The morning air smelled of steel and fire. Smoke curled lazily above the horizon, and the distant clang of a hammer echoed like a heartbeat through the valley.
Nick's stomach growled. For three days, he'd been living off roasted rice balls and whatever Yuna didn't finish. And now, with her gone to scout ahead, he had the forge fire all to himself.
A terrible idea formed in his head.
He squinted at a small pot resting beside the anvil. "Okay," he muttered, rolling up his sleeves. "How hard can samurai cooking be? Fire, pot, water… rice. That's basically ramen, right?"
He dropped in a handful of rice, some half-cut vegetables, and — after a moment's hesitation — a mysterious chunk of meat that had been lying on the table.
"Protein," he said proudly. "Balanced diet."
The pot hissed. Steam puffed into his face. He stirred it once, then twice. The smell hit him — something between burnt rubber and dying dreams.
"…Maybe it just needs salt," he said hopefully.
A voice behind him groaned. "Please tell me that isn't food."
Nick turned to see Yuna standing at the doorway, arms folded, eyes wide with disbelief. Behind her, a young man — slender, soot-covered, with a faint scar on his chin — was laughing so hard he nearly dropped his hammer.
"That smell could kill a bear," the man said. "What did you do?"
Nick pointed defensively at the pot. "Innovation. Samurai fusion cooking."
Yuna walked over, peeked into the pot, and immediately stepped back. "Kami save us all."
The young man grinned. "You must be Jin Sakai. I've heard plenty — didn't know the Ghost could kill with flavor too."
Nick blinked, caught between pride and embarrassment. "Uh… thanks?"
Yuna chuckled. "Jin, this is my brother — Taka. The best blacksmith on Tsushima, if he doesn't blow himself up first."
Taka bowed slightly, wiping sweat from his brow. "It's an honor, Lord Sakai. I didn't think I'd ever meet you again."
"Again?" Nick asked.
Yuna shot her brother a look. He shrugged. "You just… seem different, that's all. Calmer. The last time we met, you looked like the world was about to end."
Nick forced a small smile. "Maybe I got better sleep this time."
Taka laughed. "Then you'll like it here. My forge is humble, but it's safe. For now."
---
Hours passed as Taka worked. Sparks danced like fireflies while his hammer sang against steel. The sound was oddly comforting — rhythmic, alive. Nick sat nearby, watching him shape raw metal into deadly beauty.
Yuna leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. "You look fascinated."
"I am," Nick said. "Where I come from, you press a button and weapons just… appear."
She frowned. "Buttons again."
"Yeah, never mind."
Taka wiped his forehead and held up a small curved blade. "For your tanto. Sharper, lighter. You'll move faster in the shadows."
Nick turned it over in his hand, admiring the craftsmanship. "You made this so fast."
Taka smiled faintly. "When you work with fire long enough, you learn its rhythm. You just have to listen."
Nick nodded slowly. "Guess the same goes for the wind."
Before Taka could reply, the air shifted. A cold gust swept through the forge, carrying with it a faint stench of smoke and wet leather. Yuna's head snapped toward the door.
"Did you hear that?" she whispered.
Nick stood, hand drifting toward his katana. Then — a scream. Followed by the unmistakable clatter of armor.
Mongols.
---
They came from the treeline — a dozen riders, armor gleaming, banners whipping violently in the wind. Their leader barked an order, and arrows rained down like black rain.
"Get down!" Nick shouted, tackling Taka behind the forge wall. Sparks exploded as an arrow struck the anvil.
Yuna rolled to cover, pulling two daggers from her belt. "They're after the forge!" she yelled. "If they take the tools, they control the weapons for miles!"
Nick's pulse pounded in his ears. His Chi flared — that strange, burning energy within him. His senses sharpened. The chaos slowed. He could feel every motion — the galloping hooves, the pull of bowstrings, the trembling earth beneath him.
"Stay here!" he told Taka, unsheathing his blade.
"Like hell!" Yuna shouted, sprinting beside him. "You'll die alone out there!"
Nick smirked. "Then let's die together."
They burst through the forge doors like twin storms. Arrows flew, steel clashed, and the valley erupted in chaos. Nick moved with instinct — the teachings of Yuna and the reflexes of a gamer merging into something terrifyingly precise.
A Mongol lunged with an axe — Nick ducked, slashed, and countered with a perfect Mountain Stance strike, shattering the man's guard. Another charged from behind — Yuna flipped over him, driving her dagger into his neck.
"Nice timing!" Nick shouted.
"Try not to make me save you next time!" she yelled back.
An arrow whistled past Nick's ear. He turned just in time to see three more Mongols charging. His Chi surged — golden light shimmered faintly around him. His breath steadied.
He reached into his pouch, grabbed one of Yuna's smoke bombs, and tossed it at their feet. Boom! A cloud of ash and sparks erupted, swallowing the enemy whole.
"Now!" Yuna cried.
They dove into the smoke — blades whispering death. When the haze cleared, the ground was silent except for the crackle of burning wood.
Nick wiped his blade clean, breathing hard. "You know… I'm starting to get the hang of this whole 'ghost' thing."
Yuna grinned. "Don't let it get to your head."
Taka emerged from the forge, coughing through the smoke. "Are they gone?"
Nick nodded. "For now."
Taka looked around at the damage — shattered tools, burning timbers, the broken door. "They'll be back. They always come back."
Nick sheathed his katana. "Then we make sure we're ready next time."
Taka hesitated, then said quietly, "If you're serious about that… I might have something for you."
---
Inside the forge, Taka unrolled a parchment covered in sketches — hooks, ropes, gears, and blades. "It's something I've been working on. I call it a grappling hook. You could climb walls, cross ravines — even scale the fortress if needed."
Nick's eyes widened. "You're kidding."
Taka grinned. "You said you wanted to save your uncle, right? You'll need more than courage for that."
Nick stared at the blueprint, excitement and dread swirling in equal measure. He could already see it — the fortress walls, the storm, the battle waiting beyond.
"Can you make it?" he asked.
Taka nodded. "With a bit of time and the right metal. But we'll need supplies. The Mongols took most of the iron when they raided the mines."
Yuna crossed her arms. "Then we'll take it back."
Nick smiled. "Yeah. And this time, I'll do the cooking when we return."
Taka groaned. "Kami, no."
---
Night fell. The forge glowed softly under the stars, the flames dancing like spirits. Nick sat by the entrance, sharpening his blade.
His reflection in the steel wavered — and for a moment, he saw another face overlay his own. The real Jin Sakai. Calm. Noble. Unyielding.
Then the wind shifted. From the shadows of the treeline, a single Mongol soldier crawled, bleeding, whispering into the night.
"The Ghost… lives…"
He collapsed, lifeless.
Nick's hand froze on the blade. His heart thudded once — heavy and cold.
Yuna appeared beside him. "What is it?"
He didn't answer. His eyes were still on the dead soldier, on the words still echoing in his head.
The Ghost lives.
Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled over the sea — a storm gathering over Kaneda.
---