Chapter 246: Anger

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu Ryuumeisen!

Yahiko: He's never used that before!

Enishi: Clever! But whatever technique you try, my sword will knock you out of the field!

(As they meet, Kenshin sheathes his sword. Enishi's blow tears him along his left arm.)

Megumi: What? What just happened?

Yahiko: Did he ... miss?

Misao: Ow!

Yahiko: What?

Misao (clutching her head): No, it's just ... My ears suddenly ... It's nothing.

Aoshi (also with a hand to his ear): The Oniwabanshu are trained in hearing, so their ears are more sensitive than those of ordinary people. That's why we were affected. Probably the result of the Ryuumeisen--

(Enishi is on his knees, shaking, a little trickle of blood coming out of his ears.)

Enishi: You--what have you done to me?

Kenshin: A reverse-turn of godspeed battoujutsu ... You might call it godspeed noutoujutsu*. Just like the cry of a dragon, the high-pitched sound of the sheath's reverberations strike the opponent's heightened senses and paralyze them. This is the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu Ryuumeisen. * noutoujutsu "sword-sheathing techniques;" i.e. the opposite of battoujutsu--maigo

Enishi: You...

(He tries to get up, slips, and falls to his knees again.)

Kenshin: However, because of your Kyoukeimyaku, that wouldn't be its only effect. The Ryuumeisen's sound would penetrate your inner ear.

Megumi: So that's it. Because of the Kyoukeimyaku effect, Yukishiro Enishi's five senses were far beyond normal ... so Ken-san responded with the Ryuumeisen. It penetrated the hearing mechanism and paralyzed the inner ear that regulates the sense of balance!

Sanosuke: So that's the Ryuumeisen. Watoujutsu and Kyoukeimyaku just couldn't measure up.

Megumi: That's not all. That was a perfect opportunity. That was his response when he realized that Yukishiro Enishi's sense were hypersensitive. So of course he amplified his strongest possible attack, causing his senses to self-destruct. Kyoukeimyaku isn't invincible! It's a double-edged sword--the stronger its attack, the weaker its defense!

Enishi: Battousai...

Kenshin: It's useless. You may have bested me in speed and height, but now you can't even stand ... Enishi ... Your techniques and your personality were both too one-sided. You attacked with limitless strength. But when it was forced to defend, that strength--

Enishi: It's not over yet!

(He drives two fingers into his ear, crushing the inner organs.)

Megumi: He crushed his own--

Misao: Yeaugh!

Aoshi: The idiot crushed it ... he was tortured by the pain, amplified by the Kyoukeimyaku.

Saitou: No ... You didn't see him in the other fight. This man's spirit has already transcended his body. No matter what pain his body feels, his mind won't consider it important. He's standing, but his sense of balance is still completely off. His defense hasn't weakened, but he's lost attacking power. They're finally evenly matched.

(Enishi strikes. Kenshin dodges sideway, and Enishi's sword strikes the ground.)

Yahiko: The shockwave parted the sea!

(Enishi is left with a sword buried in a crater of sand.)

Kenshin: I told you it's useless, Enishi. No matter how fiercely you attack, you'll never hit me.

Enishi: So what! So what if I only attack! I don't protect anything--I don't need to! The only thing I wanted to protect, you--you already stole her from me!

(There is silence for a minute.)

Enishi: So I will kill you! I'll kill you with my own hands!

Kaoru (thinking): That stance! The Kofuku Watoujutsu!

Kenshin: You're right ... I took her from you. And I can't give her back. All I can do is face your anger...

(He sheathes his sword.)

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu Ougi Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki!