Kozure Ookami Chapter 42 Discussion

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                        All chapters are great, but I'm even more excited for the ones which focus on the past.

I despise Retsudou so much.

Wonderful chapter. I was waiting for this moment of the story where I would finally read this chapter and learn more of Itto's past. Where we get to see Itto have his duel against Yagyu Gunbei for the post of Kogi Kaishakunin. Itto essentially forfeited the match to shield the Shogun of Gunbei's blade pointed at him. So even though they gave Gunbei the win, Itto received the position for showing his willingness to sacrifice himself for the Shogun.

Yagyu Retsudō is such a bitch too. For a man who cares so much about his clan's name and their honor, he isn't a very honorable man. He'll go to any length to gain power and prestige. Even exiling his son Gunbei and then having the Kagemusha (doppelganger) commit seppuku in Gunbei's place to deceive the Shogunate and gain his respect back. I give a lot of respect to Gunbei's Kagemusha for not even hesitating to kill himself when ask to. That takes a lot of balls to be able to instantly commit to such a request and actually do it. The lords who chose Gunbei to duel for the position of Kaishakunin are relieved that Retsudō presented his son's head since they don't want to come off as fools for vouching for him, which only makes them more willing to restore Retsudō's honor and basically manipulate these men to be on his side.  

Afterward, the man talking to Itto knows that it was Gunbei's Kagemusha who took the fall and that Retsudō is planning something, which is why he wanted the title of Kogi Kaishakunin to go to his family. Retsudō also plans to get payback at the man who costed the Yagyu clan from gaining the Kaishakunin position because he was the one who saw the truth of Gunbei's blade pointing at the Shogun. Retsudō made it look like an accident to get away with it and embarrass the man. Now he's got his revenge and plans to do the same against Itto, which we already know he did as well.

After Itto is done thinking of the past, he asks himself why Retsudō wanted the Kogi Kaishakunin position to go to the Yagyu clan so much. He knows his path of meifumado won't end until he finds the truth and gets his revenge as well. I look forward to the chapter that Itto kills Yagyu Retsudō and hopefully the whole clan as well.