(16 years and 9 months after reincarnation)
[Takina's POV]
(Shibata Castle, Inner Castle)
As I was walking down the castle's halls just finishing up with some paperwork, until I stumble upon Genji.
"Genji-sama, it's good to see you again."
"I feel the same way as well."
"I see.... Kenshin-sama departed for the frontlines, it seems that you will do the same thing soon. You should rest well before you do."
"Indeed, thank you for your concern."
"As for Niigata Castle, stand proud knowing that I'll be the one training soldiers that'll defend it with their life.
I've also heard that you took in new recruits to train as ninjas.... is that because of your background of being trained by Takahashi-dono?"
"No, you're not. You're right in that I am trained by Master.... And he was a great shinobi before he retired."
"I see."
"Come to think of it, what are you doing now? I heard that you aren't going to participate in the war?"
"No. Before Kenshin-sama left, he embarked me another request.... He wanted me to train the new recruit soldiers to fight because I'm one of his best students. 'Teach them your tricks, Takina!' was what he said."
"And these papers that you're carrying.... They must be for your assignment as a drill instructor right?"
"Indeed they are."
"I see...."
I stepped forward, about to leave and head off towards the military camp in order to train the new recruits again....
"It was a pleasure to speak with you again. Now if you'll excuse me, I still have my duties to tend to, farewel-
"Wait." Genji said as he grabs my arm, causing all the papers to drop to the floor. "I have something else to speak with you."
"Did you really have to pull me like that, Lord Genji?"
"...No. Excuse me for my rudeness." He silently complied.
"What's with the big reaction.... What do you want to say?"
"Before he departed, Oji-sama told me about what that boy holds in his body.... The sword that you've been looking for."
"Ah, that? Funny isn't it, the fact that the sword which Kenshin-sama used to carry was now hidden inside the body of the young boy."
"...Are you looking for a way to take the sword out from his body?"
"Perhaps, but not really. I do want the sword, but I don't really need it to be seperated.... I just needed the boy."
"Now I understand.... In order to seperate the dragon from your body you don't need the real sword...."
"Hmm?"
I don't recall telling Genji about my secret.... It must've been Kenshin-sama who told him.
That old man's lips always grow loose after a couple cup of sakes.
"Ah, I was just absorbed in my thoughts. I found your whole situation... peculiar."
"Is that so...?"
"It is so. Here, let me pick these papers up for you."
"Thank you."
We parted ways since then, after he departed for the battlefield.
At the time it didn't sounded like trouble to me, there weren't any signs of him plotting anything suspicious...
However, something still makes me feel uneasy about how he knew so much despite never having heard enough.
Unless... someone is spying on us.
______________
The war officially began when spring came. One of Oda clan's most powerful general - Tokugawa Ieyasu led his soldiers up to the city of Toyama, beginning the battle from the Western Front.
With Genji-sama's new leadership, we managed to hold the front lines from Oda Clan's onslaught for almost a month, but we were still on the losing side.
However with Kenshin-sama's influence he rallied countless soldiers from the sub clans of the Echigo region and marched out to Toyama City with reinforcements.
And with the arrival of his grandfather, Genji headed back to Niigata to rest. Kenshin is a retired Lord now so he'll be back in a couple of days as well.
That is the state of the clan during this war.
As for myself, I continued on teaching the new recruits in ways to fight with a sword... Even if I didn't partake in the war, I contributed indirectly.
I do go into action occasionally, because the Tengu (Kenshin's alter ego) actively seeks me out to hunt down ninjas that have snuck into Niigata.
But this won't last... because the Oda Clan has now opened their borders towards refugees. It's high time that both me and Sora-sama left in search of Goddess Amaterasu's shrine.
I was certain that we'll be able to safely make this journey, and we will depart in a few days....
I went for the earliest time of the day when we depart, because I felt uneasy.
Over the course of the month I've been seeing figures around the corners... rats sniffing around me and Sora-sama, spying on us.
There was no one else other than Genji who'd do something like this.
______________
(One month later...)
(Morning.... before sunrise.)
"Have you got your things packed?"
"Mmm!"
"Good. Let's go."
I planned to have us exit the castle through the back entrance to attract as little attention as possible - where there's another stair leading up and down from the hill, and with a small silvergrass field right at the plains behind the castle, overlooking the entire city.
It was really early in the morning, so there wasn't anyone inside the castle. No soldiers preparing for strategy meetings, no samurais planning and scheming for the upcoming battles, and no shadowy figure to eavesdrop on us....
