5 Rescue

Chiriku stayed vigilant whilst guarding the Daimyo behind him. Despite hearing the clash of weapons happening inside the hall he didn't move far from the Daimyo.

'Kazuma… Why are you doing this?' Even with his temperament as a monk, he can't help but feel anger with the rebellion of his fellow guardians.

A few minutes later as the smoke dissipates a bit, he saw two dead among the traitorous guardians and Asuma restraining another one he had wounded fatally. Looking around the hall he saw two of the other guardians that didn't defect laying fatally wounded on the sides as well, far away just at the entrance door of the door was one dead.

He didn't saw Kazuma and the other two traitors, so far they have killed two and one captured among the traitors. They lost Obi on their side and Seno and Fujioka are incapable of fighting any longer with their fatal wounds, pursuit is not possible for them.

Chiriku confirmed the surroundings if any hidden enemies are hiding before instructing the samurais to escort the Daimyo to safety. He then walks towards Asuma and Seno who was restraining Mukai.

"Mukai, where are Kazuma and the others?!" Asuma held his trench knife at the neck of his captive.

"*cough* *cough* You have failed… *cough* We were just buying… time" Mukai's injuries are quite heavy as he keeps coughing blood from his mouth.

Asuma and the others had questions written on their faces as they looked at each other and around the hall. Chiriku looked back and made sure that the Daimyo is safe as he was even being escorted while they are talking.

"The young lord! The young lord is missing! He's gone!" Suddenly all heads in the hall looked at the corner where a bunch of guards are surrounding some scholars, and one of them is shouting frantically.

"What!?" The Daimyo also heard him as he turned back hurriedly and shouted.

Asuma tossed Mukai to Seno as he and Chiriku ran towards the scholars – the young lords tutors.

"He was just here earlier!" Another one of the scholars keeps panicking while biting the scrolls he's holding.

Asuma made the scholars and guards dispersed as he investigates the scene for tracks, Chiriku standing besides him as the Daimyo arrived too and clearly enraged with tinged of nervousness written on his face.

"…Kazuma." Chiriku said in a low voice as he felt Kazuma's chakra residues in the air.

"Asuma, Chiriku! Quickly find my son I don't care what you do to those rebels. Just bring me back my son!" The Daimyo was unable to keep his cool as he ordered the two guardians.

"Hai!" The two answered in loud voice as they disappeared in their spot in a swirl of leaves. Chiriku led the way while Asuma followed suite.

****

I woke up inside a dimly lit cave in the middle of some kind of altar. There was a huge jar in front of me as I was tied in a chair.

'What's happening?' I tried remembering the last thing that happened.

Right. Kazuma and the others rebelled, damn Kazuma! What the hell is he thinking?

"You're finally awake my lord." Kazuma appeared besides me as he looks quite apologetic. "Please forgive us for this quite rough treatment. I promise you; we won't hurt you. We just want the best for you."

"Kazuma? What is this?" I acted a little bit afraid as I tried struggling in my restraints. Then I look at him while begging him with my eyes, I still have my childish charms. Besides, as far as I know he was the most respectful and loyal guard to me out of all the guardians.

The trick seemed to also have some effect as Kazuma averted his eyes looking quite ashamed and backed away while bowing his head.

"I'm sorry but please bear with me a bit young lord." Kazuma proceeded to walk towards the huge jar as he took out his monk staff.

"Koda, Kagawa!" The two guardians appeared in a flash and stood beside Kazuma. "Asuma and Chiriku have breached my barrier. Buy me sometime while I do the sealing."

"Hai!" The two didn't immediately go as they walk towards me and kneeled. "Young lord, it's an honor to serve you!"

Then with a twirl of leaves the two disappeared from my vision. I could hear the sense of resolution from their voice to die for what they're set to do.

'Damn it! What the hell are you doing?!' Thinking about how those guardians have been treating me with respect and reverence then suddenly wanting to die just for whatever plan their doing to me, I could not help but feel really furious at their blinded stupidity.

Looking at Kazuma as he gathered his chakra then stomping his staff on the ground, sealing symbols began glowing on the huge jar. Being a quite sensitive at chakras as a sensor, I could sense the massive charka stored inside the huge jar.

So massive that I could not help but held my breath as it suffocated me just by its pressure.

"Fuin!" Kazuma stomps his staff one more time as the seals in the jar floated in the air forming a star polygon formation that proceeded to flew directly towards my stomach.

I didn't have the chance to scream, as soon as the seal embedded in my stomach as the massive chakra stored inside the jar flushed through the seal and went inside me. The last thing I saw before I passed out was the red ominous chakra going inside me.

****

"…Kazuma what have you done?" Asuma still couldn't believe his eyes as he looked at the unconscious young lord lying on the chair.

He would never forget that terrifying chakra that was overflowing inside this cave just a few minutes ago in here. The same chakra that once devastated Konoha 4 years ago was unleashed inside that now huge empty jar in front of the unconscious young lord.

"It is finished… *cough* *cough*" Kazuma lied on his pool of blood inside the cave, a huge mortal wound on his chest. "For the future…of the young lord…"

"Future?!" Asuma was enraged by what Kazuma said as he grabbed his lying body and looked at him furiously bringing his blooded face close to him. "You just made him a monster to be hated by people! You don't know how people like that have been treated their entire life! You ---!"

"Stop it, Asuma!"

Asuma was about to bash the half dead Kazuma in his anger when Chiriku grabbed him on time as he woke up from his likely rampage.

"Ahh! You insufferable--" Asuma clinched his raised fist as he put it down and threw Kazuma on the ground.

"Forget about him, he's about to die soon." Chiriku looked at the dying Kazuma in regret as he turned his gazed to the young lord and walked towards him.

"We must prioritize the young lord's safety first." Chiriku release Tenshin from his restraints and lifted up his upper shirt.

On Tenshin's stomach was a star sealing symbol fuin. Chiriku was a bit familiar about this fuin as it originated from the fire temple. He checked the fuinjutsu and felt that it was a little unstable as Asuma rushed through here and interrupted Kazuma at its final stages.

"How is it, Chiriku? Is the young lord fine?" Asuma stood beside Chiriku as he checked the seal on Tenshin.

"…Thankfully no harm has befallen the young lord. But I'm afraid the same thing can't be said to the seal Kazuma put inside him." Chiriku gathered chakra at his hands fingertips as he pressed in at Tenshin's seal.

"For now, I did what I can to stabilize the seal. But we need to find a fuin master to fix the seal as soon as possible." Chiriku fixed Tenshin's clothes back and lifted him to carry him.

"Let's go then. The Daimyo and his wife might be worried sick right now. I'll try to talk to the lord to have Konoha send Jiraiya-sama to help the young lord." Asuma followed after Chiriku as they left the cave.

Asuma stopped at the entrance of the cave and looked backed at the now dead body of Kazuma. His eyes were filled with a bit of remorse that he had to kill one of his former comrades. He gave him one last look before disappearing in a whirl of leaves to catch up with Chiriku.