Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

Wounds of Words Made Flesh

The team looked questioningly at Shimo who was both engaged in observing this acquaintance of his and busy looking ashamed.

"Wait... I thought your rogue sensei gave you your sword because he had no use for it anymore?" Mana asked for clarification confused. Her question sent the overcoat wearing man in a frenzy of unadulterated fury.

"What!? I mean yeah, I lost an arm!" he shouted lunging at Shimo and delivering a blindingly fast flurry of one hand strikes which Shimo avoided by dashing around his past friend. Despite the man's blinding speed, it looked like his lack of a right arm was interrupting with his balance and hindering the man's speed making it possible for Shimo to run circles around his acquaintance.

"Yeah, I really have no use for the damned thing!" The man shouted again striking back with an elbow, using his instinct instead of his lacking balance and perception to catch Shimo unprepared and crack the young man's eyebrow opening it up and sending a torrent of blood down his face.

"But as if I'd just give anything away!" The man finished his sentence while continuing his relentless assault. Grunting in pain, Shimo rolled back only to see the man dashing onward, right to the boy's face and delivering a knee strike to his cracked and bleeding eyebrow. Meiko and Kouta leaped in from the sides so fast that to Mana it looked like her friends were warping time and space, standing beside her one moment and aiding Shimo the next.

The functional arm of the mysterious assailant crashed into the wooden floor flipping his body over as he delivered a whirl of spinning kicks sending all three young ninja into the water. This man may not have had the physical ability to keep up with the three ninja in fighting ability or Shimo for that matter however he had considerable skill and experience fighting with his hindrance that compensated for it. Whoever this man was, he was experienced and above the team's rank in strength.

The man dashed up to Mana, the magician's senses sharpened as she felt her body overflowing and exploding in red physical chakra. Mana's acrobatic and redirecting skills turned on to as much as she could crack it up to as her upper body leaned to the sides avoiding every blow sent her way and gently pushing them with her palm to where they posed no threat. Mana's eyes, failing to keep up with all of the man's movements, instead noticed his glowing red eyes – the Sharingan of the Uchiha. Her style lingered and failed to notice his flip backward stopped by his palm and repurposed strength into an upwards kick. Mana could already feel her skull exploding from pressure, a kick like that would've blown her head right off!

A rough shoulder tackle sent the magician further and out of harm's way as Kouta grinned at her. His entire body was wet and smelled of seaweed but his face was still all sweaty, the two smelled completely different – the medical ninja must've strained his skills to the limit to save Mana in time.

"I don't know who you are or what your beef with Shimo is but... Don't touch Mana-chan. She's a civilian and she can't fight on our level. If you hit her even once she'd die for sure!" Kouta shouted out a warning to the man through his fleeting strength and exhaustion.

"Hmph... Could've fooled me." The overcoat wearing man cracked a grin while his eyes ran around him looking out for threats that he predicted would come at him from the sides.

"Just who are you?" Mana asked scratching her head and feeling up her chin as her heart still pounded relentlessly in the girl's chest – she almost had her head blown off. It was something she was slowly getting used to but close calls like that didn't help her young heart rest easy.

"I'm Hachiro Uchiha – I used to teach this ungrateful little shit!" The man shouted out turning at Shimo who was slowly making his way out of the water and onto the wooden platform that held the whole section of the port town afloat. The Uchiha dashed right up to Shimo and tried kicking at the young man's face but Shimo blocked the kick with the hilt of his sword. The force still sent Shimo flying back into the depths of the sea. A little farther Meiko climbed out of the ocean covered in seaweed and pulled a little sharp looking shattered seashell out from between the pieces of her armor where it lodged into.