Will of Iron
Author's Note-
This is an old story, posted in 2015 but might have made the story a year or two earlier than that but deleted it due to thinking it was horribly written.
While it is not the worst, I still thought it needed improvement. Combined what was another fic with it, to see how it turns out. Would like to hear some feedback on the quality of the story. Don't want it to be absolutely terrible, since that would be no good.
Changed the title out of consideration for those affected by events going on at the time of updating.
White snow crunched under Urakaku's feet while he made his way towards Kakigoori, a town located at the base of a mountain. It was twenty hours travel time from the capital of the Land of Iron.
Urakaku's shoulder-length black hair was tied in a traditional chonmage style. His thick black eyebrows had flakes of snow in them from snow carried in the wind, some had ended up in his hair. A deep scar ran down from his forehead to the right eyebrow, a painful reminder of a past sword fight. Thick, tan full body cloth covered his body to shield against the bitter cold and even colder wind. Silver Samurai armor covered most of his body.
The Samurai arrived at the top of the hill, and looked down to where the town was.
Several days ago, Mifune's apprentice was sent here on the same mission, and hadn't been heard from since. So he saw no other choice but to send Urakaku.
Urakaku approached the first buildings of the town along the main path.
A civilian, male, approached the Samurai. Fear written on his face. "Stay away from here, if you want to live."
Urakaku gently grabbed the man's shoulders. His face stern but showing concern. "What happened here? All Mifune and I know is the town dropped out of contact days ago."
The man trembled. "It's dreadful T...there's a man, face of evil!" He gasped, looked around frantically, and stared into the Samurai's eyes. His terrified voice dropped to a whisper. "And he claims the Samurai wronged him in the past. He came, saw we had no guards or Samurai, and took over. He told us if any word reached the Samurai, he would start taking children and imprisoning them and just let them starve. He is a monster, no one can stop him. Even a Samurai crossed this town's path, tried to stop him, and was brutality slaughtered. His body was hung up on the entrance of the Head's house as a message to all Samurai." The man's rambling stopped. He whimpered and fell backwards.
Urakaku caught him, and led him to a bench in front of the first building along the path. His voice dropped to a whisper to not attract attention. "Listen, I am Mifune's right hand man. There's a reason I was sent. I am one of the strongest Samurai out there." He helped the man sit down. "Did you see the other Samurai, anything?"
"Yes." The man looked down, trembling with fear. "Blonde hair, matching eyebrows, and black eyes. Similar armor to yours with Land of Iron insignia branded on the front."
No! Damn it! He was Mifune's most treasured student! The Samurai's face tensed, his anger raging inside. "Can you tell me anything about the man and his two bodyguards?"
"Y…yes." The man's voice quivered. "The man…he has a scar down one side of his face close to his eye and eyes of pure blackness. Wore armor and a helmet with some symbol. Bodyguards had similar clothing as well as the same scars on the side of their faces as their boss!"
Sounds like the three survivors Mifune found thirty years back. Urakaku looked down the street towards the town center, and found no civilians. Everyone's likely inside. He turned to face the man. "It's best if you go inside."
"Ye...yes sir." the man stood up and ran into the nearest building entrance, which was a wooden building like all the others in the town.
A piercing scream rang out. "Samurai!"
Urakaku spun around, quickly drawing his sword attached to his side via a belt. He saw two figures whose appearance matched the man's description.
The one to the right wore brown leather armor draped down the front and back of his torso, exposing his sides. His silver helmet protected the top and sides of his head, with a symbol on the front showing showing a Samurai helmet impaled with an arrow. A scar ran down the right side of his face to the right of his eye.
The one to the left had the same scar and clothing.
One of them and charged at Urakaku. "Die, Samurai!"
The other bolted off down another street, away from the battle.
Need to do this quickly! Urakaku readied his sword in front of his body and charged forward.
His enemy drew closer, sword raised to slice the Samurai in half.
Urakaku, in a blur, zipped straight past the enemy. Existence Beheading, quick and effective.
The enemy gasped in pain. A massive gash opened around his midsection. His upper half fell backward and lower half fell forward.
"Underestimate a Samurai at your own peril." Urakaku flicked the blood off his blade, and ran down the street he last saw the other bodyguard running down.
