He was known as "The Guardian of the Civil War."
He was known as "The Demon Swordsman."
He was feared all across a nation for his unmatched skill in swordfighting.
He was spoken of as a living legend; the type of man that would be remembered for centuries to come, spoken of in poems, reproduced in plays, and immortalized in myth.
He was born a farmer's son in the tiny village of Bizen.
He was strong, even as a young boy. He enjoyed farming, a rarity among even the families of farmers. However, his family's farm was often the victim of raids by enemy soldiers, or friendly troops that simply needed supplies.
After many years of seeing his family's beloved farm ravaged by war, he became angered and discouraged.
It is better to raid than to be raided, he thought.
In the winter of his 14th year, he threw down the hoe and took up the sword. Studying swordsmanship under a powerful clan-lord, he was eventually hired as a mercenary. It was then when he forsook his original name for the rest of his life, and took a new name:
Mitsurugi.
As the years passed, his very original style of fighting and tremendously powerful attacks during battle made him quite feared. "He has been known to mow through foes as if they were like a field of wheat." Some said, not aware of the irony of their statements.
He had a spectacular battlefield record with several commendations to the rank of officer. However, Mitsurugi rejected his military commissions. He did not live life by allowing others to tell him what rank he was; in his mind, there was only one way to determine one's worth and honor:
Facing an opponent as strong as oneself, and besting them in combat. Mitsurugi's only desire was that of a worthy adversary.
Mitsurugi eventually left his clan, much to their regret, to pursue a career as a freelance mercenary. He fought in every war in the land, loyal to no country, but a powerful asset to all who hired him - thus earning him the nickname, "The Guardian of the Civil War."
It is during this time that he heard of a new type of weapon. The Japanese people called the weapon "Tanegashima" - and it was a rifle.
"What is this? It looks like a pipe! This cannot be as powerful as they say." Mitsurugi scoffed.
However, in the battles to come, mighty and revered armies were wiped out by this new weapon.
For Mitsurugi, who had always fought with a single sword, this was an urgent matter. "If this weapon is allowed in the world, wars will not be won by the strong, but by any fool who can pull a trigger! Not only this, but I would lose my job as a mercenary! I must find a weapon stronger than that rifle!"
This was when a rumor of the legendary sword Soul Edge reached his ears.
"Perfect! This is it - the weapon I have been seeking. This sword could surely overpower the firearm."
For a time, Mitsurugi sought Soul Edge, following its trail and finding traces of it. However, eventually, he lost the sword's trail, and could find no more clues. Without a weapon superior to the Tanegashima rifle, he felt he could never return home, but he chose to return and challenge a rifleman to a duel in front of several Lords. Despite his skill, a swordsman was no match for a firearm, and Mitsurugi took a bullet in the chest.
Completely defeated, Mitsurugi realized he needed to study additional arts of the sword to match the Tanegashima rifle. After learning new styles, he heard the story of a knight named Nightmare and his invincible sword roaming Europe, leaving rivers blood in his wake.
"Prepare for my arrival, Naito Maru! I'll be there to take your sword!"
Mitsurugi set off across the ocean in pursuit of the sword without a moment's hesitation. He headed west towards Europe, where Nightmare supposedly roamed. Travels through foreign countries were difficult for Mitsurugi, who was unable to understand the languages of the places he visited. Nonetheless, he continued his travel, making ends meet by fighting battles as a mercenary. The added benefit of this mercenary lifestyle was that he was able to maintain his fighting form.
But time was callous and unforgiving. Eventually, rumors that Nightmare had disappeared reached Mitsurugi, and Soul Edge's trail ran cold yet again. Mitsurugi was still unwilling to give up, and continued his search around the world's battlefields for signs of the ultimate blade.
Four years after his quest had begun, while visiting a castle near the Ming frontier, Mitsurugi stumbled upon the trail of Soul Edge. It was a metal fragment of Soul Edge that he came across by accident.
