Snowflakes fluttered in the wind outside a remote and dilapidated village, where two young men, a young woman, and an old man with a white beard were standing.
"We're leaving, Village Chief!"
Tatsumi, with his brown hair, blue eyes, and sunny smile, waved goodbye to the old man.
"Well, you've been competing with each other since you were kids. Your skills will surely help you seize the opportunity to make a name for yourselves."
As if looking at some kind of treasure, the old man's eyes sparkled with a light called hope as he looked at the three young teenagers with a loving expression.
"Leave it to us with peace of mind, we will definitely make everyone's lives better!"
With an arrow quiver on her back and a butterfly-shaped hairpin in her hair, this is a beautiful and lovely girl full of youthful energy, named Sayo.
"No one will starve to death again! Well, in another ten years, I, the great Ieyasu, will definitely be famous! Hahahaha…"
With short black hair and a thin figure, head raised and chest puffed out, Sayo and Tatsumi's partner, this is the boy named Ieyasu.
"Hmph, I think Ieyasu will break the law and be beheaded."
Looking at Ieyasu's smug appearance, Sayo retorted from the side.
"Sayo, you, don't say it like it's true!"
With well marks on his forehead and clenched fists, Ieyasu roared angrily at the venomous-tongued Sayo.
"If you were a little more self-aware…"
"Damn Sayo, I must fight you today…"
…
Watching the two bickering again, Tatsumi and the village chief on the side both showed knowing smiles.
"It seems you are all full of energy, so Tatsumi, as the last bit of money, take this with you, just in case…"
Looking at these little ones who were carrying the hopes of the village, the village chief took out a wooden statue of a god and handed it to Tatsumi in front of him.
"Just sell it!"
Taking the statue, Tatsumi nodded, with an expression that said, "I understand you, old village chief."
"No!!!"
"Keep it close to your body, and you will definitely be blessed by the gods."
Almost angered to death by this brat, the old village chief blew his beard and said angrily.
"Ah, thank you, village chief!"
A sense of emotion rose in his heart, further strengthening his determination to make a name for himself in the imperial capital and let everyone in the village live a good life, Tatsumi said with a smile.
Under the old village chief's gaze, the three teenagers waved their arms and gradually walked away…
"Although I admit that those three little ones are all excellent, they have grown up in the village since they were young and are too simple. Letting them go to such a dirty place as the imperial capital so early may harm them."
As the three left, a burly man with a stubbly beard walked out from behind a large tree, smoking a pipe as he spoke to the village chief.
"Thank you for your hard work over the years in raising those three children. I also know that the time may be a little early, but our village is about to collapse, and those three are our last hope…"
Without the previous smile, the old village chief's face was full of helplessness and vicissitudes. In this broken and decaying empire, it was too difficult for a small village like theirs to survive.
Hearing the old village chief's words, the big man also fell silent, his gaze towards the three who had already gone far away filled with endless worry…
…
"Surround them, don't let them run away!"
"Hahaha, these three little brats are carrying so much stuff, brothers, we're going to get rich!"
"Kill the two boys, and take that pretty girl back to warm the bed and let everyone have some fun, hahahaha…"
…
In order to get to the imperial capital, Tatsumi, Ieyasu, and Sayo had been traveling through wind and dew for several days. As night fell, they had just found a temporary place to spend the night when a group of bandits holding sharp weapons suddenly appeared, surrounding them.
Those fierce and greedy eyes seemed to want to eat them alive!
"Damn it, how many times is this? It's either Danger Beasts or these bastards, they're everywhere!"
With an angry expression, it was obvious that this was not the first time the three had encountered such a scene. Ieyasu drew the long knife from his back to meet the enemy, while angrily saying.
"Be careful, Ieyasu, Sayo! Everyone stay close together, don't get separated!"
Blocking a bandit's attack with his horizontal knife, Tatsumi shouted to his two companions.
"Disgusting guys, all of you go to hell!!!"
While skillfully and quickly drawing arrows from her back, Sayo scolded. Although the night had fallen and visibility was impaired, the girl's archery skills were excellent, and she shot down a charging villain with one arrow.
"Sayo, don't be afraid, we will definitely protect you!"
"Hmph, you guys are the ones who need to be… careful!"
"Don't fight them for long, run over there!"
…
Although they were only fifteen or sixteen years old, the three had solid skills from being rigorously trained by a bearded uncle in the village since they were young. Even when facing several times their number of fierce bandits, they did not panic, and stubbornly cut a bloody path with the swords in their hands, taking advantage of the night to flee towards the imperial capital.
"Damn it, these annoying guys! Ieyasu and Sayo, you go first, I'll lead them away!"
Looking at the bandits chasing closely, Tatsumi's expression was solemn. Ieyasu was fine, but Sayo, who was physically weaker, was almost unable to run. A trace of determination flashed in his eyes, and Tatsumi turned back a few steps and shouted to his two companions, leading the approaching bandits in another direction.
"Tatsumi, no! Tatsumi! Tatsumi!"
Seeing that Tatsumi actually wanted to lead the bandits away alone, Sayo, who was bent over and panting heavily, was immediately anxious and prepared to chase after him without thinking.
"No! Sayo, let's run quickly, Tatsumi will be fine!"
At the critical moment, Ieyasu, as a boy, was much calmer than Sayo, and grabbed Sayo. At this time, he had to trust his partner, Tatsumi, that bastard, must be able to do it!
Ignoring the girl's struggles and beatings, Ieyasu pulled Sayo and ran in a different direction…
…
"Ugh… we finally arrived! Ieyasu, is Tatsumi okay?"
Her originally smooth long hair was disheveled, and her pretty and lovely face was also dirty from the escape. Looking at the magnificent imperial capital surrounded by high walls in front of her, Sayo no longer had the excitement and agitation she had at the beginning, but instead looked at Ieyasu beside her with a worried expression.
"Hahaha, don't worry, Sayo, you know Tatsumi, he'll definitely be fine, maybe he's already arrived before us!"
"Let's go, let's go in and see, this is the place where our dreams will come true!"
A trace of worry also flashed in his eyes, but in order to reassure Sayo, Ieyasu tried to appear nonchalant, but in his heart, he was secretly praying, Tatsumi, you bastard, you must be strong, if you screw up, I, the great Ieyasu, will not spare you!
"Okay, I'm so hungry… I want to eat, I want to take a bath!"
Having grown up together, the clever Sayo naturally understood Ieyasu's little crush, but the considerate her didn't expose it. Instead, she stretched her waist, putting on a relieved expression.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm hungry too! I heard the food in the Imperial Capital is super delicious, we must…"
Speaking of food, he also looked excited, but before he could finish, Ieyasu suddenly stopped.
"Hmm, what's wrong, Ieyasu?"
Looking at the suddenly stopping Ieyasu, Sayo had a puzzled expression.
"Um, Sayo, I have something terrible to tell you—"
Seeming to have remembered something terrible, cold sweat kept breaking out on his forehead, Ieyasu murmured to Sayo.
"Something? What is it?"
A bad premonition rose in her heart, and Sayo asked cautiously.
"Ha… haha… I remembered, all the money is with Tatsumi, we have nothing on us now…"
Thinking of the miserable scene of the two of them possibly being homeless on the streets because they had no money for food and lodging, Ieyasu replied weakly.
"Eh!!!"
Dumbfounded, the girl's voice echoed continuously in the air…