All that was left was the sound of the wind blowing past his ears and his own footsteps.

“…… It's a little lonely. ”

Ogata muttered in a volume that only he could hear.

Before they were separated from Kuranaga, Ogata didn't feel lonely.

After leaving Kuraga and them, feelings of loneliness unconsciously emerged from the bottom of Ogata's heart.

Master, brothers, Kuranaga, Flying Ape, Ichiro and their ...... None of the people Ogata knew were gone.

In this world, the only friends left in Ogata are Misaki, Fuku, and ...... The knife at his waist.

Misaki and Fuku, for a long time in the foreseeable future, Ogata will not have the opportunity to return to the Hirose Domain, and come back to meet Misaki and Fuku.

Other words...... At present, only the sword at his waist is left in this world to accompany him.

Ogata couldn't help but raise his left hand and hold down the knife on his left waist.

"I don't know what lies ahead......

Ogata let out another mutter.

This time, his tone was no longer sad, but a little excited and expectant.

What lies at the end of the horizon ahead - Ogata is not clear.

He didn't even know if he was heading east or west.

But Ogata didn't care.

After all, no matter which direction you go, you're moving forward. Just keep moving forward.

His feet are full of energy, and his eyes are full of momentum that is unique to young people.

Ogata pushed the edge of the hat on his head slightly, looking out of reach and completely unfamiliar ahead.

With his left hand on the knife at his waist and bathed in the sunlight pouring down from the sky, Ogata walked along the winding country road.

The wind and the sun are beautiful, and the sky is cloudless.

……

……

At the same time—

Edo –

Somewhere in Edo, there is a magnificent mansion.

This mansion was not the home of a dignitary, but an Edo ...... No, it's the location of a famous yamen that is well known throughout Japan.

Outside the gate of this magnificent yamen, there are two spring lanterns.

The lantern is painted with the Tokugawa family, the family crest of the family that ruled the whole of Japan: the three-leaf sunflower pattern.

Next to the large gate, which is large enough for eight people to enter side by side, a wooden sign hangs.

On the top of this wooden plaque, there are 5 Chinese characters written vigorously and powerfully.

These 5 Chinese characters are the name of this yamen known to everyone in the world.

At the same time, it is also a name that makes countless thieves in the world frightened - fire pay thieves to change.

It was just past noon, and the entire castle was in a lazy atmosphere.

However, the fire payment thieves changed to the yamen, and it was quite lively.

An official in the uniform of the Huofu thief changed, while holding the knife at his waist, walked quickly to the yamen of the Huofu thief.

It was precisely because of the sudden arrival of this official that the atmosphere of the Huofu thief who was also immersed in a lazy atmosphere changed the yamen in an instant.

The two officials who stood outside the gate of the yamen and guarded the door recognized who the man who was rushing towards them in a hurry.

This person is the right and left hand of Hasegawa Heizo, the commander of their fire payment thief change: Imai Cheng.

After rushing into the yamen that the fire thieves had changed, Imai walked straight towards a certain place inside the yamen without any hesitation and with ease.

At this moment, a young male shout suddenly came from his side:

"Imai-sama!"

Imai followed the prestige.

"It's Tachibana-kun."

Tachibana Heitaro - The name of this young man named Imai.

It's a newcomer who just joined them this year.

Although he is young, he is strong in swordsmanship and has a strong ability to deal with various cases, so he is very valued by Imai.

Tachibana walked quickly to Imai's side, maintaining the same speed as Imai and walking side by side with Imai.

"Imai-sama! Why is it so hot? Could it be that there are some troublesome thieves again? ”

"Sort of." Imai said in a deep voice, "Tachibana-kun, you came just in time, let me ask you-is Hasegawa-sama in the yamen now?" ”

"In!" Tachibana said without thinking? "But Hasegawa-sama is taking a nap right now!"

"It's good that he's here. Tachibana-kun? You listen. Now go and get ready for the long journey. ”

"We're about to leave for Kansai."

"Kansai?" Tachibana let out an exclamation, "Are you going this far?" ”

"That's right. We're going after a ...... Let's pay the thieves to change the headache of the thieves for many years? I've just received the latest information - that thief has been haunting Kansai recently. ”

"Finally tracked down the traces of this thief? We can't afford to let it go no matter what. ”

"Thief ......" Tachibana is even more confused.

He thought about it for a long time, but he didn't come up with who this thief Imai was talking about.

After all, there are too many thieves who are absconding and the officials who have been turned thieves are tracking down all over the world.

"Imai-sama!" Tachibana asked? "Who the hell is the thief we're going to pursue?"

"You go and prepare for a long trip first!" Imai said in a somewhat impatient tone, "I'll tell you later who we're going to pursue!" ”

"Yes, yes!"

See Imai don't want to say more? Tachibana didn't dare to ask any more.

Hurriedly lifted the state of walking side by side with Imai? I was ready to follow Imai's instructions and prepare for a long journey.

Imai walked briskly through the corridors where they had been killed by the thieves at a speed no less than running.

Eventually—he stopped in front of a paper sliding door facing a small courtyard.

Facing the paper sliding door, Imai got down on one knee.

And then—

"Hasegawa-sama!"

Isn't it high-pitched? It wasn't too low, and he shouted at the paper door in front of him.

After Imai's voice fell? Inside the paper sliding door, a lazy voice unique to human beings when they first woke up sounded:

"It's Imai......"

"Suddenly looking for me, what's the matter?"

"Hasegawa-sama." Imai said in a deep voice, "I've tracked down the traces of ......'Buddha enemy'!" ”

As soon as Imai's words fell, the sound of the quilt being lifted sounded behind the paper sliding door.

And...... The sound of hurried footsteps.

Call!

The paper sliding door in front of Imai was slammed open.

A middle-aged man in an ordinary brown kimono maintains the posture of opening the paper sliding door, with a calm face? Said:

“…… Imai, report to me all the information you know so far. ”

"Yes!"

……

……

Omi area? Inside a certain mountain—

The mountains are the farthest away from humans.

However, in a large mountain in the Omi area, a village was suddenly built.

However, it would be a bit reluctant to call this piece of building a village.

This is because this "village" does not have the vitality and popularity that a human settlement should have.

Like an ice cube? It exudes a cold smell.

Occasionally, a few people shuttled through this "village", but they were all expressionless and hurried? Regardless of the outfit on the body? Or the look, the movement? They are far from the image of the mountain people.

In an ordinary wooden house in this "village", an old man with gray hair on his head was reading with relish in his hand.

“…… It seems that ......," the old man suddenly said in a tone of self-talk, "the shogunate's purpose of concentrating all the country's felons in Kii...... It's a lot more fun than I thought. ”

"It's been a long time since I've encountered something so interesting, it's really itchy......"

With a few strange laughs, the old man casually tossed the scroll in his hand aside.

"Someone's coming." The old man shouted in a casual tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, a young man in a black shirt and black pants jumped from the ceiling above the old man's head.

"Go and help me get Amachi."

The old man said as he stretched out the tail finger of his right hand to dig into the earwax.

"I have ...... Very interesting task to give her. ”

With that, the old man's one-eyed gleam with a meaningful light.

The old man had only one eye, his right eye.

A large scar cut straight down his left forehead, across his left eye, and then stopped at his left cheek.

*******

Volume 2 "The Executioner" - The End!

*******

Volume 3 "Buddha Enemy" Preview:

……

"We're not here to chase the 'One Knife Zhai'." Hasegawa said in a deep voice, "We came to your domain this time to pursue the 'Buddha enemy'!" ”