Shadows, all of them reflect my stance.
I was an utterly ordinary person. I only wanted to protect the people I cared about and live a peaceful, steady life. But in these chaotic times, that was impossible. An unexpected upheaval thrust me into the eye of the storm.
I was forced to take up a blade and step into the martial world.
The martial world was more complicated than I had imagined. Schools and sects stood everywhere, locked in open and covert struggles, while the imperial court and the martial world eyed each other with suspicion. What people called "justice" took a different form in every mouth.
I struggled at the edge of life and death time and again, growing with every choice I made. I came to understand that a blade could be used to protect, but could also become a chain. I had to learn to wield it for the right reasons without losing sight of who I was.
Along the way, I met many people: wandering swordsmen who lived by their grudges, strategists who hid their true intentions, and a young woman burdened by a terrible blood feud. They made me feel less alone and helped me see my path more clearly.
When the final battle arrived, I stood atop a cliff, watching the winds gather and clouds churn. I knew that a true stance was not a choice between black and white, but the ability to hold on to the light in your heart even in the gray.
This is my story, a journey through the martial world about choice and protection.
