Near the main village gate the Lightning shinobi had taken on the defensive having lost a further ten battalion corp. ninja. Their enemies on the other hand had been reduced to four ansatsu and twelve foot ninja. When the attacks from the shadows were becoming unbearable Hideo instructed his team which was now fighting with less enthusiasm to retreat and battle from the cover of the village buildings. Their knowledge of their village would work to their advantage or so they thought.

Natsumi had also run out of her sharp projectiles and was resorting to kenjutsu. She made use of the katana that had belonged to the second ansatsu she came across. Hideo too had run out of shuriken, kunai as well as bombs to throw so he called upon his jujutsu skills. Shin was with his usual curved katana and swinging it for dear life. In the meantime back at the school Asuka was still unconscious but better than before whilst her opponent sat on the ground and collected himself.

“This fucker seriously wants to take me out with him!” Kagero muttered to himself trying to crawl away from Kazutaka. “He’s fucking suicidal!”

Kagero came to an immediate halt when he observed the blue flames speeding towards him from every direction possible.

“Shit! I can’t go out like this.”

“There is no escape,” said Kazutaka as he inserted his katana through Kagero’s arm. “This is where you die.”

“Kagemaru!!” shouted Kagero as he faced at his son’s direction. He looked petrified as he saw his death a mere seconds away. “Kurokunaru (Blacken)!”

As if by sorcery Kagemaru’s right hand twisted around on its own and faced towards Kagero. Just then the ring of fire engulfed the area the two village leaders were in. The flames had dissipated everything to ash within its radius and left the ground black. When the fire finally died out it was revealed that Kazutaka’s body had been burnt to ash while on the ground lay a black shadowy figure that had Kagero’s terrified expression.

The thick layer of black dissolved into a liquid which then formed the Kage’s staff right next to him. His whole body had severe burns but unlike the Sage he would live to see another day. After some minutes as he lay there on the ground with a useless left arm and an aching body he managed to let out his manic laugh. Kajin on the other hand lay on the scorched earth next to where its user would’ve been and it was completely unscathed with only the saya having been burnt to ash.

“T–that Kazutaka-kun,” chuckled Kagero as he rolled over to lie on his back. He stared at the clear blue sky. “For a second there I thought I was a goner,” he thought trying as much as possible not to speak as he felt intense pain from every part of his burnt body.

Kagero tried to look at his son and managed to express his gratitude, “thank you son.”

Kagemaru stuck to his usual no response as he had been forced to do something he didn’t want to for a second. Thirty minutes later the kage-nin succeeded in overpowering the lightning ninja. The trio Hideo, Shin and Natsumi who were now surrounded by shadow ninja upon arrival at the school would also surrender when they saw what had happened to the village’s two strongest shinobi.

The Lightning village was defeated. With the help of two ansatsu Kagero got on his feet and declared himself as the new Sage. The group of shadow ninja yelled out victory cries after accomplishing the first part of their mission. Now all that was left was the second part and that was finding Kazuo. But Kagero was in much pain to carry out that task himself so he instructed the other two ansatsu present with it.

“Lord Shadow!” one foot ninja yelled out. “What should we do with these kunoichi?” He cackled menacingly.

Kagero stared at his son before responding and then told the shadow ninja, “nothing.”

The foot ninja grumbled in disappointed but dared not to question the word of the Kage and now self-proclaimed Sage of the Lightning village. Kagero on the other hand noticed his son’s face beam a little. Sparing the remaining lightning shinobi was his way of thanking Kagemaru for saving his life although he had to force him to do so with a sorcery spell.

“No more fighting,” he instructed his shadow ninja before looking at the lightning ninja whose hands had been bound, “we can’t rule over a land without any people left.”

After that the two assassins escorted their leader to the Sage’s office where they intended to tend to his wounds and cover his body with tourniquets. One shadow ninja was instructed to untie the lightning shinobi. After doing so they all left the scene and all who remained were Hideo, Shin, Natsumi and a group of eight battle corp. shinobi. No words could describe the pain they felt at losing their Sage Kazutaka. Natsumi and a few other battle corp. ninja present kept bawling torrents of salt water from their eyes. The Lightning village had lost its leader, protector, teacher and most importantly father figure to many. Just as the shadow ninja left the scene as they headed to the school premises Hideo and Shin rushed over to their colleague Asuka.

“She’s in a coma,” said Hideo after carrying out a rough diagnosis. “We have to get her to the Medical corp. centre as soon as possible.” He looked at Shin and saw a tear trickling down on his mask.

“I’m so sorry Asuka,” said Shin after removing his mask and using it to wipe his face. “I should’ve stayed behind and helped.”

Underneath his mask Shin had a scar across his elongated nose and a short stubble white beard. It was the first time Natsumi and the other battalion corp. ninja had ever seen him without his mask but they were too distressed by the tragic loss to even realize.

“I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you Shin-san,” Hideo tried to console him, “but we really need to get her to the Medical corp.”

The two ninja gently carried Asuka and walked to the Medical corp. centre that were within the large area of the school yard. She was taken in by the skilled medics who confirmed the coma and sent her to the intensive care unit. Other battalion corp. ninja with minor injuries to major injuries such as missing limbs also made their visits to the Medical corp. The undergrad Kohaku who excelled in her medical classes had been requested by the ninja doctors to help out with nursing the injured ninja back to shape.

As Hideo and Shin strolled to an inn realizing that they couldn’t be in the presence of the shadow ninja at the school the former conjured up a plan. “Shin-san,” said Hideo, “When you removed your mask you gave me a great idea…”

“I’m listening.”

“These guys don’t know what you look like and by now I’m sure they even have someone of their own at the main gate. Without your mask you’re probably the only ninja here who can pull off looking like a travelling peasant and head to the Fire village to inform Kazuo of what has transpired. I don’t know what it is they want from him but now more than ever he shouldn’t return to the Lightning village.”