Chapter 9

Yuka woke up very early that day though there weren't classes. And she was pretty hyped up to train. She quickly made her preparations for her training, left a note for Ai just in case she'll come home later than usual then hurriedly went out.

Her heart was pounding heavily on her chest as she raced towards her destination. Nervous? No. Fright? Not either. But rather, she couldn't wait. In two days, she'll be faced off with the probably most irritating and arrogant kid she had ever met. And she couldn't wait to show him just how she would easily crush that behaviour of his, show him he's not the only kid who can go on and be the talk of the town for being some prodigy.

'I'll definitely beat you.'

With the sun flaring with all its might, high in its peak, she used a hand to shield her eyes as she scanned the area once more. As soon she was sure she detected no threats, she retreated back inside the building they were currently staying, back to her post. Her senses remained on high alert just in case something comes up unexpectedly. After all, it was their mission to protect the higher officials.

The town was as it was, four days ago since they've arrived, bustling with activity. Compared to what she had witnessed six years ago, it definitely underwent major changes. Small as it is, it sure was one thriving community now.

Six years ago.

It was when she, along with her team were first sent to investigate a report that an anomaly was happening within that town. There were lots of disappearances, stealing and even killing within the town and the authorities that were in-charge in there were having a hard time subduing what was happening there. It began with the arrival of a group of ninjas, namely missing-nins. They demanded support from the daimyo in there, and when he refused, they began terrorizing everyone, even nearby towns.

With the reports confirmed, and after a brief assessment of the situation, two more teams were sent. Though outnumbered, luckily for them, the missing-nins they've encountered were that of class B, and no casualties from their side were counted.

Flashback

...

"Sora, I'll leave your team to finish the task here. Make sure to check every inch of this building in case we left something out. We'll go on ahead and scout the area then all teams will assemble at the town."

Sora nodded as she watched the two other teams leave. She then turned to her own team and gave directions on where they would check. Two of them were left at the ground floor, while Sora and one other from her team went upstairs.

She took the left wing while the other took the right one. A series of doors greeted her as she turned round at the corner.

'This place is bigger than what it seemed to look like.'

With a kunai on one hand, Sora one by one inspected all the rooms as stealthily as she could. After checking most of the rooms, her communicator device beeped.

"Ground floor is cleared."

"Right wing is cleared too."

"I'm almost done, prepare to leave." She spoke as she walked towards the last door. But as she approached it, she saw the door was partly opened and a flicker of light is seen coming from the inside. As she came closer, she thought she heard someone moan. "Wait, I think we still have a live one in here."

Her team member she had sent to inspect the right wing immediately came to her. The two of them crouched near the door as they prepare to bust in.

"Can you manage?"

"Toru's with me to back me up. Send a message to them. There might be some who had escaped like this one."

"Roger that."

With a signal, Sora opened the door and gasped as she saw what was in it. Amidst stacks of boxes was a bed and the flicker of light came from a candle on a table beside it. What would've shocked Sora and Toru more was the woman lying on the bed, almost lifeless. She was about to approach it when a hand stopped her.

"We have to be careful." Toru glanced around. "It might be a trap."

"I know that." Both of them scanned the room, and found no threats at all. They both nodded at each other and once more Sora slowly approached the woman with Toru tailing closely behind her. The woman remained motionless. Sora stood by as Toru knelt beside the bed and checked the woman's pulse.

"How is she?"

Toru shook his head. "Even if we help her, she won't make it. Her pulse is too weak."

The woman suddenly stirred. Both of them poised themselves immediately, ready to defend in case she might do something drastic before her last breath. She's within the enemy territory after all, which puts her most likely in league with the missing-nins they just fought.

Her eyes fluttered, but only her left eye opened while blood trickled on the other eye. Blue eye with slivers of green met the two of them. When she tried to lift her arm, Toru gripped on his kunai tighter. Sora flashed a hand on him and shook her head. Toru nodded reluctantly at her but remained on a defensive stance. Meanwhile Sora cleared her throat.

"Who are you? Are you with them?"

