Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan

BAKUMATSU ERA KYOTO

There is no need to worry.

After all, I am the Captain of the First Unit of the Shinsengumi.

But your lungs are ailing now, aren't they?

I will slay him.

Captain of the Third Unit of the Shinsengumi, Hajime Saito...

Here I come...

Hitokiri Battosai.

KENSHIN • HIMURA BATTOSAI

11th YEAR OF MEIJI DOWNTOWN TOKYO

Hitokiri Battosai!

I finally found you!

Your killing spree ends tonight! Prepare yourself!

Oro?

Don't play dumb!

Nobody else would walk around with a sword late at night,

completely ignoring the Sword Abolishment Act!

Ouch.

Well, that was easy.

Is this the rumored Hitokiri Battosai?

Rurouni.

I am nothing more than a rurouni,

a swordsman on a journey with no destination, that I am.

I have just arrived in this town.

You say, "Killing spree," but I have no clue—

Then what is that at your hip?

Even if you're a swordsman, you're not allowed to carry a blade!

What is this?

A Sakabato?

Can you kill someone with this blade, that you can?

You can't.

In the first place, there are no nicks at all on this reverse blade,

nor any smell of blood or clouding from oil.

It's as good as new.

You really are just a...

Rurouni, I am.

But why do you carry such a useless sword?

The police!

This time, for sure!

It seems something is going on, that it is.

Weak!

Weak, weak, weak!

You all are too weak!

H-He's too strong!

This strength is indeed...

that of the rumored Battosai!

Stop right, there, Battosai!

Oh, no—

You are a reckless one, that you are.

Rurouni.

Over here! The bandit is over here!

I am the Battosai!

Himura Battosai of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu,

people call me Hitokiri Battosai!

Wait!

Wait, what are you doing? Let me down!

Pursuing too long while injured may be fatal, that it may be.

He's already claimed to be of a certain sword style,

so don't fret—

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu is our sword style!

He's using our name to commit crossroad killings!

Let me down!

I'm gonna go catch him right now—

You won't catch up if you go now, that you can't.

Before the police start investigating us,

we should depart, that we should.

Let me down!

KAMIYA KASSHIN-RYU

Kamiya Kasshin-ryu...

ACTING MASTER

KAORU KAMIYA

STUDENT

Acting Master, Kaoru Kamiya.

Students...

STUDENT

Oro?

We were a very small sword style to begin with.

But we used to have about ten students and were working together really hard.

But two months ago, that guy suddenly started crossroad killings,

and look how it is now.

All the students left, fearing the name "Battosai,"

and nobody in town wants to even come close to our dojo.

Hitokiri Battosai, even now in the Meiji Era,

is still feared by people.

Why does he claim to be of the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu?

Is he really the Battosai? I have no idea.

But I have to end his atrocity as soon as possible.

I see.

But it's better if you didn't walk around at night anymore, that it is.

Huh?

That man is far stronger than you are, Miss Kaoru.

What?

Being able to acknowledge when others are stronger than yourself

is part of being a swordsman.

It should be obvious how your next clash will end?

The pride of a sword style is not important enough

as to risk your life to protect it, that it isn't.

The Kamiya Kasshin-ryu...

The Kamiya Kasshin-ryu is a sword style my father created in the Meiji Era

after surviving the turbulence of the Bakumatsu Era.

My father didn't approve of murderous swords.

With an ambition for swords that give life,

he was giving it everything he had for ten years.

But even he was sent out to the Seinan War

as part of the Metropolitan Police's swordsman squad,

and in a place that was so distant from his own ideals, he left this world.

That man claiming to be Hitokiri Battosai uses that name of Kamiya Kasshin-ryu

and has already caused over ten injuries and fatalities.

My father's heirloom sword style, the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu,

idealizes a life-giving sword.

But it has been tarnished by a murderous sword!

You're merely a rurouni!

You wouldn't understand the frustration I'm feeling!

However, in either case, with that arm,

you can't make the rounds at night, that you can't.

It's best if you stay on the safe side.

In the first place, someone seeking a life-giving sword

being unable to live her own life is no joke, that it isn't.

Besides, your late father wouldn't wish his sword style

to be protected at the cost of his daughter's life, that he doesn't.

Excuse me.

Now we're all done.

Thank you, Kihei.

Kaoru, you shouldn't open up to someone like that.

A rurouni is nothing more than a failure in life.

Yeah.

You are too nice for your own good.

I know.

I know that.

RUROUNI KENSHIN

A FEW DAYS LATER

Hey, don't thrash about!

Behave!

Oh? Did someone get caught?

Ororo...

Rurouni!

What did this man do?

As you can see, he's disobeying the Sword Abolishment Act!

Hmm? If I recall, you're...

from the dojo with Hitokiri Battosai—

I'm telling you that's a false accusation!

What, are you going to fight back against an officer?

"Officer" this! "Officer" that! Don't act so big!

- What? - Now, now. Please don't get so angry.

Let's peacefully settle this.

Hey.

Out of respect for the geezer, we'll tolerate him.

You won't get away next time.

I have been spared thanks to you, that I have.

You're welcome.

You're still in this town?

Do you have something to do here?

No, not really.

Anyway, what happened to that crossroad killer's case?

Yes. I have leads on who the perpetrator might be.

There is another swordsmanship dojo in the neighboring town.

Oh?

To be precise, it's a former dojo.

Nowadays it's a hangout for gamblers and thugs.

And apparently a has-been samurai swordsman took control two months ago.

That guy is said to be huge, close to six and a half feet.

See? Doesn't that sound fishy?

The crossroad killings started around two months ago, too.

By an adept swordsman who is about that tall.

Huge guys like that aren't that common!

Miss Kaoru, I have to prepare dinner, so I will get going now.

Oh, right. Thanks.

See you.

And how is that man related—

Kihei? He's like a live-in servant.

It was right after my father passed away.

I found him lying on the street in front of our dojo

and nursed him back to health.

He gets worried about me

and tells me I should sell off the dojo and live in peace.

His background?

I don't know, because I never asked.