Outside the city.
Beneath the moonless, windy night, in the reeds.
The waist-high reeds rustled in the cold wind, the sky as dark as ink, seeming to drip with water.
Rumble!!
Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared, the signs of an impending downpour foretelling that something momentous was about to happen.
Drip!
Drip—!!
The Prince?!
The staggering figure that suddenly entered his vision made Chunhei pause for a moment, then turn to rage!
The Prince is injured?
Who did this?
How could the Prince's Undying Bloodline possibly be injured?
“Cough cough…”
Clutching his abdomen and stumbling backward, the Prince staggered towards Wolf, large patches of bright red blood flowing from between his fingers.
The Mortal Blade!
Only the Mortal Blade could wound the Prince!
There must still be a second Mortal Blade in this world!
“Long time no see, Warrior of the Prince.”
Hearing this, Chunhei looked towards the sound. The gleaming sword tip was still dripping with fresh blood.
Following the sword tip, Chunhei saw a familiar figure – Isshin Ashina.
It was that trash Ichiro who had escaped last time?!
“Behold, this other Mortal Blade.”
Trash Ichiro retained the disheveled appearance from when Chunhei had killed him before, his upper body bare, his face pale, looking neither alive nor dead.
The black Mortal Blade in his hand was somewhat familiar to Chunhei. He remembered his foster father having a similar sword in the Shura ending.
However, because he had chosen the path of protecting the Prince, he had not seen the Mortal Blade in his foster father's hand.
Perhaps due to the difference in timelines, this stray Mortal Blade had eventually fallen into Trash Ichiro's hands.
It had to be said, the old thief understood the art of symmetry very well.
*Sekiro* began with Trash Ichiro in the moonlit reeds and also ended with Trash Ichiro under the moon.
“Lord Isshin…”
The Prince released his hand from his wound and stepped forward, stating firmly, “With something like that, it’s absolutely impossible… to change Ashina’s fate.”
His young eyes were filled with determination. His dusty little face turned towards Chunhei, “Wolf—”
“The Dragon’s Heritage should not fall into anyone’s hands… I’ll have to trouble you.”
“Certainly.”
Chunhei replied plainly, looking at Trash Ichiro with a provocative expression, his eyes full of fighting spirit.
He hadn't expected Ashina to be in such a state, yet this trash Ichiro was still stubbornly attempting to use the Dragon’s Heritage’s immortal power to change Ashina’s fate.
Recalling the disgusting sight of the corrupted nobles in the Fountainhead Palace pursuing immortality, Chunhei felt a surge of annoyance, and even Trash Ichiro began to look displeasing to him.
“If I kill you, no one will stop me from severing the Dragon’s Heritage.”
Zing—!!
The Mortal Blade was swung lightly, emitting a humming sound along the blade.
“Let’s settle this.”
Under the dimly lit night sky, white catkins swirled in the reeds.
Clang clang clang!!!
Swift as the wind, fast as lightning!
From the moment the battle began, Chunhei didn't hold back and charged forward.
Compared to the older generation, Trash Ichiro’s swordsmanship was truly lacking.
Especially after the baptism of his foster father and the Headless Ape, this Trash Ichiro was no different from an ordinary elite enemy.
“I will extend Ashina’s lifeline!”
After taking a few blows, Trash Ichiro’s mouth remained stubborn.
His spirit was strong,
his desire to save Ashina was very sincere. One could only say that his intentions were misplaced and he had taken the wrong path, which was why the old man did not support him.
Even with a divine weapon in hand, his strength had not improved much.
“I will not allow you to trample on all of this!”
Trash Ichiro had only one health bar, and his moves were identical to those in the Staircase Tower. Chunhei, without exerting much effort, struck him down.
Ch-ch—!!
With his posture value maxed out, Chunhei thrust his sword into Trash Ichiro’s heart.
Is that all…?
