Ishida Ieyasu lay beneath a dripping bush at the edge of the cleared land that surrounded the ruins of a Mishima village. The sodden rags that once were a proud uniform were now scant protection from the light, but steady, rain that seemed to be a constant in the Venusian Lowlands. Only years of training and his own iron will kept him from shivering.

His head felt like it was on fire and throbbed witha beat that strobbed a red light across his vision in counter-point to the occasional white flashes of lightening. The pain seemed to come from everywhere but it was strongest, almost a physical pressure, in the direction of the village. Strangely enough the pain seemed familiar, llike it had a "flavor" he had tasted before. There seemed to be another source off to his right but it was nothing like what was coming from the village.

With his precious swords beside him wrapped in protective layers of oilcloth he slowly, a few millimeters at a time, parted the foliage in front of him. Now he would see what his mysterious "gift" had brought him to see.

Before him, standing in the still smoldering ruins of the village, stood two figures talking. One was tall, taller than a man should be and made taller with his ornate helm. Beneath his cloak he was wearing heavy body armor. He seemed, to Ieyasu's tortured vision, to fairly GLOW with power.

The shorter figure was the size of the typical Mishiman. If fact, his voice and carriage were, like that undercurrent of flavor from his "gift", vaguely familiar.

"Please, Master, I don't understand," the familiar voice was almost whining. "You promised me!"

"And what promise, little man," came the jovial reply from the giant, "hove I failed to deliver."

"You promised that I would become Daimyo of my brother's land!"

"And so you have," laughed the giant. "And so you have."

"But your creatures," the man continued with anger beginning to creep into his voice, "are destroying the province!" As he finished his voice raised to a shriek. "I am becoming the Daimyo of a WASTERLAND!"

"I promised you you would be Daimyo," the giant said as he looked down on the man as the gentle joviality in his voice gave way to a cruel grate, "I didn't say anything about the condition of your lands."

BROTHER! A bolt of lightening flashed, illuminating the two figures and crystallizing for Ieyasu the identityof the smaller figure. An anguished howl escaped his lips as he realized that this foul traitor and murderer of Lord Oda Hideyoshi was no less than...

"Oda Hideyori!"

Hideyori and the nepharite both turned as they heard Hideyori's name called out by a voice that mixed rage, horror and disgust. Racing toward them came a nightmare figure waving a pair of swords. Hideyori's eyes, widened by the shock of hearing his name called out, widened even further as he recognized the figure.

"Ieyasu!" He cried in horror. Turning to the nepharite he begged, "Kill him Master! Save me!"

"I gave you powers," the nepharite spat contemptuously. "Use them."

The nepharite stepped back and Hideyori stood there watching the rapidly approaching Ieyasu and trying to decide which Dark Gift to use and remember how to invoke them.

Recognizing the brother of his fallen Lord as the traitor that killed that same Lord and all of Ieyasu's friends and recognizing that that same brother was also in league with the Dark Legion caused Ieyasu to CHANGE...

The burning pain in his head became a cool glow. He felt in perfect control of his body. Grabbing the oilcloth bundle containing his swords he leaped to his feet. Opening the top flap of the bundle as he ran he withdrew both swords and dropped the oilcloth and empty scabbards to the ground.

"Oda Hideyori!", he screamed again. He ran towards his enemy. It felt like he was running fast than he ever had before and yet like he was floating above the ground.

Suddenly several creatures seemed to grow out of the ground in front of him. They were creatures like the bodies he saw littering Castle Oda only there were alive and carrying rifles with bayonets. The closest one thrust at him with it's bayonet. He easily parried it with the wakizashi in his left hand and slicing horizontally, right to left, took off the creatures head with the katana.

Without slowing he took off the next creature's right arm with the backstroke of the katana. Then he was through them and headed straight for Hideyori!

Hideyori looked on in horror as Ieyasu came charging across the open ground and went through the Heretic Legionaares like they were practice dummies. Finally remembering how to invoke the Lance of Pain he cast the spell directly at Ieyasu. NO EFFECT! Numbly he raised his sword to defend himself.

Ieyasu felt a surge of power leap from Hideyori to himself. There was a momentary burst of sharp poin but he ignored it. Flinging himself at Hideyori he watched as Hideyori tried, in what seemed to Ieyasu as painful slowness, to bring his Ceremonial Sword up to defend himself.

Dropping the wakizashi in the final steps before he reached Hideyori he gripped the katana with both hands an raised it high over his left shoulder. Reality shrank to the point on the right side of Hideyori's body where the neck met the shoulder. With a surge of power he drove the katana down, shattering the sword Hideyori tried to defend himself with, and continuing down through skin, muscle, organs and bone like they were rice paper until the katana exited Hideyori's left side just above the hip bone.

The impetus of his charge carried Ieyasu past Hideyori while the impetus of the stroke spun Ieyasu around to face him again. As he watched, exhausted, Hideyori's body stood, complete, for a few seconds and them came apart. The head and left shoulder sliding off the to left and the remainder slumping forward.

Over the pieces of Hideyori's body he watched the remaining creatures that he had charged through shambling off into the woods. Standing numb and exhausted he wasn't even beginning to think of what to do next when he heard a meaty THUNK from behind him. Startled, and remembering the giant he saw talking to Hideyori, he turned around and tried to bring his katana up to defend himself.

Watching him from about three meters away was a tall figure, a humanly tall figure this time, wearing vaguely Mishima-type armor. In his left hand was the head of the creature he had seen talking to Hideyori. In his right hand was a No-dachi, the long sword, and what could only be a legendary Demontooth Ceremonial Blade. Before him stood a ...

"Demon Hunter," he whispered hoarsely.