Kazuo's Pain

“Now that you are done packing Kazuo-chan…shall we go?”

“Yeah, yeah old man…”

Takumi and Mikoto stared at each other shocked at how Kazuo talked to the Sage but didn’t say a single thing. The four of them made their way to the main gate in what felt like a long and dreadful walk without uttering a single word.

“You know the three of you remind me of a trio I once personally trained,” Kazutaka broke the silence whilst stroking his beard. “Ah yes…Shin, Asuka and Hideo. They were exactly like you three.”

“Lord Sage, by Hideo you mean Yamazaki-sensei?” asked a curious Mikoto.

“Yes indeed Mikoto-chan,” replied Kazutaka. “And I am sure you are familiar with Asuka-chan. You are quite like her when she was your age.”

“Subarashi desu (That’s great)!” Mikoto exclaimed out loud in excitement. “Yes! I sure do! She graduated the top of her class. She’s the strongest kunoichi in this village and a huge inspiration of mine.”

“Not just kunoichi young lady,” the Sage added with a smile. “She’s the second strongest shinobi in this whole village. When you return from your trip she would have also returned from her own level S mission abroad. I will be sure to introduce you to her.”

The young kunoichi’s beamed with joy, “Thank you so much Lord Sage!”

“…And I’m guessing that means I’m Hideo-sensei,” Takumi spoke for the first time.

“Affirmative Takumi-kun…and you may be quite smarter than he was at your age,” Kazutaka acclaimed him.

“Hey that means I’m Shin,” Kazuo interrupted. “That annoying masked ninja!”

Kazutaka grinned whilst stroking his beard, “Ah yes…the two of you have already met. Shin is the ninja who escorted you into the Lightning village.”

“No way ojiichan, I’m nothing like that ninja!” Kazuo cried out in annoyance as he shook his head.

Kazutaka burst out in laughter and Mikoto joined in while Takumi let out a small chuckle.

“If Shin-kun would have been here he might have probably said the exact same thing,” Kazutaka affirmed. He paused for a moment, “You two are more alike than you may know. When he was your age Kazuo-chan he was just like you.”

The four of them carried on with small talk and in no time they had made it to the main gate. The new three man team got their passports cleared and they bid the Sage farewell.

“Farewell Lord Sage,” said Takumi.

“Bye, bye,” Mikoto waved her hand with a smile beaming from ear to ear.

“Jaa ne (See ya) ojiichan,” Kazuo was the last to say goodbye to his grandfather.

“Farewell you three…safe journey and I hope to see you soon.”

It was in the early morning when the trio set out for the Fire village and as they traversed the route that Kazuo now knew by head not a single a single word was uttered between them. After several minutes of silence Kazuo tried to break the ice with small talk but it was futile. Mikoto was still infuriated by what had transpired the day before whilst Takumi ever indifferent. When they had covered much distance and the Lightning village no longer in sight they were abruptly met with a challenge that Kazuo remembered all too well. It was a group of twelve bandits whose leader was the one who had fought with Rohan.

“Wait a minute I remember you…purple haired brat!” he shouted. “Where is your samurai friend?”

“You!” Kazuo recognized the spiky haired gang leader as he took up a defensive stance with Takumi and Mikoto on his right and left respectively.

The bandits began to encircle the trio and Mikoto let out a whisper. “Hey Takumi, what do we do?”

“They want to trap us with a pincer maneuver,” came the response in a low tone. “I’ll create a distraction, follow my lead.”

In that moment Takumi dropped a smoke bomb and used the cover of the smoke hide in the bushes on the right side. Mikoto followed suit and did the same on the left side. Their goal was to outmaneuver the advancing group and silently take them out from behind. Defenses against a pincer attack had been thoroughly covered in Hideo’s lectures and now it was time to put the theory into practice.

“Not again,” Kazuo thought recalling his dislike of smoke bombs as he tried to see through the cloud of white.

“Ha ha…a smoke bomb? This will be easy pickings,” one of the bandits snickered mockingly as he broke the silence.

“Come out, come out wherever you are,” the leader shouted. “We aren’t gonna hurt you.”

