1 Oh, Look Who's Back. [No Kill/Open/] Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:47 pm
Bokuden
D-rank
The clangs of steel reverberated throughout the area as the two swordsman clashed in the center of the arena. “Every year it’s the same,” Bokuden thought to himself as he and the rest of the spectators watched the match continue. The annual tourney hosted by the Ryuzoji clan had begun and this year’s turnout was even greater than last’s. What originally began as a kenjutsu tournament with the purpose of proving one’s skill amongst the best the lightning country had to offer in celebration of the clan’s samurai origins had slowly changed into something far less honorable. Ever since Bokuden’s grandfather ascended to the position of clan head over fifty years ago the tourney had become a political affair with invitations extended to any swordsman who wished to participate regardless of their allegiances and influential people, from wealthy traders to daimyo’s attending to watch the spectacle and politic. In order to attract reputable swordsman from every corner of the world, enormous sums of ryo were dangled out as prize money and eventually the fame of the event grew to the point that those who were not enticed by the money would be drawn in by the fame that winning such a tournament would bring. To further add to the pageantry of the event, the tournament was extended to a week long affair and accompanied by a weeklong festival which attracted revelers and tourists from all of the surrounding nations. A deal had even been struck with the daimyo of the lightning country to allow the use of the greater Kumogakure area for the festival grounds citing the enormous profit and political opportunities that such a gathering of people could produce.
The fights in this particular pool were being held in a makeshift arena by the city gates. Bokuden was entered in the tournament as well, but as heir to the Ryuzoji clan he did not have to fight to qualify. He would automatically be registered to fight in the final rounds of competition in the Ryuzoji clan's private Kenjutsu dojo, usually off limits to all but the main branch of the Ryuzoji clan. Since he did not have to concern himself with qualifying, Bokuden often used the days before the finals to observe matches and enjoy the festivities.
As crowds of civilians and spectators gathered around the fighting area to watch the combatants the noise of the crowd began to drown out the clangs of clashing blades. All that could be heard clearly now was the yelling of the vendors who had set up shop for the festival peddling their wares. Bokuden observed from the rooftops, as he had grown accustomed to over the years. The politicking of his father and grandfather had made it troublesome to get too close to the qualifying matches. There would always be some idiot who recognized the clan's members and wanted to flex in front of the crowd by challenging a member of the clan that organized the event. Bokuden preferred a bird's eye view anyway. Rooftops had become his and Satomi's primary mode of transportation through the village and today would be no different.
As Bokuden and Satomi looked down from atop the highest building near the gate, Bokuden noticed two figures walking towards the village. It would normally have been absolutely nothing as spectators came to the village from all over during the week of the tournament, but these were no spectators. Bokuden has excellent eyes and who he saw walking towards the village was none other than Horui and his twin. It had been a few weeks since the incident at the baseball field and he did not know that the two had left the village. He and Satomi leaped over to the top of the city walls and waited for the duo to get closer to the gate. As they approached the gate Bokuden threw the skewer from the kabob he had just finished down in front of their feet like a senbon and waved down at the from the top of the wall.
The fights in this particular pool were being held in a makeshift arena by the city gates. Bokuden was entered in the tournament as well, but as heir to the Ryuzoji clan he did not have to fight to qualify. He would automatically be registered to fight in the final rounds of competition in the Ryuzoji clan's private Kenjutsu dojo, usually off limits to all but the main branch of the Ryuzoji clan. Since he did not have to concern himself with qualifying, Bokuden often used the days before the finals to observe matches and enjoy the festivities.
As crowds of civilians and spectators gathered around the fighting area to watch the combatants the noise of the crowd began to drown out the clangs of clashing blades. All that could be heard clearly now was the yelling of the vendors who had set up shop for the festival peddling their wares. Bokuden observed from the rooftops, as he had grown accustomed to over the years. The politicking of his father and grandfather had made it troublesome to get too close to the qualifying matches. There would always be some idiot who recognized the clan's members and wanted to flex in front of the crowd by challenging a member of the clan that organized the event. Bokuden preferred a bird's eye view anyway. Rooftops had become his and Satomi's primary mode of transportation through the village and today would be no different.
As Bokuden and Satomi looked down from atop the highest building near the gate, Bokuden noticed two figures walking towards the village. It would normally have been absolutely nothing as spectators came to the village from all over during the week of the tournament, but these were no spectators. Bokuden has excellent eyes and who he saw walking towards the village was none other than Horui and his twin. It had been a few weeks since the incident at the baseball field and he did not know that the two had left the village. He and Satomi leaped over to the top of the city walls and waited for the duo to get closer to the gate. As they approached the gate Bokuden threw the skewer from the kabob he had just finished down in front of their feet like a senbon and waved down at the from the top of the wall.