Kitsune Travel Record's

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Japan, Ozunu Orphanage: Forest

'Is this why you teach me, to let me teach him, To think you would control my thoughts until you die Ozunu,' Raizo thought while he looked at Lucian who was surrounded by kids. 'Pity looks like you didn't know how much a Monster your heir is,' Raizo then looks at the bodies of Kuroko on the ground knowing Lucian already fully controls his presence and speed and body becoming the perfect ninja.

Raizo then looks back at Lucian before looking at the kids as he puts his right hand on his chest. 'what would you do in this situation kiriko,' he thought as he looked at them, he sighed before he completely disappeared from the Tree branch.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

The Blind Master observed the scene, a subtle smile playing on his lips before fading as quickly as it had appeared. "Seems we're too late," he murmured, his voice laced with regret. "Our mission has failed."

Storm Shadow frowned, understanding the weight of the Blind Master's words. "Then what should we do?" he asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Some things are best left unsaid, even if they're thought or planned." the Blind Master interrupted, his tone firm yet gentle. "You have much to learn, Tomisaburo, if you wish to lead the Arashikage Clan."

Storm Shadow's frown deepened, acknowledging his shortcomings. He remained silent, absorbing the Blind Master's words.

"You seem pleased, Blind Master." Hard Master stated as he appeared behind a tree, his keen gaze locked on the children as he walked alongside the Blind Master.

The Blind Master couldn't mask his satisfaction from Hard Master's discerning eyes. "Their hearts beat for the same thing," he replied, "unwavering in their calm amidst the chaos."

Hard Master nodded, his expression unreadable as he continued to observe the children. "It simply means they've already chosen a clan to protect, one that resonates with their hearts." He shook his head, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy.

"It appears our missions have met with failure."

Their mission, to dismantle the Ozunu clan and recruit its orphans, had ultimately ended in disappointment.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

"Maslow, are you really going to shoot them? They're just kids!" Mika exclaimed, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at Maslow, who stood before her, his weapon aimed at the group of children surrounding Lucian.

Maslow's eyes remained fixed on the scene, searching for an opening, a clear shot at Lucian in case General Hawk's order to eliminate him arrived.

"Look at the bodies on the ground, Mika." Maslow countered, his voice cold and unwavering.

"Tell me, can a child do that?"

Mika glanced around, taking in the carnage, remembering the severed head Lucian had held in his hand. She shook her head, reluctantly acknowledging the truth.

"He might not be a child, but look at those children surrounding him. Their faces are filled with fear, yet they protect him. Tell me, Maslow, are they children or not? Are you truly willing to kill them as well?"

Maslow studied the children's faces, one by one, observing the terror etched on their young features, yet their unwavering resolve to shield Lucian. 'Why would they protect that monster?' he thought, torn between his duty and his conscience, struggling to make a decision to order his men to lower their weapons.

Suddenly, a cold blade pressed against his nape, sending a jolt of adrenaline through his veins. "Lower your weapon and order your men to do the same." a voice whispered, cool and emotionless, beside him. He had no idea when the figure had appeared.

Maslow took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He slowly lowered his gun.

"I thought you hated the Ozunu Clan." he said, turning to face the owner of the voice, finally seeing it was Raizo, a katana held firmly against his neck.

"I hate the way the Ozunu Clan was led." Raizo responded, his voice calm and unwavering, even as the soldiers around them aimed their guns at him.

"This is a chance for change."

"Oh my God, Raizo, what are you doing?" Mika exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching for her pistol. She pointed it at Raizo, then lowered it with a sigh.

"Well, Mika, it seems your friend here has already chosen a side." Maslow observed, his gaze shifting from Raizo to the surrounding soldiers. "That might be right." he continued, addressing Raizo. "but appearing here with your katana on my neck, under these bright lights, isn't the smartest move." He gestured towards the helicopter hovering above Lucian, its searchlights illuminating the scene, and the sound of approaching helicopters filling the air.

