Ichi Page #2

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to suppress them.

Is the entertainment ready?

Of course it is!

But no bureaucrat will help us.

Round up all the nobodies

you want.

They won't be a match for Banki.

Master!

It's not that way.

It's down here!

Perfect!

Father!

This is Squire Fujihira.

He's very far from being a nobody.

We're counting on you.

May I speak with you?

Banki is not

your regular bandit warlord.

He was a samurai

of good name...

recommended to the Shogun

as an Instructor of Fencing.

So what made him a bandit?

His face was burned.

He is horribly disfigured.

His appearance

was so hideous, they say...

that he was driven

from his official post.

For his looks?

The Banki-to...

suck our blood, neither killing us

nor letting us live.

But we have reached our limit.

And Banki knows that.

So then...

Although as a yakuza

I am ashamed to say it...

I am afraid.

Toraji is a dear son.

I am terrified of losing him.

I wish I weren't growing old.

Quite the guy, huh?

A father like that...

makes you want

to blaze your own trail.

Boss Chobei told me

about this secret place.

Oh, no! I forgot my float.

You wait here. I'll go get it.

Coma!

Kotaro seems fond of you.

Do you like kids?

I hate them.

They're pests.

They won't shut up.

But they're pure of heart

so you can trust them.

But not the adults...

Not most of them.

You've got a bite.

No, I don't...

Hey, I do!

Well, well, well!

'Again tonight I sleep alone...

'Imagining being rocked

on my mother's knee.'

That song you sang...

How does it go?

'Abandoned...

'Imagining the face

I've never seen...

'Still, I can never hate you.

'How I want to see you.'

'Still I can never hate you...'

I'd like to hear it again.

Maybe someday.

Will you be staying awhile?

Till my search is done.

I see...

There might be a battle between

the Shirakawa and the Banki-to.

Do you intend to fight?

Well, I serve the Shirakawa...

Stay out of it.

Sticking your nose into things

just brings trouble.

I can't just stand by

while my companions are killed.

You could have helped that girl

they were beating up.

Why is it...

you won't get involved?

When you're blind,

you can't see the border.

Day or night...

Or if the road suddenly ends...

You don't see the line in between.

Everything scares you.

If a man's good or bad...

how can I see to know?

I can't tell any difference.

I can't even see...

if I'm alive or dead!

Not that I really care

if I live, anyway.

Wait!

Fight me with that.

Better not, Coma.

You're no match for her.

Here goes.

Right on schedule!

The Magistrate will be pleased.

Maybe.

The Banki-to should keep quiet...

while the Magistrate's around.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to hit you so hard.

Does it hurt?

So you're better than she is...

Yep. I'm really good.

But only with a wooden sword.

I can't strike with a real one.

Why not?

My father...

taught martial arts

for the Odaka clan.

Toma!

Mother!

My mother wasn't killed...

but she was blinded.

And I was never able

to draw a sword again.

No one has ever beaten me

with a wooden sword.

But as the son of a swordmaster

who couldn't draw a real sword...

I shamed my house.

My father began to hate me.

Five years ago,

he adopted his best student

as heir in my place.

And I left on a pilgrimage...

of which I am still trying

to find the end.

But my mother

never forsook me.

She always encouraged me

to become a true samurai.

But when I was 15, she died.

Even when she was gravely ill,

she struggled for life.

Though she was blind,

she never gave up hope.

She desperately wanted to live...

but that was not to be.

I am...

who I am.

The Magistrate has arrived!

So he's not...

the man you seek.

Are you leaving?

Yasuke!

Yasuke!

I don't care if you're

a Magistrate or not!

You'll regret this!

Master!

Are you Toma Fujihira?

Kill them!

What's wrong?!

Milord!

Now, listen...

You saw nothing.

All is calm in Bito.

It's a peaceful town.

Bito is a fine town!

If you want to keep your position,

say nothing about us.

I swear!

Some bodyguard you've got, Toraji.

Just don't bother, like your old man.

You'll live longer.

Shut up!

Save...

Save...

the town!

Father!

Hey!

Father!

Father!

That was a mistake...

Wait!

We need the Shirakawas

kept alive.

We've done enough.

We're going!

Where's that single slash

the chief was talking about?

Bring this guy with us.

It's not him.

Take me to Banki.

Banki knows a man

who fights in my style.

Interesting...

All right!

Chief!

It wasn't Toma Fujihira

who cut down our men.

What, you're telling us

it was that woman?

That's nonsense!

See for yourself.

Are you Banki?

I'm not good enough?

I'll kill her!

You guys are hopeless!

Are you here for me?

I want to ask something.

I'm good, you know.

Shut up!

Don't make any noise.

I've seen a man

who fights like you.

He was blind, but very good.

However, before we could fight...

he caught a disease going around

and died.

He was the only one I wanted to kill.

You made total fools of us!

Don't!

Get lost!

Say something, 'Great Master'!

Dad! Do something!

They'll kill him!

Dad! Dad!

Coma's really good, you know!

Better than Ichi!

He beat her! I saw it!

We'll finish the Banki-to.

No more running away.

We've lost a lot of men.

We need all the men we can get!

'Great Master'...

If you really are that good,

then you kill Banki for us.

Before that...

There's one thing...

I have to do.

Do you hurt?

What was that blind man to you?

Him and me,

we both smelled like outsiders.

You do, too.

We are the same.

We're treated like beasts.

They kick us around...

and leave us to die in the fields.

Lay there...

as long as you want.

And then I'll take

real good care of you.

Tell the missus

I never did anything.

I have no other place.

I want to come back.

Ichi!

I'll save you!

Where's the woman?!

Find her!

After her!

Kihachi!

That way!

Who are you?!

Toma Fujihira!

That woman is mine.

You have to rest.

The man...

He was dead.

Your father?

He left me with the goze troupe.

He'd come back sometimes

and teach me to fight.

Now I can never find out the truth.

The troupe drove me out.

I didn't mean to kill the man.

I was completely confused.

I feel nothing.

I wish I was dead.

But I wanted to meet him

before I die...

and ask if he was my father...

You mustn't die.

You mustn't die!

All right!

There's more of them,

but we can still win!

They have more than twice as many

so kill at least two before you fall.

Genta!

Get in close and fight!

Give me one!

Master...

Don't run out on us this time.

They're coming!

Lots of them!

Right!

I am Toraji

of the Shirakawa family!

Banki!

Today we settle once and for all!

This place is of use to us no more.

Toraji!

I'm afraid...

you will join your father.

As of today, you and this place

are finished.

Ichi, are you awake?

Where's Toma?

What's happened?

This is for my father!

Toma Fujihira!

Face me.

Give the woman back.

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