Chapter 86
As the mass of men moved before them Kline turned to the unspoken Shuzo, his disgust almost a physical manifest. The mercenary leader had maintained his position, Kline and Shuzo merely following behind the group.
"Such unsubtle individuals," stated Kline through almost gritted teeth. "Are there really the type of people ninja should be associated with?"
"We should just be thankful they were clever enough to understand the concept of being quiet," replied Shuzo. "At least the village might not be aware yet."
"It doesn't matter if they are aware or not," replied Kline. "These tools before us are merely here to provide a distraction. They think they'll be paid well, but even if they survive, even if they win they will all die."
"So that is your final decision for them?" asked Shuzo. Kline almost smiled.
"Of course. If I have to I'll choke the living life from any who remain myself."
"Do not forget that I too will be here to help you."
"I am well aware of that Shuzo," replied Kline, a note of compassion almost managing to pass into his voice.
"Whatever you desire I will seek to do."
"I suspect Takino will very be shortly making his way there. It would all appear to be going to schedule."
"So do we now take our leave?"
"Of course," said Kline, starting to slow down and watching the roving group continue to march ahead of them. None of them noticed. None of them particularly cared what Kline or Shuzo did.
"Let us hope they are worth the money Takino paid," said Kline. "It would be troublesome to have to fight our way through that village by ourselves."
"That it would."
"It isn't like that Kimura, we had to free her. We have something important to do," said Yomi as the teacher took another step forwards.
"Important? Like what saving the world?" asked Kimura sarcastically.
"Well actually depending on what they have planned that could be the case," replied Chidori.
Kimura faced the girl. "And who exactly are these people you're referring to? This village has seen more then its fair share of bloodshed in the last few years, I would have expected you all to not play around with such things."
"This isn't a game," said Chidori angrily.
"It's true Mr. Kimura sir," said Fuka.
"So the new person I never truly met and an escaped prisoner believe something is going on. What about the rest of you huh?" asked Kimura.
"Look around you Kimura, notice anyone missing?" asked Yomi.
"Well…Chiyo isn't around I guess. Though she is starting to blossom into a fine young woman herself…"
"This isn't the time!" snapped Sakaki, almost brushing past Chidori as she stepped forwards. With the exception of Chidori everyone looked shocked, Kimura almost taking a step backwards. "Tomo is missing. We're going to try and rescue her and stop some people from whatever it is they have planned. You taught us, looked after us, travelled with us. Stop the jokes, stop the stupid comments and help us!"
"I- well erm er-," started Kimura, as Sakaki with a bright red face turned away from the man and group to stare intently at a nearby tree to avoid any eye contact. "Tomo's missing? Well now that you mention it…but who? Who are you talking about?"
"One of them is in the very village right now," replied Chidori, Sakaki still too horrified with her sudden outburst to continue talking. "A ninja named Sen, a bastard who uses hospital supplies as arm wear."
"Sen? Now really I doubt he'd be involved in anything bad," said Kimura.
"You know him?"
"Well, yes. We're friends. I trusted him enough, respected him enough to ask him to train Tomo in my absence. There's no way he'd do anything to harm this village."
"So you're a friend of his are you?" asked Chidori. "Then how can we trust you?"
"Now wait, I don't think there's any need for that-," started Fuka.
"And why not?" asked Chidori. "Why did you stop training Tomo? Why did Sen have to?"
"He did vanish for a while," spoke up Yomi. "Shortly after Sen started training Tomo."
"I'm not sure what you are all going on about, and I don't like what you are hinting at, but I would never do anything to hurt any of you. Sakaki, it is true I trained you and Tomo and Osaka for some time. I cared for you, I still do. Why would I do anything to hurt any of you?"
"A-all I want to know is…will you help us?" asked Sakaki, turning back to the group. Kimura paused for a moment.
"I still don't believe Sen would do anything, but I'll at least tag along for now. At the very least I could keep an eye on you all," said Kimura, glancing towards Chidori.
"And we could keep a watch on you," replied Chidori.
"I have no problem with some of you watching me," replied Kimura. Had Kaorin been present Yomi was certain the girl would have shuddered.
Just as Kimura was set to ask where exactly the group was heading, a sudden explosion from the direction of the village entrance caught their attention. With a slightly puzzled look Yomi turned around, and despite not expecting to see anything, instead saw a plume of black smoke rising high up into the air.