The woman remained motionless, only her eye bounced back and forth the two of them, studying them closely. When Sora spoke, it was the only time she set her eyes locked on her. Her lips then started to move, trembling as she tried to speak. Tears mixed with blood began to trickle on her left eye as well.

"S... sa... v... ugh... "

"I think she's trying to tell us something." Sora crouched lower, closer to the woman's face.

"Sav... sa – v... h-h-h.."

Sora turned to Toru, her with her brows furrowed. "I don't get it."

"What did she say?"

Sora shrugged as she turned back to the woman, inching her face closer so that she may hear her better. "Can you speak more clearly? I know you're in pain but I can't understand what you're trying to say."

"Please... " The woman whispered, then with a final draw of breath, she spoke her last two words. "Save her."

'Save her? Save who?'

"She's dead." Sora announced as she stood up. She spotted a blanket near the woman, took it and covered her with it. She then turned to Toru who was busy looking at the table near the foot of the bed. The grim expression on his face worried Sora in turn. "What is it Toru?"

"She must've been held captive in here." He lifted some sheets covering the woman. "Her feet are shackled. What I don't get are the tools on this table. Some look like torturing devices, but others are for medical use. And there's fresh blood on them."

"Let me see." Sora went to the table and inspected the tools herself. Recognizing some of the tools, a thought suddenly came up to her. She removed the remaining sheets covering the woman's legs. They both gasped at what they saw. Her legs were sprawled open and blood drenched the bed sheet.

Save her...

Sora heard another beep at her communicator. "What is it?"

"Captain, Rui's team spotted two men, east of the building not too far from here. They said they need back up."

Sora was completely bewildered at what she just heard. "Back up with two men?"

"One of them is fighting off quite viciously."

"Alright, we're on it."

"Rui!" Sora called out to the green-haired captain who was sitting by the tree being attended by one of his team. He was holding up his one arm, a gaping hole present on his shoulder. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Rui's eyes were fixated on the clearing where the fight was still on-going. "He's different from who we've fought back there. His skills, I've never seen them before."

Toru came up to Sora. "Captain, Daisuke's team is holding off the man right now. The other one's trying to escape."

"Go get the other man. And tell Rina to come here to help heal." Sora turned to Rui again. "Tell me how he fights."

"He can cancel any justsu we throw at him." Rui took a deep breath, as he pointed at his shoulder wound, he shuddered. "When we tried to fight him by hand, all it took for him to blow my shoulder off was to stare. Same with my other two men. No hand seals, I don't know how he does it."

'We'll have to see about that.' Sora drew out her katana and started to walk towards the clearing. She ducked in the nearest bush she could find to hide. If Rui's team had been damaged badly like that, she needs to find out how this man did it.

True like what Rui had said, any jutsu thrown to the man proved to be useless. And Daisuke's team seem to take Rui's advice of not getting closer to him less they want to end up like him. Thus they just continued attacking on a long-ranged basis using different jutsus they could come up with. And the man was just fixed on his position, unfazed, with one palm firmly pressed on the ground.

No hand seals... just stare.

His eyes. The man's eyes. Sora took a closer look on the man's eyes. They were green and appeared quite normal, nothing different or whatsoever. She turned her attention to the jutsus again. The repeated onslaughts of the jutsus were quite futile. Once they reach a certain distance they just disappear. A barrier? A thought suddenly came up to Sora. She clicked on her communicator.

"Daisuke."

"We're almost out of chakra and he's not even moved yet."

"I know. I have an idea."

"Pray tell it's effective or else we'll end up like Rui."

"I need to confirm something first before I could think of anything. And I need your help."

"They're going off to position." Daisuke reported to her.

"Good." Sora struck her katana on the ground and took out a scroll. She began weaving hand seals and symbols started appearing on the scroll. "Wait for my signal."

As Daisuke and his team started moving away in different directions, the man's brows furrowed, seemingly confused at what they were doing. But nonetheless, his palms remained firmly planted on the ground. His wary eyes followed their every move as they got into position. Each of them stood on the four directions of the man, placing him in the center.

"Daisuke..."

"Ready when you are Sora."

"Now!"

