We returned to the dojo in silence, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. The night air was thick with tension, and the moonlight barely pierced through the forest canopy. I could sense the unease in Kenshin; it radiated off him like heat. He wasn't just worried—he was afraid.
"Please, Aka," Kenshin started, his voice soft but firm, "stay here at the dojo."
I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at him. "No way. I'm coming with you. Kaoru was my friend before she was yours, and I'm not leaving her to face Jin'eh alone."
Kenshin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly not wanting to argue with me but knowing he wouldn't win. "Fine," he relented, "but promise me you won't get involved in the fight. Jin'eh is after me, not you."
I nodded, though I had no intention of staying out of it if things went south. "Fine," I said, a little too quickly. But if his life was in danger, I knew I wouldn't be able to just stand by. I'd already lost him once, and I wasn't about to let it happen again.
As midnight approached, Kenshin scribbled a quick note for Yahiko, leaving it on the table before we headed out into the forest. The tension only grew as we moved deeper into the woods, the only sound being the soft rustling of leaves under our feet. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, every snap of a twig a prelude to an attack. When we finally reached the abandoned temple, my heart sank. Kaoru was there, tied up and gagged, her eyes wide with fear. I clenched my fists and made my way over to her, trying to keep my emotions in check.
"Well, well, it looks like the fun is about to begin," Jin'eh sneered, his voice dripping with malice.
"Kenshin! Aka!" Kaoru called out, her voice muffled by the gag. I could see the anger building in Kenshin's eyes, a storm brewing just beneath the surface. Jin'eh noticed it too, and a twisted grin spread across his face.
"Heh, I like those eyes. It means you're angry," Jin'eh taunted, clearly enjoying the effect his words were having. But it wasn't just Kenshin who was furious—I could feel my own anger bubbling up inside me, but there was something else too, something darker that I couldn't quite place. My brother's demeanor had shifted, and it sent a chill down my spine.
"Yeah, angry at you for putting Miss Kaoru and my sister in the middle of this, and angry at myself for not being able to stop you," Kenshin said, his voice low and menacing.
This isn't the Kenshin I know. This is someone different, someone I'd never seen before.
Jin'eh chuckled darkly as he and Kenshin drew their swords, the moonlight glinting off the blades. "I sense a pleasing desire to kill from you," Jin'eh said with a grin. "Now you only have to flip the blade on that silly sword, and the legendary manslayer will be born again into this world."
"Shut up," Kenshin snapped, his voice cold and unyielding. My stomach twisted in knots. This wasn't the brother I knew. This was someone dangerous, someone who terrified me. They began to fight, and it was like watching a storm clash with a wildfire—both destructive forces, neither willing to back down. Jin'eh attempted to use his shino ipo on Kenshin again, but my brother was quicker this time. "I don't think so," Kenshin muttered, breaking free from the technique with ease. But Jin'eh only laughed, taunting him further.
"Get angrier, Battosai! Is that all you've got?" Jin'eh goaded, his voice dripping with scorn. The fight intensified, and I watched in horror as Kenshin took a deep cut to his left shoulder. The sight of his blood sent a jolt of fear through me.
"Kenshin, no!" Kaoru gasped, her voice filled with despair.
Jin'eh sneered, clearly unimpressed. "You're not there yet. You're still far from becoming the Battosai you used to be. It's because as angry as you are now, you still don't want to kill me. As long as you keep thinking you can defeat me without killing me, I can kill you without even breaking a sweat. You're beginning to bore me."
"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried out again, her voice trembling. "Don't you have a shred of humanity? Are you some kind of monster?" She glared at Jin'eh, her eyes burning with fury. "You're a horrible beast."
Jin'eh's response was a cold, chilling laugh. "Go on, let the anger build within you," he said, directing his words at Kenshin. Then, before I could react, he turned his gaze to Kaoru and me, and I felt my body seize up. I gasped, my chest tightening as if an invisible hand was squeezing the life out of me. I fell to my knees, struggling to breathe.
What...what is this? The shino ipo...but stronger...
I could hear Kaoru struggling beside me, her breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. "Ken...shin..." Kaoru managed to choke out, her voice barely a whisper.
"Miss Kaoru! Aka! You bastard, what have you done to them?" Kenshin's voice was filled with a mix of panic and rage.
Jin'eh's eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction. "It's a stronger version of the shino ipo. I've paralyzed their lungs. They'll last at most five minutes before they suffocate."
"What?" Kenshin's voice trembled as he stared at Jin'eh, one hand clutching the wound on his shoulder, the other gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles were white.
