Ryūzaki Sanosuke

After a heated battle with the Yasutane Clan, who occupied the fortress in his absence, Hashinara Katamoto and his generals reestablish control over Wakigami Castle and, by extension, Yamato Province.

After a hectic battle, Wakayama is delivered out of the control of the Chōsokabe Clan through the combined efforts of the Hashinara Clan and the Tsuchimi Clan. The Hashinara claim the now-leaderless province and add it to their domain.

Upon arriving at Iga, Katsusada Shishauezaemon and his most trusted generals (plus Baby Huey) are led to a secluded tea house and meet with Fujibayashi Nagato of the Iga Ninja. Before the meeting can proceed, however, the group is attacked by two Igamono, Crocodile and Stoplight. When the two are near defeat, the leader of the Igamono, Vengeance joins the fray. After a desperate battle in which Baby Huey is slain, all three enemy ninja are defeated and Vengeance captured.

Key generals Ryūzaki Sanosuke and Aotsuki Tsukamoto are sent as agents of the Hashinara to request an official alliance with Tsuchimi Takasuke, Daimyō of the neighboring Tsuchimi Clan.  Convinced by a combination of Aotsuki's silver tongue and Sanosuke's stalwart support during his last military engagement, the old man agrees.

Following the "Administrative Flunky's" tracks to the Tsukijō Wakigami Manor, the generals find that it has already been taken by Igamono.  They enter the building's basement cautiously, and are confronted by a man who looks and sounds exactly like Katsusada Shishauezaemon.  When questioned by the real Shishauezaemon, the impostor claims that he already spoke to the envoy from the Imperial Court.  Among other misinformation, Matsutada Tadamatsu was told that the Hashinara attacked the Chōsokabe Clan on a personal slight, and that the Ashikaga Shogunate should mind its own business on threat of war.   Before the discussion could progress any further, Fujibayashi Nagato attacked the impostor from the shadows and a full battle broke out between Hashinara elite and the lurking Igamono.  Among their top priorities was the rescue of Tsukijō no Yumeno, tied to a post in the middle of the cellar, but this too was revealed to be a ninja fake.  She was slain with the rest, but in the chaos, a single Igamono managed to cut off the real Katsusada Shishauezaemon's head.  With the enigmatic words, "Vengeance has been served," the man accepted his death at the others' hands.  As panic spread, Chōsokabe Morichika stole Matsumoto Ooawagaeri out of the chaos.  With a few quick words, however, Ryūzaki Sanosuke was able to regain control of the situation, and the Igamono suffered a brutal defeat.   After the battle, the real Tsukijō no Yumeno was found in a nearby barrel.  She was unharmed, merely tied up, and corroborated the story that the fake Shishauezaemon had told them before.

While Katsusada Shishauezaemon is away partaking in a dark ritual at Mikumari-jinja, Ryūzaki Sanosuke takes temporary control of the Hashinara Clan until his return.

Investigating reports from Juntoku no Chūkyō regarding a mysterious merchant in Awa Harbor, the five generals of the Hashinara clan quickly found the racketeer in question. Clad from toe to tip in black cloth, with a white mask under his hat, the merchant spoke with a strange, grinding voice and moved with jerky twitches. For all this, he seemed friendly enough, and explained that he was selling poor-quality swords, failures, in bulk. Though these weapons were anything but poor-quality, Fubuki recognized them as being crafted by the same legendary smith notorious for making "Cursed" weapons.   Not wanting any more of these blades distributed to the public, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo bought the whole cart, only to have another cart wheel itself out of the house behind the merchant, full to the brim with more blades. With the help of his Sheele, Aotsuki Tsukamoto recognized gears beneath the cart's wheels as the source of its self-locomotion. Karakuri, according to Yoshitakatomo, a kind of trick clockwork popular among the richer classes for entertainment.   Meanwhile, Fubuki had transmuted into a tiny fox and stolen into the house. Inside were four more copies of the same merchant. Further inspection showed them to be more wood and gears under their robes than humans. Before Fubuki's investigation could continue, it was interrupted by a shower of bombs with various coy expressions painted on them from the rafters above. First a flashbang, then three smoke grenades that masked the disappearance of the merchants within.   By this point, Maxim had burst through the door and was attempting to save the man he saw inside, but with little luck. A few moments and a powerful breath from Sanosuke dispelled the smoke, but the clockwork men were nowhere to be seen. Outside, Kagami pointed out that she'd seen a person on the roof, and Tama found a discharged bomb with a sullen face drawn on it. At the same time, the first merchant had suddenly changed its tune, confirming that yes, Yoshitakatomo actually could meet the smith behind those fine weapons.   Fubuki teleported beneath the floor-boards, while Maxim followed by use of a trapdoor Sanosuke had pointed out during an investigation of the interior. Transforming her*self into a hat, Fubuki rested on one of the marching merchant's heads as they progressed through a tunnel until reaching a stone room with more carts of weapons. Also present, watching over them, was a mysterious creature comprising a cloak tapering to blades at the end and a mass of vaguely humanoid red ribbons under a death-marked mask. The Blade Wraith immediately spotted Fubuki even through the disguise and, while she* fought valiantly for a hat, the four "merchants" and creature were able to slay her* in short order.   Before falling, Fubuki had sent a message to Yoshitakatomo covering the situation and the princess-daimyō was about to make her* own magical entrance just as Maxim reached the door. Both were too late to save Fubuki, but perhaps she* can still be rescued from true death if they act quickly enough. Standing in their way, though, were the Blade Wraith and four karakuri merchants, now revealed to be hideous clockwork dolls under the guise.

