"Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it." - Buddha
It was the break of dawn.
Wolf silently walked down a dirt road as his sandals clicked, wide wicker hat atop his head and straw cape cloaking his upper left body. His pants were baggy and tied at the feat. Kusabimaru hung quietly at his side in order to dissuade any potential bandits as a gourd hung from his waist. Finally, a basket was strapped behind his back, filled to the brim of his own products...
Wooden idols.
"I am at your side." Wolf spoke as he softly lifted Kuro. The shinobi reached into one of his pockets, producing a crushed blend of the divine dragon's tears and petals of a flower that once bloomed from the Everblossom tree. He sprinkled it in front of his lord's face, "Take the dragon tears."
The latter ingredient was unknown to Kuro as he opened his eyes, perhaps feeling the effect before silently closing them again, falling into unconsciousness.
Wolf unsheathed Fushigiri from his back, it's blade emitting menacing red energies as he held it in front of him.
"I hereby condemn the last immortal."
He then put the blade against his own neck.
"May you live on, and embrace what it means to be human."
Wolf then swung.
Zipangu.
That was the name of this strange 'other' Japan Wolf had found himself when he reawoke. The similarities of Zipangu and his place of origin were astounding, both geographically, and culturally. But even so... with no Lord to serve and no renown to his name, Wolf found himself having to adjust to a new life.
He looked up, his scarf covering his mouth as he spotted his distant destination.
Dokoni Village, a fief that belonged to the Amanomiya clan. It was a poor hamlet, controlled by a minor branch house within the Ananomiyas.
By the time he had reached Dokoni, the morning sun was gone and the afternoon had emerged. The destination resided between the base of a mountain and the side of a river. It was because of this placement that the villagers were able to mine and farm, selling the ore and rice from both sources. Wolf entered the village, a few children and elders watching him arrive as they spoke in hushed whispers. The adults of the village, both men and women, had already been forcefully conscripted from what he had heard.
To them, he was still an outsider, a man who did not speak many words. Wolf preferred it that way, as he was unused to most forms of social interaction. And regardless, he had only come here to see one person.
Shoukichi, a traveling merchant.
The girl was an outsider much like him, a merchant that visited the village from time to time. The bob haired brunette carried a box full of supplies on her back, wearing a green kimono and long brown waist skirt, a pair of black sandals below her covered feet. She finished talking to a few buying villagers before turning her head, revealing her unusual yellow eyes and mischievous features.
Wolf recalled when he had first met her.
The former Shinobi sat cross-legged in silence, considering his options as the crude buddhas laid before him.
He had created a few sculptures and taken them to the village in hopes to make some money. Yet no one had approached him for the entire day, cautious of the lone amputee. Ironic that he had brought a literal god to shed tears, yet could not sell a few simple statues.
Wolf sighed, ready to give up as he grabbed the edges of the cloth he had set the idols upon before a click of sandals were heard, a figure standing before him.
"How much?"
He looked up, realizing a buyer was asking him, the brown-haired girl peering down at him. Her accent was strange, indicating that she was probably from another province. "What will you give me?"
She giggled softly, "Wow, yer not really good at selling things, are ya?"
Wolf was silent.
"Hmm..." The girl placed a hand beneath her chin, picking up one of the buddhas. "They're not much at first glance... but when ya look at them closely, ya really begin to notice something interesting..." Wolf realized her eyes were upon him rather than the statues, a mischievous smile on her face. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"... If you say so."
There was a pause before the girl laughed, "Ohoho, apologies. Ya don't appear to be one of many words."
"Never was." He simply responded, resting both hands atop his knees.
"Then how about I buy all of 'em off ya." She tossed a string of mon in front of Wolf, the ex-shinobi blinking at the exchange. "50 silver mons right there. What do ya think of that?"
Wolf looked back up at her, "It is a lot."
She giggled again, "It sure is." She then rested a hand against her waist, "Say, what's yer name?"
He paused for a moment, not expecting the question and reluctant to give the answer.
So he settled for the middle ground.
"Sekiro."
