ACT 1 - Phantom Blade

Satsugai: Throne of Blood

Sunpu Castle

In Feudal Japan, the Year is 1614. The Tokugawa Shogunate has established a feudal military government that rules all of Japan. The sadistic and psychotic Shogun Tokugawa Leyasu rules with an iron fist from Sunpu Castle. Having long given up his title to his son Hidetada, he established a shadow government as he retained all of his power and acted as a retired Shogun. His son inherited the throne in name only.  

Thus in the winter of that year, an army of hired mercenaries has infiltrated the residential palaces and moats that surround Sunpu Castle. The mercenaries are cloaked in black and move in shadows in the gloaming. The faint sound of crushed snow whispers in the crisp winter air, as screams rip through the castle walls. A garrison of armed servants numbering in the tens of thousands stands protecting the area between the first gate and the Shogun’s palace. The invasion has begun… A small contingent of ninja warriors have already filtered through to the Honmaru, the central inner most part of the castle containing the donjon, the residence of the Shogun. Alone, unmasked warrior walks slowly through the halls of the Honmaru. He is dressed in traditional samurai warrior attire. Covered in sweat and drenched in blood, his eyes are all that can be seen. His sword unsheathed and dripping in crimson fury, he searches for his next target…

(The anguished face of a Roju is seen as a hand quietly crushes his windpipe.)

Samurai: Where is the Shogun? Speak!! (He lessens his grip)

The Roju: (struggling to speak) A-At the head of the courtyard...a couple of yards away…but it’s of no use to you. H-He is protected by Lady Yukichi! The deadliest samurai in the empire… Hahaha

(The samurai covered in blood then cuts down the Roju in one slice of his sword. The unmasked warrior continues and walks along the halls of the donjon. Pockets of guards can be heard running chaotically searching for the intruders. A guard runs into the samurai assassin, he lunges towards the guard, but the guard moves to avoid a glancing blow and as he does the assassin, somehow moved directly behind him and slices him in two. As he works his way to the courtyard he slices his way passed a few more guards. He is almost out of the donjon when the assassin can hear the footsteps of another guard behind one of the walls. The footsteps cease, the unmasked samurai works his way to the wall and stabs the wall. On the other side the guard can be seen wincing in pain as the blade runs him through his heart. The bloody warrior finally makes his way to the open court yard covered in white snow. At the end of the court he can see the Shogun seated with a female body guard standing at his side. In the distance scores of warriors and blades clashing can be heard as the infiltration of Sunpu Castle has commenced. The unmasked samurai stands at the foot of the courtyard and begins to slowly walk towards the Shogun)

Shogun Ieyasu: You are unmasked, Shinobi! No anonymity for the ill-fated? Why have you come here?? What is it that you seek??

Shinobi: I’ve come for your head. Nothing more…

Shogun Ieyasu: You think you can strike fear into my heart shinobi! You are not a man; you’re a wretched perversion of nature, long bereft of honor! Kill him!!!

(Just then a small battalion of specialized Samurai come out from there hiding post and begin to attack the unmasked warrior)

Shinobi: Finally, a group worthy of my blade!

(He smiles as they get closer to him. He makes quick work of most of them. Hands and legs are sent flying in all directions as the host surrounds the lone assassin. Blood begins to pool in the center of the courtyard as the screams of the elite guard harmonize with the noise in the outer walls of the Sunpu Castle)

Female Body Guard: (Becoming inpatient at the site of her Elite Guards inability to neutralize the assassin) Now Master?

Shogun: (Annoyed) Not Yet!

(As the last member of the Shogun’s stealth squad falls, the unmasked Samurai looks directly into the eyes of the Shogun and speaks)

Shinobi: The days for honoring yourself are utterly spent! (Standing proud with his arms open and sword on display) I amKumorigachi of the Iga-ryu and I am your redeemer!

Shogun Ieyasu: Hahaha (begins to laugh uncontrollably)

(In what seemed to be one step Lady Yukichi goes from the Shogun’s side to a mere few yards from Kumorigachi, she moved so fast he could not see her. The snowflakes that fall to the ground seem heavy and slow moving. The breathe of both warriors can be seen fading in the winter air)

Lady Yukichi: (in a soft sinister voice) So you’re the one they call Broken Cloud.

Kumorigachi: (slowly places his strong hands on the hilt of his katana in preparation for battle, somewhat baffled as to how she got to him so fast) If a man lives long enough, he can go by many names…

(Lady Yukichi and Kumorigachi begin to walk slowly counter clockwise of each other, matching step for step)

Lady Yukichi: (looks down, only seeing him through her peripheral vision) Oh I suspect that will no longer be an issue for you.

Kumorigachi: I was once called Gennosuke Raizo, by one whom I loved.

Lady Yukichi: (stops moving and for the first time gazes upon Kumorigachi’s eyes. An image of a smiling young boy flashes in her mind) Impossible! He died a long time ago…he was thrown into a flaming pit of scum, forgotten by God!

(Gennosuke’s hands are seen gripping his katana tighter at Lady Yukichi’s words)

Lady Yukichi (continues) I curse the wicked demon who dares place that name across his tongue! (Clearly upset that Kumorigachi is using the name against her) I shall take your head…a prize!!

Gennosuke: (accepting the challenge) Come and claim it!!!!

(An image of both warrior’s in their fighting stance can be seen