Chapter 1Outskirts Inn

My name is Shiranami Guren. I am in search and in pursue, driven by a single purpose. I will find my wife, Momoka, no matter what fate places in my path.

Three days have passed since Momoka was taken by people I do not know of, reason I do not understand. And I'm a day's walk to the nearest village hoping to find clues about her whereabouts.

My heart is worried, yet I am confident that she's alive. I can feel it.

As I pass through the open rice field before reaching the village, I can feel that there are two figures following me. Their presence is subtle, yet unmistakable. I quicken my pace, my hand instinctively resting on the hilt of my katana.

Tomorrow came and I reached the outskirts of the village, the sun casting long shadows over the streets. I could feel the eyes of the two figures still on me, their presence a constant reminder of the danger that lurked close. There's a nearby inn where I could rest and gather information.

I entered the inn, it was small and cozy, with a warm fire burning in the hearth. The innkeeper greeted me with a nod, and I took a seat by the fire, hoping to gather information about Momoka's whereabouts.

"Excuse me, sir. Have you seen a young woman, about this tall, with black hair and a pink cherry blossom kimono?" I asked, my voice tinged with desperation.

"Hmm...", the innkeeper murmured, scratching his head. "I might have seen someone matching that description, but it's been a few days. You might want to check the market square. People tend to gather there."

At last, my first lead in three days of searching. This is a great relief.

"Thank you, sir," I said, my voice filled with gratitude. "Do you have an available room for tonight for me?"

"Yes, there's one upstairs."

I paid the innkeeper and took the key to my room upstairs. The warmth of the fire and the comfort of the bed provided a brief respite from the worries that weighed heavily on my mind.

I took a peak outside the window, the two figures were still there, watching me from a distance. I have been waiting for an opportunity to confront them, I know they have something to do with Momoka. Sooner or later, I have to deal with them.

My body shut down the moment I laid on the bed, exhaustion finally taking its toll. But I can't rest for long, not with the danger lurking so close. I closed my eyes, but my mind is fully awake. Then darkness came, drowned me to slumber.

From the still darkness, a faint light slowly emerged. Then in seconds, everything around me was on fire. My body bathed in blood, a katana in my hand. I looked around and there was a woman, kneeling, crying. My nightmare has come to me once again.

I approached the woman, my heart pounding in my chest. Is it excitement? Or is it fear this time. I raied my blade to her neck, slowly feeling her flesh.

"No... please... I beg you! I don't want to die!", she cried. "Please... wake up!"

She raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, looking directly at me. It's Momoka! She was covered in blood, her clothes torn and her body trembling.

"No!" I shouted, my body jumped back in shock and horror.

Then I woke up. As I opened my eyes, an axe was hanging above me, held by a man, face covered.

I quickly turned on the side to avoid the axe while picking up my katana in sheath, the blade narrowly missing my head. Then another one, a katana, came swinging towards me from above. It's the other man.

I blocked his attack with my katana's hilt, pushing it aside and creating an opening for me to roll away and stand up.

Putting my guard up, preparing to defend from their next attack. "Who are you?" I asked.

Instead of words, attack was their response. The two came at me simultaneously, their weapons glinting in the dim light. I continued to avoid and dodge their strikes, barely keeping up with their speed and precision. Then suddenly, I saw an opening and hit one of them with the end of my sheath. He fumbled to the other side of the room, while the other lunged at me with his axe. I got the momentum for a counter attack, I easily dodged his next attack and managed to kick him away, hitting him in his torso.

Again, I stand my guard, asking, "Who are you?"

"Draw your katana." the man with the katana replied.

Confused, I hesitated for a moment, thinking why. But nevertheless, I refused to use my katana. "No," I said firmly.

"Then you chose death," the man with the axe replied as he launched his attack.

I blocked his axe using the end of my katana's sheath, the impact reverberating through my arm. The steel plate at the end of the sheath absorbed most of the force, but it still it threw me to the wall. Then a second attack from the other katana came. I was able to block it by moving the sheath to the other direction, but it made me flew through the wall, busting the window and falling from the second floor down to the ground outside the inn.

The two jumped off the second floor, prepared their next attack. The innkeeper, along with the other guests still awake, went outside and checked what's happening.

I have to end this quickly, I don't want anyone else get hurt. But I have to get answers from them.

