VIII

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Arc VIII Chapter 3

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"Shizue, have you found her? "

"Negative, Captain. Nothing."

Kumanosuke clicked his tongue, his annoyance visible. They inspected the snowy ground, but the girl eluded them. Their target was nowhere to be found, but the girl couldn't have gotten far.

Their client ordered them to capture her alive if possible. The Daimyo demanded the girl, and he was willing to remunerate them accordingly for their services.

Kumanosuke didn't care about the girl's subsequent fate. They were ninja, and true ninja didn't ask. Ninja obeyed. Ninja listened. They followed as long as gold and silver flowed. Konoha needed money as times were dire.

The invasion devastated the village and the council was prepared to make sacrifices, to walk. Konoha's reconstruction required considerable financial resources and forced the village to accept missions of the more dubious kind, profitable missions, lucrative missions of the less honourable kind.

Assassinating little girls wasn't an honourable affair, but Konoha didn't complain. The Daimyo paid, and money was money.

Their objective was to capture the girl. Failure wasn't acceptable. Success was demanded no matter the cost.

Determined, Kumanosuke continued the search in the cold. Corpses littered the icy plains. Blood soaked the snow red.

It took weeks, they eventually tracked the girl down. They ambushed the convoy. They eliminated the guards. They eliminated the merchants. They eliminated her last loyal retainer, the old man.

Kumanosuke gritted his teeth. Frustration welled up. "Naomichi, Toshikuni, anything to report?"

Naomichi shook his head. "Nothing, Captain. It's as if the girl had vanished ..."

"Captain?"

Kumanosuke grew silent. The snow attracted his attention. Blood shimmered in the dusk and faint footprints crossed the snow. Her footsteps betrayed the girl.

Kumanosuke flashed a grin. Found.

Dark clouds loomed on the horizon. A blizzard gathered.

"Shizue, Naomichi, Toshikuni, follow me. We need to hurry." Time was limited. They had to get her before the blizzard ff they intended to capture her alive.

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Yuki ran, and ran, and ran. Desperation and fear drove the terrified girl. Her frail body urged her to stop, but she couldn't, she wouldn't.

Yuki ran with all the force her weak body was able to muster. Her movements slowed down, but sheer grit and determination kept her going.

In stoic silence, Yuki fought her way through the deep snow, an endless white path, a desolate desert of crystalised water and ice.

The cold and pain were her only companions. Yuki lost everything in life, but she endured, and endured, and endured. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Her world fell apart. Her family, her retainers, they all died. No happiness, no joy, no light, only pain accompanied her. The emptiness inside her heart proved a burden too heavy.

Her heart bled, and Yuki capitualted. She had suffered enough. She deserved some sleep after all these years on the run. She deserved to rest in peace.

Yuki mustered a tender smile. The scenery fit her demise. Snow surrounded her, a kingdom of eternal winter, of eternal sorrow. Her time had finally come. This was her destiny.

The unforgiving cold assaulted her. Her feet hurt. Her tired, her exhausted, her heavy limbs refused to move.

Her clothes were soaked red. The cut was deep, and the bleeding didn't stop. Yuki bit her lips to suppress the pain. Every step took a toll on her weakened constitution.

Yuki panted. Her breathing was uneven, unsteady. The cold air pierced her lungs, stabbed her chest. The stinging pain suffocated her.

The pure white snow invited her. The snow was fluffy, soft, like a cushion, like a bed waiting to be embraced.

Yuki stumbled and fell. The snow softened her fall and sleep came easily. Her eyelids closed and her last resolve crumbled. Yuki didn't resist the fate awaiting her.

A little nap in the snow ... wouldn't hurt ... Just ... a few ... minutes ...

Reality turned black, and the falling snow buried the girl beneath.

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"Asami ⁓ senpai ⁓."

"Asami ⁓ senpai ⁓."

"Notice me, senpai ⁓."

"Asami ⁓ senpai ⁓."

"Look, senpai ⁓."

"Notice me, senpai ⁓."

"Asami ⁓ senpai ⁓."

"Asami ⁓...“

“Aaarrrgh." Tobi fell to his knees. His stomach took a heavy hit.

Asami rammed her scabbard backwards into his stomach with little regard for his well-being.

A sadistic grin decorated her innocent face while Tobi twisted in pain. His suffering pleased her. Tobi deserved his fate.

Asami leaned down. Her white fur coat warmed her. "Poor Tobi, what happened? Did you trip?"

Tobi broke out in tears. "Asami ⁓ senpai ⁓ cruel and heartless. Asami ⁓ senpai mean and a bully."

Asami smiled. Her lips made his blood freeze. “Tobi ..., stop trying my patience, "

Tobi stiffened. “Scary senpai. Tobi hiding under warm blanket ...“

Asami hit Tobi with her scabbard, a gentle reminder.

"Ouch.“ Tobi rubbed his abused head. “Why do you hit me? Tobi did nothing wrong ...“

“Ouch."

Asami's wrathful scabbard struck again. "Because ...

"Ouch."

“... you keep ...“

"Ouch."

“... asking ...“

"Ouch."

“... stupid questions."

Tobi shielded himself against the onslaught. "Senpai, please stop! You are bullying poor Tobi!"

Asami glared. "That was ..."

"Ouch."

"... the ..."

"Ouch."

"... intention..."

"..., baka!"

Tobi whimpered, "Tobi heard women are gentle and tender, but Asami-senpai neither gentle nor tender. Asami-senpai, cold, heartless, violent. Abusive, cruel, evil. Always hitting poor Tobi ..."

"Tobi." Asami gripped her scabbard and narrowed her eyes. "You know, I can still hear you, right?“

Tobi paled. Panicking, he chose the only sensible choice, he ran. He ran as fast as the wind. "Seeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnpppppaaaaaaaaiiiiiiii, don't hit me!"

Asami pursued him, but her hunt met a sudden end. Asami tripped over a pile of snow and her lips kissed the frozen snow.

Asami fumed. How she hated this little pest. One day she would suffocate Tobi with his pillow in his sleep.

Tobi noticed his precious senpai had gotten lost, and returned. He knelt to lament her early death. "Senpai!!! No!!!"

Tobi bemoaned her premature demise. Tears overflowed. "Tobi knew senpai only for a week. Senpai never liked Tobi, but still, Asami was the best senpai Tobi ever had! Tobi will miss senpai ..."

Asami grumbled from below. Her voice sounded angry. "I am not dead, you idiot."

Tobi raised his arms in joy. "A miracle, senpai, you returned from the dead!"

Asami didn't share his enthusiasm and her scabbard struck once again with a lot of Asaminess.

"Ouch", Tobi grumbled. “Evil senpai.“

Asami ignored his complaints and investigated the pile of snow. A solid object made her trip. It wasn't ice.

Asami identified the culprit. Buried beneath the snow, Asami spotted black ... hair?

Asami didn't hesitate and shoved the snow aside. Her hands discovered a lonely, half-frozen girl. Weak, frail, closer to death than to life. The girl required help, help she wouldn't deny.

Asami hugged the girl. Her comforting arms protected the poor child.

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