The clashing of swords surrounded the area as the group of thugs charged at us, there seems to be around nine men. My blade moved quickly, and precise guided by the red and black Kenki that surrounded my body and protected my spirit. Each slice was calculated, lethal, but a thought kept being pushed into my mind— it was Jin's reaction to the name Takeda. His aura which was normally calm and composed, had turned dark and aggressive the moment the name was said.
Jin was a blur, his sword cutting through the thugs with precision, but something felt different. His strikes were filled with anger, a burning rage that couldn't be contained. I never would've thought Jin was this strong.
The scarred thug who led the attack noticed it too, his stance faltering as Jin closed the distance between them.
"Why is it that you seek distance? Distance only holds meaning between equals, you and I could never be compared." Jin yelled ferociously at the scarred thug.
As I cut down another attacker, breathing heavily I watched Jin face off with the scarred man. There was not a single hesitation in Jin's movements—His sword flashing through the air, and in a heartbeat, the thug's rusted sword was knocked from his hand. The scarred man started to stumble back, eyes open with fear as he realized he was outmatched and could not compete.
Jin didn't stop. He kept advancing towards the thug, his sword raised high, his eyes burning with a dark flame that I've never seen before.
"Jin!" I shouted, trying to snap him out of it. But he didn't hear me. His mind was elsewhere, moving on his own accord—lost in whatever memory the name Takeda had awakened in him.
The scarred man fell to his knees, shaking in fear, his hands raised in a plea for mercy. "Please" he gasped, blood dripping from a cut on his cheek. "I was only following orders. It was Takeda… Takeda made me—"
Jin's sword came down like a lighting bolt, and the thug's words were cut off by the sound of steel slicing through flesh. His body slumped to the ground… his head rolling as it was separated from his body.
For a moment, the area was silent. Jin stared at the body next to his feet, his sword still drawn, the veins in his arm visible as he grips the hilt of his sword.
I approached Jin, wiping blood from my blade. "Jin…" I said softly. "What happened back there?"
Jin didn't answer. He sheathed his sword and turned away from the body, but I could see the tension in his posture, Li, the silent observer, was a few feet behind me, his eyes sharp and on guard but saying nothing.
Then, Jin spoke, his voice low and filled with a bitterness I never heard before. "Takeda… is the man who destroyed my family."
I suspected as much, but hearing him say it sent a chill down my spine. "What do you mean?"
Jin clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Twenty years ago, Takeda led a raid on my village. He was after the Hanzo Clan's secrets—the ancient techniques of Kenki that we guarded for generations. My father refused to give them up, and Takeda… slaughtered my family to get what he wanted."
He turned to face me, and for the first time, I saw pain in his eyes "I was just a boy. I watched as my father fought Takeda's men, trying to protect us. But it wasn't enough. They overwhelmed him… and I was too weak to do anything. My mother… she hid me, sacrificed herself so I could survive. I've been searching for Takeda ever since, to make him pay for what he did."
The anger in his voice was clear, barely containing the grief . I understood now why he had been so distant. He had been carrying this burden for two decades, waiting for the moment when he could finally confront the man who had taken everything from him.
To think Jin had a past similar to mine, he always treated me with respect ever since I told him about the Ryoma clan. I knew the name "Hanzo" was familiar— I read about their story a few years back.
I glanced at Jin and Li "now he's after me," I muttered, "Because of the Kenki I used."
Jin nodded. "That kind of power… it draws attention. Takeda has always been obsessed with acquiring forbidden techniques, especially those related to Kenki. If he knows you can wield it, he'll stop at nothing to capture you.
"He wants whatever power this red and black kenki is. And now he's using these thugs to track us down."
Li stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Jin, we need to be smart about this. If Takeda knows you're alive, and if he's after Hatori for his Kenki, we're in more danger than ever."
Jin's expression darkened as realization set in. "I know. But this ends now. I'm done running. I've waited twenty years for this chance, and I'm not going to let him get away again."
I could see the resolve in his eyes, I always wondered why Jin was a ronin—- A man like him can rival even one of the 5 samurai general's.
So, this is the story of the man I met in that tavern. "Jin… fate put us here for a reason, the three of us were put on this path so we can grow together. This isn't a simple matter of "revenge". This is fate guiding us to restore the honor of our clan."
Jin and Li nodded in agreement. "Let's go, these men came our way up ahead. Chances are we can find out where Takeda is hiding." Jin said with a determined tone.
the real fight is just ahead of us, I will have to prepare myself mentally. Whoever Takeda is, he's dangerous. Someone that can wipe out a 1st rate clan.