Benji walk to his place and buy a newspaper. On his apartment he sit on the three people sofa on the living room and read the paper. And Benji say:
How they always got those pictures?
And he see the pictures of the two bodies on the alley, he turn the page and see a picture of Vincent Gianini and he say:
Al is right. My sword really call up attention.
And he smile and say:
Good. Now let me see…All then died with out draw the guns…mutilated corpses…headless bodies… blood and guts on everywhere…the mark of Seiryu is clearly seem by the precise cuts and decapitations. Deep cuts, that gush large amount of blood is also presence on the bodies. Quick kills and silent death…the bodies was not found until the morning. Marco Gianini was found by a peasant and Vincent Gianini and his bodyguards was found by a maid entering on the chateau grounds.
And Benji turn the page and say:
Well they sure detail it a lot.
And he read and say:
The police says that will capture the assassin. Eventually.
And Benji finish reading it and think:
Yeah sure. I work for the police. I guess that I should pay a visit to the old man. My tenken needs some repairs.
And he put the newspaper on a coffee table and put on his coat and walk away. He walk by the streets and pick a street car. After sometime he get down and walk to a Japanese looking neighborhood. And one woman with about thirty years old wearing a kimono say in Japanese bowing lightly for him:
Good afternoon Himura-sama.
And Benji say also in Japanese:
Hi Hinako. And I told you don't call me of sama. I feel old.
And she say:
But young master I have to show you respect.
And he say:
But…
And she say:
We all own too much to your deceased family and to you.
And he sigh and keep walking. He is greeted by all the people on the street. He enter on a Japanese gate and walk by a large Japanese style garden. He reach the house and enter. He remove his shoes and say on Japanese:
Oba-sama! Tadaima!
And a female voice say:
Okaerinasai Ben-chan. Come on in. we was expecting you.
The owner of the voice is a woman with forty years old wearing a pink kimono And he walk to her and he say:
How you know?
And she say:
You are on the papers as usual. By the body count we knew that you would bring the tenken to repair.
And Benji say:
That is right. Where oji-sama is?
And she say:
He is on the forgery he is working on your new sword.
And Benji say:
New sword?
And she say:
Talk to him. He will explain better than me. And ell him to take a break and have some tea with us.
And he nod and walk to an inner yard he put on before leave a straw sandals. On one corner near by a tall wall have a large stone shack with smoke coming from a chimney. He slide open a paper door and say:
Oji-sama boa-sama said to you have a break and have some tea.
And a tanned man wearing a dirty white kimono is hammering a burning red blade and he say:
I will be going.
He put the blade on the embers and turn to Benji. He have a thick beard and black eyes. And he say:
Let's go. By now Keiko must have prepared the tea and those candies that you like so much.
And they walk out of the shack and to the house after take out the sandal they walk to a room. And they kneel on the tatame floor and Keiko the woman who received him say serving tea to then:
You could have taken out some of that soot from you. Yamada you are dirtying the tatame
And he say:
I will not take too long.
And she sigh. And he say:
Now Benji give me the tenken.
And Benji take from his coat the sword covered on a sword cloth protection. And Yamada say:
You always keep her on the fukuro?
And Benji say:
Only when I am not using it. And to walk on the streets. I don't need to be arrested because of her.
And the man nod and undo the string knot and unsheathe the sword and he look and the blade and say:
You polished it last night.
And Benji say:
How you know?!
And he say:
It have some uchiko (the white powder) on the guard.
And Benji say:
Really?
And he say:
Yes. And the blade is not on a good shape.
And Benji say:
That is why I brought her.
And he say after hit the blade with his finger on one side of it:
The sound of the vibration is not good. And I can see many thin and small cracks. This blade is on the end of her life.
And Benji say:
I see.
And he say:
On one thousand of years this sword was passed on your family. One thousand years of wars, battles and all kind of fights. And now you is using more intensely that was used on the Meiji revolution on the end of the bakumatsu. Even facing many inferiors enemies the blade is reaching the end. On this last half century it have taken too much blood. From good opponents. Bad fighters. Politicians and now criminals. Your grandfather used this blade almost to the breaking point on the bakumatsu. It seems that you will end this blade.
