fynovel Chapter 246: 239: The Ninja and the Princess
Chapter 246: 239: The Ninja and the Princess
Chapter 246: 239: The Ninja and the Princess
"Hmph! It's already your time, won't you give up?"
The unknown ninja flying became furious. He formed hand seals.
Behind him, a strange torrent of chakra suddenly burst out, condensing into a huge dragon-like creature.
The chakra dragon, formed by the condensed chakra entity, bared its teeth, exuding an evil and uncomfortable aura.
"Kill them!"
The dragon obeyed the command, and its body seemed to be able to elongate without limit. It swooped down from the sky and charged at Red Shadow's moving body.
Boom!
The strong impact caused the ground to be completely destroyed instantly.
Red Shadow hugged the girl in her arms and reluctantly dodged away. His body injured by the explosion could only be driven by willpower.
To be honest, it isn't a wise move to fight against a powerful ninja with such a burden.
Now was undoubtedly the best time to let the toublesome princess leave to avoid getting involved in this dangerous battle.
However, this consideration also took into account the current situation. The enemy possessed a flying ninjutsu..He could completely ignore him, directly attacking her and even take her as a hostage to threaten him.
For him, if the troublesome princess were to die, it would mean his mission failure. It would also pose significant obstacles to the plan. Therefore, keeping this her by his side was better for her safety. Just because the enemy's target was him, it would be naive to think the enemy will not attack her.
Shukichi, being hugged, naturally didn't breathe. Death was so close to her. It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel scared, but because of the man with her, she didn't feel lonely. But she couldn't help but feel incompetent. In this situation, she couldn't do anything.
'If I can also help Ninja-sama...' Shukichi thought so but then shook her head, unable to do it.
Ninja was an area she was completely unfamiliar with.
Although born in a noble family, her strength was no different from that of ordinary people, and due to her pampering, she may even be weaker than an ordinary women.
Facing such powerful people like ninjas, her strength was so negligible. At this time, obeying Ninja-sama's arrangement and not adding to the trouble was the right course of action.
"Even if this kid is injured, his speed is still so fast..."
The unknown ninja marveled at the speed at which Red Shadow ran on the sand. At a normal pace, he would probably be far behind Red Shadow. Even with flying ninjutsu, chasing Red Shadow wasn't an easy task.
"However, with so much blood loss, how long can you last?" The ninja sneered in a low voice.
Most of Red Shadow's body was bleeding, especially his chest and head, and the blood loss was particularly serious.
If the human body loses more than 30% of the total blood at one time, it will be life-threatening.
Even if a ninja's physique was stronger than that of ordinary people, 30% blood loss might not be life-threatening, but their physical ability will definitely drop significantly. Continued blood loss was enough to be fatal.
The safest way was to attack from the sky so Red Shadow couldn't stop to recover from his injuries, further consuming his dwindling physical strength. As long as Red Shadow lost enough blood, he will win this battle without any injuries to himself and with little effort.
It wasn't a wise move to approach a ninja with a kekkei genkai, especially a seriously injured one. Many of a ninja's abilities came from the element of surprise.
He couldn't help but wonder if Red Shadow had a counter-attack ninjutsu to kill with one hand.
In short, he who's invincible in the sky, didn't need to take risks in close quarters just for the sake of winning the battle.
.....
Red Shadow understood his predicament, but facing the mysterious ninja, he couldn't turn around and engage in a battle, knowing he would likely be the one defeated. He lacked the ability to target the flying ninja, making him a blind spot.
Furthermore, there was a likelihood that information about his Kekkei Genkai had leaked. It was likely that thought-out his journey from the capital of the Land of Bears, he was continuously observed from the sky by the enemy.
The ninja kept expending chakra to stay on air, clearly feared his kekkei genkai.
Understanding the imprudence of recklessly battling without knowledge of the opponent's abilities, Red Shadow recognized the ninja's cautious nature and battle experience. For such a vigilant opponent, aggressive methods wouldn't allow Red Shadow to get close and counterattack.
But before anything else, he had to tend to the wounds covering his body. If this continued, death from blood loss was inevitable.
Even with a ninja's distinct physique, they were still mortal, succumbing to excessive blood loss in battle. Moreover, the exploding tags initial explosion not only caused him to loose large amount of blood but also seemed to shatter his bones.
Poof!
Unsurprised by his fall, blood streamed down Red Shadow's forehead slipping into his eyes making him blink uncomfortably trying to get the blood out. Before he could wipe it away with his other empty hand, the girl he was carrying gently used her sleeve to clear the blood on his face, unintentionally staining her attire.
Red Shadow intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the troublesome princess, realizing that even in her trouble state, she proved to have some effect.
Reflecting on it, his involvement with the princess triggered the enemy's initial focus on him, making her an innocent hostage caught in the crossfire.
From both a mission and responsibility perspective, abandoning the woman wasn't an option; he couldn't let her fend for herself.
She was careful helping him wipe away the blood showing a willingness to help. However, as a weak woman, her capabilities were limited.
"Nin.. Ninja-sama..."
Shukichi's anxious and worried voice sounded in his ears.
Red Shadow remained silent, not out of reluctance to respond but due to the need to conserve energy. Any unnecessary words could hasten his energy drain.
But there, up ahead, Red Shadow looked forward with a glimmer of hope.
A massive canyon, shrouded in light yellow mist, lay ahead.
This was Devil's Ravine.
A natural canyon surrounding the Bear Country, where a deadly poison accumulated perpetually, it was a place even ninjas hesitated to enter.
Yet, for Red Shadow, it was undoubtedly the only place he could survive.
"In the bag, blue, antidote."
Keeping his words concise was crucial. Saying more meant expending more energy. Now wasn't the time to relax.
'In the bag, the antidote?'
