At the third watch of the night, fire spread over Head Mountain.
The bandits jolted awake from their slumber, and when they saw the raging flames outside their huts, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them—their drowsiness vanished instantly.
"Fire!!!"
Panicked shouts echoed through the mountain stronghold.
The bandits descended into utter chaos. Without even grabbing their weapons, they stumbled out of their rooms in a frenzy, gathering in the central square of the stronghold.
But when they saw the neatly assembled anti-bandit forces and the dark muzzles of the guns pointed at them, a chill shot up their spines from tailbone to crown.
Gurd's gaze was icy.
"Fire!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"
The warriors pulled their triggers, and a hail of bullets engulfed the bandits. In mere moments, the first wave of fleeing bandits was riddled with holes.
"Ahhh!!!"
Screams rose one after another.
The surviving bandits retreated into the stronghold's main hall, too terrified to poke their heads out under the gunfire. But the ferocious flames had already ignited the building, the scorching heat and thick smoke choking them.
Staying inside meant certain death!
"Boss Shutenmaru!"
The bandits turned to Shutenmaru, their eyes filled with desperation and hope.
Only their leader could save them now.
"Cowardly scum!"
Shutenmaru's eyes were bloodshot, his entire body trembling with rage. He had never imagined the enemy would resort to such underhanded tactics.
A true warrior should fight honorably in open battle!
"Crash!"
A burning beam collapsed to the ground!
Shutenmaru struggled to breathe, his lungs burning as if on fire. He knew all too well that staying in the hall meant death.
"Clang!"
Drawing his sword, Shutenmaru roared as he charged toward the stronghold square.
"Brothers, follow me and fight your way out!"
"Charge!!!"
The bandits howled as they launched a desperate, suicidal assault.
At the stronghold square—
"They're coming!"
Gurd stared intently at the main hall, slowly raising his right hand. The moment the bandits burst out, he swung his arm down with a furious roar.
"Give them hell!"
"Ooooh!!!"
The warriors eagerly pulled their triggers, unleashing every last bullet they had, instantly halting the bandits' charge.
For years, this was the first time they had fought so smoothly. Even Shutenmaru's gang, who had dominated Kuri for decades, were now fleeing in disarray.
Though using fire and firearms went against the warrior's code, the results were undeniable—and all of it was thanks to Lord Gurd's leadership.
"Hahaha, this feels incredible!"
"As expected of Lord Gurd!"
"He effortlessly cornered the monster of Kuri! Lord Gurd's brilliance far surpasses even the legendary 'Tactician' Kin'emon!"
"Of course he does!"
The warriors cheered excitedly.
Gurd's expression darkened.
Kin'emon?
That guy could be called a "tactician"?
These damn fools—why compare him to that guy? Aside from having a health bar as thick as one of the Four Emperors, what part of him was even remotely comparable?
What rotten luck!
"Bang!"
With the final gunshot, the stronghold square fell silent, leaving only the crackling of flames consuming wood.
Four figures stood alone in the clearing.
"Huff… huff…"
Shutenmaru, covered in blood, gasped for breath, his peripheral vision catching the last three brothers still standing beside him.
"Damn it!"
His heart bled.
In less than a day, over a hundred brothers had been reduced to just three. Even though he had long known this day would come, he couldn't accept it.
Pain. Regret. Rage.
All these emotions tangled together inside him.
At that moment, the last three bandits exchanged glances and resolutely stepped forward in front of Shutenmaru.
"Boss, run!"
"We'll cover you!"
"The east is all fire—head west!"
Shutenmaru froze.
"You—"
"Boss, we've done nothing but evil. We should've died long ago. But you're different. You still have a mission to fulfill. You can't die here!"
Facing death, the bandits cast aside their fear, their minds set only on covering Shutenmaru's escape. Deep down, they all knew their boss's true aspirations.
Only five years remained until the time foretold by Lady Toki!
"Let's go!"
"Don't underestimate a bandit's resolve!"
"Take them down!"
The three bandits launched a suicidal charge.
Gurd's gaze remained calm, showing no mercy.
"Kill them!"
"Yes, Lord Gurd!"
The samurai swarmed forward, instantly overwhelming the three bandits. But the next moment, over a dozen samurai were sent flying into the air with screams.
It was Shutenmaru!
"Pirate!!!"
Shutenmaru roared at the sky, his blade sending the encircling samurai flying. His crimson eyes locked onto Gurd with deadly intensity.
This man had orchestrated everything.
He alone had to die!
"Get out of my way!"
Shutenmaru swung his blade with a furious roar, the resulting slash clearing a path as he charged straight for Gurd.
Gurd remained composed, speaking slowly.
"Da Black."
"Clang!"
Da Black appeared before Gurd, intercepting Shutenmaru's strike. The sheer force sent him stumbling back half a step, reopening the wound on his chest.
"Guh!"
Blood spilled from his lips.
Da Black's mouth was full of blood, his eyes filled with frustration and conflict.
"Damn it, what am I doing?!"
The moment he heard Gurd's command, he had instinctively moved to block the attack—only realizing afterward what he'd done.
His mission was to assassinate Gurd!
Yet here he was, protecting him. If he had just stayed put and let Shutenmaru and Gurd fight it out...
Damn it, that man must have some kind of bewitching power—even a battle-hardened warrior like him had been affected!
Gritting his teeth against the pain of his reopened wound, Da Black held his ground against Shutenmaru's assault. A ninja's pride wouldn't allow him to retreat.
"Shutenmaru, don't think this will go like it did during the day!"
"You!"
Shutenmaru recognized Da Black.
The samurai he had fought earlier—somehow still alive.
"No more chances!"
Shutenmaru glanced around. More and more samurai were closing in. If he didn't leave now, he would die here.
"Move!"
Muscles tensing, Shutenmaru unleashed a burst of strength, knocking Da Black back before leaping toward the west!
"Gah!"
The moment his foot touched the ground, a sharp stone spike pierced through it!
Shutenmaru's pupils contracted. A surge of danger forced him to retreat instantly—just as a dense cluster of stone spikes erupted where he had been standing.
A hair's breadth from being skewered!
"What is this?!"
Kneeling on the ground, Shutenmaru stared at the Stone Spike Forest with dread. But there was no time to think—the enemy had already surrounded him again.
Gurd stepped forward from the crowd, looking down at the kneeling Shutenmaru.
"Do you really think you can escape?"
"Pirate!"
Shutenmaru glared at Gurd, accepting his impending death. But even in death, he would drag this man down with him.
Otherwise, in five years, they would surely become the greatest enemy of the Kozuki clan!
"Clang!"
Shutenmaru drove his blade into the ground and reached into his chest with his other hand, about to take action when a roar that shocked him echoed in his ears.
"Oden Two-Sword Style: Paradise Fist!!!"
(End of Chapter)