Location: Zenin Clan Estate, Main Council Room
Zenin Shingen sat heavily on his woven cushion.
He rested his calloused hand over the blunt end of a wooden spear.
A decade of clan leadership left deep scars across his neck and jaw.
Ten clan elders knelt in a wide circle around the low wooden table.
Elder Kenzo unrolled a thick paper scroll.
RUSTLE.
"...The war with Russia is officially over," Kenzo announced to the room. "...The government is shifting to a gold economy to pay off their debts."
Zenin Raizo leaned back against the sliding wooden door.
He crossed his arms and scoffed.
"...And Noritoshi Kamo is stealing all the new barrier contracts in Tokyo right under our noses," Raizo muttered bitterly.
Shingen tapped his spear against the floorboards.
THUD.
"...That old man just talks to politicians," Shingen grunted.
Elder Naoki poured himself a cup of tea.
SPLASH.
"...Politicians control the national budget, Shingen," Naoki scolded him. "...We need that money to maintain our western borders."
Raizo smirked and shook his head.
"...If I was leading this clan, I would not let some old man in Kyoto snatch our funding," Raizo mocked. "...I would actually do something about it."
"..."
The entire council room fell completely silent.
The elders held their breath.
Shingen did not yell or lose his temper.
He just turned his head and looked directly at his brother.
"...But you are not leading this clan, Raizo," Shingen stated flatly. "...I am the Clan Head."
Raizo gritted his teeth and looked away.
The quiet reminder of their duel ten years ago shut him down instantly.
Kenzo cleared his throat to break the heavy tension.
"...The Three-Clan Summit is tomorrow," Kenzo reminded everyone. "...We leave for Kyoto in the morning."
Shingen picked up his spear and stood up.
"...Good," Shingen replied. "...I'll press Noritoshi myself at the negotiation table."
--<>--
Location: Gojo Clan Estate, Inner Sanctuary
Gojo Hideaki rubbed his deeply lined forehead.
He sat at the head of a long wooden table covered in accounting scrolls.
Seven older men sat on cushions across from him.
They were all arguing loudly at the exact same time.
"...Noritoshi Kamo is completely out of control!" Elder Takashi yelled over the noise.
Hideaki let out a long, ragged sigh.
'Ten years of this exact same argument,' Hideaki thought bitterly.
"...Quiet down," Hideaki ordered.
The elders stopped shouting and looked at their Clan Head.
Takashi pointed a wrinkled finger at the scrolls.
"...The Imperial Court is giving the Kamo clan absolute authority over the new Tokyo barriers," Takashi complained.
Elder Masato adjusted the collar of his silk kimono.
"...The post-war economy is shifting fast," Masato added. "...We are just sitting here counting our ancestral wealth."
Hideaki picked up his ceramic teacup.
He took a slow drink to soothe his dry throat.
SIP.
"...We have been waiting for over a decade," Hideaki reminded them. "...We still don't have a Six Eyes user in this generation."
He set the cup down.
CLACK.
"...Our money is our only weapon right now," Hideaki finalized.
Masato grabbed a stack of papers and tapped them against the table.
"...The carriages are already packed," Masato confirmed. "...We depart for the Kamo estate tomorrow morning."
Hideaki closed his eyes and leaned back.
"...Noritoshi thinks he can just dictate the terms of this new era," Hideaki muttered.
He opened his eyes and glared at the map on the table.
"...He is already getting old,"
--<>--
Location: Kamo Estate, Inner Checkpoint
Time: 07:30 AM
Genji crossed his arms and stared at the distant main house.
"... It's already past seven," Genji complained. "...The door is still locked from the inside."
Hanzo stopped breathing for a fraction of a second.
His heart thumped violently against his ribs.
Hanzo could never predict the exact day the Clan Head would abandon his body.
He spent the last five years secretly studying and replicating Noritoshi Kamo's exact kanji strokes.
Carrying a ready-made forged note tucked inside his left sleeve every single morning.
Hanzo stepped forward and purposefully caught his boot on a loose stone.
"...Whoa!" Hanzo yelped.
He dropped his woven basket forward.
THUD.
Three warm steamed buns rolled out into the dirt.
Ryu and Genji immediately looked down.
"...Ah, come on, kid," Ryu groaned. "...Those were perfectly good buns."
Genji crouched down to grab the ruined food.
In that exact one-second blind spot, Hanzo moved his left hand.
SWISH.
He flawlessly flicked the folded parchment out of his sleeve.
It slid across the wooden deck and stopped perfectly under the edge of the breakfast tray left outside the door.
The guards could not see it from their standing position.
Hanzo grabbed his empty basket and rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Sorry, Ryu-san," Hanzo apologized quickly. "...I completely tripped."
Ryu sighed and tossed the dirty bun away.
"...Forget it," Ryu muttered.
Hanzo smiled innocently and pivoted the conversation.
"...Why are you guys panicking about a locked door anyway?" Hanzo asked casually. "...Lord Noritoshi is probably just busy."
Genji stood back up and frowned.
