After leaving, Izou came after her a few minutes later, sweaty.

"Miss Ai, are you planning on fighting anyone more?" Izou said wiping the sweat from his head.

"No. From what I have seen, no one is strong enough to warrant my active pursuit. I only taught Retsu since he shined so bright."

"Yes…" Izou remembered his smile. "He is rather bright."

"Very." Ai looked up at the clear sky. "It will be a little less bright in the world without him."

"Miss Ai, have you killed before?"

"Yes. Many times during a period of turmoil. My blade was tested through man and monster. I do not think much about it, but my husband said that he hated that, but also hated the feeling of killing another or the lack thereof."

"Ah. Then he knows the value of life. That is the essence of a warrior who is seen above the battlefield and sees something grander."

"That is a nice way of putting it. Maybe you should be a poet?"

"Haha!" He chuckled a bit. "How very kind of you to say, but... I think I’ll stick with Shinobi's work."

"Very well. It was nice to speak with you." Ai nods her head and walks away.

Izou also turns around and walks away.

"Retsu."

 

The day of the fight.

The underground arena was filled with people waiting for the match to begin. The arena had an odd air to it, electricity in the air.

Sitting next to Tokugawa was Ai.

"Tell me Ai... do you also see blood on the sand?"

"I do… It is to be expected when you have a match where you give a master swordsman a sword to fight. Someone will die today."

"This may be a regret I will take to the grave."

"You shouldn’t feel guilty. It is not a commander’s fault an idiot rushes into battle when they were given plenty of warnings telling them of the danger."

"You are very right... What happens now is up to him now."

The first to enter the ring was Musashi, whose appearance was met with awe and wonder. He had a look of death around him—a look only Ai could see, as many from her world had it every time they would go into the dungeon.

The next to come out was Retsu, and when he appeared, the crowd roared in cheer and concern for him. That alone was proof that he was well beloved and proof that they held Musashi to an even higher pedigree.

Ai could see Kaku and Baki at Retsu’s corner, and they saw her with a passing glance at most. They read out the instructions, and they got to their sides.

Tokugawa looked at Ai and took a deep breath.

"Begin!!!!" he shouted.

The man struck the drum, and the arena went dead quiet. But it was brought back to life by Musashi.

"Well, then..." he steps forward. "Let's not take too long before we start. What would be the quickest or shortest way to finish this?"

From his words, the battle began.

Retsu tore open his chest, revealing several shurikens.

‘Those are good. I'll be sure to ask Cirrus to make them like that.’

 

Ai watched as Retsu threw them, and Musashi evaded, parried, and sliced them down. She watched their every move. These were masters of their art, people who don’t have a status like her but are able to fight with level 2 to 4 adventures.

Watching them fight was interesting, to say the least. Retsu did what he could to be as far from his blade as possible, but Musashi proved to be able to handle what was thrown at him, be it shuriken, broken teeth, sand flung at his face, or even a sectioned iron whip.

As the fight progressed, Musashi took his whip and used it like a sword, destroying it in the process.

"So Retsu Kaiou." Musashi takes out his sword from its sheath. "Wanna try it again?" he asked, tossing his blade at Retsu.

Retsu caught it in a bit bewildered.

"Why don’t you try using that, but before you do, I want to say one thing. If you fight a samurai, I suggest using a sword or something." He went in for a punch, but Retsu parried it.

From the parry came a full combo of attacks, including a strike with the handle of the sword. Followed by a strike at the center of the body and a strike at the bottom of his chin with the bud of the sword. He ended it off with a crescent kick to the head, knocking him down to the sand.

"Retsu Kaiou!!!"

"He beat him down!!!" the crowd cheered in love for him.

"I get it, but a legend such as yourself shouldn’t act like that," he said with conviction and earnestness.

"Don’t do it," Ai said.

"And as the martial artist that I am..." he stabs the sheathed sword into the sand. "I will not forgive you or myself if this becomes a barehanded fight!!!"

"Tch. Lord Tokugawa."

As he turned, the arena erupted in cheers.

"What is it, Ai?"

"Prepare a eulogy for that brave, kind-eyed man, Retsu Kaiou."

"W-why!? The fight is still going on!"

Musashi grabs the handle of the sword.

"No, Retsu just gave the executioner his sword back."

Musashi then stands straight back up.

"That moment just now... You know that was the last chance for you to achieve victory?"

Retsu looked at him with determined eyes.

"You will not get a second chance, but... you truly are beautiful and for that." The aura around Musashi grew even more intense. "Retsu Kaiou!! I will give you a beautiful end!!!!!"

As the arena filled with laughter, Tokugawa still looked at Ai.

"His… execution?"

"Yes, Retsu’s pride will be cut down by Musashi’s warrior mentality of fighting till the other is dead. Wake me up when his belly is sliced open." Ai leaned back, covering her eyes, as she couldn’t bear to watch this proud and noble fighter die for his pride.

 

"S-she’s not even looking!" said Baki.

