it''s okay to go in and take a look?" Tsukuyo glanced at Heisei shyly, "Then... let''s just go and take a look." Heisei... continued to smile. "I can''t deal with you..." After saying this, Tsukuyo trembled as she reached out to hold Heisei''s hand, but... no matter how many times she tried, Tsukuyo couldn''t grasp his hand, always pulling back at the last moment before contact. ... Indoors, it wasn''t until Sougo walked away that Kondo quietly whispered, "Sakata-kun..." "I won''t exchange girlfriends," Kawaki replied expressionlessly in a low voice. "Please! At least give me O-chan!" Kondo pleaded loudly. At this moment, the Otae on Kawaki''s Heisuke''s back retracted her head and refused, "I don''t want to." "This time, it''s not ''Well, there''s nothing I can do''!" Kondo complained indignantly, then turned to Indo with a pleading expression, "Indo-kun! Please! Give me a girlfriend! Give me your Shajou-chan!" "No~ my dear~" Shajou exclaimed in shock, then grabbed Indo''s arm tightly, "I don''t want to go to that disgusting gorilla over there~ so disgusting~." Because of Shajou''s words, Kondo was instantly petrified, showing a face full of doubt about life, muttering, "No... no, that''s not right, Shajou-chan''s attitude towards me isn''t like this..." "Calm down, gorilla," Kawaki comforted, "That''s not your Shajou. By the way, you don''t even have a Shajou-chan!" "Pfft!" Kondo directly covered his chest and coughed up blood, his voice trembling, "Is this your strategy? A strategy to take out a strong opponent at the beginning of the competition..." "No, we never prepared for such things, and we never considered the gorilla as a strong opponent," Kawaki replied without hesitation, raising his hand. "Then... then give me Kagura-chan!" Kondo pointed to Indo again and shouted. "Ah~! Disgusting gorilla!" Kagura screamed, then tightly grabbed Indo''s other arm, "No~! I don''t want to go to that gorilla over there~!" "I see..." "You idiot..." Indo muttered silently, then began to look for Tsukuyo''s figure in the venue again. This time... Indo found Tsukuyo in a corner... Looking at Tsukuyo leaning against the wall in a corner, with a shy expression like a first love on her face, and the figure of "Heisei" beside her, who always squinted with a smile, Indo''s face became expressionless. "Who is that?" Kawaki pointed to Tsukuyo, who was continuously trying to hold hands but always stopped at the last moment, and the figure of Heisei, who always squinted with a smile beside her, commented expressionlessly, "Is that middle schooler someone you know? Is that a person you know who''s too afraid to hold hands? And is that guy beside her who just smiles like an idiot, someone you know?" "No, I don''t know them," Indo replied silently. After just saying this, Indo''s head was hit by two shurikens for some reason, and he rolled his eyes and fell to the ground. "My dear~!" Both Sacchan and Sa-chan exclaimed at the same time. "What a coincidence; how have you been lately?" Tsukuyo, with a cold expression, walked over slowly, pinching her cigarette holder, glanced at Indo lying on the ground from the corner of her eye, and said lightly. "Just fine a moment ago, but now he''s probably dead." Kondo stood with his arms crossed, glanced at Indo''s body twitching on the ground occasionally, and replied. "Aren''t you living together? Why can you ask such a long-unseen greeting?" Kawaki mocked. "Shinpachi..." After removing the shurikens from his head, Indo struggled to get up, "It must be because of that reason, afraid of boyfriends..." "Who... who... who are you talking about... who''s afraid of boyfriends being jealous?!" Tsukuyo''s face flushed red, and she shouted incoherently, kicking Indo forcefully and sending him flying. Boom!!! "It''s you who said..." Indo, embedded in the wall and cracking it, murmured as he rolled his eyes. "What''s wrong? Darling?" Turning her head to look at Heisei beside her, Tsukuyo asked. "No, no one said anything just now, including the idiot replica beside you." Kawaki stared at the lifeless fish-eyed Heisei, reminding him without enthusiasm. "Who do you call an idiotic replica of a useless nincompoop?!" Tsukuyo shouted again, throwing several shurikens. With the shurikens pinning him to the wall, Kawaki, with a face full of sweat, pulled at the corners of his mouth, muttering quietly, "Is... is that what you said." ... Two minutes later, Indo, who had pulled himself out of the wall and dusted off his clothes, glanced lightly at Tsukuyo, who had returned to a particular corner. "The culprit is you, right?" Kawaki glanced at Indo beside him, and sneered, full of disdain, "You turned her into that, right? Still constantly talking to that thing that only squints and smiles, delusional, undoubtedly a deeper level of delusion than us..." Chapter 561: The Foundation of Love is Trust! Chapter 561: The Foundation of Love is Trust! Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd, and everyone''s gaze turned towards the venue''s entrance. "Who... who is that?! What... what''s going on with that light? It''s so dazzling!" "That... that''s simply... a heavenly maiden!" "Who exactly is that boyfriend?! To cultivate a girlfriend to this level, he''s extraordinary!" Following the excited exclamations of the Cherry members, everyone looked towards the entrance and saw Sakata Edo, wearing a refreshing expression and a black suit, accompanied by his girlfriend, Miss Hyakubai, wearing an elegant and noble white dress. To be honest, at this moment, Sakata Edo and his girlfriend Hyakubai indeed attracted the attention of everyone present. "Sakata... Sakata!" Kawaki widened his eyes in disbelief, staring at Sakata Edo, who pushed up his glasses and chuckled. "Kawaki, this kid... is something else." Kondo lightly patted Kawaki''s shoulder and sighed softly. ... "The day has finally arrived!" On the stage, wearing sunglasses, with a slightly skinny figure and a crew cut, the host raised his fists excitedly towards the microphone and exclaimed, "From the ideal girlfriends carefully cultivated by everyone, we will determine the number one girlfriend! The Love Showdown Cup, my wife''s greatest martial arts tournament, is now open!" As soon as the host''s voice fell, the audience cheered loudly. Sakata, assigned to the Hiraga group, glanced sideways with droopy eyelids at the dark aura emanating from Hijikata by his side, then glanced at Sakata Edo and his girlfriend Hyakubai, who were emitting dazzling light not far away, thinking to himself, "Can I win? Compared to my meagre delusions... and that guy''s immense delusions..." At this moment, Indo, assigned to the Harem group, also alone, crossed his arms with one hand supporting his chin, lost in thought. "What''s going on? That guy? He managed to capture the hearts of three main heroines simultaneously?" "Isn''t that wrong? Shouldn''t the consequences of capturing multiple main heroines simultaneously be getting stabbed to death?" "Why is that guy still fine?" Ignoring the people''s discussions, Indo turned his face to glance at Tsukuyo, who was also assigned to the Hiraga group not far away. Just then, the host''s voice sounded again: "First, starting from the preliminaries, everyone will be divided into four groups: the Sheath Flower group, Hyakubai group, Hiraga group, and the Harem group, for those who have captured two or more heroines! Please complete it within your groups; only the winning couples can enter the finals! In other words, representatives from each group will compete to decide who the best heroine is! The winner is the boyfriend who can bring out his girlfriend''s charm during the in-game dates! Now, let the competition begin!" As soon as the host''s voice fell, everyone in the audience took out their game consoles, eagerly operating them with their heads bowed. A man with black-framed glasses, a crew cut, freckles on his face, and a bit overweight kept tapping on the screen of his console with an electronic pen. "Hmph! Let me show you the power of my girlfriend, who has spent over 5000 hours in this game!" The man said excitedly. "The first to act is number 132 of the Hyakubai group," the host explained, and the screen on the stage also showed the image of the game console held by this participant, "Boyfriend power and intimacy are undoubtedly full!" At this moment, on the screen (from the boyfriend''s perspective), the girlfriend of number 132 in the Hyakubai group, Miss Hyakubai, waved her hand and smiled as she ran towards her boyfriend waiting in the park. Miss Hyakubai arrived in front of number 132, blushing slightly, and said in a low voice, "I feel like... there are so few people here... I... can''t hold back anymore!" After hearing this, Kawaki looked incredulous, "Are you that idiot Indo?!" "Believe it or not, I''ll slaughter you right now?" Indo glanced coldly at Kawaki, then chuckled softly, "I knew you didn''t read the Love Showdown''s instructions carefully. There''s a sentence written in the instructions, you know!" "Oh, I see..." Kawaki''s expression turned blank again. "But even a guy like me, who knows nothing about love, knows these things." Indo continued, then glanced at the people in the Hyakubai group beside him, "But then again, are their levels high? Because they had completely lost their fighting spirit over this. Their resilience is too weak; wouldn''t even their mothers be disappointed?" "No, it''s probably because they''re participating in this competition that their mothers are already thoroughly disappointed," Kawaki muttered. "Yeah, can''t deny that." Indo nodded lightly, not denying it. Indo didn''t know that the values on the game console belonging to the Hyakubai held in his arms were rapidly rising. In the blink of an eye, all the values except the level had been increased to the maximum, including the girlfriend''s mood... [Haha, I''ll win for the Hyakubai group...] Number 132 chuckled inwardly, feeling triumphant. Still, just as he finished thinking, he suddenly noticed somethingthat wasSakata Edo and his girlfriend Hyakubai, who were dating in the park scene! At this moment, Sakata Edo mechanically swung his arms, cheeks slightly red, his gaze occasionally avoiding Hyakubai beside him, and Hyakubai, on his side, showed similar behaviour. Every time their eyes met, they would instantly shift their gaze, and their cheeks would blush. "Oh! There''s another boyfriend!" the host continued to explain. "Sakata Edo-kun..." Kondo said, somewhat surprised, then involuntarily widened his eyes, "That... that is!" "What''s going on? This couple is dating, yet they''re not even holding hands!" the host exclaimed again, "Not only that but their boyfriend power and intimacy are also below standard!" "That''s impossible!" Kondo looked astonished, "No matter what, they''ve already sunk to that level!" "It''s Platonic love!" the host explained excitedly, "Completely different from the passionate kiss of number 132!" (Platonic love refers to a purely spiritual love without physical desire.) Seeing this scene, number 132 chuckled inwardly, [Haha, victory is mine.] "Um..." Just then, Sakata Edo suddenly stopped, looking at Hyakubai beside him with a shy expression, and asked shyly, "Are you thirsty? If you''re thirsty, I''ll go buy some drinks..." "It seems unbearable to endure the awkward silence anymore?" "Um, then I''ll go buy some." Hyakubai quickly said, "What would you like to drink, Sakata Edo-kun?" "Um... sorry, then I''ll have tea." Sakata Edo whispered. Two minutes later, Hyakubai returned with a bottle of green tea. After opening the bottle, she handed it to Sakata Edo with both hands, "Here you go~." "Um... Hyakubai, there''s only one bottle..." Sakata Edo accepted the tea and whispered. "Oh, because I also want to drink tea." Hyakubai answered embarrassedly, "It''s okay if we have the same thing, right?" Chapter 562: Dont Change Yourself Deliberately for the Other Party! Chapter 562: Don''t Change Yourself Deliberately for the Other Party! Miss Hyakki Yagyo''s words were like a refreshing whirlwind that instantly swept through the hearts of everyone present except for a few people. Moreover, some were directly blown up to the ceiling by this refreshing whirlwind. "Indirect indirect kiss?!" All the Hyakki Yagyo Group participants were shocked and looked at Shinpachi, who was manipulating the game console. "What... what... what... indirect kiss?!" The members of the Hyakki Yagyo Group were shocked and looked at Shinpachi, who was manipulating the game console. "This is unexpected! Instead of a hot kiss, they used a Platonic indirect kiss to counter it!" The host continued to commentate excitedly. "Why? Indirect kisses can''t even be considered kisses..." One of the participants from the Hyakki Yagyo Group folded his hands in front of his chest with a very longing expression and said with a hint of embarrassment. "But why does it make your heart race faster and feel more real than a kiss over there..." Another participant took over with the same expression, expressing his feelings. "Could it be... Shinpachi-kun..." Suddenly, Kondo thought of something, showing a shocked expression, and explained to himself, "In this venue, from judges to participants, there is undoubtedly a large number of virgins. For virgins, deep kisses are like mythical creatures such as dragons or unicorns..." With that, Kondo clenched his fists and stood before his chest, his expression gradually becoming severe, "But! If it''s an indirect kiss, everyone should have secretly blown the girl''s flute, secretly worn the girl''s sweatpants, and it feels more real than a kiss!" "It''s only you who wore the sweatpants." Gin-chan sarcastically commented from the side of his eye. "The participants of this conference are a bit... unusual..." Hijikata twitched the corners of his mouth and quietly commented while his forehead darkened. Could it be that Shinpachi-kun had seen through this?" Kondo continued to say to himself. Looking at the boyfriend''s perspective with widened bloodshot eyes, holding the tea with both hands, trembling and spilling all the tea on Shinpachi''s face and clothes, Gin-chan complained again, "No matter how you look at it, he''s just a genuine virgin, right? It''s just an indirect kiss in the game; how excited can you be? Basically, indirect is almost the same as kissing!" Before Gin-chan finished speaking, Shinpachi lost his grip due to excessive excitement, and the bottle in his hand fell to the ground. Seeing this, Shinpachi quickly bent down, picked up the bottle, and hurriedly apologised, "I''m sorry! I''ll go buy another bottle right away!" At this moment, Miss Hyakki Yagyo walked over, shook her head gently, and replied softly, "No need." "Ah ah! Completely angered my girlfriend!" Hearing the host''s commentary, No. 132, still kissing, felt relieved: [Won! It''s our Miss Hyakki Yagyo...] Before he could finish his thoughts, No. 132 suddenly widened his eyes and looked incredulously in Shinpachi''s direction. Only to see (from the game''s perspective) Miss Hyakki Yagyo had bent down, and without waiting for Shinpachi''s response, she took the initiative to kiss Shinpachi''s lips gently. Until Miss Hyakki Yagyo finished such a light kiss and stood up, Shinpachi still had a stunned expression and couldn''t react. "I don''t need it anymore~" Miss Hyakki Yagyo stood in place, spun around with one foot, her hands behind her back, and said very cutely, "Because I''m satisfied~." At this moment, all the participants of the Hyakki Yagyo Group, including Kondo, who had somehow mixed in, simultaneously spat out a mouthful of old blood towards the sky. At the same time, belonging to No. 132, the Hyakki Yagyo also shattered into countless pieces and dissipated in the air amidst the breach of No. 132''s psychological defence line. Looking at all the members of the Hyakki Yagyo Group lying on the ground with blood at the corners of their mouths, the host announced loudly, "No. 154! Enter the finals! And without even looking, all members get full marks!" "Ugh... please, give me some support!" "Hahaha... the fate of this conference is intriguing..." "Ahaha... let''s have a drink together next time..." As everyone chatted happily, the Sheath Flower opened her eyes slowly and turned her head slightly towards Sojiro. At this moment, Sojiro, who was seriously protecting the Sheath Flower, didn''t notice the change in her expression, and his expression became even more severe. Looking at Sojiro''s serious expression, the Sheath Flower''s lips curled slightly, revealing a mysterious smile. In Sojiro''s heart, a faint voice seemed to be heard: "You''re too serious... Why don''t you let go of everything and join us...?" Following the faint voice, the scene before him seemed distorted, and then Sojiro''s serious expression gradually disappeared, replaced by a calm expression. At this moment, Sojiro slowly raised his head and looked into the distance. At the same time, the Sheath Flower raised her head slightly and also looked into the distance. At this moment, the camera on the big screen slowly moved away from Sojiro and the Sheath Flower. It began to move towards the distance, showing the situation of the Hyakki Yagyo Group''s conference. There is no suspense in this game... Oh! It seems Miss Hyakki Yagyo is about to appear on the stage!" With the host''s excited voice, the camera on the big screen quickly switched to the Hyakki Yagyo Group''s conference venue. At this moment, Shinpachi, who was originally in the audience, had already appeared on the stage, and in the background, Miss Hyakki Yagyo also appeared in a beautiful dress. Shinpachi, standing on the stage, showed a serious expression, while Miss Hyakki Yagyo showed a confident smile. At this moment, the camera on the big screen switched back to Sojiro and the Sheath Flower, showing a picture of the two of them looking into the distance. "Wow... Sojiro-kun, you''re finally starting to get serious!" A participant from the Sheath Flower Group who was watching the big screen shouted excitedly. "Come on! Sojiro-kun!" Another participant from the Sheath Flower Group also shouted excitedly. "That''s right! Don''t lose to Shinpachi-kun!" "Let''s go! Let''s go, Sojiro-kun!" At this moment, Sojiro and the Sheath Flower also showed a confident smile, as if they had already seen through everything. At the same time, at the Hyakki Yagyo Group''s conference venue, Shinpachi and Miss Hyakki Yagyo showed a confident smile as if they were ready to face everything. At this moment, the atmosphere in the venue became more and more intense, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the final result of this conference. Chapter 563: The Most Important Thing is Heartfelt Intentions! Chapter 563: The Most Important Thing is Heartfelt Intentions! "Why are you ignoring us?!" Shinpachi gritted his teeth and angrily shouted with widened eyes. "That''s right! Is it okay to die without experiencing the cuteness of our young master?!" Toujou, veins popping on his forehead, exclaimed indignantly. "Uh... that..." Tsukuyo pretended to remain calm, crossing one arm over her chest while holding a cigarette in the other hand. Despite her attempt at composure, her face turned completely red, and her voice trembled, "...Daring said that... I should participate..." "That''s enough, Tsuki. You''ve already tried your best." Shinpachi, in a rare display of gentleness, showed a soft expression and patted Tsukuyo''s shoulder, comforting her gently. At this moment, all the judges simultaneously displayed their scorecards... Well, unsurprisingly, they were all zeros. "Hmm, all zeros indeed," the host remarked again. "We haven''t done anything yet!" Gin-chan retorted indignantly with widened eyes. "No, no matter how you look at it, it''s not cute at all," muttered one of the middle-aged judges with a chin scratch. Perhaps only Hijikata noticed the fleeting sense of loss in Tsukuyo''s eyes. "Don''t be ridiculous!" Gin-chan clenched his fist and glared at the judges, his anger evident, "Do you think I participated in this disgusting competition for some trivial reason?!" "Then let me ask you this in return: do you genuinely want to go on a date with Otae?" the judge interjected, crossing his arms and squinting slightly, his tone calm. "Well, that''s not so easy to say..." Gin-chan hesitated momentarily, "Anyway, I want to make it to the finals..." "Do you love Otae?!" another judge continued. Instantly, black lines appeared at the corners of Gin-chan''s eyes, and he sneered, casting a disdainful glance at Otae behind him before straightening up and remaining silent for a few seconds before forcefully and loudly lying, "Of course... I love her! You bastard!" As Gin-chan spoke, the audience fell silent, everyone displaying expressions of extreme shock, mouths half-open, staring blankly at Gin-chan. "Gin-chan... you..." Hijikata widened his eyes, looking incredulous. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Gin-chan scanned the surroundings and couldn''t help but think, [Huh? Hold on, why did the atmosphere suddenly become so serious? Why is only this guy truly understanding what''s going on?] With that thought, Gin-chan glanced at the reluctantly agreeing Shinpachi, the comforting Tsukuyo patting Shinpachi''s shoulder, and the silently tearful Toujou nearby. [Why does he look so unwilling? Why does he seem so understanding? Why is he crying?] Gin-chan was starting to doubt his life, but then he remembered something, twitching his eye corner mechanically as he slowly turned his head to look at Otae. Accidentally making eye contact with Gin-chan, Otae quickly averted her gaze, her face turning red involuntarily. "I... I''m not feeling happy at all..." [You''re blushing for no reason!]Gin-chan''s expression was akin to someone with constipation, his face covered in a cold sweat, as he inwardly pleaded, [Stop it! Please, stop this atmosphere!] "I understand," the host nodded, then spoke again, "Since you''ve said that, please come and prove your words. The date and location of Otae''s group are Dreamland (LOVE World)!" "No. 311 enters into a battle with the manager!" the host explained, "In this case, you must defeat the branch manager first, then the general manager, and the president until you defeat the final boss, Frieza; you can''t return to the date!" Just as the host finished speaking, Toujou was depleted of all HP by the manager and effectively disqualified. "It has completely turned into another game!" Gin-chan grumbled again. "Hey, it turns out that Otae is the worst after all. Amazingly, he can date such a girl," remarked a bespectacled virgin with cat ear accessories, full of disdain. Seeing the outraged virgins, the host shouted passionately once again, "The impression of Otae is getting worse and worse!" "Don''t joke around!" Tsukuyo, stepping forward, operated her game console, "Don''t confuse my Gintoki with that Otae!" "Now it''s the turn of No. 294, who forcibly transformed Otae into Gintae, the couple!" Watching as Toujou forcibly changed Otae into Gintae, causing the entire game screen and operation to be disqualified, Hijikata was speechless. Fortunately, after just a few minutes, Toujou was defeated by the manager. "We... should go next." Tsukuyo''s hands, holding the game console, were still trembling slightly, her eyes gradually turning into mosquito coils, and her beautiful face was completely red. "No. 233, the couple who transformed Otae into Otanari, setting off!" the host announced again, but... Five minutes later... "What''s going on... stopped? Is it a malfunction? It stopped at the hotel entrance and stayed for five minutes, which could be better. If it exceeds five minutes, it will attract security attention! Security is already calling the manager!" Two more minutes later... "Um, that, n-next time I''ll win..." Tsukuyo glanced at Shinpachi beside her with a slightly mysterious look in her eyes, "R-Right?" As the battle music ended, the host announced the results bluntly, "Only one couple left!" "Wait a minute," Hijikata raised a sign that read "Heartfelt Intentions - 100P" and spoke up, "What do you mean it''s over? No, we haven''t lost yet." "It''s the harem group''s Mr. Hijikata! Mr. Hijikata from the harem group has expressed opposition and given 100 points for heartfelt intentions!" "You..." Tsukuyo looked at Hijikata with some disbelief. "Although there are many things I want to say, the most important thing is..." Hijikata put down the sign, scratched his head, and then looked at the host, "Can this boring competition be stopped? What is this nonsense about my wife being the number one martial artist in the world? What kind of disgusting event is this? There''s no such disgusting event in real life. What exactly are you trying to compare? The charm of your wife?" "Um, Mr. Hijikata?" the host cautiously called out. "Shut up," Hijikata gave the host a cold glance, then continued, "Ah, it''s troublesome. To participate in such a disgusting event for something like that, a competition for the charm of one''s girlfriend? A competition where people joyfully accept others'' criticisms of their girlfriends? Is that what this is? Sakamoto? Katsura? Do you understand what having a girlfriend means?" With that, Hijikata glanced at Sakamoto and Katsura on the stage, then looked at the people below, "And you guys, innocence should have its limits, right? Why don''t you have girlfriends? Is it because of these disgusting thoughts of yours, because you start to resent your girlfriend when you see others'' girlfriends'' charm, and then... meddle in others'' relationships... Hey, hey, ease up a bit, will you? Do you understand what it means to have a girlfriend?" Chapter 564: Before You Learn to Love, Learn to Bless Others Happiness! Chapter 564: Before You Learn to Love, Learn to Bless Others'' Happiness! "Kawaki, no matter what, what you said is too harsh..." Gintoki reminded with a frown. "No, not harsh at all," Kawaki replied casually. "It''s just the truth. People who lose their love over such things are just scum. From the beginning, I''ve been wondering what the point of this tournament is. If you really want to decide a winner, it should be about your love for your girlfriends! You guys are the worst!" "Excuse me! Kawaki-san! My love for Miss Baimai will not lose to anyone!" Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and declared earnestly. "Huh? Really?" Kawaki dug his ear and then glanced at the host. "Hey, can we announce the results now?" "Eh? Now? Although the final match is just a formality, but now..." "Yeah, now, I can''t wait anymore," Kawaki waved his hand impatiently. "Then, the final match winner is... Kawaki from the Harem Team!!" the host announced loudly. "What?!" Instantly, everyone expressed their confusion. "Sorry, Shinpachi, the result of this match was decided from the start," Kawaki continued. "It''s hard to accept, right? Of course, because this competition wasn''t about love, but simply... a contest of the girlfriend''s charm." With that, the big screen split into three parts, each recording the values from Kawaki''s three gaming devices. Apart from Hirako''s value, the other two... were at max, including the charm value. "Almost forgot, there''s one more person," Kawaki turned to the gentle Hirako behind him. "Sorry, I broke your O-Form." When Kawaki finished speaking, a dazzling light emerged from around Hirako. After two seconds, a beautiful, long-haired woman appeared before everyone when the light dissipated. "It''s... it''s okay," Hirako lowered her head, blushing slightly. "Who... who is that?!" Gintoki ranted wildly. "Who is this woman?! Why can an apology transform her like that? Why is an apology more effective than full-body plastic surgery?!" Gintoki mimicked Kawaki''s expression and tone, "Sorry, I broke your O-Form." However... it had no effect at all. "Not working at all!" Gintoki yelled, grabbing his head in frustration. "See," Kawaki pointed to the screen showing everyone''s MAX charm value, then to Baimai and the other two glowing in gold next to him, shrugging, "Is there any need to continue the charm contest?" "No... no way, Miss Baimai can''t lose to... Kawaki-san..." Shinpachi fell to his knees, clutching his head in despair. "And me, I haven''t given up easily, boss," Sougo smirked. I''ve always wanted to challenge the boss, my S against your S. Let''s see who''s better." "Stop it. I won''t play such a boring training game with a woman I like. Besides, you just treat her as a toy, right?" Kawaki waved his hand, kindly reminding, "By the way, a kind reminder, treating women as toys has serious consequences." Gintoki watched Shinpachi on stage, unable to accept the situation, and said calmly, "Stand up, Shinpachi, it''s not over. This is just the beginning for you. Someday, you''ll truly love someone from the heart." "Gin-san..." Shinpachi looked up at Gintoki, stunned. "So don''t just play games, face reality too." "Mm!" At that moment, the host, after discussing with the judges, returned to the stage and called out to Kawaki, "Mr. Kawaki over there, are you really forfeiting? The judges unanimously agreed to rename this contest from ''My Wife is the Best'' to ''Love for Wife is the Best.''" Hearing this, Kawaki stopped at the door and raised his hand without turning back: "If it''s that kind of contest, I wouldn''t even pass the preliminaries. Goodbye..." "What a pity, then... for the championship, the finals continue!" the host announced. "But the rules have changed to a contest of love for the girlfriend! Ready?!" "Oh!!" Kawaki, who had unknowingly returned to the audience, raised his fist and shouted. After a long silence, the host looked expressionlessly at Kawaki, "Mr. Kawaki?" "Don''t mind it, just kidding," Kawaki chuckled. "The real competition starts now!" "Uh, if I remember correctly, you said you don''t love your girlfriends..." Shinpachi murmured, adjusting his glasses. "You remembered wrong." Kawaki denied this without hesitation and then opened his arms to embrace Baimai, Shoko, and Hirako. "Of course I love... all three of you." "Dear~" The three instantly clung to Kawaki, rubbing against him desperately. Remembering Kawaki''s words, "I consider myself a mature adult, but I can''t say I like someone I don''t feel for," Gintoki retorted expressionlessly, "Where''s the mature adult?" "Going back..." Tsukuyo''s voice suddenly came from behind Kawaki. Half a minute later, everyone stared expressionlessly at Kawaki being dragged by Tsukuyo. Several kunai were stuck in his head, and his eyes were rolling white and occasionally twitching. "Mr. Kawaki?" the host called weakly. "Wa...wait... for me... I''ll... be back..." Kawaki said weakly, leaving a long trail of blood. "Undoubtedly, it''s love," Gintoki commented. "Yes, love for the game," Shinpachi added quietly. Chapter 565: Reality Plus Embellishment Equals Fiction! Chapter 565: Reality Plus Embellishment Equals Fiction! On the streets of Edo, in a particular restaurant. "Do not search." Katsura held up a sign that read "Do not search" and began to ramble, "In Elizabeth''s room, I only found this signboard. It tells me not to search, but what exactly should I not search for? Or is it that I should not go searching at all, because if I do, I might find something that shouldn''t be found? So what is it that shouldn''t be found, or should I find someone willing to help search and then decide whether to search for what shouldn''t be found, or is it better not to find that thing? I am looking for someone willing to help find the answer, but if even that isn''t something that shouldn''t be found, then I have to search, search, search for someone who can find the person who can find the thing that shouldn''t be found, and... ugh!" Before Katsura could finish, Gintoki, sitting across from him, and Kawaki, sitting beside him, simultaneously delivered a kick and a punch. Gintoki''s boot landed squarely on Katsura''s right cheek, while Kawaki''s fist hit his left cheek. "So annoying!/Shut up!" Gintoki and Kawaki said in unison. "Why did you get lost in the labyrinth of ''Do not search''?" Shinpachi, sitting next to Gintoki, holding a soda, half-closed his eyes in exasperation. "Do not search..." Katsura mumbled, lying on the table, blood still trickling from his nose. "Who''s going to search for you?" Gintoki retorted, then casually analysed, "It''s just that, running away from home, running away from home." "Elizabeth ran away from home?!" Instantly, Katsura sat up, slamming his hands on the table, and passionately argued, "Impossible! There''s no reason to break up our relationship! The last time I saw Elizabeth was..." Katsura suddenly paused, his voice weakening, "The last... the last time I saw Elizabeth was when?" "You don''t even remember?!" Shinpachi ranted wildly. "Didn''t you notice right away that he was missing?" Kagura, sitting next to Gintoki, having just finished an unknown number of bowls of pork cutlet rice, rubbed her overly exaggerated belly and asked, then burped. "The universe is full of illnesses we don''t understand..." is the doctor''s catchphrase. While travelling the universe, the female doctor meets a wandering man named Kawaki. "Like two lone wolves attracted to each other..." The two journey together, visiting many planets and seeing many rare diseases. The doctor is kind-hearted, always treating the poor for free. In the process, they develop a special bond. However, after winning the title of the universe''s number one doctor, Kawaki leaves without saying goodbye. The middle part''s story is heartwarming and daily. It places little emphasis on their relationship and focuses more on the strange diseases they encounter. "This is completely wrong! What''s with the lone wolves?" Kawaki closed the novel, veins popping as he ranted, "When did she say she wanted to be the universe''s number one?! She''s a plastic surgeon! The ending is wrong too! The male lead dumped her, not the other way around! Why is she the only cool one? The male lead is useless! And... this feels like plagiarism, doesn''t it? The style is totally copying Mushishi!" "Well, there''s still the third part. My sister and I like the third part the most," Shinpachi reassured. "Wait a minute..." Kawaki suddenly realised, "Your sister... has read this novel too? Is this novel... already spreading around Edo?" "It''s a bestseller in all the bookstores in Edo now!" Shinpachi replied, "I heard they''re even planning to make a movie." "Who approved that?!" Kawaki yelled, veins popping. After skimming through the third part of the last section, Kawaki took a deep breath... "It''s all made up!" Chapter 566: A Cliché Plot that Still Wins Popularity Chapter 566: A Cliche? Plot that Still Wins Popularity The third part of this novel, or the final section, is also from a female perspective. However, compared to the first two parts, this one focuses more on the romance between the female and male protagonists. And since the female protagonist is non-human, it adds some extra intrigue. The story is simple: the female protagonist, a yokai (supernatural creature), lives in the untouched wilderness, far from human society. One day, while soaking in a hot spring as usual, she encounters the male protagonist who has wandered into her realm. Their story begins here. The opening is somewhat cliche?d, involving a misunderstanding at the hot spring. The story remains readable despite this trope because the female lead is a yokai. As they spend time together, the nai?ve female protagonist gradually falls for the man who accidentally entered her world, and the man is also drawn to her. Everything progresses naturally. They start from misunderstandings and gradually move closer to each other. The female protagonist takes the male protagonist to places only Yokai can go, such as the demon world. But the man''s favourite thing is the wine the woman personally pours for him every night, along with her homemade meals. Unfortunately, the good times don''t last. One day, the man suddenly says he has to leave. The woman firmly decides to go with him. But... the man refuses. One night, the man leaves the woman behind and departs alone. The woman wakes up to an empty pillow beside her and can''t let go of the loss. She searches for him for a long time in the human world but never finds him. When the woman meets the man again... it''s ten years later. Seeing the man lying in a rundown hut, on the verge of death, the woman cries out, "Why? Why didn''t you tell me you were terminally ill?" "I... never loved you," the man says resolutely. The woman knows the man just wants her to forget him, so she stays by his side, caring for him. The man constantly tries to drive her away during this time, even saying harsh words. But until the man''s last moment, the woman doesn''t leave him for a second. Finally, at the end of his life, the man looks at the woman with the same gentle eyes he had when they were in love. "I really... want to taste the wine you pour for me again..." With that, a tear slowly rolls down the man''s cheek, and he closes his eyes. "If there''s a next life, I... will pour wine for you for a lifetime..." The end. "End my foot!" Kawaki ripped the novel in half, shouting angrily, "Who''s terminally ill? Who died? And who wants to drink that awful wine you pour? Who fell in love with you? Where''s the hot spring? Enough already! Stupid fox!" Seeing Kawaki''s crazed expression, Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and commented expressionlessly, "He seems really angry. But based on Kawaki-san''s reaction, the last part must be entirely fictional." "Tsuku-tsuku!!" Kawaki shouted, sliding open the door to Tsukuyo''s room. "What''s with this novel?" Tsukuyo, who was in her underwear and untying her bra strap, froze, staring blankly at Kawaki at the door. The air... froze. About zero-point-one seconds later, Tsukuyo''s face turned as red as blood, and her eyes started spinning like pinwheels. "Sorry. I didn''t see anything..." With that, Kawaki bowed his head and closed the door, then turned around and ran as if his life depended on it. However... Kawaki underestimated Tsukuyo''s speed. Just as he was about to reach the corridor''s corner, with a shout of "Die!!" and the sound of kunai, Kawaki was struck down, kunai sticking out of his back and head, rolling his eyes. Ten minutes later. Tied up tightly and bleeding from countless wounds, Kawaki smiled apologetically at Tsukuyo, who was sharpening kunai with a cold gaze. "Uh... I really didn''t see anything, so can you stop?" Tsukuyo''s sharpening speed increased. "I saw it, I saw it! I definitely saw it!" Kawaki quickly corrected himself, "It''s my fault, it''s my fault!" Tsukuyo''s sharpening speed slowed. "Tsuku-tsuku, I have something to ask you." Kawaki rolled on the floor. "What is it? Tell me in the afterlife," Tsukuyo''s eyes were cold. "What''s with this?" Kawaki pointed with his bound hand at the fallen copy of "The Kawaki Tales." "It came from Yoshiwara, right? Did you do it? If it was you, we''re even, so..." "No, not me," Tsukuyo replied indifferently. "Was it Hinowa?" "No," Tsukuyo replied. "The author has nothing to do with Yoshiwara." "Then who is it?" "See for yourself." Two minutes later, Kawaki''s roar echoed from Tsukuyo''s room. "Tatsuma!!" Chapter 567: The Novel You Are Reading Is That Kind of Novel Chapter 567: The Novel You Are Reading Is That Kind of Novel Meanwhile, on the main ship of the Quick Response Team orbiting Earth, a man with messy hair and sunglasses standing in the control room suddenly sneezed. "Hahaha, feels like Miss A''Liang is thinking about me, hahaha..." Sakamoto rubbed the back of his head and giggled, then decided on his own, "Alright! Decided! For now, let''s head back to the Smile Bar..." Before he could finish, Sakamoto was struck in the groin and fell to the ground, clutching himself and twitching slightly. "What... are you doing, Mutsu..." Sakamoto turned around, looking at the culprit of the painful blow. "Is this the time for such things?" Mutsu took a step forward, delivering another kick without glancing at Sakamoto. "Target lost!" reported a member of the Quick Response Team in charge of radar search from the control console. "Captain, this is..." "Completely hidden in the darkness?" Sakamoto stood up, clutching his groin, and glanced at the radar screen before the member smirked slightly and commented softly, "The Phantom Mercenary Tribe is no joke~." "Is this the time to be impressed?" Mutsu retorted. "No need to worry," Sakamoto said nonchalantly, crossing his arms as he looked out the window at the blue planet. That planet has them, after all." ... At this moment, on Earth, in Kabukicho Park, Edo. Katsura rode a white horse, wearing armor and a headband specific to Joi Patriots. One hand held the reins, the other raised high with a sword, shouting, "Charge! Attack the universe!!" By the way, Katsura also had a white flag with "Galactic Unmatched" written on it tied next to him. Seeing the unruly white horse neighing and jumping around, Kagura, standing beside it, retorted, "Zura, you can''t reach the universe on that white wooden horse." As Kagura finished speaking, the white horse threw Katsura off and, with a neigh, kicked him away with its hind legs. "Oh, it''s that kind of launching device," Gintoki muttered to himself, then turned away along with Shinpachi and Kagura, giving a half-hearted cheer, "With that, maybe you can really reach the universe. Good luck." Lying on the ground, twitching and bleeding from his mouth, Katsura struggled to raise his hand, "Wait... wait, you guys, how can you ignore the crisis of Earth''s survival? Are you still samurai?" "If ''keeping a pet instead of recognizing it''s an alien invader'' is considered samurai, then I quit," Shinpachi retorted expressionlessly. The story started after Kawaki left the restaurant. With his not-so-bright mind and many writing boards at home, Katsura finally remembered the last time he saw Elizabeth. A woman in the same white suit as Elizabeth, with big red lips and a red bow on her head, appeared and explained the truth behind Elizabeth''s sudden departure. In the next moment... Standing on a swing, Fujiko shouted, "Oh my, didn''t you notice? There''s a celestial maiden flying above you~" Lying under the swing, nose bleeding, eyes following Fujiko''s movements, Gintoki thought in shock, "So fast! It instantly turned into this indecent relationship!" "What do you mean so fast?! You clearly ran over to peep!" Shinpachi angrily retorted. "What a pity!" With that, Gintoki instantly vanished. In the next moment... "You''ve been a pervert from the start!" Shinpachi retorted again. "Didn''t expect Earth to have such loose men, really surprising~" Fujiko, shaking hands with Gintoki, praised sincerely. "Misspelled!" Shinpachi retorted vehemently, "What are you two acknowledging each other for?! How are you shaking hands?!" "Understanding other races in a short time." Katsura walked over, looking serious, "If we talk to Elizabeth, we can surely reconcile!" "They haven''t said a word to each other," Shinpachi retorted again. "Anyway, we need a battle plan." Katsura rubbed his chin, thinking to himself. In the next moment, Katsura, Gintoki, and Kagura lay on the ground, looking up at the scenery inside Fujiko''s suit. "Well then, use me as a map to plan the battle." "So, about that," Katsura tentatively said, "If we consider this as the universe..." "What are you talking about?" Gintoki scolded, "A woman''s body is already a universe." "No universe, only a forest," Kagura retorted. Unable to bear it, Shinpachi turned to the sky and shouted, "Elizabeth! You can destroy Earth now!" As Shinpachi finished, he heard a loud crash and the screams of Gintoki and the others behind him, instantly leaving him expressionless. Chapter 568: When Troublesome People Carry Troublesome Things, Only Trouble Ensues Chapter 568: When Troublesome People Carry Troublesome Things, Only Trouble Ensues After a few seconds of silence, Shinpachi mechanically turned around slowly. Seeing the flattened ground, his face twisted into a look of constipation-like discomfort. "You''ve got to be kidding! They''re really attacking! They''re actually invading Earth!" At that moment, a spaceship slowly descended above Shinpachi''s head, and a broadcast announced, "Captain! Obstruction cleared!" "Hahaha, is that so, is that so? Then prepare to land... whoa!!" Seeing Mutsu jump down from the spaceship and land heavily in front of him, Shinpachi''s mouth hung open, his face twitching in disbelief. "What are you doing?" Mutsu looked disdainfully at Sakamoto, who she had landed on, "Are you trying to destroy Edo before those guys arrive?" "Huh?" Shinpachi snapped out of it, his eyes wide, staring blankly at Sakamoto and Mutsu before him, "You... you''re...!!" "Hahaha, hahaha..." Sakamoto stood up, unfazed by the blood streaming down his forehead, giggling as he rubbed the back of his head, "Long time no see. How many chapters has it been? The air on Earth is indeed refreshing." "Sa... Sakamoto-san, Mutsu-san!!" "Hahaha, hahaha, hahaha... whoa!" "Long time no see, Tatsuma..." Kawaki, who had appeared behind Sakamoto, kicked him to the ground and stomped on his head, grinning widely with a cold glint in his eyes, "Welcome to... hell." "Hahaha, still joking as usual, Kawaki," Tatsuma forced a smile, turning his face to the side, "It''s Earth, Earth, not hell. Hahaha..." "No, for you, it''s hell, you bastard..." Kawaki gritted his teeth, bent down, grabbed Sakamoto''s hair, and lifted him, "Did you do it on purpose? Just because you haven''t appeared in a while, you did this on purpose? Do you really want me to kill you?" "It hurts, it hurts, my hair''s going to come off," Sakamoto struggled, tears glistening, "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I finally got some screen time, hahaha..." "Is that so? You don''t remember? Let me help you recall..." Veins bulging on his forehead, Kawaki raised his leg and kicked Sakamoto in the groin. "Aaaah!!" Sakamoto screamed in pain. "Nice shot. It looks like he won''t recover anytime soon," Mutsu nodded approvingly, rubbing her chin. Five minutes later, seeing Sakamoto tortured beyond recognition, a compassionate Shinpachi tried to reason with Kawaki, "Uh, Kawaki-san, maybe you should pause for a bit. There are more important things than your anger right now." "It''ll be over soon. Just taking out the trash." Kawaki didn''t look back, continuing to kick Sakamoto. Realising Kawaki wouldn''t listen, Shinpachi turned to Mutsu, "Uh, Mutsu-san, why is the Quick Response Team here?" "Oh..." Mutsu finally remembered her original purpose. " It looks like we made it in time, so that''s good." "Did you make it in time?" Shinpachi''s expression grew serious. "Do you also know Earth is being invaded?" "Wait... stop... whoa! Stop... for a moment... whoa!" Still being beaten by Kawaki, Sakamoto mumbled incoherently, "Earth... whoa! Earth is being invaded! We need to... pause for a moment... whoa!" "That doesn''t matter!" Kawaki growled, "I''d rather send you to a safer placehellbefore Earth gets destroyed, you bastard!!" "It''s true, Kawaki-san!" Shinpachi urgently pleaded, "Now''s not the time for this. Calm down!" "Mmph mmph mmph!" Sakamoto struggled, but it was futile. "Alright, let''s go somewhere more fun." Kawaki squatted down, whispering in Sakamoto''s ear with a sly smile, "I guarantee you''ll like it~" "Mmph mmph mmph! (Is it the Smile Bar?!)" "Stop fooling around, Kawaki-san!" Shinpachi shouted, "This is a critical moment for Earth''s survival!" "Good luck~" Kawaki waved cheerfully to the ascending crew. "The enemy can erase memories!" Shinpachi shouted desperately. Instantly, Kawaki''s expression changed. Grabbing the rope tied to Sakamoto, he jumped and caught the last rung of the rope ladder. "Why are you here too?" Kawaki asked Tsukuyo, who was above him, expressionless. "When did you change your panties? That was fast!" "Die!!" "Ah!" ... On TV, Hana, wearing a raincoat and holding an umbrella, reported seriously from Edo''s chaotic streets: "As you can see, the streets are in chaos. People drenched by the rain have mask-like expressions and can only communicate using writing boards. What''s going on? What happened in Edo?" Turning back to look at the fleeing crowd, Hana continued. "Hana, is it true that getting rained on causes those symptoms?" the studio anchor asked. At that moment, a car sped past, splashing water all over Hana. Now looking like Elizabeth, Hana faced the camera and held up a writing board: "Return to the studio." On the Quick Response Team''s spaceship, orbiting Earth, Katsura watched the TV broadcast with a severe expression, "Hey... hey! What''s going on?" "So many Elizabeths, so many..." Kagura stared at the screen in shock. "One, two, three..." Katsura counted on his fingers, falling asleep after the third. Kawaki and Kagura beside him also dozed off. "The seeds have sprouted. The seeds they planted," Mutsu said solemnly, looking at the mysterious cloud covering Earth from the window, "When that cloud covers the entire planet, Earth will fall into Renpou''s hands." "So, this rain is from Elizabeth and the others..." Shinpachi turned to Mutsu and the still-bound Sakamoto. "But before that, how did you know about our plan?" Fujiko asked Mutsu. "Mmph mmph mmph!" Sakamoto struggled again, but it was useless. "What''s wrong? Do I need to use the bathroom?" Kawaki asked nonchalantly. If so, just do it in your pants." Chapter 569: The Galactic Wanderers Stay Chapter 569: The Galactic Wanderer''s Stay Previously in our story Breasts are the righteous path of the world! Big breasts are wealth! Undoubtedly! In the Edo period, within the Shogunate, there was a powerful faction that supported politics by dispatching assassins and nurturing breasts. Its name was "Shut up!!" Gintoki and Shinpachi simultaneously flew over and kicked Kawaki to the side. "What are you doing?" Kawaki rubbed his head, struggling to get up, "I was just explaining the worldview of our story to any new readers who might be here." "Except for the word ''Edo,'' everything else is made up! It''s all your delusions!" Shinpachi pointed at Kawaki, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes red with anger. "Is this the time to be saying such things?! The Earth is about to be doomed!" "I really shouldn''t have lent you the DVD of ''Magic Secret Sword.''" Gintoki sneered disdainfully. "You''re the culprit?!" Shinpachi ranted loudly, spitting as he spoke. As soon as Shinpachi finished speaking, Gintoki and Kawaki, with kunai stuck in their foreheads, simultaneously rolled their eyes and fell straight to the ground. "Stop fooling around, we still have serious matters to attend to." Tsukuyo crossed her arms with one hand, lightly pinching her pipe with the other, exhaling a puff of smoke. "As expected of the strongest woman in the Magic School..." Kawaki murmured, rolling his eyes. "Who''s that kind of woman?!" Tsukuyo yelled, her eyes wide. Seeing Kawaki and Tsukuyo arguing again, Shinpachi tried to mediate, "Let''s not argue during this crisis, Kawaki-san, Tsukuyo-san." Saying this, Shinpachi crouched down and pulled the towel out of Sakamoto''s mouth, asking again, "Sakamoto-san, why do you know about Renpou''s plan?" "Hahaha, hahaha..." Sakamoto giggled, responding, "We are the Quick Response Team that travels the universe. Knowing this information is natural. Besides, I''m the one who sent those monsters to Earth. Hahaha..." Instantly, Kawaki and the others'' faces turned dark expressionless as they stared at the still-laughing Sakamoto. Flashback to Sakamoto''s Memory "Quick Response Team Log, X Month X Day. We welcomed a high-ranking official from a particular country to discuss matters on our ship..." Holding a vomit bag, Sakamoto, with a pale face, occasionally threw up. Behind him, Mutsu sat on a cushion, while across the table sat Renpou''s actual manager, Midakuma, dressed in a black suit contrasting with Elizabeth''s usual white suit. "Alright, I understand." Sakamoto, vomiting for an hour, reached out and shook hands with Midakuma, "Deal is done." "Huh?" Mutsu, behind Sakamoto, was momentarily confused. "In an hour of silent discussion, the deal was made." "It starts with seasickness and ends with seasickness." Shinpachi retorted mercilessly. "This guy''s job is to transport pathogens from space to Earth using his groin." Mutsu said coldly. "Hahaha, Mutsu, I''ll kill you. Ouch! It hurts, it hurts! Stop! It''s snapping, really snapping!" With a snap, Sakamoto rolled his eyes and fell silent. "It''s okay now." Kawaki clapped his hands and stood up. "What''s okay? It''s over, right? Sakamoto-san''s life and groin are both over." Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and retorted expressionlessly, looking at Sakamoto with his legs tied behind his head. "Something felt wrong, and after investigating, it turned out to be like this." Mutsu said solemnly, closing her eyes. At this moment, Fujiko, who had been looking around the ship, realised, "Speaking of which, I didn''t notice when boarding, this is the ship from back then." "Now, on Earth, because of the seeds we sent and the scouts planted, everyone has turned into Elizabeths and can''t speak." Mutsu''s expression grew more serious, "But that''s just the first stage of their plan. They intend to blunt Earth''s information network and launch a full-scale attack. We must stop them. No, just touching your conscience will make you realize we have a duty to do so." "What does it have to do with us?!" Gintoki ranted angrily, veins bulging, "It''s basically all your fault!" "There''s no time to complain. The only ones who can stop them are us here." Mutsu replied. "I see," Fujiko said, arms crossed, eyes closed, "This ship carries the last hope of warriors, like Noah''s Ark." "No, my conscience says there''s no guilt even if we ignore it." Kawaki placed one hand on his chest and raised the other slightly, speaking casually, "And... I''m not a warrior. So, if there''s nothing else, give me the memory-erasing drug. I''m going back." "Wait a minute, Kawaki." Having reset his waist, Sakamoto stood up and addressed Kawaki and Gintoki, "Kintoki..." "I told you, my name''s not Kintoki..." Gintoki said impatiently. Sakamoto looked at Katsura, who was snoring with drool from a dozen Elizabeths around him, "And Zura, it''s no coincidence you boarded this ship. The only idiots who can fight aliens are you." "It''s not a coincidence," Kawaki squinted, tilting his head, smiling coldly at Sakamoto. It''s your fault I came here." "Hahaha," Sakamoto, remembering something, proudly rubbed the back of his head. It was well written, right? I heard it sold well, and there are plans to make it into a movie. Hahaha..." Boom! Kawaki grabbed Sakamoto''s head and slammed it against the window, gritting his teeth, "Do you want to die in space, you bastard?!" "Hahaha, I just wrote down what your ex-girlfriends said." Sakamoto explained. "Do you think I believe that?!" "The third part, I don''t know where it came from, but the first two are true." Mutsu raised her hand. "Those two damned women...!" Kawaki''s expression turned fierce again, his fists cracking. Chapter 570: How to Seal the Deal: Offer What the Other Party Wants Chapter 570: How to Seal the Deal: Offer What the Other Party Wants In the hallway of the Quick Response Team''s ship, Kawaki stood by the window, silently gazing at the vast, dark expanse of space. Beside him, Tsukuyo stood tall, holding her pipe with one hand and crossing her arms with the other, her impressive chest puffing out as she exhaled clouds of smoke. "I''ve warned you before," Kawaki said calmly, "following me will only lead to trouble, like now." Tsukuyo scoffed softly but didn''t respond. "Everyone associated with me is just a bunch of idiots," Kawaki continued his tone casual, "Idiots who''d even give away Earth. You don''t need to get involved in these idiotic matters. Just protect what you want to protect." "There are things I want to protect here too," Tsukuyo finally spoke. Kawaki was silent momentarily, then chuckled lightly before heading toward the control room, waving his hand. "You''d better forget about those meaningless things because one day you''ll realize they''re pointless." "I''ll judge that for myself." "Suit yourself. But don''t come complaining to me when you regret it." As Kawaki walked away leisurely, Tsukuyo watched him, lost in thought. As Kawaki disappeared down the corridor, Sakamoto''s voice rang out behind Tsukuyo. "That guy hasn''t changed at all; he''s still as hard to understand as ever, hahaha." Sakamoto rubbed the back of his head, laughing foolishly. "Back during the war, and even now, I could never figure out what direction he''s looking at. Maybe there''s no such direction at all, just..." "There is," Tsukuyo interrupted, exhaling a puff of secondhand smoke, "I don''t know for sure, but from the moment I met him until now, that man has never stopped moving forward, walking alone without looking back." She remembered when Kawaki slaughtered the Tendoshu. His eyes had no light, but perhaps his direction was so clear that he could cut down anyone in his way without hesitation. "I see..." Sakamoto murmured, then said, "Looks like you''re closer to him than we old friends are, hahaha." Tsukuyo didn''t respond; instead, she started to stroll in the direction Kawaki had gone, holding her pipe. "Please take care of him," Sakamoto said more seriously, "After all, you might be the closest to him now." Tsukuyo paused briefly but then continued walking as usual. Watching her back, Sakamoto mused, "She''s a fine woman. But why does Kawaki always meet such good women? It''s both baffling and a bit enviable, hahaha, hahaha..." He pulled out a copy of "The Kawaki Tales" and flipped to the last page, "So the ending... is death? She reminded us in this way. Quite a woman. But seriously, Kawaki, you really can handle anything, even yokai?" "Hey, we''ve made contact with Renpou''s mothership." Mutsu''s voice suddenly came from nearby. Sakamoto looked out the window at the increasingly close mothership, which looked like a small planet, "Guess I''d better focus on the task at hand, hahaha..." Dressed in a long-haired Elizabeth suit, Katsura stood at the railing, looking down and murmuring, "This is the mothership''s home base, like a fortress, and so many Elizabeths..." He began counting on his fingers, "One Elizabeth, two Elizabeths, three Elizabeths..." Seeing Katsura start to get sleepy from counting again, Gintoki expressionlessly jabbed Katsura in the groin, causing him to collapse slowly. "I told you not to count. If you fall asleep here, the plan''s ruined." Gintoki said in disgust, wiping the blood from his hand on his pants. "Listen up, we need to stay unnoticed and blend in with their actions, Katsura-shiro." "No, it''s not Katsura-shiro, it''s Katsura-beth!" Katsura struggled to get up and corrected him. "Gin-beth, use writing boards to communicate." Also in a suit, Sakamoto raised a board, "Speaking carelessly will expose our identities. Absolutely no talking..." "I... _()vomit..." Watching Sakamoto vomit while holding up the board, Gintoki ranted, "Not just your identity, you''re exposing all sorts of gross things!" "I forgot to take my seasickness medicine." Sakamoto, still vomiting, raised another board, "I... I can''t stand this strange smell, but I can''t help wanting to ride the ship." "This ship''s huge, and you''re still seasick? You should stop riding ships!" Gintoki ranted again. "Sakamoto! Haven''t you cured your seasickness?" Katsura asked in surprise, helping Sakamoto up, "I told you, if you''re dizzy, open the window, look far, and take deep breaths." With a ripping sound, Katsura tore Sakamoto''s suit from the mouth to the feet, exposing him completely. "What window are you opening?!" Gintoki ranted, eyes white, "That makes the disguise pointless!" "Not that window, Katsura." Kawaki shook his head, squatted before Sakamoto, and unzipped his pants, "This one!" "That''s even worse!" Gintoki ranted again. "What are you talking about? Pants zippers are society''s windows." Kawaki stood up, spread his hands, and explained, then looked down and smiled at Sakamoto''s crotch, "Come on, let''s get some fresh air, O-Sakamoto." "Although you''re right, this isn''t the time!" Gintoki argued, then noticed Sakamoto leaning on the railing, gazing into the distance like O-Sakamoto. Instantly, he felt worse, "Don''t gaze into the distance! Not like that! Looking from below, people will see something very inappropriate!" At that moment, Shinpachi, dressed only in white underwear and painted white, stood in front of Aru-shiro (Kagura), Tsuku-shiro (Tsukuyo), and Fujiko, and reminded them, "Gin-san, Kawaki-san, can we hurry up? We''re ready." "Sorry, let''s get going." Gintoki said casually. "Go where?" Shinpachi ranted, veins bulging, "Rant properly, damn it! Why am I the only one in white underwear and paint? Why is my disguise the only one not prepared?!" Chapter 571: In a Panic, People Always Grab the Wrong Things! Chapter 571: In a Panic, People Always Grab the Wrong Things! "Huh?! Could it be you''re Shinpachi?!" Gintoki exclaimed in surprise, "I didn''t notice you at all. This should definitely work, right?" "Ah, don''t worry," Sakamoto replied, "Until you spoke, I didn''t even realize you were there." "It''s like you appeared out of thin air. Impressive, Shinpachi-kun," Kawaki smiled with his arms crossed, "When did you learn invisibility? Was it during a hot spring bath, Hanzou-kun?" (Note: Hanzou refers to Hasegawa Hanzou, the protagonist of the TV series "Invisible Man." Just a reminder, it''s not the kind of invisible man you might think of!) "Who''s Hanzou-kun?" Shinpachi retorted with disdain, two large veins popping on his forehead, "How insignificant am I? Do I really have the presence of an invisible man? And Kagura-chan, Tsukuyo-san, can you two stop whispering about being cautious of me during baths? I wouldn''t do such a thing!" Katsura chuckled and praised, "Don''t worry, even I, who has done many disguises, must admit your disguise is perfect. This will definitely work, Toshio-kun!" (Note: Toshio refers to Saeki Toshio, the beloved son of Kayako from the movie "The Grudge," a pure and cute little boy.) "Who''s Toshio?!" Shinpachi ranted again, "Seeing me as Toshio is already unacceptable! Do you want me to curse you to death?! You idiot squad!" At this point, Fujiko closed her eyes and said, "I have no choice, my clothes are bigger, so you can come in." The next moment, as Fujiko sat on Shinpachi''s face, causing him to have a nosebleed, Gintoki spat angrily, "Where do you want him to go?! The white devil has turned into Char''s custom red, you slut!" Seeing Shinpachi lying on the ground, blood pouring from his nose, Gintoki sighed and frowned at Kagura, "That''s enough, Kagura. You let him in too, didn''t you? Isn''t it too big?" "No, I won''t," Kagura refused with a look of disdain, "Arushiro has been customized for my use." Shinpachi, covering his still-bleeding nose, got up and calmly announced his offer. "Five vinegar kelp." "Can''t be helped," Kagura placed her hands on her hips, "If you give me ten, I''ll help you." Tsukuyo pointed at Kagura and looked at Kawaki. "Just pretend you don''t know. I had nothing to do with forming these values." Kawaki looked away. The next moment... Shinpachi, carrying Kagura on his shoulder, his upper body protruding from Arushiro''s head, ranted furiously, "What''s the difference from before?! At the very least, hide my head! Shinpachi is sticking out! It''s all exposed!" "Shut up," Kagura said with disdain and impatience, "If you get a nosebleed again down there, it''ll be disgusting." "Who would get a nosebleed because of you?! You idiot!" "Huh?!" Instantly annoyed, Kagura walked to a nearby railing, peeking over, "Did you say something?!" "Ahhhh!!" Seeing the abyss below, Shinpachi screamed. Seeing the Sugoroku map filled with unmentionable shop names, Shinpachi mentally ranted, [Stop it, you idiots! What kind of Sugoroku map is that?! Can anyone complete a whole round?! Two rounds would kill you!] "Unfortunately, due to lubricant, I can''t roll the dice next turn." Tsukuyo raised a signboard and spat out another bucket of lubricant. [Tsukuyo-san, you too?!] Ding, ding, ding... Seeing the colourful pixelated unidentified objects increase in Fujiko''s mouth, Shinpachi mentally ranted again, [What did you add?! What are you all playing?! It''s over, we''re busted! Because of these idiots, Earth is doomed!] "Take care of your bodies before the expedition." Seeing the Renpou soldier turn away after raising the signboard, Shinpachi was puzzled. [Huh? Did we pass?] "Wait, I''ll lend you Clearasil." The Renpou soldier didn''t leave immediately but raised another signboard and started rummaging in his suit. (Note: Clearasil is a famous British oil control and acne treatment brand.) [We passed! And he''s lending us Clearasil!] Shinpachi was shocked, but before he finished, he saw the soldier turn around, holding a vast chainsaw labelled "Cure All Wounds." "Just cut it off with this." The soldier raised another signboard and turned on the chainsaw. [Clearasil is harsher than I thought!!] Shinpachi''s face, in a constipated expression, broke into a cold sweat. But before he could finish thinking, Kawaki and the others had already laid Arushiro flat on the ground and pinned Shinpachi''s arms. [Hey! What are you doing, you idiot squad?! Assistant! Let me go!] Hearing the chainsaw''s buzzing getting closer, Shinpachi mentally screamed, [Stop! I''m not a boil!] Seconds later, watching his glasses, cut by the chainsaw, fall to the ground, Shinpachi... remained silent. "This feels much better." The soldier raised a signboard and walked away, not forgetting to raise another signboard, reminding them, "Dinner time soon, head to the hall." "Understood!" Gintoki, still holding Shinpachi down, raised a signboard. After the Renpou soldier walked away, Shinpachi internally screamed. [What am I even doing here!!!] ... In the brightly lit dining hall of Renpou''s mothership, unlike the people bustling around and Kawaki''s group rushing to the dining area, Arushiro and Fujiko were much quieter. "It seems we''ve finally passed the first test," Fujiko murmured, "Successfully infiltrating the enemy''s base. Now comes the real challenge. To thwart their plan, we must penetrate deeper into their military core." She glanced at the two high-ranking Renpou officers sitting in the highest seats, their hairstyles identical except one had red hair and the other blue, each with a small tuft on their foreheads, "Look, those are the twin dragon generals. Renpou is composed of squads led by various captains, and leading those captains are the twin dragon generals. And leading all of them is Midakuma, who started as a lowly soldier and rose to marshal through his strength and cunning. He''s the one planning the invasion of Earth. Midakuma is feared as the shadow general. He binds Renpou with strict rules. Whether I can reveal my skin, or speak, depends on him." Chapter 572: The Force of Action is Mutual, Just Like Mom’s Slaps! It Hurts Mom Too! Chapter 572: The Force of Action is Mutual, Just Like Moms Slaps! It Hurts Mom Too! "Did the reaction force turn you into an exhibitionist?" Shinpachi muttered sarcastically. "Renpou has already become a tool solely for that man''s desires," Fujiko said thoughtfully, "If we don''t defeat him, there''s no future for Earth or Renpou. We need to find a way to approach that critical spot..." Before she could finish, footsteps approached from behind Fujiko and Arushiro. Fujiko, Kagura, and Shinpachi turned around to see a Renpou soldier with a yellow Mohawk pointing a rifle barrel from his mouth. Instantly, Fujiko and Arushiro turned back around. "This is bad, try not to whisper!" Fujiko whispered urgently. "No, it''s mostly you talking," Shinpachi whispered back sarcastically. "Don''t think this is just a simple meal gathering. We''re under Midakuma''s surveillance here," Fujiko warned, frowning, "If you drop a single grain of rice, you''ll be executed immediately..." Shinpachi''s face instantly showed extreme fear. "Don''t worry, just follow my lead," said Fujiko, holding a plate of rice and glancing back at Arushiro. "This is suddenly making me nervous." "This is great, Shinpachi!" Kagura exclaimed, "They even have curry here!" "Now''s not the time to be happy, Kagura-chan!" Shinpachi scolded quietly, "And don''t mix natto into the curry like usual!" When it was finally Arushiro''s turn, Shinpachi chose sweet curry. Watching the chef skillfully scoop out a red FC game cartridge and place it on the rice, Shinpachi''s face froze. [They called this curry, but it''s just a red "Excitebike" on white rice!] Shinpachi''s eyes widened in horror. [What is this? Are they bullying me for choosing sweet curry?!] Seeing the tray before Arushiro, Fujiko raised a signboard: "Oh, sweet curry, what a child." Seeing the "Rescue Helicopter" on Fujiko''s plate, Shinpachi ranted internally, [The spicy one is just a black "Rescue Helicopter"?! What kind of planet is this?! Why are they eating FC game cartridges with rice?!] "Quick, eat it while it''s hot," Fujiko said, picking up the FC game cartridge with a fork and blowing on the contacts. [Well, you do need to blow off the dust from the contacts...] "Guess we have no choice but to follow local customs. Shinpachi, let''s find a way to split this," Kagura said. "Haha, FF should have Red Wings, even though I''m seasick," Sakamoto raised his signboard. "Still no VB?" Katsura raised his signboard. "No... this is bad!" Fujiko broke into a cold sweat, "DQ and FF are only for captains!" "So even the captains eat FC game cartridges?!" Shinpachi ranted quietly, eyes wide. "Especially DQ5 and FF, which are top-tier for generals! Layla is a luxury even generals rarely enjoy! As for Castlevania... it''s a legendary rarity among Renpou!" "What about Donkey Kong Jr.?" Shinpachi asked, expressionless. "That''s indeed a kids'' meal." Shinpachi: ... Seeing the commotion caused by Kawaki and the others, the twin dragon generals stood up simultaneously. "What are you doing?!" The blue-haired general raised his signboard. "Do you grunts think you can have top-tier FC cartridges?!" The red-haired general raised his signboard. [Oh no! The generals are mad!] Shinpachi thought in panic. At the same time, the surrounding Renpou soldiers pulled rifles from their mouths and surrounded Kawaki''s group. [What are you doing, idiot squad?!] Shinpachi mentally screamed. "Danger!" Fujiko exclaimed. A white figure broke through the Renpou soldiers and appeared before Kawaki and the others. "I apologize, Twin Dragon Generals. Could you spare them for my Layla?" The white figure, Elizabeth, raised a signboard. "What?! General Elizabeth, are they your subordinates?" The blue dragon general raised his signboard. "A g-general?!" Shinpachi looked at the sudden appearance of Elizabeth, sweat dripping down his face, "Why is there a third general? Isn''t there only supposed to be two?!" Chapter 573: After Three Days of Separation, You Should Look at Someone with New Eyes! Chapter 573: After Three Days of Separation, You Should Look at Someone with New Eyes! Seeing that familiar figure, Fujiko suddenly remembered something. Her eyes widened in shock, and she muttered incredulously, "Could it be... promoted because of investigating Earth...?" "That''s right, I was just about to persuade them..." Elizabeth turned around, raising another signboard towards Kawa ki''s group. "You all seem quite energetic." "Do you want to fight under my command?" Seeing the familiar figure who had been with him day and night, Katsura couldn''t help but widen his eyes and take a step forward. El... Elizabeth!! ... Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the other side, where Mutsu was buying time, gradually became tense. Playing a game of mutual understanding with Mutsu, Midakuma raised a signboard: "Though I don''t know how you found out about our plan." "But we don''t need your help." Then, Midakuma turned and was about to leave. At that moment, Mutsu, standing alone in front of a group of Renpou soldiers, started following him while speaking, "With all due respect, Midakuma. Earth is not an easily conquered fortress; it has warriors with unique qualities unseen on other planets. Samurai... Defeating those who follow the ironclad belief in Bushido is no easy task, even for you." "We also have beliefs," Midakuma said, raising a signboard without looking back. Our Renpou clan has always worn white clothes and sealed our mouths." "We have demonstrated this belief through our actions." "We won''t break the rules for mere samurai." "Indeed, but it will consume a lot of manpower..." "No problem, there is plenty of manpower." "They are just tools." Instantly, a flash of displeasure crossed Mutsu''s eyes. Still, she quickly suppressed it and continued calmly, "War does consume manpower, but if a nation neglects its citizens, the foundation of the country, it will inevitably decline and fall. Gaining new territory while losing its people, how can a country prosper?" "Then, would you like to test how effective our tools are?" "With the gun you''re hiding in your coat..." Realising she had been exposed, Mutsu stopped, pulling out her gun and aiming it at Midakuma. At the same time, the Renpou soldiers following Mutsu also stopped, opening their mouths to reveal rifle barrels aimed at her. "It seems you Earthlings are the ones losing your people." Midakuma also stopped and raised a signboard. "Too malicious in every sense!" "This... this is a real cosmic war..." Tsukuyo''s pupils trembled slightly, her expression becoming more serious. "At this point, reacting that way is a bit off, Tsukuyo-san. Though it does feel like that, it''s not right! Why is Kawaki-san full of kunai again? Didn''t we just pull them out?" "He woke up briefly," Tsukuyo explained. "Even though I know Kawaki-san might get a bit excited, could you use a gentler method to remind him? He''s almost bled dry..." "Anyway, we must destroy those in every sense," Fujiko said, looking at the machines. "How exactly, aru?" Kagura asked, glancing at Fujiko. Watching Elizabethor instead, General Elizabethstanding on a machine''s shoulder, Fujiko murmured, "I''m still considering that. Before the vanguard led by him, General Elizabeth, attacks Earth in the Samurai Gundams. I didn''t expect him to be promoted to General so quickly." "Then we didn''t expect to become Elizabeth''s subordinates..." Shinpachi muttered wryly. Then, seeing Kawai Elizabeth kneeling with one knee before Elizabeth''s machine, he became more agitated, "What is that idiot doing?! Tsukuyo-san..." "I told you, you can''t let your guard down for even a moment with that man." Tsukuyo replied indifferently, folding her arms. "Just one moment of inattention..." "How obsessed with robots can that idiot be?!" Shinpachi muttered anxiously, "Ah, this is bad! He''s definitely going to say something strange! He might get exposed! Why is he posing like Zaku''s classic kneeling position? And it''s the most iconic Zaku invasion of the colony door opening pose? He''s already exposed, right? Completely exposed!" "What do you want to report?" Elizabeth noticed the newcomer, raised her signboard, and leapt to land in front of Kawaki. "General! Please include me in the vanguard to attack Earth in the Samurai Gundams!" Kawaki raised his signboard. "That idiot defected in an instant! He defected instantly for a chance to pilot a Samurai Gundam!" Shinpachi ranted. "The vanguard roster is confirmed based on the number of Samurai Gundams." Elizabeth raised her signboard. "No! There''s an unused Samurai Gundam over there! Please assign it to me!" Kawaki stood up and pointed at a Samurai Gundam with missing legs, raising his signboard. "What are you doing?! Kawaki-san!" Shinpachi clenched his fists anxiously. "That unit... is incomplete and unfit for battle." Elizabeth raised her signboard again. " A samurai gundam unable to perform at 100% is not allowed to deploy." "Legs are just decoration. The higher-ups wouldn''t understand." Kawaki chuckled softly, raising his signboard again. "Your head is just decoration!" Shinpachi ranted again, cold sweat dripping, "He almost wrote idiots instead of higher-ups! This is really bad! We''re completely doomed!" Elizabeth was taken aback and raised her signboard: "Does the Samurai Gundam have unknown capabilities?!" "There really is an idiot among the higher-ups!" Shinpachi screamed internally, clutching his head. "Resistance will only lead to needless death, and I will engrave that lesson into the Earthlings with this Samurai Gundam!" Kawaki raised his signboard again. "Then... as you wish, but follow orders." After lowering the signboard, Elizabeth turned and walked away. Chapter 574: Humans Always Repeat the Same Mistakes Chapter 574: Humans Always Repeat the Same Mistakes Kawaki saluted Elizabeth sharply and raised a signboard: "Understood!" But the next moment... "Understood, my foot!!" Aru Elizabeth and Tsukuyo Elizabeth simultaneously kicked Kawaki, sending him flying to the side. "Ow! What are you doing?!" Kawaki spat out a mouthful of blood, but upon seeing the view under Fujiko''s suit above him, his attitude instantly changed to amazement. "Char was right! The pilot inside really isn''t wearing any clothes!" "Yes, Char was right," Shinpachi sneered, "There''s also a disgusting tentacle that reaches out from the crotch pocket to harass female soldiers." Hearing this, Fujiko lifted her suit, crossing her legs with a sorrowful expression: "I really don''t want to admit it, but this was a mistake I made when I was too young..." "You too?!" Shinpachi, veins bulging, furiously retorted. "Don''t mind it," Kawaki, lying on the ground and staring unblinkingly upward, calmly consoled. Humans always repeat the same mistakes. But it''s okay. Even though we constantly make mistakes, I believe one day, we will find the right path from those mistakes. So, without further ado, let''s find a place to make another mistake and regret it immensely. That regret will surely become the beacon that guides us on the right path..." Before he could finish, Kawaki clutched his eyes and rolled on the ground in pain, "My eyes! My eyes! Tsukuyo, you tricked me!" The culprit, Tsukuyo, simply withdrew her fingers, crossed her arms, huffed, and turned away, her eyes filled with disdain for Kawaki. "Enough already!" Shinpachi roared through gritted teeth. You''ve pulled so many gags. Even if we could have gotten by unnoticed before, that''s unlikely now!" "Shinpachi-kun! Even at this point, why are you still taking that attitude?!" Kawaki revived and stood up, looking solemn as he scolded, "This is a war! A war against the evil Earthlings!" "Though your stance is surprisingly firm, you''ve got it completely backward! Completely backward!" Shinpachi ranted, "Why have you suddenly joined their side?! Please, get your priorities straight!" "Get my priorities straight? Do you know who I am?" Kawaki crossed his arms and chuckled, "Ore wa GanSam da! (I am a Samurai Gundam!)" (Note: The original phrase "Ore wa Gundam da!" comes from Episode 19 of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. As a rare chu?nibyo? in the Gundam series, Setsuna F. Seiei believed Gundam symbolized peace and what he aspired to be.) "Stop playing around already!" Shinpachi shouted as Aru Elizabeth also angrily kicked Kawaki again. With a scream, Kawaki was kicked several meters away, struggling to lift his head, muttering with blood at the corners of his mouth, "The Renpou warriors... are truly monsters..." After saying this, Kawaki rolled his eyes and collapsed, silent. "This guy... is beyond saving," Shinpachi muttered. "What is a stray Samurai Gundam?!" Shinpachi yelled, "Never heard of such a thing! Don''t compare it to a stray dog!" "Yoshiwara said... if it''s a reasonable request from a man, you can fulfill it at least once in three times," Tsukuyo replied, "And he did say he''d take responsibility for the stray Samurai Gundam." "Honestly... I don''t even know how to retort anymore. Whether Kawaki-san is being fooled or adored, I can''t figure it out," Shinpachi muttered, adjusting his glasses. "It''s like he''s being treated like a child." "Men are always children, no matter their age," Kagura waved her hand dismissively and sighed, "Saving the Earth relies on us women~" "Wow, amazing~," Shinpachi said flatly, dragging out the last word, "That''s really impressive~." "By the way, Shinpachi, can I take that stray Sadaharu No. 33 home, aru?" Kagura pointed to a cool-looking machine. "You''re the same!" Shinpachi yelled, "And you already named it?! Gin-san, say something to them..." Before he could finish, seeing what Gintoki''s group was doing, Shinpachi''s face went expressionless. "My loyal and brave Renpou warriors!" Gintoki stood before the Renpou soldiers, seriously rallying them for battle. "Now, half the Earth''s population has been drenched by our Elizabeth Rain, vanishing behind signboards. That cloud floating above Earth is proof of our Renpou army''s justice! The remaining forces of the Earth army, heavily damaged, are just shells! In short, they''re trash!" (Note: Gintoki''s speech parodies Giren Zabi''s speech before the Battle of A Baoa Qu in Mobile Suit Gundam.) "Earthlings have three important pouches," Katsura gestured, "The salary pouch, the mother''s pouch, and the Kintama pouch. First, aim for the Kintama pouch to paralyze them, then use their mothers as hostages, and finally seize their salary pouches. This will render them powerless!" "See? Quite reliable, right?" Kawaki, who had gotten up and was now beside Aru Elizabeth, chuckled, "Thinking back, it''s nostalgic to see a pre-battle rally. But back then, I always felt sleepy during times like this, just like now... ZZZ..." Shinpachi''s face turned completely dark. "On the battlefield, you can only rely on comrades'' calls," Sakamoto added, tossing aside a signboard. "Remember to discard signboards and shout support to each other. Also, you can only bring snacks under 300 yen to the battlefield. Those around Kawaki must protect their snacks! Remember!" Sakamoto pulled out a large plastic bag, "Lastly, don''t forget to bring a barf bag for MS combat..." Before Sakamoto could finish, Aru Elizabeth, unable to bear it any longer, kicked him, Katsura, and Gintoki aside. "Why are you trying to render the Earthlings powerless?!" Shinpachi yelled, veins bulging, "What are you here for?! You''ve completely sided with the Earth invaders!" "How dare you hit me!" Gintoki, holding his face, whined, "Even Bright never hit me!" Chapter 575: Often, the Reason We Choose to Turn a Blind Eye is Because We Cant Bear to Look Chapter 575: Often, the Reason We Choose to Turn a Blind Eye is Because We Can''t Bear to Look "Not many people get hit by Bright, you know!" Shinpachi yelled, straining his neck in a spirited retort. "Hahaha, hahaha," Sakamoto chuckled apologetically. I''m sorry, but the thought of battle got my blood boiling again." "What kind of wars have you guys been in? How are you all like this?!" Another vein popped on Shinpachi''s forehead, "The second half of this is basically a field trip!" A mushroom-headed Renpou soldier raised a signboard before Katsura: "Sensei, can we bring PSPs to the battlefield?" "Hey, we''re finally going to war," Katsura, hands on his hips, scolded in a teacher''s tone, "You should play some war games, you idiot!" "Ehh!!" Seeing the Renpou soldiers earnestly listening to Katsura''s lecture, Shinpachi retorted again: "Why has this turned into a homeroom meeting? Who''s the teacher here?" "Got it, got it. Well then, today''s military meeting ends here. Everyone, head to the playground for the UNO tournament!" Katsura announced loudly. "Why are we playing UNO on the playground?! How much do you want to play UNO?!" Shinpachi retorted once more. "Don''t worry, Aru Elizabeth," Gintoki whispered, "Today''s game will be played at triple speed." "That''s not the issue, you comet-headed fool!" Shinpachi yelled, veins popping. "The mission of commanders is also to create a mindset between calm and passion through the fun of UNO," Sakamoto explained. "You guys are stuck between being idiots and eggs!" Shinpachi retorted again. A little while later, watching Gintoki and Sakamoto harmoniously playing UNO with the Renpou soldiers, Tsukuyo asked Kawaki, who was drooling and hugging a Samurai Gundam''s leg with sparkling eyes, "Aren''t you going? You should be like them, right..." "No, I''m nothing like them." Hugging the leg of the Samurai Gundam, pouring out his longing, Kawaki replied casually without looking back, "Those boring pre-battle pep talks are always their job. I... can''t bring myself to tell soldiers who might die on the battlefield those motivational words. It''s like... we''re forcing them to die. Besides, those guys wanted to change the country back then; I never joined those wars for such dull reasons." "Is that so..." "But even in such dull wars, many people died, so many people," Kawaki continued casually, "Fighting and fighting, running towards an endless horizon until... you can''t see anyone anymore, neither enemies nor comrades. At that moment, you realize that war only takes lives, nothing else. Renpou treats their soldiers as disposable pawns? What makes Earth any different? How are we any different? Maybe there is a difference; Earth''s samurai have not only their foolish loyalty but also their beliefs in the way of the warrior. Those in power manipulate and use this belief to make samurai willingly die for them, to give everything. Many people... so many people... never regret it even at the moment of their death. That feeling... is terrifying, truly terrifying..." "You..." Tsukuyo''s eyes widened involuntarily, "Did you ever want to change this country?" "Did I let something slip?" Kawaki quickly covered his mouth and smiled nonchalantly. "Maybe I had a bit of that thought before, but it doesn''t matter now." He looked at Sakamoto playing UNO with Gintoki, then at Katsura resting in the corner, "Because... the tide of history will change this country eventually, even if we do nothing. The shogunate, the samurai... these privileged classes of this country will disappear in the tide of history someday. But... not now. One day, when everyone in this country believes it should change, it will change naturally. One person... ten people... hundreds of thousands believing the country should change only leads to pointless war. Didn''t I say before? Acting on personal desires alone leads to failure." "Of course not..." Tsukuyo instinctively replied but then realized, pulling out two kunai and stabbing them into Kawaki''s forehead. As Kawaki, eyes rolling, fell to the ground with blood pouring from his forehead, he muttered in his last conscious moment, "Why... I didn''t do anything... should have played UNO too..." Just then, footsteps sounded behind the group. "You guys really are strange..." Elizabeth raised a signboard behind them. "General... General Elizabeth!" Shinpachi exclaimed. "You eased the pre-battle tension in an instant." "Though you seem foolish, you possess an inexplicable charm." "Or maybe you''re attracting attention with your Earthly aura." "Did you also once hide on Earth?" "My troops did the same." "They followed orders to infiltrate Earth and interact with Earthlings." "And now, they aim to annihilate the Earthlings." At this moment, Katsura Elizabeth walks over and says to Elizabeth, "Everyone loves Earth deeply. Otherwise, they wouldn''t remember the game rules." "I often played too," Elizabeth raised another signboard, recalling playing UNO with Katsura. "They''d come to play with me whenever they had free time." "But they were weak... so I often let them win." Elizabeth''s signboard-raising slowed, and the expression on the suit grew a bit sadder. "Looking back, I''ve been deceiving that person since then..." "Do you regret it?" Katsura asked quickly, "If so, why... Everyone gained something important while hiding on Earth, making Earth important to them. I... I am the same. But why choose to invade?" Chapter 576: Every Building and Old Man Has Its Historical Background Chapter 576: Every Building and Old Man Has Its Historical Background ...I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that just now. Elizabeth silently turned around, raising a signboard slowly. Renpou regulations state that an immediate purge will follow if any hint of rebellion is shown. Shut up, I won''t remind you again. Watching Elizabeth retract the signboard and walk away with a slightly sad silhouette, Katsura spoke calmly: "If the general shows any intention of rebellion, it would incite everyone to rebel. In that case, everyone would be purged, right?" Elizabeth stopped again, without turning around, slowly pulling out another signboard. I learned many things on Earth... Things that this cold star doesn''t have... ...Many warm things. I learned them after fighting together. From the back of that person. So, I don''t regret it... I have something I must protect. Even if it means destroying Earth... Even if it means fighting that person... A person who protects their friend''s back is called a friend. Yes, that''s what that person... Earth''s friend taught me. Raising the last signboard, Elizabeth looked back at Katsura, then turned and ran off swiftly with duck-like strides. Watching Elizabeth disappear into the distance, Katsura Elizabeth opened her mouth, revealing Katsura''s face full of unresolved emotions. "Eli... Elizabeth..." Seeing Katsura''s expression, Kawaki rubbed his eyes and yawned. Then, he tried to scratch his head but couldn''t reach it due to the suit, so he gave up. At this awkward moment, an urgent alarm sounded over their heads! Immediately, all the Renpou soldiers playing UNO stopped and looked up. A black virtual screen appeared above them. [Deployment order! Full assault on Earth in one hour! All units are prepared immediately!] Seeing the deployment order, all the Renpou soldiers dropped their UNO cards, stood up, and hurriedly ran towards the armory''s exit with duck-like steps. "It''s... it''s a deployment order, aru!" Kagura''s expression grew slightly tense. "What are you babbling about? The thing being squeezed is your head." Gintoki replied nonchalantly. At this moment, Katsura, Gintoki, and Sakamoto stopped simultaneously. Katsura''s shoulders seemed to tremble slightly, and he softly warned, "Don''t look back." "I won''t," Gintoki''s dead fish eyes seemed to stare at something only he knew, his tone flat. "I leave the rear to you." Katsura spoke again. "Hey, Sakamoto," Kawaki suddenly called out, "Were you serious about causing a ruckus? Are you sure we won''t be held responsible?" "What''s wrong? Has your blood boiled too?" Sakamoto chuckled lightly. "No, just worried since you guys have tricked me badly before." Kawaki pulled his umbrella from his mouth, "If I accidentally blow up this metal planet, I''m not taking responsibility..." "Hey!" Katsura turned in shock. Gintoki and Sakamoto turned, too, cold sweat trickling down their faces. "You said you wouldn''t turn back." Shinpachi commented dryly, "Kawaki''s one sentence made all three turn back." "Operation time is thirty minutes," Kawaki stated flatly, then glanced at Katsura, "Zura... do what you believe is right." He then looked at Sakamoto and Gintoki and said, "The same goes for you two; do as you see fit." "What kind of plan is that?!" Gintoki retorted, "It''s no different from saying nothing!" "But one thing..." Kawaki continued, "Within thirty minutes, get everyone off this planet. Remember, everyone..." "What are you talking about..." Gintoki started, but Sakamoto cut him off. "Seems... you''ve noticed something before us again..." Sakamoto sighed. You were always ahead, always sprinting off while we were still planning. We must''ve covered your tab at Flower Street countless times." "That''s you guys..." Kawaki retorted, "Always running off first is you guys! The ones who ditch on bills are you!" "Gintoki, remember that?" Sakamoto looked at Gintoki. "It''s Gintoki," Gintoki corrected, then casually added, "No, I don''t remember. Never been to such places anyway." He whispered to Sakamoto, "Did you hear? That guy who looks like the protagonist of this series said he''s been to those places. Can someone like that be the protagonist? This isn''t good, in many ways. He''ll definitely get complaints." Sakamoto nodded, occasionally glancing at Kawaki. "I want to kill you both now..." Veins bulged on Kawaki''s face as he glanced around the armory, noting no one else was present, and slammed his umbrella to the ground. "Operation start!!" Kawaki roared as he smashed the umbrella down. Boom!! As the booming sound echoed, Gintoki and the others turned and ran in their original direction. Chapter 577: Command Owed to Oppression Looking at the large dark hole he had just created, Kawaki turned to Tsukuyo and asked, "Which way are you going, Tsukuyo?" Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki but didn''t respond. "I see..." Kawaki said as he approached the hole. "Then let''s move out..." "Um, Kawaki-san..." Seeing Kawaki poised to jump into the massive hole he had created, Shinpachi weakly raised his hand and asked, "What should Kagura and I do?" "Sorry, sorry, I almost forgot about you two," Kawaki said, pulling out a Sugoroku board from the large mouth of his suit and handing it to Shinpachi. "If you''re bored, play Sugoroku." After a moment of silence, Shinpachi took a deep breath. "Why are we just playing Sugoroku?! And this board isn''t suitable for minors, is it?! This is an adult version!" "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t make that kind of mistake," Kawaki said with a light laugh, arms crossed. "This is the youth version of Sugoroku! It''s entirely compliant with Edo''s Youth Healthy Growth Ordinance! None of those things you''re worried about will happen!" "That''s not the problem!" Shinpachi shouted at the top of his lungs, veins bulging and eyes wide. "Anyway... see you in thirty... no, twenty-eight minutes." With that, Kawaki turned smartly, but before he could jump into the hole, Tsukuyo kicked him in the butt, causing him to lose his balance and fall headfirst into the hole. "Ahhhhhhh!!!!" Kawaki''s scream echoed from the hole. "Um... Tsukuyo-san..." Shinpachi, with twitching lips and a head full of black lines, muttered, "Are you trying to kill Kawaki-san?" "I just gave him a little push. Isn''t his goal to jump down?" Tsukuyo replied calmly, then jumped into the hole without hesitation. "Shinpachi! Let''s fight too, aru!" Kagura said seriously. "Yeah! Let''s follow them..." Shinpachi nodded firmly, but before he could finish, he saw Kagura sitting on the ground, opening the Sugoroku board. "Is this the fight you meant?!" "I trust Uncle, aru," Kagura said casually, rolling the dice without looking up. "Even if you trust him..." "It''s your turn. I''ve already earned 100,000 yen in the first round. Yosh! I''m going to win!" "Really, you''re the only one who trusts Kawaki-san unconditionally like this," Shinpachi said with a helpless smile. "No, Zura and Gin-chan are the same, aru," Kagura shook her head casually. "Ah, you''re right..." Shinpachi sighed softly, then turned his face towards the direction Katsura had gone. "But how is Katsura-san planning to stop the vanguard? Is he going to pilot that thing? Does he even know how?" Shinpachi''s guess was correct. Katsura had entered the vanguard''s operation room and headed straight for a Gundam. Without hesitation, he climbed up and entered the cockpit in the chest area. After skimming through the operation manual and fastening his seatbelt, Katsura pressed the start switch and moved the joystick. The BGM "Fly! Gundam!" played, and the support system brought Katsura''s Gundam to the runway. Meanwhile, Kagura and Shinpachi, half-heartedly playing Sugoroku, heard a familiar voice calling from a distance. "No, one comrade is already dead," Shinpachi replied quietly. "But it''s really incredible," Nobume continued, seemingly doubting herself. Did the bomb I planted really have such power? It was supposed to disable the legs." At that moment, Kagura noticed something and pointed out the window. "Hey, wait! Look over there, aru!" Following Kagura''s direction, Shinpachi widened his eyes in surprise, cold sweat trickling down his face, "W-what is that?!" Meanwhile, Gintoki and Sakamoto, though noticing the explosion, didn''t seem to care, continuing to stroll towards the governor''s mansion. "Hey, Tatsuma," Gintoki glanced at Sakamoto, asking casually, "Since becoming a merchant, you haven''t gotten rusty, have you?" "Who knows?" Sakamoto replied casually, busy adjusting an earpiece. Unlike you, I''ve always been a pacifist. My brain''s sharp, but I can''t say the same for my skills." "So your brain and skills are useless," Gintoki commented, accepting an earpiece from Sakamoto and placing it in his left ear. "I didn''t know you had this hobby, eavesdropping on men and women." "Hahahaha, if Kawaki knew you said that, he''d come after you." Sakamoto chuckled, "But he''s strict, giving us only thirty minutes. Now, we have barely twenty minutes left." "Is that guy always this early?" "I''ll relay your words to him exactly." Just then, a Renpou soldier turned towards Gintoki and Sakamoto, raising a signboard. Hey, you two... That''s the governor''s mansion. Other Renpou soldiers also approached, surrounding the two. What are you doing there? Facing the question, Gintoki slowly pulled out a signboard from his suit: We have something to say to the governor directly. Have you found spies?! "No," Sakamoto tore off his suit, aiming a gun straight at the Renpou soldiers, "It''s samurais..." "...who are here to invade your planet." Gintoki, discarding his suit, held a wooden sword toward the Renpou soldiers. You''re those guys from before... The blue dragon general, now revealed as the left dragon general raised a signboard. I suspected you back then. The red dragon general, or the right dragon general, raised a signboard, Didn''t expect you to be samurais...! How are you in space? The left dragon general raised a signboard. "I must say, your investigation is lacking. Earth''s samurais are not extinct," Sakamoto began, "Well, not yet. One day, samurais may vanish from Earth, but by then, Earth will be far stronger, strong enough to deter any invasion. But for now... we, the remnants of the old era, are still here!" "Have you forgotten?" Gintoki chuckled, "The names of the people who defended their country with just a sword, against foreign invaders..." Sakamoto gripped his gun tighter, "Protecting the nation..." Chapter 578: Even Twins Can’t Be Completely Identical! "Protecting friends!" Gintoki gripped his wooden sword tightly. "Fighting to protect the soul, our names are..." Sakamoto slowly announced his title, "Jouishishi, Sakamoto Tatsuma." "Sakata Gintoki..." "We have arrived!" 2 Shouting, Gintoki and Sakamoto charged towards the Renpou soldiers... ... Elsewhere, in a dark and damp passage, Kawaki was crawling behind Tsukuyo, moving slowly in a particular direction. "What exactly are you trying to do?" Tsukuyo asked indifferently. "Can''t you handle this like when you fought the Tatsunoro?" "It''s useless. Even if we kill all those guys, it won''t help." Kawaki replied casually. "This steel planet isn''t some trivial army. The Renpou soldiers... compared to the Tatsunoro, they''re certainly weaker, but... it''s a bit different..." "Different how?" "You could say they''re not as hopeless," Kawaki answered even more casually. "The real trouble is the guy above them who completely controls them." "Then shouldn''t you go with those two to face that Mido or whatever his name is?" Tsukuyo asked, then stopped and gave a strong kick behind her. "What the hell are you doing?!" Kawaki, who was kicked in the nose by Tsukuyo, covered his bleeding nose, veins popping as he shouted angrily. "Next time, it''ll be your eyes," Tsukuyo warned coldly. "Huh?!" Kawaki, realizing what she meant, clenched his fists, eyes wide with anger. "What do you mean? Are you saying I''m peeking at you? Who would want to peek at your dirty little panties?! Don''t joke around!" "Stop pretending. Your nose is bleeding, you disgusting man," Tsukuyo replied with disdain. "Do you believe I''ll kill you?!" Kawaki, veins popping on his forehead, shouted. "It''s clearly because you stomped on me! And you''re the one who said you wanted to walk in front! When you saw the passage could only allow one person through, you decided this!" Kawaki then seemed to realize something, his face showing sudden understanding. "Oh! I get it! Tsukuyo, you did this on purpose..." "Who would do that on purpose?!" Tsukuyo, blushing, screamed in anger and began kicking Kawaki''s face repeatedly. At that moment, the noise of duck feet hitting the ground came from below them. Underneath Kawaki and Tsukuyo, a group of Renpou soldiers, alerted by the commotion, were checking their surroundings. "Did you find anything?" One soldier raised a signboard. "No, nothing at all." Another soldier raised a signboard. At that moment, another soldier holding a signboard ran over. "They all have a hidden, never-before-seen true leader," Tsukuyo finished. "Exactly. Our task is to find that hidden, never-revealed leader," Kawaki confirmed. ... Meanwhile, Gintoki, fighting Renpou soldiers, smirked slightly, a self-mocking smile on his face. "Really, a man more meticulous than a woman... there''s only one like that in the world," Gintoki said, knocking a soldier away with his wooden sword. He glanced at Sakamoto. "Hey, Tatsuma, did you hear that? Looks like that bastard is using us as pawns..." Just then, Gintoki noticed Sakamoto sitting on a cushion, peacefully exchanging business cards and conversing with the right dragon general. "What the hell are you doing?!" Gintoki''s face twitched, veins popping as he shouted angrily. "Ahahaha," Sakamoto laughed, casually reassuring Gintoki. "Don''t worry about it. Keep fighting. I have my way of causing a commotion. And don''t forget the plan." Sakamoto gave Gintoki a thumbs up. "Tch!" Gintoki spat in annoyance, then swung his wooden sword again, hitting a charging soldier in the waist and sending him flying. "What kind of commotion? I''m the only one fighting here!" Gintoki grumbled. "What are you up to?" The right dragon general raised a signboard at Sakamoto. "No, no," Sakamoto adjusted his sunglasses and whispered mysteriously, "Let me tell you a secret. Coming all the way here to protect Earth is just an excuse. Actually, I''m here to do business behind my companions'' backs." "Business?" The right dragon general raised a signboard. Sakamoto rubbed his hands together, smiling apologetically. "Yes, my aspiration is to live in this vast galaxy. I don''t really have any attachment to Earth." "You still want to buy Earth? Even though you''re attacking?" The right dragon general raised a signboard. "No, no, that''s just an excuse by an immature girl. Negotiations didn''t go well, so she threw a tantrum. But thanks to that, I know what you really want." "What?" "White demons (Gundams). More than weapons, you want something that can invade Earth, right?" Sakamoto crossed his arms, shrugging with a face full of reasonableness. "I have something to recommend to you invaders. Tonight''s special product is not the white demon, but the white night demon" Sakamoto pointed to Gintoki, surrounded by Renpou soldiers, and continued, "Shiroyasha! This time, we''ve specially used pure white paint as requested." "What nonsense are you spouting?!" Gintoki shouted, veins bulging, turning back to curse at Sakamoto. But at that moment, a Renpou soldier, seizing the opportunity, lunged at Gintoki and knocked him to the ground. More soldiers swarmed Gintoki, relentlessly stabbing him with their weapons. Gintoki''s screams filled the air, but Sakamoto continued his sales pitch. "And this time, it comes bundled with the self-destructing Gintoki, adult toy ''Sakaamot,'' and... no, that''s it. It''s an unbeatable deal!" Chapter 579: To the Universe! The right dragon general raised a signboard slowlyAre you joking? "No one would joke about selling out their friends," Sakamoto replied with a faint smile unhurriedly. "Why not try pitting the white demon against Shiroyasha? That man won''t consider Earth, a small player, as significant. For the sake of his companions, he''s a demon who can easily destroy one or two planets." At this moment, Gintoki also stood up. He knocked away all the Renpou soldiers attacking him and intercepted the left dragon general''s attack with his wooden sword, quickly blocking it in mid-air. Seeing the right dragon general stand up, Sakamoto remained seated, arms crossed, speaking leisurely, "If you don''t buy, this planet will be destroyed. But if we join forces, we''ll help you conquer Earth or any other planet you want." Nonsense! You who invaded this planet now say you''ll help us conquer Earth together?The right dragon general raised a signboard while pointing his sword at Sakamoto''s forehead. "I''m not joking," Sakamoto said calmly, without changing his expression. "Continuing to fight like this will only weaken both sides. As a trade-off, if you provide a place for Earthlings, we''ll hand over a complete Earth to you. A planet is just a container, not a necessity for people..." Sakamoto lifted his head, pressing his forehead against the sword tip of the right dragon general, allowing the blade to draw a few drops of blood. "People make the planet, not the other way around," Sakamoto continued. There are many treasure boxes, but I''m interested only in the treasures within. No, what''s inside isn''t money." As if recalling a beautiful memory, Sakamoto lightly scratched his chin and added, "To others, they are just battered scraps of iron, but to me, those broken pieces are irreplaceable, glittering treasures." ... Meanwhile, in the governor''s mansion not far from Gintoki and Sakamoto, Midojin watched the active Gintoki on the monitor, raising a signboard. Jouishishi? The investigation report didn''t mention anything like that. Turning around, Midojin issued commands to the gathered Renpou soldiers. support immediately! Don''t let any escape. Turn them into space dust! At this moment, a Renpou soldier raised a signboardSir! Look behind!Another soldier raised a signboard. Midojin turned slowly, while on the other side, Shinpachi, Elizabeth, and Fujiko widened their eyes, looking outside the window. "That... that is...!" Shinpachi pressed his hands against the glass, staring in disbelief. Back at the governor''s mansion, Midojin and the Renpou soldiers stared intently at the large monitor screen. What is that...? What''s happening? Two Renpou soldiers simultaneously raised signboards beside Midojin. Suddenly, a massive, pixelated robot face appeared outside the window behind Midojin and his soldiers. Realizing they were in the shadow of the giant figure, Midojin, and the soldiers turned to see the Gundam raising its fist and aiming directly at them without hesitation! Rebellion? Midojin remained calm, raising a signboard. This is not rebellion.Inside the cockpit, Elizabeth raised a signboard. This is not an espionage act, nor am I a general or a Renpou soldier. This is my original and final unmasked signboard! For some reason, perhaps because the director was making a cameo, Elizabeth''s voice reached everyone''s ears. Without any hesitation, Elizabeth pushed the control lever. "Elizabeth!!" Katsura shouted, watching the Gundam from a distance. Elizabeth''s Gundam punched through the governor''s mansion, causing a massive explosion. BOOM!!! (Note: There''s no sound in a vacuum, but let''s pretend there is, just like in the anime...) Meanwhile, on the mothership, Shinpachi, feeling the violent shaking from the explosion, asked Fuziko, staring at the window with a complex expression, "Who? Who else betrayed besides us? Who is it?" "Someone who planted seeds among the Earth''s soldiers and took preventive measures," Fuziko analyzed calmly, looking out the window. "The only one capable of such things is that person. The Gundam explosion wasn''t caused by my bomb. He led the invasion force of Gundams and secretly carried out sabotage. That was his initial plan. He deceived and betrayed you to return to the Renpou and prevent the invasion of Earth. He deceived and betrayed the Renpou to prevent his subordinatesthe Earth loversfrom rebelling. He severed their means and set the stage to confront the mastermind Midojin alone. To protect both Earth and his Renpou companions, he chose to betray both mother planets!" As Fuziko analyzed, one by one, all the Gundams in the Renpou mothership were detonated, and most of the parked ships were similarly blown up. At the same time, Elizabeth''s soldiers received their final order. To all who love Earth, this is my final order as a general. Evacuate immediately, and do not sacrifice your lives needlessly. Seeing Elizabeth''s message, although confused and puzzled, the soldiers acted. They boarded the few remaining ships not destroyed by the explosions and quickly fled the steel planet. Deep inside the planet, a man clenched his fists, standing before a seemingly impregnable wall, veins bulging on his face. "That bastard..." Kawaki gritted his teeth, glaring with bloodshot eyes, cursing furiously, "Next time, I''ll kill him! How dare he... How dare he destroy my Gundam! How dare he... that bastard!!" "When did those robots become yours?" Tsukuyo, standing beside him, retorted. "You wouldn''t understand, Tsukuyo..." Kawaki shook his head slightly, his eyes complex. "Though they seem like cold pieces of iron, deep inside, there are burning hearts!" "The only thing burning is your brain!" Ignoring Tsukuyo''s retort, Kawaki, fists clenched, closed his eyes with a look of sorrow. "We had made a promise, after the war, we''d go home together... I''d take them back home." "You were going to say marry, weren''t you? Marry the robots? That''s a terrible line! It''s a flag, isn''t it?" Tsukuyo, eyes white with disbelief, shouted, "And when did you make such a promise? How can you make a promise with a robot?!" "You just don''t understand..." Kawaki shook his head again, his eyes filled with sorrow, mourning, and sadness. "Two hearts resonating through the cold iron, that''s what we... Uwah!" "Can you stop?" Tsukuyo, frustrated, kicked him to the ground. "Now''s not the time for this!" Turning to the thick red metal wall, Tsukuyo asked, "Is this the place? The mastermind is behind this wall?" Chapter 580: Betrayal Often Happens in an Instant "Maybe..." Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "You can just rely on your intuition for these things." Ignoring Kawaki''s flippancy, Tsukuyo stepped back, and a few kunai appeared in her hand, ready for action. Kawaki, seeing Tsukuyo''s serious demeanor, said nothing and turned to the window. Leaning on the sill with one hand supporting his cheek, he stared idly outside at the ongoing battle. ... Controlling the Gundam, Elizabeth cautiously checked the situation inside the hole she had punched open. Amid the floating debris and corpses of Renpou soldiers, she spotted Midojin, half-buried in the wall, still clinging to life. I see, Midojin raised a signboard slowly. You climbed to the rank of general just to thwart my plans. Eyeing my position all along. Midojin raised his head, blood still dripping from his eyes. "Kawaki, do you think you can kill me with this?" "Do you think you can change the world like this?" Midojin suddenly opened his mouth, emitting multiple laser beams, and propelled himself into space with a powerful kick off the wall. Nothing will change! Neither Earth''s fate nor Renpou''s destiny! Elizabeth controlled the Gundam to dodge Midojin''s continuous laser attacks. Still, within seconds, her Gundam was hit several times due to the sheer density of the beams, losing its left arm weapon. Even picking up discarded trash from Earth to fight me? Midojin''s relentless beams then blasted off the Gundam''s head. "Just the main camera!" Elizabeth roared, charging at Midojin and striking him with the right arm of the Gundam. On the mothership, Kawaki muttered, "Is this guy the Eastern Invincible?" Turning to Tsukuyo, who was trying to break through the wall with kunai, Kawaki asked, "Hey, this wall is too hard. Any ideas?" "Over there..." Kawaki pointed to a dark red metal door. Tsukuyo: ... [It must be like when a child falls and cries after a parent says, ''It must hurt, doesn''t it?''] Katsura, also in tears, responded. [It feels like a conversation between idiot Newtypes!] [I see time...] [No, you''re ruining the mood; stop it!] Unable to contain himself, Katsura flew towards Elizabeth, "Elizabeth!!" Katsura-san!! Elizabeth raised a signboard while extending her hand. But at this touching moment, a laser beam from afar struck Elizabeth''s Gundam, snapping them back to reality. BOOM!! The explosion destroyed the Gundam''s left arm, leaving Katsura shocked. "The mouse is hooked..." Midojin''s voice echoed as his severed halves slowly reassembled, "I''ve been waiting for this moment!" "Self-repair?!" Katsura exclaimed, "He still has this function?!" "Fire!!" Midojin ordered his fleet, "Turn these rats into space dust!" Lying in the wreckage, Mutsu, having escaped the prison with Kagura and the others, noticed the situation outside. "This is bad! The fleet will..." Mutsu shouted to the Joui Patriots, "Hurry!!" "We can''t make it, Aru!" Kagura shouted in fear, "It''s too late!" As Kagura spoke, the Renpou fleet fired beams at Katsura''s position. At the last moment, Elizabeth''s Gundam shielded Katsura. BOOM!!! After the explosion, everyone was stunned. All the ships had targeted Midojin! Blasted back onto the mothership, Midojin''s wrecked body trembled with rage, "You... you bastards! What... what is this?!" Chapter 581: Combining Completely Unrelated Things Can Have Unexpected Effects Held securely in the only remaining hand of Elizabeth''s Gundam, Katsura stared at Midojin in disbelief, mumbling, "No... impossible..." On the mothership, Shinpachi and the others, watching through the windows, were equally stunned. "The fleet... attacked Midojin!" Shinpachi''s eyes widened, his pupils trembling slightly. At that moment, a red ship emerged from behind the Renpou fleet, slowly advancing to the front of the formation. "Midojin! You are the one who''s alone in the universe!" Sakamoto stood before a group of Renpou soldiers on the Kaientai ship, arms crossed, grinning widely, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Katsura. The Renpou-Earth Alliance is formed!" "Sakamoto!!" Katsura shouted. "You bastards!!" Midojin, still trapped in the wreckage of the mothership, cursed as he struggled with his broken body. Midojin, you once said, Left Dragon General, covered in bandages, raised his signboard on the Kaientai ship. We Renpou citizens are just tools for you to conquer Earth. Right Dragon General, completely unscathed, raised his signboard beside him. But the Earthlings said... A regular Renpou soldier raised his signboard. That for their people and friends, they would give up a planet or two. Another regular Renpou soldier raised his signboard. Friends are... Irreplaceable treasures. Even if we gain new land by fighting Earthlings... What value does a planet have if it has no friends? More and more Renpou soldiers raised their signboards. Warriors, you haven''t forgotten the promise we exchanged, have you? Right Dragon General raised his signboard towards Sakamoto. "Of course not. Whether it''s Earth or any other place, we''ll help you conquer it." Still with his arms crossed, Sakamoto replied without looking back, his tone casual. "Then..." A Renpou soldier dropped his signboard and spoke with his authentic voice, "Could we fight alongside those who protected our second home Earth..." More Renpou soldiers dropped their signboards. "...and the pride and people of Renpou..." "Who fought and protected alone..." "With our friends... to conquer that hollow planet?" All the remaining Renpou soldiers spoke in unison. "How did you know?!" Tsukuyo exclaimed. "Just a wild guess." Kawaki shrugged nonchalantly and stepped through the dark red door. As soon as Kawaki entered, his expression changed. His eyes widened, and beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. "That... that''s...!!" ... After gathering himself and arming the Gundam, Katsura shouted, "Let''s go, Elizabeth! With friends from Earth... and friends from the galaxy... fire!!" "Wait, Katsura." Sakamoto''s voice interrupted, "That''s not our final enemy." "Huh? Not the final enemy?!" Katsura was surprised, "But..." "Midojin, it''s time to reveal your true form, isn''t it?" Sakamoto said in a troubled tone, "I''m not talking about that broken mechanical body, but your true self..." "You... you noticed?!" Midojin was shocked, "My real body..." "What do you mean, Sakamoto?" Katsura demanded. "You wouldn''t understand with your limited brain cells..." Gintoki, picking his nose, replied calmly, "It takes someone more meticulous than a woman to notice something like this." "Ha ha ha ha..." Midojin laughed, "Very well! For noticing such a detail, I''ll reward you with a glimpse of my true form! Feel my wrath, traitors and samurai!" With that, Midojin went silent, his body slumping like a puppet with its strings cut. Midojin''s voice echoed from the steel planet as everyone wondered what was happening, which began to change. The white fragments started to fall... no, not fall, but reassemble! The entire planet was reassembling, with all the fragments forming a gigantic Renpou soldier! No, that''s not collapsing. Elizabeth raised a signboard. "What''s happening?" Katsura asked and then noticed something, his eyes widening in shock. The white steel planet reassembled into a giant Renpou soldier! "I told you, defeating me changes nothing!" Midojin''s voice echoed as the giant Renpou soldier''s arms extended into massive drills and cannons, and giant duck feet formed from shells, "Midojin, like all of you, is just a puppet I control. No, not just him, but every ruler of this planet has been a shell I created and controlled! But I never thought anyone would notice this! You''re fighting the planet itself!" "No way!" Katsura exclaimed, "The planet has transformed into a giant Renpou soldier!" "Midojin, you mean..." Elizabeth trembled with realization, "The central system Sagi! That''s Midojin''s... no, the true identity of every ruler of Renpou!" "Eh?" Katsura was stunned. "Long ago, Renpou''s planet was destroyed in a great war, and we lived on this steel planet." Elizabeth explained, "At that time, Sagi was created to manage the planet''s environment and plan its prosperity. At some point, Sagi went out of control, creating rulers as its tools to enforce the most efficient reproduction policies. It used the name of the law to oppress the people. We Renpou were born in Sagi''s hands! To it, we''re just tools like the mass-produced machines (Gundam). It believed that by transplanting itself to a superior planet, it could continue to reproduce. Now, with its tools rebelling, Sagi itself has come out! Using this planet as its final tool!" Chapter 582: I Heard Everyone Watched the New EVA Movie? Then Let’s Joyfully Praise It Chapter 582: I Heard Everyone Watched the New EVA Movie? Then Lets Joyfully Praise It "Thank you, Qtarou-kun, for the explanation," Sakamoto clapped his hands nonchalantly and praised, then lightly curved his mouth into a smile, adjusting his sunglasses with a face full of interest as he looked at the gigantic Renpou... or rather, SAGI, whose mouth was gathering a massive ball of red energy. "However, whether we noticed or not, it probably wasn''t just us who didn''t notice..." "Facing death so calmly? It seems Earth is indeed worth invading," SAGI laughed heartily. "Then, I''ll take it without hesitation! And then... die..." Just as SAGI was about to fire the beam, it suddenly stopped. "When... when did you invade?!" SAGI''s terrified voice echoed again. "What are you doing, Tsukuyo?" Kawaki''s voice followed, "We were just about to see this giant, though ridiculously ugly, robot''s ultimate move!" "You said it''s an unspoken rule not to interrupt transformations, so I didn''t, but now it''s about to attack! Are you an idiot?" Tsukuyo rebuked angrily. "Then there''s Rule Two: Never interrupt during the ultimate move or self-introduction! Otherwise, the director will be angry!" Kawaki reminded again. "Why are you arguing about such irrelevant things at a time like this... Besides, who is the director anyway? Aren''t we in a novel?" On the Kaientai ship, standing next to Mutsu, Shinpachi commented expressionlessly. "SAGI, I''m truly sorry. It seems our team''s ''brain'' is superior," Sakamoto mocked. "Can it control those idiots with the best brain?" Mutsu chuckled, "It''s truly remarkable, utilizing those fools to play to their strengths, filling in gaps, integrating everything, and conquering a steel planet in thirty minutes... It''s incredible. I kind of understand now why in the later stages of the Joui War, despite being outnumbered by hundreds of times against the Shogunate and the Amanto, they won more often than not..." "Kawaki!!" Katsura shouted, his face showing a bit of regret, "These chapters barely had you in them, I thought you were just dead..." Before he could finish, a laser beam shot out from the giant Renpou''s mouth, narrowly missing Katsura''s face by a mere millimeter. "Wow! It really works! Touching here really controls it!" Inside the mothership, Kawaki looked at the giant brain floating in nutrient solution through the broken glass cover, delightfully saying, "Tsukuyo, do you want to try? It''s super fun!" "Mutsu-san, I think it''s better to stay further away." Shinpachi adjusted his non-existent glasses, expressionlessly reminding, "Kawaki-san''s playful side is very dangerous." "All fleets, retreat!!" Mutsu immediately raised her hand and issued the command. "So the general rule is that touching different parts of this brain allows manual control, right?" Kawaki''s voice echoed again. "Yes... that''s right." SAGI''s voice was very small. "Kaientai, full retreat except for that idiot''s ship!!" Mutsu shouted again, "Immediately! Retreat!!" "Then, how about here?" Kawaki asked, lightly poking a part of SAGI. "Oh~" SAGI suddenly made a troubling sound, "Don''t... don''t touch there, that''s..." "This seems off," Shinpachi expressionlessly commented again, "Where did he touch just now to make such a sound?!" "Liar!" Kawaki''s voice sounded again, "How can that control anything?! It''s impossible! Absolutely a lie!" "No, I''m telling the truth." SAGI weakly retorted. "No, no!!" Sakamoto pulled out "The Story of Kawaki" from his pocket, mumbling to himself, "It shouldn''t be like this... the ending... it shouldn''t be like this... I noticed it... why? Why?" "Kawaki!!" Katsura had already broken free from Elizabeth''s hand, rushing towards the giant Renpou. "Uncle!!" Kagura, with tears streaming down her face, screamed. "Kawaki-san!! Tsukuyo-san!!" Shinpachi shouted. "All units... full speed ahead!!" Mutsu commanded. But... it was too late. An explosion... a massive explosion occurred. Boom, boom, boom!!! The giant Renpou, like a massive nuclear bomb, instantly ignited. The huge explosion almost engulfed all the ships, including the rapidly approaching Kaientai fleet. In the last moment before losing consciousness, Gintoki mumbled, "In the end... your proposal... was right..." ... One week later, Earth, Edo. On the streets of Edo, in a restaurant. "Do not search." With bandages wrapped around his head, Katsura raised a signboard that read "Do not search" and began to ramble, "Finding this signboard in the room alone. What does ''do not search'' mean? Does it mean there''s something we shouldn''t search for? Or if we search, we''ll find things we shouldn''t? What exactly should we not search for? Or should we find someone willing to help search, then decide what we shouldn''t search for... or find that person who is willing to help find the person who shouldn''t be searched for..." Before Katsura could finish, Gintoki, who was also bandaged on his head, stood up and kicked him in the face. "So annoying." "Why are you getting lost in the labyrinth of ''do not search''?" Shinpachi, sitting next to Gintoki with bandages on his head, sipped his soda, half-closed his eyes, looking speechless. "Lying on the table, his nose still bleeding, Katsura mumbled, "Do not search..." "Who wants to find you?" Gintoki retorted, analyzing casually, "Basically, it''s just that they ran away from home." "Ran... ran away from home?!" Katsura instantly sat up, slamming his hands on the table, excitedly arguing, "Impossible! There''s no reason for such a thing! The last time I saw them, it was..." Suddenly, Katsura paused, "They... who were they?" After a long silence, Gintoki shrugged nonchalantly, "I don''t know." "By the way... this conversation seems familiar," Shinpachi murmured, "It feels like... someone is missing..." "I feel the same," Kagura nodded, looking towards the side of Katsura, "It seems like there should be another person... who could it be?" Chapter 583: ears with a Good Reason and Tears Without Any Reason at All! Gintoki stood to the side, listening to Kagura''s words, crossing his arms and pondering. "It feels like I''ve forgotten someone very important..." Kagura continued, clutching her chest, "My chest feels heavy, really heavy... and painful... sad..." "Did you eat too much?" Gintoki glanced at the towering stack of empty bowls before Kagura, smirking. "Strange..." Kagura stared at the table, confused by the tears dropping from her eyes, "Why am I... crying?" "I... am too..." Shinpachi removed his glasses, wiping away the tears that continued to flow, puzzled, "It''s strange... why can''t I stop crying? There isn''t anything sad happening..." "Shinpachi," Gintoki said softly, wearing a gentle expression, "Life is made up of tears. You know, the first thing a person learns when they come into this world is to cry. So... any kind of tears aren''t strange, whether they''re tears of sadness, tears of joy, or even tears for no reason at all..." "Gin-san..." Shinpachi stared blankly at Gintoki, murmuring in a daze. Gintoki continued, "Or maybe you suddenly realized how miserable your life is, just like that of a bespectacled idiot, and you''re crying out of despair. That''s not strange at all." "I''ll kill you, you naturally curly bastard!" Shinpachi exploded in rage, grabbing Gintoki by the collar and shaking him violently, veins bulging on his forehead, "Who has a miserable life like a bespectacled idiot?! And what kind of description is ''bespectacled idiot''?! Are you talking about me?! Are you talking about me?! You with your miserable naturally curly hair!" "Hey! Did you just call me a naturally curly bastard twice?! You definitely said it twice!" Gintoki''s forehead veins also bulged as he stood up, grabbing Shinpachi by the collar, "Do you want to die?! Do you want to die?! You bespectacled idiot with a more miserable life than any bespectacled idiot!!" "Is my entire life just being a bespectacled idiot?!" Shinpachi''s anger intensified, "Apologize! Apologize to me and my not-at-all-bespectacled life! Apologize now!" Gintoki gritted his teeth, retorting, "You apologize! Apologize to me and my not-at-all-miserable naturally curly hair! One hundred times... no, just commit seppuku! You bespectacled idiot!" "When a person comes into this world... the first thing they learn is to cry..." Kagura murmured, her head lowered, "So... what''s the first thing humans see or seek when they come into this world?" "Huh? What are you talking about, Kagura?" Gintoki looked at her strangely, "That''s not something you''d say..." "Yeah, Kagura-chan, what''s wrong?" Shinpachi asked, concerned, "Are you too hungry? We just ate. Are you sick?" "I don''t know..." Kagura shook her head, pressing her hand to her chest, "But... it hurts so much here." "Heart disease?!" Gintoki panicked, quickly carrying Kagura on his back and shouting at Shinpachi, "Shinpachi! Call an ambulance! Quickly! And notify that guy to pay the medical bills!" "Leave it to me!" Shinpachi ran towards the restaurant counter but stopped and turned back, adjusting his glasses, "Gin-san, what''s that guy''s phone number? And... who is that guy?" After a long silence, Gintoki replied softly, "Who knows..." "Oppai," Kagura suddenly said from Gintoki''s back. "Huh? Oppai? What nonsense are you talking about?" Gintoki puzzled. You must be delirious. You don''t have those." Instantly, Kagura''s expression changed, veins bulging on her forehead as she angrily threw Gintoki to the ground, hitting and kicking him hard. "It must be my name," Gintoki quipped, then glanced at the suspiciously adorned spaceship behind Sakamoto, "Did your ship always have such bad taste?" Sakamoto finally realized it and shouted, "Ah! Mutsu! Did you modify my ship again?!" "Well, I''m heading back," Gintoki waved and turned to leave. "Wait, Gin-san." Sakamoto called after him. "It''s Gintoki," Gintoki sighed, turning around with dead fish eyes, "What now?" "Take this," Sakamoto said, pulling out a blood-stained book titled "The Story of X" and handing it to Gintoki. I don''t remember when I wrote it, but I did write this novel. The autograph is on the first page." "Who wants something like that?!" Gintoki snapped, but then he took the book and tucked it into his chest. "After reading too many magazines, a novel might be nice. Thanks." "Ahahaha, I''ll kill you." Sakamoto replied, "It''s not that kind of novel, it''s a regular love story." "Don''t worry, I understand." Gintoki patted Sakamoto''s shoulder, "I understand these things. When explaining to others, just say it''s a regular love story. But taking this novel, should my character change? Should I wear a headband and a mask? But what about the Sharingan?" "Gin-san, do you know Kawaki?" Sakamoto suddenly asked. "Huh? Who?" "The protagonist in my novel. It''s strange, it feels like I''ve seen this name somewhere..." "You said it yourself, it''s the protagonist in your novel," Gintoki looked annoyed. "No, I mean..." Sakamoto clutched his head, screaming in pain, "No... no! Thinking about it hurts so much!" "Kawaki...?" Gintoki frowned, thoughtful. ... At dusk, Gintoki, Sakamoto, and Mutsu, all with downcast expressions, met Kagura and Shinpachi, who also had downcast expressions, at the entrance to Yoshiwara. No one spoke. They silently gathered and walked into Yoshiwara, heading in a specific direction. But along the way, Shinpachi''s peripheral vision caught something. He ignored it the first time, but the second time he saw something familiar, he stopped and looked. After wiping his glasses the third time, Shinpachi was sure he wasn''t dreaming. "Gin... Gin-san... Ka... Kagura-chan..." Shinpachi pointed with a trembling finger, his voice shaking, "Hey, look, over there... there''s something strange..." Chapter 584: The End of the Porori Arc! Chapter 584: The End of the Porori Arc! "Hey, enough..." Mutsu glanced at Shinpachi, frowning, "They''re currently..." "No, no! There''s really something strange over there!" Shinpachi pointed anxiously. Mutsu-san, just take a look. It''s something very familiar and quite odd! It feels like something we''ve seen recently, even if it''s missing a piece!" "Tha... that''s..." Mutsu finally saw what Shinpachi was pointing at, an odd object, and quickly turned back to call out to Sakamoto and the others, "Hey! Look over there, Sakamoto!" "Enough already, Mutsu..." Sakamoto stopped, looking back with lifeless eyes, "Right now, these unimportant things are just..." "I told you to look over there!" Mutsu angrily kicked Sakamoto and stomped on him, "Lift your head and look properly! You idiot! Fool! Producer!" "Producer?" Shinpachi interjected, "Why ''producer'' after ''idiot'' and ''fool''?" "Oh!" Sakamoto finally looked in the direction Mutsu was pointing and exclaimed, "Unbelievable! Gin-san, look! There''s a blonde, wavy-haired lady!" "I didn''t mean there!" Mutsu stomped on Sakamoto again and lifted him by the collar, "Over there!" "All I see is a giant robot..." Sakamoto grumbled, "I''m not Kawaki; I don''t like that kind of thing. I prefer that blonde wavy-haired lady over there!" Sakamoto turned towards a blonde woman waving at him from a shop door and said, "See you after I pay my respects to our friend~." "You should be the one being paid respects!" Mutsu, veins bulging on her forehead, threw Sakamoto to the ground with one hand. Crash! "Ugh!" Sakamoto coughed up blood, rolling his eyes, but weakly added, "Charge it... to Kawaki''s account..." Even unconscious, Sakamoto couldn''t avoid Mutsu''s continued stomping. "Mutsu-san," Shinpachi adjusted his glasses, "Do you have something against Sakamoto''s... area? At this rate, we really will have to pay respects to it..." "But seriously, why is..." Mutsu looked again at the giant white robot, "Gundam... in Yoshiwara?" "Mutsu-san, you almost said it... you almost said Gundam..." Shinpachi muttered, then focused on the robot, "I don''t know why the destroyed mechas are here, but if someone could remove the mosaic, there''s only one person I know... that reckless Kawaki-san..."@@@@ "So that means..." Mutsu started, but a familiar voice interrupted from ahead. "Yo, long time no see, Kagura, and Gintoki." Tsukuyo approached the cigarette holder in hand and greeted them. Gintoki and Kagura stopped, half-closed their eyes, and stared at the unharmed Tsukuyo. After several seconds, Gintoki murmured, "Huh?" "Great, Kagura," Gintoki said warmly, "Even if that idiot isn''t around, this woman should take responsibility and give you... an allowance every month." "Yes!" Kagura beamed, "That''s great!" "Is that all you can think of?!" Shinpachi shouted, "Is that all you have to say?! Seriously?!" "What are you talking about, Shinpachi?" Gintoki seriously said, " our Yorozuya income relies on that idiot giving Kagura allowance! Sadaharu''s dog food, and our monthly trips to the steakhouse... they''re all funded by that allowance!" "It has nothing to do with you! It''s Kagura''s allowance!" Shinpachi fumed, "What''s with the steakhouse trips? I never knew about those! Did you go without me?" "Why did you tell him, Gin-san?" Kagura whispered to Gintoki, "We won''t take you next time." "Why do I feel like I''m being left out?" Shinpachi sighed, "But now isn''t the time for this!" "Yeah, so I didn''t come back with you..." Kawaki pointed to Tsukuyo, "I came back with Tsukuyo." "So, what about next month''s allowance?!" Kagura demanded, clenching her fists. "Ah, that..." Kawaki scratched his head, "I spent it all on this mecha I found in that massage room. It costs a lot to maintain every month, so I have no money left for games. It''s really troubling, ahahaha..." "You idiot! Don''t say things that can be misunderstood!" Kagura tackled Kawaki, punching him. "Wait," Shinpachi interrupted, "Did you find the only intact mecha in SAGI''s base and return to Earth in it with Tsukuyo?" "Wasn''t that explained clearly?" Tsukuyo replied, puzzled, "I... understood everything." "We didn''t!" Shinpachi snapped, "Explain it properly! Everyone thought it was a farewell! Our experience was terrible!" "Exactly!" Kawaki said, crossing his arms, "I told you the cockpit could only fit one person, but you insisted on squeezing in. My first mecha experience was awful! Tsukuyo!" "Can I kill him now?" Shinpachi asked Gintoki and Kagura. "We''re thinking the same thing." Gintoki and Kagura nodded, cracking their knuckles as they approached Kawaki. But Katsura''s shout interrupted. "Kawakihey" Katsura ran over, waving. Seeing the creature following Katsura, Shinpachi and the others turned expressionless. "Zura?" Kawaki glanced at Katsura, "Why are you here now?" "It''s not Zura, it''s Katsura!" Katsura corrected excitedly, "Kawaki! I did it! I made this mecha a symbol of hope for Edo''s people! Now, more than the corrupt government, Edo''s people believe in this mecha! Come, my friend! Let''s save this country together with this symbol of hope for Earth!" "No one asked you to do that!" Kawaki kicked Katsura. Why did you say such things so naturally? Was the meteor your doing?!" "That was just part of the plan," Katsura said, unfazed, "As a substitute for people''s hearts. It''s the fastest method." "Katsura-san," Shinpachi asked, "What''s that behind you?" "Huh?" Katsura looked back and realized, "Oh! You mean Elizabeth! Hey, Elizabeth, long time no see. Say hello." "Long time no see, everyone," Elizabeth raised a sign. "Wasn''t Elizabeth supposed to be on a spaceship?" Shinpachi''s eye twitched. Katsura explained, "Oh! That was the Monday-only standby Elizabeth. This is the real one, back from vacation. Take a closer look, Shinpachi-kun, it should be familiar. Remember the Benizakura Arc..." Gintoki and the other''s faces dark, fists clenched, silently approached Katsura and Kawaki... What followed was too gruesome to describe. In summary... at sunset, the blood of three people... or rather, two people and a machine... stained the entire Yoshiwara. Waking up in the middle of the night, Kawaki ignored the blood-soaked Katsura, clutching his head and shouting in despair. Chapter 585: Shadows... In Yoshiwara, Kawaki stood by the window, watching the heavy snow fall outside. He let out a light chuckle as he released the other end of a rope tightly tied around Katsura. "Mmmph mmph!" Katsura, dressed as a courtesan, had his mouth sealed tightly with tape. Thud... Ignoring Katsura, who had fallen onto the street and lay there twitching occasionally, Kawaki closed the window, stretched lazily, and hummed a tune as he walked to his computer with light steps. "In weather like this, staying indoors to play games is the best..." Kawaki sat in front of his computer, turned it on, and rubbed his hands together, closing his eyes and exhaling a puff of white breath. "Alright! Let''s begin!" Kawaki opened his eyes with a look of determination and whispered to himself. He then carefully picked up a brand-new game controller he had begged Tsukuyo to buy. He gently stroked the new game controller, feeling its solid grip and perfect curves, and smiled warmly. "From now on, we''ll be partners fighting side by side. Please take care of me..." "If you don''t care, your old partner will freeze to death in the streets of Yoshiwara." Tsukuyo, who had arrived unnoticed, leaned against the doorframe of Kawaki''s room, one arm crossed and the other holding her cigarette holder. She coldly remarked. "What are you talking about? Zura won''t freeze to death that easily," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "In fact, this weather might cool down his overheated brain. He should thank me." "The same goes for you." "I''ll kill you..." Before Kawaki could finish his sentence, two kunai stabbed into the back of his head. He rolled his eyes and fell forward, his head hitting the desk with a thud. "By the way, that person has been quite persistent lately," Tsukuyo continued as if nothing had happened. "Every day, he manages to sneak into Yoshiwara using various methods. We can''t underestimate him..." "How come your subordinates can''t recognize such obvious disguises?" Kawaki pulled out the kunai from the back of his head, got up, and grumbled, "It looks like the Hyakka are slacking off." "Dealing with such trivial matters isn''t in the Hyakka''s job description," Tsukuyo retorted coldly. "Their focus is only on guests causing trouble in Yoshiwara." "Alright, alright." Kawaki responded casually and picked up the game controller again. "Besides," Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki, "He''s looking for you... He just wants to hear your thoughts on this country. You should know that." "Tsukuyo, you''re oversimplifying things. Zura''s got more devious plans than anyone." Kawaki clicked the mouse, speaking calmly. "And besides, I''ve already said enough for him to figure out how to truly change this country. Now, he just wants to hog the spotlight." R?a?No??bE? "So what exactly should we do?" Tsukuyo asked, looking at Kawaki. "Tsukuyo, do you also want to be a revolutionary and change this country like that idiot?" "No, I''m just curious." Tsukuyo took a puff from her cigarette holder. "I see..." "Not putting down the sword and not being willing to let all the people put down their inner swords won''t change this country..." Tsukuyo muttered, "I don''t understand." "Why think about things you don''t understand?" Kawaki replied easily. "I just..." Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki''s back as he sat cross-legged on the floor, thinking, [I just want to find the real you hidden in that fog...]@@@@ "But it surprises me that you''re interested in this kind of thing, Tsukuyo," Kawaki said, squinting his eyes. "No, I''m not interested at all." Tsukuyo turned to leave. But Kawaki''s words stopped her in her tracks. "Let''s not talk about the national army..." Kawaki got up, removed the kunai, and looked at Tsukuyo with interest, "Question... if the country that always protected you was in danger, would you... pick up a kunai you''ve never picked up before?" "Of course." Tsukuyo answered without hesitation. "Then, if even the united resistance of all the people couldn''t fend off the war, there would be no solution." Kawaki turned back to his game, controlling the character on the screen. Tsukuyo frowned, deep in thought. Outside the window, Katsura stood silently on the roof, eyes closed, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. And Shige Shige, guided by Hinowa, arrived at Kawaki''s door. "Today... I suddenly remembered there''s something I need to do." Shige Shige politely thanked Hinowa, sitting in a wheelchair, "I''ll visit Kawaki-san another time." "Take care." Hinowa smiled warmly. ... "Do you have any other business?" Kawaki asked Tsukuyo without looking back, "If it''s just for this trivial matter, please leave my room and close the door." "Ah..." Tsukuyo replied faintly, "It''s not for this trivial matter. It''s something else." ... Elsewhere, Shige Shige, wrapped in a scarf, left Yoshiwara. He smiled apologetically at Matsudaira, who was smoking outside the gate, "Sorry to make you wait in a place like this, Katakuriko." "No problem," Matsudaira replied casually, "But you were quick. I was just about to go to my usual bar to wait for you." "Ah, I overheard something interesting, and couldn''t help but listen." "Interesting?" Matsudaira raised an eyebrow, "Indeed, that kind of talk can be stimulating for a man." Although Shige Shige knew Matsudaira misunderstood, he continued, "Katakuriko, about going skiing tomorrow..." "Don''t worry, I''ll have Kondo and the others take you." Matsudaira quickly responded. "No, I meant to say, forget about that. I suddenly realized there are many important things I must do, things that one lifetime might not be enough for." "What''s with you all of a sudden?" Matsudaira looked at Shige Shige in confusion, "Having a moment of clarity?" ... "What?! A trip for the Hyakka?!" Kawaki put down his game controller, staring at Tsukuyo in disbelief, "You''re joking, right? What''s that about?" "I can''t help it," Tsukuyo sighed, "It''s what all the Hyakka requested." As Tsukuyo finished, a group of Hyakka girls burst into Kawaki''s room from the door, windows, ceiling, bedroom door, cabinet, bathroom, and floor. "Kawaki-sama! We''re ready!" they shouted in unison, their faces solemn. "Were you all hiding in my room this whole time?" Kawaki asked deadpan. "We finally won a bet with the boss!" one Hyakka girl cheerfully hugged Kawaki''s arm, looking excited. By the way, this girl had just emerged from a panel on the floor under Kawaki''s seat. One chapter, still no internet. Chapter 586: Teachers Always Say That Study and Life Should Be Balanced "A bet?" Kawaki glanced at Tsukuyo with a strange expression and then showed a face of disdain. "Hey, what''s going on?" "It''s none of your business," Tsukuyo replied coldly, turning her face away. "I see..." Kawaki squinted his eyes and smiled. "Then this leisure trip has nothing to do with me. Have fun." "The departure time is tomorrow at 5 AM. Be prepared," Tsukuyo said, leaving the room without looking back. "Hey, wait a minute," Kawaki called after her with a deadpan expression. "Didn''t I just say it has nothing to do with me? Why are you telling me the time? I''m not going. No matter what you say, I''m not going!" "Suit yourself..." ... The following day, at dawn, Kawaki, still curled up in bed and snoring, suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold seeping through his blankets. His body shivered involuntarily, and he pulled the covers tighter around himself. "Is the air conditioning... broken?" Kawaki grumbled, eyes still closed as he huddled up. "Seriously... in this weather..." He suddenly sensed something off, a subtle sense of dissonance. Slowly opening his eyes, he found himself being held up in the air, blankets and all, by a group of Hyakka girls. After a long silence, Kawaki took a deep breath. "Where... am I?!" Kawaki jumped down, still wrapped in his blanket, glaring and grumbling. "What''s going on?!" "What''s going on?" one of the Hyakka girls responded with confusion. "It''s just a leisure trip..." "So..." Kawaki gritted his teeth and spoke slowly, "What does your leisure trip have to do with me? Ha... ha... ha-choo! This freezing cold weather is just..." Tsukuyo looked at the shivering, blanket-wrapped Kawaki with nothing but disdain in her eyes. As Kawaki continued to shiver, he deadpanned, "Why are you looking at me with such contempt? What did I do? Did I do something wrong? The ones doing something wrong are you! You''re the ones dragging someone out in this weather! And Tsukuyo, what did you bet on? Was the bet me? Was the prize to prank me like this in this freezing weather?! Give me a break!" "Actually, the boss is..." One of the Hyakka girls began to explain but was abruptly cut off by Tsukuyo. "Shut up!" Tsukuyo yelled, her face turning red. Several kunai slipped from her grip in her flustered state, all of which embedded themselves in Kawaki''s head. Thud... Kawaki, now face down in the snow with his eyes rolling back, struggled to lift his head. Blood streamed from his forehead as he trembled and asked cautiously, "Did I say something I shouldn''t have? Wh-why?" "Ah, sorry." Tsukuyo walked over and squatted to pull the kunai from Kawaki''s head. "I got a bit careless..." "Your carelessness is... terrifying." Kawaki mumbled. "You carelessly shoot out dangerous things, carelessly taking away someone''s most important life..." ... Meanwhile, with heavy bags under his eyes, Shige Shige arrived at Yoshiwara at dawn, accompanied by Matsudaira. "My apologies..." Hinowa smiled apologetically. "Kawaki-san just left." "Left?" Shige Shige asked, puzzled. "What do you mean by left?" "It''s just a leisure trip," Hinowa explained with a gentle smile. "But I didn''t expect that child to consider that man so much, secretly arranging this trip for him." RNo?b?s? "Why did they leave me behind?!" Seita, dressed in his dojo apprentice uniform, grumbled as he swung his practice bamboo sword. "And why do I still have to practice at the dojo? I want to go skiing too! It''s so unfair! Adults are so sneaky! Sneaky!" "Seita, just three more hours, and then you can rest for five minutes," Hinowa encouraged with a smile, waving her fist. "Hang in there!" "Ah! It''s so frustrating! I''m so angry!" Seita yelled as he continued swinging his bamboo sword. "Skiing, huh..." Shige Shige mumbled, looking at the falling snow. He turned back to Hinowa with a polite smile. "Well then, I''ll be on my way." Matsudaira stepped forward, pressing the gun to Hijikata''s forehead. "I''m just worried about you! No other reason!" Sitting by the kotatsu, Okita watched the scene with bean-shaped eyes, his face expressionless. He thought, "Shoot him! Shoot him! Just shoot already!" "I really can''t see your concern..." Hijikata muttered, looking at Matsudaira. "Alright! It''s decided! Everyone will join! Get ready!" Matsudaira decided for everyone. "Great~ You''re still awesome, old man~" Okita praised. "Ah" Matsudaira suddenly remembered something. "There''s someone who wants to join your trip. It''s not someone you need to worry about. Just take care of them." ... Elsewhere. "Achoo!" Kawaki sneezed, wearing his winter coat and tying a thick scarf around his neck. Sniffling, he looked disdainful. "What were you thinking? Why a skiing trip for leisure? Couldn''t we have chosen a hot spring or something?" "Are you sure you want to go to a hot spring?" Tsukuyo glanced at the excited Hyakka girls and then back at Kawaki. "We can, but if anything goes wrong, I''m not responsible." After a long silence, Kawaki squinted and smiled. "You''re right. Skiing is pretty good too. When it comes to winter, skiing is the best. Everyone, are you ready?" "OK!" the Hyakka girls replied in unison. "Alright then, pair up in twos... and take the cable car!" Kawaki shouted, then turned to the Hyakka girls, who had already started fighting over partners. "And... no fighting!" The Hyakka girls stopped their brawling. "Honestly, organizing a leisure trip for your subordinates, you''d better put more effort into it," Kawaki said with an exasperated sigh. "Get on already," Tsukuyo said, turning to board the cable car that had just arrived. "Alright, I''ll..." Kawaki started to follow but was quickly pulled back by the Hyakka girls. "Kawaki-sama, pair with me!" "No, pair with me!" "Everyone move! Kawaki-sama obviously wants to pair with me!" "Move aside! I just watched a romantic skiing movie yesterday, and today is my chance to practice it! Kawaki-sama, if there''s an avalanche, I''ll use my body to keep you warm!" "Let go of Kawaki-sama! I''m the one who should keep him warm! I''ll take care of everything!" "It''s me!" "It''s me!" "It''s me!" Watching the Hyakka girls start fighting again, Kawaki squinted his eyes and, after a moment of silence, turned to the slightly shorter, quiet Hyakka member. "Um, let''s pair up. They won''t stop until they settle this." "Kawaki-sama..." the young Hyakka girl hesitated and replied softly, "I... I''m still young. It will take a few more years before I can... you know." "Huh?" Kawaki''s expression turned blank again. "But!" the girl quickly added, "If Kawaki-sama really wants to, I... I will endure it!" "Do I look like that kind of person?!" Kawaki yelled, veins popping on his forehead. "Absolutely not! I would never cross that line! What have they been teaching you?! Why would you even think of such things?!" Turning away, Kawaki crossed his arms and spat in frustration. "Really, Tsukuyo, what are you thinking, sneaking off alone. They''re not even my subordinates..." Chapter 587: Beginners Should Choose... Two Skis! Chapter 587: Beginners Should Choose... Two Skis! Kawaki had just finished a lap at the ski resort and concluded with an impressive 360-degree low jump, stopping right in front of Tsukuyo. "How was that? Pretty amazing, right?" Kawaki lifted his snowboard and raised his eyebrows proudly. "Super cool, Kawaki-sama!" One of the Hyakka girls shouted excitedly, holding up a camera. "I captured the whole thing! Even the moment you fell and rubbed your head with tears in your eyes, you still looked great, Kawaki-sama!" "Wow..." Tsukuyo turned her face away with disdain, sarcastically dragging out her words. "That was really impressive~." "Hey, delete those photos!" Kawaki said with a blank expression, then crossed his arms and huffed. "It''s normal for beginners to fall once or twice at first. But you, you''ve been here this long and haven''t even started. That''s more surprising." With a mischievous grin, Kawaki raised his eyebrows and continued, "Could it be that Tsukuyo is too scared to try because she''s afraid of falling? Just like a little kid~." Thud! (Sound of a kunai stabbing) Splat! (Sound of blood spurting) Thud! (Sound of someone falling) "No," Tsukuyo glanced down at Kawaki, who had fallen face-first into the snow, then stepped on his back several times before settling her foot. "I just hadn''t found the right snowboard, but now I have." "You damn woman, I''ll kill you one day..." Kawaki muttered, struggling to lift his head and curse softly. ... "Relax your body a bit," Kawaki said, gently holding Tsukuyo''s waist with one hand and guiding her feet with the other. "Keep your legs apart, knees slightly bent. No, you''re too tense! I said relax your body!" "Relax my body, spread my legs..." Tsukuyo adjusted according to Kawaki''s instructions, then turned her icy gaze to him. "Are you sexually harassing me?" "Why do you think of it that way? Is it because you''re a woman from Yoshiwara?" Kawaki retorted, exasperated, then scoffed. "Fine, if you don''t want my help, figure it out yourself. You''ll learn after a few falls." Kawaki let go of Tsukuyo, and she immediately lost her balance and fell to the ground. Thud! Watching Tsukuyo fall face-first into the snow, Kawaki couldn''t help but laugh out loud. "Hahaha... I told you not to push yourself. Beginners should just use two skis. Why insist on using a snowboard? Are you an idiot? Hahaha... Ugh..." Thud! Standing up, Tsukuyo looked at Kawaki, who was now lying face-down in the snow with kunai sticking out of his head. Her eyes were filled with disdain. "This snowboard seems nice. I''ll practice with it." Tsukuyo stepped onto Kawaki''s back, bending her knees slightly and spreading her legs. "Ready to go..." "Go where, you damn woman!" Kawaki grumbled as he got up. "But it feels like it''ll be easier to learn this way..." Tsukuyo pondered. "Sorry, but I prefer to be on top most of the time," Kawaki said, raising his hand in refusal. "I can''t accept being ridden by a woman. After all, I like to be the one attacking." "What kind of crazy method is this?!" Tsukuyo, who had followed Kawaki onto the snowboard, clung to his scarf and shouted. "Did you learn this from Tao Pai Pai?!" "Let... Let go," Kawaki struggled as his scarf tightened around his neck. "I... I can''t breathe. Let go! I''m... I''m suffocating..." Two minutes later... Kawaki, kneeling on the snowboard, took several deep breaths and turned to Tsukuyo. "Phew... phew... I almost died. What are you doing, Tsukuyo?! And why are you on the snowboard too? I''m barely managing it by myself." "Forget about that..." Tsukuyo pointed at the fast-moving snowboard beneath them. "When can we stop?" "When we catch up to General Blue..." "Who is General Blue?" "I don''t know." After an expressionless silence, Tsukuyo grabbed Kawaki''s scarf again, shaking him vigorously. "What do we do now?! We can''t stop if we can''t get down!" "You followed me up here!" Kawaki retorted, irritated. "It''s not my fault! It''s all your fault for coming up here! Why are you making it sound like it''s my fault? And..." Kawaki grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "We''re going faster than that guy!" "Is this the time to be proud?!" Tsukuyo shouted, her spit flying as she shook Kawaki''s collar. "Stop it! Make it stop now!" "The remote... I left it on the ground." Kawaki scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "I was going to let you stop it while on the ground, but you came up here too. Haha... What a mess, haha..." "Is this the time to be laughing?!" "Don''t worry, it''ll stop once the fuel runs out." "When will that be?!" "I told you, once we go around the earth once, it''ll be about right," Kawaki said, shaking his head and laughing. "Tsukuyo, you''re really not that smart, huh?" "Are you in any position to say that?!" Tsukuyo pulled out a kunai. "I guess I''ll just have to dismantle it." Chapter 588: The Moment We Embarked on This Journey, It Became a Journey to Heal Our Souls "I advise you not to do that," Kawaki calmly warned. "When I bought this snowboard, the store clerk did mention that... if you try to dismantle it violently..." Kawaki raised a finger and smiled, "It will explode~" Tsukuyo: ... Another five minutes later... "The ocean! Look, Tsukuyo! Below us is the ocean!" Kawaki pointed down, shouting excitedly at Tsukuyo. "Is that something to get excited about?!" Tsukuyo retorted angrily, veins popping on her forehead. "We''re in an even worse situation now! Isn''t looking at the ocean from a thousand meters high terrifying? One slip, and we''ll fall to our deaths!" "Oh!" Kawaki suddenly noticed something. "That woman in a swimsuit on the beach looks nice, and it seems... she doesn''t have a boyfriend..." "How can you even see that?!" "Here, you can use this." Kawaki took a pair of binoculars from his pocket and handed them to Tsukuyo. Holding the binoculars, Tsukuyo once again fell into a long, expressionless silence. Another ten minutes passed... "The altitude is dropping, and the speed is slowing down~" Kawaki mumbled, stroking his chin. "It looks like we''ll land soon. That''s great, Tsukuyo." "You''re really a reckless man," Tsukuyo chuckled lightly. "Don''t you think this is pretty nice?" Kawaki shrugged. "Plans for a vacation or whatever, those things don''t really matter. The moment you embark on a journey, it''s already a trip to heal your soul. Being tied to plans and worrying about whether others are having fun is very troublesome. I... I prefer this kind of unplanned and reckless journey." "You..." "Anyway, thank you," Kawaki smiled gently, narrowing his eyes. "This trip... has made me happy." For some reason, looking at Kawaki''s expression, Tsukuyo felt, for the first time, that this guy she had known for so long was a little charming. "A global trip like this must cost a lot of money..." Kawaki said, raising a finger. "So please, when we get back, you can repay me. A million will be enough." ??NO?bE?s? It was just an illusion. That brief moment was just an illusion. This guy is just an idiot, Tsukuyo thought, holding her forehead and sighing heavily. ... "We''re back! We''re back!" Kawaki pointed at the snowy ground below, shouting. "We finally made it back!" "Hey, Kawaki," Tsukuyo pointed at something a few meters below the snowboard, "there seems to be something..." "The situation below looks pretty bad, Tsukuyo," Kawaki muttered, then turned to Tsukuyo, "Do something... Hey! Stop! Stop now!" "This seems like the only way to stop it now," Tsukuyo said, holding a kunai and looking ready to dismantle the snowboard. "Stop! Stop it now!" Kawaki grabbed his head, screaming in panic. "I''m not joking! The bomb is real! We''ll all die! You''ll blow everyone up! Calm down, Tsukuyo!" Just then, Kawaki noticed something in the snowball below and looked shocked. "Zura! Why are you here?!" "It''s not Zura, it''s Katsura!" Katsura corrected, then smiled lightly. "I just anticipated this and have been waiting in the snowball." "Hey, Kagura." Gintoki called out. "Okita." Hijikata called out too. "Ever heard of the prostate brake?" They both said in unison. "Huh?" Katsura looked confused for a moment, then started begging. "Wait, Captain, what are you... ah! Wait... ugh!!!" "It seems to work..." Kawaki mumbled, stroking his chin, then turned to Tsukuyo and smiled, "But it probably won''t work for us... Hey? Tsukuyo? Wait... wait a minute!!!" Boom!!! ... After an unknown amount of time, Hijikata slowly regained consciousness, lying in the snow. He opened his eyes and struggled to get up. "Hey, you''re awake," Kawaki''s voice came from nearby. "If you''re awake, come help. These guys are buried pretty deep." "Ah, it''s you..." Hijikata looked at the nearby Kawaki with an exploded hairstyle, struggled to stand, but then his head throbbed with pain. "No, wait, I remember I was..." As the Shogun''s guards, we came to the ski resort, and then... "It seems like your memory is fine, so hurry up and help," Kawaki said, then pointed to the people buried head-first in the snow. "Thanks to you all, our nice trip turned out like this." "Whose fault is that?!" Hijikata retorted angrily. "What was with that explosion at the end?!" "I don''t know." Kawaki lied without batting an eye. "You don''t know my ass! It''s obviously your fault!" Despite his words, Hijikata started helping Kawaki pull people out of the snow. "Shogun! Shogun! Where is the Shogun?!" "Huh? The Shogun?" After pulling out Kagura and Tsukuyo and placing them aside, Kawaki sat down. "Are you saying the Shogun is here too?" Chapter 589: You Copied Me! "Ah! That''s what I just said! You copied me!" Katsura complained immediately. But no one paid him any attention. "This is a small hill, perfect for observing the surroundings and easy to spot," Hijikata continued. "Keep the fire burning to maintain the smoke. This will be our base of operations. First, let''s set up a place to keep warm, and the rest will search for the Shogun. We must find him today." "But about searching," Shinpachi interjected, "the snow is getting heavier. It''s dangerous to venture out recklessly." "Precisely because of that, we must go," Hijikata sighed. "Just use the smoke as a marker to return." "But..." Shinpachi looked serious and objected, "It''s still too dangerous. What if there are more casualties?" "For fairness'' sake, let''s decide with rock-paper-scissors. Ready?" "Rockpaperscissors...!!" 