Two days had passed with the trio in the Fire village after they sent their report via messenger bird. On the third sunny morning the Sage’s own black hawk flew in with a directive instructing them to remain in the Fire village until further notice. That very same day was the day for the royal funeral. The bodies of the royal members were prepared for cremation with great care as was custom to burn the bodies of royals in the Kasai clan. A huge service was held for the deceased royals with the majority of the villagers in attendance inside and outside the palace to pay their respects to their daimyo. After the cremation near the Inazuma shrine which was only attended by palace members everyone else then returned to their homes. On the next day the official announcement of Kenzo as the new daimyo was made and he would be inaugurated after the mourning which meant after another three days.

Since the day of his near death experience Kazuo continued to practice kenjutsu with his new sword Raijin without being electrocuted. He also trained and improved on his jujutsu skills with Mikoto who would later visit the village’s onsen (hot spring) resort to refresh her mind and body. Takumi on the other hand spend most of his time with the new daimyo. If they weren’t reading historic texts in the Inazuma shrine they were playing shōgi in the royal palace. The trio’s stay in the palace was marvelous especially for Takumi and Mikoto who got to do some of their favorite hobbies as well. Takumi also got to visit the village’s blacksmiths and worked on improving his melee weapons. The two especially Mikoto who also made sure to request dango (dumplings) everyday truly felt like royals in their stay in the palace.

When the five days Sage Kazutaka had estimated were reached Kagero with a group of close to thirty shadow ninja arrived in the Lightning village right on time. The group of ninja all dressed in their distinct black and armed to the teeth stood outside the boundary of the Lightning village. The Lightning ninja on the other hand had readied fifty Battalion Corp. ninja as their main line of defense thanks to the Sage’s guard who were the S level ninja Asuka, Hideo and Shin. The shadows were outnumbered thanks to the battle in the Fire village where they lost many of their men but were they outmatched? As the shadow ninja reached the Lightning village wall where the main gate was sealed shut they silently awaited their leader Kagero’s instruction.

“Kagemaru and four ansatsu (assassins) follow me,” he instructed in his deep voice.

Kagero threw a kaginawa (grappling iron) up the tall wall and once hooked to the top he used the rope attached to climb. Kagemaru and four other assassin level kage-nin who had been summoned also followed suit and climbed the wall once Kagero had reached the apex. From the top he instructed the six ansatsu and twenty foot ninja who remained on the ground to wait for his signal before infiltrating the village.

“How strange,” said Kagero scanning the village. “This place seems to be deserted, it’s like they knew of our arrival. Well then that makes things all the more interesting doesn’t it kage-nin?”

“Hai Kage-sama!” four assassins except for Kagemaru affirmed.

At that time in the Ninja school, a battalion kunoichi made her way to the Sage’s office to announce the arrival of the shadow ninja.

“Good morning Lord Sage,” she said, “the shadow ninja have arrived and six of them are currently on the village wall.”

“Thank you Ichika,” replied Kazutaka in his usual thinking position with his hands clasped together. “You can return to your post and notify the other battalion shinobi, the shadows came to us so we have the element of surprise. We will use our knowledge of our village to finish them off in a swift pincer maneuver.”

“Yes sir!” she speedily left the office.

Kazutaka rose up instantly, took Kajin and left to join his S level ninja at their rendezvous point. The trio were fully clad in the blue and grey lightning ninja armour and ready for battle. The Sage was in his usual attire and held onto his katana.

“Lord Sage it’s been long since we saw you wielding Kajin,” said Shin.

“Taka-sensei knows the shadows mean business Shin,” said Asuka. “I’ve had an opportunity to see how their assassins fight and they’re ruthless. Be wary of the one named Kagemaru, he uses some form of sorcery they call tōei.”

“Sorcery?” inquired a skeptical Shin, “you’re joking right Asuka.”

“I am afraid she is not,” said Kazutaka. “It is very much real.”

In the meantime Kagero gave his assassins another instruction. “You four scatter and scout the village and find out where the Inazuma boy is. If anyone stands in your way…kill them.”

The four assassins raced off in different directions.

“Kagemaru you’re with me, let’s go.”

Kagero and his son raced to the biggest building in the village. 

“Guys they’re making their move,” Hideo finally said adjusting glasses. “Four of them just scattered and left their spot followed by the remaining two who seem to be headed to the school.”

“Yes,” acknowledged Asuka.

“Well then, let us give them a warm welcome shall we,” said Kazutaka before signaling to Hideo and Shin.

The two understood what it meant and without word left the scene. Asuka remained behind with Kazutaka on their vantage point on top of the school.

“I noticed Shin has never encounter any majutsu-shi (sorcerers).”

“Yes, that’s the price of living mostly in the village and never exploring other lands as much as you,” he paused before continuing, “I do hope that the two enemy shinobi headed here have the sorcerer and when it comes down to it I’ll have to use that technique.”

“I thought you would at least teach them about it.”

Kazutaka chuckled.

“Other than you only Hideo knows about Kajin’s true ability.”

“Of course he’d know,” replied Asuka. “He was and still is the brains of our trio.”

“Affirmative. As for Shin on the other hand he can be impulsive and skeptical at times,” said Kazutaka. “And for sorcery to work one requires belief and a calm state of mind first and foremost. He has neither.”

“Well today if he’s lucky,” Asuka laughed, “he’ll be a believer.”

As Kazutaka joined in their laughter was immediately interrupted by the arrival of Kagero and Kagemaru at the gate of the Ninja school. The two Lightning shinobi leapt down from the vantage point to greet the unwelcomed guests. As the shadow ninja traversed the empty school yard two shuriken came flying straight at them. They dodged the projectiles with ease but before they could let their guards down two more kunai knives came flying in their place followed by Kazutaka who appeared from behind Kagero with his katana point aimed at his opponent’s neck.

The kage-nin blocked the kunai with their weapons and just as Kagero was about to dodge the sudden attack from behind Kazutaka’s blade edge sliced through his porcelain mask missing his neck by only a few inches. The mask broke in two and the pieces fell to the ground. Kagemaru had little time to react as Asuka rushed from his right with her silver high carbon steel knuckle dusters. Asuka’s steel punch connected square onto Kagemaru’s face and broke his mask in the process.

“Kuso! Hayai,” thought Kagero jumping into a backflip which resulted in his kasa also falling down.

The four ninja faced each other as they took up their fighting stances. The Sage versus the Kage whilst the daughter of the Light faced the Shadow’s son. The two shadow ninja’s faces were in full view having been brought into the light. Kagero looked like he was in his sixties. His short scruffy white hair was now clearly visible as well as his dark brown eyes, short moustache and slightly wrinkled face. Kagemaru who was in his twenties had a well chiseled face, his father’s eyes and a long scar across his left eye.

“Long time no see nephew…oh how fast you’ve become,” Kagero smiled menacingly and then spun his staff shortly before taking up a fighting stance in front of Kazutaka. “You probably already know why we’re here,” he surmised. “Where is the boy?”