Walking past one of the back alleys of the city, Mitsurugi came to a halt when he witnessed several assassins surrounding a gravely wounded man. When the assassins saw Mitsurugi, they pounced upon him, intending to leave no eyewitnesses behind. A vicious melee ensued, and Mitsurugi drove back the assailants, saving the man's life as a result.
The badly injured man handed Mitsurugi a piece of metal - perhaps he thought that he would be unable to accomplish his mission with his wounds. He asked Mitsurugi to keep it safe. He seemed afraid to let it fall into someone else's hands, but he would not explain any further. Without another word, the man vanished into a dark alley.
Mitsurugi had a difficult time believing the man who gave him the fragment, but there was no denying the sincerity in the man's eyes. "Besides," Mitsurugi reasoned, "why would a man on the verge of death lie to a complete stranger?"
After a short while of staring at the strangely alluring metal fragment he held in his hand, a thought occurred to Mitsurugi.
"...If Soul Edge was so powerful, why did it shatter?"
He apathetically put the fragment in his pouch. He no longer had an interest in the blade.
He tried to turn his mind back to his quest to find a weapon that could defeat a firearm...but the Tanegashima rifles no longer concerned him. There was no doubt that they were powerful weapons, but they were no threat to Mitsurugi. The fact that he had crossed countless battlefields, defeating every conceivable enemy - including those with rifles - was the greatest proof of that.
Both Soul Edge and the rifle, the weapons which he had spent years obsessed with, had become meaningless to him. Having lost his purpose, Mitsurugi felt an indescribable sense of emptiness. His quest to defeat the rifle had caused his pulse to race, excitement to well up from the depths of his body. He wanted that excitement again. He wanted another enemy. He wanted an opponent...an opponent stronger than he was.
A few days later, Mitsurugi was suddenly attacked by mysterious men. Mitsurugi fought off the attackers easily, and learned that their objective was to obtain the fragment of the Soul Edge that the dying man at Xiwei had entrusted to him. Judging by the outfits worn by his attackers, they appeared to be ninjas from Japan. They were most likely assassins sent out by a power-hungry Japanese noble.
He had felt that their sword technique was familiar. He remembered that a certain female ninja always seemed to appear and interfere every time he drew close to Soul Edge. She was from Japan, just as he was. Mitsurugi's thoughts drifted, wondering what was happening in Japan. His anticipation growing at the thought of a showdown with the female ninja, Mitsurugi decided to return to his homeland.
In Japan, it was the end of the warring states era. The powerful feudal lord, Nobunaga Oda, was dead, and the leaders of the states were faced with the decision of whether or not to align themselves with Nobunaga's general, Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
Upon returning, Mitsurugi stayed with the Noujima Murakami clan, which chose to not give in to Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The Murakami navy, once feared as pirates and rulers of the Inland Sea, refused to bow to the people of the land. They chose to protect their existence as proud men of the sea.
They paid a great price for their resistance, however. Having caught the attention of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the Murakami clan was chased from the Inland Sea that was their home. Unable to accept this situation, the Murakami prepared to make their final stand.
Mitsurugi found no sign of the female ninja he sought, nor did he hear any rumors of powerful warriors wandering the country. It had been some time since he had seen battle, so Mitsurugi agreed to join Murakami's fight.
Not intimidated by the enemy forces' massive size, the Murakami navy commenced their nighttime raid. Centered around their large imposing warship, the "Floating Castle," a group of smaller ships formed together like scales on a fish. At the designated signal from a lantern light on the shore, they rode the tide in and charged the enemy fleet. This was the traditional secret strategy of the Murakami. Using the tide and wind, they could change their formation at will, matching the enemy and always maintaining the advantage.
The battle began. Splinters flew as ships from both sides collided. Cannon fire lit up the night, and the sounds of drums and horns were drowned out by the soldiers' battle cries. The smell of combat, the same in every age, drifted up. Feeling a rush he had not felt in some time, Mitsurugi stormed onto the enemy ships like a hurricane. His instincts took over, and the sight of him swinging his sword was that of a savage beast freed from its chains.
...However, it was not enough for him.
After the victorious battle, he was decorated for his service and invited to see the Murakami commander, but the battle had not filled the emptiness in his heart.
