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Ronin: Fellow bounty hunter, I see. be careful if you’re near Yamane Bluffs. There’s an old estate nearby that’s supposedly haunted by a cursed yokai.
Atsu: Yokai? In Yamane Bluffs? Good to know.
Ugetsu: I wouldn’t go in there.
Atsu: Why not?
Ugetsu: Because you may not return.
Atsu: What are you doing out here, Ugetsu?
Ugetsu: Hunting for legends.
Atsu: Find anything?
Ugetsu: I have, and it takes place in the forest that stands before us. Sit with me, and hear the tale… Of the Spider Lily General.
Ugetsu: During the Tenshō Iga War, a general clad in spider lily armour rose to prominence. A thousand adversaries fell to his blade. Spider lilies sprouted wherever he spilled blood, earning him the moniker, ‘The Spider Lily General’. After decades of conflict the general had a daughter. His love for her eclipsed his desire for war. He retired to Ezo and spent his days embracing fatherhood. But eventually, the allure of battle returned. The general donned his spider lily armour and trained vigorously. He even insisted on teaching his daughter to use a blade. One day, he accidentally cut her while sparring. The wound was small, but became inflamed. She lingered for days before passing. Consumed by guild, the general drove out his family and isolated himself. A fog settled over the forest. Now people whisper of the Spider Lily General, twisted by grief into a fearsome yokai that haunts his domain. Those foolish enough to seek out his fabled armour are never seen again.
Atsu: Grief can scar deeper than any blade.
Ugetsu: There’s a story there.
Atsu: Not one I’m willing to tell. Thanks for the tip about the armour.
Ugetsu: Were you not listening? A yokai stalks the forest before us.
Atsu: So you say.
Ugetsu: You were warned.
Atsu: Cut down by a skilled swordsman.
Atsu: Four locks on a single door… What are you hiding? A pagoda… A maze… A gravestone… And a cave.
Atsu: An old key. There’s a note here too.
General Tominaga: “You always begged me to throw you high into the air. You wanted to fly higher than the top of the pagoda.”
Atsu: This key must open the lock engraved with a pagoda.
General Tominaga: Yuri. You’ve finally returned. What I did to you… Will you forgive me?
Atsu: I’m not your daughter. She died.
General Tominaga: You are confused. Find your way home, Yuri. Then we will talk.
Atsu: How am I back here? Huh? There has to be something about the right path that’s different from the others. Hmm. maybe there’s a clue for which path to take that I’m missing. Someone left a key here. And a note…
General Tominaga: “I’m sorry I pushed you so hard when we trained here. I know you hated it, but I wanted to make you strong so you could protect yourself.”
Atsu: This key probably opens the lock with the maze engraving.
Saito Outlaw: Who’s there?
Atsu: Keep your hand away from that sword.
Saito Outlaw: Ha. I’m already dead. Didn’t have a chance against the general.
Atsu: What were you doing here?
Saito Outlaw: Probably the same as you. Looking to steal the Spider Lily General’s armour. Didn’t expect him to be real. He cut through us like we were nothing.
Atsu: Where are your friends?
Saito Outlaw: (grim chuckle) In that cave over there. You’re going to die here, stranger.
Atsu: One of the locks had a cave engraving, but I don’t see any spider lilies here.
Saito Outlaw: No, no! (Pained scream)
General Tominaga: (Anguished wail)
Atsu: These drawings are by a child. There’s a key and a note.
General Tominaga: “You hid from me here when you didn’t want to train. I’m sorry I didn’t let you paint. I come here often to remember you.”
Atsu: This key must open the lock etched with a cave.
General Tominaga: (Anguished wail)
Atsu: Graverobbers.
Saito Outlaw A: The armour is somewhere in this estate and I am not leaving until we find it.
Saito Outlaw B: Are you insane? We’re being hunted. I don’t care how much that armour is worth. We need to go before that thing kills the rest of us.
Saito Outlaw A: Run away if you want, but I’m staying.
Saito Outlaw B: It’s the Spider Lily General!
Saito Outlaw A: You idiot, that’s just a woman!
Saito Outlaw B: I’m not taking any chances, kill her!
General Tominaga: Trespassers! You’ll regret coming here!
Saito Outlaw B: It’s the general!
Saito Outlaw A: Run!
Atsu: What was that…? There’s something near that body. A key… and note.
General Tominaga: “They forced me to attend a funeral for you here. But I know it was a lie. You’re still alive, and you will return to me one day.”
Atsu: He refused to believe his daughter was dead. This key should be for the lock with a gravestone on it.
Atsu: Medicine, bedding soaked through with blood. This must be where his daughter died.
Atsu: Dried blood and a duelling ring… This must be where the general’s daughter was injured.
General Tominaga: Yuri, you’ve finally returned. I’ve waited so long. I won’t make you spar again, you can paint as much as you want.
Atsu: I’m sorry, I’m not Yuri.
General Tominaga: Wait. I see you’ve grown strong, like a warrior.
Atsu: I’m not Yuri. But I understand the loss you feel.
General Tominaga: Show me what you’ve learned since you’ve been away. But be warned, I won’t hold back. I need to know you’re ready to face the world without me.
General Tominaga: Yuri. I never imagined you’d become so skilled!
Atsu: Your daughter isn’t coming back.
General Tominaga: I’m sorry I didn’t let you paint.
Atsu: I… I didn’t want to fight you, Father.
General Tominaga: I only wanted to teach you how to protect yourself.
Atsu: You did, Father. I’m strong now. Thanks to you.
General Tominaga: Such skill. I’m impressed. You can fight your own battles now. You don’t need me anymore.
Atsu: I don’t. I’m safe.
General Tominaga: Then I can finally rest. I love you, Yuri.
Atsu: The Spider Lily General’s armour. A note is here. “Goodbye, Yuri.”