HIBIKI STORY PART TWO

The hideout was a natural cavern deep in the forest. It had hard-packed dirt floors and rough stone walls. There were blankets and supplies scattered around, but it was otherwise bare. The fire in the hearth flickered, casting shadows across the walls.

As Hibiki opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a blanket in the center of the cavern. His head was pounding, and he felt weak and disoriented. The mysterious figure sat nearby, staring at him intently. "You're awake," the figure said, their voice calm and emotionless. "How are you feeling?"

"Huh, where am I?" Hibiki asked.

"You're still in the forest," the figure replied. "But you're not where you were before. I brought you here, to my residence."

Hibiki sat up slowly, his body feeling heavy and uncooperative. "Who are you?" he asked. "Why did you bring me here?"

The figure tilted it's head slightly, it's face still obscured by a dark mask. "I'm Lord Kisaki," the figure said. "I've lived in this land for as long as I can remember. In fact, I was one of the first people to arrive here."

Hibiki was still reeling from the strange events of the past few hours. "You're the first person to arrive where?" he asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means I know this place better than anyone," Lord Kisaki replied. "I know it's secrets, it's dangers, and it's possibilities. And I know what needs to be done to this land- destruction. "I know this may be weird to hear," Lord Kisaki said, "considering the fact I told you my intentions was to become Wushizhu. But I thought it's best I didn't mention my true intentions to you back there."

"Huh, what are you talking about?" Hibiki asked, aghast. "Not that I care that much, but why destroy the land?"

"What I've learned about Wushu Guan is that it's a dangerous place," Lord Kisaki explained. " But the short story goes like this, I grew up during a time of war and conflict, just like you did when you were a child. I saw a lot of death and destruction, so I decided to leave my homeland and find somewhere better. I traveled far with a small group of people who had the same dream as me: to find a place where there was peace and people could live together in harmony."

"But if you had a chance to leave this place, why did you come back?" Hibiki asked.

Lord Kisaki's voice was suddenly cold and stern. "Shut up and listen to whole story," he said. "Wushu Guan isn't my original home, We all came from different places, all looking for a place of peace. I need you to listen, because I need to tell you the whole story."

Hibiki fell silent, his thoughts spinning. He wasn't sure what to make of all this new information, or of Lord Kisaki himself. But he knew he needed to hear the whole story.

Hmm-m

"Yeah," Lord Kisaki began again, his voice regaining its composure. "A small group of us set out from our various homes in search of a peaceful place to live. Along the way, we met other like-minded travelers, and our group began to grow. One of my closest companions was a man named Jade Crane Guoshu."

"Jade Crane?" Hibiki interrupted. "That sounds like the name of a style of Kung Fu."

"It is," Lord Kisaki replied. "Jade Crane Guoshu was a master of that style, and one of the most skilled martial artists I've ever known. He was not only a master of the art of combat, but also a skilled philosopher and tactician. He was a true leader, and I looked up to him in many ways."

"He sounds like a remarkable person," Hibiki said. "What happened to him?"

"I'm coming to that part," Lord Kisaki replied. "As we continued our journey, we journey into different kinds of unknown forests but we found ourselves facing many dangers along the way. Then one night, we decided to drop our bags and rest a bit, As I closed my eyes to rest, I began to hear sounds of cries in the darkness. Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a terrifying sight: a hulking, eight-foot-tall creature stood before me, its glowing red eyes fixed on me. Its skin was mottled and rough, and its claws were sharp and deadly. I could feel the creature's gaze burning into me, and I knew I had to act quickly. But where was Jade Crane? I asked myself, I searched the darkness for any sign of him, but he was nowhere to be found. The creature lunged toward me with frightening speed with my power I was able to deflect the hits and lounge counter moves, I tried to escape it's wrath but whatever move I make it kept on lounging at me."

The air around the campfire grew cold as Hibiki listened to Lord Kisaki's description.

"Though a capable warrior as myself, I-" Kisaki was cut short by Hibiki

"Um, could you not get into full detail of how the fight was. I'm pretty much tired and also hungry, so like can I get some water for a first" Hibiki said his tone sounding and lacking interest.

"Alright Hibiki, I skip this part but you should know that forest I mentioned is the one we're in now." Kisaki said

Huh! Hibiki gasps in shock

"But never mind we'll be safe in this parts, I'll skip the details of the fight for now," Kisaki said. "First, you need to eat and drink something." He gestured to a nearby fire, where a pot of steaming broth was bubbling.

Hibiki nodded, and his stomach growled in agreement. He went to the fire and reached for a bowl. The broth was rich and flavorful, and it soothed his parched throat. As he drank, he felt his strength returning.

Hibiki and Kisaki sat down to a bowl of soup, savoring the flavor. "What's in this?" Hibiki asked, curious about the recipe. "It's delicious!"

"It's a secret recipe," Kisaki said with a grin. "But I'll tell you one ingredient. It has mushrooms, carrots, and… moss trolls."

"Moss trolls?" Hibiki said, confused. "You're pulling my leg."

"You see, Moss trolls are quite unique creatures," Kisaki began. "They can only be found in the deepest forests, where they live in the shadows, away from the light. They're covered in a soft, mossy fur that's said to have magical properties. And when properly prepared, they make for a delicious meal."

