ENDING I: Numbing The Sensations
Despite the great deal of depression and self-hate that was internalised for Kiro at this point. His position of warlord status meant a lot to him and he wasn’t sure if avenging his younger brother would be helpful since the clan was ran by quite many warlords and was growing in power thanks to the influence that the brothers were able to build in their countless missions.
He choose to remain loyal to Kagetora, eventually leading him to be a vassal state lord as promised and had his own set of warlords that would obey to him. Kiro had what most warlords even dreamt of, a powerful status under the most terrifying figure that Japan would see in a minute. He earned rich tribute, enjoyed time with concubines, sake night was every night and a respect which most warlords would be drooling to have a hold off.
Despite his outstanding military and political success he gains, he feels a hole in his heart he could never repaired as he chose his own good over what was right, he should have taken an initiative to avenge his brother who lost his life tragically. But with the same system now rewarding him, he was finding himself deeper and deeper in lack of any proper justification to launch an attack.
Guilt and Loneliness would eat him up each night for his loss of brother who he failed to protect, the only real family he ever had.
But don’t you worry, that’s what Sake night is for! Numb every last feeling and hope to forget.
ENDING II: Way of The Hermit
Kiro defects the clan and lives in the outskirts of a somewhat more peaceful Kyushu prefecture. He spent most his life now teaching students the art of the sword.
Tranquil as it was, to wake up, chop up some bamboo, prepare a meal and then teach a student different techniques he would use to stun his opponents. His student was always perplexed how a remarkable young man as Kiro chooses to not serve in the military and would rather use his talents to teach blade swinging instead.
One fine day, his student’s home was ransacked by a group of bandits and they stole everything they found, Kiro offered to help in tracking down the perpetrators, after a well thought plan to confront the bandits, Kiro proceeds to eliminate each and every bandit swiftly. His student finally broke his silence and asked him why he chooses to live a life of less, peace over glory, riches and respect that he would have had in serving military for clans.
Kiro decides to teach his student an important lesson, more important than any swinging of blades but what he genuinely believed in: “I lost my brother years ago, he was killed by the very same clan I served for, his death had never real justifications, they saw him as a problem and disposed him off”
“To this day, I hate myself for not avenging my brother. I feel an immense sensation of guilt that eats me up every night. I could probably have killed Kagetora if I could, that bastard dog doesn’t deserve any less than that, but I don’t want to risk the lives of the thousands at stake for my own desire.”
“Look Araki, Don’t end up like me. Don’t ever live a life of regret where you wish so dearly every night it was just a dream. I might have the blades of death itself but for protecting who? I have failed at my life, don’t do the same with yours.”
A life of a hermit was maybe Kiro trying to find solace in after his brother’s passing.
ENDING III: The Void
Kiro hates the view of the city in flames, death infesting the grounds as we see it. Men and women reduced to atoms and children wondering where their parents might have wandered off.
Deep down, he realises this cycle of power and abuse will continue to exist whether he chooses to continue or not. But the guilt of his brother and countless others he has now taken the lives of only leads him to one conclusion.
His death would truly benefit other beings.
Right or wrong, didn’t matter as Kiro looks at the legendary Masamune one last time before striking it on his guts. Blood spilled but of his greatest enemy yet, Himself. The very soul of reason and existence he fought for wiped off.
The system would proceed to be the menace they are regardless of if Kiro had any say in it, he simply chooses to not be a part of it. Considering the devastation that took place in the last couple of weeks, Edo won’t be occupied by any clan for another decade but eventually it will swarm a new clan willing to assume the position of abuse that the hierarchy enforces.
If Kiro could, would have wiped off all clans, but its futility lies in its ways, brutality of millions of Japanese just to see his way of life? He would rather see himself locked into an empty state of
The Void
ENDING IV: Black Day
Kiro hates the view of the city in flames, death infesting the grounds as we see it. Men and women reduced to atoms and children wondering where their parents might have wandered off.
But he knows damn well, that this cycle will never end now will it? The system was never really broken now was it? It was only meant to serve the elites. Bushido was propaganda to ensure the powerful samurai class would always serve to the masters. Honour only exists as a means to get others in line. Give people entertainment and food, they won’t revolt a bit about the country’s dystopian present.
As much as it hurts him, there is a part of him which also embraces this system, donning the menpō previously worn by the shoguns of Kamakura and Kyoto. Now with the Masamune in his hands, who can even dare to stop him?
Only a life lived so clean will measure the price of misery.
Standing alone in a sunset of a broken Edo where countless have died and devastated, he becomes the new Shogun.
A black day for Japan? or for the ideology he always stood for?