Kagemaru

Kagemaru
Gender	Male
Occupation	Shinobi
Affiliation	Azuma Ninja Clan
Weapon	Ninjato
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Tenchu Z

This article refers to the player's character in Tenchu Z. As the cover shows the male ninja character, this article will refer to the protagonist as a male. Also this info is general information of the storyline, notifying key events only.

Biography

A new recruit in the Azuma Ninja, Kagemaru is a student of Rikimaru, highly skilled Master of the Azuma Ninja Clan. Before being deployed the Azuma Ninja, hopeful must undergo a final training mission similar to that of the one Master Shiunsai put Rikimaru and Ayame through. This mission also serves as the intiation into the Azuma Ninja clan. Silently moving through the shadows and showing his extensive knowledge and training provided by his master the skilled ninja succeeds. At the end of his graduation Lord Gohda and Rikimaru are there personally and the master tells you to await further instructions in the village. The young Azuma Ninja's first mission involves assassinating Rokube Echigoya at his estate. After careful infiltration, the young Azuma Ninja proceeds with applying his Azuma stealth kills, obtaining numerous silent kills and even shows his Azuma-jutaijutsu skills through his grappling choke hold. Finally he comes upon the unaware Rokube Echigoya and as quickly as a snake strikes him down. Shortly afterwards Shinobu, his partner, arrives and asks what's troubling him. He stands silent staring at the corpse. She probably senses that he felt some kind of remorse and comments "Their is no other path for us now." Several accomplished missions follow, adding to the growing young Azuma Ninja's experience and skill.

During an assassination of one of Ogawaran Officiall Izaemon Kimura, the mission reveals information of the country possibly planning to make a play by starting a war with the House off Gohda. Even so, Rikimaru decides that we (Azuma Ninja) must still tend to the needs of Lord Gohda's people. You are sent to a gambling den, a temple and a village for different objectives to be completed each time pushing your Azuma Ninja stealth skills to the limit in an effort to show your master you can handle the responsibilities of being an Azuma Ninja in a time of war. Your skills grow as you learn new techniques. During these missions you report your findings of the Kodama leaf production. You also are sent to steal a recruitment list being used by the Ogawara to obtain ronin for their army. After stalking the elusive Heisuke Echigoya who somewhat went into hiding after his nephew's assassination, the two Azuma Ninjas plan to assassinate the merchant on his ship located in the harbor. As they arrive, they witness his death at the hands of another ninja. After a brief battle, the ninja introduces himself as Shigi and skillfully escapes using some kind of vanishing technique with feathers.

Later while assigned to assassinate Denki of the Ogawara Clan, the two Azuma shinobi are attacked by Shigi on the bridge. The protagonist is knocked unconscious by some kind of dart and his partner is wounded and kidnapped by the Ogawara loyalist. He comes to, only to find his partner and Shigi missing. Some time later, he tracks his partner down and frees her (going against the Azuma Ninja code. Rikimaru found himself in a similar situation long ago when Ayame was captured and he only rescued her due to the mission being sanctioned by Lord Gohda... as Azuma Ninja emotions have no place in the world of shadows). Unfortunately, she succumbs to her injuries due to constant torture and dies in his arms. After infiltrating a village and killing all the enemies your master and teacher Rikimaru appears and states "I shall overlook your previous failure.... a ninja must not submit to anger..." this was probably due protagonist's irrational actions of trying to rescue your partner, then the slaughter in the village possibly made vengeance.

During Lord Gohda's intense war with Nagayori Ogawara, the now battle hardened Azuma Ninja is sent to assassinate Ogawara's acting General Kurokawa Shinzo. Sneaking across the chaotic and blood soaked battlefield, the experienced Azuma Ninja, using his Azuma stealth killing techniques, eliminated multiple soldiers. He came across the battlefield wise tactician tending to his duties in the heart of the war camp. The young Azuma Ninja crept up on his target and grabbed him, took him down and broke his neck. Finally the time to end the war has come and you are sent to assassinate Nagayori Ogawara. During their intense fight, Shigi enters and fatally stabs Ogawara and the rematch begins. The skilled Azuma Ninja swordplay combat skills prove more dominant and he defeats Shigi. As he is about to finish him with his own sword he is stopped by his Azuma Ninja Master Rikimaru who wishes to question Shigi. However, the building begins to burn and Shigi makes his escape. It is unknown what happens to you afterwards, but you likely escape along with Rikamaru.

Notes

• The protagonist's gender is chosen by the player and the partner is given the opposite gender.
• The protagonist's name is the player's Gamer Tag. The default names of this generic pair of ninja are revealed when they take the role of player's partner.