Jin Sakai, a samurai of Tsushima, awakens after a Mongol invasion captures half the island and his uncle Lord Shimura. He partners with Yuna and allies like Sensei Ishikawa to rescue his uncle, plan assaults on Mongol forts, and confront the betrayal of Tomoe, a skilled archer now fighting for the invaders. Jin struggles between honoring the samurai code and doing what survival demands.
Chapters
Someone saved me. Hit me back here. Maybe they have my sword.
Testing, testing, testing, testing. Please don't kill me.
Someone was sharpening their blade.
A warrior.
My armor broken, but better than nothing.
Wait! Back inside now!
How are your wounds? Can you run?
I, I think so. Where's my sword?
Not here.
You're on! Here!
I'll take care of this. Please hide.
Oh, don't hurt me! Shirokumini! Christ! I have some Christ! Please take it! Who are you?
I'm Yuna. You want your sword? Follow me.
How long was I out?
Long enough for the Mongols to conquer half the island.
Yeah. Testing, testing, testing, testing. So what button to take a shower? Testing, testing. There we go. Okay, I don't know, I don't know what to comment.
There's nothing we can do for her, but I can save the others.
Okay, the crouching— I don't know how to crouch. Let's move this way.
Wait, there's nothing we can do for her, but I can save the others.
So I have to press this thing. Oh, I just have to click it. Oh, it's too hard. Okay, well, nobody's watching me, and I feel like it's good effect to make this thing bigger.
Let's move. Wait, there's nothing we can do for her, but I can save the others.
Savannah! Let's move. This way. Wait.
There's nothing we can do for her, but I can save the others.
Lord Shimura was with me on the battlefield.
Jito, forget him.
Yuna, wait. Lord Shimura is my uncle.
You're Jin Sakai, the Jito's nephew?
I have to know, did he survive?
I think so. The Mongols took him prisoner.
Where did they take him?
East, along the coast.
Toward Castle Kaneda. They must be holding him inside, celebrating their victory. I could take them by surprise.
You'll be killed.
Or I'll rescue Lord Shimura, then help him drive the Mongols into the sea. He can contact the shogun. Call for reinforcements.
I didn't nurse you back to health to watch you throw your life away.
Why did you save me?
I couldn't leave you to die. I need your help.
Lord Shimura can help our whole island, and he's the only family I have left.
Let's move. Under here.
Bitches!
Come on, we can't help him now.
Look out, Raiders armed for battle.
They've been riding across the island, taking slaves, killing the weak.
No one's fighting through here.
Move! Chin cargo, you way. Samurai. Through here. Move!
[FOREIGN] [FOREIGN] Shit, they cleared the road to cross. Someone's bound to see us.
I'll take that chance.
Wait, the cop.
Come on, more guards.
Take the rooftops.
You climb roofs, scavenge battlefield Shields. You're a thief.
When I need something, I take it.
Like my katana?
I traded it for food and medicine.
You what?
Don't worry, we'll find the buyer. Get your sword back. Got a long ride ahead. Take whatever supplies you can carry.
This is someone's house, and they're not coming back.
Through here.
The man I traded your sword to lives just up ahead.
Taro!
He must be here. I am Jin Sakai, nephew to the great Lord Shimura.
And I am no coward.
Your enemy is no match for you, but you still lack control. I was practicing with your father's weapon, the sword of Clan Sakai. Has saved lives and ended wars. Who did this to you? No one. I will teach you to defend yourself.
I know how to fight.
To master your blade. You must first control your emotions.
I can do that, Uncle.
Show me. Let's see what you've been practicing. Try to strike me.
Yes, Uncle.
Attack!
I am ready.
Try to strike me. It is your turn to attack, Jin. It is your turn to attack, Jin.
Attack!
I am ready.
Try to strike me.
Attack! I am ready.
Try to strike me. Well done. If you'd fought like that Your attacker would not have bruised you so easily.
It wasn't a fair fight.
Imagine he's returned to finish what he started, and he'll use every dirty trick he knows. How will you defend yourself?
I'll kick dirt in his eyes, then break his nose. See how big he feels with a mouthful of blood.
A small victory achieved without honor. When a samurai faces a devious foe, he must rise above them and never sink to their level, no matter how tempting.
Yes, Uncle.
Now break through my defenses. Show me Jin Sakai is a warrior of great courage. Break my block with a heavy attack, then strike quickly.
Heavy attack will unbalance your foe.
Enough!
I yield.
You let me win.
Not at all.
If you held the real sword, I would be dead.
Really?
I would never lie to you, Jin. Now for a change, try to block my attacks. I will not go easy on you. Hold your blocking form. In your blocking pose, you can respond quickly. While blocking, you do not need to anticipate my attacks.
Good. Well done.
I'm sore. Can we take a break?
