After roughly three days travel, Ryoma and the rest of the quartet finally came upon the shogun’s abode. It was an elegant castle not dissimilar from the emperor’s home, albeit smaller and with slightly less ornate décor. Either way, though, it stood quite impressively. Himiko, having not seen the emperor’s palace, was especially astounded as she exclaimed, “This castle looks incredible!”

Ryoma nodded and said, “Indeed. Let us not dally further. Onward, my friends!” Together, they made their way to the front gate. Guards stood above it on garrisons to both sides. They looked to the group, then to one another, and one of them asked, “What business do you have with the shogunate?”

“We’re here to request the shogun’s assistance in defeating a demon possessing the emperor.” Ryoma said. “Please, allow us entrance.” The guards once again glanced betwixt themselves and nodded to each other. The second one said, “Please, pardon me for a moment.” With that, he left the garrison and disappeared from sight.

For a few minutes, the quartet waited for the guard to come back. Eventually, he returned and said, “We’ll grant you an audience with the shogun. Please, wait while we open the gate. Then, you may proceed.” The guards moved to open the doors, and soon thereafter, Ryoma and the others were able to make their way inside.

The courtyard was empty save for the quartet. Ryoma pondered the stillness in the air, imagining a more bustling area than what was presented. The gates behind them closed seemingly more swiftly than they opened. Next, the first guard blew a horn and a swarm of samurai exited through the palace’s front door. They assembled themselves into a line in front of the steps across the courtyard. After a few seconds of silence, the guard blew the horn once more and the opposing samurai all drew their blades in unison.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Ryoma asked. The second guard yelled, “False humans! You have made deals with that demon!” He pointed to Yuki who shirked back from the accusation. “We won’t hear the whispers of some lowly oni! Warriors, kill these corrupted fools!”

The samurai began charging, so Ryoma abandoned any attempts to persuade anybody of their true intentions and instead drew his own katana. The rest of the group prepared themselves for a battle as well, with Tetsuo brandishing his nunchakus and Himiko readying her gohei. Even Yuki reached out with his claws.

Once the enemy samurai had made it halfway across the courtyard, Yuki knelt down, placed his palms upon the stone beneath him, and created a rushing sheet of ice charging toward the opponents. It caught some of their feet and froze them to the ground. “What sorcery is this?!” One of them asked, struggling to move.

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Next, Himiko conjured lightning from the tip of her gohei and struck at the feet of one of the samurai who hadn’t become transfixed to the floor. His instincts pulled him back and caused him to fall down. Some others around him stepped back as well, not wanting to be electrocuted. She turned to Ryoma and Tetsuo and said, “Sorry, but I didn’t want to kill any of them.”

“That’s understandable.” Tetsuo said. A few of the samurai, against their better judgment, continued their charge forward. Ryoma said, “It looks like we still have some forces to face. Himiko, you and Yuki keep an eye on the frosty foes while Tetsuo and I do battle with the others.” Everyone nodded, so Himiko and Yuki stepped back while Ryoma and Tetsuo stood their ground.

The enemy samurai who hadn’t been frozen or abandoned the fight finally made it to the two of the quartet still poised to intercept them. They swung forward and caught Ryoma’s katana and Tetsuo’s nunchakus. The battle beginning, the monk swiftly maneuvered alongside his attackers and struck one down with a blow to the head. Then another, and yet another fell.

Ryoma, meanwhile, was more calculating with his strikes so as not to mortally wound his opponents. These were, after all, the very warriors he had hoped to recruit. Instead, he found straps of armor on their arms and struck in a way that caused them to drop their weapons. He then moved around the fallen blades and pushed them back toward the gate with his feet to prevent the warriors from retrieving them.

Before the enemy samurai could even think of reclaiming their swords, however, Tetsuo appeared behind them and knocked them unconscious with his nunchakus. “Hopefully,” the monk said, “that didn’t hurt too much. I don’t suppose the gate guards will pose much threat either.” The duo looked back to the garrisons and the two guards in unison yelled, “Please don’t hurt us!”

A voice from across the courtyard boomed, “Cease this foolishness at once!” The quartet all turned around and saw a man clad in shimmering, golden and crimson armor. The enemy samurai who hadn’t fought the quartet immediately fell to their knees and placed their foreheads on the stone floor. Together, they exclaimed, “Forgive us, Lord Makoto!”

“Lord Makoto?” Ryoma asked. “Does that make him the shogun?” Tetsuo then said, “Given the immaculate outfit, I’d assume so.” Ryoma did not hesitate to rush to the bottom of the steps, present his katana in both hands, and fall to one knee in respect. He exclaimed, “My lord, I’ve waited so long to meet you! I am an emissary of His Majesty Emperor Hiro. He has succumbed to a demon’s power and desperately needs our help. Please, I beg of you, allow us to erect an army to combat this foe!”

Makoto stood silent for some time, leaving Ryoma in his groveling state for longer than he wished to be. Eventually, he said, “You have made a pact with a demon. I cannot be assured of the validity of your statements. I propose a duel; if you win, I’ll allow you to enter my sanctum, and together, we will discuss the matter further. Lose, and you will forfeit your life.”

Yuki gulped, not wishing for his friend to go through with such a challenge. Similar thoughts ran through Tetsuo and Himiko’s minds, yet Ryoma said, “I accept.” He lifted himself from the ground and pointed his sword at Makoto. Ryoma then said, “For my lord, I shall not lose!”