Friday morning—already the fifth day of the week—had arrived far too quickly. Only two days left, huh? Then his duty of looking after Saya would be over.
The thought made Gintoki feel strangely uneasy. Normally, that wasn't like him at all. A job ends, and that's it. He'd go home, lie around, and read Jump in peace.
But this time… it was different.
He didn't want it to end.
Not because he wanted to keep working—but because he didn't want her to leave.
He wanted her to stay. Stay here, stay peacefully. Go on trips together. Go shopping together like yesterday…
"Gin-chan~ Breakfast's ready, nya~!"
Maybe… maybe he should ask Saya to go somewhere with him after this job ends? She'd be going back to America soon, and who knew if she'd ever come back?
He stroked his chin, lost in thought.
But wait—why did he even want to do all that?
Could it be… he actually liked her—
CRASH!!!
Before he could answer his own question, the house's tiny terror came flying in with a surprise dropkick that sent him crashing into the wall.
"WHAT THE HELL, YOU CRAZY KID?! I COULD'VE DIED!"
"Who cares, nya~? If you died, we'd get the life insurance money and build a high-tech Odd Jobs office, nya~!"
"YOU BRAT, KAGURA!!!"
After their usual chaos, the two made their way downstairs to Otose's shop. Gintoki sat at the counter and was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food laid out.
"Why's there so much food today?"
"We're celebrating~" Catherine chirped, placing a glass in front of him. "Celebrating your newfound love~"
"Love? A celebration? For what?"
"The kids said they wanted to throw a party for you," Otose chimed in. "Said since you finally fell in love, it's worth celebrating."
Gintoki let out a deep sigh. "When did I ever say I was in love?"
"Oh come on, Gin-san," Shinpachi added. "Even someone watching from Mars could see it. The way you look at Saya—it's different from how you usually stare at pretty girls."
"Is that so? Then explain it."
Shinpachi froze. He honestly didn't know how to put it into words—he'd never been in love before. "Uh… well… it's hard to explain."
Gintoki sighed again. "Listen, Shinpachi. Just because you look at someone a certain way doesn't mean you know everything about what you feel. Sure, maybe… I've started to like her. But liking someone doesn't always mean the feeling will last forever, you know?"
"So, Gin-chan~ Do you like Saya or not~?"
"I don't know... maybe I do."
"Eeeeehhh~!"
The entire shop erupted in teasing sounds and smirks. It wasn't like his feelings were perfectly clear—he admitted to himself that he liked Saya, truly liked her—but there were still too many mixed-up thoughts in his head, questions he hadn't figured out yet.
"Well, it's about time. You're almost thirty—finding yourself a wife now wouldn't be so bad."
"Easy there, granny. I haven't even asked her out yet!"
"So, when will you ask her to be your girlfriend, Gintoki-sama?"
Tama asked curiously while mopping the floor.
"I don't know. I haven't really thought that far ahead."
"Better be quick, or some mutt might snatch her up, nya~ Saya's really pretty, y'know?"
"She's that pretty? As pretty as me, perhaps~?"
Catherine asked with a dramatic pose.
"Please, Catherine-san. Don't even compare. You're not even close to the dirt on her shoe."
"Oh you little four-eyed punk!! You think you're hot stuff just 'cause you've got glasses!? You think you can insult other people like that?!"
"I already told you—I'm not just a pair of glasses!!"
"Alright, alright. That's enough bickering. Eat your food before it gets cold."
Just as things were settling down again, the door swung open—and in came the Shinsengumi.
"What the hell, guys? We're in the middle of a peaceful meal here. Ever heard of manners?"
"Didn't mean to interrupt your feast," Hijikata said seriously. "But we've got a problem."
"What happened?" Shinpachi asked.
"Saya's gone missing," Kondo answered with a worried face.
"When?"
Gintoki set down his chopsticks, face suddenly calm and serious.
"No one knows exactly," Hijikata replied. "We went to meet her this morning for a meeting, but when we got there… the place was completely empty."
