Namiko and an unconscious Hanzo arrived at Shiga District two days after leaving Yamaguchi. Still disguised as a maidservant, she asked one merchant about the sorcerer named Rani.
"Oh, Lady Sharma... she lives just past those huts." He pointed to a cluster of thatched structures. "Her cabin stands on its own... she helped me with my–"
"Thank you very much!" Namiko tossed him a few coins before hurrying off to the location. A few moments later, she skidded to a quick stop. "Lady Rani! Lady Rani!" she shouted, getting off the carriage and knocking on the door repeatedly. "Please come! It's Hanzo… he's unconscious!"
At the mention of Hanzo's name, the door swung wide open and two people dashed outside. Rani and Chikao lifted the patient and carried him inside.
Dilated pupils... Poison, huh? Rani thought, checking Hanzo's eyes while he lay on her table. She placed two fingers on his neck. His pulse is very low but he's still breathing. "What happened to him?"
"He was shot with an arrow... and along the way, he started convulsing until he passed out."
"Got it. You may wait outside, miss..."
"Shizuka..."
"Han's stronger than he looks. So don't worry, I'll take good care of him," Rani smiled. This could be Nightshade, and a small dosage at that. If it weren't for his controlled pranayama, he'd be dead.
While Namiko and Chikao waited outdoors, Rani searched around her lab and found an animal's bladder tied to a goose quill. She injected Hanzo's open wound with the quill and pressed the contents of the bladder. This mare's blood should do the trick. When she was done, Rani tended to the wound and covered it with a tourniquet. "You can come in now!"
Namiko and Chikao entered the cabin.
"Hey there, Shizuka... your man will live."
"Thank God!" Namiko clasped her hands.
Kirishitan? "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Yes," Namiko took out a paper and handed it to Rani. "He asked me to send this to Kaminari."
"I'll get Chikao to do so..."
☯
An armada of twenty battleships sailed through the Firipin Sea from Miyazaki to Yamaguchi. Each vessel carried twenty men and women armed to the teeth with muskets, spears, shields and swords. When they arrived at their destination, it was noon with the sun high in the sky.
On Yuji's command, every heishi jumped off and seized Yamaguchi Port. It was a quick bloodbath with little retaliation from the few keisatsu, fishermen and merchants present. The Water army pillaged everything, sparing only the women and children.
A flash of light appeared in the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder. As the clouds darkened, water droplets fell from the heavens. With the celebrations cut short, several tents went up. Suddenly, it started raining torrents that washed the blood and the soil.
"Ah!" Yuji stretched his arms and inhaled deeply as the water drenched him. "Surely, who can be against us when Lord Ryūjin(Sea dragon god) and Lord Kurayami are with us?" He took in the moment of victory with a wide grin. "Tomorrow, we'll flood into Tsuchi until we reach Ishigami's impregnable walls."
☯
Later that night, Sage Asuka received a messenger pigeon from the Grass Region and summoned Kazuo, Mikoto and Takumi. It was now raining lightly outside when the trio arrived at the ninja school.
"So, what do you think?" She asked them after reading what appeared to be a confession. "This is Hanzo's writing but why use a Grass pigeon and not his usual raven?" Could it be another ambush?
"I agree, senpai..." said Mikoto, holding her chin. "On the possibility that it could be a trap. Also, Hanzo-sensei would never work for the Shadows."
"Can I have a look?" asked Takumi and Asuka passed it to him. "Having read a lot of his writing, I can confirm that these strokes are legitimate."
Why work for the Shadows? They killed his sensei, my great grandpa and slaughtered my family! Kazuo felt his stomach churn. How could he betray us?
Kazuo was about to storm out when Takumi grabbed his shoulder. "Think about it, Kazuo." The Artisan spoke calmly. "What could Hanzo gain by preparing us to defeat Kagero? What could he gain from training you guys for another three years?"
"It could all be part of their plan..." said Kazuo.
"Alright. Here's a thought... what if he was working undercover all along? What if, after assassinating the Water daimyo, he fled to his old friend Rani?"
Mikoto joined. "That'd explain the Grass pigeon."
