It was early in the morning when the commissioner of the Yashiro Commission, Kamisato Ayato was making himself ready to leave the estate. Saying his goodbyes to his younger sister Ayaka and retainer Thoma, the tall man left the estate and made his way to Ritou, the entry point to Inazuma and the territory of the Kanjou Commission, the Commission responsible for enforcing the Sakoku Decree and Inazuma's financial affairs.
On his way, he thought about why he had to shortly abandon his duty as Yashiro Commissioner.
Flashback
"Shura, do you have a moment?", Ayato asked as he approached Shura who seems to carve something out of wood.
"Sure, what is it?", Shura said, putting the wooden statue down while turning to the blue-haired man.
"You already know about the upcoming festive activities, but as you know I'm very busy on my own and Ayaka needs some help with the financial management-", Ayato said but was then interrupted by Shura.
"I see so you need more money... don't worry, I got ya back", Shura said with a mischievous smile.
"That's not what I-", Ayato wanted to continue but was interrupted by Shura again.
"Shshshsh, I understand don't worry. I got it. Itto and I will get the money, but you need to be okay with everything that we do."
A long sigh escaped Ayato who shortly thought about it. He knows Shura is an intelligent man so even with Itto around, he can be trusted to not mess things up. And so, he agreed.
"Okay, but please don't do something reckless with Itto..."
Flashback end
Eventually, Ayato began to have some doubts and went to look after Shura himself. Why he doesn't send someone else after Shura? Well, Shura tends to not listen to many people. Ayato is one of the few exceptions.
As he walked through the streets of Ritou, he looked everywhere to find the person he was looking for. Eventually, he found Shura alongside their friend Arataki Itto, a tall Oni leading his self-established gang known as the "Arataki Gang", playing a card game. Aside from the tall man, three other men accompanied the two, these are Akira, Genta, and Mamoru, the other gang members. At first sight, nothing seems wrong to the Yashiro Commissioner until he saw against who they are gambling. On the other side of the table sat an officer of the Kanjou Commission and three more Kanjou Commission soldiers. In the middle of the table, was a huge pile of Mora. Ayato immediately went to him to ask for an explanation.
"Shura! Itto! What are you two doing? And how much Mora did you set!?". Ayato exclaimed, also shocking the soldiers of the enemy commission.
"Not only Mora!", Itto exclaimed and pointed at the top of the pile.
Ayato took a closer look at the pile and when he saw what was placed at the very top, his eyes widened. An orange-yellowish glowing orb, decorated with gold ornaments laid on top of the mountain of money, this was Arataki Itto's Geo Vision.
"Did you set Itto's Vision as a stake!?", Ayato was shocked.
"Heh, that's right! Not only his Vision and Mora but also the freedom of his friends!", the Kanjou officer stated arrogantly before throwing some more of his Mora onto the pile. Shura looked at the man, his arrogant smirk. He knows that Shura already has set all of his money, but then the white-haired man did something unexpected.
"I set Kamisato Ayato's Vision!"
"What!?", Ayato yelled completely shocked, as not only the members of the Arataki Gang but also the Kanjou soldiers looked at him as if Shura has lost his mind.
Shura then signalized Ayato to come closer and showed him the cards in his hand. Again, Ayato's widened in shock, before his face changed to a self-confident smile. Then Yashiro Commissioner did the most unexpected thing. He reached for the golden rope on which his Hydro Vision hangs and grabbed his Vision before laying it on top of the pile, right next to Itto's.
"I think, the game should come to an end", Shura said.
With a nervous look on his face, the officer agreed and both placed their cards on the table. While the Kanjou officer had luck with a good hand, Shura won with the best possible hand.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!", Itto began to laugh and the rest of the gang also began to laugh while the Kanjou soldiers went into the phase of denial, not believing that they just lost their whole salary for the last three months to a group of hooligans.
And so Itto grabbed his Vision as well as Ayato and then they split the money into even parts. Ayato and Shura then left Ritou together as the Arataki Gang went back to wherever they live. On their way, Ayato engaged in a conversation with the man of Ashina.
"So this is what you meant. That I have to be okay with whatever you do", Ayato said with a light chuckle.
"Yes. I just thought it would be right to get at least some money that is stolen by the Kanjou Commission back if we want to hold a fest for the people."