"...He never misses his tea time," Genji argued.
Hanzo waved his hand.
"...Tomorrow is the Three-Clan Summit, right?" Hanzo pointed out. "...The Gojo and Zenin leaders are coming here."
Ryu blinked and looked at Genji.
"...Yeah, they arrive tomorrow morning," Ryu confirmed.
Hanzo chuckled.
"...He is probably just strategizing," Hanzo joked. "...If I had to negotiate with those Zenin guys, I would lock my door too."
Genji let out a long breath.
The day-shift guards walked up the stone path to relieve them.
Ryu stretched his back.
POP.
Ryu turned to the new guards.
"...The Clan Head is prepping for tomorrow's summit," Ryu told them. "...Do not bother him today."
Hanzo bowed politely to the guards and walked away.
--<>--
Location: Outside Clan Head Quarters
A young clan servant walked up to the wooden deck.
He knelt down to collect the cold, untouched breakfast tray.
As he grabbed the wooden handles, he noticed a folded piece of parchment tucked underneath.
And pulled it out and read the calligraphy.
'Leave meals at the door. Do not disturb.'
The servant recognized the Clan Head's exact kanji strokes.
He sighed in deep relief.
Being incredibly grateful that he didn't have to knock and face Lord Noritoshi's temper.
The servant picked up the tray and left quietly.
--<>--
Location: Hanzo's Independent House
Time: 08:30 AM
Hanzo walked into a quiet wooden house in the branch district.
He originally wanted to buy back the house where his late father, Noboru, lived.
His savings were simply not enough to outbid the family currently occupying it.
Instead, he used the funds from the combat missions he started taking at age fourteen to purchase this independent space instead.
Hanzo slid the paper door shut.
SHHHHK.
He dropped his basket on the floor and sat down on the tatami mat.
Closing his eyes and forced his breathing to slow down.
HUFF. PUFF.
The ten-year wait was officially over.
Tomorrow morning, the Zenin and Gojo clans would arrive for the summit.
When Lord Noritoshi failed to appear, the elders would definitely seek him out.
His only window to strike was tonight under the cover of darkness.
'I need to take that note back too,' Hanzo reminded himself.
He needed to retrieve the forged paper during his infiltration tonight to completely erase his tracks.
Hanzo sat in silence and waited for the sun to go down.
--<>--
Location: Kamo Estate, Outer Perimeter
Time: 11:00 PM
Daiki kicked a loose rock off the ground.
CLACK.
"... I'm getting tired," Daiki groaned. "...The elders made us run extra drills for tomorrow's summit."
Yumi rubbed her shoulders and sighed.
"...Stop whining," Yumi replied. "...Everyone is stressed about the Gojo and Zenin clans arriving."
Hanzo walked quietly behind them.
He adjusted the strap of his dark uniform.
"...I am going to split off here," Hanzo told his teammates.
Daiki stopped and turned around.
"...Are you serious?" Daiki asked in disbelief. "...We just walked the entire perimeter for hours."
Daiki pointed a finger at the dark tree line.
Daiki added. "...You do this every single night. Take a break, Hanzo."
Yumi swatted Daiki on the back of the head.
SMACK.
"...Let him do his evening routine," Yumi scolded him. "...He just likes the discipline. It is his quirk."
Hanzo smiled and bowed his head slightly.
"I wanted to be stronger so I can protect everyone..." Hanzo said. "...I will see you guys at the barracks tomorrow,"
"We understand..." Daiki nodded at him and started walking again.
Hanzo stood near the edge of the trees.
He watched Daiki and Yumi disappear down the path.
His casual smile was gone
When his ten-year binding vows were completely dissolved.
He possessed absolute, flawless control over his cursed energy reserves.
Clamping down on his cursed energy output and cut his its emission down to zero.
With no aura leaking out, it was perfect for infiltration.
Hanzo stepped into the thick brush.
SWISH.
He moved through the woods without breaking a single twig.
--<>--
Location: Kamo Estate, Inner Checkpoint
Hanzo stood perfectly still in the shadows of the main wall.
He watched the guardhouse closely.
Ryu and Genji were leaning heavily against the wooden posts.
They looked physically drained from the locked-door situation earlier.
"...I'm freezing," Genji muttered. "...And I can't keep my eyes open."
Ryu crossed his arms over his chest to stay warm.
"...The day-shift guys left us with extra perimeter checks," Ryu complained. "...My back is killing me."
Genji looked up at the dark roof of the Clan Head's quarters.
"...The old man is definitely asleep by now," Genji pointed out.
Ryu let out a long, tired breath.
"...Just lean your head back," Ryu suggested. "...We can take a five-minute shut-eye."
Genji immediately closed his eyes and let his head rest against the post.
Ryu did the exact same thing.
Hanzo mapped out this specific habit over three years of observation.
Then moved out of the shadows.
He crossed the ground like a cat and stepped onto the wooden deck directly behind the guards.
Hanzo crouched down next to the cold breakfast tray.
'Thankfully, the note is still here."
