Volume 6 Chapter 48 The Shape Of Loyalty - The Conclusion
Even though it was for his lord, Getsuya couldn't easily accept the feelings of cutting off his own sister's arm. He knew how much his sister had dedicated her life to the sword, and he had seen it all up close.
But at the same time, if this meant Mikage would be free from all struggles...
"No... not yet..."
Hearing the presence and voice, Getsuya turned around unguarded.
Right in front of him was Mikage, who had lost her right arm from the elbow down.
"Raaahhhhhh!!"
"What──!?"
Despite his shock, Getsuya immediately got into a defensive stance, but his movements were slightly slow. For just a moment, he was overwhelmed by Mikage's roar and the fierce will shining in her eyes.
──Slash!
Mikage swung her 'Silver Flash'.
The iai cut unleashed by her left hand tore through Getsuya's body.
"Ugh... ah..."
Getsuya held his side where a red line was carved diagonally, taking 2 or 3 steps past Mikage before finally collapsing to his knees.
"You said it yourself, brother. Be prepared to lose an arm──."
"Could it be... you were aiming for this from the start...?"
Next to the fallen Getsuya, Mikage stood there with one arm missing.
Mikage understood. When Rouza was defeated, Getsuya would likely draw his sword in anger to try to kill Yukina. At the same time, she knew that in her current state, she couldn't match Getsuya's skill. It was impossible to defeat her enraged brother head-on to protect her lord, Yukina.
So, just like Yukina, Mikage also came up with a plan.
Mikage said something that didn't sound like her, trying to provoke Getsuya, and she was desperately trying to catch her brother's sword skills. The goal was to make Getsuya go all out and then lead the situation into a 'shooting match' of the fastest Iaido in Shiraha swordsmanship. It was already expected that she would lose her arm in the clash.
"And, I'm sorry, but I took advantage of your softness, brother."
If Getsuya really wanted to, it wouldn't have been hard for him to cut Mikage's body in half during the Iaido pass. The reason he only chose to cut her arm was that he still had feelings for his sister.
Mikage aimed for the moment when Getsuya, confident of his victory after cutting off her dominant arm, would let his guard down.
The second sword was one she got from a blacksmith that Yukina was close to. It was strapped to her right side instead of her left, so she could draw it with her remaining left arm after losing her dominant arm. Even though it was her dominant arm, she had been training her left arm for Iaido to keep her body balanced.
The groundwork for her plan was already well prepared.
If Shiraha's sword turns passion into power, then Mikage poured all the burning passion in her heart into this final strike. It swallowed Getsuya's spirit and slowed his movements.
Mikage let go of her sword and tore her clothes to make a makeshift bandage. She used her left hand and mouth to tie up the bleeding stump of her right arm to stop the bleeding.
"Brother. I no longer have the resolve to sacrifice myself for my lord."
Even with the intense pain from losing her arm twisting her expression, Mikage continued to speak.
"...Then, what is that arm? It is nothing less than a determination to serve your lord, even at the cost of a swordsman's life."
"That's not it. What I have is the resolve to stand by the future of the person I love."
"──!?"
Mikage was troubled about whether she was worthy to support the lord she had devoted herself to. She thought she was next to Yukina, but she wondered if it was okay to be with him since he had somehow surpassed her and was moving ahead.
"What a foolish hesitation. There's no need to even think about that."
Whether she was qualified or not had never mattered from the start.
What was needed was only the will to be together. No matter what happens to this body, the determination to stand by her lord until the end. It was the same as the way of the sword. She sought the strength she desired, and she could only continue to train tirelessly.
"I'm sure Yukina-sama will continue to love me, even with my lost arm. If that's the case, I will use my remaining left hand to stand by his side and serve him."
"...Perhaps, that is a path even harsher than risking your life."
Instead of sacrificing herself to protect, she would continue to walk the endless path together. Rather than burning everything in an instant, she would persist with her will to keep burning. There was no need to ask which was the more difficult journey.
"Even so, I will uphold my loyalty. ...That said, I don't intend to give up the way of the sword either."
"What did you say?"
"I have a top-notch doctor among my friends. Thanks to your skilled slash who cleanly severed it, I will probably be able to connect it without any issues, brother. Until the wound is completely healed, practicing swordsmanship with my left hand isn't a bad idea."
Mikage's positivity, which had no trace of despair and even included no bluff, finally made Getsuya unable to hold back a snicker.
"Ku ku ku, I see. So you had it all planned out until now. That girl who only had that sword in her mind has become quite strong."
"It must be the influence of my lord. I'll take that as a compliment. Also, just barely, I avoided hitting your vital spot. If we do first aid right away, you should be saved, brother."
Even while his body was slashed, Getsuya was still conscious and able to speak, which was proof of that.
Among mercenary jobs, there were those who requested to minimize deaths as much as possible. Through gaining experience in such jobs, Mikage had learned how to incapacitate opponents while keeping their lives intact. This was also one of the skills she gained after leaving Sanmoto.
"...Let me correct one thing."
"──?"
"In the moment I drew my sword for the final strike, I completely forgot that you were my sister."
As Mikage took a small breath, Getsuya grimaced in pain but managed to smile.
"I truly swung my sword with the intent to kill. It was definitely your skill that allowed you to survive with just one arm. And now, I feel both regret and pride in the growth of my sister who pushed me to that point. This is my immaturity, and the outcome you achieved through your determination."
"Brother..."
"Mikage. I have seen your loyalty with my own eyes and body. I will uphold my own loyalty. You should uphold yours as well."
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