They continued their walk in silence until Ayato began to speak again.
"Shura... can't you think about it again?", Ayato suddenly asked.
"About what?", Shura asked back.
"About my sister...", Ayato continued but stopped, thinking deeply about his next words.
"If it's about the Vision Hunt Decree, no I won't think about it again."
"Nono, that's not what I mean...", Ayato let out a long sigh, "it was so sudden when you break off the engagement with Ayaka, ever since then we were asking ourselves why, after all, it was for the future of both Clans."
"Shouldn't we focus more on our current situation, instead of digging in the past? I'm sure you as the Yashiro Commissioner have a lot of work to do", Shura dodged the question.
"But-", Ayato began but was then interrupted by a female voice.
"Brother! I've some good news!", Ayaka called out happily as they now reached the Kamisato Estate.
"Oh, really?", Ayato asked as he turned to his sister.
"Yes! Oh, and Shura, Guuji Yae was here and asked for you, she wants to see you at the Grand Narukami Shrine", the younger Kamisato sibling said.
"Uh, did she say why she needs me?", Shura asked annoyed.
"No, she didn't."
Another annoyed sigh escaped Shura before turning around and making his way to the bottom of the "stairs" that lead to the Shrine at the top of the mountain.
"It is not nice of her to let you climb all the stairs when she knows about your sickly condition...", Ayaka said worriedly.
'She knows the truth, that's why... that evil vixen...', Shura thought.
And so Shura climbed up all the "stairs" to the Grand Narukami Shrine. As he finally made it up he walked through the many torii gates until he was greeted by the sight of one of the shrine maidens. She had a warm and welcoming smile on her face, yet as she saw Shura's annoyed and exhausted appearance, a sweatdrop ran down her face, yet her smile remained the same.
"W-welcome to the Grand Narukami Shrine-", the shrine maiden began but Shura interrupted her.
"Where's that priestess?", Shura asked still annoyed and exhausted.
"I-in front of the Sacred Sakura...", the woman said a bit afraid of the man.
Shura then turned away from her and made his way through the shrine until he found himself in front of the Sacred Sakura, a sakura tree in form of a fox. There, he sees a woman with pink hair, fox ears, two golden earrings, one of them being her Electro Vision, and a shrine maiden uniform that's not like any other at the shrine. This is Yae Miko, the head priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine, a fox envoy and servant of the Electro Archon.
"Ah, there you are my dear Shura!", Miko said delightedly as she saw the white-haired man.
Shura let out another sigh, right now, he wants nothing more than just to go back to the estate.
"What do you want?", Shura asked.
"No need to be so aggressive~", Miko said with a smirk, only annoying Shura.
"The herbs you told me about have finally arrived today. I thought I should call you over as soon as they have been delivered", Miko continued which calmed Shura a bit down.
"At least it's something important this time..."
"Oh my! When didn't I call you if it wasn't important, my dear Shura~?"
"...", Shura didn't say anything to not give the Kitsune more powder to fire.
"Didn't you want me to make some medicine?", Shura then asked.
"Yes, please follow me," Miko said now a bit more serious.
Following the fox envoy into the shrine building, Shura saw several herbs and other things he needs to make medicine. He started immediately while Miko watched everything.
"Can you teach me to make this Ashina medicine too?", Miko asked, this time in a normal voice without any teasing.
"No, because I can't teach you. If so I would need the scriptures that she entrusted to me, and since you only leave your comfy mountain to look after your little publishing house, I can't. And taking my esoteric texts outside of my room is a no-go."
"Aww, okay. Anyway, I'm glad that I have such a lovely and kind friend helping me~", Miko said as she also hugged the man from behind.
"Miko."
"Yes~"
"Stop it."
"How about no~"
"How about I cut some of your fur?"
"Okay, I stop..."
"Also I need a bit more of the medicine this time. You now as payment", Shura said with a serious expression.
"How much more?", Miko asked confused.
"50 percent, instead of the usual 25."
"Oh my, that's a lot... why do you need so much more so sudden? No, I think I already know why you need it. Fufu~, it's truly a shame that only a few know about this side of you, my dear Shura~"
'Why does she have to be this way!?', was the only thing Shura thought.
"Okay, you can have half of the medicine. The other half should be enough for now."
