In the streets of twelfth-century Kyoto, a homeless child is brutalized and left to die. Even the selfless physician who saves him cannot soften the boy’s hardened spirit. Angry at the world and those who killed his parents, Hachiro rejects kindness and resolves to become the most famous swordsman in the city in order to avenge his parents. But with fame comes trouble: every young fighter challenges him, three beautiful women want to own him, and the war between two powerful clans draws him onto the battlefield. He survives by his wits and skill, only to face a secret enemy, the man who caused his parents’ deaths and who now wants Hachiro’s life. THE SWORD MASTER is a savage and moving tale set against the panorama of the Heike Wars.