Chapter 77: Silver Soul (Earth Arc)

The Four Heavenly Kings of Kabuki Town: the great hero Mudwater Jirocho, Peacock Princess Hua Tuo, the demon lady Saigo, and the Empress Otose. Four kings, four factions—each maintaining a delicate balance. Now, that equilibrium has finally shattered, torn open first at the Empress Otose’s domain. War has begun.

“Morning already, and the air feels wonderful.” Okakura Take stretched lazily, smiling at the spiked club beside her.

This time, she would repay the favor to Curly for rescuing her from the clutches of the chuunibyou demon lord. Otherwise, being constantly blackmailed by that natural curly-haired fellow for gratitude would be troublesome.

Carrying her spiked club, she stepped out of her house and made her way to Kabuki Town. Today, the outskirts of Kabuki Town were eerily quiet; a cold wind swept through, and only the sound of empty cans clattering along the street could be heard.

“Kabuki Town like this isn’t fun at all...” Take muttered as she gazed at the street.

Suddenly, the sound of synchronized marching echoed from nearby. Take turned to see a battalion of hostesses, led by Ayame, heading her way, and most importantly, they carried weapons in their hands.

“…” Take was speechless.

What was going on?! Had hostesses started adopting Ayame’s rampaging style now?

“A…Ayame?” Take called out, her mouth twitching.

“Ah! Take-chan, why are you here?” Ayame’s eyes widened as she noticed the spiked club in Take’s hand. Covering her mouth, she exclaimed, “Are you here to conquer Kabuki Town, aiming to become the new Queen?”

“No, absolutely not! What kind of goal is that? Though it sounds kind of cool…” Take rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

“Never thought there’d be so many hostesses out during the day. Perfect! Join me for a drink later, hahaha.” A rough, weathered voice accompanied by mechanical rumbling approached them.

“Gengai!” Take exclaimed, surprised to see the old man had come too.

Looking closer, she spotted another odd figure among the robot army—“Hasegawa…” Take called out his name with a twitching mouth.

“I’m here for the drinks too,” Hasegawa declared, cigarette dangling, striking a pose.

“…” Take.

Bare-chested and wearing such a strange cardboard box, how could he pretend to be impressive, using the voice of Commander Ikari to say such things? He was the most out-of-place one here!

“So many people! Looks like I’m not the only one who wants to keep those three around.”

Who now? Take turned and saw a dazzling host army approaching. Their leader, Kyoshiro, noticed her gaze and winked—a lightning bolt that no woman could resist!

“If your weapons break, come find me for repairs. I’ll give you a discount!” A girl wielding a hammer strode over from another street.

More and more people gathered. Take couldn’t help but smile at the sight—she wasn’t the only one who thought Kabuki Town would feel lonely without those people.

All together, the group exchanged a silent glance, then headed into the heart of Kabuki Town. They were marching into battle.

Kabuki Town belonged to them, too!

When they reached the street near Odd Jobs, Take heard sounds of fighting and screams from ahead. Yet, for some reason, she felt confident in those guys—they weren’t so easily defeated.

Especially with that man there; the White Demon Sakata Gintoki wasn’t someone who could be taken down so easily.

Take and Ayame’s group pressed onward towards Odd Jobs.

Finally arriving, they found a crowd of enemies, their backs turned to them. To Take, these men seemed as weak as lambs penned in a sheepfold.

Everyone assembled, taking the stage in turn. The three Odd Jobs members were stunned—they hadn’t expected so many to come to their aid.

Firestarter Tatsumi, Tetsuko, Kogane, and Adan, old Gengai and his robot army, hopeless Madao, the dazzling host brigade, the fierce hostess battalion…

“Ah! Who is this woman? She’s terrifyingly strong—a complete monster!”

Take swung her spiked club, clearing a path for herself, making a dramatic entrance befitting the dazzling demon lord—by mowing down enemies! To be the strongest on the battlefield!

“Miss Take is here, too!” Shinpachi cried.

“Take-chan!” Kagura shouted joyfully.

“You…” Gintoki stared at Take in surprise.

Take pointed her spiked club at him. “Hey, Gin-san, this is to repay you for saving me last time. Don’t use favors to blackmail me again, you jerk!”

“What’s with all these people?!” Mudwater Jirocho’s and Saigo’s factions were the most shocked.

“Kabuki Town isn’t yours alone…” Take slammed her club heavily into the ground.

“Watch us—We’ll protect what matters with our own hands. We’ll defend our Kabuki Town…”

“That means you… Odd Jobs,” Kyoshiro said, his charming smile replaced by a solemn expression.

“We’re the ones who survived in this filthy place, laughing all the while,” said hopeless Madao.

“In that case, of course we’ll grit our teeth and defend it,” old Gengai added.

“You’re the real enemies of Kabuki Town!”

“This place—it’s ours!”

Everyone stared at Mudwater Jirocho and Saigo’s faction.

It was a declaration of battle!

“E…Everyone…” The Odd Jobs trio were stunned.

“What! Where did you all come from? So many forces resisting us?!” Mudwater’s faction was furious.

“Miss, our numbers have been completely overwhelmed now,” they said, looking to the girl standing at the center.

Take glanced at her—a remarkably cute girl in a short kimono, dark red short hair, and most notably, a tuft of bangs tied up on her forehead.

The girl looked at them, then waved and shouted, “What does it matter if there are more of them? The enemy’s just ordinary people—wipe them all out!”

