Continuous Reincarnation

 "Jin !" I called out as i approached him.

He looked up, bruised and exhausted "Shuji..."

I crouched next to him and helped him sit up.

"We need to move." I said, scanning the area "The Mongols could come search for us."

Jin pulled out our father's katana, staring at it with a blank expression. I stood beside him, watching. After a moment, he quietly asked "How do I save him ?" His voice was low.

Before I could respond, a breeze picked up, rustling the leaves around us. The wind pushed in a specific direction, almost like it was guiding us. Jin and I exchanged a glance and, without saying a word, we followed it.

After walking for a bit, we heard a voice ahead, a woman yelling at some horses. We moved toward the sound, staying cautious until we spotted her trying to get the animals to move.

"Come on, move !" she muttered in frustration. Then she saw us and approached Jin.

"What happened ?" She asked.

"I found Lord Shimura. But the Khan was there. I couldn't save him." Jin looked down in frustration.

"At least you're alive." The woman's expression softened sightly.

I stepped up "Who's this, Jin ? You gonna introduce me ?"

Jin glanced at me, then back at her "This is Yuna." he said, then added "She saved my life after Komoda Beach." He looked at me and continued "Yuna, this is Shuji. My big brother."

Suddenly we heard a loud horn.

the Mongols were nearby. Without a word, we ducked into the tall grass. The sound of hooves got closer, the Mongols riding past on horseback. We stayed low until they passed.

Yuna let out a frustrated sigh "Great, they scared off the horses."

Jin shook his head "Samurai horses are trained to return to their masters." Then whistled and our horses came back, even Nigrum.

Yuna glanced at me and Jin "They're looking for both of you."

"We'll need allies if we're going to save Lord Shimura." Jin replied "Warriors. Like Ishikawa-sensei, or Lady Masako Adachi."

Yuna crossed her arms "My brother can help too. If we free him from the Mongols, you'll have the best blacksmith in all of Tsushima."

"Where did they take him ?" Jin asked with interest.

"They took him to Kechi " Yuna replied "It won't be easy, but we can get him out."

Jin nodded "Go ahead to Kechi. I'll meet you there once I've gathered some allies."

I turned to Jin "I'll head to Hiyoshi Springs to find Ishikawa-sensei. You go find Lady Masako."

Jin simply nodded as we mounted our horses, ready to go our separate ways. I looked at them "Stay safe. We'll meet at Kechi when we are finished."

I headed south toward Hiyoshi Spring.

I only encoutered a mongol patrol not far from Fort Nakayama but apart from that nothing happened.

I arrived at Ishikawa sensei's dojo.

The first time i went there was to become a student of Ishikawa sensei. And even if i'm much better than Jun with a bow he still didn't take me as a student.

As i arrived to the dojo i saw one of the wall was in pieces and there was blood on the mat.

I followed the tracks to a little house behind the archery range.

As i opened the door i heard "Don't move." And a man aiming an arrow at me.

I recognized the man "Sensei Ishikawa ?"

He lowered hiw bow "One of Lord Sakai's boy ? You survived Komoda."

I nodded "We could've used your bow."

He sighed "I was on my way when bandits attacked me."

Ishikawa-sensei shook his head slightly "Sorry for Lord Shimura and Jin. They were good men."

"They're alive," I quickly explained. "Lord Shimura's a prisoner of the Mongols, and Jin went to look for help from Lady Masako Adachi."

Ishikawa's eyes narrowed "If Shimura is still alive, there's hope."

"Help me save him." I asked.

"I can't." he said firmly "My student is missing. A skilled archer..."

I made a new offer. "Then let me help you find your student. Once we do, both of you can help free Lord Shimura."

Ishikawa though for a moment "Try to keep up Sakai."

We exited the house when Ishikawa asked "Who else survived Komoda ?"

"Apart from Lord Shimura and Jin. I don't know." I replied while following him.

"You other who could fight ?" Ishikawa asked as he walked toward the bamboo forest.

"Beside us ? Maybe the Straw Hats. If they are still alive. They fought at Komoda too." I replied before asking "So, who is that student ?"

"She is called Tomoe." Ishikawa replied flatly.

"A woman ? Is she from a clan ?" I asked with curiosity.

"No. A peasant. But she can out shoot any samurai i know." He chuckled "Even you and your brother."

I chuckled skeptical "Last time i saw you was ten years ago..."