"Did you try calling her?"
"We did," Okita answered. "We tracked the GPS her sister put in her phone, and it still shows she's in the room. But after searching the place... we realized she didn't take either of her phones with her."
Okita handed Gintoki two high-end smartphones—both looked brand new.
"Has she stopped by here at all?" Hijikata asked.
"No," Shinpachi replied. "We haven't seen her since we parted ways yesterday."
As everyone discussed the situation, Gintoki suddenly went quiet.
He was remembering something...
Something Saya had said to him last night, when they were riding the Ferris wheel together.
"Hey… Gintoki."
Saya's voice was soft as the two sat high above the city in the Ferris wheel, surrounded by stars.
"Hmm?"
"If… if I ever got kidnapped… would you come find me?"
Gintoki turned to her slowly. His gaze was calm, but something deep inside stirred.
"Would you want me to find you?"
She looked him in the eyes, then gave a small nod. "I would…"
He smiled faintly.
"If you want me to find you… I will.
Even if they take you all the way to America—
I'll chase you down… until I find you."
Saya held out her pinky.
"Promise me."
He hooked his pinky with hers.
"I promise."
"Gintoki, where are you going?"
Shinpachi asked as the silver-haired man suddenly stood up and marched off, grabbing Sadaharu like he was headed somewhere important.
"I'm going to find Saya."
"Then we'll go too!"
"No. You guys stay here."
"No way, daaa!"
Kagura and Shinpachi stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "You want us to just sit and wait around? That's not gonna happen. Besides… you're not the only one who made a promise to Saya."
Gintoki paused. "Wait… you guys knew?"
"Not exactly," Shinpachi replied with a small smile. "But I figured you must've had a talk like that with her."
"When we were walking to the amusement park," Kagura added, "we made a promise to Saya too. That if she ever got taken—we'd be the ones to go rescue her. No matter where sheis."
"Hey… Is someone hunting you down, Saya?" Kagura asked bluntly.
"Kagura-chan! You can't just ask that!" Shinpachi turned to stop her, but Saya only offered a small smile.
"It's okay. You can ask… I've been hunted for a long time—since I was a kid."
"You must be really exhausted," Shinpachi said gently.
"Yeah… So tired that sometimes, I just wish I could disappear."
"Don't disappear, na! If you do, Gin-chan will be super sad!" Saya laughed lightly. "Why would Gin-san be sad because of me?"
"Because Gin-chan likes you, duh!" Saya raised an eyebrow at Kagura's bold declaration.
"Come on… Someone like Gin-san?"
"It's true," Shinpachi added. "Normally, when someone's upset, Gin-san doesn't hug them. At most, he pats them on the head. But with you? He hugged you."
Saya fell silent, her smile fading into thought. "Maybe… he just pitied me."
"No way," Kagura said confidently. "We can tell—Gin-chan really cares about you. He wouldn't have invited you out otherwise. He's stingy as hell! He never pays for anyone unless he has to, but he actually bought amusement park tickets for you!"
"…He did, didn't he?"
"But isn't it dangerous, going out in the open like this?" Shinpachi asked, glancing around.
"I don't know…"
"Don't worry, Shinpachi! We're here, right? No one's laying a finger on Saya while we're around!"
"But those guys… the Elith… they're terrifying. I don't think normal kids like us can handle them."
"Terrifying? So what!" Kagura slammed her hand on Shinpachi's back, making him yelp.
"If Saya ever gets taken—we'll be the ones to bring her back. That's a promise!"
"Are you serious?"
"Dead serious!" Kagura puffed up with pride.
"We swear on the honor of the Yorozuya! No matter where they take you—we'll bring you back!" Saya let out a quiet laugh and nodded.
"Then I'm counting on you."
"We know, sir… Without the bracelet, we wouldn't stand a chance against them."
Shinpachi spoke with firm resolve, eyes burning with determination. "But we're the Yorozuya. No matter how heavy, dangerous, or terrifying the job is… we'll still take it."