"Sekiro..." She spoke the name as if tasting a fine saki, "You can call me Shoukichi. I'm a traveling merchant."
"What use does a traveling merchant have for idols?" He asked.
Shoukichi shrugged, smirking at him. "Oh, I'm sure I'll find someone willing to buy. Especially when an incredibly handsome man is selling them."
Wolf raised an eye at that, but otherwise gave no reaction.
"Well, I'm off. Gotta sell my wares to the rest of the villagers." She gave a parting wave, "I hope we can see each other soon... Se-ki-ro~"
Unbeknownst to the girl, the former Shinobi had figured something out after carefully analyzing her leaving form, and that was that-
Shoukichi was using some form of illusion.
Lady Butterfly had taught him how to spot such a thing, the subtle shifts in light and air when in her presence. It was as if her body was cloaked, presenting a false image of herself. Wolf could have interrogated her about it, but he abstained due to two reasons. One was that it appeared to be a secret she wished to keep, and seeing as he too wanted to lay low. The second... was quite simple.
She was the only one who'd buy his idols.
"I have the idols right here." Wolf simply said, lowering the basket.
"Good~" Shoukichi took one of the wooden idol out, inspecting it. They were just normal wooden Buddhas, created much like the way Sculptor had created them before Wolf. "Ah, a fine specimen right 'ere. I'll be keeping this." The traveling merchant put it back into the basket, taking out another.
"How much will this haul give me?"
"55 silver mons." However, she raised a hand against her cheek. "But ya know, Sekiro... I won't be in Dokoni forever. I will be returning to the road by tomorrow."
"How unfortunate." Wolf simply acknowledged, an awkward silence falling over the two.
"Well, er-" Shoukichi quickly recovered. "Since yer gonna have nobody buying your idols, how about I offer ya the chance of a lifetime." Wolf realized that she had leaned more closely. "You travel with me, and I can take you to the bigger towns, where more profit is to be found. What do ya say about that?" She asked, a sly smirk added to that request.
"I'm afraid I cannot." He answered. There was a reason he stayed at Dokoni, mainly because of how out of dodge the hamlet was, perfect for someone such as himself.
That seemed to catch Shoukichi off guard, "O-Oh..." She then seemed to slightly lose her composure, scratching the back of her head. "Ah, but-"
Wolf then spotted a figure at the end of the trail exit from a wooden house, carrying a sack alongside his daughter. He turned to Shoukichi, "Apologies, lady Shoukichi, but I choose to stay in Dokioni for... reasons that I cannot explain." He then bowed his head in goodbye. "I wish you luck in your travels."
He then left the girl on her lonesome as he overheard her muttering to herself, Wolf able to comprehend 'always worked', whatever she had meant as he walked up to the Elder.
The old man was already waiting outside with his young granddaughter, both sacks sitting in front of them. One was filled with rice and millet, the other with dried fish. Wolf handed him a small pouch of mon before taking the two sacks, placing them in his carry basket and turning around without a single word, the whole exchange apart of a weekly routine.
"I wonder... what is that man hiding?" The Elder simply said as Wolf walked away, his granddaughter turning her head.
"What do you mean Grandfather?"
"Nothing, little Samurai. Let's go back inside."
Wolf easily heard them thanks to his eavesdropping skills, leaving a dour expression on his face.
The former Shinobi returned to his den once night had begun to fall.
Wolf had set up residence within a burnt-out and dilapidated shrine. From what he had heard from the gossip of townsfolk, long ago, before the village had been built, the shrine once housed a fox goddess that watched over the forest. Yet the Amanomiya clan quickly found out and brought torches. Although the shrine had miraculously stayed upright, the same could not be said for the 'goddess' inside, who was slain and beheaded, her servants brought to the river and drowned.
He silently ate his bowl of rice and fish as a pot of yam boiled in front of him, a malformed idol he had messed up creating serving as a fuel for the cooking fire. Afterward, he continued carving, a blank and shaved log serving as the template. He had learned to hold the wood steady without the use of his Shinobi Prosthetic, doing it much how the Sculptor did so by positioning it with his feet.