And Benji say:
I know. But I will have my revenge.
And Keiko say:
Against a man that you don't know who is. You only have seen his face.
And Benji say:
Is enough for me.
And she say:
Even you can't kill all the members of the mafia. And found that man on the middle of many is not easy.
And Benji say:
I will do it.
And Yamada say:
Keiko you know that is useless try to change his mind. You have suffered as well me and him when that happened. He have the duty of doing it.
And Benji say:
Oba-sama told me that you are making me a new sword.
And he say:
That is right. I was forging it when you came. It will be my masterpiece. It take the energy from the enemy that you kill. And more evil he is better. More energy is taken. But it also take energy from you.
And Benji say:
Why?
And Yamada say:
I put on the blade an evil spirit. It feeds on energy. Evil energy. If it is hungry it will take yours. And more evil energy you give to her better the blade will kill. Is a circle. More you kill at once better you will kill.
And Benji say:
I see. So if I kill two enemies with it more energy it takes?
And Yamada say:
Yes. And more slashes you give more energy it takes from the enemy.
And Benji say:
When will be ready?
And he say:
I don't know is on the middle of the process. I am using some mineral that I took from a demon many years ago. Even before you was born. So it take a while.
And Benji say:
And the tenken?
And he say:
I will repair it. But she will have to stay here for one week.
And Benji say:
One week! I can't stay with out a sword for so long.
And Yamada say:
You will use the shikomizue.
And Benji say:
I don't like that sword! The wood sheath and handle break easy and I can't use the battou with it. There is no guard and the sheath would be cutted.
And Yamada say:
I have made a steel sheath with a wood exterior. And a new hilt. And I have made a small guard. But large enough to you do the battou.
And Benji say:
But the blade is not so strong.
And Yamada say:
I know. But use it. Keiko get the shikomizue.
And she nod and walk away. Later Benji is on the inner yard facing a large wood pillar on the yard. And with a quick sword draw he cut it on the half. And Yamada say:
So now you stop complain about it?
And Benji say:
I guess that it will do for while.
And Yamada nod. And Benji say:
By the way where is Kirika?
And Yamada say:
On the school she will be back at seven.
And Benji say:
Okay. I will be going now.
And he say:
You could stay over for dinner.
And Benji say:
I am expecting to have more work tonight.
And Yamada say:
Being a hitokiri is not a good job.
And Benji say:
I know but for now I will do it.
Benji put the sword on the fukuro and on his coat. And they walk to the house. And after he say his farewells he walk away. He move away from the Japanese neighborhood and pick a street car back to his place. He walk to the building mail box and see an envelope on his apartment box. He pick it and open the white envelope and read:
Call Joe as soon you see this.
Signed: Al.
Benji rip the letter and walk away to the street. He goes to a pay phone he enter on it and close the door and dial a number and when the other person picks up he say:
Himura, Benji. City, chain, pod, market and bat.
And the other person say:
Good you got it fast. Well kid we go work for you.
And Benji say:
Go on.
And Joe say:
Your target is on a file case on your mail box. As well his usual routines and probable places to do the hit. The payment is in there too.
And Benji say:
Is a badge work or an outsider?
And Joe say:
Is a paid badge. A cop is being threatened by your target. Your job is eliminating it.
And Benji say:
I understand. And my information?
And Joe say:
I dig up some things about her. Is also in there. On the brown envelope.
And Benji say:
Okay. I am taking it now.
And Joe say:
Okay. Good luck kid.
And Benji say:
I have skill. I don't need luck. But thanks.
And Joe say:
Is always good have it. Bye.
And Benji hung the phone and walk to the post office on the other block. He open a mail box and pick up a brown file and close read it. He put it back on the mal box and lock it. He walk away from the post office and think:
So now he will be on the restaurant on the second street.
And he walk away. And later on the street he pass by a blonde woman with short blonde hair and wearing a black coat. And a brunet woman with pale skin and also wearing a black coat. But she is carrying a package. He pass by then and turn the corner. And the brunet say:
Hey Maria isn't that guy the one from the bar?
And the blonde say:
I didn't notice.
