"If you wish Mariko-chan's life...you'll have to get past me to take it."
- Wolverine (Earth-616)
March 12, 1954, Fukuoka, Japan
"Hey! More saké!" James Howlett called out. James sat at a counter in a bar, taking in the wonderful scents that the place had to offer. For the last nine years, Japan had been his home. After the bombing at Hiroshima, James had assumed that Strategic Defense had took him for dead and after his failure in the war, James didn't want to fight any longer. Subsequent to the war, Japan had grown into a relatively peaceful nation and James was happy to live here. It was a beautiful place, more beautiful than any place he had seen during his entire life. It reminded him greatly of his Canadian homeland as well as the danger and violent memories that it held. It had been one hundred years since he had first awakened his power and had killed his father's murderer. Or had he killed his father? James didn't know.
The bartender brought James another glass of saké and James dipped his head graciously. James took a sip and let out a sigh of relief at the burning sensation in his chest. James didn't know how much he had racked up on his tab but James dropped a handful of yen on the counter and left the bar. As James left the bar, a cool breeze hit James' skin and he took in a deep inhale, smelling the food that cooked in markets and the bread that was pulled out of the oven. Another thing entered James' nose that caused his body to go into full alert. He smelled fear.
James turned his head in the direction where the scent was coming and followed his nose. James weaved through the crowd, dipping his head in apology to the people that cried out at his aggression and urgency. James followed the scent until he got to a small store. The scent was strongest here and James knew that the owner of the scent was inside. James twisted the knob and opened the door and examined the room. Four Japanese men were inside and none of them appeared to be the store owner. James saw a woman pressed against the counter, frozen with fear. James growled and narrowed his eyes.
"Store closed, gaijin. Go home." one man said. James ignored him.
"What's going on here?" he asked. Three of the men turned around, each of them wielding long thin swords. All at once, the three men rushed at James swinging their blades one after another. James instinctively unsheathed his claws and blocked the first strike. Pain shot through his arm and he pushed the three men back as he quickly examined his bone claws. The sword strike had cracked it but it healed quickly. The three assailants rushed forward again and a sword slashed at James' chest. The Canadian jumped backwards and then leapt forward and ran the man through with his claws. His attacker cried out in agony and James threw him down to the ground. The last two attackers ran forward and James ducked underneath their strikes. Their momentum carried them into his claws and their limp bodies fell to James' side. The lead man turned and held a young woman in front of him. Her face was wet with her tears and her hair stuck to her face as she cried. James growled and started to walk forward.
"No closer. Step closer, I kill her." the man said as he held his short sword on the woman's neck. James could smell a lie but the man's scent betrayed nothing. He was dangerously calm and James couldn't risk losing this woman, whoever she was. A morbid and painful idea popped into James' head. James sheathed all of his claws, save one and grabbed it. Straining, James broke his claw and swallowed the pain. The man looked terrified now. "W-what are you doing?" he whispered. James gripped his claw like a throwing knife. He prayed that he still had his accuracy from the war. James' broken claw sailed through the air and found its mark in the man's right eye and he fell to the ground, dead.
The young woman dropped to the floor and James ran over to her and held her. James moved her hair from her face and stared blankly at her face. He was utterly stunned. The woman's skin was pale and her pink lips perfectly contrasted against her skin and her hair was an deep ebony black. Her deep brown eyes looked up at James and for a moment, he felt alone in this space with her like the room wasn't littered with dead bodies. Her beauty had struck him and James felt an emotion awaken in him that he hadn't felt in seventy-six years. He was in love.
"Are you ok?" James asked. He felt stupid for speaking in English to her but to his surprise, she understood him.
"Yes." she said with a faint accent. "I'm alright." James nodded and cradled her in his arms.
"My name's James. James Howlett. Yours?" James said. The young woman smiled and James felt his chest melt.
"Yashida Mariko." she said, sweetly.
