Precison here. I apologize for not updating it, since it was Christmas and New Year. Do enjoy reading.


Dan wasn't around when I woke up early morning. Did he leave? I still recalled that incident when I nearly bump into him. If I hadn't thought quickly, he'd spotted me and chances were that I'd be busted.

I looked outside the window and to my surprise the sun was nearly up. I must have slept like a log.

But it was weird. I was supposed to be panickingliked that but I was calm. I got out of the bed and changed the sheets. My ankle was fine. I didn't hurt like two days ago. In fact, my right leg seemed so light that I could jump ten feet high to the sky.

I should hurry and leave this place. I still had to talk to Misuzu concerning what she said yesterday.

But I took my time. I walked around the room for a while. I was expecting Dan to arrive in any minute.

I really wanted to talk to him before I leave. Somehow, I had this feeling that I offended him last night. I wondered why and suddenly, I asked myself, why. Why did I tell him that? Why did I share something like that to him? Clearly, he was just an acquaintance that I met days ago.

An acquaintance.

I didn't sound right.

Am I not your friend? He had asked last night.

A friend.

Maybe he was a friend. Thinking back, I didn't have friends. I lived alone for two years in Payon. I dedicated my time to my job, killing upon the orders from the higher ops. I never had the time to socialize, make friends or know my neighbors.

I was simply alone until I met Dan a few days ago.

Maybe that was it.

Time seemed to run fast as I pondered on my thoughts. Believing that Dan or Serene wouldn't arrive her, I wrote a message on a paper and left it on the table near the bed.


"Misuzu?" I shouted when I entered the house.

I put my wooden clogs inside the rack and walked inside. I called Misuzu again but there was no response. Odd, Misuzu was always in the house every morning, sleeping inside her room. She only left the house in the afternoon, where the sun wasn't so hot that you'd feel being roasted alive.

I checked every room inside the house, calling her name twice. Misuzu wasn't around. She must be doing something important.

Probably an order from them.

To be sure, I checked her room. The futon wasn't on the floor. Knowing Misuzu, she really hated the idea of cleaning her room after waking up. Pushing the futon inside the cabinet took her at least ten minutes to put it inside.

Besides, her sword wasn't here.

She must have gone out, fulfilling the orders from them. Yesterday, Misuzu said something very important. We didn't have the time to discuss it, as she was cautious not to let Dan in it.

I entered my room. With her weapon, Misuzu wouldn't arrive until she had completed the order. I knew how she operated and the only thing I could do right now was to wait for her.

I picked up a book underneath my sleeves. It was a book that I bought yesterday when Dan invited me out. I bought it out of curiosity, seeing that the title was eye-catching.

The author's name was Reemua Rimoas-Long. It was a weird name for a Shinese.

I opened the book and started reading the Fairies of Magokoro.


"Sister, may I come in?"

I closed the book and hid it underneath my kimono. Looking at the height of the sun, I had been waiting for Misuzu for at least three hours.

I opened the door. Misuzu looked glum, her eyes barely open. It must be the lack of sleep. She must've been out all night after I met her yesterday and hadn't had the time to rest.

She didn't wait for me to invite her inside. Misuzu took her seat and settled her weapon near her.

"You don't look good," I said, casting a worried glance at her. "We can talk later. You should—"

She didn't let me finish. "Sister, I need to report something to you."

Looking at her, I nodded and took my seat.

"I have taken care of that person." Misuzu said.

"Him?" She was referring to the one that killed the two ninjas and spotted me. I asked her to take care of him, seeing how his abilities would be an obstacle to us.

"Yes. It took me a while to track him down but he was an easy target when I spotted him on the street, carrying a bottle of beer."

"What did you learned about him?"

Misuzu folded her arms. "They are called gunslingers, warriors from the Republic. They wield what they called a gun, a powerful device that is strong enough to pierce a crusader's plate armor. They're also more powerful than Shinese archers too."

"I understand."

"In any case," She showed me a weird contraption. "This is a gun called revolver. It can fire six bullets in three seconds."

My eyes widened.

