CHAPTER 4- BLOODY BATTLES
Yumi, Shishio's lover, welcomed the three warriors into the fortress. She was put in charge of bringing them to their fights, which were to be one-on- one only. But when they were led in to meet their first challenge, Sanosuke was in for a surprise. He was to fight Anji, the Fallen Monk, the man who had taught him the Futae no Kiwame.
The next challenge was a blind man named Usui, a merciless, bloodthirsty warrior. Saitoh stepped forward to face him.
Then, after a skirmish with Aoshi, former leader of the Oniwabanshuu and an old rival, Kenshin was led in to face Soujiro. This was the last step before facing Shishio. Kenshin wondered how he stood against the boy nicknamed the "Heaven's Sword."
CLACK! CLASH! VASH! The two warriors matched blow-for-blow, destroying the room they raced about in. Yumi had to leave at one point because the ceiling had begun to crack and fall.
Kenshin fought desperately to gain the upper hand. Soujiro's smile rarely left his face. They went on evenly matched for what seemed to be ages. Sanosuke and Saitoh caught up to watch.
But Soujiro's "Shukuchi", an ultimate Godspeed, was quick to wear down on the former manslayer. Soon, Kenshin was planting his feet hard into the floor, blood dripping from a massive cut across his back.
The boy landed a few feet away and swung back into a battou-jutsu stance. "Heh, you survived the technique that the girl did not."
Kenshin quirked an eyebrow at this remark, "A girl?"
Sanosuke heard this too. An eerie feeling took hold of him.
Soujiro spread his feet apart further. "But fear not, Mr. Himura. You will see her again soon. After all, as I mentioned earlier, I have little time to spare."
Kenshin shrunk into his own stance. "Who is this girl you speak of?" Was it Kaoru? Or Misao?
"Perhaps this will make you mad if I tell you." Soujiro said with a half- shrug.
Now Sanosuke was angry. "Hey! Tell us who it was you killed!"
"Very well, very well." The young man stared into Kenshin's eyes. "The girl was---
The room fell silent.
"The girl was your own daughter."
Yumi, Shishio's lover, welcomed the three warriors into the fortress. She was put in charge of bringing them to their fights, which were to be one-on- one only. But when they were led in to meet their first challenge, Sanosuke was in for a surprise. He was to fight Anji, the Fallen Monk, the man who had taught him the Futae no Kiwame.
The next challenge was a blind man named Usui, a merciless, bloodthirsty warrior. Saitoh stepped forward to face him.
Then, after a skirmish with Aoshi, former leader of the Oniwabanshuu and an old rival, Kenshin was led in to face Soujiro. This was the last step before facing Shishio. Kenshin wondered how he stood against the boy nicknamed the "Heaven's Sword."
CLACK! CLASH! VASH! The two warriors matched blow-for-blow, destroying the room they raced about in. Yumi had to leave at one point because the ceiling had begun to crack and fall.
Kenshin fought desperately to gain the upper hand. Soujiro's smile rarely left his face. They went on evenly matched for what seemed to be ages. Sanosuke and Saitoh caught up to watch.
But Soujiro's "Shukuchi", an ultimate Godspeed, was quick to wear down on the former manslayer. Soon, Kenshin was planting his feet hard into the floor, blood dripping from a massive cut across his back.
The boy landed a few feet away and swung back into a battou-jutsu stance. "Heh, you survived the technique that the girl did not."
Kenshin quirked an eyebrow at this remark, "A girl?"
Sanosuke heard this too. An eerie feeling took hold of him.
Soujiro spread his feet apart further. "But fear not, Mr. Himura. You will see her again soon. After all, as I mentioned earlier, I have little time to spare."
Kenshin shrunk into his own stance. "Who is this girl you speak of?" Was it Kaoru? Or Misao?
"Perhaps this will make you mad if I tell you." Soujiro said with a half- shrug.
Now Sanosuke was angry. "Hey! Tell us who it was you killed!"
"Very well, very well." The young man stared into Kenshin's eyes. "The girl was---
The room fell silent.
"The girl was your own daughter."