Richard Fung-san's said: "I bought this week's Jump (combined issue 3-4) yesterday which features the RK extra story about Yahiko. The chapter is 43 pages long. Watsuki says that this is really the "final" RK installment and please look forward to his new work in the year 2000."
"The full account of the Kenshin legend! The highly praised "Kenshin Kaden" is now on sale!"
(The cover shows Yahiko wielding a drawn sakabatou)
There is a most fitting resolution for wielding a sword at the time of drawing the sakabatou
In commemoration of the millenium! The long awaited 43 pages plus color cover one-shot story!
Rurouni Kenshin
~ Meiji Kenkaku Romantan ~
Bangaihen - Extra Story:"Yahiko's Sakabatou"
(a yell scares the birds away)
Voice: REPORT THE SITUATION!!
(several policemen are running)
Policemen: Yes, sir! Those who have escaped are the most dangerous criminal, Mutou Kaname, plus two others!
(the police officers draw their weapons)
Policemen: While they were escaping, they robbed one odachi (large Japanese sword) and two uchigatana (standard Japanese sword) from a store!
(more policemen are getting ready)
Policemen: Moreover, they have wounded eleven officers and are still running away!
Police Officer Kitaki (gritting his teeth): DAMN!
(The scene shifts to a house surrounded by policemen)
Policemen: At the present moment, they have taken hostages and have entrenched themselves in this kenjutsu dojo! The hostages are: the daughter of this dojo's owner, three students and one mysterious young man!
Kitaki (holding a rifle): That goddamn Mutou, is it possible that he knows the secret of this dojo...
Policeman: Are we going to break into the house, Officer Kitaki?!
Kitaki: No way! Our priority is to save the hostage! We have to save the daughter of this dojo's owner, no matter what it takes!
(the daughter of the dojo is standing inside the dojo, seemingly indifferent to all the fuss. Around her, there are three young students, completely scared, and Yahiko. Two men are guarding them, their swords drawn and pointing to them.)
Kitaki's voice: Listen well, I don't give a damn to the other hostages! If they pose as a nuisance, you may as well as kill them! But the daughter is to be kept untouched!
Student 1 (trembling) : Oh no...
Student 2 (shaking) : God save us...
Yahiko (definetely not pleased with Kitaki's instruction): That idiot, doesn't he realize that we can hear everything he says?! (sighing) After all, he's on our side or on their side?
Student 1: Ohmygod... why has this mayhem happened...
Yahiko (thinking a bit in an annoyed mood): Indeed... I wonder why...
-- begin flashback --
"GIVE LESSONS AT ANOTHER DOJO?!"
(Yahiko is indignant at the Kamiya dojo. He's holding a shinai, seemingly teaching Kenji the basics of kenjutsu (how cute ^_^). Kenshin is watching as Kaoru begs Yahiko this favor)
Yahiko: AND I'LL HAVE TO STAY THERE FOR A MONTH?!
Kaoru (in a pleading voice): Yes, I know this is too sudden, but could you please go to Echigo for me?
Yahiko: AND IN ECHIGO?!
(note from Serizawa: Echigo (now Niigata prefecture) is one of the northernest prefectures of Japan. Just too far from Tokyo ^_^)
Kaoru: Kikuhara sensei learned kenjutsu in the same school of my father, and in the old times (Bakumatsu), he was the kenjutsu teacher of a certain fief. And this time he will be away from his dojo for a whole month, doing a tour of gekiken (one of many ways that kenjutsu was called by then) exhibition. So ---
Yahiko (annoyed): So why doesn't he close the dojo for a month?
Kaoru (forcing a smile): Yes, that's a way, but there's a problem: the daughter of Kikuhara sensei has a frail health ---
Yahiko (puzzled AND annoyed): ? HUH? And so what?
Kenshin (realizing): I see, so she can't go with her father for the tour, so she has stayed at the dojo. But to stay alone in a dojo with lots of young men is just too insecure, so...
Kaoru (pointing to Kenshin, too happy that her husband has helped her ^_^): YES, THAT'S IT!! And that's why a trustworthy young man is needed there! It's awesome! You understand my story much more than that petty Yahiko!
