Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works, if you recognise it from somewhere else, surprise it isn't mine.
Betad by morde24, Atrius, Hermes, Priapus, Marethyu, Old man of the mountain, TheDonFluffles and Mike, God of Lore
The Guild of Gamers: The Warlord
Chapter 08: The First True Battle
After our unexpected bandit issue, which I suspect Mai is already highly suspicious of because I certainly am, the rest of the trip to the border town was surprisingly easy.
Bandits are unfortunately common, so are rogue ninjas, but Azula's carriage is marked with the seal of the Fire Daimyo, and anyone riding around with that seal isn't someone to be attacked by such a weak force.
Even bandits should know that, I wish I'd taken one alive but Azula was a little enthusiastic and none of the bandits survived, plus my jutsu killed one of the ninjas and my blade killed the other.
There's another thing that's suspicious, and perhaps more dangerous than mere ambushers, as I feel a pair of eyes on my back as we walk through the town.
Turning back, Azula doesn't divert her gaze when she's caught staring, her eyes narrowing as a light smirk crosses her lips.
Ty Lee and Mai find it funny, but she's been like this all day, apparently she enjoyed watching me kill those ninjas.
"Do you think they're already here?" Azula asks, turning to Mai who shrugs, making her breasts bounce wildly.
"I should hope so, unless they were delayed they should have arrived first," Mai says as we head to the inn where we are supposed to meet with the Mist ninjas and Princess Yue. "If they aren't here, we are to wait two days before heading back to the capital if they don't arrive."
Because crossing the border with a pyromaniac princess, her dancer bodyguard and two ninjas would be suicide considering the chaos currently engulfing the Land of Water.
Arriving at the room, Mai knocks in a peculiar way, a coded message?
The door unlocks and opens, allowing us to see a tanned woman around my age who briefly glares at us before she relaxes, seeing Azula standing behind us.
Entering the room, I immediately spot the princess we're here to collect, along with several mist ninjas, most are masked except the one who answered the door, who is dressed in a simple blue sleeveless top and matching trousers, her bare arms revealing some hard-earnt muscles.
"Princess Yue, I take it your trip to the Land of Fire was uneventful?" Azula asks, sounding far more regal than she usually does as the ninja scoffs and scowls.
"It was, but we had a decoy group. They were ambushed, no survivors," she says, making Azula narrow her eyes at some random kunoichi cutting in.
"It was fine, Azula, it's nice to see you again," Yue says, defusing Azula's anger before she can reply with whatever biting remark (and/or fire jutsu) she was planning. "Hopefully the trip to the capital will be equally peaceful."
She seems nice enough, soft blue eyes that clearly contain a lot of pain given that her family was recently slaughtered, but she hides it well.
I highly doubt it will be, and I've spoken to Mai about my concerns, using the bandits as my reasoning, since I can't exactly explain the hidden objective of my quest, fortunately she agrees that more is going on.
"Yue, I still don't think we should just head and leave you with these guys, a genin and a jounin who looks like she slept her way to her rank aren't going to be enough if you get attacked," the girl buts in again, and I see sparks come from Azula's hands.
Mai clearly doesn't care, I doubt it's the first time she's heard that particular claim.
"Korra, you're a genin," Yue points out with a sigh, making Korra scowl.
"Only because Mai won't give me a field promotion," Korra grumbles.
"And the only reason I'm a Genin is because the Hokage won't get me a field promotion," I say bluntly, making her turn to me. "Princess Yue will be safe with us, you have my word."
She goes to reply before pausing, her eyes flickering to the sword barely visible over my back, widening slightly in recognition.
Ryu was a very well known ninja.
"You would just attract unwanted attention, Korra, you've gained quite the reputation and the loyalists know to look for you," Yue says kindly, and I give the white haired princess credit as she strokes the girl's ego and makes her settle down.
"I suggest you back down, girl, any threat will be dealt with by Hei's blade or my flames," Azula grounds out, scowling as Korra goes to respond, before going silent at a look from Yue.
"This is the plan your leader agreed to, so unless you think you know better than Mei perhaps we can move on before we cause a diplomatic incident that ruins any change the Mist rebels have of gaining support from Konoha and the land of fire," I say simply, making Korra wince back at my blunt words.
Technically Mai should be talking, but she seems happy to let me talk for Konoha. Danzo informed me of exactly what this mission actually represents, and Korra might be cocky but she doesn't seem stupid.
She's definitely powerful, given that she's taking the lead for the Mist rebel forces, and she holds herself like someone who knows they're powerful.
