CHAPTER II

Yoshimitsu’s birth...

Akiro and Sumiko became man and wife. They didn’t hide their true love, and they had a happy life, along with Tatsuo and Goha. After some months, Sumiko became pregnant. Akiro was happiest man on the world. But they still didn’t know how to name their child. After some time, they decided: If it’s a boy, he will be called Yoshimitsu, if it’s a girl, she will be called Kunimitsu. They both liked those names.

And... After 9 months, Sumiko breaded...twins! They had two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. And they named them just like they wanted: Yoshimitsu and Kunimitsu. They liked those names, especially the translations:

Yoshi – Good Luck

Kuni – Country

Mitsu - Light

After 8 years, Yoshimitsu and Kunimitsu were older, and their parents let them to play alone in forest. One day, Yoshimitsu came to his house alone, crying.

- Father!

- What’s wrong, Yoshimitsu? – Asked Akiro.

- Kunimitsu, my sister...they took her...those people...

- Wait! Calm down! Said Akiro. What happened?

Yoshimitsu somehow stopped crying and continued:

- Some people, they took her with them, and escaped...PLEASE, FATHER, BRING MY SISTER BACK!

- Calm down! I’ll call Tatsuo and Goha now, and search for her. You stay here!

Akiro ran out the house and came to the place where Goha usually practices.

- Goha!

- WHAT? Akiro, don’t you know that I hate when you look me practice?

- Kunimitsu, someone took her!

- What?

- I don’t know, dammit! Where’s Tatsuo? Where’s Sumiko?

- Calm down! Tatsuo is in town, and I don’t know about Sumiko. I’ll go search Tatsuo, maybe he is practicing Karate in his dojo...

- Go! After that, go back to home and protect Yoshimitsu if something happens!

Goha ran to town, and Akiro was alone in the forest. He didn’t know what to do. Where to go. And before he could thing of anything, he heard steel sound behind him. He knew that sound...a sound of steel which is used to make weapons!

He turned around, and saw a man completely covered in black costume. He raised his sword – katana and looked at Akiro.

A ninja...from Kudji-Kiri...

Akiro now regretted the fact he didn’t train any martial art.

He couldn’t face the ninja, the armed ninja and win. That’s impossible. So he did the smartest thing he thought of – RUN!

He turned around and ran as fast as he can, but he didn’t know the true speed of Kudji-Kiri ninjas...

Ninja was fast like a light, he just appeared in front of shocked Akiro. He raised his hand with a katana. Akiro knew what’s coming...DEATH.

- At least show me your face. – Said Akiro, wanting to extend his life for at least one minute.

- My face won’t tell you anything...

Ninja removed his mask. His eyes were red, like a flame which shall burn every enemy. He was bald, without any sign of hair. Akiro knew one thing : He never saw him before.

- What’s your name? – Asked Akiro, hoping someone will come and save him.

- Why do you care?

- I want to know who killed me...

Ninja smiled.

- We don’t have names...we just have one sign of recognition...we are KUDJI-KIRI.

- Y...you...you killed Sumiko?

Ninja waved his katana, and with one simple move, he sliced Akiro’s head.

Akiro was dead.

Ninja cleaned his katana with Akiro’s clothes, and disappeared.

Few hours later, Tatsuo found Akiro’s corpse.

- Akiro? NOOOOOOOO!!!!! WHO KILLED YOU!!!??? HE WILL PAY, I SWEAR!

Tatsuo was shocked. Is it possible that Akiro and Sumiko are really dead? And Kunimitsu is taken...by deadliest ninjas on world?

Goha and Yoshimitsu were shocked too. The saddest of them all was Yoshimitsu. He lost his father, his mother and his sister. But his sister is alive, and he MUST save her! He WILL save her!

From that day, Tatsuo and Goha swore that they will teach Yoshimitsu everything they know. If they can’t revenge Akiro and Sumiko, maybe Yoshimitsu can.

Even Yoshimitsu was only 10 years old, they trained all day, various types of martial arts, just to improve Yoshimitsu’s skills. But, even though Tatsuo and Goha were good fighters, they weren’t real masters.

Tatsuo was too old, and Goha didn’t master any martial art. So, Yoshimitsu wasn’t a very skillful fighter.

They lived in fear, because Kudji-Kiri could go back again, and commit more murders, slop more blood...

9 years have passed, and Kudji-Kiri haven’t stroke.

But...they came back, now with intension to steal Yoshimitsu. Yoshimitsu, Goha and Tatsuo spotted them calmly walking to their house.

Tatsuo grabbed his old Samurai sword, and Goha took his double-barreled shotgun. If they die, they will at least die with honor...

Three ninjas entered the small house. Goha tried to shoot the first one, but Ninja was too fast for him, he just threw a shuriken, pointing to Goha’s head...

Shuriken hit Goha’s right eye, and it went trough his head, carrying pieces of brain and blood.

Tatsuo rushed on second ninja, waving his sword. Ninja quickly raised his katana and blocked the attack, then countered with his katana. Tatsuo managed to avoid this attack, and he jumped back. He started to wave his sword all around. Ninjas underestimated him because of his age...that’s why he surprised them with his reflexes...he sliced the head of first ninja with one move, then continued to second ninja’s torso. He stabbed the sword right in ninja’s torso, killing him slowly. Tatsuo wanted to pull his sword out, but third ninja had enough time to recover from shock, and grab his katana...

...and stick it into Tatsuo’s head...

It is true. Kudji-Kiri ninjas were the deadliest ninjas ever. They committed two more murders. Two more souls are eliminated.

Yoshimitsu was shocked more than ever, and he just fell on ground, unconscious. Ninja grabbed him and ran away.

When he was in middle of the forest, he heard footsteps behind him. Someone who isn’t stealthy...or someone who wants his opponent to hear his steps.

He turned around. It was another ninja. But not one...ninjas started appearing from all sides, surrounding him. Before he could think of any action, he sensed that shurikens hit him from every side. Even Kudji-Kiri ninja can’t beat whole group of ninjas...

Ninjas who killed Kudji-Kiri ninja came close to him, and took Yoshimitsu, who was still unconscious.

When he woke up, he saw bunch of ninjas around him.

- W...Who are you?

- Don’t worry. We won’t hurt you. -said one of the ninjas.

- What am I doing here?

- Your family has been killed...we need you to destroy Kudji-Kiri clan.

- Why me?

- We sensed your soul is clean, and fighter with clean soul is deadliest fighter. We think...We KNOW you can kill Kudji-Kiri ninjas.

- But...what clan are you?

- We are Manji...