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Chapter 16 – The Untold Secret of the Dokugumo-Ureeru

Ryu had returned from his search for Mishu to find Ayane still laying in her bed, asleep. The things he learned from Mishu of the events that happened while he was away, sent Ryu into a state of fury. Not only did they once again involve Ayane in their affairs, this time as well, they attacked Aileen. Ryu did not realize how lucky he was that Mishu was available to rescue them, he was only too focused on ending his mission while making Aisu and Dokon experience a painful death.

Ryu sat by Aileen's bedside, stroking the strands of hair away from her face as she slept. Ryu knew better than to blame himself for the predicaments they had been experiencing. There was no guilt, but there was also no explanation to the saddened look on his face. Hurt and anger mixed into one; they were the only two emotions that kept Ryu's heart in a burning flame. Ryu slowly glanced over to Ayane. Still sleeping. All of the trauma she has experienced in such a small amount of time maybe have become too much for the kunoichi. Of the four of them, it was Ayane that has suffered the most. And here Ryu noticed that he sat in attendance to Aileen, while no one was there for Ayane. Remorse suddenly took over Ryu.

The Black Spider Clan is smart, Ryu knew that; he admitted and credited them for that. While most ninja clans use perception to overcome, the Black Spider Clan uses deception in an entirely new fashion. Well, at least the hierarchs for that matter. These hierarchs were definitely not the same clan ninja he remembered fighting on the Vigoor Empire.

Mishu walked in. "Can I speak to you, Ryu?"

Ryu looked behind him to his red haired associate. When Mishu first arrived, Ryu just wanted to see the man dead. Now after protecting Aileen during his fight against Yung, battling alongside him against Dokon, aiding to Ayane while she slept and saving her from Aisu's ice magic, the sense of trust just seemed to grow.

"Yes." Ryu gave a cold stare only because there were so many questions that he had that needed to be answered. Now was as good of a time as any.

Ryu stood and began to walk towards him. "Outside, now." He demanded with a whisper. And proceed outside of the lodge with Mishu directly behind.

Once outside Ryu turned to him and practically yelled. "What in the world happened!"

Mishu only kept calm and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Ryu. I truly am. As I told you, I found Ayane…"

"I know all of that…" Ryu heard the story once and didn't know if he could bear to hear it again. "I mean how did…" So many questions he had Ryu was chocked on words not knowing where to begin.

"I didn't know they were left unattended. When I left you were still here tending to Ayane, and the next thing I knew…"

The rest of the words faded into the back of Ryu's head as he remembered tending to Ayane, then to turn around to find that Mishu had disappeared. Ryu went to look for him and when he returned he remembered Mishu confessing he was returning to the Black Spider Clan. Now Ryu knew what his first question would be.

"Is it true?" Ryu asked interrupting what seemed to be the end of Mishu's discussion.

"What?"

"You were going to leave us to go back to the Clan?" Mishu lowered his eyes and though that was the only confirmation Ryu needed, Mishu did maintain to give a small and ashamed nod. "I must be honest with you, Mishu. It does make me want to doubt the trust that I have grown towards you."

"Ryu, I can understand how this may be perceived. The only reason I was returning was because I felt a delay happening in my mission. I was only taking the appropriate measures to ensure my status wouldn't crumble. But when I heard Ayane's life was in danger again, I couldn't turn my back on her."

"I know, that's what's making me look at you in a good light."

Mishu sighed. "Your story around the Black Spider fortress is legendary on how you stopped an entire clan, a military army, and the Vigoor Emperor from attaining the Dark Dragon Blade on a solitary mission. You have accomplished feats, not even most of their hierarchs can perform. That is when I saw you, I knew that it was time to end my mission. You and Ayane are perfect for what we need to accomplish."

Ryu felt honored by the compliment, but it only brought another weapon to mind. "Speaking of which, what is so important about this sword?"

"As I've told you, the Black Spider Clan is crumbling due to corruption. There have been assassination attempts on Mitsuri while he is weak and unable to defend himself. Without the loyalty of Gamja, the tradition of the Black Spider Clan would have easily been disintegrated. That is why they are desperately trying to find it and place it in his hands again." Mishu stayed quiet and allowed Ryu to soak in his words. "And there is one other aspect I forgot to mention."

Ryu looked to him. "What is it?"

"Remember how I told you and the others that the Dokugumo-Ureeru Tsurugi is not powerful than the Dark Dragon Blade?" Mishu asked with a slight nod in return from Ryu. "That is not entirely true."

"How so?"

Mishu gave a sigh. "In terms of power, there is no question that the powers of the Dokugumo-Ureeru cannot stand up to the powers of the Dark Dragon Blade. But the battle exists in the fighter, not the sword." Mishu paused. "The Dokugumo-Ureeru blesses the power of immortality and regeneration. When the fighter of the Dokugumo-Ureeru is slain, his body is physically reprocessed to continue on to another fighter, while when the fighter of the Dark Dragon Blade is slain, he dies."

Then Ryu spoke. "So no matter how many times the fighter of the Dark Dragon Blade kills his opponent, the enemy will eventually win."

Then Mishu nodded. "That's what Mitsuri wants. His only hopes for finding the Dark Dragon Blade was to restore his strength to find the Dokugumo-Ureeru. I must admit, Mitsuri is intelligent. His focus goes further beyond which sword is more powerful."

Ryu nodded in agreement. "Frankly, if Murai was aware of the sword, he would take any means to have it himself as well." Ryu gave a sigh. This was a bit of news he was faced with. He could already predict that his battle against Mitsuri may not be as intense as it was against Murai, but to bring death upon a man that cannot die would be his obstacle.