Yahiko (annoyed): But anyway, her arguments are just too weak... (closing his eyes) But if that is so, then I can't go either. After all, I'm a young man too.
Kaoru: Oh, but that's not a problem. After all, Tsubame is the only one girl for you, isn't it? (and Yutarou is a playboy, so he's too dangerous for this job)
(Yahiko gets enraged and starts fighting with Kaoru in SD mode ^_^)
Yahiko: I'll smack you for a change!
Kaoru: What? Don't understimate a spouse like me!
Kenshin (sweatdropping and taking Kenji away): Ororo.
(Kenshin turns to Yahiko, who's getting Kaoru's fist on his face)
Kenshin: Yahiko, think of this as being a sword training. I'll leave this matter to you.
(so, in the end, Yahiko goes to Echigo on foot)
Yahiko: Oh great...
(he arrives at a house)
Yahiko: So, this is the Kasshin Shintou Style, Kikuhara dojo.
(Translation Note:
Kasshin = "To put a new life into the heart", in a HORRIBLE translation -_-
Shintou = "New sword"
Kiku = Chrysantemum
Hara = Field)
(Yahiko puts his hand to open the door. Suddenly he feels something and opens the door in a one strong motion. A big man with long hair, called Mutou Kaname, wielding a large sword stops a slash just before Yahiko's neck. Yahiko glares, and so does the man.)
Yahiko (looking at the man): You don't look like a student giving me his warmest welcomes.
Men: What happened, Mutou?! What's going on?!
Mutou: ... enter quietly into the dojo.
Yahiko: You mean that you will kill if I say no?
(both exchange glares)
Mutou: Yeah... I'll kill those kids...
Yahiko (pushing away the sword from his neck): Oh, great. So it seems I have no choice.
(so Yahiko stays with the daughter of the dojo plus three students. They are watched closely by two accomplices of Mutou. Mutou has a sphere of iron attached to each of his feet.)
-- end flashback --
Accomplice 1: Hey, Mutou.
Mutou: What?
Accomplice 1: Why didn't you take the sword from that man? The shinai of those brats mean nothing to us, but a real sword is another matter.
Mutou: There's nothing you can do if that man showed no opening for me to take the sword from him.
(Yahiko yawns loudly, much to the students's surprise)
Mutou: Don't worry. He has just proved us he's not the kind of man that will sacrifice the lives of people who are around him. If we keep him surrounded by the hostages like that, he should present no problem to us.
Accomplice 1: But, if...
Mutou (glaring): If he causes any trouble, I, who once led five hundred men against five thousand police officers, will face him!
(a student calls Yahiko's attention)
Student 2: You're the swordsman who has come to teach us, aren't you?
Yahiko: Yep.
Student 1: Teacher told us you are quite skillful.
Student 2: Please...
Student 1: Do something...
(Yahiko is surprised)
Yahiko: But aren't you swordsmen also? Then you should at least save your dojo.
Students: IMPOSSIBLE!!
Student 1: We're training kenjutsu just to improve our body and mind! And all of a sudden do we have to face a enemy wielding a real sword?!
Yahiko (serious): Think of this as part of your training.
Student 1 (desperate): DO YOU INTEND TO KILL US?!
Student 2: To begin with, you are wearing a sword! So...
Yahiko (putting his hand on the handle of the katana): I'm sorry, but this sword is an extremely heavy sword, so I can't draw it recklessly.
Student 3: He's saying all that stuff, but I bet he's just too weak actually.
(the 3 students engage in a conversation)
Student 3: He's not what he seems!
Student 1: He's got so weak a will!
Student 2: He was bluffing!
Yahiko (angry): If you are gonna talk such things about me, do it where I can't hear ya. (turning his head) But that's not good, if the students of this dojo are like that, the future of this dojo isn't as bright as...
(Yahiko stops, realizing the daughter by his side)
Yahiko: So, you're the daughter of this dojo's sensei. I see, you're not scared at all.
(the daughter talks in a completely absent-minded way)
Daughter: Not at all... I'm really scared... can't you see?
Yahiko (thinking amazed and sweatdropping): Oh, so this is the so-called "naturality". First time I've ever seen it.
(a loud voice comes from the outside of the dojo)
Kitaki: MUTOU! DON'T TRY TO RESIST AND SURRENDER PEACEFULLY!!
