It takes being in the darkness to hunt monsters of your own creation.
Chapter I
In the shadows of the night Hunters move silently waiting for their prey to rest. It can take as little as three days or as long as three months to catch their intended bounty. As the pros say. But for eighteen year old Yoshikawa, the Triple S ranked bounty took more than three years to come to completion. Not as a birthday present (as his birthday was two weeks prior) but as a right to enter the Foundation of the great underground boss, Nagari the Dragon.
As paranoid as the Dragon was when it came to living in the land of Evertide, he sure chose the wrong time to make mistakes - mainly in arrogance. The smile the obese man wore on his face while being enraptured by the beauty of a local prostitute made his skin crawl.
He could never understand the pleasure of working in the underworld. But this was a mission that needed to be completed before he was sent back to the main lands, under the order of the Hokage.
He pulled his katana from his sheath and waited for the blood moon to be positioned behind the Weeping Willow. The white and black Tanuki mask, covering his entire face. He breathed in and out in three second intervals before jumping down from the pole that helped hide his presence from all the locals.
The wind chimes from a nearby shop blew lightly as he quickly moved to the brothel that held the Dragon. Ignoring the sultry music and the sensual sounds of patrons was easy as he cloaked himself and his weapon from unknowing eyes.
His ears focused on the slow heartbeat of the Dragon. A lingering staccato. A trait that he was thankful to inherit from his mother. Deception and negativity were always easy to spot. And this man oozed heavily through his pores.
He entered the room at the end of the West wing and sighed.
The woman whose dark hair cascaded down her back as she moved sensually over the body of the Dragon was not what he had expected when close up. She had a physique that allowed the tattoo on her back to look dangerous yet beautiful - a phoenix rising out of the ashes.
He did not know who made the image but it was a piece of artistry that he wanted to continue to see. As he moved to swing his katana at the Dragon he was met with the clashing metal of sai.
"I would not do that if I were you." The woman told him. Her brown eyes cold. "You see this man has already been poisoned."
He jumped away from the woman. His katana pointed at her. "What have you done?"
"After chasing this man for more than three years you believe you were the only one that wanted him gone." She said taking a seat on the gray ottoman near the door.
"No." He said. "I knew...it's just-"
What would he tell Lord Third now? There was no way that he would be able to tell him that his mission failed. Not during the eclipse of war with the Tsuchikage and the Raikage.
The great ninja lands were bound to spread the news. And secrets were a necessity at the moment. He slid his katana back into its sheath. No blood had been spilt tonight.
"Who did he take from you?" He asked. His silver hair glistening under the moonlight.
"Everyone." She whispered.
The answer was enough.
He moved to stand in front of the woman. Taking in her beautiful umber skin. She needed to be protected. His mind told him. He never liked listening to his inner wolf.
He could see that she was beautiful. Beyond beautiful. Yet to take her with him...
"I am not affiliated with any village you know." She said, as if reading his thoughts. "I am a wanderer that found her prey."
He smiled underneath the Tanuki mask. It was time to head back home.