The Legend's Behind the Mask "Swordsman's Era"

Chapter 4: The Messenger Swordsman

Fudo Toka was standing on Kiroshuku's right as he approached a three-story residence. The sun was shining brilliantly up in the sky, and the sound of birds chirping could still be heard.

She was holding her teddy bear and hugging it tightly with her right hand, while her left hand was holding Kiroshuku's right hand and she stared at the front gate in front of her.

"Is he not here? Come on! I tho—" he interrupted himself as he noticed the door to the house open in the distance. He notices a swordsman walking out of the house and his eyes widen as he recognizes Kiroshuku.

"Kiroshuku! I didn't sense you sorry! I thought you'd arrive later!" the unknown man exclaimed as he dashed to the gate and opened it.

"Your coat, what happened?" he asked, opening the gate and stepping aside to make room for them both. They walk through the grass and along a stone-patterned path to his house.

"The unknown that I fought didn't even faze her, she's completely on another level, but it appears that I can handle her," he says solemnly as he starts walking.

"Perhaps we should talk inside Kiroshuku," the unknown messenger swordsman said solemnly as he closed the gate and quickly walked past them both.

He opened the door, walked inside, and waited for Kiroshuku and Fudo Toka to enter before closing it again. They walk in and notice a large room. They can both see the kitchen and bookshelf to their left, as well as a sofa to their right. As the messenger swordsman closes the door, they walk to their right.

"Have a seat, Fudo Toka, you can go see your new room later, and Kiroshuku, you should be careful from now on," the messenger swordsman said as he noticed Kiroshuku and Fudo Toka sitting on the sofa. He notices Fudo Toka playing with her teddy bear peacefully next to Kiroshuku. That made him smile.

"I know... We just need to talk, Fudo Toka, you should go upstairs for now, I'll go up after we're done talking," Kiroshuku said as Fudo Toka stood up and turned to her right, beginning to walk towards the stairs.

"It's the second room, that's your room, change your clothes and be careful going up," the messenger swordsman said as he saw Fudo Toka turn around and nod. She ascends the stairwell.

The messenger swordsman remains standing as the moon shifts around them both. They both became solemn as they heard the door upstairs open and close.

"Now... What are the reports of the other Shira's, and has the information been transferred to Hishikari Gakure? I heard his son Shikari Gakure is with him," Kiroshuku asked, looking down at the carpet on the ground. He is sitting with both hands on his lap.

"I believe so, the legends behind the mask have been seen traveling from south to north, implying that something bad is happening, they should arrive tomorrow afternoon like now, it's afternoon," the messenger swordsman replied, pursed his lips, and removed his mask with his right hand.

"The Legends Behind the Mask, huh? I've never heard such a word before, who are they?" he asked, looking at the messenger swordsman who sits on the opposite side of the sofa from Kiroshuku.

"It was an organization that contained legend swordsmans or even swordswoman, it was made by Shimodo Rou the heads of the east, that nation contains Gakure's meaningly that man is in perfect control of its swordsman and village," the messenger swordsman said as their moods darkened and became even more serious.

"Shimodo Rou, that man is still above the other heads, now how's the west and south doing? I also hate to break it to you, but once the enemies launch a full-scale attack, I might just let this village die," he said, giving the messenger swordsman goosebumps.

"What do you mean by launching a full-scale attack to the north? Are you saying that you're also an enemy? You know me Kiroshuku Hakure that I will kill anyone who gets in my way even though it's my friend" the messenger swordsman said menacingly as he stared at him.

"You seemed pretty serious Nakuri, you should chill a little bit," Kiroshuku said. "You know my loyalty in terms of saving the people in a village and trying to annihilate this bastard who is trying to kill us all, or I'd say the ones who are trying to kill humanity, but I don't have anything to do with this village, this village heads or I'd say leaders are full of corruptions even on their own they can't even do a simple task that will lead to their village own death," Kiroshuku said as he stands and turns to his right and walk towards the window.

