Chapter 4

Hyobanshi and Yasuke were on horseback, riding across the expansive land. Both horses were sprinting quickly through the seemingly endless fields, kicking up grass and dirt and mud into the air with their powerful hooves. Itachi had bandages wrapped around his eyes and nose, only leaving his forehead, mouth, and chin exposed. He was holding on tightly to Yasuke, not wanting to fall off and be lost on his own. Every time the horse’s back legs hit the ground he bounced up off the seat before crashing back down. He kept holding on tightly enough to turn his hands a pale and ghostly shade of white. Hyobanshi wore a wide straw hat, pulled down to obscure the top of his head and block the sunlight from reaching his eyes. Despite the wind and quick speed, the hat stayed on without issue.

“Can we slow down at least a little bit? My *** is turning red and my balls are going to be flat soon!” Itachi screamed out.

Hyobanshi only whipped the reins to make his horse run a bit faster. Yasuke did the same as Itachi groaned in pain.

“If we slow down, that’s going to be more people dying.” Yasuke replied.

Hyobanshi was further ahead on the horse, able to control it much easier than Yasuke. His eyes were squinted as he stared forward. The miles and miles of nothing but fields seemed to never end as the sun moved across the sky.

In the distance, they began to see a large castle. They rode faster, pushing the horses to their limits.

“Are we there yet?” Itachi asked.

“Almost.” Yasuke replied.

Hyobanshi could feel his stomach tying in knots as he drew closer. He felt more and more sick with every inch.

The horses stopped at the large gates.

A large concrete wall stretching miles and miles up towards the heavens, ending with long walkways and archers with weapons drawn. The large ornate black and gold gates opened as the trio got off their horses. Yasuke held Itachi up as Hyobanshi lead the way.

Right inside the gates were an entire legion of samurai, armor on and weapons drawn. All of the samurai wore black, red, and yellow armor including masks made to resemble ferocious monsters and demons.

“State your business!” One of the samurai shouted.

He stood just behind the front line, his armor pure white with the same red and yellow designs. The mask was that of a dragon and made of pure gold, so clean it looked brand new.

Hyobanshi only lifted the hat up just enough to reveal his face. Instantaneously, every samurai standing began to gasp and whisper amongst themselves.

“Hyobanshi. What brings you here?” The samurai wearing white asked as he stepped through the line. He reached up to remove his helmet and mask. He was a man roughly the same age as Hyobanshi, if not a few months younger.

“I must speak with The Emperor.” Hyobanshi said, his body stoic and emotionless despite the sickening feeling his insides were going through.

“We must know the reason. A man like you could kill him and escape before anybody blinked their eyes.” The samurai replied.

“I will not waste time. It is a very important matter.” Hyobanshi began to step forward, but the samurai in white quickly drew his sword, pointing it towards Hyobanshi.

“If you shall not tell us your reasons, we will have to take you to him in bondage.” He said.

Hyobanshi sighed.

“I know the great Hyobanshi does not refuse a duel.” He said.

“The great Hyobanshi never existed, only a man with that same name.” Hyobanshi replied.

Hyobanshi stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword. The rest of the samurai were completely silent.

“Well then, that’ll make this much easier.” The samurai put his helmet and mask back on before getting into a fighting stance.

Hyobanshi sighed again as he kept standing straight.

The samurai was running through a hundred different plans and strategies inside his head at once, trying to figure out which to use.

He took a single step forward and slashed his sword, but he hit nothing. Hyobanshi seemed to have completely disappeared, only leaving a cloud of dust. Hyobanshi tapped on his shoulder.

“I refuse to fight you, but I respect your loyalty to The Emperor. Take me to him and I won’t have to hurt you.” Hyobanshi said.

The samurai quickly spun around and slashed his sword down towards the ground, but Hyobanshi gracefully stepped to the side to avoid the blade. The samurai went for a horizontal slash, but Hyobanshi took a single step back without any urgency to avoid it. The samurai nearly lost his footing, but regained it when he felt the point of Hyobanshi’s blade against his chest.

“I will not…” Hyobanshi started, but was interrupted as the samurai pushed the blade away and slashed his sword over and over, unable to touch Hyobanshi. Hyobanshi finally slashed his sword once, creating a diagonal cut across the mask. The blade went only deep enough to cause the mask to break into two halves that dropped to the ground, but not deep enough to cut the man’s face. He froze and looked down at the mask.

“I will not continue doing this. Take me to The Emperor.” Hyobanshi sheathed his sword.

The samurai dropped to his knees and lifted the two halves of his mask off the ground.

“As you wish Hyobanshi.” The samurai said.

