After a few hours, the ninjas began to regain consciousness.
- If I got a medal for every time I fell onto hard ground, I'd already be a medalist!
Jay joked.
- Jay, not the time for this!
Cole said to him.
- You two, look ahead.
Niya said, trying to keep the situation under control.
They all looked straight ahead and saw the guy sitting on a large rock.
- Oh! They're up, after all. And it hasn't even been a hundred years.
He said sarcastically.
- And a good morning to you too, sunshine.
Cole replied with a smile.
- Can you introduce yourself?
Zane asked him.
- You first.
The guy sitting on the rock replied.
- I'm Master Wu, these are my students — ninjas: Cole Terran, Niya Mizugami, Zane Yukiseu, and Jay Raiji.
Master Wu said.
- And I'm Kai Kaiyen.
The guy answered.
- Kai, do you want to come with us?
Jay asked.
Cole, Niya, and Zane looked at Master Wu, waiting for his answer. In their eyes was one question: "Sensei, is he the true master of fire?"
- Yes, Kai, come with us.
Master Wu said.
- Why?
Kai asked.
- Come, I'll explain everything to you.
Master Wu replied.
Kai nodded, and they set off to the house where the ninjas would spend the night.
***
At the house, the ninjas entered the room.
Master Wu sat at the table, Niya sat next to him. Zane chose a chair by the window. After a brief battle for a spot on the bed, Jay sat on the floor next to the bed, and Cole sat on the bed itself. Kai leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
- So, what are you going to tell me?
Kai asked, looking at them.
Master Wu began explaining, telling about his past, his younger brother, how the darkness consumed him, and about the golden weapons that were the key to a great threat. He spoke about Sagejutsu, the art his father passed to him, and how important it was to gather all the masters of the elements to fight the evil that was beginning to awaken.
Kai listened attentively, observing each of them.
- You're telling me I'm a true master of fire, well, at least I should become one after unlocking my... my inner potential?
He asked, lowering his gaze slightly.
- Exactly. In short, yes.
Cole replied with a smile, glancing quickly at Master Wu.
- So, what do you think?
Niya asked.
- Fine. I'll go with you. There's nothing left for me to do here anyway...
Kai said with a slight smile.
- Though it sounds like nonsense.
-Welcome to the team.
Jay said from the floor.
- So, where are we headed next?
Zane asked, looking at Master Wu.
- Our next target is the Hirao clan, the wind clan.
Master Wu replied.
- When do we leave?
Cole, Kai, and Jay asked simultaneously.
- Tomorrow at dawn.
Master Wu said.
After this, Niya quietly left the room and went to her own.
And so the second day of their journey ended.
***
In the morning, Master Wu gave the order to depart. Everyone gathered their things and began their journey through forest trails.
- I won't stop asking this question...
Jay said calmly.
- WHY THE HELL DID WE GET UP SO EARLY?!
He yelled, but they just ignored him.
Kai walked alongside Master Wu, and the others were a little behind, discussing their impressions of recent events.
The terrain gradually changed — the forest became sparser, and rocky areas began to appear. The winds from the mountains grew colder. The weather changed quickly, and even the experienced ninjas felt how difficult it was to adapt to the new conditions.
Cole approached Master Wu.
- How much longer until the Hirao clan?
He asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.
- A day or a few more days. If all goes well, we should arrive without delays.
Wu replied.
- I agreed to come with you, but... I didn't expect this!
Kai said, exhausted.
- Get used to it!
Jay replied, teasing.
- You've got to be ready for anything.
Zane said, carefully surveying the surroundings.
- Enemies can be anywhere.
Niya was walking ahead of him, nodding in agreement.
- Anything can happen.
She replied.
They continued walking for several hours, speaking only when necessary, each of them looking around, instinctively feeling that danger could be anywhere.
When the sun began to set, the group decided to stop for the night. They set up a small camp on a hill, where they could watch the starry sky and rest from the exhausting journey.
***
In the evening, Cole, Jay, and Kai were training, trying to keep their form after a long day. There was a palpable tension in the air, and each of them focused on their movements. With every strike and block, they refined their skills, and occasionally, they exchanged heated jokes.
- Yeah, Kai, you're almost like a rock.
Jay said with a smile, dodging his strike.
- Just without the fire!
- You better watch your skin!
Kai responded, his movements becoming more determined.
Cole watched them, leaning to the side, slightly tired after many hours of traveling. He tried to put aside all his doubts and insecurities, training with his new partners.
