The night has fallen over the majority of the ninja world of Naruto, the moon filled within the sky. The moon glowing the harvest colours which shine once every year. The crops which where lay beneath it seemed to rustle as three shaded figured dashed through the night. Their movements quicker than what the eye itself could possibly keep up with.
The clouds hung thick above a small village, no stars, only the large round moon gave them light, the village's look-outs struggling to see if any threat was coming towards their village that night, even the weather, a hard gust of wind, followed by the flooding rain.
The three figures now reached the main gates which lead them towards this dreadful village. The sign upon the gate, reading as 'Hidden Cloud Village' (Village Of Lightening).
A fourth figure now leapt from the bushes which were just beside the village gate, his features where not easily told at the moment by the rest of the group. Yet, a soft smirk could be read from his expression.
"Well done Ryozo." The man spoke with a rather cold tone, his gaze falling upon a red haired man, who's eyes where a light blue, even under the darkness of the moon, yet there was glint of red buried deep down.
"Ronin-Sama." Ryozo now bowed towards the figure which seemed to be constantly followed by shadows. A sly smirk crossed over Ryozo's lips, as he now turned towards the other two which had stayed quiet for the whole time they had been travelling along the long distance. "Senichi..." A long, and dark coloured haired man now looked upon towards Ryozo, his lips pale from the shear coldness of the night, and his eyes almost as bright as the moon, yet they where hungry for something, or someone. "Suichi..." The third man now looked up towards Ryozo, a sly smirk was also printed upon his lips, his hair as white as the snow which would fall during the winter, and as the clouds within the day, his eyes a dark shade of red.
"I thought you would have chosen those two out of the rest of the men." Ronin let a small smile cross over his lips, his cold eyes falling down upon Senichi and Suichi. "Well, it's good I know Ryozo so well. As you three now have the job of getting through this damn gate, as well as securing the area upon the other side, while the rest of us take care of the pathetic man which dwells behind those doors."
"Yes, Ronin-Sama." Ryozo now bowed his head once more towards Ronin, as so did Senichi and Suichi, yet, just as the three of them where looking up to see if Ronin was still their, he had vanished from view of anyone.
"Man, why is it always me and him?" Suichi now saw his chance to protest about being stuck with his partner. "I mean, I'm just as good as me and Senichi by myself"
Ryozo turned to face Suichi his gaze dark and cold. "I don't care how good you actually say you are. I'm the one who made this group up. And whoever I chose is my choice. Not yours. So shut your mouth, and let's get past these gates."
Suichi now let a growl pass through his lips, walking up towards the gate and running his slender fingers along the wood. "Why not just burn it then?"
"It'll take to long." Senichi finally spoke, his mind been caught upon the area which surrounded the gate, as well as his ears hearing a small number of voices the other side. "Why don't we just knock?"
"You think knocking will help us out hear? I know I'm the stupid one! But I doubt they would just open the damn gate for us!" Suichi let out a rather loud laugh at the idea, resting himself upon the gate, trying to figure out a more suitable way of getting through.
At the moment silence feel upon the area, both sides of the gate. The gate slowly began to open, the creaking filling the small gap within the silence. "Suichi, move!" Ryozo gave as a command. But just as Ryozo had given the order, he had fallen through the gate. A large number of piercing eyes where watching the white haired man who now lay upon the floor.
"Well, seems we got to thank that guy for the tips on an attack." A ninja with a mask that covered his mouth, a small smirk could be read straight away from his face, just by the way his muscles had moved.
Suichi just lay there for a moment, his eyes drifting from one face to the next. Noticing the large number which where now flooding in upon them. "Well, I'll be glad when the day is finally over." A smirk now wide over his face, as his cold tongue licked over his lips. Slowly bringing himself back onto his feet, as Ryozo and Senichi would now stand beside him.
"Blood's flowing tonight." Senichi would say in his cold and dark voice. His eyes darted straight towards the one which had spoken earlier. "Especially yours."
"Yeah, you get to kill the goby one. How unfair?!" Suichi would now pout, as he turned towards the large number which stood in front of him. "Fancy that."
