At 15, Akiko was a promising warrior-in-training, known for her spirit and courage. She had long outgrown the wooden swords of her early years and had begun practicing with real blades under Jiro's watchful eye. Her connection with him had deepened into one of respect and gratitude, and he had become like a second father to her.
However, her life took a dark turn one fateful night. A group of raiders attacked the village, setting fire to homes and looting whatever they could. The air was thick with smoke and cries of terror as villagers fled in all directions.
Akiko, unarmed and without armor, was frozen with fear as she watched her home burn, unsure of what to do. But then she remembered Jiro's lessons: "Strength isn't about never feeling fear. It's about facing it, even when it overwhelms you."
Steeling herself, Akiko ran to Jiro's house, only to find him fending off two raiders with swift, practiced movements. He fought with skill, but age had weakened him. As Akiko watched in horror, he was struck down, collapsing to the ground with a fatal wound.
The sight shattered her. In a daze, she picked up his fallen blade, feeling its weight in her hand, and lunged at the raiders with a mixture of desperation and fury. She managed to drive them away, but the damage was done. Her mentor, her village's greatest protector, lay lifeless at her feet.
That night, as the fires died down and the village mourned its losses, Akiko stood beside Jiro's grave, swearing to herself that she would honor his memory by becoming the protector he had always envisioned her to be. Her heart was marked by sorrow, but within it burned a fierce determination—a promise to herself that she would never be helpless again.