Everyone was crying. Our village was just attacked and all of the women were captured. Kaede was scared she was separated from her dad after the attack.

"What's going to happen to us?" One of the girls asked.

"We're just going to toys to these savages." Another one replied.

There were weeping all around. None of us wanted to think of what they we're going to do to us. Looking around we we're in a cave. "I don't want to be here." Kaede said as tears started to flow down her cheeks. She was crying and couldn't stop, she hasn't cried like this in years since mom passed away. "Daddy please save me." She weeped as she curled up into a ball. I just want to go home she thought to herself. I don't want to get raped, if I just bite my tongue right now they won't be able to do anything to me. Kaede closed her eyes tight and started to squeeze her tongue between her teeth the taste of copper took over her mouth as blood started to trickle through her lips. A little more and it'll be over she thought.

"You're all free. Get out of here." A voice said, as soon as those words were said she heard footsteps rushing out of the cage as if a stampede was charging through. After the sound of the footsteps faded away Kaede looked up at her savior. She was crying even more now, in shock of how quick the situation changed, and how happy she could feel knowing she would live. She watched as he turned around and went to walk away, she didn't want him to leave, she wanted to stop him and thank him. Without realizing it she reached out towards him and grabbed ahold of his shirt. He turned around and faced her.

She stared at him for a moment and finally was able to get a question out. "What's your name?"

"Leo." He replied solemnly. He has a cute name, almost like a little cub.

He had a slight blush on his cheek, how can he look so innocent after just killing someone she thought to herself as if mystified. "Well thank you Leo, you saved me and those girls." She watched his face closely as he started to break out into a smile that looked like relief. My savior is cute.

"Kana…" He whispered. Whose Kana she wondered?

With a giggle she replied with. "Nope, but close. It's Kaede."


"Kaede?" I whispered to myself. I did it old man, I saved your daughter.

"Mhm, can we talk after we get out of the cave?" Kaede asked.

"Yeah, that'd be best." I turned around and walked towards the exit of the cave.

"You sure do know how to bring them."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll learn one day or another.''

Watching out for the bodies I left on the cave floor I neared the exit, but stopped myself once the sound of struggling reached my ears. I stuck my arm out and stopped Kaede. Taking a peek outside I saw the girls I just rescued being held down by Revolutionary soldiers.

"Seems like we got ourselves a break out. Now ladies who let you out for a walk." A soldier said as he got face to face with one of the women. She just spat on his face. The soldier jumped back and pulled out his sword. "You stupid whore, I'll kill you." He went to swing his sword down. I felt Kaede latch herself onto my arm and shake slightly.

"STOP." I yelled out, causing the soldier to stop in mid swing and look at me. "I'm the one that let them out, thought they could use fresh air. Being trapped with pigs can ruin the air around here."

The soldier glared at me for a moment. "What right do you have to speak Imperial dog."

I smirked and counted the soldiers. "About fifty of you eh? I'll give you this chance to leave right now. You don't even have to drop your weapons."

"Leave? You're just one kid and you couldn't even stand against one of us." All of the soldiers burst into laughter.

"I warned you." I glared at the soldiers and flicked my wrist. As I did that, half of the soldiers were impaled by a spike that came from their shadow. With that half of the soldiers dropped down dead. The rest were in a daze all was silent and no soldier knew what to do. Taking this chance I took out twenty more soldiers while they were dazed my blade cutting through every single one of their necks as if it was butter. "If only I had some toast." I mumbled. I watched as the remaining five soldiers went to run away, before they could get far away I bound them to the ground with their own shadows. "I only need one of you alive." I said with a chuckle. Fuck used to much, that sure wears me out I thought. Taking a deep breath I executed four of the soldiers with a quick decapitation. I approached the sole survivor of the group and looked down at him. "Hey what's your name?" I asked the soldier with a smile on my face.

"Jenkins." He replied with.

"Jenkins eh? Did I not give you guys a fair warning?"

He hesitated for a moment. "Y..you did."

"So why didn't you just leave?"

"You're just one person. How did you even do that?"

"You don't need to know that. Now can you deliver a message for me?" I leaned in closer to him, getting into his face.

"Y..ye..yes." He said, fear obvious in his voice.

"Tell your soldiers to fear the Demon of The North." I gave him one last smile and kicked him in the face. "Now run." I watched the soldier turn around and run off a small trail of blood. Once he was out of sight fatigue took over my body and I felt myself falling.

"Leo!" I heard Kaede scream as I felt her arms wrap around my body catching me.

"Just let me sleep a little, I've been up for days." I told her as my conscience faded away.


Najenda looked at the paper in front of her. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up to calm her nerves. After taking a long puff she finally said something. "How is everyone going to take this?" On the paper was a picture of the Night Raid member that left only a little while ago. "Demon of the North hmph, seems like they don't know his true name." There was a list of crimes he committed and it started with wiping out a group of fifty soldiers. He also took out many encampments. "There isn't any way I could get him off this list. He has practically killed a fourth of the army. You're an idiot kid." Let's just rip the band-aid off and get it over with she thought. She called everyone into the main hall from her throne and watched as they all filed into the room and stood in front of her. "Everyone we have a new target." Najenda said, a slight quiver in her voice. "It's Leo, wanted dead only." She watched the others, their faces all looked like they wanted to do the same thing. They wanted to yell in protest but none of them could bring themselves to do it. She sighed, and before giving anyone a chance to speak she told them. "He's wanted now, all missions are currently on hold, let's go. At least let one of us put him down."

