Ken Matsumune (マツムネケン, Matsumune Ken) is a samurai and a wandering rōnin from the Land of Iron. At the age of fourteen he challenged his older half-brother, Nakago, to a duel, thus committing a grave offense against his family's honor. As punishment, he was ordered to cut off his sword hand and was then promptly banished from his homeland. Over the past three years he has journeyed through the lands of the shinobi, and has made it his personal task to gather as much outside knowledge as possible as he one day intends to return to the Land of Iron. It is believed that he studied ninjutsu while in the Land of Water as he is able to use a few Water Release techniques. However, he primarily relies upon Kenjutsu in battle, and his level of mastery is such that he was able to best all Seven Swor