Chapter 21 of 100

Chapter 21

8 min read2,074 words

In the following days, Kenshin and his companions were on high alert for any possible attacks, keeping their weapons close at hand even when sleeping, and placing their outer coats nearby just in case. To ensure Kaoru's safety, Kenshin also asked Shin for assistance in case of an emergency, and Shin, who had similar thoughts, was ready to act to prevent any situation from getting out of control. This was also the reason why Shin did not often take action.

A week passed, and during this time, Takeda Koryu did not send anyone to attack the Kamiya Dojo. After all, the Oniwabanshu had suffered significant losses, and after two defeats, they began to gather information about Kenshin and his companions. Additionally, Bishamon of the Oniwabanshu was seriously injured. Although it appeared that Kenshin had taken a punch from Bishamon, in reality, Kenshin used the force of the punch to kick Bishamon's liver with his right foot, causing much more severe injuries. Despite Bishamon's rigorous training, he was unable to fight for a week and could only engage in lighter activities like gathering information.

On the eighth day, Kaoru personally made dozens of dorayaki and tried once again to win Kenshin away from Kamiya Tomoe, which left Tomoe seething with anger and frustration. At this moment, Shin and Sano entered the dojo.

"Hey, you're having dorayaki for breakfast today," Shin said, unceremoniously taking a piece to taste.

"Yeah, it's pretty good. It must be from Dr. Kaoru," he added.

On the other side, Tomoe invited Sano to have some, but he refused on the spot.

"Who cares if it's good? It's made by a drug addict," Sano said, then returned to the dojo to rest, completely ignoring Kaoru's now ashen face. Naturally, Kenshin and Tomoe tried to comfort Kaoru, but it didn't help much, and the peaceful morning atmosphere was ruined.

In the afternoon, Kaoru, who was staying at the Kamiya Dojo, helped with the chores, such as washing clothes. While she was doing the laundry, a man who looked like a medicine merchant entered the side door of the dojo. After a brief conversation, Kaoru realized that Kenshin and the others were not nearby. The merchant then tore off his face mask, revealing a face without lips, ears, and completely disfigured. Kaoru tried to call out for help, but the man quickly covered her mouth.

At dusk, when Tomoe passed by where Kaoru had been, she found a letter. The letter stated that Kaoru had returned to Aizu to avoid causing trouble for the group at the Kamiya Dojo and expressed gratitude to Kenshin and the others.

Of course, Kenshin immediately saw through the lie. Kaoru had no relatives in Aizu; she had actually returned to Takeda Koryu. Kenshin planned to help, but Sano, whose friend had died at Kaoru's hands, refused to join the rescue mission.

"Sano, have you ever really looked into Kaoru's eyes? Despite her usual strong and proud demeanor, there are moments when her eyes show such loneliness and sadness. It's like a little dog searching for a home. If one needs a reason to act, this is mine, and it's enough, isn't it?"

Tomoe and Yahiko naturally joined as well. Seeing the others' actions, Sano's character wouldn't allow him to stand by, and the four from the Kamiya Dojo set out together. As they reached the door, a blue figure was already waiting. Dressed in his signature blue overcoat, with Kikusen Sanjikimoon at his waist and a steel cane sword in his right hand, the large "Yuki" characters clearly visible, it was Takeda Shin.

"It seems you're ready. Let's go quickly and resolve this before dawn," Shin said, shouldering his cane sword and leading Kenshin and the others toward Takeda Koryu's residence.

"Shin, you seem to have been prepared for a while. Did you know Kaoru had returned before us?" Kenshin asked, realizing something.

"Of course. You don't know about my Ki Shocker yet. I sensed Kaoru leaving the Kamiya Dojo," Shin said proudly.

Kenshin looked speechless, "Why didn't you stop her?"

"Well..."

Two hours earlier...

"Boss, are you preparing to go to Takeda Koryu's place?" Tsuburaya Rinji, now a member of Takeda Tofu, asked as he saw Shin moving out his special equipment.

"Yes, just now, my Ki Shocker sensed Kaoru leaving the Kamiya Dojo, probably heading to Takeda Koryu," Shin said, putting on his blue overcoat.

"Boss, why didn't you stop the girl?" Rinji asked.

"First, I wanted Kaoru to resolve her own issues. Second, to give my clumsy disciple Kenshin a good training session. The leader of the Oniwabanshu is even stronger than you, which should be a good challenge for Kenshin. Third, to use this opportunity to eliminate Takeda Koryu, a major threat," Shin said, adjusting his long sword Kikusen Sanjikimoon and warming up.

"Boss, you really think things through," Rinji said, impressed. "But the biggest reason... is that you're itching for a fight, right?"

"Um... yeah," Shin said, then handed a bladeless sword to Rinji. "This time, there will be hundreds of opponents. You can't just sit around. Come with me."

Rinji examined the bladeless sword, "A bladeless sword? Boss, you don't want me to kill anyone?"

"Of course. If you kill, Kenshin will nag at me. How many can you control with your Heart Control?"

"About twenty. It's quite draining for me."

"Enough," Shin said, throwing a blue-green outfit to Rinji, similar to Kenshin's but with the Takeda Tofu logo on the left chest. Rinji, a former assassin, was quick to get ready, and they left the Takeda Tofu shop together.