"You came to study with your brother." Ishikawa added.

"You remember ?" I asked.

"I remember most students i reject." He replied as we followed the footprint on the ground.

"And instead you chose that Tomoe ?" I asked.

"Your brother had potential. You are a genius. But Tomoe is a prodigy." Ishikawa replied confidently.

Suddenly a patrol of 4 mongols attached us.

The first Mongol came at me with a spear, but I sidestepped and slashed his side before he could react.

But the next one came at me swinging a heavy axe. I blocked the hit. And shoved him back just enough to finish him off with a clean strike.

Behind me, Ishikawa fired off his arrows with precision. One Mongol dropped instantly with an arrow through his throat. Another ran at him, but before he could get close, an arrow buried itself in his chest, taking him down.

I looked over at Ishikawa. He had already lowered his bow, watching the bodies of the Mongols "Not bad, for an old man." I smirked.

"They fight like drunk Tanuki's." Ishikawa shook his head

"Their only avantages are weapon and number." I added.

"The mongols took Fort Nakayama. This patrol likely came from there." We followed the footprint till we reached a firecamp.

"What happened here ?" I asked.

We observed the camp for a clue where to find Tomoe.

My eyes landed on something beside the fireplace "A Japanese quiver."

"A gift... To my greatest students. I fear the worst." Ishikawa's face darkened "Tomoe would never leave that quiver behind."

"Unless she was captured." I commented.

"Where would they take her ?" I glanced at Ishikawa sensei.

"To Fort Nakayama." He replied.

I took the quiver and followed Ishikawa sensei to the Fort.

We arrived to Fort Nakayama and hid on top of a ledge.

Ishikawa handed me a bow. "It was a gift from Lord Nagao. Now it's yours."

I looked at the bow in his hands, recognizing the craftsmanship. The Nagao clan were known for their archers, their bows were legendary on Tsushima. I hesitated for a moment before taking it "You're giving this to me ?"

Ishikawa nodded "You're a good archer Shuji. Beside, i'm not as fast as I used to be. You'll need it more than I do."

I drew the string back, testing the tension. It felt perfectly balanced, just the right weight, as if it was made for me.

"Don't let it go to your head, Sakai. You've still got work to do." Ishikawa explained.

We both turned our attention back to the fort as the patrol began to move. Five Mongols, one of them on horseback, started making their way outside the gates.

"They're coming." Ishikawa whispered, pointing toward the barrels of powder scattered near the entrance "When they get close to those barrels, shoot."

I gripped the bow tightly. And as soon as they approached the barrels of powder, i released the arrow. The explosion was loud, sending Mongols flying. Ishikawa and I quickly shot down the rest of the patrol.

I spotted a beehive near the fort and fired. The bees swarmed a few Mongol archers, giving us a chance to take them out with our bows. Once the patrol was down, we rushed inside the fort.

The mongols fought fearlessly but their moves were predictable. And after a few minutes we got rid of the last of them.

After the fight Ishikawa sensei went toward a mountain of corpse but no sign of Tomoe.

"Slain prisoner. Tied and killed with arrows." I commented as i looked at the mark on their clothes and wrists.

Suddenly Ishikawa found a pendant he say belongs to Tomoe and we began to search the Fort for information.

After a while we found a set of arrows "These are hers. I taught her how to make them." His voice filled with regret.

We also found a scroll with translation in Japanese and Mongolian "She was teaching them the way of the bow." Ishikawa's face darkened.

Suddenly we heard cry of help.

When we went to see what's happening and saw a man, bleeding profusely.

He explained that Tomoe was a prisoner like them but the Mongols freed her gave her an armor and a bow and that she killed his wife and they recruited her before dying from loss of blood.

"I should have killed her." Ishikawa muttered with anger.

"Sensei ?" I asked with confusion.

"Tomoe won her freedom. She joined the Mongols." He explained.

"Why would she do that ?" I pressed.

"I pushed her too hard." Ishikawa replied.

"Sensei." I called him.

"It was her. She attacked me. Not bandits... Tomoe." Ishikawa finally confessed.

"Why ?" I asked.

"She has no idea what it mean being a samurai. Don't judge me." He replied defensively.

"Then don't lie to me." I shot back.

"I can't let Tomoe teach my way of the bow to the enemies." He insisted.

"Then we'll stop her." I firmly said "And when the time come you'll help me and Jin free our uncle."

