Part Two

The sun hung high over the village, its pale light cascading over tiled rooftops and paper lanterns swaying gently in the night breeze. The faint scent of cherry blossoms mingled with the distant crackle of a hearth fire.

Genkei sat in the corner of a small, dimly lit izakaya, his straw hat resting beside his worn katana. The chatter of the few patrons filled the air, but it was the conversation of two soldiers at a nearby table that caught his ear.

"I hear the Emperor is considering surrender," one of the soldiers muttered, his voice hushed but tense. "Grand Patron Izanagi has been captured, and his clan—" he paused, glancing around nervously, "—overthrown. The three clans are on the verge of uniting their banners against the capital. It seems... the Emperor has already lost."

Genkei tightened his grip on his sake cup, his knuckles whitening.

The other soldier, a younger man with fiery eyes, slammed his hand on the table, causing his bowl of miso to tremble. "How dare you speak of such things with such ease, Takeshi-san? Have you no sense of what that means for us all? Sixty villages, loyal to the capital, will be left to the mercy of those savages! Our wives, our children—do you think they will be spared? Hurotobi, Umshai, Ukoi, Dhuroki—all burned to the ground!" His voice broke as he continued. "And you want to give up?"

Takeshi sighed, his expression heavy with weariness. "What choice do we have? All for what? An Emperor who was betrayed by his own blood? The people whisper that Emperor Zhao's brother, Jui-sama, orchestrated his death to claim the throne. The clans have seized upon this treachery as their excuse to go to war."

The younger soldier's eyes narrowed. "Takeshi-san, do not let hearsay cloud your judgment. Jui-sama has always been a loyal servant to his brother, Zhao-sama. He would never—"

"Enough," Takeshi interrupted, leaning forward. "Tell me, Kojiro-san, do you truly believe loyalty runs that deep? Jui-sama has ruled with calm hands, but betrayal lies in every shadow.

Perhaps Uzai-sama, Isashi-sama, and Huritoki-sama—the Grand Patrons of the Rebel clans—are the real culprits. Perhaps they hired the demon head to do their dirty work, knowing no human assassin could succeed. And now they use this tragedy to rally their forces and bring ruin to the capital."

Kojiro swallowed, glancing over his shoulder as if the walls had ears. "Do not speak of the demon heads so freely, Takeshi-san. They are not creatures to summon lightly, even in words. We both know their wrath is beyond reason. But still... if the Emperor was truly slain by one, then we must wonder: For what purpose does the death of the emperor serve them?"

As their conversation meandered, the lantern light cast flickering shadows across Genkei's face. He drank deeply from his sake, his mind swimming in memories. The name "Izanagi" struck a chord deep within him. Once, they had fought side by side in service of the Slain Emperor, brothers-in-arms who had carved their way through armies. Izanagi, the indomitable Grand Patron. Now... overthrown.

A voice whispered in the depths of his mind.

#You grieve for a lost comrade, swordsman? How quaint. Yet you do nothing to avenge him#

"Silence," Genkei muttered under his breath.

#Pouring sake for the dead will not resurrect them, nor will it bring you peace. I could have aided you, swordsman. I could have given you the power to change the course of this war. Yet you squander your strength clinging to your pitiful vendetta#

Genkei slammed his cup onto the table, earning a sharp glance from the izakaya's keeper. "Enough, I say," he hissed, voice low.

The demon king's laughter echoed within the blade that hung at Genkei's side. "You carry me, yet deny me. What a tragic fool you are. Let me go, You can't shut me down any longer, your mind grows frail eavh new day and soon, It will be mine."

Ignoring the taunts, Genkei rose and walked toward the door, tossing a coin onto the counter. The soldiers continued their hushed debate behind him.

"Goodbye, Izanagi," Genkei whispered as he stepped into the cool night air. He poured the remainder of his sake onto the ground—a silent tribute. "Your flame burns no more, old friend. But I will not let it be extinguished in vain."

Genkei adjusted the brim of his hat, his eyes hardening like steel. "The blade that binds me will also be my weapon. I will destroy you and all that you stand for."

The demon's voice chuckled darkly. "And so the swordsman marches to his doom, blind to the truth he so desperately seeks. How deliciously ironic."