With the help of the gatekeepers, the chief of Cloud Hunt Village allowed the group to attend the wedding of his daughter and the village's strongest hunter, Basara the Executioner.
[Survival Mission 1: Cloud Hunt Village is about to be slaughtered by a "Demon." Survive and escape the "Demon's" pursuit. Note: Survivors cannot leave Cloud Hunt Village without authorization before the "Demon" arrives.]
[Survival Mission 2: Survive in the world of Samurai Shodown Zero for 10 days.]
After washing their hands and rinsing their mouths, the group entered the wedding venue. Then, they received the message from the Survival Mark—the long-awaited survival missions had finally been issued!
Upon seeing the mission information, everyone's heart skipped a beat, except for Rex, Leo, and the expressionless Cyan Wei. A chill ran from their backs straight to the tops of their heads. Looking at the living people around them, they knew that before long, these people would be dead. They wanted to change it, but they lacked the power.
Though not nobility, it was still the wedding of the chief's daughter. The ceremony was full of ritual. Japanese weddings focus on formality; they aren't as rowdy as Western ones, nor do they have the Chinese custom of inviting guests to a massive feast. It was elegant and quiet. After the rituals ended, the chief arranged accommodations for the outsiders.
"If you don't mind, please rest here tonight."
The woman inviting the "youth" to her home couldn't help but steal a few extra glances at the beautiful youth dressed in white. She had never seen such a handsome boy. If she were ten years younger, she might have wanted something to happen between them.
Cyan Wei pulled back the quilt and crawled in. Her light red lips parted slightly as she spoke in this world for the first time, though her voice was a bit clumsy.
"If you need anything, please just tell me..."
"Miyako, it's time for bed!"
The man with the stubbly beard, seeing his wife so concerned with a pretty face, felt a bit jealous. He grumbled and dragged his wife toward their sleeping quarters.
Once they were out of sight, Cyan Wei covered herself with the quilt and closed her eyes.
At the village entrance, the two men on night watch saw a tall, imposing man walking toward them. Noticing the blade at his waist, they immediately aimed their bows.
"Who goes there?!"
"The one who kills you!"
A flash of blade light followed. One man collapsed into a pool of blood, while the other managed to ring the bronze bell.
"Dang! Dang! Dang—!"
The sound of the bell echoed through the village.
Blood splashed onto the bronze bell, and the ringing stopped abruptly. Looking at the man who died with his eyes wide open in resentment, the tall man stepped over the corpse and entered Cloud Hunt Village.
Inside the wedding room, Basara the Executioner, who was preparing for his wedding night, heard the bell. His movements to undress froze. Kagaribi, wearing clothes that revealed much of her chest, was also stunned.
The bell meant there was an intruder.
"Kagaribi, stay here and don't run around. I'll go see!" Basara didn't have time for a shirt; he grabbed his blade and rushed out half-naked.
"Basara, be careful!"
Kagaribi watched him run out, her hands pressed to her chest. She felt uneasy; for some reason, an ominous premonition rose in her heart.
The villagers, hearing the bell, grabbed their weapons and rushed out of their homes to drive away the intruder. Although Cloud Hunt Village was deep in the mountains, they had dealt with bandits before. It was a village of farmers and hunters; almost everyone knew a few hunting techniques.
Archery was a skill the people of Cloud Hunt Village learned from childhood to survive. In this era of famine, they survived because of their hunting and farming. This was how they had protected the peace of their village.
However, this time, they encountered a mass murderer—a demon.
The desolate moonlight shone on the corpses of the villagers. Their blood flowed together like a river. People who were laughing and talking with the survivors moments ago now lay in pools of blood.
Some people's minds snapped. They knelt on the ground begging for mercy, but the demon, who had no human emotion left, would not spare them.
By the time the survivors emerged from the villagers' homes, most of the villagers had been killed.
"A demon! The demon is here! Run!!!"
A man, scared out of his wits, ran for his life. A flash of blade light saw his body split in two, blood and organs spilling everywhere.
The cold moonlight shone on the man drenched in blood. He had a powerful frame, wild white hair, and a face where only the enjoyment of slaughter remained. The murderous aura radiating from him made Wang vomit, clutching his mouth.
Even Chen Xiaoxue, who had committed suicide, turned pale instantly, her stomach churning.
No one looked well. The survivors who wanted to rely on the two veterans moved closer to Rex and Leo.
"Shit! It's Zankuro Minazuki. Rex, we're in big trouble!" Leo's face changed as he recognized the demon still slaughtering villagers.
"Don't just stand there staring. Run before he notices us!" Rex whispered. He turned and ran toward the depths of the village, even faster than he had run to get there.
Leo followed Rex; neither had time to worry about the rookies now.
The survivors seeking protection immediately chased after them. No matter how slow they were, they knew that running aimlessly would only get them killed by the mad Zankuro.
Cyan Wei looked in the direction they were fleeing, then turned and ran the opposite way. Too many people running together made for a target that was too big and easier for the "demon" to hunt. It was better to head another way to escape.
As Cyan Wei ran at full speed, her agility—nearly six times that of a normal person—made her look like a black shadow flashing past. Even Zankuro only saw a blur and thought it was a small animal scared off by his killing intent, so he didn't care. He did, however, notice the group running together. Crossing his arms over his blade, the Crimson Steel Grudge Prison Rounder, he charged toward them, slaughtering anyone in his path.
"Damn it, stop following us!"
Seeing Zankuro chasing directly after them, Rex cursed. The muscles in his arms bulged like they were being inflated. Mimicking Goro Daimon from KOF '97, he slammed both hands heavily onto the ground, channeling his power into the earth.
The ground shook violently. The bodies of the people following Rex and Leo swayed. Wang, who had just vomited, fell onto his butt. Even the pursuing Zankuro paused for a moment, barely maintaining his balance.
Leo, who was already prepared, jumped up to avoid the interference of this fake "Land Mine" technique. The two veterans quickly fled into the distance.
Zankuro's blade fell, severing the head of the despairing Wang, followed by another strike that took the head of Song Xinxin.