Oni: Tale of Four Warriors

Chapter 5: Crow

After a couple weeks of the Kurosawa invasion, the three warriors has already had plan for the invasion. Desperate for helps, Koji reluctantly agreeto the plan of taking in an assassin with them, only if he kills with honor.

Miyamoto finally opens his eyes, his back is leaned on his sleeping horse. He nudges on his horse with his elbow "Kage, wake up. It's time to look for our jobs." The black horse wakes up and stands. Miyamoto shoves the leaf and dirt off his worn red Yukata and his pant. He slides his Sandal back to his feet before he takes his mask on the saddle and wears it. He put out his campfire before climbing on his horse's, Kage saddle and kicks it to move, as theyride in the village. Miyamoto notices a small knife was struck on a tree with alittle letter tied to it. Miyamoto pulls the knife and unties the letter as he read it "Okay, what is our job today?"

He scratches his cheek as he read, the letter consist of very small information which instruct him to meet at a certain location. He sensed thatthis might be a trap but shrugs, he place the letter in his pouch on Kage'ssaddle before he climbs back on his horse. Miyamoto then rides with his horsetoward the designated location. As he closing by, he senses some movement.Human movement. "1... 2... 3 of them." Miyamoto gets off his horse as he walksquietly toward the location. He looks around to confirm, three red leaf treebranches facing the pond. It is confirmed, as Miyamoto takes another stepforward an arrow suddenly struck the ground right in front of him. As fast and swift like a wind, Miyamoto turns around with his blade drawn to see a woman wearing a white bloody Yukata with abrown pant and a sandal as his. The woman smiles at Miyamoto while keeping herbow pointing at Miyamoto. After that a samurai appears from a bush beside him,wearing a dark blue bloody Hakama, followed by an acquaintance of him. Sayaka.

Miyamoto stands, holding his Wakizashi just below his waist and gets on his stance as he looks at his attacker "Sayaka, what a surprise. You'd hire this mercenaries just to get me? After all I have done for you?" Miyamoto chuckles. Sayaka quickly shakes her head and tries to explain how he gets the wrong idea of this. Miyamoto then ask what do they want. Koji walks closer and shows his hand "Calm down crow, we just wanted to talk. My name is Masaharu Koji. I am the last samurai of my clan, I am sure you have been well informed regarding the Kurosawa madness." Miyamoto brows furrowed as he lowers his blade and looks at Koji. "I am well aware of the situation, what I am not aware of is why there is 2 Samurai and a peasant cornering me in the middle of the forest with their weapon drawn."

Koji raises his arms as Sayaka and Yuriko lowers their weapon as well, Koji walks in front of Miyamoto and bows "We are asking you to aid us in bringing down the Kurosawa, we need as much help as we can get. Please." Miyamoto shakes his head and sheathes his blade before he turns around "Don't make me laugh. There's no point in fighting the clan, it is obvious that they are winning. I do not need any more trouble on my plate." Koji stands up and glares at Miyamoto as he inspects the clan logo on Miyamoto's cape. Koji smiles as he walks over, closing his distance between Miyamoto and him "Crow, that crest. You are last person of the Ogawa clan don't you?" Koji swallows his saliva as he carefully chooses his next word. Miyamoto glares toward Koji under his mask "What does it have to do with you? You live your whole life luxurious Lord Masaharu, we are not the same." Koji smiles and draws his bokken "How about a bet?"

Miyamoto looks at Koji confused as he takes a couple steps back "What do you mean?" Koji swings his bokken, stretching up his wounded arm "It has been a while since I fought anyone after the injury, why don't we have a duel? If I win you will help us fight against the Kurosawa, and if I lose. I will let you sell my head to General Kurosawa Takayuki." Yuriko gets off the branches and looks at Koji, saying that this is too risky. Neither both of them knows Miyamoto way of fighting as the Ogawa is known to fight without honor. Miyamoto scoffs and raises his blade as well. Both Koji and Miyamoto squares each other up while waiting for either one to make a move until a sound of Horagai was ignited.

All four warriors turns around to the sound of the horn. Koji looks at Miyamoto before he stands forward and raises his bokken "The Kurosawa found us!" Miyamoto sheathes his blade and shakes his head "This is not my fight Lord Masaharu! I need to get out of here." Miyamoto turns around and about to run before he was stopped by Sayaka, pointing her Yari toward Miyamoto. "You cannot run now Crow, you owe me remember?" Sayaka smiles at Miyamoto as she nudges Miyamoto softly with the Yari. Groaning, Miyamoto turns toward the sound and shakes his head. He walks forward beside Koji and turns to him "Not now, we cannot fight yet. There will be too many of them!" Koji scoffs and sheath his bokken back in before nodding in agreement. Four of them finally turns around and run the opposite way of the horn.

As they run, Miyamoto swiftly climbs onto a tree and offers a hand to Yuriko which Yuriko quickly takes and climb the tree with Miyamoto. Miyamoto yells to Koji to hide inside a bush and say let them handle it in which Koji nods. Yuriko takes Koji's hand as they hide inside a tall grass together as the Kurosawa samurai walks toward their direction, they stop just beneath Miyamoto and Yuriko. Both of them holds tight on the branches as the Kurosawa Samurai search the area. Koji holds tight on his sheathed bokken, waiting in case they found them hiding in the tall grass. Miyamoto taps on Yuriko and signals her to fire a shot far from the direction. Yuriko nods and takes out her bow and pulls an arrow, aiming on a tree near the pond they met before she releases it. Causing ruckus among the Samurai before they take off to the direction of the sound. Miyamoto and Yuriko jumps off the tree and rolls to reduce any more sound as the Samurai go. Both Koji and Sayaka comes out of the tall grass and Yuriko drops from the tree as well.

Miyamoto sigh and glares at the direction where the samurai goes and shakes his head "They are searching for any rebellious movement in the forest. That would damage both our nature and scare their own people like Sayaka." Miyamoto groans and turns to Koji in whichKoji nods as he looks at the Samurai as well "They are mad Crow. We must end ittogether. And if it helps, just consider how much gold you can get out of theKurosawa Daimyo's head" Koji adds. Miyamoto groans and shakes his head as hetakes off his mask and hooks it on his belt "You can call me Miyamoto, Lord Masaharu." Miyamoto offers his hand. Koji shakes it and smile "And you may call me Koji." They both shakes their hand as they walk toward Sayaka's shack.