Rin's legs burned as she ran, her chest heaving, lungs screaming for air. Rain soaked her through, mixing with tears she hadn't realized were falling. Each step sent mud splattering, each crack of a branch underfoot made her heart jump.
She couldn't stop—not now, not while danger still loomed behind her.
Then—
She collided with something solid.
A man.
Dressed entirely in black.
The impact forced her back a step. Her body tensed, eyes darting in panic—
—and then she saw them.
Three figures stood behind him, each gripping a sword, their presence cold and dangerous.
Rin's chest rose sharply.
Relief flickered across her face.
"Thank goodness…" she breathed.
She stepped forward, desperation taking over.
"Please—stop! Please, you have to help me—"
Her voice trembled as she glanced around, as if expecting something to catch up at any moment.
"We need your help—"
"Don't worry," the stranger said calmly. "We're here to help."
Relief washed over her.
For a moment.
Then—
He moved.
Before she could react, his hand shot out—striking the back of her neck.
Pain exploded through her skull. The rain, the mud, the storm—everything blurred together.
Darkness swallowed her whole.
She blanked out before she even understood what had happened.
Her body went limp—
—but before she could hit the ground, the man caught her.
Silence followed.
The man lowered his hand, unfazed, and glanced back at the three swordsmen.
"Take her."
Meanwhile at the bandit camp ….
The four samurai finished off the last of the henchmen. As the battlefield fell silent, they turned—just in time to see Zinc force himself upright. Blood poured from the deep wound in his chest, soaking his clothes as he swayed on his feet.
"I'm not done y—yet," Zinc said, his voice hoarse, exhaustion heavy in every word.
A shadow moved.
One swift strike—fatal.
Zinc's eyes widened as the blade tore through him. His strength gave out, and he collapsed into the mud, rain washing the blood from his body as the storm raged on.
A faint crack echoed from within the forest.
One of the shadows noticed it. He turned sharply, ready to act—but before he could move, another shadow spoke, his voice low and final.
"Leave him. We regroup with Akagiri."
Without another word, the shadows dissolved into the mist, their presence swallowed by the rain and darkness.
Moments later, Bruchi staggered out from the trees. The moment he saw Zinc's body and his fallen comrades, his legs gave way. He dropped beside the group, fists clenched, tears streaming down his face.
"You'll pay for this someday!" he screamed into the storm, his voice breaking as thunder answered him.
Back in the heart of the battle—
Shinju's breathing grew heavier with every passing second.
He fought through the pain.
Akagiri swung again — Shinju barely dodged, the blade grazing his skin.
"You still think you can win this fight?"
Akagiri laughed.
Shinju glared, his expression calm, but his eyes burned with rage.
The other four appeared above Shinju.
Shinju sensed them before they struck. He leaped back just as their blades swept through the air.
The ground cracked beneath their combined force, a shockwave rippling outward.
One of them spoke calmly, "What's taking you so long to finish this?"
Akagiri scoffed. "Shut up, Renzoku."
"Oh, like you weren't just wasting time fighting weaklings?"
He glared at Akagiri. "How many times have I told you not to call me by that name?"
Shinju cut in, his voice cold. "Shut up. You're all dead."
Akagiri let out a low, amused scoff.
"You're barely standing… and you think you can fight five of us?"
Shinju didn't answer.
His grip tightened around the hilt, knuckles paling, the faint tremor in his arm betraying the weight his body refused to admit. His blade stayed raised—steady, but heavy, like it was the only thing holding him upright.
Realistically, I can't take all of them.
A slow breath slipped through his teeth.
I don't need to win.
His eyes shifted, just for a second—checking behind him.
I just need time.
The thought settled, sharp and clear.
If Rin can get somewhere safe… that's enough.
His stance lowered, feet adjusting despite the strain ripping through his muscles.
And if I can take even one of them down with me…
A faint, almost imperceptible glow sparked in his eyes, a quiet resolve settling in as his gaze sharpened.
That's a bonus.
Shinju finally spoke, voice low but unwavering—
"Then come."
Shinju's aura shifted. The raindrops around him evaporated into steam.
He moved.
Fast.
So fast it shocked even Akagiri.
Shinju landed a clean blow, sending Akagiri crashing through the side of the old couple's home.
"What the hell?!" Akagiri gasped. "Where did that strength come from?"
Shinju stood calm and focused—
like a river just before a storm breaks.
I can only use this technique for, at best, five minutes in this condition.
His breathing grew erratic, unstable.
Shinju rushed the others.
They tried to strike, but Shinju slipped past their attacks and countered—holding his ground.
His eyes narrowed as he noticed the symbols carved into each of the Five Shadows' blades:
First Cut.
Second Edge.
Third Fang.
Fourth Crest (Akagiri).
Fifth Dawn.
Five ranks.
Five levels of killing mastery.
The moment they moved, the truth struck him like a thunderclap.
The First, Second, and Third Shadow came at him in a relentless rhythm, their strikes so sharp and perfectly synchronized that Shinju could only keep himself alive by inches.
His arms trembled from the force of every clash, each impact rattling through his injured body.
Then the Fourth Crest, Akagiri, stepped in—
His pressure was different. Overwhelming.
Shinju was driven backward, struggling to stay upright as the ground slid beneath his feet.
And when the samurai marked with Fifth Dawn advanced, the air itself seemed to bend around him.
