Chapter 34: Of Pain and Resolution

Homura stood across from several ninja scrolls, sealed within glass containers, an eerie bright blue glow emitting from them. "Just what is this Gokudō doing? There's no way this many scrolls exist. And what is their purpose?"

The sound of the creaking door behind her got Homura's attention, with three Gokudo shinobi walking in. Two of them holding 17-inch (43 Centimeter) hunting knives, the other held a semi-automatic Sp5. "Don't even think about it, girl!" the grunt with the gun spoke.

Homura slowly turned around, "Think about… what? I'm kinda lost here, fellows."

"Don't play dumb! Now step away from the scrolls!" the gun grunt motioned with his weapon for her to come forward.

Homura smiled, trying to sound innocent. "Aw, can't you help a girl out? I'm just lost. See? No harm intended." Homura put her blades into her sheaths as she fluttered her eyes at the Gokudō boy.

The gun grunt reinforced his weapon at Homura's head. "Hold right there! You think I'm gonna fall for that? My god, I've seen better approaches from NEETs."

Homura let out a seemingly sad sigh before completely shifting her tone, "Yeah, you're right." Grabbing onto the grunt's weapon, she twisted his arm, making him fire into the grunt left from the two. The last grunt tried to stab Homura, but in a swift motion, she pulled the gun grunt around in front of her, making his ally stab him instead. Prying the gun from the grunt's hands, Homura now aimed it at the remaining Gokudō boy, who raised his hands.

"What do these things do? Where did you get them!?" Homura demanded.

"They are for our prison cells! Helps keep the more dangerous ones like ninjas and other things in. I don't know where we got them! Only the elites know! Wait… what are you doing!?" Homura watched the grunt's eyes widen as she aimed the Sp5 at the scrolls. "NO!" the grunt lunged at Homura, but she quickly fired a shot at him before turning the gun back towards the scrolls. Glass shattered and the scrolls let out a disturbing wailing noise before the blue energy dissipated.

The coughing, bleeding grunt moaned and squirmed on the ground, "You stupid girl! You don't know what you've done!"

"What? Let all your prisoners escape?" Homura looked back at the grunt, her hands on her hips as a slow alarm went off.

"Not just that! You let the creature escape! Just… please end my misery!" the grunt coughed. Homura insisted to know what he was talking about. "I don't know, it's half machine, half organic, it'll kill everything in sight!" the grunt coughed up more blood.

"May you find peace." Homura took one more shot, this time at the grunt's head. As he stopped making noise, Homura threw aside the gun, grabbing one of the destroyed scrolls, walking out, and staring at the tattered scroll. These are fake. A true Super Secret Scroll wouldn't get destroyed so easily. And a creature. Just what have these Gokudō gotten into?

Going up a flight of stairs, Homura ran into another group of Gokudo shinobi, who pointed all manner of swords, guns, and throwing blades her direction, one of them even holding a crossbow. "Careful, fellas. You're gonna hurt someone with those." Homura said casually.

"Don't take another step! We're warning you!" one of the grunts' voices quaked as Homura noticed his weapon arm shaking. Slow footsteps echoed down the hall coming from behind the grunts.

"That's no way to treat a lady, boys. Did you not learn anything from Gokudō?" A man with a black suit and an slightly unbuttoned red dress shirt approached. His cape matched his suit, being black on the outside and red on the inside. "Let me show you how to handle a girl like a gentlem-…" As the man walked forward, he stopped suddenly.

Homura squinted her eyes as an air of familiarity came from the man. "You boys take the exit from the east wing down to floor 1. I'll handle this alone."

"Are you certain, sir?" one grunt asked.

"I must handle this alone. Now go." As the boys left, Homura overheard one of them saying 'luck guide you, Komichi.' Just then, the man removed his glasses. A chill filled the room as a heavy pressure caused Homura's heart to pump harder as she realized who it was.


Suzuki awoke to a bright light and the voices of his fellow Gokudō boys and shinobi nurses. As he looked around, first aid cabinets and a trima machine caught his eyes. "The medic room?" Suzuki rubbed his head.

"Suzuki! You're alright!" One grunt said.

"I'll say. He's making a girlfriend out of the enemy shinobi." The other laughed.

"What?! I don't know what you're talking about!" Suzuki raised an eyebrow.

"That Hanzo shinobi, Asuka. She carried you till she found us. Insisted that you needed immediate medical attention. She wasn't wrong, either." The grunt replied. Suzuki asked why they didn't pursue her. "You're more important to us, Suzuki. Some of us wouldn't be at this academy without you. We told her we'd look the other way just this once for your sake."

