Raizen perched lazily atop a gnarled tree, surveying the mine below. Hours had passed since Amamiya Jane had shown up to "guard" him, though his task was simple: keep an eye on the perimeter and prevent enemies from sneaking in.
But the mine had been peaceful. Almost boringly so. Not a single intruder dared show their face—at least, not until the Ueshi Family actually decided to declare war.
"Raizen! Follow me!"
Jane's icy voice cut through his thoughts. Startled, Raizen sprang from the tree, sprinting toward her, and caught her in the act of packing supplies as if she was leaving.
"Get ready. The third transport channel's been attacked. Hurry—support me!" Jane snapped, fastening the armor on her forearms and leaping forward with lethal precision.
Raizen blinked. Attacked? Already? He followed, heart kicking. Songshan Mine had multiple transport channels, each responsible for ferrying raw minerals to the clan's weapons division. The third channel was crucial—and now, it was in chaos.
"What happened?" Raizen asked, keeping pace as Jane's eyes scanned the terrain like a hawk.
"I just received word—the convoy was hit en route. This is a support call from the mine," Jane replied, her voice flat, eyes sharp.
Raizen frowned. Why did the transport channels keep getting hit? His mind raced, trying to piece together possible motives.
By the time he finished thinking, they had crossed the main vein and reached the third channel. The scene was a disaster: scattered ore, injured guards, and—worst of all—one of the two Chūnin assigned to the escort was hurt.
"Master Jane!" the two Chūnin rushed forward, bowing low. Jane's sharp eyes narrowed at the mess and the embarrassed pair.
"What happened?" she demanded.
The Chūnin exchanged uneasy glances. Fear danced in their eyes, but Jane's scrutiny left them no choice but honesty.
A swarm of attackers had descended on both sides of the convoy. The Chūnin had assumed they were ordinary bandits and let the lower-ranked guards handle it. But the "bandits" weren't normal at all—ninja were mixed in. The mineral shipments were ruined, and the Chūnin had sustained injuries. Thankfully, the attackers only aimed to destroy the cargo, sparing lives.
"Bandits?" Jane's brow furrowed. She turned to the Chūnin. "You're saying these were from Beishan?"
The northern mountains still harbored a small bandit group, left untouched because they'd never caused real harm before. But now, Jane's intuition said they were responsible.
The Chūnin hesitated, unwilling to speak further. Jane snorted, already making up her mind.
"You secure this area. I'm heading to Beishan," she ordered, sprinting off with lethal grace. Raizen scratched his head. No choice but to follow.
"You don't need to come. This could get messy; I can't guarantee your safety," Jane warned without slowing.
"I don't need your protection. Not many can keep me!" Raizen shot back, smirking. Jane let out a sharp exhale, speeding up even more. He matched her pace with a grin. No matter how fast she went, she wouldn't shake him.
Together, they raced toward Beishan. The mountain loomed desolate and forbidding, an obvious haven for those desperate enough to call it home.
When they reached the northern ridge, Jane paused, scanning the shadowed crags. She looked at Raizen, expression unreadable.
"Follow me. If things go south, run immediately."
"Don't worry. I told you—nobody can keep me," Raizen replied with a cocky laugh.
Jane didn't respond. She disappeared into the crags, leaving Raizen to trail silently, adrenaline sparking through him like chakra on overdrive.