Ron's voice was cold, completely empty of warmth, cutting clearly through the howling winds on the Dragon's back.
"I have grown tired of your act."
With that, he slowly walked over to stand in front of Kanjuro.
He looked down at him from above with a stare full of mockery and disrespect, as if watching a clown.
"Kanjuro, your 'tragic bravery' just now truly moved me." The corners of his lips curled into a sarcastic smirk.
"Since you are so eager to die, I will grant your wish."
"So... go die."
"???"
Kanjuro's head snapped up, a tiny crack appearing in his mask-like look of tragic bravery.
His eyes went wide, flashing with shock and panic—this completely ruined the script he had so carefully planned!
According to his plan, Kin'emon should have been the one to step forward and die a hero at this moment.
Meanwhile, Kanjuro only needed to show the right amount of sadness and helplessness to earn more trust and set up his future evil plans.
But now, Ron's choice had thrown all his plans into a total mess.
"W-wait a minute!" Kanjuro quickly spoke.
His voice carried a hidden panic that spread through his eyes like ripples on water.
"Was it not Kin'emon who..."
"Shut up!" Ron sharply cut him off.
A light flashed in his eyes—that light looked like sharp blades shooting straight toward Kanjuro.
"Either you jump down right now, or—" He slowly pulled out his sword, the blade shining coldly under the sunlight.
That chilling light reflected off his serious face, making him look even more deadly.
"I will send all three of you on your final journey together."
A dead silence fell over the Dragon's back, broken only by the roaring wind that howled like a wild beast.
Kin'emon and Momonosuke stood frozen like wooden statues, tears frozen on their faces.
Their mouths hung open a little bit, and their eyes were filled with shock and confusion.
They were completely unable to react.
Kanjuro's face changed like the sky before a storm, sometimes dark and gloomy, sometimes flashing with a hint of struggle.
Finally, grinding his teeth as if making a huge decision, but with a hint of anger, he said.
"Fine... I will jump!"
His voice got back that fake sense of tragic bravery, as if his earlier panic had never happened.
"Kin'emon, I leave Momonosuke in your hands..."
Ron impatiently waved his hand to unlock the handcuffs.
His movements were so rough that Kanjuro stumbled.
Kanjuro slowly walked toward the edge of the Dragon's tail.
He took each step incredibly slowly, as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing down on his legs with every move.
In his heart, he secretly hoped that Ron would suddenly change his mind, or that some surprise event would stop this from happening.
"Hurry up!" Ron ordered coldly, his voice echoing across the empty Dragon's back like a death sentence.
"My patience is running out."
Kanjuro stood at the edge of the Dragon's tail, the fierce wind making his clothes flap loudly.
He took one last look back, wearing a perfectly faked look of sadness that seemed real but could not completely hide the deep hatred in his eyes.
"Please... you must finish the dream of opening the country..."
"Jump!" Ron shouted sharply.
Surrounded by Kin'emon and Momonosuke's heartbreaking cries, Kanjuro jumped down.
Ron narrowed his eyes, staring closely at the falling man.
His look showed he was studying him and staying alert.
He wanted to see just how honest this actor truly was, to see if this was all just a show.
Just as Kanjuro was about to crash into the sea of clouds, a sudden change happened!
"Dragon Eye Dotting!"
Kanjuro swung his brush through the air, his movements as smooth as flowing water.
Ink marks quickly turned solid in the air, transforming into a giant ink-black bird.
The bird looked incredibly real, every feather seeming to hold endless power.
It spread its wide wings and safely caught Kanjuro.
Kanjuro landed firmly on the bird's back.
His previously sad face instantly twisted into an ugly, hateful glare.
The cruel look made him seem like a demon crawling out of hell, sending chills down the spine.
"Ron!!!" Kanjuro roared.
His voice was filled with bone-deep hatred that burned like real flames in the air.
"How dare you ruin my performance! You ruined my most perfect stage in twenty years!!"
The ink-black bird flew high.
Kanjuro's body slowly shrank in the sunlight, but his angry roar remained clear, echoing endlessly through the air.
"This grudge will never be forgiven! I will definitely return for revenge! And I will make you pay the price!!!"
Kin'emon and Momonosuke stood completely stunned, tears frozen on their faces.
Their mouths hung wide open, and their eyes were filled with pure disbelief and shock.
Their bodies shook slightly as they watched the most unbelievable thing in the world.
They could not believe what they were seeing—the Kanjuro who had always seemed "completely loyal" had actually been acting this whole time?!
But Ron suddenly burst into laughter.
His joy echoed through the clouds, carrying a sense of relief and excitement.
"Interesting! So interesting!" He wiped away tears of laughter, his eyes shining with a crazy light.
"This is the truth I wanted!"
Meanwhile, in the distant sky, Kanjuro's poisonous stare lingered like a nasty wound.
It pierced right through the layers of clouds, as if trying to nail Ron dead beneath this very sky...
Kin'emon stood as still as a statue, his eyes locked on Kanjuro's fading shape.
His stare was a wild mix of disbelief, heartbreaking pain, and burning anger.
"Fake? all of it...?"
His bloodshot eyes looked like two burning coals.
They were nearly popping out of his head from the extreme anger and pain.
His closed fists shook slightly from squeezing so hard.
His knuckles turned as pale as bone, looking like they might crash down like meteors at any second.
"Kanjuro, we grew up together! Was it all a lie...?"
His teeth ground together with a loud scraping sound, each grind seeming to spark with pure hate.
The veins on his forehead popped out like twisting snakes, throbbing as if they were trying to break free from his skin.
He looked like a volcano right on the edge of exploding.
Pushed-down anger and sadness boiled violently inside him, just waiting for a spark to make him explode with unstoppable force.
"Twenty years... a full twenty years!"
Kin'emon's voice was terribly rough, sounding like a broken drum crying out in a storm, or a sad wail squeezed straight from the depths of hell.
Every single word dripped with endless regret and guilt.
"We were kept in the dark by this traitor all along! Lord Oden... I have failed you..."