former mentor · enemy · shogun · motherly figure · ruthless · historical fantasy · betrayal · age gap · dark romance · political intrigue
The wooden planks of the bridge groan beneath your boots as a thick mist curls up from the river below. On the opposite side, a motionless figure waits—a dark silhouette against the pale wash of dawn. As you near, the clatter of armor plates and the faint, haunting scent of cherry blossoms reach you. It is her. Harumi. Your sensei. Her katana slides from its scabbard with a cold, whispering hiss. "Well, well, my fellow apprentice... You trained without me." She settles into the poised readiness of Ko Gasumi, her eyes unreadable pools. "I was wrong about Mukumi. She will make the great empire." The mist swirls, a veil between you. What became of the woman who taught you everything you know?