"You have a deal, Sakai." He replied after a moment of thoughts.

Then we went back to the dojo.

When we arrived at the dojo, a villager approached us and told us he saw a group of mongols not far from here.

Ishikawa suspected Tomoe was with them so we went to investigate.

"I'm not sure you're ready to fight Tomoe." Ishikawa said with concern.

"What do you mean ? You make her seems like a demon." I asked with slight amusement.

"That's not far off the mark." Ishikawa looked right at me "She is fearless. She is no samurai but was a born killer."

"I know the type." I smirked.

"No, you do not." Ishikawa shook his head.

Then we went to the archery range the villager saw the Mongols at.

"If my brother was here he would say Tomoe could make a good ally." I smirked thinking of Jin's empathetic nature that he inherited from our mother.

"Why did she turn against you ?" I asked curiously as we walked.

Ishikawa clenched his jaw before answering "I took a risk sharing everything i knew with her. When she betrayed my trust, i punished her."

"Must have been harsh." I glanced at him.

He looked at me with a serious expression "You saw what she did to those prisoner at Fort Nakayama. That was no mistake, that was a choice. And not the first time she's made it."

We walked in silence for a bit then i asked "Do you really think she's beyond saving ?"

"That's not for me to decide anymore," he said. "She made her choice."

The we arrived at a cliff on the north-east of the dojo, and Ishikawa pointed to the ledge above "You have to climb to get there."

"Sure you can make it sensei ?" I smirked before climbing.

Fortunately it was only a few meters high and i didn't have my samurai armor.

And it seemed that following Jin around when he climbed trees wasn't a bad idea because i reached the top in only a few seconds.

But when i walked forward i saw sensei waiting "Not so bad Sakai."

"How did you get there before me ?" I asked confused.

Ishikawa just chuckled before looking around "Arrows. Mongols and Japanese."

"If they were there, they're long gone." I remarked.

"We might pick up their trail by the practice target." Ishikawa said.

"There's no target." I glanced around.

Ishikawa didn't say anything and draw his bow and aimed at a sac a few dozen meters from us, not far from the watchtower.

"Not bad Sensei." I remarked impressed.

He only replied "Find out where they went."

I drew my bow and fired an arrow, landing it precisely where Ishikawa's arrow had struck.

Ishikawa sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"Okay, okay, I'm going. " I smirked, unable to resist the urge to show off.

I headed toward the watchtower and approached the sac i shot at earlier.

Only to realize that inside the sac was a decapitated head.

Before i could vomit i heard barking behind me.

I turned and saw a Bankhar dog and a few Mongols rushing toward me.

I shot the dog with an arrow to his side before dodging a strike from my right.

One by one i killed the Mongols and when i catched my breath Ishikawa approached "Good work, Sakai."

I smirked "Resting while i do all the work, huh ?"

He shook his head "Just observing your reaction to an ambush."

I narrowed my eyes "You knew they where there, didn't you ?"

"I did." Ishikawa replied instantly.

"It didn't occur to you to tell me ?" I asked with annoyance.

"If you can't face a few Mongols, what good will you be against Tomoe ?" He shot back.

"I fought hundreds at Komoda !" I reminded him.

"And look where that got you." Ishikawa looked at my clothes and bandages.

"I'll test you as i see fit." He added.

I chuckled "I now see why Tomoe attacked you."

And for the first time Ishikawa laughed.

We then searched for clue toward Tomoe's location and found tracks on the ground. Around a dozen people.

We followed the tracks to two buildings. A house and a storage shed.

Two archer where shooting at some villagers "Practicing what Tomoe taught them." Ishikawa scowled.

I drew my bow and shot at one of the archer right to the head.

I quickly reloaded and aimed again, releasing another arrow that hit the second archer in the chest.

I crawled toward another Mongol and sliced his throat from behind and gently dropped his body to the ground.

I approached another one and stabbed him to the side before hitting him again in the throat.

Now only the Mongol chieftain remained.

I killed him like the other, found a gap in his armor and struck there.

I moved to the two villager and untied their bindings "You're safe now." I assured them before asking "Did you see a Japanese woman accompanying these Mongols ?"

Ishikawa approached to listen.

"I couldn't believe it. She was giving them orders." One of them said, with shock.

"What did she say ?" I asked for more informations.

"Something about the sensei and the hot springs. That's all i heard my lord." The other replied before bowing to me.

