The morning mist still hung low when the small group left the forests on the outskirts of Kyoto.
The ground was damp with night dew, and the cold air clung to their skin like a thin cloth that refused to be removed.
Akira walked at the front.
The sword Ryuma had given him hung at his waist. Every step felt heavier than usual, as if the blade carried not only steel, but also every memory now haunting his mind.
Behind him, Yuna walked silently. Her black hair was tied simply, her naginata resting across her back.
Hyuga walked along the other side of the group, occasionally glancing back to make sure his nine men were still following.
Daichi, the largest among them, let out a long yawn.
"If this journey gets any longer," he complained, "I might start eating grass."
A few of the men chuckled.
Hyuga glanced at him.
"If you start eating grass, I'll sell you as a horse."
"Lord Hyuga, I'm far more handsome than a horse."
"Not really."
Laughter rose again.
For a moment, the tension that had followed them since their escape from the fortress eased slightly.
The sun had begun to climb when they finally came upon a wide meadow.
A clear river flowed through the center of it, the water reflecting the light like scattered shards of glass.
"Stop here," Akira said at last.
Almost everyone exhaled in relief.
Daichi immediately dropped onto the grass.
"I don't care if Kamakura soldiers show up right now. I'm sleeping first."
Yuna walked to the riverbank and knelt, dipping her hands into the water.
"It's cold."
Hyuga raised an eyebrow.
"Good. That means there are fish."
He looked back at his men.
"You hear that? We're eating today."
One of them raised a hand.
"If the fish agree."
"If they don't agree," Hyuga said casually, "we'll force them."
A few people laughed.
Soon they began trying to catch fish.
Some used small spears. Others simply rolled up their trousers and stepped into the water.
Daichi stood in the middle of the river holding a spear.
"Quiet!" he whispered loudly.
"If you whisper that loudly," Yuna said from the bank, "the fish will move to the ocean."
"I'm concentrating."
A few seconds later,
SPLASH!
Daichi slipped and fell into the water.
Laughter exploded along the riverbank.
Hyuga even had to clutch his stomach.
"Incredible," he said between breaths.
"The most embarrassing fishing technique I've ever seen."
Daichi stood up with an irritated face.
"The fish are slippery!"
"So is the water," Yuna replied.
Eventually, after several more serious attempts, they managed to catch a few small fish.
The fish were roasted over a simple fire.
The scent of grilled meat soon filled the air.
Everyone sat in a circle in the meadow.
For the first time since Ryuma's death, the atmosphere felt… almost peaceful.
Akira sat a little apart from the others, watching the river flow.
Hyuga approached carrying two roasted fish.
He sat beside Akira and handed him one.
"If you keep staring at the water like that," he said, "the river will start feeling guilty."
Akira accepted the fish.
"Thank you."
For a few moments they ate in silence.
The meadow breeze blew softly.
Yuna walked over and sat on Akira's other side.
She took a small bite of her fish.
Finally, Akira spoke.
"I want to say something."
Hyuga glanced at him.
"That sounds serious."
Akira looked at both of them.
"You shouldn't have to go this far to help me."
Yuna frowned.
Akira continued, his voice low.
"You've seen the situation yourselves. We're being hunted. The Kyoto Emperor knows we escaped. A message has surely been sent to Kamakura."
He took a slow breath.
"My journey is no longer just about fighting a few enemies. I intend to bring down the entire Kamakura shogunate."
Hyuga looked at him calmly.
"And?"
"You don't have to follow me," Akira said quietly. "If you want to leave now… I won't stop you."
Yuna stared at him as if she couldn't believe what she heard.
"You're serious?"
Akira nodded slowly.
"You've already helped me enough."
Yuna let out a small laugh, but it wasn't a happy one.
"Where exactly would I go, Akira?"
Akira turned toward her.
Yuna looked at the river.
"My village was burned to the ground," she said softly. "My family is gone."
She shrugged.
"The world I used to live in is gone."
Then she looked back at him.
"If I leave now, I'll just become someone wandering without a destination."
Yuna gave a faint smile.
"At least with you… I have a reason to keep walking."
Akira fell silent.
Then he turned to Hyuga.
Hyuga was eating his fish casually.
"Do I also need to give an emotional speech like that?" he said.
Akira almost smiled.
Hyuga chewed for a few seconds before speaking.
"My life used to be simple," he said. "Robbing nobles. Ambushing officials. Taking their money."
From the distance Daichi shouted, "That still sounds like a great plan!"
Hyuga raised a hand without looking.
"Quiet, Daichi."
He looked back at Akira.
"Then I met you."