Jin'eh's laughter echoed through the temple, a sound that chilled me to the bone. "There are only two ways to undo this," he explained, his tone almost casual. "The first is for the targets to overcome it themselves, but that's possible only for someone with a very strong swordsman spirit. Heh, it's utterly impossible for those girls." He glanced at us, his smile widening. "The second way is for the one who cast the shino ipo to die. In other words, unless you kill me, the girls die."
Don't underestimate us, Jin'eh. We're stronger than you think...
"What's wrong, Battosai? There's no time to lose. Are you going to let them die without lifting a finger? Death by suffocation isn't pretty," Jin'eh continued to taunt, his voice dripping with cruelty.
"Jin'eh," Kenshin's voice was low, dangerous. I could see it in his eyes—the shift. He was teetering on the edge, the part of him he'd been suppressing for so long clawing its way to the surface.
"We don't have time for small talk," Jin'eh sneered. "If you have something to say, say it with that silly sword of yours."
Kenshin's body tensed, and in an instant, he disappeared from sight. My eyes widened in shock, barely catching the blur of movement as Kenshin reappeared and struck Jin'eh in the face with a speed that defied belief. Jin'eh stumbled back, blood streaming from his broken nose, but his grin only widened. "That attack just now...not only couldn't I see the sword's path, but I couldn't even see your body follow through with the attack," Jin'eh said, his voice tinged with excitement. "This is the Hiten Mitsurugi style! This is Battosai the manslayer!"
My breath hitched as I looked at my brother. His eyes...they'd turned red, glowing with a fury I'd never seen before. "As you said, there's no time for talk," Kenshin growled, his voice cold and unrecognizable. "If you want me to kill you, then please hurry up and prepare for death."
A shiver ran down my spine. This wasn't the kind and gentle Kenshin who had vowed never to kill again. This was Battosai the manslayer, and for the first time in my life, I was truly afraid of him.
"Oh no," I mumbled under my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched Kenshin's grip on his sword tighten, his gaze locked on Jin'eh.
"If I want you to kill me, huh? Very good. A threat worthy of a manslayer," Jin'eh replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction. He was clearly pleased, his eyes gleaming with twisted delight as he shrugged off his coat, revealing a tight, black long sleeve shirt that clung to his wiry frame. "So you're finally back," he continued, his tone almost welcoming. "Welcome back to the Revolution. Welcome back, Battosai," he added with a wicked smile that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Kenshin...don't. You...mustn't," I heard Kaoru manage to say, her voice weak but desperate, pleading with my brother to stay the man we both knew him to be. But I could see it—the flicker in Kenshin's eyes, the struggle to keep the beast within him at bay. I couldn't just stand there and let him lose himself.
"Alright, that's it!" I growled, forcing myself to break free of the shino ipo's grip. The air rushed back into my lungs as I stumbled forward, positioning myself between Kenshin and Jin'eh. My body still ached from the paralysis, but I couldn't let that stop me.
"Akasuki, this doesn't concern you," Kenshin said, his voice low, almost detached. His eyes were still glowing with that ominous red light, but there was a hint of concern in them as he looked at me.
"Yes, it does, Kenshin," I shot back, my voice shaking with emotion. "I won't let my big brother return to being a Hitokiri. Not for anything." I met his gaze with determination, my grip tightening on my sword.
"Aka..." Kenshin started, but I didn't give him the chance to finish. My body moved on its own, driven by the need to protect my brother from himself. I charged at Jin'eh, my sword slicing through the air as I aimed for his chest. But Jin'eh was fast—too fast. He deflected my strike with ease, his smirk widening as he countered with a swift slash aimed at my side. I gasped as the blade bit into my flesh, a sharp pain radiating from the wound. My knees buckled, and I fell to the ground, clutching my side as warm blood seeped through my fingers.
"I underestimated you," Jin'eh said, his voice filled with cruel amusement. "Killing the Battosai's little sister will be an added bonus." I saw the shadow of him raising his sword, ready to finish me off.
Focus, Aka. You can still stop him.
But before I could react, Kenshin's voice rang out, filled with fury. "Jin'eh! I'm your opponent!"
Jin'eh turned to face Kenshin with a laugh, lowering his sword. "And so the true battle finally begins. I'll finish her off after I kill you. Here I come, Battosai!" he exclaimed as he charged at Kenshin, his movements fluid and deadly. But then, suddenly, he stopped, his sword hovering in mid-air.
"What's wrong?" Kenshin asked, his voice calm, almost taunting.
"As expected of the legendary manslayer, you're truly a different person when you're ready to kill," Jin'eh replied, his tone laced with grudging respect. "It is time for me to take this battle seriously, so that I can defeat the Revolution's strongest man."
Jin'eh raised his sword, using the blade like a mirror as he stared into his own eyes. "Shino ipo induces an illusion that paralyzes the victim. I will now use it upon myself. In other words, I will induce an illusion upon myself that will maximize my full potential," he explained, his voice taking on an almost reverent tone.