I turned to Ishikawa sensei who was looking at the dead bodies of some villagers "I taught a monster how to hunt." He muttered.

"The villagers heard Tomoe give orders to the Mongols. She mentioned Hiyoshi Springs." I explained.

Ishikawa turned to me "She's just getting started. Sakai. The way you fight... It's not your uncle's way and it's not mine."

"We never faced an ennemi like this. Our traditional solutions don't work." I said.

"A samurai is a guardian. Not a killer who dart around like a thief." Ishikawa shot back.

"You didn't see Komoda ! The Samurais got overwhelmed." I replied.

"I've seen enough. I know it was brutal but i won't train another monster." Ishikawa said firmly.

"If Tomoe is going to attack Hiyoshi Springs. I need to prepare. And so do you. I'll see you at my dojo Sakai." He added as he turned to leave.

"I have to join Jin anyway. He should be at Kechi by now." I added before calling Nigrum and heading toward Kechi to meet Jin and Yuna.

After around half an hour of riding i found Yuna and Jin at a small fishing settlement, fighting a few Mongols that were attacking civilians.

I went to help them and we killed the rest of them.

"You handled that well." Jin told Yuna.

Yuna sighed "I should've heard them coming. Let myself distracted..." Then she motioned toward the civilians "These people saw Mongols marching prisoners upriver. They had a blacksmith with them."

"Your brother ?" Jin asked with concern.

"Sounds like it." Yuna replied "They were taking him to a camp. Near the Kaneda inlet."

I crossed my arms "Let's hope they haven't hurt him yet."

Yuna's expression hardened "If they did, they'll regret it."

"Did you find any samurai to free your uncle ?" Yuna turned to jin and me as we mounted our horses.

Jin gave a slight nod "I spoke to Lady Masako. She's grieving, but she's agreed to help."

I chimed in "I tracked down Sensei Ishikawa. He's got his own problems, but he's on board too."

Yuna nodded and we rode north toward Kaneda inlet.

"I see you've changed your looks, Jin." I remarked, noticing Jin's new armor.

Jin glanced down at the armor "Lady Masako gave it to me after everything that happened."

"What happened ?" Yuna asked with concern.

Jin took a breath "Her family was killed. We investigated together and apparently, someone wants the Adachi Clan dead. And it's the people of Tsushima who did it."

Yuna frowned "Why attack someone that sworn to protect them ?!"

"I asked the same thing, but for now we have no conclusive evidence." Jin replied before turning to me "And what about your new bow ?"

"I shifted my attention to the bow slung across my back. "I got this from Ishikawa sensei. We tracked down Tomoe, his former student. She's now allied with the Mongols, i think it's because he was too hard on her."

"What make you think that ?" Jin asked.

"When we were searching for Tomoe, we tracked some trails that led to a small cliff. Sensei said that I should climb it, but letting on like it was the only way up. After that, we investigated some things. We found both mongol and japanese arrows. Sensei saw a tower nearby and told me that the mongols might be there. When I arrived, I was ambushed by the mongols and had a lot of close calls." I explained.

"So let me get this straight, Sensei Ishikawa didn't help you in the fight ?" Jin asked perplexed.

"I inquired Sensei on it. He was testing me to see how I would fare in a ambush." I replied before adding "That made me theorize that maybe was this behavior that led Tomoe to attack him."

"What do you mean ?" Yuna asked.

"What Ishikawa was doing was allowing, or rather, forcing his students to learn for themselves. Trying to learn something with minimal-to-no guidance is basically asking them to find a needle in a haystack. Few could figure out the basics and most would die trying to get the job done. Not only that but by consequence of not guiding the disciples, they would think that the master is doing, well, nothing. Even if the master is some renowned man that fought many wars. And to add insult to injury, asking for performance and punishing the student if he didn't met the previously established expectations, the student might not want to continue to train whatever ability he is learning. As any Martial Arts instructor would say, reward the diligent and punish the lazy."

"So, that Tomoe felt pressured by his lack of teaching and retaliated against Ishikawa." Yuna concluded.

"Exactly !" I replied.

"What will you do after your brother is free ? What then ?" Jin asked Yuna as he tried to change the conversation.

"Honestly... I haven't had time to think about it." Yuna sighed.

"There's a spot up head to look at the river." I pointed to a ledge in front of us.

"Should give us a good view of the Mongol camp." Yuna nodded.