Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
“So, we stick together, right?” Taiga adjusted his sashira, the lightweight, sand-colored fabric woven from desert fibers to protect Kaze Haven shinobi from the unforgiving sun.
The three of them ran along the jagged canyon edge, where the desolate landscape opened into the battleground of the Gōran no Gekitotsu.
“Seems like a solid plan.” Aimee’s eyes scanned the deep, shadowed crevices below for any hidden threats. “But keep your sashira tight.” She swatted the back of his head. “The sun out here will kill you faster than any shinobi we’re up against.”
“Still don’t get why they picked Kaze Haven for this,” Taiga grumbled, pulling his covering tighter. “Would’ve been way more fun at Mizu Haven.”
“Idiot,” Iruka muttered, pointing toward a narrow strip of shade cast by an overhanging rock formation.
The stone arched over a shallow alcove, offering momentary relief from the blistering heat.
“Managing the environment is part of the battle. You can defeat an enemy just as easily by taking their water in a place like this as with some flashy elemental attack. Out here, patience and planning are worth more than brute strength.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point,” Taiga admitted, pulling his covering back over his face and steering the group toward the patch of shadow.
The air shimmered with heat as they neared the weathered mesa jutting up from the canyon’s edge, its surface cracked and mottled from years of harsh sun and wind.
“Looks like we’re in the clear for now. Let’s rest for a moment. ”
Gradually, the group eased up, their footsteps falling quiet as they neared the shaded rock formation.
Pulling out her water skin, “Just a sip,” she cautioned the others, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“So, let me get this straight,” Taiga said, taking a long swig of water before Iruka swiped it from his hands and stuffed it into his own pack.
“Hey!” Taiga lunged to grab it back, but Iruka just shook his head, unfazed.
“Fine, whatever.” Taiga sank back onto the rock. “So anyway, to beat someone, all I need to do is snatch this little placard off their vest?” He pointed to the red wooden Hi Haven disc tied securely to the front of his shirt.
“Yes.” Iruka nodded, glancing down at his own disc. “Whoever collects the most by dawn wins.”
“And why don’t I just hide mine?” Taiga cocked an eyebrow.
“There’s a Mana tie.” Iruka shook his head. “Once the tie is broken, it changes color. You're disqualified if your disc isn’t in its original state by the end.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But…it’s not a terrible idea. We could hide the discs we take from other shinobi.”
Aimee nodded. “That way, if one of us is defeated, we wouldn’t lose all the discs they carried. The rest of us could keep them safe.”
“Plus,” Taiga added, “we might be underestimated if the enemy thinks we haven’t beaten anyone yet.”
Both Aimee and Iruka snapped their heads up, staring at Taiga.
“What! People are always underestimating me.” He kicked at a rock, his cheeks flushing slightly.
Iruka grinned. “That’s because you look like an easy target.”
“Whatever,” Taiga grumbled. “It’s still an advantage.”
Aimee chuckled and, without warning, reached over to ruffle his hair. “Well done,” she teased as Taiga squirmed in her grip.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He wriggled free and brushed her off. “So, what’s the plan?” He looked expectantly between Iruka and Aimee.
Aimee glanced up at the clear blue sky, the sun bearing down on them. “Fighting under this sun is a fool's errand. We should find somewhere more secure to wait for nightfall.”
Iruka gave a quick nod. “Take and follow formation?”
Aimee adjusted the sashira covering her head and nodded back. “You take the first sweep. Then Taiga, then me.”
The group moved efficiently, checking their packs and weapons.
Aimee’s fingers brushed against her second water skin, ensuring it was securely tied.
She flexed her shoulders, loosening the tightness that had built from the long run along the canyon’s edge.
Taiga was busy tightening the tie of his belt, his head covering still slightly crooked.
Just as they were about to move, a sharp hiss broke the quiet.
“Ahaaaa!” Taiga yelped, jumping nearly four feet into the air, arms flailing. “A snake!”
The small, sand-colored serpent coiled in the dust at their feet, its tongue flicking out as it sized up the intruders. Iruka eyed the snake with mild amusement.
“You really need to work on your composure.” He circled around the creature, crouching low in an excellent execution of basic snake style before flicking his hand upward. A controlled whoosh of wind shot forward, lifting the beast off the ground and sending it spiraling out into the desert.
Aimee watched the small creature sail through the air, her heart twinging unexpectedly. She couldn’t say why; it was just a snake. She shook off the feeling and turned back to Taiga, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“It's just a snake, man. Calm down.”