While they were training, Master Wu, Niya, and Zane sat a little apart, quietly discussing their next steps.
- We can't afford to waste time. The Hirao clan might be safe, but it could also hide a great danger.
Zane said, carefully looking at the map.
- Yes, but right now we need to preserve our strength and confidence. If everything goes according to plan, we need to be ready for any challenges.
Niya added, not taking her eyes off the map.
Master Wu nodded quietly, considering their words.
- Right. And while we want to move quickly, we must remember that our goal is not just to reach Hirao, but to prepare for whatever might await us there.
Meanwhile, Cole and Jay continued their exercises, and Kai decided to take a break, sitting on the ground and watching the training.
Master Wu called Kai, Cole, and Jay.
- Guys, stop for a minute.
He said calmly, but there was seriousness in his voice.
Cole, Jay, and Kai immediately stopped their training and approached Master Wu. Zane and Niya also looked up from the map, waiting for what Master Wu had to say.
Master Wu began speaking.
- This concerns the Hirao clan.
- What exactly?
Zane asked, focusing on him.
- After my battle with the dark lord ended...
Master Wu continued.
- The Hirao clan decided to distance itself from all other clans. They severed all ties with other clans, and since then, no one has heard what's going on inside the Hirao clan for many years.
Cole, upon hearing this, glanced at Master Wu.
- So, what are we going to do?
Niya asked, looking at Master Wu.
- First, we need to reach the Sorai village.
Master Wu replied.
- As far as I know, the Hirao clan was founded there. After that, we'll need to go to the main temple where the Hirao clan's main family lives. We'll need to get permission to stay in Sorai.
Cole frowned slightly.
- And what, we just walk into the temple and say: "Hello, we're here to stay"?
Asked Cole, a bit skeptically.
Master Wu smiled.
- Not exactly. But we need to be ready that our presence there might raise some questions. So, we must be prepared and act cautiously.
***
That night, while everyone else was asleep, Kai continued training. He was practicing strikes when he suddenly heard a sound from the forest. Without hesitation, he moved towards the sound, carefully making his way through the trees and bushes.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him, and someone covered his mouth. Looking closely, Kai realized it was a girl. She raised her finger to her lips, signaling for him to be quiet.
Then voices were heard — three guards passed by.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Kai thought.
Kai felt confused, not understanding what was happening. As soon as the guards passed, the girl whispered:
- Sorry...
And in that moment, Kai's vision went dark. The girl quickly knocked him out.
****
By morning, Kai woke up to the annoying shouts of Jay.
- Kaaai!! — He yelled.
- The master of fire, yooo!!
Jay added, clearly excited.
- I'm here!
Kai shouted, almost losing his patience.
- Stop yelling, Jay.
Kai sighed.
- My head is splitting from your screams.
- You shouldn't have been running around the forest in the middle of the night.
Cole grumbled.
- Oh, come on!
Kai waved them off.
- Kai, where were you?
Master Wu asked as everyone looked at him.
- Well, I was walking in the forest, and then suddenly some girl appears, covers my mouth, signals for me to be quiet, and then just knocks me out. Something like that.
Kai replied, smiling.
Everyone froze, not knowing what to say.
- Are you serious?
Cole asked, disbelievingly.
- Yeah, seriously.
Kai replied, still smiling.
- And you know what? The night wasn't that bad. Too bad, though, she didn't leave a business card.
- But don't worry, I'm here, in one piece. Just don't tell anyone a girl knocked me out in the forest.
- What! This should've been recorded on video!
Jay laughed.
Master Wu quietly chuckled, but his gaze was serious.
- We need to be more careful. Who knows who she was.
- Yes, we must be cautious.
Master Wu added, pondering Kai's words.
- No one knows who she was or what she wanted.
- Well, she definitely wasn't someone bringing flowers.
Cole noted, trying to lighten the mood.
- Listen, I promise I won't be running around the forest in the middle of the night again.
Kai said, folding his arms across his chest.
- Besides, those who don't take risks don't drink wine.
- You should be more careful with such "risks."
Master Wu concluded, looking at everyone.
- And remember, we don't know what to expect in Sorai.
The ninjas gathered their things, and after a short pause, set off on the next leg of their journey.
The fourth day of their journey officially began at dawn. Everyone was ready for new challenges, and although the path was tough, each of them felt that they were getting closer to their goal.