Peacemaker Kurogane: Belief (PEACE MAKER 鐵 前編～想道〈オモウミチ〉～)

Genji Year 1

September 9th

So, you still believe in fortune telling at your age?

How stupid.

They seriously come true, though!

He's incredible at it!

Don't make fun of it!

Look, you're probably just getting hoodwinked by the way he talks.

Besides,

why is he telling fortunes in a soba shop?

That couldn't be any more fishy.

Tetsunosuke said he'd treat me,

so what's wrong with taking him up on his offer?

Hmm?

S-Saitou-san!

What are you doing here?!

Ow.

Well, Tetsunosuke requested a stupid,

inaccurate fortune telling in exchange for soba.

Hey, if it was Saitou-san, you should've said so!

So, what would you like to know?

You're crowding me!

What'll we be doing five years from now?!

Sorry, but it's my policy not to discuss the future of individuals.

Why not? What's the point of fortune telling, then?

If I were to give you a special reading about the near future,

then know that a new leader will soon be joining the squad.

A man named Itou.

Itou?

You know him, Susumu?

He's somewhat famous.

He's a playboy well-trained in both academics and the sword.

He reveres the emperor and hates foreigners.

Reveres the emperor and hates foreigners?

Is our leadership going to get more convoluted?

Well, I've got no problem with him as long as I can stick with Hijikata-san.

Anyway...

The three of you should cherish this time you have now.

Eventually, you'll grow to miss these days.

Keiou Year 3

November 18th

Aburano Koji Incident

It wasn't us.

It was these guys!

They're planning to crush the Shinsengumi!

Wake the soldiers!

Prepare for battle!

Oh, my.

Your look of surprise is quite lovely, too.

Itou!

Drop dead, you Mibu ronin!

Damn Mibu ronin!

I-Ichimura!

Yamazaki-sensei!

Over here, please!

A redheaded young man...

Ichimura Tetsunosuke, right?

We are the Kaientai.

Please let no one interfere with us.

We have but one objective, Ichimura Tetsunosuke.

We will kill you.

Hey,

what are you feeling right now?

As you betray every one of your friends,

and watch over it all from up high?

Tetsu!

It's your brother! I'm here to save you.

Tetsu!

Don't die, Tetsunosuke.

No way, no way.

No way!

There's no way old Ryouma would die, right?

All of them can suffer.

Why should I have to stick with you all forever?

Because we're friends!

Heisuke, how many days did it take to reach your answer?

Shinpachi-san...

At least ask me how many years.

Is truly that difficult to change whether or not

Keiou Year 3 - November 18th Itou Kashitarou, Dead, Toudou Heisuke, Dead, Mounai Arinosuke, Dead

someone lives or dies?

There's no need to feel guilty.

After all, the results won't change, right?

Tetsunosuke won't die anyway.

And you can learn of everyone's suffering,

Spirit of Sakamoto Ryouma Naonari

and suffer even more,

Tetsu!

I was the one who placed the Shinsengumi in danger.

Could you put to an end to this with your own hands for me?

Hijikata-san, don't look...

You knew it all: when I would die,

when the group would die,

and that this was going to happen tonight!

Whether I do anything or not,

the progress of history...

I don't care about that!

This is reality for you and me right now!

If you refuse to act, then I won't have any future!

There's only you!

I'm going to save Ichimura Tetsunosuke.

Only I can do that, because I'm here right now!

Kill him, Hikagami.

Sensei!

Where?

Where are you, Suzu?

You're watching me, aren't you?!

We're trying to hate each other without knowing anything about the other!

I don't want that, Suzu!

Kurogane

Listen, don't quit the Shinsengumi.

Even if that organization becomes hell in the future,

so long as you and your knowledge of the future are there with me,

then I plan to stay there, too.

Thank you.

For saving me.

That's...

That's my line.

Keiou Year 3

December

Kyoto

Shinsengumi's Fudou-dou Village Headquarters

Okay!

Ichimura Tetsunosuke

Pardon me.

Good morning, Okita-san.

Yamazaki Susumu

I've brought the coals.

Yeah, thank you very much, Yamazaki-san.

Okita Souji

It's cold again this morning.

Yes.

Did you sneak in on your own again?!

Damn pig!

Pig?!

My apologies, I didn't mean...

Still,

when he's slipping through our traps day after day like this,

it makes me hate the inferiority of my ninjutsu, though I'm retired.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I disarmed those.

Okita-san.

It's warm when I hold him while I sleep.

It's already the end of the year, huh?

Yes.

A lot has happened this year.

That must be why it feels so short.

It's been well over ten days since then, hasn't it?

Yes.

Time goes so fast.

Toudou Heisuke's Grave

Welcome!

All right, I'll have some of that tofu.

Sure!

Also, some of that.

Shinpachi-san! Sano!

Morning!

Oh, Tetsu-chan! Morning!

Nagakura Shinpachi

Morning practice while it's cold out?

Harada Sanosuke

You're sure working hard.

You're early today!

Is something up?

Just a little business.

By the way, how about it?

Want some training after all this time, Tetsu-chan?

Oh, uh, as much as I'd love for you to do that,

I'm in the middle of helping with the wood chopping.

Huh?

Why are you doing something like that?

I'm having them set aside food for Tatsu-nii, so...

Oh, I heard about that.

He's shut himself in ever since the incident?

I can't blame him when his precious younger brother nearly got killed.

Yeah.

Lately, he's been doing a lot better,

and he's able to work again.

Though he's still a night owl.

Even so...

Don't worry!

So long as you're healthy and smiling, there won't be any problem!

Yeah!

Ichimura!

Where's our firewood?!

See you later, then!

Work hard!

Yeah!

The smell of incense?

Right.

Miura-san.

Are you planning to stab the squad leaders in the back?!

Heisuke.

Heisuke.

It's all right, Heisuke.

We'll stop the bleeding now, okay?

Captain, have I made a mistake?

No.

You tried to save our lives.

You've done nothing wrong.