Avatar-The Mandate of Heaven

They all woke up before the sun even rises above the ocean. The birds are still asleep, but they do not have that luxury.

On the way to the mountain temple, Satchiko yawned endlessly. Aside from their weapons, both she and Mayumi carried broomsticks on their shoulders.

"Try to stay awake," Mayumi advised.

This certainly is the first time Satchiko is walking for an elongated period of time. The whole group of village delegation marched for about an hour on a thin trail towards the center of the island. Their destination is a temple located deep within the lands, constructed on the summit of one of the taller mountains.

Despite being an energetic youth and a Kyoshi Warrior, Satchiko is already feeling tired. Compared to the elders and other adults who have walked this trail many times before, she is relatively inexperienced with mountainous terrain.

"So… tired." Satchiko's legs are sore, perhaps even accumulating a few blisters.

She cannot help but sat on a random rock near the path. As the other members of the village delegation walked pass, Mayumi stayed behind and wait.

As the dawn of the sun slowly shined the fields nearby, a distant ruin is more visible to the eyes. Its design is rather unfamiliar to naive youngsters who have limited knowledge of the past. Satchiko noticed tiny bits of four different colors.

That area is made of earth rubble, with pieces of roof tiles on the ground. Despite its destroyed state, there is still a sense of immense aura of grandeur that far surpasses even the finest wooden huts. Certain broken sections of the wall form a general shape of a miniature walled city that Mayumi said is common on the mainland.

If even the structure's ruin can give off such impressive architectural might, then what would this building look during its prime?

"It was strange to see something like this all the way out here," Hakaru said while arriving. On his backs are a whole backpack of scrolls and documents, which will be used during the meeting.

He too marveled at those ruins. Since no stone structures ever exist on this remote island, looking at that site is the closest thing to living in his homeland.

"What is that place dad?" Satchiko asked, truly clueless about those old ruins.

Despite being a scholar, the chief is not entirely sure himself. Which is why he can only offer whatever information that is certain.

"It was a mansion," he said. "But even then, I am uncertain of its exact story. The oral tradition passed of the village elders are also undecided on the details. But they all agree that the building is built long ago, during the era of Avatar Kyoshi."

According to his limited knowledge, that mansion is constructed in the style of Earth Kingdom palaces. But small fragments on the site shows elements from other nations, making it an architectural beauty of unprecedented quality. If the flimsy written history can be trusted, there was once a real Earth Sage living here before the island's landmass is separated from the continent. While locals still live in humble wooden huts, this mansion of impressive grandeur stood out like a sore thumb, completely outclassing every other building in the region. To this day, many still speculate.

"Whoever lived in there must be quite rich," Satchiko joked lightheartedly.

"Maybe," Hakaru said. "But to this day, we are still a bit unsure what happened to that building which led to its destruction."

He resumed the walk. Satchiko, not fully understanding the words of her father, simply joined Mayumi again on the trail. She did steal one glance that those earthen ruins before the whole delegation ventured deeper into the wilderness.

They traversed a few smaller mountains and climbing the steep. After crossing a bridge made of hardened reeds, the group arrived at a stone step, an unexpected sight for the young Kyoshi Warrior.

"Finally, something that isn't a mountainous path!" Satchiko gladly stepped onto the more comfortable ground. The stone steps are old, yet her foot felt instant relief after the long and exhausting journey. The rest of her village's delegation didn't react to this with excessive wonder. To them, this is just a stair leading upward to the temple grounds.

"We are not there yet, sister," Mayumi said. Once again, all of them continued this arduous walk up the mountains.

Along the way, Satchiko noticed the stone lanterns residing near the steps. Someone already lighted them to illuminate the trail, where sunlight is mostly blocked by the lush forest of bamboo.

It felt serene. Walking on the path and surrounded by nature made her enjoy a sense of tranquility, untroubled by the fact that they are punished to sweep the temple.

"Have you been up here before?" Satchiko asked her sister. Since the adults are further ahead of the delegation, their parents are not within her reach.

In response, Mayumi stated that her previous visit was a few years ago. The temple is located high up the mountain, serving as a mutual gathering place for every settlement on Kyoshi Island. Although every village is practically its own domain, there still needs to be some cohesion to ensure that all inhabitants on this island is on the same page. This is especially important when dealing with outside parties, where a unanimous response is more suited to handle any problems.

