Chapter 1: Night Attack (1/2)

Volume 1 The City Shrouded in Snow

In late December, the third year of Wenjiu, Jiziru Yukimura left Edo Castle alone and went to Kyoto in search of her father who hadn't been heard of for a month.

It had been snowing for several days. The whole prosperous Kyoto was covered in a thick blanket of white. Jiziru Yukimura stood in the crowd, felt lost and didn't know where to go and where she belonged. Kyoto was a big city but she had nowhere to rest. What was worse, her father didn't tell her his detailed address.

'Where is dad? How can I find him?'

She felt cold and hungry. The street was crowded and noisy but she cut a lonely figure. There was a puddle on the ground. Snowflakes fluttered in the air and fell on her shoulders. She lowered her head and stared at her reflection in the puddle - the girl wore a bamboo rain hat with her face red with cold, her hair tied back, her eyes and brows in the shadow of the hat. She disguised herself as a boy. Even her father would be startled if he saw her dressed like this.

After all, she was an inexperienced child. So, she didn't notice that she had been targeted by some people.

The shades of dusk deepened and the sky grew dark. The silvery moonlight spilt on the ground. All the temples and paG.o.das in Kyoto seemed to be shrouded in sacred Buddha's light.

Some j.a.panese ronins behind her came closer and closer. Jiziru Yukimura's heart raced uncontrollably and she started running along the street while she kept a tight grip on the kodachi strapped to her waist. The kodachi belonged to her father. Jiziru turned a corner and quickly hid behind a heap of old wooden barrels. The sound of the footsteps suddenly died nearby.

T/N note:

Katana: a j.a.panese weapon.

Kodachi: a small katana

She breathed a sigh of relief but the very next second, she heard a tumult of shouts and screams. On the opposite wall were the shadows of the ronins fighting with someone. The creepy shrieks came out of their mouths. She saw some of the ronins fell down, blood spattering the dark concrete from gashes in their necks. A man was crouched down on his haunches and sucked blood from cuts on the corpses' necks.

He wore a traditional samurai suit, well-built, but his face looked scary.

There was no skin on his face and vessels could be seen clearly. With an evil smile, he licked blood on his collar while brandis.h.i.+ng a katana with surprising strength. There was only one ronin left. He continuously stepped backward. Finally, he gave a loud roar and pushed the monster aside with all his strength, then he pulled his katana and cut at the monster.

Two swords clashed and jingled. The monster opened his mouth and chewed up the ronin's katana made of steel. The ronin was stunned. The monster seized the chance to cut the ronin in half with his katana.

In the moonlight, the ronin's body fell to the ground, blood spattering everywhere, like the firework bursting in the clear summer sky.

The monster's evil smile returned, and it was hideously diabolic. He twisted his head sideways and saw Jiziru Yukimura who crouched in the corner trembling with fear. He lifted the katana and cut at her.

”Ah!”