We're not finished yet. Find your resolve and fight through the pain. Good. It's time you learn to parry. Wait for me to make the first move. Once I strike, block my attack. Fine parry. Good form, Jin. You're improving.
Need to catch your breath?
It will take more than a child to knock the wind out of me. Now then, let's see you defend against a spear. Dodge my spear, then follow up with a counterattack. Good reflexes.
Now remember, dodge, then counterattack.
Excellent dodge.
You're quick.
Don't give your opponent time to catch his breath.
Excellent counter!
You see, there is no weapon, no warrior you cannot overcome.
Thank you for these lessons, Uncle.
We are not finished yet. Jin Sakai, will you honor me with a sparring match?
I wouldn't want to hurt you.
If you're that confident, let's make this interesting. The first to land 5 strikes gets to choose dinner.
I hope you like octopus. Well struck, Uncle.
Very good. You show great skill.
Before we eat, I have one last question. For generations, our families have lived by a code. Tell me the virtues that guide us.
Loyalty to our lord, control over our emotions, and—
You know this.
Honor. To fight bravely and uphold the legacy of Clan Sakai.
Those are your father's words. What does honor mean to you?
I guess protecting people, the ones who can't fight for themselves.
You have a good heart. But first, we must show everyone that we serve our Lord with courage in Integrity and self-control.
You say that like it's easy.
It's never easy, Jin. I struggle with it every day, but we must set an example for our people by remaining true to our code and to ourselves. That is the meaning of honor.
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] Good, you found your sword.
Where can I find a horse?
The stables aren't far, this way.
More riders.
Island's crawling with them.
Where are the stables?
Behind that burning farmhouse. Follow me. We can get close, slit their throats, and kill them without a sound.
Without honor? I will not break my code.
Face me, invader! Watch it, bitches! That's type of samurai! Huh! Huh! Face me, invader!
It's close.
We can't save Save everyone!
Done running and I can finally help.
Damn it. More guards!
Don't let anyone escape! Thank you, my lord.
They said all the samurai were dead. Do you have somewhere to hide? I heard Golden Temple might be safe. Go, stay off the roads, and guard your son with your life.
You risked your life for them.
They couldn't defend themselves, and I Can't let more of our people die.
They're not the only ones who need you. My brother, the Mongols took him.
That's why you saved me.
Taka is my only family.
And Lord Shimura is mine.
Please, I just want my brother back.
I'll help you find him after I save my uncle. I promise.
I'm coming with you. Stables are just up ahead.
Let's get to the horses.
They're samurai horses. A few we didn't take into battle.
Lucky for them and us. Which horse do you want?
Easy there. He suits you, and he needs a name.
Sora.
Light from the heavens.
Castle Kaneda.
Uncle inside. The walls are too high to climb. We could cause a distraction. Sneak in.
No, we walk in the front gate. Khatun can set fire to our best Swordsman humiliated my uncle, butchered the warriors of Tsushima.
I'm going to repay his kindness by repeating the same mistakes that got your friends killed.
That's what the Mongols will think, but this time I'll strike first. Wait here until I finish them. I've come for Lord Shimura.
You did it!
Don't sound surprised.
What's all that noise?
Not sure, not sure. The Mongols fired them off at the beach.
Get out! Ready?
What's up?
What's up?
Keep moving! We can't retreat!
We can't keep going.
I have to fall back alone.
Keep the path clear. When I find Lord Shimura, we'll need a quick escape.
I'll get the horses ready.
Do it.
If I'm not back soon, ride for the forest.
Come on, fight! Good joke, Savaku. Kozaka!
I am Jin Jin Sakai, nephew of Lord Shimura. I have come to avenge his honor.
Jin, your uncle has told me much about you, Jin Sakai. I will show him his nephew, broken and humiliated, begging to join the Mongol Empire.
Jin!
This is your time, Lord Sakai. I'm here to— Your uncle is watching. Submit, Osaka. Slit your throat. No! Enough. Surrender. Show your uncle how easily he can bring peace to your home. Save yourself. No!
I failed again. Father.
Jin. Help me. Lord Saga.
Young master, it's time.
I'm coming, Yuriko.
The whole island has come to mourn your father.
Can't you send them away?
You must face them, Jin. You are now the master of Clan Sakai.
Yes.
You're not alone, Jin. Your father is the wind at your back. Your mother, the birds in the trees.
And Uncle?
He will tell you at your father's pyre.
Thank you, Yuriko.
If you ever need guidance, Clan Adachi will help you.
Your father protected the people above all else. A true samurai.
I couldn't save him. I was a coward.
Jin, you are samurai.
He died because of me.
Your father He fell in battle saving his only son. His reward is a warrior's death. Now you will carry on his legacy. Your father's spirit resides within this blade. He is always with you. Tomorrow you will come to my fortress. Patrice is my ward.
