Author's Games: Samurai

Task One Battle Task: Yuudai Kato verses Ren Sanada

Clan 14: Yuudai Kato

This night I can do all but sleep. This is becoming a tiring routine. Still I lie on my mat forcing my eyes to close. I had just seen my uncle's dead body and there was nothing I could have done to save him. Never could I say sorry for my anger towards him in our last moments together. Now I need to live with that guilt as well as lead my clan into what could be countless battles. I believe it is time for the clans to be united under the Kato clan's banner. But who should I attack first? My head shoots up when I hear some commotion outside my room, a struggle, now footsteps. Grabbing my sword I make my way towards the door. There are two dead guards to my right, both with slit throats. I hear a soft, 'creak' coming from behind me. Turning quickly I block a masked figure's attack. We stare at each other for what feels like an hour. The assassin is dressed in all black complete with a hood and mask.

"You're a girl?"

Female eyes peer above her mask. Pushing her away I can see the unmistakable figure. My opponent is not a man.

"Were you the one who killed my uncle? Did you come to kill me as well?"

She doesn't bother to answer, but instead charges towards me using only kunai as weapons. She gets four steps away, three, two. At that point I take a step forward, ducking under her knives. When I stand I raise both my arms knocking her hands to the sky. Her knives hit the floor as I grab her shirt and slam her into the wall to my right. One well placed punch is all it takes to put her to sleep.

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Spots of blood begin to decorate the door as Kazuki delivers the fifth strike. I stop him only to strike her myself.

"That one was for my uncle."

Our captive spits more blood on the floor of the interrogation room. I've stripped her of her mask to see her face. She has short black hair and small almond shaped eyes. No questions have been asked yet but I already know the situation.

Since we didn't surrender to him after his attacks, Nobunaga decided to send an assassin to kill my uncle, the former Diaymo. Then the following night, kill me, the present Diaymo. But why would he send someone like her. She's weak and inexperienced, not even bringing a wakizashi along with her. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. I didn't sleep for a second last night between my uncle's death and her attack. But blessings come at weird times and I was able to decide who will be the first to fall. Their leader was spared by my hand. They were the ones, along with Nobunaga, who helped me make my choice to unit Japan. Tomorrow we will march to the Sanada clan's castle. But for now the task at hand.

"I will start with an easy question." I say. "What is your name?"

"That is an irrelevant question don't you think?" The bitterness in her voice is all but too noticeable.

"No not really. If you won't tell me your name, then I will just call you Mitsuki." She scoffs at my sarcasm. I walk around behind her where her arms are tied. "Second question: Do you work for Nobunaga Oda?"

"Maybe."

"Where is the location of his castle?"

Silence. I wait for a few more seconds before grabbing one of my kunai knives and placing it to her arm.

"Ok then, we will start."

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"So, how are we going to break through their walls? We have no siege equipment and their wall cannot be scaled." Suko whispers into my ear.

The Sanada clan's castle can be seen from afar. We've walked all this way and I still haven't told my men what my "genius" plan is. Mostly because I'm still not sure if it will work. Before we left the castle I looked at a map of the Sanada territory. It turns out that there is a stream which supplies their castle with water and a trade road not too far from it.