After the duel, mostly everyone scattered. There were pros and cons to the duel. A pro was I showed I am not willing to be pushed around by anyone. The con was I had just defeated the emperor's son in combat. I didn't know what repercussions I would face, but seeing him defeated after he thought he had me on the ropes felt amazing.
Masanori and I walked to the Shōgun's war room. It was located in a hefty concrete building that I had vague memories of. The last time I visited here was when I was seven years old, so much had changed, and my memory was blurry to say the least.
It was quite a ways from the sparring area. It gave time for Masanori and I to have a conversation though.
Masanori started, "You did good, but you are still a dull imitation of your father, Rei."
The comment stung a little, but one of my goals was to surpass my father. It was the only true way to save Japan and retake the world's government from the current Shōgun.
"I had some trouble against the Imperial Prince," I said.
Masanori replied, "I am surprised you even won the duel. The Prince has been set up for great achievement ever since he was born. He had the best tutors and Samurai to groom him into the Samurai he is today. Luckily, you both achieved the rank of elemental samurai at the same time."
That was right. Master Tanaka was coming home from bringing swords to the Emperor and his children when I initially arrived at his home and workshop.
"You're surprised I won? I have worked hard too," I told Masanori.
Masanori said, "The Prince isn't adept when it comes to the powers of light, and to be honest, the element of light is a rare occurrence. There are very few Samurai left that could help him train with his blade. You, on the other hand, haven't been trained by real Samurai. I love Tanaka, but he is hardly a master swordsman. Also, you aren't using your blade to its full potential."
Masanori was right. I didn't feel the same with my blade. When I fought Masanori, his stories of my father and my hunger to take out the Shōgun were so strong that I meshed with my blade through grief. During this duel, I didn't feel the same grief my blade felt in the moment, and I could feel that my blade wasn't fighting to its full potential. The only problem was I didn't know if I would be able to get back to that state of mind. After speaking to Masanori, my resolve shifted slightly. My goals and priorities changed. I had to focus on saving Japan and not my selfish goals of killing the Shōgun and the assassin that murdered my father. I had to find a way to either get myself in the proper headspace while using Nageki no Ken or change the way Nageki no Ken thought. Either way, it wasn't going to be an easy task at all.
Before I could finish my conversation with Masanori, we had already arrived at the entrance of the concrete building. As we walked inside, memories started to flood back: running around here as a kid and my father telling me not to touch ancient relics. On the inside was a waiting area with Samurai armor lining the walls. Wooden benches and seats were assorted inside, and it seemed as if you waited out here for the Shōgun if he were busy.
As I walked through the waiting area and toward the Shōgun's war room, I caught a glimpse of blue and yellow armor— the armor of the famous Samurai Ryūjin of the Storm. It was the same Samurai I had an oil painting of in my room. To see one of my favorite Samurai's armor in person was amazing.
Masanori knocked on a large wooden door in front of us on the right side of the room. The doors slowly creaked open, and a guard was standing on the other side wearing armor black as coals with yellow accents. His face guard was of an oni, and he stood there imposingly until the Shōgun, Genshiro Takakage, spoke.
"You can leave us, Kaminari," the Shōgun ordered.
The Samurai didn't hesitate and left the room. This meant the Shōgun didn't feel threatened— or maybe he just knew he could take me if I did decide to strike. The Shōgun stood proud. He wore a red robe much like Masanori's, except its gold embroidery was of his family crest: a simple circle with three lines connecting to the circle on the inside.
I never saw the war room as a kid, so memory didn't serve me any use in this room. There was a circular table in the middle of the room and a huge map on the table. Pieces were scattered across the table representing troops and enemies. By the quick glance I got off the table, there were a lot of enemy pieces scattered through a good amount of Japan.
As Masanori and I entered the room fully, we both bowed toward the Shōgun until he told us we could rise. As we rose, the Shōgun began to speak.
"Your first day here, and you already managed to pick a fight with the Emperor's son. Why?" the Shōgun asked.
A burning frustration to even conversate with the Shōgun was inside of my chest. I guess my resolve was very tough because I really just wanted to attack him the first time I saw him, but I didn't, and I answered his questions truthfully.
I said, "It doesn't matter if someone is royalty to me. He didn't show me respect, and I had to give him a reason to."
The Shōgun's death stare turned into him chuckling slightly.
"The kid needed to be brought down a peg. You showed him mercy in your duel, and our enemies won't. It's a lesson he needed before his first mission," the Shōgun stated.
And just as I thought I was in the clear, the Shōgun continued speaking.
"Rei Kazehara. Son of Hayato Kazehara, one of the finest Samurai Japan had the pleasure of having. It seems as if you are more headstrong than your father. Is this going to make you a problem?" the Shōgun asked.
One of the finest Samurai in Japan? How dare he even speak my father's name. I was enraged, but I could almost feel Masanori sweating through his robe. I took a deep breath and responded, "No. I will not be a problem, sir. I will provide any assistance Japan needs."
I watched as Masanori finally let out a breath.
"Good. If you are anything like your father, I should have faith in you. Now, there is no need for punishment. Samurai practice and spar. That's what your little match against the Imperial Prince was. Now for the real reason I called you two here. Please, have a seat," the Shōgun said.
Masanori and I both took a seat in two chairs in front of the Shōgun's desk. Once we were fully seated, the Shōgun continued.
"Intel suggests that an encampment of Mongolians is held up just five hours south of this base. This is honestly dangerously close, and they have already pillaged the villages nearby. We don't know if they took prisoners or not. I want you two to go take out the village. The Mongolians might have numbers on us, but an elemental swordsman is equal to twenty of their men. It shouldn't be too hard. The Imperial Prince will also accompany you two," the Shōgun stated.
I didn't know what was worse— getting ordered around by the Shōgun, a man I absolutely hate, or having to go on my first mission with the Emperor's son.
We sat there a little longer as the Shōgun stared at us. It actually started to get a bit awkward, but finally the Shōgun said, "That is all."
I followed Masanori's lead and followed out of the room behind him. The Samurai in the black and yellow armor walked back into the room, closing the door behind him.
Masanori took a deep breath as we walked out of the concrete building and said, "Geez, I am so glad you didn't say anything too stupid."
A weight had definitely been lifted off of his chest.
Masanori continued, "Well, we start to travel tomorrow, and you're going to be sitting pretty close to the Prince. I would suggest going and getting some sleep."
Masanori began to walk away, and I yelled toward him, "I don't even know where I am going."
"Shit. You're right," Masanori said.