Suzuki looked down at his bandaged side, muttering Asuka's name. "Oh! Before she went… she wanted you to have this when you woke up." The other grunt motioned to the nurse, who handed Suzuki a note, reading;

I'm sorry I couldn't stick around, but once this is all said and done, meet me in Murayama park in Kyoto that we may talk. I may know who your sister is.

-sincerely, Asuka


Dreaded disgust punctured Homura's chest, carving a resentful grimace on her face. "You."

Komichi tried looking Homura in the eyes, but they were like two ends of the same magnet. "Homura. I… was not anticipating this whatsoever. I… don't know where to begin. All I know is that 'sorry' will not make up for what happened."

Homura's entire body was shaking, her breathing seethed through gritted teeth, as though trying to hold back a wave of painful memories that came like a raging tsunami in the form of Komichi's presence. Her emotions began to boil, nearly bringing stinging warm tears to the surface of her eyes.

Immediately drawing all six blades, Homura screamed in rage, lunging at Komichi, who raised his brass knuckle gauntlets up in defense. The clang of her swords against his arms rang a bitter noise in his ears.

"Yeah, I agree." Homura growled. "the only thing that will make up for it is me finishing what you STARTED A LONG TIME AGO!" One arm after the other, Homura struck heavily at Komichi, forcing him to defend himself. Despite his defense, small cuts appeared on Komichi's arms and sides as his sleeves shredded and his lower jacket and cape tore, revealing the tattoo of a phoenix on his toned arm.

"FIGHT BACK!" Homura demanded, before her voice angrily dripped the words she always told Komichi long ago. "I want to show you what I've learned, SENSEI!"

Komichi leaned backwards, just dodging a six clawed swipe from Homura, before blocking one set of her blades and attempting to punch her with the other, but Homura easily blocked. Homura's flaring green eyes caught Komichi's downtrodden silver eyes, her own rage only causing more grief. "Well done… Homura."

Homura yelled again, kicking Komichi away, A red burning energy immediately enveloping her, she flew like a drill at Komichi, who leapt aside. "The six clawed form. You've really done it."

"NO THANKS TO YOU!" Homura turned around quickly before rushing at Komichi, her blades igniting with fire. "Secret Ninja Art: RESONATE!" Komichi was forced to fall back, Homura's crimson blades nearly shaving his life away as more of his suit became tattered.

Komichi continued on the defensive, leaping away as Homura slashed up a wooden beam. "WHY SO HESITANT, SENSEI!? Come at me with ALL YOU HAAAVE! Charge at me! LIKE THIS!" unable to catch Komichi in a direct strike, Homura unleashed her ninja art, slashing and dashing all across the room.

Komichi was sent flying, only the upper half of his red dress shirt remaining, revealing a larger phoenix tattoo which decorated his abs. As he hit the wall, he fell onto an end table with a vase. Groaning, Komichi got to his feet, "I hesitate… Because I've already hurt you enough."

"Liar… you LIAR!" Homura leapt forward, forcing her blades against Komichi's knuckle gauntlets once more, pushing hard against them. "You told me that day… that after the THINGS WE SHARED! THE THINGS WE DID TOGETHER… That you never cared about ANY OF IT!"

Komichi yelled, pushing Homura back as he got to his feet. "YES! I said those things. I said them to make my job easier! They told me not to get attached to the target. That you were just… a means to an end."

"And you expect me to believe that?!" Homura glared.

"I suppose not." Komichi's head dropped.

"Even if what you say is true. That only makes you worse. How can anyone trust someone who can't even trust themselves!?" Homura rushed once more at Komichi but was taken aback when Komichi shot three kunai from a small arm cannon.

"So, you do have some fight in you after all." Homura regained composure but Komichi said nothing, only keeping his eyes focused on his former student. "But I don't believe you one bit! In fact, I've no problems killing you, sensei. However, if there is any amount of truth in you…"

"Let it ring out in the fires of combat!" Homura and Komichi both said simultaneously.

Komichi raised his fists, "I am Komichi. Help the weak and fight the strong."

"I'm Homura. I sacrifice myself to the will of our dance." Homura glared at her former teacher. "Let us finish what was never resolved, Komichi."

"Ladies first." Komichi grunted, still a little hesitant. Homura rushed at him with another spinning drill strike. "Secret Ninja Art... Ballistic Barrage." Komichi aimed both arm cannons, firing off several rounds of kunai, including flaming, electrical, and exploding variants.

