TheDarkestShinobi: Next Chapter up! Review!
Ryu had leaned against the wall when he heard the voices from inside.
"but Raisuke sama, you heard about Uharu san, is it really wise to go back to meet with Gaito san."
"Megumi chan, I have to. This person is one of two things, an enemy with connection to that mission or someone from the Mugen Tenshin sent to be rid of us because of our involvement. Either way I stand a better chance of living if I meet with him."
"Be careful Raisuke sama."
"I will, take care of them for me."
Ryu heard the door opening and then the soft cries of the woman. He lowered his head and then faded into the shadows.
.
"You idiot! What are you doing here?" Gaito exclaimed but after making a quick survey of the area let Raisuke in. He walked in and saw Gaito's wife look down respectfully before excusing herself. Raisuke and Gaito had sat down in the living room in a tense silence while his wife poured the tea, it was only after she left that they spoke again. As Gaito took a sip of tea Raisuke spoke,
"You have heard about Uharu san, no?" Gaito set the cup down and responded without looking at the other.
"Of course I heard about it, which is why it seems foolish for you to come here." He looked up "It was either an enemy of the Mugen Tenshin or a member of the Mugen Tenshin, we are being hunted for our connection to the neishin."
The other cursed.
"I had figured just as much."
"I can see why she left."
"And what of Kaira?"
Gaito paused and the other sipped the tea. "She is still planning to overthrow Hayate."
"Do you think she targeted us?" Gaito laughed as Raisuke frowned.
"She is enraged. She trusted that trash too easily simply because she was a neishin. Then we find out from the leak that Hayate employed her to find us." He chuckled again. "Kaira is going to be afraid of her own shadow for the next few months."
"No one knows right?"
"Well you know and I know, but we are just as guilty as she is."
"We are safe then."
"Yes, just as Uharu was."
.
Many children are eager to grow up and start learning the ninja ways; they imagine that they will become very strong and able to fight really well. While that is true it is not the only thing they will be taught. Being a ninja is not only about fighting, all too often there is very little fighting going on. A ninja's job is to not fight. A ninja is supposed to be at home in the darkness, just another shadow in a house until it was time to strike. Poison was used more than a fist was, and attacking someone in their sleep with a knife to the throat was the fight of choice.
A ninja snuck around and attacked when the situation was in their favor, it was nothing to be ashamed of as some people were when they first found this out. The ninja's only code of honor was to the village, other than that nothing mattered. Unlike the samurai they often fought ninja had no fighting codes, no code of warrior honor. Slitting someone's throat was easier than waking them up to engage in a formal battle, it was more effective too.
It was why, even 30 years out of his prime, Ryu had been able to find the information he had, kill who he had to. And why even now he was in the second floor of Gaito's house ready to make another kill. He had heard enough earlier in the day so there was no need for an interrogation.
There was just a need for retribution.
He stopped suddenly as a blade was held to his throat. The woman who held it had black hair tied up into a very neat bow and was in sleepwear. He kept his neck still so she wouldn't strike but looked down at her. There had to be a reason she didn't outright kill him, he just needed to know what that was. Before he could ask, however, she spoke.
"Are you here for my husband or my son?" she hissed lowly and he tilted his head.
"What does it matter?" he asked.
"If you are here for my son I will kill you now." She pulled the sword back slightly ready to strike and Ryu shook his head.
"Relax."
"My husband then." She lowered the sword and bowed. "Then I must thank you. He is a neishin at heart," she offered him her sword "stab him in it."
He bowed back and took her sword from her. He could respect that, she was trying to keep the honor of her family, even if her husband couldn't. She walked down the hall and into a door he assumed belonged to the son, before she closed the door she glanced at him one more time and gave a curt nod, giving him permission. He couldn't blame her, living with a traitor must have been difficult and he was offering her safety from it. He narrowed his eyes, unlike Kasumi this man had no hope, he had betrayed Hayate.
Ryu had found him sleeping on the bed and walked over towards him. He had almost wished for the man to wake so there would be some fight for satisfaction but he knew he would have more than his share of blood by the end of this. He raised the wife's blade and thanked her for it in his head. Then he brought the weapon down into his heart.
The man jerked then was still, as he would be forever.
Ryu lifted the blade and heard the door close so he looked to the wife who was leaning against the door,
"I didn't know of it until today, or I would have proudly killed him myself." She sighed; her arm coming up to grab the shoulder of the other. Pleading eyes then met his "my son doesn't know."
"He doesn't need to." He said. He would keep the secret for the family. He knew association was difficult to live with. People might eventually find out, but he wouldn't say it outright. She nodded
"Thank you."
She came closer with her hands out and Ryu handed her the sword. She had a cloth with her and she wiped it down leaving it to gleam again. Her eyes traced the sword before looking back towards him.
"Do you know of any others involved? I have heard of Raisuke and Kaira and I hope that can help you." He knew of this already, but nodded nonetheless.
"I might return." She nodded; her lips in a line and a glint in her eye that let him know she was hoping he'd say that.
"I'll be waiting."
He vanished.
She played the dutiful wife, mourned him and told her son only good things, she had brought him to her sister and told her sister how she wished he had longer and asked who would kill him. She gave her son his sword and as he wished Raisuke received a few things, she told him to be careful and his wife agreed with her. Raisuke was unnerved because it sounded like a general wish of luck, but it was a threat if he had ever heard one.
His family was leaving the Hajin Mon that night; he would not risk them all anymore than he had already done.
.
"Gaito's wife seems to be broken at the loss of her husband. Do you think she knew he was a traitor?" He said as Ryu walked in.
"She knew, she was there when I killed him, it's her son."
"Ah," Kenjumori said as he nodded to himself. "She would have been a very good spy, no one is the wiser."
"Who is she?"
"Nami? Well I know she worked with Ayane way back. They parted on harsh terms but nothing dangerous. She never tells me anything about her missions, I mean no one is supposed to but everyone does. She married her husband after she was pregnant." He scratched his chin. "She's better as an ally than an enemy so I would not worry about her."
"She was ready to kill her husband that night." He nodded "she would have if I didn't."
"She'd help you if you asked."
"It's my battle." Ryu stubbornly said and Kenjumori shook his head.
"It's hers too; killed your wife, but her husband."
.
"Ryu Hayabusa." She said as she turned over a picture in her hand. "I should have known it was you,"
