Chapter 5

Lord Toyotomi Hideoshi: Shogun of Japan rode up to Kumamoto Castle accompanied by his famous five generals, a thousand of his most elite samurai and two Kensai warriors. The five generals rode next to Hideohsi. They followed the Shogun wherever he went. They gave advice and strength to Lord Toyotomi when he needed it the most. Tonight however, everyone was silent as they passed piles and piles of dead bodies.
The Shogun looked up at Kumamoto Castle. It was completely dark. The surrounding area had been turned into a ghost town.
Up a head, a lone samurai ran out of the castle. He ran at a frantic pace, his momentum nearly causing him to fall over. He came to an abrupt halt in front of Lord Toyotomi.
He paused briefly to catch his breath. “There is no one left, My Lord,” he gasped. “There is no sign of your daughter.”
Hideoshi’s heart tore in two but he forced himself to keep his composure. “And what of Itto Isamu?”
“There is no body.”
Hideoshi turned to his most trusted retainer, General Tokugawa Ieyasu. “What do you think?”
Ieyasu took a deep breath. “This must be the work of the clan. The only dead bodies here are that of the Kumamoto samurai,” he said as he scanned the surrounding area. “Only the Clan are capable of such carnage.”
Hideoshi suddenly realised that if an opposing army had invaded they would also have suffered casualties. But there were none. A feeling of horror spread through Lord Toyotomi’s body. From an early age he had been conditioned to fear the Clan. They were deadliest of enemies, an invisible force that could strike anywhere at anytime. But no one had seen or heard from them in centuries. Why would they choose to return now?
Earlier that night, General Ieyasu had informed the Shogun that Kumamoto castle had been infiltrated and Itto Isamu had been murdered. Hideoshi’s first thought was for the safety of his daughter who was staying at the castle. But then he considered the implications of what Tokugawa was saying. Who was capable of breaking into Kumamoto castle let alone assassinating a Kensai Master?
Hideoshi couldn’t help but consider the possibility that his daughter was already dead. He forced the idea out of his head. “I want my daughter found. And I want the body of Itto Isamu found.”
“Yes, Lord,” the five generals said in unison.
As the Shogun’s samurai received their orders from the four other generals, General Ieyasu sidled up to Hideoshi “Lord Toyotomi, I have seen this before. I know who is responsible.”
“Who?”
“A man by the name of Goda.”
The Shogun fell silent. The mere mention of the name sent chills down his spine. There was not a man alive more dangerous than the Red Ninja. “How can you tell?”
Tokugawa pointed to a decapitated samurai. “Goda doesn’t just kill his enemy. He attacks the major bloodstreams of the body.”
Hideoshi studied the area surrounding the dead samurai. It was covered in blood. “So he can pick and choose how to kill an opponent?”
“Yes. But it’s more of a reflex for him now.”
The Shogun paused and weighed up his options. “We’re going to need someone who is familiar with the surrounding terrain. I want you to go to the House on the Volcano and ask Lord Okinaga for help. Take one of the Kensai.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Hideoshi dismounted from his horse and looked up at the dark outline of Kumamoto castle. His daughter was in trouble. He prayed she had not become a victim of the Red Ninja.