A woman's pleading screams ripped through the air. "No! Please don't take my kids!"
It was true! Urakaku turned down another street and saw a wooden door ajar. Urakaku sheathed his sword. He quickly opened the door, entered the house, and spotted the other bodyguard.
"On orders due to a Samurai's presence, I will take your children!" the bodyguard reached for the kids. "Give them to…" The man's sentence ended abruptly upon feeling a hand on his shoulder.
"Out you go!" Urakaku, with a great heave, threw the enemy out the door.
He impacted the ground and pained grunts were heard.
The woman hugged her kids. "Thank you sir."
The Samurai turned to face her. "Name's Urakaku, no need to thank. Stay inside while I deal with him." Urakaku turned around, walked out the door, and shut it behind him.
The guard staggered to his feet, his shoulder dislocated from the impact. "You bastard! That hurt!"
"Take a look in the mirror to see who the real one is." Urakaku drew his sword and infused it with chakra. "Can't tell? It's you." Samurai Style: Absolute Inscription.
The enemy did not have time to react before the Samurai became a blur. Many slashes lanced across his torso and limbs.
Urakaku swung once more with his sword diagonally, striking the man down. The Samurai flicked the blood off his blade and ran off towards the town center. Upon arrival, a horrifying sight greeted him. T…this can't be...
Strung up between the two pillars in front of the Head's house was the slowly rotting body of a Samurai. The body's facial features and clothing matched what the man told him.
Mifune is going to be heartbroken. Urakaku ran up the steps, and entered the building.
The room consisted of shiny wooden floors, pillars in the same style with decoration, and a white sliding panel which cut the room in half.
A voice was heard from behind the concealing sliding panel. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here, a Samurai."
"Come out!" Urakaku's normally calm exterior had broken, his eyes narrowed with anger, he faced the shadow behind the concealing panel.
"If that's what you want." The man opened the panel and stepped out, sword gripped in his left hand and right hand on the side of the panel. "You saw the corpse? Yours will be up on there next when I'm done with you!"
Urakaku took a step closer, sword braced to attack or defend. "Why do this? He was Mifune's best student and could have become as strong as I am, maybe even stronger!"
"Won't matter much to a dead man, but it will give you thought when you go." The man spoke with glee. "He challenged me, almost killed my bodyguards. Took him out in a fierce fight. So I strung his corpse up as a warning to Samurai like you." The man took a step closer, sword poised to strike. The light illuminated his face.
Urakaku's eyes shot wide open. "You!" Urakaku had heard the story from Mifune. Thirty years ago, a town was raided, and experienced a deadly blizzard which killed most of the survivors via freezing to death. By the time Mifune arrived with his team, everyone was dead, three unaccounted for. "Were you the three unaccounted for?"
"Yes, the great Lord Shō found us. Saved us." He grinned. "Told us about the evils of the Samurai. Their many failures. And how his organization would replace them." He glared at the Samurai. "You will be replaced by the Shintaisei!"
"Shintaisei?!" Urakaku recognized the same symbol on the man's helmet. "You mean the same group that ran around terrorizing the Land of Iron ten years ago? That same group Mifune fought and said was the only other time he came close to death? Whose activity ceased since then?"
"Yes!" The man sneered. "Shō decided it was time to make our move, time to destroy the Samurai!" The man brought up his sword to attack. "And you are next!"
Urakaku readied his sword. "This is wrong, don't you see you're doing more harm than good?!"
"Now Die!" The man charged straight at the Samurai and swing his sword downwards.
Urakaku quickly parried the blow with his blade. "Please listen to reason! You realize what your organization has done?!" Urakaku counter-attacked and stabbed forward with his blade to impale the man.
The enemy dodged and swung once again with his blade. "I won't listen to you!"
Urakaku quickly sidestepped the downward swing, which impacted against his shoulder armor. "I have no choice." Urakaku quickly stabbed forward with his chakra infused sword. The blade easily slid through the center of the man's chest.
The man's sword dropped from his grasp. "H…how did you…"
"Chakra infused sword. You were finished from the start. And your leather armor is inferior to my metal plated armor." Urakaku withdrew his blade from the man's chest.
