Chapter 29

After embarking on a lengthy journey, Ginryu dismounted his horse and arrived at a bustling town that housed an information broker post.

In this tumultuous era of warring factions, it was not only the samurai who garnered recognition; the shadowy figures known as ninjas also thrived.

These stealthy operatives carried out various tasks such as assassinations and intelligence gathering.

While major ninja clans easily found lords to serve, smaller ones were not as fortunate.

Sometime in the past, an enigmatic information broker organization had come into existence.

This organization employed freelance ninjas for commissioned work, offering fair compensation for their services.

Although Ginryu rarely utilized their assistance, he was well aware that their network extended far and wide.

It was rumored that this organization had been established by one of the influential feudal lords, and Ginryu occasionally yearned for his own personal ninjas.

Having dedicated agents at his disposal would relieve him of the burden of menial tasks.

For quite some time now, Ginryu had been unable to find someone with whom he desired to share his bloodline. The search for suitable companions remained elusive.

Ginryu soon found himself inside an inn, where he needed to enter a special room on the third floor in order to request information.

However, gaining access to this exclusive privilege was not granted to just anyone.

Only those who possessed a custom-made plaque, symbolizing their status as premium members with substantial financial resources, were afforded such privileges.

"Kuro-sama, welcome," greeted someone as Ginryu entered the room.

He always adopted an alias and covered his features when interacting with the information brokers.

Additionally, he subtly altered his physical appearance to give the impression of an older person, as it had been quite some time since he last sought information from them.

Fortunately, the organization didn't place much importance on identity, as long as the requested information didn't conflict with their interests. At least so they claimed.

Soon, an elderly-looking man sat across from Ginryu. "I need information about the Tsugikuni clan," Ginryu requested.

He couldn't simply approach the clan and openly inquire about their affairs.

Depending on the progress of Yoriichi's story, it might not even be necessary to visit the clan at all.

"Hmm, how peculiar. I am curious about what someone like you would want with a mid-class samurai clan," the old man replied, his tone laced with suspicion.

Ginryu sighed inwardly, knowing that the organization had been attempting to pry information from him each time he visited.

However, they couldn't quite grasp his true intentions due to his evasive nature.

"Can you acquire the information or not?" Ginryu retorted, deliberately ignoring the old man's question.

"Always the same, Kuro-sama," the old man replied with a nod. He waved his hand, and another person materialized next to him, seemingly appearing out of thin air.

This phenomenon never ceased to fascinate Ginryu.

It served as a constant reminder that there were other powerful forces at play in this world, aside from demons.

Apart from the ninja clans, there also existed the enigmatic Onmyoji clans, indicating the presence of Yokai, although Ginryu had yet to encounter one in all his years.

Opening a scroll handed to him, the old man scanned its contents with a pensive expression.

"Kuro-sama, here is the information you seek," he finally said, offering the scroll to Ginryu.

As he read through the information provided, Ginryu's thoughts swirled with intrigue.

He discovered that Yoriichi had already fled from the Tsugikuni clan almost a decade ago.

The revelation brought both good news and bad news. On one hand, Ginryu had no reason to continue pursuing the Tsugikuni clan.

On the other hand, he remained unsure about Yoriichi's whereabouts.

Based on the story he remembered, Yoriichi had run away from his home for a day and night, traversing without pause until he reached the mountains, where he encountered Uta. A girl the same age as him.

This event occurred almost ten years ago. Realizing that Yoriichi would soon be marrying Uta, Ginryu felt a sense of urgency. Time was slipping away, and he needed to act swiftly.

"Is the information satisfactory to you, Kuro-sama?" the old man inquired, awaiting Ginryu's response.

"Hmm, yes, it is," Ginryu replied, carefully concealing his inner thoughts.

"I shall take my leave now," he added, placing several Ryo on the table as payment for the information.

Although he contemplated commissioning the organization to find Yoriichi on his behalf, he ultimately decided against it.

Considering their intrusive nature and the potential risks they posed to Yoriichi's story, he deemed it best to locate Yoriichi himself.

Fortunately, there couldn't be that many mountains in close proximity to the Tsugikuni clan's territory.

"It has been years, and yet we still know so little about that man. Should we continue tracking him?" the person standing beside the old man asked, his curiosity evident.

"No, leave that man be. He is dangerous," the old man replied sternly.

The organization had been desperately attempting to gather information on Ginryu for a considerable time, but all they had managed to uncover was his connection to the Ubuyashiki family.

Leaving the inn, Ginryu strode purposefully towards his horse. Ginryu had left the cubs behind with the Ubuyashiki family this time.

Although they hadn't grown in size, they had undergone a significant transformation.

By consuming Ginryu's blood, they could now morph into bigger and ferocious versions of themselves, shedding their cub forms.

This ability intrigued Ginryu, as it implied that anyone who shared his blood might remain as they were before transformation, at least outwardly.

However, he hadn't yet explored this aspect of his abilities through experimentation, so things were a bit vague.

With a sense of purpose, Ginryu set off from the town, fully aware that he had a limited timeframe of between 8 months to a year to reach Yoriichi and his soon to be wife, Uta, before the demons would inevitably find them.

The survival of Yoriichi's child held particular interest for Ginryu, as even if Yoriichi declined his offer, there would still be direct blood descendants to consider.

However, based on what Ginryu had gathered about Yoriichi's personality, he suspected that if Yoriichi were to accept, it would have to be a package deal involving his entire family.

'Well, even if none of them wish to undergo the transformation, it's still a viable option to see a happy ending for Yoriichi,' Ginryu mused to himself as he rode towards the Tsugikuni clan territory.

Things weren't really well planned and even he wasn't sure that he would follow through with any plans he made. He was simply curious.

Though he possessed a rough map, he would need to navigate his way from there.

He could have relied on his ability to transform into a flying creature, making things easier but he decided against it. He had a but of time to spare.

Thus, he was prepared to take his time searching for Yoriichi, knowing that it would still be some time before the demons would target his family.

7 months later .....

Seven months had passed since Ginryu embarked on his quest to find Yoriichi. Finally, he located him and Uta near a small mountain village, slightly distant from the Tsugikuni clan territory.

Yoriichi and Uta resided in close proximity to the mountain, their livelihood dependent on Yoriichi's skills as a hunter and the sale of their catch for sustenance.

During the winter months, they turned to selling charcoal to make ends meet.

Upon discovering them, Ginryu refrained from making immediate contact, instead observing them from a distance while camping on the mountain.

He recognized that establishing himself in the village for an extended period would attract unwanted attention, given his uncommon features.

As Westerners had yet to establish contact with Japan, his appearance would undoubtedly raise eyebrows.

During his time spent observing, Ginryu honed his skills in crafting flesh puppets, meticulously studying Uta's features to create a convincing replica.

Yoriichi possessed the extraordinary ability to see the inner workings of living things, so it was crucial that the puppet be flawless in its resemblance to Uta.