-/-
Yashida Family Estate, Japan
Servants opened the shōji doors and bowed as Mariko led James into her father's home. The entire house smelled of spices and a myriad of fragrances that caused James to relax. Mariko led James through the house and was pleasantly surprised to see everyone that saw her bow as she walked through. The two of them approached another shoji door, this one decorated with a design that look like a rice field covered with cherry blossom petals, and more servants opened them.
Inside this next room, James saw five men with bokken, wooden swords used for training. Four of the men stood on one side and the lone warrior stood on another. It looked like he intended to fight them all himself. Mariko paused at the back of the room and James stood beside her, his eyes staring intently at the fighters in front of him. The four attackers shifted elegantly from side to side but the lone warrior didn't flinch as they approach. Quickly, the four attackers dashed forward and swung their bokken with such speed and ferocity, James knew that the loner was finished. But he was wrong.
In one graceful stroke, the loner deflected the barrage and in another swing, he had disarmed one of the men and kicked him down. The last three rushed forward, giving a brief battle cry. The loner ducked under one swing and sent his bokken into the ribs of the man and whirled around to strike the next man in the face. Now, the fight was one on one. The loner didn't wait for his attacker to make the first move. Instead, he ran forward and slide on the soles of his feet as he strikes. His opponent rolled to the side and James thought that the loner would slip off of the mat. Instead, he stopped on a dime and turned. The following swordplay was magnificent. The clanging of the wood resounded in James' ears but the sounds didn't bother him. He was absolutely mesmerized by what he was seeing. Finally after one small misstep, the loner's opponent lost his balance and would've lost his life if this had been a real battle. The loner's bokken stopped just shy of the man's neck and the attacker dipped his head in defeat. There was no applause, only murmurs of excitement and approval. That all stopped when everyone noticed James was there.
Immediately, James saw real swords be drawn and he reared his lip in a snarl. Mariko stepped in front of him and waved her hands for everyone to calm down. A man sitting in a chair overlooking the battle floor, stepped down and approached Mariko and James.
"That is my father, Lord Yashida Shingen." Mariko said, glancing back at James. James had expected an older man. Instead, Lord Shingen was in peak physical condition and even underneath his robes, James could make out his muscularity. Lord Shingen's chest was covered in elaborate tattoos. Mariko bowed to her father as he approached and he dipped his head casually at her. His eyes were fixed onto James.
"What is the meaning of this, Mariko? Who is this gaijin that you have brought into my home?" Lord Shingen asked.
"His name is James Howlett and today, he saved my life." Mariko explained. The other men in the room expressed their disbelief but Lord Shingen raised his hand for them to be silent. Now he spoke to James.
"Your people call you 'Howlett'?" Lord Shingen asked. James thought for a moment and then remembered that his last name should've come first. Respectfully, he attempted to bow.
"No, sir. My name is James. Howlett James." James said. Lord Shingen nodded.
"Okay, Howlett-san. Why did you save my daughter?" Lord Shingen asked. James shrugged.
"I smelled her fear scent and followed it to a store. Inside, four men were trying to kill her so I stopped them." James said. A scoff arose from behind Lord Shingen and James saw the loner step forward.
"Father, he's lying! How could a inakamono defeat four men by himself?" he said. James felt the hair on his neck stand on end and was about to reply, but Lord Shingen turned back slowly.
"The same as you or anyone else with training." he replied. He then glared at the young man. "Don't interrupt again, Keniuchio." The young man opened his mouth to protest but instead, he simply bowed.
"Forgive me, Shingen-sama." he whispered. His eyes shot up and glared at James. Lord Shingen turned to James and dipped his head.
"My apologies, Howlett-san. Keniuchio has mastered the kenjutsu of a samurai but lacks the courtesy." Lord Shingen said. James chuckled softly. A faint smile rose on Lord Shingen's face that was then replaced by concern. "Anyway, these men...was there anything distinctive about them? Did they say where they were from?" Lord Shingen asked. James shook his head. He couldn't remember anything except running into the store and stabbing everyone.
"I can't say I noticed anything in particular." James replied. Lord Shingen looked towards Mariko.
"Was anything said to you?" he asked. The beautiful woman shook her head.
