And like he promised...it was six sharp.

Ikkei was groggy in the mornings, tending to lazily shuffle out of bed despite sleeping at a good schedule and always maintaining at least 8 hours. As an athlete, it was mandatory. The usual process then occurred. Quick shower. Brushing of teeth, combing of hair, except you know, ten times faster than normal.

At the end of his morning romp, Ikkei slowly stepped out of his room, decked out in a black suit with an undone collar, tie hanging at his neck, and his spiky hair combed straight backward, making him appear almost like a hedgehog. Adachi, who was dressed in a black suit of his own, passed by his door to see the train wreck himself.

"Please tell me you'll be ready to go in a few minutes..."

"Of course, dad. Give me a bit!" Ikkei grunted, adjusting his tie as he fiddled with it.

And like a superhero that came at the perfect time to save the day, Inari swerved into the hallway, taking a quick glance at Ikkei's get up and kissing her teeth, walking over and quickly adjusting his look.

"There you go. All better." Inari smiled warmly, kissing her son lightly on the cheek.

Ikkei, a grown 15 year old boy, blushed at the sudden gesture. He was still very fond of his mother and her loving acts, but couldn't help but be slightly embarrassed.

"So, my boy's gonna be a working man now?" Inari asked, leaning against her husband in a calm, happy manner.

"If he can win the wager...sure. ." Adachi responded, looking at his son with promise and hopefulness.

"Wager...you don't mean to tell me..." Inari shot, concerned suddenly.

"Its the best place to start. Besides, I can't see him getting a job without it. Lords simply won't hire him."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before? Do you really think he can settle it?"

"Inari, I've been training this boy his entire life. He knows his way around a sword...have some faith in him."

Ikkei, who stood nervously in the center of this conversation, began to sweat buckets at the mere mention of a wager and how it shifted his mother's mood from happy to serious in seconds.

"Alright. Are you ready to go, Ikkei?" Adachi motioned.

"Y-yeah..." The boy gulped, adjusting his tie again.

"Where's your sword?"

"My sword...? I have to fight?"

"Of course. You're going to be hired by a Lord, Ikkei. They'll want to see your strength firsthand. Go on. Get equipped and meet me in the car outside." Adachi declared, pecking his wife on the cheek before walking out.

Now filled a bit with dread, Ikkei drudged over to the dojo where his sword laid, still on display. He gazed at it's magnificence, still sheathed and beautiful. Quickly he fastened the sword to his hip with a small white tether, connecting it through his belt loop so it hung behind him on his slacks horizontally. Quickly he jogged out the door, tossing himself into the passenger seat of his father's small but comfortable car.

"So...I think its about time I explain what's going on." Adachi began.

"You think?"

"I'm sorry for not mentioning it earlier. It's a family thing that goes pretty far back. Your great ancestor Shishimaro started it at the dawn of the Great Clan War. We haven't been able to settle it since."

"And this wager...he started it?"

"Yes. With the Shimazu head at the time."

"The Shimazu!? Shishimaro made a wager with one of the great clans?"

"Your ancestor was a friendly man. If he lived a bit longer...I wouldn't doubt he'd make good friends out of all the clan heads."

"Jeez...I had no idea our family had connections like that. So, what is this wager all about?"

"It's been revised a lot during the years. The longer it went unresolved, the more it changed. I couldn't even tell you what the original agreement was..."

"Well, what is it now?"

"Basically, the two newest generations of the clans would face one on one against each other in a fair match. The winner would break the cycle. There was a reward at first from what I remember, but as time went on, it became just a family tradition that was celebrated every few generations or so. It skipped me...so now it's your turn."

"Okay, but how would this land me a job with the Shimazu?"

"You can prove your worth by breaking the cycle and finally settling the wager. Once they see you as a formidable warrior, they'll have no choice but to hire you. Besides. Hachiyo is a good man. Im sure despite your quirks, he'll pick you up."

"Damn. Why didn't you train me for this? If I knew I'd be fighting such an important battle, I would have prepared a bit more..."

"Ikkei, I've been preparing you your entire life. All the work you've done up till this point is gonna pay off here and now. If you truly are worthy of that sword and being a samurai...you'll prove yourself right here, right now." Adachi finished, before pulling up to the front gates of a massive mansion. It had an impressive color scheme--a fine marble white with red and gold details. Flags and banners baring the Shimazu Kanji hung freely from elevated surfaces, dancing in the air with each gust of wind. There was a voice box at the gate, which sprung to life as the car pulled in.