"I'd say don't even try," Hijikata cut in sharply. "Those guys aren't normal. No matter how brave you are, you won't be able to beat them."
"That's exactly why, na…" Kagura replied with a smirk. "Saya gave us something—just in case."
"Something?" Hijikata raised an eyebrow.
Kagura and Shinpachi revealed the weapons Saya had given them—though not as powerful as Gintoki's bracelet, they were designed to help them stand a fighting chance against the Elith.
Gintoki glanced at the weapons, then let out a small chuckle. He reached for his sword, a familiar glint of resolve returning to his eyes.
"Well?" he said with a grin. "You want us tagging along or what?"
"Hell yeah," Gintoki turned to the rest of them. "Let's all go—together."
In a cold, square-shaped room filled with various pieces of experimental equipment—some of which still emitted faint beeping sounds—a young woman lay restrained on a metal platform at the center. Her light-colored eyes scanned the surroundings carefully. Though disoriented, she could roughly guess that this was some sort of underground lab… and that she, herself, was likely one of the "test subjects."
"Well, well… you're finally awake, little lady."
A rough, hoarse voice spoke beside her. A large man reached over, his coarse hand brushing against her cheek. Saya turned her face away with all the strength she could muster, prompting a roaring laugh from him.
"Ouch! Rejected by a pretty girl, huh? That stings."
He gripped her cheek harshly, making her wince in pain. She struggled against the restraints, but the more she moved, the more electric currents surged through her body, leaving her weak and breathless.
"Give it up, Saya," he said, leaning in close. "You're powerless now. Just an ordinary girl." But instead of showing fear… Saya let out a soft laugh.
"What the hell are you laughing at?"
"You're just ridiculously scary, that's all."
In that instant, the electricity in the room surged toward her body. The lab equipment flickered and went silent. The lights blinked and then shut off completely.
With a sudden force, all her restraints snapped free.
The man stumbled back in shock, reaching for his weapon. But it was too late—The moment the blade neared her, she caught it barehanded, transforming it into a crackling electric spear. In one swift motion, she hurled it straight through him.
He collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Saya pushed herself up slowly and began walking toward the exit, eyes scanning for the next threat. But before she could take another step, a dozen Elith soldiers swarmed the corridor ahead.
"Freeze!" one of them barked.
"Stay where you are and surrender quietly!" Saya stood still, locking eyes with each of them one by one.
Then, she spoke.
"No."
Elsewhere—deep within the rural outskirts, far from the city—Gintoki and the Shinsengumi raced after Sadaharu, who was leading the way by scent.
"Jeez, they took Saya this far out?" Kagura huffed as she ran.
"No kidding… we're practically in ghost town territory," Hijikata muttered, eyeing the surroundings warily.
"Makes sense though," Gintoki added. "The farther they are from the city, the less chance the cops will come sniffing around. Perfect for hiding shady operations."
Eventually, they reached a wide clearing in the middle of the abandoned town. Sadaharu slowed down, nose twitching, before stopping in front of an old factory building. He sniffed the air carefully… then barked loudly.
"Woof! Woof!"
Everyone froze.
That bark said it all—"She's here."
"What is it, Sadaharu? Did you find Saya?"
"Woof!" Sadaharu barked toward the open dirt field. Gintoki looked in the same direction, pondering something.
"Kagura, didn't you say Saya cast a spell on your umbrella?"
"Yup, she did-nya."
"Then shoot over there," Gintoki said, pointing at the field.
"But Gin-san, that's just an empty field…" Shinpachi said, confused.
"Doesn't matter. Just shoot."
"You got it-nya."
Kagura lifted her umbrella and fired a magical blast toward the field. The beam struck something invisible, triggering a shockwave and smoke that began to rise.
"What the heck…?"
Moments later, cracks formed in an invisible barrier, gradually revealing a hidden structure behind it—an enormous research facility. Elith operatives inside could be seen frantically running for their lives.
