The news spreads like wildfire among the warrior community.
The man once known as Battousai has mastered the Hiten Mitsurugi.
And that makes him all the more dangerous. The government is overjoyed at this news.
And such news never stays away from the likes of Miburu's Wolf.
The lone Wolf picks up the pace of his footsteps. He wishes to see how Kenshin has dealt the Final Strike of the Hiten Mitsurugi to his own master. Has he broken his promise to never kill? In what state is the Master of Hiten Mitsurugi? Or is it the former master? Will Kenshin be able to fight Shishio after this battle? Is he mentally prepared? These thoughts plagued the Wolf to no extent. He was more worried about the fate of his nation than the man known as Hiko Seijuro frankly. But this mans state was of prime importance here, for it would reveal whether their side had the slightest of chances at gleaning a victory from the clutches of Makoto Shishio.
Master Hiko Seijuro sat with his legs folded. The Shirasaya Nihonto erect in front of him, he looked like a hermit deep in a meditative trance. He half opened an eye to see a wispy figure approach him. A few moments later, as his nose crinkled, he opens his eye again to reveal a dark blue pair of pants and a sheathed Katana. He looked up and saw one of the members of the secret police. The man unsheathed his katana over Seijuro's head. Seijuro used the Shirasaya Nihonto to push the sword away from atop his head and scowled.
The man also known as Miboru's Wolf was a former Shinsengumi captain. Saito Hajime. He pouted as the words dripped out of his mouth. "Didn't you get beat?" The sitting man nodded. "Doesn't look like it." "I'm much better than your kind." "Why don't we give that theory of yours a try?" Hajime plucked the cigarette from his lips and dropped it near the sitting mans leg. The sitting man glared at it for a few moments and then slid backwards. He stood up, his long white heavy cape bellowing as he did so. He put a foot forward on the cigarette and crushed its glowing orange head. Hajime nodded smiling. They both jumped a few paces backwards. Hajime's eyes darken and his lips parted in a grin to reveal a row of perfectly set teeth. He took the Gatatsou Nishiki stance, the katana pointed to his opponent's knee. But he looked at his opponent straight in the eye. Seijuro stood with his own katana by his side, his body curved, he bent slightly forward. The cloak dangled from his shoulders.
Hajime charged without a word or a warning. He let his blade skim upwards slightly, then it nose-dived at Seijuro's knee. The thrusting onslaught of Hajime's katana was thickly flicked away by the draw of Seijuro's blade. Seijuro stood over a kneeling Hajime, his sword drawn and behind his back. Hajime was a little taken aback by this smash mouth deflection. It would have unarmed anyone else with its force but Hajime had maintained his grip on the butt of his blade. Now Seijuro smiled. They both retreated and both took the same stances again. It was the same thing again, but this time Hajime swung around with the force of his blade being driven away and stabbed at his opponent's neck, only to be deflected again, this time though, as he swung in the other direction to slash at Seijuro's throat, he also let his left leg fly, The unanticipated double attack caught Seijuro off guard. And He caught the kick squarely in the gut. Seijuro reeled back, his eyes narrowing, teeth clenching. Hajime chuckled. He stepped back and got into the Gatatsou Ishiki stance. Seijuro dropped his sheath and stood straight with his sword in his hands, almost akin to the Kuzuryusen. Then as the Wolf leapt towards him, Seijuro dug his sword in the ground ant the earth exploded clouds of dust, rubble and large chunks of rock flew in the air from him. "Doryusen." muttered Seijuro. From the large cloud of dust that rose a few feet from Seijuro, Hajime popped out from its top and directly descended down onto Seijuro, only to land on ground as Seijuro had side stepped him and now he stood at Hajime's side and he kept his Blade on Hajime's neck and chuckled.
Hajime withdrew from the man and blew air out of his mouth. "Got any offence?" Seijuro Hiko shrugged off his cloak and it fell to the ground with a thump. The dull olive green shirt he wore was clean. There was a visible gash across his chest. He replayed the kick he had received in his head once. Then He warned Hajime by pointing the tip of his sword at him, yearning him to be ready. The Wolf nodded back. Then, with speed almost invisible to the naked eye, Seijuro was next to Hajime and then he simply went on to grab at Hajime's wrists. The Shirasaya Nihonto held firmly between Seijuro's teeth. Then he whispered into Hajime's ear "Can't kill you, that idiot might need your help."
Both men dusted themselves off and Hiko went inside his hut and came out with a large jug. He also had a neat little vessel with him.
Both men sat across each other. Hajime lit a cigarette and blew its smoke in the air in a thin line. Seijuro poured "SAKE" in the cup and offered it to Hajime. "Don't drink!" He scowled. "But you smoke." chuckled Seijuro. "We all have our own vices, don't we?" Hajime said grimly. Seijuro chuckled again. The Wolf chuckled back "Try your's if you try mine."
Seijuro took one cigarette from Hajime and stuck it between his lips, Hajime lit it for him. He drew in a long deep breath through the cigarette and looked like he had been choked. He raised his eyebrows and bit the cigarette. Then he let out a large sigh, as smoke dribbled out of his lips. Hajime sniggered loudly, "Acquired taste."
He drank from his brim filled cup, just a small sip. "So is yours."
He finished the cup of "SAKE" in two gulps. He then stood up, picked his sword, and left, waving. "They might need `YOU' in Aoiya"
Hiko Seijuro XIII, the master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu sat calmly drinking "SAKE", as the sun set.