Metou has been pretty proactive the past couple posts, I think I should let Gin notice the musician/approach her?
Some real dork stuff going on
Yeah you'll never be the strongest in the setting. But you can get stronger, though right now it's middle of the road for what they are. Otherwise it breaks the whole "not sending the elite thing" which is the set up.
Also as I'm going to try to be posting more frequently and stuff after my work stabilizes want to make something to clear to everyone. As the initial thing said, no one is playing the Shima Elite the strongest members are still in Shima. Any current characters and future characters made are in the mid range of capability for their race and age. Barring special skills no one is capable of things that people outside of the most isolated fisherman haven't seen before. When the journey picks back up and they encounter foes more frequently just as many will be weaker than than as their are potential enemies stronger than them so it will often not be about just muscle. Since while any of the characters can beat up a random commoner other warriors are much more difficult to fight. Now while they can get better as the rp goes on to start I want to make clear how everyone is in regards to the setting. There will be times where the only way out will be to fight and kill people as well as times where our characters can really shine and do cool things. But want to make clear that this isn't intended to be an rp where people play the elites of the land that shape it through raw power, instead of their journey itself giving them chances to change history.
Metou is old so that is obvious.
But Jiang and Kenji are roughly as capable as warriors of their size and training would be at their current age, with some wiggle room of course. While specific match ups vary based on the skills involved, neither will be able to 1v1 one of the master samurai within the setting or will be capable of feats that are considered legendary of beyond anyone in a clan.
Outside of wearing tougher armor than most Neko, isn't any more capable than another one who dedicated his or her life to fighting. And Older Neko will generally be better than him barring specific skills that they wouldn't know, especially the ones without much human blood. As mentioned the armor is unusual so will better defend against many attacks but that isn't something innately him.
Gin and Yuudai are both half oni and as such are higher than average human warriors in raw might, but humans kill Oni all the time it just isn't easy. So neither of them are actually above high level human warriors. Warrior leaders like Ryuu Naji are stronger than them physically and better in martial arts and many human warriors are still above them. So while they are fearsome compared to most humans they still aren't something humans haven't seen or are unable to fight against. Compared to other Oni they are both small and will be noticeably weaker than Oni who have lived longer, especially as they would have constantly grown stronger via combat with their own kind. That isn't to say they can't kill an Oni in a fight, as I said humans manage to do it all the time; just that the average Oni of 25+ is going to be physically stronger than either of them as well as larger. So neither will have warriors thinking any different of them than the other Oni that they encounter just hanging around in terms of intimidation.
Also guards and warrior npcs in general aren't as a rule incompetent or useless. Unless they are stated to be so assume that they have the kind skillset needed to survive in the place they live in. The exact status of them will vary by clan but don't treat them as just some weak feebs to do whatever to or to constantly get over on. It's a rough and dangerous land and most are pretty capable in their own right.