Rurouni Kenshin
Chapter #1: Hitenmitsurugi Nitou-ryu


The morning sun rose above the horizon as the darkness of night faded away. On the outskirst of the city of Tokyo a tall man stood upon a cliff. He was wrapped up in a white cape with red edges. He drank his sake alone upon the cliff as he watched the horizon.

The year is 1879, the Place Tokyo Japan.


“Hitenmitsurugi-ryu!!!” a high pitched voice screamed.

A red haired man stood alone amidst darkness that. surrounded him. He sensed the presense of someone, no, something. Two red eyes opened and glared at the frightened swordsman.

“You are Hitenmitsurugi-ryu, are you not?” they seemed to ask. “Die!!!!”

The owner of the eyes leapt forward through the darkness. Before any reaction could take place a blade was implanted in Kenshin’s heart.

Kenshin stood still for what seemed like an eternity. Red blood flowed out of his chest and into a sea of blood below him. He knew that it was over, tha he was going to die.

At that moment a voice brought him back to reality... “Kenshin!!!!!”


“Kenshin!” a young female’s voice echoed across the hallways of the kamiya Dojo. A young girl came running down the wooden hallways. Her black hair was tied up in a pony tail and she was dressed in a traditional white dojo-gi and black pants.

“Kenshin!” she called again. We’re going to be late for practice!” a slight tone of anger pulse din her voice.

Kenshin sat up in his blankets, he had overslept, something he has never done before. Sweat stained his sheets and clothing, it was only a nightmare. He quickly got a change of clothing and follwed the female’s voice.

“Oro?” A red haired man popped his head out from around the corner. He wore a red kimono and his long hair was left un attended to.

“Kenshin!” she yelled at the man. “We’re going to be late so c’mon let’s go!”

“Right Kaoru-dono.” Kenshin came around the corner, at his usual slow pace.

Kaoru spun around on her feet and ran towards the door. “You too Yahiko!”

“Yeah, yeah” a spikey headed boy came out of one of the many rooms. “Too early for this crap...” he mumbled and followed Kaoru.

The trio left the dojo and headed for Maekawa-dojo where they always practice.


“No one’s home?” A young man stood infront of Kamiya-dojo. He wore a red headband aroundhis head and bandages around his arm. A white cloth coat hung over hsi shoulders, on the back of it there was the character for ‘Aku’ in bold black.

“So I guess I came here for nothing.” The man walked to the front gate and found a seat ont he step. His stomach growled.

“Harahetta...” he let out a sigh and sat still.

The front gate opened. There a man stood, his body covered in a white cape edged with red.

“Who the hell are you?” the young man asked him in an aggressive tone, he was hungry and was not in a good mood.

“I could ask you the same thing.” The older man replied. He walked into the yard, because of him movement two sheathed swords and a bottle of sake was seen under his cape.

“I’m Sagara Sanosuke, Kenshin’s dachi.” The young man’s eyes changed from a mischivious expression to a serious one. “What do you want here?” He stood up.

“I’m not here to see you, I’m looking for a man, Kenshin was it?” He kept on moving towards the dojo. “Is he here?”

“No. And you didn’t tell me your name.”

“Then I’ll guess I’ll have to wait.” The man grinned and sat down next to Sanosuke. “And I am Hiko Seijurou.”

“Oh great, another weird one..” Sanosuke thought as he eyed Hiko.


Kenshin sat alone in tha back of the rather large dojo. The students were busy praciticing with Kaoru and Yahiko. And for a change Maekawa himself participated.

His eyelides grew heavy as he nodded off. Darkness surrounded him...


Sanosuke fell over laughing as he conversed with Hiko.

Hiko smiled to himself as he watched to strong man fall. “Idiot, he actually believed that mushroom was edible.” He thought to himself.

A few moments ago Hiko had convinced Sanosuke tht he was a traveller, and when he came to this city he learned of the famous Rurouni and decided to pay him a visit as a swordsman. Hiko also convinced Sanosuke to eat a strange mushroom because he was so hungry. Little did the poor boy know it was a poisonous laughing mushroom.

At that moment the front gate slid open.

“Hiko-san!?” a girl’s voice asked out-loud. Kaoru slowly entered folloed by Kenshin.

“Shi..shyo?.....” he asked immidiately as soon as he saw Hiko..

“Bakadeshi, what’s wrong with you?” he asked seriously. Hiko got up to his feet and approached his student. “Your... afraid...”

Kenshin forced a nod.

“Then I came just in time. Have you read the newspaper recently?”

Kaoru and Yahiko stood baffled by their conversation. Afraid? Kenshin? Newspaper?

Kenshin and Hiko entered the dojo to talk, Yahiko and Koaur just followed. Yahiko however took a moment to get a few hits on Sanosuke before he came out of his daze.


“It happened just last night.” Hiko explained. He sat with his legs crossed with a newsapaer aprawled across his lap. “About twently civilians were killed, slaughtered would be a better word for it. Men, women, and children were the victims. It occured in the town square at midnight. The bodies were found torn apart with their innards eated by some type of beast.” He took a moment to look for reactions of the girl and child.

A chill ran up Kenshin’s spine. Twenty people? He couldn’t imagine anyone doing that now that Shishio hgad been stopped, and further more, who would be cold-blooded enough to.

Kaotu and Yahiko had been silent this whole time, this was a bit too much for them to comprihend.

“Further more, what ever did this also mad eanother threat to a young girl. It said that he would kill her and another man next. I believe you knwo them, Shinomori Aoshi and Makimachi Misao.”

“Misao-chan!?” Kaoru shot up. “Why her!?” she demanded.

“Calm down. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But this is why I’m here right now. Kenshin, you NEED to go to Kyoto and stop this creature.” His gaze locked onto Kenshin.

A long silence filled the room.

His reply came hesitently. “Why me? I know Aoshi can take this thing on, why do you have to come here an tell me about somethign I could have read this afternoon?”

Hiko let out a sigh. “Because, it’s your destiny. I never told you this but it’s a good of a time as any.” He apaused for effect. “Hitenmitsurugi-ryu’s original intention is to stop being known as oni.”

A shiver ran down Kaoru’s spine again. Oni was the Japanese demon who tortured souls in Hell.

“Are you serious sir?” Kaoru asked. “Oni’s can’t be real.”

“Then can you explain what did this?” he countered pointing to the paper. “Kenshin, Hitenmitsurugi-ryu was created to protect the people from the evil, this is as evil as they get. My master was the last to face off with them, luckily they were a few in number and he could stop them, now they’ve multiplied and I doubt I can contain this alone.”

Kenshin noticed that Hiko wasn’t being sarcastic or egotistical with that last remark. Kenshin would have expected him to take on these demons by himself, not come down here and ask for help.

Hiko abruptly reached in a pouch that he carried around his belt. His hand reached in and pulled out scrolls. “Hitenmitsurugi Nitou-ryu... that’s what I’ve come to give you.”

*Nitou means ‘two swords’ so Hitenmitsurugi Nitou-ryu is a two sworded version of Hitenmitsurugi-ryu*

“It’s your destiney...”