He slid his fingers under the wooden edge and grabbed his forged note and shoved it deep into his pocket.
--<>--
Time: 11:45 PM
Hanzo placed his hand against the sliding paper door.
He opened it exactly one inch.
TAP.
He slipped through the narrow gap into the pitch-black room.
Standing completely motionless.
Hanzo waited in the dark for five agonizing minutes. This story is hosted at g.com.
Epanding his senses across the floorboards and the walls.
'Did Kenjaku put some triggers or alarms?' Hanzo wondered cautiously.
He searched the entire perimeter of the room and found absolutely nothing.
"...It seems I'm overthinking this," Hanzo muttered to himself.
He walked toward the center of the room.
The heavy floorboards were already shoved aside.
The hidden stone staircase was completely exposed.
Kenjaku packed up and left without bothering to hide a single track.
'He really just left the front door completely open,' Hanzo thought with a tight smile. 'How incredibly generous.'
He walked down the freezing stone steps.
--<>--
"...So pungent," Hanzo whispered, covering his nose.
The heavy smell of old blood and chemicals hit him immediately.
He reached the bottom of the stairs.
Pulling a match from his pocket and struck it against the stone wall.
SCRATCH.
He lit a small oil lamp resting on a nearby desk.
The dim orange light illuminated the underground laboratory.
A dead woman lay strapped to an iron operating table in the center of the room.
An old man lay dead on the cold floor right beside her.
It was Noritoshi Kamo.
Hanzo stared at the discarded vessel for a brief second.
'He actually just tossed the Clan Head away like actual garbage,' Hanzo realized.
He ignored both corpses and walked toward the far wall.
"...This is it," Hanzo breathed out.
Nine tall glass jars sat in a perfect row on a long wooden table.
Yellowish fluid filled the containers.
Small fetal masses floated suspended inside them.
Kenjaku had slapped his own original sealing talismans across the front of each glass jar.
Hanzo stared at the absolute prize.
"...I'm ready," Hanzo said quietly.
He reached into his uniform.
Pulling out a thick stack of his own paper talismans.
"...Let's set a barrier first."
He channeled a small amount of his newly refined energy.
And even deployed his customized barrier around the wooden table.
FSSSH.
The invisible dome locked into place.
The barrier had zero defensive capabilities on the outside.
A single mosquito landing on the exterior would easily shatter it.
But the inside of the barrier acted as a total vacuum.
It was specifically designed to devour and trap all leaking cursed energy signatures.
Hanzo stepped inside the barrier.
"...Let's start with the weakest one first," Hanzo decided.
He reached out and peeled Kenjaku's seal off the ninth jar.
RIP.
Hanzo stood perfectly still and waited for a full minute.
His heart pounded loudly in his ears.
THUMP. THUMP.
No alarms went off.
"...Hehe, I'm definitely too paranoid," Hanzo laughed a little, shaking his head.
He slapped his own custom seal onto the glass and moved swiftly down the line.
He swapped the seals on the eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, and fourth jars without any issues.
'I can't risk his original talismans acting as a tracking beacon,' Hanzo reasoned internally. 'Everything gets swapped.'
He stopped in front of the final three.
"...Cursed techniques," Hanzo murmured.
He grabbed the seal on the third jar and ripped it off.
RIP.
A violent wave of dense cursed energy erupted from the fetal mass.
The sheer output fell into Hanzo like a pressure.
He didn't feel any fear.
"...Heh, this is it," Hanzo grinned through the heavy pressure.
He stared at the jar with pure, terrifying greed.
Hanzo slapped his own seal onto the glass and cut the energy off instantly.
He moved to the second jar and repeated the exact process.
RIP.
Another massive explosion of energy filled the barrier before he sealed it away.
His hands were slightly shaking from the pure adrenaline.
Finally, he stood in front of Choso.
"...My Blood Manipulation,"
He ripped the final seal off the first jar.
The aura that poured out felt like drowning in a deep ocean of blood.
Hanzo clamped his custom seal onto the glass.
The room went completely quiet again.
--<>--
Time: 12:15 AM
Hanzo dropped his custom barrier.
He let out a massive, shaky breath.
'My first step was done,' Hanzo confirmed to himself. 'We still need to get these out and hide them safely.'
He pulled a specialized, padded bag from his shoulder.
Hanzo had lined the entire inside with a strong durability talisman.
The seal acted like thick foam to stop the glass from shattering during movement.
He carefully packed all nine jars into the individual slots.
And strapped the heavy bag tightly against his back.
Picking up his oil lamp and scanned the laboratory one last time.
He spotted a dark, narrow gap in the far stone wall.
It was a secondary pathway carved deep into the earth.
Kenjaku's escape tunnel.
Hanzo chuckled quietly in the empty room.
"...You even left the back door open for me," Hanzo whispered with a wide smirk. "...Thanks again."
Step. Step.
He walked directly into the dark tunnel and disappeared into the night while not forgetting to stage some scenes.
--<>--
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-Dr_Chad
--<>--
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