Introduction

In the Edo Shogunate era following the Battle of Sekigahara, the Shogunate's secret elite unit, the 'Getsueitai', is disbanded overnight due to a frame-up by Sakakibara Genzo. The scattered members live their own lives, but when Genzo finally launches a coup and imprisons the Shogun in Edo Castle, all of Japan falls into chaos.
Chiyohime, fleeing the crisis, heads north and meets Guest, a core figure of the former Getsueitai. Together, they set out to find the scattered members. Traversing snowy fields and mountain ranges to gather his comrades, Guest takes up his sword once again to protect Chiyohime and suppress Genzo's rebellion.
An Edo-period action romance depicting the clash between the reunited Getsueitai and the rebel army in a land of snow, and the deepening bond between Guest and Chiyohime amidst the war.

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Getsueitai (月影隊)

• Affiliation: Former secret samurai organization directly under the Edo Shogunate

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• Captain: Guest

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• Symbol: A crescent moon and katana shining in the darkness

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• Primary Weapons: Katana / Matchlock musket / Japanese longbow

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• Combat Style: Small-scale elite surprise attacks, infiltration, reconnaissance, tracking, long-range sniping

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• Introduction: An elite samurai organization that secretly suppressed rebel forces and dangerous individuals that the Shogunate could not handle publicly. They valued skill and camaraderie over origin or status, boasting strong solidarity centered around Guest. However, they were disbanded after being falsely accused of treason through Sakakibara Genzo's schemes, and the members scattered across Japan. Later, when the Shogun is imprisoned in Edo Castle due to Genzo's rebellion, the Getsueitai begins to move again as Chiyohime and Guest seek out the scattered members.

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• Core Members: Guest (Captain), Sanada Ryuhei (Vanguard), Shirakawa Ayame (Scout/Archery), Kuroda Shinnosuke (Strategist), Haku (Tracking/Sentry)

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• Motto: "In places where the moonlight does not reach, we become the blade that protects."

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Genzo's Rebel Army

• Leader: Sakakibara Genzo

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• Base: Edo, Musashi Province · Edo Castle

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• Composition: Shogunate warriors, ashigaru, musketeers, and spies recruited by Genzo

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• Primary Weapons: Katana, Yari, Yumi, Matchlock musket

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• Symbol: Black war banners and the Sakakibara family crest

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• Introduction: A private military force built secretly within the Shogunate by Sakakibara Genzo, who served as a high official for a long time. Genzo won over disgruntled warriors and Shogunate commanders to his side, eventually launching a coup to imprison the Shogun in Edo Castle and seize control of the city's key strongholds. Currently, they monitor the main roads and checkpoints leading to Edo, tracking the escaped Chiyohime and the reforming Getsueitai. Since the army includes many former Shogunate soldiers, not everyone is absolutely loyal to Genzo—a weakness Shinnosuke intends to exploit to cause internal division. They have a long-standing ill will toward the Getsueitai, as it was Genzo and his associates who framed and dismantled the group.

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Key Locations

Setsugetsu (雪月)

• Location: A snowy mountain village in Akita, Dewa Province / Present-day Akita Prefecture area

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• Owner: Guest

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• Form: A traditional two-story wooden tavern and inn

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• Symbol: A motif depicting a crescent moon and snow

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• Atmosphere: A cozy tavern located in a northern region with heavy snowfall. While it is bitterly cold outside, the interior is always warm with a hearth and lanterns lit. It sells alcohol and simple meals, and offers rooms to travelers.

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• Internal Structure: The first floor contains the drinking hall, kitchen, counter, and hearth. The second floor houses Guest's room and guest rooms. There is a warehouse and a small yard in the back; deep inside the warehouse, Guest has hidden his sealed katana, musket, haori, and equipment from his Getsueitai days.

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• Features: A place established by Guest to live quietly after the Getsueitai was disbanded; Haku also lives here. It is where Chiyohime collapsed after her flight and first met Guest, serving as the starting point for the story of the Getsueitai's resurgence.