Speaking of the Prosthetic.
Wolf silently removed a floorboard next to him, looking inside. The Shinobi Prosthetic rested atop the sheath of the Mortal Blade. Wolf had hidden both weapons for the sake of blending in. Here, he was just a mysterious amputee, and it costed fewer headaches to keep it that way.
He looked back at the in-progress idol, continuing his work.
Wolf returned the next day, fewer idols this time as he didn't expect to sell much. Shoukichi would be gone, leaving him at the mercy of the villager's charity. Of course, he didn't exactly expect anyone to buy his idols, but if that was to be the case, he didn't mind. He could always hunt or fish, but it was a lot easier (and less conspicuous) to sell things for food. He went to his usual spot only to pause.
Shoukichi was still there, the brunette peering around as if looking for someone. Her eyes then found him before honing in on him, walking up to Wolf as she straightened herself. "Ah, there you are. What do you have for me?"
Wolf blinked, "What are you still doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious? Plenty of business to develop around here. Especially those idols of yours."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said, alright?" Shoukichi huffed, "But since you're so damn stubborn and insist on staying here, I made a last-minute decision." She then sighed, "You're lucky yer so damn-"
He immediately raised his head, trained ears picking up noise.
Panicked shouting.
He turned toward the source, breaking off into a sprint as Shoukichi watched with confusion. The shouting was coming from the riverside, the scene one of chaos as many villagers yelled out with random weaponry they had brought. All of them were staring upward as an old woman wept next to the water.
"A monster! A monster has snatched my grandson!"
Wolf looked up to see a rapidly distancing figure in the sky above the lake, fluttering black wings as it held a boy beneath its talons. He turned his head, a farmer next to the lady holding a Kama. Wordlessly, he grabbed the sickle, much to the surprise of the man before aiming and throwing. It spun through the air, arcing, and then striking its mark with an unnatural precision as a poof of feathers was seen. Both figures dropped into the river below as Wolf wordlessly threw off his hat and cloak, exposing his amputated arm and diving into the river. He was as fast as a Giant Carp and could stay underwater like one too thanks to the breathing technique he had learned from Mibu village. His sharp eyes looked around before spotting a small sinking figure. Kicking his legs together, he flew through the water with speed, catching the boy and bringing him upward.
Upon surfacing, he heard the villagers call out, prompting him to return as he swam forward. The boy's grandmother ran into the river, the water rising to her knees as Wolf handed her grandson to her.
"He is breathing." He simply said, the grandmother holding her boy.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Kind Outsider!"
Wolf heard the other villagers talk amongst themselves.
"Did you see that throw? That throw was incredible!"
"And the speed of his swimming. Is this outsider even human?"
The village Elder arrived, holding an old katana in his hands. "What is going on here? What happened?"
One of the farmers standing nearby pointed at Wolf. "The Outsider saved young Nozoku from being snatched by a flying monster!"
The former Retainer turned his head, "Is this true?"
Wolf slowly nodded before noticing something drift ashore. He turned his head, slowly approaching it as the other villagers watched. The first thing he noticed was the black wings and sharp talons in the place of arms and legs respectively. The second was the fact that it was no monster at all.
It was a girl.
Her soaked kimono was now stained red with blood, the Kama embedded into her back as she weakly lifted her head from the pebbly ground. "I-I just wanted-..." She then lowered her head, the light dying in her eyes as Wolf silently watched.
The village Elder came up alongside him, looking down at the girl's body. "... A Crow Tengu. I've never seen one, just heard of them when I was under the service of Lord Amanomiya... They're beings of great magical power and speed, and you managed to kill it by throwing nothing but a farmer's tool." The Elder turned his head, "Just who are you, One-Armed Stranger?"
"I am a man of no renown." Wolf replied, "And I wish to keep it that way."
The old Retainer stared at him for a moment, calculating eyes watching him before finally relenting. "Very well then. I will not interrogate someone who has saved a member of our village."
