Chapter 9

Hanabi prepared early in the morning. Upon her exit from the house, she saw Hanzo preparing three horses for their travel. She grabbed the bucket of water and let the horses drink.

"I can bring Yukimura in my village if you don't want to take her," she said without looking at him.

"No need. I took her out from the brothel so she's my responsibility," Hanzo replied.

Hanabi said nothing in response. The image of Yukimura flashed in her mind and she must admit that she does look prettier than her. She's more feminine at some point. It'll be no suprise if Hanzo falls for him.

Just then, Hayabusa and Yukimura came, ready to leave. They all got on their horses and Hanabi was about to reach out her hand to help Yukimura sit behind her but she headed towards Hanzo.

"What?" Hanzo asked as he stared down at her.

Yukimura stretched out her hand and smiled, "I'll be right behind you."

Hanzo grabbed her and lets her sit behind him. Yukimura felt pure bliss as she wraps her arms around him.

So, then the four left Mizuyama. As they travel through the woods, Yukimura spoke.

"There are three different paths going to the Land of the Giants. Ahead of us is the intersection of the different roads," she stated.

"That means that we'll be going on different ways," Hayabusa commented.

"We've got no choice," Hanzo replied. "Within three days, the three of us shall meet in the Land of the Giants. Create a fire to signal one another. If one has not reached the meet-up place, we'll be delayed on catching up with Kenshin. Make sure to travel as fast and safe as you can."

Upon reaching the road intersection, they took different paths. Hayabusa went west, Hanabi went north and Hanzo took east for he is going to send Yukimura to the Shadow faction village first.

"You should have taken another horse, I can go to your village myself," Yukimura said. "Now, I feel like a burden."

"Just be thankful," Hanzo replied.

"Hanabi seems like a good person, don't you think?" the woman asked.

"Maybe," Hanzo replied.

"But if she took the chance of seducing Kenshin, maybe your mission must have been finished by now," Yukimura added.

Hanzo said nothing for he does not want to talk about the scarlet ninja.

"If only she could use her beauty in battle, she'll be formidable especially that men are weak when it comes to women, don't you agree?" she added.

"Just keep all those thoughts to yourself, Yuki. I am not in the mood to talk right now," the akuma ninja said.

Yukimura was shocked upon hearing him call her Yuki. She bit her lower lip but she could not help smiling. Maybe, just maybe, he somehow likes her. That's what she thought.

After travelling for a half day, Yukimura and Hanzo finally reached the village. The akuma ninja went to the guards of the gates and left some instructions.

"Bring her in our quarters. Make sure she does not cause any trouble," he said and immediately left. "Keep her safe until I come back. You're dead if I find out that she's been in discomfort."

After saying such, he immediately left and heads to the Land of the Giants.

The three ninjas travelled day and night with only few hours of rest. Luckily for them, they haven't encountered something dangerous.

The third day came, Hayabusa could finally see the grassy plains of the Land of the Giants. The old ruins seem to be blocks of stones in a mess. The green plains makes the place look peaceful. Hanzo could also see the same scenery. He whipped his horse so it could gallop faster. As he takes his exit from the woods, he could see something from afar. He predicted that maybe it's either Hanabi or Hayabusa. He once again whipped his horse and ran towards the peak of a small hill.

The horses neighed as they almost collide but Hanzo pulled over, stopping his horse and so did Hayabusa.

"You're fast," Hayabusa snickered as they both got down from their ride.

"Hanabi always disappoint me," Hanzo scoffed.

"The sun hasn't set yet. She's on her way," Hayabusa stated.

"I hope Kagura is doing fine," Hanzo said as he sits down near the ruins where he could have a shade from the sun.

"It'll be Kenshin's end if he hurts her," Hayabusa commented.

"It's so ironic that this vast plain is called the Land of the Giants but there is no single giant around," Hanzo laughed.

