Genesis Locorum

Atop a tall hill, before the sun has risen, a man sights the Black Box in the distance. His prosthetic wooden legs and arm are visible for all to see. His raven tresses are cut short in a style reminiscent of a wandering knight. His katana and sai rest at his hips. “This is the place,” he says as he gazes upon the sleek black building. His jawline is coated in a thin layer of fuzz. A place that is out of place with the surrounding lush wilderness surrounding the town of Rosenkreuz.

An elder Tanuki man approaches him. His sagely features and posture denote a man possessed of a century’s worth of wisdom. With a gray beard that contrasts with his tanned skin. His midnight blue robes stand out with the brightly lit green of the forests. “Are you certain this is the one suited to Lady Atsuko’s goals?”

“I’m certain, Noboru,” the raven-haired man said.

A stoic woman stands forth, with long raven hair, she wears a dark red kimono as she carries a sword at her hip. “Is not like we found any good ones in Noir,” she says.

“Let’s go!” a perky teenage girl approaches. Her orange twintails are adorned with an abundance of hair clips and bows. Her attire is similarly loud with azure and violet layers of fabric over her black under-suit. Including a skirt over her leggings and a bright sash with a star-like decoration at her back. Most of which are adorned with images of shuriken and the heads of kittens and further decorated by various forms of pastel-colored beads and bobbles—a girl who is even more out of place than her peers. A small fog forms around her legs as she runs towards the dungeon.

“She’s an eager one, that Kasumi,” a man approaches the group. His features are fair, with a feminine face framed by glasses and silver hair with vulpine ears. His attire is more conventional but no less out of place, wearing a pine green tight-fit jacket over a white undershirt and tie, with slacks of a similar hue and black leather patterns coating his feet. His nine silver-colored tails jut out from the waist of the slacks.

“And here I thought you wanted to leave the corporate world behind, Kei,” the swordsman says.

“And here I thought we were shinobi, Saizo,” Kei says with a playful smirk. “Are we not meant to blend in?”

“Ideally, yes,” Saizo says. His attire is black with vermilion and golden accents, resembling the gusts of the wind. His wood and metal prosthetics gleam in the moonlight.

“Hello!” Kasumi shouts from afar. “Are we going now?”

Suzume walks ahead, not responding to the teenager’s exuberant prattling.

Saizo sighs. “That girl takes after Hoshikage too much,” he says as he tugs a piece of cloth over his mouth and nose.

Noboru chuckles. “We you not as reckless at her age?”

“And look where it got me,” Saizo laments as he displays his prosthetic arm.

Noboru chuckles. “She had proven quite capable for her age, you should have a bit more faith in her.”

“I guess,” Saizo says. “At least her ninjutsu will come in handy.”

“Come on,” the Tanuki man says.

The group draws closer to the Black Box.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Everyone is having an early breakfast at the Black Box. Sarah had already finished her plate. “More please!”

“Sister,” Richard says as he rubs his temple.

“It’s okay, cher,” Heathcliff says. “I gots enough food for her.” He takes a sip of his coffee before leaving to prepare Sarah’s second course, leaving his cup at the edge of the table. Nina gazes at Heathcliff’s cup and turns to Minerva. “Mommy, why can’t I have what Mr. Heathcliff’s having?” with a whiny tone.

Minerva looks at her daughter. “Nina, that beverage is dangerous.” Referring to the coffee.

“She’s right,” Elizabeth says. “Arachne have an adverse reaction to caffeine.”

Nina humphs and crosses her arms. Minerva sighs.

“Tim, Carla, we’ll need to prepare after breakfast,” Emily’s voice echoes to the two. “The guild had told me that we’re expecting guests today.”

“So soon before our trip to Noir?” Sarah says.

“Yes,” Emily says. “Unfortunately the guild didn’t tell me anything about them other than that they would arrive soon,”

Charlotte meanwhile ponders about the trip to Noir. “How long will you guys be gone?” she says.

“It’s hard to say,” Elizabeth says. “We have to check out the sights and the Dungeons in the city.”

“How would we even get there?” Tim says. “That is miles away!”

“Don’t worry about that,” Elizabeth says. “Sarah and I had been working on something.”

Keith arrives at the hall where the party is eating their food. “Lady Minerva, Lady Clara, Lydia has an urgent need of you both.”

Minerva looks at Keith. “How urgent are we talking,”

“A few of the Hamlin children are acting up,” the Arachne man says.

The two mothers exchange glances and agree to leave the table at once. “Keep an eye on Nina, please?” Minerva says.

“Of course!” Emily says.

Nina gazes at Heathcliff’s coffee cup. Curious as to how it tastes. “Mommy and Elizabeth are just exaggerating, right?” she thinks. “A small sip wouldn't hurt.” She fails to consider that the beverage in question belongs to someone else.

“Emily,” Sarah says. “The ol’ redhead’s taking a while” She leaves her table. “Want me to show how we plan on reaching Noir?”

“Sure!” Emily says.

Sarah leaves the table and Emily follows her. Nina senses the opportunity and immediately hides beneath the table, while everyone else is distracted by their meal.

✦✦✦

Emily’s vision follows Sarah to a room. She directs her attention to several modified pods. “Been tinkering with them at Lizzie’s request.” The young dwarf says.

“Oh, um…” Emily says.

Sarah takes Emily’s hesitation as a sign that she does not know how these pods will help. “I’ll simplify, we enter these pods and enter a state of suspended animation. You will follow Elizabeth’s guides on moving us through several tubs until you reach the entrance at Noir.

“Wait is that why Elizabeth had me creating tubes yesterday?” Emily says

“Correctamundo!” the fairy arrives. “Noir is pretty far away so these tubes will help us reach it in a timely manner.” She then directs Emily’s attention to one of the pods, seemingly occupied. “I already placed an avatara in one of the pods so once you bring us to the new entrance you can use with immediately! Won’t that be fun?”

If Emily could gulp she’d do it now. “A-are you sure it’s safe? You won’t get hurt right?”

“Don’t be silly!” Elizabeth says with confidence unbound. “Why would I propose a method that would endanger us?”

“Besides,” Sarah says as she heads back to the room’s entrance. “We already tested it on some dummies a while back. Managed to get them to and from Noir in under an hour.” She gestures to a corner. “And they are no worse for wear!” Emily’s vision shifts to the corner Sarah pointed at and the two pristine dummies.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, Little Nina scurries beneath the table, away from the watchful eyes of the others. She slinks her little spider body over to where Heathcliff sits and moves her tiny arm around. She feels for the coffee cup while hiding beneath the table. “Ow—“ her hand touched something hot, the drink she is looking for. She moves to locate the hoop on the cup and then lifts it from the table. She accidentally spills a bit of coffee on the table. Her heart skips a beat as she fears she will be caught, but after a few moments, no one seems to notice. She soon moves the cup more carefully until her arm is under the table, holding the forbidden beverage in hand.