The area became filled with a deafening silence yet again with the cloud of smoke still obscuring everyone’s vision. Unexpectedly a yell similar to that of a dying animal was heard. One of the bandits was down. Sounds of fighting and grown men screaming soon filled the air as the smoke cleared. It was revealed that Takumi had stealthily slit two bandits’ throats with a kunai whilst Mikoto on the other hand had knocked out three. A shocked Kazuo stood frozen in the exact spot as he tried to figure out what had transpired. Unlike Mikoto, Takumi was not as skilled with unarmed combat so he relied heavily on subterfuge with pyrotechnics and throwing weapons. With the bandit gang now reduced to seven they realized that these were no ordinary children. The remaining members got even more serious and took out their weapons with the intent to kill.

“Haa!” a bandit rushed towards a frozen Kazuo with an axe. “Kusokurae (Eat shit)!”

The young lad had to quickly snap back into reality and think of a way to defend himself. Kazuo saw the axe swing directly towards him and his body reacted on its own. He swiftly ducked and leapt to the side with the blade of the axe missing his jacket by a whisker. As he landed on one knee he took out two shuriken whilst the bandit removed his axe from ground and then in rapid succession threw them straight at the man. As the shuriken dug deep into the bandit’s back he let out a scream and left his axe.

“I will kill you…you brat!” he roared as he rushed towards Kazuo with clenched fists.

Kazutaka’s jujutsu lessons were needed now more than ever. Kazuo dodged a right and then left fist with ease but then a second right connected to his cheek and sent him flying. He landed abruptly with his back against a tree and lay there unconscious. The bandit then removed the shuriken from his back and walked steadily towards his axe. Meanwhile in that time Mikoto and Takumi had taken out three more bandits. She was now fatigued and up against two bandits whilst Takumi faced the last one.

“There is no where you can run off to now girl,” said the leader of the group brandishing a kunai. “It’s now two against one and your silly little tricks won’t work against us.”

“We’ll see about that!” Mikoto retorted with a grin.

She rushed forward with the fists that had already knocked out four of the bandits.

“Baka (Fool)!” the leader laughed as he dodged Mikoto’s punch. “Too slow.”

The two bandits managed to overpower and subdue the girl. The leader proceeded to lower her trousers whilst the other bandit restrained her deadly arms. Takumi who had barely got out of his own fight alive observed as colleagues were about to be killed and violated. He realized that he only had one kunai and was quite far from either Kazuo or Mikoto. Who would he save?

“I’m gonna enjoy this,” the leader grinned as he tightly held a fidgeting Mikoto by her waist with one hand and reached for his trousers with the other. Before he could proceed any further Mikoto connected her knee to his gut. She was not yet done! In that instant she swiftly jerked backwards and head-butted the other bandit on his nose. The bandit let go of his grip and held his nose which had started bleeding before receiving a knockout punch. The leader lied on the ground with a hand to his stomach let out an inaudible whimper.

“I see you don’t need my help there,” Takumi applauded her and she smiled before falling onto the ground.

Just then the last standing bandit swung his axe towards Kazuo. Before the bandit could connect a fatal blow, the seemingly unconscious youth who had been playing possum rose up in a flash with kunai. He swiftly rushed forward and shoved the blade deep into the bandit’s abdomen and the latter dropped his axe to the ground as he let out an agonizing roar. A stream of blood splattered right afterwards all over the place like a broken fountain as the bandit plummeted to the earth. A blood stained and fatigued Kazuo also dropped to his knees before landing on his back. Takumi then raced in Kazuo’s direction as he saw him falling down.

“Are you alright?” Takumi raised out his arm.

“Yeah…thanks,” Kazuo grabbed the arm and sat up.

Takumi and Kazuo went over to help Mikoto. When she got up the trio tied the bandits who had been knocked out to some nearby trees before leaving the scene. They carried on the rest of their journey at a steady pace. They were too exhausted and injured to run.

“So you’re telling me that you guys learnt how to fight like that from those crappy Hideo lessons?” Kazuo inquired.

“Affirmative,” the reserved Takumi replied.

“He taught us everything we know,” Mikoto added in seeing that they were now talking to Kazuo.

“Cool!” Kazuo applauded. “Did you always want to be ninja?”

“Well I don’t know about Takumi here but I’ve wanted to be the strongest kunoichi in the Lightning village for as long as I can remember.”

“What is your goal?” Takumi asked facing Kazuo.

“Nah, you go first man.”

“Fine. Have it your way then.”