The man fell backwards to the ground, onto his back, slowly dying. "C…curse you, Samurai. May you be cursed for eternity!" Moments later, the man's chest went still.
That's the end of him. Need to check those stairs. The Samurai headed towards a staircase and descended. Upon reaching the landing in the basement, he saw a torch lit passageway. There's something here. He ran quickly down the passageway and soon came upon a large room lined with jail cells.
The Samurai quickly headed to the nearest cell, and found it empty, and checked all the others. Good, no rotting corpses or anyone locked here. The Samurai looked into the last cell. Its interior was the same as the others. Gray walls; a single metal bed, and a toilet. The bars were slightly rusty from age.
Time to go inform the villagers that the tyrant is dead. The Samurai sheathed his sword and headed upstairs and quickly went out the door. To his surprise, he found a small crowd outside, and the same man he saw when he first entered the village.
The man approached the Samurai. "I saw the dead bodies of the bodyguards, and someone said you went into there. I'm guessing the tyrant is dead at last."
Urakaku walked down the steps. "He's dead. But it appears you need a new leader."
"Our previous head was killed by that dreadful tyrant." The man walked back to the crowd.
Urakaku looked at the man. "Can you get the dead Samurai down? Want to break the news to Mifune before he sees the body."
The man looked at the strung up corpse. "Yes." It's terrible what that tyrant did."
"Thank you, sir. I need to get going." Urakaku headed off down the street towards the capital city of the Land of Iron.
A day later, Urakaku opened the door to Mifune's room.
Mifune, currently meditating on the floor, looked up to Urakaku. "I presume the mission is complete?"
Urakaku's face became solemn. "Yes. But I bear sad news. Your apprentice has died. The three who disappeared from a town following a blizzard were saved by the leader of Shintaisei, Shō, and corrupted by his ways. And took over the town. I fear they're making a return."
Mifune's head lowered, sadness appearing on his face.
Urakaku left the room. "I will leave you to mourn." He closed the door behind him.
Okisuke stood with his back against a tree, obscured from his destination. An old, abandoned building that was once used one hundred years ago for forging weapons. It is not far now. The Samurai leaned to his left and turned his head to look towards the structure. Good. No guards.
The Samurai was bald, had a dragon tattoo inscribed on his head near his left eye, and violet-colored eyes. He wore the armor of Samurai which consisted of a full body thick cloth under his plated armor to protect against the freezing temperatures in the Land of Iron. The armor covered his shoulders, upper back, chest, sides, and thighs. He also had shin guards and metal gauntlets on his lower arms for additional protection.
His sword was attached to the one side of the faulds of his armor, while the other side held his wakzashi blade.
Days had passed since Urakaku returned from his mission, since the funeral for Mifune's apprentice. Since a Samurai showed up half-dead talking of strange things happening in the area, investigating, and barely escaping with his life, and mumbling of 'Shintaisei'.
Time to make my move. Okisuke ran around the tree and dashed to the building with extreme speed. He neared the door and in one swift movement, kicked it down. "Drop your weapons!"
Within, was a large, open room with four pillars in the corners and a central pillar.
A voice echoed. "Looks like we have a dirty Samurai here."
Okisuke heard the sound of a sword being drawn. "Who are you?"Okisuke quickly reached for his katana, quickly unsheathed it, and held it firmly with both hands.
The shadows from the lit torches hit his grinning face in all the wrong ways. "Shō, my followers call me Lord Shō, not going to help you much, anyways. Since you will die here."
Okisuke tensed. "What do you want?"
Shō stepped forward, allowing more light to hit his face. His hair was dark black, his eyebrows gave his eyes the appearance of slanting inwards like that of the typical evil villain from images within books and comics, and his mouth was twisted into a snarl. His clothing consisted of a black undershirt with matching pants and metal plate armor over most of his body except his head, arms, and feet.
Shō reached for his tachi, and unsheathed the blade "It's simple. The destruction of the Samurai, with the Shintaisei taking their place." Shō charged, his eyes narrowing to the point of looking like a snake's eyes. His sword pointed out to stab.
Okisuke quickly parried with the flat end of his sword, catching the tip of his enemy's blade. "Why are you doing this? Violence is not the way to solve things."