"No, Father. All they told me was that they were delivering a message to you." Mariko replied. Lord Shingen rubbed his beard and paced the floor and every now and then, he'd look at James. James' eyes followed him as he appeared to be completely lost in his thoughts. Finally, Lord Shingen stopped and turned to face James.
"You say you defeated all four of those men, but how well do you fight?" he asked.
"Well enough." James said. Lord Shingen smirked and beckoned a few men to come forward. As they did, Lord Shingen backed away.
"Show me, Howlett-san." he said. As soon as their lord had finished his sentence, the men charged James. They were all unarmed, indicating that this was a hand-to-hand trial. But James was far from prepared. The men circled him and attacked in rhythm with kicks and punches and broke up the rhythm to catch James off guard. James managed to block some of the hits, but most landed and the ones that did hurt and angered him. However, James tried to keep himself calm. There was no way he'd impress Mariko's father if he lost himself and killed everyone he saw. The barrage of kicks and punches continued and as the fighting went on, James found himself managing a bit better. A stray kick or punch would hit him but the countless times he had endured being shot and stabbed during war had prepared him. Nothing that was thrown at him knocked him down and finally, the barrage stopped coming.
Without a word from Lord Shingen, the men then drew bokken and encircled James. Now it was the weapon test. A bokken was thrown at James and he caught it. He mimicked the stance that he had saw Keniuchio take and waved the wooden sword around as he waited for the men to attack. With a swing, a man disarmed James. In the crowd, James heard laughter and he looked. James snorted and cracked his neck.
"Fuck this." he muttered to himself as he unsheathed his claws. The laughter turned to gasps of both amazement and horror. James' opponents all froze and looked over towards Lord Shingen. Mariko's father stood from his seat yet said nothing. With no cue from Lord Shingen, James' opponents proceeded with their planned attack. This time, James fared much better than he had before. As soon as their bokken hit his claws, the wood broke and fell to the ground. Disarmed, James' attackers acknowledged that they were defeated. James grinned like a wolf and looked around. Everyone looked horrified. Suddenly self conscious, James sheathed his claws. Lord Shingen looked down at him and gulped.
"Your claws...you were affected by the bomb?" Lord Shingen asked. James paused and shuddered as he remembered the bombing of Hiroshima nine years ago. The bombing he had failed to stop. James flashed back into reality and sighed.
"No. I've had these for a hell of a lot longer." James said finally. James waited for Lord Shingen to speak again but he said nothing and nodded. Everyone around James was afraid. He could smell it. The only one who's face was torn from fear was Mariko. James glanced back at her and her soft smile gave him comfort and security in the room. Once again, it felt like they were the only ones in the room. Lord Shingen's voice interrupted their gaze.
"Howlett-san," he said as he approached James from his high seated throne. "I am truly indebted to you for saving Mariko." he bowed and then turned to address the members of his family in the room. "It appears that a rival family made an attempt on the life of my daughter. I do not know who they are...but until I am sure of Mariko's safety, she will not go anywhere without a bodyguard with her." Lord Shingen then turned fractionally to James. "Howlett-san will be her personal bodyguard." The room was hushed. To James, the silence was worse than any comment or jeer that could've been said. James was relieved when Keniuchio stepped forward. Instead of speaking angrily or loudly, he bowed to his father, Lord Shingen, before he talked.
"Please forgive me, Lord Shingen...but why should a gaijin be allowed to guard Mariko?" Keniuchio said. His tone was respectful and calm, yet challenging. Lord Shingen sighed.
"It is the duty of all members of our family to guard and watch over each other. To have one of you around her at all times would seem suspicious. I'd want my best to blend in with the rest of the crowd and watch. If anything gets past you, Howlett-san has already proven that he is willing to risk his own life to save another." Lord Shingen said. Keniuchio's nostrils flared in anger, but he said nothing more. He merely bowed quickly and stepped backwards. Lord Shingen then looked over to James. "Do you have anything to say?" James was stunned. Memories flashed in his head. Rose's dead body in their cabin in 1865. Silver Fox decapitated by his own claws. Women he had loved. James looked over at Mariko and saw the beautiful woman that he had fallen in love with at first sight. Could he bare to risk her life?