In Setsu Province, villagers, cityfolk, and bakeneko alike have been complaining of strange dreams. The legend of Momotarō plays out before their eyes every night, albeit with a unique spin. In this rendition, "Magical Momo" is an idol, and she defeats the evil oni with her cheerful antics and cute companions. Could this spectacle just be residual thoughts from that idol competition in Wakigami? That wouldn't explain why farmers who have never seen an "idol" in their lives are having the same dreams too.   It's been a while since the Gauntlet of Games, where the Date Clan implored their counterparts in the Hashinara to investigate these "dream shards" popping up all over the country. Likely it's in response to the big portal up north near their capital. Regardless, the brave generals of the Hashinara were getting around to it, and their next target was that peach-colored rift halfway between Kaya and Osaka(settlement).

While the invading demon, Raym, lurked beneath the meeting room table, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo took the opportunity to cast a minor spell of healing upon the fallen. This jolted them awake, mending some of their wounds, but Azai Nagamasa was still missing an arm and Ishida Mitsunari a leg, so they were yet in no condition to rejoin the battle.   Even Kagami's supernatural powers of detection couldn't pinpoint their attacker's location, save that she was somewhere under the table, so Ryūzaki Sanosuke took the most obvious route forward. Slamming his foot down in a precise, powerful strike, he exerted just enough force to snap all four legs of the table and bring it down heavily onto the floor below. So measured was his strength that those standing on the table barely had to adjust their balance. Even so, the heavy wooden slab didn't seem to meet any resistance on the way down. Either Raym was no longer down there, or her powers of shadow extended further than they knew.

Aotsuki Tsukamoto stood in a dimly lit passageway somewhere within Kannonji Castle. That strange, one-horned oni-yōkai girl had brought him here, and locked him within, but thanks to the efforts of Kagami and Tama, he had been able to escape. His allies, Abe no Seimei, Maxim, Ka-ten Agni, and Sugihara Hidemitsu, were all still outside the firmly-shut castle gate. Though he could communicate with them mentally, that left him alone to figure out a way to escape.   Hoping to avoid another encounter with Rokkaku no Ateshi, Aotsuki moved first to his right. It was harder to tell after his whirlwind entrance to the place, but if he had to guess, he’d say he was heading east. Late as it was, most of the castle had retired, and none remained in the corridor to challenge him. He tried to muffle the sounds of his clanking equipment, and succeeded about as far as could be hoped for a man carrying such armor and weaponry.

With the aid of Shigeaki Fujino, a group consisting of Aotsuki Tsukamoto, Ryūzaki Sanosuke, and Maxim arrived in Takayama Tomoteru's room at Owari Castle just in time to interrupt a strategic meeting between Takenaka Hanbei and Hashinara Yoshitakatomo. There had been whispers of a great meeting between the Hashinara Clan's top generals for some time now, especially with Maxim's sudden return from Gehenna. Fujino had taken it upon herself to make it happen, and so it was. Abe no Seimei offered some brief telepathic objections at the stealing away of Aotsuki, but he was able to reassure her, and the meeting could begin.

The summoning of Shax completed, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo and her* generals, Aotsuki Tsukamoto, Maxim, and Ryūzaki Sanosuke, were all left in the basement of Ōtsu Castle, Abe no Seimei’s sanctum. Their new, demonic guest was now under control, and so they were free to pursue other matters. A few things in particular seemed to be on Sanosuke’s mind, and he began by pursuing the idea of a sheele.

Dawn rose on the third day of the Mōri Aspirant Tournament, with the matches beginning at their characteristically punctual break of dawn. Mostly familiar faces dotted the crowd, with some missing and a few newcomers present. Of particular interest was a sour-faced, dour woman in reddish robes sharing the box right beside Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki who hadn't been there on days previous.   A fair number of other events occurred simultaneously with the matches, but for details on each battle that took place, see: Mōri Matches: Day 3

The battle was fought, and Ryūzaki Sanosuke had barely emerged the victor. Yet there was something the Silver General didn't quite understand. He voiced his question to his opponent, Hōzōin In'ei: They'd obviously both been giving it their all at the end, but she'd been fighting these duels for a long time. Could it be that she'd given up on being Champion of Susano'o?   Still visibly in better condition than Sanosuke, In'ei crossed four of her six arms as she pondered the question. That she didn't immediately contradict him, however, was telling in itself. Eventually, In'ei answered that she could indeed have kept fighting after that last strike. His attack didn't kill her, after all, even if it should have. But the next blow after that might have. Or the next. It had been many years since she'd last been put in such danger, and her feelings at the time were that maybe it would be better for Susano'o to have two powerful champions in the world. That is, rather than just the one left after the other's death. That was why she had conceded the match.

