2 The world of the unknown

In the sprawling era of clans, the shogun's decrees were iron law, swiftly set in motion by the samurai who served as the living instrument of the shogun's will. Their aspirations were as boundless as the infinite sky, journeying from their birth soil to forge settlements in the pursuit of riches.

Sadly, this strategy found a mirror image in other clans and rival factions all over Japan, kindling a ceaseless, savage struggle, blind to the torment and agony it wrought.

These were the turbulent days of chaos and strife, where avarice, malice, fury, and defeat reigned supreme in every nook of the country. The future that was unfolding was a far cry from their lofty dreams, a brutal testament to the grim truths of warfare.

They plunged headlong into the tumult, driven by fidelity to their emperor, seeking retribution for their brethren and spending their lives without heed to the ghost of death that loomed.

In the harrowing battle, some fought to survive, while others sought glory and supremacy. Trivial feuds and self-serving desires fueled these wars, setting the stage for a narrative drenched in courage and sacrifice.

At the heart of this tale was the Ryoutomei clan, where a lone samurai nursed the dream of extinguishing the unending feudal wars. His struggle was not for glory, but for the elusive quest for peace.

Ryoutomei Sougo, a seasoned warrior of thirty-four winters, embarked on his journey to the battlefield, nestled in a colossal ship teeming with samurais ready to shed blood in the shogun's honor–though nervousness was on their face.

A towering presence, he measured six feet in height, a cascade of jet-black hair neatly gathered in a bun, a beard adorning his rugged visage, and eyes as dark as a moonless night. His body wore the scars of countless battles–the most striking one near his right eye–a mute testament to his warrior history.

His armor–brilliant and crimson–glinted in the light, fashioned from a lightweight material that afforded him extraordinary nimbleness. In sharp contrast to his comrades weighed down by their bulky armors, he was unencumbered, as free as a bird in flight.

In a time now swallowed by history, he had known contentment with his loving wife and daughter, until fate intervened, and the shogun's call to duty echoed.

His modest recruitment ranks left him no choice but to heed the call.

With a heart burdened with grief, Sougo bid a heart-rending goodbye to his beloved family, promising to reunite with them after enduring five strenuous years of training combined with joining wars. His training consisted of wide variants of weapons, leading to best for decision-making in choosing a weapon for situation that may grave.

But the separation exacted its price, for every time he waded into battle, he held a sacred necklace in memory of his loved ones, a charm that served as a beacon of hope amidst the pandemonium of war.

But then... an unspeakable horror befell Sougo, as his home was razed to the ground by his mortal enemies...

A barrage of arrows descended from the sky, annihilating what was thought to be the enemy's bastion. Tragically, the innocent inhabitants, including Sougo's family, met their doom in agony as the flames took hold...

Their tormented screams piercing the very soul, how they try to escape their inescapable fate, but none had...

Sougo did return, only to find himself plummeted into the abyss of a terrible nightmare.

Beholding a mother holding her child with tenderness as their bodies were consumed by flames in the aftermath of the attack, Sougo was paralyzed by despair and dropped to the ground, clutching the lifeless bodies of his own kin. The sight and truth were almost enough to persuade him to gouge his eyes out.

The disbelief in his eyes caused conflict, hatred, and guilt...

"I have returned..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, as a single tear streamed down his face and his fiery gaze remained fixed on the earth below. Not even flames could rival the pain of his loss.

Joining the army from the call of the Shogun embedded the most honors, but at what cost?

After two long years had passed since the incident, Sougo redoubled his efforts to bring an end to the infernal war. With unwavering discipline and unyielding determination, he ascended to the pinnacle of his training, earning the highest rank within the army although below the rankings of a shogunate.

His unparalleled swiftness in unsheathing his blade, his mastery of a wide array of weapons, and his deadly skills in archery all earned him the fearsome reputation of being one of the most lethal samurai to ever walk the land–a name that struck terror into the hearts of his enemies; the feuding clans were never brave enough to face him alone. With no regard for his own honor, Sougo was focused only on achieving his singular goal: to bring this war to its ultimate conclusion.

"Brace for impact!" The captain's voice boomed across the ship, bracing himself for the impending storm.

Sougo was quick to respond, but before he could even catch his breath, a monstrous tempest had descended upon them, unleashing its fury upon the hapless vessel.

The winds howled and the waves rose higher and higher, as though the gods themselves were unleashing their wrath upon the ship.

In the midst of the chaos, the crew fought valiantly to keep the ship afloat, but their efforts were in vain. The steering wheel, disturbed by the raging waters, refused to heed their commands, and the ship was tossed about like a leaf in a storm.

As the crew struggled to regain control, a massive whirlpool loomed ahead, threatening to swallow the ship whole.

With a sinking heart, Sougo knew that their fate was sealed. In nature's eyes, their death wouldn't change the world...

Kneeling before their fury, he accepted his fate wholeheartedly even faced with his own anger that his life was short-lived, there was nothing he could do...

"Sougo..." Even the valiant samurais, the fearless, bowed to the decree of the gods, realizing their feeble prowess against the celestial forces could not be stopped by their mortal hands.

Thus, in a tragic turn of events, both the ship and the warriors were consumed by the merciless waters, sunken and drowned to the very depths... of the sea...

Gazing into the abyss of his fate, Sougo pondered in his last moments.

In the end, Sougo began questioning the purpose of his life, "Is this my end...? Was I fated to risk my life for my people, and endanger my family in the process?" Clouded with questions, Sougo began doubting his purpose of existence. "What is the true essence of honor? Is it to sacrifice one's beloved for the glory of the shogun?" Engulfed by confusion and doubt, Sougo met his untimely demise, falling victim to the nature's wrath.

