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"We have had yet to properly meet, Miyamoto-san," stated the governor sitting before him

Kenji simply nodded in response. He had been summoned by way of another courier to meet the still-new governor one-on-one, having yet to actually discuss the details of his continued contract, and because the two had seen eachother already when he'd been given the mountain test.

Exhaling softly, the governor continued. "My name is Rusu Yukikaze, general under Mogami-dono. I am member to a branch family of the Rusu clan; the main branch governs Taga. Now, or rather recently, I have assumed control in town." He paused for a few moments, appearing to analyze Kenji as he patiently listened. "You were one of the men who performed most admirably in the camp I arranged. You also partook in Mogami-dono's exercise in stealth, did you not?"

Once more, he nodded. "Yes."

"Though I grant that your performance was respectable, you were under no obligation to accept. What prompted you to do this, as well as running the path up the mountain?"

"Simple, really. I want to become better than I am now, and it works for me to take up opportunities for training whenever they arise," Kenji declared.

Yukikaze stroked his chin, exhaling again. "I see... I commend your drive for self-betterment. You seem the type who should be on musha-shugyo than stationing yourself here."

Chuckling, Kenji clarified, "I am shugyosha, Rusu-sama. Though I don't currently move about the land, I did once, and will likely do so again if I don't end up pulled into a daimyo's service. For the time being, I'm maintaining my career as a mercenary, and since my clan is situated in Dewa now, I've ended up on persistent contract for this eastern end of the Mogami clan. Specifically, I was under contract by your predecessor."

"So you were, which brings me to my next point..." He gestured to a scroll sitting on his desk, between himself and Kenji. "I have gone over your contract and see no issue with any detail within. That said, would you care to remain as our man, or would you prefer to offer your services elsewhere?"

Kenji declined, bowing his head. "For now, I intend to maintain my work here. Use me as you see fit." He paused to lift his head again, grinning. "And if you have any more opportunities for me to improve upon myself, feel free to throw them my way."

The governor returned his grin, knitting his fingers together. "Indeed. As it happens, I've something that you may find rewarding, for it is both a job, and an exercise..."

--------------------------

As Kenji trudged through the coursing river, he reflected on the task given to him. He was to take a bamboo pole of four large water jugs onto his shoulders and march through a river, moving upstream toward a mountain path, from which he was to ascend to the top - mercifully, this mountain was not under a perpetual winter nor as tall - in order to put the jugs down, one by one, upon arrival at a small home. The last part was to further ascend, this time up a tall wood beam and acquire a medallion, at which point he was done. The medallion was both proof that he had done his job and, according to Yukikaze, was the keepsake of a friend whom had ran this same test of his own volition.

Wearing but his hakama and nothing else, Kenji waded up through the water. It ranged roughly between his hips and his knees in depth, minimizing his mobility, something that proved a hindrance. Pondering as he went, he conceived of a possible idea to expedite his progress, even if only by a little bit. Kenji tipped and bent his upper body forward some, and shifted the gourds to hang in front of his arms and shoulders, not above his arms. This gave him forward momentum supported by the weight of the drinking water, hastening his pace through the otherwise hard-to-manuever-through river.

After a successful upward walk, Kenji made it out of the river and to the base of the mountain path. Without giving himself time to rest, he shifted the jugs back to their previous position and commenced his ascent. He moved at a brisk pace, occasionally looking around both to monitor his surroundings, and eagerly drink them in. Compared to the frigid peak Kenji had climbed previously, this was an exceptionally pleasant trip, and while he enjoyed how much the prior mountain tested him, this one was to be admired, not challenged. Halfway up the path, he decided to expend a bit more energy and jog instead of briskly advancing. The weights on his shoulders bounced harder with his movement, but it didn't faze him enough to hinder the climb.

Kenji reached the top after five hours, slowing from his jog to a walking pace once more. The house lay just ahead, and he made to approach it, catching his breath while he had the opportunity. Individually, he untied the jugs from the pole as it remained on his shoulders, and put each down in a neat line. At the end of it, Kenji was left with the bamboo, and as he looked to the wooden beam a few yards to the hut's left, he already knew how to surmount this particular challenge... Or at least, how he should attempt to.

First, Kenji walked to a spot close to the beam, and sat on his knees, laying the pole down. Diligently, he proceeded to dig in the dirt, creating a deep hole, then spread the dug-up dirt away from the hole. Next, he stood up, picking the pole up and walked over to the path, turned around, and took several long moments to analyze the distance, the wind, and the flexibility of his bamboo implement. At last, he was ready.

The mercenary took off at a dead charge toward the wooden beam, pole held before him, but both hands fixed toward one end and pointing the other ahead. As Kenji neared the hole, he tipped and thrusted the tip of the pole down, driving it down. He leapt up, vaulting with the bamboo's assistance and flying up the wooden beam's length. His athletic effort paid off well, his leap peaking at about seventeen feet before he began to fall, but he grabbed onto the beam before that could happen and wrapped himself tight about it. Though he slid for the briefest moment, losing a couple inches and receiving a splinter in his chest, he was otherwise fine. Glancing up, Kenji saw that his prize was within reach. All he had to do was pull himself up another foot, grab it, and go back down.

In a short timeframe, that's exactly what he did. Pricking the splinter out after his climb down to the ground, he chuckled about the whole thing.

That was certainly a rewarding workout.

Good news, everyone![/farmsworth]

For almost all intents and purposes, I've moved in successfully. The only thing I need now is internet on my computer. I used a wired (DSL? broadband? one of the two) connection at the apartment my father and I lived in, but my mother and her husband use wireless. My '08 computer (given to us in '11 when the previous one's motherboard fried, and replaced the drive in '13 when it died) doesn't natively pick up wireless connections, so we need a device for it. Till then, I'll be using a computer downstairs now and then, so activity is essentially resumed. Just that I won't necessarily be on all throughout the day, considering.

Managed to partly move into my mum's. My computer and PS3 are back in the apartment, so I'm using a computer at their place for a little while. I'll knock out a post or so, but then I'm gone until tomorrow evening.

With the success of the Mogami training camp, Kenji felt accomplished in his pursuit of self-betterment, yet was determined to go further. The camp served not to settle, but reinforce it. Fortunately, the governor of his little town gave him the perfect opportunity, calling him - along with a number of others from the camp - to the castle for a meal and a conversation. Apparently, there was an old ritual that he and his unit would perform back in their heydey to help solidify their minds: sit under a waterfall unflinching for two hours, then ascend a mountain peak in Dewa to meditate. The waterfall task was to be completed without moving from the spot, else they had to start over again. That, however, was the easy part, as the mountain was known to be hazardous and frigid all year round. Limited visibility, wild animals as could be expected, and an all-around harsh environment... All of this was topped by the fact that the tasks had to be completed in seventy-two hours, or three days. Though the governor recommended that they give it a shot and see how it worked out, he said that he understood if it seemed too rough a challenge.