Within a discreet meeting room at Wakigami Castle, Ryūzaki Sanosuke waited. Beside him, seated in awkward silence, was the man who still possessed Shōta's body. Rather, Dōhan was well and truly trapped within the lanky youth's form. This was a situation which Sanosuke felt his lord, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo could easily take advantage of, so he had brought the possessed boy here. And yet Yoshitakatomo had still not arrived. It was nearing midnight now, and she* was still on her* journey in the Dreamlands, despite many an assurance that she* would return soon.

It was the darkest hour of the night; the perfect time for ninja business. It was just such ninja business which drew the five Cardinal Generals of the Hashinara Clan to Iga. For some time, Fujibayashi Nagato had been working here to eliminate the remnants of the resistance group known as Igamono. With them out of the way, and Hattori Hanzō dead, there would be nothing standing in the way of Nagato becoming head Jōnin of the Iga Ninja.   Her first order of business promised to be a formal alliance with the Hashinara Clan. Therefore, it behooved the clan to lend their aid in this final confrontation. The Igamono, staunch traditional independents, would never allow the Iga Ninja to formally ally with a clan. They were a minority now, but enough families still backed them that they could prove a threat if left alone. One such family, led by Iganozeki Butsugai, had agreed to speak with Nagato tonight. Canny and with plenty of shinobi experience to draw upon, she expected a trap. Therefore, having five of the most powerful individuals in Japan at her back was a great reassurance.

Starting with the dawn, the Mōri Martial Arts Tournament once again saw a fine turnout from all across the land. Either all these generals had some manner of quick transportation, comparable to the Hashinara Clan's teleportation network, or they were staying in Shimonoseki for the duration. Perhaps a combination of both.   The morning proceeded with a series of intense fights and only a single death. Once all was done, Fubuki, Honda Tadakatsu, Maxim, and Momo would be advancing to the independent semifinals. Accounts of their matches can be found elsewhere. During and after the bouts, however, a few other events of interest were happening throughout the crowd.

Part 1

At the sound and light, the gathered crowd looked as one to the center of the arena. There, under a fading shower of fireworks, stood an unfamiliar figure and The Black Blade of Doom: Date Masamune. They faced each other and seemed ready to battle. From the southeastern quadrant, a gasp rang out. It was Katakura Kojūrō. Neither she nor Masuda Kita seemed thrilled at the appearance of another Date Masamune.   Indeed, there were some murmurs worming their way through the crowd. Wasn't Date Masamune dead, obliterated by Musashibō Benkei in the tournament? Mōri Motonari's voice cut through the muddle like a blade. She chided both the unknown figure and Masamune. There were no further fights scheduled that day and, what's more, their intrusion on the field when she was about to announce the champion's prize was far too presumptuous. At a swelling of support from the crowd, the two rivals backed down. They would have their battle after the ceremonies concluded.

Under the pervasive sound of running water, the Hashinara expedition took stock of their situation. Despite Matsumoto Ooawagaeri's best efforts, only five of them had made the transition into the Caves of Life. Those were the Black Blade himself, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, Ryūzaki Sanosuke, Oyama Hikari, and Umashiashikabihikoji.   What's more, a path of melting shadows in the corner of their entryway had just detached itself from the darkness and began speaking to them. This creature, for it did seem to be a humanoid form of some sort, claimed herself to be a steward of these caves, appointed by Omoikane. She first thought the interlopers to be thieves, then became disappointing when Yoshitakatomo asserted that they were not. Thieves, at least, would be something interesting. Mere acolytes of the Goddess would no doubt fail to hold this steward's interest.   It was her duty to help them find what they sought but, as bored by the centuries as she was, the guiding shadow would not give up her secrets so simply. Instead, she invited the Hashinara group to participate in a game. A riddle. Should they solve it, she would give them her aid without hesitation. This seemed perhaps unnecessary, but it was at least in line with the ways of the Goddess of Secrets. Yoshitakatomo agreed to the terms.

Darkness. Emptiness. The comfort of water's embrace. In the distance, a sole sound. Rushing. Echoing.   We wait, unmoving. The stillness is not unlike death. Yet we have not died, will not die. We share a purpose, have waited an age to fulfill it. Now, the time is at hand.   The acolyte approaches. Sworn to Omoikane. His being has been sundered, split into four by Zo-Kalar. Trapped in the body of a scavenger. The silent voice of decay courts him, but he does not listen.