"Faster than any hunters or snipers could do. It's truly a fearsome weapon."

"Are there any of them in Payon, particularly those who work with the royal family?"

"No." She replied. "It seemed that man was the only one in Shinan. Based on what I heard from the kobolds, the Republic is currently in a state of crisis. "

"Which means?"

"All gunslingers should be at the Republic right now. Perhaps that man didn't want to go back there."

"That's good news." I said. I didn't want to fight any gunslingers. Knowing their abilities and how Misuzu explained it to me, they would be a hindrance.

I stared at her. She was barely awake.

"You said yesterday that you wanted to talk to me about something. Does it have something to do with the Order?" I asked.

"Yes." Misuzu said and handed me a letter.

I didn't bother to read the entire content of the letter. I already knew what the Order wanted me to do.

Kill Yuri Shinan.

And it was to be done tonight.

I burned the paper using a fire spell.

I watched Misuzu, hoping that she would say something. I knew that this mission was for me. I was the only one capable of doing this.

"I will need your help with this, Misuzu." I finally said.

"Of course, sister."

"Then rest, Misuzu. I will need your strength tonight."


Thick, black clouds reigned supreme. It was a good sign for us, as the light of the moon would help the enemies to detect me. Moving inside the blanket of darkness was the most important part of being a ninja.

Misuzu was standing on the rendezvous point, half a mile away from the royal palace. She held her sword tightly as I arrived.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

Misuzu nodded. Her sword towered her by inches. Her nodachi, which she named karyuu was an ancient weapon of the Order. I heard it from the higher ups that this sword was wielded by a woman during the past.

"What's the matter?" Misuzu asked.

I consulted the skies. As if on cue, drops of rain started to fall. Raindrops bounced on my fox mask.

I lifted a hand, shielding my face against the rain. How odd. I always considered the rain as my ally. With the raindrops falling on the roof on my target's manor, I could easily sneak in without any worry of creating unwanted noises. At the same time, I could use the rain to conjure my water spells. The dark skies helped me to easily blend in the darkness and struck my enemies with a single blow. The lights outside their manor wouldn't be up, as the rain would prevent it.

I should be considering myself lucky to have this event.

I should be happy that I could perform my work easily.

I should be happy.

But I wasn't.

I removed my mask, feeling the rain pummeling at my face. I looked at the dark skies terrorizing the city. My eyes wandered around, hoping to see beyond the clouds.

I was hoping to see a bright sky, where the stars glittered and the full moon sat on its rightful throne.

For the first time, I wanted to see it.

The sky that is full of stars and a moon where I can admire its beauty.

But I knew that a person liked me had not rights to wish for the impossible. I am after all, a ninja.


The royal palace. I never thought that one day the Order would give me an order to kill one of the members of the royal family. I had been observing the palace for two years.

The shrine priestesses erected a powerful barrier to prevent intruders like me from entering the premise. I had tried to destroy the barrier but my magic skills weren't strong enough to break the barrier. At the same time, I also noticed that the barrier wasn't a normal one; If one breaks it, then the palace will be alerted.

Next, I tried to bypass it. There were many hidden routes but they were all dead end. I discovered a hidden route but another barrier was set up, preventing me from moving onwards.

I was standing outside the castle walls. It didn't take me that long to find the keystone hidden in the bushes. The marking of a dragon was on the stone.

I drew my kodachi and rammed the stone.

A crack slowly appeared on the stone.

I sheathed my sword and looked at the castle wall. The barrier should weaken right now. I counted from one to thirty before I began the next phase. I formed an ice spear and hurled it at the wall.

The ice spear shattered. I rushed towards the wall before the barrier regenerated. I climbed the wall like a cat.

"Who's there!" A guard said when I entered the window.

Ninja instincts kicked in. I dashed past the guard and grabbed his right arm. The sentry cried as I threw him on the floor. Using my free hand, I drew my kodachi and thrust it to his neck. The guard trembled before he drew his last breath.

I checked the corridor, making sure that there were no patrolling guards in the area. I hid the corpse inside a large jar and moved on.