"I am undefeatable! I am invincible! I am the strongest ever," Jin'eh chanted, his eyes wild with a mix of madness and euphoria. "The hidden usage for the shino ipo: the Hioki spell. This is the first time I've used it in the past fifteen long years since I left the Shinsengumi," he added before swinging his sword at a nearby rock, hitting it seven times with lightning speed, each strike carving deep grooves into the stone.
Kenshin watched him, his expression unreadable, but I could sense the shift in him—the calm before the storm. "You can use as many skills as you want. However, now that I have said that I will kill you, your death tonight has been assured, Jin'eh," Kenshin said, his voice cold as he sheathed his sword and assumed the battoujutsu stance. "Come. I'll let you taste a little sample of why they call me the Battosai."
"Let's begin, Battosai!" Jin'eh roared as he lunged at Kenshin with terrifying speed. I struggled to get to my feet, every muscle in my body protesting, but I couldn't let this fight continue. I couldn't let Kenshin lose himself. Jin'eh dodged Kenshin's initial attack, his movements almost too fast for me to follow. He sneered as he prepared to counter, his sword aimed directly at Kenshin's heart.
"I've won this match, Batto—"
He was cut off by a sharp, decisive strike from Kenshin, who had used his sheath to slam into Jin'eh's right arm. The force of the blow crushed Jin'eh's elbow joint, the sickening sound of bones breaking filling the air.
"Hiten Mitsurugi style battojutsu—soryusen," Kenshin stated, his voice devoid of any emotion. "I'm fully aware that the reverse blade sword is not suited for battoujutsu. The name Battosai comes from the fact that I have perfected everything concerning battoujutsu. I crushed your elbow joint and tore the ligaments. Your life as a swordsman is now over, and so is your life as a human being."
Kenshin flipped his blade, his stance ready to deliver the final blow. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched him, my breath catching in my throat.
No...don't do it, big brother. I...can't lose you.
Jin'eh lay on the ground, bloodied and broken, yet still, he laughed. "What's wrong? Why are you hesitating? In order to free the girl of the shino ipo, you have no other choice but to kill me," he said, his voice filled with grim satisfaction. He wanted to die, to push Kenshin over the edge.
This guy's insane.
"To protect Miss Kaoru and my little sister, I will become a manslayer once again!" Kenshin declared, his voice filled with a resolve that chilled me to the bone.
"Haha, that's the way! Let me die enjoying the taste of the blade of Battosai the manslayer," Jin'eh smirked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Kenshin's sword arced through the air, aimed directly at Jin'eh's heart. "Die," my brother commanded, his voice carrying the weight of his decision.
"No!" I screamed, throwing myself between them, blocking Kenshin's attack with my own sword. The force of his strike sent a shockwave through my body, nearly knocking me off my feet.
"Kenshin, don't!" Kaoru cried out, her voice breaking through the darkness that had consumed my brother. I glanced over at her, seeing tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were filled with desperation, but also with hope. Both Jin'eh and Kenshin turned to look at her, the tension in the air suddenly shifting. Kenshin's eyes...they were back to their normal purple, the red fading as he stared at Kaoru in shock.
"Kenshin, don't go back to being a manslayer. You can't use swordsmanship...to kill," she said, her voice trembling as she collapsed, her strength finally giving out.
"Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin exclaimed, his voice filled with panic as he rushed over to catch her before she hit the ground. I followed, keeping pressure on my wound as I knelt beside them.
"Miss Kaoru, you've got to hold on, that you do," Kenshin pleaded, his voice breaking. He was trying to reassure her, but I could tell he was also trying to convince himself.
Kaoru's eyelids fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I've got to...hold on, that I do," she whispered, echoing his words.
"You will be alright, that you will," Kenshin said, his voice soft, filled with a tenderness that made my chest ache. I knew he was holding on to her words like a lifeline, desperate to believe them.
Kaoru sat up slowly, her smile growing a little stronger. "Yes, I'm alright, that I am," she said, trying to reassure him.
"Huh?" Kenshin murmured, clearly confused by her sudden shift in demeanor.
I couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the exchange, despite the pain that still throbbed in my side. "I'm fine now. Don't worry, Kenshin," Kaoru told him, her voice filled with warmth. But the moment of calm was shattered as Jin'eh slowly stood, his movements shaky but determined. I moved to position myself between him and my brother, gripping my sword tightly, ready to defend them.
"To think that my shino ipo could be defeated by girls like them," Jin'eh muttered, his voice laced with bitterness. He pulled a short sword from his belt with his left hand, but Kenshin didn't even bother turning to face him.
