Ryu swept broken wood into a pile, his tattered kimono stained with sweat. His amber eyes were heavy, his mind replaying Kaze's bloody rescue, Taro's rage, the looming threat of the Ox. The katana from the storeroom, now hidden again, weighed on his heart.
Hana scrubbed a table, her faded kimono tied back, her dark hair pinned up. She hummed softly, but her hands moved fast, erasing the chaos of the previous night. Yumi mended a torn screen, her needle trembling, her bruised cheeks pale. The other prostitutes—Lila, with her sharp tongue, and quiet Suki—worked alongside them, patching curtains, stacking cups. Money was tight, and the brothel couldn't afford to close, not even for a day.
"Careful with that broom, Ryu," Hana called, her voice teasing but strained. "You're kicking up more dust than you're cleaning."
Ryu smirked, pausing to wipe his brow. "Better than your scrubbing. That table's still sticky."
Hana stuck out her tongue, but her eyes flicked to the door. "Keep joking, samurai. But we're sitting ducks if Kenta comes back."
Yumi's needle stilled, her voice small. "Do you think… the Ox will send more men?"
Ryu's grip tightened on the broom. "Let them come. We'll be ready."
Lila snorted from across the room, hauling a cracked chair. "Big talk, kid. You barely held that sword last night. Leave the fighting to Taro."
Ryu's face heated, but he didn't argue. Lila was right—his fight with Kenta's men had been desperate, clumsy. Kaze's lesson in the forest, the shimmer of Sword Aura, felt like a dream now, too far to reach.
Taro emerged from the back, his scarred face set, his tanto at his hip. He carried a bucket of nails, his hands steady despite the tension in his shoulders. "Enough chatter," he said, his voice low. "We open soon. Customers don't care about our mess."
Hana nodded, her teasing gone. "You sure we should open, Taro-san? After last night…"
Taro's eyes darkened. "We need the coins. The Ox knows it. That's why he hit us."
Ryu stepped closer, his voice firm. "Then let's hit back. Kenta ran. They're not invincible."
Taro's gaze met his, sharp but weary. "Not yet, Ryu. We survive first. Fight when we're ready."
Ryu swallowed his frustration, nodding. Taro was right, but survival felt like surrender. He thought of Kaze's warning—family can blind you. Was Taro hiding something, even now?
The brothel opened, and customers trickled in. Merchants and drifters filled the tables, their voices rough, their hands greedy for sake and women. Hana poured drinks, her charm masking her fear. Yumi served quietly, her beauty drawing leers. Suki and Lila worked the room, their laughter forced. Ryu swept the corners, his eyes on the door, the storeroom katana a silent pull.
A shadow crossed the threshold, and the room went still. A man stepped in, broad and towering, his kimono black with gold trim, a katana at his belt. His face was hard, his eyes like burning coals, his shaved head gleaming. The Ox, leader of Hikari's yakuza, had come himself. Two enforcers flanked him, their knives glinting, but his presence alone was a blade.
Taro set down his hammer, his tanto unsheathed in a heartbeat. "Ox," he growled, stepping forward. "You've got no business here."
The Ox's lips curled, a predator's smile. "Business? You owe me, Taro. My men are dead. My tribute's short. This place is mine to burn."
Ryu's heart pounded, his broom forgotten. Hana and Yumi backed toward the counter, their faces pale. Suki and Lila froze, the customers scrambling out, coins left behind. The brothel felt small, its walls closing in.
Taro's voice was steel. "You sent those men to wreck us. We paid what we could. Your greed's the problem."
The Ox laughed, cold and sharp. "Greed? This is Hikari, old man. I take what's mine." He drew his katana, its blade polished, cruel. "Step aside, or I'll carve you first."
Taro didn't flinch, his tanto steady. "Try it."
Ryu's breath caught. He ran to the storeroom, his hands shaking as he grabbed Taro's katana. Its chipped scabbard was heavy, its blade gleaming. He rushed back, thrusting it toward Taro. "Taro-san, take it!"
Taro caught the katana, his eyes flicking to Ryu—gratitude, but also warning. He sheathed his tanto, gripping the katana with both hands. "Stay back, Ryu. This is mine."