Wolf looked at the Tengu's body. He recalled the time when he had first met Isshin Ashina under the guise of 'The Tengu of Ashina'... The dead feathery girl couldn't have looked any further from the interpretation he knew, or anyone in Japan had known. Just another way Zipangu had subverted his expectations.
He turned back to the village Elder.
"Why did she try and snatch that boy?"
The Old Retainer shrugged, sheathing his katana. "Who knows? Perhaps it wanted something to eat, or perhaps it was going to use him for some evil ritual. Regardless, the boy would have never returned... as it always goes."
Wolf walked up to the corpse, grabbing the handle of the Kama and wrenching it out. He then returned to the crowd, handing it to the farmer. "This is yours."
"T-Thank you..." The farmer stuttered, cringing at the blood on the end of it.
The Old retainer walked up to Wolf again. "I will bury the body. I believe we now owe you a great debt."
Wolf attempted to respond, "That will not be nes-"
And then he noticed Shoukichi's horrified stare, the girl peering from the side of a shack. Her yellow eyes seemed to drift from the body to him, widening upon realizing that he was looking directly at her.
She leaned away, disappearing behind the shed as Wolf silently watched, none the wiser as to the reason why.
The village didn't have much, but they offered as much as they could, giving him 3 sacks of rice millet and 2 sacks of dried fish, enough to last him a month.
Wolf was unused to such kindness, yet he felt that refusing would insult the Elder, so he accepted, his basket heavy as he returned home. He entered the dilapidated shrine, sitting inside as he started a small fire underneath a small pot to make a fish and rice stew. Kneeling down, he cooked his meal with water, mind deep in thought.
"Not even a season... and I have slain once more." His face was stone-like, watching the pottage bubble. "What would Lord Kuro say? Was my action justified in protecting that child?"
He supposed that was a question not only better left unanswered, but unable to be answered at all, seeing as the Shinobi was all on his own. Wolf finished cooking, pouring a bowl for himself.
The best he could do was prepare for tomorrow.
Shoukichi did not show up the next day.
Wolf silently sat on his lonesome, wooden idols placed before him. He supposed it was this time that she had truly left, but wondered why she never said goodbye. His thoughts correlated to yesterday, visually recapturing the horrified look on her face.
He didn't blame her.
Sighing, Wolf was about to pack up before hearing a scuffle in the barren marketplace. Turning his head, he saw one of the villagers run past, his breathing quick as he yelled out.
"Bandits! Bandits are coming!"
The few villagers that were outside quickly dispersed, running inside and closing their wooden windows. Wolf silently sat there, lowering his hat over his face to remain undercover, his eyes peering through the wicker. Sure enough, a group walked through the middle of the town, mismatched in lacquer armor and hygiene.
But what was most bizarre... and petrifying, was the giant monster that trailed the group. It was an unnatural combination of spider and woman, the upper half holding human part, and the lower half being a hairy eight-legged arachnid. Her arms were huge fuzzy claws, and her green skin made her look sickly, yet her presence was more than alive. Two great ox horns grew from the top of her head, and a magical seal was draped over her left eye.
A man sat atop her six-legged body, holding onto her waist before climbing off like one would with a horse, a cocky smirk on his face. He seemed better-armored compared to his compatriates, loose samurai armor in slight disrepair, a nodachi resting on his back.
As if on cue, the Elder came out of his house, a frown on his face.
"Ah, Furukabu. There's been a change in our agreement. Instead of the season's end, we're picking up the food now."
The Elder, Furukabu, blinked, "That- But we can't survive the winter if you take all our food now!"
"That's too bad, but I think you forgot that we decide how things go around here."
Furukabu, a once-proud retainer, fell to his knees and prostrated himself before the band of vagabonds. "Please, I beg of you, do not take away our food. Most of the people in the village too old or too young, please think of them!"
"Oh?" The leader asked before placing a foot atop the Elders head. "You really think groveling is gonna change my mind here, old man?" He then laughed cruelly, "No one's going to help you. The Amanomiya clan?! Too busy guarding their borders against the other clans." The man grinned, turning to the monstrous woman as she smiled back. "If only they knew what they were missing..." He then turned back, "Face it. Lord Amanomiya is a fool, much like you."