With slightly more understanding of how it all works, Mayumi also explained that this meeting will span for multiple days. The temple is a gathering point for the chiefs, fishermen representatives and other leaders of respective villages. A wide range of topics are discussed and debated.

"What about the Kyoshi Warriors from the other villages?" Satchiko asked.

"Some of them would be there too," Mayumi replied. "In fact, some might have already arrived there."

Every village on the island would be guarded by a dedicated group of defenders. For her whole life, Satchiko never visited the others, and the idea of a Kyoshi Warrior from another village is as foreign as distant lands beyond the island. With this knowledge in mind, it is presumed that there are also other individuals with the same rank as her mother. Would they be just as strong too?

"Sister, we hare here."

Breaking out of her pondering mind, Satchiko raised her head up. She stood still while holding the broomstick, eyes looking at the plain wooden torii gate that symbolizes a portal between the mundane world and sacred ground. Mayumi and the other already passed through it. The older sister waited, wondering why Satchiko still haven't stepped over.

"Come on Satchiko, we don't have all day."

With this encouragement, Satchiko gently stepped one foot through the torii.

She then marveled at what is in front of them. A large walled temple built entirely out of wood proudly presented itself. Satchiko spent a moment to just look at it. Despite not employing the use of Earthbenders, this ornate wooden complex still captures architectural marvel unseen in her village. Its beauty is secluded in the center of the island, hidden away so that only the locals themselves are even aware of its existence.

Two sentries armed with long yari spears guarded the entrance. They opened the doors, allowing the whole delegation to file into the temple's courtyard. Those lacquered armor is identical to what Satchiko and Mayumi is wearing now. The same also applies to the face paint, usual pattern of red and white. Despite the lack of any noticeable difference, the younger sister has no idea who they are.

While the adults all headed inside to prepare for today's meeting, Mayumi decided to stay behind and converse with the two guards.

"Long time no see, Shisa," Mayumi greeted one of the Kyoshi Warriors who is standing on the gate's left side.

What happened next is very unexpected. The sentry named Shisa instantly exploded in friendliness, warmly greeting Mayumi like they are old friends.

"Mayumi! It's you!" She dropped the spear and hugged the woman, a reception too amicable even for Satchiko's liking. "How many years has it been? Last time you were here you said-"

The guard noticed Satchiko who is standing just behind Mayumi. She gasped in delight.

"Shisa, this is my little sister," Mayumi introduced with a warm smile.

Shisa rushed over to Satchiko, initially gently pulling both cheeks as if the latter is still an infant. She then gives the shorter trainee a tight bear hug. The speed of this act almost felt like an actual attack.

"N-nice to meet you!" Satchiko tried her best to demonstrate cordiality with people from another village. It seems that Shisa already knows of her existence before this meeting. Mayumi has indeed made a few acquaintances in previous years.

As Satchiko is being squeezed by Shisa's arms, she noticed the other sentry who hasn't spoken a word since they arrived. That woman has been standing still on the right side of the gate for the whole time, not even moving one bit or make any expression. She completely ignored the two daughters of Akahana.

The Kyoshi Warrior named Shisa let go of Satchiko. She introduced the other sentry, who is named Komainu.

"Don't worry, she is a nice person who just don't like to talk!" Shisa enthusiastically explained.

Satchiko then noticed that the two women also have an identical face. This isn't the result of the face paint. Their facial features are exactly the same.

"Are you two also sisters?" Satchiko asked.

Shisa nodded with a gleeful smile, apparently pleased that Satchiko noticed this.

"We are twins!" she declared loudly.

Komainu on the other hand, has no time for this pointless interaction, preferring to commit to guard duty and refuse to even speak one word. Despite being identical twins, their demeanor is day and night. But Satchiko can still spot one particular visual difference that can distinguish the two.

Their golden headdress, which both resembles a type of exceptionally rare animal known as lion-dogs.

Although the two golden pieces are also very similar, there are some superficial differences. The headdress of the energetic and friendly Shisa has its mouth wide open. There is also what appears to be a small cub right underneath the lion-dog's claw, symbolizing nurture. Whereas the depiction of Komainu's headdress represents a creature whose mouth is tight shut.

How fitting.