At night, the six of them arrived near Takeda Koryu's residence. Takeda Koryu, who had amassed a fortune through drug trafficking, lived in extreme luxury. There were four guards at the entrance, but they were quickly taken out by Shin, Kenshin, Sano, and Rinji before they could react.

Given their smaller numbers, a surprise attack was the best strategy. They broke through the main gate and charged into the crowd before the guards inside could react. Kenshin and Shin led the charge, clearing a path with ease. No one could withstand a single strike from them, and within seconds, over a dozen people were on the ground. Sano and Rinji handled the flanks, while Yahiko and Tomoe used wooden swords to knock out those still moving. Within minutes, the nearly hundred guards in the courtyard were all defeated.

"Why, why would the Battosai fight so hard for a woman?" Takeda Koryu, who was only interested in money, couldn't understand.

"The Battosai, like us, acts on his own beliefs. Koryu, go count your money. This is the Oniwabanshu's prey," Shin said, leaving the room. Takeda Koryu, still unwilling to give up, tried to recruit Kenshin with money and status, only to receive a Ki Blade from Shin and a broken street lamp from Kenshin. At this moment, Takeda Koryu's private army, numbering about five hundred, rushed in from the entrance. The blades and swords in their hands gleamed brightly in the moonlight, showing the significant investment Koryu had made in them.

"Ha ha ha, Battosai, what will you do now? My private army has five hundred men. No matter how strong you are, you can't defeat so many," Koryu said, momentarily forgetting himself.

"Don't be so confident, evil capitalist," Shin said, turning to face the private army. "Kenshin, go deal with the Oniwabanshu. I'll handle these private soldiers."

"Master, so many..."

"Kenshin, do what you need to do. These are just small fries and won't take much of my time. You should be careful; you've been neglecting your training and could easily be at a disadvantage against a stronger opponent," Shin said, then disappeared and reappeared among the private soldiers, causing a series of screams.

"Master..." Sano slapped Kenshin's shoulder.

"Don't waste time, Kenshin. Uncle Shin is holding off the private soldiers. We should take this opportunity to reach Koryu," Sano said. Kenshin turned and charged into Koryu's residence with the others.

Shin, seeing Kenshin and the others disappear, casually knocked away a few private soldiers trying to sneak up on him. He placed his right hand on the hilt of his cane sword and his left hand on the shaft.

"Well... the foolish disciple who doesn't want to see death is finally gone. You only have yourselves to blame for joining an evil capitalist. Die."

A cold light shot out from the cane, slicing six private soldiers into twelve pieces. Shin then swung his cane in a half-circle, smashing two private soldiers' heads into pulp. Seeing Shin's strength, the private soldiers slowly surrounded him but none dared to approach. Shin forcefully planted the cane into the ground, switched the cane sword to his left hand, and drew Kikusen Sanjikimoon with his right.

"Since none of you are attacking, it's my turn. Let's test my new technique."

Shin lifted both swords, and despite being alone, the aura he emitted was like that of a thousand-strong army.

"Yuki Tenkenryu Ki Ren Kusei!"

Shin activated Ki Ren Kusei with both hands, unleashing thirty-six attacks in an instant. Thirty-six dark blue sword beams cut through the private soldiers, severing heads and limbs, and over fifty died in this single attack.

Shin's technique frightened many private soldiers into fleeing. After all, life is more important than money. These private soldiers, gathered by Koryu for money, knew what to choose when faced with death. However, there were always desperate individuals. Currently, over a hundred bodies lay on the ground, about a hundred had fled, and the remaining three hundred continued to attack Shin, likely thinking they could overwhelm him with numbers. However, Shin's endurance was excellent, and the previous dual-handed Ki Ren Kusei did not drain him much. Moreover, his Killing Heart could continuously restore his energy, making him strong in prolonged battles. Seeing the private soldiers' stubbornness, Shin said nothing more and continued his killing spree.

Kenshin's group encountered an ambush of private soldiers in the hall on the first floor. To save time, Tomoe, Yahiko, and Rinji stayed behind to clear the soldiers, while Sano and Kenshin charged toward the stairs. At the top of the stairs, they met Bishamon, the high-ranking Oniwabanshu spy who had previously rescued two Oniwabanshu members.

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**Character Status:**

**Name:** Takeda Shin

**Gender:** Male

**Physical Attributes:**

- Physical strength is about nine times that of an average person.

**Detailed Attributes:**

- Strength: 91 (10) - Affects burst strength, pure strength, and strength beyond limits.

- Agility: 100 (10) - Affects speed, reaction time, and intuition.

- Endurance: 95 (10) - Affects stamina, recovery speed, and the ability to withstand certain techniques.

**Skills:**

- Swordsmanship: Yuki Tenkenryu

- No-Blade Style (Consumes 10 Heart Coins)

- Mastery of All Cold Weapons (Consumes 200 Heart Coins)

- Mastery of All Firearms (Consumes 200 Heart Coins)

- Master of Combat (Consumes 10 Heart Coins)

**Acquired Heart Powers:**

- Killing Heart LV2: Does not waver in most situations when killing, has some resistance to illusions, and gains minor recovery from killing.

- Compassion Heart LV1+: A necessary heart for a strong person, has some resistance to illusions, and gains minor recovery from helping others.

- Calm Heart LV1: Daily life can cultivate one's character, has some resistance to illusions, and can gain the favor of ordinary people.

**Other: Not yet activated**

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**Rurouni Kenshin World**