"You see, every man has a plan. You just don't see it or feel it, but once you manage to see those two things that I mentioned, feel it and see it, you'll have the grip to know what that plan is," Kiroshuku added as he approached the window and looked out. He notices a massive tree outside the house. It's a birch tree with birds chirping.

"Everyone may die, but new will come. The leaves can be renewed, it's just time you needed, like you. You become a master because you took your time and used it wisely," Nakuri said calmly as he looked to his right. He turned to face Kiroshuku, who was still staring out the window.

"The Swordsman's Era will have more than two hundred years... I predict it because the lands and chaos will always be there unless they vanish," Kiroshuku predicted as he turned around to see Fudo Toka walking down the stairs. The messenger swordsman rises to his feet and smiles.

"Oh right! Kiroshuku! I'm leaving, I won't be back for a while, and please don't break or take my stuff," Nakuri smiled and turned to his left. He then turned to see Fudo Toka looking down and hugging her teddy bear.

"When you come back, there's nothing left, I tasted something strange in the air... And it terrified me, Master, let's leave," she sat down on the ground, terrified.

Kiroshuku and Nakuri exchanged glances as they hurriedly approached Fudo Toka, who sat hugging her teddy bear.

Kiroshuku kneels and notices her sweating and high degree temperature. He remained silent as he used his right hand palm to check her temperature. He reaches for her forehead.

"We're not leaving yet, Fudo Toka, we'll leave in the morning, just stay by my side, we'll be fine," Kiroshuku said formally as he looked at the messenger swordsman on his left, who was also about to kneel.

"What do you mean by taste, Fudo Toka? You're an orphan, aren't you? Kiroshuku, you seemed your child has some special abilities that we can use," Nakuri said and inquired.

"Quit it! I'm her master, I'll take care of her, you can go... And I guess alarm the Shira's and Hishikari Gakure because she tasted the air and it terrified her," he said as he stood with Fudo Toka in both hands. Nakuri stared at them both as he walked up the stairs.

"Is he hiding something? If so, I should send Special Swordsman to keep an eye on him because those men can do the job properly unless Kiroshuku kills them if things get out of hand, and her prediction might just be correct, then that man Kiroshuku already trained her," Nakuri thought as he turned around and opened the door. He walks out of the house quietly and disappears.

Inside the village of the north wind. Agatsuma Hit and the other four were standing near a hole or what appeared to be a crater. They were standing near it when they noticed special swordsmen at the bottom of the hole, where a three-story house had been destroyed by six more houses.

"It appears that they've infiltrated well, so the ones who did it must be more dangerous than we thought," Katrina said with a glance. She looked to her left and saw Agatsuma Hit jump into the hole. Hashibira Kosuke and Hashibira Komoto followed him from behind.

"Let's leave them for now, they can handle it if anything bad happens, and I also heard Kiroshuku fought that monster," Tsuyuri Shi replied, looking down and tapping her on the top left shoulder with his right hand.

"Where did you think he'd go after this? That man seems different than the other masters we've met so far," she said as she turned to her right and saw a special swordsman standing without his left arm.

"Hmm? Seems that swordsman is about to retire, he appears to be young," she said as she turned to her right and began to walk towards the unknown swordsman.

"Hey!" she says, and the unknown swordsman turns to face her. The unknown swordsman looked at her, revealing that he was wearing a mask and that his left had been well treated.

"Yes?" he asked as Katrina approached him. Katrina looked him in the eyes as they both stared at each other.

"What happened to your arm?" she replied and asked as the unknown swordsman who is Tukiri the student of Kiroshuku touches his left part with his right hand. 

"I lost it in the battle, it was a kill or be killed battle, but the good thing or I should say that good thing is that my master was there, and because he was there, I got the opportunity to stab the Violet Dark Shira clone swordsman in the back," he says as he lowers his head.

"Hmm? Who's the master?" Tsuyuri wonders as he notices him raise his head and look him in the eyes once more. Tukiri uses his right hand to remove his mask.

"Master Kiroshuku, my master, he was there with a student of his named Fudo Toka, if you're looking for him, I don't know where he is because I quickly teleported out of the facility when he arrived to pick up Fudo Toka, I was a disgrace because I don't have my left arm anymore," he sighed.

