As a boy, he loved to jump around and sword fight for fun. Now he did it for a living. For a living, to get food and money, to escape from his enemies and to get home. His name was Matsui. Finally he returned to his home, a hut hidden in the branches of an elm tree. Living in the darkness of the forest he was safe. Having learnt Bushido, he could fend off the animals of the forest.
He went to the waterfall to meditate. A few days ago he sensed something. Something big. Something angry. Something that Matsui might not be able to defeat. As he meditated, he figured it out. The forest spirits were angry. More and more trees were being cut. Only one thing could calm then. Human blood!
They would send a dragon to exact their revenge. He could warn the Emperor but the guards would kill him. So he rested for the night. Tomorrow he would hike up the maintain and kill the dragon.
The next day he took out his sword with the magic enchantments carved into it. He hiked up to the top of the mountain. Right there, flying high above him, was the feared dragon - Harikimi.
Its teeth were white daggers, its breath smelt like rotting, half digested meat and its eyes were soulless black pits with red pupils. Matsui drew his sword and lunged at Harikimi.
Harikimi hit Matsui out of the way with its scaly claw and roared. Matsui jumped, and without thinking, cut Harikimi's eye. Now half blind, flew and shot green fire into the forest. Matsui watched in horror as on quarter of his forest was lost in the inferno.
Seeing this, the forest spirits tried to help Matsui. They enchanted Matsui's sword. Matsui was now as fast as lightening and as strong as an ox. Matsui ran and stabbed Harikimi's heart. The mighty dragon fell. Luckily, Matsui was able to throw Harikimi off himself.
Matsui's victory would only be know by a handful of people. Him, the forest spirits, the now dead Harikimi and us.
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