Mountain winds blew hard across the ridge.
Tall grass swayed like long green waves, and far below, on the dirt road cutting through the valley, a procession of soldiers from the Ashikaga Clan moved slowly forward.
Wooden carts creaked behind the line of horses, heavy with metal chests.
Coins. Weapons. Food supplies.
Everything desperately needed by the small group hiding among rocks and bushes at the top of the hill.
A SCREAM.
The first horse collapsed when a spear pierced its thigh.
The second horse shrieked wildly. The cart lurched. The Ashikaga soldiers reacted instantly.
"What?!"
"BANDITS!"
The cry echoed through the valley. Swords clashed. Horses screamed, Sword rang in the air.
Akira moved straight forward like an arrow. A soldier swung a spear. Akira twisted his body.
His sword cut through the man's wrist. The soldier screamed before Akira's second strike pierced his chest. On the other side, Hyuga laughed loudly as he cut down two men at once.
"It's been a while since I've done this!"
Yuna moved swiftly between the carts.
Her short blade flashed like a shadow.
A soldier who tried to attack her found his throat already slit.
But in the middle of the chaos,
The Ashikaga officer finally dismounted.
The man was tall.
His armor heavier than the others.
His sword long and flawless.
His eyes locked onto Akira immediately.
"You."
Akira stopped.
Blood dripped from his blade.
The officer stepped forward.
"I am Captain Hanzo of the Ashikaga Clan."
Akira did not respond.
Hanzo tilted his head slightly.
"Ordinary bandits don't move like that."
Akira replied flatly,
"And nobles don't die any differently from others."
Hanzo smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
He raised his sword.
"Come."
Akira stepped forward without hesitation.
Their blades collided.
CLANG!
The first clash alone made Akira's arms tremble.
Strong. Hanzo was no ordinary soldier. Hanzo attacked again.
A fast horizontal strike.
Akira blocked.
Sparks jumped.
Hanzo followed with a thrust. Akira barely avoided it. Hanzo's blade sliced the cloth of his shoulder. Akira countered.
A low slash toward Hanzo's thigh. Hanzo stepped back once. His eyes narrowed.
"You're trained."
Akira answered shortly,
"So are you."
Hanzo laughed quietly.
"Good."
He attacked faster.
Strike after strike.
Akira's sword barely had time to breathe.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
Hanzo pressed forward with full strength. Akira stepped back across the muddy ground. Hanzo spoke while fighting,
"Bandits like you rarely live long."
Akira replied coldly,
"I'm not a bandit."
Hanzo smiled.
"Then what are you?"
Akira twisted his blade and blocked the next strike.
"A hungry man."
Hanzo burst out laughing.
"An honest answer!"
Their attacks grew more brutal.
Around them, the battle was ending. Hyuga had already cut down three men. Yuna stood near the carts, her blade stained with blood.
Daichi was exhausted but still fighting.
But the duel at the center, was the heart of everything.
Hanzo attacked from above. Akira blocked. But this time Akira did not step back. He stepped in. Too close for Hanzo's long sword.
Hanzo reacted a moment too late. Akira's blade pierced the gap beneath his ribs.
Hanzo froze.
His eyes widened.
Akira pulled the sword free. Hanzo dropped to his knees. He looked at Akira, breathing heavily.
"Your name…"
Akira did not answer.
Hanzo gave a weak laugh, blood spilling from his lips.
"It doesn't matter."
He collapsed onto the ground.
Silence.
The battle was over.
Hyuga walked closer, wiping his sword.
"Good," he said.
He looked at Hanzo's body.
"An officer."
Akira only nodded.
Yuna approached from behind.
"We have to move quickly."
Hyuga immediately turned toward the carts.
"Take everything."
Daichi shouted to the others,
"Quick! Before anyone passes by!"
They worked fast.
Gold coins were stuffed into bags.
New swords were taken.
Rice sacks were loaded onto horses.
Hyuga whistled softly.
"This is the best haul of my life."
Akira looked at his own hands.
His sword covered in blood.
He let out a quiet laugh.
Yuna glanced at him.
"Why are you laughing?"
Akira shook his head.
"My life."
