The hall was dimly lit by the candles that lined the walls as Rikimaru slowly made his way across the rafters to the main chambers. He moved in a way that was undetectible by the guards that patrolled below. The guards that continued to pass beneath him seemed to be looking for Rikimaru with no luck.
A soft thud was uddered as Rikimaru dropped from the rafters to the floor below. He stood in front of the main chamber to Naogama Kaigeku, a merchant that had risin to fame through underhanded deals with disgraceful daimyo. Rikimaru was sent to punish him for his crimes, he was sent to end the deals forever.
Rikimaru didn't think it would be a good idea to just walk right in so he lept up and cut a hole in the ceiling and climbed up onto the roof. He spotted a bodyguard that seemed to be waiting for him. The warrior turned to face Rikimaru and smiled.
"Ah, you must be Rikimaru, Lord Ghoda's best. Nice to meet you finally."
"And you are?"
"I am a mercenary. My name is Joaka. I was hired by Naogama to protect him from you. And I intend to earn my pay."
Joaka slowly unsheathed his sword and dashed at Rikimaru. Surprised, Rikimaru was struck by the blow of Joaka's shoulder and flew back into the building through the hole he had made earlier. As he looked up, Rikimaru saw the mercenary jump down and try to land on him. In the last instant, Rikimaru rolled over and stood in front of the shoji screen that led to the master's chamber. Joaka recovered and once again rushed Rikimaru, this time with his blade. As quickly as he could, Rikimaru drew his blade and blocked the attack, but he was thrown through the screen by the force of the blow.
Rikimaru looked up to see the mercenary lift his blade for the final strike. He had lost. Before Joaka could strike, Rikimaru heard a loud sound of thunder clapping. He looked up to see Joaka frozen in his attack. Slowly and quietly, Joaka's body slumped to the rice mat and stained the area around him with his blood.
Rikimaru looked behind him to see Naogama standing with a shocked expression on his face. In his hand was a foreign gun that he had most likely purchased in one of his deals. Quickly, Naogama grabbed up another gun and aimed it at Rikimaru's chest.
"And now, ninja, it is your turn to die."
Tatsumaru dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of Naogama.
"Not if you are dead and cannot pull the trigger."
Tatsumaru smiled as he grabbed the merchant's cheeks in one hand and slammed his head against the wall behind him. Naogama painfully opened his eyes and saw Tatsumaru's blade in front of him, glinting the light from the candles onto his face. Tatsumaru smiled once again as he slowly slid his blade into Naogama's stomach, letting it slide into the wall behind him.
"Looks like we have accomplished our mission. We should head back to Lord Ghoda." Spoke up Rikimaru, interrupting Tatsumaru's concentration.
"I guess so."
Both of the ninja lept up onto the roof where Ayame awaited their arrival.
"What took you guys so long?"
"Tatsumaru was fulfilling his sick delights with the target again." Replied Rikimaru.
"I was just toying with him before he died. That's all." Tatsumaru objected.
The ninja moved like shadows against the night as they dashed into the woods. They headed off to their master, blanketed by the light of the moon.
A soft thud was uddered as Rikimaru dropped from the rafters to the floor below. He stood in front of the main chamber to Naogama Kaigeku, a merchant that had risin to fame through underhanded deals with disgraceful daimyo. Rikimaru was sent to punish him for his crimes, he was sent to end the deals forever.
Rikimaru didn't think it would be a good idea to just walk right in so he lept up and cut a hole in the ceiling and climbed up onto the roof. He spotted a bodyguard that seemed to be waiting for him. The warrior turned to face Rikimaru and smiled.
"Ah, you must be Rikimaru, Lord Ghoda's best. Nice to meet you finally."
"And you are?"
"I am a mercenary. My name is Joaka. I was hired by Naogama to protect him from you. And I intend to earn my pay."
Joaka slowly unsheathed his sword and dashed at Rikimaru. Surprised, Rikimaru was struck by the blow of Joaka's shoulder and flew back into the building through the hole he had made earlier. As he looked up, Rikimaru saw the mercenary jump down and try to land on him. In the last instant, Rikimaru rolled over and stood in front of the shoji screen that led to the master's chamber. Joaka recovered and once again rushed Rikimaru, this time with his blade. As quickly as he could, Rikimaru drew his blade and blocked the attack, but he was thrown through the screen by the force of the blow.
Rikimaru looked up to see the mercenary lift his blade for the final strike. He had lost. Before Joaka could strike, Rikimaru heard a loud sound of thunder clapping. He looked up to see Joaka frozen in his attack. Slowly and quietly, Joaka's body slumped to the rice mat and stained the area around him with his blood.
Rikimaru looked behind him to see Naogama standing with a shocked expression on his face. In his hand was a foreign gun that he had most likely purchased in one of his deals. Quickly, Naogama grabbed up another gun and aimed it at Rikimaru's chest.
"And now, ninja, it is your turn to die."
Tatsumaru dropped from the ceiling and landed in front of Naogama.
"Not if you are dead and cannot pull the trigger."
Tatsumaru smiled as he grabbed the merchant's cheeks in one hand and slammed his head against the wall behind him. Naogama painfully opened his eyes and saw Tatsumaru's blade in front of him, glinting the light from the candles onto his face. Tatsumaru smiled once again as he slowly slid his blade into Naogama's stomach, letting it slide into the wall behind him.
"Looks like we have accomplished our mission. We should head back to Lord Ghoda." Spoke up Rikimaru, interrupting Tatsumaru's concentration.
"I guess so."
Both of the ninja lept up onto the roof where Ayame awaited their arrival.
"What took you guys so long?"
"Tatsumaru was fulfilling his sick delights with the target again." Replied Rikimaru.
"I was just toying with him before he died. That's all." Tatsumaru objected.
The ninja moved like shadows against the night as they dashed into the woods. They headed off to their master, blanketed by the light of the moon.