The Man Behind the Mask

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The Man Behind the Mask was a virtual representation of one of Fujibayashi Naoe's and Yasuke's genetic memories, relived through the Animus EGO.

Description

Naoe and Yasuke confronted the Shinbakufu's leader, revealed to the former shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

Dialogue

NaoeYasuke

• Naoe: This is it. Where we'll finally find the box and the masked horseman.

Naoe and Yasuke travelled to the Kuramadera Temple, where they found Yoshiaki sitting on a mat by himself in the open. They approached the former shōgun, who has his mask and the box he stole from Iga.

• Yoshiaki: The foreign samurai and the shadow from Iga. We meet again. Do not fear me. I am alone.

Naoe split from Yasuke and circled around Yoshiaki.

• Yoshiaki: You see, I have nothing to hide. I assume you know who I am?
• Yasuke: The Shōgun. Or at least the one who once held claim to this title.
• Naoe: You're the coward who killed my father.

Yoshiaki turned around to face Naoe.

• Yoshiaki: The fool fights even when all is lost. The wise concedes victory and looks to the future.

The former shogun presented the box to Naoe.

• Yoshiaki: You have won. The treasure is yours.
• Naoe: The regalia is inside?
• Yoshiaki: I have some respect for our traditions yet. Where the box goes, so does the Jewel. I underestimated your resilience, shadow. And I admit, it cost me everything.
• Naoe: I promised my father I would return what was stolen from us. I always keep my word.
• Ashikaga Yoshiaki: An honorable trait that could prove useful to you today.
• Yasuke: Why do you give it to us so freely?
• Yoshiaki: Consider it a starting point. To initiate negotiations that I leave with my life.
• Naoe: No. You die here today.
• Yoshiaki: It is not vengeance you truly desire, young Igan. Not anymore. I hear you seek another shadow. Carrying a wrist blade like yours. Now, it is customary to discuss terms. Sit.
• Naoe: Where?
• Yoshiaki: Give me your word, and I will tell you where.
• Naoe: Was it a woman?
• Yoshiaki: I neglected to ask. My spies were more taken with how she faded into nothingness.
• Yasuke: We do not know if he tells the truth.
• Yoshiaki: Why lie and have this shadow hunt me? I've paid a steep price to learn that lesson, samurai.

After thinking through for a while, Naoe made her choice.

• Naoe: All right. You have my word.
• Yoshiaki: In Yamato. At Sakafune-ishi.

Naoe squatted and stared at Yoshiaki in his face, still having the urge to kill him. Eventually, she decided otherwise and picked up the box.

• Naoe: Let's go.

As she prepared to leave, Yasuke stopped her.

• Yasuke: Not yet. I did not promise him anything. You killed my daimyō and betrayed our emperor. You must answer for this.
• Yoshiaki: Warmongering fools like Oda Nobunaga betrayed our world. Sacrificed our people. Men like him have undermined the order of the Shogunate for more than a century with their thirst for power. They have plunged us into chaos. Am I not, after all, the legitimate ruler of our lands? I wanted only to take back my rightful place. To return us to order.
• Naoe: By stealing what the emperor entrusted to the Kakushiba ikki?

Yoshiaki turned to the front to face both of them.

• Yoshiaki: Objects believed to be magical. In my hands, they became a means to restore. To secure our country's future.
• Yasuke: You sold them to the Portuguese.
• Yoshiaki: Ah. We both know we are not talking about regular merchants and Jesuits. I suspect you have been looking for the Templar Order for some time, samurai. Their demise is near to your heart. Surely nearer than any desire to kill me. Or are you just like them, underneath that armor you wear? My life for my information.
• Yasuke: I have found Duarte de Melo. His days of torture and treachery on the slave ships are over.
• Yoshiaki: In Takahara Village, Kimura Kei sells our strength to the enemy. You might want to do something about that.
• Yasuke: We have what we need.
• Naoe: Without the Shinbakufu, you have no value. No more leverage. The foreigners will come back for the box and kill you.
• Yoshiaki: But I do not have the box. You do. It is in everyone's interest that you find them before they find us, samurai.
• Yasuke: You were afraid of them.
• Yoshiaki: Terrified.
• Yasuke: Lord Nobunaga feared no such force. His name will live on forever. You will live in shame, and die forgotten.

Naoe and Yasuke took their leave and pondered over their confrontation with Yoshiaki.

• Yasuke: Did you get what you wanted?
• Naoe: I did. But it doesn't feel... over.
• Yasuke: We both have new paths to trace. All because of this. I wonder how many lives have paid for its passage to us...
• Naoe: Too many to count. But not one more. We'll make sure of it.
• Yasuke: Such burdens are more bearable when shared.

Naoe and Yasuke left the temple, behind the former shōgun behind. Yoshiaki picked up his onryo mask and reflect on his defeat.

Outcome

Naoe obtained the box containing the regalia from Yoshiaki. She and Yasuke spared his life and were given new details regarding their hunt for the Kakushiba ikki and the Templars, respectively.