Of course, Kenji had no interest in backing down from this challenge.

----------------------

The waterfall task really was the easier of the two, though still held plenty of difficulty in its own right. Infact, it took Kenji three tries in order to succeed. The first try's end was unexpected, as he unconsciously shifted his weight in a way that left him unstable, the mighty force of the falls proceeding to knock him off-balance; he only made it an hour in. During his second attempt, he thought he heard someone approaching and began to rise, only to realize his error before resetting himself under the wall of water; this try lasted ninety minutes. Only on his third attempt did he make it through the two hours, and though Kenji felt as if he could go for another hour, he opted to use his time limit wisely and vacated the area.

----------------------

As for the second task, following his drying off and change of clothing, Kenji made for the mountain path. The early ascent was the least difficult, the weather gradually worsening as he rose, and no special hazards impeding his path. After eight hours, however, especially after night set in, the true face of the mountain showed itself to Kenji. He encountered a rather sudden blizzard, or perhaps he had simply walked into one. Its intensity didn't seem to let up as the metaphorical clock approached eleven at night, so he vacated the path and found a shallow cave to duck into for the night. Mercifully, no animals were inhabiting it upon his arrival, nor did any come to claim it as their own.

The second morning was as rough as the night before, though this time, Kenji knew what to expect. He kept a weather eye on the path and monitored the area all around him. On a few occasions, he saw winter wolves lurking in the distance, as if tracking him. If he had to fight up in this treacherous mountain, he'd better fight to win, lest his corpse freeze and his family go without a body to bury...

Toward the late afternoon, or what he surmised as such, one of the wolves decided to stop stalking and make a move, lunging out from behind a tree when Kenji was turning away from it. By some lucky miracle, the biting winds struck him first and narrowly shoved him out of the wolf's path, whereupon it very nearly skidded off of the edge of the mountain. Kenji whipped around to face it and drew one of his blades, cursing his lack of a proper katana, but nonetheless thankful for having something to fight with. The wolf regained its balance and made to leap again, Kenji being just a little faster and driving his sword into the side of the wolf's head. Adrenaline ignited his veins, his body and mind driving back the cold for the time being.

At the sound of howling, he turned to find the rest of the wolf's brethren - three lupines of similar size, ready to charge. Kenji drew his second blade and settled into stance, bracing to meet them. Two moved on him from the fore, and the third hung back, looking for a better opportunity. Timely stepping aside them both, Kenji's arm swept toward his side to slash through the pelt of one, leaving a deep gash as the wolf landed. He kept the bloodied blade pointed back at the two eager hunters, and his clean sword at the patient third. The injured beast snarled and moved again, only for Kenji to step back and cut across its body once more. As it flopped over dead in the snow, its brothers lunged at once from both sides, forcing Kenji to duck and let them go by.

He turned to address the closer of the two, rushing in to drive one blade into its back before it could turn and attack again. As he drew the sword back out, he heard the other lunge, and turned his other blade on the leaper. Though he made contact, plunging right through its head, its body barrelled into him and knocked him off his feet. Kenji was sent rolling toward the cliff edge, only halting his momentum by stabbing one of his swords into the ground. The wolf rolled off of his other sword and fell from the cliff, leaving only its injured companion up top. After taking a good few moments to regain his composure and get a better grip on the ground, Kenji hauled himself to his feet and approached the last wolf, who whined in pain. Kenji knelt down next to its head and stroked it in an attempt to comfort the beast, then wordlessly thrust into its head, finishing it off.

Whether it was at peace or not, only the gods would know. All Kenji knew was that he held no ill will toward a hungry animal.

----------------------

Compared to the fight on the second day, the rest of the mountain trek was uneventful by comparison. Kenji braved the ridiculous weather and, by some feat of either endurance or determination, made it to the mountain top by the third day's evening. He could see the temple just ahead, lit by lanterns, but otherwise looking vacant. He had heard from the governor that the temple would likely be very sparsely populated, and that by this point in time, it would be surprising to see more than a couple of monks, though as Kenji made his quiet entrance, he found neither within. Perhaps they were out elsewhere?

Regardless, he did not let this faze him. If anything, being alone would make it easier to meditate as he sat before the temple shrine, stilling his mind and contemplating the last few days of this rigorous test. His body, already warming up, had been battered by the horrid weather and abused by the bitter cold, yet that did not matter. His swords had been stained in the blood of desperate wolves, yet this too mattered not. He felt stronger, sharper, and more at peace with himself after the ordeal of ascending this frozen peak.

Or maybe that was just his stomach demanding a hot meal. Hard to tell.

Oda:

1) Tokugawa Iemasa - Oda
2) Kyoya Naotora - Date
3) Amakusa Takehiro - Amakusa
4) Maki (as part of Tak's Faction)
5) Ichimura Ryunosuke - Amakusa
6) Yamabara Shou - Takeda
7) Gabriella Santos - Amakusa
8) Miyamoto Kenji - Mercenary (on behalf of the Mogami Faction)
9)

Amidst the rain, another volley of arrows rained down on Kenji's unit, dropping more of his would-be companions. When the shower cleared, he counted ten left, including himself. The unit captain had been incapacitated as well, leaving the group without a commander. What a predicament...

Or it would be if this were real combat.

The training camp had resumed just today. Under the joint direction of the governor and the Mogami lord, the last task was to participate in a mock battle with a fellow group of soldiers. Twenty on twenty in pitched battle on a small field. As things stood, this battle in particular was not going in the favor of Kenji's group. Without their appointed captain, the other nine men were in disarray and left without an idea of how to proceed. To them, this situation was very real, and could happen in true war, yet none of them were able to conceive of a plan of action.

It seemed that Kenji had to be the one to take initiative. Poking his head over the wall, the mercenary took a few moments to survey the 'battlefield.' Both sides had pre-erected fortifications, which amounted to a meager 'fort' - four wooden walls - and a pair of 'towers' meant for archers to take advantage of. The enemy unit had all eight of their archers within the covered towers, nocking arrows for their next barrage, while eight of the remaining twelve men had positioned themselves outside of the fort in defensive posture. Their captain hid away in the fort with the last two soldiers. Smart. Meanwhile, two bowmen remained on Kenji's side, mixed in with the two spears and five swords as they resided in their fort, unsure of what should come next.