"But how do you prepare them?" Hibiki asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"That's a closely guarded secret," Kisaki said with a wink. "But I can tell you that it involves a special blend of herbs and spices."

"So, it's not really a secret recipe," Hibiki said, a bit disappointed. "But I'm still curious to know how they're prepared." Hibiki was given a lecture on how to prepare the dish, and then slept the night over at Kisaki's hideout.

The next day,

HEYYYY!!!

WHO'S THIS?? A HUMAN, WOW!

"Huh, what's that loud noise?" Hibiki waking up from the disturbing yelling. Hibiki awoke to the sound of a loud voice echoing through the cave. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What was that?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.

Just then, a voice called out from the trees. "Hey! Hey, you down there!" it yelled. "Do you hear me?"

Hibiki looked around in confusion. "Where is that voice coming from?" he wondered aloud. "I don't see anyone."

"Hey, keep it down!" a gruff voice said. "You'll wake the whole forest!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to yell," a softer voice replied. "But we have a job to do. We were sent to watch over this human."

"Watch over me?" Hibiki said, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Kisaki went out and we were told stay here and maybe do some training abit" the gruff voice said. "But first, let us introduce ourselves. I'm Jack, and this is Anna, Ella, and Nate."

"So, what exactly are you doing out here?" Hibiki asked. "And how do you know Kisaki?"

"It all started during the Wushu Guan Great War," Jack said. "We were little kids all caught up in the fighting, and it was absolute chaos. We were surrounded by enemy warriors, and things were looking pretty bad."

"Just when we thought all hope was lost, Kisaki appeared out of nowhere," Ella said. "He single-handedly took on the enemy warriors and saved us from certain death. We were so grateful, we decided to join him on his journey."

"And as for what we're doing here," Anna chimed in, "we were given a task by Kisaki to keep an eye on you."

"Wow, and you just happened to be a human too a really handsome one." Anna said

Hibiki's eyes widened. "But you all also look like humans, why are y'all looking at like that?"

Anna blushed. "Oh, um, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude," she said. "It's just that you're different from other creatures we've encountered. You see humans don't actually reach this parts, so seeing you here is pretty surprising."

"Is that a compliment?" Hibiki asked, slightly embarrassed knowing he didn't make it here on his own.

"Of course!" Anna said. "We've met so many creatures that look like humans too y'know. "

Hibiki began to lose interest in the conversation, "Yeah so, when are we gonna start with the training?"

"As soon as you're ready," Jack said, picking up on Hibiki's change in mood. "We'll take things at your pace. No need to rush into things if you're not comfortable."

"Thanks, I appreciate that," Hibiki said. "I'm ready to get started whenever you are."

"Great!" Ella said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get started with some basic exercises. We'll start breathing techniques."

"Sounds good to me," Hibiki said, eager to start moving. Hibiki was grateful for the companionship of the group, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to get back home to Moi. He wanted to take things slow and steady, so as not to arouse suspicion, and find the best opportunity to slip away unnoticed. In the meantime, he would go along with the group and make the most of their training. He didn't want to take any chances, so he would bide his time and plan his escape carefully.

After the breathing exercises, Jack started to teach Hibiki about the different clans and their special abilities. "There are many clans out there, each with their own unique talents and skills," Jack said. "Some, like the Hanzo clan, are focused on their visual prowess and agility. Hanzo clan are known for their keen eyesight and fluid movements," Jack explained. "We can spot the slightest movement from a mile away, and some of our reflexes are lightning-fast. I posses the snake characteristics and that makes it possible to move with the speed and grace of a snake, striking without warning."

Hibiki was fascinated by the variety of clans and abilities that existed in this world. "It's hard to imagine such a diverse range of abilities," he said. "How does one clan differ from another?". "Yeah, I'm coming to that part but first-", Jack replied.

"One of the most fascinating abilities of the Hanzo clan is their ability to copy movements," Jack said. "By watching an opponent, they can learn and replicate their movements perfectly. This can be a deadly weapon in battle. And there's more! Some members of the clan can even use hypnosis to manipulate their opponents' minds, forcing them to obey their commands. All of it depends on the strength level of the Hanzo clan warrior you encounter in battle."

Hibiki was shocked by the extent of the clan's abilities. "That's mind-blowing," he said. "It sounds like something out of a storybook."

"Others, like the Sakai clan, are masters of the shadow/darkness bujustu. They are the ones you should watch out for the most."

Jack continued, we could call them the Shadow Warriors. They are a group of highly skilled individuals who have dedicated their lives to mastering the dark arts and the power of shadows. They would be known for their ability to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, and they show up anytime and anywhere they want, their motives are unknown to us but be careful not to approach them carelessly.

"But how do we know if we've encountered a member of the Shadow Warriors?" Hibiki asked. "How do we recognize them?"

"That's the difficult part," Jack said. "Members of the Shadow Warriors can blend in with the shadows and darkness, making it almost impossible to detect them. They could be anywhere, watching us, and we would never know. The only way to know for sure if they are present is to watch for signs of their manipulation of the shadows. If you notice shadows moving or flickering in a strange way, it could be a sign that they are nearby."

