Maybe a Fake Gintama

In Yoshiwara, Kawaki stood by the window, watching the heavy snow fall outside. He let out a light chuckle as he released the other end of a rope tightly tied around Katsura.

"Mmmph mmph!" Katsura, dressed as a courtesan, had his mouth sealed tightly with tape.

Thud...

Ignoring Katsura, who had fallen onto the street and lay there twitching occasionally, Kawaki closed the window, stretched lazily, and hummed a tune as he walked to his computer with light steps.

"In weather like this, staying indoors to play games is the best..." Kawaki sat in front of his computer, turned it on, and rubbed his hands together, closing his eyes and exhaling a puff of white breath.

"Alright! Let's begin!" Kawaki opened his eyes with a look of determination and whispered to himself. He then carefully picked up a brand-new game controller he had begged Tsukuyo to buy.

He gently stroked the new game controller, feeling its solid grip and perfect curves, and smiled warmly.

"From now on, we'll be partners fighting side by side. Please take care of me..."

"If you don't care, your old partner will freeze to death in the streets of Yoshiwara." Tsukuyo, who had arrived unnoticed, leaned against the doorframe of Kawaki's room, one arm crossed and the other holding her cigarette holder. She coldly remarked.

"What are you talking about? Zura won't freeze to death that easily," Kawaki replied nonchalantly. "In fact, this weather might cool down his overheated brain. He should thank me."

"The same goes for you."

"I'll kill you..."

Before Kawaki could finish his sentence, two kunai stabbed into the back of his head. He rolled his eyes and fell forward, his head hitting the desk with a thud.

"By the way, that person has been quite persistent lately," Tsukuyo continued as if nothing had happened. "Every day, he manages to sneak into Yoshiwara using various methods. We can't underestimate him..."

"How come your subordinates can't recognize such obvious disguises?" Kawaki pulled out the kunai from the back of his head, got up, and grumbled, "It looks like the Hyakka are slacking off."

"Dealing with such trivial matters isn't in the Hyakka's job description," Tsukuyo retorted coldly. "Their focus is only on guests causing trouble in Yoshiwara."

"Alright, alright." Kawaki responded casually and picked up the game controller again.

"Besides," Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki, "He's looking for you... He just wants to hear your thoughts on this country. You should know that."

"Tsukuyo, you're oversimplifying things. Zura's got more devious plans than anyone." Kawaki clicked the mouse, speaking calmly. "And besides, I've already said enough for him to figure out how to truly change this country. Now, he just wants to hog the spotlight."

"So what exactly should we do?" Tsukuyo asked, looking at Kawaki.

"Tsukuyo, do you also want to be a revolutionary and change this country like that idiot?"

"No, I'm just curious." Tsukuyo took a puff from her cigarette holder.

"I see..."

"Not putting down the sword and not being willing to let all the people put down their inner swords won't change this country..." Tsukuyo muttered, "I don't understand."

"Why think about things you don't understand?" Kawaki replied easily.

"I just..." Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki's back as he sat cross-legged on the floor, thinking, [I just want to find the real you hidden in that fog...]

"But it surprises me that you're interested in this kind of thing, Tsukuyo," Kawaki said, squinting his eyes.

"No, I'm not interested at all." Tsukuyo turned to leave.

But Kawaki's words stopped her in her tracks.

"Putting down the sword..." Kawaki murmured, then asked, "Why did you pick up the kunai, Tsukuyo?"

"You know the answer. To protect Yoshiwara and..."

"Exactly, to protect Yoshiwara and Hinowa," Kawaki interrupted, "The people in this country are the same. Whether it's the sword in their hand or the one in their heart, it's to protect something, maybe themselves, maybe someone important, or both."

"I'll never let go of my kunai."

"Then please stop throwing them at my head." Kawaki grumbled and asked softly, "So, for them and for you, Tsukuyo, why did you pick up the sword and the kunai in the first place?"

"I've already said, it's because..."

"I'm not talking about the specific reasons," Kawaki shook his head and continued without turning around, "I'm talking about the more direct reason... or cause."

"The more direct reason?"

"Yes, the more direct reason..." Kawaki put down the game controller and turned to Tsukuyo, smiling, "The fundamental reason is that if you don't pick up these things to protect, there won't be anyone else to protect you or what you care about."

"Is it wrong to protect what you want to protect?"

"No, it's not wrong. It's just tiring." Kawaki shrugged, "But Tsukuyo, if at that time, even without your protection, someone was protecting Hinowa and Yoshiwara, what would you do? Would you still pick up the kunai?"

"Who?" Tsukuyo asked.

"Don't worry about it. Just imagine there's someone who always protects Yoshiwara and Hinowa without asking for anything in return. If such a person existed, would you still choose to pick up the kunai?"