"I'm sure your master wasn't that kind of person, now any ideas where he is?" Tsuyuri Shi inquired, seeing the swordsman raise his head once more.

"He appears to be walking near the mountains of the north wind inside his village, you can follow the path behind me if you see a messenger swordsmen you can ask him because messenger swordsmen job is to memorize all the people who are friends with him or the ones who give the message to," Tukiri answered as they both nodded and smiled.

"Hmm! Thanks!" she said, making Tukiri smile and look to his right once more. He lowered his head a few inches to get a better view of the crater.

"Should we come with them and say the word Tsuyuri Shi?" she asked, turning around to see Tsuyuri Shi was not behind her. She turns to Tukiri and notices Tsuyuri Shi on the move.

"Tell them! I'll start looking," Tsuyuri Shi said as he started walking and then vanished. Tukiri looked at her and then at him before looking down. He notices the swordswoman jump down.

"Hey! Agatsuma Hit! A Kiroshuku student said that his master is straight in the path; we should get going and leave this area," Katrina said as she approached them 3. She was on their right side, looking off into the distance. She was kneeling as she landed and looked ahead of her.

She witnesses special swordsmen and sorcerers casting spells on the shattered house. She was mesmerized as she saw a sorcerer in the distance use his magic to create a massive globe.

"Wow! I had no idea sorcerers still wielded such power in the north," she exclaimed as she stood and looked around. She raised her head and noticed they were 100 feet down.

"Yeah, every sorcerer has more than that, Katrina, if you're a real sorcerer, you'd be done in no time," Agatsuma Hit said as he raised his right hand.

"Now where are we? I think we should go now Agatsuma Hit we don't have time to waste. That man holds what we need," Katrina said, turning around and starting to walk back. As Agatsuma Hit continues to stare, Hashibira Kosuke and Hashibira Komoto turn around and walk with her.

He raised his head. And notices Hanako standing near the enormous hole. She was looking down until she saw him. She abruptly turned around and vanished insight.

"I hate my thoughts, I did something wrong, I should've thought better," he said, turning around and face palmed. He started walking after seeing Katrina, Hashibira Kosuke, and Hashibira Komoto jump out of the hole. He was quick to follow.

It's been ten minutes. They are four people walking down a path and stepping on a stone path. They notice Tsuyuri Shi speaking to someone in the distance.

"Look at our sensory swordsmen, he still seems to have it even though his five months are gone huh!" she exclaimed as she continued walking on the stone path. Hashibira Kosuke and Hashibira Komoto were on her left and right sides, respectively, while Agatsuma Hit trailed behind.

They all turned around and stared at him. They notice him looking down on the ground, brokenhearted. Katrina fixed her gaze on him, she made an expressionless face.

"What happened to him?" Hashibira Komoto asked, making an expressionless face behind the mask.

"He's embarrassed!" she exclaimed as Agatsuma Hit raised his head after a long walk.

"What's the matter with you?" Hashibira Kosuke asks, staring at Agatsuma Hit as he sits on the stone path.

"What did I do wrong, Katrina?" he asks, his eyes welling up. He looks at Katrina, who is smiling, while the other two are expressionless behind the mask.

"Why are you asking me, I'm not her," she replied, prompting Agatsuma Hit to stand up and walk again. He walks past the 3 of them but he walks between Katrina and Hashibira Kosuke. He lowered his gaze once more.

Suddenly, he comes to a halt and slowly raises his head to see Tsuyuri Shi waving as he runs back towards them, accompanied by an unknown man. When he sees Tsuyuri Shi smile, he straightens up. 

"You seemed happy," Agatsuma Hit observed as Tsuyuri Shi approached and stood in front of him, flanked by an unknown swordsman on his right side.

"This is the messenger swordsmen who has recently been with Kiroshuku," Tsuyuri Shi said as he noticed Agatsuma Hit staring at the messenger swordsmen on his right. When he looked to his right, he saw the messenger swordsmen remove his mask and happily smile at Agatsuma Hit. 

