"Kikuri." Kotaro opened the door and saw her gone. He looked around the room.
"Lord Kotaro! Our blimp is missing!" A female ninja said.
"That sly witch.." Kotaro scowled. "Which way is it headed?!"
"It was headed south of Genten, most likely heading to Auroria!" A male ninja said.
"We couldn't shoot it down since it is our only blimp." The female ninja said.
"It's alright. We will just request a new blimp. For right now we must continue our daily training." Kotaro said.
"Right!" The ninjas said.
In Auroria, Aria and Avani kept training and Aria's sword faintly glowed and Aria was surprised then got kicked in her face. She rolled back and grunted.
"Do not get distracted!" Avani said.
"Shouldn't we train as well? I mean Aria is going to need great back up." Uchi said.
"We don't need to train as we have already reached our maximum power years ago. It is a matter of Aria's command on how much power we use." Joshua said.
"Oh okay then." Uchi said.
"My katana glowed.." Aria stood up. "Just faintly.."
"I see, I see why you're surprised.." Avani said.
"I think my skill with a sword is-" Aria stopped when she heard a crash from the inside of the kingdom.
Motochika opened his eyes and sat up. Sefia and Joshua got up and turned to the direction of the kingdom.
"No..No no! Are we being attacked now?!" Aria said and ran to the castle.
"W-Wait for me!" Uchi said and ran behind her.
Avani and the others followed. They entered the main gates and saw a huge blimp on fire on the ground. They saw a woman step out of the blimp in a kimono she stole from Yakasha then looked at Aria and the others.
"K-Ki.." Sefia choked on trying to say Kikuri. Her eyes began to water.
"Who is this person..?" Uchi hid behind Aria.
"State your identity and what kingdom you belong to!" Aria said.
"My name is...Kikuri..and I belong to Auroria.." Kikuri smirked.
"Wait.." Aria had a flashback to the time Sefia said she became a knight in Auroria with Kikuri.
"I can see that the old man isn't alive anymore..? That's too bad..So who's the new Warlord?" Kikuri asked and looked at them then pointed to Aria. "You are."
"If you have some type of business with Lady Aria, settle it with us first traitor." Joshua glared.
"The beat has gotten a lot more interesting.." Motochika smiled and watched.
"Traitor?" Kikuri laughed. "Come on Joshua, I have just been travelling around. Is that such a bad thing?"
"Kikuri.." Sefia managed to say quietly.
Kikuri looked at Sefia and smirked. She jumped down from the burning blimp and walked to them.
"Joshua stand down." Aria said.
"But Lady-"
"Do not make me repeat myself." Aria had major chills from Kikuri.
"Sefia.." Kikuri said and held her cheek. "It's been a while since I've seen your face.."
"Kikuri.." Sefia shook and tears rolled down her face.
Aria's sword started to shine more. Kikuri grabbed Sefia's neck then let go and jumped back as Aria slashed.
"...Do not...touch Sefia!" Aria bellowed and her sword responded to her rage and shined brightly.
"I was hoping she would battle me, but I guess I will have to take you down first!" Kikuri took out a kunai.
"Please Aria no..you'll die.." Sefia said quietly. "Please don't do it.."
Aria let her emotions get the better of her and dashed to Kikuri. Kikuri smirked and blocked all of her attacks and parried her final slash and slashed. Aria blocked and managed to get cut on her cheek and looked surprised.
"Aria please stop.." Sefia said.
"Come on Aria!" Kikuri laughed and her dark energy appeared. "Fight me!"
"Shut up!" She dashed to Kikuri.
They clashed again, and the same result was the outcome. Kikuri was too fast for Aria. Aria was already cut three times. The blood on her face dripped to the ground.
"Stop it!" Sefia yelled.
Aria looked back and Kikuri went for the killing blow and was struck in her stomach by Motochika. She coughed and looked surprised.
'So..fast..' She thought before getting blown away into the blimp.
"Aria you will die fighting Kikuri..! She's a natural born assassin and the fastest in the entirety of the 15th District Frontier Warriors! Even faster than Mifune who is a Bushin Warrior! You can't win!" Sefia said and fell to her knees.
"Sefia.." Aria said.
Kikuri stood up slowly and wiped her mouth and her eyes glowed. Motochika got in a stance.
"If I were you, I'd stand down." Motochika said.
"I will not stand down to anyone!" Kikuri said. "If you wish to die then so be it!"
Kikuri vanished faster than sound and slashed, cutting Motochika's cheek. He didn't even see her move and he looked back.