Mitsurugi fixed his eyes on his future. He had no need for money or fame. He had but one desire - a fierce duel in which his very soul would clash against his opponent's.
Mitsurugi always felt a peculiar feeling before a battle began...he felt as if he could sense a storm brewing just over the horizon. It had always been this way, before his first battle, and before each battle afterwards, on countless battlefields across countless lands.
And now, he began to feel that same sensation once more.
It many times stronger than it had been in the past.
It's going to happen...the battle I yearn for. The fight I have been waiting for. I can feel it. It's destined to happen...and it won't be long now.
His heart beat rapidly in his chest. He felt a reckless impulse similar to that which he had felt in his youth.
Little did Mitsurugi know how close he was about to come to death.
---
The moon was full, and not far over the horizon. It was not yet midnight, but there were very few civilians roaming the streets at this time of night. Most people were resting after the festival held earlier in the day.
Sakura trees are considered noteworthy for the vibrant pink flowers that bloom on their branches during springtime. A favorite pastime of many Japanese is the yearly hanami festival - the traditional custom of observing the blooming of sakura blossoms, as well as enjoying the beauty of flowers in general.
Often, sakura trees are strategically planted for optimal viewing during hanami festivals. Presently, a woman was walking down a corridor formed by two long rows of sakura trees planted on either side of her. They were shidarezakura - 'Weeping Sakura' trees, with long, drooping branches, not unlike the equally ornamental Weeping Willow trees found elsewhere in the world.
The woman had chosen this spot for her battle because she believed it to be fitting. She had long seen sakura blossoms as enduring metaphors for the ephemeral nature of life and beauty. Just as the sakura blooms, spreads its beautiful petals, and falls away from its tree, so do humans enter the world, live their lives, and depart. Just as a flower begins as a bud and blossoms beautifully, only to wilt away, so does a woman begin as a child and blossom beautifully into an adult, only to grow old, grey, and wrinkled in the end.
If she were to die, she would not want to die old and withered, a shadow of her former self, but young and beautiful, surrounded by beauty. And if she were to kill her opponent, she would want him to die surrounded by a metaphor for his own death.
She could ask for no better witnesses tonight than the sakura blossoms.
---
"Cassandra?"
"Yes, Setsuka?"
The group had learned that it was dangerous to remain in one place for too long, but had chosen to stay in this city for just a little while longer in order to enjoy the yearly hanami festival. The group generally decided that they should all stick together, but since strange-looking groups of people gather more attention than strange-looking individuals, they had split up for this event. Setsuka had chosen to walk with Cassandra. There were many people around them, but most were paying attention to the sakura blossoms.
"I was hoping to talk with you about something." Setsuka said.
"Hm? What is it?" Cassandra asked, looking around at all the beautiful trees and flowers.
"Do you remember the reason I gave for wanting to travel with your group?"
Cassandra tilted her head to the side in thought. "Um...Oh! I remember. You're hoping that you'll be able to run into a man you're looking for while you travel with us."
"...I don't just plan to run into him. I plan to kill him." Setsuka said bluntly, making it clear what she wished to talk about. Cassandra was silent. "...There was a man who took care of me for many years. He was like a father to me. The man I seek - Mitsurugi - fought my caretaker, and although my caretaker was not killed in the battle, he was gravely injured, nearly crippled. He did not die immediately, but he died not too long after the fight. Since then, I've looked for Mitsurugi for one very distinct reason...to give him the same fate as he gave my caretaker."
Cassandra slowly nodded. "...I see. ...So, I guess the reason for the tension between you and Siegfried lately is because he knows about your goal, and he doesn't approve of revenge."
"Yes." Setsuka confirmed. "It has caused me to...question my objective. And now I am curious what the rest of you think. You, for example, Cassandra…what do you think of my aim?"
Cassandra put a finger to her lips. "...First of all, I'm really sorry that you lost the man you loved."
Setsuka felt her cheeks become red. She had not mentioned that she'd loved her caretaker - Cassandra had inferred that by herself.
