My Gang of Swordsmen

The precursor of the Yakuza during the Edo Era were the banded together Hieda.

Ranked among the lowest class, the Hieda were unable to rise through generations, prohibited from engaging in normal work, and their extremely low social status caused them to be heavily discriminated against by the public.

To change this tragic situation, they had no choice but to unite.

Initially, their purpose in forming associations was mostly simple, primarily for mutual defense against external threats.

However… there is a truth in the world: “Powerful ‘force’ can cause people to lose their true nature.”

People who are intoxicated by powerful “force” become increasingly transformed, losing their true self—such individuals and instances are countless throughout history.

Such phenomena are most likely to occur in those of very low social status, who have endured various injustices.

Previously mere ants scorned by everyone, suddenly obtaining the ability to accomplish something in this world… How many people in this world could resist such temptation?

The feeling of being “from hell to heaven” is simply irresistible!

The Hieda, who had banded together, after tasting the intoxicating power of unity, began to entertain more thoughts.

Corrupt thoughts grew wildly in their minds—money, power, women… so long as they worked together, things they previously dared not even dream of could become possible!

These Hieda associations that lost their true selves began to engage in various inhumane activities, gradually treading the path of organized crime.

Thus, the earliest Yakuza groups were born.

Initially, those who became Yakuza were essentially all Hieda.

But as the Edo Shogunate and various Vassal States gradually weakened due to being unable to escape the historical cycle, and the world became tougher, more groups joined or formed new Yakuza organizations.

Peddlers engaging in dirty trades, bloodthirsty thieves, courtesans selling their youth and bodies… and the destitute, wayward samurai!

The non-productive samurai relied primarily on the Salary Rice or Salary Gold issued by the Shogunate and Vassal States to survive.

In society where there was virtually no class mobility, the clan salary inherited by the samurai through generations had almost no hope of increase.

In the early 17th century, when the Edo Shogunate was just established, the clan salary your ancestors received was 30 bags, and now, two hundred years later, your family’s clan salary is likely still 30 bags.

For mid-to-low rank samurai, this unchanged clan salary was already extremely meager, yet they also suffered deductions from the Shogunate and Vassal States.

In times of financial difficulty due to famines and other disasters, the Shogunate and Vassal States would often employ their “big weapon” that made their subordinate samurai live in anxiety: borrow knowledge.

Borrowed knowledge involved policies of reducing Household Retainer’s Salary Rice or Salary Gold to increase financial revenue for the Shogunate and Vassal States.

Nominally it’s borrowed, but in reality, it’s outright plunder.

The money and grain “borrowed” by the Shogunate and Vassal States were like salt that fell into water—sparkling salt grains falling into the water, and then… just nothing. The grains disappeared without a trace, no longer visible.

Of course, instances where the Shogunate and Vassal States returned the money and grain were not unheard of. But such occurrences were so rare it was lamentable.

The samurai had no place to reason against such blatant money-grabbing arrogance.

To be loyal to the Lord was the samurai’s duty, what’s wrong with borrowing some money and grain from you?

Even directly requisitioning half of the money and grain was a common occurrence, and because it happened so frequently, there was a special term for it: “half knowledge,” meaning to requisition half of the Salary Gold and Salary Rice.

Receiving a stagnant, meager salary; the salary being deducted periodically by the Lord; and having to maintain appearances of honor by purchasing expensive swords, acquiring ritual attire, and hiring servants—all these factors guaranteed that clans of mid-to-low rank samurai would face bankruptcy upon encountering disasters.

To earn a living, many impoverished samurai plagued by familial decline had to take risks and turn to illegal activities, becoming “fresh blood” for Yakuza organizations.

Compared to the Hieda and commoners, the samurai naturally possessed a higher average level of martial arts and education.

Thus, those Yakuza groups successfully absorbing a large number of destitute samurai rapidly expanded—”the Shimizu Clan” serves as a notable example.

Therefore, the “Shimizu Clan” shouldn’t simply be seen as an ordinary rogue organization; it should be regarded as a formidable “armed crime group” with powerful combat capabilities!

Of course, the “Shimizu Clan” achieving its current status isn’t solely due to its highly skilled members.

The backers behind it provided significant support.

No Yakuza group could develop to such a scale without several backing mountains to shield them within the government and among civilians.

No one knew who the backers behind the “Shimizu Clan” were or the forces involved… People only knew that no matter what heinous acts the “Shimizu Clan” committed, they could always land safely, leaving the authorities with no means to deal with them!

The power of the backers behind it was evident.

With formidable organizational combat power and mysterious, solid backing—the “Shimizu Clan” wielding these two major tools instilled dread among the townsfolk of Edo.