“Score!” she thinks. She then moves the cut to her mouth and then takes a sip. The warm caffeinated beverage enters her mouth and flows down her throat. She then feels the bitter aftertaste of the coffee. She swallows it and feels the bitter aftertaste. “Why is it so bitter? Maybe another sip?” she takes another sip, hoping for it to change, but the coffee remains bitter, she still swallows it, fearing that she’d be caught if there was a sudden dark brown puddle of backwash on the floor.

Nina feels a little woozy as she places the cup back on the edge of the table. As soon as her arm emerges from beneath the table, she hears footsteps approaching and rushes her return, placing it precariously on the table’s edge and running back to her seat.

She returns to the seat, successful in stealing a few sips from Heathcliff’s cup. Her cheeks feel warmer than usual.

Charlotte turns to Nina. “Um, are you okay?”

“I’m—” Nina hiccups. “—fine.” Her mind grows a little hazy and her breathing grows irregular.

Minerva and Carla return to the table having resolved the issue with the other children. Elizabeth also returns, and Emily returns her vision to the table.

Throughout the next few minutes. Nina is having trouble staying awake as she eats her food. Emily notices Nina’s tiredness. “Nina, are you okay?”

“I’m—” Nina hiccups again “--fine, Emmy. You got to srop worryintz out me chair.” She hiccups again. A moment later, her gag reflex kicks in, and she tries to keep herself from vomiting.

Heathcliff finally returns with Sarah’s second course. “Whose up for seconds?”

“I am!” the ravenous Sarah says. “What took you so long?”

“The paprika was a pain to get,” Heathcliff says. He plumps Sarah’s meal onto the ground, the vibrations reverberating throughout the table causing his coffee mug to fall and break, scalding Emily with spilled coffee.

Emily feels a small burn from the exposure. Heathcliff looks over and sees the broken cup and spill. “What the—“ he was certain he put it in a place where it couldn’t fall.

Nina tries to swallow her vomit, but something prevents her from doing it. Her cheeks flood with partially digested food. Her hiccups cause her to spit part of it onto the floor. To the disgust of those with the unluck of seeing it.

Nina tries to excuse herself, her mouth still full. Her movements are tipsy and unbalanced as she tries to move. Her mind clouds further as she tries to find a place to eject her indigestion. “Crap, crap, crap,” the spiderling thinks, “Have ti fond placr tl tet rid of it!” Her thoughts become as slurred as her speech. A moment later she collapses into unconsciousness. Partially-digested food flows from her unconscious mouth.

Minerva rushes to her daughter’s aid and her nostrils catch the smokey scent of coffee beans. She realizes that Nina had drank part of Heathcliff’s coffee and ended up intoxicated.

✦✦✦

An hour later, Nina wakes up. The young girl’s mind aches as the aftershock of her intoxication, but is otherwise clearer now, as is her mouth. She looks up and sees her mother with a disappointed expression on her face.

“I warned you, Nina,” Minerva says with a sigh of both relief and disappointment. “Administrators forfend.”

“I’m sorry!” Nina says. “I just—” She tries to explain herself, to find an excuse.

“Its my fault!” Emily’s voice echoes to her. “I wasn’t focused on her. I’m sorry.”

Minerva, looks at her daughter’s quivering eyes. Nina’s the tearful look causes her to relent. She notices that all the coffee and food had been expunged from Nina’s system.

“Go to him,” Minerva says. “You owe Heathcliff both an apology and a coffee cup.”

“Okay,” Nina said timidly.

“Minerva?” Emily says, with a fearful tone.

“It’s fine,” Minerva says. “We weren't careful enough. Hopefully this experience had revealed to her just why that substance is dangerous to us.”

Meanwhile, Heathcliff looks at the remains of his ceramic cup and sighs as he mops up the mess. “I’d should’ve brought the java with me,” he says. He feels someone tug on a leather band of his armor and turns around. He sees Nina, timidly shying away while holding a mug. “Sorry,” she says awkwardly while handing it over to the knight.

Heathcliff knows how young and curious someone like Nina could get. He takes the cup. “Thanks, cher,” he says. “Now what have we learned today.”

“That I shouldn’t steal others beverages?”

“And?”

“That coffee is dangerous to me?”

Heathcliff nods and smiles. “Glad we on the same page. Now if you’ll excuse me, cher. I gots to help Emily greet our guests.”

Heathcliff leaves. Nina clutches her hair and returns to her mother, dreading any further punishment that she will bring.

✦✦✦

The band of ninjas had approached the entrance of the Black Box. Kasumi impatiently flaps her arms, attempting to get the dungeon to open.

“Open seasme!” Kasumi says.

“Kasumi,” Saizo says. “You know that’s not how dugne—”

An ingress forms from the outer walls of the Black Box, at the side is a sign that reads “Sorry. A breakfast incident happened. Welcome!”

Kasumi assumes a prideful position as she turns to Saizo, who can only sigh at the timing.

“Let’s go,” Saizo says. His eyes bear a weary and tired expression despite not exerting that much energy.

“Yay!” Kasumi rushes into the dungeon, her mouth already concealed by a mask.

“Kasumi!” Saizo says, “Don’t run off, you know it’s too dangerous for you to be on your own!”

“Aw,” she says. “Party pooper.”

Kei approaches her with a consoling expression. “Saizo’s right, dear,” he says.

Tsubame simply walks ahead of the group. Noboru is the last to enter.

The group looks over the sleek black and blue walls of the dungeon, with several mechanical Cells patrolling the place.

“They’ll be on high alert,” Saizo says. His stoic and calm expression tells that he is determined to finish his mission. “We must be careful.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kasumi says, anticipating another lecture on the importance of stealth as a shinobi.

Noboru observes the Cells’ movement. The placement and paths of these monsters, coupled with the shifting walls make it difficult to navigate without being seen.

“Well,” Suzume says. “Do we try to strike them down?”

“We only have two hours, Suzume,” Saizo says.

“Leave it to me,” Kasume says with a playful smile on her face. She closes her eyes and focuses, making some mudras with her arms. A mist emerges from the area around her legs and soon coats the room in a shroud of fog. “Done!” she says cheerfully.

“Great,” Suzume says sarcastically, “Now we can’t see anything.”

Kasumi scowls and turns her head. Saizo rubs his prosthetic arm. Layers of metal shine over the wooden core and mechanisms of the arm. “Kasumi’s jutsu will keep us hidden from the enemies.” He moves ahead, looking for a path.