Hayabusa snickered and said, "Have you forgotten what our master said before? There are giants here, stone giants specifically. Though they hibernate for years so it seems like they do not exist."

"Ah, yes ,I remember. So there's a possibility that this huge stone I'm leaning on is actually a sleeping giant," Hanzo jested.

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted when a huge flock of birds suddenly flew away. This could be a signal of trouble.

The two men immediately got on their horses and galloped on the direction where the birds came from.

Meanwhile, Hanabi's horse is lying down on the ground covered with blood. She is currently on her fighting stance as she scanned the vicinity. She is surrounded by unknown men wearing black clothings. Their faces are covered and only their eyes are visible.

Before Hanabi could fight, someone kicked her from behind, forcing her to kneel down. Her hair was grabbed backwards and she felt a cold and sharp kunai right on her throat. She immediately grabbed her attacker's hand that is gripping her hair and went behind him. She got her own kunai and slits his throat.

Hanabi ran and hid behind a tree trunk as she was rained with shurikens. She immediately activated her ninjutsu, the petal barrage, so she could hit more than one enemy with one strike. She also sealed her kunai with the flower demon so she would have greater damage.

Hanabi lets out an exhale and just in time, an assassin came lunging at her from above. She immediately threw her kunai and it pierced her enemy right on the shoulder. He fell down on the ground, struggling with the wound as he felt like he's being consumed by fire. The poison of the flower demon starts to crawl in every inch of his body with unbearable pain.

The assassins attacked at the same time which gave Hanabi the chance to unleash her petal barrage which hit not only one or two or three men. She felt someone appear behind her so she immediately ducked and pierced him with another sealed kunai. Someone kicked her right on her abdomen, making her roll on the ground. Before the assassin could plunge his katana on her chest, she rolled on her side and kicked him below the belt which made the assassin groan in pain.

Once again, men from above came lunging at her but she summoned her Higanbana and threw it above, hitting one of the assassins. She jumped off from the ground and cuts him right on the abdomen. Her Higanbana bloomed around the assassins, immobilizing them. The scarlet ninja, with kunais on her both hands, slashed them all dead. Her enemies' blood came raining down on her like a shower.

But the fight is not yet done, she faced the other assassins and grabbed one katana beside her. She held it tight and this time, she is the one who initiated the attack. Shurikens and kunais came showering down on her as she dodged and blocked them. She summoned her Higanbana and threw it right at the assassin in front of her before she vanished in midair.

The Higanbana once again bloomed with poison and Hanabi appeared before her enemies. She tightened her grip on the katana before swinging it swiftly on both right and left side. She could hear the cries of her enemies but she showed no mercy. She fought them single-handedly as their blood gushed out from their throat, abdomen, legs and arms. With every assassin she kills, their blood would  spurt right at her but she pays no attention on that.

With only one assassin left, Hanabi stared at him who seems to be shaking in fear. He suddenly dropped his sword, turned back and ran but before he could escape, Hanabi puffed in front of him. He saw her cold, ocean-blue eyes. He froze in place as Hanabi swings her sword to her right and another jet of blood was shot right on her face. The fight is now over. Hanabi just stood there with the katana on her hand.

Hayabusa and Hanzo finally saw a dead body which only meant that they reached their destination in finding Hanabi. They got down on their horses and passed by the dead and bloody bodies. With their weapons drawn in preparation of a sudden attack, they scanned the vicinity. They stopped on their tracks when they saw a woman standing with her back facing them.

She was covered and dripping with blood as if she just finished a bloody bath.

"Hanabi?" Hayabusa called out.

The scarlet ninja turned around and saw the two men. Both Hayabusa and Hanzo was shocked as they stared at her. She came walking towards them, walking pass over the bodies. Blood is slowly trickling down not just on her katana but also on her hands and hair. At that very moment, the aura she emits is dark that it felt like she thirsts for more blood. The two men were caught in a trance as they gaze at her cold and hungry ocean-blue eyes which seem to glint at the setting sun.