In a distant past, the people of Tsugaki were at war with their rival nation, Taiyokami. Even amid conflict, they maintained a fragile peace between the two sides. The young heiress to the throne was about to uncover why her innate spirit had never been revealed. Would that day be now?
Tsugaki Shogun's Palace.
"Karin." The voice echoed firmly from the elevated throne.
"Yes, Father." She knelt on the tatami mat with perfect poise. "What do you wish of me?"
The shogun took a deep breath before speaking.
"Tomorrow, the 17th of October, 1850, we shall celebrate the final harvest festival in honor of our founder, the goddess Whashiroi."
"That will also be the day we reveal your power."
"Your spiritual power will come to light… Are you prepared?"
She steadied her blue eyes, without a hint of hesitation. "I am. You may rest assured, Father."
A brief silence.
"Then it is decided. You may withdraw."
Karin rose and walked barefoot down the long corridor. Reaching a large rice-paper door, she slipped on her sandals and stepped outside.
Her mother was waiting for her at the entrance.
"Is everything all right, my daughter?"
"It is, Mother." She smiled sideways. "I'm going to see Aunt and Uncle for a little while. Then I'll come back and get ready for the festival. I promise."
She dashed off along the outer walkway leading from the palace entrance.
"Karin!" her mother called, but it was already too late. "Don't run like that… every single time, it's the same thing."
A few meters away, she noticed a large crowd gathered near the shooting stand. As she approached a small forest, she came upon a massive green and blue neon sign that read "Shinrin no Tachiki." Without ceremony, she walked inside.
"May I help you, miss?" asked the attendant, somewhat distracted.
"I've come to see my uncle, Hayato. Is he here?"
"Your uncle…?" His eyes widened. "Wait… Princess." Karin raised her hand, signaling for silence.
"Shhh. That's all."
"O-of course!" He swallowed hard. "Field two. Make yourself at home."
She walked closer and found herself facing a large, noisy crowd of people. Spotting a white towel on the rack by the entrance, she draped it over her head.
Making her way down the corridor, she came upon Lord Mangetsu Hayato, holding his bow as he trained. Everyone was watching him take his first shot.
She studied him from a distance. He would never miss at this range… the White Tiger never fails, Karin thought.
Raising his massive red bow, adorned with black trim, he took an arrow from his waist and drew the string, keeping his eyes closed.
For him, time had stopped. The field around him became an utterly empty, silent place, with only a single thread guiding the direction of his arrow toward the center of the target. It was then that he breathed—and released!
The hum of the arrow made everything around tremble and vibrate, as if a predator were charging toward the crowd. Everyone present tried to scramble away.
Karin yawned, motionless.
"As always…" she murmured.
Everyone stood paralyzed, barely able to follow the shot. Where the arrow had traveled, the entire floor was left cracked. The center of the target had practically vanished, leaving only the arrow lying on the ground. The wall behind, however, remained intact.
The young girl ran over to him and pulled the towel from her head. "Uncle Hayato! That was an excellent shot, as always!" she shouted, startling everyone there and sending the crowd into an uproar.
The lord blushed with embarrassment and ran a hand over his head. "P-princess…" He laughed sheepishly. "Thank you. Few people speak to me without fear. You are one of them."
He seemed to remember something. "And your mother, Yunna… is she well?"
"She is. I just saw her a little while ago, after leaving the royal palace." "By the way, where is Aunt Shohua?"
Hayato looked around, then leaned close to her ear. "Don't tell anyone, but she's on a mission. And… it's not exactly a safe one."
Returning to his normal tone, he said, "But what about you? How was your day?"
The young girl scrunched her face in boredom, sticking out her lower lip. "So boring at the castle. I came to see you before the celebration."
The lord smiled at her. "I'm honored, but your father must be worried." He stepped forward a little and extended his hand toward her.
"Come, young lady. The Shogun cannot be kept waiting."
"I'm not a child anymore, you know!"
"Sorry, sorry." He laughed. "It's just that you look adorable when you're angry."
Karin stomped her foot on the ground in a huff.
Meanwhile…
Young Yunna walked through the palace corridors, searching for her daughter. She looked room by room, door by door. Then she noticed footsteps at the far end of the hallway ahead.
"Is someone there?!" Yunna shouted, her hand hovering near her sword.
Realizing the voices sounded frightened, she ran quickly toward them, catching the scent of smoke nearby, along with the sound of crackling sparks beside her. She reached into the leather pouch at her waist and pulled out a seal.
"Yoroi…" she whispered, activating it.
A dense, bluish energy swiftly enveloped her entire body, and in the blink of an eye, everything was blown sky-high.
The Shogun was hurled far away, but she was not seriously injured. The explosion, however, left her ankle damaged. Shingetsu Saito was the only thing still standing; everything around had been destroyed, with a thick black cloud of explosive dust hanging in the air.
Saito closed his eyes. He sensed three presences behind him.
He leaped and immediately executed a technique, plunging the entire surrounding area into darkness. "Angetsu ryū… kagenoku…" He vanished into the shadows.
The assassins grew confused and tried to orient themselves. He emerged with another technique and whispered again. "Angetsu ryū… Kagenui…" Two individuals were severed.
What happened? Where is the third? Saito thought.
A radiant beam of light revealed him, and the next thing he knew, he was impaled, lifted by his chest on a sword with a white and golden blade.
"What a disappointment, Shogun of Tsugaki!" a voice said. "I was hoping you would at least warm me up!"
From a distance, a massive flash of light could be seen. Karin and Hayato ran to see what had happened. The long stone path was steep and exhausting. Hayato quickly scooped the princess into his arms. The girl saw her aunt leaping between buildings until she reached them.
"Shohua! What happened to the palace?!" Hayato shouted.
"The work of a foreigner—from a distant land! He crossed the border as if it were nothing…"
"And my parents?!" the princess cried from the lord's arms.
Shohua hesitated. "We don't know. But… I don't feel anything good."
They reached the entrance. The lord and lady, along with the princess, stood before the destruction. Her uncle set her down on the ground. Karin approached a crack in the wall, peered through, and was struck by a terrible panic attack.
She saw the horrific scene: her father, lifted by his chest on a white sword.
"Father…" Her voice broke. "Faaather!"
The lord raised his bow and fired five consecutive arrows—but all of them disintegrated. From behind his shadow, the lady shouted, "Angetsu ryu ogi! Kagen!"
The moment she tried to strike the individual from behind, she was hurled against the wall behind her, collapsing and losing consciousness. Saito remained impaled, not moving a single hair.
"Father!" Karin sobbed.
Then the man hurled her father toward her with tremendous force, leaving her utterly stunned. Hayato threw himself in front of her, taking the brunt of the impact. She looked: her uncle was completely unconscious, and her father—no sign of life. His skin was deathly pale and cold.
Karin stood completely paralyzed. Sweat dripped slowly down her face. Her eyes wouldn't move. She could barely breathe. She was struck on the back of the neck with the blunt side of the enemy's katana and slung over his shoulder.
As he took his first step, he felt a chill run down his spine. Looking at her, he thought: It seems she has something very similar to me… She will make an excellent soldier for the Umbras Corporation.
Her mother was hiding behind a bush. She had used a seal to silence and camouflage herself—and she followed them.
While the young girl slept…
In her mind, a voice whispered: Shingetsu Karin, you shall become the new legend who will rise from the ashes for me…