Chapter 115

## Chapter Chronology

**Chapter 115** of the *Jigokuraku* manga.

## Summary

Rien reclaims the Elixir of Life after finding it lying next to the defeated Shugen. She then wonders as to why he had it on him but quickly dismisses the question after having it back in her hands. With the elixir returned, Rien sees that all that is left to do is put her faith in the Paradise Butterflies and becomes happy to know that her dream will soon come true. As things were going well in her favor, the puppet starts to feel its body suffering due to the real Rien's Tao and control starting to lessen. With time running short, Rien hopes that she reaches Japan soon. Meanwhile on deck, Gantetsusai finds Shugen unconscious and starts to wonder as to why his severed arm is not bleeding. Shugen then wakes up badly injured and sees Gantetsusai standing right in front of him without Fuchi by his side but soon remembers as to why this was not the case. Gantetsusai tells Shugen that he was glad that he managed to wake up, since it would not feel right to cut him while he was still down, and prepares to swing his sword down on him. Shugen manages to block the attack on time but falls down after having been off balance. Gantetsusai tells Shugen that its useless for him to fight back now that he has lost his right arm but is told by the injured Asaemon that as a samurai he can not give up. Gantetsusai fights Shugen barehanded and becomes annoyed with him trying to follow the way of the samurai since it is what caused him to kill Fuchi. Shugen makes an attempt to defend himself by swinging his sword but falls down after losing his balance once again. Gantetsusai turns his back on Shugen, calls him out to be pathetic and tells him that he doesn't care if he decides to burn to death. As he watches the blade of his sword burn within the fire, Shugen grabs it and cauterizes the stump of his right arm after remembering Fuchi's advice about disinfecting a wound. As he practices getting used to swinging his sword with his left arm in front of Gantetsusai, Shugen recalls the time Fuchi discussed with him how the human body is a tool and that both the right and left arms are constructed identically. Gantetusai then becomes shocked to see that Shugen has quickly adapted to using his left arm to wield his sword. Shugen tells Gantetsusai that Fuchi was caught up in his sentimentality but says that his samurai spirit lives within him as he remembers his words of how he felt that the Yamada clan was important to him and that it must be protected by the samurai. Shugen then proceeds to tell Gantetsusai that someone like him can never understand a samurai's sense of duty to protect all those they hold dear and that he has long since abandoned sentimentality. After he finishes his statement, Shugen's eyes mysteriously changes. Gantetsusai points out the fact that he sheds tears quite a lot for someone without sentimentality and prepares to fight him but senses something different. Shugen senses Gantetsusai's Tao but notices something strange.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Rien
* Yamada Asaemon Shugen
* Tamiya Gantetsusai
* Yamada Asaemon Fuchi (flashback)
* Shion (vision)