9 And so... Watching the shivering back of Kondo, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, Hijikata and Okita waved goodbye, "Take care" "Kondo-san, be careful," Hijikata called out again kindly. Kondo stopped, shivering, and replied, "No, I can''t be careful. I''m not wearing anything..." "Huh? What?" Gintoki looked confused, hands in his pockets, "Did you say something?" "No... um," Kondo tried again, pleading, "Didn''t you forget something?" "Forget what? What do you mean?" Shinpachi asked, puzzled, looking at Okita. "Who knows..." Okita also looked clueless. Tears already frozen on his face, Kondo trembled as he said, "No, it''s very cold... um..." Suddenly, Kondo thought of something and raised his voice: "Ah! The Shogun must be cold, too! He probably needs something warm, like clothes!" "Hey, get a grip," Kawaki reminded him. "Huh?" Kondo was taken aback. "You have clothes, don''t you?" Gintoki pointed at Kondo. "Huh?" Kondo blinked, confused. "Right there, on your waist." 2 Looking at his shorts, Kondo doubted his life choices. "Kondo-san, you''re such a klutz~" Otae smiled sweetly, her eyes closed. "Hahaha..." Kondo scratched the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly, "I totally forgot~" "Make sure to warm them up before giving them to the Shogun~" Otae kindly reminded him. "Well... I''m off then." Kondo turned around again, his face turning into an even more pitiful expression once he was facing away. Watching Kondo''s back, Hijikata suddenly noticed something and called, "Wait! On closer inspection, Kondo-san isn''t wearing anything!" After the sound of kunai cutting through the air, Kawaki, now a pincushion, still smiled as he fell. "Feeling warmer?" Tsukuyo asked, pulling out more kunai. "Want more?" Kawaki only responded with the sound of him falling unconscious into the snow. ... Meanwhile, Gintoki''s group continued through the forest. "The snow is getting heavier, aru," Kagura stopped and looked up. "Looks like there''ll be a blizzard tonight," Gintoki replied casually, hands in his pockets. "Aren''t Kondo-san and the Shogun in danger?" Shinpachi worried. "Worry about yourself first," Gintoki snapped. "Isn''t there a hut around here?" He resumed walking, and Shinpachi and Kagura quickly followed. "If there was, we wouldn''t be in trouble," Shinpachi replied. "This place is deserted, that''s why." As they walked, Kagura spotted something and stopped. "What are they doing?" she asked, watching Okita and Hijikata digging in the snow. She ran over, calling out to Tsukuyo and Kawaki, who were helping the injured Kawaki. "Uncle, Tsukuyo! What happened to him?" "Nothing," Tsukuyo turned away. "He just got tangled in kunai while warming up." "What does ''tangled in kunai'' mean? Do you want to fight?" Kawaki grumbled. "But it worked, didn''t it? You said you felt warmer," Tsukuyo replied nonchalantly. "I don''t remember saying that..." Kawaki muttered through gritted teeth. "Never mind that..." Kagura approached Okita and asked, "Hey, what are you doing? Looking for food, dog?" "Don''t compare me to you. I don''t eat off the ground," Okita retorted. "You never would, right?" Kagura teased, dropping a box of pickled seaweed. Gintoki and Shinpachi dived for it. Watching them fight over the seaweed, Kagura scolded, "Why did you take the bait? Stop it!" "It''s already on the ground! It''s mine now!" Gintoki argued. "No, it''s mine!" Kagura... joined the fight too. "It''s not my fault," Kawaki sighed, seeing Tsukuyo''s look. "Their upbringing has nothing to do with me..." Chapter 590: Law and Human Nature "Shogun! Shogun! Where are you?!" Hijikata kept shouting, his hands not stopping as he pulled one human-shaped radish after another out of the snow. Even after pulling everyone out, Hijikata still couldn''t find the Shogun. He started to panic, his pupils shaking as he muttered in disbelief, "He''s... not here... The Shogun... is missing..." "Well..." Feeling that things were getting out of hand, Kawaki silently picked up Kagura and Tsukuyo and, without hesitation, turned around and said, "I just remembered that I forgot to turn off the air conditioner when I left. So, we''ll just..." "Wait! You bastard!" Hijikata, with a twisted expression, grabbed Kawaki''s clothes, "Are you trying to run away alone in this situation? After doing that to the Shogun, you think you can just leave?!" "Hey, hey, today''s police don''t even talk about evidence, huh?" Kawaki clicked his tongue in disapproval, "Not only evidence, but they don''t even talk about reason~ Shogun? Who''s that? I don''t know any Shogun~" "You..." Hijikata gritted his teeth, speaking one word at a time, "Anyway, you''re not going anywhere! If we don''t find the Shogun safe and sound, everyone here will be beheaded!" "No, it has nothing to do with me." Kawaki replied impatiently, spreading his hands, "You should understand the saying ''every debt has its debtor,'' right? If the Shogun hadn''t come here, none of this would have happened. So, it''s just his own fault. If he hadn''t decided to come here, nothing would have happened! In other words, the Shogun brought this on himself! We''re being generous by not holding him responsible!" "That''s true, boss," Okita, who had woken up at some point, nodded in agreement. "True, my ass!" Hijikata yelled, veins bulging on his forehead. "But making the Shogun take all the responsibility feels a bit wrong," Okita pondered, one hand on his chin, and then raised a finger with a serious face, "So, let''s have Hijikata-san share the responsibility with the Shogun!" "Why drag me into this?!" Hijikata roared, veins popping. Then he suddenly thought of something and quickly took out his phone. "Rescue... We should call for rescue... No signal!?! Are you kidding me?! Where the hell are we? There''s no street, no human presence, no rescue, just a bunch of losers. We''re doomed. Forget about guarding the Shogun; we''re all in trouble." Nearby, Kawaki and Okita continued their conversation, oblivious to Hijikata''s muttering. "Really? You booked a hot spring inn too?" Okita exclaimed, then sighed, "That''s nice~ We don''t have that kind of luxury~." "If you want to join us, feel free," Kawaki said casually, turning to leave, "In this weather, soaking in a hot spring is the best thing." "Really?" Okita asked, following Kawaki. "No problem, I heard Tsukuyo booked the whole place," Kawaki replied. "But being alone in the men''s bath would be lonely." "Great!" Okita cheered, then turned and waved goodbye to Hijikata, "Sorry, Hijikata-san, I''m off to the hot spring inn with the boss." "Heh... hot spring inn?" Hijikata''s face twisted, revealing a broken expression, "Where? Is there such a place here? Seriously... where are we?" Kawaki finally stopped and looked around, his face turning blank. "What should we do?" Otae continued, ignoring Hijikata. "To warm the body, the best way is to huddle naked. So, let''s send the naked ones to search." "Get me a blanket!" Kondou, his spirit shattered, cried out. "A blanket to cover my fragile soul!" "Whether we save the Shogun or wait to be beheaded, we must first ensure our own safety," Hijikata stated. "I understand that. We''re in a crisis now," Okita added. "That makes sense," Katsura suggested, suddenly speaking from behind them. "Let''s split into a safety team and a Shogun search team. Don''t worry, though the Shogun is an enemy to us, in this situation, discussing positions and identities is pointless." "Everyone!" Katsura, made into a snowman by Okita, said excitedly. "Let''s forget the past and face this crisis together! From now on, I''m just the captain! Feel free to jump into my arms!" "Well..." Okita glanced at Katsura, "If something happens to the Shogun, let''s blame that guy and Hijikata-san for failing their guard duty. What should we do?" "Why drag me into this?!" Hijikata fumed. "Blame him alone!" "Hey! Did you hear me?" Katsura, still buried in the snow, struggled. "It''s about time you let the captain out!" "Tsukuyo, what''s wrong?" Kawaki asked, puzzled, noticing Tsukuyo had been silent and downcast. "This isn''t our first crisis. Your reaction is too much." "No, it''s nothing..." Tsukuyo replied quietly, holding a folded piece of paper tightly, thinking, [The entire plan for this trip was ruined because of this idiot!] "But your expression seems forced..." Kawaki rubbed his chin, suspiciously staring at Tsukuyo''s face. "Uncle, you really don''t understand anything," Kagura sighed, shaking her head. "When a woman acts unnatural like this, it''s definitely that time of the month." "I see." Kawaki nodded in understanding. "In such times, all she needs is a warm kunai and your warm head, uncle. Then she''ll be fine," Kagura suggested with a raised finger. "Hey, that''s not the right way to help," Kawaki deadpanned. Hijikata, getting impatient, interrupted, "Enough. Anyway, the other team members must have realized the Shogun and we are missing. They''ll come to rescue us eventually." "Are you listening to me? Hey!" Katsura called out, ignored. "Before that, both we and the Shogun must survive," Hijikata declared, standing up and stuffing his hands into his pockets, "Let''s split into two groups." Chapter 591: Mental Fortitude Is Equally Important! Watching the three still fighting over the pickled seaweed, Hijikata spoke irritably, "Hey, what are you idiots doing? If you''re going to be a nuisance, just roll back into nature. Playing with important food..." As he spoke, Hijikata seemingly casually but entirely deliberately dropped the mayonnaise in his left hand on the ground, his lips curling into a barely noticeable smirk. "Oh no, the mayonnaise fell out~ What should we do?" In an instant, everyone present stopped what they were doing, their faces expressionless. Sogo was the first to react. He stood up swiftly, grabbed the mayonnaise from the ground, and threw it off the cliff with all his strength without hesitation. Watching Hijikata lose control, desperately reaching out and chasing the mayonnaise while screaming as he ran off the cliff, Sogo dusted his hands off and calmly said, "This way, no one''s in the way." He turned back and squatted down to continue building his snow shelter. Kagura, noticing Sogo busy at work, couldn''t help but ask, "Sogo, is that a snow shelter?" "In a deserted place like this, how could there be a cabin?" Sogo continued working without looking up, explaining, "There''s probably no cave or hollow around here either. But there''s plenty of snow, so we can just use a snow shelter to avoid the storm." Hearing this, Gintoki and Kagura, still bickering over the pickled seaweed, stopped their actions and wore mocking expressions. "Oh dear, did you hear that, Kagura?" Gintoki said in a sarcastic, sing-song voice, "They''re planning to hide in the snow to avoid the storm~" "Hehehe..." Kagura covered her mouth with her hands, giggling. It looks like these country monkeys are becoming more like beasts. How could hiding in the snow keep you warm?" "Even if you hide from Frieza''s cold-blooded attacks, it won''t work." Gintoki faced Kagura but peeked at Sogo out of the corner of his eye, continuing to mock, "Have you forgotten how Vegeta''s agony felt when his home was destroyed?" "Sorry..." Akira rubbed his forehead and sighed, "Kagura... she''s never been to school, so she lacks common sense. As for Gintoki, he was always sleeping during class..." Before he could finish, Akira noticed somethingTsukuyo, who also wore a look of disdain. Instantly, Akira''s eyes turned into dots. "Hey, don''t tell me you don''t know either? You don''t even have that basic common sense?" "What?" Tsukuyo asked, puzzled, "Vegeta?" "Sorry... I forgot you never went to school either," Akira replied quietly. "Well, if you don''t believe it, why not try it yourselves?" Sogo looked at Gintoki and Kagura with slight contempt. "No thanks, but we don''t want to freeze to death," Gintoki immediately declined, then, pretending to be kind, added, "Oh, if some water leaks in later, don''t mind it, it''s easy to mistake it for a toilet~." Gintoki had barely finished when Hijikata, having climbed back up the cliff, kicked him in the butt irritably. "Alright, get inside already!" Gintoki reluctantly crawled into the snow shelter, followed closely by an equally reluctant Kagura. Ten minutes later... On the snowy ground nearby, Akira conducted an informative and vivid snow shelter class for Tsukuyo and Shinpachi, carefully explaining how snow shelters worked and maintained temperature. "...Understand?" Akira threw away the stick in his hand and crossed his arms, summarizing, "With enough people and time, the temperature inside a snow shelter can reach ten to twenty degrees Celsius." "Got it..." Tsukuyo nodded slightly. "That''s impressive, Akira-san!" Shinpachi praised. "I didn''t expect you to have such a wealth of knowledge! It''s truly eye-opening!" "Why does it feel like you''re praising me without any respect?" Akira commented expressionlessly, then turned away with a dismissive snort, "I''ve always kept these wilderness survival skills in mind. How do you think I survived so many years wandering around?" "Wasn''t it by mooching food and drink?" Tsukuyo taunted. "Who would do that?!" Akira retorted. "For some reason, I suddenly feel a bit sad..." Shinpachi adjusted his glasses, muttering. Suddenly, Shinpachi remembered something, turned around, and leaned into the snow shelter, asking, "How is it, Gintoki-san, Kagura-chan? Gin-san? Kagura...chan?" Gintoki and Kagura lay quietly inside the snow shelter, staring blankly at the ceiling with satisfied, sage-like expressions. [What is this? It''s so annoying...]Kagura thought. [This feeling... it''s so warm...]Gintoki thought, [It''s not just physically warm, it feels like my heart is melting... so comforting.] [What is this? This feeling...]Kagura kept questioning herself in her mind. [This... it feels like...] [Being in mom''s womb...] Seeing the pair in the snow shelter, Sogo smirked deviously and said, "But we can''t lend it to you guys since you have a better place." "It''s fine..." Gintoki said, feigning strength, "Don''t lend it to us. I don''t want to stay in such a narrow, dark place anyway..." "This place is so cramped you can''t even turn around." Listening to Kagura''s disdainful tone, Hijikata snapped, "Then get out already! What are you doing inside?" "Aren''t you the one who told us to get in?" Gintoki retorted, "I''m already giving you face by coming in to roll around." Suddenly, there was a noise Hearing it, Hijikata quickly covered his nose, "Hey! Did you just fart in there?" "Yoo-hoo!" Riding on Gintoki''s shoulders, Kagura stood up, breaking through the top of the snow shelter, "Alright! Let''s go find a place to stay overnight!" "Where are you coming out from?!" Hijikata was instantly exasperated, pointing at the two with wide eyes. "Huh?" Gintoki looked innocent, "Well, the entrance was too small, so I thought it''d be better to come out from somewhere else." "What nonsense?!" Hijikata pointed at them angrily, "You did it on purpose! You ruined it because you weren''t satisfied!" ... Another ten minutes later, with the snowstorm growing stronger, Akira and the group wandered through the forest, searching for shelter. "Hey, how are you going to make up for it?" Hijikata kept grumbling at Gintoki, "The snowstorm is getting worse. Wasting energy on stupid things is just going to freeze us! Do you really want to die?" "Calm down, Bangs-kun," Akira said, picking his ear impatiently, "In this situation, there''s only one way to save us." "Who are you calling Bangs-kun?!" Hijikata fumed, clenching his fists, "What way is there?! There was a way, but now it''s gone! Completely ruined by this natural perm and your idiot niece!" Gintoki and Kagura turned away, feigning ignorance, and started picking their noses. "Don''t think you can escape responsibility by pretending you don''t know anything!" Hijikata yelled, pointing at the two. "I said, calm down," Akira repeated, glancing at Hijikata and raising a finger, "There''s still one last way." [Here we go again...]Shinpachi adjusted his glasses, thinking. [Ah, no doubt about it.]Gintoki and Kagura nodded simultaneously. "What way?" Hijikata looked skeptical. Akira responded earnestly, "Bangs-kun, you''re too focused on shelter and have overlooked the most crucial thing for our survival in this situation." "More crucial than shelter? That would be food..." "No! Not that!" Akira interrupted, correcting him seriously, "The most crucial thing to survive this weather is..." "The most crucial thing?" Hijikata remained skeptical. "Yes! The most crucial thing! That is..." Akira pointed at Hijikata, his expression serious, "Mental fortitude!" "Mental fortitude?" "Don''t you think that before satisfying material needs, we need to have extremely strong mental fortitude?" Akira asked calmly. "That''s true..." Hijikata nodded honestly, stroking his chin in thought, "In times like this, mental fortitude is indeed crucial. Those with weak mental fortitude are more likely to be overwhelmed by extreme weather..." "Not only that!" Akira continued, "Mental fortitude doesn''t just affect that; it can help us resist the cold and strengthen our physical condition!" "Well, if you put it that way..." Hijikata''s face showed some hesitation, "It''s not entirely wrong... It might barely achieve that." Hearing this, Akira''s lips curled into a barely noticeable smirk. He asked, "So, do you think there''s a way to use mental fortitude to influence our physical condition and withstand this snowstorm?" Chapter 592: If You Cant Think of Anything Wrong, It Proves Its Right! "How to do it..." Hijikata naturally answered, "Of course, it''s the belief that we must survive no matter what. If we have that, it should work..." "No, no, no. Just that alone is not enough." Akira raised a finger and shook it. "To survive in this extreme weather, that alone is not enough. In this situation, we should..." Three minutes later... "What?!" After listening to Akira''s words, Hijikata showed a strange expression. "Imagine?! Imagine it''s a scorching summer?! How can we imagine that when it''s this cold?" "We''ll talk about that later, but don''t you think this method makes sense?" Akira asked. "If it works, it can at least make us temporarily ignore the cold." "It does seem that way..." Hijikata muttered, frowning. "But something feels off..." "If you can''t think of anything wrong, it''s actually correct!" Sogo chimed in. Akira snapped his fingers and said, "Exactly! If you can''t think of anything wrong, it proves it''s right!" "So, what exactly should we do?" Hijikata asked, puzzled. "No matter what, I can''t imagine the heat of summer in this weather." "True..." Akira nodded, then began to think, touching his chin. "We need to come up with some memorable summer scenes..." "I know, I know! The ocean!" Kagura raised her hand and said. "Good one, Kagura!" Akira praised. "The beach!" Shinpachi raised his hand and said. "Nice one, Shinpachi!" Akira praised again. "Bikinis!" Gintoki raised his hand. "This guy must have forgotten about the cold! Next!" "Fireworks... the fireworks festival..." Tsukuyo said uncertainly. "OUT!!" Akira crossed his arms in an X, "Although that''s correct, that kind of answer doesn''t fit your character! So, OUT!" As he finished speaking, Akira fell backward, with several kunai on his forehead. "Watermelons..." Sogo raised his hand. "Bonus points!" Akira, struggling, raised his thumb, then got up and said, "Alright, with these elements, imagining a hot summer will be easy! Come on, everyone, start imagining those elements! Even if your body doesn''t feel it, let your heart feel the heat!" "Um, Boss..." Sogo raised his hand, "Just imagining might be a bit difficult. Shouldn''t we practice a bit? It would be easier to grasp the summer feel." "True..." Akira nodded in agreement and then turned to Gintoki and Hijikata. "What do you think? Should we play some summer games to feel the summer vibe?" "If it can increase our chances of survival, it''s worth a try." Hijikata nodded. "Then, let''s have you... play the watermelon in the watermelon splitting game..." Akira, Sogo, and Gintoki said in unison with mischievous smiles. Seeing their sinister smiles, Hijikata realized what was happening and tried to protest but was quickly gagged with a towel by Sogo and tied up by Gintoki with a rope they found. "Mmm! Mmm!" Hijikata struggled and made muffled sounds. "Vice Chief is such a good person~," Sogo said, moved. "Sacrificing himself for us~" "Yes, we misunderstood you before. Didn''t expect you to be like this." Gintoki said seriously. "Mmm! Mmm!" Buried in the snow with only his head exposed, Hijikata cursed them in his mind: Damn you! Remember this! I''ll get you for this! "The Sadist Trio is amazing..." Shinpachi commented expressionlessly. "Who will split the watermelon?" Akira raised a stick and a white cloth and asked. "Let me do it." Sogo took the stick and cloth from Akira, showing a gentle smile. "Although there were many unpleasant incidents with the Vice Chief, now... at least let me send him off. With this stick in my hand..." "That''s too naive!" Gintoki took the stick and cloth from Sogo, his expression turning serious. "I should do it! When I was a kid, I could find a watermelon just by its sweetness! Now, I can find his head just by my hatred for his V-shaped bangs!" "Really?" Shinpachi asked Akira softly. "No, he''s lying," Akira replied softly. "When Gintoki was a kid, he claimed he could find a watermelon by its sweetness but ended up falling into the sea and never swam again." "So that''s why Gintoki-san can''t swim..." "Alright! Decided! Gintoki will be the stick handler!" Akira announced with a smile. "Stop making up non-existent terms," Tsukuyo coldly reminded. "All set!" Gintoki, now blindfolded, shouted. "Wait..." Kagura raised her hand and started thinking, "I feel... something is missing from Gin-san to really feel the summer vibe..." "Now that you mention it, it does feel that way..." Akira nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it does feel like that," Sogo added. "I''ve got it!" Kagura said, eyes shining. "I know what Gin-san is missing!" "Coincidentally, we also figured it out!" Akira and Sogo said in unison. "I have a bad feeling..." Shinpachi muttered, "Something weird is definitely going to happen." "Probably..." Tsukuyo agreed softly. Three minutes later, Gintoki, now stripped to strawberry-patterned boxers and shivering, asked, "Um... Kagura... chan?" "Perfect now!" Kagura gave a thumbs-up, "You look very summery now!" "Did we get the Sadist Trio members wrong from the start?" Shinpachi asked Tsukuyo, "These three seem like the official members. Gintoki-san is just a temporary member who can be kicked out anytime. This is too tragic! Too tragic!" "Gintoki, ready!" Akira waved. "Boss, left, left." "No, you''ve gone too far, right a bit, Gin-san!" "No, left!" "Right!" "It''s so cold I can''t hear what you''re saying!" Gintoki shouted, veins popping. "Now!!" Akira shouted. "Whatever, let''s end this farce!" With that, Gintoki swung the stick down hard. And so... Gintoki, swinging the stick too forcefully, lost his balance and screamed as he fell off the cliff. "Yare yare, Gintoki is so careless~." "Yes, Gin-san is such a klutz~." "Hey, Boss" Sogo leaned over the cliff and shouted, "Still alive down there?" Three seconds later, a furious roar came from the bottom of the cliff: "I''ll kill you all!!!" "Seems he''s fine, that''s good~" "Why do you sound disappointed, Akira-san?" Shinpachi asked expressionlessly. Ten minutes later... Gintoki, now dressed and shivering with frozen snot hanging from his nose, chattered, "It''s... your turn now!" He glared at Akira and the others. "Right! Your turn now!" Hijikata agreed with Gintoki this time. "What turn?" Akira looked confused. "Don''t play dumb! It''s your turn to feel the summer vibe!" Gintoki shouted, veins popping. "No, regarding that..." Akira raised a finger, smiling, "We all denied that crazy method. It didn''t work~." Hearing this, Gintoki and Hijikata''s veins popped again. "Yes, no effect at all~" Kagura nodded but then looked puzzled, "But why didn''t it work?" "Probably because our imagination wasn''t strong enough." Sogo analyzed. "Yeah, that''s it." Akira and Kagura nodded in agreement. "Can I kill them?" Gintoki asked Hijikata as he stood up, face dark. "Funny, I was about to ask the same." Hijikata replied, standing up as well. Then, the two charged at Akira''s group with a roar. But just then, Katsura''s voice came from nearby. "Everyone, over here," Katsura, wearing two large snowballs, waved. It''s not the time to fight. I found a snow cave. Come on." "Katsura, who said you could move freely?" Sogo frowned. "I''m getting used to this body," Katsura replied, pointing to a cave not far away, "I found this cave while investigating." Chapter 593: Ive Heard that Where Theres Water Standing at the entrance of the cave, Kagura rested her hands on her knees, peeking inside with curiosity. "What''s in this cave, aru? Could there be a bear hibernating inside, aru?" "Don''t worry," Katsura replied with a soft chuckle, his eyes closed. "I''ve already driven the wild beasts out." "Huh?" Shinpachi paused for a moment, furrowing his brows slightly with a somewhat perplexed expression. He mumbled, "Was it really a bear''s den?" "Hahaha, how could there be a bear in a place like this?" Katsura laughed, then glanced inside the cave at a blood-soaked sneaker much more significant than a human. Pointing at it with his index finger, he turned back and said, "It''s just an ordinary big-faced monster." (Note: The "Bigfoot" is also known as the "Sasquatch," a large, ape-like creature similar to the yeti. It was first discovered in North America and is considered an unidentified mysterious animal.) Hearing this, everyone in Jou''s group froze. Shinpachi was the first to snap out of it. He took a deep breath, his eyes wide open, and shouted, "There''s no such thing as an ordinary big-faced monster in this world!" "Why would there be a legendary UMA in a place like this?!" Gintoki joined in, his neck straining as he shouted, "And why is Bigfoot wearing sneakers?!" (Note: UMA stands for Unidentified Mysterious Animal, referring to cryptids or creatures that are rumored to exist but haven''t been scientifically proven. A typical example is the water monkey.) "No, we can''t be sure yet," Katsura, glancing at Gintoki, responded thoughtfully. "Even I''m wavering. Maybe it''s just a man with big feet." "No, you''ve already made up your mind!" Gintoki retorted. "It''s clearly way too big!" "Actually, I don''t know this person," Jou pointed to Katsura and looked at Tsukuyo, who was holding a smoking pipe and twitching at the corner of her mouth. "I really don''t know him." At this moment, Katsura saw the giant shoe with a thumbtack stuck in it and a note reading, "Sorry, it''s just too cold. Could we stay here for the night? No? You''re really a brute with a simple mind, you idiot Bigfoot!" He added, "I asked him if we could stay here for the night, but he wouldn''t listen, so I wrote a note and pinned it inside his shoe. It seems he finally understood." Seeing the thumbtack in the shoe and the apparent bloodstains in the snow outside the cave, Shinpachi angrily retorted, "What do you mean, ''understood''? He''s bleeding from the foot because of that thumbtack!" Unbeknownst to anyone, Katsura had already crawled into the blood-soaked sneaker, his eyes closed in satisfaction as he muttered, "And it even left behind such a wonderful bed..." "That''s just a stinky sneaker!" Gintoki retorted furiously. "Before lying down here, I wouldn''t have frozen to death," Katsura said with a peaceful expression, only to suddenly scream, "Ah! It hurts! Who put a thumbtack here?!" At the same time, hearing the approaching footsteps outside the cave, Jou''s group exchanged glances, nodding in unison before turning and quietly sneaking away. At that moment, Katsura, still fumbling with the thumbtack on his back, called out, "Hey! Where are you going? Wait, help me get this thumbtack out of my back first!" No sooner had he spoken than he heard the footsteps getting closer and stopping right behind him. Katsura''s expression lit up, and he pointed to the thumbtack on his back, saying, "Oh! You''re back? I think it''s stuck right here..." Then, a thick finger lightly touched the thumbtack on Katsura''s back. "Yes, yes, right there..." Katsura said. But in the next moment, the owner of that finger, without any hesitation, pushed the thumbtack hard into Katsura''s back. Katsura froze for a moment, then... "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" ... Just outside the cave, Jou''s group huddled against the raging blizzard, shivering as they aimlessly searched for shelter in the forest. "Hey, it''s getting worse..." Hijikata said through chattering teeth. "If we don''t find somewhere to shelter from the wind and snow, we''re all going to freeze to death." At that moment, a voice suddenly called out from not far away. "Everyone!" Otae waved her hand and called out to Jou''s group from the entrance of another cave. "Over here, I found a good place!" Hearing this, Jou''s group stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. Seeing the cave behind Otae, who was still smiling and waving, Shinpachi''s face lit up, and he shouted, "Sis!" ... Standing at the entrance of the cave, Shinpachi looked at the dark, damp cave and said from the bottom of his heart, "I never expected there to be a cave in a place like this..." "It might still be cold, but at least we won''t turn into snowmen," Hijikata said as he groped his way deeper into the cave. "But if we sleep here, it feels like we''ll still freeze to death." Jou glanced around the cave. The temperature was almost the same as outside." "Don''t worry," Otae said with a smile. "As long as we light a fire, we''ll be fine. And it seems like we can even solve the food problem here~." "Really?! Otae!" Jou''s face lit up. "Yes, really..." Otae replied with a smile, then bent down to pick up the head of an unknown green-skinned, sharp-toothed creature that resembled a goblin from the pile of corpses behind her and showed it to Jou''s group. "Look, I caught so much food. Even with two Yato, we should be fine~." Twitching at the corners of his eyes, with several black lines appearing on his forehead, Shinpachi asked in a low voice, "Sis... What is that?" "It''s a chupacabra~" Otae explained with a smile. (Note: Chupacabra is a canine-like UMA known for draining the blood of livestock, reported in places like Puerto Rico, Chile, and Mexico.) Seeing the beautiful smile on Otae''s face as she stood on top of the pile of unknown creatures, with countless others lying dead behind her, everyone except Kagura had darkened expressions and blank faces. Otae, full of excitement, clenched her fists and continued, "This seems to be the chupacabra''s lair. Beyond the chupacabra, what lies in wait isn''t a bear or Bigfoot, but the super ancient civilization of Fesha, destroyed overnight by the chupacabra! If we can defeat the chupacabra and reach Fesha''s central system, our disaster will be completely resolved! Everything will be solved!" As she spoke, Otae''s expression grew more serious. "Come on! Everyone stand up! Victory is achieved through battle and grasped with our own hands! If we all work together, we can make it! Let''s go!" But just as she finished, Otae realized that everyone behind her had mysteriously disappeared without a trace. "Huh?" ... Once again, Jou''s group wandered through the blizzard-ravaged forest. But now, as night had quietly fallen, the situation was getting increasingly dire. "Are you stupid?" Jou, carrying Kagura, reminded her with a strange expression. "You actually believed what that woman said?" "It seemed interesting, aru," Kagura replied. "Interesting, my foot." Jou retorted, then raised a finger and said thoughtfully, "Anyway, whether it''s a man or a woman, caves are very dangerous places. You should never enter one without being fully prepared! Remember that!" Shinpachi, leading the way, glanced back at Jou''s group and muttered, "Could you stop making dirty jokes at a time like this? Jou-san? And Tsukuyo-san, what about your kunai? Isn''t this the time when you usually use it?" "Oh, sorry, I was distracted." Tsukuyo apologized as she threw her kunai at Jou''s head. "What''s with you today?" Shinpachi asked. "It feels like Tsukuyo-san is really distracted today..." "Indeed," Kagura nodded, then turned to look at Tsukuyo beside her. "Are you okay, aru? Is the warm kunai and warm uncle''s head no longer effective, aru?" "No, I''m fine." Tsukuyo shook her head slightly but secretly glanced at Jou, who was lying in the snow. "Maybe it''s just because it''s too cold..." Shinpachi sighed. "The blizzard is getting worse. What should we do? We didn''t even find a place to shelter from the snow before it got dark. At this rate, we''ll really freeze to death... Jou-san, don''t you have a lot of experience surviving in the wild? Think of something quickly!" "Don''t worry, Shinpachi." Jou pulled out the kunai from his head, stood up, crossed his arms, and smiled. "The more desperate the situation, the more you need to stay calm! See that over there? I was so calm that I noticed there''s an old lady selling hot porridge over there. Come on, don''t be shy, it''s on me today!" "Calm my foot!" Shinpachi shouted, his eyes red and saliva flying everywhere. "You''re just seeing things! It''s just like the little match girl! Seriously, you''re completely useless now!" "Tsukuyo, let go of me; I want to go there..." Jou, his eyes blank, reached out towards a nearby cliff. "Hehehe... Granny said we could get it for free... Let''s all go together..." Chapter 594: Some Races Cant Be Stopped Even If You Want to Give Up! Like Life... Chapter 594: Some Races Can''t Be Stopped Even If You Want to Give Up! Like Life... At that moment, Katsura''s loud laughter suddenly echoed nearby. "Hahahahaha..." Katsura, who was bleeding profusely from countless thumbtacks stuck all over his body, shouted to everyone, "You can''t handle this bit of cold? How pathetic! Thanks to Mr. Bigfoot''s needles, my whole body is burning hot!" With that, Katsura gave a thumbs-up and eagerly suggested, "Why don''t we all head back to Mr. Bigfoot''s place while we still can?" "Absolutely not!" Shinpachi immediately raised his hand to refuse without hesitation. "It seems that the cave I found is still better," Otae, who had been following the group, said with a smile, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the ominously steaming plate of dark substance in her hands. "Look, I even managed to roast the chupacabra so well~." "So she turned the unknown creature into an unknown substance!" Gintoki retorted furiously, "No matter what she cooks, it turns into dark matter!" "There''s no way we''re spending the night in that cave full of monsters!" After complaining, Shinpachi looked up at the snow-filled night sky and sighed, "Besides, even if we wanted to turn back now, the blizzard has made it impossible to know where to go." Thus, the group once again lined up and aimlessly wandered through the forest. "It''s all white; we can''t even see the smoke from the campfire we marked." Hijikata commented as he walked. "I bet the blizzard blew it out a long time ago," Sougo added nonchalantly. "At this rate, Kondo-san and the Shogun won''t make it back." "Don''t worry; those two will definitely return," Gintoki replied casually, "back to the earth." Instantly, Hijikata''s eyes bulged with anger as he shouted, "Don''t jinx it! If something happens to the Shogun, both you and we will be buried in the earth too!" Sougo stopped in his tracks, his face in an expression of complete surrender, his eyes vacant. "Toshi-san, it''s okay. Everyone will make it back. The Shogun''s white triangle briefs, and our frostbitten faces... Hehehe..." "We''ll all be swallowed by this snow and turn into pure white," Gintoki, also with a vacant expression, chuckled, "Everything will reset to zero. Hehehe..." Seeing the two like this, Shinpachi couldn''t help but retort, "These two sadists are so weak! They''ve already switched to giving up mode! Please don''t give up! If you don''t give up, there''s always a way!" "Seriously, kids these days are so spoiled; they can''t handle any setbacks." Jou muttered with disdain, spitting on the ground. "See! Even Jou-san hasn''t given up!" Shinpachi tried to encourage them again, "Jou-san, who is also an S like you two, hasn''t given up! Cheer up! Didn''t Coach Anzai say not to give up until the last second of the game?" "Shinpachi-kun, you''re mistaken," Jou raised his head, squinting with a smile as he held up one finger. "Some races can''t be stopped even if you give up, like... life, pain, cold winter nights. Come to think of it... if we give up today, maybe our lives could stop... Hehehe..." "Your giving-up mode is even scarier!" Shinpachi retorted frantically, "Why would you say something like that with that expression?! No! Stop! That kind of expression with those words is not okay to air! Even if you explain it as a relaxation accident, there will still be complaints!" Nearby, Hijikata calmly lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled slowly, clicking his tongue. "All I can say now is that things can''t get worse. On the bright side, it can only get better from here. There''s nothing to worry about." Just then, Shinpachi suddenly noticed somethingthe sound of footsteps crunching in the snow behind them was getting closer. He turned around in confusion. "Toshi-san..." "What?" Standing a few meters behind them was a massive bear with glowing red eyes. Shinpachi shouted in panic, "It''s getting worse!!" At that moment, Hijikata, who also noticed the bear, let out a startled cry and bolted, along with Gintoki, Katsura, and Shinpachi, who had also seen the bear. "Why would a bear show up at a time like this?!" Gintoki yelled in terror as he ran. "Stay calm, Gintoki!" Katsura, also running for his life, tried to reassure him. "You can''t outrun a bear! In times like this, you should play dead!!" With that, Katsura struck a Superman pose and leaped off the cliff. "That''s actually dying!" Gintoki shouted in exasperation. "Idiot! Playing dead is just a myth," Hijikata snapped. "You need to slowly back away while keeping eye contact with the bear. If you turn your back, it will attack you from behind..." Splat "Ara~" Sougo, who was standing behind Hijikata, withdrew the sharp branch he had stabbed into Hijikata''s back. "Toshi-san, that''s not okay~ You need to be careful of your back~ I was aiming to kill the bear, but I stabbed the wrong target~." Hijikata, now lying on the ground, turned his pained face towards Sougo and muttered, "Damn it... I forgot about the one person I shouldn''t turn my back on." But just then, the sharp sound of something piercing flesh brought Sougo back to reality. "Hey, you''d better play dead too, aru." Kagura, holding a blood-stained branch, looked down at Sougo with a dark expression. "You... you brat..." Sougo muttered after falling to the ground. Watching this sudden yet seemingly premeditated farce, Shinpachi retorted frantically, "What are you guys doing?! Now is not the time for internal conflict!" At that moment, Otae suddenly noticed something and urgently shouted, "Shinpachi! Look out! The bear is charging at you!" Seeing the bear charging at him, Shinpachi instantly turned and fled in panic. "Hey! Pull yourself together!" Tsukuyo continued to shake Jou''s shoulders, who was still smiling but had utterly given up. "Hehehe... Tsukuyo, do you want to join too? It feels quite relaxing..." Jou just smiled. Meanwhile, Shinpachi, who the bear was chasing, slipped and fell off the edge of a cliff. "Shinpachi!!" Otae screamed. However, at the critical moment, a massive paw reached out and grabbed Shinpachi''s hand, pulling him back up. Then, the bear, or rather the bear''s owner, spoke. "Are you hurt?" "Huh?" Hearing the familiar male voice, Shinpachi froze for a moment, and his mouth twitched involuntarily. After pulling Shinpachi up from the cliff, the bear spoke again, "It seems everyone is safe..." "Th-that voice, could it be...?" Shinpachi looked up in a daze at the bear in front of him. At that moment, the bear, or rather Shige Shige, slowly removed the bear mask, revealing a severe expression. "Shogun Tokugawa Shige" Before he could finish, Otae sent him flying off the cliff with a kick, kunai sticking out all over his body, while Tsukuyo stood nearby, still in a throwing posture. Shinpachi stood there, mouth agape, staring at the fallen Shige Shige. "Shinpachi! Are you okay?! Shinpachi!" Otae asked anxiously. "In the end, men can''t be relied on at crucial moments," Tsukuyo said coldly, taking a drag from her pipe as she glanced at Jou. ... In a small, somewhat rundown cabin, Kondo sat cross-legged in the corner, wrapped in a tattered straw raincoat, arms crossed as he reflected. "Ah, the Shogun is truly impressive. To think he found this cabin on his own to take shelter in. I was saved after getting lost in the snow. Really, it''s hard to tell who''s the bodyguard here. I don''t deserve to be a samurai. I''m ready to commit seppuku at any time, but since the Shogun saved my life, I must do everything to ensure his safe return." "Don''t worry, Tsukuyo," Jou quietly reassured her. "In this situation, you have to think positively. If the Shogun gets eaten by a hungry wolf or bear, there won''t be any evidence left." "Stop it, Jou-san. This dangerous conversation should end now," Shinpachi, expressionless, warned in a low voice. "If anyone overhears this, even if we haven''t committed a crime, we''ll be sentenced to death." Creak The sound of the door opening made everyone turn to look. Seeing Shige Shige, covered in a bear coat with fresh wounds, being supported by Sougo and Hijikata, Kondo''s reaction was the most dramatic. "Shogun-sama!" Kondo immediately stood up. "What happened?! What happened to the Shogun?! And why are you two also covered in wounds?!" "Th-that, Kondo-san, it''s actually because..." Hijikata stammered, But before he could finish, Gintoki interrupted, taking over the explanation, "We were attacked by Bigfoot and the chupacabra." "Huh?" Kondo needed clarification. "Although we fought desperately..." Gintoki continued, his expression showing a hint of regret, "Damn those UMA bastards, unforgivable!" "UMA, you say?! That''s impossible!" Kondo exclaimed in disbelief, pointing to the wounds on Shige Shige''s body. "These wounds are clearly caused by sharp weapons!" Chapter 595: Think About the Way You Speak a Little! Chapter 595: Think About the Way You Speak a Little! "No, it was definitely UMA that did this!" Kawaki stood up and spoke earnestly, pointing at Katsura nearby. "I mean, look at the wounds on his body! Those wounds from UMA, using needles... I mean, thumbtacks! Damn those UMA!" "It''s not a wig, it''s Katsura!" Katsura corrected. "Yeah, yeah!" Kagura nodded in agreement. "It''s all the UMA''s fault, right, Captain?" "Yes, Captain." Katsura mimicked a female voice. Seeing Shige Shige covered in wounds, Kondo clenched his fists, his face filled with anger. "Damn it, those UMA bastards! Shogun, please hang in there!" At this moment, Shige Shige slowly opened his eyes and, upon seeing Kondo in front of him, weakly asked, "Where am I? Why am I in a place like this?" "Hey... hey!" Kondo furrowed his brows, sounding concerned. "It seems like he''s suffering from memory loss!" "Kondo, what''s going on?" Shige Shige raised his head, looking confused at Kondo in front of him. "Why am I..." "Shogun-sama, did you forget?" Gintoki calmly began to explain, much to Kondo''s shock and horror, "You led this group of idiots up this mountain to hunt UMA, but after following Bigfoot''s tracks, you got caught in a snowstorm and got separated. Everyone here is suffering because of your antics." As Gintoki spoke, Kawaki''s face showed regret, and Shige Shige''s expression suddenly changed. He stood up, faced the wall, and lowered his head in deep remorse. "To think it was like this... Risking the lives of civilians for some trivial amusement..." Seeing Shige Shige''s face full of self-reproach, Kondo quickly tried to intervene: "No, it wasn''t that..." But before he could finish, Shige Shige interrupted him again. "I don''t deserve to stand above thousands..." With that, Shige Shige pushed open the cabin door and stepped outside, shouting to the sky, "Oh heavens! If this blizzard is my punishment, then please take my foolish life to appease it!" "Alright, Shogun!" Katsura, mimicking a female voice again, shouted before being simultaneously kicked to the ground and stomped on by Gintoki and Kagura. "This... this isn''t the Shogun-sama''s fault!" Kondo, his face grim, quickly shouted. "The weather in the mountains is unpredictable for amateurs!" ... "Anyway, it''s good that we''re all reunited and safe," Kondo, now seated again, said. "Rescue will come eventually. Until then, we''ll just have to endure in this dirty, rundown cabin." "Hey, how about it?" Gintoki whispered to Hijikata and Kawaki beside him. "Thanks to me, everyone''s crimes have been wiped clean. Remember to speak well of me when it''s time for rewards, and Kawaki, I''ve also covered up all that woman''s crimes, so make sure to have the money ready." "It''s basically all your fault!" Hijikata gritted his teeth, keeping his voice low, "And nothing is solved yet!" "Shut up, Miss Angel Hair, Mr. Bunny Man," Kawaki replied indifferently. "If you''re bored, go do ABC exercises with Mr. Bear Man over there." "Who''s Miss Angel Hair/Mr. Bunny Man, Exercise Big Brother?!" Hijikata and Gintoki both snapped simultaneously. ... "Listen up, you guys, we can''t move until the snow stops," Hijikata began to suggest. "Instead of acting recklessly, we should stay here and wait for rescue. But even though it''s a cabin, it''s full of holes, and the cold is just as bad as outside. If we fall asleep, we could die. We should huddle together for warmth and keep each other awake." "What do you mean by huddling for warmth?" Sougo asked. "Like packing buns together, huddle up for warmth," Hijikata explained. "The warmest spot is in the center, and that''s where the Shogun should be, with the women and children around him. The men will form the outer layer. Alright, let''s start with the women and children around the Shogun." Upon hearing this, Tsukuyo, Otae, and Kagura exchanged glances before standing up and walking towards Shige Shige. Seeing Shige Shige''s expectant face and the two jets of excited breath coming from his nose, Gintoki commented, "Hey, the Shogun looks super excited, like he''s thinking about something wicked." At that moment, noticing that Tsukuyo, Otae, and Kagura were huddled together, whispering something, Hijikata impatiently reminded them, "Hey, what are they doing? What''s with the secret talk? Hurry up!" "It smells awful, like milk wiped with an old rag, aru," Kagura whispered, looking disgusted. "Kagura-chan, you shouldn''t say things like that," Otae whispered, trying to remind her. "It''s just ordinary man stench; that''s what most of the trash cans in Yoshiwara smell like," Tsukuyo whispered. "It feels like I heard something I shouldn''t have!" Hijikata muttered. "Even so, you two are both tearing up, aru," Kagura pointed out. "Stop saying that, Kagura-chan!" Otae whispered again, "There are things you can say and things you can''t... ugh!" Seeing Otae retching, Tsukuyo chimed in, "Just hold on a little longer, and it will pass. The Yoshiwara courtesans endure this every night... ugh!" "Hey, I''m telling you, we can hear everything! The Shogun is hearing all your whispering!" Hijikata shouted in a low voice. "And that''s not just a man stench! Not all men smell like that!" "Uh..." Otae walked over to Hijikata, looking a bit troubled, and whispered, "It''s probably the fur he''s wearing. It''s the old one left in the cabin. Can you ask him to take it off?" "There''s no way I can say that!" Hijikata whispered back in frustration. "We''re supposed to be keeping warm now!" But before Hijikata could finish, he suddenly noticed somethingthe Shogun had already taken off the bear fur and was now only wearing a pair of triangle briefs. Hijikata''s face fell as he whispered in disbelief, "He already took it off! The Shogun has completely missed the point! He''s trying to warm up in a completely different way!" Hijikata turned to Tsukuyo and the others and said, "See, the Shogun has taken off the fur, so hurry up." "Wait a minute," Gintoki suddenly said. "Don''t you think... it still stinks?" "Are you joking too?!" Hijikata shouted, "The fur''s already off!" "But was it really because of the fur?" Gintoki said, staring at the Shogun''s crotch suspiciously before covering his nose in disgust. "The smell is even stronger than before." "Rather than getting stronger, it''s a different smell altogether, aru," Kagura commented. "I... never knew..." Tsukuyo, now leaning against the wall and vomiting, turned around and mumbled, "I never knew this was the smell Yoshiwara courtesans faced every day..." "No, this is just an isolated case," Kawaki said expressionlessly. "You guys have had enough! The Shogun''s down to his briefs; what could still be smelly?" Hijikata shouted. Watching Shige Shige stretch and secretly sniff his armpit, Kondo couldn''t help but whisper, "The Shogun is pretending to stretch but is actually checking his armpit smell! Stop it! Stop hurting him further!" "There can only be one reason," Gintoki said, propping his chin up and casually analyzing the Shogun''s remaining briefs. "The heat from wearing just briefs under the fur. So please take them off." "Don''t be ridiculous!" Hijikata instantly retorted. "Going completely naked in a blizzard is suicide..." Before he could finish, Hijikata noticed something elseShige Shige''s triangle briefs had now turned into a mosaic, and he screamed, "Shogun!! You haven''t passed on your bloodline yet!" "This is really gross; let''s