"By the way, why are you two carrying broomsticks?" Shisa asked. "The shrine maidens are already keeping the courtyard clean, are you both sent here to help with the other chores?"

Mayumi can only sigh before divulging the circumstances of their visit. Upon hearing the details, Shisa is surprisingly very understanding. To a degree, the sentry is even impressed with the audacious feat.

While basked in Shisa's warm reception of this story, Satchiko cannot help but felt a sudden cold glare from Komainu, who likely shares the opposite attitude to this transgression upon the spirits.

"It wasn't as fun as you think, Shisa," Mayumi said in a serious voice, causing the sentry to temporary discard the bubbly personality. "The great Unagi should not be trifled. My sister's impulsiveness almost cost her life."

Satchiko lowered her head slightly, acknowledging her sister's reasonable words.

"Oh, it's ok, everyone makes mistake," Shisa patted Satchiko's shoulder. "If she learns from it, then it's all fine."

"Your words are reasonable," Mayumi said. "But the Unagi is not just a legend. It is real, and my sister should have never put herself in danger in the first place."

Shisa nodded.

"Oh well, there is not much I should say. The meeting should be starting soon. Your mother and Lady Tomoe is likely going to convene on very important matters."

Just as Satchiko and Mayumi is about to head into the courtyard, they sensed incoming footsteps even without using eye vision.

"So, the story is true then! It seems that someone has angered the Unagi."

"Heh, how careless!" A sharped voice snapped.

Word has somehow spread fast to the other villages. Satchiko and Mayumi turned around, facing two newly arrived Kyoshi Warriors. Unlike Shisa and Komainu, there is something about the newcomers that made even Mayumi slightly uneased.

The duo has the same clothing, but noticeably wears more metal as seen by the addition of thicker shoulder armor. The use of kabuto helmets replaced the standard headdress used to demonstrate their golden family crest.

One of their weapons is a metal spear with two sharp edges, forming a crescent curve that allows the user to ensnare unruly troublemakers by the neck. The other one wields a curved blade similar to Mayumi's weapon, but it has a considerably longer handle.

Lastly, there are additional red stripes across their cheek and forehead, making their faces appear even more angry than it naturally should. Comparing this to the standard face paint, this version certainly appears much more ferocious. It seems that everything they wear aims to achieve even more frightening levels of intimidation, and that even includes their weapons.

As the eldest daughter of Akahana, Mayumi strolled forth to greet them with the standard courtesy.

"Who are these people? Are they even Kyoshi Warriors?" Satchiko whispered to Shisa, who hushed back.

"Those two are their finest warriors, her most feared retainers. Since they are here, it means that Oiwa herself is showing up to the temple today."

"Oiwa?" Satchiko never heard about that name before. But that will be answered soon.

They can all hear the sound of marching towards the entrance. A contingent of armed Kyoshi Warriors passed through the torii gate, carrying various large blades and allowing their steel to reflect the sunlight. It seems that the habit of using the scabbard is lost on them.

A peculiar looking woman stood in the center of it all. Donned in their unique pattern of war paint, she wears a more unique kabuto helmet to distinguish her rank. But her vision is somewhat impaired by a missing eye, which is covered with a black eyepatch.

This time, Satchiko is truly anxious when they walk closer. Mayumi stood nearby, knowing her presence can ease some of her sister's fears. They are all devotees to Avatar Kyoshi, so there is no need to fear fellow warriors from another village.

The woman with an eyepatch strolled forth, leisurely cooling herself with a metal fan. Her mannerism demonstrates a little degree of carefree nature, but still maintains it with a threatening aura. All her warriors also do not look like the amicable type, some even have murderous eyes despite looking at their fellow allies from another village.

Standing so close, Satchiko is starting to doubt whether or not these newcomers are even on the same side. Mayumi, who is far much knowledgeable in the island's politic, responded accordingly.

The older sister bowed, greeting the one-eyed woman who is this group's leader.

"Lady Oiwa, what an honor it is to have you join us today."

The one-eyed woman smirked, closing her metal fan and gently using the tip to lift Mayumi's chin back up.

"No need to behave so formal," Oiwa said in a surprisingly gentle manner despite the deeper tone. Mayumi is excused from the need to demonstrate the usual etiquette, which the older woman considered unnecessary between fellow Kyoshi Warriors. "I got to say, it seems that good old Akahana has been rather strict in her house, as expected. But in my presence, there is no need to be so pedantic."