"Welcome to the Shimazu residence. How may I help you?" A feminine voice rang out from the speaker box.

"Hi, this is Adachi Kagemori. I'm here with my son. I called Hachiyo last night in advance. He should be able to confirm my arrival."

The voice went silent for a few moments.

"Ah, here you are. Lord Shimazu already had you down on the arrival list. Please, come in." Slowly, the massive black gates swung open, giving a clearer and grander view of the grandiose abode.

Surrounded by a never-ending sea of grass, the mansion sat in the middle of a clearing, trees enclosing it's property in the distance. The lawn was incredibly green and well kept, trimmed down to perfection. There was a marble path that led to the home, swerving a bit before pulling in a straight home stretch. When they arrived at the front, there was a few guards and a butler waiting for them. Swerving into the front porch, the car quickly stopped and the pair shuffled out, greeting the men in front.

"Kagemori Adachi...it's a pleasure to have you. Come in." The butler welcomed, dressed in a fine white and red suit complete with a bowtie. Quickly, the guards waved metallic wands around the two, only the sword coming up positive.

"We're here for a friendly match. My boy has no ill intentions with that blade..." Adachi explained, holding his hands up as the guards patted him down.

"Understood. Both are clear." The guards signaled.

Slowly, Adachi and his son trailed behind the butler, walking through the front door and being instantly greeted by fresh scents and beautiful scenery. The house was just as big inside as it was out, decked out with giant dangling diamond chandeliers, a fine red and gold carpet along the floor, as well as white marble granite walls. Each hall boasted plenty of artifacts from the Shimazu family, from portraits of it's members to weapons they welded in battle. Ikkei couldn't help but stare with his mouth agape, never being exposed to such prestigious scenery before.

Then, they finally arrived at their destination--Shimazu family ballroom. At it's center, a tall, slender man stood firmly. He had wavy blood red hair, dark red eyes, and a cold, serious expression. He wore a white silk dress shirt and a red vest, paired with black slacks and some high quality dress shoes to match. He had a youthful appearance, as Adachi did, and despite his slim build, muscle could be detected from his forearms, which were visible thanks to his rolled up sleeves.

"Adachi Kagemori..." The red haired man said sternly.

"Hachiyo Shimazu..." Adachi grunted, staring him down intensely. The two slowly approached one another, gritting their teeth and altering their expressions the closer they drew, becoming more angry and intimidating with each step. Now, they stood toe to toe, Adachi looking down slightly on Hachiyo.

The butler began to tremble as he slowly backed away, walking a few centimeters before fully booking it when out of sight. Ikkei, the only witness to this, gulped loudly at the notion, his eyes the size of golf balls.

The two began to angrily groan, gritting their teeth like mad dogs brandishing their fangs. This went on for a moment until it stopped, and suddenly at the drop of a hat, their expressions turned unnaturally friendly.

"You're pretty damn good, Adachi! Had me scared for a second there!!" Hachiyo shouted cheerily, rubbing the back of his head.

"Not bad yourself, Hachiyo! I've never seen such ferocity!"

The two firmly shook hands with bright, friendly expressions.

Ikkei's expression shifted from one of fear to severe confusion.

"What the hell just happened?" He thought.

"So how are ya doin, man?" Adachi asked, grinning like a kid in a candy shop.

"Same old same old, brother. How about yourself? And the family?"

"We're doin' great. The wife is as cheery as ever and of course, my boy Ikkei just became a samurai."

"That's amazing! Glad to hear it. Fujiko just swore herself into the warrior clan a week ago. Crazy to see how our kids get older in the blink of an eye..."

"No kidding. By the way, here's the man of the hour. Ikkei! Come meet Hachiyo!" Adachi demanded. With a brisk pace and a welcoming smile, Ikkei presented himself well to his possible employer, bowing before him.

"Good morning, Lord Shimazu. It's a pleasure to be here." The boy addressed respectfully.

"Ah, no need for formalities! You Kagemori are too close of family friends for that. Please, just call me Hachiyo, son." The man smiled, extending out for a handshake. Firmly they shook, to Hachiyo's surprise.

"Yep. You've got your father's grip!" He laughed.

"I believe the last time you saw him, he was just a little boy." Adachi recalled.

