It was a lonely night in the streets of ancient Japan, the full moon acting as the city’s only source of light. People had already retreated to their homes for the night while a few remained out drinking saki. One of them fell over drunk on the dirt streets while a group of people walked by.

All but one of them wore dark grey robes that wrapped around their bodies, underneath were the cyan Tao robes of samurai. The last person was being prodded along by one of the robed men using a long blade. This man looked rather dishevelled compared to the group of travellers; his black hair was matted to his face from sweat and dirt while he struggled to walk in his torn clothes. The largest member of the group looked back and growled at the others, it was apparent that he was the leader of the group. After receiving a cold glare the others pushed the prisoner harder to pick up pace while the leader grumbled something to himself, the words were hard to hear but one of them happened to be ‘Raigeki.’

One of the closer travellers heard this and trudged up to the leader carefully, he tapped his superior’s shoulder gently before beginning to whisper a question about ‘Raigeki.’

"Are you sure he’s real?" the man asked, "Captain Mao, the rumours among the military say that its nothing more than mere coincidence."

"That is what we say to keep you novices worry free," Mao Sama snorted in a whisper while glancing around, "But the regime has been definitely been taking notice on the recent string of murders to our top officials."

Mao kept his guard up now more than ever, the rumours flying around were just enough to keep any high ranked captain on edge. For the last few years rebellions against Japan’s government had risen and fallen, this time was no different. Yet during the recent rebel attacks a mysterious swordsman had been appearing like a flash of lightning and striking down warriors in mere seconds, the people deemed him as Raigeki the Thunderbolt not knowing his real name. More people kept getting killed until an apparent pattern was noticed, only the top officials of the government were being slain by this warrior. This made Mao worry for he was a captain of Japan’s police swordsmen force; he had made sure that he was well protected during his travel this night after capturing a rebel scout.

The prisoner had been seen sneaking around the escort and was caught fleeing the area by one of the rear guards, the man was immediately charged for espionage. Once Mao had returned to the pagoda, the scout would be executed.

Someone screamed in pain suddenly and fell to the ground; Mao turned in the direction to find a headless corpse of his rear guard lying in a pool of blood. The captain drew his katana immediately and looked around, he couldn’t find anything! It had been as if a ghost appeared and struck the man within a split second, now fear was slowly rising up Sama's spine leaving him with a chilled feeling.

"Captain! What was that!?" one of the others shouted. Mao was unable to answer before he saw the flash of steel from the moon’s light, a sword.

"Watch out!" he shouted before it was too late, the sword shot right through his head and ripped down his body to slice it completely in two. The sight itself nearly made the man hurl, Mao rushed towards his last guard and the spy. He grabbed the man by the neck and held him up to the sky, "WHO IS THIS! WHAT JUST HAPPENED!"

"Gha…ack…ugh…" the man coughed before his eyes widened. Sama glanced back to find a dark figure standing in the street.

"You are going to let go of that man," he said with a bitter voice, "Or else I’ll remove that arm for you."

"…" Sama was silent before he dropped the scout onto the ground and faced the figure, "Step closer so I can see who I am going to kill."

He was obliged; the mystery person stepped into the pale light as part of his image was given away. He was wearing a dark violet tao robe and had long black hair tied back in a ponytail that ran down to mid-back length, his brown eyes were giving off a cold glare that almost paralysed Mao on the spot. In his right hand he was holding a bloody five-foot katana sword while he held it’s scabbard in the other hand, his age appeared to be almost twenty-two which surprised Sama. Warriors that young were prone to make mistakes, but this one managed to sneak around and even slay two of his guards.

"Who are you to stalk a member of the Tsuki Government?" the captain growled as the swordsman held up his sword.

"My name is Raijin Taishima, I use the Raijingeki style of fighting," the man replied as Sama’s face paled.

Taishima? That’s the last name of the Ookazi General! He thought before stepping back a few paces, Ookazi was wanted ten years ago for starting the first uprise against the Government, the emperor had him killed immediately. That must mean that this kid was his son, and if I remember right Ookazi was Japan’s best warrior of the time! It only means one thing, this kid must have been taught by him which only means one thing…

"Y-you, you’re the one. The one we call Raigeki…" Mao said in shock as his remaining guard almost fainted.

"Yes, I am the one who is cleaning Japan of its filth," Raijin replied coldly.

Chikusho! This is just great! I’m staring down the number one fear of Japan! the captain thought.

The tale of Raigeki was indeed frightful. A warrior who was extremely quick in battle, Raigeki was hard to hit. He was also able to cut one clean in half in a single swing, soon after he made his strike he would vanish altogether like a bolt of lightning, hence the name Raigeki for Thunderbolt.

"Why are you here?"

"I’m going to kill you," was the reply.

"Not if I don’t kill you first!" a guard shouted before making a mad dash with a wild swing.

Raijin crouched as the blade came to his face, he whipped up his sword to parry the hit with a deafening clang. The Raigeki then pushed up to knock the guard off his feet and made a quick plunge with his scabbard. The guard doubled over in pain Raijin lept up with his blade to the sky then quickly came down with one fast stroke to the neck, Sama gasped in pain as the guard fell to his knee…after his head struck the ground first.

Raijin wiped the blood off his sword before staring to Mao and uttering, "You’re next."

"Nyah!" Sama shouted while Raijin came at him with his blade, the Captain barely managed to block the hit, "You-you’re a monster!!!"

"Speak for yourself! Ten years ago you Tsuki took over the government and killed all the good people in it, my father being one of them!" Taishima spat as he backed away, Sama then made a hard lunge that was evaded, "I promised my father to bring Japan back to the way it was before, a peaceful area bound for prosperity! Then you scum came in and turned Japan into a nation filled with horror and disruption, you Tsuki rules this place like as if it was yours all along. Killing people who stood up to you, taking Zenny from the poor for your own dirty profits. I won’t stand for it any longer and neither will Japan, believe me when I say YOU’RE DEAD!!!"

Mao made numerous stab attempts but Raijin kept feigning around and evading the blows, his eyes flashed another cold glare before he rolled to the side from the one stab and made a hard smash to the captain’s head with his scabbard. Taishima then ran in close with his blade out to the side.

"I won’t let you defeat me!" Mao shouted as he made one final swing.

Raijin ducked under it and made three lightning fast slashes before slowly putting his blade into its sheath. He stopped for a moment before pushing it in for the last ‘click’; Sama’s body fell apart into three large chunks. He glanced back to the prisoner.

"Go, tell the others."

"T-tell them what?" the man said as he looked around and rubbed his eyes.

"That a band of hired assassins killed these men," was the reply.

Before the man could say anything, Raijin was gone. The man scrambled off soon after

Why I’m doing this is simple, I want to avenge my fallen father, Raijin thought as he sat up on a rooftop, Japan used to be better than this according to him, but the Tsuki came in and took over the government. Father tried to start a rebellion that would restore peace, but someone betrayed him and the Tsuki killed him right in front of my eyes. Over the years I trained myself using father’s knowledge of swordsmanship and became a great warrior like him, now it’s time to set things straight. By my sword and the Raijingeki style, I will bring and end to the Tsuki’s reign and bring fourth a new age-the Genji Age.

Blue: Well I hope you enjoy this little teaser, I will work on this over the months if I can.