1 ✿ Prologue

"He's getting away."

Rubble, stones and debris flew in the air. A small rumbling beneath their feet erupted with every impact of large, life-threatening projectiles collided with the ground. The demon, badly injured, let out an enraged hiss, swearing on his name that he'd get the final laugh, retreated quickly into the shadows beneath rows of katsura trees.

"Hanabi, watch out—!"

The black-haired female found herself being flung off from the force of a strong shove. She landed with a loud thud, the sound followed by a pained cry. Hanabi coughed, swaying her arms over to clear the cloud of dust around her. Squinting her eyes as her surroundings cleared up, they locked onto a fallen shrine gate, its massive weight crushing down upon the other female she had been battling side-by-side with not a few seconds ago. Swift as her feet brought her, the ninja found herself immediately rushing to lift the thick wooden pillar off, her nails digging into red paint as she tried ever so hard to pry it upwards. Not a second sooner did she find ease off it as she felt a presence beside her, the man lifting the fallen structure off and quickly pulling Kagura up before her shaking hands gave way from its weight and let her grip on the beam loose. It made a heavy thump as it hit the ground, its mass would've definitely left the girl with a crushed rib cage.

Hayabusa let out an audible curse, laying his partner down— who was stubbornly trying to get back up, through her teeth gritting in pain and trembling figure. "Hanzo," she spoke through a pained croak, "He can't.. escape. Mustn't. Don't let him.."

"I'll get him." Hanabi immediately blurted. "Get her to safety", her eyes met crimson, eyebrows narrowed as she waited for his approval— for once. He didn't protest, didn't argue that she wouldn't be strong enough. Whether it was the fact that the akuma ninja was already mortally injured or it was their only option other than leaving Kagura to selfishly fulfill his duty, he had let Hanabi take his spotlight this time.

"No—", the white-haired female blurted out, however. "It's dangerous."

"We're wasting time, I can do it. Stay here with him, you're badly injured."

The girl didn't wait around for an objection, she quickly turned on her heels, ready to chase after her—no, their enemy. Hearing a small peep, she ever so slightly turned around for a mere second, meeting crystal blue eyes that stared at her. Kagura's mouth was slightly agape, as if she wanted to say something once more, hand stretched out as she sat on the ground. In that small moment, Hanabi mouthed 'Trust me', before pulling the albeit ripped, iconic face mask over her lips. The other female retracted her reach, followed by a small, weary nod. Had it not been for Hayabusa holding her into a makeshift cradle as to not hurt her torso even more, it seemed that the onmyoji master would've pursued to assist her. The way he held her back, safely in his protection. The sight somehow didn't rip the scarlet ninja's heart in shreds as it would any other day. It didn't leave a bitter taste in her tongue, no pit in her stomach nor a burning hate building in her eyes. She felt relieved. Assured that the woman who had saved her twice was in the hands of someone capable and trustworthy. She turned her back on them and sprinted off into the forest.

He, Hanzo, was nowhere to be seen.

Hanabi had been running far into the woods, that the clearing she left the other two was already far from sight, and yet her target seems to have vanished from thin air. A growing feeling of her heart beginning to sink started to grow. She couldn't fail. She needed to find him. She NEEDED to kill him. They've put their trust on her. Hayabusa gave way, not for her to return with nothing. Kagura didn't take the hit for her just to come back and apologize.

"Where is he?!", frustrated, she darted left and right, searching for the demon as thoughts clouded her mind. 'He couldn't have gotten far. He's here somewhere. He has to be.'

She couldn't imagine herself walking back to them with her head hung low, muttering how she couldn't find an injured, limping body. The 'greater' ninja would only look down on her even more, regret trusting her with the job.. 'she' would be let down too. It's too much.

Just when she was about to leap unto a tree branch to search higher, she heard a low grunt not far off, followed by the sound of leaves getting crushed under something being dragged over them. Quickly crouching down, she silently followed the noise, finding herself behind some overgrowth.

In front of her was whom she had been searching for, groaning in pain as he ever so slowly attempted to lift himself up, hands weakly clinging unto tree roots to prop himself up. Hanabi furrowed her eyebrows, dragging out a kunai from her leg strap and cautiously walking towards him.

This was it.

The moment she'd been waiting for.

She'll kill the former shadow and her faction, the Scarlet sector would be praised dominant in Iga. An honor to her family name. Maybe they'd forgive her for running off with the Higanbana. Maybe.. Hayabusa, too, would accept her. But as what? As a lover? No. The bare thought disgusted her. No, she hated him with a burning passion. The way he always overlooked her. Underestimated. Underappreciated. How he always chose that annoying—..

But.

But that would all end today. When she kills this abomination of a person limping in front of her, it would all end. She'd prove herself better than that pathetic ninja. She'll be better than Kagura too. All she needed was to rid the world of its one mistake.