Kenji noticed that the enemy was now taking aim, and he turned toward his comrades, barking an order. "North wall! Flatten yourselves against it!" Startled at first, they quickly complied and rushed for the wall, as did the merc, just in time to hear the twang of the arrows. The eight drizzled down on the center of the fort, managing to hit no one. This gave Kenji's group a reprieve, and he took another moment to ponder what comes next. His gaze fell on the two northern archer towers. He happened to have two bowmen still standing, and there was enough cover up there to defend against the archer barrages if they kept their head down after firing. That would be a start.

"You two, split off and climb the towers. Pick off the soldiers outside the enemy fort, and duck between shots. Have arrows nocked while the enemy is returning fire, rise when they shoot, and aim quickly. Call out your hits." Without a word of dissent, the two marksmen nodded and ran for the ladders. Kenji was left with the seven footsoldiers, with whom he had an idea. "Four of you will exit via the southwestern and southeastern towers; mind the distance to the ground. Split into two and circle around the far side of the enemy fort, using the rain for cover. Ascend their northwestern and northeastern towers, then lie in wait for one minute. At that time, drop down and rush the opposing towers. Ignore the captain and his two guards, focus exclusively on their archers." The men similarly nodded, moving to begin their assignments. That left Kenji with three soldiers under his command.

"What should we do?"

"On my go, burst through the front and charge. Watch for arrow fire, and stick together."

With a group nod, they remained flat against the wall. By this time, their two archers had made it up the ladders and began shooting. Both called out 'kills' on their first shots, meaning six men remained outside. On the next attempt, only one claimed a kill, leaving five outside. His companion got nailed with an opposing arrow when trying to rise for his third shot. Bad timing, nothing more, nothing less. One archer left.

Kenji stilled his breathing, steeling himself for the peak of this skirmish. He counted the seconds in his head.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Fi--

"Hit!"

Kenji waved to the three men under him, then the group turned as one and rushed out the 'gate' of the 'fort'. Four enemy soldiers awaited them on the other end of the field, and the archers were just firing their next volley exclusively on the one archer remaining, none of the arrows making their mark. The four rushed hard, clearing the distance as fast as they could, adrenaline eagerly rocketing through their veins. Just a little further...

As Kenji's 'army' closed in on melee range, he loosed the first attack, his two bokken cleaving through the rain and simultaineously slamming into an opposing troop's head and ribs. He went down hard, Kenji turning to cross his weapons and block an overhead swing from a second man, whom was quickly taken down by two of his comrades. The remaining two enemies backed off toward the 'gate', and the archers finished taking aim. Kenji thought fast and dropped his weapons, lunging for the unconscious form of his victim and hauling him up to use as a meatshield. Two blunt arrows bounced off of his form, a couple more zipped by harmlessly, and the rest tried and failed to incapacitate Kenji's companions. A failed volley.

By this time, Kenji heard a battle cry coming from within the fort. The archers in both towers turned toward where he assumed their ladder was, and began to fall before the infiltration unit deployed earlier. They were no longer a threat. Two of Kenji's men rammed the gate and bashed it open, revealing a puzzled enemy captain and his two startled companions. Kenji dropped his shield, kicked both of his bokken back into his hands, and charged headlong at the three. He cleared the relatively short distance unhindered, save for the captain sending both of his aides ahead to stop the mercenary.

Holding nothing back, as if this were a real battle of blades and blood, Kenji flourished his twin bokken and dexterously struck aside the two soldiers' own wooden swords, leaving them open. He stepped in to thrust into one's chest, then took another step and swept an uppercut swing up into the second man's jaw. By all rights, they would be dead, both men slumping over to represent this fact. Kenji continued his advance on the last man standing: the enemy captain... Who dropped his weapon and raised his hands in defeat. A satisfying victory... Or as satisfying as it could be, considering the previous captain lost nine men before Kenji took over.

Still, it worked well enough.

The soldiers of the training camp were given two days' leave in order to review what they had practiced and learned thus far, as well as to rest up their aching joints. Kenji wasn't content with a break, and made plans to resume training, as that was the point of this camp. He would get his wish in a curious fashion, much different from his previous intent.

The morning following the 'battle royale' of sorts, he received a visitor. A courier from the governor, whom presented him with a message: Lord Mogami was offering additional training for those soldiers interested. It would be a stealth exercise, held in the castle at the center of town, where the governor and his family resided, as well as where the daimyo would stay when in town. There were two options, one of which involving stealing an item right out from under Lord Mogami's nose, the other to incapatitate an armed unit of soldiers without being caught. Both were curious challenges. Kenji determined that this was the perfect excuse to continue training, and went that evening to participate.

-------------------------

Silence.

Dressed in dark clothing, Kenji had slipped into the castle, and the exercise had begun. His assigned goal: take down the ten men on patrol in the castle, which had been cleared out for the purpose of tonight's training. These soldiers were not the ones from the camp, but rather, men specifically stationed here and appointed by the still-new governor. Not cream of the crop, but not run of the mill, either. It would be a fair challenge to pull this off, but Kenji had confidence in his abilities. After all, one must train in hand to hand before picking up a sword.

The first man walked down a hallway across the foyer, oblivious to his presence. Kenji crept in the shadows and kept to the walls, watching his surroundings. When he got to the wall leading to the hallway, he peered down it. The soldier was just about to turn. He predicted how long it would be until he ended up at Kenji's end, then flattened against the wall and waited, counting the footfalls in the distance patiently. Gradually, they became marginally louder, until he deduced that the man would be appearing from the hall any second. He braced, ready to spring.

Out came the soldier. He took three steps, Kenji crept two steps to his rear, and made a grab for his throat. In a swift move, he wrapped his fingers around the soldier's neck, dragged him close, and covered his mouth. The man began to struggle, but this was quickly put to rest as Kenji hauled him to the wall and unceremoniously bashed his temple into it. He was down and out. The mercenary carefully dragged him to another room and deposited him within, jammed the door, and left to proceed down the now-vacant hallway.

At the other end, he heard footsteps again and took position behind the wall. A second soldier started to round the corner, Kenji's fist catching him in the temple. It was a solid knockout hit. He slumped over, Kenji only catching him long enough to bring him down to the floor, then drag him off into a shadowed corner. Two down, eight to go. With that number in mind, he slunk around the rest of the first floor, looking and listening for more targets. He only found one, a man who had apparently fallen asleep against the wall while on break. Kenji made sure he didn't wake back up with a straight punch, bouncing his head off the wall, but otherwise causing no damage aside from silencing his snoring. He dragged the body off to another room that he jammed similar to the first one, then located and ascended the stairs to the second floor.