"Stop it, Jin'eh. You have no chance of winning, that you don't, especially with only a short sword and your left arm. It's over now. I recommend that you let the police take you peacefully, that you should," Kenshin said, his voice calm but firm.
"No, it's not over yet," Jin'eh replied, his voice filled with defiance as he raised the short sword, his eyes filled with a crazed determination. I tensed, ready to strike if he made a move towards Kenshin or Kaoru. My brother's hand hovered over his sword, prepared to defend us.
But instead of attacking, Jin'eh turned the blade on himself, stabbing it into his own chest. "What a...nice feeling," he gasped as he crumpled to the ground, a twisted smile still on his lips. Kenshin and I exchanged a glance, both of us silently acknowledging the madness that had just unfolded. The battle was over, but the scars it left behind would linger long after the wounds had healed. As the last of Jin'eh's words faded into the night, I could feel the weight of them settling into the air around us. His gaze was still fixed on Kenshin, but it lacked the fire it held moments ago.
"Don't look at me like that, Battosai," Jin'eh rasped, his voice weak but dripping with finality. "I much prefer...the look in your eyes when you said...you were going to kill me. Within every fiber of your being, you are truly a manslayer."
His breath hitched, and his eyes, though dimming, seemed to hold a glint of understanding—maybe even recognition. "I am also a manslayer, so I know of what I speak. A manslayer is a manslayer until the day he dies. He can never be anything else..." He coughed, the sound rattling in his chest. "I'll be watching you from the edge of hell to see how long you can keep saying you're a wanderer."
His final words were almost lost as a breeze swept through, carrying them away as if the wind itself sought to erase the venom in them. Then, silence. Jin'eh's chest stilled, and his eyes went blank as the life drained from him. "Kenshin?" Kaoru's voice was small, fragile—still holding the fear from everything that had just happened.
Kenshin turned away from Jin'eh's body, his expression softening as he glanced back at her. "We'll let the police take care of the rest," he said, his tone gentle but distant.
I walked beside my brother as we made our way back toward the dojo, each step heavier than the last. I could feel the tension radiating off of him, and it wasn't just because of the battle we'd just fought. Jin'eh's words had cut deeper than any sword could, reopening wounds in Kenshin that I knew he desperately wanted to keep sealed.
"He's wrong, you know," I said quietly, breaking the silence. "You're not a manslayer anymore. Sure, it'll still be a part of your past, but you...we can overcome it together. You have friends—family that will help you." I turned to look at him, trying to convey every ounce of sincerity I had. "You're not alone anymore, Kenshin."
Kenshin's gaze softened as he looked at me. He gave a small, almost sad smile and nodded, but I could see the doubt still lingering in his eyes. I returned the smile, though it didn't quite reach my eyes either. The truth was, I was just as worried as he was.
Could we really keep the darkness at bay? What if one day, we couldn't stop it?
As we crossed the bridge, Kenshin broke the silence again, turning to Kaoru with concern in his eyes. "So tell me, you're really alright now, Miss Kaoru, aren't you?"
Kaoru nodded, stopping in her tracks. "I'm alright," she replied, but there was a slight tremor in her voice. After a moment, she looked up at him, her expression softening. "Um, Kenshin? Thank you very much for saving me, and you too, Aka. I just wanted to tell you that, that's all."
"No, I'm the one who should be thanking the two of you," Kenshin said, his voice low and filled with gratitude. "If you didn't stop me back then, the old Battosai the manslayer would've returned. Thank you so much."
I smiled at him, feeling a little of the weight lift from my shoulders. "That's what family's for," I said simply.
Kenshin smiled back, a genuine warmth in his eyes this time. "Yeah, that's right. I should probably return your ribbon to you, shouldn't I?" he said, pulling the ribbon from his sleeve. But as he held it out, we noticed the dark red stain marring its fabric.
"And what's this?" Kaoru asked, her brow furrowing in concern.
Kenshin's smile faltered slightly. "It must be blood from my wound," he replied nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
Kaoru's eyes widened in horror as she snatched the ribbon from his hand. "That was my favorite ribbon, Kenshin! I can't believe this! I should have never lent it to you!" she yelled, her earlier gratitude replaced by frustration as she lunged at him.
"I'm sorry, Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin replied, panic clear in his voice as he bolted away from her. I couldn't help but laugh at the scene, though the sharp pain in my side quickly reminded me of my own injury. I winced, placing a hand over the wound.
Note to self: don't laugh when you get stabbed in the side.
As we continued back to the dojo, I couldn't shake the unease that lingered in the pit of my stomach.
We were able to save my brother this time, but if it happens again...will we be able to stop him, or...?
I shook my head, pushing the dark thoughts aside. For now, we were safe. Kenshin was still here, and we still had time to figure things out. We just had to keep fighting—for him, for each other. Because if we didn't, I feared what the future might hold.