Chapter 3
The fight between Shishio and Aoishi is more interesting than the one with Sano. It had been years since I've seen the water-flow ninja technique. It is rarely successfully performed in full sunlight. Aoishi comes close, but Shishio is able to follow the movements and land blows that Aoishi must block with his double kodachi's.
It's during this battle with Aoishi that reveals Shishio's superior ability to read and counteract attacks. Superior to most swordsmen, that is, not me.
The sound of leaves rustling and the movement of my mantle fluttering in the wind divert my attention from the battle with the foregone conclusion. My eyes rest on the sprawled form of my apprentice.
So, he's finally going to wake up, get serious, and finish what he started. Typical of him to take a break when there's serious matters afoot. It's not that he needs it. Or at least in a normal situation, he shouldn't.
It takes the others minutes to realize that the leaves blowing is not due to the breeze but Kenshin's swordsman spirit. I always thought it appropriate that Kenshin's spirit would manifest itself this way, though there was a time that I wondered if I would see it ever again.
Kenshin pulls himself to his feet by using his sword as a crutch. His eyes snaps back into focus and are harder, more intense than before. Good. The swirling of his spirit revitalizes Saitoh and Sano and his battle cry terrifies Shishio's lackey.
Kenshin meets Shishio's attack and it shows in his eyes that he is determined not to step back this time. The flames blow and again Shishio takes the opportunity to lever around and seize Kenshin by the throat. As Kenshin struggles to take breath, his eyes start to lose focus. He can't be losing consciousness already?
Kenshin's eyes refocuses and with it, his spirit also refocuses. He gives up struggling with Shishio's grip at his neck and instead uses both of his hands on the hilt of his sword to break Shishio's grip at Shishio's inner elbow. It's enough to force Shishio to release as well as cause the glove to inadvertantly explode.
Kenshin takes advantage of Shishio's surprise by starting a series of attacks, ending with Kenshin's unique Arashi. The form and power is adequate, but a sharp edge would have given greater effect. That difference shows as Shishio was able to brush off the effects of those Hiten Mitsurugi special attacks. The burn scars on his skin makes him more resilent to blunt attacks -the connected scars distributing the force of an attack throughout the body.
Shishio mocks Kenshin's attacks and delivers a burning slash with his sword while at it. For a change, it didn't affect Kenshin and he even grasps a few loose bandages dangling after Shishio's swing.
Kenshin speaks and it's clear to all that Kenshin is finally, completely angry. Somehow, this has become personal in Kenshin's mind.
He moves into the Kuzo Ryu Sen and the stabbing blow to the head finally affects Shishio. It's enough to slam Shishio against the wall and completely collapse that section. But before I could even think that Kenshin finally did something right in this entire battle, he collapses to his knees gasping for breath.
I'm bothered by his tiredness. It shouldn't have been that exhausting. Yes, his arms are puny and yes, he's light-weight, but everything else was as good as when he first tested the Kuzo Ryu Sen during training. It is like the attack he delivered affected him just as much as the earlier injuries inflicted by Shishio.
It leads me to just one conclusion. Something is wrong with my baka deshi.
The flames flare up and dance, the other fighters talk about Shishio's swordmen spirit as he emerges from the cloud of debri, but my focus narrows to just Kenshin.
I see how the blood bleeds down from Kenshin's forehead, his neck, his shoulder - visible even against his red hair. I see anew the black gunpowder burn, the slashing burn on his heaving chest, and the way he leans heavily on his sword.
Is he in the condition to pull off the ultimate attack? What has weaken him so?
My senses seem to sharpen even more as I watch my battered apprentice struggle to pull himself up. Over the roar of the flames, I hear the faint whispering of Kenshin's sword as it is slowly sheathed. I see the flip that places the sword and sheath in position for a battou-jutsu.
I hear the worried words of the woman, Yumi, and the confident reply of Shishio's lackey, Hogi. They know of the secret step of the Amakakaru no Hiremaki and so Shishio must know as well.
Shishio and Kenshin exchange last disagreeing words and then,
"And now, " Shishio says.
"Let's begin," Kenshin finishes.