Satchiko did not doubt that easygoing attitude. Although Oiwa is amicable, her menacing Kyoshi Warriors appears to be on guard against everyone, prepared to use their weapons without restraint. It is better to demonstrate the utmost respect to avoid any unneeded misunderstanding.

"Satchiko?" Oiwa noticed the other Kyoshi Warrior with shorter brown hair.

The teenager froze.

"The last time I saw you, you were this small." Oiwa used both hands to demonstrate an approximate length, indicating a size of an infant. "Goodness, in a few years you might be as tall as Mayumi!"

"Must be a long time ago since we last met," Satchiko smiled, now a bit more comfortable with interacting with the Kyoshi Warrior leader. Although she has no recognition of this woman, it seems that Oiwa is an old acquaintance of their mother. It is also revealed that this woman even held the then infant Satchiko during a previous visit to the village.

Shisa also chimed in, but her words are more inquisitive. Oiwa is only accompanied by a band of armed woman, which prompts an obvious question.

"Lady Oiwa, where is the chief of your village?" Shisa looked around, but only found armored warriors with their giant blades and glinting fans. No ordinary villagers can be seen in this group of snarling faces.

"Those old geezers are slow, but they will be here eventually," Oiwa said in a carefree attitude. Despite having a similar age to the austere Akahana, she definitely lacks the natural sternness. Which is why it is no surprise that this group of Kyoshi Warriors didn't even wait for their village's delegation to catch up.

According to Oiwa, their settlement is located on the other side of the village. Since the path is much more mountainous, the regular inhabitants would obviously need more time and effort to even walk here.

"All we hear about is their complaining!" One of Oiwa's retainer snapped. She holds the metal spear, pointing at the forest. "Seriously, even Momiji is faster."

Upon finishing that sentence, a tall figure emerged into their view. Heavy footsteps from the torii gate forced Satchiko to look at the person that is arriving. Her every step is loud, and the clanking sound of heavy armor meant the usual Kyoshi Warrior tactic of stealth is impossible to implement.

But why does she need stealth when the opposite method works just as effective? Donned in heavier lacquered plates, this towering warrior is further protected with armored sleeves and large rectangular steel plates that covers the shoulders. Most intimidating factor would be that giant wooden club that is ridden with metal spikes. Even though Satchiko has no idea just what even is that weapon, she knew that even armored foes would be killed with one swing or two.

A striking feature of this mysterious figure is the red brutish mask that conceals the face. Two tusks protruded from the mouth. Satchiko isn't sure if those sharp fans are part of the mask or the warrior's own teeth. But the youngster gulped her throat, afraid of this tall being.

"Ah, I am sure you two haven't met before," Oiwa said with delight. "Satchiko, this is my little girl, Momiji."

"Little?" Satchiko cannot help but gawk.

The towering Kyoshi Warrior extended an arm to the younger sister. At first, Satchiko is confused what to do. A gentle nudge from Mayumi reminded her that their behavior is publicly perceived. As daughters of Akahana, they need to demonstrate the correct attitude towards their allies.

Reluctantly, Satchiko grabbed Momiji's palm and shake it. Despite being a tall and intimidating figure, the latter's use of force is surprisingly light. Satchiko almost entertained the thought that her arm might be torn off by the hand that is larger than a person's head. Staring into that reddish mask, she wonders what Momiji's real face looks like.

"N-nice to you, Momiji," Satchiko fought hard to maintain the friendly demeanor. Despite this amicable first meeting, it is hard to suppress the fear towards this giant warrior.

In return, Momiji simply nodded once, conveying her own possible cordial intentions. This is certainly the first time Satchiko meets another daughter of a matron. Definitely not within her expectation.

But she quickly reminded herself. Across the island, all devotees to Avatar Kyoshi are sisters.

"Don't worry Oiwa, those two will get along well," Mayumi reassured. Judging by this sentence, it implies that Mayumi is oldest one among the three.

After briefly explaining why the two sisters are holding broomsticks instead of real weapons, Oiwa offered to reason with Akahana to lessen the punishment, a gesture that Mayumi kindly refused. No self-respecting daughter of a Kyoshi Warrior would want to appear too desperate to avoid fair consequences.

