"Why the hell did this happen?!" one of them shouted, but he sure as hell didn't stop running.
"You were the dumbass who pissed him off!" another snapped, feet pounding against the ground. He wasn't staying behind either.
"If I survive this, I'm killing you myself!" a third yelled at the guy responsible.
"Yeah! No doubt!" others chimed in, voices shaking.
"Then what's the point of running if I'm dead either way?!"
"Oi, why are we even running? It's just one guy!" another asked, the only one who hadn't seen what happened. But seeing the others bolt, he ran too.
"He's a shinobi."
"No way. I've seen real shinobi he ain't one."
"Yeah, probably just some samurai."
"Even if he is a shinobi, he's just a kid. What's he gonna do to all of us?"
"Tch, dumbasses.Power's everything."
"You didn't see how he cut down Kai."
"That's why I'm saying running's useless! We gotta fight!"
"Let's surround him! No way he can take all of us when he's just a kid!"
No one argued. They all wanted to go on the offensive now.
It's not like we didn't capture shinobi before, one shouted making others grinning understand the hidden meaning.
Moving quickly, they headed back toward their hideout, where traps had already been set. Silent nods were exchanged as they took positions some crouched in the tall grass, others behind rocks, a few up in the trees.
"This brat needs to die," one of them muttered.
Then—
"AAAHHHH!"
A scream. A choked, wet sound.
Heads snapped toward the noise. Blood stained the ground. A sword was buried deep in their comrade's chest, his face twisted in pain, hands weakly clutching at the blade as if he could push it away.
No one moved to help. No point. He was already dead.
One of them gritted his teeth, gripping his katana tight. He rushed forward, aiming straight for the boy's neck
CLANG!
Before his blade could land, Hiroshi's katana was already out, its steel coated in fresh blood. The strike was blocked with ridiculous ease.
The man had strength. But Hiroshi had speed.
Without hesitation, Hiroshi countered. He leapt midair, twisting with fluid precision
SHING!
A clean slice. The man's head hit the ground first, his body crumpling a second later.
Blood splattered onto Hiroshi's clothes. He glanced down at himself, clicking his tongue.
"Great. Gotta wash it again," he muttered.
Then—
A sharp whistle. The sound of something cutting through the air.
An arrow.
Hiroshi didn't flinch. His katana was up in an instant, slicing through the projectile mid-flight.
Five more men charged at him.
He exhaled, settling into a stance.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash."
A flash of movement.
In the blink of an eye, Hiroshi was already on the other side of them.
A pause. Silence.
Then—
Thud.
Five heads hit the dirt. Their bodies followed a moment later.
Up in the trees, one of the last remaining men trembled.
His voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over the pounding in his chest.
"L-Lightning..."
The man in the tree didn't hesitate. He jumped, twisting midair before hitting the ground running. He knew what would happen if he stayed. Not just him the other two who were still alive had the same thought.
Run. Now.
But Hiroshi wasn't about to let his prey escape.
He picked up a stone and threw it.
CRACK.
A sharp cry of pain echoed through the forest as the man collapsed, clutching his back. He struggled to his knees, but before he could stand, a shadow loomed over him.
Hiroshi.
The man's breath hitched. His hands pressed into the dirt, forehead damp with sweat.
"P-Please," he stammered, voice shaking. "Let me go. I—I'll leave, I swear! Just let me live!"
Hiroshi tilted his head. "Give me a reason."
The man flinched. "W-We have money! We've looted plenty of travelers! You want food? We've got that too—"
He trailed off when he saw Hiroshi's face.
No reaction. No interest.
Desperation clawed at his throat.
"We have a shinobi!" he blurted out.
That made Hiroshi pause. His eyes lifted slightly. "Go on."
The man swallowed hard. "A few days ago, we found an injured girl at the west coast. She had scrolls, kunai, shuriken shinobi gear. We checked, and yeah, she's definitely one of them."
He hesitated. Hiroshi could see the guilt in his face, the fear.
"And?"
"We took her with us." His voice dropped lower, like he didn't even want to hear himself say it. His eyes flicked toward the den ahead.
Hiroshi didn't react. Didn't frown, didn't sigh.
But inside? He already knew.
She was alive. Barely. And he didn't need to ask why.
Did he feel pity? Maybe. But not enough to let it get in the way of his interests.
If she's still breathing, I can use that.
"Let's go," Hiroshi said, turning toward the hideout.
The man hesitated, swallowing hard. He knew his chances of surviving this were slim, but did he really have a choice?
Gritting his teeth, he followed the boy someone barely half his age toward whatever came next.