With each step on the wooden floor, a loud 'Thud!' could be heard reverb around the walkways. In the dark halls, the blue moonlight leak through the gaps in the windows and shine down in a cold tone.
As we walked through the castle's quiet interiors, Sora spoke once more.
"How beautiful.... I've not seen anything like this before."
"Is that so?... I've been to a lot of places, and seen countless sceneries like this. It isn't that big of a deal to me."
"Really? Come to think of it, what will you do after all of this is over?"
"Hmm? After what?"
"You know, after the separation of your dragonic powers and.... my sword. What will you do then?"
"I... I haven't really thought about that."
"Aha, caught you lacking there, Takina!"
"Remember your honorifics, Sora-sama...."
"Aww, isn't it okay? We've been friends since ages ago!"
"It's only been 7 to 9 months, kid. I may have been a large part of your life but to me-"
When I turned around to look at Sora-sama, I noticed something odd.
I saw a maid walking at the halls behind.... There shouldn't be any maids at this hour, and yet there's one.
"Takina?"
"....Lets hurry out of the castle." I said, as I grabbed the boy's hand and started walking faster.
"H-hey, what's the matter?"
"We're being tailed."
"!"
"Don't look back, just keep going."
I knew that there were a few person spying on us since last month, but I haven't actually sighted them like this. I've been too careless.
We made our way through the castle, and while there isn't any immediate threat around us I'm sure it's no longer safe for us to be in here.
As we finally left the castle and headed for the back exit towards the beautiful silvergrass field.... There I saw him.
Standing on the farthest end of the field, looking over down the city of Niigata, with the morning moon hovering just over his head, is a man dressed in a heavy set of Japanese armour, with a black cloak and a long bow on his back.
I've seen this armour once and I'd not forget it because of how intimidating it looks.... An armour that's only worn for war.
(6:02 a.m.)
"It's been a long time since we saw each other, Lady Fujiwara, and young Lord Sora."
"Genji-sama...." / "Genji-dono...."
"Last we stood together was a month ago, before I departed for the battlefield.... ."
"Genji-sama... I hold immense respect for you, but I shall not tolerate this hostility. Not even from you."
I dropped my luggage to the ground, with my hand ready to draw my blade...
"Then I will not lie to you anymore... I want the sword, Fujiwara-dono."
"Ridiculous."
"Genji-sama... I-"
When Sora tried to walk forward, I blocked him with my arm.
Without saying a word, I put my hand on the katana sheathed to my waist, while my eyes locked on the armored samurai standing before me.
"....Thank you."
"Let me handle this."
Hoo Hah...
"This is the last warning, Genji-sama. If you still stand in our way, then I'm afraid I'll have to force my way through."
"So in the end it has to be this way.... I'm sorry." He said as he draw his blade.
"In that case, I'm sorry as well."
I brandishes my sword, getting into the fighting stance of the River Stream Style.
'Shing!' With a quick motion, Genji drew his sword as well.
"And you face Shibata Genji, Retainer of the Uesugi Clan.... It's been a while since we did this!"
Genji and I trained together in the dojo. We were somewhat familiar with each other's moves.
'Thud!' (2x) We kicked off the ground and dashed at each other immediately....
Genji puts his hand on his back and pulled out the war bow. Tucking in an arrow into its string, he fired a quick shot at me.
'Tink!' I raised my sword to defend against the arrow, hitting it away as it lands.
But right in that instant, Genji dived forward at me with a roll and swung his sword at me. 'Clank!'
Immediately after I redirected his sword away, he put his sword low to the ground and slashed forward at my front leg. "Hmph!"
'Fwoosh!' Lifting my lead leg up, the slash misses my leg as I raised my katana high up.... One Line!
"Tou!" I swung the blade down as Genji barely brought his sword up in time to block it.... 'Tank!!!'
My powerful strike forced him slightly backwards, using this chance I sheathed my katana into the saya and dashed forward. Shadow Cross!
'Clank!' However, before I could launch the second slash of my two-hit technique, Genji used an attack of his own and partial-parried my technique.
Our attacks bounced off, recoiling both of us backwards.... Immediately, Genji dashed farther backwards to create space as he pulls his bow out.
"Oh no you don't-"
"Hah!" He leapt to the air while firing two quick arrows at me to stop my advance. 'Tink tank!'
As he drops to the ground, he puts his hand on his sheathed katana and rushes forward at me. He's copying my technique!
"Hah!" His sword glints with moonlight the moment he drew it out and swung at me. 'Clank!!!'
Deflecting the powerful slash forced me into recoil as Genji dashed forward to chase up and swung his sword at me in a flurry of hits using a technique called 'River Stream Passage'
'Tink tank! Clank!'