Two guards were posted at the top of the stairs under a lit, hanging lantern, much to Kenji's chagrin. If he attacked one, the other would spot him and the test would be over. If he tried to sneak past, the light would give him away. His only option would be to wait and see if one went on break. So, quietly, he waited in the shadow of the landing.

It took a little while, but eventually, one of the guards stretched and yawned, turning to his companion. "I'm gonna take a leak. Cover me?" His partner chuckles and nods, sending him on his way. Kenji kept to the wall as the soldier descended to answer the call of nature, vacating downstairs. Once his footsteps went silent, Kenji made his move. On all fours, he padded silently up the stairs behind the remaining man until he was immediately to his rear, then rose up to grab him about the neck and cover his mouth simultaineously. Maintaining a tight sleeper hold, he hung onto the soldier until he ceased resistance, going limp in his arms. Now he had to act fast; the man's companion could return in mere minutes, and there was a body with nowhere to stash it and illumination at the top of the stairs. Further, he could hear somebody else coming down from a neighboring hall. This would be a challenge.

After easing his victim to the floor, Kenji reached up and extinguished the lantern, immediately darkening the area. This gave him the opportunity to conceal the unconscious guard in the open, as it would be very difficult to find the body in this near-pitch blackness. Next, Kenji frisked the guard and came up with a blunt object he couldn't entirely make out, but from the feel and shape, it appeared to be a simple cudgel. A bludgeoning weapon would be useful in what was about to happen. Finally, Kenji crouched by the stairs, just out of sight of anyone coming up them, and listened for the person coming from the hall. Soon, not one, but two patrolmen emerged, talking about mundane topics with eachother. Their steps ceased, clearly registering the difference in the room.

"Hey... Aren't there supposed to be two guys here?" The first questioned.

"Yeah. Oi, you two here? We can't see a damn thing..." The second mused.

When no answer came, they cautiously approached the top of the steps, trying to make out anything in the darkness. Kenji slipped behind the both of them, having realized they were facing the landing down below, and acted swiftly. He bashed the back of one guard's head with his stolen club, then when the other started to whip around in surprise, he struck his forehead sharply. Both men were out, and out good, the first victim liable to have a concussion when he woke up. Kenji would have to apologize to the man later on if he recognized him in the light. For now, he put the thought out of mind as he guided both men to the floor, barely managing to stop the first man from falling forward down the stairs. Again, he dragged them off to join their companion, just in time to hear the guardsman from earlier ascending and approaching. Number seven was ripe for the picking.

"I'm ba--... Why is it so dark? Did the light go out?" As if waiting for an answer, the guard paused at the landing. A few tense moments went by, Kenji crouched by the triad of bodies he'd accumulated on the second floor. When no answer came, he heard the man ascend the second half of the steps and arrive up top, wandering around and reaching out for anything. "Hey, this isn't funny. Where'd you go, and why'd you snuff the light?"

By the time Kenji made his way to the man's flank, it was too late to spot him. One strike for the throat to silence him, then another strike for the temple, and he was done like dinner. The mercenary brought his body to the floor and piled him atop his companions, then proceeded to drag the lot down the steps and to the landing. It was more than adequately dark enough that, if he moved fast enough to find the last three soldiers, they would not be found.

Exploring the second floor thoroughly, Kenji soon found the last three men. Two of them patrolled back and forth along a particularly long hall, while the third stood guard in front of a door. The hall was well-lit. He'd have to draw the men out one by one for this to work. Flattening against the wall adjacent to his hall, he pondered what tactics he could use, and soon, he concocted a plan...

A sharp rap of his nightstick on the wall kicked things off. He heard one of the men inquire "What's that?" and fall silent. After a couple moments, Kenji heard someone begin to walk down toward his end of the hall, stating "I'll check it out." As he did with the first soldier on the first floor, he counted the steps and noted their increasing volume, judging how long he had... In short order, the man rounded the corner, managed not to spot Kenji, and carry on down the dark hallway in search of him. The merc strafed along the wall, waiting for the soldier to stop, which he would after a couple dozen steps away from the corner. He looked to either side, scratched his head, and started to turn when he received a cudgel to the skull. Kenji let this man fall and make some noise, then quickly strafed back to his original spot, where he could already hear someone coming. "I swear I heard something drop!" insisted what he assumed was the other patrolman. There was a body in plain, darkened sight, and yours truly was ready to add to the body count.

Around the corner came the biggest man Kenji had seen all night. He knew one hit would likely not be enough to take him down, so he decided not to let him get far. As soon as the soldier cleared the corner, Kenji stepped behind him and brought the baton around and against his neck, gripping the other end with his free hand and choking the large soldier out. Pulling hard, he managed to keep his target from making more than gurgling noises, struggling for a while before losing consciousness. Kenji eased up to keep from killing him, then set his body to the floor. One soldier left, and he would be the hardest on virtue of his position.

Or would he?

Adjusting his tone, Kenji cupped his hands to his mouth and spoke in a voice similar to the second man's. "Hey you, stop right there! We've got a runner!" When he heard quick, heavy footfalls, Kenji knew he'd done the trick. Now for the finisher...

In expectedly short order, the last man came bolting past the corner, right as Kenji thrust his arm out to clothesline him. The soldier got caught hard in the throat, bounced off of the merc's arm, and slammed onto the floor hard. He was dazed but awake, but Kenji was quick about stepping over and stomping on his forehead, soundly rendering him unconscious. By his count, that was ten men. Time to make his escape, for this exercise was successfully cleared.

Kenji didn't expect stealth to be this intriguing, but it was certainly worth trying again in the future.

Three exercises had come and gone, and frankly, the worst of them had long since passed. How intelligent of the governor to have the soldiers run the fitness challenge first, as it set a certain bar for the rest of the training camp, as well as got the hardest of them all out of the way. Kenji returned on the next day to continue the training exercises, linking up with his assigned unit. Today, they were to assemble at the center of camp and join up with the other groups.

Upon arrival, Kenji noted something new about the camp yard. A ring had been created, and mats had been layed out for an audience to sit, people from the town taking up the space to watch whatever was about to occur. At the center, upraised from the rest, resided both the stern governor and an unknown face. Kenji tilted his head in curiosity before one of the men in his unit nudged his side, whispering. "That's Mogami-dono. Bow when everyone else does." The merc mouthed a silent 'oh', and followed the man's advice, everyone present bowing low as the Lord of the Mogami clan rose.