The Ox's enforcers moved to block the door, but he waved them off. "No need. I'll handle the old warrior myself."
The brothel cleared, tables pushed aside. Taro and the Ox faced each other, blades drawn. Taro struck first, his katana slashing in a clean arc. The Ox parried, his blade a flash of steel, his strength pushing Taro back. The fight was fierce, steel clanging, sparks flying. Taro moved with skill, his strikes precise, but his age showed—his breath labored, his steps slower.
Ryu watched, his heart in his throat. Hana clutched Yumi, their eyes wide. Suki and Lila huddled behind the counter, silent. Taro ducked a heavy slash, countering with a thrust, but the Ox sidestepped, his blade grazing Taro's arm. Blood dripped, staining the floor.
Taro's face tightened, his eyes fierce. He stilled, his breath deep, and a faint blue shimmer rippled around his katana, like water under moonlight. Ryu gasped. Sword Aura—Kaze's lesson made real. The air hummed, the brothel's lanterns flickering. Taro's aura was steady, calm, a reflection of his unyielding will, his loyalty to his family.
The Ox's eyes gleamed, impressed. "Not bad, old man." He gripped his katana tighter, and a red glow flared, fierce and jagged, like a wildfire. His aura pulsed with ambition, ruthless and hungry, coloring the air with menace. He swung, the red aura trailing, and Taro blocked, the clash shaking the room.
Ryu's mind raced. Sword Aura wasn't just skill—it was a samurai's soul, shaped by who they were. Taro's blue was his strength, his heart. The Ox's red was his cruelty, his drive. Ryu wanted to understand, to wield it, but now, he could only watch.
The Ox pressed harder, his red aura flaring. He spun, his katana a blur, using a technique—Crimson Fang—a downward slash that burned the air. Taro parried, his blue aura steady, countering with Tide's Edge, a flowing strike that aimed for the Ox's side. The Ox twisted, unharmed, and struck again, his blade relentless.
Taro faltered, his age betraying him. The Ox's next attack—Blood Talon—sliced Taro's chest, deep and clean. Taro staggered, blood soaking his kimono. He fell to one knee, his katana trembling, his blue aura flickering like a dying flame.
Ryu shouted, "Taro-san!" but Hana grabbed his arm, holding him back. Yumi sobbed, her hands over her mouth.
The Ox lowered his blade, his red aura dimming. "You fought well, Taro," he said, his voice cold but respectful. "But you're too weak. Too old."
Taro didn't beg. He raised his head, his eyes finding Ryu, Hana, and Yumi. His voice was steady, though blood dripped from his lips.
"Survive this. Get strong, Ryu. Become that samurai. Protect Hana and Yumi."
Ryu's eyes burned, tears blurring his vision. "Taro-san, no…"
Hana's grip tightened, her voice breaking. "Taro, don't leave us."
Yumi's sobs grew louder, her body shaking. "Please…"
Taro's gaze held them, fierce and proud. "You're my family. Live."
The Ox raised his katana, his red aura flaring one last time.
"Rest, warrior."
Wiith one clean slice, he struck.
Taro's head fell. His body crumpled. His blue aura vanished.
Blood spread across the floor, deep and final.
Ryu screamed, "NOOOOO!" His voice tore through the brothel, raw and broken. He ripped free of Hana, grabbing Taro's katana from the floor. His hands shook, his heart shattered, but rage burned hotter. He faced the Ox, the blade heavy, his amber eyes blazing.
The Ox turned, his red aura simmering. "You, boy? You're not ready."
Ryu's voice was a growl. "I'll kill you."
Hana shouted, "Ryu, stop!" but he didn't hear. Yumi's sobs faded, the brothel a blur. The Ox's enforcers stepped forward, but he waved them back, his smile cruel. "Let him try."
Ryu gripped the katana, his body trembling, Taro's words echoing—Survive this. Get strong. Become that samurai. The cherry blossoms outside fell, soft in the slums' mud.
The House of Fallen Blossoms was broken.
And Ryu's path was blood now.
He would walk it, starting with the Ox.