And then, there was a surprising switch as Furukabu looked up, absolute fury in his eyes. "You can speak low of my former clan, and spit on me as I lie here on the ground, but never, ever, speak ill of Lord Amanomiya-!"
The bandit kicked Furukabu across the head, Wolf rising ever so slightly. "Shut up, you old idiot! I can speak about whoever I want!" He kicked Furukabu again, a girl calling out from the main house.
"Grandfather!" The small girl rushed to the Elder's side.
"Well, well, well." The leader walked up to the small girl, looking down at her. "What do we have here? I never knew you had a granddaughter, old man." The leader's gaze grew... unsettling, his eyes staring vividly. "Y'know, we could forget about the food if you... provide her to us instead."
Furukabu's face grew horrified, turning to his granddaughter. "Haru, run!"
But it was too late, the leader grabbing her by the wrist as she yelped. "Ah, nevermind that! I think I'll take her anyway! And then we'll come back for the food tomorrow! How does that-!"
The tip of a katana was pressed against his throat, dark steel glinting like an impure silver.
Wolf had seen enough.
He pressed forward with his single arm, the leader silently taking his hands off the girl. "W-Woah there...!" Startled shock then quickly turned into vehement hatred, "What do you think you're doing!?"
"Leave." Wolf simply said.
"Husband!" The monster behind the man yelled out, revealing that she could speak as she stomped forward. Yet Wolf was unfazed by the scare attempt, knowing that he held all the cards in this situation.
The leader spoke up again.
"Hey, let's be reasonable here." The bandit gestured to himself, "I am much more powerful than you can even imag-" The man then stifled a breath as Wolf pushed Kusabimaru slightly forward, a bit of blood dripping as a cut was formed from the sharp end.
"And yet you bleed..." Wolf spoke before repeating his demand, "Leave."
The leader finally backed away, nursing the cut on his neck as the rest of his gang stared at Wolf with venomous gazes. Wolf held his katana steady with his singular arm, standing in front of the Elder and his granddaughter like a watchful guardian, an impassive face underneath his wide hat. Finally, after a few tense seconds, they turned around, the leader climbing back atop the monstrous woman. They left, Wolf watching them carefully every step of the way as they disappeared over the road, a few cautious townspeople coming out of their homes.
Finally, he slowly turned his head to Furukabu, the old man's granddaughter helping him onto his feet. "Are you alright?"
"Yes... I'm fine." Furukabu held on the side of his head as he walked up beside Wolf. "But it won't matter. Those bandits will be back."
Wolf looked down, bowing his head. "Forgive me... I put the entire village in danger."
"Don't say that." The Elder held his granddaughter close, "Those... degenerates. They asked for too much. It was either we fight or we starve and...-" Furukabu closed his eyes and shook his head, not daring to finish that sentence as he held onto his granddaughter tightly.
The former shinobi was silent, thinking back to the giant creature that stuck with the bandits. "What was that thing? That monstrous woman?"
"A Ushi-Oni. Capable of great power and ferocity." Furukabu crossed his arms, "But they're not unkillable. I witnessed Lord Amanomiya himself strike one down with one fell swing, without even dirtying his armor."
"She called the leader her 'Husband'." Wolf inquired.
Furukabu's face twisted with disgust. "Of course. That man, Taika, used to be such a good kid. He was an orphan, but the village raised him. Then he went to Tekitai city, the capital of clan Amanomiya, and returned as a hopeless drunk. We tolerated him, before he went missing for weeks. When he came back, he was changed, no longer scrawny, and strengthened beyond normal measures. I suspect he... courted with that thing to gain some form of forbidden power." The Elder gritted his teeth, gesturing to the mountainside. "A month later, and he formed his own gang that hideout within the mountains. We gave him food, shelter, and this how he repaid us."
"I see..." Wolf mused.
