After the Yoshioka War/Kojirō revisited – chapters 243–present [265] (volumes 28–present)
The arc begins an unspecified time after the first Kojirō arc, with Kojirō in the den of a kindly prostitute and her pet frog; Gonnosuke and Ittosai are noticeably absent. The prostitute is unusually philanthropic; she refuses money if her clientele are nice to her. The prostitute goes outside after making love to Kojirō to see Tsujikaze Kōhei (scar absent). Tsujikaze and the prostitute had previously been together and he is returning after his imprisonment, downward spiral into severe depression and subsequent release. He pierces her right eye with his sword and stomps on her pet frog, killing it. Kojirō, upon seeing this, retrieves his sword and confronts Tsujikaze. Tsujikaze, not taking Kojirō seriously, states that Kojirō is merely wasting time until his death. Tsujikaze attempts to attack him, but Kojirō dodges, shoves Kōhei back then slices his face, delivering the scar seen in the Baiken arc.
After Musashi's great fight, he is taken care of by Takuan and finally encounters Jotarō, Matahachi (who has renounced his past resentment) and Otsu. While he is recovering from his injuries, Matahachi resigns himself to Otsu loving Musashi over himself, and separately tells both of them to have a relationship. When he awakens, it is revealed that Musashi cannot walk because of the severe wound in his right calf (caused by Ueda Ryōhei's final slash) and, according to "one of the two best physicians in Kyōto", his fighting days are over. Soldiers then come to arrest Musashi for killing the seventy warriors of the Yoshioka.
When next seen, he is imprisoned at Nijō Castle, although, according to the shoshidai of Kyōto in a conversation with Koetsu, it is more of a protective custody, since his nation-wide fame from defeating the Yoshioka now makes him the target of possible revenge, challenges from fighters seeking fame and invitations to serve as a samurai. As such, Musashi will not face beheading or seppuku. However, the possible end of his fighting career causes distress for him, Jotarō and Otsu. Musashi takes up a journey to visit a cave back in his hometown where he had promised a skeleton that he would return if he was stronger. Just as he reached it, Itō Ittōsai challenges him to a duel. Ittōsai remembers Musashi from fighting alongside him for a brief moment with Kojirō and Gonnosuke but Musashi does not recall anything, only that Ittōsai is famous for his fighting style. When the fight seemed over, Ittōsai revealed his right hand with only his pinky and ring finger still on his hand, he claims that Kojirō is stronger and recalls the time when he had left Kojirō for dead with vengeful peasants.
In the meantime, Matahachi's mother had passed away and the time shifts towards the future when an old Matahachi is telling a group of villagers about Musashi's, Kojirō's and his story.
Since I have never followed this from the groups and source.