"I wasn't aware of any training exercises today," said Kimura.
"Shit it's started already," muttered Chidori.
"Hey! What are you idiots doing standing around like that?"
Yomi sighed as she found herself staring at Yukari. Beside her stood Kaorin, Kimura more then slightly pleased to see her after such a long time. Yukari pointed in the direction of the explosion.
"We're under attack here guys!"
"Girls" corrected Kagura.
"Friend of yours?" asked Chidori.
"Meh I guess you could say that," said Yomi with a shrug.
"Attack? Who is attacking?" asked Kimura.
"I dunno, a hired goon squad?" said Yukari with more then a faint air of 'oh great it's you'. "Kaorin suddenly appeared and said that some goons were coming to attack…and then some goons did appear and start attacking. We're on our way to inform the Hokage."
"I think he probably knows by now," said Yomi as a louder explosion was heard.
"Yeah I think so too," said Kimura of his father.
"Well whatever," said Yukari. "What are you all doing gathered here like this? Who is the new girl? Why are you freely choosing to stand next to Kimura?"
"We've got something we have to do," said Fuka.
"Has it already started?" asked Kaorin stepping forwards. "Are those people attacking related to who we're fighting?"
"If they aren't they picked a very convenient time to attack," replied Chidori.
"Am I missing something here?" asked Yukari.
"Yes," replied Yomi.
"We have to get going now," stated Chidori, now starting to sound annoyed. "If you want to tag along and ask us some questions that's fine, but we need to get to the building before it's too late."
"Where are you heading to?" asked Yukari.
"Some place called Sora," replied Fuka.
"That place is just a relic now," said Kimura. "Why would you be heading there?"
"We have our reasons."
"Well that sounds good but I think it might be a good idea to get to the Hokage, just in case," said Yukari sounding disappointed.
"I'm going with the others," said Kaorin. There had never been a chance of her taking the 'safe' route and going with Yukari instead of the rest of her group. Though truthfully she hadn't been expecting the group to grow.
"Fine then, leave me on my own," grumbled Yukari.
"Well if you want-," started Kagura.
"Don't worry about it, you'd just slow me down," said Yukari smugly, slightly reminding Fuka of Tomo. "I'll guess I'll be seeing you in a little bit."
"Please stay safe," said Sakaki quietly.
"Sure thing," said Yukari as she ran off, surprising Sakaki who hadn't been expecting Yukari to hear her.
Curtis marched through the village gateway, his normal glasses replaced by thicker, heavyset spectacles built especially for battle. He glanced around at the battle unfolding in front of him. The various men he had under his command fought with the guards, their strength giving them the edge in a purely physical fight. The ninja of the village had yet to arrive- that would be when the problems would start.
Curtis would have preferred more subtle methods, methods that involved arriving under cover of darkness, and certainly not charging the front gates. But his mission was to provide a distraction, and so a distraction he would provide. He didn't even have to win, there was no emphasis placed on taking control of the village. Merely fight for two hours, and then retreat at will. Not that he suspected many of the people here would do such a thing. There were men who spilled blood for money. Many of them now knew nothing else. Many didn't want to know anything else.
A short distance from him Hoxha marched forwards, knocking a guard out of the way with ease.
"Hoxha!"
"Yes Farkas?" asked Hoxha as the man approached him. Despite his short stature Farkas defeated all who had attacked him with ease.
"Kline and the quiet man vanished Hoxha," replied Farkas. "They just disappeared."
"They probably had their own thing to do," said Hoxha as an explosion tore through a building to the right of them. Farkas shrugged and continued with the battle as Gagnon approached the Captain.
"Hoxha! Is it true that Gagnon doesn't have to kill?" asked the giant of his group.
"We aren't under any specific orders to kill."
"Awesome," replied Gagnon, walking away from Hoxha. The giant hulk paused momentarily to pick up one of their own mercenaries, who was busy kicking a child. "That's not nice, look there's a guard right over there," said the man, putting him back down on the floor and pointing. Not wanting to annoy the giant man the mercenary merely nodded and left.
"Gagnon thinks you should get out of here kid because I'll be too busy to do that again!"
As the terrified child ran away Gagnon continued on his way, deeper into the village, pausing only to knock out a guard with a single punch. Hoxha smiled once and than marched away from the battlefield, Costa following him. Farkas paused for a moment and promptly decided to follow the duo rather than face the battle before them.