It was my first time inside the royal palace. Even though it was dark, I could still see how rich the royal family was. They had expensive vases and jars lined on the corridors as I crept. Paintings from skilled painters were hung on the sides. I saw a large portrait of the current emperor on the wall when I exited the long corridor.

I recalled what Yuri said when he visited the Welds.

"It's nice to wake up and see the sun." He had said to Serene.

If that was the case, his room was still far from my current location.

I stopped. I planted my ear on the ground.

Sentries!

"Did you hear about what happened last night?" The first sentry said.

His partner snorted. "Heard what?"

I was watching as the two sentries stopped and started to talk. I was hiding on top of the ceiling, with my arms and legs stretched.

Their discussion turned into an argument. My limbs started to weaken. This wasn't a good thing to occur at a time like this.

One minute had passed and I reached my limit. The sentries were still talking about a rumor. As their discussion grew, I jumped from the hiding place and landed quietly.

"Did you hear that?" A sentry looked at the corridor.

"You're hearing things." The other one said.

They resumed their discussion. Slowly, I drew my kodachi and waited for the right opportunity.

As the other one turned his back away from his partner, I quickly drove my weapon to the second sentry's lungs and dragged his body down. I stood behind the other one, my back facing his and delivered the final blow to his spine.

The sentry stopped. A few seconds passed and he was on the ground, surrounded by his own pool of blood.

I sheathed my weapon but another sentry appeared. I hid inside the blanket of darkness.

He continued on his way but he turned around. I felt edgy, as he returned and noticed the corpses.

I grabbed his face and covered his mouth. My enemy struggled. I picked my knife hidden in the sleeves of my ninja garb and thrust it to his heart.

I let go the corpse, panting.

After I composed myself, I decided to move forward.

From the west wing, I reached the east wing of the palace. They all looked the same, though the paintings were different

I stopped as I saw fives sentries standing guard on a room. I bit my lips. It would be impossible for a skilled ninja to perform a kill with a number like that.

But I wasn't an ordinary ninja.

With the help of the darkness, I straightened my back. I grabbed my weapon and clasped my hand. A surge of energy started to flow in every cell inside my body and to my hands. My legs felt the energy flowing inside of it.

I positioned my body in an attacking position, mildly crouching down with both of my hands grasping my sword.

I teleported behind the first guard and slit his throat. As my first victim blankly stared, I swiped my kodachi at my second target. By the time I ended his life, I dispatched the third one, swinging my blade at his neck. The fourth one looked like he had seen a specter as I dashed forward and aimed for his heart.

I withdrew my sword and they dropped dead.

I opened the door, revealing numerous chest of gold. This must be the treasury room. No wonder it was heavily guarded.

I tossed their corpses inside the room and moved on.

I was standing in front of a tower outside the palace. My gut feeling told me that Yuri would be in this tower. Observing the area, it seemed to be true. It was a tall tower in an open field. It was close to the castle walls too.

Two sentries stood guard.

Suddenly, pain surged throughout my body. It was the effect of the spell, multi killing stroke. It had been a while since I relied on that skill in my assassinations.

The pain burned like a bonfire. With every second passed, the pain grew. I was already on the ground, hugging myself and drenched with rainwater and mud.

Somehow, the pain subsided. I rolled over, eyes staring at the black skies and panting. I welcomed the rainwater. It didn't matter whether it was dirty or not. I needed it to quench my thirst.

I slowly got up and scanned my surrounding. My ordeal weakened me but I must move on.

I slammed my palm on the ground. "Earth style: Terra bristles."

The ground trembled, followed by an awkward silence.

The guards were dead, impaled by spears made out of stone. I walked past them, ignoring the horror etched on their face and entered the tower.

I directly walked towards the bedchamber.

He must be sleeping like a log, I thought. Yuri Shinan was buried underneath pillows and a thick blanket.

"Die…"I muttered and thrust my sword at his body.

My eyes widened as I realized something amiss. I quickly retrieved my weapon and tossed the blanket and pillows away.

Suddenly, my ears caught a sound—a faint sound.