The fight between Shishio and Aoishi is more interesting than the one with Sano. It had been years since I've seen the water-flow ninja technique. It is rarely successfully performed in full sunlight. Aoishi comes close, but Shishio is able to follow the movements and land blows that Aoishi must block with his double kodachi's.
It's during this battle with Aoishi that reveals Shishio's superior ability to read and counteract attacks. Superior to most swordsmen, that is, not me.
The sound of leaves rustling and the movement of my mantle fluttering in the wind divert my attention from the battle with the foregone conclusion. My eyes rest on the sprawled form of my apprentice.
So, he's finally going to wake up, get serious, and finish what he started. Typical of him to take a break when there's serious matters afoot. It's not that he needs it. Or at least in a normal situation, he shouldn't.
It takes the others minutes to realize that the leaves blowing is not due to the breeze but Kenshin's swordsman spirit. I always thought it appropriate that Kenshin's spirit would manifest itself this way, though there was a time that I wondered if I would see it ever again.
Kenshin pulls himself to his feet by using his sword as a crutch. His eyes snaps back into focus and are harder, more intense than before. Good. The swirling of his spirit revitalizes Saitoh and Sano and his battle cry terrifies Shishio's lackey.
Kenshin meets Shishio's attack and it shows in his eyes that he is determined not to step back this time. The flames blow and again Shishio takes the opportunity to lever around and seize Kenshin by the throat. As Kenshin struggles to take breath, his eyes start to lose focus. He can't be losing consciousness already?
Kenshin's eyes refocuses and with it, his spirit also refocuses. He gives up struggling with Shishio's grip at his neck and instead uses both of his hands on the hilt of his sword to break Shishio's grip at Shishio's inner elbow. It's enough to force Shishio to release as well as cause the glove to inadvertantly explode.
Kenshin takes advantage of Shishio's surprise by starting a series of attacks, ending with Kenshin's unique Arashi. The form and power is adequate, but a sharp edge would have given greater effect. That difference shows as Shishio was able to brush off the effects of those Hiten Mitsurugi special attacks. The burn scars on his skin makes him more resilent to blunt attacks -the connected scars distributing the force of an attack throughout the body.
Shishio mocks Kenshin's attacks and delivers a burning slash with his sword while at it. For a change, it didn't affect Kenshin and he even grasps a few loose bandages dangling after Shishio's swing.
Kenshin speaks and it's clear to all that Kenshin is finally, completely angry. Somehow, this has become personal in Kenshin's mind.
He moves into the Kuzo Ryu Sen and the stabbing blow to the head finally affects Shishio. It's enough to slam Shishio against the wall and completely collapse that section. But before I could even think that Kenshin finally did something right in this entire battle, he collapses to his knees gasping for breath.
I'm bothered by his tiredness. It shouldn't have been that exhausting. Yes, his arms are puny and yes, he's light-weight, but everything else was as good as when he first tested the Kuzo Ryu Sen during training. It is like the attack he delivered affected him just as much as the earlier injuries inflicted by Shishio.
It leads me to just one conclusion. Something is wrong with my baka deshi.
The flames flare up and dance, the other fighters talk about Shishio's swordmen spirit as he emerges from the cloud of debri, but my focus narrows to just Kenshin.
I see how the blood bleeds down from Kenshin's forehead, his neck, his shoulder - visible even against his red hair. I see anew the black gunpowder burn, the slashing burn on his heaving chest, and the way he leans heavily on his sword.
Is he in the condition to pull off the ultimate attack? What has weaken him so?
My senses seem to sharpen even more as I watch my battered apprentice struggle to pull himself up. Over the roar of the flames, I hear the faint whispering of Kenshin's sword as it is slowly sheathed. I see the flip that places the sword and sheath in position for a battou-jutsu.
I hear the worried words of the woman, Yumi, and the confident reply of Shishio's lackey, Hogi. They know of the secret step of the Amakakaru no Hiremaki and so Shishio must know as well.
Shishio and Kenshin exchange last disagreeing words and then,
"And now, " Shishio says.
"Let's begin," Kenshin finishes.