He gave a brief speech of showing interest in the growth of his soldiers, and stated that they were to spar in his presence within the ring present before them, so that he could observe their progress. As he sat down, from his side rose the governor, who confirmed his words and explained the rules. It was simple: two soldiers would enter the ring, chosen at random, and fight bare-handed. The loser would be the one who either submitted, fell unconscious, or was otherwise thrown from the boundaries of the ring. At this point, another man would come to fight the victor. The reigning 'champion', so to speak, was given rights to ask for a weapon-based match or unarmed combat each time, and in the case of the former, wooden weaponry would be provided. The contest would end once all men had been in the ring at least once, and those whom lasted the longest would be rewarded.

With that said, the fights begun. Kenji hung back and observed a few matches with some interest. No one was wasting time or messing around anymore; not only because they knew such activities would get them killed in real combat, but because the daimyo was watching over them. A pathetic showing wouldn't be in their best interests. After a handful of matches, it was Kenji's turn. He stepped into the ring, facing off with someone who had won two fights. The man was tall and slim, and had fought his previous match with a short bokken, reminiscent of a wakizashi, opting for speed over power. The two bowed, and upon rising, his adversary addressed the merc, "Would you care for a weapon, or rather that I forfeit mine?"

"If you're offering, I'd like a weapon. Bokken, please," he requested politely.

Nodding, the slim man stepped back and waited as Kenji was presented with a wooden katana. He gave it a couple swings to test the weight, then settled into a loose combat stance, his opponent taking none.

The fight was brief. His adversary made the first move and dashed in close, swiping his wakizashi for Kenji's head. The mercenary tipped his head back to narrowly avoid being bashed in the face, slashing his knee up at the same time to strike the man's stomach. Stunned, he was left vulnerable as Kenji proceeded to strike his shoulder with the bokken, then swung down to bludgeon the back of his hand, forcing him to drop his own weapon. The tall man recovered and made to counterattack, throwing an uppercut that Kenji weaved past before engaging with a left hook to the jaw, followed immediately with a pommel strike colliding into the opposite side of his face. That did the trick, the slender soldier landing on his side and halfway out of the ring. Though it wasn't a full evacuation, it was enough to render him the loser.

Victory number one, Kenji noted. He kindly helped the man and his lost weapon out of the ring, then returned.

Next up was a woman who was a few inches shy of the mercenary's height, toned and built for unarmed combat. Without asking, he tossed his bokken clear of the ring and bowed, the lady returning the notion. "I look forward to this match."

"Likewise. Let's make it a good one," Kenji stated, smiling.

After a brief interlude, the match commenced. It would be Kenji who moved first this time, advancing on his opponent with his fists raised for defense. He threw a low jab that the martial artist blocked, retaliating with an uppercut that he in turn guarded against. They threw straight punches simultaineously, meeting in the middle in a deadlock that persisted for a few seconds until Kenji swept his leg low into hers. He was partly successful, tripping her left leg, but stopping against the right, which had clearly been braced. Still, her stability had been reduced, and he took full advantage, dropping his fist and rushing in past hers to shoulder tackle her. To the ground she went, though not before unintentionally tripping Kenji up and causing him to fall down on top.

Under more gentle circumstances, this might be a good opportunity for a witty line, but they were being observed by the daimyo of the province. Kenji acted first, his impact having winded the martial artist and thus leaving her unable to immediately strike. He rolled off of her and to his feet, waiting for her to rise after a few moments. Without further pause, the lady soldier rushed in with a high roundhouse, Kenji's raised arms blocking the kick. He gave for a second from the force of the blow, then quickly shifted his arms toward her now raised leg and grappling it. Shoving it up and throwing her balance off again, he advanced with an axe kick that made solid contact with her ribs and once more sending her to the ground. She quickly kicked back to her feet, but as her head came up, she met Kenji's straight punch with her forehead and promptly dropped back down, not out cold, but soundly beaten.

Victory number two.

As with his first opponent, the mercenary walked over and helped her to her feet, to her approval. She nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. "Well done. Let's fight again."

Kenji returned the nod and smiled. "Gladly. I want to see you put me on my back next time." The two shared a chuckle before she left the ring, making way for the third opponent.

The man who entered next was even taller than Kenji, and lugging tree trunks around under his arms... Wait, those are his arms. How much weight did he have to lift to earn such thick muscle? Regardless of the reason, he figured that this fight would require weapons, lest he get crushed under the might of those trunks.

"I'm thinking this'll be a weapons match. Could I have that bokken back? My friend here will take...?"

"Staff," he specified. Or demanded. With such a deep tone and a stern face, it was hard to tell, though Kenji detected no ill will from him. Perhaps he was a misunderstood giant? In any event, he was thrown the wooden katana whilst a rokushakubo, the six foot staff, this one made of rattan for training purposes, was handed to his adversary. The stance that this man took made it seem like he was wielding a club instead of a weapon meant for finesse. Kenji settled into a defensive stance of his own, examining his opponent's posture or lack thereof.

The bruiser struck first, stepping in and punctuating his sudden heavy swing with a roar. Kenji braced and raised his sword into the staff's path, the two weapons clashing violently. He felt his bokken shudder with the force of the blow, vibrating his hand slightly; had that made contact with his body, he didn't know how it would've ended. Instead of pondering the possibilities, he slipped underneath the staff's reach and swung for the man's knees, landing a solid strike. The wince on his opponent's face implied that it hurt, yet it didn't stop him as he brought the other end of the staff down at Kenji's head, giving him just enough time to swing his weapon up and clash again. Another shudder.

Kenji wasn't willing to give his enemy the advantage of weapon range again, and persisted in remaining close despite the risks, strafing to one side and thrusting in for the soldier's ribs. Once more he winced, and yet once more he made to strike, but the mercenary was aware, diverolling past and rising just behind his turning enemy. With his back exposed, the bruiser was left vulnerable to Kenji's two-handed uppercut slash, bringing the blade up across his back hard. Kenji heard a grunt, but refused to wait for the counterattack this time and flipped his bokken around so he could ram the pommel into the bruiser's spine. The grunt was louder this time; he was whittling him down bit by bit.

Now the mercenary was unable to predict his opponent's sudden turn, the rokushakubo tearing through the air ahead of his path and toward Kenji's skull. He barely had time to duck down, feeling the weapon graze his head; though it didn't properly hit, the precious little space that it did touch on its way over stung. At full force without dodging, Kenji knew that kind of attack would've left him unconscious. Clearly, the giant was not so gentle, at least not when he was sustaining damage. If Kenji didn't finish this match in the next few attacks, he might not make it out awake.

