Mobile Legends Anthology

The Last Scarlet 3

"Hey, missy!"

Hanabi heard Hanzo's voice and she immediately looked at his direction with panic plastered all over her face.

"Did something happen?" he asked, "You're face has gone pale."

Hanabi turned her head to look at Haruko, "Haru–"

But he was no longer where he was. She did not know what he was planning and it made her uneasy. Who knows? He might appear once more and kill her before she knows it.

"Haru?" Hanzo repeated.

"He was just here," she whispered, but loud enough for him to hear. He got on his horse and looked down at her.

"Let's get going," he stated but Hanabi just stayed beside her horse. Her tight grip on the rein made her knuckles turn white and even her nails were digging into her flesh. Hanzo rolled his eyes to the side and got down but the moment he touched Hanabi, she dropped on the ground—shaking in fear.

"I said he was here," she mumbled while trying to keep her nerves in control.

Hanzo knelt so he could be of the same level as her and when he asked, "Who?"

Hanabi, overwhelmed by her own fear and madness, met his gaze and yelled, "Your brother was here! Why can't you understand?!"

Her outburst shocked Hanzo because he always thought that she was the type of woman who was calm and collected but it seemed that he was wrong. He looked away, not knowing how to react or what to say since he still did not believe that a brother of his actually existed.

"We should get going now that he knows you're here," he simply said before turning his back on her, "and you don't really have to fear him."

Hanabi bit her lower lip and clenched her fists as she shut her eyes tight. No one... no one understands that she was afraid to lose her life. She wanted to live a peaceful life but why do other people try to take that away from her?

"Do you trust me?" Hanzo asked without looking at the Scarlet woman.

And without hesitation, Hanabi replied, "No."

She got on her horse and went ahead, not giving Hanzo a glance. She made her horse gallops at its fastest speed, not wanting to see Hanzo or even hear his voice. It was easy for him to say not to get afraid because he was strong enough to protect himself and no clan were going after his life unlike her.

Looking ahead the road, Hanabi's teary eyes made her vision blurry and she was trying her hardest to keep her sobs to herself.

As she entered into the woods with her guard down, she was thrown off her horse and let out a loud yelp upon receiving a kick right on her abdomen.

"Kagura, now!" a man yelled. Still unable to stand due to the pain on her stomach, Hanabi tried her best to crawl as fast as possible before her life ends.

"You can no longer escape!" a woman yelled. Hanabi did not dare look back for all she could ever wish for was to escape but she felt something that gripped her foot.

She was about to summon her Higanbana but a fast shadow that came from behind suddenly appears before her. With just one swing of his weapon on the demonic chain of Kagura, it was cut with ease. Hayabusa's team was shocked to see Hanzo protecting the woman they should be hunting but now that they were on opposite side, they're no longer allies.

With Hanabi unable to fight at the moment, Hanzo carried her and turned his back away from their enemies. Riding back on his horse, they made an immediate escape.

"You should..." Hanabi paused for a while, catching her breath first, "control your powers in fighting."

Disappointed at the first words she said after saving her life, Hanzo scoffed and rolled his eyes. A simple thank you could have sufficed but it was not said by Hanabi.

"I just saved your life since you asked me to and now you are telling me to go easy on those people who want you dead?" he commented. "Foolishness."

The Scarlet woman was in no mood to argue so she just kept quiet despite the fact that she wanted to curse at him and beat him into a pulp. Instead, she just held onto him and leaned her head on his back as they continue to run away from their pursuers.

"I think you have forgotten," she said with a lower tone of voice, "that you and I are connected... literally connected."

"What nonsense is that?"

Strangling him to death could have been a good choice but he saved her so all she could do was extend her patience.

"That mark on your hand is dark red and if it turns lighter, it means that you—"

Hanzo almost had a heart attack when Hanabi just fell asleep and was about to fall off if only he wasn't fast enough to catch her. Looking behind, Hanzo could still see Hayabusa's team running after them. For their pursuers to lose track of them, Hanzo opened the soul portal and led them there which was a success... for now.

Kyoto was still far ahead and if they keep being chased, it would be harder to reach their destination. Not to mention, Hanzo needed to pay close attention to his client, Hanabi, or else it would only be him reaching Kyoto.

The night had already fallen and yet Hanabi did not regain her consciousness—giving Hanzo no choice but to rent a room for the two of them.

While staying by the lobby, some old man came up to him upon seeing the mark on his hand.

"Young lad," the old man said—sitting beside him.

Hanzo felt uncomfortable but still, he nodded his head on his direction.

"It seems that you are betrothed to a Scarlet."

Hanzo could have reacted violently for being mistaken as someone's husband but what made him curious was how the old man came to a conclusion of him being involved with a Scarlet.

"How did you know?" he asked.

The old man smiled, revealing his still complete set of teeth. He looked out to the open window where the night could be seen.

"My wife was also a Scarlet," he replied, "and just like you, there was a mark on my hand telling everyone to I was hers."

Filled with curiosity, the assassin stated, "Was?"

The old man lifted his hand and with his finger, he traced a small circle at the back of his now wrinkled hand.

"Yes," he responded, "it was here where her mark was. It was in the darkest shade of blue and the prettiest tattoo I had ever seen."

But Hanzo creased his forehead for he cannot see any mark on his hand. Could it be that the man was lying to him? But that was most unlikely because he would gain nothing by doing that.

"But it was gone now," the old man stated with a low tone of voice, "when she lost her life after being assassinated."

"If I may ask," Hanzo interfered, "why would it disappear without any trace?"

This time, it was the old man's turn to look at him with a questioned look. His already wrinkled forehead folded even more as he returned a question instead of an answer.

"Didn't your wife tell you?"

All Hanzo could do was shook his head in response. What was there to know that Hanabi did not tell him? Was it something important or something that was not really significant?

"When your mark turns lighter in color, it means that the Scarlet's life is diminishing. If it disappeared, it means death of the Scarlet who marked you."