Today, say goodbye to your father. Father, how do I save—
Yo! Move! Come on!
You know, you know.
Jin, what happened?
I found Lord Shimra. I could have saved him, but the Khan was there. I failed my uncle.
At least you're in one piece.
I swore to protect this island with my life. But now the Mongols have stolen our home, killed our samurai.
You forgot what it's like to fight someone stronger than you, to feel weak. Sometimes when you're staring death in the face, you have to do whatever it takes to survive.
The Khan expects to fight a war against the samurai. He will anticipate our every move unless we find new ways to surprise him. That's how we'll save Lord Shimura and retake our home.
We'll need some help.
Riders!
The Khan's attack dogs!
There's too many of them! Hide in the grass!
Cover me!
The Khan's attack dogs.
There's too many of them. Hide in the grass.
The Khan's attack dogs!
There's too many of them. Hide in the grass.
They must be searching for you.
Bastards scared off the horses.
They're samurai mounts, trained to return to their masters.
Nice The Mongols must be hunting you.
We should split up. I'll draw their attention while you escape.
I'm not leaving your side until we've saved my brother.
First, I need to find more allies, trained warriors like Sensei Ishikawa and Lady Masako Adachi. They can help.
My brother can help too. Once we save him, you'll have the island's the best blacksmith in your debt. He'll make whatever tool you need to save your uncle.
Something to scale the castle walls?
You dream it, Taka can make it.
Where are they holding him?
He was captured near Ketchi.
Ride there and ask around. I'll join you soon.
Taka won't last long in a Mongol cage.
Nina, we will save your brother.
And your uncle. Hiya! Yeah. Who will fight? Samurai era, that's it. Okay.
Hioshi Springs. Perhaps someone at the inn can direct me to Sensei Ishikawa.
My lord, would that be the blade of Clan Saga?
You know your swords.
That is one worth knowing. I've heard tales of its sharp edge and beauty, but I never dreamed I'd see it in person.
It has been some time since I trained on a bamboo stand.
I would be honored to see your blade in action. The Sakai steel is a truly fine blade, wielded by an even finer swordsman. But training with bamboo will only make you stronger.
I'll need strength for what lies ahead.
There are bamboo stands throughout the island. They will help sharpen your skills on the journey.
Farewell, my lord.
Hello, you must be weary from battle.
I believe you speak the song of ice. I am not lying. Remember when you were a child and you read a book? You could read it in just a second without spending time on it. It's because you've been trained. A samurai, right?
End this war, my lord. I'm looking for Sensei Ishikawa.
I thought he fared at Komoda.
He didn't. Where is his dojo?
To the forest. I can show you the way, my lord. Did the sensei not fight the Komoda? No, he came to town for surprise the day before the invasion. Hardly spoke a word, but he's always been a private man. My lord, are the stories of Sensei Ishikawa true?
What stories?
They say he sank a pirate ship with a single arrow.
Not the ship, but he shot a pirate captain from the shore, routed the whole fleet. I'd hate to cross an archer like that. Do you deserve death?
I hope not, my lord.
Then you're safe from Ishikawa.
I'll wait for you to continue.
The sensei's dojo is up there on the cliff.
Thank you. I'll take it from here.
One more question, my lord. May I ask why the sensei left his post as archery master to Clan Nagao?
No one knows.
Strange, giving up service to a great lord for this.
Sss.
Sensei's dojo. There was a struggle here. Better look around. Someone was wounded. Remove the arrow. Bloody footprints. The victim or the attacker? Dried blood. The fight wasn't recent. Maybe the sensei is in his house. A humble home for a Samurai. Hey, don't move, Sensei.
Ishikawa, Lord Sakai's boy. You survived Komoda.
We could have used Jyubun.
I was on my way when bandits attacked me.
Are you expecting them to return?
A samurai is never caught by surprise. I'm sorry about Lord Shimura. He was a good man.
He's alive, taken captive by the Mongols.
Then there's hope.
That's why I've come. Help me save him.
I can't. My student is missing, a skilled archer.
I will help you look, then you can both help me free Lord Shimura.
Try and keep up, Sakai. Who else made it out of Kumuda?
No one knows.
Are there any others who can fight back besides us?
I don't know yet.
You'd better find out quickly. We can't free your uncle by ourselves.
I can help track your student.
I need no help tracking Tomoe.
Tomoe?
A woman?
From what clan?
No clan. A peasant. But she can outshoot any samurai I know. Even you, Sakai.
The last time I saw you was 10 years ago.
You came to study with me.
You remember?
I remember most of the students I reject.
Instead, you took this Tomoe as your student.
You showed promise. Tomoe is a prodigy.
Mongols looking for me?
They fight like drunk tanuki.
They fought well enough at Komoda.
Even tanuki can catch a tiger when it's sleepy. The moose trail picks up here.
