The Shinigamis

Chapter 3

"Cynthia Reebs." Madame Noire, our boss, held a paper with all the names of the people Darrkins spoke of; she was the last name yet to be crossed out. "This woman was his main connection to the international slave trade with the far southern country of Antiliya, but unlike Darrkins she actually holds some of the citizens she kidnaps as her personal slaves. She has them cultivate certain crops that are illegally sold in other nations, kills off the younger women, and has her way with the men."

"What's the mission, Madame?"

"Assassinate Ms. Reebs and free whatever captives that are alive into either the eastern empire of Japssia or the far western country, the Amalgamated Territories."

"Understood, going to kill essentially a rapist, drug dealer, murderer, slave owner/seller rich woman. Gosh this country is so screwed up" Mon sighs while pushing back his hair.

"Screwed up doesn't even describe the type of monsters this place gives birth to." Noire shook her head. "Now go get ready you'll leave for her mansion in thirty-minutes, after the sun sets. But first I must warn you that she is an even higher ranking individual than Darrkins so she will most likely have even stronger guards and a greater number of them as well. Be careful."

We nodded our heads and walked off to get ready; when we were all done the team, minus the boss, had met up outside of the cave.

"Let's go" Eiko looked back at us before running off.

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"Who would live on the side of a mountain?" Lye said what we were probably all thinking as we scaled the edge of her residence.

Once we got to the piece of earth the place was standing on, the team immediately hid behind some hedges.

"Something's off" said Sun; which was also another thing we were all thinking.

"This place was supposed to be filled with guards right?" Amano ask a rhetorical question. "So where are they?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's a trap?" I continued to remain vigilant of the situation.

"Why don't we just ask?" Lye got up skipping towards the houses steps ignoring our objections, but she didn't even make it halfway there before stopping abruptly. "Never mind guys. It isn't a trap"

"How do you know?"

"Because they're all dead"

"What?" we jogged over to her side where we saw the ground was decorated with the bodies of guards.

"Dang it someone beat us to it" Sun sat down on one of the bodies. "Oh sorry" she pat his head and moved to the ground.

"And even worse I can't even play my game" Lye gave an comedic pout

"Yeah and now the question is who? Who beat us to it?" Mon opened the door to the mansion "I'm going to take a look around inside. The mission won't truly be complete until we confirm Reebs death."

"I'll come with you" Sun jumped back up and followed him.

"The rest of us will check the perimeter." Eiko ordered and we did as she said by splitting up and carefully roaming the outskirts of the home.

After a few minutes had passed I heard Amano's voice yell "guys" telling us all to come to him.

"What is it?"

"Look"

"It's our symbol, the wings" it looked like it was etched in the side of the buildings wall with either a sword or some really, really sharp nails.

"Is someone trying to frame us?

"Can it be considered framing if this was the job we were going to do anyway?"

"Then what?" Amano look to all of us for an answer.

And Eiko supplied it for him. "It's a calling card."

"From who?"

"I'm not sure but for them to attack here and kill everyone they must be very skilled."

"Reebs is dead." Mon said walking back with Sun.

"So mission complete without having to do any work."

"I wish that were true but they're still here."

"Who?" Sun looked up at us.

"You can sense them right Eiko, Mon."

"Yeah, I just noticed them Tanto. The ones who sent us our calling card never left. They were waiting this whole time." Eiko had got her sword ready and the rest of us followed suit in an offensive stance. "Here they come" Their team, whoever they were, had just jumped off the roof of the house, landing directly in front of us.

Once the cloud that covered the moon shifted, letting the hidden light of the midnight sun to pass through; our enemies were revealed to be none other than the infamous group known as Night Raid.

"Are you The Shinigami?"

"Who's asking?"

"And what do you want?"

A woman with a metal arm, wearing a suit and an eye patch separated herself from the rest of the group. "My name is Najenda, the leader of Night Raid and we have a proposition for you."

"Again what exactly do you want?"

"We would like for our teams to be able to work together. With your imperial arms we can grow our revolutionary power in order to be one step closer to achieving the same goal we both want; the rehabilitation and reformation of the empire."

"Rehabilitation? Reformation?" Mon said the words as if he didn't understand what they were saying. "This isn't our goal at all."

I spoke up. "We don't want to fix it but get rid of the empire instead; you can't clean a stain no matter how hard you try for the darkness will always remain."

"Then I do believe we have come to an impasse then."

"Even though we're virtually on the same side will you try to stop us from ending the empires long historic life span?"

"I think you know the answer to that" Najenda crossed her arms while her subordinates got into fighting position.

"From the looks of it only one of them is without an imperial arm and he doesn't look that strong anyway." I assessed their battle strength.

"Let's finish this quickly before someone from the imperial forces arrives." Eikos sword began protrude flames from its blade.

"This won't be an easily fought fight; they are The Night Raid after all. Half of their faces are posted around the capital on wanted posters." Mon pointed out

"Enough talk guys, here they come" Amano put his fist up ready for our toughest fight yet. The Shinigami vs Night Raid.