“Fine,” Suzume says with a displeased tone.

The five ninjas walk through the edge of the room, ambushing any Cells that draw too close from the cover of Kasumi’s mists. They soon find a hallway at one of the walls and enter it.

Kasumi uses her jutsu to cloak herself and her allies in a layer of fog as they move. Along the way, Suzume glances at Kei.

“So, how’s that novel coming along?” Suzme asks Kei.

“Fine, Miss Suzume,” Kei says. “The scenery outside has given me some inspiration.

Suzume chuckles.

“Can you write something other than so-called ‘healing’ stories?” Kasumi says

“Afraid not,” Kei says. “I prefer to write works that soothe the body and mind.”

“My mind doesn't feel ‘soothed’ when readying your stories,” Kasumi petulantly says. “It feels bored! Where’s the action?”

“Is this really the time for this conversation?” Saizo says.

“Well there are no monsters nearby,” Kasumi says. “And we made some time, so…”

Saizo’s brow furrows.

“Fine,” Kasumi says, dropping the topic. Kei meanwhile considers Kasumi’s criticism as the group makes their way to the end of the hall. There they find another batch of Cells. Noboru looks at the machines in curious awe. Kasumi tries to create another fog but falls.

“Crap!” she says. “Sorry guys, don’t have enough mana.”

“We’ll need to find another way,” Saizo says. “We’ll need a distraction.”

“Allow me,” Noboru says. He approaches some of the Cells and gently pokes it. “Pardon me,” the Tanuki man says. “Might you indulge an old man for a bit?”

The mechanical monster is confused. It is programmed to attack hostile forces but the elder man acts peacefully and without malice. Several other Cells begin to converge on him as he begins asking them philosophical observations and musings of free will.

Suzume is stunned. Saizo looks at her and gives a hang signal telling her and the others to follow him as they deftly maneuver around the room, while Noboru distracts the mechanical monsters.

A while later, Saizu turns to Noboru and beckons him to come.

“Ah, you would look at the time,” Noboru says. “Thank you for listening to me, I hope you all learned something today. “He drops a smoke bomb and uses it to vanish from their sight. Leaving the Cells confused.

“Thank you, Noboru,” Saizo whispers.

“Are they really that stupid?” Kasumi says.

The group delves deeper into the dungeon.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, within the Black Box, The ninjas soon enter a large round room with no enemies to be seen. The air fills with a sense of dread as the ninja observes nothing but a large chest.

“Ooh,” Kasumi says. “Shiny.” She tries to run towards the chest, but Suzume grabs her shoulder. “Hey!”

“You really should know better than this, Kasumi,” Suzume says with a sigh.

Saizo approaches the chest, his keen eyes look over the box for any signs of traps. An hour and forty minutes remain on the timer as Saizo peers over the chest.

Kasumi looks impatiently at the chest and Saizo as he examines it. The boredom is apparently on her face as her eyes glaze over as if she is about to doze off.

“It’s trapped,” Saizo says, waking Kasumi from her daze.

“Care to elaborate?” Noboru says.

Saizo directs their attention to some tubes attached to the coffer. Small enough to be unseen from the entrance. “The tubes are pumping some sort of substance to them, likely a poison.”

“So there is no loot inside?” Kasumi says.

“Likely not,” Saizo says. “At least none that is worth risking our health over. Let’s go.”

“Aww,” Kasumi says.

The shinobi move forward, while several Arachne leer at them from high on the walls.

They soon enter another room. Time time is empty. There are no other corridors in the room.

“Dead end?” Kei says.

Suzume and Saizo anticipate something coming. “Likely not, be on your guard!” Suzume says.

The group walks close to the center, preparing for an encounter. Sure enough, they see a gigantic mechanical tarantula land in the room, with eight towering legs. The first Sentinel, the first boss of the Black Box.

Suzume already takes the initiative and leaps onto the walls, using specialized gloves to ensure she stays attached as she uses the vantage point to search for weaknesses. Saizo and Noboru follow in her footsteps while Kei and Kazumi remain on the round.

“Hey! No fair!” Kasumi yells. “Why do you guys get the sticky gloves?”

“Kasumi,” Kei says. “This isn’t the time!”

The giant tarantula Construct lifts one of its legs and moves it toward the two ninjas, Kei grabs Kasumi’s arm and leaps out of the way, before taking out a brush. He uses it to write something in the air, and the two are rendered invisible for a while. Suzume sees something peculiar about the machine’s joints and suspects something about them.

Unable to see its prey, the Tarantula turns to the other three shinobi moving along the walls. Saizo dodges a trike from the beast and uses the opportunity to move through its leg. Noboru deftly lands on another and Suzume lands on the joint. She then swiftly draws her sword at an angle where the blade of her katana would strike the joint behind her. The attack was not enough to cleave the leg off, but it was enough to prove to her that the joints are the weak points.

“Saizo!” she shouts. “The Joints.”

“Roger!” he says as he ascends the leg to where another joint is. He takes his own katana and uses it to stab the joints. The blade jams to pieces and moves the leg impossible for the mechanical spider.

The spider struggles to move the leg Saizo is on, it is paralyzed by the jammed piece. Kei’s enchantment wears off and he is left visible. He soon writes symbols representing the words for a tsunami and floods the ground with water, to Kasumi’s ire.

“You nearly got my dress wet!” the teenage ninja says.

“Kasumi,” Saizo shouts from above. “Focus!”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says as she makes mudra gestures, freezing the water around the spider’s legs into ice. She then leaps into one of the iced legs and begins an arduous climb upwards.

Saizo pushes his weapon further, trying to find a way to cut the leg off. Once the weapon is deep enough he uses his prosthetic arm to swing it with it still embedded. “Karakuri Arts One,” he says as gears within his arm whirl at high speeds. “Overheat!” he shouts as mana flows from the prosthetic arm into the sword and heats it. The metal of the joint melts as Saizo slices the joint, creating a large gash in the structure of the mechanical spider. The red-hot blade emerges from the structure, gleaming a vermilion hue in Saizo’s arm as he jumps off the falling leg.

The severed leg is absorbed into the floor as it falls. Kasumi makes it to the joint that Suzume cut and places her legs in the wound. She makes more mudra gestures and water vapor fills the joint.

“Let’s see if this spider can handle the cold!” Kasumi makes another set of gestures, turning the vapor around her legs into water, and then into ice. The water expands as it freezes, jamming the mechanisms of the leg.

Kasumi makes a third set of gestures, turning her body into a phantasmal form and allowing her legs to phase through the ice. The Tarantula tries to move its legs, but each attempt causes it to break off some parts. The ice dislodged some pieces as it expanded.