The Elder shook his head, "I will gather those who can fight, perhaps we can form a militia and-"
"No. That will not be necessary." Wolf interrupted, slowly walking forward. "I will follow their trail... and put an end to this."
"What?" The Elder asked, "But how? You are but one man."
"I have ways." Wolf simply answered, walking forward. "I will return after sundown. You have my word."
"Wait!" Furukabu called out. "Why do so much for our poor village? Why fight for us... when you have so little to gain?"
Wolf was silent for a few seconds, standing still.
And then continued walking.
In truth, he didn't know to say in response, what his answer would even be.
Wolf returned to the shrine, walking up to the loose floorboard and opening it. He refitted the shinobi prosthetic, flexing the bone like fingers of the device. Next, he carefully picked up the sheathed Mortal Blade, taking care not to reveal its cursed steal. With the mythical weapon tied behind his back, he left as quickly as he entered, now ready to take on the group of bandits.
After gearing up, he wandered in the darkness of the mountain forests, occasionally kneeling down to inspect the dirt. His iris's lit up like that of a predator, owing to his superb night vision.
Tracks, a few human... and a lot being very 'inhuman', multiple sharp holes left in the ground.
His target was close.
Wolf peered up at a branch and brought his prosthetic forward, a long kunai attached to a rope shot forward, stabbing itself into a branch. In an impossible display of acrobatics, Wolf jumped, bringing himself upward in a mere second and now standing atop a broad branch. Looking around, he saw spotted a faint glimmer of light in the distance, the stars above the location disappearing and reappearing indicating that smoke was in the night air.
A camp.
Silently, he leaped forward, traversing from branch to branch in an effortless fashion.
Taika grunted, peeling an orange as one of his men applied a bandage around his neck, another keeping watch over the woods. The rest attended to their nightly activities, whether it was drinking or eating what they had taken from other villages.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this... that damn Ronin. Who the hell did he think he-" He then flinched, clutching his neck in pain. "Ow! Watch it!"
"F-Forgive me, boss." The bandit apologized, holding up the clean rag. He turned back around, returning to his sulking.
"I'll make them pay... but first... I have to secure my loyalty." He called out to his resting wife. "Akusa!"
His wife rose from the confines of the cave beside the camp, his followers backing up to give the monster room. The imposing Ushi-Oni stared down at him, a pout on her face.
Taika slightly grinned, "Are you still angry at me?"
"Yes!" She lightly snapped, crossing her arms as her upper body looked away. "I can't believe you were going to take that human girl. Am I not good enough for you?"
"Akusa..." Taika then shrugged, "That girl meant nothing to me. It is you I truly love."
Akusa's pout seemed to slowly disappear, lowering her arms. "I knew that, of course. It's just that-"
"So don't worry, I would never replace you. You and I... we need each other."
The monster seemed flustered, "Oh, Taika..."
He had been scared when she had kidnapped him, much like the superstitious fools of his home village, he had thought the Ushi-Oni would eat him. Truthfully, she had violated him sexually in that very cave for weeks on end, but a blessing came as his body began to change for the better, and that she began to grow much calmer and lenient. Much like an experienced courtesan, he quickly learned how to manipulate her for his own gain. She swooned and swayed at his honeyed words, and he provided his 'love' in the form of bodily pleasure. In an odd twist, the roles had changed, and realizing the potential under his control, he was quick to capitalize, using her prodigious strength and size to overpower any opposition.
So easy was it to manipulate the Manamo.
"Tomorrow, I'll finally burn that damn village to the ground and be done with it." Taika thought as he stood up, he turned to call out to the watching bandit.
"Yaro! Keep watch until-"
He then realized that Yaro was lying on the ground, a shuriken embedded in the back of his neck.
Wolf expected his cover to be blown the moment Taika stood up. Which was why he had used the time after disposing of the watchmen to reposition in the tree branch above the camp.
He stepped off, landing right on top of the rag holding bandit, plunging Kusabimaru deep into the man's unguarded shoulder before anyone could even react.
