Legend of Shimotsuki Ryuma

Living with his family in the feudal era of Japan, Shimotsuki Ryuma was the son of Shimotsuki Ushimaru, a famous samurai who served under the current shogun of the time; Kozuki Oden. Ushimaru had short black hair, brown eyes, was tall and had a strong muscular body. At the age of 6, living alongside his father, mother and sister in the capital city Edo, watching his father train everyday Ryuma fell in love with the way of the sword.

Mimicking his father, he practiced every day with a stick until the age of 7, when his father decided to start training him. Ryuma was a ferocious fighter who cared little about defense and put his all into his offensive strikes so that he could beat his opponents as quick as possible.

Every day he would train relentlessly to become the best swordsman the world would ever know. He would practice the most extreme workout his body could withstand, pushing himself to the limit until he could move no more.

By the age of 9, when other children were still struggling to wield their katanas and were building their strength, Ryuma had already obtained a strong muscular body and his swordsmanship was already better than some of the adults.

By the age of 16, Ryuma was much like his father tall, strong, had a muscular and tough body with short black hair. Ryuma was recognized as one of the strongest swordsman in the capital surpassed only by his own father who was the opposite of Ryuma in battle. Ushimaru was always calm and patient in his battles. In battle Ryuma was regarded as a beast with no control. But he has yet to be acknowledged by his father.

Then one day, during the local festival, the shogun’s home Edo Castle was attacked. Ushimaru, who was enjoying the festival with his family, rushed to the castle to protect the shogun. Ryuma, who was anxious to prove himself to his father, followed behind him.

Arriving at the castle, Ushimaru witnessed a trail of corpses. Among them were the castle guards and others that he did not know of. Upon inspecting one of the unknown corpses he noticed that they wore the mark of the Kujo (meaning destruction). The Kujo were a group of outlaws who had been making trouble all over the country.

Realizing this, he started to make his way towards the shogun’s room, Ryuma followed behind. One by one dealing with the attackers in their way Ryuma and his father reached the shogun’s room. Upon arriving they saw the leader of the Kujo, Hitohito Chadano, he was tall, athletic and had blood red hair. Next to him was his right hand man, Kazami Jin, he had an average height, was athletic and had white hair with bloodshot eyes. In the corner of the room was the shogun, who was wounded but still alive.

As Ushimaru faced the leader of the Kujo Chadano, Ryuma prepared himself to fight Jin. In an intense duel that lasted almost 5 minutes, Ushimaru had dominated the battle and was about to land the finishing blow when he noticed that Ryuma had fallen to the ground and was about to be dealt a fatal attack by his Jin. In an attempt to save his son, Ushimaru rushed towards Jin but realizing he was too far away, Ushimaru flung his sword like a spear which ran through Jin’s heart.

Relieved that his son was safe, Ushimaru suddenly felt a rush of pain through his chest. In his attempt to save his son, Ushimaru had turned his back and given Chadano the opportunity he was looking for. Falling to his knees and having the cold metal blade taken out from his chest, Ushimaru sat on the ground, cold and unable to move.

At that moment, Ryuma had opened his eyes and saw that his opponent was dead with his father’s blade between his eyes. Looking behind to see where his father was Ryuma witnessed his father being beheaded by Chadano. As his father’s head rolled on the ground Ryuma stared at it until it bumped and at his knees. Refusing to accept what had happened, Ryuma was overcome with intense rage and grief.

Withdrawing his father’s blade from the heart of his fallen opponent, Ryuma charged towards Chadano like a bull. Blow by blow Ryuma exerted all of his rage into his blade. Using his emotions against him, Chadano took advantage of Ryuma’s emotional state and with a few quick movements had him on his knees again. As he was about to deliver Ryuma the same fate as his father, the sound of reinforcements could be heard heading towards them.

