Mobile Legends Anthology

The Last Scarlet 7

Hanabi walked a few steps away from the reception desk and stared at the key. To share one room with a guy of almost the same age as her was something incomprehensible especially that she was at marriageable age. Though she knew to herself that nothing will happen in that room except the fact that they'll be just resting but the thought of it was enough to stun her.

"What's wrong?" Hanzo asked when he saw the troubled face of Hanabi. The Scarlet ninja immediately clutched the key and clasped her hands together behind her back.

"W-well," she stuttered, still unsure if she should tell him about the matter, "the thing is that..."

"Spit it out or I'll force you," Hanzo threatened. He had no time to play guess with her especially that he badly needed to wash up and rest as soon as possible.

"There's only one room available," Hanabi replied immediately as she showed the key to him. Before Hanzo could say something, something unbelievable and incomprehensible happened.

"Two rooms, please."

"I apologize but there is only one room available. Enjoy your stay, dear customer."

Hanabi could not believe what she just heard. Both her embarrassing meter and anger meter started to rise at drastic pace that her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. Her shameful meter hit a hundred percent when she saw Hanzo's blank expression. His eyes stared right at her and she could not tell what he was thinking.

"L-let me have a decent talk with that owner," she said before turning her back on him and managed to get the attention of the owner.

"Can I reserve another room? I know there's an unrented one since you managed to give one room for those previous customers," she stated while forcing a smile but the owner repeated her words as if they were the only words she knows of.

"Look here, you brat. We are here to have some rest not to do some indecent and immoral acts so give. Me. Another. Room. Please."

Hanabi was totally ignored no matter how much she spoke. After 30 minutes of speaking alone, she gave up and returned to the lobby where Hanzo was waiting.

"She didn't give another room despite giving her a bagful of gold," she mumbled. With no other choice, the two of them headed to their assigned room. It was already uncomfortable with the thought of staying in one room with an unmarried man but the moment they got to see the room, Hanabi reached her limit.

It was spacious for two people. There was some space for a medium sized table and two single-person sofa. Another table but with a rather big mirror was on a corner and beside it was a closet. On the right side was the bathroom while on the farthest left was only one queen-sized bed.

"I don't see you as a woman so don't get too worked up over something this trivial. I'll buy some food so wash up while you're at it," Hanzo said. Leaving his Ame no Habakiri by the table, he left the room to give Hanabi some privacy and freedom to clean herself.

She hurried to the bathroom and did her evening routines as fast as she could but when she was already done, she heard a thud from the main room. She panicked for Hanzo might have already returned and she was not yet able to change into her sleeping clothes. She peeked by the door but it wasn't Hanzo whom she saw but a black sillhoutte just on top of the table where Hanzo left his sword.

"I can sense your presence, Scarlet," it said which made Hanabi open the door wide as she summoned her Higanbana. She was puzzled how a demon managed to materialize but it would be trouble if it causes havoc.

"Be at ease, I am like a prisoner so I cannot do anything unless my captor orders me to," it said with its rough voice. Its eyes were pure white and black smoke lingers around his figure. But Hanabi cannot believe its words for she had not heard anything about a demon becoming a prisoner. "By the way, can you tell me more about Haruko? I have a bad feeling about him so it would be better to stop him as soon as possible."

"How did you know Haruko? And if you're a prisoner, who is your captor?" Hanabi asked instead of answering the question. Disclosing information was not really her hobby especially when she is speaking with some stranger and for the most part, it was a demon she was talking to.

"Ain't it obvious? It's Hanzo, I am the demon that resides in his sword. And by the way, my name is Hanekage," it replied and upon his mention of his captor's name, a black chain appears around its neck. He sighed and added, "I can't believe I'd be enslaved by one of the Akakage brothers. And by the way, it is troublesome."

Hanabi was somehow convinced after hearing his reply so she let go of her Higanbana which immediately disappeared from sight. She crossed her arms and said, "So, what do you want?"

For Hanekage to just show up out of nowhere, it was suspicious as to why he revealed himself at such time when Hanzo was not around. Hanabi suspected that it wanted something from her.

"Let me be direct here, Scarlet," he replied, "just go to Kyoto yourself and don't involve Hanzo in your business. That Haruko is surely planning to have an all-out fight with Hanzo but because of you marking him, he is now restricting himself in a battle."

Hanabi narrowed her sight at him. His words were vague and Hanabi cannot fish out what it meant so she asked, "And your point is?"

"My point is remove the mark from Hanzo and let him fight Haruko! In that way, the stronger ones between the twins would finally be known. And whoever is stronger shall be the master I will serve. So just leave Hanzo alone and go in a separate way!"

Hanabi did find his argument reasonable especially that Hanekage was a demon. Demons, once captured, would want to serve a strong master which would also be a source of their strength. A weak master would mean that anytime, they would die and vanish without even showing their true skills. Demons are indeed greedy and cunning. But before she could even speak, the door creaked open and it was too late for her to realize that she didn't change yet and was just wearing a bath towel around her. Hanzo, whose face turned stoic, immediately backed away upon setting eyes on her and closed the door.

"Have some self-awareness, you indecent woman!" he yelled which angered Hanabi in return.

"Look who's talking! Knock before you enter!" she retaliated and still holding a grudge from what he said just a while back, she added, "And you said it yourself that you don't see me as a woman so why get mad at something this trivial?!"

"Shut up and get dressed already!"