With the leg frozen on the ground and at the joint, the Tarlantula’s attempts to move only served to break it off, as the joint explodes in a mix of icy shrapnel. A piece of it embeds itself into Kasumi’s arm as she descends the falling leg.

The unfrozen water from Kei’s flood drains as the several arm is absorbed into the floor by the dungeon. Meanwhile, Noboru lands on a third leg and makes some mudra gestures of his own. Transforming himself into a metal statue and calling down lightning strikes on him. The metal ninja directs the conducted Levin into the joint and causes it to melt off. Suzume retrieved Noboru before he could fall and used a mudra to return him to normal.

The third leg falls but is caught on a fourth as the dungeon tries to absorb it. The pull on the legs causes that leg to also be absorbed and the spider to spread the remainder outwards to maintain balance. The legs end up lying flat on the ground and the 4th leg ends up severed by the inadvertent actions of the dungeon herself.

✦✦✦

Heathcliff observes the battle and chuckles. “Hey cher,” he says to Emily. “Maybe we should consider mixing things up a bit. That Construct design is aging like milk!”

Emily is left stunned by how she wound up absorbing a leg that was still attached to the spider. She sees the ninjas conjuring fetters to keep the spider grounded.

“These guys seem tough,” Emily’s voice echoes to the knight.

“Heh, get used to it, Emily,” Heathcliff says. “The rest of Noir is just as tough.”

✦✦✦

Led by Saizo. The ninjas use their jutsus and skills to create large chains to wrap over the joints of grounded legs. The spider tries to stand, but each attempt only causes the fetters to tighter further and squeeze the joints.

“Karakuri arts Nine Three Zero!” Saizo yells, his prosthetics glow with mana as the chains glow with a pale golden light. Saizo makes mudra gestures, which are subsequently mimicked by his allies. The tight chains then glow crimson with heat. The mechanical spider struggles as Noboru, Suzume, Kei, and Kasumi disembark from the legs.

The spider makes one last attempt, fans from its underbelly activate and cause it to lift itself, the chains keeping it bound tighten further as it does so, becoming Gordian knots. The tarantula overcharges its fans and uses the force to propel itself into the air, but in doing so, it causes the conjure chains to squeeze just tight enough to break the joints from sheer pressure. Its core is propelled high into the air, but its means of attack are destroyed and reabsorbed into the dungeon. It collides with the ceiling and shuts down, sticking the to ceiling and reseeding into it as Emily absorbs it.

A chest emerges from the floor in front of Saizo.

“Score!” Kasumi says.

Saizo opens it and finds several gauntlets and robes. Suited to rouges and thieves, or those that lurk in the shadows. He turns to Kasumi. “You want any of these?”

“Nah,” Kasumi says with a confident smirk. “I’m good.” She takes a babble from one of her dresses and opens it, it releases an invigorating mist that restores her mist pools.

“Suit yourself,” Saizo says. He takes a pair of gauntlets and places them over his arm. The metal gauntlets feel lightweight despite his competition. Despite being solid, touching them feels like touching an amorphous mass. The strange feeling convinces Saizo that he is right about the dungeon. “We’ll bring these to Lady Atsuko.” The ninja says.

“Of course,” Noboru says.

“Hard to call your hunch correct after just one Sentinel,” Suzume says.

“Should we continue?” Kei says.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Kasumi says with an eager smile.

“We will proceed ahead,” Saizo says. “And see what other surprises this place yields.”

“Yes, Saizo,” Kei says.

Kasumi is already running towards the corridor that has just opened up.

Suzume sighs. “I’m gonna tell Hoshikage about that one.”

Noboru chuckles. “Ah, youth.” He walks towards the hallway. The others follow suit.

✦✦✦

Emily observes these Ninjas with curiosity. “Hey Lizzie,” her voice echoes to Elizabeth. “Can you—“

“Looks like this band is versed in Yanese arts.” Elizabeth interrupts. “And can you please stop calling me Lizzie?”

“No,” Emily says bluntly. “Now, can you tell me about where these travelers come from, Lizzie?”

Elizabeth sighs. “If you’re wondering, the Nation of [Yae Shoto] is an archipelago to the far east. Part of [Eos] by politics and culture, but considered geographically on the [Euryphaessa] Sea that borders Eos. Tim’s techniques also resemble those from Eos.”

“Eos? Euryphaessa?” Emily is confused.

“The world of [Titania] is divided into five sectors. [Helios], which encompasses the contents of [Erebus] and [Umsuka]. [Selene], which includes the [Cynthia] and [Endymion] continents, and by extension [Liberté]. Eos, which is to the Far East and comprises its eponymous continent and Yae Shoto. And the seas of [Astraeus] and [Euryphaessa]. The former separates Selene from Helios. The latter, Selene from Eos. Both teeming with independent island nations and rumored undersea civilization.”

“I see,” Emily finds the geographic topic strangely familiar. “Do you know if any other worlds are like that?”

“[Messengers] that can remember their old world,” Emily says. “Claim that there are geographical simulates between it and Titania, but the details remain unclear.”

“Ah,” Emily says. “One last thing?”

“Yes?”

“Is it just me?” Emily says. “I could've sworn you sound different now.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth says. “I think your growth has allowed me to develop [Manatounge]. It is a special dialect that is used by the [Administrators] and those with a special connection to them.”

“Mana tounge?” Emily says.

“Manatounge,” Elizabeth says. “One word.”

“Oh,” Emily says. “Thank you.” Emily turns her vision towards the ninjas. Elizabeth leaves the room to tell Carla that the first Sentinel has been vanquished.

✦✦✦

The ninjas continue deeper into the Black Box. Saizo observes his newfound gauntlet with a curious eye. Kei observes the scenery around the area and Suzume and Noboru are keeping an eye out for enemies, and the former also keeps an eye on Kasumi as she runs around the dungeon.

Kei walks up to a tree, adorned with various circuity patterns. “Nature and technology, in perfect harmony. I must take notes!”

Suzume spots a Cell approaching and hides behind the corner, As the machine passes, she quickly draws her sword and makes two slashes. The two attacks slice through the Cell and it melts into a pile of silver sludge.

“Done admiring the scenery?” Suzume says.

Kei finishes his notes. “I’m good, let’s get going.”

The group arrives at a room with a wide gap. A crevasse that is impassable for them.

“Kasumi,” Saizo says. “Do you think—“

“No,” the young kunoichi says. “I’m the Mistwalker, not the Skywalker! Didn’t Hoshikage tell you?”

