
1 chapter • 3 scenes
When young samurai Kenji discovers his clan lord plans to seize village lands for personal gain, he must choose between feudal loyalty and the true spirit of bushido—finding that honor sometimes demands the courage of betrayal.




Rice terraces cascade down verdant hills where farmers have worked for ten generations. Wooden farmhouses cluster around a central well, their roofs weathered to silver. The scent of damp earth and growing things fills the air.

Stone walls rise three stories around the central keep, where tatami rooms are arranged in precise angular lines. Screens painted with clan crests partition every space, allowing no privacy. The air smells of incense and iron.
Kenji serves Lord Masanori faithfully at Hoshina Fortress, believing unquestioning loyalty is the essence of bushido. When ordered to deliver an edict seizing Cedar Valley lands, he encounters his childhood friend Emi and witnesses the human cost of his obedience.
Kenji receives the land seizure edict from Lord Masanori, travels to Cedar Valley, reunites with childhood friend Emi, and confronts the moral weight of his obedience when village elders beg for mercy.
Lord Masanori summons Kenji and delivers the land seizure edict, framing it as necessary governance.

Kenji arrives at Cedar Valley and encounters Emi, who recognizes his inner conflict.

Kenji reads the edict to village elders beneath the ancient cedar tree, and an old man kneels begging mercy.

Kenji attempts to petition Lord Masanori for mercy, only to discover the lord's ruthless determination. Emi's father is arrested for resistance, and Kenji must choose between his samurai status and protecting innocent lives.
Kenji defies Lord Masanori's order and helps the villagers escape before clan soldiers arrive. He sacrifices his samurai status, becoming a ronin, and discovers that true bushido requires the courage to stand alone.