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Shades of Reality is the one hundred sixty-forth chapter of the Rurouni Kenshin manga.

Synopsis[]

Kaoru, Sanosuke, Megumi, and Tsubame all wait for the return of Kenshin at the Kamiya Dōjō. Not only did Sanosuke drag Megumi along with him after he was forced to see her for damaging his right hand again, but also brought along the Iwanbou model Gein left behind at the Maekawa Dōjō. When the rurouni arrives home, he looks tired and worn out. There are barely any words exchanged between himself and everyone that was awaiting his arrival. Kenshin bypasses them and heads off to sleep after a long night.

A nightmare attacks Kenshin in his slumber. Realizing it is Hell after finding himself in a field of bones, Kenshin begins to contemplate if this is truly his destination. He then spots a figure resembling Kaoru up ahead of him. When Kenshin approaches the figure, it turns around only to become Tomoe, who stares coldly at Kenshin with a expressionless look on her face.

In a cold sweat and with heavy pant, Kenshin awakes and decides look around reality before his ghostly past drains him of his sanity. Kenshin enters the dojo and finds Kaoru training Yahiko and Sanosuke getting his hand checked out by Megumi. Kaoru pauses her training with Yahiko, putting Tsubame in as her replacement, to talk to Kenshin. Kaoru explains Yahiko's actions from the previous night and her decision to train Yahiko for the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu succession technique. Kenshin understands and is just contempt that Yahiko isn't going to make the same mistakes.

Still a bit exhausted, Kenshin slouches onto a wall. Kaoru overlooks Kenshin's face and notices the bruise from Enishi's pistol. She tells Kenshin to have it checked out by Megumi, but instead, Kenshin reaches out for Kaoru's wrist. Yahiko's sweat, Sanosuke's wounds, and Kaoru's warmth - they are all real. At last, Kenshin announces that he has something to tell everyone.

Outside, on the porch, everyone gathers around Kenshin. He informs them about the fight that will take place in ten days at the Kamiya Dojo and mentions the mastermind's name behind the attacks, Yukishiro Enishi, his brother-in-law. Everyone seems shocked when they hear that their enemy is a relative of Kenshin, so the rurouni prepares them all for a tale - a tale of how the battle began and the background of the cross-shape scar.

Characters[]

Chapter Notes[]

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