Shō quickly withdrew his blade and jumped back. "Because you Samurai are failures, unable to protect the people when it matters most." He infused his blade with chakra, the light illuminating the area.
Okisuke focused chakra into his blade. "Guess there's no reasoning with you."
Shō charged, his chakra infused blade leaving behind a stream of chakra. "This time, I will cut you down! And that will be one less Samurai!"
"You're blind!" Okisuke charged up chakra into his sword and swung. A sharp horizontal crescent of chakra flew away from his blade, straight at Shō.
Shō jumped over the chakra blade. He descended and brought his sword over his head in a downward swing.
Okisuke quickly brought his sword above himself, sharp end pointed outwards. This amount of chakra…not good. He infused his sword with more chakra than before and braced himself.
Shō's sword clashed with Okisuke's sword with crushing force.
He's brutally strong, like some monster! Okisuke spotted hairline cracks forming at the point of impact. Cracks forming along his sword. Damn, the worst thing that can happen in a battle! Okisuke focused more chakra into the blade, and pushed upwards hard. It was just enough, a giant shock wave of chakra formed.
Shō was blasted up and away, fell back to the ground, and righted himself at the last second.
Okisuke brought his sword to his front in defense, and saw the broken blade. It had snapped clean in two. Need to end this now!
"You! Blasted Samurai! Die!" Shō charged towards Okisuke.
It's now or never! Okisuke charged, his blade infused with chakra. Okisuke swung his blade, a massive stream of chakra lanced out.
Shō jumped over it. "Nice try!" He quickly kicked, his face full of malice.
Okisuke felt the blow to his chest plate, and was sent flying for a distance before crashing hard onto the stone floor. He laid flat on his back. He felt a boot stomp down on his chest and another on his hand, causing pain to shoot up his arm. "Get off of me! Let me get my sword!"
Shō swung his sword, knocking the Samurai's blade out of reach. "Sorry, but you Samurai don't play fair, so that means I don't have to either!" He brought his blade above the area of Okisuke's right eye.
Okisuke sputtered, panic rising. "What are you going to do?!"
"I'm going to leave you something to remember us by." Shō brought his sword across Okisuke's forehead, leaving a slanted slash above his right eye. With no respite, he slashed again, from above the first slash down his face almost to the side of his chin.
Okisuke screamed in pain. The slash over his eye had popped it, leaving a stream of blood to flow down the side of his face.
"Good" Shō stepped back and turned his back to the Samurai. "Remember the pain."
Okisuke smiled through the pain. Fool! He grabbed his wakzashi, and quickly stood up.
Shō spun around. "What?!"
Too little, too late, Okisuke's wakzashi blade found its mark, stabbing his foe through the chest.
Shō coughed blood. "How?"
Okisuke infused chakra in the blade. "Always make sure your foe is dead, before you turn your back to them." He concentrated, letting the chakra explode, destroying Shō's chest.
The man's body fell to the wooden floor with a thud.
"In here!" a black haired female Samurai, Yozakura, ran into the building first followed by her team. She wore the traditional Samurai plated armor.
Okisuke turned to the team. "Shō's dead." His strength failed him, and he fell.
One of the Samurai caught him. "He needs medical attention!"
Okisuke's vision went black.
Okisuke opened his one good eye, and saw a white ceiling, and Yozakura sitting on a chair.
Yozakura looked at Okisuke. "Been three days, you really pulled it off, Shō was truly dangerous." She paused. "As for the lack of men there, he sent them and his general to attack a town. However, Mifune and his team were there. Mifune himself slew the general leading the army.
Okisuke looked at Yozakura. "Glad to hear we stopped them before they could cause any more death and destruction."
Yozakura had a slightly saddened look on her face. "Yes, but we were too late for some." She paused. "It's best to get rest, the slash took your eye out, and it's going to leave a scar. We came as fast as we could, Mifune sent us, said that Shō was too dangerous for you to take on. But you defeated him."
Okisuke laid down. "Glad we stopped them, they were more dangerous than we thought." Okisuke closed his eyes and was soon asleep.
A/N-
Constructive Criticism is appreciated!
As for the names of Ocs and what they mean-
Yozakura means "Cherry trees at evening".
Shō can mean "scar"
Shintaisei can mean "new order, new system"