Chapter 18:

The day finally came. Everyone knew it. The village’s sirens matched the sounds of the marching drums of the dojo. Yuji and Yumi were already awake, and prepared everything for this very moment. 

“No…Not now…It’s too early!” 

Yumi thought to herself, looking to Yuji with an anxious look. Yuji returned the look, and they both ran inside. The sounds of villagers slamming their doors, locking windows, and running away filled the air. At the top of the hill, all of the ninjas filed out perfectly in line, with Toshi in front of them all, leading the way to the demise of Yuji Toshida. 

“He’s after me…all of this for me to die…” 

He said to himself and Yumi. 

“Don’t let him intimidate you, he won’t win…” 

Yumi said, examining the clan and their formation. Ninjas in the front line had shiny, frightening katanas, and ninjas in the back carried bags of shuriken* to throw. 

“They’re doing formation #46. I know how to defend this.” 

She zipped around the house with defenses, Yuji and Soy Sauce watched with slight fear still in their hearts. 

The ninjas finally started to make their way down the hill to the village, the drums still going, and the ninjas were ready to attack on sight. Toshi kept a keen watch of his surroundings, watching for any sight of his daughter and that boy he needed dead. 

“Keep an eye out, men…they could be anywhere. I will burn down this whole village, and I won’t stop until Yuji Toshida is dead!” 

He shouted, making the whole village hear him. Yuji shivered in fear, and held closer to Soy Sauce than ever before. Yumi was still rushing around the stand, fixing any preparations that fell. The ninjas continued to file down the hill and make their way to the village center. “Okay…all of our defenses are good. I’ll stay with you now.” 

She said, a hint of panic in her tone. She left a window open just to peek out of, which they arrived at to study outside. Ninjas were breaking into stands and shops in the market, all looking for any sign of Yuji. All of their victims begged for mercy, not evening realizing that they aren’t who they're looking for. Toshi kept watch in the middle of the ninja pile, looking annoyed that his targets haven’t been found yet. 

“Keep Looking! That weakling can’t hide forever!” 

He commanded. Yuji was starting to get visibly scared, but Yumi tried to comfort him. 

“Hey…it’s going to be okay. I said I would protect you with my life, remember?” 

She said, giving him a calming smile. 

“Y-Yeah…” 

Yuji said weakly, Soy Sauce meowing in agreement. The sounds of ninjas barging into shops got closer and closer, the screams of terrorized villagers got louder and louder. “They’re getting close…what do we do, Yumi?” 

Yuji said, his breathing getting faster by the second. 

“I don’t know…do we fight, do we hide?” 

Yuji thought for a moment, and finally got something. 

“I have an idea, something so scary that it just might work…” 

He said, looking her right in the eyes. 

“You’ll need your katana.” 

He whispered in her ear what he wanted to do. 

“Are you insane? They’ll kill you on the spot!?” 

“That’s where you come in! I trust you, Yumi…I know you’ll keep me safe.” 

“Alright…let’s give them a show.” 

They both nodded one more time, and headed off.

All of the ninjas started to get tired of all the looking they did. 

“What are you guys doing!? We can’t let this boy make it out alive!” 

He shouted, getting irritated. It wasn’t until they heard the creak of a door open. Out of nowhere, Yuji walked out of his own stand. 

“You guys wanted me?” 

Yuji said, looking Toshi dead in the eye. 

“T-That’s the boy! Attack!” 

He commanded, all of the ninjas charging right at him. Yuji kept standing there, not doing anything. Once the ninjas got close enough, Yuji shouted 

“Now!” 

Out in the open. At his signal, Yumi leapt into the air and slashed at the ninjas, building distance. 

“Yumi…This whole time…” 

Toshi said to himself, all of the ninjas watched in shock to see one of their own against them. “Don’t…touch…him…” 

She said darkly, not even looking at the ninjas. The ninjas looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what to do. 

“You betrayed this clan to be with some weak villagers, and now you’re choosing to go against us? This decision will be your last, Yumi…” 

Toshi said, looking her dead in the eye. He gave a signal behind his back to the clan, and one ninja stepped forward and prepared a strike. 

“Don’t come any closer…” 

She said to him, already preparing her katana. The ninja scoffed at her, and swung, and was matched perfectly by hers. She quickly made of him by disarming him and kicking him to the ground. 

“Anyone else wanna test their luck?” 

“That’s my best friend!” 

Yuji shouted, hyping Yumi up even more. A shuriken was thrown out of nowhere, yet she caught it with only 2 fingers. She threw it back with pin point accuracy. “W-What are you guys doing standing here and watching!? GET THEM!” 

Toshi shouted, shoving ninjas her way. Yumi fought off every single ninja that went her way, not letting any of them get near her friend. 

“Yuji! Grab your kitchen knife and use it as a sword! Remember what I taught you!” 

She shouted, still fighting off ninjas. 

“Oh yeah!” 

He said, reaching into his apron. Luckily, Soy Sauce was in his front pocket, and handed him the knife. 

“Oh, thanks boy! You guys aren’t ready for this!” 

He said, trying to do a trick with his knife. All of the ninjas watched in confusion, not knowing whether to attack him or watch him fail over and over again. Finally sticking it, he got into the basic stance that Yumi taught him. 

“Alrighty…you guys aren’t ready for my fightin’ skills!” He said with a giggle, even beckoning the ninjas to come at him. He fought most of them off, yet some tried to close the space. 

“Come on you morons! It’s 100 vs. 2, get it together!” 

He shouted behind more ninjas, all of them getting tossed onto the ground one by one. Yumi and Yuji were officially back to back, defending each other in a swarm of ninjas. Swords met swords, ninjas met floors, and almost all of them were defeated. 

Out of nowhere, villagers slowly started to make their way out of their shops to watch the duel occur. Kids watched Yumi’s amazing swordsmanship and cheered, and elders watched Yuji with newfound eyes. He wasn’t the same boy that had his family killed by that same clan, he was the man that was there to fight them. The villagers started to burst into cheers as the duo successfully fought with their hearts. 

“You hear that! They’re cheering for us!” 

Yuji shouted between moves. 

“I know! It…Honestly feels good!” 

Yumi responded, focusing on both Yuji and her fighting. Soon enough, all of the ninjas were finally defeated. The two of them stood above all of them, worn out from all of the fighting. Yuji weakly held his arm in the air, looking for a signature high-five. 

“How about that…” 

He said, slightly out of breath. She finally high-fived him, and she latched onto him with all of her strength. 

“You’re alive…we actually did it, Yuji.” 

She said, her voice muffled from being held. 

“We did…We really did, Yumi.” 

He said, his eyes welling up with tears. Soy Sauce nya’d in victory as the two shared their moment. The villagers cheered at the top of their lungs, as everyone was saved, and the boy that they knew and loved was safe. Well, everyone was happy, except for one.

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