Putting his all into the next motion, Kenji rose past the rokushakubo right as the bruiser had completely turned around to face him, thrusting his sword in both hands up toward his forehead. Though the man started to shift his head to one side, he still took the attack in his temple, stopping him for the slightest of seconds. Kenji followed through and, stepping back, slashed down across his chest, then whipped around in a sharp circle to deal a horizon cut into his opponent's belly. This combo of attacks finally caused the giant to stagger back, and Kenji knew he had him on the ropes. He advanced, then swiped his sword up to block a retaliatory staff swing from his enemy.

When the weapons contacted, his bokken snapped in half, the half with the tip spiralling away and leaving Kenji with the hilt and base. This bothered him not, for he essentially had a sharp weapon, and his enemy's staff was wild above his head. Kenji lunged at the giant and reached for his shoulder, latching on and reeling himself up close to bring the broken bokken to the man's throat.

Under normal battle circumstances, he could've killed the man at this point. The victor was clear.

For a moment, the giant was stunned. He dropped his weapon and remained in place, while Kenji released his shoulder and landed on his feet. They stared at eachother, the bruiser down at Kenji, and he up at him, before mutually nodding and shaking hands.

"Good fight," commended the supersized soldier.

"The same to you. Let's do it again sometime," offered Kenji, to which he received an affirmatory grunt.

Victory number three.

The rest of his fights went along for a while, the merc reigning as champion for a further eight fights in a row. His twelfth match ended in a draw where both opponents tumbled simultaineously out of the ring. No one was able to discern who had gotten out first, but Kenji conceded the ring to his adversary to step out of the limelight, settling on watching the rest of the matches from the sidelines.

(( Note: I am no master of horseriding. I glimpsed through the others' posts for a general idea and went with that. Bear with me. ))

After resting up from the ever so lovely fitness test, Kenji's unit was assigned to the horseback riding exercise. In reality, it was more about the manuevering than just riding. Kenji hung back for a while, letting most of the rest of the unit go first. He watched soldiers try mounting horses, then try guiding them through the obstacles. In doing so, he confirmed his suspicions that the previous Mogami governor had indeed slacked off on discipline and training. Good thing he wasn't an enlisted man... Not that it'd matter; he would practice on his own in that event.

As his time to ride closed in on him, Kenji wandered off toward the stables, determined to pick out his own mount rather than have it decided for him. He picked out an apple from a tree along the way, tossing it up and down in his hand. Arriving at the stables, those working with the horses simply let him enter, at which point he walked up and down the lot looking through the gathered steeds. In particular, he noticed a chestnut-colored courser in one of the lanes, occasionally tapping its hoof on the wooden wall impatiently. Somebody really wanted to run, it seemed.

Kenji quietly let himself in, the horse giving him a once-over before returning to its hoof-tapping. The merc opted to slip further in, peering down under the courser for a few moments, looking for certain parts... Female. So there were mares running today, too. Nothing wrong with that, especially if they looked as strong and eager as this one. Kenji came back around to the front of the courser and offered his apple, earning her apparent curiosity.

"Hungry? Go ahead, eat up," he insisted. Though he obviously wasn't certain if the mare understood him, she nonetheless took the offered apple for consumption. After, she neighed and nudged his shoulder, to which he raised a hand to stroke her head. "You seem like you really want to get out and get moving, huh? Come with me and I'll give you just that." That got its full attention, the she-beast whinnying in approval. It didn't take long after that for Kenji to get approval to take the courser as his mount, saddle her up, mount up and ride back to the obstacle course.

By this point, it was his turn anyway, so the mercenary wasted no time, having already gauged most of the course earlier. He cracked the reins, and off he went at a galloping pace.

The small jumps that the course opened up with were no difficult task for Kenji and his befriended mount. They leapt over each one with ease, gaining momentum. The first turn came after five jumps, and right around the corner - thrown in as a surprise, apparently - was a mid-sized jump. Though sudden, Kenji nonetheless cracked the reins in time to prompt his mare to turn and make the leap. Now that he knew where it was, it wouldn't be as much of an issue next time around. From there, they rode through another mid jump and passed a turn, before finding themselves before a series of small jumps with one medium meshed in between. Calculating his route on the fly, Kenji manuevered his mare through carefully, but without sacrificing much of her speed; though there was no apparent time limit, he wasn't about to waste time on a surmountable obstacle.

Around the third turn they went, and finally came up on the first of the two large jumps. Kenji reined his mount back as he gauged the jump, then spurred her forward hard. No hesitation on either the rider's part or the mount's, both committing to making the leap, which they managed narrowly. The mistake here, Kenji surmised, was that he'd slowed down before going for it. To avoid a close call next time, he would need to maintain as much speed as possible, not cut his mount short. The fourth turn came and went, as did the small jumps and medium jump that it concealed. Next was the fifth turn, a sharp one like the first clearly meant to keep riders on their toes; Kenji anticipated what might be behind it, and he was correct; a dozen closely-knit small jumps awaited him. Individually, they were no concern, but the way in which they were placed would make it tricky to get past. Nevertheless, he plotted the route as his courser galloped forward, weaving through the space between each jump and making it out to the end. At last, they rounded the last turn, faced with a medium jump, the second large jump, and one more medium right behind it. The final stretch of the first lap was at hand, and Kenji would not falter now. A sharp crack of the reins, and the eager mare beneath him took off hard.

The medium jump flew by underneath her clacking hooves. The large jump, thanks to the acquired momentum, was less of a task than its predecessor. The real trick came with the medium jump just past it, but with one more timely crack, the courser made the leap just over it. Passing the finish line, Kenji was yet satisfied, as two more laps were to come. The neighing mare demanded more, and he would gladly provide.

Two more laps later and they were done. Kenji kept up his mount's considerable speed all the way back to the stables, startling the stablehands upon arrival before having the mare skid to a halt. He hopped off once they made their stop and laughed, enjoying the time he spent with this horse.

"That was a lot of fun, not to mention a fair challenge. What do you think?" he questioned, the courser whinnying her satisfied response. "I thought so... We should do that again some time, don't you think?" She snorted and seemed to nod her head. Kenji chuckled, coming around to her front to stroke her head. "How about I call you Aoko from now on?"

The proud neigh told him that she approved.

