Now to another chapter of our dark story. I hope this story is entertaining my readers even more so than Assassin Fist. Also I will not be following the Kenichi cannon as much as I did for Assassin Fist. It will sort of branch out into an entirely new story, much like I am doing for The Nephilim. Please Review and tell me what you think so far.

Chapter 3

Secrets revealed

Hadji woke up surprised. He was surprised that his return to the serenity of his own home wasn't just a dream. He half expected all of this to just be a dream. Kissing Shigure-sensei. Just a dream. Getting to finally go home. Just a dream, but no. This was really happening, and he was faced with yet another day in his real life.

He sat up in his bed looking around the bunk area, and it seemed that everyone else was already up. No one had bothered to wake him up for some reason, which made him instantly think a test was waiting for him. He tossed the covers off himself revealing his casual clothes, a simple pair of black sweat pants. He walked up to his dresser and pulled out a grey t-shirt then looked up at the accessory which must have been added when he was gone. A large mirror, decorated in a modernism style, with vines on the outside of the mirror face.

He stared at himself, at all the scars that covered his body. They snaked across his chest as if a huge hand were stretched over his chest. He closed his eyes then imagined the last time he looked remotely normal for his age. He was eight years old. The last time his body was free of scars. The last time Himika would have seen him and she was only five years old. She had black hair down to her shoulders, but still resembled a toddler. How would she recognize him? How would he recognize her? He would have to find proof, perhaps an old family picture. Aguri-Sensei would surely know.

Hadji slipped the shirt over his head and grabbed his sword from the mount above his bed. He twisted the doorknob, but didn't open it. He listened for movement or breathing from the other side. If they were setting up for another test while he was asleep, surely Akiko would give them away like she did the previous day. No sound could be heard to he opened the door and stood behind it. No attacks happened. He poked his head out and looked around, but no one was there. In fact he could now smell the succulent scent of bacon and pancakes cooking in the kitchen. An easy morning?

He was about to find out what Aguri was up to.

Hadji rounded the corner with his sword saya in one hand and the other hand on the hilt, ready to unleash a drawing attack. Still no attack. This was highly unlike Aguri-sensei, because normally he would constantly test Hadji every chance he got. Now that he thought about it, the only time he tested Hadji was yesterday, before that Aguri hadn't tested him since before he was sent on his own. Hadji just thought it was because of his constant missions, but the fact that Aguri kept pushing him to train with other people and make friends, made him think otherwise.

What was he up to?

He entered the kitchen still on high alert and saw Aguri in front of the stove. He was cooking of all things. Not holding a weapon or crouching and ready to pounce. He seemed to be relaxing.

"Master?" Hadji spoke up.

Aguri lifted his head. "You are a master assassin now. You should call me by my name."

"But you are my master." Hadji leaned against the counter.

"Before I drilled that into your head, but that was just to teach you respect. You don't need that anymore, and you are my equal believe it or not." He said only getting a doubtful stare from Hadji. "So call me Aguri from now on."

Hadji chuckled. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"We'll have to schedule a fight then won't we? Anyway, I have other news." He turned around with his arms folded. "I'm disowning you as a son."

Hadji raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"It's nothing bad. It's just that you're a man now. You don't need me to take care of you." He said. "And there's no need for me to be referred to as your father."

Hadji didn't mind that at all, because he was right. Hadji had survived for months on his own and ended up rich.

"So..." Hadji was still wondering about the pancakes. "You're cooking?"

He actually chuckled at that remark as if he was waiting for Hadji to ask that very question. "Yes. Believe it or not I like to cook. It helps me keep a clear head. Much like the effect of crafting weapons does. Speaking of weapons."

In an instant Hadji's new sword was gone and Aguri was holding it admiringly. His finger tips stroked the bamboo engravings on the saya and his eyes looked over the grip. Finally he stuck his lip out bobbing his head.

"Impressive." He said looking at the engraving on the base of the blade and making a light chuckle. "It seems your other sensei picked out the perfect weapon for you didn't she? I'm actually surprised."

Hadji took back his sword. "Why is that?"

Aguri shrugged. "Well judging by the craftsmanship that sword was created by the lost swordsman of Yami. Who was her father."

"Yeah I know."

"And from what I understand she doesn't give weapons from her father to anybody at all. In fact she hunts them down and takes them from people."

Hadji raised an eyebrow and imagined the sword mistress doing such a thing. A katsujinken wouldn't kill anyone, so how exactly did she fight people? With that technique? No she needed the weapons to be in one piece. So how did she fight people and not end up killing them?

"How could she do that?" Hadji asked. "I mean she isn't exactly the killing type and she obviously doesn't want to break the swords."

Aguri then looked at the floor with another chuckle, his laugh lines showing and his eyes narrowing. "That... is an excellent question. I only know those of satsujinken for weaponry. To be honest you know more about saving fist swordsmanship than I do, which is part of the reason for why I sent you to protect little Kenichi."