Hyobanshi, Yasuke, and Itachi walked together behind the samurai dressed in all white through the small city living inside the massive walls. Hyobanshi looked around as the villagers stood just inside their homes, watching through paper windows and doorways. Young and skinny children were afraid of the trio while they hid behind their frail parents. Hyobanshi kept his eyes locked on the large castle-like temple as he walked. Itachi was moving his head around despite not being able to see anything while his arm was over the shoulders of Yasuke.

“I can see the kingdom has been doing well.” Hyobanshi finally spoke.

“War can deplete resources. The people know what they are sacrificing, and they know it is for a just cause.” The samurai replied.

“Just cause.” Hyobanshi replied with a scoff.

The samurai turned to look at him as they continued to walk.

“If the cause was not just, we would not fight. We do it to protect our way of living. These people are innocent civilians, and I would die to protect them from the evils beyond those walls.” He said as Hyobanshi looked at the walls in the distance. The homes were well maintained, but some of the roofs were missing tiling or had it laying on the ground. Hyobanshi couldn’t smell any fresh food, he didn’t see any farm animals, and he didn’t hear any water.

“You protect them by making them suffer.” Hyobanshi said.

The samurai ahead of him was clearly getting annoyed and frustrated, but bit his tongue to not speak back.

“Give it a rest Hyobanshi. It’s not as simple as you might think.” Yasuke spoke up.

“I will only stop as to not cause any dissension, whether I agree with the morals or not.” Hyobanshi said.

They made it to a large set of stone stairs that lead to a massive castle-like temple sitting on top of a pile of neatly and nicely stacked stone. Itachi went to step onto them, but missed and tripped, falling forward until Yasuke caught him.

“Take it easy. I got you.” Yasuke said.

Itachi tried to reach out and grab something to help him walk, but Yasuke kept him up and close.

“Go ahead, we’ll be up there soon.” Yasuke said as he looked at Hyobanshi. Hyobanshi nodded as he began to walk up the large set of stairs alongside the other samurai.

“So what is the news you wish to share with The Emperor?” The samurai asked.

“And I should tell you?” Hyobanshi asked.

“I am the commander of The Emperor’s military. So anything that has to do with our brave soldiers must be known by me.” He said.

The samurai and Hyobanshi refused to look at each other. Their eyes were both locked forward as they walked.

“I’m shocked that the man whose life I had to save over and over again was able to become a commander.” Hyobanshi replied.

“I never needed you to save me Hyobanshi. You just had to take all of the glory, and then what? You left. What was even the point?” The samurai said.

“I fought in the military because it was required of all boys. I trained to be the best soldier I could be, but then I saw the horrors that war and violence causes. I was not going to be a weapon for anybody ever again.” Hyobanshi spoke.

“You brought shame to your family.” The samurai simply replied.

“No family to have shamed.” Hyobanshi quickly said.

The samurai finally turned to look at Hyobanshi, his eyes examining the facial expressions and emotion.

“I know we have our differences, but if you need me for whatever this important news is, I will be more than honored to help.” The samurai said.

They made it to the top of the stairs, where the samurai immediately bowed to Hyobanshi. Hyobanshi looked disgusted.

“Stand up. I am no man to bow to.” Hyobanshi said.

“You are a man who could take out entire legions by yourself. That sounds like more than enough reason.” The samurai replied, still bent down.

“If only you knew.” Hyobanshi muttered to himself as he walked to the front doors of the temple. He pushed them open, the large doors opening with ease. He stepped inside and looked down a single long hallway. The floor was incredibly clean and expensive marble that held rows and rows of large columns made of pure gold holding up the multiple floors and massive roof.

“Who has come to disturb The Emperor?” A loud voice came from the other side of the room. Hyobanshi walked forward, not caring about appearing formal in any way as he walked.

Aside from the columns, there was nothing else filling the roof. Just a wide expanse that could fit thousands of people if needed.

“A man who knows what it took for this empire to be built.” Hyobanshi replied before stopping, standing at the bottom of a small staircase that led up to a large golden and red throne.

The Emperor was sitting, covered in multiple large kimonos and robes of varying colors before he stood up. He held his arms out, letting the fabric flow down and make him appear much larger than he was as he moved down the stairs slowly.

“Hyobanshi, it has been so long. What is the honor of you being here?” The Emperor asked.

“I simply come with a warning.” Hyobanshi said.

“Are you declaring war against us? Couldn’t you give me a few months to train my military so it’s fair?” The Emperor asked with a joking tone.

Hyobanshi continued to stand stoic.

“Fine, what is it?” The Emperor asked.

