Chapter Ten: Legend Woman:

The stories surrounding Kate spread worse than the plague. Many details varied about different tales. The results always ended in bloodshed. Every village that she blew through, always tried to guess her true nature.

“I think she hates men in general.”

“I heard she killed thirty men.”

“She scares me.”

“Don’t make eye contact!”

It never changed. Because of her reputation, she could execute her search properly. Kate forgot how many times she had killed before her death. Blood splashing on her face didn’t faze her anymore. Death flirted with her, but she dare not reply. She needed to stay alive to see Ichiro again. Her beloved grew into her only reason for living. Only Kate alone knew the truth.

The stories still spread around. Kate tried to drown them out with blood and alcohol. The latter made things even worse. Over time, she learned to hide her tears and keep moving. The rumors didn’t stop.

“She’s killed again tonight.”

“She worse than the samurai on the battlefield.”

“Why is she doing this?”

Kate couldn’t answer that last question herself. Why did she keep killing? At first, it was out of anger. Kate set out to take revenge on the soldiers that violated that night. However, she didn’t know much about those men. Still she had to track them down. Within six months, Kate stopped counting how many men she had killed. She couldn’t even feel anything when her victims met their deaths. Villages refused to welcome her. As a result, Kate grew tired of living among humans. After her last kill, she disappeared into the mountains.

She hadn’t thought about changing her ways until a blind monk showed her otherwise.

It had snowed that morning in the mountains. Kate had no shoes and little food. Still, her Ichiro wouldn’t let her turn around to civilization. She sat on the ground with her knees to her chest. What should I do? Her stomach growled angrily. Kate forced herself to ignore it. She rested her head on her knees. She might as well wait for death to come and take her.

The wild woman lifted her head when she heard footsteps in the snow. A man dressed in back walked with a cane tapping around on the ground. In his other hand, he held out an unlit lantern. Only his straw hat and black cloak protected him from the snow. Kate tilted her head.

“Hello?” she asked. The man stopped in his tracks.

“Who is there?” he asked.

Kate shrugged her shoulders. “Nobody. Who are you?”

The man chuckled as he lowered his empty lantern. “I am a nobody too.”

Kate frowned, glaring. “Are you making fun of me, old man?”

“No, I really am a nobody.”

She turned away, gritting her teeth and snorting. “Whatever.”

“You sound so lonely.”

“And why would I be?”

The old man in black walked over to her. “May I trouble you for a rest beside you?” He sat down on the snow before she had the chance to say no. Kate turned her head with an odd look on her face. Before she could say a word, she noticed something off about the man.

“What’s wrong with your eyes?” Kate asked.

“My eyes?” he asked.

“Yes.”

The old man chuckled. “I have been blind since birth.”

She blinked with a puzzled look on her face. “Do you know who I really am?”

“You are a nobody like you said.”

“Heh. Fair enough.” A cold breeze blew through her hair. Kate tilted her head. “By the way, who are you really?”

“Just a blind old monk wandering the mountain.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, what is your story?”

“My story?” Kate lay back in the snow. “My story…” All of the years totaled up in her head.