“Slipped my mind,” Saizo says. He looks around and sees four shorter paths. Two to the left, two to the right, each leading to its own door.

“So where do we go from here?” Kei says.

“Four paths lain out before us,” Noboru says. “Which would lead to ruin,? Which would lead to glory?”

Saizo observes each of the doors, he finds colored orbs on their facades. One yellow, one green, one magenta, and one orange. “Yellow.” He says, suspecting something about the doors.

The shinobi enter the door with the yellow orb on it and see a strange room, the blue and indigo hues of the outside dungeon give way to yellow colors on the sleek black walls. Inside they find a Tatzelwurm. Suzume already moves forward to attack it, but the feline serpent dodges and slithers around. It makes a ritualistic motion and a pillar of light strikes her.

Saizo takes out an orange jewel and loads it into a compartment in his prosthetic arm. “Karakuri arts One Four,” he shouts as he aims his arm at the serpent. The prosthetic channels the mana from the jewel into a spell that manifests a stone and pelts the Tatzelwurm with it. The stolen dazes the beast for a few moments. Kei looks around and notices something behind the creature. “Sensei,” he tells Noboru and points to the peculiar object.

The room is suddenly shrouded in fog as Kasumi uses her powers to cloak herself and her allies. Under the cover of the list, Noboru lurks around behind the serpent, while it tries to find its prey. Suzume draws her katana and slices the serpents, to the blade, nearly touching the ground, then slices upward, as is her usual style of swordplay. The serpent slinks around the room, but Suzume already moved out of sight. The Tatzelwurm tries to use light spells to find the others, but the flashes of light it summons are too brief for it to see the shadows.

Noboru makes it to what the beast was guarding, a small fragment of something suspended in the air, colored blue. The tanuki man takes the piece and a large noise is heard. The Tatzelwurm turns to the elderly ninja, who tries to dodge but in his advanced age, fails to move away in time. Kasumi intercepts the attacks and uses one of her dress baubles to block the feline head’s fangs, jamming it into its mouth.

The cat snake tries to break the object but in doing so releases a mist that lulls it into a stupor. The serpent slithers aimlessly, dazed and confused as the Shinobi make an exit from the room.

As they exist the door closes behind them and vanishes. “The serpent was guarding this,” Noboru hands the piece over the Saizo.

“Hmm,” Saizo looks over the object. The fragment glows blue, but beyond that, he could not make out any discernible features, the shape is too incomplete.

“Is this another one of those puzzle things?” Kasumi says. “I hate those! They make my brain hurt.” The teenage girl whines.

Saizo looks at the magenta orb of the room next door. “Steel yourself,” he says to the others as they approach the room.

Inside lies shades of pink patterns etched onto the walls, as another gap appears before them. Floating platforms lie suspended over them, moving towards and away from each other. In the distance, an azure object gleams.

Saizo turns to Kai. “You up for it?”

The suited ninja responds, “But of course.” Observing the platform’s movements. He takes a deep breath and rushes to the edge. He jumps off the precipices and onto the first platform, landing safely in the center. He then observes the next one’s path. He makes another well-timed leap and lands deftly onto the second one. Kei notices several webs lining the walls.

Saizo looks at his arm, finding that a part of the jewel remains inside. “Guess I’m stuck with earth for a while,” he says. He observes several strands strewn across the gap.

Kei senses that he isn’t alone and looks around, seeing several shadows moving in the webs. “Something’s wrong,” he thinks.

Sure enough, he is soon greeted by an emerging Arachne. “Ah, of course. A jorogumo.” He fights with the spider as the next platform approaches. Dodges both the spider woman’s eyes and legs as he leaps onto the next platform. Another Arachne soon emerges to join her.

The other ninjas see Kei fending off the Arachne. The first platform approaches Saizo and he jumps onto it. He takes his arm and has the palm face one of the spiders as he moves through the platforms to assist Kei.

“Drat,” Kei says as he takes out his brush. He tries to draw a symbol, but the two Arachne fire sticky signs at his arm and use them to tug his arm, throwing off his spell. He tries again but is thwarted by the opponent’s webs. A thrird time sees them use lightning magic to stun him.

Saizo lands on the platform before Kei’s and aims at one of the spiders. “Karakuri Arts Five Seven,” he says. His arm fires a stream of dust at them, blinding the Arachne as he jumps to Kei’s platform. He uses his two sai to fight the spiders. “Kei!” he says. “Go ahead,”

“Thank you,” Kei says and he vaults over Saizo and the spiders and onto the approaching platform.

More Arahcne approaches Saizo as he fights them one. One of them tries to stab the expert ninja with their pointed needly legs, but they instead find it caught between the points of his Sai. They try to free themselves but Saizo activates another spell. “Karakuri arts Five Nine,” he says. Saizo grows in strength from the enchantment and uses his newfound power to hurl the caught spider off the platform.

Kei lands on the opposite end of the room and grabs the piece. “Saizo! I received the item!”

“Good job,” Saizo says as he throws another Arachne off by grabbing the legs with his Sai. The two men leap across the platforms and back to the entrance. The five ninjas escape through the door as it closes, trapping the Arachne in.

“Two for two,” Noboru says.

“So each of these rooms holds a piece,” Suzume says.

Saizo observes both pieces and finds a place where they connect to each other. The incomplete shape still does not bring to mind anything recognizable.

“Kasumi will go with Suzume and Kei. Noboru, with me,” Saizo says.

“Gonna split up huh?” Suzume says

“We have only seventy minutes left,” Saizo says. “It’s more expended that way.”

Suzume’s group heads to the door with the brown orb while Saizo and Noboru takes the door with the green one.

✦✦✦

Suzume, Kasumi, and Kei arrive and find a small room covered In black and orange walls. A single moth greets them, seemingly docile.

Suzume smirks and rushes forth. “Suzume,” Kei says. “Wait!”

Suzume draws her sword and cuts the moth down, in its death knell, the Cell rapidly flies around and spews flakes before it crashes to the ground.

The three shinobi caught and closed their eyes as the flakes landed on them. When they finish expunging the corrupted air, they open their eyes and find their vision blurred.

“My eyes!” Kasumi shouts. Her vision has been distorted to the point where all she sees are squares and rectangles.

“Miss Suzume,” Kei says. “That was hardly a wise move.”

“Shut it!” Suzume shouts. The young woman struggles to find her bearing with her vision altered the way it has. The orange and black walls blur into a mass of dark brown rectangles, and she sees her fellow ninjas as two blocks of blended colors.

Kasumi takes out another babble from her dress. “There’s the panacea!” she takes the bauble and slams it to the ground, releasing a mist that cures her vision. She sees a corridor that had opened after the moth was slain.