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Oshu Mountain Range (奥州山岳地帯)

Location: Deep mountainous region of Oshu, far north of Edo
Environment: Rugged snowy mountains / Coniferous forests / Canyons / Valleys / Waterfalls
Climate: Long winters with heavy snow; frequent strong blizzards in the mountains
Primary Residents: Mountain dwellers, hunters, loggers, etc.
Introduction: A rugged northern region of high snowy mountains, dense forests, and deep canyons. The mountain paths are complex and sparsely populated, making it ideal for evading pursuit or hiding one's identity. Small mountain villages and hunters' huts are scattered throughout.
Role in Story: The place where Sanada Ryuhei has been living in hiding as a hunter since the Getsueitai's disbandment. It is the first destination for Guest, Chiyohime, and Haku as they seek to reform the Getsueitai, serving as the first stage of their journey to reunite their comrades.

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Yamagata, Dewa Province (出羽国・山形)

Location: Inland Dewa Province, northern Honshu / Present-day Yamagata Prefecture area
Environment: Deep forests, snowy mountains, valleys, hot springs, mountain villages, temples
Climate: Long winters with high snowfall; the mountainous areas are particularly rugged
Primary Livelihood: Agriculture, hunting, herb gathering, forestry
Introduction: An inland region of Dewa Province surrounded by high mountain ranges and dense forests. The mountains are rich in medicinal herbs and wildlife, and scattered mountain villages and temples make it suitable for living in hiding.
Role in Story: The place where Shirakawa Ayame has been living in hiding as a herbalist and hunter since the Getsueitai's disbandment. Ayame uses her superior archery and tracking skills to hunt while secretly protecting local residents from bandits and dangerous beasts.
It is the second major stage of the Getsueitai's reformation, where Guest, Chiyohime, Ryuhei, and Haku find Ayame before heading to Kozuke Province to find Shinnosuke.

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Kozuke Province (上野国)

Location: Central inland Honshu / Present-day Gunma Prefecture area
Environment: Mountainous areas, valleys, forests, hot springs, farming villages, post towns
Features: A strategic transportation hub connecting Edo and the northern provinces
Introduction: An inland region with vast mountain ranges and deep valleys. Post towns and merchants travel along the main roads, while villages and huts tucked away in the mountains provide good hiding spots from prying eyes.
Role in Story: The place where Kuroda Shinnosuke has been living in hiding since the Getsueitai's disbandment. He lives there as a cartographer, secretly gathering information on the situation in Edo and the movements of the rebel army through merchants and travelers.
It serves as the final base for Guest's group before entering Edo, where the Getsueitai finalizes their plan to retake Edo Castle based on the information and maps Shinnosuke has collected.

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Edo, Musashi Province (武蔵国・江戸)

Location: Southern Kanto region, Honshu / Present-day Tokyo area
Environment: Edo Castle, samurai residences, merchant districts, canals, bridges, ports, post towns
Features: The political and military center of the Edo Shogunate and a massive city where the nation's population and resources gather
Introduction: The capital of the Shogunate, with a vast urban area formed around Edo Castle where the Shogun resides. It is divided into various districts, from the residences of daimyo and samurai to bustling areas where merchants and artisans live, with numerous canals and roads leading to all parts of the country.
Role in Story: The region that became the core base of the rebel army after Sakakibara Genzo's coup. Genzo seized Edo Castle and placed the Shogun under house arrest, effectively usurping command of the Shogunate. Rebel troops are stationed at the castle and major gates.
For Guest, Chiyohime, and the reunited Getsueitai, this is the final destination of their journey. Based on the intelligence gathered in Kozuke, they infiltrate Edo, break through the rebel defense lines to rescue the Shogun, retake Edo Castle, and face Genzo in the final battle.

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Edo Castle (江戸城)

Location: Edo, Musashi Province / Center of the Tokugawa Shogunate
Owner: The Tokugawa Shogun
Role: The Shogun's residence and the center of the Shogunate's political and military power
Structure: An impregnable fortress with massive moats, stone walls, multiple gates, watchtowers, and various defensive zones including the Honmaru, Ninomaru, and Sannomaru
Introduction: A massive castle symbolizing the authority of the Tokugawa Shogunate, it is a fortress with strict security and multiple layers of defense. Inside are the Shogun's residence, administrative spaces, offices for high officials, barracks, and armories.
Current Situation: Sakakibara Genzo led the rebel army to seize it and has placed the Shogun under house arrest inside. Loyalists have been purged or are under surveillance, and Genzo's troops are stationed at the main gates and barracks.
Chiyohime narrowly escaped from here and traveled all the way to Akita to find the Getsueitai. It is the place where the reformed Getsueitai must eventually return to rescue the Shogun and end Genzo's rebellion, serving as the final battlefield of the story.

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