In the abyss of obscurity, Sougo found himself swallowed deep in an unrelenting darkness, his very being wracked by a profound sense of agony.

"What manner of affliction has befallen me?" he bemoaned, lost in the void of his own mind. Suddenly, a sound disrupted his desolate contemplation, "A voice? Who is it?" cried Sougo, perturbed by the unexpected intrusion.

At last, as if summoned by some unknown intervention, Sougo's vision flickered to life, and he beheld a cavernous ceiling of stones. Yet, his sight was clouded by a haze of confusion, and he struggled to grasp the gravity of his situation.

His body was enshrouded in casts and bandages, and the evidence of countless injuries was etched upon his body.

Summoning the last bit of his strength, he exerted himself to raise his weary self, striving to discern the source of the commotion.

His gaze fell upon a young man of fair countenance, whose neat hair was colored golden and eyes of piercing blue with the predictability of his personality as cheerful. In his hands, he wielded a pestle, striking something from the mortar.

His backpack bulged with a plethora of items, testifying to his intrepid exploratory nature. And yet, his garb seemed to clash with the time-honored traditions of Japan, marking him as an outsider amidst the land's ancient customs.

The young man would then turn around from the noise he heard.

"Oh? You're awake? I was making some ointment for your injuries. And... sorry I dragged you here... Hehe..." The young man acted silly, his tone picking up an odd one that described him not often socializing. "My house is not that far away and you're too heavy for me to drag you there. It was starting to rain, so I put you here safe in this cave. It has just stopped raining too, by coincidence. Funny."

As Sougo stirred from slumber, his senses were keen and he swiftly scanned his surroundings, seeking his armaments and panoply.

Unfortunately, his armor was nowhere to be seen, and his garb had been aired and dried. Nonetheless, he detected no untoward happenings, and his trusty katana remained steadfast at his side.

"Where am I!?" Sougo questioned with an aggressive tone and remained on guard, unsure of whether the stranger was an ally or an enemy.

"Hey hey hey! Don't pull out your blade, calm down please, I'm doing nothing wrong to you, I swear! And I just told you, you're in a cave and my house is very far! Show some respect to who helped you here!" The young man raised his hands, showing he wasn't a threat.

"What I mean, what region is this? What is your clan? Fujiwara? Imagawa? Saito? Ishirou? Minamoto?" Sougo hurriedly grabbed his katana and threatened the young man, inquiring about his clans.

"Listen! I don't know what are you on about here. I'm just a person who wandered around and found you stranded. I can't just leave you to drop dead, you know?" The young man recounted the present circumstances to Sougo. He seemed oblivious to the knowledge of the clans Sougo spoke of.

At long last, Sougo regained his composure and offered contrition for his rash deeds.

He summoned his will and rose to his feet, donning his raiment that had been made whole by the sun.

"Where are you going? And how are you moving???" The young man marveled at Sougo's fortitude, for he bore grievous wounds that could fell a lesser man.

Yet, as Sougo began to depart, his wounds assailed him with renewed vigor, rendering him feeble and in dire need of respite.

"I have told you to stand still, rest up until your injuries are gone!" The young man implored Sougo to desist from his foolhardy course until his wounds could mend. Yet, Sougo persisted, and with each step, his vision grew clearer.

Before him, lay a realm unlike any he had ever beheld, a realm of wonder and enchantment, akin to the fabled lands of childhood tales. It was the Otherworld.

"Where am I?" Sougo gasped in awe, his mind reeling at the sight before him, a sight that surpassed all his prior experiences. "What is this place?"

"Huh? From your face, you're not from around here, are you, mister?" The young man did surmise that Sougo was not of these parts, perhaps a traveler from distant lands or a wanderer led astray. As he gazed upon his surroundings, he beheld a wondrous sight: majestic beasts of old and unique flora abounded. A tree of prodigious size bore a canopy of blue mushrooms, while lilies radiated a purple and blue luminescence.

A great bird akin to a dinosaur took to the heavens, and mighty boars with buffalo-like horns roamed the land.

"We're now in the Echytryal biome. It's home to where most animals are friendly and they don't eat much meat. Those who are, are the only predators at night such as: Tiger Frogs, Bicela, and Mulkum." The young man stood next to Sougo, introducing the place.

"Those are the ones you don't want to mess with. They're quite... What's the word, feral and frightening... Hey! Are you even listening!?" As the young man sought to impede Sougo's departure, he strove to impart upon him the knowledge of their whereabouts, however, his words fell upon deaf ears as the traveler took his leave.

And so it was that Sougo came upon a tree bearing fruit, treading softly with each step as he sought to sate the ravenous hunger that gnawed at his belly.

Drawing near, he espied a curious blue fruit, not unlike a rose apple, and plucked it from the boughs with aggression. It was in a strange shape, but the freshness led to a temptation to eat it.

"NO, WAIT! THAT FRUIT CONTAINS HIPEREXLUDIA!" Alas, the young man's warning came too late, for Sougo had already consumed the fruit and felt the effects thereof. His vision grew hazy, and he was beset by vertigo, the world around him whirling like a tempest.

Trees seemed to take on a life of their own, while mushrooms seemed to mock him with their laughter, casting him into a state of giddiness. And then, in a fleeting moment, he succumbed to the fruit's power, collapsing to the ground and succumbing to the oblivion of unconsciousness.

"Aghhhh, what a pain..." The young man scratched his head out of frustration, his job made it a lot more difficult. "Well, hiperexludia chemicals do get rid of the pain and they healed a person quite well when it's crafted into a medicine..."

"Hopefully eating it raw doesn't overdose him. Now I have to drag him up there again. This man is weird." With a sense of duty weighing upon him, the young man let out a deep sigh as he lifted the injured man and began the arduous journey towards the cave, where he could tend to his wounds and nurse him back to health.