"Hmph, missed your neck.." Kikuri said.
"Kikuri..why are you doing this..? I have done no wrong to you...I have even helped you take down the 6 Rulers of Ishnia..Why..?" Sefia asked.
"Why? Because I yearn for a good fight..! I yearn for an epic battle not to play Kingdom Defender!" Kikuri said.
"Kikuri...We are fighting for a cause..." Sefia said.
"For a cause? That old man wanted us as puppets to toy around with! He was no Warlord, he was just another old fart who abused his power..!" Kikuri said.
Aria was ticked off by the way Kikuri talked about Lord Astros. She gripped the handle of her katana more and glared.
"You have no right talking about him like that you insolate fool!" Aria bellowed. "You know nothing about him! Nothing!"
"Oh and you do? You don't even know his assistant Reud! He didn't help at all in the invasion!" Kikuri said.
"Oh and you did?!" Aria was getting heated now. She was on the verge of tears. All the tears she's held back.
"Why would I held such a pathetic kingdom? This kingdom is always the easiest to capture, I'm surprised it's still standing!" Kikuri said.
"Shut the hell up!" Aria bellowed loudly and a powerful rush of energy surged from her body.
Everyone looked at her in shock. She never lost her composure, never spoke foul language, nor let her power be uncontained. Motochika was the most shocked as he didn't think she was capable of such power this early.
"You..I am sick of you.." Aria said and tears streamed down her cheeks. "I lost the person I saw as a brother...and you speak badly about him..?! You speak badly about Auroria?! You are an enemy in my eyes..! And before I take on Motonari, I will eliminate you first!"
"Oh really..? You think you can defeat me in a full power battle huh? You aren't even at your max potential and you think you can defeat me?!" Kikuri laughed.
"Aria please don't.." Sefia grabbed her arm. "She WILL kill you.."
"Sefia..when it comes to defending my home, dying is the least of my problems.." Aria said.
"I think you should listen to her." A man said.
Everyone looked back and saw a man walking up.
"Keiji..?" Motochika said.
"I was drifting by and saw a fire in Auroria. I thought it was Ignis but nope, it's just one girl." Keiji said. "A powerful girl who went toe to toe with Kotaro.."
"What?!" Joshua said. "THAT Kotaro?!"
"She might've been able to defeat him if he didn't dodge it on time." Keiji said and sighed.
"You want to be killed as well?" Kikuri said.
"I didn't come to fight a battle.." Keiji said.
"You don't even have a hint of elemental aura..You wouldn't have been able to defeat me anyway. Ha!" Kikuri folded her arms.
"Strike me down then. Easy experience." Keiji said.
"Alright then!" Kikuri vanished and slashed.
Keiji caught her arm and Kikuri looked shocked. Keiji pushed her back.
"H-How did you-" Kikuri said. "No it was a bluff!"
She vanished and slashed again. Keiji dodged and flames surrounded his hand and kneed her stomach and chopped her back. Kikuri groaned loudly before hitting the ground.
"Kikuri.." Sefia said.
"I am a Warlord. The Drifting Warlord, who travels all throughout Genten. My abilities should not be underestimated." Keiji said.
Kikuri sat up and coughed. Sefia went to her and held her.
"Are you okay..?" Sefia asked.
"Tch..he's stronger than I imagined.." Kikuri said. She wiped her lip then felt a handkerchief rub along her cheek.
"That's why you shouldn't underestimate your opponents here..Everyone on this continent m is different from ours..they have abilities we could only dream of.." Sefia said and looked at her.
Kikuri looked at Sefia and blushed a bit. She had a flashback and closed her eyes. She stood up and pointed at Aria.
"I can't stand losing..But I will acknowledge defeat today!" Kikuri said.
"I didn't even beat you.." Aria said.
"Just go with it." Motochika said.
"I shall join your army on a clean slate, mainly because I don't want to get destroyed by Keiji again." Kikuri said. "Only on one condition."
"What is it?" Aria asked.
"You let me battle the Ninjas of Yakasha and Vaperia." Kikuri said.
"Why?" Aria asked.
"I have a score to settle with them." Kikuri said. "They have a grudge against me.."
'Oh boy..I can only imagine what she did to them..' Aria thought.
"What will it be?" Kikuri said.
"Alright, I hold some conditions also. If you harm one of my friends...You will face the ultimate punishment.." Aria said.
"Fine by me." Kikuri said.
They walked to each other and shook hands to conclude a truce and partnership.