Instincts instantly ordered my legs to jump away. The bed was slice in half and a man was standing, a few feet away from me. I grabbed my kodachi and faced my enemy.

He pointed his sword, a katana at me.

"So you're the infamous Shadow?" He said.

That voice! I remembered that voice.

"You killed my cousins and relatives for the past two years. You even tried to dispatch my brother Makoto."

Impossible! I didn't that Yuri Shinan possessed swordsmanship on par with a master swordsman.

"Now, you will pay the price for the deaths of my relatives!"

So fast! I barely dodged his attack as he drew his katana from its sheath.

I leaped back. A portion of my ninja garb was destroyed. I assumed a defensive position, focusing my attention to Yuri and his sword.

I turned around. Yuri swung his katana but I successfully blocked it. His eyes glared at me. I could feel the intensity of his fury as I tried to push him.

With a shout, he overpowered me that I nearly lost my balance. He lunged forward, his katana poised to kill me. Thinking quickly, I used my agility to dodge his attack and struck him with my fist.

We both retreated. Yuri's nose was bleeding.

He assumed a stance—the sword-drawing stance.

I had already seen it once. I closed my eyes, trying my best to calm down. He relied heavily on performing a powerful attack, followed by a series of slashes.

I suddenly opened my eyes and threw my kodachi. My ears registered the sound of metal clashing and a yelped from my enemy. Following the noise, I lunged forward and captured Yuri. His face looked like he had seen a ghost. Using the ninja martial arts, I twisted right arm. My enemy cried as I snapped his arm. I moved on to his left arm and did the same.

I finished the assault by throwing him to the ground. His face was contorted with pain, arching his body up.

I picked my kodachi and then walked in front of him.

"Now die…Yuri—"

Something flashed across the ceiling. I retreated back.

My eyes fell on the swords that struck the ground. There were at least twenty of them and if I failed to dodge those swords, I would have been dead.

"Yuri!" A familiar voice said.

I rose up from my position and eyed the enemy. It was a shrine priestess, as she hovered down to the ground to aid Yuri. Behind her were swords, probably conjured by magic.

She faced me and her swords multiplied.

It's Kirishima Sakura!

"How dare you!" Sakura shouted and her swords rattled.

My senses kicked in; I quickly parried her swords that attack behind me. I glanced at Sakura. She stood proudly, her eyes glaring at me like she wanted me dead.

Sakura lifted her arm. Her swords moved in a circular motion.

As her swords continued to assault me, I remembered something concerning Sakura and the shrine. She was the heir to the next head of the Shrine. This only proved that Sakura was the strongest amongst the other shrine priestess.

She must be conjuring a powerful spell to end this battle.

"Sword arts!" Sakura cried as she hurled a short sword at me. "The swords that split the sea!"

The swords stopped moving and suddenly flew towards me. I jumped away and watched as the magic created a large hole.

I looked at my enemy and her spell started to form, summoning hundreds of different kind of swords. I clasped my hand and evoked illusionary shadow.

A wave of her hand and her swords flew towards me. I quickly leaped high enough to evade her magic. That spell sliced the floor easily like tofu.

She looked up, wearing a stunned look on her face. She never expected someone to dodge her spell. It was fast and deadly, enough to surprise me.

But I knew, from my experience how to evade magic like that.

Light flashed from my kodachi as I moved closer to my target. Sakura remained standing, looking at me with disbelief.

What!

Something wasn't right. I looked at Sakura. My weapon, Kiryuu was impaled at her heart. Blood slowly oozed from her body.

But why? Why couldn't I be satisfied?

"Sword miracle." Sakura suddenly said and gripped my arm. "Sakura's Funeral."

She dissipated like the mist. I was dragged into an unknown world. There was nothing but the darkness. My mind told me to mentally prepare myself for the worse.

It was then that I realized something. I ran my hand on my body and realized that I was skewered by a thick sword.

Then, it dawned to me as I looked up.

I was surrounded by swords, with Sakura appearing in front of me, holding a terrifying blade.

"Sakura's Realm: The Den of the Dragon Swords."