The story begins in an ancient civilization, where King Lethan ruled nearly an entire continent. Though outwardly brave and kind to his people, in reality, he was cruel, harboring destructive intentions. He had a loyal samurai, the greatest warrior in the land, who secretly carried out the king’s orders to eliminate his enemies. The samurai married a woman at the age of 25, and they had a son, Takeshi. Sadly, Takeshi’s mother died during childbirth, leaving the samurai to raise his son alone, taking on the roles of both father and mother.
Time passed swiftly, and Takeshi grew into a lively 9-year-old. One day, King Lethan summoned the samurai and commanded him to carry out a massacre, as the citizens had risen against him after he increased taxes. The samurai refused, as the people were innocent and justified in their protests. Infuriated by the samurai's defiance, the king ordered his guards to kill him. Using his exceptional skills, the samurai escaped from the palace and returned home, knowing his life was in imminent danger. It was midnight, and the guards were combing the city, searching every house for him.
Realizing he wouldn’t survive much longer, the samurai made the decision to take Takeshi far away from the kingdom to protect him. He feared the guards would kill his son if they found him. Gently lifting the sleeping Takeshi into his arms, the samurai gathered a few essential belongings and left their home. It was raining, and the dead of night shrouded their escape. He headed toward the forests, hoping to reach another kingdom. But the guards lay in ambush, and they attacked the samurai and Takeshi. Miraculously, Takeshi remained asleep as the samurai swiftly hid him in the bushes before engaging the guards in combat.
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Though the samurai fought valiantly, cutting down the guards one by one, their numbers overwhelmed him. Exhausted and weary, he managed to kill all but one guard. As he delivered the final blow, an arrow struck him in the back, its tip laced with poison. He collapsed, breathing heavily, and crawled to check on Takeshi, who still slept peacefully, a smile on his face.
Suddenly, archers hiding in the distance launched a barrage of arrows. The samurai shielded Takeshi with his own body, protecting him from the deadly projectiles. He drew his katana once more, determined to defend his son. By then, the early morning light began to break through the mist that filled the forest. Unable to see where the arrows were coming from, the samurai knew he couldn’t stay. With a final, tearful goodbye to Takeshi, he disappeared into the mist, charging toward the archers.
Takeshi woke up just as his father vanished into the fog. He called out for his dad, but there was no answer. For five long minutes, he waited, shouting his father's name, but the only sound was the eerie silence of the forest. Alone and frightened, Takeshi followed the fading footprints of his father, only to come across the body of one of the king’s guards, slain by his father’s hand. Tears filled Takeshi’s eyes as he desperately searched for his father, but there was no sign of him.
Devastated, Takeshi returned to the kingdom, begging for help. The next day, news spread like wildfire: the samurai had assassinated the king. Takeshi was filled with both fear and hope, wondering about his father's fate. At least, he now knew that his father was still alive, though hidden from the world.