Taiga shivered, staring after the airborne reptile. “I hate snakes.”
Iruka remained silent, his eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed out toward where he’d sent the reptile flying.
Aimee squeezed Taiga’s shoulder one more time, giving him a light pat before pulling her hand away. “Let’s move.”
Without another word, the three of them fell into formation, slipping back into the rhythm of the mission.
They ran for over an hour, their soft-soled boots barely stirring the fine, sunbaked sand beneath their feet.
Sparse patches of brittle scrub clung to the rocky outcrops, their dry branches crackling as the wind swept through the barren landscape.
The desert stretched endlessly before them.
It was sun, sand, and rock as far as the eye could see.
Every now and then, a flash of light flickered in the distance, followed by the bangs of shinobi clashing.
Elemental blasts cracked the air, but they kept their distance, carefully avoiding any potential skirmishes.
Aimee’s eyes narrowed, scanning the endless expanse of desert.
The longer they ran, the more her worry gnawed at her.
They needed cover, somewhere to rest before the sun drained them completely.
Then, just as she was about to signal for them to slow, a sharp, rising whistle echoed from ahead. Taiga’s signal.
Aimee halted mid-stride, exchanging a quick glance with Iruka before taking a wide, cautious route around to where Taiga should be. She slipped between towering rock formations, her feet barely touching the ground as she looped through the maze of stone, ensuring they weren’t being watched.
“Hurry!” Taiga yelled as he lay sprawled on his belly, half his body dangling over the edge of the canyon.
“Don’t let go! Please don’t let go!” a panicked voice cried from somewhere below, echoing off the canyon walls.
Aimee stepped forward, but Iruka’s hand reached out, gripping her shirt before she could get any closer. “Wait!” he hissed. “It could be a trap.”
“It’s not!” Taiga twisted to look over his shoulder, his face pale with strain. “Half his leg is gone, and he’s losing blood by the bucket! Get over here and help me!”
Aimee exchanged a quick glance with Iruka, and they both rushed forward, closing the gap in seconds. Aimee dropped to her knees beside Taiga, peering over the edge.
It wasn’t a trap.
Below, a boy wearing a tattered headband from Mizu Haven clung desperately to Taiga’s arm, his wide eyes frantic. The torn remains of his leg dangled lifelessly below him, a shredded mess of blood and muscle.
“Pull him up!” Iruka threw himself down beside them and grabbed the boy’s other arm.
“I can’t!” Taiga grunted through gritted teeth. “Something’s got him! Mana ropes or something. He’s stuck!”
“Please,” the boy whimpered, his face ghostly pale. “Please, I don’t want to die.”
Aimee squinted, her gaze sweeping over the boy’s body until she spotted a faint glow along his waist. Mana bindings, barely visible.
“There!” She unsheathed her swords and, without hesitation, stepped lightly over the canyon’s edge, pressing her body against the rough rock wall. Clinging to the stone, her boots scraped the surface as she inched closer to the glowing threads.
In a single motion, she slashed a hand, and the Mana ropes snapped, flickering out of existence.
“Got it!” Aimee called, swinging herself back up.
Freed from the restraints, the boy jerked forward, and with Taiga and Iruka straining, they heaved him over the edge. His body hit the ground with a heavy thud just as a deep, guttural roar echoed from the shadows below.
The canyon quaked, rocks dislodging and falling into the darkness.
“What the hell is that?” Taiga’s voice was tight with fear as he shook the boy’s shoulders.
Aimee pulled a towel from her pack and tossed it to Iruka. “Bind him! Like Hanae showed us, or he’ll die!”
Iruka tore at the fabric, tying it tightly around the stump of the boy’s leg, his fingers moving quickly as the roar from below grew louder, a rumbling tremor shaking the earth beneath them.
“A snake!” the boy cried, scrambling backward, his eyes wide with terror. “A giant snake! It took Renji and…and…it ate Sora!”
“Another snake?!” Taiga’s voice cracked as the rumbling grew louder, vibrating through the canyon walls.
Aimee whipped her head back over the edge, eyes widening.
From the depths of the canyon, an enormous, obsidian-scaled serpent began to rise, its sleek body stretching nearly forty feet long.
Its head, dark as night, emerged over the cliff’s edge, fangs as long as a man dripping venom into the darkness below.
Its unblinking eyes gleamed like cold, polished onyx.
“Holy fuck.” Aimee stepped back, her heart thundering.
Positioning herself between the boys and the beast, she held her swords out before her, though every instinct screamed at her to run.