Episode 06

**Getting Stronger** (もっと強 (つよ) く, *Motto Tsuyoku*) is the sixth episode of the *Orient* anime series.

## Synopsis

Tsumugi struggles with deciding what to do next, and Musashi encounters a mysterious, and unhinged, Bushi in black.

## Summary

The villagers ask Musashi and Kojiro to take Tsugumi, however, hearing about it, Tsugumi refuses to leave. Musashi wonders why are they trying to chase her out and the villagers explain they aren't chasing her out, but wants to help her escape Hideo Kosameda, who after was betrayed fell apart and became fixated on Tsugumi. They believe that if Hideo and Tsugumi are reunited, Hideo will try to manipulate her again. Tsugumi states it should be fine and she won't listen to him anymore, but as she was questioned by the villagers if that's really the case, Tsugumi gets worried. Tsugumi then starts crying, stating that she likes the place and all her memories are of it. The villagers then decide that they will protect Tsugumi, which only makes her realize she needs to leave. She asks Musashi if she can join them and Musashi agrees.

That evening, Musashi asks Tsugumi what changed her mind. Tsugumi explains that she fears that if she ends up obeying Hideo again, she may end up having to hurt the people she loves and wants to protect. Tsugumi believes she is pathetic for being unable to let go of Hideo, but Musashi disagrees, stating its hard for anyone to let go of his parents. Tsugumi states that Hideo isn't her real father, but Musashi understands her as he also thought of Kojiro's father as his own father.

Musashi, Kojiro and Tsugumi leave the next day. The village kids run after them, crying and telling Tsugumi to come back and visit them someday. Musashi uses the kaleidoscope and decide to head for a blue Kishin, but Tsugumi wonders what's the point in oni hunting, if there is no one to praise her. Musashi tells her they will praise her, but Tsugumi doesn't believe that's enough to motivate her. They start arguing, but Kojiro reminds them they need to get along. Soon after that, they stop and Tsugumi becomes quite clingy to Musashi and rubs into him, and even takes her top off. Musashi feels that Kojiro may get the wrong idea and wonder what to do. Musashi then wonders if he should say a secret, that he is into older women, recalling that in mining school they were beaten if they talked with younger girls, so they had to direct their attention to female teachers. Meanwhile, Kojiro sees Musashi and Tsugumi are getting along and is ready to support them, but at the same time doesn't agree with it. He wonders if he should reveal his secret that due to being a Bushi, he was avoided by girls and never had any romantic relationship, but fears that since miners were popular, Musashi may have relationship with many girls and that will set them apart. Musashi and Kojiro wonder what is Tsugumi planning and Tsugumi reveals that she wants to be friends with them. She never really made friends with anyone outside her Bushi band and doesn't know how that works. Because of that, she avoided Kojiro, thinking he may be mad at her for calling him the driver and took her top off, because her sister once told her that if she ends in a situation she doesn't know what to do, to strip. Musashi and Kojiro state that they are already friends and the situation gets sorted out.

In the morning, while everyone is asleep, an oni appears and takes Kojiro's sword. Musashi sees it and starts chasing it. He attempts to cut his horn, but the metal staff breaks. The oni leads him to a field with swords, where Musashi sees a person, Shiro Inukai, who tells him that he can borrow one of the swords to defeat the oni. Musashi then grabs one of the swords, feeling energy going through him, along with horns growing on his body. As the horns disappear, he attacks the oni and kills it. Shiro wonders if this was Musashi's first time using a Kitetsu Blade. The oni sand then gets collected into the sword and Musashi recalls that's like Takeda Bushi, however, the sword then breaks. Musashi apologizes, but Shiro tells him to not worry and that the sword was a waste of steel. However, he wonders how he managed to draw out that much power and if he is the one. Shiro's servant, Nanao Inusaka, then appears, telling him its time and wonders why Shiro insists of making patterns in the ground with the Kitetsu Blades. Shiro states he feels good being surrounded by beauties and then explains how each sword makes him feel. Nanao apologizes for Shiro's perversion and they leave. Musashi asks them who are they, but Shiro states they are dogs for hire with names not worth sharing. Kojiro and Tsugumi then shows up, and Musashi realizes that Shiro and the swords are gone.

Musashi tells them what happened, but they wonder if he wasn't dreaming. Musashi then states he can't wait to wield a Kitetsu Blade again, although he doesn't know what it means. Tsugumi then shows her weapon and says they are made of Kitetsu and that you can't break an oni horn without Kitetsu Blade. Musashi and Kojiro then guess they are hard to obtain, but Tsugumi tells them to just buy one. Tsugumi explains that once a Kishin shows up and Bushi come slaying him, not long after that merchants appear to do business with the Bushi. They go to a merchant market, exciting to buy a Kitetsu Blade.

## Characters In Order of Appearance

* Musashi
* Kojiro Kanemaki
* Tsugumi Hattori
* Hideo Kosameda
* Jisai Kanemaki (flashback)
* Tsubame Hattori (flashback)
* Kodama Oni
* Shiro Inukai
* Nanao Inusaka