It actually reminds me of Azula, but I doubt either would appreciate that comparison.
"Yeah, yeah, we need to get back to the frontlines anyway, I suppose if you're carrying that sword you must be pretty strong yourself," Korra says with reluctant respect.
"When the rebels win, perhaps you can join the Chunin exams and see for yourself," I say with a slight smirk, mostly unnoticeable under my face mask. I don't have my metal mask on but I do like the lower face mask.
My use of 'when' not 'if' makes her smirk, giving me a nod.
"Guess I will, if I'm not already a Jounin by then," Korra boasts, and I spot Yue very briefly rolling her eyes.
Ha, as if this Mei would miss out on the opportunity to pull the same trick we're doing and send an overly powerful Genin into the Chunin exams.
This Chunin exam is going to be wild, the Cloud wants to flex, the Sand are growing increasingly bitter towards Konoha, and if the rebels win, having the Mist take part would give the new Mizukage some legitimacy.
At this point we might as well invite the Stone and really kick this powder keg over, it's not like they could hate us more than they already do.
Mai finally speaks up, handling the more logistical side of things as we prepare to leave, Yue coming with us, under a Hedge by Mai to look less… regal.
Korra and her allies stay in the inn for a while, they'll wait until we're out of town before they leave so they aren't linked to us.
Halfway there. Now, we just have to get back without any incidents.
Yeah, like that's going to happen.
— Later —
This is going too well, far too well for me to be comfortable with it as I sit in the driver's seat of the carriage, Yue and Azula apparently know each other fairly well, and Azula is a different person when she's around her fellow nobles.
Ty Lee sits beside me, idly chatting as I watch the road.
We stayed at an inn in another town, and once again Azula dreamt of me, this time without any input from me. It looks like I left a lasting impression.
Of course her dreams involved us making love in a burning wasteland, surrounded by the corpses of her enemies. That girl has issues larger than an Akimichi's stomach.
As I'm talking about the academy at Konoha, I stop mid-word as my senses scream at me, someone very close by wants to hurt me.
It's only because of [I See You] that I'm able to dodge as a lightning fast blade lunges towards us, activating since [My Pack Is My Strength] lets territory abilities activate near my pack members.
If I hadn't marked Mai, I'd have never seen that attack coming, but unfortunately while I was barely able to jump away, Ty Lee wasn't so lucky.
Gasping as a strangely thin blade stabs into her stomach, her eyes widen and her face pales, a man with shaggy blonde hair standing right where I was a second ago.
I don't recognise him, dressed in a black bodysuit and white ANBU mask with a small green triangle at the bottom, but I recognise the blade in his hand.
Nuibara, the Sewing Needle. Chun-Li is a bit of a weapons expert and my training with her involved some history on the legendary swords of the ninja world.
One of which is on my back, the other sitting in the hand of the man who just skewered Ty Lee.
She hasn't been hit in a lethal spot, as her attacker, who can only be one of the seven swordsmen of the mist, gives her a kick to send her tumbling away.
She twisted, at the very last second, she didn't see him coming but she saw my reaction and moved on pure instinct, it just might have saved her life.
"That sword," the man starts, staring at me and the blade I've already drawn. "I know that sword."
"I could say the same to you, I thought the seven swordsmen were gone," I say, and even with the full face mask I can see his reaction, almost shaking in anger.
"And I heard the Dragon Ninja died like a fool, but you're no Dragon Ninja, are you?" he asks rhetorically even as the door to the carriage is kicked open, a burst of flames heading his way, which he easily dodges.
Azula and Mai jump out, looking at the attacker with serious expressions on their faces, even as Azula glances towards Ty Lee who is laying against the tree she hit, thankfully still breathing.
"But while the seven swordsmen might not fight as one anymore, we are far from gone, I am Kushimaru Kuriarare, and you are about to die, little dragon," Kushimaru says, gripping the wire from his blade as he stares at me, barely turning to acknowledge Yue poking her head out, even though she's her target.
He wants my sword, or to kill me as some victory over Ryu who was said to be the greatest swordsman.
"Mai, get Azula, Yue and Ty Lee away from here," I order, despite our rank difference as she goes to argue, my glare silencing her.
The mission comes first, if I can distract this guy they might be able to get away. If Yue and Azula escape, I've succeeded in my mission.
"You want to fight me alone, little dragon? I'll play along, they won't get far anyway. Let's see if you're worthy of that blade," Kushimaru says with a laugh.
