Arc VII Chapter 8
<strong><b>VII</b></strong>
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<strong><b>Arc VII Chapter </b></strong><strong><b>8</b></strong>
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Equipped with a pair of binocrs, Tatsuya observed the ominous mansion from a distance. The mansion was extensive, dwarfing the surrounding buildings with ease, towering over Konoha''s smouldering ruins. The vi survived the invasion and the subsequent devastation remarkably well, while the surrounding streets fell prey to the mes. Heaven spared her home.
“...” Tatsuya grumbled. Fate was indeed a cruel mistress. Life was unfair. The invasion ttened his recently bought apartment and evaporated his savings. He had to pay off his loans, meanwhile the princess kept her royal pce. The Minami princess got richer and richer, while grunts like him remained poor for all eternity.
Tatsuya watched the perimeter. He distrusted the peace. The mansion gave him an ufortable feeling. Doubt and uncertainty nagged at the back of his mind.The ck walls. The ck wood. The ck marble. The mansion exuded an ominous atmosphere. As ifa malevolent spirithaunted the ce.The night covered Konoha and the sparse streetmpsilluminated the streets. Their monotonous light flickered in the darkness.
The eerie auradistressed him. Something was wronghere. Something dangerous lurked in the darknessand watched their steps. They sentShiba and Fumimaro to investigate.
Their mission was an unconventional assignment. It was a secret mission. Orders came directly from the vige council.His team survived the invasion and was nowtasked with guarding the area. They were ordered to report anything suspiciouswhile afull contingentof ANBU stormed the mansion. They were apparently dispatched toapprehenda fugitive girl.
ANBU, fugitivegirl, vige council, secret orders. The entire affair feltfishy.
Next to him, Sosuke noticed his troubled expression. “Tatsuya, is something wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing.” Tatsuyaobservedthe mansion.
“Come on, Tatsuya, we have knowneach other for ages. I can tellwhen you are lying.”
Tatsuyasighed. “I wonder why we are here. Thismission doesn''t make any sense...”
Sosukenodded. He understood. “Same here, but I might know one or two things.”
Tatsuya raised aneyebrow. “I am listening.”
“I heard rumours, Tatsuya.”
...
...
...
Tatsuyabroke the ufortable silence. “What do theysay?”
Sosukeanswered, his smile was strained.“The council identifiedthe one responsible. They identified the culprit.”
A giant fireball engulfed the skyand demolished Konoha''s suburbs.Entire toons,panies perished in theblink of an eye. The demonic purple mes devouredfriend and foe alike.Konoha''s losses were staggering,and the numbers kept climbing. Hundreds of brave ninja vanished withouta trace.Konoha triumphed today, but the price for victory was high and paid in blood.
Tatsuya hopedthathis little brother was fine. Hisaaki received his mobilisation ordersst week and was deployed close to ground zero. He hadn''t heard from him yet,nor from his unit.“Who is responsible for this catastrophe, Sosuke?”
“A girl. Akunoichi. She was one of us.”
“...” Tatsuyafell silent. He couldn''t believe his ears. Someone from Konoha was behind this devastation.
“They say that the girl is a traitor. A crazed psychopath. The girlwas only waitingfor the day to ughter usall. She continued where the fox failed thirteen years ago. Apparently, Danzo facedand fought her to savethe vigefrom aneven bigger cmity.”
“Who is the girl?” Tatsuyashivered. He had a suspicion.
Sosuke hesitated. “The ANBU callher theckPrincess.”
Tatsuyastiffened. His blood froze. Every Konoha ninja worth their salt knew her name. Konoha''s grim reaper, Konoha''s ck wingedangel of death, the ckPrincess. Her reputation preceded her.
Kosuke sweated. “It''sher.”
Sosukeagreed,“Probably.The description fits her perfectly.”
“...” Tatsuya clenched his fist. He knew it.He knew it. He knew it. This entire operation was fishy.
Tatsuyarose. Time to leave. “Sosuke, we are going. We get Shiba and Fumimaro, and leave.We need to get out of here ...”
“Oh my, you leave the party early. Don''t you want to stay a bit longer?” A sinistergiggling interruptedhim.
Tatsuya turned,staring rightinto the darkness, her dark purpleeyes greetinghim. Her de gleamed in the night, her purple sma dancingin joy.
They ... were ... done... for.
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Konosukeexplored the mansion before being interruptedby one of his men. It was Mitsuhide, a fellow ANBU. Young, fresh, energetic, recently admitted to their ranks, eager to prove himself, but his constant questioning got on his nerves. The newbieannoyed him.
Konosuke smiled behind his mask. “Mitsuhide, have you found her?”
They scannedthe mansion, but their search yieldednoresults. The collective forces of ANBU and jonin hunteda single girl. The vige council orderedsuch, but Asami vanished into thin air. No trace of her.
The circumstancedidn''t surprise Konosuke. It saddenedhim that thingshad to end this way.Every ANBU worth their salt was familiar with Asami, and they long spected about her mental state. The amount of butchery the girl witnessed in the name of Konoha defied reason. Her ANBU career was short, but blood apanied her every step. Her hands administered death. Her shoulders carried a heavy weight. Maybe it was too much for her to bear.
Mitsuhide scratched his head. “Negative. We turned every stone upside down, but we found nothing besidesswords, swords,and more swords.”
Konosuke furrowed hiseyebrow. “I guess that''s hardly surprising. Her preference for swords is well-known ...”
The door knocked and Konosuke stiffened. His eyes turnedat the door.Someone knocked in the middle of the night when the entire mansion should be guarded. This was far from normal.
Knocks echoed across the room.
“Heiji, Thoki, Kasumi, Asuka, open the door.” Konosuke ordered, and they obeyed.
His menprotected the door before astartling light rewarded them.A st rippedthrough the walls andrippedthe ANBUapart in a shower of muttedflesh.
The door was opened, and a girl paid the petrified ANBU a visit. The pale moonlight revealed her petite figure, her shimmering purple eyes, her terrifying grin. The princess had arrived. “Greetings, the hour iste, I am here to reim what is mine.”
Konosuke uttered a single thought, “Fuck.”
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