VI

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Arc VI Chapter 11

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Asami cleared her lungs. Dust darkened the sky and limited her vision, but her heart enjoyed this moment of pride. The enemy ceased to be. Her attack?achieved its objective?despite minor repercussions.

Asami braced herself. Her Susanoo shielded her from the blast.

Asami thanked her chakra. Her Susanoo nodded?in appreciation.

Asami didn’t waste more?time and advanced across the crater. Wooden debris, destruction, death and melodic screams?filled the battlefield.

The lucky ninja died a gracious death. Shredded by her air burst, impaled by splintered wood, crushed by rubble, their lives ended quickly. They were lucky as they didn't suffer long.

The unlucky?survived and clung to their miserable lives. Their bones twisted beyond recognition, their limbs torn apart. The pain?in??their cries, the?suffering, the?desperation, the?hopelessness. They were ninja destined?to die. No hope, no salvation?awaited them.

Asami spotted a helpless Suna-nin down the street trapped under?mountain of rubble.

He struggled to move and Asami?tiptoed towards him.

The boy was young and death was only a matter of minutes. Sharp metal?splinters punctured his lungs. His blood glimmered in the sun.

Asami was responsible. It was her?who caused his demise. Her pure and white?hands were sullied with so much blood.

So many lives?were lost. Their deaths were?the product of her actions. It felt .. wonderful, empowering, exhilarating.

Asami drew her steel and?strolled forwards?to finish her work.

The boy coughed?up?blood. His weak voice trembled. ”Please?... have ... mercy?...”

Asami giggled in derision. Her crimson irises met his frightened eyes.

”Mercy??I think it's?a bit late for that, isn't it? Once blood flows, it's difficult to draw the line. ”

Asami struck?and killed the first stragglers. Nobody escaped?her judgment.

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“What the fuck was this!?”?Kyushichi shoved the debris aside. He got nearly buried under the rubble.

Kyushichi?wasn’t sure what happened, but his squad got lucky?for sure.

Kyushichi calmed down and leaned against the wall on his back, the sturdiest wall he had ever witnessed.

Strong and stable, the simple and humble wall shielded him?from the blast. The wall?was his friends, and his friend didn't disappoint?him.

Kyushichi?dusted off his jacket?and inspected his surroundings. Chaos greeted him.

The detonation shook the earth and turned the entire block into an apocalyptic?wasteland, which surprised Kyushichi. These types of destructive methods were ... unusual for Konoha. Even Iwa’s infamous explosion corps?weren’t prone to such collateral damage.

Their Konoha?friends were supposed to be ?the goodies, but reality proved him wrong. The blast caught him and his men?unprepared. The shock wave shredded three companies.

Kyushichi?bit his lips.?His hands fidgeted. They didn’t fight?the usual type Konoha ninja. ?They fought an enemy ready to destroy them no matter the cost, no matter the price.

Kyushichi?scanned?the area?and checked his squad. ”Are you?okay?”?His squad looked fine.

Ichiyo rose?and moved the mountain of bricks. They buried him like a tomb.”A few bruises here and there, but otherwise we are?fine, I guess.”

Kyushichi felt?relieved. ”Glad to hear?that.“

Hatsumi followed suit and resurrected from the dead. ”What the fuck was this?”

Kyushichi studied the destruction. His gaze wandered?across the area. ”No idea, but the shock wave nearly buried us.“

Three angry-looking purple spheres?dropped ?on their?position, but they?survived?the ordeal.

Hatsumi dusted off her clothes.”What's our plan?now?”

Kyushichi crossed his arms. ”We will search?for survivors?and regroup. The wounded require?our attention.”

Hatsumi nodded and agreed. ”Let’s move out ..”

“I doubt?that will be necessary.”

Kyushichi grabbed a?kunai and acted. An intruder?disturbed their peace, but his hand hesitated. His eyes met a girl in black kimono. Her arms carried a teddy bear. The teddy wore?a green flak jacket and a ninja headband.

The little girl hugged her teddy. Her hopeful eyes?sparkled. ”Have you seen okaa-san?”

...

...

...

Kyushichi and Hatsumi exchanged looks. This was ...?unexpected.

The girl?wasn’t an enemy. They just encountered a lost?girl armed with?a teddy?and?searching for her mother.

Kyushichi holstered?his kunai. He was free?eliminate the girl, but such wasn't?a viable option.

Despite years of service, Kyushichi's heart still beat. They attacked Konoha to conquer, not to slaughter civilians.

Hatsumi shrugged her shoulders, equally at loss. What were they supposed to do with the girl?

Kyushichi offered an uneasy smile. “Tell me, what happened?”

The girl cast her gaze down. Her voice trembled. ”I saw?a?big bright flash, then everything turned black.?When I woke up, okaa-san?disappeared, ?so I search for her.“

“Have you seen her?”

Kyushichi?scratched ?his head. ”Unfortunately, we can't help you. We haven’t seen her.”

The girl hugged her?lonely ninja ?teddy. ”That's?disappointing, but maybe you can help.?We can search for her together.”

The girl clenched her fists and her black eyes glimmered. Hope filled them.

Kyushichi gritted his teeth. He despaired. This was ridiculous. A?little girl armed with a fucking teddy?incapacitated his entire squad. Unacceptable.

He had to find a solution. They had objectives and orders. They couldn't waste any more time on little girls.

Kyushichi pinched his nose?and?sought Hatsumi's help.

The message was clear. you are a woman. She is a girl. Solve this?problem.

Hatsumi?bit her lips and?took over. ”Girl, do you know who we are?”

The girl?nodded. ”Of course, you are ninja. Okaa-san says?ninja?are people who help other people in need.“

So you are going to help me?” The girl smiled like the?sun

Kyushichi sighed. He conceded defeat. “I understand, you won.”

”Hatsumi,?Ichiyo, you accompany the girl and escort her. Help her searching?for her okaa-san.“

“The?rest of us?will look for survivors.”

Kyushichi?despaired. Sometimes, he wasn’t made for the ninja job. Too kind for his own good,?one?good deed didn’t hurt.?They?made the right decision.

Hatsumi remained doubtful. ”Kyushichi, are you sure?this is a good idea?”

Kyushichi didn't care and ignored?her. ”We have already wasted enough time. One little girl more or less doesn't matter.”

The girl jumped in joy before her aura changed. Her eyes sharpened and her voice grew icy. Danger lingered in the air.

The girl giggled?without control,” Do you know what's?funny, Kyushichi?”

“You are the only group who agreed to help me?since picking .You agreed despite not having the faintest idea who I am. Nevertheless, you made the right choice. You followed your heart.“

Asami's eyes?turned?luminescent?crimson. ”You are kind souls. It's a shame I have to kill you.“

Kyushichi tried to move, but he couldn’t. His body froze stiff, petrified by her gaze.?His?hands?trembled?in fear.

“Bye bye, I hope you enjoy your sleep.”?Asami waved her hand.

Kyushichi felt tired, incredibly tired. His mind drifted away,?unable to resist the lure of her eyes. His heavy eyelids closed and Kyushichi fell.

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...

...

“.. Captain .. come .. We have found ...?survivors..”

...

“.. No doubt?... it's?...?Kyushichi ..”

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“.. He is?...?still breathing?... Captain .. They are all .... still alive ..”

...

“.. They were ...?knocked ?out.. They are ?... ?trapped ... inside ... a ?genjutsu ..”

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