A few moments before the conclusion between Reiji and Nero.
Kazuki eyes are lit with courage. He picks himself up from the ground using his sword. Clinching the hilt tightly as he can.
"Hey you." Blood dripping down his chin. "Come back. Am…still standing. I will show you how hard I have worked to get here. I will not let you stop me from being a ninja or let you stop me from beating him. From now I will become strong, stronger than you and stronger than anyone else." He wipes the tears from his swollen eyes. "I will become so strong that I will never lose again."
Claps echo around the forest. The men steps away from the shadow of the forest - with a mischief smile.
"You've got determination. One point for that." Pointing at Kazuki. "But the thing is, determination will not help you when you are in a real mission. So I will use that point to give you a second chance."
Kazuki softly chuckles, however it is cut short by a fist to the face that his whole body bounces from the ground.
"Since I have given you this second chance. Prove to me you deserve it, because I won't be holding back."
The men does the Rin, Hei, Toh and Kai hand sign. He grabs Kazuki by the collar picking him up.
"Was all that talk? Can't believe it only took one punch to make you fall asleep."
"No."
The men drops him and leaps away from Kazuki.
'That feeling. I know it.' Thinking to himself.
Kazuki stands up puffing like his chest has been ripped out. He closes his eyes, placing his sword in the middle of him. He opens his eyes and has gained control over his breathing.
"Thank you." He says to himself.
The men instantly appears in front of him. He throws a punch, but stops midway and leaps back to his original position.
'Something is wrong with that sword.' His eyes glaring at Kazuki's sword. 'Anyways, why does he even carry a sword around?'
Kazuki charges, his feet seemingly full of life. He swings his sword diagonally. The men tries to punch, though his body acts on it's on and steps back.
'Why did my body evade his attack? Since I punched him earlier I thought he would be unconscious. Yet his alright, even some of his scars are healing I think.'
Kazuki's dashes - swinging his sword in all directions. The men dodges each swing, but as he keeps dodging, each swing gets faster and faster.
'Dammit that scraped my hair.'
The men side steps to his left, however Kazuki is not stopping his relentless swings.
'I can't keep evading for long. The more I evade the more faster he gets. How can that be?'
A horizontal slash swings under his knees. In the knick of time, the men jumps to the sky. To his shock, Kazuki has no more scars and no blood on him; even on his clothes.
The men lands, quickly jabbing Kazuki straight on his nose.
Kazuki still does not stop and the men no longer dodging he steps three steps back. His eyes focusing on Kazuki's sword.
"Could it be?" Mummering to himself.
The men with a smile steps to his right, then his left and gets a grab of Kazuki's right arm which is where his holding his sheeted sword.
"How disappointing." His smile withering away. "So this is how you get to prove you can be a ninja… selling your soul to the devil."
"I told you that from now on I will become stronger than you - so strong that I will never lose again. And I don't care how I get strong, because right now that is the only way I can prove to you I can be a ninja."
The men jumps away from Kazuki, his arm tingling like an ant is crawling on his skin. He takes a glance at the sword.
"I see." Glare at Kazuki's eyes. "Being a ninja is not something you want, but need. To the point that all I can see in your eyes is a hallow void."
The two of them both charge at each other in full speed. Kazuki swing his sword vertically, though the men steps away, spinning around and lands a back kick to Kazuki's stomach sending him a few meters.
Kazuki runs back to him like nothing happened. The men dodges his attack and punches Kazuki in the jaw.
Kazuki swings his sword, but the men snoops him from the ground before he an fully swing. He kicks him like a football.
Kazuki stands up, however the men no longer waiting for him to attack appears behind him. The men punches him continuously that he digs a hole through the ground.
The men walks away from him with a satisfying smile. Never the less it disappears.
Kazuki raises his head from the ground looking as if he was never pummeled.
"I wonder how many years." His voice in disbelief he adds, "Even so you have gained a bit of my respect from me."
Kazuki stands up, yet he immediately falls back to the ground on both his knees. His eyes roll to the back of his head and he slams on the ground face flat.
The men strolls to him placing two of his fingers on Kazuki's neck.
"His fainted." Bewilderment written on his face.
The men raises his hand upwards and in an instant a men in black is kneeling next to him.
"Take this boy to the infirmary." Says to the men in black. "His passed. The reason is that this boy has the mentality I believe every ninja should at least have."
