A young man wearing a plain indigo kimono passed under the huge gate of the city of Okachi. A bamboo hat protected him from the light of the setting sun. Since the summer weather was warm and moist, many of the people around him cooled themselves with paper fans. The adolescent waited for his turn with a calm demeanor and once it came, he presented a small scroll to the officer before him. The soldier’s eyes flared with recognition as he read the document. Without any further question, the guard let the youth through the guard post.

Within the town, the young man found himself at the bottom of the main street of Okachi. The road went all the way to the top of the hill where the domain of the Tsuchiya clan overlooked the city. On both sides stood old Japanese-styled shops whose employees welcomed their clients with energy. Though he carried a red bundle on his back, he avoided the passers-by with agility.

After the young man looked around, he headed toward a large wooden building. Inside, people were seated around low tables on top of wooden platforms. Though the setting was sober, the cleanness made for a pleasant atmosphere. The customers seemed to belong to a large array of professions, from peddlers to farmers, and were enjoying their meals in a cheerful fashion. Upon his entry, a middle-aged woman greeted the newcomer with a courteous smile.

“Welcome! Are you accompanied?” She asked after bowing.

“Unfortunately, no.” He answered while he watched the crowd, as if looking for someone.

“Allow me to show you to your seat.” The hostess continued before she led him to a small table in a corner of the room. The teenager removed the straps holding the package on his back and sat cross-legged on a square cushion. “Can I take your order?” The woman asked as he laid his red wrapping next to him.

“Today’s special and green tea, please.” The young man, who seemed in his late teens, put down his bamboo hat and revealed long black hair tied in a ponytail. Dark fingerless gloves with silver embroideries covered his hands.

“Understood.” She bowed and left.

The young man’s red eyes followed her as she went back to the reception desk. A tall swordsman with a scarred face was being led to a table where three other patrons were already seated. The warrior was well-built and his wild appearance made him intimidating. While the teenager rubbed his chin, he tried to recognize some of the men, without success. Since he supposedly knew most of the experienced Will users in the area, he should have been able to identify them.

A few minutes later, the hostess came back with a tray. She set down a large clay bowl filled with a colorful stew on the low table. The dish emitted a flavorsome steam and the young man grinned in anticipation.

“Please enjoy your meal.” The woman said after she poured him a cup of hot tea.

“Thank you.” He replied with a handsome smile. As she bowed, her cheeks reddened a little. She then left.

After the young man waited a moment for his meal to cool down, he took his chopsticks in his gloved hands and began to eat with a joyful expression. The half-cooked radish, carrot and cabbage had kept a crunchy texture while having absorbed the flavor from the marinated pork. In addition, the soup had a slight spicy taste due to the ginger straps and pepper put into it.

As a piece of tofu was melting in his mouth, clamorous laughter echoed in the room. The adolescent frowned and raised his head. The disturbance came from the scarred swordsman’s table. The men were drinking from various bottles while talking in a loud manner. Most of the customers seemed disturbed by the outburst so a hostess went over the noisy party. After her intervention, the rowdies calmed down but they still looked excited.

The young man shrugged and resumed his meal. After the adolescent had eaten the last bit of his stew, he heaved a delightful sigh. For a while, he simply enjoyed the feeling of having satiated his hunger. As he was taking a sip of his tea, a burly man came to meet him.

“Good day, master Shojiro.” Kira said before coming.

“Good day, young Lord Kira.” The innkeeper said before he sat next the table. The bald man set down two cups and the young man picked up one of them. As he held it before him, the older man poured sake from a white porcelain flask into it. Then the roles were reversed. When the two of them had been served, they toasted and drank their wine.

“Not bad at all. You are always so formal though.” Kira said with a grin.

“I would rather not anger Lady Ren. Or worse, the Elder.” The owner said as the young man chuckled.

“I understand your predicament, really. I did come back a bit earlier than intended because I really wanted to have a taste of your summer pot. The priests at Mizuba temple are nice people but their culinary skill is somewhat lacking.” The teenager said.

“I can understand that! Those guys only eat raw vegetables, bland rice and raw fish.” The bald man laughed before he finished his beverage.

“Your shop is always packed however it seems a lot of things happened during the past month. Who are those guys?” Kira asked while pouring sake into his companion’s empty cup. His eyes watched the group of noisy people at the other side of the room.

“They are retainers of the Kitano clan. A lot of new faces came in town the last few weeks.” The stout man bore an annoyed expression. “They’re troublemakers but I cannot do anything about it. Those guys are getting more and more confident.”

“I see.”