He's enjoying this, but hopefully I'll be able to change that.
— Mai Shiranui —
Her orders were to protect Hei over everyone else including the two princesses and herself, and yet when he spoke she couldn't bring herself to defy him.
She knew her orders, and Hei's demand overruled them as she grabbed Yue and started to move towards Ty Lee.
Azula was fairly fast herself, not ninja fast but she was in very good shape, and her barely concealed concern for her friend pushed her forwards, reaching Ty Lee's unmoving body.
"Azula, can you carry her?" Mai asked, moving an injured person wasn't a great idea but leaving her here was a worse one, and she was no medic-nin.
"She'll bleed out," Azula said, pausing as she looked at the nasty wound on Ty Lee's stomach, before she sighed. "I'm sorry about this, Ty."
Before Mai could ask, Azula placed her hand on Ty's wound, her other hand rapidly going through some hand-seals as Ty started to scream, the smell of burning flesh making Mai's eyes widen at Azula's ruthlessness.
With the wound cauterised, a nasty burn wound on her stomach, Azula lifted Ty Lee up and nodded to her, glancing towards where Hei was fighting a fucking member of the seven swordsmen, and even from a glance she could see Hei was losing.
She needed to get Yue and Azula far enough away, then get back to help, what little she could. She wasn't a combat specialist herself, but she wouldn't leave Hei to fight that bastard for long.
Running, she had to slow down to let Azula keep up, but the reason for Kushimaru's casual indifference to them retreating became apparent as she barely dodged a blade made of water as it flew towards her, several mist ninjas descending upon them.
— Yugao Uzuki —
Lashing out with her blade, she decapitated one of the ninjas who ambushed her, scowling under her mask.
Konoha had a traitor; because nobody should know that she had been sent to ensure Hei Nara's survival, and yet here they were.
She didn't think they were Mist ninjas, they didn't wear headbands but how could word have reached the Mist in time for them to intercept her?
No, the timeline didn't add up, someone else wanted her to be delayed.
Her attackers were good, but she was better as she sidestepped just enough to avoid a wind jutsu she didn't recognise, spirals of solidified air flying towards her.
Moving so fast her blade left a trail of after-images, she rushed towards the one she suspected was the leader, redirecting her blade at the last second as his arm went flying, he could survive that and she had some important questions she wanted answered, her foot connecting to his stomach before he'd even realised he had been disarmed.
Heh.
Now she just had to kill all his friends, but as she said, they were good.
She was better.
— Hei Nara —
To say I'm outmatched would be an understatement of epic proportions, as good as I am I'm still a Genin that maybe has Chunin level skills. The Seven swordsmen were supposedly the most elite ninjas the Mist village had.
My plan was simple, fight him until Mai could get the two princesses out of here, then use my shadow travel to escape myself.
The blinding light of the flash tags puts a stop to that plan, as a bit of panic starts to grow inside my chest, I've tried to get rid of the tags Kushimaru spread around but he always stops me, he's terrifyingly fast.
He knew he was coming after a member of the Nara clan, because who stocks tags that just create a bright light as part of their usual set up?
"Do you think you're the first Nara I've killed?" Kushimaru asks in amusement as he dances around me, his blade piercing my arm and going through, the chakra-infused wire going through my body as he tries to bind me, catching the needle-like sword as it leaves my body.
My regeneration is both helping and hindering me, as my wounds close around the razor sharp wire, entrapping it within me as I hiss in pain.
He's a sadist, taking his time with the kill, but that means I have more time to pull off a victory myself.
Compared to who I want to defeat, this guy is nothing.
I swing the dragon blade again, making Kushimaru growl as it slices through his wires, allowing me to pull out the three wires currently stuck in my body.
"You talk too much," I say simply, mentally going through the hand-seals.
"And you-"
Whatever he was going to say is cut off as he hears movement behind him, my jutsu having reached deep into his mind and pulled out his worst fear.
The last time I used Living Nightmare, it summoned Hanzo the fucking Salamander himself, a cheap knock-off at least, this time it summoned…
Might Guy?
Wait, no. While the figure currently charging towards Kushimaru has the same green skintight jumpsuit, strange hair and truly impressive eyebrows, it's not the famous Taijutsu user that's appeared, he doesn't have any facial hair and his features are slightly different.
"Wha- no, you're dead!" Kushimaru says, his cruel tone changing to show a hint of fear as the green-clad ninja charges him.
"Eight Inner Gates, Seventh Gate of Shock, Open!"
