Kasumi was found and ambushed in the cave. Fortunately, she used her ninpo to eclipse herself into the forest. The runaway shinobi could not count how many enemies were out there, but they were just behind. It didn't matter how far she went or how rapidly she was running, they didn't let her go. Three shurikens were thrown at her and she blocked them with her wakizashi. It was so close and almost hurted her.

[ Doa 3 OST The moon leads to her (kasumi ending) song starts playing ]

Kasumi feared she underestimated them and started to run even faster. She thought of Ayane, her brother Hayate, and Hayabusa and had the sensation that her life was only drama and didn't even make sense to her; she was being chased like an enemy…the enemy of her own blood! But traditional rules of the Mugen Tenshi were laws for shinobis.

The kunoichi of destiny was still on a runaway. Kasumi always did what she thought was right, what was good. She spared a lot of lives, even if they tried to get rid of her. Today, she realized she can't do that anymore. She will take some lifes away.

It was the first time she felt such loneliness, she felt exactly as if she was alone in a world facing a thousand people wanting her dead, not alive. Without any friendship, without any family, without any love. In fact, reality was not far from that, really not far.

An impressive amount of shurikens were tossed at her while she was running. She climbed a tree, jumped and dodged them. Kasumi threw an explosive energy ball, almost as a reflex. Her attack exploded into a dramatic sound, breaking surrounding trees, severely wounding many ninjas, while the smoked air blurred their visions.

Sweaty, she was working hard to keep herself alive. Her wound's sutures were leaking a crimson liquid, contrasting the white gauze and the green yukata. Not able to use any ninpo for now, she disappeared in the smoke. Her dark amber eyes were hurting, she couldn't handle her tears anymore. Salty water made their way on her soft skin and dried down while she kept active.

[ Doa 3 OST The moon leads to her song (kasumi ending) fades ]

"I may return to Tokyo, keeping it low." Kasumi said to herself, even if it was days of run.

When she didn't sense danger anymore, the redhead kunoichi stopped by a river. She drank some nature's water and decided to rest a bit. Sitting on the rock, entering her sore feets in the water.

"I was definitely a failure to think I might be okay checking out on my family… It cost me the only little peace I've earned".

Kasumi decides she will return to Hitomi, working with her, keeping it low, and having her apartment in the big city. Far, far away from the ninja life, from all that chasing, from him... As she concentrated to plan her journey through the woods, she got up and started to walk, moving away from the river.

Sun was going down, setting the sky into a beautiful and hot pink, contrasting the white clouds and the green leaves.

She analyzed the zone, to be sure it was safe and gathered some wood to sparkle up a little campfire with a rock. She took some hoshi niku (dried beef) out from her satchel and started to nibble after.

Once it was fully dark, she smothered the campfire and climbed high into a tree to get some sleep.

The next morning, she woke up in a thick fog. The air was humid and cold. It wasn't a good omen about the weather for her trek. Kasumi took out a black ribbon from her bag and put up her hair into a ponytail. She started to walk, at a rapid pace, leaping from branch to branch, avoiding to leave her footprints on the dirt. Kasumi was still two days away from the line separating the forest and the starting of Tokyo region.

From Ryû Hayabusa's perspective, he was angry that she ran away another time. He had to fulfill the promise he made to Hayate, avoiding her to be found and killed. A shiver ran down his spine at that thought.

" Even knowing her since she was an annoying toddler following Hayate and I, maybe she don't fully trust me afterall"

Still seeing smoke above the trees, Hayabusa ran to the source of the explosion. Many kunai and shuriken were stuck on trunks, it smelled like burned bodies. He scrutinized the dead, hoping not to see her body lifeless among the other ninjas. Some cadaver missed a limb, or even a head. The dirt was darkened by the explosion.

It was a bloodshed!

" She used a ninpo to attack…"

Ryû saw a ninja, still alive and crawling with his hands. Half of his body was gone.

" We shouldn't have been dispatched to slaughter her, she did this to us." he sobbed

" Where did she go?"

" Please, ease my suffering!" cried the wounded ninja

" Where did she go?"

" South-east, she went south-east!"

" Please!" He mumbled

Hayabusa took out his sword and impaled the ninja's heart. He ran and used his ninpo, eclipsing himself. He was heading to the edge of the forest, his goal was to find her before them. On his run, he found a firecamp.

"Looks like it was warm last night… So careless…" Hayabusa said

Ryû eclipsed again. Hidden, he was surprised to see ninja soldiers of the Tenjinmon, waiting for someone to pass. Some men were on land, some were in trees, creating an invisible line, a wall in disguise. Observing their habits a little, he quickly understood they were preparing themselves to slaughter.

"Damn, I really have to stop her from coming here!" He thought while going back.

A couple of hours have passed, when a blade swift at him.

Author's word : Hi everyone, It's AmbradeLuna! I hope you liked the first 3 chapters. French is my first language and it's my first fanfiction in English. It doesn't matter if it's about my writing style or the story cohesion itself, Reviews and constructives critics will be helpfull. :) Have a nice week!