Hifune, a girl I met in a smoky village . The moment she saw her mother and the villagers killed in front of her, she was awakened. She became aware of the blood inside her. She had never held a sword since she was born and yet she was able to wipe out the vicious thieves.

　What I also liked about him was his gentle nature, showing mercy to the corpses of the bandits even when he killed them. No master swordsman could match that kind of spirit. No, only Sage Kamiizumi might have reached it. So Hifune was also her grandson.

　But she was still young. She was at an age when she would have been hard to live without the protection of adults. After their master's death, the disciples had no reason to be reluctant to help. Ronin and Toshiro try to make ends meet, but it is refused by Hifune. Instead, she begs him to teach her the sword.

"The sword?　Are you going to be a swordsman?

"Yes.

　Say shortly Hifune .

''I'm the granddaughter of the Swordsman, aren't I? Then you'll be a master swordsman.

"Earlier you were muscular against the bandits,

"When I saw my friends in the village and my mother's body, my blood boiled. The next thing I knew, I was holding a sword.
It's called The Awakening. Blood is blood, right?

　The earlier move of crossing swords with the thief was not that of an amateur, but was clearly a talent. If it was your first time holding a sword, your talent could be comparable to that of the Sword Sage Kamiizumi.

"If I may say so myself, I think I have a talent. I could be a swordsman.

The logic is right, but what does a woman have to do with mastering the way of the sword?

"Anachronism

　Hifune says good grief without changing his expression.
　On the other hand, Toushiro has a different opinion than Ronin.

The woman's skill with a sword is necessary in this troubled world. And she is the granddaughter of Master Kamiizumi. She must have great talent.

　Hearing those words, hyphenated, the woman tightly linked arms with Toushiro.

　Women have a soft spot in their hearts for sweet-talking men. They believe the words of a gentleman like Toshiro rather than the righteousness of a squalid man like Ronin.

Well, okay. Anyway, we can't leave you alone.

　Nodding twice with a nod of the head. And so we began to live together.


　A few years passed.

　Life for three people, a man and a woman, was different than it had been before. We ate whatever we ate and drank and slept together as long as there was meat and drink to be had, but not when you had a daughter old enough to sleep with. Renovate the master's pavilion and make a room for Hifune.

　I'll provide you with the right clothes. It's an outrageous expense, but I've never felt the pain. On the contrary, living with her was a lot of fun.

　Ronin and the others were not so good at cooking, so Hifune cooked for them.

I'm a culinary genius, despite my appearance.

　The hifune, who calls himself a "good friend" and turns a few ingredients into a feast.

　Ronin, who ate rudely and moaned, and Toushiro, who ate cleanly without wetting the tips of his chopsticks.

　The training the three of us did together was fun too.

　A large number of logs are poured downstream from upstream, and the one downstream cuts them down. They would take turns felling trees and cutting logs.

　Or the three of them would hunt the boar, the lord of the mountain. One of you will act as bait and lure it out, one of you will fight back and drive it away, and one of you will kill it. The boar is then taken apart and made into a boar pot.

　One day you will find a wounded lyunks and you will keep it. Because of the covetous look in his eyes. She was like a girl of her age and loved cute animals.

...... How old are you, by the way?

　One day, wondering, Ronin asks.

　Hyphen is the grandson of the master, but the master was a living spectral being for many years, and Hyphen's age was also unknown. She smiled mischievously and put her index finger to her lips

The "secret

　I said.

　Incidentally, the Kensei Kamiizumi looked about seventy years old. People in the village said that he hadn't changed his appearance for thirty years. They look like hermits...but there is a race in this world that specializes in battle. They fight until they die, so their youth is unusually long. Maybe Hifune is one of them.

"...... Exactly, they're both monsters.

　Ronin let out a breath while remembering his master.

　Thus the ordinary life goes on, but it was not forever. One day, the day of farewell will come. It's because the offer of an officer has come to Takashi. A messenger has come to take you in as a swordsmanship instructor for a small country.

　When he heard the offer, he didn't just say yes--he was rather distressed.

　Rather, he was troubled. Ask him why.



Why don't you take an officer's position. Aren't you a fine swordsman?

Let me pull it out. You don't think so.

"I don't want to serve the court. But if you're going to have a hyphen, you'd better settle down somewhere.

"I'm assuming the hyphen will follow me.

In fact, you'll follow me, right?

　When I looked, Hifune was getting ready to leave.

Surely he'll follow me. I'm surprised, though, as you seem to have taken to him.

"Oh man, you don't know a woman's mind.

　Ronin asks, looking out for himself.

But I didn't think you'd accept the hyphen," he says. I thought you would be a bad influence on my training.

　Hearing these words, Toushiro pondered for a moment and then said in a casual tone of voice: "That girl is my master's daughter.

"That girl is my master's daughter. Maybe she can help me master the inner workings of the art. I thought so. And if she gives birth to a child, a strong child will be born.

"............

　Ronin's tone was so indifferent that he was immensely disappointed, but Toushirō noticed and loosened his mouth.

I'm just kidding. I don't like children.

　Then he wants to shake your hand. I think he's decided on an officer.

I'll be an officer. And you will?