"I..." Tsukuyo hesitated, then thought sincerely, "No, there's no such possibility, no such person."

"It's just a hypothetical." Kawaki waved dismissively.

"If there really were such a person, I probably wouldn't need to pick up the kunai." Tsukuyo said uncertainly.

"Right, if such a person existed, you wouldn't need to pick up the kunai and become a fearsome death god. You might even become a popular courtesan."

Before Kawaki could finish, two more kunai embedded themselves in his forehead. He pulled them out nonchalantly this time and continued, "If... that person... was the country itself?"

Tsukuyo's eyes widened in disbelief.

"That's my idea," Kawaki said calmly, "This country needs change, but it's not the people who need to change, it's the country itself. If the country changes, the people will naturally follow. The corrupt officials, those who pursue their own interests without caring for the people, the samurai who wield their swords with a twisted sense of loyalty... and the people who take up swords because they have no one else to protect them or what they care about. These are the elements that make up this country. It's sickening that people are still proud of this so-called samurai nation. The pride of the samurai... it's disgusting."

"Perhaps there are some who care for the people," Kawaki continued. But they see only temporary peace and the people's efforts for what they care about, not the shadow and helplessness beneath their hearts."

"Listening to you, this country really is rotten."

"Yes, but there's no helping it," Kawaki shrugged, picking up the game controller again, "There are the complex factors of the aliens and the old, entrenched ideas of this country. It can't be changed overnight. And many things aren't as simple as we think."

"Is that your..."

"No, it's not just me. It's something many people have realized." Kawaki interrupted, "But for various reasons, they haven't chosen to work towards this direction. Maybe because the resistance is too great, or maybe for other reasons..."

"And you?"

Kawaki raised a finger, answering thoughtfully, "For me, it's because of... oppai..."

Thunk! Ignoring the kunai embedded in the back of his head, Kawaki slumped onto the desk, twitching occasionally. Tsukuyo coldly snorted and asked, "Then, even if it becomes such a country, what if there's a war when they put down their swords?"

"Let's not talk about the national army..." Kawaki got up, removed the kunai, and looked at Tsukuyo with interest, "Question... if the country that always protected you was in danger, would you... pick up a kunai you've never picked up before?"

"Of course." Tsukuyo answered without hesitation.

"Then, if even the united resistance of all the people couldn't fend off the war, there would be no solution."

Kawaki turned back to his game, controlling the character on the screen.

Tsukuyo frowned, deep in thought. Outside the window, Katsura stood silently on the roof, eyes closed, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. And Shige Shige, guided by Hinowa, arrived at Kawaki's door.

"Today... I suddenly remembered there's something I need to do." Shige Shige politely thanked Hinowa, sitting in a wheelchair, "I'll visit Kawaki-san another time."

"Take care." Hinowa smiled warmly.

...

"Do you have any other business?" Kawaki asked Tsukuyo without looking back, "If it's just for this trivial matter, please leave my room and close the door."

"Ah..." Tsukuyo replied faintly, "It's not for this trivial matter. It's something else."

...

Elsewhere, Shige Shige, wrapped in a scarf, left Yoshiwara. He smiled apologetically at Matsudaira, who was smoking outside the gate, "Sorry to make you wait in a place like this, Katakuriko."

"No problem," Matsudaira replied casually, "But you were quick. I was just about to go to my usual bar to wait for you."

"Ah, I overheard something interesting, and couldn't help but listen."

"Interesting?" Matsudaira raised an eyebrow, "Indeed, that kind of talk can be stimulating for a man."

Although Shige Shige knew Matsudaira misunderstood, he continued, "Katakuriko, about going skiing tomorrow..."

"Don't worry, I'll have Kondo and the others take you." Matsudaira quickly responded.

"No, I meant to say, forget about that. I suddenly realized there are many important things I must do, things that one lifetime might not be enough for."

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Matsudaira looked at Shige Shige in confusion, "Having a moment of clarity?"

...

"What?! A trip for the Hyakka?!" Kawaki put down his game controller, staring at Tsukuyo in disbelief, "You're joking, right? What's that about?"

"I can't help it," Tsukuyo sighed, "It's what all the Hyakka requested."

As Tsukuyo finished, a group of Hyakka girls burst into Kawaki's room from the door, windows, ceiling, bedroom door, cabinet, bathroom, and floor.

"Kawaki-sama! We're ready!" they shouted in unison, their faces solemn.

"Were you all hiding in my room this whole time?" Kawaki asked deadpan.

"We finally won a bet with the boss!" one Hyakka girl cheerfully hugged Kawaki's arm, looking excited.

By the way, this girl had just emerged from a panel on the floor under Kawaki's seat.

One chapter, still no internet.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!