by Honie Jar
“Whoa!” Hikari exclaimed.
“At the time, I did not know who this woman was, the one who saved Ukiyo Komorebi from the maniacal evil of destruction Amun-Ra displayed. Not until my dear, dying wife, Mina told me I put the pieces together. You see, the Kanga Clan is solely responsible for preventing the return of Amun-Ra. Over the years, it was thought that Amun-Ra developed a following as he practiced the Dark Arts, cultivating the Clan of the Black Harvest is one of his devotees. Over the years, he became the leader of the Clan of the Black Harvest.”
“I see.”
“Fast forward some time. Just a few years ago, the Clan of the Black Harvest, in an attempt to obtain the ultimate power of Ukiyo Komorebi and Nara, conducted a sacred dark ritual to bring Amun-Ra back. This ritual was designed to revive Amun-Ra as the ruler of Ukiyo Komorebi.”
“Interesting,” answered Hikari. Not wanting to allow that she knew that the Clan of the Black Harvest was the clan trying to revive Amun-Ra.
“Right. Well, the ritual that the Clan of the Black Harvest performed should sacrifice thousands of the residents of Nara, using their life force and sacred energy to summon Amun-Ra and bring him back from his enenra state.”
“Well, what happened?” Hikari asked, intrigued by the story as this part she did not know.
“The Kage of the Clan of the Black Harvest along with sorcerers in the clan could open a gate, summoning Amun-Ra through it. During the ceremony, the Kanga Clan realized the ceremony, and they ambushed the ritual, ending it. That is where my Mina died. The Kanga’s brought her back to my home and placed her in her bed as she died. I came home from work to find her. That is when she explained all of this to me.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“During the ambush, the incomplete ritual propelled uncontrolled dark magic in every direction, dispersing it across the capital city of Nara. This resulted in dwellers around the city transforming into Manicentients, the vilest and horrifying entity imaginable. They are the foulest creatures that roam this world. They infest dark places, take pride in decay, and drain all peace, happiness, and worst of all, hope from the surrounding people.”
“Manicentients?” Hikari asked.
“Right. The Manicentients are essentially wraiths that roam in this world. Dark creatures that fed on the souls of enlightened beings, but everyday villagers would suffice if that was all they could find. They are the deepest evil imaginable, however, they can present as their old villager body that they once inhabited, revealing themselves as the wraithlike being they are once they had convinced their prey to trust them.”
Hikari looked pale, and unable to speak, taking in the tale being told to her. Shinobu continued, “Now, the Clan of the Black Harvest is after the three holy relics of Ukiyo Komorebi. These holy relics can supply the power to revive Amun-Ra.”
“I see,” Hikari muttered. “What are they?”
“The three relics are the Sword of Valeria, the Mirror of Purity, and the Jewel of Prosperity. These are powerful and the Crown Prince’s sole purpose was to safeguard these treasures. Except they have been stolen, and no one knows where they are,” explained Shinobu.
“Oh, dear.”
“Through meditation, you came to me in a dream. That was when I found you in the grass being attacked. I believe you are the one to join the Kanga Clan and to help them find the holy relics. Mina often comes to me in my dreams and during meditation, and she guides me.”
“Me?” Hikari asked.
“Yes, you. Under my guidance, you need to be the next initiate of the Kanga Clan. I must prepare you for such a feat as the Kangas are extremely well trained and well prepared for their charge.”
“How will we accomplish this?”
“Leave that to me. For right now, you must return to Erīto and pretend like nothing is going on. I believe you have a mission tonight, so go on like nothing is amiss.”
Hikari rose from her seated position and left Shinobu seated in front of the fireplace as he closed his eyes once again.
Hikari bonded to Shinobu by faithfulness.
4 Chapter Four
Instinctively, Hikari knew where to go. Her avatar knew all about Hikari’s life, even though she may not right away remember. Her memories of what Hikari did before she incarnated into a player character were there, but they were fuzzy and hard to access.
As Hikari made her way through the Nara and to Erito, she came to the Royal Court. Erīto Preparatory Academy was located on the top story of a Buddhist monastery opposite the Crown Prince’s temple in the center of Nara known as the Royal Court.
The Royal Court was the main quad of Nara, lined with monasteries, temples, and the castle and temple of the Crown Prince. Nara expanded in either direction with districts toward the outer wall. On the other side of the wall of Nara laid villages. Inhabitants there enjoyed a slower pace of life.
While Hikari made her way into the Royal Court, busy streets crowded with pedestrians made it difficult for Hikari to make her way to Erito. Nara had an economic increase because many of the families were out shopping and enjoying the evening. This was unlike wartime.
The late afternoon was serene and many of the families took advantage of the twilight air. Later, the nightlife would turn to be dazzling and vibrant as the sun went down. Hikari ran by a lively outdoor theater performance where several families had stood to check out the shenanigans of the jesters, the feats of the acrobats and whimsy of the entertainers.