Shukichi was momentarily taken aback before realizing the statement was directed at her. She wasn't dissatisfied with Red Shadow's indifferent attitude; instead, feeling needed seemed to bring her joy.
Soon, Shukichi extended her hand and touched Red Shadow's bag. Despite experiencing an explosion, the bag remained undamaged, apparent to its special materials.
She quickly looked in the medical box, which contained infusion tubes, bottles, and a sealed blood bag.
Drawing on her limited medical knowledge, she tore open the blood bag without hesitation and began transfusing the blood to Red Shadow.
Soon, the blood bag was used up, but Red Shadow's face remained pale, his vitality hanging by a thread. The blood bag provided only a temporary solution, leaving Shukichi troubled.
'But.... wheee can i find blood?'
Devil's Ravine lacked a human town where blood donations were possible.
Devil's Ravine was barren, littered with human and animal bones.
Finally, a spark of inspiration struck Shukichi, she thought a way to save Red Shadow.
....
He found himself in darkness with no sense of time passing, his consciousness felt dull. It seemed as though his body alternated between cold and warm sensations, with a weight pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe.
Opening his eyes became a difficult task, vut Red Shadow summoned his willpower to lift his eyelids, revealing a kaleidoscope of colors. Several minutes passed before his vision gradually returned to normal.
The first time the field of vision returned to normal, I saw a beautiful pretty face close at hand. It was stained with some dust, but it could still be seen that it was a beautiful girl.
After his field of vision returned to normal, he discovered a beautiful face nearby. The face was stained with some dust but it was a beautiful girl.
She seemed to be hanging onto his body, her face slightly pale, and the rhythmic sounds of sleep and breathing were audible.
Her expensive kimono taken off from her body, now covered him. She was only wearing a thin white undergarment, appearing somewhat vulnerable.
"..."
Red Shadow's first thought was to push away Shukichi, who clung to him. However, he realized he lacked the strength to move; even opening his eyelids required considerable effort.
Seemingly aware of Red Shadow's slight movements, Shukichi woke up from a deep sleep.
"Ninja-sama.... are you awake?"
Sitting up, Shukichi felt her previous posture was too ambiguous. She blushed slightly, hurriedly explained again.
"Please don't get me wrong, Ninja-sama. I noticed that your body was too cold, and that's why you turned into what you were just now..."
"..."
He had no desire to speak, speaking with this princess was draining. Recovering his strength was his top priority. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, and there was the looming uncertainty of the enemy's presence.
Even within Devil's Ravine, escape didn't guarantee their safety, resting here to recuperate held its own risks. Given that he was the target, leaving such an easy opportunity for the enemy to strike was inconceivable.
"Ninja-sama, is your body still cold?"
Shukichi blinked her bright eyes, asking concerned.
Red Shadow remained silent, scrutinizing the surrounding environment. Besides the rotting bones of animals and humans, only looming tall rock walls were visible in the thick yellow fog, turning this place into a desolate haven.
Seeing that Red Shadow ignored her, Shukichi was not discouraged. After all, Ninja-sama's serious demeanor was undeniably handsome and manly.
The stories in the storybooks she had read before seemed like nonsense. If her future husband were someone like Ninja-sama, it wouldn't seem difficult to accept.
But how could it be possible? Ninja-sama was just a small guard under her father's command. Even if powerful, he couldn't exceed the duty of a courtier.
In terms of identity, they were not from the same world.
Unless... they eloped.
Shukichi became short of breath, deeming it the only possible way. Having escaped the Bear Kingdom's capital, the conditions seemed to have been met. But, would Ninja-sama be willing to elope? Did he see her as someone silly?
Where would they live after they eloped? How many children might they have? These questions were deep and complex.
While Shukichi contemplated these major life events, a sudden movement disrupted her thoughts. Red Shadow also turned his head, staring vigilantly into the depths of the thick yellow fog ahead.
A tall figure appeared vaguely in the yellow mist. As the footsteps drew nearer, the figure became clearer.
Soon, the figure emerged from the yellow fog.
The figure was tall and robust, with an ordinary appearance clad in simple coarse linen clothes. The figure's nails were a bit cracked, and the hands bore thick calluses.
Seeing this person, Red Shadow felt relieved. It was the Dark Bull.
Unlike the responsibilities he was in charge of, the other party manages communication and assistance.
Observing the relaxed expression on Red Shadow's face, Shukichi also understood that this man wasn't an enemy but likely a companion of the Ninja-sama. However, she hadn't encountered this person in the mansion before.
But when she thought about it, there were too many ninjas serving her father, making it impossible to be acquainted with each one.
Dark Bull stood still, observing that Red Shadow's injured body was covered with Princess Shukichi's coat. As a princess, Shukichi was only wearing a thin white inner garment, she kooked an obedient wife taking care of him, creating a weird atmosphere. It seems like he always arrived at the wrong time.
Dark Bull was about to speak, but Red Shadow spoke first:
"You don't need to worry about this. I know the rules, and I won't fall to these habits that will hinder the mission."
It implies that he has no interest in women.
Dark Bull probably wanted to warn him against such tendencies, not succumbing to the softness of women.
'Hmph, I truly underestimated just how much he wants to follow him.'
However, Dark Bull shook his head and said, "I didn't say that. I just wanted to let you know that there are too few precious resources in this world. The key is to identify these precious resources and act quickly, so you don't regret later."
He conveyed this in an experienced tone.
The Land of Demons was actively promoting childbirth. If an excellent ninja like Red Shadow remained single and doesn't pass on his Kekkei Genkai, it will be a severe waste of bloodline resources.
"?"
Shukichi listened to the casual conversation between Dark Bull and Red Shadow, feeling that the two ninjas were talking about something very important.
'Was this how ninjas talk?... Amazing!'