A/N: Hey guys! As for this chapter, a new character will be introduced! Honestly, I've been waiting for this moment!

Anyways, happy reading! :D

[OST recommended for this chapter]

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Emiko Kazehana had seen everything.

Her excitement of seeing the heroes of the Land of Iron brought her to the front gates, ignoring her mother's usual nagging to study. Since young, she idolized the samurais, thinking of them as protectors of their land. She didn't intend to become a warrior though, watching them having a grand entrance into the gates with cheers of triumph was enough to make her feel that she'd done something victorious as well.

Her magenta eyes gleamed as slow, clicking noises of horse hooves echoed from a distance. She ignored the cold wind against her gray house dress. Right now, seeing the fellow heroes of their land was her first priority. Unfortunately, terror replaced her jubilant behavior at the gruesome scene.

Unable to process everything, she stood still by the sidelines, completely speechless. A small army of samurais less then a hundred sauntered into the front gates, grim expressions worn on their bloodied features. Only a few rode on their horses, dried blood scattered on their furs. Bandages were wrapped around the wounds of each soldier; arms, legs, and on their upper bodies, the sight was truly appalling. She pinched her nose at the rotten smell of corpses as dead bodies were carried on wooden stretchers.

Emiko wondered what went wrong during the war. She was fully aware of their capabilities, one reason why she placed an utmost confidence in the samurais. With the refusal of the ninjas of provoking the samurais by forming an agreement, the victory of the opposing side was quite unclear to her.

She watched as a woman around her mid-twinties scurried towards the General in front. Large dents blemished his leg armor, his breast plate replaced with bandages around his upper body. The woman's long black hair was styled into a messy bun, her gray eyes searching frantically as she wrapped her shivering arms around her white winter coat. Emiko recognized the woman immediately.

She belongs to the Shizumi clan, a family of nobility. Hinami Shizumi, the wife of the Commander.

Hinami swallowed thickly, her lips quivering. "M-My son... Haruto, is he alright?"

Mifune remained emotionless. "Commander, it's your wife. Show it to her."

Shuffling noises were heard before a figure revealed himself from the line of soldiers. He held a long item in his arms which was covered by a white cloth. Emiko was impressed that he didn't have any severe injuries other than the gash wounds on his stomach and arms. She knew that he had fought bravely. Kaito walked up to his wife, flashing her a somber glance.

Hinami burst into tears as she rushed towards the white-haired man, engulfing him into an embrace. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alive, dear. Now, where's our boy?"

Kaito's prolonged silence disturbed her. She tried not to think about the worst case scenario, but the way her husband's eyes glance at the white item dolefully made her think otherwise. He handed it to her. Hinami shot him a desperate look, one that wordlessly asks for an answer. However, the Commander only lowered his head, his eyes shut. When she unwrapped the cloth, her face paled as she fell on her knees.

Emiko felt goosebumps rising on her skin when Hinami released a shrill cry. "H-Haruto! It can't be! Why does it have to be my little boy?" When she hugged the item against her shoulder,  Emiko's eyes widened.

Hinami was cradling an arm with the hand bent back at an unsettling manner. The young girl covered her mouth as she tried to force down the bile, the nausea clawing at her throat. She averted her eyes from the scene, focusing on calming herself instead.

The Commander crouched down, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Our son had fought courageously in the battlefield. He's a true samurai and the pride of the Shizumi clan. As his father, I'm very proud of him." His voice came out as shaky and hoarse, his once impassive features twisted with sadness.

Hinami nodded in response, her quiet sobs not ceasing. Kaito held her close to him, allowing his wife to cry on his shoulder. He made a gesture to the army to proceed without him as Mifune led the forces to their respective tents.

"I can't imagine how Riku would react to this news, they were inseparable." The woman said, dismayed.

"I know how hard it will be for him." Kaito admitted. "But a death of a comrade and a loved one is a normal circumstance for a samurai. I'm sure he's smart enough to understand that and eventually, he will learn to fight for his people."

As the couple continued to mourn over their son's death, Emiko was left at a state of apprehension. The unexpected defeat in war, the countless deaths of comrades, and the affliction of the survivors, she found it hard to believe. Her vision grew blurry as she felt tears coming down.

Strangely, a feeling in her gut told her that the peaceful era of the Land of Iron has come to an end.

o==[]::::::::::::::::>

"Sweetie, what's wrong? You're not as cheerful as you usually were." Emiko's mother inquired worriedly. Her long, blonde hair and magenta eyes were similar to her daughter's.

Asuka Kazehana sat next to the young girl on the sleeping bag, flashing her a questioning glance.

"The samurais have arrived, mom. I went out to see them." Emiko replied.

The blonde woman sighed in relief, she got worried that her daughter might've ran off somewhere else. However, Emiko's crestfallen state tells her that something isn't right. She paled when realization hits her.

"Don't tell me..." Asuka trailed off, lost in her own thoughts.

