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Chapter 223: Before the Final Battle - Three Day Period, No.5
Kirisawa Fuuko
LEVEL MAX!!!!!!!!, last part

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I was an amateur in the romance field.

I've seen enough evidence of how love is pain with Kurei's experience. Looking at how he occasionally glanced at Kurenai, and the shining smile she gave him. When Kurenai died, she took Kurei's last human bit with her, and when he turned Kurenai a part of him as his flame, it stayed the same. 

I had believed it was the last straw. Mouran Kouri's intention to erase all hope within Kurei succeeded and I doubted I can change that. Neon joined the Uruha in hope to revive that lost part, and I tried to stop her – for she'll never make it. Noting, that it'll be equally fruitless. A delicate frown and "Did you even try, Raiha?" was her answer when I clued-up her about the detail. I couldn't find a thing to say about that, and granted her the access to our budding assassin group. She has her own ideals, and it wasn't in my place to judge it. Neon's a hopeless romantic, and she proved it when she shoved me those romance novels under my nose and forced me to read it through tireless hours of flowery persuasive speech. I complied with her request ultimately. Joker had this sneaking suspicion that I did it only to shut her up. The books usually had a different starter, but it has one ending secretly embossed and pinned down in every readers mind.

The big 'Happily Ever After'.

Was she hoping for it when she joined the Uruha despite my protests? Was she secretly pinning for it when she jumped off the cliff with Kurei in her arms? Was she hoping that she can get Kurei away from the life of an assassin, and live in an unknown place where nobody knows them? She proved her devotion to our master when she did the latter, and I wondered if it was her love or her devotion kicking in at that time. It's probably both.

Then Joker and his infamous tales of skirt chasing, which nobody quite believed, had obviously taught me a thing or two. "Treat a girl with your utmost respect," he once said. "Save her life a couple of times so she feels obligated to you. And that way, they will always remember you."

Not everybody in Uruhas was good instructors, and they have bad luck in romance fields to boot. Our leader, Kurei, was being a very good example of one. …Wait, Rasen and Mokuren have females latching over them. In that case, Joker and I were very lacking in that field. We don't have plucky- madougu- users- combatant- women- with- rabid- fangirls- vigor that were willing to throw away their life for us.

I've partly believe that it was my shameless blood kicking in when I pledge my loyalty to Kurei, and another part of me wanted to believe that it was my sheer respect for the man. My ancestors fled from the War, and forever I was shamed from it. When the chance to redeem was given by the one we have betrayed ourselves, I had no other reason to refuse. The Enjutsushi took me under his wings, and trusted upon me my family's heirloom. He also told me, that one day a wielder of Raijin's counterpart will appear before me, and our fated battle will ensue.

What is it about your own ancestors that you hate so much?

Sometimes, fundamentally, they're not your "own". You don't like them, they don't like you, you don't like yourself. A matter of disowning is an absolute no. They were long departed, and yet their sin was ceaselessly stamped on me, their offspring.

And ever since I countered her at the Uruha grounds, my life was never the same. And never once I wasn't astonished.  She implied to me personally - that humans can change their destiny. That's it's possible to break free of the life you were born into that you can't stand and embrace another that you love. Neither is "better" than the other, it's just that one is the life I was supposed to live, not the one I was born to.

I followed Kurei, and saw the best and the worst that it have to offer. I had no choice. It's in my blood.

Blood or not, you like Kurei don't you?

In hope to give us a decent match, I was being constantly reminded of Uruha's favorite adage: "Lie, cheat, steal, seduce, betray. Use people. And when you can no longer use them, destroy them." Kurei taught me countless times how these acts will unnecessarily save my sorry hide if I want to live, and will definitely promise my way out of annoying problems up my neck. 

In hope to strengthen her, I fooled her with a silly letter imprinted with her name. She took up my challenge, and our battle ensued for three days and three nights. A ninja's ability is to endure, and as I watched Fuuko, I could only hope the time I've contributed isn't wasted. The third sun already cracked up the sky several hours ago.

