The two samurai stood across from one another, blades drawn, and identical footwork as they paced. One was clad in shimmering blue and white, with a remarkable appearance, and a blade radiating power and status, a Crane. The other was a large, intimidating figure, wearing blood red, with massive armor accenting his already bulky frame, and a blade nicked and scarred with the signs of a hundred battles, a Crab.

They circled around each other, their steps drawing up dust from the court’s dueling ring. The court’s lord, a daimyo of the Lion clan, stood on the edge of the ring alongside a trio of Imperial magistrates, there to ensure the legality of the duel in question. The four of them watched intently as the tradition of Iaijutsu progressed, awaiting the moment the first strike would be made.

In a brief, lighting-fast moment, the blades were raised and swung. The Crane swung low, directing his blade towards the midsection of the opposing warrior. The Crab sidestepped this motion, bringing his blade down from on high, delivering a deft blow across the Crane’s face, blood coating the war-worn blade, and splashing across the floor of the dueling ring.

In one fluid movement, the Crab wiped his blade along the edge of its sheath, cleaning off the blood, before sheathing the blade itself. The Crane knelt against the ground, clutching at where the opponent’s blade had struck, directly across his eyes. One of the Daimyo’s servants rushed to the aide of the Crane, while the three Imperial magistrates discussed the outcome with great fervor. As the servant tied a bloody cloth around the eyes of the Crane, helping him stand and directing him out of the ring, the magistrates declared the Crab the legal victor of the duel, and the blow perfectly acceptable under Imperial law.

When the Crane returned to his own Daimyo, he surrendered himself at his lord’s feet, proclaiming himself a failure devoid of honor, and requesting the right of seppuku. The Daimyo refused him the right, stating that the Crane’s honor had not been tarnished, and that he was still of use. The Crane refused to acknowledge this, deciding that if the right of seppuku were to be denied to him, he would have no choice but to renounce his service to his lord, becoming Ronin until the day he could regain his honor by besting the Crab in a duel.

Years went by as the Crane wandered the land, seeking out anyone and everyone who would be willing to instruct him further in the arts of Iaijutsu, but none would. Despondent, the Crane soon turned his search to fortune tellers, seers, soothsayers, anyone would could predict the future, foresee his destiny. As he sought them out, he made the same request, and received the same answer each time. Each time, he asked if he would one day defeat the Crab that had bested him so handedly, and each time he was told yes, but that his victory would bring about great danger to the Emerald Empire.

In his arrogance, the Crane believed firmly that he could prevent this tragedy, that his skill as a warrior and duelist could both defeat the Crab, and spare the Empire from tragedy. And so again the Crane sought to improve his skill, seeking to bring glory to himself, so that the great Iaijutsu masters might take notice of him, and teach him the skills he would need to one day best his now-rival, the Crab.