"Very well then, perhaps we may reconvene after today's summit." Oiwa moved on through the gate, followed by her heavily armed contingent.

With this conclusion, Mayumi and Satchiko also moved in. The latter saw multiple buildings within temple ground, a territory consists of ornate structures built purely out of wood, most with corridors linking them together. There is one center building with a large hall. With Oiwa and a few of her retainers entering it, that is presumably the main room for the assembly.

As for the two sisters tour the area, they held the broomsticks, ready to be received by a local curator. One of the shrine maidens greeted them, she serves as a guide and brought the duo to a building used to store some of the island's more mundane artefacts.

"You two will start by working in this courtyard, and then move on to the other districts of the temple." The woman in green hakama dress said. "I expect the work to be done diligently."

Their little stroll to the destination ended quickly. With little instruction, both of them began immediately, 'attacking' the tree leaves on the ground.

Satchiko sighed. Not because she is tired, but because her own sister is also punished.

"Mayumi, I am sorry that you have to do this too," she said.

Mayumi simply smiled, sweeping the floor as usual. "There is no need to be apologize, you are my sister."

Both of them understand that even Satchiko simply stayed silent, then Mayumi will likely be the only one who is disciplined for the foreseeable future. But considering Akahana's keen understanding of her own children, it is highly possible that the truth will be uncovered eventually. This is also a major reason why Satchiko chose not to conceal the details of her own folly. It is much more preferring to be collectively disciplined, rather than allowing Mayumi to shoulder the full blame.

…

Both sisters sat on the wooden porch just outside the storeroom, taking a small rest as the whole courtyard is freed of stray leaves on the ground. They already toured the grounds of the whole temple, at least what is accessible to visitors.

The two of them spent this time together to marvel the unremarkable space that is now spotless. Despite being Kyoshi Warriors, the labor of sweeping the entire establishment has proven to be very hectic, especially for the younger one.

"I am hungry," Satchiko placed a hand on her stomach, much to Mayumi's amusement.

"It's not even noon yet," Mayumi smiled. "You know, I wonder if the curators of this temple intentionally the courtyards uncleaned just for us two to do it. Who knows, maybe mother already talked with them yesterday."

As they rest a bit more, Mayumi is the first to sense people moving to their location. As a much more seasoned Kyoshi Warrior, she warned Satchiko about the three figures arriving to their courtyard.

The towering Momiji is accompanied by two of Oiwa's retainers, the same ones that first arrived at the temple's entrance. Both Satchiko and Mayumi stood up and meet them, before all of them sat on the porch to rest a bit.

"Oiwa left the meeting hall, off to discuss much more important matters," the retainer with the sword said, wiping her forehead. "Since our respective leaders has to attend a private meeting, us three are allowed some time off. So Momiji proposed that we come to check on you two."

Satchiko glanced once at the towering person, who is implied to just be a few years older younger than herself. It seems that no one is openly asking why Momiji is so tall, even dwarfing the men. Perhaps this is a tale for another day.

The retainer with the long handle blade introduced herself as Otsuyu, a Kyoshi Warrior similar to Mayumi in age. As fellow swordswomen, they easily conversed, chatting about everyday life in each other's village.

It appears that the two have striking similarities. Both being eldest daughters of very reputable Kyoshi Warriors, they shoulder the expectation to at least be able to honor the legacy of their mothers.

The golden symbol of a peony flower on Otsuyu's helmet is a very prestigious crest, at least on the other side of the island. That alone did apply a considerable amount of pressure, which drove her to become one of Oiwa's most reliable warriors. Thus, just like Mayumi and Orihime, Otsuyu also serves as dojo instructor from time to time.

"My mother always says that Lady Akahana is quite the ferocious fighter back in those days," Otsuyu claimed. "She said that long ago, even Oiwa was injured due to a duel."

"I see," Mayumi placed a hand on her chin.

Satchiko noticed that her sister isn't aware of this. Considering that their mother isn't too open about her past as a young warrior, it is natural for even Mayumi to be ignorant of that part of the history.

"There was one Kyoshi Warrior in our village that was said to have bested Akahana, but she left long ago," Otsuyu stopped right there. Noticing this social cue, Mayumi decided to inquire about a different topic.

