Song of the Samurai - Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo (ちるらん 新撰組鎮魂歌 江戸青春篇)

You two, please wait here.

Listen, don't move until you get the signal.

Even if our comrades are cut down.

Your mission

is to take Niimi's head the moment the enemy falters.

Soji.

Yes?

Sorry, but he's mine to kill.

I'd say it's a fair game for whoever can land the first strike.

But then again, I am the fastest one here, so I'll probably get him.

- Don't you get so damn cocky. - Yamanami.

Saito.

Position me here, too.

I told you to be on the front lines.

What difference does one man make?

That's not for you to decide.

There are ten of us against 150 of them.

Surely you understand how much each man matters.

Please.

Saito.

What is it now? Trying to hog the spotlight?

That's not it.

I'm the one

who has to kill Niimi.

- But... - Yamanami.

On second thought, I'd rather be on the front line.

Hijikata.

When it comes to a fight

it's no fun unless you're leading the charge.

SONG OF THE SAMURAI.

Drop dead, Niimi!

Why you...

You bastard!

Go!

Damn it! You're not getting away!

How dare a peon stare at me while I'm down?

Is it that funny to see a man groveling on the ground?

You really are a bastard who has it coming.

Saito.

This is for Eisaburo.

Don't think you're getting an easy death.

You want to hear something funny?

It's about Abiru.

Don't you want to know how he died?

He was crying.

"I don't want to die!"

He was a sniveling, snot-nosed mess, crying like a stuck pig as he wasted away!

Secret Sword. It's coated in poison!

I see.

So that's what it is.

So this is what you used to kill Eisaburo?

Did you provoke me to cut your finger just to make me let my guard down?

Impossible. How?

When I saw Eisaburo's body, I knew at first glance.

The wound wasn't deep enough to be fatal.

Yet he died in one strike. That means one thing.

That your blade had to be coated in poison.

You bastard! You saw through me from the start?

Besides, if Eisaburo had fought you head-on

there's no way he would've lost to the likes of you!

I won.

I won!

Bye, you dumb runts!

I swear I'll make you pay for this!

You have a surprisingly short memory.

I'm sure I told you.

"Don't think you're getting an easy death."

All right!

I lost!

So I'm begging you!

Look.

My fingers have been cut off.

My leg has been slashed.

With these injuries, I'll never be able to hold a sword again.

Please, just spare my life!

Of course

considering everything I've done

I know it's selfish of me to ask!

That's why...

Is this enough for you to forgive me?

You want to live that badly?

You're truly pathetic.

Forget it.

Well, that killed the mood.

You mean it?

Yes. Just get lost.

I won.

You thought you won?!

Niimi Nishiki.

I was the only one who forgave you.

But the one you really need forgiveness from

isn't here, unfortunately.

Go ask him for forgiveness yourself in the afterlife.

Niimi Nishiki's betrayal was never made public.

Instead, the cover story was that he committed seppuku

for unauthorized fund raising.

Here, Eisaburo. I'm returning it to you.

Your brother's keepsake.

Now you can rest.

In the end, maybe he helped me beat Niimi.

But Hajime buddy...

"Hajime buddy"?

Don't you forget this.

Back there, I could've easily taken the shot at Niimi myself.

But I saw what you wanted

so I reluctantly let you have him.

Listen up! You only got to take Niimi down because of me!

Toshi, you're the same as ever, saying something so stupid.

- What's so stupid about it? - I almost have to respect it.

Hey, Eisaburo, are you watching this? Toshi's an idiot, as always.

Hey, takes one to know one, you idiot.

- Right, Eisaburo? - "Takes one to know one"? Me, an idiot?

Just watch and see who the real idiot is.

Just watch, Eisaburo!

- It's obviously Toshi! - Hey, you!

Aijiro, I guess the next time we train together will be in the afterlife.

Until then, keep an eye on me, even though I'm talentless.

I see. So Niimi has fallen.

He was a tragic figure in his own way.

Explain yourself, Yamazaki.

You said Kondo's group was less than ten men strong, right?

So how the hell did they beat Niimi and his 150 men?

Winning and losing are a matter of luck. That's not my department.

Niimi was your master, wasn't he? Don't you feel any remorse?

Money!

Remorse?

You can't exactly eat remorse, can you?

You're rotten to the core. Can't say I dislike it, though.

Money! I'll take that as a compliment.

So, what's our move, Master Serizawa?

Now, most of our men will flock to their side.

Hirayama.

What I've always wanted is an all-out war, no tricks. Got it?

Of course, I understand.

But...

We need more fuel for the fire. Yes.

Start.

Oh? Goro, you've gotten sloppy.

Ichiji! You bastard!

Niji, you're here, too?

What's with that look on your face?

You got a problem with us being here?

Yes, I do.

We're the guys who raised hell in Mito, aren't we?

Okay, everyone is here.

So, Kamo. So, who's first?

You wouldn't have called us unless it was for someone big, right?

I know. The shogun!

Whoa, you want to go after Lord Iemochi?

Still a dumb-ass, I see.

Ichiji, Goro just called me a dumb-ass!

Hey! The one who calls someone a dumb-ass

- is the real dumb-ass! - Dumbass.

Goro, don't get too cocky.

You're supposed to be his right-hand man

so why hasn't Kamo taken over the world yet?

See? Goro is the real dumb-ass!

Shut up, you dumb-ass. Want me to crush you right here and now?

Come on! What a lively bunch.

The reason I called you here is simple.

The stage is finally set to my liking. I intend to enjoy every last second of it.

You all get it, don't you? What I'm getting at?

Unleash your overwhelming violence and trample all over Kyo.

Awesome!

Here they come.

Serizawa Kamo is on the move.

He has gathered new allies and appears to be plotting something.

What on earth is that man planning to do?

I have no idea whatsoever.

All we know is...

Please, go ahead.

Yamanami, who did you say that to?

The reason I called you here is simple. I intend to enjoy every last second of it.

You all get it, don't you?

- What I'm getting at? - This voice... Is it Kamo?

Unleash your overwhelming violence

and trample all over Kyo.

Yamazaki, you bastard! I thought you were on Niimi's side.

He's not on anyone's side.

He'll do anything for the right price.

He's the one who spread that rumor for us about Kondo and Lord Katamori's meeting.

So he's a double agent.

Something like that. My loyalty lies with the highest bidder.

Playing both sides for double the pay, huh?

You're a special kind of scumbag.

Why, thank you.

Serizawa Kamo wants a piece of us.

The real fight starts now.

- Oh, it's beautiful. - It is beautiful.

At this time, another power was beginning to make its mark on Kyo.

The Satsuma clan, a powerhouse from western provinces, allied with Aizu.

What happened? Are you okay?

Are you okay?

Are you okay? Hey!

That haori jacket. Are you with the Shinsengumi?

That accent. They're from Satsuma, no doubt about it.

Yes.

What do you want?

You're with the Aizu clan! And we of Satsuma and the Aizu are...

Less talking, more fighting, or you'll end up dead.