The mountain breeze brushed against the walls of Masamune's workshop, as if even the wind understood it was a sacred place. The rhythmic sound of the hammer no longer echoed; the fire of the forge had been tamed. What had been born from iron and soul was now complete.
Hinata stepped over the threshold, accompanied by Kaito and Kuro. The black hound stopped first, as if knowing the space was not meant for just anyone. Masamune was already waiting. His stance, though bent with age, commanded a respectful silence.
"Your sword is finished," he said without preamble. "It is not a weapon meant to kill. It is meant to guide."
He wrapped it in blue silk and offered it with both hands. Hinata bowed deeply before receiving it.
As she unsheathed it, a pale shimmer filled the room. The reverse-edged blade had a graceful curve, a perfect balance. At the center of the tsuba, forged in soulsteel, was a small seal that mirrored the spiritual bond linking Hinata to her inner world.
"Steel responds to the will of the one who wields it," said Masamune. "This sword was made for you. If you falter, it too will falter."
Hinata nodded firmly. Kuro tilted her head, as if in approval.
<<<< o >>>>
Hours later, in a dojo on the outskirts of the noble district, Hinata drew her new sword beneath the open sky. Kaito watched from a wooden bench. There were no instructions needed: Hinata closed her eyes and let her body move freely.
The first kata was calm, but carried a grace that belied her age. The sword responded as if it knew her thoughts. The second sequence was more complex: leaps, turns, anticipation. The blade never sought to kill, but its intent to stop was clear.
Kaito rose to his feet. "Would you allow me to join you?"
Hinata nodded. In silence, they performed a dance that was both combat and communion. In that moment, they were not protector and guarded—they were two spirits moving to the same melody.
<<<< o >>>>
Back in their temporary residence, Hinata found Takama reading by a charcoal stove.
"Mifune's gathering will take place tomorrow," he informed her. "Both factions have been moving their pieces for a while now."
Hinata frowned slightly. "Do you think this could escalate into war?"
Takama didn't answer immediately. Then he said, "It depends on whether they can see past their wounds. But… I don't believe I can do much. Perhaps Mifune can intimidate the younger ones into a wiser decision."
Hinata looked at her new sword, resting on a low table. The reflection of the blade flickered like a calm flame.
<<<< o >>>>
That night, in the Silver World, Hinata meditated beneath the unmoving moon. When she opened her eyes, the sword was there, at her side.
For the first time, a weapon from the real world had crossed with her.
Steel and soul, finally as one.
<<<< o >>>>
The Hall of Eternal Steel was vast, carved from blackstone and flanked by banners bearing the emblems of every major samurai family of the Land of Iron. Its ceiling arched high like a temple, and soft beams of pale light filtered through slits near the roof, bathing the council floor in an almost ethereal glow. It was a place of war and of peace, of old oaths and sharp steel.
Samurai lords sat in silence, their heirs seated respectfully behind them. On one side stood Lord Mifune, regal and weathered like the mountain itself. To his left, Takama Gin entered solemnly, his arm offered to Hinata, who walked with quiet elegance. Her ceremonial robes bore no clan sigil, but the presence she carried drew whispers of reverence and awe.
Absent from her side was Kuro, who remained behind per custom.
Among the gathered were representatives from the furthest provinces. By Tenshō's side stood envoys from Takigakure, masked and still, and lords of the border provinces—strong in numbers, their gazes sharp with ambition. Opposite them stood Renga, flanked by Deidara and Sasori, whose presence unsettled more than a few lords from the central lands. These were the heart of the Iron Nation—traditional, stoic, yet growing anxious under the looming threat of civil war.
Mifune stepped forward, his voice carrying like thunder muffled in velvet.
"The world beyond our mountains burns in secret. The shinobi may rise in war again at any moment. We cannot afford to bleed ourselves while they sharpen their kunai."
He looked at both brothers.
"So, I offer two paths."
The hall stilled.
"First—a division of rule. Tenshō shall govern the outer provinces, Renga the central ones. For one year, each shall lead, and at the end of that time, I will offer my blade and loyalty to the one who has proven most worthy. And with my blade shall go the loyalty of all lords present."
He paused. The weight of his words clung to every breath in the chamber.
"The second path—a duel. Here. Now. The victor shall become Daimyō. The loser shall step aside."
Silence.
<<<< o >>>>
Tenshō's jaw was tight. Kaede stood beside him, impassive.
"They expect me to risk everything in a spectacle of swords," Tenshō said coldly. "I've fought with strategy, with diplomacy, with vision. Why would I gamble it all on a duel?"
A border lord nodded. "Then we accept the division?"
Tenshō exhaled through his nose. "Yes. Let Renga bleed for their respect. I'll take it all with time."
Kaede whispered into Tenshō's ear, "My lord, this can't take much longer. Should we stop that group's plot or let it run its course?"
Tenshō just smiled and nodded. It would seem that Tenshō would keep a promise he had not intended to keep today.
<<<< o >>>>
Renga paced slowly. The flames from the brazier cast long shadows.
"He wants to reduce this to a duel? As if we were just two boys in the yard. I have the bloodline. The central lords, the traditions. I will not diminish it all in one swing."
One of his generals murmured, "Then we proceed with the division."
Renga nodded. "Let them watch. Let them see who leads like a true Daimyō."
<<<< o >>>>
The two elders walked along the outer balcony, overlooking the gardens.
"I had hoped for a duel," Takama admitted. "It would have ended quickly. One cut. One answer."
Mifune gave a short laugh. "So had I. But if I offered only that, we would have war anyway. This compromise... may buy us peace."
Takama nodded. "But it may also buy them time to prepare for a war we do not yet see."
<<<< o >>>>
Hinata walked softly, guided by instinct more than sight. Kuro padded beside her, silent and alert. Two figures stood beneath a stone arch, shadows cloaking them even beneath the sun, just outside of the only entrance to lord Renga meeting.
"Hello," Hinata said gently. "I felt your presence and couldn't help but come greet you. I hope Renga-sama isn't making your job too difficult."
Deidara and Sasori turned slowly.
She smiled, calm but observant. Her words floated like petals, but her meaning carried like steel.
The true game, it seemed, was only just beginning.