"It's been quite some time, huh? You've grown up well, Ikkei."

"Thank you, Hachiyo." Ikkei said with a slight quiver, still not used to addressing authority figures so casually.

"So, you're here for a job, eh?" Hachiyo began, placing his hands on his hips.

"Yes sir. I've just become a samurai and my father suggested I inquire serving you, if possible." Ikkei said. He maintained a professional attitude, despite being quite nervous on the inside.

"I see. Well, let's start off simple. What's your bushido?"

The moment of truth came faster than expected. Ikkei slowly pointed his gaze towards Adachi, who signaled with his eyes to tell the man what he asked of. A small beat came and went before the boy spoke.

"I swore to never kill in my line of work, as well as never cut or severely injure an enemy target to the point of death, sir."

Hachiyo's expression was less bright now, taking into consideration what Ikkei just said.

"I see. Well, I suppose that can be worked around. But I need to know your value in combat. If you can fight well, your bushido won't be much of an issue. Luckily for you, our families have a score to settle. And today, we may see that happen. Are you ready to show me your skills, Ikkei?" Hachiyo asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Fujiko! Come here!" Hachiyo shouted across the massive ballroom. At this point, it was completely empty, providing a large, clean open space. From the doors at the edge of the room, a figure appeared.

Instantly, Ikkei's mind roared with a million thoughts. Who was this girl he'd have to fight? Clearly she was Hachiyo's daughter and a descendant of the Shimazu, known for their battle prowess. Whoever she was, she had to be strong.

As the girl drew closer, he was able to make out more of her features. Like her father, she had identical blood red hair that flowed seamlessly, with a few stray clumps and a singular feather-like spike popping out from the top of her head. She had a dull, bored expression with uncaring red eyes and a soft, beautiful face. She wore a school uniform, which was a tone of white and black, complete with a skirt. At her hip, a single katana rested. When she finally was in close proximity next to her father, she proved to be just as tall as Ikkei, if not a bit shorter.

"Who's this walking stick?" Fujiko said coldly, unimpressed by the boy's stature and figure. Ikkei awkwardly raised an eyebrow in response.

"Fujiko...this is Ikkei Kagemori. He's come today to face you in the wager match. He's also applying to work for the Shimazu family as a samurai." Hachiyo explained.

"Hmm. He doesn't look or seem very strong. You sure you want him to fight me?" Fujiko said bluntly.

"Of course. I already told you how naturally talented the Kagemori are in battle. Don't under estimate him, dear."

"I suppose." She sighed.

"Alright. Here are the rules. There is no time limit to the match. The winner is declared when one fighter is knocked out of submission, or surrenders. A draw will occur when both fighters are unable to continue. Beyond that, any maneuvers and techniques are allowed. Understood?" Adachi declared.

Both Fujiko and Ikkei nodded.

"Alright. Take ten steps back from where you are now and begin on our mark." Hachiyo demanded.

The two followed orders, slowly backing away from one another as Fujiko began to analyze her opponent. Ikkei, despite the intense pressure, was beginning to get a grip on the situation. His breath was steady, his mind clear. This fight would determine his future.

"Alright. Draw your weapons. Only katana are allowed."

Fujiko did as directed, fully revealing the blade she had been carrying. It was a thin, long katana that lacked many key features, such as a sheath and a guard. A single bandage was wrapped around the hilt to act as it's grip. It was made of a dark gray metal that appeared as if it was constructed by an amateur blacksmith in only a day. Despite the blade being of seemingly low quality, Fujiko handled and treated the sword as if it was the most expensive one in the world. The girl twirled the sword around in her hands before him as a taunt, before carefully aligning it forward in a battle stance.

Slightly intimidated, Ikkei untied the tether on his belt loop, retrieving the sword at his hip. He began to grit his teeth as he took battle stance with he sword still in it's sheath. Fujiko smiled at first, which then erupted into full on laughter.

"Are you gonna take this seriously, Kagemori?" The girl laughed.

"I am, Fujiko. Please, ready yourself."

Fujiko let out a few more cackles before calming herself, returning to her focused stance as her father stared her down.

"Fighters ready?" Adachi shouted. Fujiko and Ikkei both nodded.

An air of intensity began to trickle in as both teenagers swelled with anticipation. To Fujiko, this was merely yet another test of strength. To Ikkei, it was a bout that would decide his life forever.

"BEGIN!"