Page 1 Yukimura: Well, it looks like the Western Army is losing the battle of Sekigahara... Kyoushirou: Yeah, I guess so... Kyoushirou: But is it really okay to drink like this? Even you have your limits, Yukimura-san. Yukimura: ... Yukimura: It's just... It's just that... I thought everyone would be able to live happily... Yukimura: But in the end, I didn't accomplish anything at all... Page 2 Kyoushirou: Sakura... Kyoushirou: There sure are a lot of wild sakura here! Kyoushirou: [In spring, sakura would fall onto the porch... "Would you like some tea" "The ones over there are just budding" "The ones over here are in full bloom" - those were the kind of conversations we would have.] Kyoushirou: [In the summer and fall, I would plow our fields... We always had plenty to eat, but sometimes I'd be running late after going to Echigoya-san to buy the kind of dumplings that Sakuya liked.] Kyoushirou: [And in the winter, Onime no Kyo came and asked for a place to stay... it was all very unexpected. Sure... cheap sake was fine. Kyo would tell us stories about his battles.] Kyoushirou: [And then spring came... like it always does, over and over...Sakuya and I were together...] Page 3 Yukimura: Really? Sounds nice. Kyoushirou: It doesn't sound too wimpy? ...Kyo was always like "And this is supposed to be interesting...?" (That guy really needs to lighten up) Oh well... Kyoushirou: ...More than anyone else, he wanted Sakuya and I to be happy... Kyoushirou: ...You know, if something ever happened to me, then he... Yukimura: ...Kyoushirou-san.... Yukimura: [I know...] Yukimura: [That's right... I, too, became a demon to protect a small piece of happiness...] Yukimura: [I couldn't let go...] Yukimura: It's okay... It's okay to have dreams like that Yukimura: Mm... that was a nice story... but tell me, what's on your mind now? (I don't think it's just that fortune-telling miko or that Onime no Kyo guy) Kyoushirou: ... Kyoushirou: Well... that would be my best friend, Yukimura-san Yukimura: Whoa... I wasn't expecting that... Kyoushirou: Hehe... Yukimura: Hehe... Right now... Yukimura: You're implying something dirty, aren't you? Kyoushirou: EEEEHHH?! Kyoushirou: You've had WAY too much to drink!! Yukimura: ...Well Kyoushirou: GYAAAAAAHHH!! Text: [It's okay to dream...] Page 4 Yukimura: [Kyoushirou's dream is...] Yukimura: ["Sekireigan" - Nirenshiki!! (Double Sekireigan)] Text: [Sanada Yukimura finishes him off?!] Yuya: Yeah!! Yuya: The former Aka no Ou / Crimson King was totally fooled by the "Sekireigan's" decoys...!! Saizou: Yu... Yukimura-sama!! Saizou: [Using "Sekireigan" so many times in succession... is he trying to die?!] Yukimura: ...Did I get him?! Page 5 Aka-chan: Too bad... you were so close~ Aka-chan: And it was a good plan, too... Yukimura: He... he's not hurt?! Page 6 Yukimura: Not even a scratch on him...?! Aka-chan: Oh, is that all you have, Yukimura-san? Aka-chan: Is your life that precious to you? Aka-chan: "Sekireigan" really is a flawed technique if it kills you~ Saizou: ...What?! Saizou: UFlawed?! Anri: Basically, while I can release the power of "Sekireigan" using both eyes, you can only do it with one. Anri: With such a flawed technique, you can never defeat me. Anri: I didn't pass the technique on to you so you'd go off and get yourself killed! Yukimura: Ah... Yukimura: Anri-san... Aka-chan: Now, how does it go again...? Aka-chan: If sight and sense of balance fail, then even the strongest can be brought to his knees... Yukimura: Ah... Aka-chan: Well then, shall we go, Sakuya-san? Yukimura: ...no... wait...!! Yukimura: Don't go... Page 7 Yukimura: I won't let you kill Sakuya-san... Yukimura: Never!! Yuya: Yukimura-san... Yukimura: [I made a promise...] Yukimura: [Whatever happens, I believe in Kyoushirou] Aka-chan: Actually, I'm glad I met you, Sanada Yukimura-san. A samurai with eyes that sparkle like a burning flame... Aka-chan: Goodbye... Saizou Yu... Yukimura-sama... Page 8 Kyoushirou: Please wait, former Aka-no-ou... Yuya: K... Yuya: Kyoushirou...!! Page 9 Somebody: Ugh... Hotaru?: Ku... Hotaru: Ouch... Shinrei: Those kids were stronger than I thought... Yuan: Hey... is everybody alright? Akari: ...Sa... Akari: Sasuke-kun?! Page 10 Akari: Sasuke-kun?! Sasuke: Ow... that hurts... Sasuke: [...I'm alive?! How can I be alive when I feel like I've been swallowed up by darkness?] Shindara: Ah... Sasuke: Y... Sasuke: You.. no way... Sasuke: Shindara...?! Page 11 Sasuke: N... no... The original... Sarutobi Sasuke...?! Sasuke: But... but why would you save me?! Shindara: