Submission 3

Rising Nippon Pt.1
April 15,1593 Outskirts of Nishine,Iwate. One peaceful night, a mysterious figure appears at Date Surosai’s castle. All that is seen is a silhouette. Meanwhile in the main keep, Surosai is asleep. Suddenly, the door is demolished by an explosion of sound. Surosai comes awake, but he goes back to sleep. A permanent sleep, along with a shuriken in his head. As his private samurai guard sounds the alarm, the assassin escapes. But a mere moment before, a sentry recognizes him. A poisoned arrow send him to the Yomi underworld. He utters the name, “ Shima Hiro!”
April 1593 Village of Ochikato, Central Iga: A wounded figure stumbles into the town ryokan. “What happened to you!” the young innkeeper’s daughter alarmingly screams. “ Nothing bad, Yumiko” Hiro says. “We’ll talk inside” Hiro whispers. Inside the Naras’private quarters, Hiro lies on the bed. “ I was sent to silence that bastard Surosai” Hiro quietly says. Yumiko whispers, “ I’m sur---“. An abrupt screaming comes from the sakaba. Hiro runs outside. He finds a massive band of Yura bandits. He puts up a fight, using a rare technique called dokukare. It involves using poison and metal to create lethal projectiles. A quiet whistling is followed by Hiro’s unconsciousness. “Well done men.”, says Date Norinora. “Take him to the Kashaku-ma” he commands.
April 30, 1593 Norinora-Jo, Asashi-Shima. “Tell me! Where are the Ronin Heiei!” Norinora angrily yells. “ You are a damn bureaucrat like your bastard father! Hiro retaliates. A sharp burning pain once again leaps on his chest. A servant bursts in. “ Daimyo! The Shimazu are attacking! They have us surrounded. Captain Yaki is requesting permission to unleash the Hoo-Oo Hoshis.” The servant said. The Hoo-oo Hoshis were flying spheres of fiery metal that could sink entire armadas. “Leave the prisoner here. I need to see to this myself.” Norinora answered. When Hiro is alone, he brings out an inseki dagger a cuts himself free. Next, he uses a dangerous substance called nenshou-ekitai to destroy the Kashuku-ma’s Shamu bamboo walls. A tiny raft is awaiting him outside. “Greetings Hiro, need a ride?” jokingly says Waki Nuroba. “Just get us out of here”Hiro said. As they rowed past the naval battle, Nuroba asked,”What got you in on Asashi?”. “I silenced old Surosai up in Iwate and his stupid son went to get payback”Hiro replied. “Well that sho----“ a burning sphere crashes on them. Unconsciousness results.
May 5,1593 Niju Urihayo’s hovel, Kochi-shi. Hiro awakes to voices. “He must have been involved at that battle down at Asashi-shima. But he doesn’t not wear the uniform of Date or Shimazu clans. He wears weapons that can only originate at one place, Shikaku-nejiro”one voice said. “The Hidden Ones that are silent killers? It is possible. Daimyo Norinora was a tyrannical ruler on the people of Skikoku and the Shikaku-nejiro do assassinate corrupt tyrants.” The other voice said. “Wait! Is Norinora dead?”Hiro suddenly said. “Yes, his body was found in the wreckage at Asashi-shima.”the 1st man said. “Where am I?” Hiro asked. “First let me introduce myself, I am Niju Urihayo and this is my friend Kyu Inaku. We found you on the beach half dead. You are in Kochi-shi on Shikoku-shima.”Urihayo answered. “Thank you Mr.Niju and Mr. Kyu.” Hiro gratefully said. For weeks after he worked with the pair in their fishing business. But it wasn’t finished yet.
June 16,1593 Amatku Market, Village Of Namazu, Koshi-shi. The trio have been at sea for weeks now and they are selling their catch at the prosperous fishing market in Namazu. “Royal entourage passing through!”said an armored man on horseback. “Another cursed daimyo!”mumbles Urihayo. But that is not what catches Hiro’s eye. A beautiful maiden is chained to the royal envoy. Hiro sees other commoners chained and bound to the daimyo’s sedan. Suddenly a rock hits the sedan. A huge riot begins. Hiro then brings out a lethal barrel of fugudoku. Suddenly he lights it and hurls it at the entourage. A huge cloud of smoke erupts. Hiro then rushes to save the bound prisoners and cuts them free, but suddenly the clould spreads all over. The beautiful maiden faints into unconsciousness. He rushes to rescue, but suddenly a huge deafening noise shatters the riot. A pale man comes into view. He had golden hair and he had a squadron of similar men. He said a language only Hiro knew. The Westerners called Youroppa. With their powerful blade-launchers, they’d kill huge armies with one army of those soldiers. “You are now the property of the East India Trading company!”the man yelled.
To be continued...