And five minutes has passed since the last time I attacked her.

She sat with her back against the tree stump, and slowly raised her face to observe her surroundings. Kirisawa Fuuko never ceased to amaze me, and I was hoping for a better encounter than the last 72 hours we've shared inside this forest.

…That must have sounded quite uncanny if you have a really distorted mind.

A firm grip on the explosives on my waist, and I waited until she slowly closed her eyes. She stood with her legs fairly apart and Shinryu Shintou dangerously low, parallel to her shoulders.

I dashed down from the tree with my katana in left, when the blasting from my explosive has withered Fuuko's surrounding into a roasting desecrate. She made no sign of conscience concerning my whereabouts as I drew out and prepared to attack her from behind.

Then she turned around and smiled.

Ninja's stealth was well distinguished, and there was nothing we should feel ashamed about it.  We're infamous as the dwellers of the dark, coming and leaving at any time we see fit, and assassinate without a trace. Kirisawa's grin was a confident one, and the blurry details of it were racing through my mind as she evaded, tackled my composure, and hovered right above me. The tip of Shinryu Shintou on my nose. My eyes still tasted the earth dust where her knee has pressed me down upon, and my innards were hammering like mad inside my ear. The corner of her lips was tilted amusingly, and I realized it – I was staring wide eyed at her, dropping my jaw at her.

"Heh-heh, that's a first, Raiha!!" A furtive wink, and she removed the weapon from my sight, bangs whipping gently on her cheek.

I could feel my hope soaring up, and then brought back again to ground when the peculiar, familiar pitch in my head voiced up its thought. The weight of a five hundred year old transgression was heavy in my ninja garb, against my chest, slanting its legs in a still motion as a cue.

[The time has come, Raiha.]

The sun squinted through the forest's thick leaven blanket, kissing Fuuko's brown head with golden trails on it. A grin came unexpectedly to my mouth. "Excellent."

----

"You have a great power of concentration. Senses of sight, hearing, touch. Using the five senses, even the sound of an explosion won't affect you. Only that way could you catch me! It's said, "even during a time of fighting, you should get sleep." It's necessary to recover your strength to have a daring judgment... Nothing else sharpens the senses like waking up! These three days--- remember to have nerve during a fight and remember your honing, Fuuko!"

She laughed, placing her arms neatly at her hips. Luckily, though I made her life living hell for the last three days, she hasn't shown any dissatisfaction. "So there are people who can't grow up! You must be suffering when you can't radiate that murderous intent!" Yet.

"...There's something… I have to give to you," I said, weary-smiled.

I dug my hand into the ninja garb, and fingered the roundness of the object with my thumb momentarily before producing it out into the sun. And even though I wasn't looking at her, I could feel her eyes widened and her jaw quivered at the green crystal's sight.

"Fuujin's ...main jewel," Fuuko whispered.

 "Until now, I've been using it to seal "Raijin". The two hold similar powers of the same intensity, and using the Fuujin's power, the Raijin slept. That strong power... The madougu called Raijin holds terrible powers--- I dread to use it, so I only fight with my own power. But--- The "time" has come. Of the Uruhas, Ura Uruha excels above them all! The moment spent with that Aoi...truly, I was terrified of her power. There's also the Tendoujigoku monster, Mori Kouran. Even Kurei-sama knows these opponents will inevitably give a hard battle--- And so... I also have to be prepared. I'll fight with Raijin."

A minute shuddered and hunched shoulders, and I paused, waiting for her reaction to be nonchalant again.

"To be prepared for this, it was necessary to return the Fuujin's main jewel to you. But--- Before that, I had to test your abilities. To see if you were prepared to use its power."

The green crystal passed from the clutch of my knuckles, and she caught it with ease.

"You passed. Good luck..." Feet shuffled on the forest dirt, and I turned my back on her. I was walking away from our comfy hideaway for the last three days when she shouted my name.

