Never Let Go [Hiatus]

Part II, Chapter 13- The Contract

Madara dodged to his left, Gin's kunai grazing his cheek. He had barely blinked when the latter  advanced with a second slash to his right. Madara countered his attack instinctively, their kunais clashing in the air. 

I need to get way from him. Madara leapt backwards, keeping his focus on Gin. As he landed on his feet, three shurikens came at him, precision and timing accurate as ever. His arm moved in reflex as he deflected them easily, spotting Hanami crouching on a tree branch. Just then, he sensed movement from the corner of his eye, turning in time to meet Gin's kunai with his own. They engaged in an intense fight, pitting their close combat skills against each other. 

Now then, where's Hide? 

Madara scanned his surroundings at every chance he had as he sparred with Gin. He knew Gin was merely a distraction. Suddenly, he picked up a soft shuffle and sensed disturbance in the air. 

Behind me. 

At that moment, Gin lunged with both kunais aiming for his throat. Madara waited for that crucial split second before he leapt into the air. Gin and Hide stopped short, their kunais just centimeters away from each other's throats. 

Madara snickered. Trying to ambush me huh? 

A few meters away, Hanami took her chance. Aiming for Madara's unsuspecting back, she threw a single kunai with all her might. 

He can't move in midair. This time I'll get him for sure. 

A second later, she fell back in disbelief, dropping from the branches and exposing her new position. 

NANI? She couldn't believe Madara had simply deflected her kunai without sparring it a glance. In fact, he hadn't even looked in her direction! A shuriken struck the tree she was leaning on, inches away from her face. Shocked, Hanami froze in position, wondering how Madara could alternate between defense and attack so easily. Madara landed behind Hide, pressing his kunai against his frined's neck. The fight came to a standstill.

'OhMyGod!' Hide threw up his hands in defeat. 'It's so hard to lay a finger on you, Mada.'

Madara released his grip and exhaled.

'Yeah yeah yeah. And were you guys trying to kill me out there? God, I almost died!'

Hanami and Gin approached them.

'Sorry.. I guess we took this training too seriously.' Gin admitted.

'But I don't think it's wrong. We have to train as if it's the real thing. That's the only way we can improve, right? Kaede-sama always said we have to prepared for anything...' Hanami said.

'So I've said.'

The four turned to the familiar voice.

'Kaede-sama! Have you been watching?'

Kaede smiled fondly at his disciples, each one full of their own potential.

'It was an interesting fight indeed. Your movements were fluid and I clearly saw teamwork, as well as your abilities to read your team-mates' moves and intentions. Not to say that you guys are perfect, but well done all the same.'

The 4 disciples stared at their master. Had he just complimented them?

'Arigatou, sensei!' they shouted in unison.

Kaede's face grew solemn as he took out a scroll from his sleeve. It was red. The 4 knew what the colour meant.

'Here is your next contract, an extremely huge one. You will act together with unit 4 and 6.'

The disciples looked at one another in bewilderment. 12 people for an assassination? Who on Earth was their target?

'Because it is an extremely important and dangerous one, we not only need manpower and skills, but also time. Our client has agreed to give us a maximum of 2 weeks to get the job done.'

Two weeks? That's one hell of a job! We usually finish it in a night, 2 nights max.

'That also means you have little time to gather intelligence.'

Two weeks.. Little time? That's more than enough.

'Take a look.' Kaede-sama said, handing the red scroll over. Hide snatched the scroll, his curiosity getting the better of him. The other 3 crowded around, their hungry eyes feasting on its contents. But their curiosity quickly dissipated into disbelief and uncertainty.

'T-This... This is...' Hide's hands shook so hard he loose grip of the scroll. They now understood the significance of their mission. Indeed, the client was asking for the impossible. It was not even a joke. Two weeks.They were not even provided any information to start with. Their anonymous client had expressed even his own lack of useful knowledge for the assassination.

'Fuck this shit...' Madara whispered. The 4 gaped at the scroll, reading and re-reading to make sure that they were not mistaken. Gin pinched his arm to convince himself that this was not a mere dream. For a long time, they wondered how they were supposed to see this mission to completion. How they were supposed to accomplish the impossible. How they were supposed....to assassinate a king.