"Okay." Ogata shrugged his shoulders and responded in the same joking tone, "I don't mind being your new leader in the future if I have the chance." ”

"I'm getting more and more interested in you." Sitting cross-legged across from Ogata, Amachi put aside the iron cannon in his hand, propped his right elbow on his right knee, and supported his chin with the palm of his right hand.

"Yishi, are you really not cooperating with me? Your swordsmanship, my iron cannon, and all sorts of skills—if the two of us work together, we'll be able to live comfortably on this island." ”

“…… Why do you insist on partnering with me? Ogata sighed lightly, "You don't know anything about me at all, do you?" Aren't you afraid that when you're partnering with me, I'll suddenly stab you in the back? ”

"You're wrong." Amachi said softly, "I don't know anything about you. ”

"I think you're the most trustworthy of all the prisoners on this island."

"Because—you weren't wanted by the shogunate for being a traitor, but hunted down by the shogunate for killing a brutal daimyo."

"I don't think that in this world, people who have the courage and courage to wield a sword to kill a tyrant are bad people."

"Whoever wields a sword to kill a tyrant, and who kills a large number of civilians—choose one of these two prisoners as a partner, and I'm sure the vast majority of people will decide to bet on the former, as I did, right?"

"Besides, choosing a partner is also a very eye-catching thing."

"In addition to being the most trustworthy one, you're also very eye-catching to me—so I decided to lean on your side and let you be my partner."

As he said this, Amachi's gaze subconsciously glanced at the light shallot-colored haori on Ogata's body.

However, because Amachi's action was quite subtle, Ogata didn't notice Amachi's small movement.

“…… I'm going to have to say something ugly. Ogata said, "I-I didn't intend to listen to the government's orders from the beginning. I have no interest in so-called forgiveness. My goal has always been one: to find tools like a boat and leave the island on my own. Even so, are you going to work with me? ”

"That's a coincidence." Amachi raised her good-looking eyebrows, "I also didn't think about listening to the government from the beginning. I'm also going to try to get out of this island with my own hands. ”

……

……

After Amachi's words fell, Ogata did not rush to answer.

Instead, he lowered his head slightly, looking at the water in the wooden tube in his hand.

The water in the wooden tube reflects Ogata's face.

Ogata looked at the reflection in the water and pondered.

Amachi didn't bother Ogata either, and quietly looked at Ogata and waited for Ogata to speak.

La-la......-la

The sound of the surrounding space, except for the sound of rain.

But just like just now, neither Ogata nor Amachi found the silence awkward.

The two were silent in an indescribable and inexplicable harmonious atmosphere.

After a long while, Ogata breathed a sigh of relief:

“…… All right. You've managed to move me. ”

"We both have the same goal. Your iron cannon and your various skills are indeed quite useful. If you cooperate, you will indeed be able to live more comfortably on this island. ”

Hearing Ogata's words, a look of joy appeared on Amachi's face.

"And you mean to say?" Amachi asked cautiously.

"Isn't the meaning of what I just said unclear?"

Ogata sighed helplessly, and then raised the wooden tube in his hand that still contained a little rain in the direction where Amachi was.

"Partner." Ogata smiled at Amachi, "Happy cooperation." ”

"Hmm!" Amachi nodded vigorously, and then also lifted his wooden tube that had some rain left because it had just been loaded with some rain, and touched Ogata's wooden tube in midair, "Happy cooperation!" Partner! ”

After the two of them drank all the water in their wooden cylinders at the same time, Amachi suddenly said to Ogata:

"That's right, Essee. Can I change my name to you? ”

"Huh? What do you mean? ”

"Whether it's Ogata or Esse? Don't you feel like you can scream? I'd like to say something more agreeable. ”

"For example?"

"What do you think of Ah Yi? It feels much smoother to scream. ”

"Do you have a catch...... Forget it, you can call it however you want. ”

"Then it's decided!" A clap of your palm? "Let's spend the night in this cave today! What if the rain stops tomorrow morning? Let's try to go deeper into the island again, Ah Yi? What do you think? ”

"It's really my partner." Ogata said in a half-joking tone, "We have exactly the same plan." ”

……

……

While Ogata and Amachi were drinking water and chatting in the safety of a cave—

Somewhere on the island.

"Damn ......"

Heiichimaru, who is hiding under the shade of a tree, wipes the raindrops on his face while wiping the raindrops? He cursed loudly at the rain curtain beyond the shade of the trees.

"When will this rain stop?"

Heiichimaru - Addicted to stealing? After stealing countless belongings, he was finally caught by the official mission of the government at the beginning of this year, and then twisted all the way to this butterfly island.

His only skill is stealing, and he doesn't know how to fight at all.

So to give yourself a sense of security? Heiichimaru not only wore the armor provided by the government? He also wore the knives and threats provided by the government.

Since he could not find a suitable shelter from the rain, he could only temporarily hide under the shade of a large tree.

Just as he was cursing and swearing frantically at the rain curtain in front of him, he suddenly heard the sound of a large number of bushes being swept away and sparse footsteps beside him.

"Who?!"

Heiichimaru screamed while pulling out the knife on his waist with a very clumsy technique? Aim the blade at the source of these sounds.

In a few moments, the owners of these footsteps appeared under the rain curtain.

"...... you guys?!" Heiichimaru's eyes widened.

These people who appeared in his field of vision? Without exception, they all wore the same armor issued by the government and generally only for small soldiers.

That's why? Heiichimaru recognized the identities of these people at a glance - prisoners like him.

There were more than twenty prisoners who appeared in Heiichimaru's field of vision.

Looking at the more than 20 prisoners who were constantly surrounding him, Heiichimaru said in a trembling voice:

"What do you want to do?!"

The knife in Heiichimaru's hand? Like a live fish "jumping" there? It seems that he is about to jump out of Heiichimaru's hand at any time.

"Brother! Don't be nervous! Don't be nervous! We don't have any ill will! ”

At this moment? One of the prisoners who surrounded him, said Asahei Ichimaru.

The person who spoke was a man of extremely short stature, with a comical pigtail on his head.

"My name is Nanaemon." The short man with pigtails smiled at Hei Ichimaru, "The reason why we came to you wasn't because we wanted to be against you. ”

"We just passed by here by chance and ran into you."

"The reason why I found you is also to invite you."

"Invite?" Heiichimaru wondered.

"That's right." Heiichimaru nodded, and then stretched out his hand towards Heiichimaru, "Brother, do you want to join us and work together to survive on this island?" ”