Hadji looked up. "What do you mean?"

"You were sick weren't you? That's why you passed out in the middle of the battle."

Hadji shook his head confused. "Yeah, but I just thought I had the flu or something."

Aguri belted out with a laugh. "Hahaha! You've never had a flu since I adopted you! Hahaha! No. The reason you were sick was because of your training with that woman."

Hadji looked up leaning off the counter, now more interested. "What do you mean?"

"You were raised as a killing fist. Your mind was used to it and even felt relief from it. So when you started fighting not to kill, training not to destroy, your mind got confused. Which then affected your body into a confused state of unrest trying to get used to this new style."

Hadji shook his head. "So what you're saying is I got sick because I stopped killing people? How does that work?"

"A little the same way as the Seidou technique works." This caught Hadji's attention. "Ah yes. You remember that one don't you?"

Hadji nodded, "But I've never tried it so I don't know what happens."

Aguri flipped the pancakes and kept speaking. "It just so happens, your old friend Odin found out the hard way."

Hadji remembered the purple haired leader of Ragnarok.

"He too learned the Seidou, and Kensei was counting on that." He turned around with a stressful sigh. "Kensei pretty much used you and Odin as test subjects. He didn't know what the affects would be for combining sei and dou so he taught you two in hopes that one of you would use it. And in the end Odin did."

Hadji chuckled. "I nearly tried it on Sogetsu."

Aguri nodded and continued. "When Odin combined his sei and dou chi together, this created a restriction in his body. The combined force allowed him an enormous growth in his strength, but in reality it was putty an enormous amount of strain on his body. In the end he was frozen in place unable to move and Kenichi got the winning blow."

Hadji took it all in. "Wow..." He imagined Odin frozen with his muscles bulging. "Glad I didn't try that, but maybe that isn't meant for long term use."

"Ah." Aguri poked the side of Hadji's head. "Now you're using your brain. You're more suited for that technique anyway. Odin didn't quite grasp the concept of sei and dou as you do. And now that your training with Miss Kosaka is complete, you have a much greater concept of both types of Chi."

"Because I trained in both styles first?" Hadji nodded.

"Exactly." He turned around and scooped the pancakes off the oven and set them to cool on a plate. "Anyway. Akiko has been having some trouble with her training and I have some things to do today. So I was wondering if you would help her."

Hadji didn't mind much. The idea of training someone sounded pretty cool. "Yeah. Sure."

"Maybe someday, you'll have your own apprentice to teach, hm?" Aguri's smile was warm and very different than the scary and cold stare of his mask.

Hadji was definitely going to have to get used to it. "So master. Now that my mission is over, I was thinking."

"Himika?" Aguri smiled at him. "Yes. I am working on that for you. Actually that is what I am going out to do. Find information for you to start on."

Hadji nodded. "That's a good plan. Could you also figure out if there are any old family pictures still intact?"

Aguri nodded. "I'm sure there's something in the depths of the police vaults. I'll see what I can do. Anyway." He poked his head out of the kitchen and into the hall. "Breakfast!"

There was the sound of an echoing slam from down the hall, as if someone had hit a punching bag. Then their footsteps could be heard coming into the dining room then they faded away.

"We'll talk more after breakfast." Aguri smiled. "Then we can get you started on your quest."

Hadji nodded and stood behind Aguri as he dished up the plates. Then he took four in his hands and walked them into the dining room. Riki and Akiko looked at the delicious food with a look of awe.

"Oh sweet!" Riki shouted. "Must be a celebration!"

Akiko looked at her food as Hadji set it down in front of her. "Thank you, Hadji."

"Yep." He set his food down then turned around only to see Aguri carrying the remainder in his arms.

Hadji turned around and sat in his chair watching as Aguri sat down at the head of the table then slid glasses of orange juice down to each assassin. Akiko drank it smiling warmly with a cheeky grin. Riki relentlessly ate his food as if it had been forever since he ate such a meal. Hadji looked down at it recognizing it only from Ryozanpaku when they served special breakfasts. Back then he had to eat quickly or risk getting his food taken like Kenichi always did. Hadji let out a smile at his food at the memory.

Aguri stared at his disciple and smiled as well, knowing the signs of a good memory.

Suddenly he stood up. "I know this isn't very formal what with the orange juice, but I would like to make a toast. My apprentice."

Hadji looked at his very much sentimental master.

"I have watched you grow up from a little boy. You have endured such horrible tragedies. You have endured hellish training and in the end you have come out as a very strong man." He lifted his glass higher and the other subordinates lifted theirs as well. "The rest of the brotherhood is pathetically weak compared to us of Virus team. And I hope that Yami and the Templars alike will recognize this and lay down their arms. Less they wish to die. To Hadji!"

The rest of the team repeated Aguri with glee, which surprised Hadji. He looked and even Riki was smiling.