"It will be hard for you to disappear into the shadows like the other Ozunu ninjas, making you an easy target."

Raizo shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Perhaps." he murmured "but only if I'm alone." He glanced at the large tree behind Maslow.

Maslow followed his gaze, his expression turning grim. "They're here?" he asked, a hint of fear creeping into his voice.

"Yes, after all, they are loyal to the Ozunu Clan, for them it doesn't matter if there's Ozunu blood flowing through their veins or not." Raizo confirmed, his eyes still focused on the tree. "For them, this is their chance."

From the shadows of the tree, figures emerged, their faces obscured by the darkness.

They were the survivors, the escaped members of the Ozunu Clan, led by Takeshi, who had painstakingly sewn his hands back together and healed his wounds.

Takeshi looked at Raizo, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "Seems you still know where you belong, little brother." he murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of satisfaction.

As the lights from the approaching helicopters bathed the clearing in their harsh glare, the Ozunu ninjas dissolved back into the shadows, their bodies becoming one with the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to protect Lucian and the children, the future of their clan.

The tension in the air was palpable, a freezing current that flowed through everyone present.

Maslow, his face grim, knew that the ninjas lurking in the shadows would not hesitate to attack.

The crackling of the radio brought a moment of relief. General Hawk's voice filled the air.

[Do not shoot, I repeat, do not shoot.]

[Maslow, stand down.]

Maslow pursed his lips, his gaze shifting from the radio to Raizo. "It seems you're not cutting my head off today." he remarked, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice. Raizo, just calmly put away his katana before turning towards the children with bright eyes. 'looks like the end of my life, will be a start for their new beginning.' he thought.

Maslow addressed the soldiers assembled before him. "Lower your weapons. Our mission is complete!" He shouted, his gaze lingering on the children, a complex mixture of emotions swirling in his eyes.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

General Hawk surveyed the tense scene unfolding below, his gaze lingering on the children huddled together. He picked up the radio, his voice firm but measured.

"Do not shoot," he declared, his words echoing through the air. "I repeat, do not shoot." He observed Maslow and Raizo, their tense standoff a testament to the turmoil swirling around them. "Maslow, stand down."

As the soldiers lowered their weapons, a voice pierced through the air, carrying a hint of warning.

"You might regret this in the future, you know." Sen said, her eyes fixed on the Ozunu children. "Not ordering your men to shoot." She couldn't shake the feeling that their mission to eradicate the Ozunu Clan had been a colossal failure. 'The Ozunu clan will rise again with those children and him leading them.' she thought, her gaze settling on Lucian's bloodied form, a wave of apprehension washing over her. She needed to find a way to deal with this unexpected turn of events.

"Maybe, maybe not." General Hawk replied, shaking his head, his conscience refusing to allow him to order the execution of children. "After all, they're still children, with much to learn, even that bloody kid." He met Sen's eyes, acknowledging her worries.

Sen's eyes lit up as a plan began to form in her mind. 'Learn, teach.' She turned towards General Hawk, her worries eased. She had found a solution.

"So what are you going to tell your superiors, General Hawk? You failed your mission after all." she inquired, a hint of amusement in her voice.

General Hawk chuckled softly, his gaze sweeping across the scene.

"Fail? I wouldn't say the mission failed." His eyes focused on the ground, taking in the destruction.

"After all, everyone here saw the Ozunu Orphanage destroyed, even the Tōryō of the Ozunu Clan is dead."

Sen raised an eyebrow, challenging his statement.

"And what if they discover that there are surviving ninjas and orphans of the Ozunu Clan?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity, eager to hear his explanation.

General Hawk smirked, his plan forming in his mind. "With the new Tōryō being so young, it will take time for the world to realize there are survivors from this night. Maybe, by then, I'll be long retired." He laughed, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Whoever leads the Joes after me will have to deal with that problem."

