KATANAGATARI 1
Most who heard the story of Togame’s early years accepted that her hair turned white from terror, at the sight of her family being slaughtered.
But no.
Her hair had been blanched by an outpouring of rage.
I have sworn upon this hair of white.
No matter how often I’m betrayed!
No matter who grows to hate me!
Even if it means living a life starved of love─I will fulfill the responsibility that is mine to undertake!
“Huh…”
Someone was approaching through the underbrush. Was it Komori? How had he returned so soon? Then again, if he had settled things with the Sword Cannon, the battle would have ended instantly. In which case, what had taken him so long?
Togame braced herself─defenseless as she was.
She could only glare in the direction of the sound.
With that eye of hers…
“I see,” the man said, appearing from the bushes. “I see, I see, that’s what he meant by that eye. But he was wrong about it smoldering. Can’t trust a ninja, I suppose. I like the way it sparkles. Pretty cool if you ask me.”
“…? …!”
It was Shichika Yasuri.
How had he─no! Komori had it all planned out. After he bagged Shichika, he would transform into Shichika and kill Nanami. This must be Komori, on his way…no, on his way back! What had taken him so long was killing off the sister. But why hadn’t he changed back? Maybe he was posing as Shichika to milk more information out of her─he had a lot of nerve. How the Schemer had fallen, if he believed such a charade72 would do.
But then she noticed something.
What Shichika Yasuri was carrying.
Zetto the Leveler. One of the Twelve Possessed, the masterworks of Kiki Shikizaki. As if unaccustomed to holding a sword, he loosely clasped the butt of the handle and dragged the long blade rattling over the ground.
Komori would have stuffed it in his belly.
So this must be the real Shichika.
“Got me thinking, though. Maybe that ninja had parents or siblings, or maybe even kids. He had to have some kind of a family. I bet they’ll hate my guts for this.”
“…”
“For starters─”
Shichika thrust the Leveler upright into the earth by the tree where Togame was tied up.
The Leveler seemed like it could take it.
But yikes, she’d told him to be careful…
“Here’s the first one, Togame.”
“…”
For starters?
The first one?
What did he mean─
Talking like this was only the beginning─
Like he was promising to do good by her─
“Don’t get me wrong─I did it for you. I don’t have my eyes set on money, I haven’t been dosed with the Shikizaki venom, and I have no interest in serving the bakufu─I just felt like doing it, for you.”
Shichika looked at her and laughed.
At his partner73 for the yearlong journey ahead.
“I’m going ahead and falling for you.”
1 教科書 KYŌKASHO textbook
2 無人島 MUJINTŌ uninhabited island
3 甘い AMAI literally, sweet; soft and optimistic
4 逢瀬 ŌSE rendezvous
5 言葉の綾 KOTOBA NO AYA “the weave of words”
6 舌打ち SHITAUCHI click the tongue
7 川獺 KAWAUSO “The Otter”
8 烏骨鶏くらい滑稽 UKOKKEI KURAI KOKKEI as ridiculous as a silkie
9 釈迦に説法 SHAKA NI SEPPŌ “sermonizing the Buddha”
10 馬の耳に念仏 UMA NO MIMI NI NEMBUTSU Buddhist chants for a horse’s ears
11 戯言 ZAREGOTO “frivolous words” the title of another series by NISIOISIN
12 忍法 NINPŌ ninja method, i.e. ninja art
13 骨肉細工 KOTSUNIKU SAIKU “flesh-and-bone crafting”
14 男女差 DANJOSA “gap between man and woman”
15 柔忍者 JŪNINJA “freeform ninja” vs. 柔道 JŪDŌ, the martial art of flexibility
16 風呂敷 FUROSHIKI squarish cloth used to carry things…generally outside of the body
17 着付け KITSUKE formal rules for donning a kimono
18 首尾よく SHUBI YOKU “head to tail”completely
19 策 SAKU plan vs. 奇策 “odd plan” scheme
20 半生 HANSEI (the first) half of a lifetime
21 の[…]による[…]ための NO[…]NI YORU[…]TAME NO of[…]by[…]for the exact phrasing from Lincoln’s renowned address in translation
22 鑑 KAGAMI exemplar (homophones with 鏡 KAGAMI mirror)
23 単独行動 TANDOKU KŌDŌ independent action
24 忍ばずともよい SHINOBAZU TOMO YOI the original repeats the same phrase
25 鎖国 SAKOKU “chaining the country”
26 猿轡 SARUGUTSUWA “monkey’s bit”
27 手本 TEHON “hand book” example
28 撒き餌 MAKIE scattering scraps of food to lure prey
29 どの DONO “lord” appended like SAN, but in formal address
30 井戸の底の蛙 IDO NO SOKO NO KAWAZU Japanese counterpart for “big fish in a small pond”
31 芯 SHIN core
32 失笑 SHISSHŌ “slip a laugh”
33 化ける BAKERU change into, transform
34 牡丹 BOTAN “The Peony” the “King of Flowers”
35 水月 SUIGETSU “water moon” one of the zàng-fŭ organs
36 奇襲 KISHŪ sneak attack
37 真相 SHINSŌ true aspect
38 狐 狸 KITSUNE TANUKI foxes and tanuki: in Japanese folklore, both are shapeshifters
39 僥倖 GYŌKŌ good fortune
40 まな板の上の鯉 MANAITA NO UE NO KOI “a carp on a cutting board” unable to resist and resigned
41 利用 RIYŌ utilize; take advantage of
42 刀集 KATANA ATSUME “gathering swords” as opposed to the historical Sword Hunts
43 御側人 OSOBANIN personal counselor to the shogun
44 政争 SEISŌ political struggle vs. 戦争 SENSŌ war
45 時代錯誤 JIDAI SAKUGO an anachronism
46 調査下調べ CHŌSA SHITASHIRABE preliminary research
47 飛騨 鷹比等 HIDA TAKAHITO Hida: also an old name for northern Gifu 鷹 TAKA hawk
48 大御所 ŌGOSHO the imperial inner sanctum; by extension, “his royal highness”
49 ぐにゅり GUNYURI onomatopoeia for puttylike transformation
50 根絶やし NEDAYASHI uprooting
51 顔役 KAOYAKU highly connected and influential person
52 奥州 ŌSHŪ an old northern province
53 大逆人 TAIGYAKUNIN committer of high treason
54 仇 KATAKI overtone of being a target of revenge
55 賊軍 ZOKUGUN rebel army
56 切磋琢磨 SESSA TAKUMA incessant training
57 隠蔽 INPEI bury; conceal
58 宣戦布告 SENSEN FUKOKU proclamation of war
59 鵜呑み UNOMI “gulp down like a cormorant”
60 時間稼ぎ JIKAN KASEGI “earning time”
61 互角 GOKAKU “same corners”
62 ぐー GŪ fist
63 建前 TATEMAE posturing; formality
64 真剣 SHINKEN “real sword” by extension, “serious business”
65 くるくる KURU KURU onomatopoeia for rotation
66 敗因 HAI’IN cause of defeat
67 最終奥義 SAISHŪ ŌGI ultimate secret (move)
68 無敵 MUTEKI unrivaled
69 歯がゆく HAGAYUKU “itchy toothed” vexed
70 屍山血河 SHIZAN KETSUGA less directly translated, a hellish warzone
71 恥さらし HAJI SARASHI “shame exposing”
72 三文芝居 SANMON SHIBAI “three-penny acting”
73 相棒 AIBŌ “companion stick” buddy