Chunhei said nothing, but he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Although the idea of using Trash Ichiro as the final boss was good; encountering him for the third time, each encounter marked an important turning point that spanned the entire game's plot.
It was just that with this level of strength…
The old thief was somewhat looking down on players who chose paths other than the Shura ending.
With Trash Ichiro’s strength, how could he possibly be the final boss?
Unless—
“Cough cough…”
Coughing in pain, Trash Ichiro did not turn to dust, indicating that he still had a role to play.
As expected,
things were not as simple as they seemed.
Trash Ichiro, through his actions, told Chunhei that it wasn’t over.
With a look of grief and a determined sigh to the heavens, “…In the end, I couldn’t do anything.”
“But…”
Trash Ichiro slowly raised the black Mortal Blade in his hand, as if murmuring or praying, “The Dragon’s Heritage will continue this country’s lifeline.”
The camera zoomed in for a close-up shot. His hair was messy, his lips dry, and he sported sexy stubble, embodying a颓丧 (tui sang - dejected/downcast) youth. However, the actions of this dejected youth were anything but ambiguous.
He brought the Mortal Blade close to his own neck…
What was he doing?
Suicide?
Or—
“Ashina’s long night will welcome the dawn—”
Ch-ch!!
With his words, the blade slashed.
Blood sprayed onto the ground from his neck.
Chunhei was still bewildered. What was this guy trying to do?
Suddenly,
the wind raged and lightning flashed!
The background music changed, its chilling melody sending a shiver down Chunhei’s spine.
Then,
a strange phenomenon occurred!
Trash Ichiro’s neck continued to bleed profusely, showing no signs of stopping.
Chunhei’s attention was constantly drawn to this bloody scene, as if some strange force was holding his gaze.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
Accompanied by the sound of torn flesh, Chunhei witnessed a scene he would never forget:
A powerful and slender arm emerged from the wound in Trash Ichiro’s neck. A person ‘grew’ from the terrifying corpse!
This black Mortal Blade seemed to possess the ability to communicate with ghosts and spirits. Trash Ichiro was using his own body as a medium to summon something strange.
Who could it be?
Crack crack crack!!!
As the tearing sounds grew more rapid, the arm that first emerged grabbed the Mortal Blade from Trash Ichiro’s hand.
“This is my pitiful grandson…”
“His final wish.”
Wait…
Grandson???
The deceased Sword Saint?
Isshin!!!
Chunhei felt both shock and joy. He had an opponent!
But upon seeing the owner of the arm.
His joy came to an abrupt halt.
It was Isshin in his youth – the Sword Saint Isshin in his prime!
Chunhei was stunned. Could it be played like this?
Netizens in the Shura ending, fighting the elderly Isshin, were already complaining bitterly.
And here, they were delivered a prime Sword Saint?
Humans are like this.
When success comes too easily, they become dissatisfied. When the true challenge arrives, they become a little timid.
He had been a bit disappointed that Trash Ichiro was the guardian boss, but it turned out Trash Ichiro was merely a catalyst, introducing the final guardian boss – Isshin in his prime.
His face immediately scrunched up like a dried-up date. How was this fight supposed to happen?
‘This old man is so thin, he must be very weak?’
‘Isshin didn’t want to fight, he was just summoned by his grandson.’
‘Pay attention to the details, the voice is getting younger.’
‘If Wolf is to sever immortality, he must kill Isshin, otherwise the Dragon’s Heritage will still exist.’
‘So, no matter what the ending, I still have to fight you, you old bastard?!’
‘Ultimate tormentor!’
‘If you’re going to revive Isshin, then let me and the Prince go instead of attacking me!’
‘This third-generation trash is so pitiful. He doesn’t have the strength of the older generation, yet he carries the same expectations as the older generation, and in the end, he takes the wrong path.’
‘Heaven did not give birth to me, Trash Ichiro, and Ashina would have been eternal night. I am here!!!’
……