Honestly the guy looks kinda dorky, with his jumpsuit and dumb hair, right up until he finally speaks and his skin turns red, his hair standing on end as his veins bulge.
Kushimaru visibly flinches even before my illusion kicks him in the face with the force of a thousand suns.
Living Nightmare feeds off the targets fears, the more they are scared the stronger the nightmare becomes, and as I watch Kushimaru, one of the legendary seven swordsmen, fly into the carriage with enough force to reduce the entire thing to splinters, I realise he must be very afraid of who I can only assume is a relative of Might Guy.
But he rises none the less, and I feel his fear lessen.
"What is this… pale imitation? A genjutsu?" He spits out, glaring at me with true hatred even as the nightmare charges him again.
I suppose my nightmare hits a lot weaker than the real deal, giving the game away.
Breaking the last wire that's going through me and yanking it out, I don't respond as Kushimaru fights off his nightmare, growing less and less scared as he realises how weak it is getting.
The real deal must have been truly powerful, perhaps I'll ask Might Guy if he knows who this figure is when I survive this.
Rushing towards him once more, I try to take advantage of an opening my nightmare gave me, scowling as Nuibara blocks my swing, but that wasn't my true intention.
My other hand sparks as a bolt of red lightning leaves my fingertips, and as close as we are, with him having to block my nightmares rapid punches and kicks as well as my blade, he can't avoid the fast bolt of pure suffering.
Writhe, a jutsu from the pain path made purely to cause agony, and it lives up to its name as he lets out a screech of pure agony, but I made a mistake.
Mist gained the name 'the Bloody Mist' because of the incredibly ruthless way they used to train their ninjas, and while I hoped it would distract him long enough for me to land a good hit, it just pissed him off.
He's fought with nothing but his sword this entire time, but only as his foot collides with the side of my head do I realise that it's because he was giving me a handicap.
I don't have time to think about this as I fly through the air, trying to spin myself back upright before I crash through a tree, slamming into a particularly stubborn oak, the air leaving me as I fall to the ground.
I feel my jutsu fall as I look up just in time to see my nightmare die, wrapped in steel wires before Kushimaru simply tugs on one, causing the wires to rapidly tighten and tear it apart.
"Huh, maybe I should keep you around, that was damn near therapeutic," he scoffs as he turns to me. "You didn't need to do hand-seals for that little trick, so I guess I don't need to keep all of you."
Readying myself, I have a distinct feeling I might be fucked because despite his words, he radiates sheer unadulterated rage.
I suspected he was holding back before, but it turns out that I vastly underestimated just how much he was holding back.
— Azula —
As the last ninja fell, she scowled deeply as she glanced at the two injured women with her, Ty Lee was still unconscious and Mai was leaning against a tree, clutching her side.
She felt like she had to apologise to Mai later, because the large breasted kunoichi took that wound for her, intercepting what would have been a fatal blow from a man she hadn't even noticed.
In fact, the wound should be fatal even for Mai, given the place it hit, and even Mai seemed baffled at the fact that she was still alive, looking down as the brutal wound slowly closed itself.
She'd survive, despite all odds, but she was out of commission for the immediate future, Ty Lee had stopped bleeding thanks to her… assistance, which Ty would probably hate her for when she woke up and saw the hideous scar.
"Mai, I'm going to assist Hei," Azula finally said, ignoring Yue, the other princess hadn't panicked but she was useless in a fight, half the wounds Mai had were taken from defending Yue.
"You could die," Mai said weakly, clutching her stomach.
"I will not die, neither will Hei. You're in no position to assist him, stay here and watch over these two while you… heal," Azula said, her eyes flickering to the older woman's wounds, which were still slowly closing.
Mai went to speak before sighing, even the quiet noise sounding pained, obviously realising that she wasn't going to be dissuaded.
"J-Just be careful, we can't afford to lose either of you," Mai finally said, making her nod simply as she turned and started to run back towards the abandoned carriage.
How dare these Mist scum attack her and her friends? How dare this scumbag hurt Ty Lee like that?
He would burn.
— Hei —
Feeling the wires constrict around me, holding me in the air as they cut into my skin, I glare at Kushimaru as he casually picks up the Dragon Blade.
"This is the blade people claim is stronger than any of the Seven Swords of the Mist?" Kushimaru asks with disdain, glaring at it. "This is the successor of the all-mighty Ryu Hayabusa, the Ultimate ninja?" he spits out, glaring at me.