And on the empty street Benji walk to an alley and put on his mask and leather gloves. He jump on the walls and reach the roof and enter on the restaurant by there. He meet a man on a suit carrying a machine gun on the stairs and he grab him from behind and stab him on the kidney from behind. And the man on pain drop the gun and open his arms wide open. And Benji stab him on the heart. The man fall with not making a noise and Benji clean the knife and keep moving. He smile at see that the blood is not coming out of the wounds and think:
That is always effective to not send splatters around.
And he meet couple more men's and he quickly cut they heads off with the sword. He reach the dinning area and see the curtains closed and he see many men's in the room and a fat Italian man on a fancy suit say:
So this is it. I want him dead tonight. Understand that Paco?
And a thin man with a very suspicious face wearing a cheap suit say:
Yes boss as you wish. I will make then regret of messing with you.
And Benji get a handful of shurikens and he toss then at the men's with guns and he hit then on the head. They fall and Benji dash in the room. He quickly kill then and one of his slashes was so low that he cut the wood floor deeply before cutting the fat man in the half. And Benji cut the thin man head by the half from one ear to another. The blood gush and Benji kill the last guard before he could shot or scream cutting out his arms and then the head. When the last body fall Benji clean the sword on some napkins and he make his way back up. On the roof Benji leap out from rooftop to rooftop until he is far from there. And he hear a man screaming:
Boss! Boss! Someone killed my boss!
And Benji smile and he move away. On the street more people gathers around the restaurant. Soon the police arrive and at that time Benji is on the next block of the city already unmasked walking away calmly. He go to the post office and pick up the brown envelope and walk away to his house to have a some peace for sometime. Until he go out to drink something on the Fraunces Tavern. On his apartment Benji finish to read the information about Kuassari and think:
She rose from the flames of despair. Unbeatable. She sounds just like me.
And he toss the sheets of paper attached by a paper clip on the coffee table and lay on the couch. He fall on sleep. Sometime later the door open and a man on a trench coat walk in. and move closer to Benji. Then all of sudden Benji get up and slash the man. The slash pass close of the man nose and the man say:
God Himura! You nearly killed me!
And Benji say:
Don't sneak in Al. if I wasn't wake I would have cutted your head out. I missed by few millimeters.
And Al touch his nose and say:
Thank god for that. Now Benji answer me.
And he say:
Shoot.
And he sheathe the sword. And Al say:
Can you dance?
And Benji say:
What you mean by dance?
And Al say:
Waltz, bolero. Ball dances?
And Benji say:
I know why?
And Al say:
Great! You have any formal clothes?
And Al move to Benji room and open the closet and begun to search on Benji hanged clothes. And Benji say:
Hey hands off my clothes!
And Al say:
This will do it!
And he pull a cloth hanger with a white blazer with black collar and cuffs. It have a black shield on the left side of the chest. A black pants and a social shirt with a high collar. And Benji say:
What?! That is my old school uniform!
And Al say:
Well is good enough.
And he put the clothes over Benji and say:
Needs to remodel. Now come with me. And leave that overgrown knife on here.
And he drag Benji away with the cloth hanger on the free hand. A half hour later on a tailor Benji is with the clothes and Benji say:
Why I have to wear this?!
And Al say:
You are going to a party. A formal party.
And he light a cigarette. And Benji say:
Why me? I don't like to show up.
And Al say:
Hey Sam go make a coffee break. Fife minutes okay?
And the elder tailor say:
Okay.
And he leave. And Al say:
You killed the target on the day light! On a movement street! And you say that you don't want to show up!
And Benji say:
No one have seen me.
And Al say:
Come on Benji! The news are already crucifying us for not catch you. And you do a hit like that. Is like you slapped on the police face as well the mafia.
And Benji say:
It was marked urgency.
And Al say:
You could do it more discreetly. But the job is done. And you have a new hit.
And Benji say:
Already?! Four in one and a half day?!
And Al say:
Yes. We are launching a war against then. You are our main weapon against then.
That is why you are going to the party.
And Benji say:
You was lecturing me about doing on a public place and now are ordering me to kill on a party?! What about the secrecy of my image?!
And Al say:
Is a mask ball. So you can use your mask during the entire party and be unnoticed.
And Benji say:
Still Al sounds a bad idea. I don't want to go.
