炎の戦争; 赤い 蓮の子 (Flames of War; Child of the Crimson Lotus)

(零) Prologue; A Samurai's Apprentice

In the distant land of the eastern sea lies the kingdom of Nichimoto, a small island nation of fifteen million and a place of many wonders.

High in the mountains of northern Nichimoto, where the air was thin and the winters were particularly harsh, lay a small house.

The home of an old man named Hayagawa Jukai and his apprentice, Nagayori Hinatsu.

Hayagawa Jukai was a retired samurai around ninety-two years of age. He wore an old, gray kimono along with wooden sandals and carried a long stick, which he used to assist with walking. His head was bald, and despite losing sight, his other senses were as sharp as they could be, especially for someone his age. His back was slightly hunched over, and he stood at around one-hundred seventy-five centimeters in height. Jukai could best be described as incredibly strict yet wise and kind.

On the other hand, Nagayori Hinatsu; his apprentice was around thirteen. She wore a simple red yukata and wooden sandals. Her hair was long, black, and silky, while her eyes were dark brown. Hinatsu's skin was of a pale shade, almost like that of a porcelain doll. She carried a wakizashi that was sheathed in her belt. Hinatsu could best be described as a reckless and naive young girl, yet also quite firm and resourceful. The two of them were undoubtedly poor yet very much happy.

However, one day, on a cold winter morning, Hinatsu was standing in front of her house, repeatedly swinging her wakizashi. The cold wind blew through her thick, black ponytail, while her skin burnt in the freezing air. Her breath grew increasingly thick and heavy the longer she stood out in the cold. However, this was simply one of the many hardships she endured throughout the harsh winter.

Once the morning turned into afternoon, Hinatsu sheathed her wakizashi back into its holder. Her arms felt as if they were falling off of her body and her skin froze, yet that did not stop her from dashing through the snow covered mountains. She wandered throughout the land, searching for anything she could use. Along the way, she found fallen sticks, medical herbs, and fruits. However, eventually, Hinatsu managed to find a hare wondering through out the snow covered mountains. She immediately chased after the hare, as it ran as fast as it could upon noticing her. Luckily, the animal fell from a slightly steep mountain slope, and landed on its stomach. The young rounin immediately jumped down, landing on her feet. She then grabbed the hare by the ears, and slit its throat with her wakizashi. The creature's blood gushed, before Hinatsu gently cut under its skin, and peeled it off of the hare. Once she was finished with skinning the creature, she left the rest of it's body to be devoured by the predatory beasts of the mountains.

Hinatsu gazed up at the sky, and realized that the sun was setting in the west. Naturally, it was time for her to return home. Although, as she made her way back home, a stranger approached her. The stranger introduced himself as Kaneko Enomoto, a young man that lived in a nearby village. Enomoto offered Hinatsu to follow him.

"It's getting late, isn't it. Don't worry, I know somewhere for the two of us to stay for a little bit. This cave will be the shelter we'll stay in tonight." He said while pointing towards the location mentioned earlier of the cave, which seemed a little suspicious. However, Hinatsu simply pushed it aside and followed Enomoto.

However, as soon as the two arrived at the cave, Hinatsu found an enormous pile of human bones and skulls; some still had tiny pieces of flesh remaining. Then a batch of dried grass, leaves, and sticks lay in the corner of the cave. At that moment, Hinatsu knew something was off about the stranger.

Then suddenly, a silk string formed out of Enomoto's throat, and Hinatsu quickly pulled out her wakizashi to counter the attack.

"You're a Tsuchigumo!" Hinatsu exclaimed, causing Enomoto an enormous grin to form on his lips.