Near the main gate, Lightning shinobi had taken on the defensive, having lost ten more members while the shadows had been reduced to a total of sixteen.
When enemy attack became unbearable, Hideo's group retreated on his command and took cover in the surrounding buildings. The plan was to use their knowledge of the setting to their advantage. At that point, he had run out of shuriken, bombs and throwing knives–resorting to defending himself with taijutsu.
Shin and Natsumi wielded katanas, the latter having used all of her arrows. All three elites and the rest of the Battalion Corp looked battered and bruised. Even though that was their worst battle yet–they did not falter.
[
"H–He's fucking suicidal!" Kagero muttered as he tried crawling away but the blue inferno approached from every direction. Shit! I can't go out like this.
"There is no escape." Kazutaka stabbed Kagero's arm. "This is where you die."
"Kagemaru!!" Kagero turned to his son, petrified as he saw his death a mere seconds away. "Kuroku suru (Blacken)!"
Suddenly, the ring of fire engulfed the two leaders–reducing everything within its radius to ash until the flames died out. Moments later, a shadowy figure bearing Kagero's terrified expression lay frozen on the ground like a statuette.
As the Shadow King's armour dissolved into a black staff, he appeared reddened with severe burns all over his body. Although scarred almost beyond recognition, Kagero would live to see another day unlike his nephew. He coughed and let out a hysterical laugh–strained by the immense pain. That Taka-kun... to think I almost died. He stared upwards at the sky–grey with smoke. "Arigatō, musuko (son)."
The sword Kajin, however, lay on the scorched earth next to Kazutaka's ashes.
[
Minutes later, the Shadows overpowered the Lightning ninjas. Hideo, Shin and Natsumi surrendered and were brought to the school with a few Battalion Corp shinobi. Utter despair filled them when they saw the region's strongest two defeated.
With the help of two assassins, Kagero got on his feet and declared himself the new Sage. The first part of their mission accomplished, his Shadows cried out in victory.
"Heika!" said one foot ninja with a cackle. "What should we do with these kunoichi?"
Kagero glanced at Kagemaru before saying, "Nothing."
The foot ninjas grumbled in disappointed, daring not to question the word of the new Shadow Sage. Kagero, however, noticed his son's face beam a little at his response.
"No more fighting..." Kagero gestured for the captives to be untied. "We cannot rule over a land without any people in it. We are all one Shadow now," he said before being escorted away by his ninjas.
Silence filled the air as the surviving Lightning shinobi mourned their late Sage. Natsumi and other shinobi bawled torrents of tears. They had lost a leader, protector, teacher and a father figure to many. For as long as they lived, the embers of his flame would forever burn within them.
As the Shadow ninjas left, Hideo and Shin rushed over to Asuka.
"She's comatose," said Hideo, placing two fingers on her neck. "We have to get her to the Medical Corp immediately." He turned to Shin and saw his eyes become teary.
"I'm so sorry, Asuka." Shin removed the mask and used it to wipe his face. "I should've stayed behind and helped. I–" he said in between sobs. Underneath, he had a diagonal scar across his elongated nose and a short stubble white beard.
Natsumi and the other shinobi saw Shin's face for the first time but were still shaken by what had occurred hours prior. It did not even register that he was unmasked.
"I can imagine how hard this must be for you, Shin-san..." said Hideo, breaking the brief silence. "But we really need to go."
Shin carried Asuka and ran with Hideo to one of the buildings within the school yard. Upon arrival, a few medics took her to the intensive care unit.
Other shinobi with minor to major injuries also made their visits to the Medical Corp. For those with severe injuries, it meant retirement after they had recovered.
Mikoto's friend Kohaku–the undergraduate who topped in medical studies was requested by the ninja doctors to help nurse the injured back to health.
[
"Shin-san," said Hideo as they strolled to an inn. "Back there you gave me an idea…"
Shin opened a door and they got inside. "I'm listening."
"By now these guys have already stationed themselves at the main entrance. But we have one trump card... they haven't seen your face. So, that makes you the perfect candidate to go warn Kazuo-kun and the others not to return home or stay at Kaen."