"I-I can't..." James said. "I'm a failure. People that have fallen under my protection before have ended up dead. I apologize, Lord Shingen. But I must refuse." James bowed, more proficient this time. But his bow nor his words were received.
"You can not refuse." Lord Shingen said. James' eyes shot up.
"But I-"
"No...you can not and will not refuse me. Have you no honor, Howlett-san?" Lord Shingen said, his voice rising. "Whatever failures you may have encountered in the past, there are in the past. Ame futte chi katamaru." James shook his head, confused.
"What?" he said.
"After the rain, the earth hardens. The adversity we face in life serves to build up our character. That is the meaning of the proverb. You will find strength from growing from your past, Howlett-san, not wallowing in inglorious self-pity. There is no honor in that." Lord Shingen said. James nodded as he listened to the sage-like words of Lord Shingen. Despite his appearance as a yakuza boss, Lord Shingen was wiser than James had expected. James had lived a long life full of pain and heartbreak...perhaps now, fate was allowing him a chance to prove what he had learned. To have peace. Taking this bodyguard job would be the most peaceful work James had ever done.
Lord Shingen placed a hand on James' shoulder. "And do not worry about being paid. As long as Mariko stays safe and alive, you will be greatly rewarded. Now, I have appealed to your sensibilities, Howlett-san? Will you do this willingly?" Lord Shingen said. James glanced over at Mariko and then back to her father.
"Of course." James replied. Lord Shingen clasped his hands and smiled.
"Then it is settled. Howlett-san, welcome to the Yashida clan." Lord Shingen said as he clapped and waved the members of his family towards him. Unlike before when they were silent, the members of the Yashida family were very vocal in welcoming James. James couldn't help but smile a bit as he was greeted by everyone. Mariko smiled from afar off as she headed back to clean up from her ordeal earlier. Everyone was smiling and welcoming James, the foreigner, into their ranks. Everyone except Keniuchio. The young man glared from a corner. The hate in his eyes reminded James eerily of Dog. And in the back of his head, James hoped that they would never have to clash as he and his tormentor had.
June 1956, Yashida Family Estate, Fukuoka, Japan
When the sun rose into the sky and the chirping of the birds outside his window woke him, James rose from his sleep and proceeded to follow the same morning routine he had for the last two years of his life. After wiping the sleep from his eyes, he'd exercise and meditate for a few hours, practicing the martial arts moves he had learned. Then James showered and bathed, more than he had ever done in his life. He scrubbed himself until the scents of the day before were gone. When all of this was done, James assumed the garb of Mariko's personal bodyguard; all black suit, shirt, tie, belt and shoes. Once fully dressed, James left his room and met Mariko in the hallway. After that, James never knew. Whether it was shopping or sightseeing, Mariko always had something planned for when they went out. And whether James liked the activity or not, he found himself growing closer to woman everyday. Over the past two years, the love James had for Mariko had grown stronger and the affection she showed had exceeded his expectations. Mariko taught him new things everyday and had expanded James' mind. If learning new things put a smile on Mariko's face, James happily did it. She had showed him the value of meditation and had taught him how to control his breathing to remain calm. And with the clarity of his mind, James had found that he grown smarter as well.
Now, James met Mariko in the hall and bowed with a smile. "Mariko-sama." he said graciously. Mariko bowed as well.
"James-san." she replied. James straightened his tie and cleared his throat.
"So, my lady...where are we headed today?" James asked. The two of them walked side by side through shoji doors and out onto the flowery expanse that marked the entrance to the estate. It was a abnormally hot day and the scents came to James' nose in a barrage. It was a little overwhelming. Mariko smiled brightly and walked away.
"Just for a stroll, I'm afraid. Perhaps we'll go to the marketplace. How does that sound?" she said. James chuckled and shrugged.
"I'm following you, beautiful." he said. James and Mariko walked across town, taking in the sights and smells. Mariko greeted a group of children as they ran by smiling and giggling. For a brief moment, James saw a glimmer of longing in her eyes as the children ran to their parents. James caught her glance and Mariko gave him a polite smile before she looked forward as she walked.