"So Nate, could you share more light on the sukuna clan am not fully aware of their capabilities, since we also don't have one amongst us too." Jack asked

"The sukuna clan?" Nate said, a look of recognition on his face. "Yes, I've heard of them. They're a mysterious clan, said to possess the power of shapeshifting. They can take on the form of any living creature, and they are masters of disguise. They can blend in with their surroundings and appear to be anyone or anything. It's said that no one has ever seen a member of the sukuna clan and lived to tell the tale."

Hibiki's eyes widened. "Huh, it's said where. But there's a lot of them still living in Wushu Guan, they live together with other clans and they don't seem that dangerous," he said.

Hmph!

A bit of disgust in Nate's face as he felt he was wrong by Hibiki.

Nate replied, "huh really, I wasn't really sure about that quote but what I know for sure is that they shapeshift. "I don't know about the whole 'living together with other clans' thing," Jack said. "I've never heard of the sukuna clan being friendly with any other clans. Kisaki might of just told us that tale maybe to tell us to be careful around them too."

The lecture on the different clans continued, but Hibiki was only half-listening. He was still reeling from the information he had learned about the Sakai clan. He had known about them from Sofia, but he had never expected to actually encounter them. He wondered what it would be like to meet one, and whether they would really be as dangerous as he had been told.

"Are you okay?" Anna asked, noticing that Hibiki seemed distracted.

"Are you all right?" Annie asked, her brow furrowed with concern. "You seem a bit out of it."

Hibiki snapped out of his thoughts and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine," he said. "Just a bit tired, that's all. What were you saying?"

Annie looked at him skeptically, but continued with the lecture. "Yeah I was talking about the Ichigo clan," she said, "and their special abilities."

"Huh, Hibiki surprised to hear them talk about his clan, "oh the Ichigo clan huh, what about it?"

"Uh, I think they control the weather or something. No wait-".

"The Ichigo clan aren't actually known for their ability to control the weather," Annie corrected herself. "Their true power lies in their ability to control blood. They are able to manipulate the blood of any living creature, and can even control their own blood. They can use their power to heal wounds, increase their strength, and even manipulate their appearance."

"That's amazing," Hibiki said, fascinated by the clan's unique abilities. "Wow, so I could be able to master that technique to huh", he thought to himself.

Time passed and not before long they were done with the lectures, Hibiki was able to gain if not all but enough knowledge of the clans what to expect when engaging in battle.

As time passed, Hibiki began to feel more comfortable around the clan, and he began to consider them friends. They all trained together, and shared meals and conversations. He was no longer a stranger, but one of the group.

However, something began to bother Hibiki. He had not seen Kisaki for several days, and he was beginning to feel unease maybe he left him here and disappeared.

"Yeah so, what about your boss Kisaki?" Hibiki asked

"Lord Kisaki?!," Jack said reassuringly, "he's always out making discoveries or gathering intelligence. It's nothing to worry about, he always comes back. You don't need to fret."

"Hmm, I've been meaning to ask though. I know he's strong? Cause he happened to break me out of a cell and brought me here, he also beat the crap out of a lot of fighters along the way. So how strong is he?" Hibiki asked

"That's a great question, Hibiki," Jack said. "I think Kisaki's strength is hard to quantify. He's certainly capable of great physical feats, but his strength goes beyond that. His resolve, his intelligence, and his cunning are all part of what makes him so formidable. He's more than just his physical prowess."

"Oh I see, he has physical strength. Doesn't look it, but I can take that." Hibiki replied

"Sorry he couldn't give more details about his power, it's just that we haven't actually seen him exhibit his actual abilities", Anna chimed in.

"Hmm, don't know why she apologized but whatever." Hibiki thought

"We've seen him in action, but we haven't seen him go all out," Jack said. "I have a feeling he's capable of much more than we've seen so far. I wouldn't be surprised if he has abilities that we can't even imagine."

"That's a scary thought," Hibiki said, "But what about you four? You guys are obviously very powerful in your own right. What are your abilities?"

"I'll go first," Anna said

"Well, my primary ability is to control the elements," Anna said, gesturing to the fire that burned in her hand. "I can control fire, water, air, and earth, and use them to my advantage in a fight. I'm still learning and perfecting my skills, but I'm getting better every day Y'know ."

"So you must be from the Tokugawa clan, right?" Hibiki asked, intrigued by Anna's abilities.

"You bet ya," Anna said with a grin., "What do you think?". "Uh, pretty cool! Hibiki said trying to sound impressed.

"What's the deal with you asking all these questions anyways?" Nate asked, his face tense with suspicion. "It's like you're trying to get some kind of information about us for some ulterior motive. Are you a wulin spy or something?"

Hibiki looked taken aback by the accusation, his face registering his surprise. "What? Of course not! I'm not a spy, and I'm not even old enough to join the wulin squad. I'm just curious, and I want to learn more about the people I'm around with."

"Oh yeah, so let's know more about you then" Nate replied with a commanding tone.

Alright

For starters I'm Hibiki, a former Ichigo clan member.