Once again, they indulged in the mundane. The likes of sword sharpening stones and recent events came into the mix. As the chatting ensued, they heard a loud rumbling sound from Satchiko.

"My bad," Satchiko smiled gleefully. "The stomach is revolting."

Almost without any warning, the towering Momiji stood up. She walked in front of Satchiko, who is still a bit wary of the armored giantess.

That awkward moment of silence is broken when Momiji revealed a small bag, placing it on the porch and unraveling the contents.

Satchiko gasped with delight. Multiple rice balls in triangular shapes are within reach.

"Ah, I see that you are sharing your lunch everyone, how considerate." Otsuyu said to the silent giantess. But it felt almost as if this warrior is serving as a mouthpiece for Momiji, who hasn't said a single word so far.

"T-thank you!" Satchiko instantly dropped her guard. Before anyone can help themselves with the lunch, the other retainer of Oiwa chimed in, declaring that they cannot eat without one additional step.

The warrior laid down her metal fork polearm and retrieved a circular object from her kimono. It is a precious porcelain plate from the mainland, which she claimed to be from Ba Sing Se. Since everyone here uses wooden or clay bowls, refined material like these sparred Satchiko's curiosity.

"Seriously Okiku? Did you actually carry this thing on you this whole time?" Otsuyu stared at the other retainer with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I have it on me so that I don't LOSE it!" Okiku indignantly said. "You got a problem with that?"

The rice balls are gradually placed on the plate. It seems that Okiku just want to have an excuse to actually use this valuable piece of porcelain.

Otsuyu quietly moved closer to the two sisters, whispering. "Don't mind her. My friend here is a bit… special. Her favorite pastime is counting things."

Satchiko and Mayumi silently accepted this. It seems there are some very different people living on the other side of the island.

After Okiku finished arranging the balls of rice onto the plate, they did feel the food is visually much more pleasing. The actual taste likely has no change. But one important aspect of the culinary arts is presentation. This porcelain plate is indeed very appealing to the eyes.

"Wow, I actually want to eat it more now!" Satchiko stared in a hungry manner.

The five of them divided the lunch equally. Despite the simple ingredients used to craft the rice balls, they all enjoyed it greatly.

Just as Satchiko is about to finish her portion with a massive bite, she noticed Momiji's weapon, the giant wooden club with spikes.

Unlike the usual fans and swords, the giantess seems to prefer something that is more in harmony with her peculiar size. Obviously, regular weapons might be a bit too small. But her current one seems to also have been heavily damaged, with missing metal spikes and the wood rotting. All weapons must be maintained by blacksmiths after long periods of usage.

"Momiji, why don't you replace your current weapon?" Satchiko mustered the courage to ask.

As usual, Otsuyu is the one that answered. The more senior swordswoman claimed that Momiji's wooden club is actually just a makeshift weapon. Due to years of using it against pirate intruders, it has showed signs of damage. The blacksmiths on the other side of the island aren't sure how to forge a professional blunt weapon suitable for Oiwa's very tall daughter.

The giantess nodded once, perhaps affirming this information. With one bite alone, she devoured the ball of rice, leaving Satchiko dumbfounded.

Mayumi expressed her own questions to Otsuyu, her own counterpart in the other village. "I heard that younger Kyoshi Warriors on the other side of the island don't show mercy to pirates, it seems that your people are much less restrained in this matter."

Otsuyu nodded, explaining that every village have their ways of handling unruly troublemakers. Oiwa's village are rumored to be home of the most vicious fighters. In their matron's words, a fierce response can serve as a good deterrence against potential raiders from the sea.

"Our lady is less strict but is more demanding in our ability to fulfill the duty," Otsuyu proudly brandished her blade. The giant wooden handle meant it has a slightly longer reach than a regular Kyoshi Warrior sword. "They say that the younger generation on this island don't tend to kill pirates. But that isn't true in our village. Why should me and my sisters wait to grow older until we can demonstrate the full might against those who wish to harm the people?"

Mayumi and Satchiko listened intently. While it is an unspoken rule that their older peers are more likely to actually kill intruders, as seen by Akahana and the archers just a few days ago, there is nothing that stops mere teenagers to take the lives of marauding pirates. If a young Kyoshi Warrior trainee killed a pirate that infringed the island, she would not be punishable by local customs.

