Kibum’s POV

“How much further are going Kibum! I’m tired.” Ha Young’s voice broke the silence.

The trio had been travelling for 3 days. Staying in secluded areas and only travelling at night, they kept to the shadows. Whatever food they needed was bought with the money Ra Hyo had brought along with her, a small fortune she had been saving all the years at the academy.

“Ha Young, stop complaining. You’re a ninja, for god’s sake. Have a little more endurance.” Kibum sighed. He was tired too. His feet were blistered for walking for so long, and his back ached from carrying his satchel all day.

“Give me your things, Ha Young.” Ra Hyo said, and carried the extra bag with her. They continued to walk in silence.

“Do you even know where you’re going?” Ra Hyo’s voice carried loud in the silence.

Aish, this girl, Kibum thought. “Well, not exactly. I’ve only heard rumours of the school’s location, in the south.”

“But we’re in the north. It’d take us days to reach there, even if we DID know where we were going.” Ra Hyo fired back.

Kibum couldn’t stand it. “Well, I never asked you to come anyways! And if you’re so smart, YOU lead the way, go on!” He stood his ground and challenged Ra Hyo.

Ha Young finally broke in. “Stop fighting you two. Kibum, keep going. Unnie, he knows what he’s doing.” she nodded in his direction.

“I certainly hope so,” Ra Hyo muttered under her breath. Kibum ignored her. They continued to walk in silence. They finally reached a dense forested area.

“I’m scared.” Ha Young whispered to her sister.

“Shh…” Ra Hyo comforted her. “What now Kibum?” She asked.

“I suppose we camp her for the night. It’s too dangerous to go any further.” Kibum said, before walking into the forest.

“What?” Ra Hyo’s voice echoed. “Surely you don’t mean we’re staying IN the forest? Kibum, what does your idea of danger mean exactly?”

Kibum ignored her again, and just kept walking. Ra Hyo had no choice but to grab her sister’s hand and follow Kibum into the trees. They’d be alright. It was dark, they were hidden by anyone trying to follow them, Ra Hyo reasoned with herself.

At least, that’s what they thought.

Little did they know, that watching their every move in the trees, was a camouflaged Minho waiting to strike.

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Minho’s POV

Minho could remember what Master Jonghyun said when he presented the wall hanging to him when he returned to Yang Academy.

****

“So, this is what my beloved father told Jinki before he left?” Jonghyun muttered, unfolding the picture to take a closer look at the words.

“I suppose so master. But I do not understand what the words are trying to say.” Minho said, all the while keeping his head down.

“Ah it is alright. You’ve done well, Minho. You may go.” Jonghyun said, rolling the hanging and turning to leave.

“Master. There is…” Minho faltered. “There is one more thing.”

Jonghyun turned. What could it be now? “Yes Minho?”

“Master, while I was at the Academy,I learned of the disappearance of 3 students, one of which was that Kibum boy you mentioned.” Minho spoke, wondering how his master would take the information.

“Ah, so Kibum left after seeing me nearly destroy that mushy half-brother of mine. Well, of what concern is he to me?” Jonghyun said.

Master, you know Kibum. He would not have taken this lightly. I’m afraid,” and here Minho faltered again. “I’m afraid he might have left to seek revenge.”

Jonghyun couldn’t help but laugh. A young boy with 2 friends, trying to take on a dark ninja lord as powerful as himself? You had to give him credit though, the boy had ambition.

“Well, you’d just have to stop him, now wouldn’t you?” Jonghyun said. “Go and find the three little devils, and dispose of them now wouldn’t you?

****

Minho had left that very day, going back to the Yin Academy. He had no idea where to start looking, but he knew he couldn’t fail his Master. He went everywhere, from villages to abandoned warehouses, looking for any signs of the three. He supposed he was lucky when he was having a look around an almost empty inn, when he heard three people come down the stairs, arguing. He nearly chose to tune it out, before he heard a voice call out the name. Kibum. Minho couldn’t help but take a look. There were three people. Two girls, one boy named Kibum. All three looked like students. It had to be them.

Minho spent the rest of that day tracking the trio, following them, till they came to the forest. Minho had decided to climb up a tree to watch and follow them, since it would be dangerous to go on foot and give away his cover by stepping on a twig.

Minho went from tree to tree, hiding in the foliage, following the trio until they stopped at a clearing.

“This should do.” Minho heard Kibum say.

He tensed himself, getting ready to strike. He checked, he had a tracking device, cloud bombs, shurikens laced with poison and the blade he was given by his father on his 13^th birthday.

He was ready.

Minho waited until they got quiet. He then threw a cloud bomb right into the centre of the clearing.

BAM!

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Ra Hyo’s POV

Ra Hyo was setting down the two bags onto the ground, when suddenly the entire clearing went into pitch black darkness. Ra Hyo was stunned, as dust went into her eyes. She knew it could get dark in the forest, but never was she plunged into such pitch black darkness before.

“Ha Young! Kibum! Where are you?” She called out.

 But suddenly, she heard something coming towards her and cut the side of her cheek.

“Ah!” she yelled.

She could feel the blood slowly trickle down the side of her face. She looked to where the attack had seemed to come from.

Finally, the dust cleared. Ra Hyo looked to see a boy with a blade standing in the centre of the clearing. She saw the insignia of red on the boy’s outfit. Really? A Yang student? Here? She had no time to process the information though, because he suddenly came running towards here at lighting fast speed. But Ra Hyo was aware of him now. She blocked him and tried to flip him onto his back, but he somersaulted and somehow landed on his feet near Ha Young and Kibum. He then started to attack them both, whipping the blade around them.

“Don’t you touch my sister!” Ra Hyo yelled, and ran towards them. But Minho was too quick for her. He shot out a shuriken, and before Ra Hyo could deflect it, it cut deep in her leg. Ra Hyo ignored the pain and joined in the fight, grabbing a fallen branch from the ground. She then used it as a staff, and knocked Minho hard in the face. Minho stumbled, which allowed Kibum to deliver a swift kick to his gut. Minho knew he was outmatched with three to one, and he quickly ran into the forest, the dense foliage hiding him from anyone who could see him.

Ra Hyo finally realized the shooting pain in her leg, and she dropped to the ground. She fumbled with the leg of her Ninjitsu uniform, before tearing it off to view the damage.

“Unnie!” Ha Young yelled and ran to her sister. She had cuts and scrapes on her face, but what Ra Hyo had was much worse. The shuriken was thrown at her with great force, and managed to cut deep into her calve. There was also something at the side of the wound that smelled odd.

“Snake poison.” Kibum said after taking a whiff of it.

“How do you know?” Ha Young asked.

“I’ve seen Master Jinki use snake venom when he makes those anti-venom concoctions for the infirmary. I’d know that smell anywhere.”

Ra Hyo couldn’t take the pain. She felt herself fading out, but she held on just for a little while longer.

“Just get it out!” she hissed.

“Help her Kibum!” Ha Young said, panicking.

“Okay don’t panic,” Kibum said, “pass me that blue vial in my backpack.”

Hands trembling, Ha Young retrieved what he told her to. Kibum then slowly began to drip a few drops of the anti-venom onto the wound, with Ha Young looking on with mixed interest and disgust as the pus bubbled. Finally, when all the poison was removed, Kibum tore off a shred of fabric from his Ninjitsu uniform and tied the wound.

“Finally… its” Ra Hyo said no more, fainting from the exhaustion and pain.