The city was indeed too dangerous now to linger about for long, and as Asuka was quick to presume, someone was definitely after the Princess, a man by the name [i]Hanzo[/i]. Asuka didn't know much of a Hanzo, nor has she ever met the mysterious assailant that pursued them through the streets of Kyoto. Likewise, this Hanzo was exhibiting nefarious and well laid tactics in his assault against the warriors and the Princess, a battle-plan somewhat familiar to the samurai, having crossed it before in her previous bloody endeavors. But the time for reminiscing of such was naught. Sword drawn, Asuka swiftly followed behind Hanami and Hime-dono, covering their backside from demise as Kaede-dono commanded of her. It was indeed a sight to witness Kaede's infamous fury in battle, her blade already crimsoned by the time she landed the first strike upon her foes. "I shall guard them with my life, Kaede-dono, indeed I will!" She hastily called to the red demon, marveling the woman's quick and vicious handiwork. She certainly hadn't changed at all.

Right at the end of the passage they escaped through, demise was beginning to lay in store. What ill sorcery be this? "Puppets?!" The macabre wooden figures with their disturbing Cheshire grins lanked forth in all sorts of horrific and grotesque jerks and spasms, their wooden limbs clinking against the thick bark of their chests. The cackles they issued were indeed an intimidating irritant to the ear, yet Asuka remained unfazed by the bizarre men carved of tree limbs. One by one, the puppets unsheathed their weapons, swords, spears, even one wielding a sort of axe-like blade, all glinting crimson with blood spilled fresh. "Miko-dono! Get the princess away from these foul creatures, you should! I shall handle them!" Their cackles grew in decibel as the promise of fresh blood was issued, that or a challenge. 

And soon, they lunged forth to Asuka with a terrifying shriek, the cold, dead emptiness of their eyes ever increasing their haunting and malicious presence to the samurai, yet Asuka did not falter to their phantom nature, standing in defiance rather than shirking in terror of the puppets. There was that shift again in her demeanor, the cold, murderous mask overtaking her cheerful face as she gripped the handle of her sakabatou tight. "To send false warriors to do your bidding is COWARDICE!!" One slice was all it took, one swift and ferocious swing of her blade, and the wooden soldiers were dashed to pieces, falling to the dust and mire below the samurai. "Hanzo-san, I command you to come forth and face me as a true man of the blade, instead of sending your puppets to stain their splintered hands in innocent blood!" 

It was unclear if this Hanzo would come forth to the challenge of such an opponent. After all, there were many a warrior who wouldn't pass the opportunity to test their mettle against a samurai as legendary as Kushiami Asuka. "Come forth! The Slayer of a Thousand calls for you!"