There was once a ninja clan that was massacred at the hands of a vengeful lord. Yoshimitsu, the sole survivor of that clan, swore to avenge the fallen, but was no match for the army that protected the lord. Helpless and alone against the enemy, Yoshimitsu the avenger was chased off. Although he lost one arm during his harrowing escape, he managed to cheat death only because of his considerable ninjutsu abilities and a great deal of luck.

Despite this experience, Yoshimitsu could not give up his desire to avenge his clan. He saw opportunity in a rumor that circulated within Japan during that time and decided to travel overseas. Soul Edge, the ultimate sword—if only he possessed that sword, he would surely be able to cut down an army at will.

Yoshimitsu traveled across the continent, chasing down rumors of the sword. When he finally reached Europe, he came upon the aftermath of a massacre. During that time, a series of mysterious killings wreaked havoc and spread terror across Europe. The bloody carnage before Yoshimitsu’s eyes reminded him of the slaughter of his clan.

He thought to himself, “No matter what the reasons may be, murderous hatred only begets deep sorrow and retaliation. And I have this hatred within me as well. Would my clan approve of my vengeance if they were still alive? …Nonsense! Why am I doubting myself?!”

Yoshimitsu cut down the budding doubt within him, and continued his quest for Soul Edge. But as he continued his journey, he encountered many remains of massacres, one after another. With each ensuing encounter, the doubt within his heart took root. It was only a matter of time that Yoshimitsu was on the trail of the man responsible for these killings.

Nightmare…the man responsible for countless killings…Yoshimitsu followed his trail to Ostrheinsburg Castle, but the castle was enveloped in silence and devoid of any signs of life. Although there were traces of evil energy in the castle, there were no clues about the whereabouts of the mass murderer. Yoshimitsu eventually left the castle behind him.

Soon after his visit to the castle, he noticed something strange. Yoshimitsu sensed the presence of a sinister energy dwelling within his katana. Perhaps the evil spiritual energy that lingered in the castle was drawn to the sword because it had been used to shed blood.

Yoshimitsu decided to give his spirit-sword his name, “Yoshimitsu,” and swore to quell the negative energy within his sword. The spiritual energy within him that sustained his vengeance until now had a new purpose. The conflict and doubt within Yoshimitsu was finally resolved, and he achieved enlightenment through this new task.

But something unexpected happened.

One night, Yoshimitsu became careless and fell into deep slumber after exhausting his energies on neutralizing the negative spirit within his sword. During his sleep, some intruder used the cover of night to steal his sword

There was no way that the spiritual energy of malevolent hatred and resentment within the sword would dissipate in a day or two. Only misfortune would result if the katana fell into the wrong hands.

While Yoshimitsu traveled the continent in search of his sword, he devoted his life to serving the weak and the underprivileged. Four years passed, and he devised a plan- an attempt to close the gap, even a little, between the haves and the have-nots. His scheme involved the plunder of treasures from the Vercci’s tomb—Vercci was once a wealthy man who was also known as the “Merchant of Death.” It was rumored that a vast fortune was stored in his tomb.

Yoshimitsu used all of his skills and abilities to infiltrate the tomb, also known as the Money Pit. As described in rumors, the interior of the tomb was rife with traps. But he was able to reach the treasures without encountering the “Guardian” of the tomb, whom Yoshimitsu was vigilant against. A faint smile unconsciously crept across his face- the riches waiting for his taking were beyond his wildest imagination.

His smile faded when he found something amongst the stockpiles of treasures…his lost sword. And his face became graver when he discovered a throne enshrined in one of the rooms deep within the Money Pit.

Upon the throne was a metal fragment that emanated the same evil aura as his beloved sword.

Shortly after this discovery, Yoshimitsu left the Money Pit with his namesake sword and the metal fragment in hand.

Yoshimitsu thought, “If there are other things that possess this evil within them, they must be found and collected. The tragedies caused by this evil must never be allowed to happen again.”

Now, there was no more doubt clouding Yoshimitsu’s mind. Neither did the cursed items in his possession cast a shadow upon the path that he chose to take.