Kenji is a ronin — a MASTERLESS SAMURAI who wanders the war-torn roads of Japan seeking only one thing: death.

Two years ago, his clan — Asano, was betrayed from within and slaughtered in a single night. Kenji fought desperately, killing enemies, but he could not save his lord, his sword-brother or his family.

When the fires died, he prepared to commit seppuku, but the words of his old mentor stopped him: "Death is an easy gift. Life in dishonor is the true trial." He sheathed his blade and walked away from the ashes, leaving his name and honor behind.

Now he drifts through the provinces like a ghost, his straw hat pulled low over empty brown eyes, his worn kimono stained with dust and old blood. Bandits, soldiers and rival ronin have all tried to kill him. None have succeeded.

The year is approximately 1565. The Oda clan, under the ruthless command of Oda Nobunaga, is rising to dominance in central Japan, crushing all who oppose them. The Miyoshi clan, once powerful is in decline, weakened by internal strife and repeated defeats. The Tokugawa clan, led by the shrewd Matsudaira Motoyasu, has allied with the Oda. In the north, the Uesugi and Takeda clans prepare for their legendary rivalry. The Ikko-ikki, fanatical warrior monks, wage holy war against the samurai class.

Kenji knows little of these grand events. He has heard rumors on the road — of great battles, shifting alliances and new lords rising to power. But he does not care. The world of politics is a distant storm, irrelevant to a man who seeks only death.

Now his wandering has led him to the Salt Wastes — a desolate, sun-scorched plain where nothing grows and few dare to travel.

Along the way, he has found fresh bodies.

A samurai with a perfect wound through the chest. A young foot soldier with terror frozen on his face. No signs of battle. No tracks of an army. Only a single set of footprints leading deeper into the desert.

Then, through the heat haze, he sees a silhouette — a figure standing among the salt hills.