Homura was forced to divert from her path as she dove behind a small bar, covering her face from the flying shards of glass bottles and cups. Homura peeked her head up, only to quickly duck again as Komichi shot a couple more kunai her direction, which stuck into the wood of the bar. Grabbing a couple, she swiftly threw them back at Komichi, who sidestepped around a corner.

Homura jumped over the counter, rushing towards the corner when Komichi's knuckle-gauntlets met her blades, Homura's flare clashed against a hesitant resolve, which she could detect from Komichi. "Defensive fists and ranged weapons aren't your style, sensei."

"Let's just say… I tend to keep my distance."

"Why? Afraid you'll get beaten by a kid again?!"

Homura's left most katana almost sliced him when Komichi ducked under and to the side, letting Homura slide into the wall. "Don't talk as if you know me, Homura!"

"You're right! Because if I knew Komichi Sensei then I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETRAYED, WOULD I!?" Simultaneously, Komichi leaned under a thrust from Homura while at the same time, Homura knocked away his arm, which tried to shoot another set of kunai.

"You knew more of me than I was supposed to let on, Homura!" a swift chop to the wrist, and Komichi sent two of Homura's three blades out of her left hand, to which she responded with a spinning swing of her other swords, baiting Komichi into a duck before kneeing him in the stomach.

"WHICH PARTS, KOMICHI!? TELL ME WHICH PARTS!" Now with two swords in each hand, Homura came at Komichi again, forcing him to raise his gauntlets in defense as she sliced into one of his arm cannons, damaging it.

"You really think an adolescent student could beat a young teacher unless that teacher had some sort of repression!?" Homura gasped as Komichi then began pushing back against her. "I HESITATED ON THE TASK BEFORE ME! When I said that I never cared about us, in the back of my head, I couldn't believe what I had said!"

"Bullshitting liar!" Homura yelled.

"LISTEN TO ME!" painful anger spilled from both parties, their eyes like a furious glare of old, reopened wounds. "Not a week's gone by where that day hasn't haunted me! I know it'll never be enough! But I'm sorry, Homura!" Komichi's voice trembled as his tone dropped to a near whisper. "I'm sorry."

Enraged tears leaked from Homura's eyes, a red aura forming around her. In a scream that shook the room, Homura's brown hair turned a bright shade of red and an explosive energy burst fourth from her, sending Komichi flying.


The tight squeeze of rope around his wrists were the first thing Murasame felt as he regained consciousness but opened his eyes to see Yomi smiling down at him. "Well… I must have died and went to heaven, because you look exactly like that angel I just fought."

Yomi giggled, remarking on his humor, to which Murasame asked why she roped him. "I do apologize, Murasame. But it was the only way I could ensure that I had defeated you without completely beating you to a pulp. Unless of course you'd rather we continue our rumble."

"Maybe some other time. For now, this is fine." Murasame smiled back at Yomi but then sweatdropped, "Although. Don't tell me you're one of those dominatrix types."

"Oh no, but my friend Haruka is. I'm sure she'd find an interest in you the way you swing that chain." Yomi grinned, to which Murasame chuckled lightly. His chuckle faded as he noticed Ikaruga watching the two from a distance. "I guess… I owe you an apology, little sister. I know it won't make up for all that's happened and all I've done… running away, causing business upheaval and missing father's funeral… So, I understand if you hate me."

Ikaruga seemed to hesitate, her head swaying from side to side as though looking around for an answer. "I guess if I can say one thing… it's good to see you smile for once. You always were kind of broody." Ikaruga said with a short smile.

As Yomi helped Murasame up, a nervous laugh of agreement came forth from him. Suddenly an explosion from the side of the Gokudo Academy building occurred. "Oh no! the others!" Murasame shouted. With hands still bound, he proceeded to run towards the building, shouldering his way through the door, despite Yomi's cries to stop. Yomi then proceeded to follow, with Ikaruga shortly behind.


Leaving only a single shoe and the calves of his pants, and torn boxers, Komichi's strapping figure put a dent into the wooden wall. His right arm cannon damaged as his knuckle-gauntlets came undone from his arms. Fully exposed, Homura could see the full artistry of the phoenix tattoo, the golden bird almost flying gloriously, if not for the chains on its legs, bound by the form of a red serpent.