James subtly sniffed the air. Three members of the Yashida family were hidden somewhere in the roaring crowd. If James care enough to locate them, he could have, but their presence reassured him. There hadn't been a single attack on anything that the Yashida family owned in the last two years and everyone seemed to be content enough...except Keniuchio. The man never seemed to be in a pleasant mood, especially not now since his father had fallen ill.
"How is Lord Shingen doing?" James asked as he and Mariko sat on a bench in front of a water display. Mariko's head dropped and the salty scent of tears hit James' nose.
"He is growing weaker. This sickness is so...sudden. No doctor has been able to diagnose or treat him. I'm afraid he'll be dead soon." Mariko said. In an attempt to console her, James took a chance and pulled Mariko over towards him in an embrace. She didn't struggle. She actually seemed to welcome his touch and leaned against his chest. After a few moments sitting together and enduring the mystified glances of passersby, the two separated and sat awkwardly. Even though they were in a crowded and busy quad, James couldn't help but notice the silence between them and finally spoke up.
"H-how's Keniuchio taking it?" he asked. Mariko shook her head.
"My brother has always been distant and cold, but especially after you saved me. But with father on his deathbed, Keniuchio has been so numb. It's like he doesn't even care..." Mariko covered her mouth and cried a little more. "Forgive me, James-san. I shouldn't speak of Keniuchio like that. I know my brother is suffering like the rest of us." Mariko said. James nodded his understanding. He looked around, knowing that members of the Yashida clan could be anywhere in the crowd. Ever since Lord Shingen had fallen ill, Keniuchio had taken control of assigning the secret guards to blend into the crowd. James had noticed that the number of crowd blenders had dropped considerably since Keniuchio started assigning them and all of them had to be close allies of his. Surely, Mariko's words could be taken as a form of treason or a plot and any of Keniuchio's snitches could report it.
However, James had noticed that Keniuchio had been acting extremely secretive as of late. James had smelled strange scents around the Yashida estate but eventually they either faded or blended in with the rest of the house. The Yashida had gained new members through initiation and James had thought that those were the scents he had smelled. But some of the scents he had smelled around the house had also been present when he and Mariko had gone out. James didn't know what was happening, but his mistrust and dislike of Keniuchio grew everyday.
"Oh, James, look!" Mariko said as she pointed across the square. James followed her fingers and saw a kimono shop, newly opened.
Mariko hopped to her feet and turned, smiling brightly at James. "Come on! Let us see if we can find something for you." Mariko said. James grumbled under his breath. He'd never be caught dead wearing anything that looked like that. Literally. Despite his grumbling and complaining, Mariko pulled James inside the shop and the gruff man couldn't do anything to refuse. Mariko immediately went around searching for men's kimonos while James watched her. Her excitement brought a smile to his face, revealing his sharp, elongated canine teeth. Mariko rushed around showing James different kimonos that James would gently deny. The fact that she continued amused James the most. He could watch her go on for hours. Mariko looked at him and then past his shoulder.
"Having fun, lovebirds?" a voice said in Japanese. James saw Mariko's face twist in horror and before James could turn around to see what happened, he heard the sound of gun firing. He felt the floor next. James saw a piece of his brain in front of his eyes as well as a pool of his own blood forming in front of his eyes. James' hearing had been blown out and as he lay on the floor, all he could do was watch. Men rushed forward and snatched Mariko into their arms. Mariko's mouth was open as tears poured from her eyes. She clawed at her captives and reached out for James' still body. Desperately, James wanted for reach for her and defend her from her attackers, but right now, he couldn't. Mariko was snatched away from field of vision and taken out of the store. Inside, James roared and fought, willing himself to heal faster, but his body refused him. It took its time.
