The next morning Ryuzen arose like normal, and he finished his morning routine of meditation and sword practice and made his way to the house to eat breakfast with his father. Although he was tired from the previous day's events and was not able to sleep well as he kept thinking about the beautiful young foreigner and for some reason he was drawn to her and not just because of her beauty as he had so many questions to ask them about their land and culture and most importantly why the Imagawa samurai were after them and he began to believe that it was not about the muskets as Jinsai had initially believed. As they were finishing breakfast an older female servant who was attending to the foreigners entered the dining area and told Jinsai that they were finally awake. Jinsai and Ryuzen arose and made their way to the servant's quarters where they were staying.

  As Jinsai and Ryuzen entered the room of the foreigners the young girl clothed in fresh clothes and her hair combed and fixed immediately bows face down to them and thanks them both in Japanese for helping herself and her father. Her father was sitting against the wall and was not wearing a shirt because of the bandages and dressing of wounds would make it hard to bow, and he simply bowed his head and also in Japanese thanked them for aiding them yesterday. Jinsai was pleased they both spoke Japanese as this would make his line of questioning easier in finding out why there were being pursued by the Imagawa samurai. Jinsai asked them to please explain how they ended up in Takeda territory. The father then began to speak, "My name is Joam de Barros and my daughter's name is Isabelle de Barros. As you no doubt have already guessed we are from Portugal and we are merchants. We arrived in Japan in 1562 at the port in Yokoseura and with a group of merchants that included himself, his wife and daughter with the intent of making their way to the eastern daimyo of Japan and especially to the lands of the Hojo where rumors stated that they were one of the richest clans in Japan. We made are way along the Tokaido road and eventually entered the province of Owari and were invited to stay as guests of the local daimyo Nobunaga Oda. While staying there Joam wife and several of other members of their merchant group had contracted a fever and unfortunately only Joam, his daughter and two others of the merchant group out of 35 people survived. Though we suffered such a devastating loss I and the remaining members of my party were determined to carry on with our trading mission. We left Owari and passed through Tokugawa lands with no incident. Then are most current troubles started beginning as we entered the Imagawa territory as we passed through the home province of the local daimyo, he invited us to stay for a time and trade with them and as potential profit was hard to ignore, so we accepted. Our trade went well as they purchased some of our goods and muskets, but the daimyo wanted to acquire my most prized possession that I owned with which I would never depart with. He was obsessed with my daughter and even though she was fifteen years old and could be married he only wanted her to be a concubine and I would not allow that but as we were in his domain and surrounded by his men, I told him I would consider his offer. That night we made our escape by bribing the guards at the checkpoint to let us through and unfortunately the next checkpoint to the Hojo lands would not allow us to pass and we had to turn north to Takeda lands. As we made our way north along the mountainous roads the bandits ambushed us by first shooting arrows into me as I was driving the cart and then as I fell off the cart my daughter can tell you the rest as I passed out" Isabelle then began to tell them what happened next, "After my father was shot with an arrow our two compatriots ran off south back to Imagawa lands leaving my wounded father and myself to the mercy of the bandits. Immediately both bandits came out after shooting my father who was lying on the ground, and they attacked me and began to rip off my red kimono, and I was thrown to the ground and the first bandit told his partner to check the cart while he would have his fun with me and the other bandit grinned and turned around to look through our cart. He began to try to undress me and as he was occupied, I pulled his short sword from his belt managed to stab him in the throat and could not scream out and immediately blood began to spurt forth from his wound and fell off me to the side, and I immediately got up and went at the second bandit who had his back turned to us and as he turned to look I plunged the sword into his belly and as he looked at me with surprise and he immediately fell forward past me and I managed to pull the sword out and that was when I saw your scouts appear around the next bend of the road"

  Ryuzen was intrigued by their story but remained silent as his father was leading the inquiry and did not want to talk out of place. Jinsai then stated, "A most fascinating story and the fact you made this far with such a small party is commendable. For now, you are my guests and under my protection while you stay on my domain. I must send word to my lord Takeda Shingen of these events and inquire what we should do next" Joam then interjected, "My lord forgive the interruption, but could you please give ten muskets along with your letter as a token of respect and thanks to your and please keep two for yourself as a gift of thanks for aiding myself and daughter" Jinsai nodded in agreement, "Truth be told we Takeda have little use for muskets as we have always relied on cavalry to win the day but I am sure my lord will be grateful to receive these gifts and I thank you for your small gift as well. When you are feeling better maybe you can give us a demonstration on how to use these new weapons" "I would most certainly be honored my lord to show you" Ryuzen thought to himself that even though he was wounded he is still the clever merchant and always trying to curry favor for better profits. At this point Jinsai rose and bid them both a good day and to continue to get some rest and once he heard back from Takeda Shingen, he would advise what would happen next. Then Jinsai and Ryuzen left and made their way back to the mansion.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  One inside Jinsai room Ryuzen asked "Father may I speak to them on my own" "Why would you like to speak to them again" "I wish to know more about them and learn from them as you have once said a samurai must adapt to the changing currents of life and I believe they will give me an opportunity to learn from them that will help me later" "Very well but not until you finish your duties which means you must go on another patrol and finish your training" "Yes father" Then Ryuzen left to join Tada and Hidenage at the stables to join them on another patrol. Jinsai then sent a letter with another rider to inform his lord of what happened along with the gift of muskets.

