The Shinobi Demon - Chapter 3 Shadows In The Dark

As they had finished their talk, a violent rustling of leaves and branches, followed by the door being busted open and hitting the wall, revealed their son Hayato with a somewhat angry tone, displaying an medal-worthy pout.

“What’s going on here?!” Said the kid covered in leaves.

“Why did okaasan suddenly start crying??!! What was all that about your past??!!” He shouted even louder as if demanding an immediate answer.

[Hayato is sharp! But he’s still too young for the full truth. Doesn’t matter how much of a prodigy, he lacks the maturity to understand]

The sudden thought invaded the minds of both parents as they looked at their boy, demanding answers. And even though they didn’t plan on keeping their past a secret forever, they knew Hayato wasn’t ready for the truth.

They didn’t want to raise a man filled with hate, that would go on a murdering spree to avenge past transgressions on his family.

Giving each other an agreeing glance, Nobumoto was the one to talk first.

“So you were listening huh?” He made a slight pause, while Hayato sat down next to his mother on the table.

“You know that eavesdropping is disrespectful of other’s privacy. That, and the fact that your father explicitly told you not to distract yourself from your duties at the orchard…” Aguri scolded Hayato, he lowered his head in repentance.

“Normally there would be punishment for your actions… yet it is also true that we’re not telling you everything about our past…” After pondering about it for a few seconds, Nobumoto got closer to Hayato.

Getting up from his chair, he squatted next to the kid while putting his hands over his son’s shoulders. Nobumoto looked like he was going to say something very important to Hayato…

Despite his previous implicit consensus with Aguri, will Nobumoto end up telling him all about their past after all?

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In the far-west part of a huge trad-japanese mansion, there was a yard filled with all kinds of plants, professionally trimmed and watered to perfection. The mansion belonged to a family of the higher -if not the highest- economical standing among the shinobi clans.

The finishing touch of such an ostentatious garden, was a river-styled pond, that was brisking with the swimming of dozens of koi fish, with different varieties bringing color to the moon-lighted place.

They were quickly swimming towards a handful of wheat cereal, that was being carefully thrown by a male hand; whose body was partially darkened by a tree’s shadow, allowing only a part of him to be seen.

This man that looked in his mid-fifties, had a long straight-gray mane, and was dressed with a male kimono.

Whoever saw him, would instantly assume him to be the master of the aforementioned estate, since his dignified aura combined with his attire of the best confection, provided the complete japanese clan leader stereotype.

The man finished feeding the koi fish, and then proceeded to stand up from his position atop a the wooden bridge that crossed the pond, and sit on a stone bench that was right next to it.

Suddenly… a shadow descended from the roof of the wall that divided the mansion from the rest of the estate.

“What have you to report?” The man said with a completely expressionless face and a flat tone.

As the man was lighting his japanese pipe, the shadow replied in a dutiful behavior.

“It was confirmed, that the intel Elder-sama was provided with, is indeed veracious and accurate.”

“The woman matched the description perfectly.. except f-for…” Such was the pressure that the man exerted on his subordinates, that the shadow stuttered for a moment; before it was immediately ordered to continue by the same man who froze him in the first place.

“Except?” The shadow’s master raised his tone a bit, and just that little change in his tone carried enough power to bring it back to its senses.

“E-except for the headband… that covered her eyes entirely. She moved around seemingly fine, as if she could see through it, sir.”

The shadow was kept from spacing out again by the man.

“I am sure that wasn’t the only piece of intel you managed to confirm?” The man pressured the rest out of the shadow.

“Correct. There was a man that matched the description for the woman’s companion as well who appeared to be in charge of the orchard itself.”

“Additionally there was someone else inhabiting the orchard; it was a person not mentioned in the letter Elder-sama received… It was a boy, probably their son, as the resemblance with them was evident. That is all sir.” The shadow finished with a solemn tone, as a soldier who had successfully completed his mission.

That last sentence, made the man extremely angry, although it didn’t show in his expression at all. Only if one could read minds, would it be possible to tell.

After the shadow’s response, nearly 3 minutes had passed. Only the wind moving the trees and the fish in the pond could be heard. But then…

“She DARED??!! To pass the genes of our dojutsu onto someone that does not carry our name…. to some bastard??!!”

In a moment’s all the emotions accumulated inside the senior man, notice were released with a thick tone of rage, for everyone in the vicinity to hear.

“Tell me, does he have it?!” -he continued his angry inquiry.

“No, he does not possess the Byakugan, Elder-sama…” The shadow was expecting a reprisal from his master any moment now. That was the kind of master he was.

“You will be held responsible for the veracity of this information on pain of DEATH!!

“Hai!” The shadow was gathering whatever strength of will he had, in order to resist the pressure of his master.

“All right then. It’s not as bad as I thought…”

“This matter, however, has to be settled at once”… The master had finally returned to his neutral posture and flat tone.

“I leave it in your hands. Serve the clan well!”

“Hai Elder-sama!” The shadow disappeared as if it was never there in the first place.

“…..” The man went silent for a few minutes, reflecting on what happened to a particular memeber of his clan…

“… To think you’d be so bold… not only to use that scheme for your escape; but to have done so with your lover, whom with you produced a bastard as well…”

“Hmph” The senior man outed the sentiment of irony in his words.

“I was too lenient with you in the past, Aguri… A mistake I’ll make sure to right this time around…”

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Inside a dark cave in the middle of somewhere…

A figure completely covered in the veil of darkness who appeared to wear a type of mask. Looked at the cave entrance, and then commented on the report he had been given.

“So, it’s already begun. Thats good timing…”

A somewhat high-pitched voiced then asked.

“Indeed! Should I go back on the lookout?”

‘Although It’s boring to watch them do the same routine everyday’ Added the voice under its breath.

“Go back to your post; and inform me of any new developments with haste!”

“Hai, *******-sama”