"If I fell in love and somebody killed the man I loved, then I'd wanna kill him, too! And embarking on a journey for revenge - that idea seems so exciting and romantic..."
Setsuka's shoulders sagged a little. She did not provide comments that were...as insightful as I had hoped for.
"I'm sorry, Setsuka, I really don't think about things like this very often. There are always many different perspectives to view anything from. From one point of view, you are someone who is seeking justice and retribution. From another point of view, you're...well, just murdering someone to feel better..."
Setsuka flinched a little.
"I'm really sorry that I can't help you more help on this subject. I guess the best advice I can give you is not to do anything if you have reason to think it may be a bad idea."
Setsuka nodded. "Thank you, Cassandra. That helps."
Cassandra smiled. "I'm glad!"
Setsuka politely said good-bye to Cassandra, and left her to admire the flowers. She walked through the area until she located Ivy. Ivy had not been especially impressed by the flowers at first, but now she did seem at least partially interested in admiring their unique appearance for a little while.
"Hello, Miss Valentine." Setsuka said. She spoke to each member of the group differently, knowing their personalities.
"Hello, Setsuka." Ivy replied.
Setsuka knew that she didn't need to mince words with Ivy, and told her what she had told Cassandra. Ivy showed no strong reactions. When Setsuka finished, she did not make any comments.
"...What do you think?" Setsuka asked.
Ivy seemed deep in concentration.
Your mother? I raped her. Soul Edge wanted to create a spare host - so it had me make you. That's all there is to it. If you were expecting some long story to soothe years' worth of pain...sorry, but you're out of luck!
You will never serve the purpose you were born to fulfill. You're a completely worthless person. You're the perfect definition of a waste of human life. Unwanted, undesired...You're nothing but trash.
Ivy spoke at last. "...There was a man who was responsible for all of the suffering I've ever endured during my life. I did not actively seek him out, but once I found him, I killed him. And after I did, I felt much better."
I do not think that someone is a failure if they cannot serve the purpose they were born for. If one was born to serve a wicked purpose, and they refused to do so, I would think far better of them. If they deny their original wicked purpose to replace it with a new one that will better mankind, then they are truly an admirable person.
"Once that man was out of my mind, I was able to concentrate on other things - better things. I'm glad I killed him." Ivy finished. "I am not sure what path is the best for you, but I do know that in my case, killing the person responsible for my pain gave me a sense of closure and allowed me to move on and improve myself."
Setsuka slowly nodded her head a few times. "I see...I'm glad you were able to do that. I hope I will be able to achieve the same result.
When Setsuka approached Tira with her situation, the girl's comment was short and precise. "You don't like him and you want him dead? Then kill him!"
Setsuka was beginning to believe that she had chosen the right path, and that Siegfried was simply too righteous to see things clearly anymore. But she still had one last person that she wished to speak to before her rendezvous...
---
The woman walked down the corridor of sakura trees, holding up a paper umbrella. She held it low enough for it to hide her eyes, out of respect and humility for the beauty around her. When she heard footsteps, she stopped walking, and raised the brim of the umbrella high enough to see.
There was a man further down the corridor, quickly approaching her - her 'date' for tonight. He walked with neither grace nor humility, but purpose and courage. Let's get this done, his legs said. He reached for his sword, pulled it from its sheath, and held it before his face, grinning with anticipation.
In contrast, the woman's movements were smooth and elegant as she lowered her umbrella and pulled on the bottom its handle, drawing forth the laito blade concealed within.
Once the man had drawn close enough, the woman flung her paper umbrella into the air. It rose high, and would fall between the two of them.
The man glanced up at it in slight puzzlement, then quickly deduced its purpose - in the split second when the umbrella was between the two of them, he would not be able to see her, and she would launch some form of surprise attack.
Smirking, he swung his sword in a downward slash to slice the umbrella in half as it came between the two of them - and as the two halves of the umbrella fell away, he beheld the woman dashing toward him with speed he would never have expected. She was holding her sword back, obviously planning to thrust it at his heart for an instant death. Battou - the art of killing from the first strike. If he sidestepped, she'd simply swing to the side to cut him quite effectively. It was a sound strategy, and he had only a split second to find a way to counter it.
