The Ninja War
One of the Yomi no Shinobi, the same group that chased the party around
Tokyo to corner Dan into a fight with Ravenna and got Roy sent to a
Chinese hell, crashes through Kagero's apartment window, severely
injured. It is Yamiken Ryuunosuke, their leader , and he asks Kagero to
help save his clan from destruction.
After deciding to let him explain, he relates that the Shadow Clan has
taken action to eliminate the Yomi Clan. Kagero of the Wind Clan is his
only hope, as the Wind Clan was never at odds with the Yomi Clan in the
past and the Shadow Clan has not yet rallied it against the them. (Read
the Ninja War section for more details about specific clans and the
Character section for some of the NPCs of the Yomi and
Shadow Clan.)
Ryuunosuke says his clan bore no personal ill will towards the party
despite their previous conflict.
Alexi particularly finding genocide distasteful, the party decides to
help the Yomi Clan (Yamiken, Takakura, Amano, Oyuki, Shikomi).
Kagero gathers the party and tries to figure out a way for a clan of now
less than 50 to defeat an organized army of hundreds. That the Yomi Clan
base, a temple in a pocket dimension, is a good fortress but remaining
their forever is not an option. However, determining where to strike
the Shadow Clan to make them back off is difficult.
Loss of the Safe House
The last secret safehouse of the Yomi Clan is attacked. The party
defends it but its discovery means it must be abandoned. Takeuchi and Yamigawa
led the Shadow Clan assault.
Having now made themselves targets, the party is attacked on the street
by Yamigawa and a troop of Shadow Shinobi. Iori appears to help the
party. He apparently has reason to dislike Yamigawa Yousuke.
Dan notes that the Yomi Clan have possession of the Darkstalker Bishamon
(a suit of armor that nobody has been strong enough to put on without
the suit killing them horribly). Lillith wonders if it should be taken
to Maximilian Hart whom Dan has been giving the various Darkstalkers to
for protective custody. Dan thinks it is safe where it is from Tres, the
unholy abomination.
One by one, the party members are privately approached by a shadowed figure who asks if they will betray the Yomi Clan, arguing the evil nature of the Yomi ninja.
Betrayal of the Training Grounds
Kagero strikes up a friendship with a young and innocent in the ways of
the real world Yomi Shinobi, Amano Shun. He begins to train her in the
way of the sword. Despite his age, he is a master swordsman and an
excellent ninja. However, his mystically-hidden park training ground is
attacked by the Shadow Clan (led by Yamigawa), an oddity since only those who know where
to look can find it. He and Kagero barely escape.
While the party investigates the reason for Kagero not getting back in
contact ("This cell phone is not in service because it has been destroyed
by ninjas."), they leave the newly established safe house (to be used as a
staging ground for counterattack), opening it to an attack by Nagano and Setsuna.
Ryuunosuke is critically injured by Nagano's sword thrust. Also, Oyuki and
Shikomi are captured.
Together, the party and Yomi Clan stage a raid on the city building in
downtown Tokyo that serves as the base for the Shadow Clan. Alexi picks
up some stealth tips from Takakura Hiroyuki. The raid is successful. In fact,
Takeuchi Daisho (one of the Shadow) helps them escape. "Recent actions have been
tasteless," he says, referring to the torture of one of the prisoners. The
freed captives reveal that they were questioned about Bishamon's armor.
Convinced that the Yomi Clan has a traitor amongst them, everyone is now suspicious of each other. It is also now known that the demon Setsuna is giving advice to the Shadow Clan leader, Nagano Oogami. Setsuna and the Yomi Clan have a history. Setsuna is a demon that even the Yomi world abhors for he breaks their laws. Whether he simply thrives on utter chaos of both worlds or has a grand plan nobody knows, but he was reborn again and here he is on Earth.
The Arrival of the Tenkyu: Is All Lost?
A full-scale assault is staged on the Shadow Clan headquarters. Kagero
even gets Yakuza allies on party’s side. Perhaps if Nagano or Setsuna are
removed, the war will end. The battle reaches a crescendo on the rooftop where
Hayabusa and Kasumi fight on the side of the Shadow Clan and the dreaded Tenkyu
Clan appears as their back-up with a deadly mystic assault! Guy comes to the aid
of the party and the Yomi Clan, and together they manage to escape.
Guy explains that he once knew a woman named Rose who would be apalled at the senseless slaughter. Kasumi and Hayabusa decide to switch sides.
Nightclub Showdown
Needing some recreation, our usual heroes go to a nightclub where Shag Ri La
happens to be playing (Chris, Yashiro, Shermie). Our intrepid heroes spy Oyuki
with a ninja (low level) they have seen with the Shadow Clan. Takeuchi is also
here and as he approaches the other ninja vanishes.
"So will you kill me now?" She asks.
"I am not a barbarian who will kill you in a place like this," He
replies and leaves her be.
Yet, creepy ninjas of the Darkness Clan appear to kill the allies of the Yomi Clan. And just when the party is thinking they have it handled, the band leader, Yashiro, leaps down and gives the Darkness Clan a severe beating for interrupting his performance (and because they were bad people).
They return to the Yomi temple where Ryuunosuke is laying plans for another attack against the Shadow Clan (this time keeping the details secret). However the Shadow Clan’s final assault on the secret Yomi Clan temple has begun! Dan tells Lillith to hide inside.
Last Stand
The traitor having sold out their location and the ways of the secret entrance, Setsuna leads his allies to wipe out everyone inside. Ryuunosuke orders the defense but the traitor, Shikomi, reveals a hidden blade in his staff and stabs him in the back. The party now starts to reason with the Shadow Clan 2nd in Command, Takeuchi Daisho, and he starts to wonder about Nagano’s reasons for this war. Kagero clashes swords with Setsuna and his purple-lightning charged wooden sword. Finally when all seems lost, the Wind Clan appears (Kagero's attemtps at contacting her lost brethren turn out to have been successful) and the tide of battle turns as though only a few of them appear they are mighty.
At the end of the climactic battle, Nagano puts on the Bishamon armor and now knowing for certain, Takeuchi declares him a traitor to the ideals of the Shadow Clan. Then, the armor spews Nagano out in liquid form. Setsuna laughs at Nagano’s death and, seeming satisfied with the current situation, takes his leave. What the hell was his goal?!
Takeuchi orders a retreat and makes peace with the Yomi Clan, ashamed that his clan has been manipulated by Setsuna. Also, Bishamon’s armor goes missing during the battle. In closing, it is discovered that Setsuna has a history with the Yomi Clan, he created it. Long ago, the Yomi Clan fought alongside demons to the detriment of the world, but after they were defeated, they ousted Setsuna and decided to become a bridge group between the human and demon world, to prevent another such catastrophe from occuring.
(and Oyuki is allowed to continue her romance with the unnamed Shadow Ninja and raise their son)