𝕄•𝔸•𝕊•𝕂•𝕊

Mission 7

My breathing was heavy by the time I got to the Samurai headquarters. "Samurai Akechi!" one of the guards shouted in surprise as I collapsed onto my knees. The guard hurried over, laying a hand on my back.

"Kato Chuuya." I gasped, coughing as the cold air hit my dry lungs, "He saw me. He knows who I am."

"How-"

"My last name is on the back of my haori." I tugged on my haori, the samurai nodding. 

"I'll tell Mater Akechi. You go rest." I nodded, struggling to my feet, only to collapse farther, my ankle stinging in pain. Clenching my teeth, I made another attempt to rise to my feet, only to make it onto one knee. Crying out in pain, I bowed my head, sweat beading on my brow. Suddenly, someone lifted me up by my shoulders, draping one of my arms over their own shoulders.

"Up you come." the person grunted. I looked to see Kage's masked face. 

"Kage...?" I coughed again, hissing as I put weight on my foot. "Why are you here?" I grunted as he walked me toward the courtyard. Kage laughed, reaching behind his neck to unlatch his mask. His smile looked slightly sad as he continued to walk. I unlatched my own mask, gulping in the fresh air.

"I did tell you I would deliver the file personally," he smirked. I pointed him toward my room, meeting Emi on the way. "Take her," he told Emi, lifting me slightly off my feet to move me towards Emi. Emi nodded dutifully as Kage ran off through the many buildings to Master Akechi's.

"You know him already, don't you." I eyed Emi as she laid me on my bed. She nodded, her face stern as she set to setting my broken foot. She held down my leg, grabbed my foot, and twisted it slightly. I screamed in pain and punched Emi as I heard and felt the bones cracking. "Stop moving," Emi commanded, her face in full concentration as she moved my foot a little more. Finally, she wrapped my foot, placing it on a pillow. 

"Thanks," I said, closing my eyes, and trying to calm my rapid breathing. "How do you know him? Also, it seems like he's been here before. He ran directly for Master Akechi's building, and it's pretty well hidden within this place." Emi smiled a little.

"I do know him. I've been working with him for nearly a year and yes, he has been here before." Emi hesitated before continuing. "Back when I was still a trainee with you and Yuki, my hacker master had me go on a training retreat in the city with other hackers. I met Kage on that retreat, and since then, he's been working with the Samurai." 

So, Emi was faking the whole thing. My heart twisted at this, pained that my best friend had kept this from me. I opened my mouth to ask a question when someone knocked on our screen door and opened it. Chiyo, the head swordsman, or woman, poked her head through the door.

"Samurai Akechi, Master Akechi asked for you. It concerns all the missions you have been on recently." She looked down and saw my foot, her eyebrows rising. "I guess I'm carrying you then." the swordswoman chuckled, moving to my bedside. Chiyo grabbed me by my waist and lifted me off my bed. Moments later, we were in the front of Master Akechi's building. 

I knocked. "Come in." I heard my grandfather's muffled voice. I slid open the door, Chiyo helping me sit down before leaving. Sitting next to me was Kage. "My granddaughter, Akechi Asakumo." Grandfather introduced me, "I am sure you two have already become quite acquainted with one another." We both nodded, Kage smiling at me with that mischievous glint in his eyes. I blushed, looking away from him, replacing my cool, collected face. 

"About your missions, Asakumo, let me first tell you about Kage. He has been infiltrating the Ninjas for some time, trying to get close to Kato Chuuya. That is why you keep seeing him." I nodded, finally understanding. "This meeting though, is about the files you have been retrieving. From those files, we have discovered an underground group that has been around for hundreds of years." both Kage and I stiffened.

"The group is called Hi no Chi." my heart skipped a beat at that name. 

The Fire Bloods.

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CLIFFHANGEERRRRRR or at least my best attempt.

love you all and thank you for reading!! <3