The man quickly turned his sword vertically and sidestepped just enough so that the woman's blade would strike his. His plan worked, and the two weapons scraped against one another, causing sparks to fly and the grinding of metal to be heard.
The two pushed against one another's' blades, each trying to over-power the other. Their blades shook and their arms trembled as they each pressed with all the strength in their bodies, their eyes locked on to one another's and their teeth gritting from the effort.
Knowing that any action at this point was a risk, but also knowing that the only way to break the stalemate was to take action, Mitsurugi tilted his blade to the side, then moved it up, pressing the woman's blade away from him. When there was just enough space between him and the woman's weapon for him to pull off an attack before being struck, he curved his blade around hers and made a horizontal slash at her.
Setsuka had become considerably flexible to excel at her profession. She arched her body backwards, and Mitsurugi's blade passed by inches above her. She whipped her body upright again, and slashed her weapon at Mitsurugi. He parried with his own slash. This time, Setsuka had the advantage of more leverage than Mitsurugi, and gave a hard shove with her weapon, causing his body to turn to the side.
Mitsurugi did not turn around, and instead turned his sword backwards and thrust it behind him. There was a sound of metal tearing through fabric - but not the sound of metal through flesh.
Both opponents pulled away. Mitsurugi turned to see that he had sliced off some of the fabric of Setsuka's elaborate kimono. It was a pity that such a beautiful dress had been cut, but Setsuka was to blame for bringing it to a battle. The fabric he had cut away now exposed most of Setsuka's right leg. Mitsurugi smirked and winked, showing his approval. Setsuka rolled her eyes, and both attackers resumed their fight.
Their blades clashed several more times, and each time, they both slipped just out of reach of their opponent's attack. Knowing that only creativity would win the battle, Mitsurugi threw a high kick straight at Setsuka's face while the two were in the middle of a stalemate. She recoiled in pain and shock, but then went back on the offensive with a horizontal slice at Mitsurugi's abdomen.
Mitsurugi ducked and rolled to the side, and then thrust his sword up at Setsuka. She slid to the side, dodging only by a hair's width, but did not dodge Mitsurugi's foot when it slid out and struck her ankle.
Setsuka went tumbling to the ground. Mitsurugi leapt up, stood above her, and held his sword aloft. "You're mine!" He hissed, plunging it down at her neck. She twisted her torso to the side, and the blade cut only the ground beside her. Mitsurugi twisted the blade down like a guillotine to behead her, but Setsuka quickly swiveled around and sat upright, narrowly missing the path of the blade. She grabbed hold of Mitsurugi's legs, and pushed him down. Mitsurugi went falling to the ground as well.
Setsuka put a foot on Mitsurugi's blade, keeping it on the ground. Mitsurugi thought he would be clever by letting go of the hilt and shoving her off, but Setsuka kicked the blade away as soon as he let go of it, and then pinned his wrist to the ground with her foot. She sat upon his chest to keep him from moving. As he reached with his free hand to shove her off, she held it at bay with her right hand and clutched her sword with her left hand. She took aim at Mitsurugi's neck. Even if he tried to dodge, there was no way he would be able to escape the blade.
This is it. I will finally have vengeance. Mitsurugi will finally receive his punishment...
---
"Sophitia?"
"Yes, Setsuka?"
"I was hoping to speak with you about something."
For the final time, Setsuka repeated her true motives.
"Now that you know what I plan to do...what do you think, Sophitia? Do you find it...disgraceful?"
"...I...can't really say." Sophitia said. "I'm not sure if I can relate to you. I've never been wronged in such a way that made me want to - "
You're not me! You don't know what it's like being married to Sophitia Alexandra!
Sophitia stopped speaking as several memories came to mind.
She remembered staring at two naked bodies glistening with sweat, grinding against one another.
I'm almost there...oh, you're so perfect, baby...
She remembered stumbling to the ground, and looking up at Rothion, his face twisted in fury.
