Atsu never lost sight of the main thing.

Killing all six Yoteis not only to get revenge on Saito and his comrades for killing her entire family, but also to rid Ezo of those tyrants who were rotting these beautiful and wonderful lands. It wasn't just about revenge; it was for the sake of those worth fighting for—the good, the innocent people who just wanted to avoid being persecuted, beaten, and killed by Saito's soldiers for silly reasons, like trying to impress their bosses, being in a bad mood, and other crazy things.

But still, she needed to relax. She needed to rest.

Her father always taught her and her brother how important it was to relax after he'd trained them both intensely.

Her mother always made her husband and children relax when they needed it, never taking no for an answer.

And she still took that seriously.

That's why she was where she was now. At the top of a mountain decorated with the most beautiful red flowers she had ever seen, Atsu sank as comfortably as she could against the rocks that made up that small pool of hot spring water, warm and delicious enough to make her close her eyes.

After another intense day not only helping others but also hunting and discovering more about the Kitsune, the Yotei now in her sights, she knew she deserved this.

Only the gods knew how much she thanked them when she found these waters that seemed to be made in places impossible for anyone but her to find. Atsu loved it. When she entered these waters, it was practically impossible for anything to happen or appear to surprise her. They were meant to relax her, to calm her down.

But it seems the gods decided to play a trick today, as Atsu didn't take long to open her eyes like a bolt of lightning when she heard the sound of armor moving toward her, probably having seen the steam from the hot spring water and come to see what it was.

Damn it. She cursed mentally. She quickly grabbed one of her katanas nearby. But she was slow to react, as she was identifying the sound, long enough that she could only see who the owner of that armored sound was.