"Why?"
"I never imagined becoming a bandit."
Hyuga answered from the cart,
"Everyone needs a new career."
A few people laughed.
After everything was finished,
Hyuga said,
"Now the important part."
Akira understood.
"Tracks."
They worked again.
Bodies were moved.
Footprints erased.
Some items were thrown into the river.
Hyuga said while tying a horse,
"No clan symbol. No witnesses. No story."
Daichi nodded.
"Whoever finds this will be confused."
Akira glanced once more at Hanzo's body.
He did not know who the man truly was.
To Akira, he was only an enemy on the road.
Finally they left.
Their small convoy moved away from the valley toward Shiga.
But several hours later,
A merchant passed along that same road.
He stopped.
Saw the bodies.
His eyes widened.
"Gods…"
He dropped his goods and ran.
The news eventually reached the castle on Mount Ryogai.
The headquarters of the Ashikaga Clan.
Inside the great stone hall, soldiers carried Hanzo's body in.
An older man stood in the center of the chamber.
Ashikaga Takauji.
When the cloth covering the body was lifted—
He froze.
His eyes locked onto his son's face.
Hanzo.
Takauji collapsed to his knees. His hands trembled as they touched his son's face.
"Hanzo…"
His voice broke. He embraced the body. His sobs echoed through the hall.
The samurai around him bowed their heads in silence.
After the funeral,
Takauji stood inside the war hall.
His eyes red.
"Who?" he said quietly.
No one answered.
He slammed his fist onto the table.
"WHO?!"
One adviser spoke carefully,
"There was no clan symbol."
Takauji laughed bitterly.
"No symbol?"
He looked around the room.
"Fujiwara?"
"Takeda?"
"Nara?"
He turned sharply.
"Or the Emperor in Kyoto?"
No one dared respond.
Takauji clenched his teeth.
"They think they can touch the Ashikaga Clan and walk away?"
He turned to a scribe.
"Write a letter."
"To whom, my lord?"
Takauji answered coldly.
"Kamakura."
He stared out the window.
"Tell the Shogun that Ashikaga blood has been spilled."
The letter was sent immediately.
Several days later,
At the government in Kamakura.
The young shogun, Minamoto no Sanetomo, sat reading the letter.
Beside him stood Hōjō Yoshitoki.
The shogun exhaled slowly.
"This is bad."
Yoshitoki nodded.
"If the Ashikaga believe another clan is responsible, a war could break out."
The shogun looked at him.
"What should we do?"
Yoshitoki replied calmly,
"I will handle it."
The shogun nodded.
"Do it."
But while the chaos slowly began to spread.
---
Akira Kageyori knew nothing about it.
Several days later.
He and his group finally arrived in the region of Shiga.
The long journey had exhausted them. But the villages there were more lively. Wide rice fields. Neat wooden houses.
The people seemed friendlier.
They stopped at the first village.
Akira asked a farmer,
"Have you ever heard the name Tsurui?"
The farmer shook his head.
"No."
At the next village,
The answer was the same.
No one knew.
Hyuga began to grumble.
"We're chasing a shadow."
But they kept walking.
Until finally,
They reached a much larger village. The market was crowded.Merchants shouted to advertise their goods. Children ran between the stalls.
Yuna dismounted gracefully.
Several merchants immediately turned to look at her. She smiled politely at a cloth seller.
"Sir, may I ask something?"
The merchant nodded quickly.
"Of course, miss."
"We are looking for someone named Tsurui."
The merchant frowned.
"Hmmm…"
Before he could answer,
Heavy footsteps approached, a group of village guards walked toward them.
Their spears upright.Akira immediately became alert. Hyuga also tensed slightly.
The leader of the guards studied them one by one. Then he spoke in a flat tone.
"You are looking for Lord Tsurui?"
Akira did not answer.
Yuna spoke instead.
"Yes."
The guard pointed to the road behind him.
"Follow us."
Hyuga whispered quietly to Akira,
"This could be good news."
Akira looked at the guards.
"Or a trap."
The guard leader spoke again.
"Lord Tsurui has been waiting."
Akira narrowed his eyes.
"Waiting?"