While the two men were talking, the light outside faded and the employees lit various lanterns inside the room. Even with the evening breeze, the weather was still very warm.

“I wondered if you could check up on my nephew.” Shojiro asked with a worried look.

“Of course, there is no problem.” After his answer, the old man made a head gesture toward a child who stood next to the kitchen’s entrance. The boy, who looked about seven years old, gave the bottles he was holding to a nearby woman and came toward them. Even though his clothes seemed of good facture, he looked tired and thin. When he bowed, the young lord could see his uneasiness.

When the boy came before him, Kira grabbed the wrist of the child and felt his pulse. The young man then closed his eyes. As his energy reached out to the boy’s, he could feel the disturbance caused by the soul sickness. The negative energy was in a relative still state. “You are getting better. As long as you do not put too much strain on your body, you are going to be fine. Is he still drinking the tea?”

“Yes. Thank you so much.” The older man answered with obvious gladness in his voice.

“It is nothing really, do not worry. It is really good practice for me.” Kira added as he shrugged. “If I have enough time this week, I will try to help up a bit at master Togai’s clinic. I will make more.”

After the boy bowed, he returned to his post near the kitchen with a more lively expression. A woman brought them a plate filled with thin slices of meat arranged in a neat fashion. The men enjoyed the grilled pieces of chicken marinated in sweet soy sauce while they drank their rice wine.

“Would you honor us by playing the shamisen?” Shojiro asked him when the dish

“Well, my skills are not really that good.” Kira answered with humility.

“They are still better than those of most musicians you can find around here.”

After Kira chuckled, he moved back a few inches and knelt. The young man reached out to the red bundle at his side and unwrapped its content. As he took out a black and white shamisen, he stared at it with loving eyes. The musician drew out his pick from his under his belt before he tuned the three-stringed instrument with swift strokes. Then he started.

The song started peaceful yet playful. Most of the customers in the restaurant went silent and enjoyed the unexpected performance with enthusiasm. As soon as the young man closed his eyes, he abandoned himself fully to the music. Kira thought of travels and unknown sceneries, majestic mountains and calm seas. As the tune changed and become more playful, a smile grew on his lips.

For a long moment, the musician went on and the stars began to shine in the dark sky. The only voices one could hear inside the room were coming from the scarred swordsman table. Meanwhile the other customers simply ate their meals with pleased expressions, though a good number of them often glared at the noisy men. Passers-by stopped in front of the building and peeked inside the restaurant with curiosity. Some even entered and took a seat to enjoy the melody.

‘Aren’t they a little too loud?’ Kira thought without interrupting his song. He watched them for a while as they kept drinking and become louder. The bottles they were passing each other were not sold by the restaurant. The young man frowned for a short while as he saw money being exchanged between the men.

When the young man put down his shamisen, the customers resumed their discussions at a slow pace. A lot of men gave him appreciative looks and bowed their heads in thanks. At this time, the noisy group had just left the inn.

“Thank you for your performance. You are always improving at a steady pace, I really am envious.” The owner declared while he stared at the beautiful instrument.

“It was a pleasure. The merit is not mine, I had a good master.” Kira said as he returned the shamisen into its red bundle. “Sorry, I have to leave.” He grabbed his belongings and got on his feet.

“Your meal is on me, young lord. It is cheap payment for listening to your music.” The older man announced as he stood.

While Kira walked toward the exit, he picked up a grey bottle from the noisy table with a swift hand. The owner accompanied him outside and bowed. The atmosphere was calm as a lot less people were walking on this district. The city gate had been closed.

The young man noticed the scarred swordsman silhouette a few meters away. He and another man headed toward a side street. Kira set his bamboo hat on his head and followed the group.

‘What is this?’ Kira thought while he looked at the empty flask. After the young man put a drop of the liquid on his palm, he focused his internal sight on the liquid. ‘So it is infused liquor…. Even back on Earth that thing was banned since the cumulated effects of alcohol and ether overcharge were disastrous. It wrecked lives no matter how it was produced.’

He brought his hand to his nose to smell the beverage.

‘It’s quite possible to make soulsilver tea liquor but this is not it. The odor is different too and you don’t get that kind of response with a normal infusing. How did they make this? There isn’t enough left for me to properly analyze this.’ He frowned.

After a while, Kira saw the two swordsmen talking with a group of denizens in worker’s clothes in a dark alley. Again, money changed hands. The scarred warrior took out a small grey bottle from under his kimono and gave it to the other party. When the townsfolk left, the young man walked toward the remaining men.