"Seize them all!!" Kondou shouted to his unit as the terrified researchers fled.
"What's going on here?" Hijikata grabbed a panicked man by the collar. He looked like a scientist.
"Help us! Please—it's a demon! A demon's gone berserk!"
"What?!"
"She's gone mad! She's going to kill us all!"
The words were enough for the Odd Jobs crew to understand instantly. They leapt onto Sadaharu's back and dashed forward, charging straight into the chaos while shouting back—
"Shinsengumi! We're leaving the rest to you!"
"Gin-chan… Saya's going to be okay, right?"
"She has to be. That girl's a hundred times stronger than we are."
"Right-nya! I forgot." Of course she'll be fine. That girl's practically invincible.
Inside the facility, now reduced to wreckage, two footsteps echoed through what remained. The ceiling had caved in, debris littered the floor, and the bodies of Elith soldiers lay in pools of blood.
No one could've caused this much destruction except one person: Saya.
Well, it's their fault for capturing her. What did they expect? Of course she'd fight to survive.
A sudden beam of energy shot past her face, slamming into the wall and leaving a gaping hole. She barely dodged in time—Had she moved a second slower, that hole would've been in her skull.
"Yaaahhhh!!"
A woman in battle armor charged in, beginning a fierce battle with Saya. Her magic weapon fired laser-like beams that could cut through anything—but Saya had her own tricks.
A hard kick slammed into Saya's stomach, sending her flying—
But as she flew, she caught sight of a man behind her preparing to skewer her with a spear. She instantly morphed the ground beneath her, propelling herself upward and slamming down with a massive sword to intercept.
But it didn't end there—
Three more opponents arrived.
Two were twin brothers wielding a hammer and a spear. The third, a short-haired woman, carried a bow with poison-tipped arrows.
Now it was five versus one.
Even for Saya, it was a tough fight. Attacks rained in from every angle, and she had to dodge and counter constantly.
"Move!" the archer ordered.
The others backed off as she fired a poison arrow straight into Saya's left shoulder, pinning her to the wall. Three more arrows followed—one each in her right shoulder, left leg, and right leg.
"Now you can't run."
Saya struggled to break free, but her strength was nearly gone. Worse still, the poison was spreading, searing through her veins like fire.
"Argh!!"
"Can that really kill her?" one of them asked. "She has every kind of power, doesn't she?"
"But not my poison," the archer smirked, stepping toward Saya. She grabbed another arrow and drove it deep into Saya's chest.
"ARGHHHH!!!"
"Crying already?" she sneered. "Don't worry. Soon you'll be just like your parents. And your powers? We'll make good use of those."
The world around Saya began to fade. Her heartbeat slowed.
Maybe this is it. I'm done. I've got nothing left.
"This is why you're weak. That's why everyone died. Your time is up. I'll take over from here."
Suddenly, the arrows pinning her body melted away and dropped to the ground.
Saya stood—slowly, steadily—then tilted her head back with a twisted grin.
"What the…?!"
Before they could react, the ground erupted into a massive stone spike that impaled one of the twins straight through the chest.
"YOU!!"
The others attacked at once. Saya called forth a long sword and drove it through the remaining twin's heart, then slashed him clean across the chest.
"Kuuya!! You monster! I'll—"
Before she could finish, the short-haired archer fired her own poison arrow—Into her ally's head.
The venom surged instantly, twisting his body grotesquely until he exploded.
"Well then…" Saya said with a blood-soaked smile.
"Who's next?"
Explosions echoed from the other side as fiercely as ever. Gintoki's team wasn't holding back—
Even though the Elith side had numbers on their side, they couldn't match their strength.
"Jeez!! Finally done!"
But just as the words left his mouth, one of the room's large doors burst open—
And from the smoke emerged a monstrous creature, so massive its head scraped the ceiling.
It looked like a massive, long-haired brown dog—
But its face was oddly human, with razor-sharp teeth like a shark, three tails, and a stench that reeked of rotting corpses.
