It's just after midnight on December 14th, 1702 in Ido, the capital of Japan.

25-year-old Hazama Mitsuoki creeps through the moonlit courtyard of a grand mansion, his

sword raised high. Blood drips from the steel blade, staining the white snow at his feet. Almost two

years ago, Hazama's master was forced to kill himself for drawing a weapon in the imperial

court. But the man his master, escaped punishment for his part of the

dispute. So Hosama and 46 fellow samurai have come to Edo to take revenge. But their target has

fled his private quarters, and the warriors are now searching a sprawling estate for him.

On the other side of the courtyard, Hazama spots a small wooden shed. He signals to

two other samurai at his side and moves quietly toward it. Hazama grips the shed's small handle

and then pulls the door open. Two white-robed guards emerge from the darkness, swords raised.

Zama and his companions step back adopting defensive stances, their own blades ready.

It's three against two, there's no need to rush.

So instead, Hazama waits for the enemy to make the first move.

One of the men lunges forward.

Hazama perries and throws him off balance.

Then in one fluid motion, he swiveles,

slices his sword across the man's back, dropping him to the snowy ground. Turning with his blade ready,

Azama sees that the second guard has already been cut down by his companions. With the two men

dead, Azama peers into the shed and sees an old man

towering behind a stack of crates. In the dim light, his face is hard to make out. So

Hosama dragged him into the courtyard. The moonlight reveals a distinctive scar across the

man's cheek. It's Kiryoshihisa, the man they've come here to kill.

...