“That’s right, you hostesses, don’t underestimate us! Or you’ll be wiped out!” Mudwater’s faction shouted, rushing forward.

Hiss—! Such murderous intent! Take turned and saw Ayame, her face dark, eyes radiating black aura…

Ayame hated being insulted more than anything… Those guys were bound for a harsh lesson, Take thought, cold sweat on her brow.

Seconds later, the men charging at Ayame were all swept to the ground, and she looked at them with a sadistic smile. “Kneel and worship me! I… am the Queen of Kabuki Town!”

The men cowered in terror.

“…” Take.

Ayame, are you really that fixated on the Queen of Kabuki Town persona?

“Die, woman!” Someone swung an axe at Take.

Bang! He missed.

“Huh? Where is she? Where did she go?” The man frantically searched, unable to spot Take.

“Sorry, I’m right here.” Take jumped from above, kicking the man and sending him flying. She kicked so hard he soared toward the second floor of Odd Jobs…

Boom! The Odd Jobs front door was smashed open, a hole blown in the wall.

Gintoki and Shinpachi turned slowly, faces twitching, to look at Take…

“Ah—!! Our house,” Shinpachi wailed, clutching his head.

“Sorry, I’ll watch my strength next time,” Take said, scratching her head and grinning sheepishly.

“…” Everyone surrounding Take was stunned by her strength.

“You, get in there!”

“Why don’t you go first?”

“She’s just one woman…”

The men pushed and shoved one another, but none dared advance.

“If you won’t come to me, I’ll come to you,” Take hefted her spiked club and strode toward them.

“Ah!” The men scattered at her approach, fleeing en masse.

“…” Take wondered, was she really that frightening?

“Miss, ahhhh—!!”

Just then, Take saw the girl who’d issued orders earlier collapsed on the ground, with Saigo shielding her, bare-chested. A group of black-clad men had suddenly appeared and slashed Saigo’s back.

Take looked around—she didn’t see the Odd Jobs trio; they must have gone off to fight the boss, she thought.

More and more black-clad figures began to appear around them.

“It’s the Tendoshu! Hua Tuo has betrayed us!” Mudwater’s faction shouted angrily.

Tendoshu? Take recalled—they were one of the three strongest races in the universe: Night Rabbits, Chajin, Tendoshu.

Take smiled, feeling a thrill. Her hand holding the spiked club trembled with excitement—she wondered if they were as strong as Night Rabbits.

She wanted to test it…

But aside from her, everyone else began to lose their nerve, heads bowed in defeat. Each felt that, given the current situation, they were finished… Kabuki Town would be taken.

“Oh my, such weak voices don’t suit you. Are you really Kabuki Town folk?”

That voice—Take looked up in surprise to see Otose standing on the rooftop, smoking.

Hadn’t they said Otose was dead…?

“Ot…Otose!” Everyone was as shocked as Take.

Otose smiled gently at them below, her tone soft. “Let these foolish disputes end here. Everyone, come to my shop—whether Jirocho’s men or Saigo’s people, I’ll take care of you all. Let’s have a reconciliation banquet.”

Seeing Otose like this, Take suddenly thought of someone—Hinata. For a moment, the two women overlapped in her mind. Both were like the sun—generous, with smiles that embraced everything.

And that other person, too… bright and warm, ever-present.

“Otose, you promised—a reconciliation banquet, and I want to drink as much as I please!” Take waved at Otose standing on the rooftop.

“Ah, drink as much as you like,” Otose replied, smiling at Take.

“Then I won’t hold back! Bring it on!” Take leapt onto the rooftop and charged toward the Tendoshu surrounding her.

She was like a runaway bulldozer, knocking all the Tendoshu to the ground as she rampaged.

“Otose, look out!”

The shouts below made Take turn her head. She saw two Tendoshu wielding knives, rushing at Otose…

At the last second, Take jumped over, ready to swing her club, when a man with a parted hairstyle and little mustache appeared, grabbing the Tendoshu and slamming their heads onto the rooftop. It was Katsuo from the Sewer Rats.

Take quickly pulled back, her club just grazing Katsuo’s shirt as it smashed down.

“That was close!” Katsuo cried, jumping aside.

“Tch, you’re in the way!” Take retorted, hopping to another rooftop to tackle more Tendoshu.

“Who’s in the way?!” Katsuo shouted.

Take ignored him, focusing on the Tendoshu. Before she realized it, all the Tendoshu had gathered around her, encircling her.

“So, the so-called three strongest races in the universe aren’t as tough as I thought,” Take taunted them.

“Damn woman! Die!” The Tendoshu charged at her, furious.

Take grinned, exhilarated—this was what battle should be!

She swung her club, flattening a Tendoshu who tried to stab her. Their blood, just like that of Earthlings, was red; it sprayed from the rooftop, splattering the ground and those below…

“That woman is as strong as a monster,” Saigo observed, watching Take.

“Oh? Never thought a monster like you would say that,” Otose remarked, appearing beside Saigo.

“Monster? Hah, Otose, the real monster is her up there—and…” Saigo glanced at the rooftop, “that one above.”

Enemies, enemies, enemies—everywhere! Take showed no mercy; her expression grew more savage, her gray coat stained red with blood, which dripped from her hair, face, and neck, sticky enough that she wished she could rip off her clothes then and there.

At last, all the Tendoshu around her were down. A cold wind swept through, and on the corpse-strewn rooftop, only Take remained standing.

She wiped the blood from her face, looked up at the sky, and finally, she too could protect what she cherished!