[Takina's POV]
It was one morning at early winter, when it has just begun to snow.
Pale and frigid, the streets are slowly engulfed in snow. When the time comes it'll start to snow heavily and firewood will become much more of a necessity.
That's why I am here out on the streets in Klada with my father on an errand run, to get enough fuel to heat us for the winter.
"Kyrie, do you have anything you wish for the most?"
Father would always ask random questions out of the blue. It's very odd, but also in character for him.
"No. Not really."
"And what if you had to choose?"
"Then... I want you, mom and Marie to be happy."
"You're such a sweet girl."
"What is it that you wish for, father?"
"Me? Hmm... Better drinks, more money... and to personally witness the pinnacle of Swordsmanship.
Sadly the only person close to achieving the pinnacle is living at the far East. It'd be a huge trouble to go and find him."
"You're so selfish."
"Hahaha, of course I am!
But I do wish for one thing more than anything else.... it is for you and your sister to live peacefully in a world without conflict."
Of course, every parent wishes for that, how generic.
"So tell me Kyrielle... are you doing that right now?"
"What...?"
Why is he asking me that?
'Crumble-!'
The earth shatters and the city collapses into an empty void where only I and Thomas remains.
"Father?! What is going on?!"
"You are not supposed to be here Kyrie, you still have more to do."
"(Grasps)-!"
I opened my eyes to a ceiling with blurry vision.
This place is... a Japanese room?
Is this the Shibata Castle in Niigata?
How long have I been unconscious?
So many questions flooded my mine, but before I can even begin to structure the series of thoughts in my head, fatigue had already struck me.
"Urgh..."
It feels heavy just to move my body, and my throat is so dry that I could barely make a noise.
It took me all my strength just to get up to my feet, but just before I could stand up-
'Thump!'
I collapsed to the floor.
The door to the room slams open, and a woman that looks like a doctor barges right in.
"Takina, you shouldn't have tried to move!"
"....Enna?"
"Look, your chest is bleeding again!"
"What?"
The layers of cloth wrapping around my chest is damp red. Now that I see this, I could feel a sense of sharp pain to my breast as well.
"Come on, let's get you up and fix the bandages!
_____________
Enna patched me up again after stopping the bleeding.
"Thank you as always for your work."
"Don't mention it."
"So... how many days has it been now?"
"I have no idea how long you have been unconscious, but everyone just came back just last night.
The trip from Toyama city takes about a day at least... so I'd wager you've been out for 2 days now."
"I see... and this wound?"
"You really don't remember? The field doctor said you were shot in the lung... that's what Kato Danzo told me.
It's a miracle you managed to survive. Injuries to the lung would result in one drowning from their own blood. If it were for anyone else they'd be dead already."
"I see... That just means I'm-"
"Lucky. You lived through sheer luck! Next time wear a proper breastplate and you won't take a damage so deep!"
"...Sorry."
"Sigh, seriously....
You must be hungry right? Sit tight here, I'll bring some food for you. Something easy to eat... like porridge."
And with that, Enna left the room to myself.
....
"...Two days huh..."
If I remember correctly I only took two wounds in that battle. A shallow slash to my blinded eye and the gunshot to my chest.
My right eye is still blurry as ever but I don't think that swordsman hit my actual eyeball... It's only a scratch to the skin.
But still, his skills are undeniably top notch, even approaching the level of the Sword Saint himself. If it was just the me from a few months prior I would have been cut down already....
Just who the hell is he?
He uses the Shadow Style just like me but his version is distinctly different. His sword draws were quicker and stronger. There must be something to it.
As I was absorbed in my thoughts, my eyes glanced pass the figure of a person sitting next to me.
"What the?! Oh it's just Danzo.... I told you not to sneak up on me like that!"
"I'm sorry, but you were so absorbed in your thoughts that it feels rude to interrupt you."
"I see... so, what brings you here today-"
Danzo immediately bows her head down.
"I must apologize for the blunder I made that day..."
"Eh?..."
"If I hadn't barged in on the fight between you and the enemy, I wouldn't have gotten in the way.... and you wouldn't have to shield me from that bullet."
"Please, raise you head."
"Yes..."
Danzo got back up to a sit, but she still kept her head low.
"I made a mistake and it almost killed you... I do not know how I can ever return this favor for you..."
"Don't apologize for that. If anything it is kind of my own fault that I jumped into the way of the bullet and got hit in my chest. I could've blocked it with my sword or my arm."
"But-"
"Danzo, I hate owning someone else too so I know how you feel... I will ask you to repay me.
For now I will hang onto this favor of yours because I don't know what to ask from you. Allow me some time to think about it, I had just woke up from a coma after all."
"...Yes."
"And the truth is you're not the only one to blame... If I had been more careful I wouldn't have jumped on that train all by myself."
I gently slapped Danzo's back.
"So raise your head. No one is at fault here."
"I see... Thank you. You're far too kind."
"Don't worry about it. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk information."
____
____
The Takeda Clan led an ambush onto us, breaking the mutual truce that was supposed to happen between the two clans.
They disguised themselves as soldiers who were in charge of the supply caravan to sneak into our ranks and strike us where it hurts.
There are two implications to this event ---
One, this means that Takeda Katsuyori, current lord of the Takeda Clan won't hesitate to use any underhanded tactic to win this war. He'll kill friends and families just to win.
And two... This is a declaration of war from the Takeda Clan.
Casualties were heavy in that battle.
We lost a general and 50 something men in the ambush. This is the feat of a lone swordsman with the red blade, the one who cut me down on the train.
Genji and I, two of the best fighters of the clan were heavily injured. Genji was apparently struck into a concussion from crashing his steed and still have occasional headaches now.
