Volume 34

**242 The Rain and Scars of Battle.** Hyosuke in his spy disguise walks the path, when Kano's spy rushes past him on horseback. He asks locals to find out what happened to the Seigain monks, when the spy returns with a small force. Azumi carries Hikoshiro back on a cart, with Bontenmaru trailing behind. As it begins raining, he wails. That's when the Yagyu clansmen grab him to the side, and confronts her. She rapidly slays them, before continuing off. Munenori runs after her, but is stopped by his retainers due to his fever. A while off, she's met by Hyosuke, who tells her it's ok to cry and grieve her companions' deaths.

**243 Reluctance.** Hyosuke greets Tenkai at Myoouji. Later he tells Azumi he's to visit Edo with his master for ten days, and propose they meet there. Azumi says he is her dream, but that their paths diverge. If they meet again, he will surely be in danger, as her enemies would use him as leverage. Therefore she bids him farewell. Tobizaru picks her up on horseback. "Tobizaru... You're gonna stay with me forever and ever! Got it!?" They return to Niwauchi, where Tsubouchi thanks her and her companions for their heroic help, she also meets Tenkai, before noticing Chiyozo still over his sister's body, preventing the monks from carrying her off alongside the other corpses. The townspeople believe he will starve himself, since he knows he cannot survive without his sister. Everybody says nothing is to be done. Tenkai's retinue including Azumi and Tobizaru ride off to Edo, but Azumi rushes back as she cannot just leave Chiyozo there.

**244 Request.** Tobizaru quickly follows, escorting her back. It seems like Chiyozo asks her to end him, but she just embraces him. He accepts Okyo's burial, and grows close to Azumi and she could no longer abandon him, overcoming Tenkai's and Tobizaru's opposition. While playing hide and seek, he majorly disturbs the rest of the temple without considering their work. Azumi requests to pause her missions until she can properly communicate with him, and teach him not to cause trouble while waiting for her at the temple. Tenkai intends to summon more talented bujutsu warriors as her new companions, but she refuses saying it's still too soon after Hikoshiro's and Toranosuke's death. Seeing her upset, Chiyozo reacts by pulling Tenkai's cheeks. She eventually asks for a vacation to travel with Chiyozo.

**245 Communication.** She tries teaching him to fish with his hands. She tries teaching him to wait, but is unable to. She tries teaching him to wash himself too, but ends up having to. She also tries having him sleep in a separate room, but he just opens the sliding door and asks to sleep beside her, but she sticks to her guns and asks him to sleep in the other room.

Tenkai supports the first son Tokugawa Takechiyo (Iemitsu) for shogun, as per Ieyasu's wish. Opposed to Oeyo and Hidetada, who wish to crown their second son Kunichiyo (Kunimatsu, then Tadanaga), on whom they dote. Kunichiyo is kidnapped by a certain Tozama daimyo in the west, whose rank Hidetada planned to change. He sent a demand to the cabinet officials that they approve on them becoming an independent country. At this time, the Tokugawa rule was still not solidified, so such was not unthinkable. They keep the news under wraps, so not to rile the anti-Tokugawa daimyos. Azumi continues trying to teach Chiyozo to be independent, and explains he needs to know these things to stay at the temple, because one day she will be slain.

**246 The Revolt Trigger.** Ten days into their vacation, envoys calls her back. Tenkai orders her to penetrate the fief, rescue Kunichiyo and kill the ringleaders. Tobizaru argues the ringleaders doesn't know of her appearance, so she could travel there with Chiyozo who could be an asset as a body guard for her. They arrive port in a palaquin, and meets her new companion, Hattori Hanzou (Masashige), employed by the Tokugawas. Kuhashirou asks for her identity on Hanzou's behalf, but is shocked to learn she has no surname meaning she's not a samurai's daughter. They then asks if she's a traditional kunoichi.

**247 Enemy Territory Infiltration.** They try to disembark, but Chiyozo keeps making noise. Soldiers arrive at the beach, but Hanzou deals with them. Azumi tries stopping two soldiers from alerting the castle, prompting Chiyozo to go on a killing spree, thinking Azumi will praise him like his sister used to. Azumi is hesitant, but eventually gives in by hugging his head as a reward. They pass immigration by pretending to be blade acrobats. She tries making a quick stunt with Chiyozo as preparation.

**248 The Farthest Leader.** Young master Takenobu is practicing horseback archery, under the watch of his retainers like Harumasa and Tomonori. It's said he's just like Oda Nobunaga when he was young. At the gunsmiths he gives him a lot of creative ideas, saying not to only imitate foreign countries, but improve upon them. Nobunaga had the advantage of living in Owari, which was close to Kyo, meanwhile he was born far in the west. He sends the shinobi Jinza after the infiltrators, suspecting them to be skilled, seeing as the Bonohama guards were all slain. Chiyozo and Azumi play in their sleeping bags under a starry sky.