forget it, aru," Kagura said with a face of disgust. Tsukuyo and Otae silently took a few steps away from Shige Shige. "Do you want me to kill you guys?! You idiots!" Hijikata shouted in a low voice, his fists clenched in frustration. "It''s because you guys kept complaining that he stripped naked! Go warm him up! The Shogun''s body and soul are freezing!" "You guys should stop. Enough with the smell and grossness," Sougo finally spoke up. "This isn''t the time to be saying such things." "It''s really rude. Don''t you know what being considerate is?" Shinpachi added, looking severe. "There''s no other way. Let''s go first." With that, Sougo walked towards Shige Shige, and Shinpachi followed. "Alright! That''s better," Hijikata sighed in relief. "You guys go ahead and warm him up." Stopping in front of Shige Shige, Shinpachi smiled a bit, "It''s not smelly at all, it''s just a man''s scent..." As soon as they said that, Shinpachi and Sougo bent over and started retching. _()ugh... "Shogun-sama! You''re free to cut them all down!" Kondo shouted, unable to bear it any longer. "S-Sorry, China Girl." Sougo wiped the drool from his mouth, looking up with a grim expression as he spoke to Kagura. "Glad you understand, aru," Kagura replied without turning around. "Understand what?!" Hijikata shouted again, "Why choose this moment to be honest?" "You... need to stop," Kawaki suddenly said, furrowing his brow tightly as he turned to Hijikata, "From the start, you''ve been going on and on about stinkiness, grossness, wanting to puke, and not being able to bear it. You hope Shogun-sama leaves the cabin soon; you definitely don''t want to be in the same cabin with him..." Chapter 596: When Girls Gather Together at a Party, Men Feel Like They’re Being Teased! Chapter 596: When Girls Gather Together at a Party, Men Feel Like Theyre Being Teased! "When did I ever say that?!" Hijikata yelled, veins popping in his forehead. "That''s just what you''re thinking in your head!" "Calm down a bit!" Kawaki shouted seriously, "There are so many people here! And aren''t you a subordinate of the Shogun?! Even if you can''t stand that stench, can''t you learn from everyone else? Everyone here is doing their best to endure it!" "I''ll kill you!" Hijikata gritted his teeth, ready to lunge at Kawaki, but before he could act, he noticed Shige Shige silently turning around and opening the door, covered in a mosaic. "Hey! Wait! Shogun-sama!" Hijikata quickly raised his hand to stop him. "It was just a joke! No one actually said that! Maybe there''s a tiny bit of smell, but it''s not unbearable, right? Right, everyone?" "You''re the only one who can''t stand it," Kawaki crossed his arms and frowned in response. "You bastard...!!" "Everyone, calm down," Sougo suddenly stepped in to mediate. "Shogun-sama, please stay calm too. After we''re rescued, you can order Hijikata-san to commit seppuku. For now, let''s focus on keeping warm." "Are you trying to stir things up too?!" "Anyway, staying like this, completely naked, is more than just about keeping warm." Sougo continued, "We should let him change into some other clothes." "It might cover up some of the smell, aru," Kagura nodded. Watching everyone start to change Shige Shige''s clothes, Hijikata shouted again, "Hey! The Shogun has turned into a dress-up doll!" Two minutes later, Sougo pointed at Shige Shige, now dressed in a gray turtleneck sweater, and asked Hijikata, "How about this look?" "What exactly are you trying to cover?!" Hijikata pointed at the mosaic in Shige Shige''s crotch, veins popping as he shouted, "Why is he wearing a turtleneck with nothing else?! The part that needs covering the most is still exposed! And why does he look like a plastic surgery ad?!" "He''s already wearing plenty down there," Sougo said with a severe expression, adding a slight smile at the end. "Why are you trying to look cool?! It''s not funny at all!" "No choice, we adults have to handle this," Kondo, also dressed only in shorts, said seriously. "Change of plan: we surround the Shogun, with the women and children on the outside," Katsura suggested, drawing a diagram in his mind showing the Shogun facing Hijikata. "If you map it out, it looks like this." "Why is the mosaic facing me?!" Hijikata protested immediately. "Someone has to make the sacrifice," Gintoki explained. "As the Demon Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi, you''re best suited for the dirty jobs." "That''s way too dirty!" "Enough talk! Go warm up the Shogun''s, uh, Shogun!" As soon as Gintoki finished speaking, he, Katsura, and Kondo all pushed Shige Shige towards Hijikata. Hijikata, not wanting to back down, blocked Shige Shige and argued, "This is all your fault! You deal with it!" With that, Hijikata spun Shige Shige around. Seeing the Shogun''s "Shogun" now directly facing him, Gintoki shouted in surprise and quickly spun him back around, "Katsura! This is a great chance to take down the Shogunate!" "It''s already fallen without my intervention!" Katsura retorted and spun the Shogun around to face Kondo. Shinsengumi, aren''t you ashamed to expose your organization''s core to the enemy?!" Seeing the Shogun''s "Shogun" suddenly in front of him, Kondo felt a wave of nausea and quickly turned him around to face another direction. "Hijikata!!" "Stupid curly-haired idiot!" "Katsura!!" "Shinsengumi!!" ... Watching the four men getting carried away, Kawaki silently opened the door and called out to Tsukuyo and the others behind him, "Want to join? It''s a hot spring inn." Seeing the Hyakka members who had arrived at the doorway, everyone else, except for the four men still caught up in their antics, quietly headed towards the door. ... Two minutes later, the Shinsengumi members outside saw Shige Shige spinning through the air, crashing through the roof, and flying into the sky. Outside, an out-of-breath Hijikata watched the Shinsengumi members chasing after Shige Shige, who was still sliding across the snow after landing. He adjusted himself, smirked, and glanced back at Gintoki. "We managed to keep him warm..." Gintoki smiled a little but then suddenly realized something and looked back. "Wait... where is everyone?" ... At the hot spring inn at the base of the snowy mountain, now exclusively reserved by the Hyakka, Kawaki, Sougo, and Shinpachi, were soaking comfortably in the men''s bath. On the other hand, the women''s bath is a bit too risque? to describe in detail, so it will be skipped over. Listening to the continuous chatter coming from the women''s bath just across a wall, Sougo leaned back against the edge of the hot spring and said idly, "I wonder what they''re talking about. Do girls really have that much to talk about when they gather?" "They''re probably just bad-mouthing Kawaki-san," Shinpachi said with a smile. "You''ve got sharp ears..." Kawaki responded casually. "But I don''t want to know, so don''t tell me." "I''ve got a bad feeling about this..." Sougo said, tilting his head back. "You know how it is when girls gather..." "Yeah, it feels like being teased," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. In the women''s bath, the Hyakka girls pressed their ears against the wall, holding their breath to listen in on the men''s conversation, mainly focusing on Kawaki''s voice. "Hey, did you hear that? Kawaki-sama just said it feels like being teased!" "I heard it too!" "What should we do? Should we go over there?" "Let''s all go together!" Just as the Hyakka members were about to climb over the wall, Tsukuyo spoke up calmly, "That''s enough. Stop before it goes too far." "Yes..." everyone responded dejectedly. "Kawaki-san''s popularity among the Hyakka is always high," Otae said with a smile. "Honestly, aside from his looks, I don''t see what''s so great about Uncle, aru," Kagura said, floating in the hot spring, her legs swaying as she lay on the edge. "He''s a NEET, he doesn''t work... Why do people think he''s so great, aru?" "Kagura-chan, as your possible future aunt, I must educate you on Kawaki-sama''s hundred qualities! First, the first one is" Before the Hyakka member could finish, another interrupted. "Shut up! If you''ve only identified a hundred qualities, you''re not qualified to be Kawaki-sama''s future wife! Only someone who can identify five hundred qualities is!" "No! A mere five hundred? I''ve identified a thousand!" "A thousand? You''re satisfied with just a thousand? I''ve found two thousand!" "Three thousand!" "Five thousand!" "Ten thousand!" ... Watching the Hyakka members arguing, Kagura narrowed her eyes in disbelief, "Honestly, Uncle doesn''t even have that many hairs on his head, aru..." "But back to the point, Tsukuyo-san, is something bothering you?" Otae asked. "You''ve seemed a bit off today. What''s wrong? Is something troubling you?" "Yeah, if you need help, I''m here, aru!" Kagura turned around, fists clenched, nodding earnestly. "Well... a little," Tsukuyo replied, frowning slightly and thinking it over. "Actually, it''s..." Three minutes later... "Huh?!" Kagura exclaimed in surprise, then pressed her hand to Tsukuyo''s forehead. "Are you okay, aru? Are you sick, aru? Did your brain get messed up in the blizzard today, aru? Or did Uncle''s stupidity virus infect you?" "Kagura-chan," Otae reminded her gently. "Because... it''s just so strange!" Kagura argued. "Why would you even think about arranging a comfort trip for Uncle?! What does he need comforting for, aru? All he does every day is play games; he''s never even worked!" "It wasn''t just my decision!" Tsukuyo, her face slightly red, retorted, "It was Hinowa and all the Hyakka''s decision. That, uh, um..." "How sad, aru..." Kagura suddenly covered her eyes, crying. "Everyone''s been infected by Uncle''s stupidity virus... It''s so sad, aru..." "Kagura-chan..." Otae gently reminded again, then smiled at Tsukuyo. "So, what''s bothering you?" "Ah, well, a little," Tsukuyo nodded slightly. "Even though it''s a comfort trip, because I... we don''t have much experience with this kind of thing, we don''t know how to arrange it to make that person... that idiot, um, enjoy it..." "Huh?" Otae looked confused, then thoughtfully stared at Tsukuyo''s chest. "When it comes to Kawaki-san''s preferences... aren''t those things in the way?" "It''s not about that!" Tsukuyo protested, grabbing a folded piece of paper from nearby. "Anyway, this is what we planned so far." "Let me see!" Kagura grabbed the paper from Tsukuyo''s hand and started reading it with Otae. "First item, skiing, that''s fine, I guess..." Otae read aloud, analyzing as she went. "Second item, hot spring inn, soaking in the hot springs, that''s... also pretty good. Third item, pillow fight, fourth item, ghost stories... It''s starting to feel more like a school trip than something a nearly thirty-year-old man would be interested in..." "Huh?! Really?" Tsukuyo asked in surprise. "Yeah, and the fifth item... Huh? Why is it crossed out? What was it originally?" "It''s... nothing." Chapter 597: Even When Daydreaming, the Brain Never Stops Working! In the men''s bath. Watching Kawaki lean back against the edge of the hot spring, staring blankly at the ceiling with lifeless eyes, Sougo asked, "Boss, what are you thinking about right now?" "Nothing..." Kawaki replied softly, then lowered his head and glanced in Sougo''s direction. "Humans are truly peculiar creatures. Just stay silent for a bit, and others will assume you''re deep in thought." "Boss, you''re really strange sometimes," Sougo remarked with rare sarcasm. "I''m bored..." Kawaki sighed deeply, raising his face again to gaze at the ceiling. "Then why didn''t you just say you were zoning out because you were bored?" Shinpachi chimed in, narrowing his eyes and making a blank-faced comment. "No," Kawaki exhaled lightly and softly refuted, "even when zoning out, you''re usually thinking about something specific, but just now, I wasn''t thinking about anything." Sougo, seeming to catch on to something, raised a finger and explained, "To put it another way, it''s like being in deep sleep without dreaming." "Yeah, probably..." Kawaki replied calmly, then flipped over and lay on the edge of the bath. "But I''m still so bored~" "Then let''s talk about something interesting!" Shinpachi suddenly got an idea and raised a finger, suggesting, "How about we discuss dreams? Like what Sougo-san mentioned earlier!" "Huh?" Sougo raised an eyebrow. "Isn''t this the time for men to talk about women?" "Come on, give him a break," Kawaki closed his eyes, pretending to grumble. "For Shinpachi-kun, women are only a topic in his dreams." "Hey! That''s too harsh!" Shinpachi retorted, glaring. "Why can I only talk about women in my dreams?!" "Isn''t it obvious?" Kawaki and Sougo replied in unison. "You two...!!" Shinpachi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, then sighed, deflating like a balloon. "Fine, let''s talk about any interesting dreams we''ve had recently." "Dreams, huh?" Sougo pondered, rubbing his chin. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, which were filled with mischief, "I dreamed about choosing a coffin for Hijikata-san, who had ''accidentally'' died. A red coffin... with the paint not fully dried yet..." "Somehow, I feel like that ''accident'' wasn''t an accident..." Shinpachi muttered, half-closing his eyes, then continued, "Alright, my turn! So, I dreamed about..." Seeing Shinpachi''s somewhat disgusting expression and awkward posture, Kawaki raised his hand expressionlessly to cut him off. "That''s enough. Just seeing your face, I can tell it was a gross dream." "Why does it have to be a gross dream?!" Shinpachi blushed, glaring in frustration. "It could''ve been a normal dream! A typical dream that any guy would have!" Ignoring Shinpachi''s protest, Kawaki closed his eyes, crossed one arm over his chest, and rubbed his chin with the other, thinking. "A recent dream, huh..." Kawaki murmured as he suddenly remembered something. He opened his eyes and, with a slightly flat tone, said, "I dreamed I was walking at night, and it felt like something was following me, but when I turned around, there was nothing there. Still, I could sense something, or rather, many things following me... so many presences..." Hearing Kawaki''s emotionless voice, Shinpachi felt a chill run through his body despite being in the steamy hot spring. He instinctively wrapped his arms around himself. Kawaki continued, describing his dream, "...I went back to my room, played games until late, then took a bath and went to bed. When I woke up, the dream ended. But then I wondered, what was the dream, and what was reality? Maybe even now, I''m still dreaming..." "Stop!" Shinpachi, trembling uncontrollably, quickly shouted, "Stop with that dream already! It''s so cold! Even in a hot spring, I feel like ice is forming in my heart! The whole atmosphere in the men''s bath has turned dark!" Ignoring Shinpachi''s outburst, Kawaki continued to ponder, "If it wasn''t a dream, then maybe I should get those two shikigami custom coffins when I get back. But do shikigami even need coffins? Maybe it''s fine just leaving them as they are? And were they really dead in that state?" "Were they just stalkers?!" Shinpachi retorted again, wide-eyed. "Why did you turn a stalker encounter into such a creepy story?! And are Odawara-san and Kuzuha-san okay? What exactly did you do to them?!" "Do you think that kind of scene would even be allowed in a story? If I mentioned it, it would definitely get censored!" Kawaki shouted in mock seriousness. "This guy definitely did something dangerous..." Shinpachi muttered. "Probably something way worse than how Gin-san or my sister would deal with stalkers... by a lot." Splash! "Alright," Kawaki stood up from the water, wrapped a towel around his waist, and stretched his shoulders and neck a bit. "Let''s eat something, have some hot sake, and sleep. I just hope they have the kind of sake I like here..." "I''m in too..." Sougo said as he stood up and stepped out of the bath, glancing at Kawaki''s back and thinking to himself, Boss''s body doesn''t have a single scar... Is it because of the Yato physiology? "Wait for me." Shinpachi also stood up and followed them out of the bath. ... Dressed in the dark blue yukatas provided by the inn, the three men had just stepped out of the men''s changing room when they heard the voices of the innkeeper and someone else... or rather, several others, arguing at the end of the hallway. "My apologies, but as I''ve already mentioned multiple times, the inn has been fully booked. I''m very sorry, but I must ask you to leave," the burly innkeeper at the entrance kept apologizing to Hijikata and Gintoki in front of him. "Are you kidding me?!" Hijikata, veins popping, whispered angrily, then pointed behind him at Shige Shige, who was standing with Kondo. "Do you know who this man is?! He''s... well, someone very important! Hurry up and check us in! You should feel honored to serve a guest like this!" "My deepest apologies..." Gintoki covered his mouth with his hand, revealing a sly smile, "The place is booked, so you''d better leave. Even the police and that important person can''t force the innkeeper, right? It wouldn''t be good to get a reputation for oppressing ordinary folks~." "Actually, that includes you as well..." the innkeeper reminded Gintoki. "No! I''m not like these guys!" Gintoki folded his arms, looking smug, then leaned in and whispered into the innkeeper''s ear, "I''m actually with the group that booked the place. I just arrived a little late..." "No, I don''t know this guy." Kawaki, who had just arrived, spoke up mercilessly. "Please hurry and throw this dirty silver-haired perm out." "Do you want to fight, you bastard?!" Gintoki''s face instantly contorted with anger as he yelled, clenching his teeth. "The snow outside looks pretty nice," Kawaki pointed out the door. "It matches the color well." "Sir..." The innkeeper looked at Kawaki with some concern. "Hey, Yoshiwara guy," Kondo, still shivering in just his shorts, pointed to the neatly dressed Shige Shige and whispered, "Over here, look over here." "Long time no see, Kawaki-san," Shige Shige greeted with a smile. "Oh! It''s you!" Kawaki said in surprise, then suddenly remembered something and rubbed his head with a chuckle, "Sorry, sorry, I forgot that I promised to take you to Yoshiwara yesterday. Hahaha..." "Why didn''t you recognize the Shogun after he put on clothes?" Hijikata muttered under his breath. "And why did you promise something like that earlier?" "Uh..." Kawaki rubbed his chin, trying to remember, "Little... little... what was your name again?" "Just call me Little Shogun, Kawaki-san," Shige Shige replied with a gentle expression. "That''s right! Little Shogun!" Kawaki clapped his hands together. "Sorry about earlier, but next time we go to Yoshiwara, I can get you a discount!" "No, that won''t be necessary." Shige Shige shook his head slightly, a bit of sentiment in his voice. "After all, the courtesans need to make a living too. We shouldn''t reduce their earnings." "You... you''re a good guy!" Kawaki pretended to wipe away nonexistent tears. "I''m so moved!" "Alright, enough with the nonsense!" Hijikata whispered urgently. "Little Shogun has been freezing outside all day! Let him into the inn already!" "As an apology, let him in," Kawaki smiled, eyes narrowing. A minute later, Gintoki, Hijikata, and Kondo stood outside in the snowstorm, expressionless, watching Kawaki, who was now chatting casually with Little Shogun, walk away. Sougo and Shinpachi were also joining in on the conversation, leaving the trio in silent disbelief. "WaWait!!" Gintoki and Hijikata shouted in unison. "What''s up?" Kawaki stopped and turned back, looking puzzled. "Why are you only letting Little Shogun in?! There''s another poor soul here who''s been freezing all day!" Gintoki pointed to himself, veins popping as he yelled. "Huh? Is there?" Kawaki looked around, puzzled. "Sougo-kun, Shinpachi-kun, did you see any poor freezing child?" Sougo shrugged, palms up, "I didn''t see anyone." "Neither did I," Shinpachi answered honestly. "You guys betrayed us too fast!" Hijikata shouted, wide-eyed in fury. Chapter 598: When It Comes to Comfort Trips, You Cant Do Without Sake! In the end, it was only because Shige Shige spoke up for them that Kawaki reluctantly allowed the innkeeper to let Gintoki and Hijikata inside. As for the wild gorilla still standing in shorts at the entrance, everyone chose to ignore him. It wasn''t until everyone had walked away that Kondo, shivering with tears in his eyes, finally managed to speak up in a near-pleading voice, "Uh, excuse me, innkeeper... Could you remind them that there''s still someone outside?" "I''m terribly sorry, sir," the innkeeper replied with a troubled expression. "But our establishment doesn''t offer services for pet boarding." "I... I''m not a gorilla!!" ... In the lounge, Kawaki sat down in front of a small table, where someone had thoughtfully prepared slightly hot sake and some snacks to go with it. A soft smile played on his lips as he sat down. After one cup, Kawaki slowly exhaled. "Indeed, in this kind of weather, sake tastes better when it''s slightly heated." "Is that so?" Sougo, who had just entered with a bottle of hot sake, remarked casually. "Come to think of it, Sougo-kun, aren''t you still underage for drinking? Is this really okay?" Kawaki asked without looking up as he poured himself another cup. "That doesn''t sound like something you''d say, boss." Sougo sat down opposite Kawaki, picked up an empty cup, and poured himself a drink. "But I must say, boss, you really do like strong liquor." "Yes, indeed..." Kawaki replied softly, clinking his cup with Sougo''s. "But... even if we each like different kinds of sake, we can still enjoy drinking together. After all, there are those who, even if they drink the same sake, can''t drink together because of various reasons." "That''s true..." As they were halfway through their drinks, the sounds of Gintoki and Hijikata arguing outside the lounge suddenly echoed through the door. Seeing Gintoki, Hijikata, and Shige Shige, all dressed in dark blue yukatas, walk in, Kawaki sighed and shook his head, "Why is everyone coming to my room? Don''t you have your own lounges?" "It seems I''ve never had the chance to drink with you, Kawaki-san," Shige Shige said as he approached Kawaki''s table and sat down with a gentle expression. "May I join you?" "Sure," Kawaki replied nonchalantly after glancing at the remaining empty cups on the table. "As long as you don''t need someone to pour for you, it should be fine." Shige Shige reached for an empty cup in front of Sougo, placed it before him, and then picked up the bottle in front of Kawaki to pour himself a full cup. "Kawaki-san, you''re quite an interesting person..." Shige Shige laughed lightly, raising his cup towards Kawaki. "Little Shogun, let me remind you," Kawaki said with a severe expression as he clinked glasses with Shige Shige, "I... like women. I have absolutely no interest in men." "That''s... unfortunate," Shige Shige replied with an unusually rare joke. It was so rare that Sougo, Hijikata, and Gintoki were left slack-jawed in disbelief! Kawaki just smiled lightly without saying anything and then downed his drink in one go. After finishing his drink, Shige Shige looked at the empty cup in his hand and remarked with some sentiment, "This is quite a special sake..." "I suggest you don''t let the Shogun get too close to that idiot," Gintoki whispered to Hijikata. "He''s already showing early signs of infection! If this continues, it could be dangerous!" "Yeah, I know," Hijikata muttered back. "Let me warn you out of kindness," Gintoki said thoughtfully, looking at Kawaki, who was still drinking with Shige Shige, "That idiot is dangerously idiotic! You can''t let the Shogun continue associating with him! It will... absolutely cause this country to spiral out of control!" "Indeed, if the Shogun really falls for a man, this country is doomed." "That''s not what I meant!" Gintoki hastily clarified. "What I mean is, that idiot, even though he''s an idiot, is more dangerous than the highest-level con artist. He''s the type of person who, without saying or doing anything, can turn everything around him into the same color as himself. He''s extremely dangerous!" "What do you mean?" "In short, he''s very dangerous." Crash! Shinpachi burst into the room, excitedly shouting, "Everyone! How about we have a pillow fight now?!" "No." Kawaki rejected the idea without hesitation. "Who has a pillow fight while drinking?" Gintoki frowned, grumbling. "Read the room, Shinpachi." "Pillow fights... are something you do before going to sleep, right?" Shige Shige tentatively asked. "No, that''s not something grown men close to their thirties should be doing," Kawaki replied casually as he continued to drink. "I see..." Seeing the fleeting look of disappointment in Shige Shige''s eyes, Gintoki, Hijikata, and Sougo simultaneously realized something. They thought to themselves, Could it be... the Shogun was actually looking forward to a pillow fight? "I once heard from a friend..." Shige began again, his expression gentle but with a hint of longing in his eyes, "When people go to an inn together, they gather at night to tell interesting ghost stories." "No." Kawaki, Gintoki, and Hijikata rejected the idea in unison without hesitation. "I... I see..." Seeing the fleeting look of disappointment in Shige Shige''s eyes once more, Gintoki, Hijikata, and Sougo simultaneously thought again, "Could it be that the Shogun was also looking forward to telling ghost stories together?" "Little Shogun," Kawaki asked, eyeing Shige Shige skeptically, "Have you never been on a school trip?" "No." Shige Shige shook his head slightly. "We''ll go get the pillows!" Hijikata shouted as he stood up, dragging Sougo with him. "Please wait a moment, Shogun... I mean, Little Shogun! We''ll be right back!" "Shinpachi! Bring me all the best pillows from this inn!" Gintoki ordered with a severe face. "The softest! The most comfortable pillows!" "Got it!" Shinpachi responded eagerly, turning and running out while shouting excitedly, "Tsukuyo-san! Kawaki-san agreed to a pillow fight!" Kawaki, startled, immediately protested, "Hey! I never said that!" But before he could finish, a horde of Hyakka members, each holding two pillows, filled the lounge, ready for battle. "Isn''t this a bit too much enthusiasm?" Kawaki commented with a blank expression. "Today''s teams are women versus men!" Otae declared with a smile, standing in front of a pile of pillows. "That''s way too unfair!" Kawaki retorted. "And Tsukuyo, what are you doing? Why are you putting kunai inside the pillows?" "Because they''re too light to hit the target properly," Tsukuyo explained. "This way, they''ll hit more accurately." "Are you sure... you understand the rules? Are you trying to win by eliminating everyone?" "Let''s start, aru!" Kagura shouted, immediately targeting Sougo as she charged with her pillow. "Come on! I''ll settle the score with you today!" Sougo, not to be outdone, raised his pillow and met her charge head-on. "Well, I guess I have no choice..." Kagura said as she grabbed Shinpachi. "You two are completely missing the point!" Kawaki yelled but then noticed somethingOtae was already laughing maniacally after having knocked Gintoki out and was now searching for her next target. "Little Shogun! Run! These women''s brains go haywire when it comes to winning or losing!" Before he could finish, Kawaki was struck in the head by a kunai-laden pillow thrown by Tsukuyo, causing him to roll his eyes and collapse backward. Immediately, the Hyakka girls swarmed over to the fallen Kawaki. "Kawaki-sama!!" n ... An hour later, the room was nearly destroyed, littered with the "bodies" of men, while the women stood victorious. "Next, it''s time for ghost stories!" Otae raised her hand with a smile. Another hour later... Though he was smiling, anyone who looked closely could see that Kawaki was trembling slightly as he stood up and walked stiffly toward the door. "I... I need to use the bathroom." Gintoki, looking just as pale and stiff, also stood up and walked towards the door. "I... I need to use the bathroom too." Hijikata, forcing a smile despite his pale face, also got up and headed toward the door. "Does the boss have a weakness too?" Sougo blinked and asked Tsukuyo beside him. Tsukuyo didn''t answer. Instead, she stood up, put away her pipe, and slowly walked toward the door. ... Sitting under the eaves, Kawaki, his arms crossed inside his sleeves, squinted at the falling snow, a small sake cup beside him on the floor. Hearing footsteps approaching, Kawaki didn''t turn around. He simply pulled his right hand from his sleeve and picked up the sake cup, raising it towards the direction of the sound. "Thank you, Kawaki!" Katsura, who had crawled out from beneath the floorboards, exclaimed with gratitude. "I''ve been waiting under the floor all this time, and it''s freezing outside. If I could just have a cup of hot sake..." Boom!!! "It''s not for you." Kawaki ignored Katsura, who had been knocked up to the roof with an uppercut and raised his empty cup again to his right. Tsukuyo arrived and knelt beside Kawaki, her hands trembling slightly as she carefully poured sake into his cup. Though unsteady, she managed not to spill any. After finishing his drink, Kawaki slowly exhaled. "At least... it''s not so bitter now," Kawaki turned and smiled gently at Tsukuyo, saying softly. "Is that so..." Click! Click! Click! Hearing the sound of phones snapping photos behind him, Kawaki looked over his shoulder to see Kagura, Sougo, Otae, and the Hyakka girls crowded at the doorway, snapping pictures. Kawaki sighed with a slightly exasperated smile, then slowly stood up and began walking away. "Let''s go back..." Kawaki''s voice trailed off. "Ah... okay." Tsukuyo, still kneeling, replied and then glanced at the empty sake cup on the ground. The fifth item... is complete, too. "Is that it?" Otae asked in confusion. "Is that the end? Nothing really happened at all!" "For the boss, he probably used up all his strength just to get this far," one of the Hyakka girls replied with an awkward smile, speaking quietly. "But... the pictures turned out pretty well," Otae commented, looking at the scene she had just captureda photo of Kawaki raising his cup slightly as he gazed at the snow, with Tsukuyo kneeling beside him, carefully pouring the sake. "Yeah..." Kagura nodded, having just sent the photo to Tsukuyo''s phone. Comfort Trip ArcEnd! Chapter 599: The Last Stretch is Always the Hardest! "Cheers to another year of hard work!" 3 The three members of the Odd Jobs trio clinked their glasses together, seated at a table. Bam!! Before Gintoki could take a sip of his beer, Kawaki kicked him, sending him flying. With veins popping on his forehead, Kawaki squinted his eyes, forcing a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "What do you mean ''hard work''?! Why is your year-end party crashing into Yoshiwara''s year-end party? Why does it feel like this is your Odd Jobs party? And why the hell did you start drinking on your own?! I''ll seriously kill you, you silver-haired perm!" "Does it really matter?" Gintoki got up, rubbing his backside nonchalantly. "It''s a year-end party, and more importantly..." Gintoki''s expression suddenly turned serious as he clenched his fist. "The Odd Jobs trio is a trinity! Even during a year-end party, we can''t be separated! Right, Kagura-chan, who was invited to this party by her dumb uncle?" "Like hell!" Kawaki shouted, delivering another kick that slammed Gintoki''s head into the floor. "You just wanted to freeload, didn''t you? Seeing your disgusting face on the last day of the year is a real downer. Shinpachi-kun, do me a favor and send this perm-head to the post office. Mail him to hell along with the New Year''s cards." "W-Wait..." Gintoki pulled his bleeding forehead out of the floor, weakly wiping the blood that wouldn''t stop. "We''re here for the sake of this series and for you, Kawaki!" Kawaki simply glared at Gintoki with disdain, his eyes half-closed. "Even though it''s the last day of the year, and even though it''s a year-end party, we can''t afford to let our guard down!" Gintoki continued seriously, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he spoke. "You should understand the saying, ''The last stretch is always the hardest.'' This series has struggled to survive until now, and if we screw up and create a scandal during the year-end party, the series will be finished! We''re down to the final steps, and those steps must be taken more cautiously than ever!" (Note: The phrase "а߰ʮ" is derived from "Strategies of the Warring States," meaning that if you walk a hundred miles, walking the first ninety is only half the journey. It implies that the closer you get to success, the more cautious you must be.) "So..." Kawaki stared at Gintoki with contempt. "What does that have to do with you crashing Yoshiwara''s year-end party?" "I''m here to keep an eye on you, to make sure you don''t cause any big trouble at the party!" Gintoki lied with a straight face. Kagura couldn''t help but praise him, "As expected of Gin-chan, staying so calm even at a year-end party." Shinpachi adjusted his glasses and nodded, then kindly addressed Kawaki, "Gin-san does have a point, Kawaki-san. After all, we''ve already had several things censored, and we''ve even had single chapters banned. It took a lot of changes to get them approved again." "In any case, moving forward..." Gintoki pulled out an old tape recorder and placed it on the table, "Let''s listen to some cool tunes from this tape recorder and have a cool year-end party!" With that, Gintoki inserted the tape and pressed play. "Do you think I''m you?" Kawaki retorted with disdain. "It''s just a little bit of alcohol; I won''t get drunk." "But... there''s a limit, isn''t there?" Gintoki glanced at Kawaki. Kawaki was suddenly startled, his expression becoming slightly more serious as he rubbed his chin. "You''re right... If it were any other drink, I might lose consciousness after drinking it..." "That''s why... my presence is even more necessary, Kawaki!" Gintoki shouted earnestly. "I''m here with the sincere intention of protecting this series! I swear it''s not because I wanted screen time, more appearances, or free drinks! Believe me!" "Gintoki..." Kawaki looked touched for a moment, but then, "Who the hell would believe that?! What was that last line about? Are you complaining about not getting enough screen time or appearances?!" No sooner had Kawaki finished speaking than the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the door. Clatter! The door slid open, and a group of Hyakka women, each holding two bottles of alcohol, burst in with excitement. "Kawaki-sama!" n As the Hyakka women quickly surrounded Kawaki with excited faces, their intentions clearly written in their eyes, Gintoki spoke up with a blank expression, "See, I told you you''d need me." Seeing the excited smiles on the women''s faces, but also catching glimpses of their true intentions"Get Kawaki-sama drunk and then xxxxxxx"Kawaki remained silent for a long moment before nodding quietly. "A year-end party, huh..." Tsukuyo murmured as she stood at the door, holding a bottle of sake. "Tsukuyo, are you going to drink, too?" Hinowa, sitting beside her in a wheelchair, smiled up at Tsukuyo. "Well... it is a year-end party," Tsukuyo replied, glancing at the bottle in her arms, uncertain. "Maybe I could drink a little..." Hinowa just smiled with her eyes, but her actions spoke louder as she quickly turned her wheelchair around, leaving behind a quick "I''ll go prepare some snacks!" before practically fleeing the scene. "Here, let me pour for you," Gintoki said, grabbing a bottle of sake and pouring it into an ashtray on the table. "Hey! Stop with the dangerous jokes!" Shinpachi shouted, veins popping. "Are you already drunk?! Didn''t we agree not to overindulge?" "It''s fine," Gintoki replied casually, pouring more sake for Kawaki and then filling his glass with beer. "It''s just a little drink; it won''t be enough to make me do something stupid." "Well, I guess that''s fine, seeing as it''s only once a year." Kawaki chuckled, shaking his head as he raised his glass. "Then... the ''Maybe Fake Gintama'' cast''s year-end party is officially underway!" "What? You''ve already started drinking? You''re so heartless," Otose, who had just arrived at the door, grumbled as she looked at Kawaki and Gintoki, who were already happily drinking and laughing together. "Why does it feel like this year-end party is filled with people just trying to get screen time? Even characters the readers have almost forgotten are showing up..." Kawaki put down his glass, looking exasperated as he saw Otae, Kyuubei, Hasegawa, Otose, Tama, and Catherine standing at the door. "Hey, you worthless NEET," Otae squinted her eyes, tilting her head slightly with an unnervingly sweet smile. "Who are you calling a forgotten character?" "Who... are you?" Kawaki asked with a confused expression. Boom!! "Long time no see, Kawaki-sama, Tsukuyo-sama." Tama greeted them politely, bowing as Kawaki was sent crashing into the wall by Otae''s punch. "Hmm." Tsukuyo glanced at Tama and nodded slightly. "Oh... it''s Tama," came Kawaki''s weak voice. "Could you help me out of the wall..." "Yes, sir." Tama grabbed Kawaki''s arm and pulled him out of the wall. "Yoshiwara isn''t all that, is it?" Catherine struck a seductive pose. "The courtesans I saw on the way here are nothing compared to me, the top hostess at Otose''s bar, nya~." "Tama, please get rid of this creature that looks like vomit," Kawaki said, squinting his eyes and smiling. "Her presence ruins the taste of the alcohol, and it''s making me... _()ugh..." Seeing Kawaki holding the wall and vomiting, Catherine turned pale and shouted, "Hey! Enough already!" ... Half an hour later, Shinpachi glanced at Kawaki, who was being surrounded by Hyakka women and forced to drink one cup after another, then at Gintoki, who was clearly drunk and arm-in-arm with Hasegawa, and said with a blank expression, "Is this really okay? Kawaki-san and Gin-san..." "It''s just once a year; let them enjoy themselves," Kagura mumbled through a mouthful of food as she devoured the dishes on the table at an alarming speed. "Yeah, just once a year..." Tsukuyo''s eyes flashed with a hint of hesitation as she looked at the bottles of alcohol on the table. "True, as long as nothing goes wrong," Shinpachi agreed with a nod but then noticed somethingTsukuyo''s hand was unconsciously reaching for one of the bottles. "Tsukuyo...san?" "Ah! It''s nothing!" Tsukuyo quickly withdrew her hand. "I won''t drink! Don''t worry!" "But there are just too many people in this room who turn dangerous when drunk..." Shinpachi muttered quietly. ... The following day, Kawaki, drooling in his sleep, slowly opened his eyes. He quickly shut them again, groaning as he sat up, clutching his head. "Ow, ow, ow..." He rubbed his temples, slowly opening his eyes again. As he took in the room''s layout, which looked like a hotel room, he made a confused sound and tried to recall the previous night. "Where is this? Last night... I think someone handed me a different drink... I can''t remember anything else..." As he spoke, Kawaki suddenly sensed an unpleasant presence beside him. His eye twitched, his face darkening as he slowly turned his head. At the same time, Gintoki, who had also just woken up and sat up, feeling something off beside him, turned his head with the same expression. When their eyes met, The air... froze. Chapter 600: When the Outcome is Certain, the Process Becomes Extremely Important! After staring at each other for two seconds, their expressions went beyond mere constipation; the cold sweat on their faces began to pour out like a small waterfall. But then, simultaneously, they seemed to realize something. Both turned away and glanced briefly at something else. Wait... could it be?! Kawaki and Gintoki both felt a wave of dread wash over them. This must be a joke, right? What''s going on? What happened?! Kawaki clutched his head, his pupils trembling as he panicked internally. What did I do? No, no, no, no! That kind of thing is absolutely impossible! I trust myself! I trust myself! ... At the hotel entrance, both Kawaki and Gintoki, now fully dressed, were crouched and vomiting non-stop while leaning against a utility pole and the wall. After about five minutes, they turned to look at each other, but just one glance was enough to make them turn away and start vomiting again. What am I supposed to do now? What do I even say? Everything feels disgusting no matter what! It''s just pure disgust! This is bad, really bad! Kawaki thought, feeling utterly defeated. At that moment, Gintoki wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, his face twitching with dark lines as he turned around, trying to speak. "Uh... about that..." "I''m sorry!!" Kawaki and Gintoki simultaneously turned back to each other and shouted. But as soon as they finished, they both turned around and started vomiting again. ... "Hey, I was the first to apologize!" Gintoki snarled through gritted teeth, clutching the front of Kawaki''s shirt. "It was me!" "No, it was me!" Kawaki, grabbing Gintoki''s shirt in return, gritted his teeth and growled back. "I was the first to apologize!" That''s right! Even if everything feels disgusting, I have to at least maintain my dignity! Kawaki and Gintoki thought simultaneously. But as soon as they thought that, the moment they accidentally caught sight of each other''s faces, they both turned away and vomited once more. "Uh, well..." Gintoki wiped the corner of his mouth again, trying to say something, but Kawaki interrupted without turning around. "Wait!" Kawaki raised a hand without looking back. "Until we figure out what happened, don''t say anything! Maybe nothing actually happened! Maybe it''s just a coincidence... _()ugh..." "Yeah, yeah, it''s probably just a coincidence... _()ugh..." "But until we know for sure, I should apologize. Sumimasen!" Kawaki called out first. "Take that back! I''m the one who should apologize first until we know for sure!" Gintoki retorted. "No, it''s me!" "No, it''s me!" "_()ugh..." 2 ... At Edo General Hospital, Kawaki and Gintoki both visited different departments, even though they both started in the proctology section. After finishing their checks, they left the hospital one after the other. But even though they were in different departments, the expressions on their faces were eerily similara mix of disgust and something else unnameable. As Kawaki walked back to Yoshiwara, his mind raced. Even though the test results proved it wasn''t me, it still feels disgusting. It''s so gross... this disgusting incident is something I might never forget for the rest of my life... I just want to die... As these thoughts swirled, Kawaki felt another wave of nausea, forcing him to lean against a wall and start vomiting again. After wiping his mouth, Kawaki angrily thought, Damn it! If only I had been more careful yesterday! Who was the one who gave me that last drink? I''m going to kill them! No, wait... Suddenly, a new thought struck Kawaki: Does everyone else know? If they do, and I go back to this state, things could get really bad. They''ll definitely look at me with strange eyes. What should I do? Maybe it''s better not to go back. "Kawaki-sama?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. It was Tama, standing beside him. "What''s wrong? Why are you out so early today?" "Oh, nothing, just felt like waking up early for a change!" Kawaki laughed awkwardly, scratching his head, then lowered his voice and asked, "Tama, I have a bit of a hazy memory about last night. I vaguely remember Zenzo and the others coming over, but most of it is a blur. Could you tell me what happened?" "Sure," Tama nodded, then replied earnestly, "The first to leave were Kagura-sama and Shinpachi-sama. Kagura-sama said she wanted to sleep." Thank goodness! It seems Kagura and Shinpachi don''t know! Kawaki thought, relieved. "After that, Catherine-sama got drunk, so I carried her home," Tama continued. "It was around that time that the ninjas arrived at Yoshiwara. But by then, Kawaki-sama and Gintoki-sama were already somewhat drunk, though I''m not sure why." That must be when it happened! Kawaki deduced. Someone definitely spiked my drink with something else! "Tama, who was still there at that time?" Kawaki asked. "Hinowa-sama, Tsukuyo-sama, the Hyakka, Otose-sama, Otae-sama, Kyuubei-sama, Hasegawa-sama, Gintoki-sama, and the ninjas." So, the kids probably don''t know, Kawaki analyzed in his mind. The issue lies with the adults... though they might have been too drunk to remember anything. Should I go confirm it? I definitely can''t go back to this state! Who should I ask first? Maybe someone who, even if they know, probably wouldn''t spread it... ... At Otose''s bar entrance, Kawaki arrived to find Gintoki and Otose both leaning against the wall, vomiting with awkward expressions. Kawaki maintained a blank expression throughout. From their conversation, Kawaki learned that these two... definitely experienced something yesterday... They probably don''t know anything, Kawaki thought, then turned to head toward Otae''s house. But Kawaki was a step too late because Gintoki had already beaten him there. Listening to the sounds from the yard, including Otae''s angry, tearful shoutYou took away a girl''s... my purity, and now you claim you don''t remember?! You''re the worst! Was it really just a drunken mistake? I can''t believe you''re this kind of person! Don''t ever show your face in front of me again!followed by Gintoki''s painful "Gyaa!" Kawaki quietly turned away and left. She probably doesn''t know either, Kawaki thought as he walked away. ... Behind a tree near the Yagyu residence, Kawaki watched the entire scene unfoldfrom Gintoki being warmly welcomed as the next head of the Yagyu family to him realizing he had done something unforgivable to Kyuubei, resulting in a frantic escape, only to be rescued by a perverted female ninja. It looks like these two don''t know either. Kawaki finally sighed in relief and slowly walked away. ... In the streets of Kabukicho, Kawaki leaned against an alley entrance, eavesdropping on Gintoki''s conversation with Hasegawa, who was smoking and looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle. When Hasegawa said to Gintoki, Just have a drink and forget about it. I''ll forget, too, everything from last night, Kawaki breathed a sigh of relief. It looks like this guy is safe, too. Kawaki thought, though, that Gintoki might not be as lucky. Alright, that just leaves Zenzo, Hinowa, and Tsukuyo. I can''t find Zenzo right now, so... ... In Yoshiwara. Kawaki walked through the streets of Yoshiwara, his heart pounding with anxiety. He occasionally glanced at the courtesans, nervously watching their reactions. When he saw that all the courtesans were smiling as usual, Kawaki finally let out a small sigh of relief. Gradually, he began to regain some composure, smiling and greeting the courtesans as usual as he headed home. But Kawaki clearly overlooked something or perhaps failed to notice that today''s Yoshiwara was slightly different from usualneither Tsukuyo nor the Hyakka were patrolling the streets... ... Knock knock! "Come in~ I''m feeling a bit unwell," came Hinowa''s voice from inside. Click... Kawaki quietly opened Hinowa''s door, tiptoed inside, and gently closed the door behind him. Seeing Hinowa lying in bed, Kawaki asked with concern, "What''s wrong? Are you feeling sick? Didn''t you call for a doctor?" "Oh, stop it~" Hinowa turned her face away shyly, her voice tinged with embarrassment as she continued, "It''s just a little discomfort that will go away with some rest. But really, Kawaki-san... you were so forceful last night, barging into my room like that with such a strong attitude. I told you my legs aren''t in the best shape, but you were still so... rough. Now my back is really sore today~" "Huh?" Kawaki froze for a moment; then his eye twitched involuntarily. "What? What did you just say?" "And what about that thing you said? Was it true?" Hinowa turned back to face Kawaki, her face slightly flushed as she nervously averted her gaze. "You said... you didn''t care about my past as a courtesan and wanted to be Seita''s new father or something... Oh, it felt like a dream, Kawaki-san actually... actually..." What''s going on? Seita''s new father? Huh? Who? Who''s Seita''s new father? Who? Huh? Is it that forceful guy who made Hinowa''s back sore? Kousei-san? Who''s that? Why does his name sound like mine? In an instant, the realization hit Kawaki like a ton of bricks, his eyes filling with blood vessels. No, no, no! No, no, no, no! There''s no way! It can''t possibly be me! It''s just a coincidence that this forceful guy has a name that sounds like mine! Chapter 601: One Little Stroke Turns "Pain" into "Happiness"! "What''s wrong, Kawaki-san? No, I should start calling you Danna-sama from now on," Hinowa said with a soft smile. Huh? Danna-sama? Kousei-san? Is that the rough guy you mentioned earlier? Is that rough guy in this room right now? Is he hiding somewhere? Kawaki thought to himself. Oh no, I''m sorry! I barged in and ruined the moment for you two newlyweds! My bad! I''ll leave right away! With that, Kawaki immediately turned around, opened the sliding door, and was about to step out. But just as he was about to leave, he suddenly paused, realizing something. No... no, that''s not right! I almost instinctively tried to run away, but that was not the right response! There''s no way I did something like that! Kawaki began to analyze the situation internally. That woman must have just led me on. Maybe she''s just joking around. Although normal women wouldn''t joke about something like this, Hinowa is anything but normal. Compared to her, I trust my body. I wouldn''t do something like that to Hinowa. Then, another thought struck him. But... could I really be sure? So what do I do now? Did something really happen, or didn''t it? There are only two possibilities, right? No, it should be that nothing happened at all. But because of this doubt, the chance of something having happened went from zero to one percent. And when there are only two possibilities, one percent might as well be fifty percent. So what really happened? What should I do? "What''s wrong, Danna..." Hinowa began. "Stop right there! Don''t call me that! I don''t like being called that!" Kawaki interrupted, quickly closing the door and turning back to face her. "Alright then, I''ll just keep calling you Kawaki-san, as usual," Hinowa replied with a smile. It''s now or never! There''s only one way to find out if anything really happened! Kawaki decided internally, and as he approached Hinowa, he began to undo his belt. "Huh? You want to do it again?" Hinowa asked in surprise. "But my back is still..." Exactly! This is just a test! Kawaki thought as he threw his belt aside and started to remove his kimono. If nothing happened, Hinowa would absolutely reject me! Yes, she''d reject me stronglyjust like now! Please, reject me even more strongly! Show me with your actions that the possibility is zero!! "If you can''t wait until tonight, then... I guess... we can do it now," Hinowa said, lifting the blanket and lying back down, gently patting the spot next to her. Kawaki silently picked up his kimono, put it back on, and started to tie his belt tightly as he slowly backed away toward the door. Zero... it''s gone from zero to one! It''s now a hundred percent! Watching Kawaki retreat towards the door while getting dressed again, Hinowa smiled softly and said, "You''re worried about my health, aren''t you?" "Uh... uh," Kawaki muttered, his eye twitching as he responded quietly, then quickly opened the sliding door again. "You... you should rest well." With that, Kawaki stepped out of the room, closed the door behind him, took a deep breath, and then bolted down the hallway like his life depended on it. ... Knock knock! "Tsukuyo! Tsukuyo!" Kawaki, now kneeling on the ground, pounded on the door, desperately shouting, "Open up! Please! I need to ask you something! I''m begging you!" "Ah, come... come in," Tsukuyo''s voice responded from inside. "The door''s not locked... I''m not feeling well." Hearing this, Kawaki felt a glimmer of hope and quickly stood up, opening the door and stepping into Tsukuyo''s room. "Tsukuyo! Last night..." Kawaki began, but his words trailed off as he noticed somethingTsukuyo was lying in bed in the same position as Hinowa had been earlier. "You... you''re back..." Tsukuyo said, turning her slightly flushed face away. "We... welcome back." "Uh..." Kawaki muttered, his expression blank as he asked, "What''s wrong? You''re not feeling well? Do you need a doctor? Why