Fall of the Legend
In the heart of the Kagutsuchi Empire's capital, the sunset bled like spilled blood. The place was crowded with people. The gates opened, and everyone stood frozen in a stifling silence: Akayama, disguised in his second form, wearing a black robe drenched in dust and blood, and behind him was Jin. With them was a cart carrying Yusuko's corpse.
It was shocking. Yusuko, one of the former commanders who had remained undefeated for forty years, had fallen at the hands of two samurai. In the command base, the atmosphere was suffocating. When Akayama and Jin entered, they saw a towering man, broad-shouldered, with messy brown hair and a beard that covered half his face. That man was Commander Takeru, one of the pillars of the empire.
Takeru looked at me angrily. He didn't seem pleased with Yusuko's defeat, and his suspicion in me grew after this mission. As for Jin, he was frozen in fear. I don't blame him—he was standing before one of the three commanders. A powerful aura surged from Takeru, and the place began to tremble.
Focusing on Takeru's energy, I realized he was far stronger than Yusuko. Takeru looked at me and said in an angry voice:
"I never expected that old man to fall so easily… So, let's get to the point: how did you kill Yusuko?"
Jin spoke, trembling so much I wouldn't be surprised if he dropped dead from fear:
"We managed to corner him, but his strength was immense and he killed everyone. I stabbed him in the chest, and somehow, we managed to kill him."
Takeru looked at Jin, growing even angrier, and his aura intensified. He said:
"Who's the fool that gave you such a pathetic excuse? Even if Yusuko was weaker than us, he's still powerful enough that stabbing him in the chest is impossible."
Jin grew more terrified, but then turned his gaze to me and said:
"Of all people, Akayama, you're the most suspicious. Especially since all your past missions were rank-two, and now you completed a rank-one mission. They were all suicide missions, yet you came back alive every time. Either you're impossibly lucky… or you're not who you claim to be."
Missions are ranked based on their difficulty. A fifth-rank mission is for low-level samurai. The fourth and third ranks target weak yokai. Second-rank missions involve strong yokai, curses, and even bandits. First-rank missions are for hunting down traitorous samurai—powerful enough to challenge a commander. But that's not all. There is another rank: Rank Zero. Only commanders can handle these, targeting calamities or monsters, and are considered impossible missions.
Analyzing the situation, I realized Takeru was trying to bait me into a trap. I gave a faint smile and said while looking at him:
"It really was just luck. It's simple, for example in the last mission, I lured them by killing one of them and planting doubt among the rest, which led them to fight each other. At the end, only their leader remained—wounded and exhausted. I took advantage of that and killed him."
I continued:
"As for Yusuko, I gathered a lot of information about him and studied all his weaknesses—his chest being the weakest point. Also, Yusuko used the ice element, which made the fight easier. I used fire, melted the ice, and explained the strategy to Jin. With our combined effort, we were able to kill him."
Takeru's expression shifted for a moment, then he said in a cold tone:
"I'll be watching you both closely… Don't think this victory came without a cost."
But before he could finish his words, a powerful explosion rocked the base. We managed to jump through the window, but the destruction wasn't limited to the base—explosions erupted everywhere. Fire soared through the air, and people screamed and fled. All of it happened in an instant, and thick black smoke blanketed the place like a veil of hell. When the smoke cleared, a group of individuals stood before us, wearing black cloaks, their faces covered, each wielding a distinct sword. We took combat stances.
Jin gasped, and Takeru stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury. He raised his right hand, and violet lightning sparks erupted around him, threatening to burn everything.
Takeru shouted furiously:
"The Shadow Squad..." then continued,
"You've come again… But this time, you won't escape."