"You? I can't believe it... It's really you, huh? I should've called before going on this kind of mission in other countries and stopped smiling!" Agatsuma Hit said calmly as the end of the line he high his voice. He sees the swordsman still smiling. 

"Moving on! Kiroshuku is at my house, just straight ahead and you'll see a white with silver colored house with a black gate and a tree on the left side of the house, you should sense him with a little girl who is his student, that is also an orphan," the messenger swordsman said as he noticed Agatsuma Hit quickly looked to the path in the far distance behind them both. 

He looks up in the path and his eyes widen as he notices a house from over a thousand feet away, with a girl outside holding a teddy bear and a man outside near the door sitting in a chair.

"I see them, is the girl's name Fudo Toka? If so, I know her record, her parents have a powerful bloodline in her Toka Family, she's been with him... Her blood is rare and I believe she's the only one left, that destroyed village has Toka residents and I just can't believe how they perished," Agatsuma Hit said, making everyone, including the messenger swordsman, serious.

"I see! Then that girl will be a swordswoman without a doubt, and she already has a master, so it won't be long," the messenger swordsman said as he began to walk past Agatsuma Hit. 

"Be careful on your way, Agatsuma Hit. Kiroshuku's stance, tone, mood, and emotions are different and at a different level, he fought a monster that he can't yet handle, maybe that's the reason, but well, you came for him you should ask it for yourself," the messenger swordsmen said as he looked back to his left and saw Agatsuma Hit looking at him and nodding.

He started walking. Tsuyuri Shi led the way, followed by Hashibira Kosuke, Hashibira Komoto, and Katrina, who were on guard and suspected special swordsmen were following them.

"We appeared to be in a company, the heads don't like us, we should finish the mission quickly so that we can secure our safety," Katrina said as she looked at Agatsuma, who had been hit from behind and was dead serious.

"It appears that way," he said as they all fell silent and continued walking. They're still walking on the stone path, passing a lot of civilians to the left and right. They went on.

Thirty minutes have passed since then. Katrina and the two brothers are growing impatient because they have yet to see the messenger swordsman's house. Agatsuma Hit comes to a halt and turns around. The three came to a halt, and Tsuyuri Shi turned around.

"We're almost there! The messenger swordsman said it, it's a three-story house in the distance, I can see him," Agatsuma Hit said.

"Oh yeah! I remembered you can see more than a thousand feet away, and it's also the second time you said that!" Tsuyuri Shi said, his arms and fingers pointing down. He turned around and did the same as Agatsuma Hit. He leads the way.

A few moments have passed. They can see Fudo Toka and Kiroshuku sitting in the chair. Suddenly, he stands and walks towards the gate, casting a glance. He vanished, and he was standing outside the front gate.

Kiroshuku walked toward them as he walked away from Fudo Toka, who noticed him leaving and turned around. When she noticed him leaving, she made a move that caused him to turn around.

"Did she just make an aura at that young age? I didn't expect that!" he thought as he turned back. "I got her name from that village where her parents died, I manages to sneak into that place that is being guarded by hundreds of Dark Mobs and ten Dark Swordsmen, I can't believe I manages to do that but that seems to be a good thing," he thought as he turned back.

"I'll be back, Toka! Don't come to anyone who isn't me!" he yells, prompting Fudo Toka to turn to his left and notice the chair he was sitting in a while ago. She rushes over to it and sits down, peacefully playing with her teddy bear.

Kiroshuku and Agatsuma Hit reach each other. They both stand up to each other as there were no civilians around them and no one can bother them except for the wind blowing. 

"I sense you coming, who are you?" he asked, moving away from him. He's wearing the same coat as the other four. Their coat is being blown away by the wind that keeps them cool, as is the mask that hangs on their right shoulder.

"I'm Agatsuma Hit, and this is Tsuyuri Shi, Katrina, Hashibira Kosuke, and Hashibira Komoto, and you must be Master Kiroshuku Hakure, we're here to give information and command from the east main village, we have a request," Agatsuma Hit replied solemnly, before turning around and pointing his index finger to his friends behind me.

