Daidōji (大道寺) Scroll: Hayashi (1)

This one young man had an awkward name, which might have had to do with his fascination of open places and flowers.

This one who served Kazama had a deadly character. He had no remorse in killing, for to him death was not saddening. It meant to sleep and leave behind the fruits of one's labor. I was surprised by his techniques as well. Much to his delight, I occasionally called him "Ashura" (2).

On the 7th year of the Tensho era, unforgiving men of the Takeda were coerced into his domain...why? At first, I thought that the young man was foolish. He would face them alone in the night. The surrounding trees rattle from a rolling swing of his Cross; moments later the pedals of blossoms, carried by the wind, lay upon the ground and the fallen bodies that were gouged like fish and cut asunder like meat.

It was like the foliage during Autumn, and in the same way, the lives of the Takeda had faded.

It was perfect.

He chose to name himself a dark, lonely grove.

And his passion? To assure, to prove, that his loyalty towards Kazuma burned the brightest.

Notes:

1.) Hayashi (林): The name means grove or forest, but it is often used a surname. It is the name of a various Japanese samurai families. This is a fictional character who uses it as an apparent given name.

2.) Ashura (阿修羅): From the Hindu deities called Asura (titans), who opposed the Devas. In Buddhism, Ashura are low-ranking deities and are sometimes viewed to be demonic or driven by a particular negative passion such as wrath and pride. They are from the Asura Realm, which is also called the Jealously God Realm.