Part 1: The Oniwabanshu
Chapter 1 : Bring me the son of Sparda
"How could he know this new dawn's light
Will change his life forever?"
(Metalica, Unforgiven 3)
The dojo was alive with the sounds of bokens clashing against each other. Master Kenji Shinomori was watching a certain fiercely sparring pair. His own daughter, his assistant master, was beating some sense into a certain student. The door slid open soundlessly and an attendant approached the master and whispered into his ear "There was something you might find disturbing on CNN a few minutes ago. I've recorded it for you, sir."
Raising an eyebrow, he followed. The attendant led him to an office and accessed a file on the computer there. The news was bleak indeed : "In other news, Eva Angellini, daughter of the Italian billionaire Alessandro Angellini was found by police officers butchered in the mansion she shared wither husband, world renown antiques dealer and tycoon Andrew Sparda. Sparda was reported missing after his plane crashed near Mallet Island 10 months ago. The couple's twin boys were not found. Authorities do not exclude the possibility of a robbery and kidnapping, since Sparda's collection of rare weapons is missing 3 valuable pieces: a 15th Century claymore, an 11th century odachi and an 800 year-old Viking longsword. A nation- wide search was……"
The report trailed on, but he was no longer listening. He banged his fist on the desk "I want 30 of the Oniwaban's best foreign operatives to sniff around and find those boys. And I will take no excuses for failure. Now go and fetch my daughter !!"
Looking after the attendant running like the dogs of hell were hot on his tail, Master Shinomori thought "Sparda……. Now there was a warrior…. I still remember when I first met him….."
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70 years prior
The lamp shone dimly as the man walked into the room, leaving an odachi with a white hilt and silver-inlaid sheath on a rack next to the door. He looked European, with white hair and wore military garb assorted with a pair of combat boots of obvious US make.
"How dare this gaijin carry a Japanese sword like it belongs to him? He sullies it by merely having it…" the boy urged his father and got a hit upside the head. "Don't insult our guest, son. This is Sparda, the legendary dark knight who closed the gates of the Demon Realm. He deserves our respect, not scorn. Watch and learn, son."
Sparda knelt on the tatami and bowed to the pair. "Master Shinomori. The task you asked of me is done. Thanks to your tip, the yakuza will not be having any more help from the demon realm. The portals are shut."
The man bowed back and replied "You may name your price now, Sparda. You said that you would when all is done. What can the Oniwabanshu do for you?"
"I do not want money, master Shinomori. Just that your organization train my successor like one of yours when the time comes."
"Agreed. I or any of my successors will see this task through when your heir will be chosen. And we will make him worthy of continuing your work."
Sparda bowed, took the sword from the rack and left. Aoshi Shinomori, leader of the Oniwabanshu, smiled to his son:
"This will be our greatest task, my son. And we WILL see it through."
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10 years ago
"It's been 60 years, Sparda. I see you have returned. And haven't aged a day. What I wouldn't give to have your longevity"
Sparda smiled and drew a picture from his coat pocket "These are my boys. The one with the slicked back hair is Vergil, and the one with the big grin is Dante. I will accompany them here when they are 14 to be trained as agreed. Up till then I will teach them the basics."
Master Kenji nodded "It will be done as agreed. And I still wish for your longevity, Sparda."
Shaking his head, Sparda replied "I don't think you would like living for 2000 years and seeing many friends wither away while you remain untouched by time. It wears down your nerves. It taught me to treasure humanity even more."
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The attendant returned with a visibly flushed face. "The search is on, Okashira. All our people in England are looking for the boys. Keiko-sama said she would go for them when they are located. Do you also want our people to search for Sparda, sir?"
Kenji looked at the boy, and added with a grim smile: "No. If Sparda did not appear on his own by now, it means he is beyond our reach. I hope he's not dead, because if he is, this world is in deep trouble."