James couldn't count the minutes he laid on the floor, but every second that ticked away felt an eternity. When he finally did take his first breath as a renewed man, it came out as vicious roar. The store owner yelped in fear and the people that had gathered around leapt back as James stumbled to his feet. Wobbling, James stepped outside and sniffed, more like a wild dog than he normally would have. His vision was clouded and blurred. His motor skills still hadn't returned fully, but James was adamant on finding out where Mariko went. Finally, James picked up her scent. And he ran.
James didn't how far or fast he ran, but he pushed his body to the limit, his body's ability to heal keeping his lungs from bursting and his heart from failing. James nose and feet carried him well outside of Fukuoka and into the forest as he followed the dirt path that Mariko had been taken up. After years of keeping his animalistic tendencies in check, James instincts had been loosened. He was a predator now, tracking his stolen mate. Now, he was more than just James Howlett. In this forest now, his blood still dried on his forehead and his adrenaline rushing, James was definitely a wolverine.
James spotted a small wooden cabin in the midst of the trees with a battered truck parked next to it. James could smell Mariko's fear scent all over. It made him angry. James crept closer, silently and listened. He heard talking inside and paid attention.
"What're we waiting for? Let's just shoot this bitch." one man crowed inside.
"No." a smoother voice said. "We've got orders." Another voice scoffed.
"From another fucking syndicate head? When we start taking orders from Yashida?" he said. James snarled as the silky voice spoke again.
"Since Keniuchio needed extra muscle." he said. James unsheathed his claws in a rage and rushed forward. Keniuchio had ordered this? What else had he done? As James slammed himself through the door, he was determined to find out. The man with the silky voice was the first to say anything. Although his yell sounded different, James' ears recognized him easily. He was the one that had to remain alive. The other two were fair game. The two men fumbled for guns their hands would never find. James sliced around the room, carefully picking his shots. He didn't want a repeat of the incident in America. An arm thumped to the floor, followed by a bloody, disemboweled body. The man with the silky voice circled the room, searching for a weapon while his remaining partner dove for Mariko to use her as a shield. He was too slow. James pounced onto his back like a cat and his claws pierced through his ribs. The man cried out in pain and James rose up, leaving him to writhe as the blood pumped out of his body.
James then turned to face the man with the silky voice. He looked like he saw an ancient spirit.
"I-I killed you. Blew your brains out!" he said as he backed into the corner of the cabin. James paused and listened. He heard Mariko breathing softly and he heart slowly beating like she had been knocked unconscious. James sniffed and didn't smell anything abnormal besides the blood of the men in the room. Everything was fine. James then walked forward.
"Keniuchio hired you?" he asked. The man with the silky voice shook his head.
"I don't know what you're talking about." he said. James sighed. Mariko being alive had calmed him but his patience had sunk to the very bottom of its reserves. James' claws slammed through the man's pelvis. His shrill cry rang in James' ears.
"I don't have time for this. I need answers and I need you to talk now. Every second you bite your tongue, I separate your bottom half from the rest of your body, tendon by tendon. Now...start talking." James growled. He pulled with claws and the man screamed out. As soon as he realized that James wasn't joking, the poor bastard became a chatterbox.
"I'm Dai-Kumo! Kenuichio contacted me with a job a couple weeks ago. He wanted us to kidnap and hold his sister for ransom so he could draw the rest of the family away. He didn't say for what! He just said his father was sick and needed to be 'taken care of'." Dai-Kumo screamed. James couldn't check his rage. Many questions burned in his head.
"Did Keniuchio tell you anything about his father's sickness?" he growled. Dai-Kumo's eyes flickered back and forth and James pulled with his claws. Dai-Kumo yelped.
"I asked him how sick his father was and he said, um...he was bitten by The Beast." he said quickly. James snarled. The Beast? Was Keniuchio inferring that James had poisoned Lord Shingen?
"Did he mention a gaijin when he said that?" James growled. Before Dai-Kumo could answer, James heard a soft moan. It was Mariko.
"No..." she said. "Keniuchio didn't summon them..." James looked at her and then back at Dai-Kumo. The man's eyes were as wide with shock as they were pain.