“Lucky you,” Kasumi says with sarcasm.

“Hoshikage says a ninja must always be prepared!” Kasumi says as she searches her dress for more of the panaceas. “After all—“ her tone grows more concerned as he struggles to find more of the remedies. “You wouldn't want to be…caught…wanting.”

“Miss Kasumi,” Kei says. “You did bring more of the panaceas, right?”

Kasumi tugs her collar silently.

“Typical,” Suzume says. “You only brought enough for yourself you selfish brat!”

“I’m not a brat!” Kasumi says in a bratty manner.

“Could've fooled me,” Suzume says with a snarl. “Always prancing around with Hoshiguma, Aika, and your fellow students. Never take your job seriously and just coat through life with your mist spells.”

“Ladies, please.” Kei tries to calm the two women down.

“Oh yeah,” Suzume says. “At least I don’t take hits on high schoolers!”

Kasumi struck a nerve with Suzume. The older woman furiously storms off and bumps into a wall.

“Suzume, please!” Kei tries to get Suzume to stop. “It’s dangerous to walk with your eyes like that.”

Suzume simply humps and feels around for an exit, soon entering the corridor. The other two try to follow her but lose her as they enter a labyrinth. Kei gives a stern glare to the orange-haired ninja.

“Sorry,” Kasumi says insincerely.

“Lady Kasumi,” Kei says. His voice and expression bear a disappointed tone.

“Why do we have her around, she’s an assassin,” Kasumi says. “She tried to kill Atsuko! She will betray that!”

“Kasumi,” Kei says. “You know that isn’t true!”

Meanwhile, Suzume wanders the labyrinth, trying to navigate it with her impaired vision. She bumps into a wall. “Stupid brat!” she curses. A Cell sneaks up on her and attacks her, knocking her to the ground. The body of the cells is colored such that it blends into the walls as far as Suzume is concerned. She tries to strike it, but the camouflage ensures she misses with both slashes.

Suzume is left angered by the tricks of the maze. “You dastards! I’ll kill you all.” She wildly slashes everything around her, trying to find the Cell. A lucky strike slices off one of its arms and causes it to leak grey fluid. Szuume sees it and delivers a horizontal slash with her katana, cleaving the Cell into two. The machine melts into a grey puddle.

Suzume takes some labored breathing and moves into he maze, keeping her sword out in case of any more surprise ambushes.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile. Saizo and Noboru find themselves in a room filled with verdant patterns. And with two Tatzelwurms gliding over them. A large cyclone lifts the feline serpents high into the air.

Saizo pelts rocks at them with his arm, shooting one of them down. Noboru takes out a bow, fighting for the first time since entering the Black Box and assisting Saizo with covering fire.

“So,” the curious tanuki man says. “Why did you decide to bring Suzume along with us?”

Saizo aims at the other flying cat snake. “Her skills are well suited to our needs are they not?”

“As we experienced firsthand when she tried to put Lady Atsuko to the sword. Are you certain she’s trustworthy, Saizo?”

Saizo remains locked onto the other snake. “I’m certain, if she really wanted to kill Atsuko, she had ample opportunity.” He snipes the snake down with conjured stones. The grounded serpent survives the collision and glares at Saizo.

“Karakuri arts Six Nine!” A larger bolder manages in front of Saizo and is launched at the serpent, pinning it to the wall and wounding it. The attack was enough to scare the beast off and it slithers away alongside its partner.

“I can only hope you are right,” Noboru says.

The two men find the third piece and attach it to the others. The shape becomes clearer as the third piece is attached. “A flower bud?” Saizo says curiously.

Noboru looks at the incomplete flower. “It needs one more piece to bloom.” He muses on the symbolism of an unbloomed flower. The two men leave the green room and the door behind vanishes.

“Suzume’s team isn’t here,” Saizo says.

“Indeed,” Noboru says. “Mayhap they are in some sort of trouble?”

“Let’s go,” Saizo says. He is not one to take chances with the lives of his fellow ninjas.

✦✦✦

A while later, Suzume stands in a corner of the maze, waiting for her eyes to return to normal. She keeps her blade out for possible foes, hidden from her by her impaired vision and the colors of the labyrinth, but there were any entities nearby they dared not draw near. By now they have fifty-five minutes left before the dungeon ejects them.

Suzume think back on the time she first encountered the other ninjas. She was tasked to kill Atsuko, someone whom her enigmatic employer claimed was a potential threat to Yae Shoto. She had stalked the teenager for weeks, but couldn’t find anything that would mark her as a threat to the archipelago. Whenever she had come close to killing the maiden, she had always hesitated, unsure if this mission was just. She had trailed her even as she escaped from Yae Shoto and into Liberté.

And yet, she recalls that some elements of Atsuko remain a mystery to her, her date of birth, her place of residence, and why she is surrounded by so many shinobi. It is suspicious, yet there was nothing about the nekomata girl herself that would warrant an assassination.

She then recalls her first encounter with Saizo, a trick had revealed her position to her retainers and they had confronted her. She was caught and had to explain herself, her mission, and her hesitancy to fulfill it. The circumstances, including an attempt on Suzume’s own life, had led them to band together to repel the threat and she has stuck with them ever since.

Suzume asks herself, “Why am I even sticking with them.”

Meanwhile, Kasumi leads Kei as they navigate the labyrinth. Her cured eyes enabled her to find and fend off the spells, using lavender mist to dispel their effective camouflage and to allow Kei to attack with his brush.

“I’m still not sure why you’re willing to keep Suzume around,” Kasumi says.

“Lady Kasumi,” Kei says. “You know that is Saizo’s decision, not ours.”

“Heh, do you think he’s in love with her?” Kasumi teases.

“Kasumi!” Kei says. “You know Saizo’s romantic interests are irrelevant!”

Kasumi sighs. “You’re as boring as your—“ her eyes catch something blue in their corner. She turns and finds a Cell carrying a piece. “Can you see that?” she whispers

“See what?” Kei says. The price is too small for Kei to perceive in his current state.

“Wait here,” Kasumi uses her mists to cloak herself as she approaches the cell with the Pieces. Once she is close enough, she throws an explosive bauble at it. The Cell falls to the explosion and drops the piece at Kasumi’s feet. She picks it up and the walls recede into the floor and something rains down.

Suzume notices the changes as the walls recede into the floor. The indoor rain restores her vision to normal. She blinks and sees Saizo and Noboru in the distance. The two men rush to her.

Kei’s vision is also restored and he and Kasumi see Suzume with Noboru and Saizo.

“What happened,” Saizo says with a concerned tone.

“Forgive us,” Kei says. “Myself and Suzume were affected by an ailment and were unable to navigate the maze properly.