"Since when did you respect me, Riki?" Hadji chuckled. "I thought I was just a stupid kid."

Riki ate a bite of his food chuckling as well. "Before I didn't acknowledge you because I didn't know you. I never take someone's word for it. Now you've proven to be stronger. Hell Wraith would stand better against you than I would. Even so, I'll acknowledge you as a rival."

Akiko glowered at her brother. "Oh please. You can't rival him. Didn't you see what he did to Wraith, or that Ragnarok horde? Don't kid yourself, sheesh."

Hadji and Aguri laughed at that even the bald Wraith smiled at that. Riki lowered his head defeated.

"So. Hadji." Aguri said, "I bet, now that your mission is done, that you want to know more about your family?"

Hadji looked over at Aguri, his heart thumping. "Yes." He nodded.

Aguri nodded and grew a serious look. "I'll tell you the tale. It's an old tale in the brotherhood."

Aguri clapped his hands and the lights dimmed.

"Long ago during the height of the Vietnam war. The Assassins were small and weak. What was left of the brotherhood could only sharpen their skills through combat. So they joined the military forces of the United states."

Hadji looked at Akiko who was heavily into the story.

"His name was Thomas Marley. He was an American along with his two brothers in arms. The three of them were small ranking agents within the brotherhood, but they were ambitious. The skills that the brotherhood taught them were all well and good, but they knew deep down in their hearts that they could do much better. So when the Americans drafted thousands of soldiers to go over to a foreign land they knew the this was their chance to get stronger. But... sadly his two comrades were killed in battle along with half his squad. He was alone, MIA."

"Was he captured?" Hadji asked.

"No. He kept moving, as his instincts told him. He ran and ran until finally he escaped Vietnam. He had made it to China and lived there for many years in solitude. He had no job, no money, and very little friends. So he would occasionally take a long hike in the countryside. One day he found an old Chinese temple where a large band of monks lived. He saw their martial arts and knew he had to learn it, but when they looked into his eyes they saw only a monster and refused to train him. Only one monk had pity for him, but because he was forbidden to teach the American, he proposed him another way."

"Japan?" Hadji asked getting a nod from Aguri.

"Yes. The monk lent him a boat to take to Japan. He told Thomas of the stories from that foreign land. Stories of the silent warriors, of the Samurai and the Ninja. He instructed Thomas to go to Japan and go to a temple on the outskirts of Hiroshima. Thomas was confused. He told the monk that Hiroshima had been bombed long ago and nothing was left. The monk knew that and told him that one thing was in fact standing. A stone arch. He told Thomas that the arch was built as a doorway to an underground temple. There he would find the country's last assassins. The Nakahiro clan."

Hadji said the name in his mind, "Nakahiro?"

"We'll get to that in a minute."

Hadji looked at Wraith who gave him a stern look, then looked back at his master.

"Thomas was determined to prove himself to the Nakahiro, but the monk warned him. These assassins had been run down to simple martial artists, and very little work was given to them. With so much time to train, and so much time in solitude the Nakahiro were very paranoid about the outside work after the samurai began a hunt for all of them. He advised Thomas to show them an act of kindness. Go into the ruins of Hiroshima, and pick a Sakura leaf from one of the trees, then gather a bit of ash and carry it inside the petal, this would show the Nakahiro that he meant only love for them, not harm."

"So Thomas went?" Hadji asked.

"Yep. He followed every instruction to the letter, with both fear and hope that they would accept him. It took him months to finally get there but eventually he had made it. When he went inside he was met with brief violence, but with an act of bravery Thomas shed all of his gear and weapons. He disarmed himself and presented his petal to them, asking for their forgiveness and mercy."

"Did they accept him?" Hadji asked Aguri.

"Of course not!" Aguri shouted. "Not at first. They locked Thomas away as their prisoner. What neither Thomas or the Nakahiro knew was that a group of people still loyal to the ninja-hunt. Had followed Thomas and stormed the hideout. Thomas heard the commotion and broke out of his cell to help them, eventually killing the leader of the enemy, and saving the Nakahiro elder. It was then that the ninja clan accepted Thomas, acknowledging his skill and knowledge of the outside world. The elder trained Thomas and Thomas told them about the assassins and Templars. He told them that the Assassins still existed and that they should even join them. It was a hard decision, but the Elder took Thomas's advice and the Nakahiro became the first Ninja-assassin Hybrid team."

"Like us?" Hadji guessed.

"Exactly." Aguri smiled.

"So what about my parents?" Hadji asked. "Where to they come into play?"

Aguri gave Hadji a stern look. "The Elder of the Nakahiro had one child who later took over as leader of their assassin team. That son then had a daughter who he named Rinshi. Her husband, was Warishu Nakamura."

Hadji's eyes widened. "Nakamura?"

"Your parents."


It took a little more time than I hoped to come up with the story, but I hope you enjoyed it. I appreciate the first review and I hope you continue to enjoy this story.