With no time to finish his opponent Chadano fled the room. Laying on the ground humiliated and stricken with grief, Ryuma clenched his father’s blade and blamed himself for his father’s death. “Forgive me father. Had I not been so weak you would still be alive.” thought Ryuma to himself as he streams of tears ran down his face.

At his father’s funeral, with hate and anger filled in his heart, Ryuma vowed to have revenge against Chadano. A month after the funeral Ryuma was ready for his journey. Promising to return with the head of his father’s killer, Ryuma left his mother and sister behind in the capital and went on a journey across the country to find the man responsible for the tragedy in his family.

For 5 years of Ryuma continuously searched for his enemy. Training every day to master his skills and become worthy of wielding his father’s blade. Acting as a Ronin and killing bandits and all other outlaws to protect the innocent and quench his rage. Every night he would have the same nightmare, his father being beheaded by a tall man with blood red hair while he is unable to do anything but watch. Until finally he had located the whereabouts of the target.

Located deep in the forests near the Kanto region, the Kujo had set up a base and their leader was residing there. Without wasting any more time, Ryuma set out for the base. After hours of careful searching in the forest, Ryuma had managed to locate the base.

Announcing his arrival to Chadano by killing his subordinates, Ryuma called out to the leader of the Kujo. Footsteps echoed around Ryuma, as if he were being stalked by a wolf. Then from the shadows emerged a tall man with blood red hair, it was Chadano. After 5 years of constant nightmares of the night his father died, Ryuma finally came face to face with his father’s killer again. After years of searching, nightmares and training, Ryuma would finally be able to have his revenge.

Ryuma and Chadano gazed into each other’s eyes without moving an inch, as if trying to find their souls in them. Their blades steady as untouched water, motionless as if held by statues. Neither one of them moved an inch, waiting for the other to make a move. A flash of lightening occurred and both of them charged towards each other.

Their blades clashed, the sound of metal clashing metal echoed throughout the woods. Rain had started to fall. Ryuma fought Chadano focusing all of his hatred from the past 5 years into his strikes but not letting his emotions overcome him. He had learned from the last time they fought.

For the past 5 years Ryuma had not only mastered his blade but also learned to control his emotions like his father so that when the destined day would come, unlike last time, Ryuma would be able to fight.

Ryuma and Chadano constantly clashed for 5minutes, not giving each other a moments opening. They were in perfect sync, as if they were in a play, one would attack while the other defended and then they switched roles. 10 minutes had gone since the start of their battle, yet neither one of their blades had managed to reach them. Both of them were panting, they both knew that this was a battle of stamina, whoever got exhausted first would ultimately lose.

Then after 13 minutes of constant clashing, just as Ryuma was about to make his attack his foot sunk into the ground. The rain had made the ground soft and the constant movement from the battle had finally made the ground give way. Ryuma had lost his composure, his foot stuck in the ground. As Ryuma struggled to break free Chadano took advantage of the opening and went for a fatal blow to the neck.

Realizing he would not be able to block the attack Ryuma extended his left arm and let the blade pierce his hand. Ryuma shifted the direction of the blade away from his neck and adding his own force to Chadano’s momentum had the blade move towards the ground. As Chadano fell towards Ryuma’s feet from the sudden force, Ryuma used the blade in his right hand to cut off Chadano’s head.

It was done. After years of unending nightmares, years of searching, Ryuma had finally attained his revenge. As the cold rain ran down his face, and the warm blood trickled down his hands, for the first time in years Ryuma did not know what to do. Before he was single-mindedly focused on his revenge. But now he had attained that goal. Sheathing his father’s blade Ryuma decided that it was time to return to his family.

After reuniting with his mother and sister, Ryuma found out that his heroic acts of defending the innocent had made his name known all over the country. The shogun himself had personally requested for Ryuma to become his personal guard but Ryuma declined and insisted to be allowed to remain as a Ronin. Years later Ryuma got married, had a family of his own and started a new life as a farmer so that he could spend more time with his children instead of fighting.