“Okay,” Noboru says, but why was Suzume separated from your two.”

“She ran off,” Kasumi says.

Saizo senses there is more to this than the teenage kunoichi is letting on and turns to Kei.

“Kasumi cast aspirations into Lady Suzume,” Kei says.

“Hey!” Kasumi says.

“No, she is right to mistrust me,” Suzume says. “It’s my fault for getting angry at her.”

Saizo sighs. “We’ll talk about this later,” he says.

Kasumi realizes that she is gonna get scolded back at Noir and timidly hands over the fourth piece.

Saizo takes the pieces together and the flower bud is completed. The bud blossoms into a beautiful plant before vanishing in a flash of light.

The ninjas exit the large room and see the door vanish immediately after. Saizo turns and sees the gap is no more, a wide floor in its place, and that someone is at the other side.

✦✦✦

The ninjas cautiously approach the other side of the room, there they find an Alraune woman.

“An Alraune?” Suzume says. “Rather unusual seeing one in a place like this.”

“Is it, Saizo?” Kei says. “The mechanical elements seem to harmonize well with biological organisms.”

“Thank you,” the Alraune says. “We do try to be careful with the environment around us.”

Saizo observes the Sentinel for several minutes Her verdant hair and tresses contrast with the blue-violet and black scenery around her. Like the lone flower, blooming in a place covered in steel and concrete. He observes that she doesn’t have a weapon on her.

“Greeting travelers,” the Alraune says.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Kei says.

Saizo senses something off, and Suzume hears growling around her. A tense atmosphere fills the air as the shinobi scrutinizes the Alraune’s appearance.

“Why would a sentinel be unarmed?” Kasumi whispers.

Sazio approaches the Alraune. “Let’s cut to the chase, thirty minutes are left and by all accounts, you’re the next boss.”

“Indeed,” the Alraune says. “But first I want to ask you a question.” Her tone is gentle and motherly as she speaks, something that irritates Suzume.

“Such as?” Kasumi says,

“On behalf of the dungeon, I want to ask why you wanted to visit this place in particular.”

“Ah, right?” Saizo says. “Haven’t told the guild.”

“We prefer to keep things close to the chest,” Suzume says.

“That said, if you must know,” Saizo says. “Our lord in Noir is looking for a dungeon with specific qualities. We’re here to gather gear to examine to see if this one is right for her plans.”

Emily is intrigued by the visitor’s movie. “Plans,” she thinks. “For what?”

The Alraune looks to the ninjas. “It’s not uncommon for dungeons to be explored for scientific aims, but those tend to be natural dungeons.”

“This isn’t an archaeologist thing,” Saizo says.”Our lord thinks Divine Dungeons are more likely to have the qualities we seek,”

“Intriguing,” the Alraune says.

Suzume and Kasumi grow irritated. “Saizo, we don’t have that much time left!” Suzume says. As she says that she senses something prowling behind her.

“I can see your friends want to continue,” the Alraune says. “Very well.” She turns around and calls for the true boss.

A deer emerges from behind them and charges towards them. Suzume anticipated that and drew out her sword. “Karakuri Arts Five Two Six!” she says. Her sheath glows with lightning as she unsheathes her sword in a V-like arc and strikes the emerging opponent The wounds cause it to stop in its tracks and reveal itself. It is a deer, with something on its cranium that resembled an unknown flower.

“A deer?” Kasumi says before bursting out in laughter.

“You really shouldn’t underestimate herbivores,” the alraune says. “There is a reason why Fang and claw are necessary to hunt them.” The alraune walks away as a panel emerges behind her, moving horizontally, she vanishes behind the panel.

Suzume keeps her light-charged sword drawn and tries to attack the deer. She gets in several slashes on it before it rears up and stomps her with its forehooves, then leaps away, causing Suzume to be knocked back a foot.

Kasumi takes a bauble from her dress and throws it at the deer, the object shatters and releases an enervating mist towards it, and the flowers react to it with an abject shriek.

“It seems like our ‘friend’ here is unusually aggressive.”

Noboru and Kei observe the deer and the strange flower on its head as it makes erratic movements.

Kei takes out his brush and makes symbols for a geyser. Water spits out from beneath it and drenches the cervine, Suzume takes the blade and stabs the boss with it, causing it to be stunned for a second.

The menacing animal tries to move but its foreleg trips over itself as its nerves are based on several volts of thunderous power.

Saizo aims its arm and launches several rocks towards it, as it limps forward. The deer, infuriated, charges at them with their antlers. Saizo takes out his arm.”Karakuri code Three Nine Six!”

A storm of cherry blossoms suddenly appears between the deer and the ninjas. Each petal leaves a cut as the beast tries to run through them.

Noboru gazes at the beast. Taking out several paper talismans.

“Oh, now you decide to fight!” Kasumi yells as she detaches another bobble from her dress and aims it at the beast.

The bobble land at the drenched feet of the deer and freeze their legs in place. Noboru uses his arm to throw the talismans at the deer before making mudra gestures. The paper projects float in place and create a wall of lightning, further trapping the beast.

Suzume rushes towards the deer with her sword and Saizo aims his prosthetic arm towards it.

“Karakuri Arts Ten Zero Eight Five!” Saizo yells as he unsheaths his sword. The weapon and arm glow in a bronzed aura as he joins Suzume in defeating the deer. The two swords strike the trapped deer and cause enough damage to it. The flower atop its head writhes in pain and agony and it compels the deer to run away from the ninjas.

“Is it over?” Kasumi says.

The Alraune returns, to the ninjas with a chest beside them. “Congratulations,” she says with a warm smile.

Saizo examines the container but finds nothing amiss with it, he opens it and sees several blocks an unusual substances, alongside statuettes of rabbits. Kasumi immediately takes one of them. “Mine!” she says with an eager face.

Saizo takes the metal cubes and the other statues and finds a broadsword and some greaves beneath them. “Western swords aren’t my forte,” the ninja says, “But Lady Atsuko would appreciate this,” as she takes the weapon. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” the Alraune says.

“Pardon me,” Noboru says. “You wouldn’t, by any chance, happen to be the core of this dungeon, are you?”

“I’m not,” the Alraune replies before leaving. A wall morphs to create a door behind her. “This will lead you to the last Sentinel. Good luck,” she says before walking away.

Saizo knows they have thirty minutes left. He looks at his arm, the orange jewel that was previously there has been comply consumed.

“Let’s go,” Saizo says as he leads the others through the door. As he walks he takes out a bag of gemstones. He sees his supplies are reduced to several green jewels and one iridescent one, a black opal. Realizing he had already excused most of his earth techniques for the day and his wind techniques before the excursion he takes the opal and loads it into his prosthetic.