The men in black picks Kazuki up alongside his sword and disappears in a blink of an eye.
"That boy, I wonder why his so insistent on being a ninja. That he was even able to aquire that type of sword." He looks to where Kazuki was laying. "Anyways, I hope there is more Rank 1's to play with. Especially that spy. I hope Sunraku was able to deal with him."
The men walks into the abyss of the forest.
Meanwhile in the Shogun Castle, a room surrounded by bookshelves, a large blue carpet on the floor with the word "Guardian" written on it. Two Special Force stand behind the Shogun who is sitting behind a table filled with documents and him holding a paper on his right hand.
"Enter." The Shogun says.
The door open and the person entering it is Koruto Higuma. Everyone in the room can tell his frustrated.
"Koruto Higuma." The Shogun adds, y name is Giovanny Uma, your Shogun."
Koruto bows his head.
"From the report I have about you is that you show the intellect of a ninja. Noticing that the administrator made you pass. Is this assessment correct?"
Koruto looks to the two men in black before he stares at Giovanny. He slightly bows his head to say.
"Shogun, if that's the report then it must be true…to some extent."
The Shogun eyes open wide.
"Explain."
"Shogun, I had a friend who I worked with against the administrator."
"Has that friend passed as well?"
"I don't know Shogun."
The Shogun gives one of the Special Force the paper. He whispers to him something that Koruto wonder what it might be.
"Koruto Higuma, I want you to answer this question for me."
Koruto nods in agreement.
"If you saw an injured cat in the street what are you going to do?"
As he is about to answer a question strikes him.
'Am I being tested?' Starring at the Shogun's eyes.
"Shogun, I would take it to the hospital."
"Why would you do such a thing? It's just a cat, it will soon forget you."
"It doesn't matter if it will remember me or not. As a ninja it is my job to protect everything in the State.
Koruto can feel the confidence swelling up inside him.
'Based on how the Shogun responds then it might be the next test.'
"What does being a ninja have to do with you saving a cat?"
"Sh…Shogun, isn't you saying a "cat" mean you're talking about a citizen of our State."
"No, it was a general question. No need for you to think that deep into it." Leaning forward on his table he continues, "Koruto Higuma, I can tell you are different from your father."
Koruto smiles behind his teeth.
"Based on td attitude you have shown me and the report I have been given if you. I have decided to not only give you the status of a Rank 1, but choose you as the first representative of the Shinwa State in the upcoming Rank War."
One of the Special Force walks to Koruto placing a card that has his details and status as a Rank 1 ninja.
He tries to ask a question, but sensing the serious atmosphere in the room he takes his card and exits the room.
I wonder how he is going to feel about this announcement."
The Shogun stands from his chair and walks to the large window behind the Special Force.
"Isn't this the best view? I can see everything in the village." Mummering to himself.
His mummering is cut short by the sound of the door opening.
"Another one."
Thankfully for him it is not. Rather it is Damiyo Shōshen. The two Special Force both leave the room simultaneously, closing the door behind them.
"Ai!" The Shogun yells with his open arms.
Flustered by the Shogun's energetic yell, Ai respond with a soft…
"Hi."
"Where did you go to?" I just did something amazing."
The Shogun begins telling Ai everything that happened moments ago.
"Im…impressive Gio!" Her cheeks pink.
"Right. Now I just have to wait forore ninjas to pass."
"Speaking of which Gio…"
The Shogun notice that Ai's demeanor has changed.
"…Reports have come in from the scouts that one of the administrators has been killed. The one responsible is the spy from the Senso State."
"What do you mean?" His mind trying to adjust how a Special Force lost. "There is no way that boy is actually stronger than a Special Force ninja."
"As of right now, his engaging with the son of Damiyo Kōshin and from what's being reported his holding his own."
"That's a Kōshin I guess. Then what ab-"
"The spy's companion has also been killed. Her body sadly can not be found. We are just going with what we have been told."
"By who?"
"Once she's been fully healed I will allow her to explain to you."
The Shogun nods in agreement.
"Tell me how many people took place in this exam?"
"108."
The door rattles from being beaten.
"Enter." The Shogun says.
A men in black enters breathing heavily. He goes down on one knee.
"Shogun I have urgent news!"
"Stop yelling."
The men apologizes.
"What is this news?" Ai ask.
"Shogun, the spy Faizan has escaped."
TBC.
NEXT CHAPTER: PRELUDE 33