And finally... Uesugi Kenshin the former Lord of the Uesugi Clan, the symbol of Virtue and Strength for the clan is severely wounded as well.
He is on the verge of death.
On the same day, the Oda Clan launched a large scale assault on the front lines and the gun fort just outside of Toyama city, crushing our defenses and killing 1/3 of our main forces. It was a crushing defeat.
Without any additional reinforcements and most of the leaders being taken out of commission, the Uesugi army was forced to give up and withdraw from Toyama, giving up the city to the enemy for free.
____
____
"That is all the information you missed."
"As if we weren't already outnumbered by the Oda Clan's forces.... Now they decided to join hands with them and crush us?"
"There were no official statements about Takeda and Oda joining hands so it is unclear whether the events of that day is the result of Oda Clan working with the Takeda Clan or not. It could've just been a unlucky coincidence."
"But what matters now is that we are losing. Badly."
"And what would you make of that?" Enna returned with a tray of food.
"I don't know yet. I will have to mull over it a while... I had just woke up after all."
"Takina-sama, as it seems like you are busy right now so I will take my leave for the moment and allow you some time to rest."
_________
A few days passed by since then, and I have fully recovered my strength... or at least partially.
My respiratory functions still feels weakened, it's as if I'm taking in less oxygen for the same amount of air that I breathe in. It'd take a while longer for my lungs to go back to it's normal capacity, resulting in weaker endurance for now.
But other than that I'm mostly fine aside from occasionally bleeding out of my gunshot wound.
The first thing I did after leaving the sickbay is to find the person whom I was supposed to protect — Uesugi Kenshin.
'Goo...'
I opened the door to the room.
"Cough!... Cough!... Hah..."
Lord Kenshin, with bandages all over his body and having shrunken his body mass, he now appears like an actual old man in his 80's instead of the usual healthy looking old man.
Hell, he looks like he's just hours away from death... Yet he still clings on to life and refuses to give up.
"Ahh... Takina, you came."
"Kenshin-sama..."
"Hahaha... Is that a look of pity from you?"
"...I'm sorry. I have failed in my mission."
"Don't be sorry. Cough!... Cough!... It was no one's fault."
"Please stop talking so much, you can hardly breathe."
I can hear him grasping for air everytime he speaks. With his frail hand, he waved at me to come closer.
As I kneeled down next to him, he whispered to me.
"I want just one thing. One last mission for you to do... before I go.
Take Sora, Enna, and Danzo... and leave the clan."
"What...? Why?"
"After that crushing defeat I realized... my time is up... there is no way we would make it out of this mess without casualties.
I want you to take the people important to me and run before the flames of war consume the city. It's my last mission to you... Takina."
"But what about me?"
"You are not a samurai, there is no honor in you staying to defend the city. You did your part as my sell sword... and I left behind someone who can inherit my sword arts. Our contract is officially done.
As for the Black Lotus Blade... I will allow you to claim ownership of it if you can reclaim it from the hands of the enemy."
"....Yes, Kenshin-sama. Thank you for everything...."
"I do not have much time left but- cough-!"
Kenshin slowly rises from his bed.
"Kenshin-sama... Take it easy...."
"Cough-!... That man with the red katana, did you face him yet?"
"I did. And I lost."
"Hahaha, so the undefeated swordstress was finally bested? But... I expected as much. Can you tell me what made you lose?"
"His attacks were... powerful. Too powerful to be coming from a sword. It's like he's swinging a nodachi while using a katana, it is hard to come to blows with him when I'm being thrown around by his attacks."
The old man slowly rises from his bed to sit up straight.
"How skilled is he compared to... me?"
"It was just one time when I crossed blades with you, Kenshin-sama. I couldn't give an accurate comparison-"
"Just answer my question Takina, I know you're able to."
"...It's as if I was dueling a faster version of you, likely a bit less experienced but not by a long margin. He could be stronger than you."
"I see. Color me impressed at both you and that boy."
"Why is that?"
"I'm impressed at you for going against a swordsman of that caliber and still lasting as long as you did. Even the stronger average swordsman would be cut down without issues if they were to do the same.
And I'm impressed at the rate in which that boy grew..."
"You speak of him as if you know him."
"Heh, not really. I've encountered the boy a decade ago but he's not exactly anyone special back then. Now I bet he's seeking revenge against me... by defeating you."
"Revenge?"
"Yes. I killed the poor boy's master in a duel. It was an accident but... still.
Now the Shadow Style is all but extinct, at least in the Echigo area. That is why I took you under my wing... because you knew what I do not, the New Shadow Style."
"I see. But you never told me to teach you."
"Heh, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. What I needed to you for is not to learn the New Shadow Style rather to learn how to deal with it. But that doesn't matter now."
Kenshin reached for the sheathed katana next to his bed.
"I bet it is the first time you have come across "that" and it caught you by surprise but... it is nothing you cannot overcome. You have reached this level after all.
Allow me to show you - no, enlighten you on what exactly you are missing. What makes that man stronger than you... and what you need to defeat him."
With his frail arms the old man got on his feet. He draws his sword even while his hands were trembling....
"What is it that you want to show me...?"
"You know of the Flash phenomenon do you?"
"It is an event that occurs when an attack is so sharp and precise that it slices through the * 'spiritual world.' It is the pinnacle of swordsmanship..."
"Exactly. I will show you the pinnacle of sword technique — a 'True Slash' and how to perform it.
I will only do it once because that is my limit now I'm afraid... so watch carefully."
"...Yes, my lord!"
(Note : The Flash phenomenon is the result of the user's soul aligning with their weapon so in sync that the attack slice an opening into the Mana atmosphere itself. This is what causes the flashing light to occur.)
(The "spiritual" that Takina talked about is how the Japanese would call Mana in their country.)
(Chapter End)