"My lord you should flee" Devil Hanzo Hattori said his eyes watching Genhiso scramble for safety up the hillside.
"Hanzo?" Ieyasu muttered, he'd believed his prized ninja to be dead for the past eighteen years and he announces himself as if he had merely been absent a few days.
"The east path appears to be safest"
"I killed you" Yukimura said stumbling backward in fear of the otherworldly ninja.
For the briefest of seconds a small smile crept on the ninja's face.
"Genhiso is a cunning adversary, my lord a samurai such as Sanada may prove useful"
Ieyasu nodded then with a firm grip upon Yukimura's shoulder began moving towards the eastern path, Ieyasu swearing he'd save his own life before trying to comprehend the resurrection of Hanzo.
Yukimura struggled in Ieyasu's grip for a few seconds before trudging along behind his sworn enemy as after they were travelling in the opposite direction of the demonic ninja Yukimura now greatly feared.
Masanari and Kunoichi both stared at Hanzo silhouetted against the backdrop of flames.
For a few seconds the three stood amongst the inferno before Masanari pushed Kunoichi from his path and charged his father; the sound of his anger filled battle cry echoing around them.
Hanzo feinted to the right, the weight of his Kusari-Gama wrapping around his son's feet tripping him.
Roaring in frustration Masanari leaped to his feet his own identical Kusari-Gama blade poised to pierce his fathers throat.
Chuckling Hanzo gripped Masanari's wrist painlessly throwing him off balance to the floor again.
"Why do you insist on fighting me Shinobi?" Hanzo asked effortlessly leaping aside another potentially lethal attack.
"A demon that posses my father corpse ought to be destroyed" Masanari yelled pointlessly charging once more.
Openly laughing Hanzo pushed his son to the floor once more.
"Shinobi I hope this Kunoichi has taught you better skills them this"
"I have a name and you should know it!" Masanari yelled
Kunoichi stepped in front of the charging Masanari.
"Its you're father, I'm certain of it…we've fought before" Kunoichi said grasping Masanari's shoulders. She saw the hate within his eyes and it saddened her. What relationship must these two have had to develop such hatred? She pondered.
Masanari fell to his knees, tears falling from his eyes as he sobbed into his lovers chest.
"Bastard" he cursed at his father who simply remained silent.
"We've got to go" Kunoichi whispered feeling the heat of the surrounding fire upon her flesh.
"The eastern path?" she asked Hanzo.
He nodded in confirmation.
Kunoichi knew he harboured no hatred for her by looking into his eyes just as her instinct told her that he harboured no hatred for Yukimura either and from his earlier display his loyalty to his lord was still as strong as ever despite his eighteen year absence.
"You coming Hanzo?" she asked.
He'd already vanished; just like Hanzo to never be far from his lord Kunoichi sarcastically thought.
Kunoichi kissed her lover, although his tears had stopped the hatred still remained.
"We've got to go" she repeated again.
Dry autumn leaves and pink cherry blossom petals floated engulfed the pair, as the haze of nature was disrupted by the wind the pair had already gone.
Meanwhile Genhiso sits crouched within a nearby temple, cloth bindings cover his useless eye.
Although trying to meditate he finds the task impossible, the mere thought of Hanzo Hattori causes a floor of anger to release within him. He'd always hated his former teachers lessons on philosophy that he endured to gain the killing techniques the master ninja possessed.
His scared thigh ached as much as his lost eye as he remembered the fighting that had occurred between himself and Hanzo, the fight that had led to his banishment from the Iga clan of ninjas.
"Now Devil Hanzo has returned from the afterlife, but for what reason? To once again protect Ieyasu?"
Roaring in frustration Genhiso shattered a statue at the thought that if not for Hanzo's interference his plan would have succeeded and he'd be titled a hero of the times.
A large smile spread across Genhiso's face as an idea came to him.
"It is written that to fight fire a warrior should use fire, then perhaps to fight a devil you should use another devil"
Genhiso's resolution was set as he though of the few alliances he had, but just like Hanzo this one had returned from the dead and Genhiso was still within good standing with the ninja's lord.
Taking brush and ink Genhiso began writing his request for alliance.
Within a cave illuminated by the poor light of a single candle several former enemies seated themselves uncomfortably upon the rocks.
Ieyasu asked the question that every one of them wanted answering:
"How?"
"After being struck down by the samurai…"
Hanzo's glanced in the direction of Yukimura
"…I was still alive when the castle collapsed but upon finding myself trapped within the debris I meditated to preserve my body until I was freed from my imprisonment earlier today and feeling the vibration of cannons through the earth…"
"The Sanada-Mara" Yukimura interrupted
Everyone within the cave nodded in confirmation.