"The Hand..." he said, quietly. James frowned and turned towards Mariko. Wide awake now, Mariko walked over towards James. She had a bruise on her head from where one of the men must have hit her to knock her out. Her hands grabbed for James and she squeezed him tightly in a hug. She breathed into his ear and James hugged her with one arm. Dai-Kumo tried to keep from crying. Finally, James and Mariko stood up together and Dai-Kumo gripped his pelvis as blood spouted. Mariko looked James in the eye and began to cry.
"James, we have to get back to the estate. If Kenicuhio has summoned the Hand, it means he intends to kill my father!" she cried out. James nodded and frowned. He grabbed Mariko by the hand, but Dai-Kumo grabbed at his ankle.
"Please...help me." Dai-Kumo said. James growled and looked over at Mariko. Her usually soft and loving face was twisted with contempt. That was all James needed to know. Dai-Kumo had been the one to hit her. James pressed his fist to Dai-Kumo's chest and unsheathed his claws. He felt the man's beating heart stop and slowly pulled his claws from his chest. No one would hurt Mariko. No one.
James and Mariko ran to get inside of the kidnapper's truck and James drove Mariko to the Fukuoka Airport. Mariko only needed to be seen for the guards to take her in and do whatever she asked. Her last name granted her that kind of power. For the moment, James felt that Mariko was safe. His score was with Keniuchio and when he finally pulled up to the Yashida Estate, he was more than prepared to confront him. James felt the stale scents of Yashida clan members. From the tracks in the ground, Keniuchio must've told them that Mariko had been kidnapped and sent them out to search for her. This left him alone with Lord Shingen. James inhaled and then exhaled as he entered the mansion.
James sensed the blades before they even came towards and rolled to his right as he entered the room. James unsheathed his claws and roared as a small group of ninja, garbed in black with red highlights descended from the balcony with swords in their hand. James had learned not to try and block katana strikes with his claws so he braced himself to take sword strikes. And he did. These swordsmen were light years ahead of any of the Yashida guards. With every swing they took, they found their mark and James thanked whatever horrific deity that had cursed him with his abilities that he had them. Pools of James' blood spilled out on the floor and James was dazed and confused. He began to panic and that panic gave him adrenaline. That adrenaline fed his berserker rage, but a more subdued and conscious version of it. Instead of becoming a mindless monster, James simply focused like Mariko had taught him. He blocked out the pain of every stab and slash and focused on fighting. Every sense was honed and James felt the power within him focus. The rest was easy.
His assailants began to drop and their blood piled on top of James' on the ground. They were all resilient, enduring slashes and stabs that James dealt out, but in the end, they were only human. James, however, was in his element. He could do this all day if he had to but he didn't have the patience or the time. The last oddly dressed attacker ran towards James, flailing his sword and James leapt forward with a roar. The assailant's sword stabbed through James' abdomen but James' strike was a fatal slash to the jugular. James heard the gurgling noise as the man coughed and spat up his own blood. James stood up and withdrew the sword from his stomach. After allowing himself a few seconds to heal, James took the sword and made his way up the steps.
James could smell Keniuchio's smug stench and growled to himself as he followed it back towards Lord Shingen's chambers. With a swing, James sliced through the shoji door and kicked his way through. James stared in horror as Keniuchio, garbed in some sort of silver-accented samurai armor, stood over Lord Shingen, removing a sword from his father's ribs. James saw three bloody gouges in the old man's side and he could tell he was dead. Had it taken three strikes to kill him? Keniuchio turned around and smiled.
"The gaijin fancies himself a samurai now, hmm?" he said. James snarled.
"Why?" he asked. Keniuchio laughed and began to pace around the room, as if drunk off his scheme.
"Why? Did I have Mariko captured? I'm sure Dai-Kumo told you what I told him. As you can see, the house is empty. All except for you, me and my now murdered father." the young man had the expression of a man full of arrogance. "As for killing this sad old fool, the answer is more of a mystery." James bore his teeth.
"You killed your own father for a position as leader of your clan!" he spat. Keniuchio smiled.