are you turning your face away? Why won''t you look at me? Hey..." "Id... idiot!" Tsukuyo stammered, her face turning even redder. "That... that kind of discomfort doesn''t need a doctor. It''ll get better with some rest. And... and now... now it''s a bit embarrassing to look you in the eye... especially after... after what we did..." Who? Me? Knocking? Does she mean I was knocking on the door roughly just now? Kawaki began to question his own life choices. Did my knocking disturb Tsukuyo''s rest? Is she mad at me? Did I make her upset by disturbing her rest, so she''s turning her face away? Girls usually turn their faces away when they''re mad! Yes, that must be it! There''s no other explanation! "I''ve... already decided..." Tsukuyo said, clutching the blanket tightly as she shifted slightly under it, her voice small. "I won''t back down anymorenot from my role as the leader of the Hyakka, not from my role as a woman, and... not from my role as your wife." Kawaki''s mouth dropped open, his eyes widening in shock as if he had been struck by lightning. "After all... after you said those things and... and did those things to me," Tsukuyo continued, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment as she squirmed. "I... I don''t have any experience, so... so I don''t really know how a woman is supposed to react in these situations, but... but I''ll do my best... Let''s start with how I should address you. From now on, I''ll call you Danna..." "No, no need!" Kawaki interrupted, snapping back to reality as he quickly raised a hand to stop her. "No need to change how you address me! I... I don''t like that title!" "Is that so... then... then we''ll keep it the same as before," Tsukuyo said, still turning her face away, though she occasionally glanced back at Kawaki with a flushed face. "I... I also think changing the way I address you feels a bit unnatural..." What on earth did I do last night?! Kawaki''s mind was in turmoil. Not only Hinowa, but Tsukuyo too?! No, no, no! This isn''t right! I''ve always been confident in my self-control! Ever since the daily life arc started, I''ve stuck to my principles and never crossed the line. It''s always been like that... As he thought about it, Kawaki glanced at Tsukuyo, who kept stealing glances at him with a flushed face, only to quickly look away whenever their eyes met. Can you stop looking at me like that? I wasn''t even that embarrassed, but now you''re making me feel awkward! Ah, I misspoke; I was already pretty embarrassed... "Uh... well, you should rest. I''ll just... I''ll just go now..." Kawaki muttered, his face covered in dark lines as he turned around and started to walk unsteadily towards the door. "Oh... okay." No! This isn''t right! Kawaki suddenly realized this when he reached the door and stopped in his tracks. No, no, no! Something''s wrong! Absolutely wrong! Me? Tsukuyo? That''s impossible! Impossible! There''s something fishy going on! What do I do? Should I test it out? With Tsukuyo, I''ll know right away! If something inappropriate really happens, I''ll find out with a simple test! Nervously swallowing, Kawaki turned back around, determined. "What... what now?" Tsukuyo asked, her eyes darting nervously as she watched Kawaki slowly walk towards her. Without answering, Kawaki began to undo his belt again, slowly removing his kimono and letting it fall to the ground. Reject me! Reject me, Tsukuyo! Show me with your actions that everything is safe between us! Show me that it was all just a joke! Please, I''m begging you! "You''re not..." Tsukuyo suddenly realized something, her face turning bright red. But then, her expression shifted to one of mild anger. Kawaki, noticing Tsukuyo''s change in expression, felt a glimmer of hope. Yes! This is it! This is the feeling! The feeling of being annoyed and angry! Next comes the kunai, right? It has to be the kunai! As long as there''s that, it''ll prove we''re completely safe! Swish, swish! Hearing the sound of kunai slicing through the air, Kawaki let out a sigh of relief. Safe... With kunai embedded in his forehead, Kawaki smiled weakly as he began to fall backward, feeling a sense of release. At least... "Wait until tonight, you idiot!" Tsukuyo shouted, her face still flushed as she crawled back under the covers. In a quieter, embarrassed voice, she added, "Tonight, I''ll let you do whatever you want." Not safe at all!! Kawaki thought, completely shattered. Sure, she used the kunai, but this is still totally OUT! She''s totally OUTing me! What... what did I do last night?! "Uh... okay, then..." Kawaki muttered as he stood up, dark lines covering his forehead, his eyes twitching uncontrollably. Forcing a strained smile, he added, "I''ll... I''ll just head out. You... get some rest." "Kawaki..." Tsukuyo called softly. "Can you help keep an eye on the Hyakka for me? Also... what would you like for dinner?" Chapter 602: There Are Things You Absolutely Cannot Forget at the Year-End Party! "Uh?" Kawaki twitched his eye, filled with black lines, letting out a short, confused sound. ... On the streets of Yoshiwara, Kawaki wandered with his head down like a soulless husk. He ignored the enthusiastic greetings from the courtesans standing in front of the shops on either side of the street. Did I really... do something irreversible? Is that what happened? Did I really do that? Kawaki thought as he walked, his face drenched in sweat. No... it can''t be true, right? What am I going to do? Forget about whether the novel can continue to be serializedafter all, it wasn''t that popular anyway, so who cares if it gets suspended because of the protagonist''s actions? But what about me? What do I do now? Two women..., and they just happen to be women I see every day! Even if I try to cover it up and deal with them both, they''re bound to find out! The chance of being caught cheating is a hundred percent! This is bad, really bad! Suddenly, Kawaki had a thought. He stopped in his tracks, raising his hand to snap his fingers, "Yeah! I could just go to a place where no one can find me... Wait, what am I thinking?!" He grabbed his hair in frustration, continuing his internal monologue. I can''t do that! That would make me a total scumbag who abandons women! I''m not a scumbag! And the worst part is, based on what Hinowa and Tsukuyo said, I apparently made some really terrible statements while doing those things with them yesterday. What do I do? How do I fix this? And Gintoki was involved, too... So gross... As he thought about it, Kawaki felt a wave of nausea, leaning against a nearby wall to throw up. _()Ż... Several minutes passed as Kawaki emptied his stomach. He wiped the drool from his mouth and continued thinking, As for Gintoki... it doesn''t matter. He''s already caught up in his trouble, so he''ll be too busy to care about me. As for my situation... it''s tricky, but as long as I''m careful, it should be fine. I just need to keep those two women from meeting too often. That''s it! That way, I can keep this hidden! Even if the novel gets canceled due to the protagonist''s behavior, I should be able to survive! Yes! That''s it! The most important thing now is... The next moment, Kawaki stood at the gates of Yoshiwara, carrying a large bundle on his back. He clenched his fist, his face determined. The most important thing now is to find a secluded corner of the universe where no one can see me so I can cool my head. Ten years... twenty years... no, maybe fifty years should be enough! By then, I''ll be calm! And when the time comes, I''ll return! Wait for me, Tsukuyo! Hinowa! With that, Kawaki didn''t hesitate to take a step out of Yoshiwara''s gate. But just at that critical moment, he suddenly heard a courtesan''s scream from behind him. "Sir! Stop!" a courtesan screamed as a troublesome customer was pulling her. "It''s fine, Yoshiwara is that kind of place, isn''t it?" The bald, middle-aged man with a scar over his eye had a malicious grin. "Didn''t I pay for this? Last night..." "Your time is up, so you really shouldn''t be lingering..." The courtesan kindly reminded him, "Causing trouble in Yoshiwara..." "What''s the big deal?" The bald man ignored her protests, pulling her into his arms. "I''ll be back anyway. Just a little more time won''t hurt..." "Sir, please stop!" The courtesan struggled desperately, warning him, "Causing trouble in Yoshiwara will have serious consequences!" "You''re just a courtesan, who do you think you''re fooling..." The bald man spat and raised his hand to slap her. But before his hand could come down, it was tightly gripped by Kawaki, who had appeared behind him unnoticed. "Sir, your time is up~," Kawaki said with a smile, his eyes narrowing. "If you want to continue, come back when you have more money. Oh, and just a reminder, if you''re into S&M games, you might want to visit that club over there." "What does this have to do with you?!" The bald man turned around angrily, glaring at Kawaki. "Kawaki-sama!" The courtesan, now free from the bald man''s grip, ran to Kawaki''s side and clung to his arm, putting on a pitiful expression. "Kawaki-sama~ This customer is so scary~," she said, making sure Kawaki''s arm was nestled in her chest. "I kept saying no, but he forced me. The time was up long ago~ And last night, he kept hitting and yelling at me. Even though I said stop~" "What''s wrong with this woman?" The bald man was at a loss for words. "Is what my girl said true?" Kawaki asked coldly, giving the man a chilling look. "It''s... true, but what''s it to you?!" The bald man answered arrogantly. "I''m the customer! I can do whatever I want!" Two minutes later, ignoring the bald man, who was lying on the ground with his butt in the air, eyes rolled back, and foaming at the mouth, Kawaki clicked his tongue in irritation and muttered, "Seriously, running into trash at a time like this is disgusting." "Kawaki-sama, you''re so cool~" The courtesan clung even closer to Kawaki. "By the way, where''s Hyakka?" Kawaki asked. "Aren''t they supposed to be patrolling around this time? Did they miss this?" "I don''t know." The courtesan shook her head. "I haven''t seen them since this morning. But it''s good for me because it means Kawaki-sama came to my rescue! You''re so cool!" "How is that a good thing?" Kawaki muttered under his breath. "Alright, I''ll go check. Maybe Tsukuyo gave them the day off and they''re slacking off." "Oh." The courtesan let go of Kawaki''s arm and then pointed to the large bundle on the ground. "Kawaki-sama, what''s that?" "Just trash," Kawaki lied without hesitation. "Ah, I see..." "Hey, trash, get up and get out of here," Kawaki said, glancing down at the bald man. "And next time, I won''t be so lenient." "Y-yes, sir!" The man scrambled to his feet and replied. "Also, take that bag of trash with you," the courtesan added, pointing to the large bundle on the ground with disdain. "Y-yes, ma''am!" The man quickly hoisted the large bundle onto his back and, without waiting for Kawaki to stop him, bolted out of Yoshiwara as if his life depended on it. That man... is terrifying! He''s not even human! Absolutely terrifying! "Hey!" Kawaki shouted after him as he realized what had just happened. "Wait! That bundle..." "Wasn''t it just trash?" The courtesan asked, confused. "Uh... it was trash," Kawaki replied casually, but inside, he was screaming, My... my games!!! They got taken away as trash by that piece of trash!!! Ahhh!!! ... Later that morning, Kawaki, his head still hanging low, reached the Hyakka dormitory. It''s worth mentioning that along the way, Kawaki kept muttering, "My games," "My gaming equipment," and "My life" over and over. The Hyakka dormitory, or rather the new dormitory, was built after Kawaki arrived in Yoshiwara. From the outside, it looked like a six-story apartment building. Starting from the second floor, each floor had nearly twenty individual rooms, each fully equipped with modern amenities. Moreover, the dormitory was one of the few buildings in Yoshiwara that were built with concrete instead of wood. After all, the Hyakka were a group of girls. The building offered soundproofing, comfort, and all the modern conveniences, rivaling even the most luxurious apartments in the city. While it was called a single apartment building, each room was spacious enough to accommodate two people comfortably, with a separate bathroom, living room, kitchen, and a sizable bedroom. "Seriously, what are they doing? Have they forgotten about work?" Kawaki grumbled as he climbed the stairs to the second floor. Standing in front of a room at the top of the stairs, Kawaki knocked on the door calmly. However, as soon as he hit, he realized the door was unlocked. Not thinking much of it, he called through the gap, "Hey, work''s starting. Tsukuyo''s off today, so you..." "Ah, Kawaki-sama, just come in. I''m... um, feeling a bit unwell," came the voice of one of the Hyakka girls from inside. "Not feeling well?" Kawaki opened the door, a bit of an apologetic smile on his face. "Well, take care then. I''ll go find the others..." But before he could finish, Kawaki realized something was off. The Hyakka girl in the room was lying in bed, her posture almost identical to that of Hinowa and Tsukuyo earlier! The only difference was that the Hyakka girl was on a bed, while Hinowa and Tsukuyo were on tatami mats!! "Maybe I''m overthinking it, but I still want to ask..." Kawaki''s mouth twitched, his face full of black lines, as he asked, "What exactly is wrong with you?" Lying in bed with her back turned, the Hyakka girl''s ears turned red as she whispered, "Don''t... pretend you don''t know. Yesterday, you did those things to me and said those things... Kawaki-sama... no, I should call you ''husband'' from now on... husband..." Suddenly, for some reason, Kawaki... stopped thinking. Chapter 603: Thats Right! Women Care a Lot About Attitude! It wasn''t until noon that Kawaki finally emerged from the Hyakka dormitory. His head hung low, and his expression was blank. "Kawaki-sama~ Care to join us for a drink?" The courtesans on the street greeted him with their usual enthusiasm, waving at him. "Uh... hehehe..." Kawaki looked up, revealing a face contorted with despair. "A drink? Really? Can I? Will just having a drink make me forget everything? Can I really forget? Hehehe..." Seeing Kawaki''s distressed state, a few courtesans hurried over, linked their arms with his, and surrounded him. "Of course, you can~," said the courtesan, playfully clinging to Kawaki''s right arm. "If you''re troubled, a drink will help you forget~ You''ve never been to our shop before, Kawaki-sama~ Come on, come on, we''ll make sure you forget all your worries..." "Why not come to our shop instead?" another courtesan teased, clinging to his other arm. "You haven''t visited us either~ You didn''t even show up at yesterday''s year-end party~ I wanted to pour you a drink..." "Hehe... year-end party..." Kawaki laughed bitterly, his eyes void of emotion. "Ah, I''d love to forget it all, the year-end party... Isn''t a year-end party supposed to be a celebration where you forget all your troubles? But why? Why did my worries not only not lessen after the party but increase? Can you tell me why? Hehehe..." "Kawaki-sama? What''s wrong?" one of the courtesans asked, puzzled by his demeanour. "Honestly, I don''t know... Sixty women in one night? I can''t even comprehend it... Am I really that strong?" Kawaki stared blankly at the blue sky, "Hehehe... I really don''t understand... If it''s true, then isn''t the most pitiful person here me? My body must be like a rotten banana by now." "Kawaki... sama?" "Argh!!" Kawaki suddenly screamed in despair, shaking off the courtesans and dashing toward the gates of Yoshiwara. The courtesans exchanged confused glances as they watched him sprint away, then collectively sighed with regretprobably because they missed the chance to get Kawaki to drink at their shop. ... At Kabukicho Park, Zenzo sat cross-legged on a bench, flipping through a Jump magazine with an air of nonchalance, as Gintoki stood before him, talking incessantly. After listening to Gintoki''s story, Zenzo continued flipping through his Jump, responding casually, "Well, it shouldn''t be a problem. Although my memory''s a bit hazy, I recall everyone was pretty wasted. At some point, one of the hostess sisters said she wasn''t feeling well and needed to go to the restroom. You followed her to help out." "About ten minutes passed, and you hadn''t returned, but then you came back alone, looking quite satisfied, saying she had gone home. Then, another girl with an eyepatch said she felt unwell, and again, you went to help her and came back looking pleased." "After that, it was the same with Sarutobi, and then you were gone with that sunglasses-wearing old man for about twenty minutes before returning." "As for the grandpa, it was much quickeronly about three minutes. Finally, you and that Yoshiwara woman left together, disappearing into the dawn." "There''s a ton of problems there!!" Gintoki screamed in exasperation, his eyes bulging with frustration. "What kind of Dr. Dolittle scenario is this?!" "Well, it really did look like you were taking the grandpa to the bathroom," Zenzo replied, putting his Jump aside. "Rather than helping, it seemed like you were ''releasing'' him." "What''s with that twenty-minute session with Hasegawa-san?!" Gintoki snapped, his frustration growing. "Maybe because the second round was tougher," Zenzo suggested, still calm. "Damn it!" Gintoki grabbed Zenzo by the collar, pulling him up and growling, "Why didn''t you stop me?! What am I supposed to do now?!" "Calm down..." Zenzo said, trying to soothe Gintoki. "Your actions weren''t necessarily wrong. The problem is, you did it without intending to take responsibility, right?" Gintoki was momentarily speechless, loosening his grip on Zenzo''s collar. "It''s all about how you handle it from now onit''s an attitude issue," Zenzo continued. "Attitude? Really?" Kawaki, who had suddenly appeared with a twisted, pained expression, interrupted, "Can an attitude problem really fix this? Heh..." "Hey, you..." Gintoki suddenly realised who was next to him, "Could it be..." "Ah, Gintoki, I''m sorry. Let''s forget what happened this morning. I don''t have time for you right now." "I should be the one apologizing!" Ignoring Gintoki''s outburst, Kawaki kept laughing eerily as he asked Zenzo, "Hey, Zenzo, what exactly happened yesterday? What... did I do? Who... who gave me that drink? Tell me, so I can... discuss how happy I am today with them." "Oh! That shot of shochu?" Zenzo suddenly remembered. "Ah, I don''t know. I was pretty drunk myself by then. I''m not sure who handed it to you, but after you drank it, you started acting a bit strange." "What?" Kawaki''s eyes twitched uncontrollably, his face drenched in cold sweat. He stuttered, "Re-really? Did I... did I do something?" "I don''t recall everything, but the first to leave was Hinowa-san..." Zenzo began recalling. "You noticed she was gone, said you were going to check on her, and went out alone. You returned about twenty minutes later, looking satisfied and muttering something like, ''Being an oiran isn''t such a big deal...''" "Kawaki..." Gintoki, his eyes twitching, turned mechanically to face the broken-looking Kawaki beside him. "You... you too..." "The second to leave was Tsukuyo-san. She said she wasn''t feeling well and left alone," Zenzo continued. "Then, you said you were worried and went after her. Twenty minutes later, you returned, looking pleased." "It was almost dawn by then. Her subordinates said they were tired and wanted to go home, so they left. Then you said you''d check on her again and didn''t return until daybreak, several hours later. After that, you and she disappeared into the dawn together." "Heh... hehehe, so that''s how it is..." Kawaki laughed like a madman. "It''s over. Everything''s... completely over. Whether it''s the series or my life, it''s all over." "This guy... he''s something else..." Gintoki muttered, rubbing his chin. "Compared to him, my problems seem so trivial. Six people... no, this guy doesn''t even count anymore; he''s completely broken. Five people compared to sixty... my situation doesn''t seem so bad after all." "Why couldn''t you stop me?!" Kawaki roared, veins bulging as he shouted in frustration. "Hey, calm down and think about it!" Gintoki responded seriously. "In that state, no one could''ve stopped you! You should know how terrifying you are when you''re drunk! And... I''m sorry." "Shut up! I should be the one apologizing! I''m sorry!" "Hey, hey, calm down, both of you," Zenzo intervened. "It''s not as hopeless as it seems. It''s all about your attitude now." Gintoki raised his hand expressionlessly and spoke, "I understand that I''m not at the point of despair yet, but this guy... he''s clearly hit rock bottom, even physically. There''s no way anyone could handle sixty women at once." "Yeah... it''s really over..." Kawaki muttered, dropping to his knees and pounding the ground with his fists. "Even if they were just ordinary women, I... I crossed the line! The white line that leads to handcuffs... I crossed it!" "What did you do?" Gintoki asked, confused. "What line? What are you talking about?" "Gintoki, haven''t you noticed?" Kawaki said, his head hanging low, "There''s a member of Hyakka who''s very short... she... she..." Realising what Kawaki meant, Gintoki''s eyes widened in horror. "Was... was she... underage?!" "I''ve decided!" Kawaki suddenly stood, his face full of resolve. "I''m going to turn myself in! Goodbye, everyone!" With that, Kawaki pulled out his phone and started dialling a number for Sougo. "Wait," Zenzo called out, stopping him. "Don''t rush. I said it''s not the end yet." "Really?" Kawaki turned to Zenzo, his face full of despair. "No matter how I look at it, I''m already in the eighteenth layer of hell, with no way to climb out." "It''s all about attitude. Didn''t I just say that?" Zenzo reassured him. ... That evening, in Yoshiwara. During dinner. "So..." Kawaki, seated between Hinowa and Tsukuyo, hesitantly spoke, "There''s something I''d like to discuss with you both. It''s more of a proposal." "What kind of proposal, Kawaki-san?" Hinowa asked, smiling as she placed food on Kawaki''s plate. "It''s about the Hyakka," Kawaki replied. "Hm? What about it?" Tsukuyo asked as she added food from the hot pot to Kawaki''s bowl. "How about we give them a vacation?" Kawaki suggested, his finger trembling slightly. "A vacation?" Tsukuyo asked, puzzled. "Yeah, ever since I came to Yoshiwara, I''ve never seen them take a proper break," Kawaki quickly explained. "And don''t worry! I can handle Yoshiwara''s security by myself! Tsukuyo, you should take a break too!" Chapter 604: The Harem Arc "... Tsukuyo, you should go rest too!" As soon as Kawaki said this, he noticed that both Hinowa and Tsukuyo, sitting on either side of him, turned their faces away slightly, their cheeks faintly flushed. [Stop it! Please, don''t make that face! I''m begging you! Kawaki internally screamed, first glancing at Tsukuyo and then at Hinowa. Please, stop looking at me like I''m not completely hopeless! Stop giving me that pitying look! Stop thinking, ''Even a guy like him can be dependable once he does that''! Stop it!] "Well... since you''ve put it that way, I''ll go along with you," Tsukuyo replied, her face still slightly red, occasionally sneaking glances at Kawaki. "After all... our relationship isn''t the same as it used to be. I''ll support whatever decision you make." Hearing this, Hinowa''s ears turned completely red. She leaned closer to Kawaki''s ear and whispered loud enough for them to hear, "Did you... tell Tsukuyo about that? Is that why she said such things? Well, it makes sense. Now that I have a man, she doesn''t need to protect me anymore. I''ll leave it to you to take care of her. It''s good this way; she can finally rest a bit..." [This is a misunderstanding! She''s completely misunderstood! But... at least nothing was exposed, so that''s something.] Kawaki thought, then whispered, "Anyway... we''ve almost finished eating. You should head back to your room. I need to talk to you about something in a bit. Wait for me." "Goodness..." Hinowa blushed, covering her face with her sleeve. "You''re such an impatient man, already thinking about the main course right after dinner. But fine, I''ll be ready. Even though my body still feels a bit weak..." With that, Hinowa gave Kawaki a sultry look. [Who are you calling an impatient man?! Kawaki yelled internally. And what do you mean ''a bit weak''? Who''s the one with a weak body here? It''s me, isn''t it? Even though I don''t remember, it''s me who should be exhausted, right? I won''t do it! I absolutely won''t do it! I still care about my own body!] "Well, I''ll be off for now..." Hinowa said, casting another seductive glance at Kawaki. "Kawaki-san, could you help me to my wheelchair..." "Uh... sure." With a twitching smile, Kawaki got up and helped Hinowa into her wheelchair, rushing her back to her room at lightning speed... Two minutes later, a breathless Kawaki returned. Seeing him standing in the doorway, drenched in sweat, Tsukuyo blushed again and mumbled softly, "You''re... really in a hurry, huh? Even if you want to be alone with me, isn''t this a bit too... deliberate? Did you really have to send Hinowa away like that just because you wanted to be alone with me?" [Did she misunderstand too?! Kawaki clenched his fists, raging internally. Damn it! How did things end up like this?! Even if I want to get angry, I can only be mad at myself! Because... it''s all my fault!] "Um... Tsukuyo," Kawaki said, forcing a smile. "You should... head back to your room too. I have something to talk to you about later." Tsukuyo blushed even more and spat, "We just finished dinner, and you already... want to do that?" [I''m getting pissed off! How can they both think I''m someone who only cares about that?] Kawaki fumed internally. Why does everyone think I''m just focused on that?! "Fine... I''ll wait for you," Tsukuyo stood up, turning her face away as if embarrassed to look at Kawaki. "I''ll... get ready." "Uh... okay." Kawaki gritted his teeth, barely managing a reply. "But now that I think about it..." Tsukuyo suddenly noticed something, pointing at the leftovers on the table. "Did you really eat enough? You ate less than a tenth of what you usually do." "Uh... I''m completely full! Actually, from now on, this is all I need to feel full!" Kawaki quickly patted his chest and added in his mind, [Besides, I still have about sixty more dinners to eat after this. If I eat like usual, I''ll probably die... my stomach will burst, and I''ll die...] "Is it because it didn''t taste good?" Tsukuyo asked, suddenly concerned. "I''m not very good at cooking, so I can only make hotpot. Is that why you ate so little?" "No, no, it''s not that!" Kawaki quickly denied it. "I''m just not that hungry! Okay, hurry back to your room; I have something to talk to you about!" "Alright..." Tsukuyo nodded, then slowly made her way toward the door. As she passed Kawaki, she blushed and mumbled, "You''re saving room for the main course, right? I understand. I''ll... get ready." [Please, just skip those unnecessary preparations! Kawaki gritted his teeth. My body can''t handle it! After sixty rounds yesterday, I might look fine on the outside, but I''m completely ruined inside! There''s no way I can recover in less than two months!] ... Inside Hinowa''s room. "Kawaki-san, are you saying we should date with marriage in mind?" Hinowa, dressed in her nightgown, sat up and looked at Kawaki, who was standing by the door. "Not get married right away?" "Yeah, I think getting married right away is a bit rushed..." Kawaki turned his face away, scratching his head awkwardly. "And honestly, I don''t remember much about what happened yesterday..." "What?! Really?" Hinowa gasped, then turned away, covering her face as if she was about to cry. "You don''t remember? But I remember everything... every promise you made while holding me..." "It was... just a joke!" Kawaki quickly tried to explain, his face twitching. "Just a bit of fun! Couples joke around like that all the time, right? I do remember, actually!" ... The scene shifted to Tsukuyo''s room, where Kawaki had a similar conversation. "So, you''ve decided that we''re in a relationship..." Tsukuyo, sitting in the same position on her futon, blushed as she avoided Kawaki''s gaze. "Then... I''ll mentally prepare myself for it." "Is that so?" Kawaki replied, his eye twitching. "Anyway... getting married right away feels too rushed. We should take things one step at a time. And honestly, you should observe me carefully. I''m not as perfect as I seem. There are a lot of issues with me that don''t show on the surface..." "I already found that out last night..." Tsukuyo turned her blushing face away. "I never expected that underneath your clothes, you''d be such a different person..." "That''s not what I meant..." Kawaki sighed. "And besides, isn''t that the case for all men? They all look different with their clothes off, right?" "No, you... seemed to particularly enjoy being aggressive." "Uh..." Kawaki forced a smile, then quickly raised his hand to wave goodbye. "Well... I''ll head back now." "What? Aren''t we staying together?" Tsukuyo asked, confused. "Well... I have work tomorrow, and, you know, doing that might affect my performance," Kawaki quickly made up an excuse. ... At midnight, Kawaki left the Hyakka dormitory with his head hanging low. He remained silent, expressionless until he reached his residence. It''s worth noting that along the way, Kawaki dealt with several troublesome customers who were harassing the courtesans. However, he didn''t say a single word and seemed to be venting his frustration, hitting them particularly hard. Clack... clack Entering his room and closing the door behind him, Kawaki immediately collapsed to his knees, screaming internally, [They all agreed!! What the hell is going on?! Do they think I''m worth it? God, help me! My guilt is through the roof!] Click, click... Hearing a strange noise, Kawaki looked up and saw that the shrine in the corner, which had been facing him, had silently turned to face away. [I wasn''t even praying to you!! Kawaki raged internally. What kind of god are you?!] "Kawaki-sama~ We''ve been waiting for you here all day~ After what you did last night, you just left us..." 2 Kawaki slowly turned his head mechanically, only to see Outsuke and Kuzuha lying in the same futon, with a space between them meant for someone else. The two of them patted the space between them, saying in unison, "We''ve been waiting for so long~ Kawaki-sama. Let''s get started." Kawaki said nothing. He stood up with his head still hung low and slowly walked toward them. Seeing him approach, both of them grinned, revealing that their plan had succeeded. But in the next moment... "My brain hasn''t deteriorated to the point where I don''t know what I''m doing! And if either of you dares to tell anyone about this, I''ll tear down Takamagahara and every shrine in it!!" With that, Kawaki grabbed the two and the futon, rolled them up, and hurled them out the window with all his strength without hesitation. After watching them disappear into the sky like shooting stars, Kawaki closed the window and dusted off his hands. ... The next morning, at breakfast. "Hey... Mom, Tsukuyo-nee," Seita asked, his face full of confusion as he looked at Hinowa and Tsukuyo sitting close on either side of Kawaki. "What''s going on today? Why are you both sitting so close to Kawaki-nii?" "Shut up!" Kawaki snapped, gritting his teeth. "Hurry up and get to your lessons!" Chapter 605: Harem Arc II "Eh?" Seita grumbled in dissatisfaction, "Why? And what''s that got to do with you?" "Maybe..." Hinowa smiled gently, squinting her eyes as she spoke, "Maybe he''s trying to prepare himself for a certain change in status. Now, hurry along to your lessons, Seita. Otherwise, you''ll be late again." [Huh? A change in status? What kind of change? Why would I need to adjust to being a father?] Kawaki thought to himself, bewildered. [Wait, a father? A father?! No way! I need to learn how to do a Rasengan or Shadow Clone Jutsu! I can''t do it! I absolutely can''t do it! Besides, I hate kids! There''ll be a rebellious phase and puberty and all that, and as a stepfather, disciplining them is just too sensitive! I can''t handle it! I can''t do it!] "Tch, fine, I know," Seita responded grumpily as he got up, grabbed his backpack and the bento Hinowa had prepared and headed for the door. But as he reached the door, Hinowa called, "Wait a moment, Seita. Um... would you like to have a dad" "If you don''t hurry, you''ll be late, Seita!" Kawaki quickly interrupted, sensing what Hinowa was about to ask. "I know, geez!" Seita grumbled again, clearly annoyed, before finally exiting the door. As Hinowa covered her mouth and chuckled softly, Kawaki internally panicked, [Stop it! Stop making that face that says, ''I never thought this man could be shy''! Stop showing that expression like you find it adorable that I''m embarrassed! Please!] Just then, Tsukuyo suddenly clutched her stomach and gagged slightly. "Huh? Tsukuyo, are you okay?" Hinowa asked with concern. "Are you feeling unwell?" "No, it''s nothing," Tsukuyo shook her head, her gaze softening as she looked down at her abdomen, gently rubbing it with her hand. "It''s probably just a normal reaction at this stage." At that moment, Kawaki''s expression completely changed. It was as if he''d been struck by lightning. His mouth hung open, and his eyes glazed over in shock. [Is... is she going to be a mom too?!] "Are you sure you''re okay? Maybe you should go to the hospital just to be safe?" Hinowa suggested, clearly worried. "No, really, I''m fine." Tsukuyo turned her face away slightly, glancing at Kawaki as if to say, [I''m ready to be a mother... are you prepared to be a father?] Catching Tsukuyo''s glance, Kawaki could only nod weakly, forcing a strained smile. [I''ve messed up! Just once... and now this?!] Kawaki internally screamed, holding his head in despair. [No! Please, no! I''m not ready at all! I haven''t prepared at all! I''m not ready to be a father! Someone help me, please!] [But then again...] Kawaki suddenly had another thought. [If this is true, Tsukuyo... I can''t just leave things as they are. I have to come clean. There''s no other choice. It might hurt others, but there''s no other way; Tsukuyo is already...] Determined, Kawaki gritted his teeth and began to speak, "Hinowa, actually..." Before he could finish, Hinowa suddenly turned pale and covered her mouth, gagging. Seeing Hinowa''s reaction, Kawaki''s jaw dropped, and his face twitched uncontrollably as cold sweat dripped. [Is... is she also...?!!!] "Are you okay, Hinowa?" Tsukuyo asked, concerned. "What''s wrong?" "I should be... fine," Hinowa replied with a forced smile, glancing at Kawaki with an expression that seemed to say, [This is all your fault...] "So, what were you about to say?" Hinowa asked, turning to Kawaki. "N-nothing... nothing at all... hehe..." Kawaki stammered, his face twitching as he laughed nervously. [I''ve messed up now! This is bad! Bad! I can''t just leave these two alone! What should I do? What should I do?! It''s not just a matter of being exposed anymorethis is a much bigger problem! Am I that good at... No, this is not the time to think about that! What should I do? This is a severe situation!] "Hey, Kawaki, you look a bit strained. What''s going on?" Tsukuyo asked. "N-nothing," Kawaki forced a smile, then suddenly thought of something and raised a finger as he suggested, "Um... how about we eat separately from now on? I mean, no other reason, just that... it feels a bit cramped, you know? Hehehe..." "Sure!" Hinowa and Tsukuyo answered in unison without hesitation. [Why are you both so in sync at a time like this?!] Kawaki thought, his sense of despair deepening. [And why did you both get shy after I suggested it? I don''t get it! How eager are you two to eat separately?! This is way too rushed!] ... At nine in the morning, after finishing nearly sixty breakfasts with the members of Hyakka, Kawaki staggered out like a lifeless zombie. To be precise... he was utterly broken, inside and out. Of course, an ordinary man might also break if he suddenly found out that his one night of effort had made him the father of sixty unborn children and the stepfather of one child. It''s a human reaction. Kawaki completed his morning patrol duties in this state, even though he was thoroughly broken. Despite everything, he carried out the patrol with meticulous attention. ... At noon, after leaving messages with sixty women that he wouldn''t be coming back for lunch because of work, Kawaki took the opportunity to escape to the streets. When Zenzou found Kawaki in the park after Kawaki had called him out, he found Kawaki repeatedly bashing his bloodied forehead against a lamppost. "Hey, hey, what''s going on?" Zenzou asked as he approached Kawaki. "Didn''t the plan work? With sixty women, a sincere confession should have helped you get rid of at least half of them, right?" "Hehe..." Kawaki turned around, revealing a face that had been completely ruined. "Zenzou, I''m... going to be a father." "Ah, congratulations." "The father of sixty... no, sixty-one children." There was a long silence before Zenzou quietly turned to leave, raising his hand in a farewell wave. "Sorry for disturbing you while you''re basking in the joy of fatherhood. I''ll just be on my way..." "Wait!!" Kawaki suddenly grabbed Zenzou''s shoulder and held on tightly. "Don''t leave me! What should I do? What should I do?!" "How should I know?!" Zenzou replied, exasperated. "You''re incredible! No one else in the world could get sixty women pregnant in one night. If they weren''t pregnant, you might have been able to get rid of a few by confessing your true feelings. But in this situation, there''s no saving it." "So... um..." Kawaki''s voice trembled. "What''s my fate, usually?" "Honestly, I don''t think any romance manga features a guy who successfully conquers sixty women at once," Zenzou pondered, stroking his chin. "If there were only two, they might just hack you to death. But in your case, dismemberment is a given. Though it''s unclear into how many pieces, it should be more than sixty, considering the kids'' shares." "Ah... I see... hehe..." "But there might still be a way out," Zenzou added. "After all, there are kids involved. They might forgive you for the children''s sake. You know, a childhood without a father can be tough." "Really? So, I should just come clean? Ask for forgiveness for the sake of the kids? Would that really work?!" "Are you... not afraid of dying?" ... Back in Yoshiwara, during dinner time. "Um... Hinowa," Kawaki said, looking at her as she added rice to his bowl. "You shouldn''t go out much these days... for the sake of your health, you know..." "Oh my!" Hinowa gasped softly, her face flushing slightly as she continued, "You... you noticed? I thought it would take longer for you to figure it out." "I''m not that dense..." Kawaki replied, his face twitching as black lines appeared on his forehead. "Anyway, just stay in your room for now. I''ll handle everythingshopping, laundry... all the household chores." "It seems like... you''ve changed quite a bit," Hinowa remarked. "Do men always change this much before and after marriage?" "Well, it''s unavoidable." "But what about work? With Hyakka on break, will you be okay handling it all on your own? Should I talk to Tsukuyo and the others?" "No need! I''m totally fine!" Kawaki suddenly perked up. "Actually, I''ve started to really enjoy work! It helps me forget a lot of my worries! Ahahaha..." "You really are becoming more dependable~ Now I can finally be at ease." ... In Tsukuyo''s room. Looking at the hotpot on the table, Kawaki sighed and muttered, "Tsukuyo, it''s hotpot again today..." "Sorry, I''m not very skilled at cooking," Tsukuyo replied. "But I did see a lot of cooking class ads yesterday, and I was thinking of signing up." "No need!" Kawaki quickly downed the scalding hotpot in front of him in one gulp as if the heat didn''t bother him. "I love it! I absolutely love it! Hotpot is perfect!" Chapter 606: The Only Way to Stop a Spring "Really?" Tsukuyo''s face lit up with joy. "Do you really like it?" "Yes! I love it the most!" Kawaki replied, smiling as he set down the now-empty hot pot. But the next moment, his taste buds, which had just come back online, suddenly reacted. Kawaki''s face turned beet red in seconds, and his eyes widened in shock. "I''m so glad! I was worried you might not like it," Tsukuyo said with relief. "I heard you like spicy hot pot, so I used ghost peppers as the base today. I didn''t expect you to love it this much." "W-water... water..." Kawaki croaked, clutching his throat with one hand while tremblingly reaching out to Tsukuyo with the other. "Quick... water, please... hurry..." ... After gulping down a large glass of water two minutes later, Kawaki''s condition finally stabilised. Seeing Kawaki drenched in sweat, with more sweat still pouring from his face, Tsukuyo asked, puzzled, "Hey, are you okay? Maybe you''re still pushing yourself too hard. Maybe I should sign up for a cooking class to learn other dishes?" "No! No need! Hot pot is just fine!" Kawaki immediately raised his hand in refusal. "I absolutely love it! If I had to name my favorite dish in life, hot pot would be number one!" "Good grief..." Tsukuyo turned her slightly blushing face away, covering it with her sleeve, her eyes avoiding his. "Ever since then, you''ve been changing more and more, saying things that make people happy so boldly. Men... really are strange creatures..." [Ah, I just want to die!] Kawaki cursed himself inwardly, gritting his teeth, then forced a smile as he raised a finger and said, "Actually, there''s something I want to talk to you about." "What is it?" "From now on, try not to go out unless it''s absolutely necessary for something like a checkup. Otherwise... no, it''s better if you don''t go out at all." "You... noticed, didn''t you?" Tsukuyo turned her face away again, speaking softly. "Uh... yes, I did." Kawaki''s mouth began to twitch uncontrollably. "I can still notice things like that. And if you do need to go for a checkup, make sure to tell me in advance so I can accompany you. Got it?" "I... I understand." Seeing Tsukuyo shyly covering her face with her sleeve, Kawaki mentally punched himself and called himself a scumbag. "And one more thing..." Kawaki continued, "Regarding the vacation time we gave the Hyakka members earlier, I''m hoping... to extend it a bit longer." "Huh?" Tsukuyo looked confused. "You want to extend it? Won''t it be tough handling everything by yourself?" "No, it''s not tough at all!" Kawaki immediately countered. "Honestly, I''ve completely fallen in love with working! I don''t feel tired at all, even working all day! I''m seriously thinking about working all the time! Wow, work is so great! Ahahaha..." "Is that so..." Tsukuyo turned her face away again, her voice growing softer. "You really... are reliable..." [Stop! I don''t want to hear it! I don''t want to listen to things like ''such a reliable father''!] Kawaki screamed internally, [Please, spare me! The guilt is already overwhelming me! All that''s left is guilt! I''m being consumed by it!] "How long do you want to extend the vacation?" "How about a year?" Kawaki suggested hesitantly, raising one finger. After a long silence, Tsukuyo finally spoke, "A year... is that maternity leave? No, maternity leave isn''t that long." "Noit''s not!" Kawaki stood up, panicking, and loudly explained, "Trust me, Tsukuyo! It has nothing to do with maternity leave! It''s just a regular break! It might seem like maternity leave, but it''s not! I just wanted to give them a longer break because they''ve been working so hard!" "Alright, I understand." Tsukuyo nodded but then pointed her finger at Kawaki. "But are you really okay? Your face is covered in cold sweat." "No problem at all!" Kawaki patted his chest confidently. "It''s just that I felt a bit hot after eating. This sweat is from the heat, nothing else!" "Oh... okay, I see." "Well..." Kawaki waved his hand as he walked towards the door, "I''m going to work now. Please... please don''t go out randomly! Your health is the most important thing right now!" "Understood." "Absolutely don''t go out! Absolutely!!" "I''ve heard that men often become like this at times like these," Tsukuyo remarked with a smile. "That''s right! Men do become like this at times like these! Just stay in your room! I''ll do the shopping! I''ll do the laundry! I''ll clean the house! You just rest!" "I... I understand." ... From that day on, Kawaki began his new life, following an impossible human schedule. He would wake up at four in the morning, go to the market to buy ingredients for sixty meals, and then deliver each portion to all the women''s rooms. After sixty breakfasts, he would start his workday, patrolling all the shops in Yoshiwara by himself and solving any problems the women encountered, whether dealing with demanding customers or fixing leaking rooms. Kawaki handled it all on his own. At seven in the evening, dragging his exhausted body, he would eat sixty dinners, spend no more than a minute at each meal, and then resume work until one morning. Time to sleep? Still waiting. This was when he started cleaning the rooms of all sixty women, collecting their dirty laundry to wash and hang. By the time he finished, it was almost four in the morning. From then to four, Kawaki had his rest time, which ranged from two to ten minutes, depending on the day. ... A week later, during the rare break he had at lunchtime, Kawaki found himself on the streets. He bought a pack of cigarettes from a vending machine and leaned against a wall, head down, unwrapping the bag and placing a cigarette in his mouth. However, he quickly realised he didn''t have a lighter than someone who never smoked. "Hey, can I borrow a light?" Kawaki tapped the shoulder of a young man who was buying cigarettes nearby, speaking hoarsely. "Oh, sure." The young man quickly responded, pulling a mayonnaise-themed lighter from his pocket and handing it to Kawaki. "Thanks." Kawaki lit his cigarette, taking a deep drag before slowly exhaling. "No problem." Hijikata took back his lighter but then noticed that the person who had borrowed it was Kawakiand he looked... very rough. "Are you... okay?" To put it simply, Kawaki''s current state could be described in two words as "worn out," three words as "very worn out," and four words as "extremely worn out." His hair was messy, his beard looked like it hadn''t been groomed in days, his eyes were half-open and lifeless, and his dark circles were darker than a panda''s. His clothes seemed alright, freshly changed, but the man looked like he was about to break down completely. "It''s you..." Kawaki muttered, cigarette in hand. "It''s been a while, hasn''t it..." "Are you sure you''re okay?" Hijikata lit a cigarette for himself, eyeing Kawaki suspiciously. "Yeah, I''m fine. Every day is so fulfilling, so happy," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "Especially when I''m working, I feel extremely happy. Who knew work could be so enjoyable? It helps me forget all my worries, guilt, and pain... haha..." "Hey! Are you really okay?!" Hijikata was shocked, grabbing Kawaki''s shoulders and shaking him. "Why have you broken down so much in just a few days? What happened?!" "Phew..." Kawaki took one last drag from his cigarette before extinguishing it in a nearby trash can. "I should get back to work. If I stay here too long, I''ll start thinking about the cold, harsh reality again. See you." ... "Who was that?" Okita Sougo asked as he approached Hijikata, watching Kawaki walk away. "Was that the boss? But his vibe seems a bit different..." "Who knows..." ... A week later, at noon, in Kabukicho Park. "Why did you call me out? I''m currently looking for that guy with the natural perm who went missing after a date with his girlfriend on the 7th. I''m really busy." Zenzou asked as he looked at Kawaki, who was smoking on a park bench. "And are you really okay? You look like you''re about to fall apart. Have you even slept?" "That doesn''t matter anymore..." Kawaki threw away his cigarette and lit another, leaning back on the bench with his arms draped over the backrest. "I called you out to ask for a favor." "It''s not about that thing again, is it? I really can''t help with that." "No, it''s not." Kawaki casually interrupted Zenzou. "It''s not that anymore. Besides, it doesn''t matter anymore. It''s going to come out soon anyway." "Wait, it''s going to be exposed already?" "Yeah, today''s the 15th," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "It''s almost time. Once I fall asleep, those women will probably realize something''s wrong. Honestly, I''ll probably never wake up again once I do, but that''s fine, right? It''s better to be dismembered painlessly in my sleep by them. Haha..." "..." After a long silence, Zenzou finally spoke. "So, you want me to deliver your last words?" "Yeah, something like that." Kawaki gazed blankly at the blue sky above him. "Tell those women that the children are innocent... no, never mind that, just say I''m sorry. And lastly, tell Kagura-chan to stay strong and keep living. That''s all." With that, Kawaki stood up, bracing his knees, and walked away, tossing away his last cigarette. "Hey, wait." Zenzou called out. "Have you really given up completely?" "Yeah, I have." Kawaki stopped and replied without turning back. "I''ve entirely... given up. And honestly, it doesn''t matter anymore. Either way, it''s hell. That side is hell; this side is hell. The hell over there is probably more comfortable than the hell here. At least I won''t have to feel that tiny bit of happiness amidst all the guilt anymore. That sort of thing... isn''t something a sinner like me deserves. Am I coming home to a smiling face? Hearing ''you''ve worked hard''? The freshly made dinner? The ''have a safe trip'' when I leave in the morning? I... can''t handle it anymore. I''ve long... reached my limit. Whatever happens now, it''s out of my hands. Goodbye." "Wait," Zenzou stopped Kawaki once more. "If you''ve already given up, then... why not apologize to them directly? After all, the result is the same, whether it''s you or them, you''re all headed for some sort of hell." After another long silence, Kawaki looked up and gave a faint, relieved smile. "You''re right. I should do it myself. So, consider the request changed. If possible, help me build a tomb after I''m gone, or something like that. The name... doesn''t matter. Goodbye." As Kawaki started walking again, Zenzou pointed behind him, where Tsukuyo, Hinowa, and the other Hyakka members stood with sweet smiles. "Actually... if you want to apologize, you can do it now." "Huh?" Kawaki stopped and turned around, seeing Tsukuyo, Hinowa, and the Hyakka women smiling sweetly behind Zenzou. He let out a small sigh of resignation. "Seriously, all of you scheduled your checkups on the same day? But it looks like there''s nothing left to say. All I can do is... say I''m sorry." Tsukuyo glanced back at the Hyakka members, and they all nodded in unison before raising a massive red banner that read, "NEET Successfully Reintegrated into Society!!" "Mission accomplished!!" n Staring at the bold text on the banner, Kawaki''s lifeless eyes widened as his mouth hung open in shock. The light in his eyes dimmed, and he just stood there, staring blankly at Tsukuyo and the others. "Who knew it would work so well." Hinowa smiled, her eyes narrowing. "Yes, thanks to him, all the Hyakka members got a half-month break," Tsukuyo said, crossing her arms and lightly holding a cigarette holder in one hand, nodding in agreement. "And all the games were thrown out too." Thud! "Kawaki-sama!" As Kawaki collapsed face-first onto the ground, the Hyakka members rushed forward, still holding the banner, and surrounded him. Watching the Hyakka women crowd around Kawaki, Zenzou turned to Hinowa, who was sitting in a wheelchair, and asked, "Is it just me, or would it be fine even if that actually happened? Look at these women. It seems like it wouldn''t matter even if he really did have a harem." "Maybe that''s true." Hinowa smiled, then turned to look at Tsukuyo beside her. "But that won''t happen, right? Tsukuyo?" "Who cares." Tsukuyo said indifferently as she glanced at Kawaki, who was lifted into the air by the Hyakka members. "But if he ever lays a hand on my subordinates, I''ll kill him for real." ... Later that night. Hinowa slid open the door to Tsukuyo''s room, where she found Tsukuyo leaning by the window, smoking. "Even though we don''t mind, you..." Hearing glanced down at her abdomen and gently rubbed it with her