"I see... What's the request? Let's get to the point, and I'm Master Kiroshuku Hakure, Trainor of the Fangs, saying it again so there's no confusion in the names," he said, leaving the five stunned and silent. For a brief moment, their eyes have widened.

"This village is compromised, Kiroshuku. The other masters may not be able to handle it. I'm not saying that they should just give up the village and I know that there are more masters hidden in the other region and unknowns that are powerful and we don't know it... But I can assure you the safety of the others, but I cannot let you misunderstand the power of our enemies tonight," Agatsuma Hit said as he looked up into the sky.

"Compromised? How did you say that? I've seen worse than compromised, and it's not new to me since I've seen my people, students, and loved ones die in front of me, I just wondered where you got this information?" he asked, looking him in the eyes as he slowly lowered his head and looked him in the eyes.

"The sun is setting, Agatsuma Hit, and I'm afraid we don't have much time," Katrina exclaims as she turns around and approaches Hashibira Kosuke and Hashibira Komoto.

"Get going, Katrina, Hashibira Kosuke, and Hashibira Komoto, we will quickly follow, let the heads decide, I'll cut their heads if they did the wrong thing," Agatsuma Hit said as he turned around and saw the three of them nod and begin to run back in the path.

"We have a request that you go to the destroyed land near the north, you can hide Fudo Toka for now but I hope that won't be a burden in your fight and going to that land, it was land where gigantic monster has seen gathering," Agatsuma Hit said, prompting Kiroshuku Hakure to turn around and look up at the sky.

"Strangely, the heads haven't given any orders to the Shira's of the north and the special swordsmen, despite my warning," Kiroshuku Hakure said, turning around and raising his voice.

"The heads of this village are fools! They grab what they want, and they can have it whenever they want because they have those swordsmen who follow orders! The only reason this village is compromised is because of their corruption, and that is why this village will be destroyed and conquered," Agatsuma Hit said as he noticed Kiroshuku circling.

"In the heads of the east research abilities, they said that you're the only one who has experience fighting these gigantic monsters, that's why we're here to request you did it, and also the heads say after this you could retire and have a peaceful life with your pupil, they said you could train her in the west alone or with someone. Swordsmens this days are dying left and right," Agatsuma Hit added as he turned around. Tsuyuri Shi remained silent, listening and watching them both.

"Then this village will be wiped out tonight, I'm sorry but a lot of civilians will die almost countless masters were here but they're not enough," Tsuyuri Shi said, causing Kiroshuku to stop circling.

"What do you mean? I'm not a Shira, but I'm a master, I only train swordsmen and swordswomen, I'm not even supposed to be at the place where I'm the one who fights in the beginning, but I have no choice," he said, which piqued their interest and left them perplexed.

"I'm telling the masters first, and Fudo Toka can handle herself... You should worry about yourselves if you two are saying that the enemies are just different, then we will do everything we have after all we are masters above and mastered everything, we trained and we are masters for a reason, that's why we master will take care of it," he added seriously as the wind blew around him.

"We're going to get going... Near the north, it's a destroyed land, I know you know that place, get to safety once it's done, Oldman, we don't need any more people on the battlefield tonight," Agatsuma Hit said as he turned around and flashed. Tsuyuri Shi has also vanished, and the wind is swirling around them.

Kiroshuku turns around and sees a Fudo Toka sitting in the chair. He looked up and sees the clouds moving in the sky. He inhales the fresh air and began to walk. 

"I've seen many people die and it will happen again... We masters are unpredictable and we didn't see that coming, I showed my presence in the last second a while ago, that should alarm the powerful masters, but the other masters who haven't mastered that presence technique then they're doomed in no time. I sensed unknowns near the dense forest of the North wind village, tsk! Who the hell are they?" he thought as he looked down at the ground. He has his hands folded together in unease as he senses unknowns approaching the north wind village walls. he was furious.

They were standing on a massive branch, looking out over the village. They were standing menacingly in front of the north wind village's guard swordsmen at the front giant gate. They were Violet Dark Shiras with Violet Particles moving around their bodies, giving them a more menacing appearance.