"That's a good point," said Asuka with a nod. "And if the Water Country believe a keisatsu assassinated their daimyo... they would want retribution."
"An eye for an eye," Mikoto muttered. This is bad!
Asuka cleared her throat. "The Earth Country is our ally and we haven't heard word from them yet. However, you both raise valid points. If this letter is true, Lord Ishigami's life could be in danger."
"So," said Mikoto. "What do we do?"
Asuka thought deeply for a few seconds and then continued, "To be on the safe side, I'll ask Natsumi to ready a small task force to confirm with Commissioner Keisuke. We're dealing with a level S mission which could start another great war."
"The Shadows started the last one," said Takumi.
"They're the ones responsible for this too..." Kazuo turned to Asuka. "Send us to the Earth Country."
Asuka clasped her hands. "I'll need you to calm down, Kazuo. Remember, you still answer to me."
"We don't want a repeat of last time," said Mikoto.
Kazuo took a deep breath and sat on the floor.
"Since we've already been to the Earth Country," Mikoto faced the Sage. "Can we be on that task force? If the letter is true and the daimyo's life is at risk, they're going to need all the help they can get."
"As long as it's at least six Battalion Corps led by an S-class ninja," Asuka stated. "Go prepare yourselves... This time you'll be travelling light."
☯
Hours later in Ishigami City…
"Commissioner!" a keisatsu screamed as he ran inside a room. He skidded to a stop and started panting. "Sorry for not knocking, sir–"
"Harada-san," said Keisuke. "What's the problem?" "We've just received a messenger pigeon from Yamaguchi. An army of heishi has taken over."
"Noted. You're dismissed..." Keisuke got up from his seat when the keisatsu exited his office.
To get here from Yamaguchi, that's roughly ten hours on horseback and two days on foot. Which means if they're already on the move they will get here in three days' time. I need to call an urgent meeting with my chief inspectors and see if we can bargain with them. What bothers me is why they attacked? When Lord Doi and Lady Namiko were set to meet and compile a treaty between our countries?
Keisuke summoned five chief inspectors and also his close friend and second in command–Deputy Commissioner Yamamoto. During the meeting, they discussed the next course of action. "That settles it then," he said once they reached a conclusion. "We'll send a convoy tomorrow morning to intercept them."
When the sun rose the following day, Yamamoto and four inspectors galloped on horseback to meet with the Water heishi who had begun their march. That afternoon, the two groups crossed paths near the border between Yamaguchi and Ishigami City.
"Good day, gentlemen..." said Yamamoto, a sweat trickling down his cheek at the sight of the army. "I'd like to speak to whoever is in charge..."
"You Earth scum have got balls sending only five men against my four hundred!" Yuji emerged from the large troop with a piece of meat in hand. "What do you have to say for assassinating our daimyo?"
Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "Assassination?" he asked with a confused look. "I do not follow."
"One of your keisatsu murdered my niece!"
Murmurs erupted and Yuji raised his hand. When they were quiet, he continued. "We want retribution!"
"Um, I–" Yamamoto's face turned pale. "My condolences… I am just hearing about this. We don't know about any attempt on the Water daimyo's life."
Yuji spoke between mouthfuls. "LIES!"
The army roared, echoing their General.
"If anything," Yamamoto continued. "We thought our people were working on a truce. What brought us here is the massacre you carried out at the port."
"Massacre?" asked Yuji, laughing as his soldiers joined him. He raised his hand and they refrained. "You're the ones who declared this war and the only thing that can stop us is Doi's head on a stake!"
"Can we not talk about this in private, as men?" Yamamoto sized up the army's numbers and gulped. "To see if we can come to an understanding."
What a fool! He thinks he can bargain with me but I'm not in the mood for any of that. Yuji belched before speaking. "What do they call you?"
"I'm Deputy Commissioner Yamamoto."
"So, your Commissioner doesn't want to face me? Man to man?" Yuji raised a hand once more. "Well then, Deputy Commissioner… here's my answer." He swiftly lowered his arm and the army took aim.
Dozens of arrows rained on the five keisatsu. As they dropped onto the earth, their frightened horses ran around and stomped them to their deaths.