"There is something else I do not understand." Ryu ultimately spoke. "If Mitsuri wanted the Dark Dragon Blade so bad, why didn't he send the hierarchs after it?"

"He did send them. We were just fortunate not cross your path during our adventures." He replied. "One thing to know about Mitsuri, wherever there are Black Spider ninjas, there's a Black Spider hierarch not too far away."

The Black Spider hierarchs on Vigoor Empire? It did make sense to some of the unexplained phenomenoms he experienced, there were even times he would find the bodies of a Black Spider ninja dead, but very few were to the result of being murdered by a Vigoor Fiend. But for the hierarchs to never have crossed his path at all is a surprise.

"Umm, Ryu…" Mishu broke his attention and when Ryu looked to him, his associate pointed his finger signaling to someone behind him.

Ryu turned to see Aileen standing at the open door of the lodge. He quickly walked to her and held her. "Are you okay?" He said looking into her eyes.

She gave a slight nod. "Yeah, I think so." She spoke calm which pleased Ryu, nothing traumatic happened to her to where he wouldn't be as worried about her as he had to on Ayane. "What happened? Last I remember…"

Ryu softly hushed her. "I'll tell you all about it later." He then looked to Mishu. "What's our plan?"

"We can't stay here, it's obvious they know we're here. We have to get to the Migu Village as soon as possible."

"Then what?"

"We will have to search their caves for the sword. Hopefully, we can find it before Gamja does."

Ryu gave a nod. "Good we set out tomorrow." He looked back to Aileen. "Pack a bag, my dear. We need to make our own camp for the night."

This made Aileen raise an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Your training. There is much that needs to be done. Please hurry."

Aileen hesitated, "What about Ayane?"

Ryu looked to Mishu. "I think we can trust him. After all, he did save you and Ayane. That is if you don't mind."

Mishu gave a small smile. "Of course, not."

"Good." Ryu replied and turned his attention back to Aileen. "Hurry, we must leave now."

After another brief hesitation, Aileen disappeared into the tent and did as Ryu requested.

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Ryu and Aileen set up a camp deep within the forest, but still not to far away from their lodge just in case there was an alert for trouble. Ryu could only pray that he was safe from the Black Spider Clan's ninjas and their hierarchs for the time being, but he knew that it would not be a good idea to proceed any further until he was comfortable with Aileen protecting herself throughout the rest of the mission. He knew that she may not defeat a hierarch, but he was willing to at least teach her a few tricks to where she can possibly handle a few of the Black Spider ninjas.

Before the training began, Aileen spoke. "I thought you already taught me how to fight."

Ryu looked to her with a small smile, drew his secondary blade, and tossed it to her. "I did." He said. "I taught you how to protect yourself, not to kill."

Instantly, Aileen began waving away the sword she now held while shaking her head. "No, please, Ryu. I don't want to kill anyone."

"And neither do I." Ryu explained. "But I have no choice but to protect life." He then gave her a comforting smile and spoke softly. "If we do not protect ourselves, but the sounds of Mishu, this Dokugumo-Ureeru can cause the world a lot of havoc. And most of all, I do not know what I would do if I was to ever lose you."

Aileen was instantly weakened as she blushed to Ryu's sincerity. "But must we kill them?"

"It truly hurts me everytime I must take a man's life. But the key factor is that I 'must'. If I do not, then they will me. If I die, they will cause further disturbances."

Aileen gave a sigh. Again, Ryu was right. She hated the thought of using the known ninjitsu skills taught to her by Ryu to take another person's life. But what other option was there? The Black Spider Clan was out to ensure the death on those that interfered with their plan, and have already begun their attack with the mind games they play. And if she was to lose her life to these barbarians, she would rather give a fight, before falling victim to their blades.

Aileen pulled up her head and only gave Ryu a slight nod in approval to the training.

"Good," He said with another smile. "We shall start immediately."

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And so they did. Their training commenced and they spent the entire day within the forest as Ryu taught her as many useful tricks as he could to help protect her in battle. He knew that there was no way that he could teach her to master the skills he taught, but at least he was hoping that she would be comfortable maneuvering the sword.

After hours and hours of practicing and training the day was coming to a close. The chirps of the crickets were beginning to fill the air. Aileen was already completely exhausted, while Ryu looked as if he was barely beginning to sweat.

"Very good." Ryu responded approvingly watching Aileen perform another one of his own custom stunts successfully. She may not have done it as masterfully as he does, but she was learning. She was comfortable with the move. That's all he can ask for at this time. "Ready for more?"

"Please Ryu, I'm bushed. Can't we continue later?" Aileen asked.

Ryu looked to the sky and saw the inches of the remaining sun slowly starting to disappear under its horizon. He could've had Aileen train more even through the night hours, but Aileen would be worth even less if she's fighting exhausted. "Very well. There's just one last move. Then we'll call it a night."

Aileen gave a pouting sigh but ultimately agreed.

Ryu grabbed two long sticks from the ground, handing one to Aileen, then pointing the other in her direction in his hands as if it were a sword. "Have your sword touch mine." She did as she was told as she gripped her stick and had her blade touch his. "Now the quicker you perform this move, the more effective it will be."

Aileen gave a slight nod as Ryu performed the move as he spoke. "Slide your blade down your opponent's blade, until you feel it, touch his wrist." When Aileen looked, Ryu's stick was indeed touching her wrist.

"That's easy."

"Exactly. Which is why you will need to be quick with it. It's a very common move and most ninjas will not fall for it."

Aileen gave an understanding nod.

"Good." He said with a smile and commenced himself into his fighting position. "Let's give it a try and see how you do."