"What the hell is that thing?"
"Ugh! I'm gonna puke—ugh, ughhh!!" Kagura gagged as the smell overwhelmed her.
Sadaharu stepped forward, growling deeply as he stood face-to-face with the beast.
"Sadaharu… is that you?"
"Woof!!" Sadaharu turned to smile at everyone—
Then suddenly his body surged with power, swelling in size until he was just as massive as the demonic beast.
Gintoki noticed a crystal pendant hanging from Sadaharu's neck.
Saya must've left it for him.
"I get it now. Alright, I'm counting on you."
"Woof!" Gintoki patted Sadaharu's leg.
"Take care of it quick, alright? We've got dinner to get home to."
"Woof!" Elsewhere, in the main hall—
The corpses of Elith's top five elite soldiers lay strewn across the floor, mangled beyond recognition, not even remotely human anymore.
A sharp-eyed figure swept the room with his gaze until his eyes landed on the girl standing calmly at the center.
"Well, well… to take out Elith's elites like that—you really are the daughter of the world's top mercenary."
Saya slowly turned toward the voice. The man was completely cloaked, with only glowing red eyes visible beneath his hood.
"No greeting for me, beautiful?"
"Who?" Her raspy voice made it clear—this wasn't the same Saya he once knew.
"Ah… not Saya, is it?"
This was Dark Saya—the other self born the moment her father died. A merciless, heartless entity that wanted nothing more than to destroy everyone—friend or foe.
Worse yet, it wanted to take full control of Saya's body.
"It's rare you stay out this long," the man said with amusement.
Without a word, Dark Saya launched herself at him without hesitation.
"Tsk. I told you—we're in a hurry."
He calmly raised his hand in a halting gesture—
And at once, her body froze mid-air.
"Charging in blindly only clouds your focus. You won't see the openings."
With a flick of his wrist, he slammed her body into the wall. She gasped, blood spilling from her mouth.
"Khak—!"
"Let's dig up some old memories, shall we?"
The cloaked man launched an attack at high speed, kicking her in the stomach with such force that her body went through the wall, crashing through several rooms.
"I… I'm not… losing yet!"
"You've lost, Saya."
"Not… yet!!!" Just before she could rise, it felt like her head was about to explode. "AAARGHHH!!!"
Dark Saya writhed on the floor, her heart racing so fast it felt like it would burst out of her chest. She slammed her head against the floor to ease the pain, but no matter how hard she hit the ground, it wouldn't go away.
'Enough already. It's time to return to where you belong.'
"No!!! I won't go back!!!"
The cloaked man stood quietly, observing her. But suddenly, a mysterious beam of light shot toward them, forcing him to leap aside.
"Kazura-san!!!"
The gang rushed toward Saya, who was struggling. Gintoki glared at the cloaked man, fury in his eyes, prompting the man to speak up.
"Calm down. I didn't do this to her. Saya is just fighting with herself."
"Fighting with herself?" Gintoki asked, his confusion showing.
"Saya has two personas—her normal one and her dark side. Right now, her dark side is being pulled back to its original place, which is causing her symptoms."
"We don't believe you." Kagura said firmly.
"Suit yourself," he shrugged.
"AAARGHHH!!!"
A final scream echoed throughout the room before the slender body collapsed to the ground, motionless.
"Azacchan!!! / Kazura-san!!!" Shinpachi and Kagura shook her to try and wake her, but it was no use; she remained still.
Gintoki checked her pulse and found it weak. "Take Saya out of here first."
"What about Agin-chan?" Shinpachi asked, concerned.
"I'll handle things here and catch up later." They exchanged a glance before Shinpachi carried Saya on his back.
"Come back soon, okay?"
"Yeah."
Gintoki watched the kids disappear before turning his attention back to the cloaked man.
"Well then, looks like it's our turn."
"You seem eager to play with me."
"Not really, but it wouldn't hurt to try!!!"