"Good, then I'll take my leave now."
"Before you go, have you heard about the Traveler?", Miko asked.
"The are a lot of travelers in the world", Shura answers, trying to be like Miko for once.
"You know exactly who I mean", Miko said unamused.
"Ayaka told me about him. I don't know why she thinks that this Traveler could be of any help."
"Oh? And why would you think that way, my dear Shura?"
"Simply because he has no reason to engage in this war, except he has a helper syndrome. But if you ask me that way, then I guess you think the same as Ayaka..."
"Well, I'm sure that he will play an essential role in abolishing the decree."
"You said the exact same thing to me."
"Shush! You of course are important too!"
Shura sighed at Miko's words before he stood up from the floor.
"Is there anything else that you have to tell me?"
"Yes. Yesterday, I could hear an official of the Tenryou Commission bragging about a shrine treasure that they have stolen from your home. You know where you can find it."
"I see... thank you, Miko."
And so Shura left the Grand Narukami Shrine and headed back to the Kamisato Estate. He quickly went into it unseen by neither the guards nor the Kamisato siblings. Taking his sword and an outfit consisting out of some ragged clothes that normally nobody would wear. Alongside his ragged clothes Shura puts on a mask, with the most significant characteristic, the long nose, the nose similar to that of a Tengu.
As swiftly as he came, he vanished, making his way to Inazuma city. Unseen, leaving no trace or anything, Shura reached the Tenryou Commission headquarter, which is placed right next to the Tenshukaku, the palace of the Electro Archon.
Upon seeing a few guards he looked at their facial features before shaking his head.
"You're not part of my war", Shura quietly said as he sneaked around the guards into the building.
Today is a meeting among the heads of three commissions therefore there are fewer guards in the headquarters as most of them are needed in the throneroom of the Shogun. Thanks to that, Shura had it easy to reach his destination. Luckily for him, one of the supporting clan members is late for their meeting.
Glancing into the room, Shura could see the man holding a heavy, black iron axe in his hands. Waiting for a moment to see the face of the man, Shura could confirm his target. Silently drawing his sword, Shura sneaked up to him before performing a deathblow, killing his target.
As the dying body fell to the ground, Shura quickly grabbed the axe before it could hit the ground. Looking at the weapon as if he finally reunites with an old friend, his lips curled into a smile beneath his mask. Snapping back to reality, Shura left the headquarters without being seen by anyone and went back to the Kamisato Estate.
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Meanwhile, in Tenshukaku, the three Clan heads, as well as the general of the army, have gathered. A woman with long purple hair gazed with her amethyst-like eyes at them, sitting on her throne. Blank of any emotion, the Raiden Shogun took part in the meeting. Luckily for some of them, the topic of the civil war could be avoided as the thematic of the meeting was "merely" the taxes. Yet they couldn't start the meeting as they were still waiting for someone.
"Why does he take so long?", one of the elderly men asked.
At the same moment, a guard entered the throne room. Bowing to her Excellency, the young male spoke.
"S-sir Nakamura... is dead", he nervously spoke, shocking the heads of the Tri-Commissions, yet, the Raiden Shogun seems to be unfazed by his message.
"How could this happen!?", Kujou Takayuki, the head of the Kujou Clan and Commissioner of the Tenryou Commission demanded.
"H-he was murdered... a precise stab right through his heart..."
"Who did this!?", the Tenryou Commissioner yelled again.
"We don't know it for sure, but it's similar to the deaths caused by... the Tengu of Ashina..."
Shocked by this news, the Commissioners immediately decided to discuss this matter instead of their original topic, except for Ayato who was deep in his thoughts. During the whole time, it looked like the Shogun hasn't done anything, but this was only on the outside. Someone else's interest was picked at the mention of Ashina.
'Ashina... it has been so long since I last heard that name...', she said in her mind with growing interest the longer she thinks about it.
Eventually, the Tri-Commission ended their dispute about the Tengu of Ashina.
"Sara, you must find this Tengu of Ashina! He must be brought to justice!", Takayuki yelled at the general of the Shogunate's army.
Looking up to the throne, she saw the Shogun giving her approval.
"I'll make sure to capture this imposter, so the Almighty Shogun can punish him for his crimes!"
TO BE CONTINUED!
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