Since awakening, Kenji had felt unsettled, an unusual thing for him to register. There was no explanation, no reason for him to feel this way, yet it persisted all the way until he returned home to the humble Miyamoto estate. His mother appeared to be out, as she did not greet him in the foyer. Neither did his sisters seem to be in. It was quiet... While it was probably nothing, Kenji could not help but feel perturbed on top of his bad feeling. Perhaps some time alone in his room would help.

Sliding his door open, Kenji stepped in and quickly saw something different about his room. A note hung on the adjacent end, attached by a knife. He approached cautiously, as if suspecting it to be a trap, but found that nothing attacked him by the time he cleared the space between the entrance and the opposite wall. Ripping the note free, he saw but four words scribed on it.

"Time is running out."

That was when he realized something else was hanging from the knife. A lock of hair. One of his sisters'.

Instincts kicked in, honed from years of training, travel, and merc work. Kenji tore the knife free from the wall and discarded the note, fleeing his room to search the estate up and down. It did not take him long to determine which sister had been taken, as he stumbled upon his second sister's room, that of Miyamoto Suguha, her door left ajar. Suguha had discipline rivalling their father, and budding sword skills that made her the bane of any man who thought her a docile maiden. Whether she was in her room, within the house, or out somewhere, she never left it open. The chances that this was an accident were slim to none. He carefully slid the door all the way open and stepped in, finding the window broken through. Kenji advanced and examined the apparent scene of the crime for a clue.

Careful investigation - or rather, simply looking at the windowsill - yielded a trace of blood. Most likely, either Suguha or her apparent kidnapper was cut on the way out, enough to pierce the skin. Further examination beyond the window revealed a trail of blood droplets. The cut was deep enough to bleed freely, clearly. It would be no difficult task to follow this trail. The real question, however, was if Kenji should pursue alone or gather the rest of his combat-trained sisters.

Given that the bleeder may very well be Suguha, and he had no idea of her state at the moment, he opted for solidarity.

Time had just shifted to evening when Kenji initially arrived home, so there was enough light to engage in tracking. The trail quickly led out of town on what was clearly a pre-planned route of escape, taking the mercenary into the slums and weaving through alleys. By the time the trail cut off near a rickety two-story building, it was closing in on night. One person stood watch outside, a bulky man with a thick tetsubo resting on his shoulder. The sight would be intimidating for some, but Kenji could tell at a careful glance that he was having trouble maintaining this posture with such a heavy weapon; either his bulk was less muscle than he let on, or he lacked proficiency with the tetsubo.

No one else was out in this area. It would just be the two of them.

Kenji wasted no time using the dwindling light to quietly advance on the watchman's flank, a hand on the swords at his waste, ready to draw. When he was five steps away, the man, still unaware, began to shift the club onto his opposite shoulder, leaving him preoccupied and exposed. Kenji lunged and drew one katana, the shortened length of the blade making the draw faster than it would've been at full length, and drove the pommel into the man's elbow hard. The watchman choked on air as his elbow was forced the wrong way, forced to release the heavy club from that hand as he turned toward his attacker, only to meet the tip of Kenji's sword at his throat. He froze.

"Six seconds. Tell me who's inside," Kenji demanded.

"S-some guy dragged a girl in here earlier... He paid me to watch the door--"

"Only one man inside?"

The watchman nodded. Kenji stood straight and smiled.

"Thank you," he said.

The man heaved a heavy sigh and lowered his weapon to rest on the wall. By the time he made to look at the mercenary again, he found a sword pommel slamming hard into his temple. He slumped over against the wall, out cold. Kenji put his blade away and, after cracking the door and peering inside, slipped in.

Alone on the first floor, he spied a set of stairs on the left side of the room. Upon glancing up, he saw light seeping through the cracks in the floor. One such crack was big enough that he could see up into the next floor. He could only make out the dying evening light and a slender man holding a katana, standing above somebody else. His sister, no doubt. Steeling himself, Kenji crept quietly and carefully toward the staircase, then began his ascent up.

There was a landing between the two floors, where Kenji stopped and observed. The man seemed to be pacing back and forth now, as if becoming impatient. He could spy his sister nearby, clearly unconscious, bound with rope and blinded with cloth. A cut was visible on her ankle, not very deep at a glance. She was alright, albeit slightly hurt. Her state, however, did not excuse the man's transgressions. His tactics plotted out, Kenji rose and advanced confidently up the stairs.

Pausing in his pacing, the man turned to see Kenji, and offered a sly grin. "I was wondering when you would come. What kept you?"

Kenji shrugged. "Nothing, really. I must've found that note a good while after you visited."

"Oh? So you came straight away... What a loyal brother," the slender swordsman offered sarcastically as the two began to circle one another. "Do you remember me, shugyosha?"

"Vaguely. You look like the guy who was taking girls in Settsu."

"Until you meddled in my affairs," he sneered. "You simply couldn't leave well enough alone and let me tend to my business."

Kenji snorted, shaking his head. His eyes never left the swordsman. "Your 'business' intruded on the business of others. At some point or another, you should've expected that someone was going to wonder where all the girls were going."

Curiously, his adversary chuckled. "You're right, of course. I was doing bad things to good people, wasn't I? It was only natural that good parents will ask good samaritans to find their good little daughters, and save them from the bad men. Was that why you did it? To be a good man? Or maybe you were interested in a reward, hm~? Is greed then your motivator?"

"No," Kenji stated. "I was helping those in need. That's it."

"Oh, what a hero!" The sarcasm and venom in the swordsman's tone could've burned a hole in the floor. He smirked, "You must know why I took your kin, so I'll kindly skip that explanation... That said, we didn't get to fight last time, did we? You snuck in and bashed my head in good." He paused, drawing his blade and discarding the saya. There won't be any of that this time; if you want your sister, you'll have to beat me."

Kenji settled into a combat stance, his hands resting on his swords. He was confident, but focused. "I intend to."

The kidnapper came forth, katana in both hands and raised above his head. As he advanced to swing down, Kenji drew one of his short blades to guard. The moment contact was made, he stepped into a shoulder tackle, catching his opponent entirely off-guard and shoving him back, sword still held above. With no means of guarding, Kenji followed through into a dead charge, slashing for the man's abdomen. Fresh blood graced his weapon; a shallow cut, but enough to get his point across. Snarling, his opponent brought the katana before him in a center stance and moved for another attempt to strike.

Kenji parried the first hit and blocked the second, but the third sliced a neat furrow into his defending arm, and the fourth thrust slipped past his guard and toward his skull. Only by a timely tip of his head did he narrowly evade a premature death, the blade nicking his earlobe but otherwise harmlessly passing by. Even with his opponent's superior reach, he had to step in to make that thrust, bringing the two dangerously close. Kenji acted without hesitation, drawing his second sword and slamming the pommel into the kidnapper's solar plexus.