"Why not just kill them all for Christ sake?" Ryozo now reached his hand down upon his covered sword. "Besides, we're going to be the ones who get to walk away."
"You really think three of you can take down a whole army of ninja's?! Especially, us as we're fighting on our own turf?" The ninja from before, with the mask spoke out with a laugh building within his tone.
"I'd say it'll make killing you more enjoyable." Ryozo smirked softly, the moonlight shimmering down upon his lips. Now pulling his sword slowly out so the glistening of the cold blade would strike over a small number of their eyes.
A few of the ninja now covered their eyes from the glinting blade. As within the split second their hands had lowered, Ryozo's sword had swiftly swung over their stomachs. The smirk which he had upon his lips was now widening, as he saw the blood pouring out from their stomachs.
"Well, looks like your going to die quickly then." Suichi spoke rather sarcastically; his eyes glinted ever so slightly. A few more of the ninja which had surrounded them took a number of steps back trying to work their way away from the fight. "Don't worry. Even if you run, you're going to burn."
"You talk to much" Senichi would say ever so silently, just able to Suichi to hear, within the seconds of his word being spoken, Senichi had darted from where he was standing, grabbing the ninja with the mask, and throwing him by his throat against a tree. "No one likes a goby ninja."
Suichi now feeling as though he was missing something out, as Senichi drove his sword through the ninja's head, and Ryozo was slashing away endlessly at the other ninja. "Come on! Leave some for me!" Suichi's hand held tightly around his sword waiting for either Ryozo to let one slip past him. Or just for someone to attack him out of the blue.
The blood bath now coming towards an end, with no ninja standing, but the three that had just seemed to walk right up to the village moments ago, skulls had been crushed, and bones had been smashed. Two of their three swords where covered within the blood of the village ninja.
"They weren't as tough as the big mouth said they where." Suichi said with a small sigh passing through his lips, his eyes darting around the village, noticing the size of it. "Do you seriously think we can get through here, to help Ronin and the others?"
"I have no idea Suichi, but if all their ninja are this easy. We could just do it all ourselves." A sigh passed through Ryozo's lips, as he turned to give a wave of his hand towards the rest of the group of the ninja's which had teamed up with them.
"Waiting is so dull when this is all we've been given to do." Senichi would let a small growl pass through his lips, as he watched the ninja come running down the hill side. "Beside's their not even going to survive through a one on one. So why use them?"
"To buy time, I recon." Suichi would say with a small puzzled look upon his face. "Maybe Ronin will come back and give us something else to do. Hopefully it's going to let me do something this time. Other than fall flat on my butt."
"You can have the next fight with Senichi then. I've got to go and met someone for a moment." Ryozo's eyes darted towards a shadowed figure which was standing upon the side of the hill, just watching the fight taking place.
"But the next fight might not come for hours!" Suichi pouted almost like a little child that didn't get what it wanted from its parents.
"I couldn't care less Suichi. Means you'll have to wait." Ryozo let a small smirk slide over his lips. "Well, I'll be seeing you two later." Ryozo now just turned away from the two of them. His legs now darting of at racing speed, as he passed all the ninja that either had kunai's out ready to fight, or were just running along at the back.
The ninjas now began to slow down as they had approached the gate. A loud cry could be heard almost as though they where going into a battle, and wanted to be heard.
Ryozo now came to a stop after hearing the battle cry. His gaze feel upon where the gates where. Only Suichi and Senichi where sitting their waiting for the ninja's to come darting past them any moment now, yet all that seemed to happen was a large cloud of smoke feel around the two of them.
Both, Senichi and Suichi had jumped up onto their feet, looking around for anyone who was running through the cloud of smoke. "Suichi! Keep your back against the wall." Senichi was now darting his eyes back and forth from the gates and then too the other side where the previous ninja had come from.
Suichi now stepped back, pressing himself against the wall of a small hut which sat near the main gate. "How are we meant to fight when we can barely move?"
Ryozo's eyes not light up for a mere moment, not being able to get back to Suichi and Senichi to help them in time. As these weren't the plain stupid ninja's which they had expected to be around them. "Damn it!" Ryozo now turned around as Ronin's blade was pressed against Ryozo's neck.