I feel like this guy has some serious inferiority issues when it comes to my former master. Wanna place bets on him having lost to Ryu at some point?
I don't reply because I'm busy being torn apart by the wires binding my body, many of them going through my body, from the countless times he's pierced me.
He was toying with me before I pissed him off, taking him time, and in truth he still is because he could absolutely have killed me already.
Held suspended in the air, my arms wide and bound by the razor-sharp wires, which have torn my clothes and are digging into my flesh, I'm seriously starting to dislike this world.
I can't die here, I refuse to meet my end at the hands of this scarecrow looking motherfucker, but as he stabs me in the stomach with my own sword, I have to admit I'm running out of ideas.
I'm weak, far too weak, despite my knowledge of how dangerous this world is I let myself grow complacent with the knowledge that I was powerful for my age.
Like that matters when there's assholes like this guy who'd happily kill a child, I'm still weak compared to the true powerhouses of this world and I'll need to change that if- when I survive this.
He pauses and turns, spotting Azula who freezes in place, her eyes widening in horror at the state I'm in.
A plan forms, and my Outsider powers answer, because right now I need to talk to Azula. I can enter dreams, whispering into someone's mind shouldn't be hard, right?
[Whispers in the Mind - Rank 1]
You have the ability to reach into the minds of mortals, whispering your sweet words into their thoughts, speaking to their very subconscious.
Yeah, I thought so.
I've been desperately holding off my rage this entire time, but I think it's time for a Hail Mary.
[Feral Fury] Activated
[Drawback - Blood Rage] Activated
— Azula —
Seeing Hei strung up like that, blood pouring from countless slices as his opponent stood before him, turning to face her leaving Hei's blade stuck in his chest, she froze.
She'd seen death, she'd caused death, but the brutal sadism of the man now looking at her was on another level.
This wasn't a fight, it was torture, Hei's dark eyes turned to look at her, but she didn't seem despair or fear in them as they narrowed.
Azula, can you create enough of those blue flames to engulf us both?
His words echoed through her head, making her shiver as her eyes widened, which his opponent saw as a sign of her fear.
Could she? Yes, normally she struggled to control her flames, if she let loose and didn't worry about Hei she could definitely burn this entire area, hopefully including the man standing in front of him.
"Brave, little princess," the man mocked, completely disregarding her as a threat. "Royal blood is always so sweet, I wonder if the little runaway princess will be so brave when I show her exactly what I did to her parents."
When I move, do it. I'll try and hold him in place, engulf us both in flames.
That was suicide, but it was too late to stop it now as Hei shifted, his body bulging as thick fur grew over his skin, the wires tearing into him as he grew.
She didn't know what Hei was planning, but with a roar he swung his arms forwards with surprising speed, uncaring of how the wires shredded his flesh as he gripped the ninja who had completely disregarded him as a threat.
The tree Hei was bound to broke even as the wires wrapped tighter around him, but more importantly for a brief moment the masked ninja was held in place by two powerful clawed hands, and that was all she needed as the ninja turned away from her once more.
She'd trust in Hei's plan, her azure flames shooting forth and engulfing the pair in a pillar of flames as she heard both a scream of pain and a bestial roar of anger over the roaring fire.
Her flames were unnaturally hot, they always had been, it surprised both her father and uncle Iroh at just how unbelievably dangerous her flames could get.
She was a prodigy when it came to fire jutsu, if she was born in a ninja village she'd probably be a jounin already, but she was a princess and barely got to fight beyond 'sparing' with ZuZu.
Who didn't like to fight her anymore since the accident, it wasn't like she wanted to permanently scar the crybaby.
Most of her training was about how to hold back, and she tossed all that training aside as she threw out her most powerful attack, azure flames so hot they even started to melt the wires holding Hei, but she could still see the pair.
Ignoring the way his flesh was melting, Hei bit down on the other man's shoulder with his warped face, the massive fanged maw biting through his opponent's flesh easily as bones shattered.
She could see Hei's furred flesh burning, but he didn't stop as his claws slashed as his opponent, in an almost feral way, the tides turned as the ninja desperately tried to escape the beast he was suddenly fighting, he managed to free himself despite the pain and wounds, slashing as Hei's muscled arm with Hei's own blade, which carved through the flesh without pausing, Hei's left arm detaching, hanging from the wires that hadn't melted.
The ninja turned to flee, desperate to get away as his face was exposed, his mask broken, genuine fear on his face, but if he had hoped that the dismemberment would even slow Hei down, he was wrong as Hei pounced forwards, his remaining arm gripping the man's leg before Hei bit down on it, snapping the bone.
