Chapter 6

"What are you doing there?" Hayabusa asked as he stares down at the scarlet ninja.

"Escaping, duh," Hanabi scoffed. "I actually have someone with me who could speak up about the illegal weapons."

Hanzo, without saying a word, yanked her up from the secret passage and carried the unconscious man.

"Buy her," Hanzo said to Hayabusa as he threw a small black cloth. "Hanabi, follow me."

Hayabusa opened the cloth and saw three pea-sized diamonds which he earned from their previous missions.

"You better thank him after this. Let's go," Hayabusa said to Yukimura.

On the other hand, Hanzo finished tying up their hostage as Hanabi watched him do it.

Hanzo, then, walked towards her but she stepped backwards.

"What?" she asked defensively.

Hanzo looked at her from head to toe. He saw her hand is still bleeding but she does not seem to mind it at all. He grabbed her hand and used the bandage he brought to cover her injury. Hanabi simply stared at him, wondering why he's becoming like that. Hanzo held her chin and stared at her intently.

"Your make-up doesn't suit you at all," he commented.

"You don't have to tell me that, jerk," she blurted.

After some time, Hanabi was caught off guard and was late in blocking Hanzo's attack. She whimpered as she covered her shoulder as blood flows out due to Hanzo's aggressiveness.

She was about to speak but a loud slap landed on her right cheek. She was stunned for she had never expected such action from him. Her lower lip bursts that Hanabi tasted her own metallic blood.

Without a word, Hanzo lifted his leg and kicked Hanabi right on her abdomen causing her to fall back. The scarlet ninja tried to move but she couldn't, it was as if she's paralyzed. Her spine seemed to be damaged that it pains her if she moves.

Just then, she suddenly coughed out blood. She was helpless as the akuma ninja gazed down at her with a mad expression.

"Doing things on your own. Exposing yourself to anybody. Reckless actions. You've done those things at the same time. Do you think I'll tolerate that?" Hanzo sneered.

He knelt down on his knee and grabbed her kimono for she could be on the same level as him.

"It's better for you to stay paralyzed than cause this mission to fail," he said before letting her go.

Hanabi lifted her hand and wiped off the blood that overflowed from her mouth. She slowly got up and saw Hanzo waiting by the window. He must be expecting Hayabusa's and Kagura's arrival.

This time, she gave in and asked, "What am I supposed to do?"

Hanzo faced her and saw her ocean-blue eyes overflowing with tears. Her mouth is tainted by blood. Her once elegant kimono is a bloody mess now.

"You never gave chance for me to prove myself," she complained despite being overwhelmed by her tears. "You treated me as an outcast. What exactly do you want?"

"Leave the group," Hanzo replied sternly. "That is the only way."

With a soft thud, Hanabi fell on the floor unconscious. Hanzo ignored it and waited for the other two.

"How can you bear to see her like that?" the man asked who is now fully awake.

"You want to help her?" Hanzo snickered. "But you've got to untie yourself first."

The man smirked as he stood up from his seat and immediately carried Hanabi in his arms. "I already did."

Instead of being surprised, Hanzo smiled as he summons his Ame no Habakiri.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" he stated as he lunged forward and swings his sword.

The man managed to dodge it and made his way to the window.

"Remember my name, Kenshin Sanosuke," he said. "I shall take Hanabi with me and if you fail to retrieve her from me within 3 days, you shall lose her and fail your mission."

With that said, Kenshin disappeared along Hanabi.

"Hanzo," Kagura called out from the outside. The akuma ninja kept his sword before he opened the door and saw Hayabusa, Kagura and Yukimura who is now holding a small baggage with her.

"Where's Hanabi?" Hayabusa asked.

"She was taken by Kenshin Sanosuke," Hanzo replied.

"How'd you know that name?" Yukimura asked in shock.

"He told me obviously," Hanzo replied, "We have a 3-day game of tag. Anyway, I already made my part in our deal, it's your turn to return the favor."

Yukimura smiled at him and bowed, "Thank you for letting me out from the brothel house."

"I shall report mine first," Kagura said as she motioned Yukimura to sit down on the couch.

"The native settlers here in Mizuyama are not the ones planning the rebellion. It is actually a false alarm. I already hypnotized the chief village and the rest of the officials and their answers are consistent. They dare not rebel against our faction for we have been a great help in maintaining their security. My prediction is that the man behind the illegal trades is also the one who is spreading the rebellion," Kagura summarized.

"Good thing you managed to do all that in a short span of time," Hanzo praised. Kagura felt proud and replied, "I'm the great onmyouji for a reason."

"Your turn," Hanzo said as he shifted his gaze to Yukimura who is intently staring at him.

"You've met Kenshin Sanosuke already, right? What Kagura said is right. The one responsible with the gossip of rebellion and the black marketeer doing the illegal trades is only one. Kenshin is not from here, he came from Magical City," Yukimura said but she was interrupted by Hayabusa.

"Magical City?" he asked, "Where  is that?"

"Just like what its name states, it is the center of magic. It is located at the eastern part of the Land of Dawn. Though I do not know the reason behind Kenshin's actions. All he told me before that it is his responsobility. Recently, I came to know that he is not a spy nor an assassin nor a general nor a warrior of some sort. Nobody really knows his status for he choose not to speak about it," Yukimura explained.

"Where and when does he meet up with his clients?" Hanzo asked

"There is no exact pattern when he does the negotiations. As for the place? He does it anywhere but he will no longer do trades in the brothel house now that he is aware of you. You've got to be more careful with him. He's got the wits in outsmarting his enemies. And honestly speaking, I cannot count the men whom he killed for tailing him," the woman warned.

"What is he planning to do with Hanabi though?" Hayabusa asked.

Hanzo snickered as he stood up, "Ain't it obvious, Hayabusa? That woman caught his interest. We could use Hanabi against him."

"Hanzo, why are you being so cruel to Hanabi? We treated her differently even though she did nothing wrong. Using her like a tool is going overboard," Kagura complained.

"Kagura, she needs to prove her worth. Am I being too cruel? Okay, if we succeed in this mission, fine, she's welcome in our group. Well, that is only possible if she survives," Hanzo replied with a shrug.

"Okay, let's have a rest tonight," Hayabusa dismissed. "Tomorrow, we'll search for Kenshin."

"I'll go with you," Yukimura claimed as she stood up from her seat.

"This ain't the thing you could handle," Hanzo replied.

"But I know Kenshin more," she insisted but Hanzo shook his head in disagreement.

"You do know him but only the part when he is in the brothel house. He'd be different if he's on the battlefield," he said. "Just enjoy your freedom, lady. Don't waste those diamonds I gave."

Upon hearing what he said, Kagura was in shock as she stared at Hanzo who entered in the bedroom.

"What?!" Kagura exclaimed which startled Yukimura. "Did he spend his hard-earned diamonds?!"

"You heard him right," Hayabusa shrugged.

Kagura stared at the beauty beside her who was staring back at her.

"You're one lucky woman," Kagura said. "You must have his interest for him to give away those diamonds."

"Really?" Yukimura asked with glee. Kagura simply nodded.

Meanwhile, Hanabi awoke when she felt the pain all over her body. She slowly opens her eyes and looked beside her. Her eyes widened when he saw the man whom she kidnapped, now sleeping beside her. She looked down and saw that she was covered with blanket but she was naked underneath.

With her adrenaline on the rush, she grabbed the blanket and rolled over to the side causing her to fall down on the bed.

Kenshin awakened and saw her shocked reaction.

"Thanks for the wonderful night, honey," he said with a sweet smile.