I married you, not an empty spot on a bed, but guess which one I lay next to at night!
She remembered a hand across her face.
Why did all of this have to happen? All I wanted from him was love and comfort...Who will love me now? Who will comfort me now?
She remembered a warm, pleasant embrace.
Siegfried...I want you to touch me.
Sophitia considered her earlier statement. Perhaps I can relate to Setsuka more than I think. After all, Rothion was disloyal to me, and I was disloyal in return...
...Yet...it wasn't for revenge. I just wanted someone to make me feel loved and desired...and I wanted...him in particular to desire me...
I've continued to sleep with that man out of a need for comfort, or merely out of lust...but never with revenge in mind. Rothion wronged me, and he deserves the same to happen to him in return; that is the justification for the nights I spend with Siegfried. "He deserves the same in return" is the justification behind taking revenge on someone, as well. I may not be intentionally seeking revenge against Rothion...but I justify my actions with the same principle...
Yet...as far as I know, Rothion has only cheated on me once...but I have slept with Siegfried more than once. Have I been unfair? Should I feel guilt or shame, for wronging him 'more' than he has wronged me? Or what if I'm mistaken, and Rothion has in fact slept with dozens of women dozens of times? I might never know the truth...
...This situation is awful...if only it had never happened...
Sophitia realized she'd been silent for a short while, and spoke up.
"Setsuka...I have never taken revenge on someone, but I know - very well - how it feels to believe that you are justified in returning to someone what they have given to you..."
"I'm not taking about returning a lame gift that somebody got you. " Setsuka said, with a slight edge of annoyance in her voice.
"...That's not it." Sophitia sighed. "A man wronged me. Betrayed me. He broke the vows he made with me and did something which cannot be undone or forgotten. And afterwards, I did the same to him."
"...Then you did take revenge."
"No...I did not do it for retribution, but because I felt it would no longer be wrong or bad to do the same thing that he did. ...However...I still feel guilt."
Setsuka arched an eyebrow. "Didn't you just say that you feel it's fine to return to him what he gave to you?"
"That's what I always tell myself. ...But, when I think about it, I worry if I'm wrong. I worry if I'm not as justified as I think, and if I'm only making the situation worse. Now there is not one betrayal, but several. There is not one wrongdoer, but two. Before, forgiveness might have resolved the issue, but now, the problem is far more tangled and complex than it was at the beginning. My actions comfort me for a little while, but I always question myself later."
Setsuka took in Sophitia's words.
Sophitia spoke again. "I know that this...'Mitsurugi' has killed a man who meant very much to you, and in return, you feel that Mitsurugi deserves death as well. ...But bloodshed and death are terrible things, and adding more of each will only make things worse. Killing Mitsurugi may punish him for his crime, but would only make things bloodier than they are now, and may introduce complex problems that you are unaware of. What if someone goes after you for killing Mitsurugi, and the cycle endlessly repeats? You can put a stop to this, or you can increase the amount of death and blood involved."
Setsuka shook her head. "Mitsurugi is known for the destruction he has caused on countless battlefields. He will likely kill many more men in his life, even after this war ends. If he would harm my caretaker, a kind, gentle man, he would harm anyone. Mitsurugi is a foul man without honor, and will cause no good in his life. His death would prevent the suffering and demise of countless others."
Sophitia seemed to not know how to respond. "I suppose there are exceptions sometimes...if Mitsurugi is a man who should be killed regardless of what he did to your caretaker, then I suppose killing him would be a good thing. ...But...you cannot tell what the future will hold, and you cannot tell what sort of unforeseen circumstances may arise, should you kill him."
"The future is always unpredictable, and every action holds unforeseen circumstances. That is life." Setsuka said simply.
Sophitia did not wish to argue - and did not have much to counter Setsuka's statements with, either. "I'm sorry, Setsuka, but I don't know what to tell you. I can't help you with this."
Setsuka slowly nodded. She had been far more insightful than her sister had been, but she did not know whose advice to take.