(there's an awful lot of police behind Kitaki)
Kitaki: See the number of policemen gathered here! There's no way out for you! If you surrender now, I promise I'll treat you in a more decent fashion!
Mutou (shouting back): SHUT UP! I know your petty dirty tricks! That's the way you've arrested and executed several of my former comrades! That's the way you've acted for five years!
(the students are shaking with fear)
Mutou: I WON'T GIVE UP! No matter if my lord is already dead! No matter if the ten of the elite and the five hundred comrades are now completely scattered! (gritting his teeth) Until I build the true era of freedom and equality, I will never give up! Never, even if I am the only one to stand!
(Yahiko is silent)
Mutou: You goddamn government dogs who find joy in this false freedom and equality! One day I'll kill you all!!
(Kitaki grits his teeth so hard that one tooth breaks)
Kitaki: ... you scoundrel...
(the police around him step back in fear)
Kitaki: YOU TALK TOO BIG FOR A WORTHLESS SCOUNDREL!!
(Mutou's accomplices are frightened)
Accomplice 1: H... hey, what are we going to do, Mutou?
Accomplice 2: We helped your escape because you've told us we would get out for sure! This mess is quite the contrary!
Mutou: Shut up. All you have to do is to watch over the hostages. They won't lay their hands on us while we've got the daughter of this dojo's owner. This is a trustworthy information, gotten from the Information responsibles of the group I belonged to five years ago... although the group has been completely extinguished and this information ended up without being used...
(the hostages are silent)
Yahiko (turning to the daughter): Er...
Daughter: Oh, my name? I'm Kikuhara Midori.
Yahiko: No, it's not that (jeez, such naturality...) Judging from the police maneuvers and the talks of those guys, it looks like you're the most important hostage here, but being a daughter of an kenjutsu dojo owner isn't important enough. Don't you have any ideas?
(Midori thinks a bit and suddenly she snaps)
Midori: Oh, yes. Now I understand. I believe it has to do with my father.
(on the dojo wall, it's written, "Ken (sword) and Zen are the same and one thing")
Yahiko: Your father. You mean the owner of this dojo?
Midori: No, not the father who brought me up, but my true father. I wasn't told much, so I don't know much, but... it seems that I'm an illegitimate child of the lord my father served before the Meiji Era. I was told that my real father cared a lot about me, but some affairs obliged him to leave me under the care of my present father, or something like that.
Students (surprised): Whaaaaat?!
Midori: What, haven't I told you this before? Oh, yes, they had forbidden me to talk about this. I'm sorry.
(the students are speechless)
Yahiko: Wait a sec, I think Kaoru had said...
"Kikuhara sensei learned kenjutsu in the same school of my father,
and in the old times (Bakumatsu), he was the kenjutsu teacher of a certain fief ---"
Yahiko: So, that means that you're the daughter of a former daimyo (feudal lord) and thus now you're a member of the nobility.
Midori: Yes. I've heard that my true father is a important man inside the Keishichou (Japanese FBI ^_^ where Saitou works). Even today, he still covers the expenses of my education and food. I respect him a lot, but to tell the truth, he's too vague a person for me.
Yahiko (thinking): She's just the perfect choice for a hostage!
Midori: .... ah, so that means that I'm involving everybody here, right?
Student 3: ! Midori-san!
(Midori walks calmly)
Midori: So that means that I'm the only person who needs to be here. I'll talk to those guys and ask them to let you go, okay?
Student 3: What?! NO, THAT'S TOO DANGEROUS! IT WON'T DO ANY GOOD TO YOU!
Student 2: But... it's true that one hostage is easier to handle than three hostages. Not only that, in a worst scenario, we would be killed like worthless worms, but...
Student 1: ... Midori-san is a precious hostage, so they won't kill her for sure. Perhaps that's the bes...
(suddenly Yahiko put his hands on the students's mouths)
Yahiko: Okay, that's enough.
(he glares)
Yahiko: The words that were coming out from your mouths... won't be forgiven once you mouth them. Aren't those words regrettable to a man and practitioner of the sword?
(both students realize how true Yahiko's words are)
Yahiko: Swallow your words!