"Make a move, and you're blood is going to be flowing fast." Ronin's red eyes now becoming visible for the first time Ryozo had known him. Yet, they seemed to still be covered within the darkness.
"You told us to come here! You're meant to be leading the rest of these damn ninja! Not letting them go and attack who ever the bloody want to!" Ryozo now grabbed a hold of Ronin's sword, slowly pushing it back away from his neck.
"Don't pity yourself Ryozo. You know my service's lay with you, but they also lye with whoever pays more. And sadly enough you don't pay me do you Ryozo." Ronin now tried to free his blade from Ryozo's grip, but the cold steal didn't want to know any movement.
"Like you can much, you don't even know how to use a sword properly." Ryozo now withdrew his one, which was covered within the blood of the past ninja. "I'd be able to beat you with great ease."
"There's much to me that you don't know Ryozo." Ronin now smirked, as he raised his hand, and with a click of his fingers there was a number of ANBU Ninja standing behind him. "You, Senichi and Suichi aren't the only ones who I was training."
"I'm sure; I'd beat any one who you've been training. After all, I've trained myself with my own sword." Ryozo now smirked, kicking Ronin away from him, Ronin's hand falling of the side of his sword, leaving it within Ryozo's hand.
"Hah, he thinks he can take us?" An ANBU with a panda design upon his mask couldn't help but laugh upon the idea of it.
"I don't think." Ryozo gave a glare towards the one which had just spoken, as he threw Ronin's sword in the air, only to catch it upon the handle. "Sure, one vs. however many of you there are, seems a bit odd. But ah well."
Two of the ANBU ninja's now pulled out their own swords as they rushed towards Ryozo, only to have their swords slashed into two pieces. As one received a blow across his chest, cutting him deeply, as the other had been sliced over his neck. Both seemed to drop to the floor instantly.
"Really, if that was all your swords are made of. You're really going to re-think your idea of trying to kill me." Ryozo now threw Ronin's sword down towards the ground. "I don't need two swords to kill the rest of you."
"Well, at least we'd have one good sword then." The ANBU with the panda mask upon would speak with a rather sarcastic tone within his voice.
"Well, I suggest you pick it up then. If you've got all the talk, you can at least back it up with your own fighting style's right?" Ryozo's sword rose to point towards the ANBU in the panda mask, a grin wearing wide over his lips. "Come on, pick it up."
The remainder of the ANBU seemed to just turn their heads too look towards the one who Ryozo was pointing at, feeling out numbered, with all of the eyes which feel upon him. He slowly walked over towards the sword, picking it up, only to examine the blade for any cracks.
"You don't do that within a fight." Ryozo now darted along the floor, leaving just a glimpse of what would look like a red shadow behind him, as his sword was pressed against the ANBU's neck. "Cause trying to piss me off. Really won't go down well."
Ryozo's sword now glinted the shade of the blood which had swept over it, now driving his sword through the ANBU's skull, blood pouring down the sword once again, this time dripping over the guard just above the handle.
"Anyone else want to piss me off? If not, please get the hell out of my way." Ryozo now pulled his sword out from within the ANBU's skull, to hear him flop onto the floor, blood still pouring out from within the cut, over his neck, and the dirt which surrounded him.
The few number of ANBU left just seemed to look upon one another, before they nodded their heads within agreement, the ANBU now stepping aside, only to reveal that Ronin had disappeared while Ryozo had been fighting.
"Where the hell has he gone?" Ryozo asked them, his sword ready to slash the ANBU if they weren't going to tell him. "I'll kill you too if you don't tell me."
One of the ANBU now raised his hand only to point down the side of the hill where the smoke was surrounding Suichi and Senichi still, as a third figure could be seen within it.
A growl built up within Ryozo's throat, as he didn't thank the ANBU now, instead with a swift sweep of his blade he had cut their throats, leaving them to fall to the floor, gagging for air.
Senichi had now finally found where Suichi was standing, yet caught a glimpse of another figure within the shadow. Senichi's sword hung out ready to strike if he was to come his way.
The shadow's head could be seen turning, but which way it was looking couldn't off been told. "Quit your whining." Came a dark, yet the voice reminded Senichi of someone.