The samurai military never lost to a battle, not even once. In terms of expeditionary power, strategic upheaval, and territorial defense, the ninjas never stood a chance against them. Whoever led the ninjas to a shocking victory, Asuka wouldn't deny that she was impressed.

The young girl nodded solemnly, as if reading Asuka's thoughts. "They lost the battle. I don't why, but that's what happened."

"Oh, dear." Her mother rubbed her temples in disbelief. "What did we ever do to deserve this? We've done nothing wrong." She released a shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut.

Sensing her mother's distress, Emiko gave her a water jug made out of clay. "Drink some water, mom. You need it."

Asuka nodded before taking a sip. "Thank you, sweetie." She whispered.

Emiko smiled sadly as she laid her head against her mother's shoulder. "Things are gonna get difficult, now that dad is gone."

Her father was the reason why they were alive. When the Leaf ninjas burned their home using a fire jutsu, he was quick to respond to the situation. Unfortunately, as the family were about to reach to safety, the ceiling crashed down, squashing Emiko's father under the pile of wood planks. Despite knowing there was not time to spare, she refused to leave him in the fire.

Emiko was persistent despite his pleads, going as far as attempting to lift the heavy planks with her bare hands, ignoring the burning sensation. She yelped in pain, but didn't dare to give up. To her, letting go of the planks would mean abandoning her loved one.

And doing so definitely means rebelling against her own principles.

"Emiko..." Her father spoke, grabbing onto her arm. "You and your mom have to leave. Now." Despite his weakened state, a stern expression crossed over his features.

The lower half of his body was squashed by the wood planks, a pool of blood coming out from the pile. His forearms supported his weight as he looked up at his family, pain found in his dark gray eyes. His shoulder-length black hair was unkempt as it stick against his sweaty neck.

Emiko shook her head vigorously. "No! I'm not leaving you, dad! I want to save you!" She exclaimed, letting out a grunt as she kept struggling with the planks, her hands turning red from the heat.

"Sweetie! Stop hurting yourself!" Asuka interjected as she pulled her daughter's hands away immediately.

The young girl whined. "I can't let dad die! There has to be a way to get him out! Maybe the samurais can help us!"

Tears ran down Asuka's face as she bites on her bottom lip. "It's too late, Emiko. They probably think that no one's inside."

Fire surrounded the house like a wild beast, burning every inch of it. Emiko screamed as the roof crashed down, joining the large pile at the kitchen. She coughed as smoke entered her nostrils, blocking her air supply. A horrified gasp escaped from her lips as her father coughed out blood.

He smiled sadly when Asuka was unable to hold back her quiet sobs. "Please don't cry, my love. Everything will be alright." His gaze landed on Emiko, who was left paralyzed.

"Emi, I want you to know that I love you very much, and that applies to your mom too." He uttered sincerely as a tear strolled down his cheek.

"And I believe that you'll do and bring great things to our family, Emiko. You've always been an intelligent, sweet girl, something that I'm so proud of. I won't stop you in whatever you want to achieve in the future, because it's your life. Believe in yourself, and you will become strong in your own way."

His eyes grew half-lidded, his arm reaching out to his family helplessly. Emiko felt her heart sunk as her father finally gave in to his death, a small thud of his arm against the floor ringing into her ears.

The young girl fell on her knees, crying hysterically. "Dad!"

The recent memory played in her head again and again like a mantra, she couldn't erase it from her mind. The more she tried not to think about it, the more it kept flashing back into her mind.

"I know, sweetie. Even so, we can't let your father's sacrifice go to waste. We have to keep moving forward." Asuka said, patting Emiko on the head.

The young girl stayed silent, consumed with her thoughts. She couldn't brush it away from her mind ever since the fire incident, as if her inner voice was giving her a compelling speech. She felt uncertain about voicing it out to her mother, knowing how she'd react.

However, Emiko remembered how she dislikes secrets between them. With a long exhale, she made up her mind.

"Mom, I need to tell you something." Asuka looked taken aback, giving her a bewildered look. She didn't see that coming, especially since they're supposed to be mourning over her father's death.

"What is it, Emiko?"

Emiko felt like she was about to make the biggest decision in her life, a huge turning point, in fact. She pushed her anxiety, doubts, and fears away. At this point, her future was as clear as a day, and she'll do anything to make it happen.

Since childhood, she studied relentlessly everyday at home, with her tutor dropping by a visit to see her progress. Emiko was the competitive type when it comes to her academics, she dared not to miss a single beat. Her dream to become the next Iron Feudal Lord someday was the reason of her steadfast determination. Some villagers regarded it as a foolish dream, as Emiko doesn't belong to the royal bloodline. Yet, she didn't allow to make it the sole reason to give up.

Although, the sight of the melancholic soldiers made her think twice of her dream. Questions swirled in her mind like a hurricane, but she knew better that confusion will only lead to more confusion. Despite the uncertainty of what's to come, Emiko was curious to see how fate will play along.

"I've decided that I'm going to become a samurai."

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Word Count: 2,040