Heishiro Mitsurugi, a young samurai known for his fierce fighting, was born
a farmer's son in Bizen, Japan. Heishiro, a strong young boy, enjoyed
farming. However, after many years of seeing his beloved farm ravaged by war,
he became angry and discouraged. He decided that it was better to raid than
be raided, so in the winter of his fourteenth year he threw down his hoe and
took up the sword. Studying swordsmanship under a powerful Irakani clan lord, he was
eventually hired as a mercenary. It was then that he took the name Mitsurugi,
but he also came to be known by many others, such as the "Great Swordsman" and
"The Guardian in this age of Civil War." His original fighting style and
powerful attacks made him quite feared during battle. It was said of him
that he mowed through foes "as if they were a field of wheat." His
spectacular battlefield record earned him several commendations to the
rank of officer.
Mitsurugi cared nothing for military glory, however, and rejected his
military commissions. His only desire was for a worthy adversary. He
eventually left the Irakani clan, much to their regret, to pursue a career as
a freelance mercenary. In this capacity, he fought in every war in the land.
During this time, he heard of a new weapon, Tanegashima: A matchlock rifle.
Mitsurugi stared in disbelief as this new weapon wiped out the mighty
Iakedo cavalry. For Mitsurugi, who made his living with the sword, this was
an urgent matter. The advent of the rifle meant that wars would no longer be
decided by the strong, and Mitsurugi would be out of a job.
Mitsurugi decided that he needed to find a weapon that was stronger
than the rifle. He had heard rumors about the legendary sword Soul Edge, a
weapon of considerable power. Mitsurugi theorized that if he could find Soul
Edge, he could use it to overpower the firearm. Thus, he set out on a journey
to find the Soul Edge. His first stop was Noto castle, a hideout for a band
of Japanese pirates. Mitsurugi agreed to guard the castle at night in
exchange for passage to mainland Asia. That night, Taki
attempted to sneak into the castle, but was stopped by Mitsurugi. The
following day, he rode with the pirates to China and began his journey west.
After months of travel, Mitsurugi ended up in Germany, where he
joined a mercenary band led by Marquis Andre. One night, the Marquis force
layed siege to Ostrheinsburg castle, the stronghold of Sir Stephan. The
siege lasted for days, and Mitsurugi left to continue his quest for Soul
Edge. He traveled all over Europe, but never found so much as a trace of
the legendary blade. He still remained unaware of it's evil nature. Without
a weapon superior to the Tanegashima rifle, Mitsurugi felt he could never
return home. Irritation at his plight drove the proud warrior mad, and he
chose one day to duel against the Tanegashima in front of a group of feudal
lords. Despite his skill, the rifleman who opposed him bested Mitsurugi and
he took a bullet in the chest. Utterly defeated, Mitsurugi realized he
needed to study additional sword arts to match the rifle. During his study
of new styles, he heard a story of a knight named Nightmare
who possessed an invincible sword. Thinking this was also a weapon that
could defeat the rifle, Mitsurugi set out again to find Nightmare and perhaps
his salvation.
As he crossed Europe to find the sword, Mitsurugi encountered other
warriors who were seeking Nightmare as well. It was from them that Mitsurugi
finally learned of Soul Edge's true nature. He may have been desperate, but
Mitsurugi would never rely on evil to win battles. Thus, he gave up his
search and returned to Japan. If he was to find a way to defeat the
Tanegashima rifle, he would do it through his own strength and skill. |