The two launched their attacks again. I tried to dodge as much as I can. They were fast, but I know am faster. After several misses, I found an opening to strike back. I managed to hit one of them in the back, making him flinch over, giving a fatal blow on his throat. He was down on the ground, grasping for air.

The other guy pulled out small blades and threw at me while he ran towards me, he hit one on my shoulder and followed a strike. My senses heightened by the pain, I dodged his attack, kick his leg did a roundhouse hit on his back neck with my sheath. His neck broke on the floor, killing him instantly.

I walked to the other guy, still catching his breath, still lying on the floor. I raised my sheath and broke his knee, making sure he can't fight anymore.

"This is your last chance. Who are you? And where is Momoka?" I asked.

"You will never see her again," one of them said. Then he took something out from his tooth, a poison, and killed himself.

These are not ordinary assassins. They are highly trained and dangerous, and obviously will die to keep a secret. I couldn't think of any reason as of why they would take Momoka.

The innkeeper slowly approached me, terrified and shocked on what happened. "Sir, are you alright?" he asked. "Who are these men? And why would they attack you?"

"I have the same question," I replied. "These men took my wife, the one that I asked about you earlier. I am looking for her."

The sun was about to rise, casting a warm glow over the village. I immediately packed up my belongings and prepared to get inside, continue my search for Momoka.

Chapter 2Sanjo Snare

I entered the village, cautious of my surroundings. I do not know what awaits me here, but for now I know there are also people after me. But they don't want me to live, what they want is after my life.

The marketplace was easy to find, thanks to the innkeeper. "It's just down the main street," he said. "You can't miss it."

As I walk the main street, I hear people whispering about the bakufu. I need not to get involved with them right now.

I arrived at the marketplace. There is nothing that much in here. I see a few merchants selling their goods, a few stalls. I need to gather information discreetly, blending in with the small crowd which will be tough, but I have to start somewhere.

So I approached this merchant, an old man selling household tools. And for an old man of his age, he noticed me quickly as I approach his stall.

"Good day, sir. What can I do for you?" the old man asked, eyeing me curiously.

Time is of the essence but I don't want to be rude. I tried looking at the tools he has on display, but I don't know what to say.

"Try looking at our new shipments, sir. They are made of the finest porcelain. It just came this morning," pointing at the tea cups near the corner of the table.

I looked at the tea cups, small, black, with gold accents. It looks a bit expensive for this merchant's stall so I got curious and picked it up to get a closer look.

"Ah, I see you have an eye for quality, sir. These tea cups are indeed a fine choice. They are crafted with care and precision, ensuring that every sip of tea is a delightful experience."

"Yes, they are indeed beautiful," I replied, turning it around. Underneath, there's the insignia of the artisan. It's a hammer over a black circle, a pride of craftsmanship. But for some reason, it felt oddly familiar. I just had to ask.

"Excuse me, sir. I don't mean to be rude, but this insignia looks familiar. Do you know the artisan who made these tea cups?"

"Ah, yes. The artisan is a master craftsman who has been honing his skills for decades. He is known for his meticulous attention to detail and his dedication to preserving traditional techniques. His work is highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs alike." he boastly replied.

"I see. Thank you, sir. I appreciate your time, it would only just be a waste for me, I'm not the best owner for this kind of craftsmanship." I said, putting the tea cup back on the table.

He looked at me and smiled. "I understand, sir. It's always a pleasure to share knowledge about our craft. If you ever change your mind or have any questions, please don't hesitate to visit us again."

"Thank you, sir. I will keep that in mind." I said, bowing slightly. "But I do have a question."

"Of course, sir. What would you like to know?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I am looking for a group of people that might came through here. They have a woman with them, wearing a pink cherry blossom kimono. Do you know anything about them?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and composed.

The old man looked at me with a serious expression. "I have seen a group of people fitting that description pass through here a few days ago. They seemed to be in a hurry and didn't stop to talk to anyone. I don't know where they went, but I did notice that they were heading towards the northern part of the village."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help." I said, bowing slightly. "I will make sure to be careful and not cause any trouble."

"You're welcome, sir. Please take care and stay safe."

I started walking away from the marketplace, heading north as the old man suggested. This is the first clear lead I have gotten since she was taken.

Sanjo (三条)

Early urban market clusters predating Za; Functioned as localized trading areas where merchants gathered.

Bakufu (幕府)

Military government led by a shogun; Established to maintain order and enforce the shogun's authority over the samurai class and the general population.