There's a mountain called Sumeru Mountain in the east. I heard that the gods are training there, so I'm going to go there.

"It's like going to a bar,

"It's not the gods that can train me.

"Swordsmanship is a foolish answer. By the way, the Book of Dragons, have you cracked the hidden code?
No, not at all. How about you?

Here too. The Book of Tigers is said to contain the spirit of Kamiizumi's style, but I can't find anything in it that leads to the depths.

I guess I'll just have to give up. Maybe it's a thankful reminder from my master that the best technique is to create it yourself.

Maybe .......

　Toushiro looked disappointed when he let out that.
　Ronin squeezed his hand as if to comfort him.
　It's not goodbye for now. It was the kind of handshake you'll see if you're still alive.
　After so many years of training together, the two part ways.

　It's true that their separation was not a lifelong farewell. However, that reunion is neither beautiful nor pleasant. On the contrary, it will be a slaughter of swords against each other. But they don't know that yet. At this point they were still "friends. At least that's what Ronin thought.




　More months have passed since then. Ronin took refuge at Mount Sumeru and became a god.
　Tohshiro served a country and became a swordsmanship instructor.

　Hifune apprenticed with him and became a respected swordsman.
　Everything seems to be going well, but there is one person who is not satisfied.
　He rose to a respectable position in society.
　He mastered the art of the sword and was respected by all.
　He was adored by disciples like his daughter.
　But he had a hunger that was unfulfilled. She had a hunger that never ran dry.


"I wanted to be stronger. I want to acquire the inner wisdom left by my master.


　I was beginning to think so.
　That thought grew stronger day by day, until one day it exploded.
　When he called for his brother, he pulled out his sword and slashed at him.
　It was an experiment to recreate his master's secret technique. He ripped through his brothers with his sword. The two brothers, who were far apart in strength, were cut down one by one.

You aren't good at living. That's why I'll kill you!

"Shhh, master ......, why are you suddenly ......

　One of the older brothers says breathlessly.

You didn't come out of nowhere. From the start you've been an experiment in proficiency. Why else would I take any disciple other than 'Hifune'?

　I can see the madness in his eyes. Maybe the farmer who beat him to death and robbed him of his vegetables as a child had the same eyes.

　Did the man go mad at this moment, or was he mad all along?

　The dojo is bathed in a sea of blood, but as he cuts down the fourth brother, Toushiro realizes that he's not the only one.



After all, one must have the Book of Dragons and Tigers as one in order to master the secrets of the art.
　And .
　I noticed that


　It was raining.
　It rained endlessly.

　It seemed to freeze this world in place, but Hifune walked on, not caring. She had been asked by her master, Toshiro, to run a messenger for him.

　Hifune was on his way to Mt. Sumeru with a secret mission to find Ronin, who had become the god of the sword. His mission is to find Ronin there, but when he arrives at Sumeru, he finds that he has been mishandled.

　The villagers at the foot of Mt. Sumeru tell him that Ronin has left to meet Toushiro. I heard that they were saying something about the news of the insects: .......

Totally out of time. Ronin is always like that.

　Remembering the day we said goodbye, Hikune turned back the way he had come, but on the way, his footsteps quickened. For some reason I had a bad feeling.

...... I smell blood.

　Of course, there were no dead bodies around. But I can only think that the sixth sense stimulated Hyphen's sense of smell and he could smell something far away. It is paranormal, but it can only be interpreted as such, so much so that Hifune's heart lurched.

...... why. What is this feeling ......

　Fighting down his horrible heart, he returns to the dojo, only to find his former "family" there, clutching the bloody sword.

　Ronin, the god of the sword, is standing in the dojo. In front of him lie the bodies of Hifune's brother apprentices.

　His hair stands on end. I can see the faces of my mother and the villagers who were once killed by the bandits.
　Who in the world would do this!

　I confront Ronin about the culprit, but he is mute. He looks at his right hand and sees a familiar book. It's the Book of the Tiger. It's covered in blood.

It was also covered in blood. ...... No way.

　Before you can confront Ronin, you open the sliding door of the dojo. It was the bloody corpse of my master.

You have my father in your hands!　You killed my father to keep the Book of Dragon and Tiger to yourself!

　Ronin did not react to those caustic words.
　He just looked at her with sad eyes and said.

"I killed Toshiro, that's a fact. I make no excuses.

　You'll be able to take the dragon's book that Toushiro had been clutching.

Even if I told you that, you wouldn't be convinced. Let's have a fight here.

　Hyphne immediately draws her sword and slashes at you. I've trained with Ronin and his skills are not that far apart. If it was me now, I would win, so I unleashed a blow, but the God of Swords and Hifune's abilities were farther apart than I had imagined.

　With a single blow, Ronin said he would stun Hifune.

I won't ask you to forgive me. On the contrary...you should hate me. The Book of Dragons and Tigers is yours. Read it and learn the master's secret techniques. Then you can challenge me again. Use the secret technique to kill me. It is your destiny.

　Ronin says this and walks away.
　In his waning consciousness, he says

"Well, wait. ...... Ronin ......

　Eventually he lost consciousness completely, but when he woke up a few moments later, amidst the blood and guts, a vengeance washed over him.