"Wait, Raiha!! There's one thing I want to hear!! Why...have you--- fought for Kurei's sake? Why?"

Blood or not, you like Kurei don't you?

"He's cute and I love him."

I have the intention to give her additional information that sounded like, 'I love that man and would have his babies, only somebody already volunteered for the job and he doesn't swing that way. And I never did in the first place. ...Why does this always surprise everyone?'

Problem is, Fuuko's reaction was a loud crash to the ground, and countless furious knuckles on my head.

"I was just kidding around... It's the same as why you are with Recca. ...and I dare say..."

Remember, Raiha. We're the descendants of Hokage.

"It's in...my 'blood'."

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Chapter 267: Uruha into War

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The cave was big, dampened from the nearby river's stream, and seemed out of place from the Heaven and Hell complex. Mori Kouran built the intricate compound full of traps and skilled fighters, placed programmed bodyguards at unwatched places, but he kept the strongest close only to himself. Save the best for last. None of the Shiseiten has shown their noses the moment we stepped in, and Kurei's appearance must have waked both Ura Uruha's and Hokage's awareness like sharks picking the iron stench of blood.

Kurei went down the other path with Joker, and I haven't seen him ever since.

"I guess we should split here."

"I suppose…" Unsure nails ran across the scalp.

"Hey, Joker?"

"Hm?"

"Take care… I'll see you later, okay?"

He paused, and something inside him seemed to freeze. Then, he flashed his distinctive fanged grin and laughed heartily, shoulders hunching against his Taishaku Kaiten. "Maa, what's with the serious look, Raiha-han? C'mon, you're much better with that dorky grin of yours! We're gonna have so much fun in there, and you will instantly forget me the moment you got in!"

Joker's joke felt out of time and place, and he realized it a steep second before Kurei turned his chin ever so slightly, indicating him to shut up. "Sorry… I just don't want both of you so tensed up, ya know?"

"…Joker, you're coming with me."

Our master's tone was a demand, the flat and dry order he usually gives us. Though his face was partially covered by his mask, his expression went half through his voice, hushed and throaty. Was it concern?

Why?

Meanwhile, Joker was baffled. "Huh?"

"Raiha will take that path," Kurei observed, pointing uncaringly to the other exit. "You're coming with me."

We were silent at first, and kept it that way until Joker broke it again with his ear-piercing laugh. "I guess I can't defy your orders, Kurei." He shrugged and slithered to me, draped an arm over my shoulders and whispered, "I think Kurei can't stand being alone. You go that way, I'll take care of him."

I grinned. It wasn't a happy one, but I smiled. "I'm counting on you."

"Goodbye, Raiha." He said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It's been fun."

See you later. He should have said See you later. I should have forced him to said See you later. Ever since we entered the Heaven and Hell premises, Joker has been silent, but I was silent as well, too occupied with my own thoughts to further probe him about it. I was too occupied with the expectancies of my future battle with Fuuko, who was lying unconscious in front of me.

Strangely enough, I've bittersweet feelings of encounter and separation. Encounter leads to separation. Separation leads to encounter. The never ending twists of fate. Like it or not, she will be the one to break the binding chain. I hope.

The machines must have been programmed to attack every living creature, because when one of them was blown to pieces they turned their attention from Fuuko to me.

Fuuko...This will be the last time I save you.

I placed the legendary madougu to my right hand, ignoring how it made my skin crawl. "Raijin," My command to its name was a hushed whisper, so as not to break the wind's slumber.

A jab into the neck, and darkness covered my eyes. When light finally greet my sight again, the gigantic machines were down, and my knee immediately gave in to the energy drain, and found myself kneeling next to Fuuko.

Fuuko...

Next time we meet, surely...

I dug my shoes into the cave's frozen floor, ignored the burnt smell of roasted iron and metal, and slipped into the darkness.