Chapter 217 - Shadow Reaper

 The gate loomed, carved with intricate patterns—dragons coiling around swords, swirling clouds etched in deep relief, their details sharp in the glow of hanging lanterns. The forested clearing around him whispered, leaves rustling in the night breeze, the distant river a faint murmur. His hakama swayed, Muramasa's weight steady at his side, its hum a quiet pulse. He raised his fist and knocked again, knuckles rapping firmly on the gate's weathered wood, the sound sharp and echoing into the stillness. He waited, ears straining for any sign—footsteps, voices, the clatter of training he'd heard from afar—but only silence answered, broken by the soft rustle of the wilderness. The lanterns inside flickered steadily, their glow spilling through gaps in the gate, confirming life within, yet the absence of response set his nerves on edge.