(the students swallow with a great noise)
Yahiko: That's it! (turning to Student 3) I'll borrow a shinai.
Accomplices: Feh... damn... (suddenly becoming aware of a shinai before them) What?
(Mutou is surprised to hear some cracking noises and the cry of his accomplices. He turns and sees Yahiko walking past the accomplices, who are falling to the ground. The students are surprised.)
Yahiko (to Mutou): I've just beat'em up slightly with the shinai. They aren't even wounded.
Mutou: ... I didn't expect them to be able to stand against you, but it looks like they weren't shit.
Yahiko: Stop with all this affair. Your despicable attitudes aren't good for children.
Mutou (in a fierce manner, as he wields his sword): I thought I've already told you. I won't give up... even if I am the only one to stand... I WILL STAND UNTIL I BUILD A REAL ERA OF EQUALITY AND FREEDOM!!
(the nick of his sword touch the wooden wall)
Yahiko: About that, I'm sorry, but your lord wasn't fighting for equality and freedom at all.
(Mutou's sword stops)
Mutou: ... what?
Yahiko: You were deceived, to tell you the truth.
Mutou: DON'T SAY BULLSHIT, YOU BRAT!!
Yahiko: IT'S NOT BULLSHIT!!
(Mutou is taken aback with Yahiko's words)
Yahiko: The place you fought five years ago, leading five hundred men, was Kyoto! The name of your lord was Shishio Makoto! And the ten of the elite is the "Ten Swords", or the "Juppon Gatana"!
(Mutou is surprised)
Yahiko: I know all that... after all, I took part in that battle too...
(Mutou's eyes glare. Yahiko's not pleased at all)
Yahiko (between his teeth): Damn.
Mutou (gripping his sword): No matter what you say, I won't change my ideals! For the true freedom and equality, I will ---
Yahiko (throwing his shinai away): Such words aren't to be spoken with eyes full of bloodlust like yours.
Student 2: !!
Student 3: He threw his shinai away!
Student 1: Is he going to draw his sword!?
Mutou: --- FIGHT!
(Mutou's sword run upwards the wooden wall and descends violently upon Yahiko, who glares and extends his hand. Mutou's sword doesn't connect, but Yahiko's sword is still sheathed. Mutou and the students are surprised.)
Mutou: !!!
Students: !!!
Midori: Oh.
(Yahiko had broken the sword with his right hand.)
-- KAMIYA KASSHIN STYLE --
-- THE MASTERY OF THE OUGI --
-- HADACHI !!! --
(Translation Note: "Hadachi" = "The Severing of the Blade")
Mutou (gritting his teeth): GAAAAAH!
(he raises his sword, but he stops, surprised, as Yahiko extends his right hand and releases the edge of the sword Yahiko had broken.)
Yahiko: And so, in your mouth you have pretty words like freedom and equality, but in your hand you have a deadly sword... and you involve little kids and entrench yourself with hostages, trying to use to your advantage the social class of a hostage who, although belonging to nobility, does no show off of her status.
(Yahiko clenches his right fist)
Yahiko: AND WHERE THE HECK IS YOUR DEAR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY HERE IN THIS AFFAIR THAT YOU YOURSELF HAVE CREATED?!
(Mutou stops. The students, trembling, stand between him and Midori.)
Student 3: If he wants to come...
Student 1: ... he will get some.
(Mutou glares at Midori, who looks serene, but serious. Mutou grips the hilt of his sword. Outside, the police are puzzled by the sudden silence.)
Policemen: ....... now it's gone quiet... what's going on in there?
(the door opens. The police, alarmed, are ready to shoot. But it's Yahiko, Midori and the students.)
Yahiko: Hey, hey, don't shoot us.
(the police are surprised.)
Yahiko: That guy Mutou is inside the house. He won't fight you anymore...
(inside the house, Mutou is standing, with his sword lying on the floor in front of him.)
Kitaki (followed by several police officers): GREAT, LET'S BREAK INTO THE HOUSE!!!
Midori (to Yahiko): In the end, you didn't draw your sword at all...
Yahiko: True... but the best place for a sword is still inside its scabbard.
(Yahiko is surprised to hear a shooting noise. He turns and sees Kitaki with a rifle, and Mutou falling onto the floor.)