Komichi crumped to the ground, his robust glutes sticking up in the air. Homura, alight with crimson energy, panted. Slowly walking forward with her Nodachi blade out, she watched as Komichi struggled to get up, trying to look her in the eyes. "That day… cause more pain than just betrayal, Homura. I lost my status as a ninja. Lost my home. And when my poor sister, who didn't deserve any of it, lost hers along with me… she set out to avenge her stupid brother… to reclaim what we lost… thinking that taking you down would fix things." Komichi then forced himself to his knees. "And eventually… I lost her too." Covering his eyes, Homura could make out the sounds of light sobbing.

"I guess life wasn't easy on you either after that. My parents disowned me for merely defending myself, and for a while, I was an emotional wreck. I am sorry about Tsujumi, but it's not like I don't think you didn't deserve some of what happened."

"I deserved it all and more. If I had been a stronger shinobi… no, a stronger person… none of this would have happened. I'd still have my sister, my life, maybe even my student. I've tried to mend things over time, caring for people like these boys who never had a life. You know why we became 'evil' shinobi? Because society rejected us, and we saw an opportunity."

Sympathy clustered on Homura's face as Komichi's words reminisced of her old self. Quickly flustered, she shook the feeling away, "You think telling me this is gonna get me to spare you?"

Komichi was silent for a moment. "No… In fact, maybe this is the only way I'll be rid of this guilt. To right my wrongs. I only ask that you grant me a swift, clean death. Though perhaps that is too self-seeking of me." Homura's eyes widened at Komichi's words, to which she slowly raised her sword. But as her former teacher's sorrowful, grey eyes peered into hers, she found it more difficult to deliver him redemption. "DO IT, HOMURA! I'm the man who screwed up your life, don't you remember!? I LIED AND BACKSTABBED YOU, ARE YOU GONNA LET ME GET AWAY WITH THAT!?" Komichi's eyes poured forth a river of anguish. "Please. Make me proud, my student."

Homura's hands shook, a few enraged tears squeezing from her own eyes as she tried fighting her own hesitation. With quivering arms, she raised her blade above her head when a voice cried out "KOMICHI!" with bound hands, Murasame leapt in front of Komichi, keeping his balance.

"Who the hell are you?!" Homura exclaimed, when Yomi and Ikaruga quickly ran into the room, the former calling out to her Crimson friend. "Yomi?! And you have Ikaruga?"

"What are you doing here, my brother?!" Komichi asked.

"I should ask the same of you, my brother. Look at you! On your knees ready for the chopping block? That's not the Komichi I know." Murasame glared back at him.

"I can't, Murasame… I've tried my hardest for those around me, but I'll never be free of those I lost. Only death can give me ultimate peace."

Murasame raised his voice, teeth gritted, "What is WRONG WITH YOU!? I never knew the Komichi of the past and I don't need to cause that Komichi doesn't matter! Call me a hypocrite since it took me this long to let go, but people in my life slowly helped me realize that none of that matters when we're here in the NOW!" Yomi and even Ikaruga gave a slight smile at Murasame's words. "How can you help the weak and fight the strong if you're conforming to the very societal ideas of not letting go that we oppose!?" Murasame then turned to Homura. "I don't know who you are, but I am Murasame of Gokudo Academy! And if you're going to kill my brother in arms, you'll have to kill me too."

Homura growled, frustration at her own ever-strengthening hesitation, her sword, Engetsuka, clearly shaking in her grasp. Yomi and Ikaruga both cried out for her to stop. "Ikaruga… Yomi… behind this guy is the man who ruined my life from the beginning!"

Yomi ran forward, gently grabbing Homura's arm. "Let me ask you the same question I asked Murasame! Why does that matter now?!" Yomi continued, but Homura had blocked her out as Asuka's words of earlier echoed in her ears. "Bloodshed is not always the answer. Would you still disagree even though you stand beside me today cause I refused to kill you?"

A frustrated growl left Homura's mouth, as she plunged Engetsuka into the wooden floorboards, the crimson glare returning her brunette hair to its original color, Komichi looking up in astonishment. "You're not worth it." Homura stated plainly, beginning to tie up her hair into a ponytail. "I'm still not sure I believe you… Komichi. Nor do I know if I can ever forgive you. But a shinobi has a choice." At this, Homura sheathed Engetsuka and began walking off.

Yomi almost tried to go after her, but Ikaruga placed a hand across Yomi's chest, shaking her head. The room stared on in silence while Homura, slowly fading from their sights, refused to look back, the only noise being the tread of her shoes. One foot in front of the other.