Gessen Girls' Academy

One of the most prestigious good shinobi's academy in Japan, training some of the best shinobi students

However…

They are always people stronger than you in this world full of monsters…

"It's not over yet… We won't lose!"

A powerful sentence Yumi, Gessen's elite students' leader, yells despite the pain and the blood in her mouth.

The cold beauty is facing three adversaries with at her sides one of her closest friend, Murakumo, who is even more injured than she is.

What about the others? They're already down, barely breathing and unconscious.

"Secret Ninja Art, Black Ice!"

"Secret Ninja Art, Kotarô!"

The two high school students scream by using their attacks, hoping to reverse the situation.

But their opponents don't even look worried, one of them is about to finish the job:

"Ultimate Secret Ninja Art, Loyal Dog's Canine."

Following those words, the ground starts to shake, and behind the two remaining Gessen shinobi, a mass of earth is rising before turning into a Labrador's skull. Then, it crushes the shinobi, all of that only lasted a couple of seconds.

"No way…"

Were Yumi's last words before being hit by the gigantic claws and passing out, same for Murakumo, which definitely makes their enemies victorious.

A few days later, meeting room of Hebijo Academy

Here currently are six people, who are Suzune, this academy's teacher, and the school elite students.

The teacher has convened the elite in order to tell them about the defeat of Gessen Academy against an enemy actually not unknown in the world of evil shinobi.

But Miyabi and her groups, unlike Suzune who keeps a calm face and voice, are confused, not to say shocked, by their teacher's account.

"Yumi and her friends had been beaten, how is that possible…"

Miyabi says aloud what her comrades were just thinking.

"According to the report, their enemies were outnumbered and won without much trouble."

Adds Suzune, her voice is still calm, but also a little worried.

None of her students react, the room is absolutely silent while Murasaki, thanks to her smell, can feel several feelings inside her friends.

But the most obvious of them wasn't concern of anger, but fear.

"Master Suzune, with respect, why did you convene us for that? It's not our business."

Imu says to break the silence, reproducing the cold attitude of her teacher.

"Actually it is, the shinobi who attacked them are members of Hachi Mixte Academy, an evil shinobi school from Europe that recently moved to Osaka. The truth is the principal of that school has been in our top superior's sight from several months."

Suzune's explanations, which are supposed to give her students answers, actually putted more questions in their mind.

"So, we have to kill him?"

Asks Ryoubi, her tone is serious, but you can still perceive her confusion.

"Perhaps, but for now, the situation at Hachi Academy is too uncertain to try an assassination. For now, our school will go on an infiltration mission to collect more information."

The students, despite their surprise, stay quiet by hearing the purpose of their incoming mission.

Even if they always knew evil shinobi accept any kind of missions, including infiltration, none of them even thought they would have to infiltrate another evil shinobi school.

"Master Suzune, please tell us more about the principal of that school, why does our hierarchy consider him as a potential threat?"

Asks Miyabi, who still have many questions in her mind, but who manages to focus it on her mission to forget about them.

"He's a man named Hamato, a former elite shinobi. For several months, he unilaterally made important decisions whereas he had to ask his hierarchy for approbations. For example, in addition to migrate to Japan, he has also created a high school section in the academy."

Suzune's last example surprised her student, the purple-haired woman doesn't fail to notice.

"Indeed, Hachi Academy is kinda special, it's not a shinobi high school but a kind of college where graduated shinobi can go to further their formation."

After those new information, the surprise immediately leaves the young shinobi's faces.

"Master Suzune, do the students over there are strong?"

Asks Murasaki with an afraid tone, her face pressed against her plush Bebetan.

Suzune hesitates a moment before answering, which is very rare of her.

"Yes, very strong, I actually think Miyabi wouldn't even be an elite student in that school."

Suzune's words just made the five students shivered.

Even if they were expecting the students being strong since they defeated Gessen, imagining shinobi way stronger than Miyabi is scary, even for them.

At least, for four of them…

"Great! Maybe they could hurt me very, very much!"

Scream Ryouna with her enthusiasm recognizable between all.

"Shut up, stupid dog!"

Yells her twin Ryoubi by slapping her with all her might with a pissed of face. And thus under the desperate looking face of their comrades and teachers.

"Anyway, be ready to leave tomorrow morning."

Says Suzune with a commanding tone.

"Understood!"

Yell the five students in response, determinate to carry out their mission for the honor of their school…

And to go back home as soon as possible for Murasaki's case.

The same day, in the forest next to the city

Those woods usually silent are today roughed up by a young woman again.

Not any young woman, she's a shinobi that used to be a student of Hebijo Clandestine Girls' Academy, as well as her comrades.

Homura the renegade, who's training by cutting solid things (mostly bamboos) as quick as possible. But her mind usually on fire and waiting to fight against though opponents is now only frustration.

"Shit, 2 minutes and 12 seconds, barely a second less than last time…"

She says aloud even if she's alone, still her chronometer in her hand.

"Asuka is becoming stronger day after day whereas I'm not, I need to progress if I wanna stay her rival! Yumi is already a little too close to her compared to me…"

Homura tells herself, but when she realizes her last sentence could be interpreted in a way she wouldn't like, she blushes a brief moment before slapping her own checks to back in the real world.

"I need to find a way to become stronger!"

Homura yells before starting a brainstorming.

A few minutes later

"Damn, I can't find anything!"

Homura yells with frustration by tairing her hair.

"Well, I'll ask my the others about, perhaps they can help me. But before that…"

With those words, Homura stands up, her face is now serious

"Whoever you are, show yourself!"