Meanwhile, Shinpachi and Kagura were trying to find their way out, but the Elith soldiers kept coming relentlessly. He thought they'd all be gone by now.
Bang! Bang!
Kagura fired to cover their backs and allow Shinpachi to run, but the building was on the verge of collapsing, forcing them to dodge falling debris.
The steel balcony above them cracked and fell toward them, but suddenly, a mysterious bazooka shot it away.
"Kazura-san! Elizabeth-san!"
"Azacchan!!"
"Are you all alright?"
"Yes."
"Let's hurry up. This place is about to collapse."
"And Gintoki-san?"
"He's fighting the Elith soldiers inside."
"Is that so? Let's get out quickly. He'll be fine."
"Right."
CRASH!!!!!
The battle between Gintoki and the cloaked man was far from over. They continued to clash with everything they had. The man finally removed his cloak, revealing his true face.
Gintoki's brow furrowed in recognition. He knew this man. The same man who helped in the war against foreign invaders with an old man.
"You're making that face, so I guess you remember me."
"Tch! I didn't think it was you." Gintoki used his wooden sword to push himself off the ground, taking his stance.
"Let's continue this, 'nephew.'"
The two lunged at each other, exchanging blows and slashes until they were both sent flying. Sainless kicked Gintoki in the chest. Although Gintoki blocked with his wooden sword, it shattered into pieces, and he was sent crashing into a wall, coughing up blood.
Sainless walked toward him, glancing at the silver bracelet on Gintoki's arm before tearing it off.
"So it's because of this bracelet that you can use Saya's power."
Cough! Cough! - Ack!!! Another kick to the stomach sent Gintoki into unconsciousness, barely able to move.
"Your skills are still impressive, but, you know… a person without power is just a regular person. No matter how hard you try, you'll always be ordinary."
He stomped hard on Gintoki's stomach, causing the floor beneath them to crack.
"Ack!! Cough!!"
Gintoki, with trembling hands, grabbed Sainless' leg. "It's true, in the end, I'm still just an ordinary person… Cough!! But…"
With a sudden burst of strength, he flipped Sainless over and locked his legs around the man's arm.
"I'm an ordinary person with friends!!!"
"YAAAGH!!!"
Shinpachi and Kagura, who had followed, launched their weapons at Sainless, piercing through his body. Two rough white crystals shot out, and both Sainless and Gintoki were sent flying in opposite directions.
"Gintoki-san!!! / Agin-chan!!!"
Coughing!
At that moment, the area around them began to collapse, forcing the group to scramble to escape.
CRASH!!!!!
They barely managed to escape just in time, and once they were out, they collapsed, completely exhausted.
"You guys almost didn't make it," Kazura said, looking down at them.
"Why are you here?" Gintoki asked, seeing Kazura standing above them.
"I followed you when I saw you come here," Kazura replied, glancing at Sarutobi and Elizabeth, who were standing nearby.
"Still investigating me, huh?"
"Even though you don't choose me anymore, I don't want you to die, Gintoki-san. It's called still having feelings for you—"
"And Saya?"
"!!!" Gintoki interrupted, ignoring her long-winded speech.
"She's unconscious over there."
Gintoki slowly got up and walked over to Saya, who seemed to be waking up. He sat down next to her.
"Well, well, you little troublemaker, you're not dead yet?" Saya gave a small smile.
"Almost."
"Gintoki, it hurts. Can you say the chant for me?"
"Like this? There's a lot of people here."
"Can't you?" Saya pouted, looking up at him with an expression like a child, making Gintoki scratch his head.
"Alright, alright…"
"Jabula Jabula, my love, may suffering disappear, and happiness return."
He whispered the words softly and kissed her forehead. Everyone around them was stunned or blushing, except Sarutobi, who screamed in disbelief, with Elizabeth having to hold him back.
"Rest, you silly girl," Gintoki muttered, though he caught a glimpse of a slight red tint on Saya's ears before she smiled in satisfaction.
"Mm, stay by my side." Her hand rested on his forehead.
"Yeah."