Ascending the Castle...

''Thud...' I made my way up the stairs in a slight jog. The sound of my foot stepping onto the wooden floor resonated across the castle's halls.

Everyone I had ran into have avoided me like plague... Under conflicting orders between Genji and Kenshin, they must've been unable to decide whether I was an enemy or not.

Regardless, I'm not here to talk with anyone.

Who knows what Genji has been doing with Sora... I have to hurry or else!

I picked up my pace up the stairs as my head began to think of the worst... until a familiar sound came from behind, halting me in my tracks.

"You ran so fast that this old man had trouble keeping up... Ideally, you should conserve your strength."

"Kenshin... sama? Why are you here?"

"God knows what will happen if you leave you and Genji alone. Remember your promise?"

"Yeah... I'll try my best not to kill."

"You don't try. You do."

"Yes... Of course."

"For now let's go to the balcony, that's likely where he is. Save your stamina, you've just finished a duel afterall."

Following Kenshin's advice, I proceeded up the stairs at a slower pace. Eventually, we were able to reach the top floor's dojo just below the balcony.

Opening the sliding doors, I could see a man dressed in a suit of armour sitting in the center with a sheathed blade by his side.

"We meet again, my lady."

"You again?... I'll definitely kill you this time."

"If that means I can stop you from reaching my Lord, then so be it..." The man says as he draws the katana from his waist.

"Hold it." Kenshin said. "Your opponent isn't her."

"?" (2x)

From behind the entrance, a female ninja walked out and entered the dojo.

Kato Danzo was behind us the entire time? Had I been in such a hurry that I didn't notice that we were followed?

It might just be that I was too anxious to notice... but instead this speak volumes about her skills as a ninja, as no shinobis were able to even tail me so far.

"Shall I take him on then Kenshin-sama?" Kato Danzo said to Kenshin.

"Very well, you have my permission to. Here, use my blade."

"But my Lord, I am a ninja. I don't fight with blades."

"You think you can hide the fact that you've been secretly mimicking us? You must've noticed it too, Takina."

She has been what now?

"It was quite obvious."

"A mere ninja trying to imitate sword techniques just from seeing it a few times... Fascinating isn't it?

So show me, Kato Danzo. Show me just how well you've learned."

"...Thank you, my Lord. I shall take down this man as you have requested." Danzo said while taking the sword off Kenshin's hands."

The ninja and the armored swordsman walks to the middle of the arena, and stood in a readied stance with their sword drawn.

A fight could break out at any second.

Kenshin tapped on my shoulder and spoke to me-

"You should go now, the boy needs you."

"...Thank you, Kenshin-sama and Danzo-san."

"...Make sure the boy is safe." She said out to me.

Kato Danzo normally never talks to me at all, so it caught me by surprise. But her good wishes are well appreciated.

I gave her a quick nod before I sheathed my blade and went upstairs, running by the armored man.

As I left the dojo, intense blades' clashing and ringing sounds could be heard from downstairs, but I shook my head to remove myself from the distraction before making my way to the top.

___________

[Third Person POV]

(A few minutes back...)

'Rumble...' The distant thunder roared ferociously.

The winds grew stronger as the rain clouds lurked closer, the balcony had became windy because of it.

In the balcony stood two men and a boy.

"She's here." One of the man dressed in a full suit of armour spoke to Genji.

Genji looked out of the open top of the balcony, staring out at the distant battlefield where mountains of corpses and rivers of blood gathered.

"Did Lord Oniwa lose? To her?"

"So it would seem, sir."

"Hmm. She might be a bigger problem than I thought."

"Then I shall go and stop her before she reach us."

"Thank you, Jinsuke-dono. Try not to push yourself too much."

The armored general walked away heading towards the exit of the balcony before locking the door behind him.

Genji then turned away, looking at the boy which stands next to him.

"I ask you again Sora-dono. Will you perform the Severance Ritual with us? If you do so, I can guarantee the safety of your retainer Fujiwara Takina."

"The problem lies in the ritual." Sora asked back towards Genji.

"There would not be any way to prove it to you, but the logic behind it is the truth...

By extracting the magic crest in the blade, we can harness a fragment of the sword's power and use this power to seperate the blade from your body.

This is also the logic behind why Takeda Shingen decided to split the blade into two... just so there is a way to remove it even if it's own power is used to seal itself away."

"I see... Sure, it sounds convincing."

"Then I take it that you've accepted my offer?"

"I am tired of being stuck with this power, this blade... If there is a chance for me to take it away, I would choose it any time.

However, there is one more thing you failed to consider."

"Which is?"

"Takina is my sword and my shield.... Everything that you do, you have to go through her first.

As my biggest protector, it would be irresponsible for me to make any decisions with her permission. That is why...."

Sora turned around and walked towards the exit.

"Your victory that day means nothing... she'll risk her life to take me back. You know that well enough."

'Thump!' The door to the balcony slams open.

"My Lord, I have come to retrieve you. This... will only take a moment."

Not saying a word, Sora backed away from the balcony and went down stairs.

Takina puts her hand on her Katana, and glared at the man before him with dagger eyes.

"Very well... If this is the way you wish to converse with me, then so be it." Genji draws his blade as well. "Afterall... that is what you know best."

"Enough talk! My name is Fujiwara Takina, and I shall cut you down for what you did that day."

(Chapter end)