Even on the second day, the scene Yuuko witnessed yesterday in the Tenshukaku plaza remained vivid in his mind.
Because of what happened yesterday, he had no choice but to start taking the new Vision Hunt Decree seriously.
The samurai who died yesterday was merely the beginning of the Vision Hunt Decree.
Moving forward, the people of the Tenryou Commission would continue to capture those with Visions, confiscate their Visions, and hand them over to the Raiden Shogun.
Fortunately, the Raiden Shogun would likely not take personal action again like she did yesterday.
Everything was left to the Tenryou Commission to execute.
However, the scene of "killing the chicken to scare the monkeys" yesterday instilled fear in many Inazuma citizens, and now none dared to resist.
When Yuuko woke up this morning, his mind was still preoccupied with the Vision Hunt Decree.
"Speaking of which, the little fox didn't come back last night. It's really worrying..."
Before leaving, Yuuko glanced at the little nest in the living room and sighed softly.
The little fox did not come home yesterday.
Nor did he see it return this morning.
This made Yuuko extremely worried.
Although the little fox occasionally stayed out, given what happened in Inazuma City yesterday, it was difficult for Yuuko not to worry.
"I should go look for it..."
Thinking this, Yuuko left his home.
He planned to go outside and look for the little fox. Although he didn't know if he would succeed, he had to try.
Having been with the little fox for so long, Yuuko didn't want anything to happen to it.
After leaving his home, Yuuko followed the roads of Inazuma City and walked toward the outskirts.
The streets now seemed slightly deserted compared to usual.
Many shops were closed, and there were no longer groups of women chatting by the roadside.
This was likely due to the events surrounding the Vision Hunt Decree yesterday.
The atmosphere in Inazuma City was now a little gloomier than before.
This further changed Yuuko's mind; he increasingly doubted the correctness of the Vision Hunt Decree.
But ultimately, Yuuko still couldn't make up his mind.
After all, once he got involved in this matter, he would be completely bidding farewell to a peaceful life.
As he walked, Yuuko suddenly stopped.
He had passed by the place where he usually ate breakfast: Shimura's.
The strange thing was.
Shimura's was not open today, nor did he see the old man of Shimura's, Shimura Kanbei.
This surprised Yuuko, as that old man was arguably the most diligent old man in all of Inazuma.
He insisted on keeping the store open year-round; no matter what happened, the doors of Shimura's would always be open every day.
Connecting this to the Vision Hunt Decree, Yuuko suddenly had a bad feeling.
He went to a nearby shop that was still open and asked the owner about it.
The shop owner frowned before replying:
"That old man from Shimura's? He was just arrested by the Tenryou Commission soldiers because he apparently refused to hand over his Vision. Alas, he's already so old, why is he still so insistent on keeping his Vision?"
"A Vision? Old Man Shimura had a Vision?" Yuuko was greatly astonished.
Yuuko often patronized Shimura's, was very familiar with the old man there, and had chatted with him many times.
But this was the first time he had heard that the old man was a Vision holder.
The shop owner said:
"Didn't you know? When Old Man Shimura was young, he was a samurai deeply devoted to the Way of the Warrior.
It was only when he got older that he had to abandon the Way of the Warrior, opened Shimura's, and has run it ever since."
After speaking, the shop owner sighed again:
"Old Man Shimura clearly gave up the Way of the Warrior long ago, so why won't he hand over his Vision now? He's all alone, with no one to rely on, yet he insists on opposing Her Excellency, the General. Why go through all this trouble..."
Listening to these words, Yuuko fell into deep thought.
He knew Old Man Shimura's personality; he was usually someone who compromised very easily.
Moreover, he was honest and kind; even if his business was stolen, he would only complain a few words and wouldn't say anything more.
Yet now, he refused to hand over his Vision and was arrested by the Tenryou Commission... It seemed he had encountered something he absolutely refused to compromise on.
It seemed the Vision was something extremely important to the old man.
Yuuko closed his eyes, and after a moment, reopened them and asked the shop owner:
"Where was Old Man Shimura taken?"
The shop owner spread his hands and said:
"Where else would they take him? They must have taken him to the plaza outside the Tenshukaku.
If Old Man Shimura stubbornly refuses to hand over his Vision, it's really hard to say what the Tenryou Commission will do... After all, Her Excellency, the General, already made an example yesterday..."
"Thank you." Leaving that one phrase, Yuuko departed the shop.
Now, Yuuko started walking toward the Tenshukaku.
Because the events of the past two days made him increasingly feel that the Vision Hunt Decree was a flawed mandate.
Even if it was the will of Inazuma's Archon, the Raiden Shogun, one could not arbitrarily strip people of their desires!
Time waits for no one, and Yuuko's pace quickened.
From his original slow pace, he slightly accelerated to a brisk walk, then to a jog.
Finally, Yuuko sprinted toward the Tenshukaku!
...Inazuma City, in the plaza outside the Tenshukaku.
At this moment, an old man with graying temples was being forced to kneel on the ground by a group of Tenryou Commission soldiers.
That old man was none other than Shimura Kanbei, an ordinary resident of Inazuma City.
The owner of Shimura's, an honest but stingy old man.
Many onlookers were gathered around.
Yuuko squeezed into the crowd and saw Shimura Kanbei being restrained in the center of the plaza.
Seeing an elderly man treated this way, a surge of indignation rose in Yuuko's heart.
Just as Yuuko was thinking of doing something, he suddenly heard an old man next to the crowd sigh:
"Alas, why is Kanbei so stubborn? If he just handed over his Vision, nothing bad would happen..."
It seemed this old man knew Shimura Kanbei.
Seeing this, Yuuko addressed the old man: "Excuse me, sir, do you know Shimura Kanbei?"
The old man glanced at Yuuko and sighed:
"When we were young, we were acquaintances, perhaps friends.
In our youth, we both had the ideals of a samurai, but we both gave them up later on.
Now that Kanbei is unwilling to surrender his Vision, it means... he probably hasn't given up the Way of the Warrior.
Or perhaps, he is unwilling to let go of the Vision that carries the burden of his entire life as a samurai.
He might feel that if his Vision is taken away, the time he dedicated to the Way of the Warrior in his youth will turn into smoke..."
After speaking, the old man sighed heavily again:
"Alas! I don't know why Her Excellency, the General, suddenly issued such a decree, and why its execution is so heartless..."
Just as the old man was sighing.
A new development occurred in the plaza.
A Tenryou Commission soldier walked up to Shimura Kanbei and roared loudly:
"Shimura Kanbei! Pursuant to Her Excellency, the General's new decree, hand over your Vision immediately!"
Shimura Kanbei remained silent, hanging his head low.
This caused the soldier to frown. He reached out, grabbed Shimura Kanbei's collar, and lifted him up.
He showed no gentleness, despite Shimura Kanbei being an old man.
He lifted Shimura Kanbei right into the air.
"You stinking old man! I'll say this one more time: if you don't hand it over, don't blame me for being rough!"