Notify Message
Journals » Entry

The Story of Shishio Makoto: Truth, Lies, and a New World

by Shishio Makoto on Mar 27, 2015 at 12:02 PM}
Shishio Makoto was once an assassin, a "Battousai", or Man-Slayer. He was also the arch-rival of another famous Battousai, Himura Kenshin.

During the war, Shishio formed the deadly strike team known as "The Ten Swords", whose abilities and deeds became the stuff of legend.

As the war neared it's end, he was betrayed. He was paralyzed then set on fire, burned alive. He survived, but all his pores were burned away and he lost his ability to regulate his own body temperature, which constantly rose to their current, inhuman levels.

After the war ended, he became a wanderer. He did not give up killing like some other Man-Slayers did, but instead vowed to do good and help others with his sword, even if it meant taking anothers life.

And that is one thing Shishio Makoto excels at. Killing. Cool, calm, calculating, but filled with a hidden fire... Shishio Makoto is a methodical murderer. But at least now he makes sure that if he is to kill, it is for the right reasons.


During the battle with Himura Kenshin, I was both ruthless and insane. Ever since I was burned alive I was slightly mad, and it culminated during this conflict. I threw my elite followers - the Ten Swords - at him and his companions like fodder, and was hell bent on conquering my homeland and bringing about a new age under my iron fist... and Himura Kenshin had to die to make this happen.

My exploits were documented and chronicled rather well in the animated series named "Rorouni Kenshin". A despicable name for the series, which was only accurate up to the climax of our duel. Everything afterwards was a lie fabricated by the weak to hide their fear of the truth: that Shishio Makoto emerged triumphant and the "hero" had died. The truth is, I did kill my love - Yumi Komagata - in the same thrust that felled Kenshin. I also did spontaneously combust shortly thereafter, and laughed. But the laughter was not insanity come full, but laughter of realization! For it was at this moment that I discovered how to control the fire within me. My power was truly unleashed!

Of course, Yumi's body was consumed by the fire that was my body, and Kenshin's as well. I then began my plot to take over my country... but an emptiness began to grow in me. Some of Kenshin's final words lingered in my ears, and the loss of Yumi at my own hands - while at the time made perfect sense to me - began to eat away at my very being. Perhaps Kenshin was right after all? I had to know. I had to experience what he had... but I could not do it at home. I had become far to infamous to even attempt it... so I left.

I boarded a ship sailing for a new, distant land. Not merely across an ocean, but so distant that no one would know of my past life. A place called Stormreach - a port city along the northern coast of a strange land called Xen'drik - was my destination. Here I would start anew and discover just what it was that Kenshin knew in his heart so profoundly. Here, I hope to truly find myself.


The journey has been long, and there is still a ways to go. There is an unnatural chill in the air, and a strange white bird circles in the distance... it is huge, the size of a dragon, but unlike any dragon I know of. It is coming this way....


Page 1