Hei was completely feral, nothing but bestial rage pushing him forwards as he tore into his opponent, fang and claw shredding the man who'd inflicted such pain on him.
The ninja could have killed him a hundred times, choosing to drag this out and make Hei suffer, but Hei didn't make that same mistake as his remaining hand plunged into the screaming man's chest, ripping out the still-beating heart as Hei lifted it up, letting it beat one last time before he crushed it and devoured the heart of his victim.
Rising to his full height, she could see his burns and horrific wounds healing, not quickly but not slowly either, but her mind couldn't focus on that as a pair of black eyes locked onto her.
The rage in his gaze remained, and she barely had time to squeak in fear (something she'd deny for the rest of her life) as he bounded towards her, lunging as he pounced, knocking her down.
He was massive, and as she was knocked down onto her back, he hovered over her, snarling as those blood soaked fangs came entirely too close to her face, her heart beating rapidly as some drool dropped onto her face.
"H-Hei?" Azula whispered, looking up into Hei bestial face as his eyes flickered, a moment of realisation crossing them as he pulled back, rising to his full impressive height as he looked down at her for a moment.
As the adrenaline left him, he slumped over and started to shrink, finally giving in to the sweet release of unconsciousness as he fell back onto her, his body shrinking and returning to a more human, familiar form.
Pushing his naked form off her body, she took several deep breaths to try and calm herself, before she looked around the clearing, her eyes only briefly flickering over his naked body as she tried to work out what she was supposed to do.
That was terrifying, her father would have Hei put down if he found out about how close Hei came to attacking her, but she didn't plan to tell anyone.
Grabbing both legendary swords, she briefly paused to burn the bastards corpse to ash as she looked over Hei's unconscious form, the brutal cuts from the wires and the ninjas torture slowly closing.
It was only now that she realised that her undergarments were soaked, but she knew it wasn't urine that had made her panties so damp.
Seeing the lengths Hei was willing to go to for victory, seeing the pure feral fury in his movements, the strength, the speed, it had turned her on.
Looking back over the unmoving form of Hei, she paused. How was she supposed to get him to the others?
— Hei Nara —
Waking up, I can barely remember how the fight ended, the taste of blood still in my mind as I return to full alertness, looking around rapidly.
"You're safe," a familiar voice says, making me relax as I spot Azula sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, placing down the book she had been reading. "You're back in the Royal Capital, some of our soldiers investigated the pillar of fire, I had them bring you back."
"Princess? Did everyone-"
"Everyone survived, Ty Lee is still recovering but I've been told she'll make a full recovery, besides the scar, Mai is already healed and Yue is fine as well. You missed the welcome, my father held a ball to welcome her, you've been asleep for about two days," Azula says, rising as I pause.
As my eyes adjusted to the light of the dimly lit room, I hadn't noticed just what she was wearing.
Dressed in only a silky red robe with a gold trim, it's open enough to reveal far more of her pale cleavage than a princess should be showing off, her lack of a bra very apparent.
"You've been given a medal by my father, Mai accepted it on your behalf since you're due back in Konoha soon and my father has already left the capital for some diplomatic thing, proof of your heroism in fighting off such an infamous killer and saving two princesses," Azula continues, nodding to the table at the side of the bed, where a small golden medal sits, the seal of the Fire Daimyo engraved into it.
"Just part of the job," I say, wincing as I move. I don't think I still have any wounds, but my body apparently still thinks I should be given the phantom pains of those wires slicing through my flesh.
Wait, my arm?
Looking down, I stare at my left arm in confusion, a memory coming through the blurry recollection as I watched my arm by cut off by my own fucking sword.
"Trust me, the medic-nins we summoned were more confused, it was rather interesting watching it grow back, inch by inch. You can even see the difference in colour, your regrown arm is paler, I didn't realise you were slightly tanned," Azula says, reaching out and touching the bare, tender, flesh.
Wait, why am I naked?
"Azula, where am I exactly?" I ask, making her smile dangerously.
"In my bedroom of course, I wouldn't settle for anything less than a royal bedroom for my saviour, and I couldn't put you in fathers room, plus ZuZu's room is a mess," Azula says simply as she sits on the edge of the bed.
Did Azula ever get attacked by Kushimaru? No, I don't think so, sure he would have gone for her next but something isn't adding up.
"Plus, it meant I could keep an eye on you and be here when you woke up, because I wanted to speak with you first," Azula says with a strange tone. "I wish to apologise to you."
