Risen from the Ashes

[Akura]

A murderer, a terrorist, a criminal... a monster.

Akuji disliked all of these words, words used by ignorant people, with clouded judgements. He allowed the small knife to pass through his fingers as he flickered it casually around his knuckles. The sleight of hand was the first trick he practiced day in and day out when he first entered the profession of taking lives.

He may have had a rough journey, working his way through the fingers of many powerful men in Kusari, his employment never changing his mentality about the job. Akuji didn't kill for the money, he killed because it was his place in the world.

At an early age he chose to follow this profession, he was never good at much else. He could slip a dagger inbetween someone's ribs far easier than he could sow seeds or sell products.
Akuji pulled back his sleeve to reveal a watch, acknowledging the time, he nodded and tightened his grip on the knife in his palm.

Beyond his sleeves were old tattoes, a canvas inked by his past, his right arm displayed an intricate number of black dragons and a small symbol in the middle. A kind of talisman with a single kanji symbol. This ink was the history of his time in the Hogosha, marks for each kill, a special insignia for exemplary loyalty.

To contrast, some his back and left arm were red dragons, symbolising his time with the Dragons, another kanji symbol, this one showing that he was a Shogun at some point in the past. On his left shoulder, he wore a chrysanthemum, as to remember his companionship with Ashley, and to mark the sacrafice she made to be with him.

He checked his watch again, satisfied with the current time, he hopped down from his Sabre rig, ready to begin his search.

Akuji was a Phantom now, his past was in the past, and the Phantoms had given him a task, he had to prove himself and get the job done. No amount of money could sway him, he was interested in nothing more than doing what he was told.

He pulled up his PDA, checking the name and profile of his target, his head planned out methods of killing the target, efficient and effective methods, but he buried the thoughts and continued with his task.
Today his target would not embrace death, today he would embrace new life.