They resumed the silence. It wasn’t that Kazuo didn’t want to respond but rather the question had really hit him unexpectedly and he had to really think about it.

“Well…I know what I don’t wanna be,” he then said after a while, “everyone back home wanted me to be just like my oyaji and be the next daimyo.”

“Is that why you came to the Lightning village,” Mikoto asked. “To run away from it all?”

“It wasn’t of his own volition,” Takumi interrupted. “He was-”

“He sent me away,” said Kazuo before Takumi could finish, “and now I’m going back.”

“Sorry to hear that,” said Mikoto. “What’d you do?”

“…a lot of bad things,” replied Kazuo, “but I didn’t mean it, all I ever wanted was for him to notice me and be happy with who I was.”

The silence resumed. Then shortly after Takumi said, “I hadn’t answered you by the way. My goal is to return to the Artisan country where Sage Kazutaka found me as a child and invent tools that can help the people of Nihon."

“I’m sorry too guys,” said Kazuo. “I must look like an asshole complaining about my old man when you grew up without any parents.”

“It’s alright, the Lord Sage and the school are like family to us,” Mikoto smiled as she stared at Takumi.

“Yes indeed…she’s right.”

“Okay guys we’re almost there,” Kazuo announced.

When they arrived in the Fire village it was now in the evening. They were quickly welcomed by two samurai at the gate and escorted to the royal palace. They notified them of the bandits they’d met along the way and the samurai ensured them that they would be dealt with. As they entered the village Kazuo noticed several peasants all clad in black.

“What’s going on? Why are they all dressed in black?” Kazuo questioned the samurai. “The last time everyone wore black was when Grandma Natsue died.”

“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this young lord,” one samurai said, “but when the shadow ninja attacked, the daimyo and the royal family were all k-”

“N-No, no way,” Kazuo muttered. “It can’t be…hahaoya.”

Kazuo was beyond shocked. He paused for a bit and trembled as veins started to show on either side of his temples. His eyes were glassy. He was trying to resist the urge to let out a downpour of salty water from them.

“My deepest condolences Kazuo,” Takumi consoled him.

“I am truly sorry for your loss,” Mikoto added placing her arm on his shoulder.

They walked to the royal palace which was silent and were welcomed by the regent daimyo with a council of advisors.

“Welcome home cousin,” Kenzo walked forward to greet Kazuo and his colleagues. “I’m sure by now you’ve already heard the news…the daimyo and everyone else in our family was brutally murdered by those despicable kage-nin. You look like you’ve seen better days.”

“What’s up Kenzo?” Kazuo dusted his jacket, “yeah I just heard from the samurai when we got here.”

The two royals embraced. Kenzo was an intelligent and reserved young boy with short black hair and brown eyes. He wore a black nagagi in mourning and carried himself with the aura of a natural born leader.

“We have to do something about it,” Kazuo sniffled. “We have to avenge them.”

“I agree cousin, however we lack the manpower to face them…” said Kenzo, “our royal guard was reduced to five samurai and we lost our general Rohan as well.”

“R-Ro–,” Kazuo muttered out of words to utter. “They’ll pay for this.”

“Sorry to disturb the reunion my lords, but on to the issue at hand,” one of the advisors said out loud, “What of Kazuma-sama’s succession?”

“With Kazuo, the true heir having returned it is of no concern now is it,” another added.

“But he was banished by Lord Kazuma himself!” the third one exclaimed.

The royal palace suddenly erupted with chaos as the three old men argued amongst themselves.

“I DON’T WANT IT!” a furious Kazuo shouted and the whole room went silent again. When everyone was quiet he proceeded, “Hahaoya and oyaji both knew this and heck the whole bloody village probably knew that I didn’t wanna be daimyo. Kenzo here is the better and more suited option, and that’s if he wants it as well.”

“If it is your wish cousin then I would be greatly honoured.”

“Yes it is.”

“May we have the room please,” Kenzo announced. Before Mikoto and Takumi headed out he said, “No you two may remain.”

When everyone else had left the room Kenzo carried on, “when the kage-nin attacked I was busy going over some scrolls and other manuscripts in the Inazuma shrine when I came across a purple scroll which I do believe is addressed to you cousin.”

“I’ll check it out thanks Kenzo.”