"For what? The flames were my idea," I say, making her shake her head.
"I was terribly rude to you, disrespectful to someone so… impressive," Azula says as her hand moves to my bare chest, tracing her finger along my muscles. "So it's only fair that you get to discipline me."
"You want me to discipline you?" I ask, wondering if I'm dreaming for once.
"No, I don't want to be disciplined, but it's only fair that you have the right to punish me for being so rude after you still fought so hard for me," Azula says, and somehow I don't believe that she doesn't want this.
"And how should a disrespectful princess be disciplined?" I ask, making her smile as she stands up and calmly shrugs off her robe, revealing her completely naked body, incredibly perky breasts only lit up by the moonlight coming in through the window, her pale slender body on full display.
She's wet, barely but it's noticeable, a tiny trimmed bush of black hair topping her pretty little pussy.
"I suppose she should be spanked," Azula whispers, pulling the sheet off me as I consider this.
I'm pretty sure I'm in more danger now than I was with Kushimaru, given how quickly this could end with me being executed.
Moving to the edge of the bed, I can't even reply before she's placed herself over my lap, undeniably feeling my erection pressing against her stomach as she looks up at me.
Turning down Azula seems more dangerous than dealing with the consequences of this, and as my hand rests on her incredible bubble butt, I can't deny I don't really want to say no.
"I suppose she should be," I say, pulling back and bringing my hand down on her backside, making her yelp as the force makes her booty jiggle. "Do you want us to get caught? Cover your mouth," I order, making Azula's hand rise to her mouth, muffling her next yelp, or was that a moan?
— Azula —
Why did it feel good? As Hei's hand came down in her perky backside again and again, she knew he could probably feel her arousal on his leg, but this was all part of her plan.
For world domination.
Hei was clearly a different breed of man, a true pinnacle of masculinity, not one of the pathetic simpering nobles she usually had trying to court her, and naturally she was the greatest woman.
Their children would be true powerhouses, making the 'legendary' ninjas of today seem pathetic in comparison, with him at her side she'd rule not only the Land of Fire but the entire world.
So of course she needed to apologise and let him punish her for being a bad girl, right? It was an essential part of her plan that he spank her tight little ass, turning her cheeks red as she blushed, muffling her lewd sounds.
His hand stopped, moving between her legs as her eyes widen.
"Wha-"
"If bad princesses need to be punished, doesn't that mean that good princesses who apologise should be rewarded?" Hei asked, his fingers probing her dripping slit.
That did make sense to her, she learnt from her mistake and apologised so wasn't that a sign of her being good?
Her legs spread slightly as she whimpered, feeling his fingers slowly enter her virgin slit, starting to gently pump into her as she moaned into her hand.
She almost wished she could just ride him right now, that she'd send him back to Konoha with his child growing inside her belly, but that was taking things too fast.
She had a plan, one that would see her and Hei at the top of the world, looking down on the lesser people.
His fingers sped up, making her moans grow louder, she knew nobody was around since she had long since scared the help into avoiding her room, but she muffled her moans nonetheless as she felt her climax rapidly approaching.
Gasping, she let out a long low moan, Hei easily pushing her over the edge.
Rising up, she winced at the slight pain from her buttocks, looking at the rock-hard corn between his legs.
"Rescued princesses are supposed to thank their hero, aren't they?" Azula asked rhetorically as she moved to her knees between his legs. "I wish I could give you my virginity, the perfect reward for a hero, far better than a medal, but I can't, so you'll have to settle for being the only man to ever see me on my knees," Azula said teasingly as she leaned forwards and kissed his cock.
The cock that would one day breed her, and of course other powerful women to build the force needed to take over the world, she couldn't bear all those children herself after all.
"Azula-"
Whatever he was going to say was cut off as she took his cock into her mouth, making sure to keep her teeth away just like Ty told her as she kept eye contact, taking inch after inch of the fat dick into her mouth.
She gagged a little when it hit the back of her throat, but she wasn't so easily detteredy when she wanted something, starting to bob her head as her tongue swirled around his cock.
Hmm, she didn't really like this. She'd make an exception for Hei, but in the future she'd find someone else to see to Hei's needs when he wanted someone's lips wrapped around his cock.
Maybe Mai? Either of them really but the kunoichi Mai would be a good royal concubine. What was the point in those massive breasts if she didn't use them for Hei's pleasure?