hand. "I''m... fine," Tsukuyo replied softly. "Are you really fine? After all, that night, you were the only one who ate the dish Kawaki-san made while drunk. I heard that Catherine, who tried just a tiny bit of that dish out of curiosity, ended up with a week-long stomachache." "It''s fine. I''ve probably purged all the toxins by now." "That''s good to hear," Hinowa said, but something else occurred to her. "But come to think of it, why did normal ingredients turn into something like that when combined by Kawaki-san? Does he have the same ability as Otae-san?" "Who knows..." Tsukuyo replied calmly, but her thoughts drifted back to that night. Kawaki, already drunk, had returned to the party with a dish he had randomly thrown together. At that time, she was the only one who noticed a small cut on his hand, likely from a kitchen knife. Just as she was about to point it out, the small cut wholly healed in a puff of white smoke! No one else seemed to notice, hidden as it was by the steam from the food. [Could it be... his blood mixed into the dish?] Tsukuyo wondered. [And what''s with that constitution? Is that man a Yato?] Tsukuyo was baffled. ... The next day, after waking up from sleep, Kawaki rushed to Tsukuyo''s room in his pyjamas, without even changing his clothes, and angrily slammed the door open. "Tsukuyo!! Hinowa!!" "Oh my, you''re awake already?" Hinowa smiled at Kawaki. "The checkup went smoothly. If you start working hard today, you might become a father in about a year." "Good luck," Tsukuyo added casually, glancing at Kawaki. "You wicked women..." Kawaki gritted his teeth, clenching his fists until they creaked. "The show''s starting," Hinowa pointed to the TV. No need! I''m perfectly fine! I''ve come to love work! I can forget all my worries, guilt, and pain when working! Ahahaha... No, it''s not hard at all! Honestly, I''ve completely fallen in love with work! I don''t feel tired at all, even working all day! I''m seriously thinking about working all the time! Wow, work is so great! Ahahaha... "Work has started..." Tsukuyo pointed at the TV, reminding Kawaki. "You haven''t forgotten what you said, right?" Kawaki walked over to the TV without a second thought and smashed the connected camera into pieces. Lowering his head, he mumbled, "Ah, I''ve completely forgotten. All I remember is my hatred for you... Just wait, I''ll get my revenge. Definitely!" With that, Kawaki turned and left Tsukuyo''s room. Watching him go, Hinowa raised her head and asked Tsukuyo, "Do you think we went a bit too far?" "No, this was his beloved sister''s request," Tsukuyo replied indifferently. "She wanted us to turn her NEET brother into a hardworking, ordinary man." "But tricking him into thinking we were pregnant was a bit..." "No one ever said that." Tsukuyo replied, "That idiot just jumped to that conclusion on his own." "That''s true." A moment later, a frustrated scream came from Kawaki''s room. "Where... where are all my games?!" Hearing this, Hinowa turned to Tsukuyo, puzzled. "Do you think the reformation really worked?" "Probably... not." Chapter 607: How to Make Your Boss Confident One night, at the Kabukicho Host Club, Takamagahara. For some reason, there were no customers in Takamagahara that night. Aside from Kyourou and Hachirou (the one with the afro), no other hosts were present. The entire hall was eerily empty, with only the trio from Odd Jobs and Kyourou sitting in the same booth while Hachirou stood nearby with his arms crossed. After Kyourou announced some news, Shinpachi couldn''t help but cry out in disbelief as he looked at Kyourou. "What?! You''re quitting as a host?!" "Yes," Kyourou nodded slightly, replying with a feigned lightheartedness, "I''m planning to quit hosting and open a model shop. I''ve even thought of a name for the store." As he spoke, Kyourou picked up a Gundam modelor rather, a figurineand winked. "I''ll call it ''Model Kyourou.''" (Note: "Model Kyourou" is a reference to a model enthusiast battle manga from Kodansha.) "What are you talking about, Kyourou-san?" Shinpachi retorted, exasperated. "That''s not funny at all, and besides, no one even knows that reference anymore!" "Exactly, aru," Kagura agreed, nodding with closed eyes and her arms crossed. She then suggested, "At the very least, change it to a shop specializing in mini four-wheel drives and call it ''Dash Kyourou.'' That would be better." "No one knows that reference either!" Shinpachi snapped at Kagura. "So, what exactly happened, aru?" Kagura asked Kyourou, puzzled. "As the number one host in Kabukicho, did the silicone in your nose job start leaking or something, aru?" Kyourou hung his head slightly and shook it, a faint, resigned smile on his face. "I feel like I''ve hit my limit," Kyourou said, picking up a mini four-wheel drive car with his right hand. "And today will be the last time I entertain customers, so I invited you from the Odd Jobs." Nearby, Gintoki was still meticulously examining the mini four-wheel drive in his hand. "Hey, hey, did you have too many surgeries and lighten your brain as well? If the car body is too light, it''ll skid and float when cornering, causing it to derail. You need to add more guide wheels for stability..." As Gintoki rambled on, Shinpachi couldn''t help but shout; his fists clenched in frustration, "I told you to stop talking about mini four-wheel drives!" Then Shinpachi turned to Hachirou, who was standing nearby, and asked, "Hachirou-san, what exactly happened?" Perhaps due to the weight of the thing on his head, Hachirou''s expression seemed a bit heavy that day. "Do you know about Lady Yagami?" "Hachirou!" Kyourou quickly interrupted. Ignoring Kyourou''s attempt to stop him, Hachirou continued, "She''s a mysterious noblewoman known as the Flower Butterfly of Edo. With just a slight raise of her glass, the entire street''s power dynamics can shift. They say that controlling the lady is like controlling the streets at night. She''s such an influential customer." "Basically, she''s like a goddess who brings wealth to the night streets, only to leave quietly afterward. However, once she visits a street, she never returns to the same place twice. She''s like a nocturnal deity." "Kind of like someone who never sleeps with the same person twice," Gintoki nodded, signalling his understanding. "No, that''s completely different," Shinpachi scoffed with disdain. "What you''re describing is just trash. You''re just trash." "Listen," Hachirou continued, his expression growing more serious. "Actually... that lady visited this street and Takamagahara a few days ago." "Huh?!" Shinpachi exclaimed in shock. "Isn''t that a big deal?" "It''s like unexpectedly encountering the four-wheel drive warriors at a regional tournament..." Gintoki mused with his arms crossed. "What kind of weird analogy is that?" Shinpachi muttered, his eyes narrowing in exasperation. "But..." Hachirou continued with his head lowered, "When she left, she told us..." Hachirou recalled that night when Lady Yagami departed, leaving behind the words: "I''ll be back at the same time next week..." After hearing Hachirou''s recollection, Shinpachi was surprised. "Huh? Isn''t that a good thing? The lady who never returns to the same street made a promise to come back." Hachirou slowly shook his head and explained, "No, it''s not good. The lady knows that her influence can distort the power dynamics of an entire street, so no matter how much she likes a store, she doesn''t want to interfere and doesn''t become a regular. If she decides to visit a place again, it means she intends to bring disaster to that street. Tomorrow, she won''t return as a goddess of fortune but as a goddess of death." Seeing the look of despair on Kyourou''s face, Shinpachi turned to Hachirou and asked, "Why? What happened to make her so unhappy?" "After all, she''s the number one Flower Butterfly," Hachirou replied. "Maybe there really was something we overlooked..." "So not only will you never be able to work as a host again..." Shinpachi''s expression grew heavier. "But this shop might also be destroyed." Gintoki glanced around the place. "Come to think of it, I don''t see any other hosts around." "That''s right," Hachirou nodded. "Everyone''s afraid of the lady''s return, and the place is already unable to operate." "We''re deeply sorry for dragging the entire street down due to our mistakes," Kyourou said, his voice filled with regret. But then, he looked resolute. "However, even if the shop is destroyed, I will protect this street! I''ll stake my pride as a host on it!" Hachirou immediately protested, "Leaving aside whose mistake it actually was, how are we supposed to entertain the lady in this situation?" "Of course it''s our mistake!" Kyourou sternly insisted, then softened slightly. "Besides... we have no choice but to take a gamble now! We must do everything we can to please the lady..." "How many people do you need?" Suddenly, a voice came from the side. It was Gintoki, who had somehow evolved from a completely rotten dead fish to a slightly less rotten one. Kyourou and Hachirou both looked up in surprise. They saw Gintoki, with a cigarette in his mouth, adjusting his white suit jacket, flanked by Kagura and Shinpachi, who were also already dressed up. "I''m asking how many handsome guys you need," Gintoki said casually, glancing at Kyourou. The next moment, Kagura and Shinpachi simultaneously pulled out lighters and elegantly lit the cigarette in Gintoki''s mouth. "And..." Gintoki smirked as he exhaled a puff of smoke, "That lady has a lot of money, doesn''t she, Manager?" "You..." Kyourou began to speak, but his expression quickly shifted from touched to conflicted. "No, I can''t let you guys take on this responsibility for us! It''s our fault, not yours!" "No, honestly, I don''t think it has much to do with us either..." Hachirou quietly retorted, "After all... we weren''t the ones who entertained the lady." "Shut up!" Kyourou sternly cut him off. "I''m the one who assigned him to entertain the lady! Even if something went wrong during the entertainment that upset her, it''s my responsibility! It has nothing to do with anyone else!" "Don''t worry, leave that lady... and her money to me," Gintoki chuckled lightly. "Um..." Shinpachi, who had caught onto certain keywords in Kyourou''s speech, hesitantly raised his hand and asked, "Who is this ''he'' that Kyourou-san mentioned? Who was it that entertained Lady Yagami? Wasn''t it Kyourou-san?" Hachirou quietly took two steps back and pointed to the performance chart on the wall. At the same time, Kyourou explained, "You probably know him. The man who occasionally comes to Takamagahara to work part-time. Although he''s a part-timer, he only shows up once every few months. I think he only comes when he''s short on cash to buy games. And every time he comes, his performance for the day is even greater than the combined performance of all the hosts in our shop, including myself. He is..." Kyourou pointed to the name at the bottom of the red line on the wall, the name with the highest record that reached the ceiling. "Kawaki-san from Yoshiwara! In our shop, he''s known as KOU, the top host!!" Upon hearing this, the Odd Jobs trio fell silent. Then, in perfect unison, they turned and began to walk slowly toward the door. "Hey! What about what you just said about leaving the lady to you?! Odd Jobs-san?!" Kyourou called out after Gintoki. "That''s your own mess; deal with it yourself." Gintoki replied without turning back, "Assigning that idiot to entertain a lady like that... You really did lighten your brain during those surgeries." "There''s nothing we can do..." Kyourou sighed softly, then turned to Hachirou, forcing a faint smile. "Well... it''s just the two of us now. Odd Jobs-san is right. This is all my fault... If I had just held it in and not gone to the bathroom, maybe... things would have turned out better. Let''s fight to the end, just like when I first started as a host, the two of us working together..." Hearing this, the Odd Jobs trio stopped in their tracks just as they were about to leave... ... Meanwhile, on the other side, in Yoshiwara. "Achoo!" Kawaki, who was holding a game controller, suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose, puzzled, and muttered to himself, "Huh? That''s strange. Is someone talking about me behind my back?" Chapter 608: The Best Partners Are Those Who Can Complement Each Other! "An ex-girlfriend?" muttered Tsukuyo, leaning against the doorframe of Kawaki''s room with disdain. "Of course not..." Kawaki waved his hand dismissively, without even turning around, as he focused his attention on the game before him. "Though now that you mention women, I do feel like I''ve forgotten something insignificant... What was it again?" "Alimony?" Tsukuyo shot Kawaki a cold glare. "There''s no way I''d have a woman like that," Kawaki replied calmly, with a slight smirk. "If anything, I''d be the one hoping to get alimony." "You''re such a scumbag..." ... The next day, in the afternoon. In front of Takamagahara in Kabukicho, Gintoki, dressed sharply in a white Western-style suit with a blue shirt underneath, was giving a pep talk to Kagura and Shinpachi, who were also neatly dressed. He occasionally used his odd, rolling pronunciation. "Listen up! We''re going to recruit some dashing Saint Seiya to go up against that lady!" Gintoki exclaimed, dramatically spinning on one foot before pointing a finger to the sky. "Are you ready?! Just do it!" "Shining, shining, shining~" Kagura and Shinpachi joined in, waving their little hands as backup dancers. "Alright, OK~!" Shinpachi, looking severe, spread his arms and shook his shoulders like a wave. "I''m willing to stake my life on this!" "Whoo~ Whoo~" Gintoki and Kagura cheered him on from behind this time. "Piece of cake, whoo~" Kagura''s over-the-top performance was on par with the others. "So cool, so cool!" Gintoki and Shinpachi clapped in unison. After this utterly pointless skit, Gintoki finally said, "The minimum recruitment standard is a Bronze Saint, and the highest is a Silver Saint." "Excuse me!" Kagura raised her hand and added a playful "Whoo~" at the end, "I don''t really understand these standards, whoo~" "To put it simply, anyone worse than Koji Hashizume gets disqualified," Gintoki explained slowly, "And if someone is more handsome than Makoto Fujita, they''ll be too intimidating for our clients, so they''re out too." "That disqualifies almost all of humanity!" Shinpachi couldn''t help but shout. "What''s the difference between Bronze and Silver Saints anyway?!" "In other words, even if you get confused, don''t bring in Gold Saints like Masaharu Fukuyama or Shun Oguri. Not only would they outshine us, but their small faces would also make our clients feel pressured." "You never intended to recruit handsome guys at all!" Shinpachi shouted, spitting in frustration. "Seriously, are you sure about this? Can we really rely on ordinary characters like that? Even KOU, who is like an Original Diamond Saint in terms of looks, can''t handle it! Are we really going to be okay with just ordinary people?" "Maybe they look like that on the outside~" Gintoki shrugged nonchalantly. "But that idiot only has a good face; inside, he''s just scrap metal... no, plastic... no, a cardboard box Saint at best! He probably said something weird that upset the lady! But I''m not like him! My looks and body may only be Diamond Saint level, but inside... I''m Moon Soil Saint level!" "Uh... that''s technically worth a lot more than diamonds," Shinpachi muttered, "But isn''t the Moon mostly covered in craters? Your insides aren''t that great either. And no one ever recognized you as an Original Diamond Saint." "But..." Gintoki sneered dismissively, "It''s as tough as a diamond~." "Shut up!!" Shinpachi and Kagura shouted in unison, kicking Gintoki several meters away. As they watched Gintoki sprawled on the ground, Shinpachi, veins popping, shouted angrily, "Why don''t you just stop already?! Why do you always pick up Kawaki-san''s bad habits, like making inappropriate jokes?!" "No... I was just trying to get into the mindset..." Gintoki struggled to stand up, "By putting myself in that idiot''s shoes and thinking like him, I might figure out what he said to upset the lady and find a way to fix it!" "It''s your brain that needs fixing!" "But Gin-san does have a point, aru," Kagura nodded thoughtfully, arms crossed. "Uncle Kawaki is definitely the type to say something rude." "It might not have been something he said; maybe he did something outrageous," Gintoki added, leaning in conspiratorially. "He''s never had much sense when it comes to women..." "I feel like you''re just bad-mouthing Kawaki-san while he''s not here..." Shinpachi muttered, adjusting his glasses. "Alright! Enough chatter! Go search for our new recruits as I instructed!" Gintoki commanded. At this point, Kyourou, who had been watching them from behind, couldn''t hold back any longer. He twitched with drooping eyelids and a face covered in black lines and spoke up hesitantly, "Um... sorry, Odd Jobs-san. While I appreciate your help, being a host isn''t that simple. Looks are just the first step; the real challenge is using your personality to win over the clients..." Gintoki turned around and replied, "I get it. You''re saying I''m just a shallow guy with a flashy exterior, right? Flashy exterior!" "No, I didn''t say that, and I didn''t comment on your appearance." "So you''re saying that rather than a guy with just looks, someone with a less flashy exterior but a rich inner life is better?" "I... I guess so." Kyourou nodded. "Don''t worry," Gintoki waved it off with a grin. "I understand, and so do they. You know how many women I''ve dealt with, who were ready to die or even storm into my house, all because of that idiot? Don''t worry, I''ve got experience." "No, I don''t fully understand, but this situation seems very different from what you''re talking about..." Before Kyourou could finish, Hasegawa''s voice interrupted. "Gin-san, I heard you were offering a job, so I came over." They all turned to see Hasegawa standing next to Kagura, dressed in a makeshift suit made from old cardboard boxes and duct tape. Seeing this, Kyourou nearly lost it. "This is far too flimsy! And isn''t that made of cardboard?!" Kyourou''s eyes widened, his face twitching uncontrollably. "Hey, wait a minute, isn''t that a Cardboard Saint?!" "No, it''s not cardboard," Hasegawa looked down at his cardboard suit. "You know those trendy T-shirts with foreign newspaper prints or collage designs? This is the suit version of that." "No, that''s definitely not it," Kyourou muttered, his face twitching. He then noticed the "necklace" Hasegawa was wearing, "Is that necklace made from someone''s Tanabata wish strips?" "Sorry about this, Manager," Hasegawa scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. Then, placing one hand on his hip, he continued, "I know wearing this to an interview is a bit nerve-wracking, but I thought it had a bit of a host vibe." "Hey, what exactly do you think hosting is?" Kyourou asked, feeling drained. At this point, Gintoki stepped forward, throwing an arm around Hasegawa''s shoulders. He raised an eyebrow and said, "He might look a bit flashy, but he''s got a serious side too. He''s like a J League player, so please take care of him!" Kyourou, now thoroughly drained, couldn''t even muster the energy to respond. "You see," Gintoki flipped Hasegawa around and pointed to the "Aomori Apples" logo on his back, "He even has the sponsor''s logo on his back. And he''s wearing a wish string around his neck..." "Wants to marry Rosa after getting her pregnant~" Hasegawa and Gintoki smiled with a somewhat... creepy expression, saying it in unison. "Um, Odd Jobs-san..." Kyourou''s face was now covered in black lines, and half of it was twitching uncontrollably. He hesitated, "Even though we''re in the service industry, could we possibly find someone a bit more..." "Don''t worry about it," Gintoki waved it off, chuckling. "I know a really skilled guy who''s great at closing deals. He''s not your typical pretty boy..." Just as Gintoki was about to finish, Kyourou, who had noticed the impending disaster behind Gintoki, grew increasingly alarmed, instinctively covering his face and taking a few steps back. Unaware of the looming danger behind him, Gintoki continued calmly, "But he''s more of a muscular type... Gwah!" !! "Who are you calling a muscular pretty boy?!" Ayame, dressed in blue miner''s overalls, her face contorted in anger, swung her shovel down hard on Gintoki''s head. "Sis..." Seeing this, Shinpachi rushed over, trying to say something. But before he could say more than "Sis...", Ayame, still fuming, grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the ground. "Shin-chan, what''s going on?" Ayame, veins bulging on her face, growled through clenched teeth, "I came prepared because I heard you found Hideyoshi''s hidden treasure." "N-No, Sis," Shinpachi quickly explained despite being held in the air. "It''s not treasure, but it''s a chance to make a lot of money. So please, bear with it for now." "Don''t joke with me!!" Ayame roared again, "Why do I have to work in a host club dressed like this?!" Chapter 609: Anyone Who Uses Letters to Represent Their Name Is a Host! As she watched Ayame fiercely pummeling Gintoki and Shinpachi, Kagura, standing beside Kyourou, casually commented, "See? She''s just like a man." Kyourou, drenched in cold sweat, glanced at Kagura with disbelief. "Listen up, Ayame!" Gintoki yelled as he struggled to stand, "Hostesses and hosts are basically the same! The only difference is gender! So asking you to be a host is like... Ugh!" Before Gintoki could finish, Ayame, without hesitation, tossed Shinpachi aside and repeatedly swung her shovel down hard on Gintoki''s head, showing no intention of stopping. Seeing Ayame mercilessly beating Gintoki and Shinpachi without treating them as humans, Kyourou swallowed hard and stepped forward, raising a trembling hand to try to calm her down. "Please, Ayame-san, calm down a bit, it''s not what you think..." Despite his fear, Kyourou tried to reason with her, "We thought that if Kabukicho''s number one hostess, Ayame-san, stepped in..." Ayame paused, her actions halted by Kyourou''s flattery. She turned around, her face slightly blushing as she looked at Kyourou. "...you could introduce us to many excellent men since you seem to be very popular." Even though Kyourou had come up with this excuse on the fly, Ayame bought into it, blushing and bashfully fidgeting in place. "Oh my, you''re so annoying, Kyourou-san~" Ayame shyly murmured, twisting her body. But in the next moment... Still bashfully fidgeting, Ayame accidentally struck Kyourou in the face with her shovel. With a scream, Kyourou spun through the air and crashed heavily to the ground. Hasegawa immediately rushed to his side. "Manager!" Meanwhile, Ayame was still lost in the flattery Kyourou had just given her, her face flushed with shyness. "Excellent men, huh?" Ayame gently stroked her cheek, still fidgeting. "I guess I know some, but not really... Who should I pick? It''s so troublesome~." At that moment, Kondou, dressed in a blue suit and a pink shirt, casually approached while dialing on his phone. "Oh, Ayame-san, did you call me for something?" "The one who wasn''t even called is the first to show up!" Shinpachi instantly retorted. "And he''s pretending like he got a callhow infuriating!" "Haha~" Kondou put away his phone and chuckled, closing his eyes as he continued speaking to himself, "I get it, Ayame-san. You didn''t contact me because you were worried that if I became a host, other girls would snatch me away, right? I could see it all... off-screen." "There was no such scene!!" Shinpachi angrily rebuked. "When did you even get here, you stalker?!" Ignoring Shinpachi''s outburst, Kondou made a "Y" shape with his arms, his face softening into a romantic gaze as he softly declared, "It''s okay; no one will ever take my heart away..." Then, Kondou turned to Ayame with those same tender eyes, holding a rose. "Your personal host stalker, Kondou, is here just for you!" "No one would ever request a disgusting host like that!" Shinpachi retorted again. "Huh? Host car?" Gintoki asked as he had already modified Kondou, pointing at the now-cart-like Kondou lying on the ground with wheels attached to his limbs. Gintoki looked at everyone and suggested, "Hey, everyone, this guy wants to be a host cart. Let''s have him carry our luggage." Kondou, realizing what was happening, quickly protested, "No, that''s not what I meant!" Kagura, holding the nearly unconscious Kyourou, who Ayame''s accidental blow had struck, casually remarked, "We''ve probably gathered enough people, let''s head back." With that, Kagura casually tossed Kyourou aside, who crashed heavily onto Kondou, pinning him to the ground. At that moment, Kyourou, his forehead bleeding profusely, struggled to lift his head. He weakly addressed Gintoki, "Um... I''m really sorry, but I''d like to test your skills one last time." "Skills?" Gintoki asked, puzzled. Seeing the confused expressions on everyone''s faces, Kyourou nodded and stood up to explain, "Yes. Ultimately, a host''s job is to chat with girls. I''d like you to try interacting with some girls and see if you can bring them to the club. Just follow the usual methods of picking them up." ... Meanwhile, in Yoshiwara, Kawaki was wholly absorbed in his game. Just as he was about to win the round, he was suddenly hit in the back of the head by a sharp, kunai-shaped object thrown by a confident woman who had burst through the door. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed, losing the game at the last second. "What the hell are you doing, Tsukuyo?!" Kawaki screamed through clenched teeth as he glared at the "Game Over" message on the screen. "I was at a critical moment! I was just about to win!" "You should be asking yourself that," Tsukuyo coldly replied as she approached Kawaki. "Me? What did I do?" Kawaki pulled the kunai out of the back of his head, turned back to the screen, and started a new round. "A message from Kagura." Tsukuyo tossed her phone in front of Kawaki. "Kagura?" Kawaki was still confused as he picked up the phone and read the message Tsukuyo had mentioned. " ''Tsukuyo, whatever you do, don''t let Uncle Kawaki anywhere near Kabukicho today. Please, for the peace of Kabukicho, make sure he stays in Yoshiwara!'' " "What''s this about?" Kawaki turned back to Tsukuyo, squinting his eyes in confusion. "How should I know?!" Tsukuyo snapped as she snatched the phone back from Kawaki''s hand. "You should ask yourself! What are you planning to do in that district?" "No, nothing in particular," Kawaki shrugged and returned to his screen, dismissing the message. "Don''t worry about it. It''s probably just a prank or maybe Kagura wants to ask for some pocket money." "Is that really the case?" Tsukuyo questioned suspiciously. "I already told you, I don''t know," Kawaki replied impatiently. But then, sensing something, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his vibrating phone. Kawaki casually crushed the phone with his hand without glancing at the screen. "Who was that?" After tossing the remains of his phone into a nearby trash bin, Kawaki shrugged again and answered, "No idea, but probably someone who''s not very likable." After a brief silence, Tsukuyo turned and left the room. "This is the fifth phone this month. You won''t be getting any more funding for replacements." "Ah, whatever," Kawaki replied without turning around. "It''s actually better without that thing lately. That person is too annoying..." (Note: Kawaki and Kagura have separate phones and communication devices from the one they use to contact Kouka.) Ignoring Kawaki''s comment, Tsukuyo closed the door behind her. However, after leaving the room, she quietly ordered Hyakka to "increase patrols and watch out for suspicious individuals approaching Yoshiwara." Back at the window, Kawaki, now at the window, watched Tsukuyo walk down the street below, holding her kisser. He chuckled softly to himself. "She still has some womanly traits, huh..." Kawaki muttered to himself before stretching and turning back to his game. "Alright, let''s continueback to the game~" As Kawaki sat back down and picked up the controller again, he suddenly paused, stroking his chin and furrowing his brows. "No, wait a minute... I really feel like I''ve forgotten something. Was it a game release date? No, that''s not it; nothing I want comes out today. So, what was it?" After racking his brain for a while and failing to remember what he had forgotten, Kawaki shrugged it off as something trivial and immersed himself again in the game. ... Meanwhile, at Takamagahara in Kabukicho, Kyourou, sitting in one of the booths, looked at Gintoki and the others, who were now all handcuffed, along with Sougo and Hijikata standing nearby. He spoke with a tone of resignation. "Um... everyone, I asked you to bring customers to the club. How did it end up with you all getting arrested instead?" Gintoki, who was sitting on top of Kondou, who for some reason was missing his clothes and kneeling on the floor, glanced at Hijikata and defended himself, "Manager, if it weren''t for this rotten cop getting in the way, we would''ve conquered at least two or three women by now." Gintoki looked down at Kondou as he spoke, "Right, Kondou?" "Gin is right," Kondou replied with a sigh, his eyes closed in resignation. "Honestly, the police these days make a big fuss over the slightest thing. This town is getting harder to live in." As the two bantered, veins bulged on Hijikata''s forehead. He glared at Kondou and snapped, "You''re the chief of those cops!" "That was a long time ago," Kondou replied with a faint smile of acceptance. Then, taking a bite from the banana Gintoki had peeled and handed to him, he mumbled through a mouthful, "I''ve decided to give up my position and honor for Ayame-san and start over as a host cart from the bottom." Standing beside Kagura, who was cosplaying as an angel with a mischievous grin, Sougo said, "Kondou-san, forget the bottom; you''re starting all the way back from the Jomon period." "Let''s go home," Hijikata said, grabbing Kondou''s arm. "If you want to be a vehicle, at least be a patrol car that protects this street." Kondou continued to struggle, shouting, "No! Even as a host, I''m still protecting this town! If this keeps up, the Lady might destroy this street!" "What nonsense are you talking about?" Sougo retorted. "Gin! Tell them too!" Kondou pleaded, looking at Gintoki. "If the Ace gets caught, it''ll be a disaster! Whitebeard and Luffy won''t stand by!" At that moment, Kyourou, observing the group, seemed to realize something. "Feed him a banana a day," Gintoki calmly advised Sougo and Hijikata, "And if that doesn''t work, just let him play with his own banana." As Hijikata dragged Kondou toward the door, Kondou struggled desperately, "No! They''re going to treat me like a caged gorilla! Manager!!" "Alright! Come on already!" Hijikata grumbled. "Um, could I ask you all to stay for a moment?" Kyourou called out to Hijikata and Sougo. Kondou, on the verge of tears, was moved, "Manager! Sniff sniff..." Ignoring Kondou, Kyourou stepped over him and approached Hijikata and Sougo. "No, I didn''t mean the gorilla." Hijikata and Sougo were momentarily taken aback as Kyourou, with a severe expression, carefully examined their faces. "This... this might actually work," Kyourou murmured as his brows gradually relaxed. ... Evening came. At the entrance of Takamagahara, Ayame, dressed in a server''s outfit, smiled as she called out to three girls who had just walked by. "Ladies, do you have any plans for tonight?" Ayame asked, winking and gesturing toward the glowing sign above Takamagahara''s entrance. "If you don''t mind, how about resting your wings at this angelic havenTakamagahara?" "Huh?" The girl in the blue kimono looked up at the sign, her eyes widening in surprise. "Takamagahara is open again?" "But I heard they closed down because the hosts kept quitting," the girl in the pink kimono frowned. "We''ve hired some new hosts and reopened," Ayame explained. "Really?!" The girl in the blue kimono looked excited but then seemed to remember something, "But, aren''t the new hosts probably ugly?" "True," the girl in the green kimono, who looked like a literature major with glasses, nodded in agreement. "That''s not the case," Ayame shook her head, speaking slowly. "We''ve gathered some of the top handsome guys in Edo here. You''re guaranteed to have a special night~." As Ayame spoke, the doors of Takamagahara slowly opened with a creak, and the three girls instinctively glanced inside. Standing in front of Gintoki and the others, Hijikata and Sougo, dressed like top hosts, held a flower and stood slightly angled, closing the buttons on their suits. "Welcome" Sougo greeted, turning slightly. "To the new Takamagahara," Hijikata continued, turning in sync with Sougo so that their backs were touching. "We won''t let you go until morning, little kitties~" Sougo added with a smoldering gaze. "The hot and cold party starts now," Hijikata said as he sat on Kondou''s back, who was now bizarrely dressed with motorcycle handles strapped to his head. Crossing his arms, Hijikata shouted, "Here we go! Let''s party!!" Behind him, Gintoki and the others all raised their hands and cheered. "OK!" n "...The hell it is!!!" Hijikata yelled, veins bulging as he fired a rocket launcher at Gintoki and the others. "Why do we have to ''Let''s Party'' with you?! And why is Kondou-san a Harley Gorilla Bike?!!" Boom!!! Chapter 610: Host Arc At this moment, Kyourou slowly approached and praised, "As I thought, you all are perfect for this. My judgment was not wrong." He bowed slightly toward Hijikata and Sougo, "I''m counting on you. To protect this street from the Lady, we''ll need your help." "What kind of nonsense is this?" Hijikata responded with disdain, glancing at Kyourou, "How can a samurai stoop to such ridiculousness?" "Be-be-be!" Kondou, fully immersed in his role as the Harley Gorilla Bike, crossed his arms with a serious expression, "If protecting this street is part of our Shinsengumi mission, then isn''t this also a grand duty?" Hijikata immediately retorted, "I''ve never heard of a duty where you grow handlebars out of your head!" "This is an order from the chief, just for tonight. Let''s ''Party''!" "Your brain''s been ''partying'' all year round!" Hijikata angrily shot back. "Come on, let''s all calm down." Sougo, sitting in a booth with two girls fawning over him, tried to mediate, "Why don''t you have a drink, TOSHI?" "Who the hell is TOSHI?!" Hijikata turned around, veins bulging in frustration as he glared at Sougo. "And why are you already entertaining customers?!" "Even though I don''t fully understand the situation, I''ve already figured out the trick," Sougo responded with a fresh smile. "Basically, just toy with these dumb pigs, take their money, and enjoy the free drinks, right?" He said this with a perfectly innocent expression. "Oh, you''re so bad~" the girl on Sougo''s left side blushed and giggled, "Sougo, you''re such a tease~." "You''re so naughty~" the girl on his right side coyly rubbed against his chest. "Sorry, I wasn''t talking about you two," Sougo apologized, looking down at the girls in his arms. "You two are... special." "Eek!" the two girls shrieked in delight and immediately called out, "Excuse me, can we get another bottle of Dom Pe?rignon!" Seeing the two girls completely smitten, Hijikata couldn''t help but mutter, "He''s a genius! He''s found his true calling! That guy''s radiating a dark, evil glow!" "Alright, I''ll take care of the Lady," Kyourou addressed everyone except Sougo, who was busy with his customers. "You two will provide support for me, and the rest of you will be support for the supporters." "What the hell is ''support for the supporters''?!" Shinpachi immediately protested. "Even The Beatles didn''t need that much backup!" "What a joke!" Gintoki snapped, glaring at Hijikata. "Who wants to support someone like that?! He looks just like Shinpachi without glasses!" "Exactly, aru!" Kagura agreed. "If you dyed your hair black, Gin-san, you''d look almost exactly the same!" Gintoki and Hijikata, both now red-faced, glared at each other and shouted in unison, "Who looks like this idiot?!" Sandwiched between them, Shinpachi''s face twitched as a vein bulged on his forehead. "You both need to knock it off!" At that moment, Ayame, expressionless, lifted her leg and brought it down hard on Shinpachi''s head. Ignoring the now unconscious Shinpachi, who lay on the floor with smoke rising from his head, Ayame sighed and scolded, "Seriously, stop fighting. How can you not get along? Teamwork is the most important thing for hosts." "Exactly." Kyourou nodded, clenching his right fist with determination. "Let''s work together to entertain the Lady. Follow my lead, and there will be no problems. I usually don''t ask for help, but tonight, I want to go all out against the Lady." "Huh? You''re going to reserve the entire place just to entertain her?" Ayame blinked in surprise. "Yes, is there an issue with that?" "Sorry," Ayame propped her chin on her hand, looking slightly apologetic, "I thought it would be better if it were more lively, so I invited a lot of people..." Before Ayame could finish her sentence, Saigou and the group of Okama burst through the doors of Takamagahara, immediately surrounding Kyourou. Before Kyourou could even turn around, he was caught in a chokehold by the massive arms of Saigou from behind. "Ah, it''s been a while, Kyourou-sama~" the Okama swarmed around the expressionless Kyourou, all striking coquettish poses. As Kyourou struggled in vain, now foaming at the mouth while Saigou continued to choke him, Gintoki and the others stood there with dark expressions, their faces blank. "Thank you for inviting us," Saigou growled menacingly as he grinned at the helpless Kyourou in his arms. "You really wanted to see us, didn''t you? Well, I just got out of a bad breakup, but if you really want to comfort me... I guess I could let you~." "Kyourou-sama is so happy he''s bubbling over~" "Yes, he really is~." Seeing Kyourou surrounded by the Okama, Shinpachi finally snapped back to reality, horrified. "It''s... it''s Saigou''s Okama Army!" "Hey, Ayame." Saigou looked up at Ayame, "Is it true that everything''s free tonight?" "Mm-hmm," Ayame nodded without hesitation. "Since we''ve just reopened after renovating, please enjoy yourselves." "No! What have you done, Ayame-nee!" Shinpachi mentally screamed. "Well then, let''s drink till dawn, Kyourou-sama~." For some reason, Saigou''s words had a slightly vengeful tone. Watching Saigou and the Okama drag Kyourou into the club, Ayame slightly bowed and sent them off with a smile, "Please enjoy yourselves~." "Kyourou-sama!!" Shinpachi screamed internally, but his face and body remained frozen in place. "H...HELP..." Kyourou managed to croak out with all his remaining strength. As Saigou and the others left, Hasegawa casually remarked, "He''s suddenly asking for help in a completely unrelated situation." "No, he''s really asking us for help this time," Kagura corrected with a smirk. "If it''s a genuine ''HELP ME,'' we can ignore it, aru." "How can we?!" Shinpachi yelled, veins popping in frustration, before looking back at the scene of Kyourou being overrun by the Okama. "What''s worse is that the Lady is about to arrive any minute, and now Kyourou-sama is surrounded by monsters at the worst possible time!!" "Hey! Kyourou-sama is being overrun by monsters!" Shinpachi shouted, clutching his head in despair, "And it just had to happen now!" "It''s fine, aru," Kagura nonchalantly remarked, watching as Kyourou was held up by only one arm amidst the Okama. "After all, he''s the No. 1 host. He can handle a small scene like this with one hand. See, he''s still holding up a ''I''ll be back'' gesture." "No, he''s been relying on just one hand to show he''s still alive since earlier," Shinpachi corrected, pointing at the chaos. "We need to rescue him and send these monsters back to the underworld!" Gintoki dramatically flipped his hair and spun around, "Damn! It''s a shame we''re just the support for the supporters!" He then pointed at Hijikata, "TOSHI! Are you ready?" "Who the hell is ''Are you ready''?! No way I''m going to ''Let''s Party'' in a piranha pit like that!" Hijikata angrily retorted. Seeing everyone trying to pass the responsibility around, Shinpachi suggested, "At this rate, we''ll all have to go in together to rescue him." "What a joke!" Gintoki spat and, while everyone was distracted, began to crawl toward the door, inching away as stealthily as possible. However, he suddenly found himself in shadow and, realizing something was off, looked up to see a blushing Kyubei standing before him dressed in women''s clothing. Gintoki started to sweat profusely, but before he could apologize, Kyubei grabbed him by the hair, her eyes flashing with anger, and flung him back into the hall. Boom!!! As the loud crash echoed behind them, Shinpachi and Hijikata turned to see Kyubei standing at the entrance, still holding her throwing stance, both of them drenched in cold sweat. "Kyu...Kyubei-san is here too!!" Shinpachi screamed internally, completely overwhelmed. "Oh, Kyu, you''re here," Ayame greeted Kyubei with a smile as she approached. Kyubei cleared her throat and feigned calmness as she raised her hand, "Sorry, I''m late. You said we had to come in women''s clothing, so..." She gestured to the entire Yagyuu clan, who had all donned geisha attire and makeup, "That''s why it took a little more time." "Why did the entire Yagyuu clan dress up as geishas?!" Shinpachi couldn''t help but shout, spitting out his words in disbelief. "By the way, why hasn''t Tsukuyo-san and her group arrived yet?" Ayame asked, frowning slightly. "She agreed to come in the text message I sent." "You don''t think there are enough troublesome characters already?!" Shinpachi snapped again. "We''re already at full capacity!" "Boss, Tsukuyo and the others probably won''t be coming," Kagura raised a finger and explained, "They''re probably too busy keeping an eye on her uncle to make sure he doesn''t cause any trouble." "Oh, I see~ That must be tough~" Ayame sighed, before raising her fist and shouting with a smile, "Sisters, let''s all relax and have a good time tonight~" Instantly, everyone except Shinpachi and the others raised their hands and cheered. "Oh!!" n Chapter 611: Some Things Can Only Be Remembered at the Last Moment! "So, what exactly are we doing here today?!" Shinpachi complained once again before turning to Kagura. "And why did you join in with the ''oh''?! You''re just a host now! Just a host! This has nothing to do with women! Besides, except for Kyuubei-san, there aren''t any real women here!" "What did you just say?! You idiot!!" Otae and Kagura yelled, white-eyed with anger, as they kicked Shinpachi. ... Meanwhile, in Yoshiwara, after dinner, Kawaki was still completely absorbed in his game. "What are you doing?" Kawaki asked as he finished a round, turning to see Tsukuyo standing by the door, frowning at her phone. "You''ve been staring at your phone for a while now. Who is it? Your boyfrie" Before he could finish, a kunai struck him squarely in the forehead, and Kawaki fell to the floor, eyes rolled back. Thud! "It''s just Otae," Tsukuyo said coldly as she put away her phone. "I see..." Kawaki mumbled as he struggled to sit up, pulling the kunai from his forehead and sticking on a bandage. Holding his head, he muttered, "Next time, could you just tell me directly? You don''t need to throw a kunai before you speak to get my attention. Please..." "You..." Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki again, "Have you been to a host club recently?" "Host club?" Kawaki looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Why would I go to a place like that? I don''t even like men." "In the past..." Tsukuyo turned her slightly flushed face away, "Didn''t you once work part-time at that host club in Kabukicho? What was it called again...?" "Huh? Did I?" Kawaki pointed to himself, confused. "What on earth is wrong with your memory?" Tsukuyo sighed, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "Sorry, sorry," Kawaki scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly, "I tend to forget unimportant things right away. Ahahaha..." "Just... don''t go to those places anymore." "By the way... why did you suddenly bring up host clubs?" Kawaki suddenly thought of something, tapping his hand with a smile. "Oh! I get it! Tsukuyo, you want to go to a host club, don''t you?" "Of course not, you idiot!" Tsukuyo''s face turned red as she clenched her fists and retorted, white-eyed. "Tsukuyo, Kansai dialect really doesn''t suit you..." Kawaki muttered quietly before squinting and smiling. "But if you want to go, you should just go, right?" "I said I don''t want to go!" Ignoring Tsukuyo''s flustered state, Kawaki suddenly had another thought. Raising a finger with a smile, he added, "But remember, no drinking. If Tsukuyo drinks, things could get out of hand. You might even tear down the place." "I said I don''t want to go!!" "Alright then, bye-bye. Have fun," Kawaki waved with a smile, dismissing her. "Are you even listening to me?! Can you stop making assumptions?!" "I can''t believe Tsukuyo has reached the age where she wants to go out and have fun at those places~" Kawaki chuckled and shook his head. "Time sure flies~" "Just die already!!" Tsukuyo, who had somehow moved behind him, stomped on Kawaki''s head, driving it onto the floor. But that stomp was just what Kawaki needed to remember, something he''d forgotten... "Tsukuyo... urgent..." Kawaki, still holding onto Tsukuyo''s ankle, spoke urgently as his voice came out muffled from the floor. "I... finally remembered what I''d forgotten." "W-What is it?" Tsukuyo asked, swallowing nervously as she watched Kawaki pull his head out from the floor, a pained expression on his face. "Hey, let go of my foot! And where are you looking?! Do you want to die?!" Kawaki let go of her foot, rubbing his chin as he mumbled, "It''s the first time I''ve seen Tsukuyo in a cat..." Before he could finish, Tsukuyo stomped his head back onto the floor without mercy. "Tsukuyo, now''s not the time to discuss such trivial matters." Kawaki pulled his head out of the floor again, this time with blood streaming down his face, and spoke gravely. "There''s something much more important that I need to do. If I don''t hurry, it''ll be too late!" "So what exactly is it?" Tsukuyo asked, suspicious. "It better not be some game or console release deadline, because no one''s going with you for that." "No! It''s not about that at all!" Kawaki clenched his fists, his face full of regret. "I''ve been too careless, remembering something this important at the last minute!" "Something more important than a game?!" Tsukuyo''s expression shifted as she widened her eyes in surprise. "What is it?!" "Tsukuyo, can you help me?" Kawaki looked up at her thoughtfully. "If anyone can help, it''s you since you''re closest." "I... If it''s not too much trouble..." Tsukuyo huffed, looking away. "I guess I can help you." "Great! Let''s go then!" Without waiting for her to react, Kawaki grabbed Tsukuyo''s sleeve and dashed toward the window. "Listen, Tsukuyo, time is of the essence!" Kawaki said seriously as they ran toward Yoshiwara''s gates. "We don''t have much time left! What time is it?" "Nine twenty..." "We only have a few minutes left!" Kawaki said, barely containing his anxiety. "We have to make it in time!" Seeing Kawaki so severely, Tsukuyo couldn''t help but feel a bit frightened. But just as they reached Yoshiwara''s gate, Tsukuyo suddenly remembered something. She stopped and pulled on Kawaki''s sleeve. "Wait a minute, didn''t Kagura say you shouldn''t go out today...?" "This isn''t the time to worry about that!" Kawaki''s face was full of urgency. "If I don''t make it, I''ll regret it for the rest of my life! Please, Tsukuyo! Hurry!!" Seeing Kawaki so desperate, Tsukuyo thought about Kagura''s message and, in the end, chose to follow him outside. "Well, as long as I''m watching him, it should be fine..." Tsukuyo thought to herself. ... At a cinema somewhere in Edo. Tsukuyo sat in silence, her head down, watching as Kawaki held a popcorn bucket and soda in one hand and a movie ticket in the other. "Come on, let''s go in, Tsukuyo!" Kawaki urged. "If we don''t hurry, we''ll miss the last show! Today''s the last day for the final EVA movie! I kept thinking I''d forgotten something, and it turns out it was this! Good thing I remembered at the last minute!" "So you dragged me here just so you could get me to treat you to a movie?! You idiot!" Tsukuyo, also holding popcorn and soda, snapped. "I couldn''t help it. I spent all my money on games," Kawaki shrugged, speaking in a tone of helplessness. "I''m down to my last yen this month. Of course, if you don''t want to watch, you can leave. It''s not like it matters if I watch alone or with someone." "I..." Tsukuyo struggled to suppress her rising anger. "But hey, Tsukuyo..." Kawaki squinted and smiled, "I remember we watched Transformers together before, right? You said you liked robots and mecha back then." "Huh?" Tsukuyo paused, remembering the time they had indeed watched a movie together. She thought, "Could it be that this guy remembered that and wanted to bring me along because of it? No way... This guy can''t even remember what he had for lunch yesterday..." "Phew..." Kawaki silently sighed in relief. "Looks like that excuse worked. Good thing I remembered that day; otherwise, this would''ve been harder to explain. If she knew I dragged her here just to buy me a movie ticket, she might have actually gotten mad...." "Fine, I guess we can watch it," Tsukuyo muttered, turning away. "Kagura did say I should keep an eye on you..." "Alright, let''s go in!" Kawaki said with a smile. ... Just before entering the theater, Kawaki suddenly stopped, a thought striking him. "Wait... I just remembered something else..." Kawaki muttered, furrowing his brow. "There was someone who said they wanted to watch the EVA movie together..." "Hmm?" Tsukuyo looked at him in confusion. "No, it''s probably nothing, just a misunderstanding." Kawaki brushed it off and took the lead into the theater. "Come on, Tsukuyo, hurry up. The movie''s about to start! I don''t want to miss a single second!" "Oh... okay..." Tsukuyo followed after him. Chapter 612: The Simple Reason Why a Woman Cant Stop Wanting to See a Man While Kawaki was fully immersed in watching the final Evangelion movie, wide-eyed and clutching his popcorn, the situation at the Takamagahara host club was becoming increasingly tense. Of course, "tense" might be putting it mildly. It was more like things were spiraling out of control, slightly different from what Gintoki and the others had anticipated... It all started when the members of the Yagyuu clan, dressed in drag, began arguing with Saigou''s crew of crossdressers. For some unknown reason, the argument between the Yagyuu clan and Saigou''s crossdressers escalated quickly. "Hey! Which clinic did you get your work done at?" Higashimura, wrapped only in a towel, snarled at the crossdresser in front of him. "Huh? Takasu Clinic, you idiot!" "You punk! My senior got his vasectomy at Takasu too! You wanna go?!" Higashimura shot back, not backing down. Watching the two groups of men glaring at each other with hostility, Shinpachi couldn''t help but shout, "It''s like a gang war bragging about their favorite clinics! This is bad! Someone stop them already!" Meanwhile, overwhelmed and exhausted, Toshiro yelled at Otae and Kagura, who were carrying a giant wooden board, "What are you two doing? Get over here and help with the guests!" "Shut up! We''re working on it!" Kagura snapped back, clearly irritated and losing her patience. With that, Otae and Kagura placed the massive wooden board in front of the Yagyuu clan and Saigou''s crossdressers. "Thank you for waiting," they said in unison, "Here''s your host sashimi platter." The board was adorned with Kondo and Hasegawa, both completely pixelated to maintain some dignity. Everyone present fell silent momentarily, and Kondo and Hasegawa, feeling awkward under the stares, turned their faces away. In the next instant, chaos erupted in Takamagahara. Bottles, tables, sofasanything that could be used as a weapon were thrown around by both the crossdressers and the Yagyuu clan members. Watching the chaos unfold, Shinpachi yelled at the top of his lungs, "You''re just making it worse!" "Someone stop them! We need a plan!" Toshiro shouted in desperation. "What plan?! There''s no way to stop this..." Shinpachi panicked, then suddenly brightened up as an idea struck him. "Wait! Kyoshiro-san!" But