Adaption is Key (An Aza Chobei Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-One: Separate Boats

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Once the five arrive back at the smaller ship, most of the party was shocked to see Chobei casually holding Shugen's head. Meanwhile, Jikka greeted them in a drunken state, looking at the elixir and the second-ranked Asaemon's head.

"I always had faith you could pull it off, Aza brothers and Mizuho! I mean, Sagiri and Gabimaru? Fer sure. Lesh drink to your victory!"

The Aza brothers and Mizuho glared at the drunkard with judgement as Chobei handed out Shugen's head to Jikka, temporarily taking him out of his intoxicated state.

"Woah! What are you doing?"

"Giving you proof, you old fart." Toma insulted, despite his seemingly polite tone.

"What, no! Gross! I saw Mizuho execute him already! I don't need--" Jikka yelled back before having one of his ears pulled by Gui Fa.

"Lazy human..." they remarked. This human's like Zhu Jin... albeit less loud...

In response, Chobei threw Shugen's head into the ocean.

"This dope just got sloshed and took a nap. That's all he did." Nurugai mocked.

"Indeed." Shion agreed. "Imbibing and sleeping was his sole contribution, while Gui Fa made sure that our boat wasn't burning as well."

"Sounds like the lazy Jikka I know." Mizuho remarked.

"Hey!"

"Where did you stash that bottle all this time?" asked Gantetsusai.

"He usually hides it in the most unexpected places." Toma replied.

"However, there's one thing that's been bothering me..." Gui Fa spoke. "It's the prophecy. Although it said that only two Yang and one Yin would come back home, most of us are still alive...."

"Well..." Jikka remarked, "perhaps it was talking about the people who officially came back home...."

"On that note, I think that Nurugai and I should change into a smaller craft." Shion recommended. "We won't arrive at Edo, but I promised that we should look for other members of her tribe in the mountains. I'll pick new identities for ourselves, while the rest of you pick who will get the pardon."

Gui Fa stared at the third-ranked Asaemon, remembering that he said about himself and them being the only survivors of the battle.

"Before you call me a hypocrite..." Jikka tried to defend himself, "it was when it looked like everyone but us was gonna die. Since most of us survived, I believe that Sagiri should come back with us. I mean, she's the daughter of our clan head."

"So two Yang Tao left..." Yuzuriha muttered.

"Actually one left." Jikka corrected, wanting to live luxuriously. "Since I have the highest rank among the Asaemon here, I should come back to Edo. After all, the clan needs the next successor. Plus, I have to fill my end of a bargain..."

He looked at the Aza brothers and Mizuho.

"You guys can take the bigger ship." Mizuho suggested. "After all, the pardoned one needs a grand entrance and I believe a ship this large would grab too much attention in Hong Kong..."

"Hong Kong?" everyone except Jikka repeated.

"Well..."Chobei answered, holding Mizuho's waist gently as he stared at Jikka, "you did promise us all that we'll stay in Hong Kong away from the clan, right?"

The stubbled swordsman nodded before getting scared by the ravenette's glare.

"Remember to bring my sisters there without touching them."