Volume 2 The Executioner Chapter 117: Traces of Buddha's Enemies

The only sounds around me were the wind blowing past my ears and the sound of my own footsteps.

“…I feel a little lonely.”

Ogata muttered in a voice that only he could hear.

Before parting with Kuranaga and the others, Ogata didn't feel lonely.

After leaving Kuranaga and the others, a feeling of loneliness unconsciously emerged from Ogata's heart.

The master, fellow apprentices, Kuranaga, Tobisaru, Ichiro and others...all the people Ogata was familiar with are no longer alive.

The only friends Ogata has left in this world are Asaki, Fuku, and... the sword at his waist.

Asaki and Afuku, for a long time in the foreseeable future, Ogata will not have the chance to come back to Hirose Domain and meet Asaki and Afuku again.

In other words... the only thing left in this world to keep him company is the sword at his waist.

Ogata couldn't help but raise his left hand and press the guard of the katana on his left waist.

"I don't know what lies ahead..."

Ogata grumbled once again.

This time, his tone was no longer sad, but rather contained a hint of excitement and anticipation.

What was at the end of the horizon ahead - Ogata had no idea.

He didn't even know whether he was going east or west.

But Ogata didn't care about it.

After all, no matter which direction you go, you are moving forward. Just keep moving forward.

His feet are full of energy and his eyes are shining with the drive unique to young people.

Ogata slightly pushed up the edge of his hat and looked into the distance at the distant and completely unfamiliar road ahead.

With his left hand resting idly on the sword at his waist, Ogata walked forward along the winding country road, basking in the sunlight pouring down from the sky.

The weather is sunny and there is not a cloud in the sky.

…

at the same time--

Edo--

Somewhere in Edo, there was a magnificent mansion.

This mansion is not the home of some high-ranking official, but the residence of a famous government office in Edo... no, it is the residence of a famous government office known to all Japanese.

Outside the gate of this imposing government office, there stand two spring lanterns.

The lantern is painted with the family crest of the Tokugawa family, the family that ruled all of Japan: the three-leaf sunflower crest.

There is a wooden sign hanging next to the spacious gate that is large enough for eight people to enter side by side.

On this wooden sign, there are five powerful Chinese characters written in a vigorous style.

These five Chinese characters are the name of this government office known to everyone in the world.

It is also a name that makes countless thieves in the world tremble in fear - Fire Thief Kai.

It was just past noon, and the entire Edo Castle was immersed in a lazy atmosphere.

However, the fire thieves' office was quite lively.

An officer wearing the uniform of a fire thief, holding the knife at his waist, walked quickly towards the fire thief's office.

It was precisely because of the sudden arrival of this official that the atmosphere in the Fire Thief Office, which was originally immersed in a lazy atmosphere, suddenly changed.

The two officers standing guard outside the gate of the yamen recognized the man who was rushing towards them in a hurry.

This man is the leader of their Fire Thieves Kai - Hasegawa Heizo's right-hand man: Imai Sho.

After rushing into the government office of the fire thief Kai, Imai walked straight to a certain place inside the government office without any hesitation and with ease.

At this moment, a young man suddenly shouted from his side:

"Master Imai!"

Imai looked in the direction of the sound.

"It's Tachibana-kun."

Tachibana Heitaro - the name of the young man living in Imai.

He is a new member who just joined their Fire Thief Kai this year.

Although he is young, he is a master in swordsmanship and has a strong ability to handle various cases, so he is highly valued by Imai.

Tachibana walked quickly to Imai's side, maintaining the same pace as Imai, and walked side by side with Imai.

"Master Imai! Why are you in such a hurry? Are there any troublesome bandits appearing again?"

"I guess so." Imai said in a deep voice, "Tachibana-kun, you've come at the right time. I want to ask you - is Lord Hasegawa in the government office now?"

"Yes!" Tachibana said without hesitation, "But Lord Hasegawa is taking a nap now!"

"It's good that he's here. Ju Jun, listen to me. You should start preparing for the long journey right now."

"We are about to leave for Kansai."

"Kansai?" Tachibana exclaimed, "Are we going to such a far place?"

"That's right. We are going to chase a thief who has been giving us, the Fire Thief Kai, a headache for many years. I have just received the latest intelligence - the thief has been active in Kansai recently."

"We finally tracked down this thief. We can't let him go no matter what."

"Thief..." Ju was even more confused.

He thought for a long time, but still couldn't figure out who the thief Imai was talking about was.

After all - there are too many thieves on the run who are being tracked down by the officials who have replaced them as thieves all over the country.

"Master Imai!" Tachibana asked, "Who exactly are the thieves we are going to chase?"

"Go prepare for the long journey first!" Imai said in a somewhat impatient tone, "I'll tell you who we're going to chase later!"

"Yes Yes!"

Seeing that Imai was unwilling to say more, Tachibana did not dare to ask any more questions.

He quickly stopped walking side by side with Imai and prepared to follow Imai's instructions and make preparations for the long journey.

Imai was moving quickly through the corridors of their Fire Thief Kai at a speed no less than running.

Finally—he stopped in front of a sliding paper door that faced a small courtyard.

Facing the paper sliding door, Imai knelt on one knee.

Then--

"Master Hasegawa!"

He shouted at the paper sliding door in front of him in a voice that was neither too high nor too low.

After Imai finished speaking, a lazy voice, unique to humans just waking up, rang out from behind the sliding door:

"It's Imai..."

"What's the matter with you suddenly looking for me?"

"Master Hasegawa," Imai said solemnly, "We have tracked down... the 'Buddha Enemy'!"

As soon as Imai finished speaking, the sound of the quilt being lifted was heard behind the sliding door.

And...the sound of hurried footsteps.

call!

The paper sliding door in front of Imai was suddenly pulled open.

A middle-aged man in an ordinary brown kimono kept the posture of opening the paper sliding door, and said with a sullen face:

"…Imai, report to me all the information you have so far."

"yes!"

…

In the Omi region, in a certain mountain——

Mountains are the places farthest away from human beings.

However, in a certain mountain in the Omi region, a village was built abruptly.

However, it would be a bit of a stretch to call this group of buildings a village.

Because this "village" lacks the vitality and popularity that a human settlement should have.

Like a cube of ice, it exudes a cold breath.

Occasionally, there were a few people walking around in this "village", but they all had a blank expression and were in a hurry. No matter what they were wearing, or their expressions and movements, they were far from the image of mountain people.

In an ordinary wooden house in this "village", an old man with all his hair turned white was holding a scroll and reading it with great interest.

"...It seems..." The old man suddenly said to himself, "The purpose of the shogunate concentrating all the serious criminals in Kii...is much more interesting than I thought."

"It's been a long time since I encountered such an interesting thing. It's really itchy..."

After letting out a few strange laughs, the old man threw the scroll in his hand aside .

"Someone come here." The old man shouted in a casual tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, a young man in black clothes and black pants jumped down from the ceiling above the old man's head.

"Go and call Ah-Ming for me."

The old man said this while using his right little finger to pick out earwax.

"I have...an interesting task for her."

After saying this, the old man's one eye began to shine with a meaningful light.

This old man only has one eye, his right eye.

A huge scar ran vertically from the left side of his forehead, across his left eye, and then stopped at his left cheek.

…

Volume 2: The Executioner - The End!