Police: Officer Kitaki?!
Kitaki (readying his rifle): DIE!
(Yahiko dashes towards Kitaki)
Yahiko: What the heck are you doing?!
Kitaki (pointing the rifle to Yahiko): What, do you intend to stand against me, brat?! Criminals like him will only do the same again once they are set free! The best thing to do is to wipe out all the worthless scum that live in this Meiji Era!!
Yahiko: YOU ---
(Yahiko draws his sword. The handle of the katana hits the rifle, making the shot miss Yahiko and with a movement of his arm, Yahiko hits Kitaki)
Yahiko: --- BIG IDIOT!!!!
(The students drop their jaws. Midori is indifferent. Kitaki falls onto the floor.)
Police: Officer Kitaki!! (to Yahiko) YOU ---
Midori: Oh.
(Yahiko's sword is a sakabatou.)
Police: A sword with... reversed edges...
(Yahiko is panting)
(Later, outside of the dojo, the police are carrying Kitaki and Mutou in stretchers. Yahiko approaches Mutou.)
Yahiko: Hey, don't tell me you're going to give it up.
Mutou (panting heavily): No, I won't... after all, if I die, I can't redeem my mistakes...
Yahiko (sheathing his sword): So, in the end, two heavily wounded... I'm still imature...
Midori (smiling): I don't think so. A big fuss like this, and you found a way out of it without one single casualty. I believe this was a remarkable deed of yours.
Students: MISTER SWORDSMAN!!!
(Yahiko turns his head)
Student 2: I'm sorry I doubted you!
Student 3: You were really strong!
Student 1: Please teach us!
Yahiko (annoyed): .... yeah, to begin with, if you were better than this, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.
(the students are terrified)
Yahiko: I will teach you VERY HARD WITHOUT ANY ALLOWANCES for an entire month!
Students (thinking): We're dead!
Midori (smiling): ?
-- so, during one month, screams were heard ceaselessly from the dojo --
-- And... --
(back at the Kamiya dojo, Kaoru is holding Kenji's hand. Kenji's carrying a shinai. Yahiko arrives and dumps a sack)
Kaoru: Welcome back. Good job!
Yahiko: Yeah, this was one hell of a trip...
Kenshin: So, was the trip useful to your training or not?
Yahiko: Nah, not that much.
(Kenshin sighs and smiles)
Kaoru: Hey, where are you going?
Yahiko: To the Akabeko.
Kaoru (watching Yahiko leave): Oh, good... I was thinking about praising him on the dojo affair, but no, he had to say that it wasn't that much... if Kenshin hadn't known the affair from Chief Uramura, he would have been questioned a lot harsher!
Kenshin: Calm down, calm down, Yahiko did a good job. If he keeps on like that, he will be able to use the sakabatou in its entirety much faster than I've expected.
Kaoru: But ---
Kenshin: Oro?
(At the Akabeko, Tsubame is brooming the floor. Her face brightens up as she sees Yahiko)
Tsubame: Yahiko-kun! Welcome back!
Yahiko: Anything interesting during my absence?
Tsubame: No...oh yes, now that you say it, it looked like Yuta-kun showed up here everyday.
Yahiko: HOW INTERESTING... (thinking) I'll kill him later.
(Yahiko regains his composure)
Yahiko: (putting that matters aside) Anyway, I'm hungry. Get me something to eat.
Tsubame (giggling): Yes, sir, right now.
-- But to go right to the Akabeko after the trip --
Tsubame: What would you like to eat?
Yahiko (scratching his head): Anything.
-- No matter what he says, Tsubame is the only one girl for him, isn't that so? --
Side text: The reliable back of yesterday is the goal of the next generation now!
(end of "Yahiko's sakabatou")
Richard Fung-san's summary:
It's the year Meiji 15 where we were left off before. It starts w/ a dojo in the countryside being surrounded by many police. It turns out that inside the dojo, the daughter of the master (Midori), some students, and Yahiko are being held hostages by 3 escaped prisoners. The police chief Kitaki orders his people loudly that the dojo master's daughter must be kept safe at all cost, and that others don't matter much even if they are killed. Yahiko mumbles at the chief's ruthless comment.
