Genhiso smiled overlooking the all too familiar battlefield.
Yukimura would eventually charge to within striking distance of Lord Ieyasu then both would be trapped within the camps fortifications leaving the ninja with the simple task of starting the blaze that would kill them both…effectively ending the chaos as nobody else would be around to participate it.
Someone had once told Genhiso "a ninja must always be the shadow of his lord" Genhiso detested that person he'd met on only a few occasions but also hated the fact he was weak enough to be defeated by Yukimura:
"If it weren't for his death my future would have never been this uncertain…" he cursed his hand upon the scar on his thigh that he'd gained during their last meeting.
"…Then again I must thank you, I suppose without you're weakness we'd never have become free"
With a single blow from his Iga-Kama he cracked open a keg of black powder spilling its contents upon the hay needed to feed the steeds.
"The perfect kindling" Genhiso muttered aloud then with speed only a ninja possessed he made sure the blaze would certainly be magnificent
He smiled thinking of his former adversaries rotting corpse
"Even you'll see the blaze from the underworld" he yelled aloud opening another keg of gunpowder.
Silently Kunoichi walked under the veil of darkness to the edge of the cities walls and in a corner shrouded in darkness between a stable and a sword smiths she waited as she'd often done since the winter siege.
Waiting as she often did away from the eyes of Yukimura, from the eyes of the other samurai and the peasants…they would never understand.
Yukimura would detest her if he knew of her actions hence the need for such secrecy.
Sitting cross-legged upon the floor with her back against the wall she closed her eyes and listened for the slightest evidence of him approaching or his presence.
She didn't have to wait long.
Opening her eyes she stood to face a dark blue clothed individual.
"You kept me waiting" she said looking into the masked face of the Shinobi.
"Forgive me the guards were vigilant tonight" he said taking off his mask.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" Kunoichi stated grabbing the ninja into a hug before pulling him to the floor beside her.
The metal guard that followed the contours of his brow and forehead hit the floor with a slight thud; not loud enough to draw attention but the pairs eyes were still instantly drawn to the small noise.
The pair kissed whilst their arms entwined one another.
"I love you Hanzo" Kunoichi whispered into the male ninja's ear.
Hanzo Hattori, the son of the original Hanzo Hattori to whom he shared his name. Aged eighteen at the time of his father's death he was still not a master ninja, a title his father had achieved by the same age. In desperate pursuit to learn the skills to be his father's equal he pushed the clan of Iga ninja's under his command too far thus starting their rebellion and later disbanding. However now aged thirty-two he had learned the necessary skills from Kunoichi…then the pair had fallen in love.
"Yukimura is going to attack the Tokugawa camp at dawn" Kunoichi said pushing her lover away.
Masanari felt no affiliation to Ieyasu Tokugawa despite the fact his father the famous "Devil Hanzo" had served under him, in fact Masanari resented Ieyasu for always requiring his fathers services and thus keeping father and son apart.
"Be Careful" Masanari warned
Both ninja's felt the icy chill that warned of a bad battle ahead.
"Watch over me?" Kunoichi asked looking into her lovers brown eyes.
"Always, from the shadows and rooftops"
"Thank you" Kunoichi said squeezing closer to Masanari as he held her.
"You should go, Sanada will be worried about your whereabouts" Masanari said pushing the female ninja away.
"One day I will reveal you to Yukimura" she said climbing to her feet.
"I doubt that day will come, as long as Sanada has the scars of my father upon his flesh he shall always hate the name Hattori"
"You don't hate Yukimura? But he killed your father!"
"I harbour no resentment to Sanada, my fathers devotion to duty and Ieyasu sending him on such an impossible mission killed my father"
Masanari leaped the wall separating the compound from the countryside and battlefield in a single leap leaving his lover looking up at the stars…dreaming of a day when peace would rule the land
So upon the coming of dawn new battle cries filled the air as the Toyotomi under the lead of Yukimura charged the Tokugawa frontline.
His spear swinging from side to side upon his mount as its blade spills fresh Tokugawa blood on a battlefield that had already seen its fair share of blood.
Kunoichi on foot weaved amongst the crowds of friend or foe alike, her ninja speed keeping her from harm as her twin knives slit throats to claim more lives.