Shinju's legs weakened—not from fear, but from exhaustion.
His wounds throbbed.
His vision dimmed.
He could barely remain standing under the weight of their combined presence.
Five symbols…
Five monsters…
And he was already fighting on the edge of collapse.
The circle tightened.
The First Shadow (First Cut) stepped forward.
His blade rose—
—and with a single motion, it brushed past Shinju.
A thin line split across Shinju's sleeve… then his wrist.
Blood followed a second later.
Shinju barely evaded.
"You're trembling," he said calmly.
"Your body knows what your pride refuses to accept."
Shinju's fingers twitched, tightening around his sword.
The First Shadow studied him.
Silence.
I could end this with my next strike…
But I don't feel like it anymore.
His gaze dulled.
"I came here to see the Dark Samurai."
A pause.
"…This is disappointing."
He stepped back, sheathing his blade—
then leapt, landing lightly on a nearby tree branch, watching from above.
Shinju wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand.
Not fear… just pain.
He steadied his stance, even as his knees threatened to give way.
The Third Shadow flickered to his left, moving like a living shadow.
"I'll end this quickly. I don't enjoy beating a man who can hardly stand."
Steel screamed against steel—
KRRRNNNG!
Akagiri ( The Fourth Shadow/ Fourth Crest) intercepted, his blade grinding against the Third Shadow's strike, forcing it back with a violent swing.
The air itself seemed to cringe at the sound.
"Tch—why did you get in my way, Akagiri?"
The Second Shadow landed back.
Shinju's breath turned ragged, his vision shaking—
With the last of his strength, he swung at Akaguri.
Akaguri's eyes flicked.
He weaved.
Effortless.
Shinju's blade cut through nothing.
A sharp kick slammed into his side—
THUD!
His body lifted off the ground, crashing through the air before slamming into the earth.
He tumbled, rolling across dirt and broken roots before barely catching himself.
Pain exploded through his body.
"Agh—!"
He forced himself up—
Not to fight, but to Survive.
I hate to admit it… but I'm clearly outmatched.
If I stay here, I'll die before I even get a chance to land a single hit on one of them.
The Fifth and the Second Shadows moved in on Shinju.
Shinju dashed into the forest, forcing himself forward between trees. His movements were unsteady, but desperate—each step a retreat, each breath heavier than the last.
My only option is to find Rin… get her somewhere safe… then think about what to do when we're in the clear.
Shinju tightened his grip on his blade and broke into a sprint
"I'm coming…" he muttered under his breath, forcing his body to dash forward.
---
Behind him, the battlefield shifted.
Akagiri lowered his blade slightly, eyes locking onto the Third Shadow.
"Out of my way… Renzoku."
His voice darkened.
"The Dark Samurai is mine to kill."
A pause.
The Third Shadow's aura flickered.
"…You don't listen, do you?" he said slowly, " I've told you… not to call me that name."
A faint glow began to leak from his body—cold… dangerous.
Akaguri smirked.
"Oh? My apologies… Ren-zo-ku boy."
Mockery dripped from his tone.
His blade began to glow.
The ground beneath them trembled.
Energy thickened in the air—heavy, suffocating.
---
Then—
PRESSURE.
Space distorted as both figures leaned forward—
Ready to clash.
"Don't make me intervene."
The First Shadow's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
The air shifted again—his presence alone warping the battlefield.
Both paused.
Just slightly.
The First Shadow dropped from the tree, landing lightly.
"This is dragging on longer than expected… and you guys are making it more of a pain than it needs to be."
He placed a hand over his face, exhaling.
"Iets end this, shall we?"
In the next instant, they vanished into the forest.
---
Far from them—
Shinju's world had narrowed to survival.
The Fifth Shadow and Second Shadow were already on him.
A flash—
Blades—
Shinju barely twisted aside, the edge grazing past him.
Too fast.
Way too fast.
His breathing broke apart, uneven and sharp, as he stumbled forward, forcing his legs to move.
He couldn't fight this.
Couldn't match it.
It was as if death chased him relentlessly.
The absolute weight of the Fifth Dawn (Fifth Shadow) pressed down on Shinju as another blade came crashing toward him.
He blocked. Barely.
Sweat slid down his temple.
His injuries screamed. Vision wavered.
But his spirit did not.
Shinju moved.
Not with strength. Not with speed.
But with desperation sharpened into resolve—
every ounce of will condensed into a single motion—
dodging blades that could split mountains,
as the ground and trees began to crumble around him.
Is this all I can do?
Just avoid… until I collapse?
No.
I can't let it end like this.
Then suddenly, his heart pounded — thump-thump-thump — in his chest.
Damn it… my body is giving out… I can't maintain the technique…
And then—
It ended.
Pain surged through him.
His wounds finally caught up.
The five surrounded him.
Five blades—
Piercing from every direction.
"Ghahh—!", Shinju screamed in agony.
They struck in unison—
One from the front.
Two from either side.
Two from behind.
Blood splattered across the ground.
No… it can't end like this…
As they raised their swords for the final blow—
Smoke erupted around them.
The Shadows leapt back instantly.
Two figures in black emerged from the mist.
"Your hunt ends here." one of them said—
voice low, disciplined.
Then—
They vanished.
Shinju's bleeding body was taken with them.
Akaguri stood alone in the haze.
"…Didn't expect that."
The others remained silent.
And so—
The battle ended.