The only thing that prevents a local inhabitant from killing a lawless pirate would be themselves. More accurately, would they possess the willingness to harm those that threatens the locals. This is what many of Mayumi's fellow sisters are still dealing with. Their mothers and aunts already overcame that barrier, fully utilizing their skills to defend the island.

Otsuyu, sensing this underlying issue, chose not to ask about how many pirates Mayumi actually killed. She received news that it was Lady Akahana that took out the most marauders just a few days ago, ruthlessly slaying their leader and planning to send the captured ones to Chin Village.

"Mayumi, as a fellow warrior, this is what I have to say, there are circumstances where some part of your morality is forced to change for the sake of the greater good," Otsuyu emphasized. "They are pirates, ruthless cutthroats that preys on the weak. Such audacity of transgression shall receive no kindness of mine. In fact, cutting them down is an act of mercy. There are those who hate these seafaring criminals so much, that the captured pirates would much rather prefer their own demise."

Both sisters are unsure who Otsuyu is referring to. Perhaps she is borrowing account from the conflicts on the mainland, where Earth Kingdom armies also engage in combat against pirates.

"Do not have any qualm," Otsuyu further encouraged. "It's better to refine your skills now than later.

Mayumi smiled lightly.

"There is no need to underestimate us too much, sister," she said respectfully. "We may not have the ferocious nature of your cohort, but we know a few tricks or two. Besides, it's not like killing undisciplined thugs can make you a worthwhile opponent."

Sensing a good challenge, Otsuyu immediately rose from the porch as a result of this banter. She eagerly brandished her giant blade. In response, Mayumi drew her own weapon, the standard version of what a Kyoshi Warrior normally carries.

The other three watched with anticipation. Without exchanging words, they knew that a sparring match between two very skillful sword users are about to happen.

The eccentric Okiku quickly proposed the idea of betting on the winner. She offered a few currency shells. But was disappointed when discovering that both Satchiko and Momiji do not have any money to bet.

"Seriously, you two are daughters of powerful women and don't even have one coin?" Okiku blurted. "What is it with you children of renown fighters? I thought Otsuyu is the only one with this quirk."

"My dad is also a chief," Satchiko casually said without thinking. She does not understand why not having money should be seen as strange. Usually, Mayumi is the one given the currency shells to buy fish for dinner. Although their father is the chief, his income mainly relies on being a scholar, offering literati services that regular villagers cannot obtain in a rural environment. Although he definitely would have been very wealthy if he works in the mainland, where the scholarly gentry enjoys much better status than the common folks.

Momiji sat silently as the older Otsuyu readied her blade. Satchiko cheered for Mayumi, who also prepares to duel.

Both duelists agreed that they will start when the next tree leaf falls to the ground. As competent swordswomen, a friendly match like this one also poses its own risk. Luckily, they trust each other enough to restrain their own strength, aiming to prevent accidents. Real blades are used after all. As for the three onlookers, it is a rare opportunity to see their respective dojo instructors fight one another. It almost felt like Otsuyu is somewhat being burdened with her own mother's legacy, curious to figure out whether or not she can defeat Akahana's oldest daughter.

A stray leaf touched the ground.

With one intimidating roar, Otsuyu lunged forward, swinging her blade in a forceful manner. Without any warning, the steel produced wide horizontal arches that can cut down multiple opponents at once.

Mayumi did not utter a word. She silently blocks and parries, easily countering Otsuyu's more aggressive swordplay with more precision. Despite Mayumi's shorter sword, she makes up for this with lesser but more decisive swings, fighting her opponent to a standstill. It proves that despite not sharing the same philosophy on taking lives, both are very accomplished fighters in their own right.

Swords clashed repeatedly, sometimes even creating sparks due to the friction of the metal. The onlookers would never have thought that this seemingly unimportant duel of friendly warriors would take more than an hour.

End of Chapter Notes:

-The use of architecture ornament of the Chinese Guardian Lions can find its roots deeper into Indian Buddhism. Many temples, palaces and tombs will often incorporate this symbolically to defend against evil spiritual influence. For the sake of this story, we will assume that the 'lion-dogs' is an actual animal.

-The Japanese wooden torii gates in this chapter are not painted. This structure aims to serve as a symbolic entrance from the mundane into the sacred, often incorporated in temples.