Reaching up, she took his hands with hers as she interlocked their fingers, never breaking eye contact as she gave him a pleasure and honour no other man would ever experience, Princess Azula on her knees worshipping their cock, her eyes were watering and her makeup rubbing form the sheer effort she was putting into rewarding him for killing the bastard who hurt Ty.
Despite her inexperience, she felt him twitching in her mouth in fairly short order, her smile growing around the phallus in her mouth as she sped up, tasting something salty and yet quite enjoyable on her tongue before he groaned, the taste growing stronger as he unleashed his seed into her waiting mouth.
She decided to go all the way, swallowing his seed as she kept eye contact, her golden eyes locked with his dark gaze.
Pulling back, she licked up the little that leaked out and rose to her feet.
"You are still injured, sleep and we can speak in the morning," Azula said as she moved into the bed, pushing her body against his as she pulled him back into the bed.
Nobody would come into her room without her permission, so she wasn't worried about getting caught, and she had a plan for if they did.
With her buttocks pushing into his crotch, she smirked as she felt his cock harden against her body, reaching back and grasping it, trapping it between her thighs.
Yes, it was all coming together.
— Hei Nara — Next Morning —
When I woke up Azula was missing, and she acted like last night never happened. I'd almost believe it didn't if it wasn't for the lipstick stains on my cock.
But I didn't have time to push her on it, because I'm due back in Konoha, apparently word reached the Hokage and my father of my wounds and just who I fought and they don't want me out of the village for a single day more than needed, so off home I finally go, with an elite ANBU escort no less.
I recognise Cat from my mission to wipe out the bandits, but the rest are predictably anonymous.
I can't say I dislike the treatment, after the realisation of just how weak I truly am. Even with two legendary swords on my back, I don't feel like I'm strong enough.
Which means it's time to train like my life depends on it, because it probably does.
I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with Nuibari, it doesn't fit my style and frankly I don't want to be anywhere near the fucking thing.
[To The Victor Goes The Spoils] means that nobody, not even the Mist, should truly question my claim to it but what should I-
Actually, I know exactly who would love this thing. I haven't seen my favourite weapons maniac since she joined Team Guy, but I want to talk to her sensei anyway.
Fire and Water Complete
Primary Objective: Protect Princess Azula
Primary Objective: Escort Princess Yue to the Fire Lord
Secondary Objective: Impress Princess Azula (Complete)
Hidden Objective: Defeat Kushimaru (Complete)
Hidden Objective: Recover the Salamander Contract Scroll (Complete)
Rewards: The Salamander Scroll, Nuibari, Azula's Yandere Love (good luck), Two Random Powers
[Power Gacha]
This power allows you to sacrifice a power you have gained, gaining a new random power in exchange. The quality of the skill you sacrifice increases the quality of the skills you can gain, but the results can vary wildly.
[Drawback - Predestined Defeat] - Removed
Hold up.
Azula's what now?
— Bonus Scene — Mei Terumi
Reading the report again, she briefly considered that this was some prank, in which case she'd melt whoever thought a prank of such poor taste was appropriate, but no.
It was real.
Kushimaru was dead.
Kushimaru was the last of the Seven Swordsmen to stay by the insane Mizukage's side, and his blade had ended hundreds of rebels, usually in the slowest and most brutal ways he could think of, countless of her friends had been torn apart by his wires.
And he was killed by a genin.
A genuine laugh left her as she leaned back in her chair, between Princess Yue's escape and Kushimaru's death, things were looking up for the rebellion.
It was disappointing that this 'Hei' had taken Nuibari, but she wasn't in a position to argue, perhaps she'd negotiate to get it back later on so she could remake the seven swordsmen, but she had bigger issues to deal with now.
It was also annoying that they'd had to send Yue away, placing her under the debt of the Fire Daimyo Ozai, they'd pay for that later but they'd pay worse if the loyalists actually managed to kill Yue.
Best case, they tried and Konoha was pulled into this war, supporting their fight against the Mizukage's tyranny.
It would give the Mist a powerful ally once the rebels won, which they'd definitely need to avoid the Cloud deciding to just conquer them once they were weakened by the rebellion.
She'd be worried about the Stone as well, both villages far more aggressive than the Sand or Leaf, but the Stone would have to travel through the Land of Fire to even get close to them, and there was some very bad blood between Konoha and Iwa.
Hei Nara, huh?
Naras didn't usually use swords, but he was apparently the successor of Ryu Hayabusa, he'd definitely be one to watch, if only so she could thank him for putting an end to that sadistic bastard.
For now, she has a rebellion to win.