This was an extreme comparison to what life was like during the war. Samurais where the ruling class during wartime as they climbed to power. While maintaining the image of service, the samurai became the de facto rulers of the land culminating in a dictatorship run by the top samurai family, the Shiba family. The Crown Prince had yielded his reign to the military soldiers, and to the Shiba Family as they were the best shot of Nara coming out of the war victorious.
However, that was then, and this was now. The Crown Prince had established Nara as an economic powerhouse as Nara exited the Thirteen Year War and the Crown Prince took back his power. As a result, Nara had entered a golden age of economic and cultural prosperity. Nara attributed this to the rigid hierarchal system with the shoguns, where the samurai were no longer the ruling class.
With this peace came a growing problem, a large population of warriors had nothing to do. This also attributed it to the growing clans, as former military officers found themselves useless and wished to well use their skill set. The clans began recruiting them for their military aptitude and they became part of the World of Shadows.
The official class system sanctioned the samurai at the top followed by farmers then by artesian's, then finally merchants at the bottom during the war. Without the war, there was a growing boredom and shrinking stipends for the lower-ranking samurai who often borrowed money from the wealthy merchants. This also drove them to join the World the Shadows. With the increasing commerce, merchant prosperity fostered the rise of a booming culture, giving rise to popular entertainment that even the samurai could not resist. Several of the warriors came out to the Royal Court to take part in the morning happenings.
Toward the edge of the Royal Court Hikari caught a whiff of the braised anteater snout that flooded her nostrils. She momentarily thought back to a time when this was not the case. Despite her actual incarnation being just two days, astonishment came over her that she could remember her family, upbringing, and initiation into the Erito Preparatory Academy Clan.
The wafting braised snout flooded Hikari with the memories of the culinary progression of Nara. The culinary scene in Nara had also entered the Golden Age. As street vendors with their ingenuity came up with different ideas for serving a variety of dishes. The offerings found at the Royal Court were only the tip of iceberg for the delicacies that have been created during this peaceful time.
It was a sharp contrast from the rice and potatoes that were the only two items served during wartime. During wartime, fishing was not able to take p
lace because the men were out fighting the war. The women of the city of Nara did not know how to fish, but they knew how to farm and raise rice and potatoes. Boiling proved to be quite cheap, and boiled potatoes soon became a big part of the wartime diet. This did not provide an adequate diet for the women and children of Nara and malnutrition ran rapid, starving thousands of people to death.
As Nara exited the war, food became more than just something to fill bellies, it was much more than just a mere means to survival it was an extension of who they were. One of the delicacies that came out of the culinary revolution was the use of rabbit. During the war, women supplemented the rice and potatoes with protein after thousands had died. The rodents that inhabited the surrounding villages, the pests that ate the crops, were now used as the main source of protein in Nara.
Since Nara was close to the sea, several of the delicacies consisted of seafood, but during wartime women did not take out their husbands’ boats to continue the fishing and netting they once did. Instead, the women learned how to kill the vermin that plagued their land. Pigeon Chicken was a fad that died down, where rabbit had picked up. Pigeon Chickens were large rodent like birds that fed off of the crumbs left behind by people. Hikari related them to being a cross between a chicken and a pigeon from her former world. Annoying and menacing like pigeons that flocked to any scrap of food left, but succulent meat that cooked so tender that it fell off the bone and had an incredible taste. Rabbit soon became the main source of land protein for the inhabitants of Nara after the Pigeon Chicken fad died down. The rabbit fad had caught on from the war coming to an end, when several of the women who could not fish but they could bag a rabbit. It turned out that several of the dwellers in Nara like the taste of rabbit. However, once the men returned from serving in the war, the culinary tastes of Nara returned to those of the sea, which most of inhabitants preferred anyway.
There was a cultural revolution after the war, the cultural development elevated in the culinary area with breezing garnishings and marinating the meats.
No longer residents ate roasted cats and squirrels eaten off of the spit because that was the only thing the women could catch, instead those same cats and squirrels were now marinated for eight weeks in barrel casks, the meat pounded until it was deliciously tender, and then finally when it was cut it was braised and then garnished with fresh herbs and springs of thyme.
As Nara was exiting the war a savory taste of sweetness sourness bitterness and saltiness came to be in this space was called umami. Several of the meats and broths use this flavoring as a base for as their culinary operatives. Broths, gravies, soups, shellfish fish and sauces often have the strong flavor of umami. This taste had really taken off and became a trend on the food scene, especially those of the street vendors.
Hikari made her way through the hustle and bustle of the city, down alleyways wear clotheslines lined the skyline in between the buildings.
During the war time when several of the samurais had left their families to go fight, that is how the Kanga Clan started.
Chronology, the female ninja practitioner, came out during the Thirteen Year War as many of the lives of samurais were left alone. These ladies soon learned how to kill, spy, become messengers, and practice ninjitsu. Overtime, they became exceptionally trained martial artist. They often employed their female skills and prioritize their martial arts above the trades that they learned.
Their combat abilities were exceptional, but the powers of persuasion seduction and manipulation were much more effective than that of male ninjas. These two together made the Kanga Clan the most powerful and fiercest of all the clans, and yet it was guarded as a secret, even in the World of the Shadows.