"Intru-!" Taika yelled, but it was already too late.
Wolf withdrew the blade.
煙
The spraying blood from the wound exploded as the bloodsmoke ninjutsu went into effect, casting a red mist everywhere. Coughs were heard as those closest were practically blinded by the thick fog of red. The Ushi-Oni reared up, alert eyes scanning the thick miasma. Wolf took the opportunity to turn to the closest bandit, pushing Kusabimaru forward stabbing the man right through the neck, ceasing his coughing as he fell to the floor. He would have gone to the next target had their leader not intervened, nodachi almost catching Wolf as Taika roared out, wildly swinging within the smoke.
Wolf leaped, right over the blade kicking a foot directly into the leader's face, Taika sputtering as Wolf jumped back, right beneath another bandit as he wrapped his legs around the man's head and performed a takedown, throwing the man to the ground. Wolf grabbed his sword and quickly drove the katana into the man's chest, killing him instantly. The smoke finally began to clear, the Ushi-Oni catching gaze upon Wolf as he rose up from the newly made corpse.
She charged forward, bellowing like a demon as she brought a claw back, ready to smash him. He turned to face her, bringing his shinobi prosthetic back.
And then he brought it forth, an instant conflagration shooting forward, and Wolf backward, as the flame barrel within the prosthetic was used. The Ushi-Oni shrieked as her fur caught fire, panicking as her legs squirmed and she was forced to focus on dousing herself, her spider-like body literally turning over atop the grass to put out the raging fire.
Two bandits finally approached, both with their weapons out, one with a spear, and the other with a wooden shield and chipped katana. The spear bandit charged Wolf first, perhaps expecting to catch him dodging to the side. He was quickly and unfortunately disappointed, as Wolf dodged forward, and in one swift motion, brought his foot up and stepped on the end of the polearm. The spear user was quickly imbalanced, falling forward as his weapon was droved into the ground, allowing Wolf to simply step atop him and drive Kusabimaru into his back, a spurt of blood shooting out as the man shouted in fleeting life.
As for the shield user, he chose to be much more cautious, approaching Wolf with his shield at the ready.
Wolf readied prosthetic, loaded axe prepared, and then swung it down upon the shield, absolutely decimating the plank of wood as the ground before him trembling. The bandit screamed out in pain, clutching his broken arm as Wolf finished the man, stabbing his katana right through his heart.
"Rah!" Taika yelled, leaping as he brought his nodachi down. Wolf saw the move, dodging to the left as the weapon swung and missed. Taika turned, but was surprised as Wolf was instantly upon him, swinging his katana with pressuring precision. The leader was forced to block his attacks, steel sparking like angry fireflies, not even able to retaliate with the unruly two-hander. His arms buckled quickly and guard broke, Wolf steadying his katana as he faced the tip forward.
And stabbed Taika right in the chest, piercing his armor.
"Aaaaagh!" Taika screamed, clutching the stab wound as he pushed Wolf back, somehow still standing due to his improved physique. Yet the shock was still there, Taika's eyes widening at his now velvet stained hands. "M-My blood... t-this is my bloo-!"
Wolf did not give him the time to contemplate that fact, as he continued his assault, Taika having to reinvigorate his defense.
Yet this time, he pleaded. "W-Wait, stop, stop!"
But the shadow ignored.
Bringing his blade upward, Wolf assumed the stance of Ichimonji, feet planted against the ground like trunks. He swung down, cutting right through Taika's posture as his nodachi was wrenched from his grip, the earth around them quaking. Taika was left defenseless, arms trembling as Wolf prepared his katana one last time.
He stabbed Taika in the throat.
Taika gurgled, grabbing his now bloodied bandages before falling backward, his life's blood staining the grass red.
An ignoble end for an ignoble person.
Wolf turned his attention to the now recovering Ushi-Oni, her fur seared and skin burned.
"T-Taika..." She murmured.
And it was there the shadow hesitated, recognizing the pain on the creature's face. Wolf could see tears in her eyes, her lips trembling. Slowly, her body rose to full height, gaze focused solely upon her husband's corpse.
