|
Yagi, the Lone Goat, (see last issue) is traveling with his son,
Gorogoro, when Lord Hirone's samurai try to arrest him. Yagi and his son
easily take care of them and continue on their way.
Later on, at the mansion of Counselor Wakame (an aide of Lord Hirone),
Wakame and his men discuss of the necessity of killing Yagi, since they
don't want him to reveal the fact that he was framed (last issue). Wakame,
hearing the news that Usagi has just survived a duel with the former
General Oyaneko, comes up with a plan to pit Usagi and Yagi against one
another.
Wakame arranges a demonstration to show that Usagi is skilled enough to
take on Yagi: Using some of his own men, Wakame ambushes Usagi, but he
makes short work of the samurai, who were disguised as brigands. Usagi is
suspicious, however, as the men were too "well fed" to be actual
brigands.
Wakame then devises a plan for a merchant to hire Yagi to kill Usagi,
on the premise that Usagi attempted to murder Yagi's former comrade,
General Oyaneko. Yagi is informed of the whereabouts of Usagi, finds
him, and attacks him. Wakame, the merchant, and some Hirone samurai watch
the confrontation nearby.
The duel is long, with Usagi having the initial advantage, but he is
taken by surprise by Yagi's son and takes a hit which makes him fall from
a cliff. Seeing that Usagi won't be able to kill Yagi, Counselor Wakame
and a large band of his men attack Yagi. Yagi soon recognizes the
merchant who hired him among Wakame's men and realizes that he has been
tricked.
Yagi furiously kills all of Wakame's men, until only Wakame himself is
left. Wakame manages to push Gorogoro down the cliff, but not before the
Kid is able to mortally wound Wakame. Running after his Kid and thinking him
as dead, Yagi discovers that Usagi had saved his son and asks him if
their fight is over.
Yagi apologizes to Usagi, drops the money which he got for the
assassination of Usagi because it would be unhonorable to keep it and
continues with his son on their path.
|