"And your life got worse?" Akira asked.
"More complicated," Hyuga replied.
He stared across the wide meadow.
"But also… more meaningful."
Akira didn't answer.
Hyuga continued.
"Following someone who wants to overthrow a government… is far more interesting than robbing official carriages."
He grinned.
"Besides, I'm already too deep into this."
Hyuga stood and looked toward his men.
"Well then," he said loudly. "Your turn."
Daichi lifted his head.
"What?"
Hyuga pointed at them.
"If any of you want to leave, you're free to go."
Everyone fell silent.
The wind moved gently across the meadow.
Daichi slowly stood up.
He looked at Hyuga, then Akira, then Yuna.
"Lord Hyuga," he said.
"Yes?"
"We've almost died together several times."
Hyuga nodded.
"And that was before we started fighting the government," Daichi added.
Some of the men laughed.
Daichi shrugged.
"If we've come this far… it would feel strange to suddenly leave."
Another man said, "I haven't even paid back my drinking debt to Daichi yet."
Daichi turned immediately.
"You still remember that?"
"Of course."
Hyuga looked at them one by one.
"So?"
Daichi lifted his spear slightly.
"We're staying."
The others nodded.
"All of you?"
"All of us."
Hyuga smiled faintly.
"Good."
He turned toward Akira.
"Looks like you're stuck with us."
Akira looked at all of them.
For the first time since Ryuma's death, something warm stirred inside his chest.
He lowered his head slightly.
"Thank you."
Daichi immediately shouted, "Then please make sure we don't die too quickly."
Yuna laughed.
"I can't promise that."
—
The journey toward Shiga turned out to be much longer than they expected.
They traveled for days.
They had almost no supplies.
Sometimes they survived on wild fruit. Sometimes on roots.
One afternoon they reached the top of a rocky hill.
Hyuga, who was walking at the front, suddenly stopped.
Akira nearly bumped into him.
"What is it?"
Hyuga didn't answer.
He simply pointed downward.
In a small valley on the other side of the hill, a long convoy was moving along a dirt road.
Dozens of soldiers.
Horses.
And several large wagons.
Daichi whispered, "Is that… a treasure caravan?"
Akira narrowed his eyes.
On the wagons were large wooden chests.
One chest was slightly open, revealing the gleam of metal.
Gold coins.
Another wagon carried sacks of food.
And weapons.
Hyuga whistled softly.
"The gods are truly helping us today."
Yuna studied the troops.
"Their emblem… it's not Kyoto."
Akira looked at the banner flying at the front of the convoy.
He recognized the symbol.
"The Ashikaga clan," he said quietly.
Hyuga's grin widened.
"Even better."
Daichi swallowed.
"How many are there?"
Akira counted quickly.
"Almost the same number as us."
Hyuga crouched behind a rock.
He studied the narrow road the convoy was traveling.
"We're hungry. We need weapons. We need money."
He looked at Akira.
"And they're carrying all of it."
Yuna raised an eyebrow.
"You're serious?"
Hyuga looked at her.
"Do you have a better plan for dinner?"
Yuna was silent for a few seconds.
Then she smiled faintly.
"No."
Hyuga turned to his nine men.
"You heard that?"
Daichi grinned immediately.
"Finally, we're back to our old job."
Hyuga began explaining the plan.
"We attack from the hill. Horses first."
He pointed toward the narrow road in the valley.
"Once the horses panic, their formation will break."
Akira watched the convoy.
At the front of the soldiers, a mounted officer was leading them.
The armor he wore was far more ornate than the others.
Hyuga noticed him too.
"Their captain," he said.
Akira nodded.
"If he falls… the rest will lose command."
Yuna slowly spun her naginata.
"Who's taking him?"
Akira looked at the officer.
In the distance, the banner shifted in the wind, revealing the commander's name.
Hyuga read it quietly.
"Hanzo… Hanzo Ashikaga."
He smiled crookedly.
"A fine name for someone we're about to rob."
Everyone prepared.
Hyuga's nine men spread out among the rocks and trees.
Hyuga raised his hand.
"First target, horses."
Daichi nodded.
Akira gripped his sword.
The wind swept across the hill.
Below them, the convoy continued moving, unaware of the danger above.
Hyuga looked at everyone.
"Ready?"
They all nodded.
He dropped his hand.
"Now."
Nine men slid down the hill like shadows.
Akira, Yuna, and Hyuga leaped after them.
A few seconds later, the scream of horses shattered the valley. An Ashikaga soldier turned in shock. Then his eyes widened.
He pointed toward them and shouted at the top of his lungs,
"BANDITS!"