✦✦✦

The ninjas open the door and see a room black and gold in hue. Similar to some of the rooms they had visited to gather the pieces of the key. They find a teenage man meditating in the center of the room. A Qiang staff stands beside him.

Saizo looks around and finds there is no one else. He senses a foreboding aura coming from the young man, indicating he is a Sentinel.

The man stands up. “Yanese Ninja, huh?” he thinks. “So you are my opponents then?” he says.

“We are, yes,” Saizo says.

The young boy politely bows, his face kept in the same cocky expression.

“Let’s get this over with,” Suzume says.

A battle begins as the young boy assumes a horse stance. Kasumi tries to use her powers to create a fog, but the boy makes a charging step and elbows her in the head before making a leg sweep to knock her off. The fall causes her bobbles to dislodge from her dress and shatter all around her, depriving her of most of her tools.

“Hey!” Kasumi says. Mist swirls around her feet. The boy smirks as he sidesteps an attack from Suzume.

Kasumi’s fog coats the air, but the impudent girl fumes over how her opponent had deprived her of her bobbles and with them her methods of restoring her mist levels. Under the cover of the mists, Noboru sneaks around to try and grab the young martial artist, but his keen senses enable him to anticipate it and counter with a knee strike.

Saizo tosses Key one of the green stones from his pouch and Kei places it inside a device mounted on his forearm. Grinding the stone to an ink he dips his brush in it and uses it to draw a symbol for a cyclone.

A whirling wind circles the area, but the young boy is unamused by the winds as she stands his ground. Kasumi and Kei hand onto a pillar to avoid being swept away by the winds the latter had summoned.

“Karakuri Arts Six Five One!” Sazio shouts. An illusion of vicious warriors emerges from dark mists spewed from his arm. The martial artist clashes with the warriors, their blows somehow leaving cuts on his. Kei’s win lifts the opponent’s spear into the air and thrusts it close to him.

“Heh, not bad,” the teenage boy shouts. He takes the Qiang and opens his ice. Spinning the spear he turns the whirlwind against the ninjas using it to take Kei and Noboru out. And dispelling the mists.

“Karakuri Arts Seven Four!” Saizo shouts, he, Kasumi, and Suzume become invisible as they charge into the opponent. Tim closes his eyes and focuses on the sounds the ninja makes as they approach. His Qiang spins and parries an incoming slash and he uses a palm strike with his free arm to knock Suzume to the ground. He senses another slash and uses his arms to repel Saizo’s sword and launch a series of rapid attacks at him, knocking Saizo back. One of his sai is separated from him as Saizo is repelled by the opponent. It lands next to the invisible Kasumi.

The young girl takes the weapon as the young boy approaches Saizo, fifteen minutes remain. He prepares to put the shinobi lead out for the count, but his arm is stopped mid-attack. Kasumi uses the surprise to hurl him over herself. The two clash with the invisible Kasumi observing her opponent and countering with body movements of her own, aided by the fact that the boy cannot perceive her enough to anticipate her movements and the blows make too much noise for him to track her legs.

The young boy takes Shis qiang and strikes to strike him, but the weapon is caught by the sai in Kasumi’s arm and she uses it to disarm the martial artist before punching him in the stomach. The boy is shocked as Kasumi’s invisibility fades and he is made visible. “This is for my dress!” she yells, referring to the boy’s previous neutralization of her bobbles.

Saizo stands up and holds his sword in hand, breathing heavily. He realizes that they only have a few minutes left before the dungeon ejects them. “Time to use my trump card,” he thinks. He turns his sword towards the young man. “Karakuri Arts! Two Two One Six! Shine in all your brilliant colors!” His prosthetics glow in a myriad of colors as his sword changes to an iridescent hue. “Lend me your strength!” The ninja strikes the ground at the sword and a bolt of magenta lightning strikes the ground.

The Martial artist tries to evade the attack, but lightning emerges from eh sword and hits the metal blade of the qiang, shocking him. He conjures boulders to protect himself, but the arena quakes in response to Saizo’s ultimate art and causes the rocks to be destroyed. Suzume’s sword and Kasumi’s say glow with the power of Saizo’s art and they take the moment to strike at the martial artist as the wind blows in their wake and rain and hail fall from the ceiling.

The young man tries to repel their attack, responding as rapidly as he can to the two women’s attacks, but he fails to anticipate the rain and hail landing on his feet and freezing them, rooting them to the ground. Light and shadow dance around the two kunoichis as they and Saizo’s weapons glow with a brilliant light. The boy breaks himself free from the frost, but his shadow is pulled down by a dagger and he is unable to move beyond its length. He tries to parry their attacks, but Kasumia and Suzume wear him down with their techniques. Saizo then looms over the fallen lad, his katana coated in fire as he points it at him. The lad scowls at the victorious shinobi, before sighing.

Saizo smiles. As he holds the blazing sword aloft and lashes the body with its hot blade. Gold dust emerges from the wound as Tim looks at the ninja. “Well done.” Tim vanishes.

The dust concentrates at the center as the elemental powers vanish, coalescing into the form of a chest. Saizo opens it and to his surprise finds a sword similar to his own, as well as several spindles of dreamcloth and four more bunny statuettes.

The man is satisfied by the fruits of their labor and he takes the tresure. Kasumi cheers over their victory.

“We shall take this to Lady Atsuko,” Saizo says, placing the contents of the chest into their bag. The five shinobi leave with contentment, and Saizo leaves with a feeling that they will return to the Black Box again.

✦✦✦

Later, after Tim has reformed after his fight. He meditates on the battle. Emily greets him.

“The girl with the weird dress,” Tim says. “She harbored a surprising amount of potential.”

“You want to see her again,” Emily’s teasing voice echoes to the lad. “Maybe I can set you two up on a date if we see her again!”

“Don’t be stupid, Emily,” Tim says. “I was thinking a sparring partner would be ideal for my advancement.”

“What exactly are you trying to do, Tim?” Emily says.

“I want to hone myself,” Tim says, “I’d said as much before. It’s why I decided to travel with Heathcliff.”

Emily senses something unusual with Tim. “Well call me if you need naything, Wouldn’t want you to fee uncomfortable, Timmy,”

“Knock it off, Emily,” Tim says while blushing. “And when did you decide to use cutesy nicknames?”

“Just now,” Emily says. “And no.”

“You can’t be serious,” Tim says.

“Ask Lizzie and find out,” Emily says.

Tim sighs. “Whatever, get ready we’re supposed to go to Noir in a few hours.” He then resumes his meditation.