Three days later, thousands of people across the Fire region flocked to Kaen village. Peasants and noblemen alike came to pay their last respects to Lord Kazuma.
There was a huge procession conducted with samurai marching four corpses around the village. Men, women and children wept upon seeing their daimyo's body adorned in white.
After the long service, a few nobles and palace residents continued to the Inazuma shrine. Also present for the royal cremation were Kazutaka and Natsumi, who had arrived late in the morning. Outside the temple, Royal Guard samurai laid the four bodies on top of wooden platforms. Natsumi fired a lit arrow for each corpse and set them alight.
Kazutaka stood holding Kazuo and Kenzo beside him. "Back in the day, one might have mistaken my sons for twins..." he said, wiping his eyes. "Kazuma-kun was the reserved one and Keiji-kun was more outspoken. Alas, that never stopped them from doing everything together. They would tell me stories about who beat the other at shōgi or horse racing."
He smiled and gazed at the rising flames. "My daughters–Natsuhi-san and Kaori-san... thank you for taking great care of my sons." He turned to the two boys next to him. "And thank you for blessing me with two beautiful grandchildren. I bid you farewell until we meet again. Maybe in another life..."
A dark-haired woman in her mid-fifties gave a brief eulogy on her daughter Natsuhi, followed by some nobles and servants who had beautiful messages about the royals. Afterwards, several nobles left, leaving behind close relatives and friends.
"Hey... Grandma," Kazuo walked up to the middle-aged woman. He bowed and she did the same. "I didn't see you with Grandpa Ryu. Did he not come?"
"H–He couldn't make it," she said, wiping her eyes.
"Kazuo," said Natsumi, beckoning him. She stood in a small group with Kazutaka, Takumi, Mikoto and Kenzo. "Come over here when you're done."
Kazuo nodded at Natsumi before turning to his grandmother–who shifted her gaze. "Is he well?"
"He's bedridden for now but I'm sure he will be..."
She's lying. Kazuo saw her eye twitch. "Okay, Grandma, you'll write to us when he's feeling much better." He went over to the group and found a meeting underway. "What did I miss?"
"As we were saying... there's been a change of plans." Kazutaka faced his grandson. "You are to remain here with Takumi-kun and Mikoto-chan until further notice."
"Fine by me..."
Kazuo's response shocked Kazutaka and Natsumi.
Kazutaka stood for a moment, jaw widened. "Well, it's settled," he said before bidding them farewell.
The next day, the advisory council announced Kenzo as the Fire Region's new daimyo. His inauguration was to be carried out after the mourning–another three days' wait.
Since Kazuo's near death experience, he practiced kenjutsu each day using Raijin and later on taijutsu with Mikoto–who visited the palace's onsen (hot spring) after their sessions.
Takumi, however, spent most of his time with the new daimyo. If they were not reading historic texts in the Inazuma shrine, they played shōgi in the royal chamber.
☯
Kagero arrived at Kaminari village on the fifth day, just as Kazutaka and Asuka had predicted. About thirty ninjas accompanied the Shadow King. When they reached the main gate, the Shadows awaited his instructions. The gate is sealed shut and we didn't encounter any forces at the border. Were they expecting us? He thought, drawing out a grappling iron and a long rope. "Kagemaru and four assassins, follow me…" he said, tossing the hook up the wall and his assassins did the same.
While the five men climbed, Kagemaru pressed his thumb on the ring finger–the Prithvi (Earth) mudra. He took a sharp breath and brought the gesture close to his face. As he exhaled, a faint red aura surrounded him and he ran up the wall with ease.
Once they had summited, Kagero faced his remaining ninjas. "Wait for the signal." He then stood and scanned the quiet and empty village streets. "How strange. It's as if they knew of our arrival," he said, turning to his group. "Well, that makes things even more interesting, doesn't it?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" said four assassins in unison.
[
Around that time, a Battalion kunoichi entered Kazutaka's office and announced that the Shadow ninjas had arrived. "Six of them are currently on the perimeter wall."
"Thank you, Ichika." Kazutaka had been deep in thought with his hands clasped together. "You can return to your post and notify the other Battalion shinobi. Since we have the element of surprise, we will destroy them in a swift pincer maneuver."
"Yes, sir!" she said, leaving the office in a rush.
Kazutaka rose, took Kajin and left to join his S-class trio at the rendezvous point. Asuka, Hideo and Shin stood on the school rooftop clad in white vest armour.
"Lord Sage, it's been a long time since we saw you wielding Kajin," said Shin, stretching his limbs.
Asuka clenched a tight fist. "The enemy means business. Having seen how they fight, I'd be wary of projectors like Kagemaru and Rina."
"Projection?" Shin furrowed his eyebrows.
"Yes, shadow projection..." said Hideo, scanning the horizon with a pair of binoculars. "It's kinjutsu."
"You guys are joking, right?"
Kazutaka grabbed Kajin's hilt and sighed. "I am afraid not, Shin… Majutsu is very much real–"
"Sorry to interrupt but... they're coming." Hideo adjusted his binoculars and faced the group. "Of the six that were on the wall, two are headed here."
"Those two are probably Kagero and Kagemaru," said Asuka with a slight grin.
"Well, then..." Kazutaka glanced at Hideo and Shin before nodding. "Let us welcome them!" he grinned.
The two men nodded back and scattered.
Asuka looked at Kajin. "Will that technique be enough against a projector?"
"I will use whatever it takes to protect this region." Kazutaka's smile disappeared as he furrowed his brows. "Even if that costs me my life."
"In that case, I'll have to go all out!" Asuka punched an open palm. And put mine on the line as well.
Silence filled the air until she spoke once more.
"By the way, I noticed Shin doesn't know about majutsu..."
"Unlike you and Hideo, he never had a knack for it. How could I teach him conduction when he used to sleep through almost every meditative session?"
They both laughed.
"I see," she said with a smile. "I'll make it my duty then to teach him."
"Best of luck–" Kazutaka stopped laughing and grabbed his katana.
Suddenly, two figures arrived and stood just outside the main school gate. Kazutaka and Asuka leapt off the roof and headed to their guests.
[
As Kagero and Kagemaru traversed the empty schoolyard, several projectiles flew towards them. They dodged the flying shuriken with ease. Before lowering their guards, two more kunai appeared.
While Kagero avoided the kunai, Kazutaka emerged behind him with Kajin drawn. The Shadow King spun around and the blade sliced through his porcelain mask. Shit... he's fast! He lost his balance and jumped into a backflip. After landing a short distance away, his kasa and mask were gone.
Underneath the mask, Kagero could have been in his sixties with scruffy white hair and a moustache to match. He had dark brown eyes that were almost black and wrinkles all over his face.
Kagemaru, however, had little time to react as Asuka rushed from his side with a pair of knuckle dusters in each hand. A rapid steel punch connected square onto his mask, shattering it into pieces. Unmasked, he looked to be in his twenties with a well-chiseled face and a long scar across his left eye.
Four ninjas stood on guard, sizing each other up. They took fighting stances and the Shadows drew their weapons. On one side, Kagemaru faced Asuka, while Kagero locked eyes with Kazutaka.
"It's been ages, hasn't it... nephew?" Kagero smiled as he spun his shadow staff. "By now you probably know why we're here. Where's the boy?"