"You came a-running and saved the day" Kunoichi gave the shortened version of Hanzo's story climax.
"And you know Genhiso?" Ieyasu asked
"Yes master he was a former pupil, a poor one by all measures if Shinobi of such poor quality are amongst you're employ master I fear for you're safety"
"A former pupil!…" Masanari yelled in disgust
"…No wonder I never saw you growing up if on you're time off you were training another ninja instead of your own son!…"
Hanzo looked at his son's eyes instantly silencing him with a parental glance.
"You're training has not suffered from my lack of tuition from what I've already witnessed this Kunoichi has taught you well…just not well enough to defeat me"
"No warrior in this land is a match for Hanzo" Ieyasu stated looking at Masanari.
Yukimura cleared his throat.
"You failed to kill him Sanada, the praise was well justified" Ieyasu continued
Yukimura laughed.
"And how long has my bodyguard been seeing this ninja?" His hand gesturing towards Masanari.
"Ten years" Kunoichi said her gaze falling downwards.
"And does he make you happy?" Yukimura asked
"Yes!" Kunoichi answered her tearful gaze looking at Yukimura.
"Then I allow you're partnership"
"As do I" Hanzo stated
"Genhiso" Masanari said bringing the assembly back to the matter at hand.
"Must be killed" Yukimura said
"And until we have his head I declare a truce between us all" Ieyasu said placing his hand outward
"Agreed" Yukimura declared as he shook it.
"I have a plan" Hanzo said
All eyes looked at the ninja, his aged and damaged clothing showing the signs of his hibernation.
"Genhiso has alliances with many ninja clans, many of which I have wronged in the past so he shall have no difficulty in convincing an assassin to claim my head"
"Please continue" Ieyasu said
"I propose that you my lord and Sanada directly attack one ninja clan whilst the Kunoichi and Masanari covertly attack another this should direct their wrath at Genhiso as they shall assume betrayal"
"And you're role?" Yukimura asked
"I shall await my assassin, I believe I know whom will be sent thus I am the best qualified among us to fight another master ninja"
"Are we all agreed on this course of action?" Yukimura asked
The assembly agreed and upon Hanzo giving more information they left for their various tasks, Masanari not bidding his father farewell even when Kunoichi gave her former adversary a pair of Masanari's clothing to replace Hanzo's damaged ones.
Upon a single hilltop Hanzo Hattori sat cross-legged.
His mind cast to the winds as he meditated, his astral form roaming the area searching for any form of the assassin that would be coming.
Clutching his Kusari-Gama Hanzo twisted at the waist as he launched into mid air, the sound of clashing steel and he landed perfectly on his feet.
"I knew it would be you" Hanzo said looking at his assassin
"And I knew you'd know" The male assassin said.
The pair let their weapons hand weak within their hands each knowing the other to be honourable and wouldn't strike in an unfair way.
"Last time we fought for three days until declaring a draw"
"Indeed"
"I trust you're alone"
"Knowing her my teammate probably dwells nearby"
Both chuckled
"And if she interferes again?" Hanzo asked
"I have made her swear upon my honour nor to, she shall not break such a vow"
"Shall we begin?" Hanzo asked as the sun rose above the horizon
"Within the forest like last time?" The second ninja asked
Hanzo nodded in conformation.
Silently the pair walked through the tree line into the depth of the bamboo forest until the sunrise was out of view.
The pair separated till a great distance was between them, both turned to look in the direction of the other then they charged.
Hanzo holding his Kusari-Gama
The assassin holding his short sword.
As the pair passed they each expertly evaded the others potentially fatal blow.
"I see an Azuma ninja's swordsmanship is still poor at best" Hanzo said suppressing the laughter within his lungs.
"And I see an Iga ninja's Okinawa Kobudo is still poor at best" The Assassin replied
"But despite this we pair should still battle"
"Yes Hanzo Hattori we should battle, if not for our lords wishes then for our own"
"Yes Rikimaru I agree"
Again the pair charged into combat, the thought of old scores to settle within the forefront of their minds.
As the clash of steel scythe upon steel sword announced another failed bout the blue eyes of Hanzo stared into the single blue and single yellow of Rikimaru.
Authors Notes: Mostly Scene Setting In This Chapter But I Did Strike Upon The Idea Of Adding Another Of My Girlfriends Favourite Characters (Cannot Add Many Of Mine As They're Mostly Dead By This Point!) And Yes Its Rikimaru From Tenchu (And All The Infomation I Dredged Up From The Confines Of My Memory So Its Probebly Not 100 Correct Or Acurate But Still Its Rikimaru!) And I Wonder What Girl The Pair Of Ninjas Were Discussing?...Come On It Dosen't Take A Genius