𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒𝐓

chapter ten.

"A solo mission?"

Gojo nodded. He placed his hands in the pockets of his pants, leaning against a desk. "Now that you're...somewhat better, I thought you might want to go on a little mission." 

Seiko raised an eyebrow. "A mission?" she repeated skeptically. "What is it?"

"It doesn't really have something to do with you," Gojo started. "It actually has to do with Maki. Well, her sister, actually."

Seiko tapped her chin, and an image of the short-haired Zen'in appeared in her mind. "Zen'in Mai. What about her?"

"The Zen'in Clan plans to sell Mai to some shaman hunters," Gojo said carelessly. It seemed he barely knew the details to the mission. "You're mission is to save Mai and kill the shaman hunters. They're supposedly arriving at six in the evening to take her. I assume you'll be able to track them down, yes?"

Seiko didn't answer his question. "Then, I'll be leaving. She left before Gojo could say another word.

~*~

Seiko sat upon a tree, toying with a sharp knife.

It was almost six at night; the sun had set and the moon had risen.

Her ears were open, listening for any type of sound. She was hidden in the leaves, with a slightly open area for her to see the path below her.

Seiko was starting to get bored, she had been sitting here for an hour and a half. All she had done was sharpen her knives and play with them. It was quite boring; where was the fun?

"Let go of me!"

Bingo.

Seiko peered down from the tree, to see the situation in front of her.

Mai's arms had been seized by two masked men, as she flailed around in annoyance and fear. Three men walked behind her, three walked in front of her.

"Who are you?!" Mai shouted, attempting to break out of their grasp. "What do you want from me?!"

"Shut up," one of the men spat, glaring at her.

"Don't tell me to shut up," she snarled back. "Let me go!"

Seiko glanced at the blade in her hand, twirling it around with her fingers. With one swift move, the blade pierced the air, lodging itself in the temple of one of the men behind Mai.

The two beside him were at alert right away, quick to accuse Mai.

"You dare kill one of our men?"

"Who do you think you are?!"

One of the men in the front shook his head. "It couldn't have been her. That's not her cursed technique."

Another agreed. "That means someone else is with us in this forest." A blade pierced his temple, and he collapsed to the ground. Instantly, the men became alert, looking around carefully.

"Come out, if you dare," one said, glaring at the trees.

Seiko jumped out of the tree, landing on her feet as she slowly walked over to them. The men instantly turned to her, their swords up and ready.