In all honesty, had she chosen to retreat... Wolf would not have stopped her, but he knew that would not happen.
As with sorrow, came rage.
She gnashed her teeth together in a painful grit, turning to Wolf as her arms and digits quivered with uncontrollable fury. "You... YOU!" Her exposed eye then began to glow an eerie green, her body now fuelled with hatred and anger.
Wolf's eyes widened as she reached beside her and picked up a fallen tree, swinging it like a baton. He leaped upward, springing over it with the assistance of his right arm, landing back down as the Ushi-Oni brought the tree upward, ready to swing down. Thinking quickly, he shot out his grappling hook, catching a branch as he pulled himself out of harm's way, the entire camp getting destroyed by the great slam as the land of the forest clearing shot up like an explosion. She then tossed the entire trunk, screaming with rage as Wolf leaped again, the tree he stood upon snapping in half.
He flew forward, readying Kusibimaru to strike at the monster's chest.
Only for her to swipe forward with one of her broad claws, catching Wolf by the hip as she smashed him to the side. Wolf coughed out, body still rattling from the impact as he realized that she had brought both arms up, ready to bring them down upon them. He overturned himself, rolling away as she smashed the ground where he was. Wolf unsteadily got back up, intense pain emanating from his waist. Unclasping his healing gourd, he quickly brought it to his lips, the rejuvenating healing liquid causing a wave of relief to wash over his wounded area. Now the pain was a mere afterthought, Wolf readying his prosthetic once more as the Ushi-Oni charged.
*CRACK*CRACKLE*CRACK*CRACK*CRACKLE*
A chaotic mess of loud firecrackers were emitted from the device's elbow, the Ushi-Oni rearing up like a startled animal. Wolf then retaliated, pointing his Kusibimaru and rushing forth, his speed quicker than the eye could see as he stabbed forward. The two bone-like pincers in front of the Ushi-Oni's body chose to block, yet Wolf anticipated this, able to slot Kusibimaru through the tight hole and then using the stuck weapon like a lever. He vaulted himself upward, front flipping atop her as the blade escaped the pincer's grasp.
And then, grabbing her by the shoulder and repositioning himself behind her, Wolf stabbed her right through the heart, blood spurting out as she was given the mercy she deserved.
Wolf finally whispered.
"... Forgive me..."
忍殺
Stepping away from the corpse, Wolf withdrew his bloodied blade, swiping it downward to clean it off before sheathing the now cleansed katana. He looked around before slowly walking away.
And as he left the bloodied scene, he recalled Furukabu's question.
"Why fight for us... when you have so little to gain?"
Like a distant memory, the feeling of his struggle had returned, the hellish training beneath his father Owl and Lady Butterfly. The numerous foes he had died to... and overcame while serving Lord Kuro.
Wolf now knew his answer.
"To fight is because it is all this shadow can repeat."
A bittersweet thought returned, as he faced down Owl.
"To gain means little to my code."
Finally, he envisioned Lord Kuro.
"To help... is what I have simply decided."
煙 - Kemuri - Smoke
忍殺 - Ninsatsu - (Shinobi Execution)
OKAY. I was pretty invigorated writing this. I just couldn't get this idea out of my head, I had to type it down.
I think there are some incredible MGE crossovers out there, but most are set in Lescatie or the 'main' continent, not that that's a bad thing of course.I just thought that setting the story in Zipangu would make a great read.
Now onto some questions, some people may have.
Does Wolf still have resurrection? Yes. But like in-game, the consequences may be severe... who knows what effect Dragon Rot may have in this new world, what changes may occur... or bring with.
Pairings? I have a few ideas so far, just figuring out how I'll enact them.
Characters? You may have noticed a very particular character is in the story roster, as to how he is relevant or how he even appears, well you'll see later on. (Hint: You may want to think of the bosses we killed with the Mortal Blade... just saying.)
Overall, I hope you enjoy this story. I've been always itching to write one set in Fuedal japan in some form. I hope I nailed Wolf's character down.