At Sora's command, they simultaneously released jutsus towards the man. As for Sora, she pressed her palms on the center of the symbols she drew on the scroll. The symbols came to life and moved towards the man as well. He remained on his position and even smirked as the jutsus were once again repelled with the invisible barrier he had put around him. He was focused on the continuous attacks given by Daisuke and his team that he didn't notice the symbols Sora drew had reached him. The symbols clung on to the barrier. Worry flashed on his eyes as the symbols began crawling around him.

"Woah!" Daisuke exclaimed. The reason their attacks remained futile was indeed there was a barrier surrounding the man. It was in sphere form, about three meters wide in diameter.

"It is chakra." Sora spoke to herself. When all the symbols have covered the barrier, Sora drew in couple more hand seals and pressed her palm once again on the scroll. "This should do the trick."

After Sora drew another set of hand seals, the symbols began glowing and cracks started appearing on the barrier. The man started to panic but otherwise maintained his concentration on holding up the barrier. He searched his eyes around and when he found her, he focused his eyes on Sora.

'Shit.'

When Sora was pretty sure the man was looking for her, ignoring the attacks of Daisuke's team, she immediately performed another set of seals. The log she had replaced herself with just in the nick of time exploded into shreds. She let out a deep sigh. 'That... could've been me.'

"Daisuke, he's using chakra to protect himself. But the trick he used to destroy the log, I don't know what it is."

"How are we going to defeat him then?"

"What I did earlier should weaken his barrier. Continue attacking him. I think holding up a barrier that big would drain him with considerably huge amount of chakra as well." Sora peeked from the tree where she was hiding. The man eyes were restless, probably looking for her. But even in his stance she could tell he was getting weaker by the minute. His face was already somewhat contorted, like he was in pain but still he endures it. "Just watch out for signs that he's on the brink of breaking down."

"What about you?"

"He knows about me. I don't think I can pull off another trick like I did earlier." She bent down and reached for her katana, careful not to be seen by the man. "I'll think of another way." She peeked once more, watching the man's face closely. Eyes. Stare. 'The key is in his eyes. That should explain how he had wounded Rui and how he destroyed the log. But how do we get him?'

Blood began to seep on the man's other eye and the barrier started to slowly reduce its size. His eyes suddenly reminded Sora of the woman they saw back at the building. Daisuke's team took it as cue and poured out all their remaining strength to cast the strongest jutsu they have as a final attack. The barrier was successfully shattered.

They all approached the man cautiously. He was on his knees, one hand clutching his bleeding eye. Sora placed her katana on his neck. "Why?" The man suddenly began laughing softly at first then to a loud one as he turned his head up to face her.

"You won't defeat me."

"What?" Slivers of blue began to appear on his remaining eye. Sora sensed sharp, drilling pain on her head. As the pain got more intense and unbearable, Sora swung her katana and slashed on the remaining eye of the man. He screamed as she fell backwards as if she was expelled from a trance and the pain was gone.

"It's his eyes." Sora answered when Daisuke stared at her confusingly.

"A kekkei genkai? Impossible!"

"Who knows? We'll immediately report what happened here to the Hokage as soon as we get back. We don't know but it might be another threat." Sora stood up and sheathed back her katana as she stared down at the man who was currently writhing in pain. She heard a beep. "Toru how is it?"

"He's dead, fought back with us. You won't believe what we got from him."

Sora and Toru looked at each other in astonishment, while the others whispered at each other in bewilderment. A baby... the man who tried to escape was carrying a baby? The tools on the table and the cut made on the woman's stomach and abdomen... Could it be? She flashed another worried look at Toru who just nodded in response, somewhat confirming to her what she was thinking.

"What are we going to do with it?" Daisuke asked cutting through the air of silence within them. Everyone exchanged looks and shrugs while Sora's eyes remained fixated on the baby. Then out of nowhere, she spoke.

Please... Save her.

"I'll take it." She scooped down and took the baby in her arms. Another exchange of bewildered looks passed on within the group. Its crying ceased when it felt it was being carried. She smiled down at the baby as it wriggled its arms trying to reach her. "I'll take care of it."