  As Ryuzen and his patrol were leaving the estate he notices Isabelle peering through the window at him as he rides off and his heart skips a beat looking at her and almost crashes into Tada horse. Ryuzen then shakes his head and refocus on the next patrol. This time they continue on the same route as before up to through the mountainous road surrounded by the forest on each side and make their way past the bend where they met the merchant and his daughter with the dead bandits. As they ride past, they notice that the bandit's bodies have been removed where they placed them yesterday. As they continue down the road Tada notices a lone traveler standing in the middle of the road looking straight at them. He is quite tall for a Japanese maybe 6 feet tall at least which is extremely unusual and is covered in all black with a katana in his belt and a large straw hat covering his head and most of his face covered with a black bandana covering his mouth wrapped around his head. As this part of the road is narrow the patrol has no choice but to stop just in front of him. Ryuzen and his group look at each other and Ryuzen is about to speak when the lone traveler asks, "Have you seen a merchant and his daughter traveling along this road?" Tada speaks first without thinking "Yes they passed this way yesterday we encountered them and some dead bandits" "Where are they now?" Ryuzen speaks and tells Tada with his hand to be quiet. "They are safe and under the protection of Lord Jinsai who is a retainer of Lord Takeda Shingen. What business is it of yours that you ask about them?" Without hesitation then Ryuzen sees Tada head separated from his body and his horse crashes to Ryuzen who is knocked off his horse but recovers instantly and immediately stands and draws his katana. Hidenage yells for Ryuzen to run and he immediately plunges his spear at this tall traveler and the traveler then parry's the spear and immediately manages to cut both the middle of the spear and right-hand and forearm off Hidenage. Hidenage immediately screams in pain and is mercifully cut in the neck by the dark stranger and dies instantly. Ryuzen having just witnessed the death of two men and his heart and breathing are moving rapidly he begins to remember his training and not to fear death but to embrace it and to do his duty and calms himself quickly. The horses have fled and there is no way he can outrun this giant in front of him. He must face him and either win or die.

  The dark stranger with his katana drawn moves past the now dead Tada and Hidenage and moves to face Ryuzen. Even though Ryuzen opponent is much larger and appears to be better skilled and yet he still raises his katana and looks the stranger dead in the eyes, and the stranger does the same with his katana moving into a stance getting ready for a strike. No one speaks as both prepare for the coming fight then a strong gust of wind blows and then subsides, and the stranger speaks "Give me the location of your lord's estate boy and I will make your death quick and painless" Ryuzen replies, "You ask for directions from a dead man. Earn them." "Bold words, you will beg me for a quick death when I am finished with you boy" The dark traveler then moves to strike at Ryuzen head and Ryuzen manages to parry the strike and with his katana cuts the arm of his opponent but not cut deep enough sever his arm and the dark traveler grunts and swings his sword at Ryuzen and Ryuzen moves back and prepares for another strike while the dark stranger composes himself and says "You have some skill child but you will pay for that scratch and I will add to that scar on your face" and then he instantly feints a strike to Ryuzen head and unfortunately Ryuzen falls for the trick and before he realizes his mistake he feels a searing pain across his forehead and strikes back with a slash to the dark opponent legs and he jumps back to avoid the slash giving enough time for Ryuzen to recover. The head band Ryuzen is wearing is keeping the blood out of his eyes for now. With both opponents now bleeding and both now feel the final part of this dance is coming to a close. Ryuzen begins to picture his opponent attacking him and they both stare at each other getting ever closer for the final strikes. Then in an instant the dark stranger lunges at Ryuzen chest and Ryuzen side steps instantly brings his strike with his right-hand and slashes the neck of his opponent and instantly the faucet of blood spew out like rain and his opponent begins drops to the ground but manages to stab Ryuzen in the back almost instantly as Ryuzen had turned his back and not realized his opponent was still alive. Ryuzen feels a sharp pain and places his hand to his side and sees blood seeping out and he falls to his knees, and his vision begins to fade to grow dark and he thinks I have done my duty, and my only regret is I wish I could have gotten to know Isabelle then he fades out into unconsciousness. Silence replaces the bloody scene that has just occurred birds begin chirping again and it is strangely peaceful in the mountain forest again.

  At Jinsai estate Jinsai is out inspecting his property when he hears the sound of the conch shell blowing and instantly rushes back to the mansion and his servants meet him and tell him that all the patrols horses have returned but none with riders on them and Tada horse was covered in blood. Jinsai heart races in fear and he gathers a search party to search for his son and the scouts and prays he finds them still alive.