“Hello there.” Kira approached, laid back. Only the moon lit the area and the youth could not even determine the color of their kimonos. From up close, the scarred man was very tall. His companion was shorter but also quite brawny.

“Who’s that guy?” The scarred man asked his friend.

“It’s the whelp from the Tsuchiya clan.” The other man answered after he stared at the newcomer.

“So that’s him.”

“Yes. People say he wants to become a priest or a physician. They sure have fallen if they can’t even raise their own children properly!”

For some time, the tall warrior watched the adolescent with his arms crossed. His imposing stature as well as the katana at his side made a menacing combination. Meanwhile, the other laughed, a hand settled on his blade’s sheath. However, Kira did not seem impressed by the two men.

“I’m not looking for trouble. To be honest, I’m kind of interested with what you have there. Care to show me?” The teenager asked with a grin.

“Mind your own business.” The big swordsman answered in a threatening tone.

“Come on… I just want to have a looksee. It’s not like it’s something illegal like infused liquor.”

“You bastard!” The other man almost shouted.

“I’m not going to stop your little business and the Tsuchiya clan is surely already aware of your trade. Also, I’m willing to pay for it. See, there is no reason for you to refuse.” Kira shrugged.

“No way, scram kiddo.” The bigger fellow gestured him to leave.

“I really want it though.”

“And what are you going to do? Are you going to hit us with your shamisen?” The other dealer grabbed Kira’s collar with a firm hand and tried to lift his slender frame off the ground. He looked under the adolescent bamboo hat. “Are you even a man?”

Kira raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you so contentious?” He asked while he looked at his aggressor’s garb. He noticed a cylindrical item inside the man’s vest. He smirked.

Suddenly, Kira kicked the man the between the legs. With a quick movement, he slid his hand inside the kimono and grabbed the object of his interest. The dealer grunted in pain as his body arched and did not notice the larceny.

“Are you all right?” The young lord asked as he tilted his head.

“I’ll kill you.” The swordsman answered while he gritted his teeth.

“Don’t be like that. Well, good evening gentlemen. It has been a pleasure.” Kira turned around before he started to walk away.

The scarred man glared at him but did not move. He even glared at his companion with a condescending expression.

‘What’s this? That’s not a flask.’ The adolescent thought after he examined his booty. It was a piece of rolled paper with a bird emblem. He heard rustling coming from the two men. Kira knew that symbol and his heartbeat went faster. It belonged to one of the major clans of the Empire of Iroha.

When Kira glanced back, the man groped his own body. He was looking for the document with an anxious look.

“He’s got the scroll! Get him!” He shouted.

“We were not to openly clash with the Tsuchiya.” The scarred dealer commented.

“We can’t let him go now that he knows!” His associate added before he charged at Kira.

Without waiting any further, the other man dashed after his companion. As their target began to run away, they both unsheathed their blades and used their Wills. The streets lit up as the dealers’ bodies emitted unnatural flames. Due to their auras, they quickly caught up with the adolescent.

‘What the hell did I just…? Are they serious?!’ Kira thought as he took out the long silver tantō hidden inside is kimono to parry the incoming strike. In his mind, he pictured a diagram and stabilized his breathing. When he welcomed the Will inside his soul, swirls of energy danced around him. With the fusion, his blade blocked his opponent’s flaming sword in a blinding clash. The hit released a heat wave and Kira stepped back. They exchanged blows for a while and the young man’s face showed intense concentration. On the contrary, the scarred warrior did not show any signs of tension.

Some of the denizens had been alerted by the battle, but ordinary people would not involve themselves in such a fight.

‘He’s good. Even with the defensive abilities of Swirl, I can barely defend myself. Damn.’ Kira said to himself as he backed off to avoid the small black clouds formed by the strikes. Using the deflecting abilities of his Will, he parried the blows so as to minimize the impacts. However, his hand was starting to numb under the succession of hits and sweat trickled down his cheeks. After the smaller dealer finally arrived, he tried to get around him in a pincer formation.

When Kira noticed, his aura suddenly changed and bolts of lightning appeared on his silhouette. After a quick look around him, he charged toward a building on the side and smashed the door open with his shoulder. He had chosen the house because it was a blacksmith shop. Horseshoes, farm tools and various other metallic objects were put down on shelves around the room.

As his opponent caught up, the young man stood behind a big anvil.

‘Even with Lightning, he’s faster than me. Who’s that guy? Damn. I hate those Fire and Earth styles!’ The tall swordsman had been on his trail and had caught up quickly.