Taking the entrance into the monastery through the alley, Hikari made a quick right turn as she entered the cloister, the covered arched hallway, sprinting up the stairway hidden behind a statue of Siddhartha masked by an ancient tapestry.
Unlike other monasteries. They founded this monastery on the principles of rock and stone, providing a Shinto element to their Buddhist beliefs. The roof curved upward, similar to other Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, however, this particular sect believed in mysticism and performed summon and conjuring rituals on the angle of the lunar body that ruled during the dark. Adherents of Shinto believed that God existed in essentially every natural object or phenomenon, from active volcanoes and magnificent peaks to timbers, rocks, and waterfalls. However, this spiritual sect combined Buddhism and Shintoism, culminating in the temple enshrining both nature and Buddha, providing a place to worship both governing deities. Rather than follow a set arrangement, they situated the shrine buildings according to the environment, and they founded this one on stone. A passageway led to the main shrine building, with the route marked by stone lanterns. To safeguard the purity of the holy place, monks provided water basins so that worshippers can rinse their hands and mouths.
After uncovering the hidden stairway, Hikari made her way up the nine flights of stairs, sprinting with the lightest of foot and entering the floor where the academy was located. Upon arriving on the top floor of the monastery, she passed by Higashi, the residential warden of the academy. “Hikari, you missed this morning’s opening ceremony,” he said as she dashed by the small man who only stood to Hikari’s shoulder.
“Yes, Higashi. I apologize for my absence. I was out visiting my family. My father is ill,” fibbed Hikari.
“I see. You will receive a demerit on your record, but I understand. Next time inform the instructors so we know your whereabouts.” Higashi was a kind soul, which was why he chose to become the residential warden of the academy after he retired. He enjoyed imparting his wisdom to the students, both veteran and incoming. His white beard wiggled while he spoke.
“Understood, Higashi. Next time.” Hikari nodded as she kept moving toward her quarters, her dorm room on the residential side of the academy. Hikari hated to make Higashi mad or worse, worry him. He kept tabs on every student in the academy. Despite his gender, he saw himself as the den mother, providing support to all of the students who left their families to come and train at the prestigious Erito Preparatory Academy.
As she moved, Higashi yelled, “Hikari, you are on a mission tonight. Report in the quad at sundown.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hikari continued to move, not slowing her gait as she headed to the dorm to gather herself. All of this was a lot for her to take in, and Hikari needed to assess her skills and equipment.
Getting to her room, she closed the door behind her. After taking several deep breaths, she calmed herself. She took a moment to look around at her possessions. The room seemed both familiar and foreign to her at the same time. They built the entire floor that housed the academy in the same fashion as the monastery, with white marbled stones, expertly cut and placed, creating a sound structure.
The academy had multiple classrooms and training rooms on the academic side, along with administrative offices. They filled the residential side with a single dormitory for each student. The academy had around a hundred students, all at different ranks. The instructors and professors each had a dormitory on the residential side but were separated from the students. The instructors and professors all attained the rank of at least Chunin-Gashira and most were Jonin, captains of several groups of students within the clan.
Hikari took this time to equip her black uniform, un-equipping her civilian clothes. Exchanging her travel cape and hood for her black shinobi hood and mask. She was glad to have her Ninjatō back equipped as those were her specialty weapons that she had mastered. Holding the shuriken as hand daggers served its purpose, but nothing replaced the blades.
Inventory
Equipped:
Black Shinobi Ninjutsu Stealth Uniform
Black Tabi Boots
Black Tabi Socks
Arm Gauntlets
Hood with Mask
Ninjatō
Pouch
2 Shuriken
Ninjatō
&nb
sp; Armor: Karuta Chest Plate
2 Gold Coins
Not Equipped:
Civilian Clothing: Travel Cape with Hood and Pants
Hikari made her way to the meeting room as night fell. As she walked down the halls of the elaborate one-floor academy, other ninjas dressed in their black shinobi attire filtered into the meeting room. None of them said a word as they filed in, sitting on the floor in a lotus position, evenly spaced, keeping their minds fluid like water. Hikari joined the ninjas who sat in rows, legs crossed and their palms resting on their knees. She found an empty spot on the floor in between two indiscernible black-clad ninjas. No one in the room made eye contact. There was tension in the air, but it was subtle anxiety with confidence, not of nervousness out of fear.
“Greetings,” said the ninja at the front of the room, and two ninjas stood behind him, legs shoulder-width apart and their arms tucked behind their backs. The ninjas in unison gave a single nod in response. “The groups that fall under Hashi Jonin and Shizue Jonin will embark on tonight’s mission, which has a grade B. Keep in mind, a successful mission may result in promotion in rank for each of you Chunin to Chunin-Gashira by receiving ten Honor Beads. You can exchange those ten Honor Beads for a new rank if you wish.”
This tidbit elated Hikari as she knew that a higher rank in the clan would mean that it would give her more responsibility and perhaps even lead a small ninja group which would get her more exposure to being recruited by the Kanga Clan. A subtle grin came across her face, however, she was careful not to let anyone know her excitement.
