The early morning draped the town of Osaka. Tetsuya eyed the street looking for Saya.
He had a bad feeling in the pit of his belly. He closed his eyes and reminded himself of Mitsurugi's quotes. 'Train hard and nothing is impossible.' 'Your blade is an extension of your arm.'

Tetsuya was back to normal now. He rested a hand on the master and walked through the streets.
He stopped near a dojo that had a sign in front of it. It read 'Come and fight! Rewards for those who win!'
The young hero smiled and decided to get some fun into his day.

He entered to see many people gathered around a large ring. Two people were fighting in the center of the ring.
Just then he felt someone grab his bag and run. 'Hey!' Tetsuya yelled as the masked thief ran past him to the door.

The thief was cut off as a short sword pinned his left arm to the wall. 'Ah ah ah! Don't take things that don't belong to you.' a voice from the crowd said.

A man who Tetsuya presumed to have chucked the blade walked up to the thief. The young hero got a look at the man who saved his stuff.
He was American, complete with a white cowboy hat with short blonde hair and looked to be 20 years old. In his right hand was a small red shield. A small belt with throwing knifes was around a new centurion outfit. On his hands were black fingerless gloves. He wore black cowboy boots with leather trousers. He yanked the blade out of the man's arm and said 'You should go. And don't come back till you make something of your life.' Tetsuya was surprised by the man's great use of Japanese.

He chucked the bag back to Tetsuya and said 'Howdy the name is James and you?'

The young hero did a bow and said 'My name is Tetsuya remember it.'

James cleaned the blood of his sword and said 'The ring's free. How about a bout?'

Tetsuya grinned and said 'You're on.'

With that the two men entered the caged ring. It was large and six-sided with a copper smell of blood.
Tetsuya bowed and drew his blade. James flexed his arms and said 'Time to show my bounty hunter moves.'

The swordsman smirked and said 'Don't get too cocky. Taunt 'If' you win.'

James started things off with a crouching dash. Before Tetsuya could do anything the American wacked him with the front of his shield.
Tetsuya was sent reeling back and fell to one knee. He rose back up with a upward slash that sent James into the air. He pushed his blade foreward to knock James back.
The American was sent back and did a quick ukemi. James dashed back to Tetsuya for an attack. 'His weapons have short reach so he relies on fast and dynamic moves.' Tetsuya thought.

Tetsuya entered a defenseive stance as James ran in with a left handed punch with his shield. James then grabbed Tetsuya by his neck and then slammed the hilt of his sword into his back.
The young man rolled back as James kept up the attack. Tetsuya's warrior state began and time seemed to slow. James rose his blade up for a cut that would end the battle.
Tetsyua placed his katana in a vertical line and waited for James's sword to make contact. As soon as it did Tetsuya did a guard impact and James slid to the side cursing in shock.
He did a ukemi as Tetsuya entered his mist stance. Before James could do a thing Tetsuya grabbed him and threw him down and did an upward slash that sent James rolling away.

James got back up and put his cowboy hat back on. 'Nice moves mate. Not as cool as mine though. But still...I'll have to try now.' he said with a smile.

Tetsuya said nothing but maintained his mist stance. James nodded and ran back to Tetsuya, intent on maintaing his offense.
The young man went for a downward slash, but James did a slash across Tetsuya's navel. Even though his chain mail took the hit Tetsuya could still fell the pain.
But Tetsuya was trained for this thanks to his Sensei Mitsurugi. Tetsuya continued his slash that tore James's new centurion in half. 'Shit did not expect that!' James crused as some blood came out of a small cut on his chest.

'Do you want to carry on?' Tetsuya asked but he did not loosen his grip on his katana.

James panted for a couple of seconds before he shook his head. 'Better quit now before I get injured more.' he muttered.

They sheated thier weapons and exited the ring despite the crowd booing. 'So what brings you to Osaka?' Tetsuya asked his new friend as they walked onto the street.

James took a poster out of a pocket in his new centurion outfit. 'I'm a bounty hunter. Trying to get this guy. What about you?' he said.

Tetsuya said 'I'm on a trip around Japan. After a year I'll fight my Sennsei.' as he opened up the poster. Needless to say he was shocked when he found out he knew who the person was. 'That guy! I know him!'

It was the man who Tetsuya dueled a year ago. The General of Graf Dumas, Edward.
'You mean you've met this random yahoo?' James asked in shock.

'I had a duel with him a year ago. In that battle of Von Blade and Graf Dumas.' Tetsuya explained.

'Von Blade was the guy who hired me.' James said.

But as soon as he said that he was grabbed against a nearby wall by an angry Tetsuya.
'Where is he?!' he snarled in anger. Tetsuya knew he could not beat him right now but he wanted to know his location.

James lifted his arms up and said 'I was hired via a soldier. I've never met him.'

The young hero said nothing before he let James go and said 'I apologise. It's just he did something to me in the past and I want payback for it.'

James pushed his cowboy hat up and lifted an eyebrow. 'And what did he do to you?' he asked.

Tetsuya lifted his gi and the chain mail under it to show the huge scar atop his skin.
The bounty hunter eyes went wide at it 'Chirst! Nobody get up from that.' he said.

Tetsuya slung his travel bag over his left arm and said 'Shall we travel together to find Edward-san?'

James nodded and offered his hand 'Let's ride compadre.'

Tetsuya shook the hand and said 'Just one thing left to do.'

He entered a courier shop and paid for a letter to be sent to his Sensei. The details of it were 'Dear Sensei

I've gone from Kyoto to Osaka. I met a girl named Saya in a duel and I think she's still following me.
Also I've made a new friend called James. He's a bounty hunter who's looking for the man I fought a year ago.
He was hired by Von Blade. I know I promised not to fight him until after you...But still I never ended that duel with Edward.
So I'm going after him. Wish me luck Sensei.

From Tetsuya'

With that the young hero continued his travels.