“Monsters…Demons I believe are invading the land. They are hungry and violent. The problem is that I am the only person strong enough to kill them.” Hyobanshi said.

“So it’s settled, you will join my forces once again to fight these Demons.” The Emperor said.

“That’s not what is going to happen.” Hyobanshi replied.

“Oh really? Then what is going to happen?” The Emperor asked.

“I will fight whenever my life his threatened, and your soldiers will be forced to fight them. You will be the leader of an army of zero before the season ends.” Hyobanshi said.

“So, the great warrior has become a coward.” The Emperor replied.

“I was never a great warrior, simply a man blindly following orders and killing all who stood in my way. After realizing my mistakes, I left to live a life of peace.” Hyobanshi said.

“And yet here you are.” The Emperor began to slowly walk around Hyobanshi. Hyoabsnhi stood still and stared forward, not quite at attention but standing with his arms down and his back straight.

“Hyobanshi. A man who was not born, but found. As a child you were discovered roaming the lands. You were brought to live in my Kingdom and grew up in the army, where you became the greatest warrior that history has ever seen…and that was before you turned eight.”

The Emperor kept walking and talking as Hyobanshi stood, his face subtly twitching.

“And by the age of ten, you were the one leading armies into battle. You have fought in every war, every battle that this Kingdom has been involved in. You have never even suffered a bruise or cut. Your armor was worn for nearly thirty years and yet when you dishonorably left, it looked as if it had been freshly made. You always claim to be a normal man, but no normal man could do those things. You were created to be a warrior, killing any and all who stand against not only you but this Kingdom.”

As soon as The Emperor ended talking, he went to turn around Hyobanshi, but stopped as he felt something begin to press into his neck. Hyobanshi’s sword was drawn and his arm extended out, the blade pressing into The Emperor’s neck. The Emperor only chuckled and reached up, pushing the blade away.

“I may have been a warrior, maybe even the best, but I do not think that is enough justification.” Hyobanshi said.

“Justification for what?” The Emperor asked.

“You had me go into villages and masacre the people. Do you remember why?” Hyobanshi asked, turning to look at The Emperor in his eyes.

“I remember, but what do you think the reason was?” The Emperor asked.

“Because they rebelled against you.” Hyobanshi said.

“And you think they should’ve been allowed to? Revolt and lead to violence that would hurt innocent people and ruin my…our Kingdom?” The Emperor asked.

“You became mad with power, a tyrannical ruler who taxed people into poverty and starvation.” Hyobanshi said.

The Emperor seemed to shrug it off and continued to walk.

“I can see it in your eyes. You are not only here to warn me about these Demons.” The Emperor replied.

Hyobanshi continued to grip his sword tightly as he watched The Emperor move to the stairs, but then stopped.

“If you truly believe that I am wrong…if you truly believe that I used you, then strike me down now. But if you don’t, then that means…”

The Emperor turned around, but as he did Hyobanshi’s sword plunged deep into his chest, stabbing through his spin and poking through his back, ripping all of the fabric covering his body. Hyobanshi stared into his eyes, but The Emperor just smirked.

“You are the warrior…whether you want to be…or not.” The Emperor grabbed Hyobanshi’s hands and forced him to turn the blade, making the cut wider before The Emperor’s body went limp and fell to the ground.

Hyobanshi pulled his sword back and wiped the blood off with his fingers. He continued to stare down at the corpse of The Emperor, his face emotionless as he sheathed his sword. He very slowly lowered himself before sitting on his knees and bowing, but then immediately got back up and walked towards the doors.

As Hyobanshi walked down the large and empty room, he could feel the building and ground beneath him shaking. Hyobanshi’s eyes went wide as he quickly ran to the doors.

“We’re under attack!” One of the samurai guards shouted just as a massive explosion sent people flying in every direction.

Hyobanshi quickly drew his sword and tried to look for whatever monster was attacking. The samurai who walked with him up the stairs ran over and stood next to Hyobanshi with his sword drawn.

“Arata, what is happening?” Hyobanshi asked.

“Whatever you were talking about has come here. Some sort of monsters attacking.” Arata replied.

Yasuke made his way over, still holding Itachi up.

“We must get The Emperor to safety!” Arata shouted.

“The Emperor is dead.” Hyobanshi replied.

Yasuke and Arata gave shocked expressions as Itachi was trying to look around with the bandages still covering his face.

“You didn’t…” Arata started.

Another loud explosion interrupted him as The Emperor’s home exploded and sent the front doors flying into pieces. All four men flew forward and hit the ground hard as another small explosion hit the front of the home, sending more rubble and debris into the air.

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