The atmosphere in the dimly lit room was already heavy with tension.
When the paper door slid open with a soft scraping sound, the first thing that caught the eye was an exquisite furisode kimono.
The patterns on the kimono were intricate and delicate, the colors vibrant yet elegant, every detail revealing its extraordinary origins.
Komurasaki stood gracefully at the doorway, holding a hinoki fan.
Her exquisite makeup shimmered with a pearlescent glow in the candlelight, her eyes flowing with captivating charm that concealed countless untold secrets.
Behind her, Denjiro maintained his usual nonchalant smile, though it seemed to carry a hint of barely perceptible tension and anticipation.
The tachi originally worn at his waist had been replaced with a katana that was easier to draw, its blade gleaming with a chilling cold light.
What concerned Yamato most was that the moment they entered the room, their gazes—as if pulled by invisible threads—immediately locked onto Momonosuke.
Komurasaki's hinoki fan trembled slightly in her hand, the subtle movement seemingly conveying the excitement and unease deep in her heart.
Denjiro's fingers unconsciously rubbed against the tsuba of his sword, his eyes revealing a hint of barely concealed urgency.
"You... you're really Momonosuke-nii-sama!" Komurasaki's voice broke the silence, trembling with a mixture of delight and disbelief.
The moment Komurasaki's trembling fingers gently touched Momonosuke's cheek, the air in the entire room seemed to freeze instantaneously.
Time stopped flowing, everyone held their breath, their eyes tightly focused on this crucial moment.
Denjiro suddenly let out a strange cry, half-sobbing and half-laughing, the sound echoing through the silent room as a release of long-suppressed emotions.
With a swift and resolute motion, he tore open the front of his robe.
On his sturdy chest, a crescent-shaped scar—identical to Kin'emon's—stood out starkly, bearing witness to the trials they had endured together.
"Twenty years... a full twenty years!" Denjiro's voice had completely changed, shedding the frivolous demeanor of Kanjuro and reverting to the loyal and righteous Red Scabbard he once was.
Tears streamed freely down his face, carving deep trails through the carefully applied white powder.
Those tears were filled with twenty years of longing, pain, and perseverance.
"Denjiro!"
Kin'emon's sword clattered to the floor with a sharp ring.
The iron-willed man now rushed forward like a child, crashing into Denjiro with immense force.
They embraced so tightly it seemed they meant to merge into one another, the floor beneath them groaning under the strain.
"You bastard!" Kin'emon pounded Denjiro's back, his voice choked with emotion. "You played the part so well! We all thought you were really dead!"
His words carried both reproach for his old friend and overwhelming relief at their reunion.
Kozuki Hiyori—no longer the courtesan Komurasaki—was weeping uncontrollably.
Her slender fingers clutched desperately at Momonosuke's robes, fearful that her brother might vanish from her life once more.
Her eyes brimmed with attachment and dependence as she choked back sobs, gently caressing Momonosuke's face.
"Brother... you look... exactly the same... just like the brother in my memories... who would sneak me sweets..."
Her words overflowed with nostalgia for their childhood.
Momonosuke's tears finally broke free.
Trembling, he embraced his sister—twenty years of separation miraculously bridged in that moment.
The sight of the childlike brother and grown sister weeping in each other's arms brought tears to everyone present.
It was an emotion transcending time and fate, profoundly moving.
Yamato stood frozen in place, like a stone statue stripped of its soul.
Her eyes darted between Momonosuke, Denjiro, and Hiyori as if pulled by invisible strings, widening until they resembled bronze bells, filled with shock and disbelief.
"Wait... so Denjiro, you... Komurasaki, you..."
Her voice, initially urgent as she tried to make sense of the chaos, grew fainter until it faded into a murmur.
"Denjiro was a Red Scabbard... the courtesan Komurasaki was Lord Oden's daughter..."
Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, she slapped her forehead with such force that the sharp demon horns on her head shook.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner!" she exclaimed, stomping her feet so hard the ground seemed to dent beneath her.
"If I'd known, I could've provided you with the best protection! I would've gathered all my forces, shielded you at the center, and kept any danger far away from you!"
Halfway through her words, Yamato suddenly froze as if doused with cold water from head to toe.
She slowly lowered her head, gazing at her bandage-wrapped body.
Each layer of gauze mercilessly reminded her of the crushing defeat she had recently suffered.
Recalling the humiliating scene of being struck down by Kaido's club, she couldn't help but let out a self-mocking laugh.
The dry, bitter chuckle forced its way from her throat. "Ha... What foolish nonsense am I saying... When I can't even defeat Kaido myself, standing before him I'm as powerless as an ant. How dare I boast about protecting others..."
The laughter gradually faded, replaced by a long sigh filled with helplessness, self-blame, and profound powerlessness against reality.
She slowly crouched down, picking up the dust-covered club from the ground.
Gently wiping away the dust, each stroke seemed to erase her shattered hopes and aspirations.
In this moment, Yamato realized with unprecedented clarity - relying solely on passion and ideals was ultimately insignificant and powerless against the cruel reality that loomed like a mountain in this thorny jungle of existence.
The others remained silent as well. Kaido was indeed formidable, so powerful that he had once plunged them into despair.
Suddenly, the air seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, becoming thick and oppressive.
The elegant cypress fan in Komurasaki's hand snapped shut with a crisp "pop."
The sound echoed like thunder in the silent space, drawing everyone's attention.
She was staring intently at Momonosuke, her eyes revealing urgency and anticipation as she uttered astonishing words:
"Brother, are the reinforcements you brought back... the legendary person from the Prophecy?"
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