“Before you leave for the shrine there is also something else that you should know,” Kenzo added, “when I returned to the palace after the attack I overhead some peasants say that the kage-nin were after you. I also have reason to believe that their next attack will be on Kaminari no Muri (The Lightning Village).”

“Shit! We have to send a messenger bird then,” said Kazuo.

“Yeah we need to notify the Lord Sage and everyone,” Mikoto added.

“It would be ill advised for Kazuo to return to the Lightning village,” Takumi who’d been silent all along finally added his input. “For some reason they are seeking him, so his best bet is to either wander the lands anonymously or stay put in a village or country where they’d least expect. The latter of course isn’t an option because we as a ninja village have foes in many lands and a daimyo’s son as well as the Sage’s grandson would make for quite the ransom.”

“He’s right cousin,” Kenzo affirmed. “Let us wait and hear from grandpa then, but before you head how about a meal? You three look famished.”

After the trio were served a hearty supper of rice and pork with miso soup by the royal servants they went to the Inazuma shrine. As they passed through a torii (gate) the wooden structure with a thatched roof was if full view.

“Woaahhh, this place looks old as hell,” Kazuo announced after they entered the shrine. “So this is where Kenzo always spends his time…could never be me.”

“Purple scroll? With all these books? That’ll take a while,” Mikoto sighed before she turned to see that Takumi had already begun the search. “Oh it’s on! You may be the top student when it comes to academics but I’ll be the one to find this scroll first.”

Kazuo on the other hand wondered about in search for anything other than a book to occupy his mind. It took Takumi about fifteen minutes to find the scroll and he called the other two to view its contents together. Takumi rolled the scroll open and the trio viewed what it said:

To the violet flower whose blood flows the same as Raijin

I bestow upon him the power of Light

Kneel before the Legendary Sage of old

And receive his might before the hour of the Night

For darkness gathers in the fold in preparation to fight

He whose brightness makes even the shadows cower.

“What does that even mean?” Kazuo scratched his head.

Mikoto was also in the darkness before she remember what Kenzo had mentioned. “The daimyo said something about this scroll being about you Kazuo-kun. I’m not sure about the rest but the violet flower must be in reference to your hair.”

“Oh,” Kazuo came to the realization as he pretended to be following.

“Power of the light, where the Legendary Sage once stood,” Takumi muttered to himself as he paced about. “This being a shrine, where then would a Sage be? Of course!”

Takumi searched the area, “Kazuo does this shrine have an altar?”

“The last time I came here I was too young to remember man.”

“The power of light, hmm…” Takumi thought out loud. “Light!”

He stared at the gable window which was still letting some dim orangish light pass through. Following the direction of the rays with his hand he pointed to a wooden cupboard.

“Let’s remove those books.”

The trio removed the books and moved the cupboard to the side to reveal a small golden table that had a sculptured figurine that stood holding a shakujō (monk staff).

“The Legendary Sage!” Mikoto shouted trying hard not to show too much enthusiasm at being defeated by Takumi.

Engraved on top of the table were the kanji:

Yin and Yang

The push and pull

As above so below

As within so without

Where there is light there is shadow

Takumi removed the table and told Kazuo to kneel where it stood. When Kazuo did so they heard a squeaking noise from the wooden floor.

“Hey Kazuo do that again,” ordered Takumi.

“What?”

“Kneel!”

He rose and kneeled for a second time and the floor repeated the same noise. Mikoto had also caught up speed so she lightly knocked on the plank Kazuo was kneeling on and a hollow tapping sound echoed throughout the shrine.

“It’s a false floor,” she said before she punched the plank right open.

As they checked to see what was inside the three of them noticed a long box that had the kanji “Raijin (Lightning God)” on top of it. Mikoto carefully removed the box from the floor and Kazuo did the honors by opening it. After doing so they were astonished to discover that inside was a chokutō (straight sword) without a tsuba (guard). The saya had a lightning design and a piece of cloth wrapped around it near the rubber handle of the chokutō. When Kazuo unlocked the sword from its saya there was a giant spark of electricity that was immediately followed by a sharp crack. The whole shrine turned blinding white as Mikoto and Takumi were pushed away by the tremendous shockwave. A few seconds later when the colour of the room returned to normal they saw Kazuo lying motionless on the floor.

Mikoto quickly rushed over to him, “He’s unconscious!”