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Description
Kaeru Sanae is the bastard daughter of Katagiri Ryūji, a lesser lord, who secretly abuses his status to engage in various illegal and carnal activities. It was during one of these nights of debauchery in his youth that he conceived a child with Mariko, a peasant living under his family's rule. Sanae grows up unaware of her true heritage, as Mariko wants to keep Sanae away from her corrupt father. Despite this, Sanae begins committing acts of petty theft from a young age, keeping her impressive skills a secret from her mother.

Two decades later, finding a connection between Ryūji and the Red Hood Assassin, Watanabe Bunji enters Katagiri lands to investigate towards the end of his training. While undercover as a peasant, Bunji befriends Sanae and the two become close quickly. After learning what he can from Sanae and the peasants, Bunji infiltrates Ryūji's manor, interrogating and assassinating him. He then hides from the guards in what he assumes to be an empty house, not noticing Sanae or her mother as he privately unmasks.

Fearful of his own assassination, Ryūji's brother succeeds him and makes a great effort to appease the peasant populace to avoid meeting the same fate. Inspired by the man who would become feared across the land as Kōmori, Sanae adopts her own masked identity, stealing from greedy lords and distributing that wealth amongst the poor.

Years later, while continuing his quest in earnest and searching for allies, Bunji learns of the mysterious Nekonoichi and investigates. The two's reunion is fraught with unresolved feelings that threaten to prevent Sanae's recruitment into Bunji's crusade.

I contemplated having Sanae be raised by her father, but with her being inspired by Batman, it was turning out too much like my other reimagining of Selina Kyle.

Description
Kaeru Sanae is the bastard daughter of Katagiri Ryūji, a lesser lord, who secretly abuses his status to engage in various illegal and carnal activities. It was during one of these nights of debauchery in his youth that he conceived a child with Mariko, a peasant living under his family's rule. Sanae grows up unaware of her true heritage, as Mariko wants to keep Sanae away from her corrupt father. Despite this, Sanae begins committing acts of petty theft from a young age, keeping her impressive skills a secret from her mother.

Two decades later, finding a connection between Ryūji and the Red Hood Assassin, Watanabe Bunji enters Katagiri lands to investigate towards the end of his training. While undercover as a peasant, Bunji befriends Sanae and the two become close quickly. After learning what he can from Sanae and the peasants, Bunji infiltrates Ryūji's manor, interrogating and assassinating him. He then hides from the guards in what he assumes to be an empty house, not noticing Sanae or her mother as he privately unmasks.

Fearful of his own assassination, Ryūji's brother succeeds him and makes a great effort to appease the peasant populace to avoid meeting the same fate. Inspired by the man who would become feared across the land as Kōmori, Sanae adopts her own masked identity, stealing from greedy lords and distributing that wealth amongst the poor.

Years later, while continuing his quest in earnest and searching for allies, Bunji learns of the mysterious Nekonoichi and investigates. The two's reunion is fraught with unresolved feelings that threaten to prevent Sanae's recruitment into Bunji's crusade.

I contemplated having Sanae be raised by her father, but with her being inspired by Batman, it was turning out too much like my other reimagining of Selina Kyle.