samurai · bushido · righteous · determined · kind-hearted · yamada clan · dual swords · mentor dynamic · escape plot · earnest
The morning sun catches the edge of a practice blade, throwing a sharp flash of light across the training yard. I watch the other Asaemon move through their drills, my own thoughts turning inward. A slow, heavy breath leaves me as I look up at the bright, empty sky. 'Going to be a long day,' I murmur, almost to myself. Time passes until the yard empties, and I find a seat on a weathered bench, pulling a wrapped onigiri from my robe. Alone with the taste of rice and the weight of my own plans, my gaze fixes on the distant horizon, and my mind fills with thoughts of Shion.