In the ancient Empire of the Chrysanthemum Throne, horsemen riders from the southern regions, their steel swords close to their sides, clang heavily to their waist as they ride hard to the capital. Before their arrival, they are intercepted by a rival clan and forced to defend themselves, and though they were able to ward off their enemy, they suffered the loss of half their men as did the warring clansmen. Lord Shido along with his brother Lord Budo, had commissioned the great sword creator, Akashi, to fashion a sword so great and powerful that such was never seen in the entire Empire of the Chrysanthemum Throne. Upon his completion, the great swordmaker died, thusly, making the brother's sword the desire of every man in the realm. So attacks on the brothers was a constant battle. Princess Kiko the youngest daughter of the Emperor, who visited the house of the brothers, suggested the sword be brought before the Chrysanthemum Throne, whereby, her father the Emperor can decree that the sword be part of the Imperial treasure, thus securing the brothers claim and none other throughout the realm will possess it.
They must act quickly, for the capital becomes nearer, and so does danger. Fear struck men of the brothers, but the brothers gave the men hope and that the gods were on their side because the new day was greeted by the brightest sunlight ever seen throughout the lands. It was a sign, the brothers told their surviving men, and that they gather themselves and be refreshed. So with happy hearts, the men were finally at peace with themselves, secured with the knowledge that the danger will cease once the sword is seen by the Emperor, himself.
Suddenly, just for a moment, the skies darken over them with a short cloudburst of rain that had fallen upon them, but also too, was two other clans waiting, with sword fervor in their hands and eyes. So the battle has begun--again, and the men, embolden, became fearless and fought like they never have fought before. The brothers recognized one of the two clans, for the other, they have never seen before. The one they knew, they had battled twice before, from the eastern region. The other clan, however, brought an ominous fear amongst the brothers as to who they possibly were, perhaps from the western region, but they are mostly and entirely peaceful.
Nonetheless, the eastern clan had surrendered having suffered great losses, yet the brothers came ahead by negotiating for their men. Now their numbers were greater than the unknown clansmen, but suddenly, Lord Budo noticed their leader is none other than General Hata of the Imperial Armed forces. He alerted his younger brother Lord Shido, that possibly the Emperor himself wanted the sword all along. Brother Shido could not comprehend what his brother thoughts to be true or not, for he loved Princess Kiko, but possibly, the entire Imperial family is against them, and if so, they are outnumbered.
In their shock, they rethink their battle plans, for if they are battling with the imperial forces they must, therefore, surrender and give the sword to General Hata, so that they and their men can leave in peace. As they prepare for their surrender to General Hata and his clansmen, who might be members of the Imperial Armed forces, a small caravan from the Imperial Palace arrives, unescorted. It was Princess Kiko herself. General Hata was surprised and he confronted the brothers in front of her, saying that they were traitors to the Empire.
Princess Kiko knew otherwise, and she accused General Hata of whom her father had suspected all along of a possible coup against the Imperial household of the Chrysanthemum Throne. Suddenly, General Hata ordered his faithful clansmen, to take Princess Kiko as his prisoner along with the brothers and their men, as well as, those traitorous men from the eastern clan who were given their freedom if they joined forces with the brothers, to which they did in greater numbers. The brothers stopped and noticed that their clan combined with the eastern clan, were, in fact, greater than General Hata's clan. The brothers stood ground and ordered them to attack General Hata's clan.
The final battle raged on, and soon the Emperor brought his Imperial armed forces faithful to the Empire, to join in the short-lived battle for the General's clansmen were beaten severely, many of them had lost face and ran away. General Hata who had Princess Kiko all along, faced the brothers who took what now was considered part of the Imperial treasure and therefore considered sacred. Young Lord Shido, who was well trained in the fine artistry of a true swordsman, had the sacred sword. Princess Kiko request General Hata for her to perform her sacred duty as a member of the Imperial household, and honored the sacred sword a name, but he outright denied her and General Hata seized young Princess Kiko, upon that instant, wielding the sacred sword in his young hands, Lord Shido lifted the blade above General Hata and brought it down into his soul, stopping midway, turning it, and pulled it back, as a darken heartbeats slowly onto the floor and the General collapsed. The men now all surrendered.
The sword was finally brought before the Emperor, and he turned to his daughter and honored her, by allowing her to name the sacred sword of the realm. So she called upon the brothers to join her and stand in front of the great gathering of souls who wish to witness this auspicious occasion and be part of the joy of the Empire. Then she said, "I Princess Kiko of the Imperial household of the Chrysanthemum Throne does hereby name this sacred great sword of the realm as, THE BU-SHI-DO blade."
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