What is Honor?

"Captain Sanada Shinsuke!"

The messenger announced, a lanky boy that seemed fresh out of boot camp, all too eager to follow any orders just to climb the ranks of the daimyo's army. The rest of the soldiers inside the command tent rolled their eyes. This is all just formality, even Shin had the urge to stand and immediately take to the field himself.

"By order of Colonel Daigoro Shirotora," the messenger continued, "you are hereby commanded to face the champion of the traitor, Uesugi Kagetatsu, in single combat to the death. The stipulations: any bladed weapon will do while firearms are prohibited! Should you lose, Uesugi Kagetatsu's claim to expand his fief is granted. Should you live, he surrenders all his holdings, including his family, and forfeits his life!"

"Is that it, Corporal?" Shin asked, expecting nothing new as he straightened in his seat. The young soldier nodded in affirmation.

Another duel, he thought. He was not surprised at the command, after all, he is the best fighter with a blade and a gun fighting under the Shimazu banner — and he's been fighting these duels since the start of this campaign.

"More glory for you today, taicho!" A muscular man said with a gruff voice.

Shin sighed, "I'd rather not, to be honest, Sgt Takamura."

"Why not, Shin?" A leaner soldier chimed in while cleaning a sniper rifle that was almost his height.

"I swing the blade, and the White Tiger still gets all the glory without even lifting a finger. Is that fair, Takeru?" Shin replied.

Colonel Daigoro "the White Tiger" Shirotora has been waging this war for months, all under the banner of the Shimazu clan. It's a wonder the Daimyo hasn't reeled him in yet. But then again, less dissension means more control, so why would Lord Shimazu interfere.

"Is it wise to say that in front of his messenger?" Sgt Maeda Takeru followed with a knowing grin.

"Let him hear it," Shin replied calmly. "What's he gonna do? Execute me? Then who will be the blade he'll swing upon the next traitor he sees?" The messenger was clearly uncomfortable, biting his lip and avoiding Shin's gaze.

What irks him is serving under a right bastard like the White Tiger. He was callous, punishing lesser daimyos severely even if they don't deserve it, sometimes even including the peasants who have no choice but to obey their lords. Whatever made the Shogun think it was good to assign Shin under him was beyond his understanding. Good thing the White Tiger's also pragmatic, or else he'll just order bombing strikes to these opponent daimyos.

Shin snaps his head to another boy, almost the same age as the messenger. "Shou! Get my blades ready!"

"Which ones, taicho?" Corporal Kagami Shouichi replied in a tone almost as enthusiastic as the Colonel's messenger.

"The katana and the wakizashi."

"Copy that, taicho!" the young Corporal then disappears as he heads to the command tent's armory.

"And you, Corporal...?" Shin turned again to the messenger.

"Corporal Saito, sir!"

"Tell the White Tiger I'll be out in ten minutes."

Corporal Saito salutes in acknowledgment and rushes out of the command tent.

Shin wearily stood when the messenger left and faced his team. They were a special operations team, specialized for operations that require minimal casualties and maximum results. But right now, the only one who may be a casualty is Shin — all in exchange for one bloody castle. Yep, that lives up to the motto alright.

Shin scanned the tent, his gaze finally lands on Sgt Takamura. "Will you be my second on this duel, Ryu?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Takamura Ryunosuke rose to his full height. Five foot ten, tall by Japanese standards — and freakishly big. He turned to the massive chest by the side of his bunk and opened it with a loud crash.

Shin glanced at the chest. "Why the hell do you carry all that?" He asked as he noted multiple high caliber firearms, a naginata, and a no dachi among others.

Ryu grinned before pulling out a massive kanabo studded with black stones that appear to be polished granite.

"One weapon for every situation, taicho," he replied, grinning widely as he slung the massive club on his shoulder.

Shin sighed then turned to Takeru, "Can you ask our pretty specialist on who would likely be my opponent?"

Takeru nodded with a sly grin. He placed his rifle on his bunk and slowly, almost arrogantly made his way to a girl sitting in the center of the command tent. She was surrounded by monitors with a lollipop in her mouth.

"Hey there, Ruka-chan!" Takeru greeted in an attempt to sound cool and suave, raising a palm for a high five.

Lieutenant Kawai Ruka ignored him. She spun her chair around to face the rest of the unit. She was the team's tech specialist — hacking, data analysis, logistics, strategic and tactical planning, every task that needs a brain was done by her — an important balance to the knuckleheads assigned to the unit.

And she was pretty, which is a much needed... brightness, especially with Ryunosuke around.

"The Uesugi maintained a significant force of warrior monks, Cap," Ruka replied, with Takeru standing awkwardly behind her. "If I venture to guess, you'd face one of them."

"So there's no way to know except for the reputation that the warrior monks are known for," Shin muttered.

The warrior monks of the Uesugi — honed since the days of Uesugi Kenshin, also known as Bishamonten, "The God of War." These are monks who dedicated their lives to battle and only battle.

Most of the duels the White Tiger had him fight were against samurai who practiced other arts aside from the art of war. And these warrior monks also lack the overconfidence the samurai have. They would be calm, focused on the kill, not on how the kill is made. In a way, this would be Shin's first true challenge in this campaign.

Ruka then smiled widely, and Shin's confidence skyrocketed seeing the brightness on his subordinate's lips. "You'll absolutely win, Cap. You're the best sword this side of the continent."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lieutenant."

Duels, what an old school notion in this modern world. Honor the old ways, they said. You'll win unimaginable glory, they said. Well, Shin may be getting some renown, but his salary remains the same, albeit with considerable bonuses with every duel won. Then again, there's something noble in meeting your opponent face to face rather than blasting them with artillery — also saves lives and money in rebuilding the castles.

"Nothing like having Lieutenant cutie's encouragement to get you going, ain't that right, Shin?" Ryunosuke clapped Shin hard on the back, pulling him from his thoughts.

"She told you she doesn't like your puns to her name, Ryu," Takeru commented dryly.

"Nor does she like you hitting on her, Sgt," Corporal Kagami Shouichi reappeared from the armory, carrying two blades — a katana and a wakizashi. They're sheathed in a scabbard painted midnight black, so is the hilt, with the tsuba being a coiled golden dragon.

"She never said that," Takeru snapped back urgently. He then turned to Ruka, "You never said that, didn't you, Ruka-chan?" he said, making an exaggerated show at pleading to the young Lieutenant.

Ruka shrugged, spinning her seat and typing back at her keyboard. "I may or I may not have," the girl teased with a mischievous grin. Well, he made her smirk, which still wasn't any confirmation.

"I'll take that as a no," Takeru grinned back.

Shou crossed the command tent and handed Shin's blades. The young captain received it with a word of gratitude and immediately strapped it on his waist. He turns to Ryu, kanabo still slung on his shoulders.

"Shall we?" Shin asked, the left side of his lips rising for a half smile.

Ryu grunted in affirmation.

"Good luck, taicho," Shou said with a snappy salute.

"He does not need it," Takeru responded with a confident smirk.