"I killed Lord Shingen, my own father...or you killed him after you hired people to kidnap Mariko?" he said. James opened his mouth and then closed it. The thre holes in Lord Shingen's side, perfectly spaced to look like James' claws, drawing the clan away, having the now slain guards at the door. This fucker...
Smiling at James' realization, Keniuchio continued. "Lord Shingen had never intended to let me take control of the clan. He wanted to give it to Mariko to lead but only after she had found a suitable husband. Although I was Mariko's elder, I was not a legitimate son of Lord Shingen. I am a mere failure of his youth. So, I hired some men to kill her in a store...then you showed up and wanted to be a hero. For two years afterwards, I waited and amassed a private fortune to hire Dai-Kumo and his degenerates to kidnap her and to summon The Hand. The Hand poisoned my father with a slow working fungal poison a few months ago." Keniuchio said. James stared at him, confused. He had told him the entire story...
"Why are you telling me this?" James asked, searching Keniuchio's snake-like face. Keniuchio grinned widely and turned away from James. Quickly, he spun around unsheathing his sword and catching James off-guard across the chest. James winced as the wound sizzled and burned and for the first time, James felt true pain. His blood leaked on the floor and he clutched his chest as he backed away and fell through the torn shoji door before falling from the balcony. James slipped on the blood of the fallen guards and breathed quickly as he chest burned with pain. He heard Keniuchio land behind him and his sword swirl in the air.
"I am not a fool, Howlett-chan." Keniuchio said with an arrogant sneer. "I have watched you fight. I have learned about your mutant ability to heal. So, I had the Hand craft me something especially for you. A blade like none other. A reinforced steel blade, slightly curved like an ancient tachi, but physically, quite unspectacular. The key is in the edge. It's lined with carbonadium, a radioactive chemical and metal mixture with an acidity high enough to completely negate your healing, gaijin. Some would call this a beautiful work of science but this goes far deeper. I am the great swordsmith Muramasa striking down the monstrous Beast with his greatest creation!" Keniuchio laughed as he raised his sword up to strike James down.
James looked up at Keniuchio and growled.
"You talk too fucking much!" he roared as he swung his katana upwards to block Keniuchio's sword, the Muramasa Blade. Keniuchio hopped backwards and then rushed forward, swinging his sword in wide arcs to keep James in front of him. James' chest still bled from the sword strike Keniuchio had delivered earlier and it burned. The carbonadium was chewing through his flesh faster than his healing could kick in. James was losing blood and weakening. If he couldn't keep up the pace, Keniuchio would catch him slipping up on some level.
The two men traded sword strikes throughout the front of the house. Keniuchio drew James forward and dodged and before James could turn around and block, he felt the Muramasa Blade slide down his back. He yelled out in pain as he fell down to his knees from the pain. Keniuchio stood behind James and raised the sword above his head.
"I told you, Beast. I am the great Muramasa! I am a warrior! I-" James' claws dug into Keniuchio's abdomen and then he rose to his feet and shoved the katana into his chest. Keniuchio choked on his blood and dropped the Muramasa Blade to the ground. James pushed and backed him into the far right wall and stared Keniuchio in the eyes. Nostrils flaring, James growled and spat.
"And I told you...you talk too fucking much." James said as he ripped his claws downward, breaking through Keniucho's armor and spilling his organs in front of his feet. Keniuchio fell flat onto the ground and James sat down in front of him as he bled. The slash on his back was burning deeply but the scrape on his chest was just beginning to close. James sat and raised his head to the roof of the mansion and then looked around. This once beautiful estate was now littered with bodies, its former owner murdered by his own illegitimate son, who now laid at James' feet. If the clan arrived now, they'd turn on James in a second and attempt to kill him. With Lord Shingen and Keniuchio dead, James could never guarantee Mariko's safety here. Not the woman who loved this gaijin who slaughtered the Yashida leadership. They would hunt them both if they suspected. James had only one option, now. Taking up the Muramasa Blade and its sheathe, James closed the doors to the estate and limped to the truck. He would drive to the airport, go inside and he and Mariko would fly away from here. James had only one destination in mind.
He and Mariko were fleeing to Canada.