And Al say:
You are going. Now shut up and let the tailor adjust the suit. And remove that school shield. And one hour later Benji on the suit say:
Fine I am dressed now I need gloves and a mask.
And Al say:
You will be using this gloves and this mask.
And Al hand to Benji a pair of white cloth gloves and a cloth mask on the same model as his normal one but white. And Benji put then on and the tailor say:
You are looking absolutely stunning.
And Benji say turning to Al:
I am calling too much attention.
And Al say:
In there you will be mixed on the crowd of men wearing tuxedos. You will blend well.
And Benji sigh and the tailor say:
Now I have to remove that shield.
And Benji remove the blazer. Fife minutes later Benji on his normal clothes receive the blazer and Al say:
I will come to get you on to the party. Be ready at six P.M on two days. Here is tomorrow pass.
And Benji nod and pick the paper from him. He get a package with his clothes and walk away. He go to his apartment and put the package on a table and he look at the clock and think:
Still is too soon to go to tavern. Is only seven. I need to do something to pass the time. Maybe I read that new book of Cain Smith.
And he pick a book on the coffee table and begun to read it. Four hours later Benji close the book and say:
Not bad at all. It was a well expended twenty cents.
He look to the clock and say:
What? Is already fifteen pass eleven!
He pick his coat and the sword and get away from his apartment and walk to the Fraunces tavern. On his way to the bar some guys got in front of him armed with knifes and baseball bats. And one of then say:
Give us your wallet!
And Benji stay quiet and the guy say:
Come you motherfucker give me your wallet or you will die.
And Benji look at then and say:
Well you are in fife and are armed. That is not fair.
And they laugh and the guy say:
Life isn't fair.
And Benji say in a very cold and hastily tone:
I know. You guys seriously need help.
And the fife shiver and Benji punch the leader hard on the neck. A snapping sound is heard and another guy say:
Kill him!
And one guy try to his Benji with a baseball bat. Benji punch on the bat and breaks it cleanly and he punch the guy face hard. The guy nose breaks and the guy fall on the ground and Benji smile and say well the score is a broken throat and a broken nose on you guys and not even a scratch on me.
And the guys shiver on fear and Benji crack his knuckles and beat then hard.
Later he get in the bar and say:
Hi Jean.
And Jean the bartender say:
Hi Benji. The usual?
And Benji nod. He sit on an empty stall and Jean serve his drink. And Jean say:
You heard of it Benji?
And Benji say:
Heard what?
And Jean say:
That Seiryu guy attacked today. At broad day light! He killed about twenty men's with out been seen!
And Benji say:
Really? I didn't hear of it.
And Jean say:
But the guy who was killed was a mafia leader. And from the worse kind of one. He also killed a famous assassin too. His reputation are only growing.
And Benji say:
Well it happens. Is a violent time and we are living on a violent city.
And Jean say:
True. But this is odd Benji you usually don't come here at the Thursdays.
And Benji say:
Bad day.
And Jean say:
Happens.
And Benji sip on his drink. And Jean say:
What happened with your hand?
And Benji say:
Nothing serious. I just beated some fuckers out there.
Benji pours some sake over his scrapped knuckles. Jean shiver seeing it and say:
Damn that must hurts like hell!
And Benji say:
Stings a bit. Jean get me some of those peanuts. And a refill.
And Jean nod. And Benji finish his drink and Jean say:
Why that bad face? Is the drink bad?
And Benji say:
Well it don't taste good.
And Jean say:
Weird. This bottle is brand new. It is spoiled?
And Benji think:
It tastes like blood. As well everything that I drink lately. With me smelling like blood what can I do about it? I am killing too much.
And Benji say:
Is not the sake Jean. On Japan it have an old superstition that says when you drink something that is good and taste bad the problem is not the sake that you drink. The problem is you. And lately the sake does not taste good.
And Jean say:
And you still drink it.
And Benji say:
I know. Now give me the refill.
And Jean pours more sake on Benji glass. And Jean say:
For weirder that sounds this stuff is good. This one is very sweet.
And Benji say:
Is rice wine Jean. Have the sweet kind and the dry kind. As well wine. As I told you I like the sweet kind more.
And Jean nod.