I blocked the first two slashes, and barely missed a deflect on the last, barely cutting me in my face.
Genji spun around following his flurry of strikes, and came back with a powerful upper slash that forced me into defense again. 'Clank!!!'
As I bounced backwards, Genji kicked off the ground and leapt to the air, raising his sword up and swung down on me.... 'Clank!!!'
But just as I perfectly deflects his cleave, he spun around again and tried to hit me with an upper slash....
'Thud!' Instead, a sharp pain was felt to my stomach. "Urgh?!"
He had threw a back kick instead of a slash, it was a feint.
As his kick forces me backwards, he lowers his stance and points his sword at me. A thrust! "Sei!"
Right as he jabs his sword at my face, I leaned my head to the sides and dodged the stab within a hair's margain. An opening for me to counter attack! 'Tink!'
My sword hits the hard armour of his ribs, bouncing off from it. "Tsk!"
I need something stronger to break his armour!
"Rah!" Genji tries to dash backwards as he swings the sword at my face. 'Tank!' I easily deflected his attack and spun around, throwing a back kick of my own. Tolling Kick!
'Thud!' "Urgh...!" My kick connects just like he did to me, forcing him into recoil as I sheathed my katana.
Shadow Rush!
'Clank!!!' The powerful slash sent him farther into recoil.... I should keep up the pressure.
"Hoo Hah!" I launched a River Stream Passage of my own, delivering two quick slashes at his guard... 'Tink tank!'
Finally, I brought my sword overhead as a finishing slash. "Seiya!" 'Clank!!!'
My cleave chips him in the shoulder even though he tried to block it, breaking one of the metal plate off his armour. 'Chink!'
"Urgh...!"
Immediately following that up, I lowered my stance and swiped my sword at his exposed lead leg. 'Clink!!!'
My sword bounced off?!
There were metal armour on his leg as well, Genji anticipated a sweep and threw a roundhouse kick to parry my attack....
He lands in a stable stance, and points his sword at my exposed guard with yet another Piercing Stream. "Ai!"
I can't raise my sword to block, so I jumped backwards to dodge it 'Slash!' but it chips me in my shoulder and made a deep cut despite me getting out of range.
"I won't let you!" Genji yelled as he sheathe his sword, and pulled out his bow, leaping to the air.
He pulls the bow as he jumps up, his forearm glowed bright blue while a whirlwind surrounded the arrow that he tucked into the bow.
"!" This is dangerous!
'Bwuom!' 'Fwoosh!'
Right as he fired the arrow, I learned my face to the sides to dodge it.... But almost as if he is defying all physics, the arrow tilted mid air and chased after me.
It glanced and cut across my right eye, despite missing face.
"Ahh!!!"
My right eye hurts so much, what the hell?!
"Urgh...!"
Before I noticed it with my left eye, Genji was right in front of me already....
"Hmph!"
'Slash!'
There was a brief pause, before the sound of a lump of flesh falling to the ground was heard. 'Thud!'
It was my right arm.
"What the...?!"
There was so much blood, it's like a leaking water pipe. There's no pain this time....
Ah shit....
"Urgh... So...ra..." 'Thud!'
My head is suddenly.... So dizzy....
I can't see.... it's all black.... my right eye is black....
Sora-sama.... run....
____________
[Third Person POV]
"Hah.... Hah...."
Genji panted out as he flings the blood off of his katana....
'Even when I caught her off-guard, she still put up much more of a fight than I anticipated....'
"Takina!!!"
From the sides, the boy rushed at Takina's unconscious corpse....
"No no no!!! Takina!"
"...Healers!" Genji shouted into the castle.
Immediately, 5 priests and priestesses came rushing out of the Castle's door and over to Takina's body.
"...Keep her alive."
"Yes sir." (5x)
"As for you, Matsumae-dono...."
"Sobs.... you.... Why.... Sobs...."
"I wished there was another way... But she left me no choice."
"I-I.... Sobs...."
Thud!' The boy immediately turns around and tried to run away....
'Grab!' But he was easily grabbed by a ninja that had sneaked up to him earlier without him noticing.
"N-no!!! Let me go!!!"
'Thud!' The ninja hit the boy in the neck, knocking him out.
"Urgh...! Taki....na..."
"Genji-sama, is this really necessary....?" Said another ninja, this time the voice of a woman.
"With the power of the Severance blade, we might be able to turn the tide against even the Oda Clan. Let us hurry up and finish this before she wakes up."
(Chapter End)