"Ronin?" Senichi would ask himself as he watched the figure slowly getting closer towards him.
The figure had now stopped in front of Senichi; a glint of Senichi's sword could be seen even within the moon light. A hard punch into Senichi's stomach could be felt and heard through the wall of the hut which he was resting against.
A cough now parted from his lips, as his sword passed through his hands and seemed to dance for a moment upon the floor. Before Suichi had began to fall to join his sword upon the cold floor.
Suichi now raised his head ever so slightly to see the figure of which he thought to be Senichi upon the ground, a growl passing through his lips. "Damn you…" His feet now threw him along the floor, dashing towards the figure.
"You're not coming any closer." Ronin would smirk towards himself, as Suichi stopped within his tracks for a moment. "He's only fallen asleep."
Ryozo now racing down the hill side, making it towards the gates just before Ronin's attention was fully drawn onto Suichi. "Leave him alone!" Panting from the run Ryozo still managed to hold his sword tightly within his hand.
"So… You're here already. And I was hoping I would have gotten them to finish you off Ryozo." Ronin's arm now rose into the air to point towards Ryozo. "Suichi, take care of him."
Suichi shock his head ever so slightly, confused about what was going on at the moment. "What the hell are you two on about?" His eyes darted back from Ronin and then to Ryozo a number of times trying to figure out what was going on.
"Fine. Don't." Ronin let a growl now passed through his lips, as he had moved ever so swiftly no one heard nor saw him moving. His hand now hit hard upon the back of Suichi's neck, causing him to fall against the ground.
Ryozo bit upon his bottom lip, as he saw Ronin now standing still, rummaging through Suichi's belonging pulling out a small dagger like object, and his sword.
"Come on then Ryozo. If you think you can fight in the smoke." Ronin grinned, twirling the sword around his finger tips.
"Like hell you could actually fight within the smoke either." Ryozo let a small growl pass through his lips, as he darted in through the smoke, and both their swords met, with a loud crashing sound that filled the air.
Their swords crashing against one another over and over again, until they seemed to lock their blades together, neither moving one way or the other, the small dagger with which Ronin had picked up, he drove it into Ryozo's arm, causing the swords to finally become unlocked.
Ryozo now feel back, leaving the dagger within the wound which had been made, as if he were to remove it, he would lose near enough all feeling within his arm. He swapped the hands which he held his sword within. Now instead of aiming to meet Ronin's blade he had swung it down as well, just like Ronin had down.
Ronin's blade skimming over Ryozo's shirt tearing the sleeve, as Ryozo's had smacked upon Ronin's collar bone. Now pulling his sword back towards him, he sliced the collar bone, as well as cutting down into his chest.
The smoke now beginning to die down, as everything had been burnt to the floor, Ryozo's eyes feel down upon Ronin who was laying their motionless. "Pathetic…" He mumbled to himself, as he then turned towards Senichi who was slowly finding his way back onto his feet.
"Ouch… What the hell happened?" He rubbed his forehead waiting for someone to explain to him, now seeing that Ryozo was the only one standing their.
"I'd say its best not to actually talk about it at the moment Senichi." For the first time, instead of a smirk crossing Ryozo's lips a small smile had done instead. "Besides, I'd rather go by myself for a while at that."
Senichi now rubbing his head once again, not sure if he was hearing correctly as Suichi as well slowly came back too.
"Well I'll be off for now. I may see you guys later on. Who knows?" Ryozo waved his hand ever so slightly within the air, walking over the dead bodies which seemed to have just been pilled upon one another.
"So… I'm stuck with you then?" Suichi looked towards Senichi with a rather annoyed look upon his face, having to get stuck with the one person who he hated the most.
"Shut up, and let's just get going." Senichi now raised himself up to his feet, as so did Suichi. Not tempted to speak much more at that, as the both seemed to follow Ryozo out of the gate.
"Hay. I've lost my dagger." Suichi said with a rather annoyed tone, as he had made it himself, trying to find it.
"Shut up… We'll just find you another one."
Silence now feel upon the two of them, as they walked along the dark path, which wasn't light by nothing, as well as the trees which seemed to bend inwards on the path, giving it a rather different look to most places at night.