The tanned shinobi yells.

Indeed, she feels the presence of a shinobi, which is usually not something good. However, something is different this time, and Homura likes it.

The uninvited guest is a shinobi of course, but Homura has felt its level is high, hence her excited smile.

"Oh, you noticed me? You're as good as people say, Homura!"

Answers a female voice that sounds mature, but with an enthusiasm sounding like a kid's one.

Homura, understanding the intruder won't show herself by her own initiative, throws one of her sabers in the direction of a bruise where she's sure she heard a very low noise that even most of the shinobi wouldn't hear.

"Jeez, how dangerous!"

Says the young woman by jumping out the bruise, smiling despite a drop of sweat on her forehead.

The intruder is wearing a red and purple dress, with gloves and a bow on the right of her head with the same color palette. At the back of her dress, there are long red ribbons, the shinobi is also wearing gray glasses, stocking and black high-kneels.

The young woman herself was approximately as tall as Homura, her eyes are gray like her hairs chich are cut short and straight.

But Homura only care about two things, the first is her high-kneels, Homura never understood how is it possible to fight such horrible shoes.

The second one, way more concerning, is the very sharp looking trident in the right hand of her unexpected guest.

"Who are you? What you want?"

Homura asks, pointing her sabers toward the young woman, who's still joyfully smiling.

"My name is Yuuma, I'm here for a mission, and I must challenge you!"

After those words, Yuuma rushes Homura by trying to stab her with her trident.

But Homura's never dropped her guard and easily counters her opponent's attack, even if the shock was brutal enough to make her move back a little bit.

"Oh oh, you're a natural born-bagger, I see…"

Says Homura by pushing Yuuma back, who's still smiling.

"Yes, why? You don't like it?"

Yuuma answers with a pretty taunting tone of voice, which irritates Homura a little.

"Not at all, kinda the opposite!"

Responds Homura before attacking in her turn, trying a lateral hit against Yuuma, who dodges without much effort.

"Damn, she seems very strong… I love it!"

Homura thinks, excited as she's rarely been.

Yuuma jumps and tries a diving attack on Homura, who just moves a little at the last moment to dodge it. The simpler movements are the most efficient one, that's one of the first lesson she got when she went into shinobi world.

"Take this !"

Homura yells by horizontally hitting Yuuma, who barely manages to block the attack.

However, Homura was excepting that, since Yuuma's still on air and Homura hit with all her might, the attack literally throws, even if she manages to land on her feet.

But that was enough to create a opening Homura can exploit.

"Secret Ninja Art, Charge!"

But Yuuma is far from giving up.

"Secret Ninja Art, Enchantment!"

Under those words, tens of red shinning butterflies appear before landing on Yuuma's trident, entirely covering it.

Yuuma hurry goes on a defensive stance whereas Homura is starting her lightning assaults.

As usual, Homura slashes her opponent seven times, enough to crush many opponents…

But Yuuma managed to resist, Homura's attacks only burnt the butterflies she just summoned, even if Yuuma looks exhausted.

Homura, even though she considers Yuuma as her enemy, can't help feeling a little amazed in front of such a tenacity, even her comrades can't resist her ninja arts.

"Well done, you're really strong, perhaps as strong as me…"

Homura admits by smiling of excitation, of course, she didn't take into account her Crimson form for her comparison.

"Thanks for the compliment!"

Screams Yuuma but standing up as if her apparent fatigue just disappeared.

Homura, by seeing that, can't help feeling insulted, thiking Yuuma may be taunting her.

But that's not her only feeling, until now, she was thinking she could lose that fight, but now, she is.

Of course, it's far to be enough to scare Homura, who knew way worse.

"Let's go for a second round!"

Yells Homura, ready to attack, but…

"Nope!"

Yells Yuuma in return, dropping her guard down.

Homura, by hearing that word, is frozen because of the shock.

"W-What you mean by "Nope"?!"

She asks.

"I'm not here to kill you, but to transmit a proposal from the principal of my school, Hachi Academy."

Homura is surprised, but before she could ask what's that proposal…

"Our school, which only trained already graduated shinobi, just created a high school section and our master want you and your squad to join them as the elite students."

Homura's surprise turns into shock after those words, she obviously thinks about a trap, but before she could say anything…

"That's not a trap, if we wanted to kill you, you would have already be dead!"

No need to tell Homura doesn't like that addition…

"Eh?!"

Homura scream to protest.

"You think I'm strong? But I'm actually way weaker than the members of our elite squad, you know…"

Yuuma adds, her voice is still joyful, but also like contaminated by fear.

Homura isn't different, she just understood Yuuma was strong, and she immediately learns her school has even stronger shinobi.

"Anyway, I'll be back in three days, same hour, to get your answer. You can refuse, we won't hurt you in that case."

Homura is still confused, the sudden return of the original topic doesn't help.

"No need to say you'll be housed in our dormitory, you'll have a pension, and of course, your past deeds will be forgiven."

The last point particularly got Homua's attention, that means they wouldn't be hunted anymore, at least, not that much.

"One last thing, if you cannot make a choice, our principal offers you a probationary period of one month without commitment."

Yuuma pronounces that sentence so (not) seriously Homura was wondering if she was kidding or if it was real.

"Alright, I'm leaving now! Bye bye!"

Immediately after telling that, Yuuma vanishes in a flash before Homura could react.

The tanned shinobi doesn't move at all for several minutes before daring thinks about what just happened.

Then…

"I'm sure it's a trick… But I should ask my friends about it, who knows…"

She thinks but walking in the direction of the den of Homura Crimson Squad.