-- begin flashback --
Then it pans to earlier the same day. Kaoru asked Yahiko to stay and teach in another Dojo for a month. Because the master of that dojo was an old friend of Kaoru's father and has to leave for teaching meanwhile, Kaoru also wanted Yahiko to live there temporarily to protect the master's daughter. Yahiko said wouldn't it be inconvenient since he's also a young boy, and Kaoru says not to worry because Yahiko's already got Tsubame (side note: Yutarou is a playboy). They went into their cute bickering for a bit. Kenshin told Yahiko he should treat it as a kind of
training.
Later Yahiko went to the dojo as told. As soon as he stepped up, he sensed something on the other side. He slid the door open and the escaped prisoner's sword is swung right at Yahiko's
throat .
The prisoner leader Mutou told Yahiko to stand aside or else all the hostages would be killed.
-- flashback ends --
The other prisoners asks Mutou if they should take away Yahiko's sword, but Mutou says not to worry because Yahiko looks like someone who values the lives of others and is not reckless to try anything strange. Mutou says if need be, he, the head who had once led 500 soldiers to fight against 5000 cops, will take on Yahiko. (Mutou was Shishio's follower actually)
The students plead to their instructor to save them. Yahiko tells them they should get themselves out of this mess and consider it part of their training. One student asks Yahiko to use his sword, but he answers solemnly that his sword is with great weight and cannot be used for trifles. The students gather around in a circle and tell themselves that Yahiko must be weak. Yahiko tells them to keep it low if you're talking behind someone's back. Yahiko asks the daugther Midori if she's scared and finds her to be surprisingly calm (or spaced out) in such a situation.
The police outside announce that resistance is futile and yell at them to come out. The chief Kitaki says he'll let them off easier if they do as told. Mutou doesn't believe his lies and says that he'll never give up fighting for equality and freedom. He bashes the corrupt government some more. The other 2 followers of his are frightened but Mutou assures them they got the daughter of the dojo's master. Later Yahiko found out Midori is of great importance as her "real" father is a high Meiji official. The girl steps up in attempt to negotiate peacefully hoping that everyone would be released except her. The wimpy students say that should be the way but Yahiko covered their months, telling them not to ever speak of such cowardly
thing .
Then Yahiko takes a shinai and knock the other 2 villains unconscious. Yahiko proposes to stop all this and Mutou refuses because of his ideals. Yahiko tells him that he also knows of his boss Shishio and had actually participated in that battle himself. Mutou is surprised but still intends on fighting Yahiko. Yahiko throws away his shinai and breaks Mutou's blade as he
strikes
(sort of like what Aoshi did to the four gods but cooler ^_^ ). Yahiko tells Mutou off and asks him where in there is the equality and freedom being said while innocent kids are being held
hostages . Mutou reluctantly resigns.
The police sense that the dojo has suddently become quiet. The students come out and tell not to shoot. Midori notices Yahiko hasn't used his sword after all, and he answers it's best to leave any sword sheathed if possible. The police chief barges in and beats down Mutou even he surrendered. Kitaki says that he must rid of the government every last pest. Yahiko unsheathes his sakabatou in time and strikes away Kitaki's gun with the hilt and his body with the blade in one stroke. Kitaki passes out and the cops are surprised to see the reversed blade.
The police bring in stretchers and clear the scene. Yahiko tells Mutou not to die and he agrees. Yahiko thinks that he's still inexperienced because they are two people seriously injured. But Midori praises Yahiko that he's done very well considering no lives are lost. The students also cheer for him and look enthusiastic in being taught by him. Yahiko remembers the purpose of coming here and tell them to be ready for some harsh times. The students gasped (face fault).
And then one month passed. Back in Kamiya Dojo, Kenshin (already told by Chief Uramura what happened) asks Yahiko how was the lesson. Yahiko says that it's not big of a deal. Kenshin believes that Yahiko will surely become a swordsman who can use the sakabatou appropiately.
Yahiko goes to meet Tsubame in Akabeko as she greets him. She asks him how it was and Yahiko answers "nothing really" in the usual Sano-like fasion. Tsubame says that Yutarou has been coming everyday recently and Yahiko frowns. Yahiko says he's starving and wants something to eat, and they went in to the restaurant.
for scans of this Extra Chapter!