The only person that could speak after that was Mine. "It's his fault Sheele died. I'll be sure to get revenge." There was an uneasy silence as the Night Raid members split up to get ready to take down a friend.

Once Leone got to her room she sat down on her bed. Her emotions were like a whirlwind right now. "Why did I let you go Leo? If I just stopped you we could of stayed on the same side." She broke out into a sob. She couldn't fight him like this, she can only blame herself for Leo being a target now.


To the Assassination Squad

From the Emperor

You are now under new orders to take out a target that has been causing

many problems for the Empire. He has killed countless soldiers and raided

Many of our camps. Your target is nicknamed Demon of the North. Bring

him back to the empire alive, for he may contain valuable information.

He was last seen with a green haired girl along the Eastern Villages.

"Kurome have you seen the orders we've gotten this time?" A member of the squad asked.

"Yes." Kurome replied with while eating a cookie from her bag.

"We have to bring him back alive, just how are we going to do that?"

"Simple. If he is with a girl take her as a hostage and make him surrender." Said a man that was hiding in the shadows until just now.

"You make it sound easy. Guess that'd be the best approach."

Kurome got up and walked away. She didn't care much for this mission, she only wanted to run into her sister so she could kill her. Whatever else it was, it didn't matter until after to her.


I stuck my arm out. "Kaede get behind me."

"Wah why Leo?" Kaede asked. We've been traveling together ever since I rescued her. She has been a great help, keeping me sane along this journey.

"Just a feeling." I've felt like I've been being watched for awhile now. Someone was definitely following us since awhile back. I looked at Kaede with a bit of concern. She always listened when I looked at her this way.

"Okay Leo." I felt my shirt get grabbed and smiled. She always holds onto me tightly when gets even a little scared. It's cute, she makes me feel like I just have to protect her. I shook my head. I shouldn't be thinking about that now, gotta get somewhere more private and take care of whoever was following us.

"Jump on my back, we're getting out of here." I waited till the familiar weight was now on my back. As soon as I felt she was secure I took off with full speed into a heavily wooded area. I ran and ran with her on my back for what felt like hours until I finally found a clearing. I stopped and waited for Kaede to hop off. "Alright whoever is out there. Come out now." As soon as those words escaped my lips a familiar laser flew past my face. I looked at the direction it came from. "So it's you guys?"

"You seem to be doing well Leo." Najenda said while walking in front of the group of assassins.

"You too, what do I owe the occasion of even you coming to see me?" A bad feeling was going through me right now.

"You know well why. Why did you do it?" She asked me.

"Kaede take my hand." She grabbed a hold of my hand, I gently squeezed her hand then had her pulled into the shadow realm. "I'll get you out soon, you're safer there for now."

"I understand, be safe and don't make me wait too long." Kaede replied as she disappeared from view.

"Now to answer your question. The army was raiding villages, harming the citizens that didn't deserve a single thing of mistreatment. They only didn't want to be involved!"

Najenda shook her head, I checked the rest of Night Raids faces. Mine looked like she was ready to kill me, Rabac had Cross Tails out probably trapped the aea, Bulat was in Incursio, Tatsumi seemed to stay in the back hesitating slightly. Leone was the last one I looked at, she looked like she was torn between something. "Leo this is war, they were involved the moment this war started." Najenda replied calmly.

"That's bullshit, the Revolutionary Army is just as bad as the Empire if they are ready to harm the innocent civilians that wanted no sides in this war." I said coldly.

"So you attack the Revolutionary soldiers for harming Imperial citizens?"

"I protected the civilians from both Armies." I glared at Najenda. I was hoping she'd understand why I'm doing this, but I guess not.

Najenda shook her head and sighed. "Is that your reason? Well you've made an enemy of the Revolutionary Army and wanted dead."

"That's how it is? I understand." I summoned a shadow katana into my hand and got in a low position. "Come at me."


OMAKE

"Sir we have confirmed reports of a man slaying our troops." A soldier told his leader.

"A man? Only one man only? How is that even possible?" The leader replied.

"Yes sir one man. He's doing it with a flick of the wrist."

"AHHHH! HELP US HE IS HERE!" Screaming came from the outside of tent. The leader and soldier ran out the tent only to see countless bodies on the ground and one man in the middle of them with a girl clinging to his back.

"Who are you?" The leader asked.

The man looked at the leader and smiled. "Leo. Can you do me a favor?"

"A favor?" The leader felt nervous at hearing an odd request from the enemy.

"Yea it's actually very simple if you ask me."

"What is it?"

"Look at the flicka da wrist." The man flicked his wrist and that's when the leader felt a sharp pain go through his head and everything faded away. His body slumped onto the ground lifelessly.

"I have really got to name those spikes." Leo said.

"Hmm what about silent pain?" Kaede asked.

"That sounds stupid no offense." He giggled as he said.

"None taken." She smiled.

"I already named it." Kaede jumped back.

"What the hell was that Leo?" She asked.

"Oh you heard him? That's odd."

"It's cause the writer thinks it's easier this way. Anyways the name is.."

"Writer? Whose this writer Nypherius?" Leo asked.

"THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT, this is just an elaborate way for him to give a name to that overpowered attack for the readers."

"Readers?" Leo tilt his head.

"It doesn't matter, I named the move Neuron Spike."

"Who is writer and readers Nyph?"


A/N

Sorry bout this being out this week and not last, work life has been busy and other things going on anywaaaays woop another chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed reading the story so far and enjoyed this chapter! Have a good day/evening/night for whenever it is for you! Until next time!