Sen shook her head, her gaze fixed on the children, a sense of unease settling in her stomach. 'I don't know about General Hawk's confidence.' she mused, 'but I feel it won't be long before the human and supernatural worlds remember the Ozunu clan again.' She felt their potential, their will, their courage. 'These children will do great things in the future,' she thought.

Sen was about to voice her thoughts when a crackle from the helicopter radio interrupted her. As one of the soldiers in the other helicopters reported.

[Sir, the sky...] his voice filled with a tremor of fear, reached their ears.

General Hawk frowned, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Soldier, repeat that." he commanded, his voice regaining its authority.

[Sir! The sky is falling!] the soldier screamed, his voice laced with terror.

General Hawk and Sen exchanged a look, their eyes widening in shock. They both looked up at the sky.

The clouds above them were falling, cascading towards the earth, a surreal and terrifying spectacle.

General Hawk's eyes widened in surprise.

"Man, land this chopper down immediately!" He barked the order to the pilot, who, already looking up at the falling sky, immediately began maneuvering the helicopter for a landing.

•-----•-----•-----•-----•

As the soldiers lowered their weapons, a wave of relief washed over the children, their eyes sparkling with happiness. They had achieved their goal, their mission complete, they had protected him. While a sense of contentment settled in, they didn't let their guard down, their eyes scanning the surrounding area for any potential threats.

"You can sit down now, you know." Julianne whispered to Anya, who stood vigilant, her gaze sweeping the horizon with a fierce intensity, a hint of cuteness in her narrowed eyes. Anya, however, shook her head, her expression resolute. "No, I won't rest until he wakes up, just like he did for us." she declared with a firm voice.

Making Julianne smile and shake her head in amusement. Julianne then turned towards Violet, her heart sinking at the sight of Violet's worried, almost panicked expression.

Violet watched Lucian, whose condition continued deteriorating, blood staining his shoulders. She felt helpless, lacking the knowledge or skills to tend to his wounds.

Garret, noticing her distress, was about to offer help but their conversation was interrupted by the shouts of the soldiers, Noshiko, and the others.

"Come here now, all of you, come here!" Maslow bellowed, his voice echoing through the clearing.

"Kids, come back." Noshiko called out, her voice laced with concern. She knew that trying to force them back would only provoke them but she had to try.

"They're too stubborn to listen to you," Mika said to Maslow, shaking her head. Maslow sighed, understanding their predicament. 'These kids still think we're trying to hurt him,' he thought, feeling a wave of sympathy. He continued to shout, "The helicopter is landing. Go back!"

The children exchanged amused glances, then looked up, their eyes widening as they saw the helicopters descending.

Violet and the older kids struggled to carry the unconscious Lucian. Their progress was slow, hampered by the weight of his limp form. Just as they were about to give in to exhaustion, a voice cut through the air.

"I'll carry him." Violet turned, skepticism clouding her features as she recognized Raizo, the man who had been brutally tortured by their own clan.

Raizo saw her apprehension and shook his head. "Go now." he said, his voice firm. "I won't hurt him, I promise."

Violet and Kwon, the older child who was assisting her, exchanged nervous glances. But their hesitation was short lived. Raizo swiftly picked up Lucian, his grip gentle but strong.

"Go!" he commanded. Violet and Kwon, their faces filled with relief, ran towards the trees.

Raizo looked down and observed Lucian, who was unconscious. "You better survive, kid. they're all relying on you." He whispered With that, he vanished into the shadows, disappearing with Lucian in his arms.

As the children and Raizo reached the cover of the trees, they turned back to watch the helicopter land. The helicopter's blades churned the air, kicking up dust and sending dry leaves swirling around them.

They watched as General Hawk, Sen, Akiko, and the pilot emerged from the helicopter, their expressions shifting from relief to utter shock as they looked up at the sky.

As the clouds descended, exploding into a thick, humid white mist that blocked their vision and spread through the forest, they heard the sound of approaching footsteps, echoing through the silent clearing, walking towards them.

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Next Chapter 50: Chains and Bonds

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