I... I just didn't want you to die... Little Sasuke... Sasuke: Huh...?! Shindara: Yukimura-sama... Shindara: Yukimura-sama faces "death" all the time... Shindara: Because of that "fate", only you can protect Yukimura-sama... Shindara: Then... if you don't live to return to him... Shindara: Without you, the strongest of the Juuyuushi... who will protect Yukimura-sama? Sasuke: Ah... you... Sasuke: But... but I can't... Sasuke: [Hishigi wounded me... am I a ghost...?] Sasuke: [If Yukimura and the rest of the Juuyuushi saw me like this, what would they say... how can I go back now?!] Shindara: He's waiting for you... Page 12 Shindara: No matter what happens, Yukimura-sama will always be waiting for you... Shindara: He believes in you. He knows you'll return. Yukimura: He does things because he wants to. That's the kind of person he is. Yukimura: [I still believe in you.] Sasuke: He's waiting for me...? Yukimura: [Whenever you come back, this is your home.] Shindara: Gah... Sasuke: Hey! Are you alright?! Shindara: Little Sasuke... listen to me... Shindara: To prove my loyalty to the gods of Mibu, I carved this sign into my cheek... I decieved the Mibu, and conceled myself from them. Shindara: It's coming... the Mibu threat that we must protect Sanada... no, protect Yukimura-sama from... Sasuke: What...?! Shindara: That's why... Shindara: I've done all this to my body. Taishirou and Hishigi have something, a secret they're protecting for the Mibu Clan. I've been waiting for my chance... Shindara: I had to see you, so I took advantage of the confusion within the Red Tower to finally make my way here... Page 13 Shindara: No... I stole all I could from the laboratories... Shindara: And this is all that's left...? Sasuke: Hishigi's reports...!! Shindara: Those reports disclose the Mibu Clan's deepest secrets... and the threat that you must protect Yukimura-sama from... Sasuke: B... but... Shindara: I... I don't have much time... Shindara: Even I, who proclaimed immortailty, cannot recover from this... Sasuke: But you... I'll help you! Shindara: I was originally a human, but I had my body modified and made stronger, but I could not regenerate indefinitely... Shindara: I have always known the consequences of breaking my physical limitations, so this does not come as a surprise to me... Shindara: I have accepted my fate... Shindara: But... Yukimura: [Sasuke...!! Come back... please...] Yukimura: [We can be together again...] Page 14 Shindara: If only I could... Shindara: I'd want to be at his side, protecting him again... Sasuke: ... Sasuke: Y... You... Shindara: Little Sasuke... Shindara: Please... promise me this... Promise me that you will protect Yukimura-sama without fail... Shindara: Sarutobi Sasuke of the Sanada Juuyuushi... that name belongs to you, and only you, now... Sasuke: S... Sasuke... Sasuke: I... It wasn't my choice... I didn't ask for that name, it was given to me... I can't accept this... Page 15 Sasuke: But... but don't you worry! Sasuke: I promise you... No matter what... I will protect Yukimura-sama! I... will be "Sarutobi Sasuke"...!! Shindara: [Please... Yukimura, please remain the kind-hearted, strong person I've always known...] Shindara: [Yukimura-sama...] Shindara: [Please...] Shindara: [This is the end of my mortal life... but... Yukimura-sama, I will always be with you...] Page 16 Yukimura: [Just now...] Yukimura: [What was that...?] Yukimura: [Sasuke...?!] Yuya: Kyoushirou!! Yuya: Thank goodness, you... Yuya: [You've come to save us...!!] Yuya: !? ...Kyoushirou... Page 17 Aka-chan: What are you doing here, Kyoushirou...? Aka-chan: You've come here... are you sure that was a good idea? Aka-chan: Surely you didn't come just to stand in my way? Kyoushirou: ... Kyoushirou: ...No Kyoushirou: I came, as the new Aka no Ou, to settle my past... Kyoushirou: To take Sakuya, who knows the greatest secret of the Mibu Clan... and kill her by my own hands... Page 18 Everybody: ...What?! Everybody: What is he saying...?! Kyoushirou: ... Kyoushirou: Please stand down, Yukimura-san. Yukimura: I... I can't do that... Yukimura: I made a promise to my friend, and I intend to keep it. Page 19 Yukimura: Even now... Yukimura: I believe in our friendship... Kyoushirou: I see... Kyoushirou: ...Well, then... Kyoushirou: Goodbye, Yukimura-san. Yukimura: [It's okay to dream...] Yukimura: [Kyoushirou's dream is...] Page 20 Yuya: No... Yuya: NO...!! Text: [For fleeting dreams and the binds of a promise - is this the end...!?" Text: Next issue: Betrayal! Continued in Issue #24!