before he could do anything, he noticed Kyoshiro, eyes rolled back and unconscious, in the same compromising position as Kondo and Hasegawa. Shinpachi''s words froze, and his expression went blank. After a few seconds of silence, Shinpachi clutched his head and screamed in frustration, "Kyoshiro-san! It''s over! We can''t entertain the Madam now!" "Damn it! What are we going to do?!" Toshiro was at his wit''s end. At that moment, a loud crash echoed as something heavy slammed into the floor, and Saigou roared, "Shut up!!" Everyone froze as they saw the table embedded in the floor. After a few swift sword slashes, the bottles held by the Yagyuu clan shattered utterly, bringing the chaos to a halt. "You don''t realize you''re causing trouble for the host, do you?" Saigou said, his eyebrows furrowed in anger as he clapped his hands and crossed his arms. "There''s a limit to how much fun you can have." With that, Saigou turned and walked away. Kyuubei followed, leaving behind a simple "The party''s over." As they passed Shinpachi and Toshiro, Saigou added, "Sorry for the trouble..." Watching the crossdressers and the Yagyuu clan exit, Shinpachi still couldn''t believe what he had just witnessed. "He got everyone to stop in an instant... He''s truly a monster." Finally regaining his composure, Toshiro lit a cigarette and muttered, "Well, at least now we can..." Before he could finish, Saigou, seated in a booth with a large mug of beer, cheerfully announced, "Alright, now that it''s quiet again, let''s keep drinking." Next to him, Kyuubei held up her beer mug, and nearby, Sarutobi Ayame was blindfolded and suspended in mid-air, with a bottle of sake dangling in front of her. "Cheers!" the three of them shouted. Seeing this, Toshiro and Shinpachi were at a loss, their mouths hanging open in shock. "Why are you still here?!" they both screamed internally. Meanwhile, Gintoki, who had been trying to sneak away amidst the chaos, saw an opportunity to slip out unnoticed. "Perfect... I''ll just..." But before Gintoki could finish his thought, he was stopped by a woman''s voice at the door. "Excuse me," said the Night God Madama young woman dressed in a high-class black gown with a black hat and a choker around her neck. She stood at the entrance, addressing Gintoki, "I had a reservation. My name is Yagami." Seeing this woman, who belonged to a different world, Gintoki''s mouth dropped open, and he felt a sense of dread. "Yagami? Could it be...?" Gintoki thought, his eye twitching. "Does he still remember?" Yagami Madam removed her hat, revealing a face with an expressionless demeanor. "The promise we made. Can you tell him that Yagami is here?" "The Madam is here!" Gintoki panicked, "And of all times, it''s now! The monsters are still partying! If I don''t think of a way to escape, I''ll definitely get caught up in something big!" With an excuse already forming in his mind, Gintoki quickly raised his hand and lied, "Sorry, but the manager isn''t here right now..." He then turned to leave, "I''ll... I''ll go get him right away!" But before he could escape, a hand suddenly grabbed the back of his collar, pulling him back. "Don''t worry, GIN," Toshiro said, his phone in hand as if he had just made a call. He smiled wickedly, "I just got in touch with the manager." "While we wait for him, why don''t you have a drink?" Shinpachi smiled at the Night God Madam and gestured to the seats, "Please, come this way." Gintoki''s face twitched with anger as he silently cursed them in his mind, "You bastards!!" "You think you can ditch us and run?!" Toshiro glared at Gintoki, veins bulging. Shinpachi widened his eyes and gave Gintoki a determined look, "Let''s all entertain the Madam together." "Don''t... Don''t mess with me!" Gintoki''s bloodshot eyes glared back, "What do you mean ''together''?! Where is the manager?! There''s no way to recover from this! Do you know what will happen if we let the Madam join those wild drunken brawlers? It''ll be like throwing a chair into a group of Jackie Chans! She''ll be treated like a circus prop, and in the end, her head will get bashed in!" "Don''t worry, Kyoshiro-san will come back. He''ll definitely cross that world line and return!" Shinpachi reassured with a determined gaze before smiling back at the Madam, "Please, follow us over here..." "No," the Madam finally spoke again, "I''m... not here to see Kyoshiro-san." "Huh?" The three of them froze in confusion, and turned blank-faced toward the Madam. "What did you just say?" they asked in unison, still expressionless. "The person... isn''t here?" The Madam glanced around the club. "Who exactly?" Shinpachi adjusted his glasses. "Wait a minute, Madam Yagami, the person you''re referring to is..." "I don''t know his real name," the Madam shook her head slightly, "I only know his host name... KOU." "It''s... It''s that idiot, isn''t it?!" Gintoki and Shinpachi simultaneously panicked. "KOU? Who''s that?" Toshiro asked, puzzled, looking between Gintoki and Shinpachi. "It''s Kawaki-san! Toshiro-san," Shinpachi whispered. "Huh?" Toshiro blinked in confusion and then whispered back, "That guy? Huh? Wait, isn''t that guy from Yoshiwara? What does he have to do with hosts? Huh?" "Kawaki-san... occasionally comes here to mess around," Shinpachi explained quietly. "He really isn''t here," the Madam sighed, looking slightly disappointed as she continued, "But I guess it makes sense. For someone like me, making a promise like that... There''s no reason for him to care. The fool... was me, wasn''t it?" "This is bad, Gin-san! Even though she came for Kawaki-san, this situation is completely out of our control! The Madam is definitely angry now!" "Calm down, Shinpachi!" Gintoki tried to reassure him with a look, "It doesn''t matter if that idiot is here or not! If he were here, things would be even worse!" "But the Madam clearly came here specifically for Kawaki-san!" Shinpachi argued back. "Anyway, I''ll go to Yoshiwara. In the meantime, you guys stall her!" "No way!" Toshiro immediately grabbed Gintoki''s shoulder, "You''re just trying to dump this on us and run, aren''t you? Stay right here! Just call him on the phone! That guy has a phone, right?" Chapter 613: Awesome [Hiraga]: It''s not possible, Hijikata-san, Shinpachi subtly shook his head, conveying his thoughts through a glance. Kawaki-san has recently changed his phone and number multiple times; no one knows his current number! [Hijikata]: What about that woman? [Shinpachi]: Only Kagura knows Tsukuyo-san''s phone number, Shinpachi glanced over at Kagura, who was happily playing with Otae and Saigou''s group. If we ask her in this situation, the monsters will definitely notice the Madam''s presence! So it''s out of the question! [Hijikata]: Alright, then it''s decided, Hijikata said as he started walking towards the door. I''ll head to Yoshiwara. You guys wait here until I get back. Trust me! I''ll bring that man back! Until then, you take care of the Madam! [Gintoki]: No way! Gintoki immediately grabbed Hijikata''s shoulder, glaring at him with gritted teeth. You''re the one trying to sneak out in this situation! Stay here! I''ll go! "Idiot! Not everyone thinks like you!" Hijikata retorted, grabbing Gintoki by the collar, his veins bulging in anger. "I''m going! You stay here!" Gintoki insisted, not backing down. "I''ll bring that idiot back!" "I''ll be the one to bring him back!" "No, I will!!" As Gintoki and Hijikata continued to escalate their argument, Shinpachi hurriedly stepped in, trying to calm them down. "You two, stop it! This is not the time for this! I''ll go get Kawaki-san. I''ll be back soon, and until then, you take care of the Madam..." Before Shinpachi could finish, both Gintoki and Hijikata grabbed his shoulders. "Hey," the two men said with unsettling smiles, "you''re trying to run away, aren''t you, Shinpachi?" "Not everyone is like you two! And isn''t it rude to be fighting over something like this right after the Madam arrived?" Shinpachi angrily protested. "Then it''s settled," Gintoki released Shinpachi''s shoulder. "How about we go together?" Gintoki and Hijikata suggested in unison. "You just want to dump all the trouble on me!" Shinpachi retorted, spitting his words out in frustration. "Stop messing around, you idiots!" Watching the bickering trio, the Madam spoke softly, her eyes gentle. "You don''t have to worry about me. I''ll be leaving soon." "Huh? Leaving?" Shinpachi, still holding onto Gintoki, was stunned. He turned around, shocked to see the Madam turning to leave. "Wait, aren''t you..." "A forgotten promise is understandable," the Madam stopped and replied quietly, "If he has forgotten, then I have no reason to stay. Although... I did want to see him again, but now it feels a bit embarrassing..." "You..." Shinpachi suddenly realized, "Could it be that the reason you returned to this club wasn''t because you hated it, but to see Kawaki-san?!" "Just as I thought," the Madam nodded, lowering her head in slight disappointment. "You''ve heard the rumors about me. But it''s a pityI''m neither a fortune-bringer nor a death-bringer. And certainly, I don''t control the streets. I''m just a sad woman who has forgotten both friends and a place to call home, ensnared by the so-called power of money. I never became a regular at any club because I didn''t want to be treated specially, carefully, by others. But, somewhere along the way, my name spread throughout Edo, and I lost the one place I could call home. "However, then I met KOU... Kawaki-san. He was different from anyone I had ever met. It felt as if my heart had been captivated, and I drank a lot, pouring out all my worries to him. But he seemed to ignore it all, simply smiling and ordering more drinks. Maybe he wanted me to forget my troubles in that way. A mysterious man..." [Gintoki and Shinpachi, thinking]: No, that idiot definitely didn''t hear a word you said! "Chatting away about his favorite giant robots and games, sharing his woes with me without a care..." the Madam continued, "In that moment, I realized that he didn''t see me as a client, but as a friendsomeone he could talk to about anything, someone who could share each other''s troubles. I... became completely infatuated." [Shinpachi, glancing at Gintoki]: She''s got it all wrong, Gin-san! The Madam has completely misunderstood! Kawaki-san didn''t mean any of that! Does Kawaki-san even know how to be a host? [Gintoki]: Who knows?! How did that idiot turn being a host into something like hanging out with bar hostesses? I don''t get it at all! "Then, I made that promise on my own..." the Madam pulled out two movie tickets. "Because I wanted to see him again, to chat like ordinary friends, I made that promise. But... the movie started a while ago, and he still hasn''t come. Maybe he really has forgotten..." "Madam..." Shinpachi murmured. "Oh right, you''re here to replace the hosts who quit because of me, right?" The Madam turned around, smiling gratefully as she removed her hat and bowed slightly. "I''m very sorry. Please rest assured, the death god will no longer linger on the streets at night. But... I''m already satisfied. That smiling face is still deeply etched in my memory. Maybe it''s best that these feelings weren''t conveyed... so I can always remember them..." "They can be conveyed, you know," Kagura''s voice suddenly interrupted the Madam, "Even though that idiot uncle is stupid, he wouldn''t forget a promise. Maybe he''s just constipated or something, but he''ll definitely come." "Hey, that example is disgusting!" Shinpachi hit Kagura on the head and whispered angrily. "That''s right, Madam Yagami, just wait a little longer," Otae, who had appeared out of nowhere, said with a smile. "Even someone as hopeless as him will remember at the last minute." "Hey, who are you calling hopeless?" Kawaki''s voice suddenly came from behind the Madam. At the sound of his voice, the Madam''s eyes widened in disbelief as she slowly turned around. "I do tend to forget about clients quickly," Kawaki said with a smile, "But when it comes to friends, I do remember." Tsukuyo, standing beside him, crossed her arms and looked away, letting out a small huff. "Kawaki... san," the Madam murmured. "But I really did forget about the time we agreed on," Kawaki scratched his head and laughed. "Ahaha, things like this happen often, right? After all, everyone has moments when they can''t even remember what they had for lunch..." "How... wonderful," the Madam clasped her hands to her chest, her cheeks flushing an unnatural shade of red. "Huh?" Everyone present was taken aback. "We made plans, and you even set the time yourself, yet you forgot..." the Madam gazed affectionately at Kawaki. "That''s just wonderful..." Watching the Madam''s reaction, everyone else''s expressions turned blank. "Where have you been?" Kagura asked Kawaki with disdain. "Where?" Kawaki glanced at Tsukuyo before casually replying, "Just watching a movie with Tsukuyo." [Everyone thinking]: Scumbag!! "How... wonderful," the Madam''s blush deepened. "Huh?" Everyone was dumbfounded again. "Ignoring our plans to go see a movie with another woman..." the Madam''s eyes sparkled as she looked at Kawaki. "That''s just so wonderful~" "Psst, Gin-san," Shinpachi tugged at Gintoki''s sleeve and whispered, "Something feels off. Even though the Madam told us all that earlier, now it seems like..." "Yeah, it''s probably exactly what you''re thinking," Gintoki nodded, not denying it. "So... what''s your name again?" Kawaki asked the Madam, confused. "Stop messing around!" Otae yelled as she delivered a kick to Kawaki, sending him flying. "You didn''t even remember her name?!" "Ah~ wonderful~" The Madam twirled shyly. "He even forgot my name... this feeling... it''s wonderful~" "Is something wrong with your head?" Otae asked the Madam. "Sister, that''s enough," Shinpachi said, trying to calm the furious Otae. "At this point, nothing you say will make a difference. No matter what rude things Kawaki-san says or does, the Madam will still react like this. And the reason for that is..." [Everyone thinking] : She''s completely fallen for that idiot! "But seriously, we didn''t even finish the movie because of you," Kawaki complained to the Madam as he got back on his feet. "Really, it''s..." "Being blamed by him feels so wonderful..." the Madam''s expression became even more unsettling. [Everyone thinking]: We really want to kill him! "It''s fine," the Madam said, pulling out a Blu-ray DVD. "I... already bought the Blu-ray. We can watch it together anytime..." "Oh! You''re well-prepared!" Kawaki said excitedly. Pfft! "Hey, do you have a death wish?" Tsukuyo kicked Kawaki to the ground, then stomped on him. "Do you really think it''s appropriate to let one out in this atmosphere? Do you want me to kill you?" "Ah~" The Madam covered her face, her posture becoming more and more shy. "That''s so wonderful~" [Everyone thinking]: This woman... is beyond saving. "Would you... would you like to watch it together?" the Madam asked, her eyes darting nervously. "At my place..." "Sure, let''s go," Kawaki replied naturally, casually putting his arm around the Madam''s shoulders. "Watch it here!" Tsukuyo yelled, her hands full of kunai that she promptly lodged into the back of Kawaki''s head. "What are you planning to do at her place?!" "What do you mean, planning?" Kawaki asked, struggling to get up. But then he suddenly noticed something, resting his chin on his hand as he stared intently at a certain part of the Madam. "Not bad at all..." "Wonderful!!" The Madam exclaimed, her voice louder than ever, her eyes wide. "What are you staring at?!" Tsukuyo roared, smashing Kawaki''s head into the marble floor. "Die already!!!" Meanwhile, Otae and the others quietly turned and began to walk out of the door together. ... In the early hours of the morning, Kawaki, Tsukuyo, and the Madam sat in one of the darkened booths at the Takamagahara Club, watching the Blu-ray DVD the Madam had brought with a projector. Squatting in the shadows nearby, Kyoujirou quietly asked Hachirou, "Hey, maybe we really should turn this place into a model shop. What is hosting... seriously, what even is hosting? What have we been doing this whole time? Was it hosting? Was what we were doing really considered hosting? I''m so confused. Are you confused too?" Hachirou: ... "You guys wouldn''t understand," Saigou muttered, gazing at Kawaki with a tense look as he watched the movie. "That man''s charm... ah, wonderful~" Looking at Saigou''s oddly flushed face, Kyoujirou and Hachirou both fell silent. Meanwhile, the Madam, sitting beside Kawaki and holding up his cola, gazed at his profile and recalled the words he had said that day... "Don''t worry, everyone has a place to belong. But if you ever get lost, just come back here. Even though it''s only temporary, and even though I know nothing about hosting... if you feel like it can be a temporary place for you, then come here anytime I''m around. Make sure to remember my namethe stand-in host, KOU." "Wonderful~" Chapter 614: Recognizing Someone at First Sight Usually Means They’re an Old Enemy! "Ugh..." Feeling something unusual on his body, Kawaki groaned in his sleep, frowning as he turned over. "What''s going on? Let me sleep a little longer, Tsukuyo. I played games too late last night..." "Of course, you can sleep as long as you want~ Whoo~." Tsukuyo''s voice echoed in Kawaki''s ear as he suddenly felt a hand gently placed on his abdomen, slowly and teasingly moving downward... Kawaki immediately snapped awake, throwing off the covers and jumping to his feet, clutching his chest in alarm. "Hey! Are you finally trying to make a move on me, Tsukuyo?!" "My, my, I was just thinking of getting intimate with you after so long~" The "Tsukuyo", lying seductively on the futon, propped up on one hand, licked her fingers and sent Kawaki a seductive glance. Kawaki hesitated and tentatively called out, "Tsukuyo...?" Breakfast Time. Seeing "Tsukuyo" clinging closely to Kawaki and constantly feeding him while Kawaki passively accepted it with a blank expression, Seita asked Hinowa with a puzzled look, "Mom, what''s going on today? Tsukuyo-neechan seems really off." "Who knows," Hinowa smiled, "Maybe Tsukuyo has suddenly awakened to something new." "I''m full," Kawaki pushed "Tsukuyo" away and stood up, heading towards the door. "So am I~" "Tsukuyo" licked her lips and, displaying an unbelievable allure, stood up and swayed seductively after Kawaki. As the two left, Hinowa softly murmured, "I hope that child will be alright." "No, it looks like something big is going on," Seita muttered, shovelling rice into his mouth. "This is too weird." "No, it''ll be fine," Hinowa chuckled, making a cryptic comment, "Because Kawaki-san will surely protect Tsukuyo." "What are you talking about, Mom?" Seita asked, confused. At Kawaki''s Room Door. The Hyakka members gathered around and whispered among themselves as they watched "Tsukuyo" cling to Kawaki with an uncharacteristic seductiveness. "The boss seems a bit off today..." "Yeah! She''s never like this!" "Maybe she''s suddenly awakened?" "Or maybe she just decided to be honest with her feelings, like we do!" "That makes sense!" "Quiet down," Kawaki lazily raised a hand, "Tsukuyo isn''t feeling well today, so patrols are on you. If anything unusual happens, come find me. Dismissed." "Huh? Kawaki-sama isn''t joining the patrol?" "No way! Without Kawaki-sama, I don''t have any motivation at all~." "Exactly!" "Sorry, I''ve got to deal with a super annoying person today," Kawaki scratched his head with a smile and then glanced at "Tsukuyo" clinging to his side. Inside Kawaki''s Room. "Hey, enough already," Kawaki said as he glanced at "Tsukuyo" clinging to him while he played games. "If you want to mess around, find someone else." "What? You already figured it out?" "Tsukuyo" raised an eyebrow and gave a charming smile. Kawaki smirked with disdain. "I could smell your stench from halfway across Edo." "Really?" "Tsukuyo" lifted her arm and sniffed. "No, it''s just the normal scent of a woman~ Although it''s not as good as my original body, this one''s pretty nice. I''ll be borrowing it for a while." "Using someone else''s body without their permission isn''t borrowing; it''s stealing," Kawaki casually reminded. "If you understand, then return the body and move on to the afterlife." "You''re so heartless~" Tsukuyo sighed softly. "Talking about moving on to the afterlife... I''m now the goddess of victory~ A goddess can''t move on to the afterlife." "Goddess of victory?" Kawaki scoffed. "A useless goddess who ruins the taste of alcohol, more like." "You''re as rude as ever~ I''m still a god, you know~" Tsukuyo feigned a pout and leaned closer to Kawaki''s ear, breathing softly as she teased, "You know, I got lucky~ When I arrived in Takamagahara, I happened to come across the original b***... I mean, the goddess of victory, who was being punished for messing around with men and women. So naturally, I took over the position. I thought it would be a terrible job~" "That''s great," Kawaki replied indifferently. "I''ve congratulated you, so can you leave now?" "No way~" Tsukuyo stood and sat on the table behind Kawaki, placing a foot on his back. "I finally got a chance to come down and have some fun. It hurts my feelings when you chase me away so soon~" "If you want to have fun, find someone else. That''s not your body; it''s just one you stole..." Kawaki calmly replied without looking back. "Who said that? That''s just what you think," Tsukuyo smiled with interest as she watched Kawaki. "Didn''t I tell you? It''s just borrowed..." "Don''t be ridiculous," Kawaki retorted casually. "That woman would never willingly lend her body to someone. Either you tricked her, or you took advantage when she wasn''t paying attention..." "No, it''s neither." Tsukuyo cut him off and pressed her body against Kawaki''s back again, whispering seductively in his ear, "I did borrow it with her consent~" "Impossible!" "There''s nothing impossible about it," Tsukuyo, who had somehow moved to the room''s altar, fiddled with a golden nine-tailed fox statue. "A god can''t possess someone who doesn''t want to be possessed, no matter how powerful the god is. If I''m using her body, it means a lot of things..." "No!" Kawaki dropped his game controller, stood up, and argued passionately. "That woman would never do something like this! She has more important things to protect! She just wants to protect..." "This underground city, Yoshiwara, and its sun..." Tsukuyo interrupted him, suddenly appearing behind him. "That''s true, but now it seems she has something else she wants to protect~." Kawaki only huffed in response, not saying anything. "In the end, it''s your fault," Tsukuyo wrapped her arms around Kawaki''s waist from behind, resting her head on his back. "You created a gap in her heartdoubt, confusion, curiosity, even infatuation. Those are the feelings you brought her. The reason she agreed to let me possess her was because she wanted to know more about you..." "Kyu-chan..." Kawaki turned slowly, hesitating as he wrapped his arms around Tsukuyo''s waist, gazing tenderly into her eyes. "Actually, I''ve always wanted to see you again, but... not like this. I want to see you in your original form." "Re... really?" Kyu-chan''s face turned red as she stared blankly at Kawaki. "Yes," Kawaki replied softly. "So, please leave this body and show yourself to me as you truly are. Then we can do something fun together, okay, Kyu-chan?" "A... alright," Kyu-chan, who had never been treated like this by Kawaki, was momentarily enchanted and nodded without thinking. "Even if I''m punished by Takamagahara and can no longer be a god, I''ll still..." Before she could finish, Kyu-chan realised what was happening, pushed Kawaki away, and said in frustration, "Seriously, I almost fell for that! That''s not your true feelings..." "What are you talking about, Kyu-chan..." Kawaki took two steps forward and gently held Kyu-chan''s hand. "It was my mistake before for not noticing your charm, but I regret it now. Come on, go back. I''ll be here waiting for you to appear before me in your true form..." "Kawaki, do you think I''ll believe those words?" Kyu-chan turned her head with a small huff, but her face turned even redder as she thought, Damn it, this man''s natural ability to lie so sweetly is so charming... I almost fell for it... Seriously, I ended up getting involved with such a troublesome person... Kawaki thought, glancing at Kyu-chan and mentally complaining, Tsukuyo, you lent your body to such a dangerous person... "And..." Kyu-chan seemed to remember something and leaned close to Kawaki''s ear, whispering, "Here''s a secret~ Right now, I can''t leave this body~ Because as a god, my wish hasn''t been fulfilled yet~ And if I forcibly leave, this girl might be in danger~" "What do you mean?" "This girl... she''s still sleeping soundly. Very deeply~ Probably because her dream is better than reality. She can''t be woken up with normal means~." "What should I do?" Kawaki asked, pulling his arm away from Kyu-chan''s embrace, his tone calm. "Help me fulfill my wish, and I''ll tell you," Tsukuyo smiled sweetly. "What''s your wish?" "Don''t you think it''s pitiful?" Kyu-chan looked towards the room''s corner where the altar was, her eyes resting on the small nine-tailed fox statue. "The goddess of victory with just a few tiny shrines, not even a proper shrine to be admired... It makes me want to have countless shrines built in her honor~." Chapter 615: The Reason Dreams Are Called Dreams In the afternoon, after assigning the task of building the shrine to the Hyakka members, Kawaki strolled toward the gate of Yoshiwara. Watching Kawaki''s departing figure from a high place, Kyu-chan gently curled her lips into a smile. At the House of the Onmyoji Ketsuno Clan. Kawaki was sitting under the eaves of the main house, listening in boredom to a seasoned siscon behind him who was explainingor rather, justifyingsomething. "...Godly possession, to be honest, even as the number one Onmyoji in the world, I don''t know much about it," Seimei spoke slowly. "There''s only a brief mention of it in the records of my ancestors. But I have to say, Lady Kyu is as elusive as ever... using such a reckless ability..." "I just want to know if there''s a way to make her go back quietly," Kawaki waved his hand dismissively, not even turning around. "It''s so annoying; the whole of Yoshiwara is filled with her fox stench. If this keeps up, there will be fewer and fewer customers." Seimei chuckled softly, shaking his head, not directly addressing Kawaki''s complaint, and continued explaining, "According to the records passed down from the Ketsuno and Miruno clans'' ancestors, godly possession is a very... um... significant event, only possible in exceptional circumstances. For example, when a god wants to give a special divine revelation to their followers or when they wish to impose punishment. As for what Lady Kyu said about having a reason to fulfil a wish, that''s the first time I''ve heard of it. But it''s not impossible. After all, humans are not gods; understandably, they don''t know the affairs of gods. Moreover, what Lady Kyu said about needing human consent to be possessed is recorded. Even if a god wants to have someone, if the person refuses, the god cannot complete the possession." "Oh, I see..." "So, what exactly is Lady Kyu''s wish?" Seimei asked. "I don''t know," Kawaki shrugged as he stood up. "That woman said she wanted her own shrine, but... it probably isn''t that simple." Seimei laughed softly, teasing, "It seems you know Lady Kyu quite well..." "No, women aren''t that easy to figure out for men," Kawaki glanced back at Seimei, offering an excellent warning. "If you underestimate women, you''ll suffer for it, siscon." "Who are you calling a siscon?!" Seimei instantly retorted, then pointed to the television inside the house. "By the way, I''ve told you everything you wanted to know. It''s about time you dealt with the trouble at Chris''s place!" Seimei grits his teeth, he continued, "Every time, during Chris''s program, I keep spotting Douman hiding in the background on the screen! It''s so annoying! I really don''t want to keep recording that guy too!" "Oh!" Kawaki suddenly thought of something, snapping his fingers. "So that stalker is now too busy stalking your sister to bother with you, and you''re feeling lonely!" "Who''s lonely?!" Seimei''s face twitched with veins popping out as he retorted furiously. "Hahaha..." Douman''s voice suddenly echoed from the wall, "Seimei! I''m sorry about that! But now Chris and I are getting along so well! I''m sorry I don''t have time to play with you! Just wait, Seimei! After Chris and I remarry, I''ll make it up to you! Bye-bye!" Watching Douman jump off the wall and disappear, Seimei yelled after him, "You''re just a stalker! Don''t think I''ll ever agree to that! I won''t let Chris die on the same crooked tree again! Give it up!" "Exactly!" Gintoki, suddenly appearing beside Seimei, naturally shouted towards the wall. "We''ll protect Ketsuno Ana''s butt!" "No, that''s not your job to protect!" Seimei immediately retorted. "And when did you get here?" "It''s been a while, big brother," Gintoki greeted with a wave. "Who are you calling big brother? Don''t get too familiar with me! And why did you just casually walk into someone else''s house?!" Gintoki shrugged with a soft hum and spread his hands, pretending to be helpless. "Well, sooner or later, I''ll be moving in here anyway. There''s no need to knock when entering my future home. You''re really being too distant, big brother~" "Rest assured, without Chris''s agreement, I would never agree to anything between you and Chris." "Don''t be so touched, big brother. I just happened to be passing by and wanted to check on you." "Who''s touched?!" Just as Gintoki was about to say something else, he caught sight of Kawaki''s retreating figure out of the corner of his eye. He picked his nose with his pinky finger, his eyes dull and uninterested as he muttered, "What''s that idiot doing here?" "Probably something related to a woman..." "Huh?!" Gintoki exclaimed in shock, "Is that idiot also after Ketsuno Ana''s butt?!" "Shut up!!" Seimei pulled out a summoning talisman, "Come out, Kuzunoha! Throw this rascal out for me!" Boom!! In a cloud of smoke, Kuzunoha''s first words were, "Seimei-sama! I smell Kawaki-sama! Did he come here?!" Seimei fell silent momentarily before muttering, "Honestly, lately, I''m getting increasingly confused about who your master really is..." At that moment, Kuzunoha noticed Kawaki''s figure at the gate, and like a predator spotting prey, she immediately charged straight at him. "Kawaki-sama! Wait for me~ Today''s a perfect day for doing all sorts of things with a shikigami~ Come on, let''s head to our love nest..." Kawaki''s only response was a simple roundhouse kick. Watching Kuzunoha''s body arc perfectly in the air and land face-first in front of him with a smack, Seimei sighed and shook his head. "I really should consider getting a different personal shikigami..." No sooner had Seimei finished speaking than Douman flew over the wall in a similar arc, landing in the same position right before him. "Maybe Chris should also get a different one..." Seimei muttered. Evening Time. Click. As Kawaki opened the door to his bedroom, he saw Tsukuyoor rather, Kyu-chanlying in his futon. "You''re really back late~" Kyu-chan extended a delicate arm from under the covers, beckoning Kawaki with a finger. "Come on, let''s sleep together~ just like old times~." "Huh? Really?" Kawaki coldly glanced at Kyu-chan. "Just like before?" "Of course~" "Then I won''t hold back," Kawaki took two steps forward, rolling Kyu-chan up in the futon, and prepared to hurl her out the window with all his strength. "It''s not even my body, so I don''t really care~" Kyu-chan casually reminded him. "You..." Kawaki gritted his teeth in frustration, and his movements halted. Kawaki sat cross-legged on the floor, playing a video game while Kyu-chan lounged behind him in just a white T-shirt and denim shorts. "If there are such convenient clothes in this world, why bother with those troublesome ones? They''re not only good-looking but also comfortable to move in." Kyu-chan raised her arms, puzzled. "I really don''t understand humans." "It has nothing to do with humans. It''s just the fault of a gorilla," Kawaki replied without looking back. Kyu-chan knelt behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck and deeply inhaling Kawaki''s scent. "Little Kawaki''s scent is still so comforting~ It''s a unique scent on this planet that puts me at ease~" "Enough already," Kawaki reminded her casually. "And... what''s your real wish? I''m not stupid enough to believe it''s about building a shrine." "Little Kawaki is still as smart as ever~" Kyu-chan poked his cheek playfully with her index finger. "But I don''t remember ever saying that my wish was to have a shrine. I just said it was troubling not to have one." Hearing this, Kawaki''s face instantly darkened, and the controller in his hand began to crack. "Do you really want to know my true wish that badly?" Kyu-chan rested her chin on Kawaki''s shoulder, her face full of mischief as she whispered, "What if I wished for something very enjoyable with you? Would you fulfill that wish too?" "Sure," Kawaki replied indifferently, giving Kyu-chan a sidelong glance. "Don''t worry, I''ll train you to be an obedient pig." "But I''m a fox~" "Don''t worry, I''ll make you believe deep down that you''re just a pig." "You''re as clueless as ever, aren''t you~" Kyu-chan huffed and let go of his neck. "You call for me all sweetly when you need me, but when you don''t, you''re as cold as ice." "Hey, I''ve never needed you. Don''t say unnecessary things." "Such heartless words, breaking my heart~" "Great. Now go die." "You jerk!!" Kyu-chan couldn''t take it anymore and raised her fist to hit Kawaki. But at the last moment, she stopped. "Hey, let me ask one last question." Kyu-chan lowered her head, her expression unreadable. "Is this your wish?" "Answer me seriously," Kyu-chan continued. "At that last moment, you did it on purpose, didn''t you? So that I could let go of everything and ascend to Takamagahara..." "No," Kawaki replied casually. "I just didn''t remember... or maybe I forgot." "Heh," Kyu-chan let out a bitter laugh, keeping her head down. "You know, I realized it right after I got to Takamagahara, but... I couldn''t come back. My body, my soul... everything of mine was bound there. Did you think that was the ending I wanted?" Kawaki didn''t respond. Instead, he turned his head to look out the window at the moon hanging high in the night sky, and, as if talking to himself, he softly said, "No one knows what the best ending is for everyone. No matter what the outcome, it''s impossible to satisfy everyone. There will always be those who are unhappy, who suffer, who grieve... A perfect ending that pleases everyone doesn''t exist. You gain some, you lose some. But people who cower and try to avoid the ending... I can''t stand them..." Hearing Kawaki''s words, Kyu-chan raised her hand, scoffing, "You''re such a boring person. I''m going back." When she finished speaking, Kyu-channo, Tsukuyoclosed her eyes and collapsed into Kawaki''s arms. "Goodbye," Kawaki murmured as he looked down at the still-sleeping Tsukuyo. "So, Tsukki, the reason dreams are beautiful is simply because they''re dreams. It''s time to wake up." At that moment, Tsukuyo let out a soft murmur and slowly opened her eyes. "Good morning." Seeing Kawaki''s smiling face above her, something stirred deep within Tsukuyo... Chapter 616: The Moon That the Ancients Saw "How is it? How does the sake poured by the oiran taste?" Sitting in a wheelchair, holding a small sake flask in both hands, Hinowa asked Kawaki, leaning by the window, having a cup and gazing at the full moon in the sky. "Well, it''s just okay." Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "Compared to this complex-tasting sake, I prefer the simple-tasting sake poured by a courtesan with a straightforward heart." "Haha, are you saying I have ulterior motives, Kawaki-san?" Hinowa covered her face and laughed softly. "No, it could just be that it''s too simple," Kawaki murmured without turning around. "I see..." A faint trace of disappointment or perhaps relief flashed in Hinowa''s eyes. "That''s the highest praise I''ve ever received..." "The moon, huh..." Kawaki softly muttered, looking up at the moon hanging high in the sky. "Do you like the moon, Kawaki-san?" Hinowa asked with a gentle smile. "Well, it''s alright," Kawaki replied casually. "Back then, when my financial situation was terrible, there were many times when I could only use the moon as a side dish for my sake, but even so, it was very enjoyable." "Was that with Gintoki and the others?" "Yeah... and many other interesting people." "I see..." Hinowa responded softly, then shook the sake flask and smiled, "Would you like another cup?" "Sure." Kawaki extended his cup toward Hinowa without turning around. At this moment, Hinowa handed the small sake flask to Tsukuyo, who had arrived unnoticed and smiled encouragingly. Taking the flask, Tsukuyo looked at the cup Kawaki was extending toward her, feeling a bit at a loss. But seeing Hinowa''s encouraging gaze, she eventually trembled slightly as she poured the sake into Kawaki''s cup. "It''s ready~" Hinowa reminded with a smile. Kawaki took the cup back, took a small sip, and then made a face of disgust. "What is this? Hinowa, are you really in such an unstable state? No wonder you can''t entertain customers anymore. If you serve sake this potent, you''ll definitely get complaints... ugh!" Boom!! Before Kawaki could finish speaking, Tsukuyo, her face flushed with anger, shoved his head onto the floor. "It really is potent," Hinowa laughed softly, then looked up at the full moon hanging high in the sky outside the window and continued, "Do you like the moon? I don''t know what it means to the courtesans of Yoshiwara now, but back then, there was a pair of lovers under a full moon, much like you two..." "What?" Kawaki gritted his teeth as he pulled himself up and glared at Tsukuyo. "Did they hate each other as much as we do?" "No, it was more like the woman dismembered the man after killing him on a night like this," Tsukuyo replied. "You rotten woman!!" Kawaki growled through gritted teeth. Watching the two bicker, Hinowa shook her head and said nothing, simply gazing at the bright moon in the sky. The moon has always been the same throughout history; the only thing that changes is the shadows cast by those beneath its light... "The ancients did not see the same moon as we do now, but this moon once shone on the ancients," Kawaki softly recited. "A beautiful verse," Hinowa responded with a smile. "Yes," Kawaki turned back and explained to Tsukuyo, raising a finger, "This line means that people today cannot see the moon from ancient times, but the moon today once shone on people from the past. Remember that well, Tsukuyo." "Don''t treat me like an idiot," Tsukuyo turned her face away, annoyed. "Besides, what do you mean, the moon from ancient times and the moon today? It''s the same moon, just at different times." "Do you want to start school with Seita?" Kawaki suggested. "Do you want to die?" "Different times make all the difference." Kawaki looked up at the moon and sighed softly. Then, he turned back and raised a finger again, smiling as he continued, "Just like how you''ll be a completely different person when you''re forty compared to now." "You''re the one who should be going back to school!" Tsukuyo retorted furiously, "There''s no way that''s what it means!" "Indeed, forty will be different from now," Hinowa nodded with a smile, joining the conversation. "But the only change might be in appearance. Some things don''t change so easily, like feelings..." "Are you trying to say that humans don''t change easily?" Kawaki chuckled. "No, humans aren''t such stubborn creatures. Humans... are probably the most fickle beings in this world." "What do you mean by that?" Hinowa asked. Tsukuyo also looked at Kawaki. "When they meet someone important," Kawaki turned back with a smile, "humans can change immediately." "When they meet... someone important..." Tsukuyo repeated Kawaki''s words. Watching Tsukuyo, deep in thought, Hinowa smiled and said, "It seems that''s true." "Some things change, and some don''t," Kawaki chuckled again and smiled faintly, looking at the distant moon. "Some things are beyond human control, so it''s enough to be true to yourself." With that, Kawaki turned to leave the room, saying, "Thanks for the hospitality. " After Kawaki left, Tsukuyo asked Hinowa, "What did he mean by that?" Hinowa gently shook her head, "I''ve met many people, but Kawaki-san is the only man I can''t see through, so I don''t know. But perhaps it''s just a straightforward statement." "Is that so..." "But speaking of which, what exactly happened between you and Kawaki-san at the end of the last chapter?" Hinowa asked with a smile. Tsukuyo suddenly blushed, turned away, and stammered, "N-nothing happened. I-I would never do anything like that with such a worthless man..." "Did you do it?" Hinowa covered her mouth in surprise. "No!" Tsukuyo blushed and protested vehemently, "Why are you asking so directly?! There''s no way that happened!" "Who made the first move?" "I said nothing happened! Neither of us did!" "If neither of you made a move, does that mean it happened naturally?" "Don''t just listen to half of it!" Tsukuyo shouted, catching her breath. After calming down, she looked out the window and continued, "At the very least... that man''s home isn''t here. Someday... he will leave here..." "Do you feel reluctant?" "Why do you keep asking such questions, Hinowa?!" "Because the author said the story is coming to an end, so some readers are curious about such questions and asked me to inquire." "I''m going on patrol." Watching Tsukuyo''s retreating figure, Hinowa murmured as if talking to herself, "If he considers this place his temporary home, then can''t you consider him your temporary home as well?" Upon hearing this, Tsukuyo stopped at the door, took out her smoking pipe, lit it, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly before saying softly, "It seems he doesn''t intend to let anyone consider him a home, not even temporarily. It''s as if he''s already arranged a certain ending for himself, rejecting everything." After Tsukuyo left, Hinowa softly said, "I see... so that''s how it is." The Next Day, Afternoon. Kawaki, guarding the gate of Yoshiwara, called out to two Hyakka girls about to leave. "You''re going back, right?" Kawaki leaned against the wall, flipping through a copy of Jump as he spoke casually. "Hunter x Hunter is back in serialization. You wouldn''t want to miss out on such a critical moment, would you?" "Kawaki-sama!" one of the girls exclaimed and hurriedly ran up to Kawaki, familiarly linking her arm with his. "Oh! Is Kawaki-sama waiting for us on purpose?" "I''m so happy!" the other girl joined, clinging to Kawaki. "Oh! Kawaki-sama! If it weren''t for the mission, I''d want to stay with Kawaki-sama forever! I don''t want to bother with work at all!" "But there''s no choice. Hinowa ordered us to bring that naturally curly-haired guy." "That mission doesn''t matter at all!" "That''s right, that mission doesn''t matter," Kawaki laughed, then, after stuffing the Jump into his pocket, he wrapped his arms around the waists of the two girls. "Why don''t we go do something more fun instead? What do you say?" "Oh!" Both girls exclaimed in unison. In front of a dango shop on Yoshiwara''s main street, Kawaki sat on a bench with the two Hyakka girls from earlier. One girl held a teacup for Kawaki, while the other held two dango skewers. Kawaki rested his hands on their shoulders. "Open wide~," the girl holding the dango said excitedly, her face blushing. "Have a sip of tea, Kawaki-sama~" the girl holding the cup cooed. When Tsukuyo arrived, pushing Hinowa in her wheelchair, she saw this infuriating scene. "What are you doing with my subordinates, you trashy, lousy man?!" Tsukuyo yelled, her eyes white with anger, and then she flew into the air, kicking Kawaki several meters away. Boom!! "What are you doing, Tsukuyo?" Kawaki struggled to get up. "I was just letting everyone relax a bit." "Kawaki-sama!" The two girls cried out in alarm and started to rush toward Kawaki. "Get back to patrol!!" Tsukuyo shouted. At that, the two Hyakka girls hesitated momentarily, reluctantly nodded, and turned around to leave, still glancing back longingly. Chapter 617: A Man Who Refuses a Womans Invitation Cant Be Considered a Good Man Kawaki, sitting back down on the bench, picked up a teacup beside him, blew on it, took a sip, then turned around, squinting and smiling at Hinowa. "So, how is it? Are you surprised that it''s me here and not Gintoki, whom you called?" Hinowa smiled and shook her head. "No, not surprised, just a little taken aback. Isn''t this the time when you''d usually be in your room playing games?" "Yeah, but I got a little bored today," Kawaki said, pulling the latest issue of Jump from his pocket. "So I went out to buy a copy of Jump. Who would have thought that Hunter x Hunter would start serializing again? What a pleasant surprise. So, why did you send them to find Gintoki?" "Oh, it''s just that someone wanted to meet the savior of Yoshiwara," Hinowa replied, shaking her head. "Since Kawaki-san doesn''t seem to be very interested in that sort of thing, I thought only Gintoki..." "No, I''m very interested~" Kawaki cut her off with a smile, squinting his eyes. "Of course, only if it''s a woman. But..." He pointed to Tsukuyo, who was leaning against the wall nearby. "It can''t be someone like her." No sooner had he spoken than two kunai embedded themselves in the side of Kawaki''s head, causing a stream of blood to spurt out as he collapsed to the ground with his eyes rolling back. Tsukuyo, still in her throwing stance, retrieved her smoking pipe, took a light puff, and said, "Even someone like you must have heard of her, right? The legendary oiran of Yoshiwara..." "No, never heard of her," Kawaki replied calmly as he pulled the kunai from his head. "And even if you talk about some legendary oiran, how different could she be from an ordinary courtesan, aside from being a bit more skilled? Sorry, I''m not interested in that kind of woman. Didn''t I already say? I prefer someone proactive..." "No one asked for your opinion or preferences, you scumbag!" Tsukuyo snapped, saliva flying as she struggled to contain her anger. She continued, "You''ve been in Yoshiwara for quite a while, so you should have heard of her, right? The other taifu of Yoshiwara, Ko?jo? Suzuran." "No, I''ve only heard of the legendary Super Saiyanthe one that Frieza was so afraid of that he destroyed the Saiyan home planet." Ignoring Kawaki''s antics, Hinowa continued, "Ko?jo? Suzuran, known for her beauty surpassing that of a celestial maiden, and unmatched in song and dance. Although many high-ranking officials spent large sums trying to win her favor, most were sent away after merely being offered a cup of tea." "Sounds like her power level is pretty high..." Kawaki, now wearing a scouter, murmured to Hinowa, "Probably much higher than yours, right, Nappa?" "Could you at least consider me as Vegeta, Kawaki-san?" Hinowa replied with a smile. "Vegeta after transforming into a Great Ape? I could see the resemblance." No sooner had Kawaki spoken than a cup of hot tea was splashed onto his face. "So hot!" "Sorry, sorry, my hand slipped~" Hinowa replied with a forced smile. "But..." Kawaki wiped his face and spoke softly, "Ko?jo?... that''s quite an ominous name. It sounds like a name for someone who would be easily exploited and pitiful." Hinowa''s hand holding the teacup paused slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled, continuing, "Who knows? But aren''t all the women of Yoshiwara the same?" "Ah, I thought you''d be the type to not understand such things," Kawaki replied casually, stretching his shoulders. "So, what''s the deal? Why does this Ko?jo?... whatever taifu want to meet the savior of Yoshiwara?" "Probably just to express her gratitude." "Ah, I see," Kawaki replied calmly as he stood up. "Well, lead the way then. A man who refuses a woman''s invitation can''t be considered a good man. And... I mentioned this yesterday, HinowaI don''t care much for overly simple sake." "I understand." As Kawaki walked away with Tsukuyo, Hinowa still felt a lingering unease. She thought to herself, "Did I provoke him by being inconsiderate? That look in his eyes..." ... Kawaki stood by the window in a particular room and spoke without turning around. "Are you planning to stay here, Tsukuyo? I''m not used to having someone watch while I do this and that." "Don''t worry, nothing you expect will happen," Tsukuyo replied coolly, leaning against the doorframe with one arm folded and the other holding her smoking pipe. "Really?" Kawaki feigned surprise. "I was all set to go head-to-head with her today! Lord Frieza hasn''t given up yet!" "Tch!" Tsukuyo scoffed, rolling her eyes before leaving the room. "I''m heading back. Just don''t think about running awaymake sure she has a good time until the very end." "Don''t worry, I never beg for mercy first in these situations." Kawaki squinted, raised a finger, and smiled. But before he could finish, a kunai flew through the door, striking him squarely in the forehead. ... When Hinowa entered the room, she found Kawaki getting up and wiping the blood from his forehead with a tissue. "Looks like you''re excited, getting this worked up," Hinowa smiled. "I''m sure Taifu Suzuran will be pleased to hear it." "This isn''t a nosebleed," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "By the way, where''s Tsukuyo?" Hinowa asked, glancing around. "No idea," Kawaki shrugged. Did he send... Tsukuyo away? Hinowa thought, wondering, What is this man up to? At that moment, two young girls kneeling by the door simultaneously announced as they slid open the door. "Taifu Suzuran has arrived~" 2 "Oh! It seems she''s here!" Hinowa looked toward the door. A minute later, Kawaki watched in silence, his face darkening, as an older woman entered, pushing the door so hard that the entire sliding door collapsed. Scratching his head, he smiled and said, "Actually, when it comes to saviors, I think Gintoki is more suited. Please wait a moment; I''ll go fetch the real savior of Yoshiwara so you can have a delightful evening together with... Taifu Tilting-Over, right?" "Didn''t you volunteer for this?" Hinowa squinted, her smile not reaching her eyes as she looked at Kawaki. "And didn''t you just say that a man who refuses a woman''s invitation can''t be considered a good man, Kawaki-san?" "No, I just suddenly realized that I''ve never saved Yoshiwara before," Kawaki said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "I don''t remember ever doing such a thing. It''s so strange! How could I be labeled as the savior of Yoshiwara without actually saving it? That''s too weird! I''m sorry, but I''ll go find Yoshiwara''s savior for you now. How about you give me a week?" "Exc...excuse me." Taifu Suzuran struggled to lift her head, then grabbed onto the IV stand beside her to support herself as she shakily stood up. "N-nice... nice to meet you. I... I am... Suzuran... Uh, who am I again?" "Allow me to introduce you to the legendary oiran, our senior, Taifu Suzuran," Hinowa said with a smile as she grabbed the collar of Kawaki, who had been trying to sneak away. "Um, Hinowa," Kawaki turned back, speaking unusually gently, "Could we temporarily switch to a different taifu? Nappa would do." "Oh my, Kawaki-san, you really are mean, teasing me at a time like this," Hinowa laughed, though there was a hint of reproach in her voice. "But that''s not possible today. After all, you''ve already been requested by name." "Is this a host club?!" Kawaki retorted furiously, pointing at the old Taifu Suzuran, whose back was hunched at a ninety-degree angle. "Even in a host club, they wouldn''t accept a guest like that! It feels like if you don''t pay attention, she''d just keel over! Her back and her whole body would keel over! I thought she was a taifu who worked with you, Hinowaone full of energy!" "Well, actually," Suzuran said, "I''m still an active, full-of-energy taifu, even now." "Who are you kidding!" Kawaki ranted, veins bulging on his forehead. "How could you still have any customers? The only people visiting you should be doctors! Please, just go back to the repair pod! I''m begging you! A Saiyan''s power level doubles after a near-death experience! Believe me!" "I''m not boasting, but I was a taifu even before Yoshiwara went underground." Suzuran then began to cough violently...