Setsuka had learned that Mitsurugi was in this city, and had a messenger send him a letter – she only wrote that she was someone who wished to fight and kill him. She knew that she wouldn't need to say anything more to provoke a man like Mitsurugi into a fight. She told him the time and place she desired, and from that point on, all she had to do was wait.
---
Don't do anything if you have reason to think it may be a bad idea.
Once that man was out of my mind, I was able to concentrate on other things - better things.
Bloodshed and death are terrible things, and adding more of each will only make things worse.
"You sure are taking your time at savoring this moment." Mitsurugi muttered. "It's anti-climatic. If you're going to kill me, hurry up."
"You don't seem very phased." Setsuka replied.
Mitsurugi smirked. "I can die happily, now that I've finally had the battle I've sought for so long. A battle where I was evenly matched - bettered, even. A battle where my heart and soul clashed with my opponent's. It was my only wish. It was what I'd really wanted all my life."
Setsuka shook her head. "All you want is to fight for no other purpose than excitement? What a shallow, pathetic man."
"An ironic remark. I once nearly killed a good man because he asked me to give him that kind of fight."
Setsuka's heart nearly skipped a beat.
It couldn't be - could it?
"That man - what was his name?"
Mitsurugi seemed puzzled. "Why do you care?"
"What was his name?" Setsuka growled, pressing her blade against Mitsurugi's throat.
Mitsurugi uttered the name of Setsuka's mentor. The one who had raised her.
Setsuka was silent for a while.
"Someone you know?" Mitsurugi asked.
"...Someone I loved." Setsuka said.
She rose up off of Mitsurugi.
Mitsurugi arched an eyebrow. "You're...letting me live?"
Setsuka found her umbrella. The paper canopy was ruined, but the shaft was unharmed. She carved away the canopy and ribs, and returned her blade to the shaft.
"I no longer wish to kill you."
Mitsurugi was puzzled for a moment, and then slowly smirked. "...I get it." He said, dusting himself off and rising to his feet. "You despise me because I only care about getting into exciting fights. And now you learn that the man you loved about only cared about getting into exciting fights, too. I only injured that man because he wanted to have the fight of his life with me, and I gave it to him. Now that you've learned that his injuries were something he asked me to give him, you can't consider me responsible for his death anymore."
"...Although that would make sense, I decided to spare your life before you told me that." Setsuka said. "I am sparing you for far more noble reasons - killing you would make me feel better, but would make me a murderer, and wouldn't undo the past. Revenge is pointless."
"...Hmph!" Mitsurugi scoffed. "Death follows me everywhere I go, whether I like it or not. Is that a good reason to kill me?" He goaded, dissatisfied at the anti-climatic ending to his fateful battle.
"It is unfair to kill someone for crimes they have not yet committed, and everyone deserves a chance at redeeming themself for past sins." Setsuka said.
"Hm. You seem like a wise woman." Mitsurugi admitted.
"...I just have wise friends." Setsuka confessed. She pointed her umbrella shaft at Mitsurugi. "I've spared you to give you a chance to make something of your life. Find a better purpose than fighting just for the sake of fighting. Good men die pointlessly that way. Find a purpose that isn't shallower than the puddle you're standing in."
Mitsurugi looked down to find one of his feet in a small puddle of water. He looked up to see that Setsuka's blade was inches from his face.
"...And don't let your guard down so much." She said with a smile.
Setsuka sheathed her laito again, and then turned and walked away just as elegantly as she had been walking a few minutes ago.
I don't need to kill a man to get over him and put him out of my mind. I don't need to make myself a murderer in order to forget the past and move on. I can stop thinking of Mitsurugi this very minute, and dedicate the rest of my life to a far more noble purpose.
I'm glad I spoke with the others about this today. They all helped me realize things I would never have seen by myself. They're good people.
She realized something. A moment ago, she had called them friends. She'd never called someone a friend before in her life. A realization struck her.
...I have good friends.
She smiled.
Instead of keeping one eye on my past and one eye on revenge, I'll keep one eye on the good things I have in the present, and one eye on the good things I can look forward to in the future.