Kira’s heart was pounding fast. He had not foreseen this turn of events. When the adolescent had decided to follow the men, he had expected a few hits but not a fight to the death. In Okachi, no one would attack him in fear of the Tsuchiya clan. He was not sure if stalling the fight any further would be at his advantage. His family did not fully control this part of the city.

“I have nothing against you but I need you to die.” The dealer said as he slowly circled around the block of iron.

“Next time, maybe?” The young man asked before he held his silver dagger between his teeth. He took a fighting stance.

When the scarred warrior raised his blade to strike, Kira channeled his energy into his gloved hands. They formed swift and intricate gestures. Swirl and Lightning cohabited within his soul as he dodged his opponent’s blade. Then he released the two forces toward the anvil next to him. As bolts of lightning whirled around the slab of iron, it attracted the katana with an irresistible power and the weapon sticked on it. Various nearby metallic objects were also pulled toward it.

Immediately, the teenager’s jaw released his tantō. Kira grabbed the weapon and slashed at his opponent’s forearm while the man tried to recover his weapon. The Kitano clan retainer’s aura changed and became a compact dusty mist. He tried to evade the swing but it was a moment too late. The blade had already bit deeply into the limb and only a strap of flesh was keeping it from falling.

Without a pause, Kira charged at his foe and stabbed him the stomach as the dealer’s aura was weakening due the anguish caused by the deep wound. After he twisted the screeching blade, the scarred man fell on his knees with a surprised look. Though a desperate punch hit the side the youth’s head, the dagger had already done its work. When the agonizing swordsman tried to talk, blood came out of his mouth and the light in his eyes faded. Breathless, Kira moved back to watch the black mist form over the corpse.

At this moment, the second man entered the building and watched the scene with an amazed expression.

“How?” He muttered with a frown.

Meanwhile, Kira rubbed his bruised cheek and released the tension caused by the fight. He observed the man with an inquisitive look.

“You’d better leave.”

His opponent’s face betrayed his interior conflict. Then the man’s eyes hardened and he strengthened his grasp on his sword. His flaming aura intensified and shadows danced on the walls.

“I will show you the secret techniques of the Molten Soul Style.”

“Okay.” Kira said with a nonchalant air before he sheathed his blade in his belt. He channeled his defensive aura and his energy was spinning around him.

When the man started to swing his katana, he released two discharges of Swirl next to the swordsman with quick hand gestures. The disturbance compressed the air before it released the force in an instant. Just as the blast threw the man off balance, Kira drew his dagger and deflected the blade. After the young man pushed the weapon upward, he passed under the sword, swaying his body. The swirls became lightning bolts and he moved forward to his foe’s blind spot. With enhanced speed, he slashed deeply at his opponent’s side. On impact, his aura condensed and the blade emitted a sharp screech.

The dealer howled in pain and stepped back to avoid the second strike.

“Earthen House Serene Tempest Style, Whirling Leaf. It was really crude though.” Kira declared with a smirk. After this exchange, he knew his new opponent was nowhere near as good as the previous one.

The dealer’s face become distorted by anger and pain as he held his weapon before him with unsteady hands.

“You’re a spell caster.”

Kira shrugged and moved forward, his tantō pointed at the man. The Kitano retainer turned around and exited by the door. The young man ran after him and heard a muffled scream.

Outside, the man was hanged on a wooden pole, sticking out of the building roof, by a thin thread. Clad in a faint purple aura, a young woman stood nearby and pulled on the end of the strings. As she released the wires, her amber eyes glared at Kira with an annoyed expression. The lifeless body fell on the ground with a thud.

“Hey Setsuna! You’re late. I did not even intend this to happen, I swear!” Kira said with an innocent smile.

“You were supposed to wait for me at the gate. Then I would have brought you back home like we were told to. Remember?” The woman declared after she sighed.

“It was just impossible to pass up on this.” The young lord added while he searched the body. He found two items and put them in his kimono. “I’m lucky, two bottles are intact.”

“You’re too reckless. I thought you did not want to show your little tricks.” After Setsuna shook her wavy black hair, she recovered her weapon around the dead dealer’s neck.

“Well, nobody else knows about them but Takeshi and us. I doubt those guys will talk.” He shrugged.

“Right…” The girl said after she concealed the thread inside her sleeve. “I always have to clean up after your mess.”

“Are you going to cry?”Kira asked with a grin.

“I did not cry since…!” Setsuna almost shouted.

“Sorry. Let’s leave quickly.” The young man announced after they heard the clatter of metallic objects falling on the ground.

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Author's notes :

Hello!

Things obviously didn't go as planned. I got aggro from family and friends during the week-end. Then the witcher 3 happened.

Sorry for the delay.

Thanks for reading!