Three Toyotomi soldiers charged her from behind, the adrenaline running through her blood not registering the sound of urgent footfalls until it was too late.
Turing all the female ninja could see was steel as a sword came towards her, unable to move out the way she closed her eyes; excepting death.
Seconds past but no fatal blow fell upon the ninjas face.
Opening one eye at a time she looked down at the three corpses that lay at her feet.
Shurikens embedded in each of the corpses foreheads.
"Kunoichi I see you're still a most proficient bodyguard"
"You know me Yukimura" she said jumping upon the spot and looking at the mounted samurai.
From the corner of her eyes she witnessed the slight movement that gave away her saviours presence.
"Thank you Masanari" she whispered quietly to herself.
Two warriors struck spear upon spear.
The clang of metal upon metal seemed to reverberate about the battlefield.
The spectacle of the two warriors duelling seemed to make everyone who viewed the combat freeze and watch.
After all this small two man battle would ultimately determine the outcome of the battle…the siege of Osaka was coming to a close.
Both warriors' bodies burned with rage as the equally matched opponent blocked each powerful blow.
The crimson armoured samurai: Yukimura Sanada
The silver armoured & cloaked samurai: Ieyasu Tokugawa
Sweat beaded upon the foreheads of both warriors as the excretion of the duel robbed the opponents of strength.
As each weakened an explosion, destroyed the tense atmosphere.
Soldiers screamed as they burned.
Each burning survivor of the explosion falling upon the corpses of those that were not so lucky.
Genhiso smiled viewing the carnage his explosion had caused.
He watched from his elevated position above the main camp as the fortifications caught ablaze trapping everyone inside.
In one small square of the Tokugawa camp Genhiso took particular interest, as the three occupants looked about bedazzled at the flaming inferno that surrounded them.
"Ieyasu! Yukimura! I hope you like you're final resting place" the ninja yelled
"Traitor" the pair accused in unison as their hateful glares found the speaker.
"You dare call me a traitor? Why? After all I'm ending the chaos that's ravaged this land for so long, with the pair of you dead peace shall return to the land…"
Drawing an arrow upon his bow he took aim at the third occupant of the burning square: the female ninja.
"…but if you two still wish to duel to the death don't let me interrupt you but I insist on eliminating the distraction"
Releasing the drawn bowstring the arrow sailed perfectly at Kunoichi, all eyes locked on the missile.
A flash of movement and it a clang of metal upon metal and a new individual occupied the burning prison; Masanari Hattori.
Removing his mask he stopped the questions that were already forming upon the lips of the two samurai, confirming his identity as the son of the legendary ninja and not the legendary ninja himself.
"Ah now a pitiful son enters the fray, who do you side with Masanari? You're fathers enemy or his lord?"
Without saying a word Masanari stepped in front of Kunoichi; protecting her body with his own and confirming his alliance.
"You're flames cause us no harm foolish ninja" Yukimura shouted at the distant figure upon the hill overlooking them.
"Where you have failed to kill us we shall succeed in killing you" Ieyasu yelled standing next to Yukimura and practically declaring a truce between the two samurais.
Genhiso laughed, despite the fear that welled up inside him at the sight of the two former adversaries declaring to hunt him till death.
"Then my arrows shall claim all you're lives instead of the fires of fate"
Another arrow notched upon his bow.
Genhiso screamed as a figure leaped over him from behind, the unknown warriors weapon slashing a wound through Genhiso's right eye partially blinding him.
"Damn you!" Genhiso cursed taking his hand from upon the wound.
His red blood clinging to him palm.
Clearing the burning fortifications with a single flip the figure landed in a crouch between the two samurai and two ninja.
"It cannot be" Yukimura said in disbelief
"My god" Ieyasu muttered at a loss for words.
"Long time no see" Kunoichi giggled
Masanari looked at the slowly standing figure, his eyes taking in every detail from the torn and burned clothing to the weapon that was clenched within its grasp.
The youngest member of the congregation knew little of the warriors of the land but he knew this one, Masanari muttered a single word:
"Father"
Authors Notes: Ah Finally The Moment That I Was Building Up To In The Previous Chapter, The Fabled Return Of My Favourite Charater (And Breaking The Historical Chronology Of Events That I'd Researched So Hard!)