Hand tightly holding the weapon, Hanabi drew closer and closer. Her heart raised in her chest. With a rather loud exhale, she held the blade up, ready to bring it down on the base of his skull, when all of a sudden, he jerks, a rather.. humane cough escaping his throat as he turned to look at her. To the female's surprise, the fogged, demonic eyes appeared somewhat normal, as anyone's could've been. His eyes were a light shade of torquise, almost gray. It made her hold her breath, pausing on the spot then and there, as if waiting for some sort of action from him, like a plea for his life. He squinted his eyes, as if adjusting his sight on her, and coughed once more, he tore the mouth guard off his face, revealing a scarred mouth, deep red seeping through the corner of his lips.

"Just end me," His voice was deep and raspy, yet it didn't have that demonic touch it did not long ago. "Ameno Habakiri.. has devoured me. Kill me.. before I destroy.. more."

Hanabi stood there. Eyesbrows still furrowed, this time in confusion, her mouth agape in disbelief. This monster that lie before her was still human? But.. how?

"You.. You're still—" before she could finish her sentence, his sword, the weapon of malice that it is, flew out of nowhere, straight towards the male. "Now!" He frantically ordered, his arm, as if controlled by an unseen force, jolted straight up in time to catch it by the handle.

Then as if a switch was flipped, his eyes clouded over in milky white, its glow piercing the dark moonlit surroundings. The scars over his face seemed to crack open, revealing a sharp set of teeth under the flesh, a truly demonic site. Hanabi took a step back.

"I.." He began, shakily propping himself up with his sword as his voice reaches the one that struck fear into the hearts of his prey. Despite the gash on his mouth, his lips seemed to contort into a smirk, tongue running over his front set of upper teeth. "Will devour you."

With that, the man lunges at her. Thinking fast, Hanabi swerved to the right, dodging his pounce. She quickly turned to retaliate, just as he did as well, and kicked him square under the jaw. He flew back a meter or two, sword skidding away on the forest floor as he was visibly knocked out cold.

She stood there, staring at his motionless body, wondering what on earth was she supposed to do.

✿

Hanabi returned to the village outpost. It was a small, rundown shrine located by the end of a small stream, set atop a hill. A spirit shaman lived there, she figured the two would've been there, considering no one on their right mind would travel miles back to Iga on foot, nevertheless two injured ones. The place was surrounded with blue wisps, the flame-like creatures floating about and whispering as she walked through and gently knocked on the door. It took a moment for it to open. She stood outside, shivering as a cold breeze blew by. Her eyes turned to the full moon above the horizon. It seemed as if earlier, it had been a blood red color, and dark grey clouds littered the night sky, blocking stars off from view, yet now it was a soft, gentle gold and millions of tiny bright light had littered the otherwise, black sea up above. It gave her a sense of peace, finally. The girl was pulled back into reality, however, when the door slid open, revealing a tall man with beautiful blue eyes and hair white as snow. She turned away, face feeling a bit warm— be it from the cold or the fact that his features reminded him of someone else.

"We've been expecting you," he spoke in a gentle, soft manner, stepping aside from the doorway. "Come in, you must be freezing."

As she did, her eyes scanned the surroundings. It seemed as if by day, the shrine was nothing more than a building eaten away by time, abandoned by its worshipers and caretakers. Dust littered the floorboards and cobwebs dangled off the ceiling. Yet at night, it was simply beautiful. The area was somehow filled with a warm honey-yellow glow, in contrast to the dark coldness outside, the cobwebs were still there, albeit, a lot more pleasant to set eyes on with a lot of golden orbs floating about. It was mesmerizing. After a long day, Hanabi wanted nothing more than to sleep.

"Hanabi."

Hayabusa's voice was stern and cold, capturing her attention. He sat down on the floor, in front of a low table. The woman's heart sank a little, seeing that he was alone waiting for her, but since he didn't look devastated nor had he been throwing an overly dramatic fit, she assumed that the other female wasn't in dire condition. He cleared his throat, fingernails tapping on the wooden surface of a hardwood table, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her, obviously expecting a report. Hanabi nodded, pulling out Hanzo's mouth guard and tossing it towards the other ninja. It slid and hit a stop on the boy's thumb as he had caught it. His expression softened, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips, assuming she had done the deed.

"Good job," he gave a nod of approval, yet not a curve on his lips indicating a smile appeared. Prick. "You should rest, we'll head back to Iga tomorrow at high noon."

"Al-", she paused, briefly turning her gaze back to the door, then back at him.

✿

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Choose.

❣ "I want to see Kagura first." [Kagura route]

❣ "I want to clear my mind." [Hanzo route]

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✿