(Saitou lunges towards Seiryuu) Megumi: Gatotsu! Misao: First time I see it! (Seiryuu watches intently every movement of his opponent as Saitou performs the Gatotsu) ------------------------- Chapter 239 - "Si Shen (Su Shin) Confrontation -- Saitou versus Seiryuu" ------------------------- (Seiryuu assumes a defensive stance, crossing his arms in front of him. The Gatotsu hits Seiryuu's left arm, drawing a bit of blood.) Saitou: What happened, do you intend to die without doing anything? Seiryuu (grinning): I saw it. (Saitou glares. Seiryuu puts his hand in front of his mouth, and stops grinning.) Seiryuu: It was plain obvious that you were not an ordinary man. Thus, to attempt achieving victory without knowing your best technique could mean death to me. If the price is only one arm, then the price of victory is quite cheap! Saitou: .... do you intend to defeat me with your right arm only? Seiryuu: I, Seiryuu, am the most expert among the Si Shen when it comes to discovering everything about one technique. There was no single technique that I wasn't able to understand it fully! Saitou (falling again into Gatotsu stance): Oh yeah? That's pretty impressive. But, no matter if you can see it, it's no use if you can't avoid it. And (Saitou lunges forward) victory is impossible if you can't counterattack!! Seiryuu (grins again): I KNOW THAT!! (Seiryuu disappears from the Saitou's field of view. Saitou looks to his right side to find him) Seiryuu: The weakness of your technique is the one thing that you stretch in front of you to aim your thrust and to increase the momentum of your strike. And that is your right arm! (Seiryuu slides to Saitou's right side. Saitou tries to Gatotsu him, as Seiryuu counterattacks.) Seiryuu: If I slide to your right, outside of your right arm's reach, your technique is useless no matter what you try! (Seiryuu thrusts and hits Saitou in his right shoulder.) Megumi: !! (Saitou turns again and lunges towards Seiryuu.) Seiryuu: FUTILE!! (Saitou is wounded again.) Megumi: Ken-san... Kenshin: ... that man is right. Due to the properties of Gatotsu, the right side of Saitou is indeed a dead angle... Not only that, a charging attack like Gatotsu makes your field of view considerably narrow while performing it. Therefore, if the opponent slides into the dead angle, you can't avoid a little delay to react. I have done likewise once. Not only that, the counterattack with that long weapon is completely outside of Saitou's reach. Even if Saitou changes his thrust to a side attack, his sword won't connect to his foe. Megumi: But then... even his secret technique, the Gatotsu Zero Stance can't reach the opponent, so if things continue like this... Kenshin: No ---- Seiryuu (grinning): Now I think you understand. Your technique has been rendered completely useless. How about giving it up and try a new technique? Although I will see it all the moment you try it, but... Saitou: ... you seem to have lots of fun during the fight. Seiryuu: ! Saitou: Your mouth. You had closed it with your hand, but now it's open again. Seiryuu (closing his mouth with his hand): Oh, I must beg for your forgiveness. To laugh during a battle is a shameful thing. I, Seiryuu, am perfectly aware of that. (grinning again) But when I see victory so close at hand... Saitou (again in Gatotsu stance): So, you fight to get pleasure. Then let me give you a piece of advice. Before thinking about victory, think about good and evil. Then you will have fun even if you happen to engage in a doomed battle. (He dashes towards Seiryuu) Seiryuu: That technique again!! I told you it was --- (Saitou's right hand extend forward.) Seiryuu: !! (Saitou grabs Seiryuu's jaw with his right hand as they slide on the sand.) Seiryuu: Bw... gah.... Saitou: What happened to your grin now? Just a small variation like this and you can't laugh anymore? (glaring) I can't waste my time with scum who can only laugh in a fight where he's sure to win. It's over. (Saitou crushes Seiryuu's jaw) Kenshin: What gives strength to that man beyond the Gatotsu is a justice of just three words. The justice that wasn't destroyed even when he lost the War of Boshin. The justice that wasn't abandoned even when he lost his companions of Shinsengumi. The justice of "Aku Soku Zan". (Saitou shatters Seiryuu's halberd with a Gatotsu) Kenshin: If Saitou Hajime could be defeated just by defeating his Gatotsu, the duel between me and him would have been settled long ago in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu... Misao: Aoshi-sama! (the focus now change to the battle between Aoshi and Suzaku. Aoshi is parrying Suzaku's twin blades with the sheath.) Suzaku: What happened? Why don't you draw them? I already know that you've got two kodachis, not a long sword. Aoshi: I see... so I don't have to disguise it anymore. (Aoshi draws his swords and crosses them.) -- Kodachi Nitou Ryuu -- -- Onmyou Kousa !! -- (Suzaku's swords do exactly the same thing.) -- The same technique !! -- Aoshi: ! (Aoshi parries Suzaku's attack) Misao: This is... (thinking) The same Onmyou Kousa that Aoshi-sama used! Suzaku (grinning): I, Suzaku, am the most expert among the Si Shen when it comes to copying the techniques of my opponent. That is, every technique of yours will corner you and crush you until you're dead!! --------------------