Come.
The Mongols took Fort Nakayama. That patrol likely came from there.
That's close to the hot springs.
The town will be the next to fall.
Something happened here.
Ambush. Look around.
Rice and millet. Left uneaten.
The attack was sudden.
Blood, but not much.
No one died.
A Japanese quiver.
A gift to my greatest student. I fear the worst. The Moi would never leave the quiver behind.
Unless she was pursued or captured. To what end?
Interrogation, torture, worse.
They may be doing the same to Lord Shimura.
Fear is a weapon, Sakai. Do not let the Mongols use it against you.
Your student, where would they take her?
Fort Nakayama. The fort is nearby. I should have fought the Komoda with you.
Better you didn't. We lost enough there.
Why did the samurai fail?
The Mongols fought like animals.
Wrong answer.
I saw it with my own eyes.
An archer's aim relies not on eyes, but on body, mind, and spirit. Stop here. We need to talk.
What's wrong, Sensei?
This bow was a gift to me from Lord Nagao many years ago.
It's a beautiful weapon.
Of course it is. And there's nothing more painful to me than a perfect bow ineptly used.
Then it's a good thing you're giving it to me.
Who said anything about giving? Prove you can shoot straight. I'll let you borrow it. Try it out before we go into battle. Aim for that lamp closest to us. The further the target, the more your arrow drops.
Good.
Another one further down the road on the left. Focus, Sakai.
I'm getting used to the grip.
Don't make me regret this.
I'd hate to add to such a long list.
Not bad.
Let's see if you can hit the one furthest away. How does it feel?
Like it was made for me.
It wasn't, so take good care of it. Let's go.
A bow like this would have helped at Komoda.
It is a good bow, but victory is won by warriors, not weapons.
You haven't seen the Mongols fire weapons.
They have not yet won.
I hope your student is inside.
We'll get a better look at the defenses from up there.
This spot is perfect.
I'll find a way in. Open the gate. Do we hit them?
You always charge into battle with your hakama half-tied.
You have a better idea?
Patience, Sakai. The Mongols will send men to find their missing patrol. When they open the gates, we strike.
The longer we delay, the longer Tomoe remains in danger.
She can take care of herself. Survey the battlefield. What can we use to our advantage?
Hornet nests. One shot could stir them up.
The Mongols will face the sting of insects and arrows.
An arrow in those hanging lights will kick up sparks and start fires. They have many archers.
They're skilled, but we are better.
Those barrels could do some damage.
We'll find out. When the gates open, distract the enemy and rain arrows on their heads.
Then we storm the fort and free Tomoe. Good.
Now we wait.
They're opening the gates.
Wait for my signal.
Get ready now.
Send them to their ancestors.
Ugh! Dosho! Dosho! Sss! Marshall! Atsuta!
They're opening the gates.
Wait for my signal.
Get ready now.
Send them to their ancestors.
Ready? Reach for us! Hey! Shh! Kai! Yeah! Oh no! Doshu!
Slain prisoners tied up, killed with arrows. Tomoe isn't— wait, this pendant belongs to her. Search the fort.
Good.
These arrows are Japanese.
They're Tomoe's arrows.
You are sure?
I taught her to make the nock with deer horn. And that curve of the eagle feathers.
So the Mongols took her weapons.
The shots are tightly clustered. No Mongol shoots Japanese arrows with such skill.
Then they allowed her to use a bow.
A scroll.
Archery terms with Mongolian translations. Your name is mentioned.
She was teaching them my way of the bow. Someone's personal quarters.
A woman's kimono. The Mongols freed her.
Why?
Do you hear that?
A survivor.
So cold.
We're looking for a woman, an archer.
The Mongols caged her with us, but they set her free, gave her armor and a bow. She killed my wife and the others. The bodies we found.
She proved her skill to the enemy and they recruited her.
Please, it hurts. Don't leave me.
I've seen enough. Let's go. I should have killed her.
Sensei?
Amoe won her freedom. She joined the Mongols.
Why would she do that? What happened?
I pushed her too hard.
Pushed her how? What are you hiding, Sensei? I demand an answer.
She attacked me. Not bandits. Tomoe.
Why?
She has no idea what it means to be samurai.
You drove her to the Mongols.
Do not judge me.
Do not lie to me.
I can't let Tomoe teach my way of the bow to the enemy.
Then we will stop her.
This is my fight. I don't need your weapon.
No, you need me. Victory is won by warriors, not weapons.
Lord Shimura raised you well. We'll hunt them away together, but we do it my way.
And when the time comes, you will help rescue my uncle.
You have my word, Sakai. I will prepare to hunt Tomoe. When you are ready, meet me at my dojo.
We can't rescue my uncle alone. I need more people to join our fight.
Find Lady Masako Adachi, if she's still alive. She's one of the finest warriors on the island.