"She knows that Retsu has just given death its scythe back." Said Kaku. "If he was not my student... I would have looked away as well."

 

Musashi got another weaker sword and came at Retsu with the full intent of cutting him down.

"IZA!!!!!!!!!!!!" He came down with an overhead slash.

As it came down, it stopped partway on Retsu’s face. A sword was in his face, yet he still lived.

"You bastard..." anger-laced words left his lips. "DO NOT STOP YOU SLASH!!! YOU COULD HAVE CUT ME DOWN!!! DO NO LOOK DOWN ON ME!!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU LOOK DOWN ON RETSU KAIOU!!!!!!!!

A smile slowly grew on Musashi’s face.

"Ah, a true warrior at last." He then finished his slash.

As the slash struck down, Retsu used Shaori to follow the downward slash and follow the flow of the slash. He countered with an overhead kick to the face.

He watched as Musashi lay crawling on the ground with a bloody face and broken nose, trying to get up.

‘This is the end!! If I stab him, this will end now!’ He jumped high into the air. ‘No… wait!!’ He dropped back down and took some distance from Musashi. ‘Ms. Ai’s words... I must remain calm and composed! He is Miyamoto Musashi! A single error can cost me everything!’

He got back into his stance and slowly watched him with all of his senses.

"Wise choice," Musashi said, getting up as if no damage had been done to him. "Her teaching has extended your life." He then walks to the mound of weapons, picks up the katana he threw into it, and draws it.

Musashi, with two swords in his hands, was a whole different beast now. The surrounding aura truly sent chills down every fighter's back. A demon has shown its fangs.

‘Shaori… it as she said, even the wind can be caught and a bird's wings can be clipped, and mine are now about to be clipped.’

Retsu was shaking, but he calmed himself down. He had made Musashi use his famed Niten Ichi-ryuu on him. A deep sense of accomplishment coursed through his body, energizing him.

"I am deeply honored, Musashi, to be cut down by your famed sword style." A resolute smile filled his face. "COME AT ME!!!"

"Very well, warrior!!!" Musashi also had a grin on his face as he charged ahead.

‘Focus everything!!! Read his movements as best as I can!!’ These words were Retsu’s lifeline.

Musashi came down with another overhead swing with both swords. Retsu, with all of his strength, spun to the right. Musashi’s left eye was banged up from that side, and he followed it with a kick to the ribs with his peg legs.

Musashi took the hit. He let go of the katana and grabbed his peg leg again. Retsu quickly spun his body again, going in for a crescent kick with his left foot, and Musashi also grabbed it.

Musashi’s reaction was far better than Retsu had wished for himself. Musashi rose him up from his feet just as he did before, swung him down like his blades, and smacked him onto the ground. Retsu, having experienced this before, covered the back of his head.

"Gah!!" Retsu quickly moved his body as fast as he could, only to find Musashi already with a sword in hand.

‘This is the limit to my body.’

Time slowed down for him as the two swords came toward him.

‘No!!! Move!! Move!!!’

His body started to move, but the swords were already overhead, so he used his most reliable weapon, his fists.

Shing!!

Thud!

"!!"

He had stopped the blades with both of his fists; he gripped them with his life on the line, and he went for a kick to the testicles and succeeded.

Retsu could see the face of pain on Musashi, and for a mere second, he relaxed as he felt the katana leave his fist faster than he could register and slice his belly.

 

Time stood still for everyone. Ai looked to see Retsu standing straight up as life began to slowly leave him.

"It seems you were faster... Musashi. Splurt!!!"

A cut from his stomach shot out of him.

"You have done well, Retsu Kaiou," Musashi said, walking away, flinging the sword of blood and sheathing it.

Ai got up and jumped into the ring. She walked behind Retsu as he fell back. She catches him and slowly brings him down to her thighs.

"The match is over!!!" Tokugawa shouted.

Many people were still dead silent as they watched Retsu slowly bleed out in the arms of a stranger.

"As I said, I would give you a reward after the match." Ai said, casting her gentle gaze on him.

"So your gift is comfort." Retsu looked around, as the crowd couldn’t speak.

"It’s the best gift for a warrior who never found love. Dying alone, from my experience, is something truly horrifying."

He remains quiet, and he can feel his body grow colder. The only warmth he felt was from here.

"I am unworthy of this."

"You fought till the end, and wouldn’t you call this a beautiful end?"

"Yes, it is. I am… fine with… thi… nding…"

Ai leaned in closer and whispered into his ear.

"Should your soul find its way to my world, find me, and I will make sure you won’t be cut down like this."

His eyes lit up a bit, and his voice gained the last wisps of strength in his body.

"Very… well…"

"Sleep, brave warrior; you fought with everything you have."

His eyes then slowly lost their warmth, and he took his last breath.

As Musashi left, many from the crowd near where he came through ran away in fear of him. The man himself didn’t care, he simply kept walking.

"A beautiful end I gave you. O’ beautiful soul."