Scene from 300 Years Ago
In the middle of a forest stood a mountain. Nestled among the trees was a small village. In that village lived a family of seven members: a mother, a father, and five children. The eldest son among the siblings was named Hakatushi.
(Hakatushi is the first main character of our story.)
Hakatushi's father, Hakitoshi, passed away from a serious illness during Hakatushi's childhood. Because of this, the entire responsibility of the family fell on Hakatushi's shoulders. He spent his days chopping wood and selling it in the town to bring food home. His grandfather had once been a warrior and had died of old age. The village chief's name was Ota Kunio.
One day, Hakatushi was late selling wood, and it had grown very dark by the time he was on his way back. He was considering stopping somewhere to rest. At that moment, the village chief Ota said to him, "Stay here tonight and leave in the morning. Your home is very far from here, and it's dangerous to travel at night."
Hakatushi replied, "Thank you, but my family must be waiting for me, so I cannot stay."
Ota said, "You know that Demons come out at night to hunt. I understand your concern for your family, but you must take care of yourself first if you want to protect them. That's why I am telling you to stay here tonight."
Hakatushi said, "Alright, since you insist, I will stay, but I'll leave early in the morning."
Ota said, "Do whatever you think is right, but eat some food and get some rest for now."
Hakatushi gratefully said, "Thank you, Chief, for the food. And if you ever need anything, you can ask me—I am ready to help in return for this meal."
Ota replied, "I don't want you to do any work. I just want you to take good care of yourself and your family and keep them safe. That's all I ask."
Hakatushi promised, "I promise to look after myself and my family."
Ota said, "Very well, I will remember that. Now you should go to sleep."
As Hakatushi was about to sleep, he asked, "Chief, what are Demons like, and why do they kill humans?"
Ota explained, "Demons kill us to satisfy their hunger, and sometimes they even turn humans into Demons. Those Demons look just like humans. To fight such Demons, warriors are trained, and in our kingdom, warriors are held in the highest regard."
Hakatushi was shocked and asked, "Where do Demons come from?"
Ota replied, "I don't know for sure, but I believe they come from another world."
Hakatushi said, "Alright, Chief, I will sleep now. You should rest too."
Hakatushi was a shy, gentle, and helpful young man. His main goal at this time was to take care of his family and make sure they had enough to eat. He had some basic sword-fighting skills.
One day, a Demon attacked Hakatushi's home and abducted his mother and sister. At that moment, Hakatushi was chopping wood near the house. Hearing their screams, he ran toward the house, but by the time he got close, the Demon had already taken his mother and sister away.
When he reached the house, all he could see was their blood. He began to cry. He knew his mother and sister were likely already dead. Still, he blamed himself for not being able to save them. But deep inside, he made up his mind that he would definitely take revenge.