Winded and stunned, the slender swordsman found himself prey to Kenji's full counterattack. The first blade bit him under the wrists, leaving a cut not too deep, but none too shallow; he would have notable issues adequately striking now. The second blade whipped up to catch his chin from below, splitting it open. He stumbled back, the grip on his katana shaky. For every clumsy step backward, Kenji advanced a confident step forward, his arm dripping blood on the floor, but not to the degree of the swordsman before him, whose wrists wept freely with crimson tears.

"W-well done...! You are either very skilled, or very determined to take your precious sister back!" Attempting to regain his composure, the kidnapper swept his sword across in an arc that would normally be both precise and swift, but lacked neither the accuracy nor the agility to pass Kenji's defenses; it was wordlessly blocked with one of the mercenary's worn blades before the second came around to slash into one of his wrists. This cut was not as forgiving as the rest, and it showed as the man's hand was messily severed. "AAAAAGH!"

Kenji halted his advance as the swordsman fell onto his rear, lamenting the loss of his hand. "One of the girls came home missing a hand, just like you are now. How does it feel to be disarmed?"

"You... Y-you arrogant, meddling bastard!" Kenji's straight-faced joke had infuriated the already vengeful kidnapper, and he thusly rose back to his feet, clutching his katana in the damaged hand that remained. With a battle cry, he ran at the merc and swung wildly.

Though weakened and bleeding out, his adversary was nonetheless skilled enough to be a viable threat. The majority of his flurry of swings was parried away, but the odd cut would manage to sneak past Kenji's guard. All in all, he sustained an inch deep stab wound in his leg and another cut to add to the one on his arm, a third flesh wound lining his cheek from a particularly dangerous slash. By the end of it, however, Kenji still stood whilst the kidnapper was on his last legs, having expended what remained of his stamina.

The Miyamoto heir sheathed the sword his injured arm had been carrying and stepped forth with the other in hand. Panicking at his predicament, the kidnapper tried to step into a swing, but his damaged and exhausted wrist finally failed him, the sword falling well short of its mark and embedding itself into the floorboards. Kenji clenched his free hand and lunged into a straight punch for the man's throat, trapping his breath within. He withdrew it, only to slash his leg up in a high kick that connected with the man's already injured jaw, throwing his head back and leaving his bludgeoned neck wide open. "Ghck--!" Stomping his foot back down, Kenji brought his short blade up and carved through his opponent's throat.

He unceremoniously slumped onto the floor, bleeding profusely. If by some miracle he had survived, the blood loss would do him in soon enough anyway. Kenji swept the blood from his sword and dropped it into its saya, exhaling, breathing out the fire in his lungs. With the fading adrenaline came the registration of pain; his arm and leg were hurting, though they'd survive. Still an uncomfortable damn feeling... As he looked over to his unconscious sister, he knew that a couple of injuries were worth it. Suguha was fine, and the pest before him would bother no one again. Today was, at the end of it all, a good day.

Maybe a little bloody, but a good day.

Name: Miyamoto Kenji
Faction: Mercenary (For now)
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 170 lbs
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black

Appearance:
Image Ho!

Kenji is tall for his people, though he does not opt to use this in any fashion. He bears an athletic build, balanced out nicely for strength, agility, and endurance. His body bears but a few scars; specifically, two on his right arm, one on his left, another on his chest, and a fifth on his neck.

Personality:
Kenji is a friendly fellow, offering genuine smiles and conversation to those who would associate with him. Never has he turned down someone in need without perfectly valid reason, for he believes that to do so is not just an affront to one's honor, but to the world at large. He is no saint, nor does he view himself as one or aim to become such; he simply acts as is in his nature.

Still, he is not some goody-goody who lets others walk over him. Kenji has goals of his own that he pursues to the utmost, mostly encompassing personal betterment in all fields. Combined with such desires is a strong, unshakeable will that he knows will be tested until the day he leaves this plane. His ego is mild, and though he adheres to the tenets of honor, at the end of the day, he will do what he feels is right before what is considered most honorable.

When it comes to battle, Kenji's will is most evident in how he acts. He is mentally flexible and attempts to adjust to any situation that arises, addressing it as he best sees fit. He is relentless and tireless in his pursuit of the battle's end, and though he is always aware of his body's limits, he is unafraid to push past them as hard as he can. If his fellow soldier is in danger, and he has the opportunity to help, he will; if that fellow soldier is his friend, nothing short of divine intervention will halt his intercession, for he sees those close to him as most precious.

History:
Kenji was born to the Miyamoto clan in Harima, the oldest of a family in which he was the only male child. Growing up, his four sisters were the treasures of his life, and continue to be such to this day, even when he is apart from them. His father was a strict disciplinarian and a hardy samurai, at the same time unorthodox, choosing to instruct not only Kenji but his sisters - in due time - in bushido, and the many ways of the samurai. This was an act that, while controversial, ensured the survival of the clan in the toughest of times.

Following his fifteenth autumn, Kenji was deemed to have completed his training. However, he did not feel yet accomplished, and opted to pursue musha shugyō. This would in turn allow his siblings to receive more attention and continue their own training, while he would be able to travel the country for the next few years in order to better himself. Kenji spent two and a half years as a moderately-successful mercenary, first under a company of like-minded individuals, then as an independent. Additionally, he would perform bodyguard services for a couple local prefects, and spent time training in schools of swordplay, incorporating their techniques and philosophies into his own.

At nineteen, Kenji finally returned to Harima to find his father dead, and his mother heading the Miyamoto clan in his absence. Though it was both his blood right to take over, and socially standard to do so, he opted to instead become his mother's second until he felt he was ready to succeed. Half a year later, on Kenji's suggestion, the clan moved from Harima to Dewa, taking up residence in a town near the border to Oshu. In order to contribute to his family's resources, he took up a contract with the local prefect, a Mogami clan vassal, whom he continued to work under until present time. His allegiance would be properly decided soon enough.

Stats

Strength: 24 (49)
Dexterity: 22 (54)
Constitution: 22 (42)
Wisdom: 27 (40)
Spirit: 24 (38)

Inventory:



Bio Approval Phrase: Admin Edit

I kind of disappeared for a little while. I've been taking care of my old man (father), who's recovering from a hospital trip last week. Sorry about that. I'll maintain better activity and see about getting a character up; I'm almost finished anyway, so it's just a matter of pulling the document back up.