Frozen, I watched.  A well-built, well-muscled man, he filled the doorway.  Several inches shorter than Boku, he was just as wide.  His jet-black hair fell well past his broad shoulders.  I recalled overhearing some students at the dojo talking about his hair one day.  They said, though he was samurai, as a measure of his stature and favor with The Daimyo, he was encouraged to keep all his hair, keeping the traditional chonmage in place, of course, to keep his helmet steady.  When first I heard this, I thought it would give him a feminine look.  Quite the opposite.  If anything, it made him look even more imposing.  Tonight, there was no top-knot.  Apparently, he would not be needing a helmet for whatever was planned tonight.
    Kenji brushed a lock of his hair from his finely chiseled face as he spoke to The Wizard, “Five for each of us again, Sensei?”
    “I am afraid I will only be able to take three tonight.  You will have to take the rest.”
    “Seven at once?” He smiled.  I could swear I saw his eyes start to shine.  “I had better hurry.” I watched, aghast as he started to remove his gi.  In a few moments he was completely naked.
    The prisoners were halfway to the forest.  I could hear their panting grunts as they stumbled towards their freedom.  Looking at them, I realized these prisoners must be from the lowest levels of the dungeons, which held only those sentenced for life.  Their exhaustion showed and they started to slow.  Some had given up and slowed to a walk.  The rest, sensing an elusive danger, still tried to run.  None of them made very good time.  I did not know what was coming, but had a disturbing feeling that none of them would reach the forest.
    Turning my attention back to Kenji, I could not help noticing he was a fine specimen.  He would quicken the blood of any woman seeing him naked.  They would see him and envision passionate bliss for the rest of their days.
    All I could envision was a scarlet mist as his magnificent limbs fell, one by one to my avenging blade.
    He turned to The Wizard, “You first, Sensei?”
    The Wizard looked after the retreating group, “No, thank you.  I will wait for you.”
    “As you wish.”
    Suddenly, the space next to The Wizard was empty and there was a blur in the grass, closing on the last prisoner.  All I could make out clearly was a black flowing mane of hair as Kenji sprinted at incredible speed across the field.  Next . . .
    a violent tangle of limbs
    a muffled growl
    SNAP-CRACK
    a terrified scream​